Village Idiot - by David Sheinkopf

Book Synopsis

Ever wonder what it's like to grow up in Greenwich Village and live the fast life of a teenage kid who's breaking into the brilliant inside world of modeling and television, meeting beautiful girls, hanging out with neighborhood kids willing to try anything once, and doing recreational drugs of every stripe? Here, by turns, is the revealing, deeply touching, hilarious, and heart breaking story of a twelve-year-old who does just that-who goes from print modeling to soap operas, makes serious money and spends it like it's going out of style, suffers painful losses, crashes into one catastrophe after another, runs into real emotional and physical trouble. . .and survives because, at root, he has a good heart. It's a tale of faith in oneself and triumph over tough odds that leave some of his nearest and dearest dead, strung out, or doing hard time.

Review Quotes

"Opening in 1982 as the tale of a self-acclaimed 'nothing exceptional' twelve-year-old with a curiosity for a whole lot more in life than just than the beautiful woman who bathes herself in the window across the street, this memoir tugs at heart strings and takes us on a wonderful, nostalgic ride as its author weaves tales of glory, hijinks, and loss-such as a boy's first bicycle, first love; of a divorced father leaving Mama with two angry kids; and of a drug-fueled adolescent punching out a cop. Sheinkopf writes in an intimate style that allows the reader to relate to the follies of youth in these often hilarious, often heart-breaking tales. A must read for New Yorkers and anyone with a big heart."

-W. Peter Iliff, screenplay writer of Patriot Games and Point Break

"Village Idiot is a story of struggles and triumphs that is engaging and riveting. David Sheinkopf uses his personal journey to teach us all about how to find our best selves with resilience, perseverance, and strength. As he overcomes the adversity he has faced, he continues to hold onto hope and a sense of humor. We can all learn a lot from reading this memoir."

-Stacy Kaiser, psychotherapist and television personality

"I was fortunate enough to live in Manhattan in the early to mid 1980s. Reading Village Idiot brought me back to when New York was leaving an indelible impression on me. The colorful, visceral, and truthful way David Sheinkopf captures the moments of his youth made me feel like a friend to the character and the Manhattan I knew! Though things don't always go his way, there's such joy and honest humor to the writing, I wanted to read more and more. He's a lovable person and a true hero. People will find different things in this book. I found, more than anything else, how inner strength keeps you going. A must read for anyone from the '80s and beyond."

-John Kassir, actor/voiceover artist, Tales from the Crypt