Never Mind the Track

Sy Nazif
Fly Publishing  (2006)
ISBN 0977923800
Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (6/06)

Sy Nazif, the author of "Never Mind the Track" is quick to point out that this book is not a memoir. But as all good writers know, the best material for a novel is real life. And Sy draws on his background as a mechanic, motorcycle thief, and assistant to a Hollywood literary agency to create this exciting book.

The main character, Eddie, is a tough kid from Pittsburgh, or at least he pretends to be. He is into muscle cars, heavy metal, and mostly motorcycles. If you don’t know the difference between a Honda 350 and a DKW 250, get ready to be educated. Eddie and his brother Eric are into street bikes and café racing. Eddie’s mantra during a daredevil street race is "I am afraid of nothing". This mantra carries him not only through the races, but through life as well. As he drops out of college, falls in love repeatedly, and lies his way into jobs Eddie may act tough, but we realize that he is really afraid of commitment, rejection, and stability.

The title of this book is inspired by a Hunter S. Thompson quote: "Never mind the track. The track is for punks. We are Road People. We are Café Racers." When I began reading this book, I didn’t really understand what that meant. Now I get it, not only as a literal reference to motorcycle racing, but as an overall theme for the book. Eddie does not follow the standard life track of school, marriage, job. And when he tries, it doesn’t work out. He resists the ordinary. He wants to be out on the open road, riding fast and dangerous.

This coming of age novel references the music and culture of the 80s and 90s. However, this book is for anyone who can recall the freedom and rebellion of youth. Nazif’s brash writing kicks into gear on the first page and takes you on a wild helmet-free ride.

Sy Nazif’s writing style is influenced by Hunter Thompson. Hunter Thompson is famous for his "gonzo journalism". This genre of writing blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction, author and subject. "Never Mind the Track" is written from Eddie’s point of view. Sy not only gives Eddie first person narration, he gives him ownership of the book. Eddie is telling the story, jumping in with asides, and getting ahead of himself as he gets excited. This style is very effective for this book. The reader gets immediately drawn in. I didn’t feel like I was reading a book. I felt like I was at a bar listening to an old friend catch me up on his life story.

"Never Mind the Track" is a fun read. It’s a great way to take a break from reality and think about what would have happened if you had taken that dare, gotten off the path, or married that girl in Las Vegas (just for a few hundred pages). Then you can get back to that desk job and your secure life. But I bet you can’t help but occasionally stop and wonder, what’s that Eddie up to now?

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