Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer is a comedic trip through the world of rock & roll told through the eyes of 28 year old Jenny Troanni, who decides to quit her boring job and start a rock band.  Along the way she finds out what the lifestyle is like, how to best deal with a flaky best friend, and what making it big might really be like, oh and why it’s a bad idea to date a member of your band.  The book is told through journal entries, complete with little sidenotes reminding Jenny of the various lessons she learns along the way.

Now while I might disagree with the book’s title (well sorta, that article is more about drummers in general, not necessarily the one in your band), I honestly think this is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read.  I’ve been in my share of bands and have had much experience with the rock & roll lifestyle (although not the successful part) and this book rings so incredibly true it’s astounding.  But more than that, it’s really entertaining.

The character of Jenny is instantly relatable.  Who hasn’t just wanted to one day quit their job and start their own band?  In Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer you get to feel what this is like and live through all the problems such a thing would cause without actually messing with your own life.  But along with the bad you get to experience the good.  The pure excitement of an awesome gig or writing a really good song.  Sincero allows the reader to really feel the exhilaration along with the characters.

Speaking of characters, this book is chock full of them.  Every character is, well, a character.  Unique personalities that you are most likely to encounter on your path to rock & roll stardom and some that you wouldn’t, like Jenny’s space cadet of a father.  But even with all of these characters they all come across as fully realized people with emotions and their own motives where a lesser writer could have just made them into caricatures.

This is a book that is easy to pick up and not stop reading.  It’s filled with heartbreak, passion, and hilarity.  And best of all I think it has a pretty wide appeal.  Those who have experience in this world will relate, and those who don’t will enjoy it just as much.  Age wise this will resonate on some level for most, although Jenny’s late-20′s peers will probably empathize most.  And this is pretty gender neutral.  There is a romance but it’s by no means the center of the story, despite the title.  So do yourself a favor and go and get a copy.