Assessment:
Plot: Don't You Know Who I Am? presents the unpolished side of Hollywood and society’s misunderstanding of the entertainment industry. With a recurring theme of postmodernity, the book explores the theories of Jean-François Lyotard and dissects the meta-narrative referred to as “the celebrity.”
Prose/Style: Robert Allen Miltenberg’s prose captures the disco decade with its funky lingo and racy quality. The narrative voice is impartial and provides a reliable account of each character. However, as the author flips between nickname, first name, and last name references, the reader may struggle to differentiate managers, band members, and the dedicated posse, along with the various titles they go by.
Originality: Underneath the story of a once sensationalized band, Miltenberg hurtles a social commentary on cultural dissonance. He approaches these discussions of abuse and racism with a callousness that laughs in the face of PC culture. The sexually explicit content successfully depicts a period in the height of political and social reform, but it still feels shockingly twisted.
Character Development/Execution: While Miltenberg provides complex characters, the book begs for a hero. The author intends for the characters to be pompous and ungrateful to accentuate the trope of fame and fortune, yet their perverse comments and actions make them intolerable. Randy Root fetishizes underaged girls, while Jeffy Jabonno becomes a reserved schizophrenic, occupied with the voice of John Lennon. It is a dizzying narrative that feels haphazard but, nonetheless, interesting.
Date Submitted: April 03, 2021
The tale of the legendary punk/new wave band The Orifice Of The Oracle is a roller coaster ride into Hollywood’s dark side. It plunges right through Tinsel Town’s underbelly immersing you in behind-the-scenes experiences with music, film, concert tours, sibling rivalry and scandal - from someone who’s seen it all live and in person. Miltenberg masterfully spins a fun, insightful, incisive saga of satire, parody, suspense and psychological drama worthy of recommending to anyone who loves reading “the actual f—-ing truth.” -Peter Wolfe, University Of Missouri, St. Louis Curator’s Professor, two-time Fulbright lecturer and noted literary critic.
