I typically love memoirs and was really looking forward to this one after reading the description. Unfortunately it was a miss for me. The story jumped around a lot and I just never connected with the author.

Dirtbag, Massachusetts: A Confessional by Isaac Fitzgerald
Publication date: July 19, 2022

Date read: October 22, 2022



This memoir-in-essays begins with a childhood that moves at breakneck speed from safety to violence, recounting an extraordinary pilgrimage through trauma to self-understanding and, ultimately, acceptance. From growing up in a Boston homeless shelter to bartending in San Francisco, from smuggling medical supplies into Burma to his lifelong struggle to make peace with his body, Fitzgerald strives to take control of his own story: one that aims to put aside anger, isolation, and entitlement to embrace the idea that one can be generous to oneself by being generous to others.

The audiobook was narrated by the author.

I’m not really sure where to start with this memoir. First of all, it’s composed of a number of essays that the author has written - some, I believe, were previously published, if not all. I had not read any before. (In fact, I was completely unfamiliar with Fitzgerald before picking up this book.) Because this book is in essay format, the timeline does jump around a little, but it doesn’t take away from the story, in my opinion.

First of all, Fitzgerald is a wonderful writer. I thought that the essays flowed and I was interested throughout. Even in the parts of his life that I found a little cringy (I’ll get to that), I didn’t dislike any of the essays. I also appreciated that he completely admitted his flaws and shortcomings without making excuses for them - it just is who he is. Kind of refreshing, but if you’re looking for a book where someone sees the errors of their ways and gives up the hard life to settle down for happily ever after, this is not it.

In that vein, Fitzgerald is not always an easy person to like. There is one essay where he basically only talks about drinking and spending all of his time in bars. There is another about his time in the pornography industry. He is rough around the edges and doesn’t shy away from any aspects of his life. Because of this, this book is absolutely not for everyone.

I want to say that I was not the audience for this book, but in a way, this makes me a great person to review it. I often found Fitzgerald’s stories to be shocking, crass, and dark. I didn’t always like him as a person. Parts made me uncomfortable (the pornography essay; not because it was explicit - it isn’t - it’s just a subject matter that I find hard to talk about, or listen to someone talk about). But despite all of that, I still liked this book. Fitzgerald is a great writer and I found a lot of his eccentric life to be fascinating.

So, yes, I enjoyed this book. And if you’re on the fence about picking it up, I’d say give it a shot. But by no means is this book for everyone. Use your judgement. But if you’re open to a little bit of grit and grime in your memoirs, you might be surprised with this one.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Content warning: the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal (*note: the author was not personally sexually abused, but he did grow up in the same church and experienced some inappropriate behavior), drug use, physical violence, alcoholism, drunk driving, attempted suicide (including a parent’s attempts witnessed by a child), mental illness, conflict in Burma, pornography, miscarriage, racism, Proud Boys, body dysmorphia, domestic abuse

Caution: language

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I grew up in a small town about 45 minutes north of Boston, and live in the city now, so when I saw this up for review I quickly requested it! I think I have a soft spot for books set in Boston, because I enjoyed this story overall! My only problem was that I wish it had more to do with growing up in Massachusetts. Isaac Fitgerald has definitely lived a very interesting life and it was cool to read about how much his life changed as soon as he moved out of MA. Overall, pretty good!

Dirtbag, Massachusetts reminds me of why I love memoirs so much. Fitzgerald is such a cool, relatable guy who also happens to be a wonderful storyteller. From his rough & tumble upbringing to his wild young adulthood, there are so many gems here. The audiobook is great because you hear the stories in his voice. Highly recommend!

Overall this is well written and a good story, you feel for him and really get a peak into his life. It’s hard to really rate someone’s memoir because it almost feels too personal. Overall I enjoyed it and think it would be an even better movie but there were parts that bores me a little (I even feel wrong saying this because again… it’s a memoir)
I think the fact that it is written in essays might actually be better to physically read it for the pacing. The audio felt like a run on sentence.

There was an overall sadness to these essays. I did appreciate the moments of dark humor, but overall it was a depressing read. The author has a great way of being introspective and reflecting on his life.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of Dirtbag, Massachusetts by Isaac Fitzgerald.

This is a memoir about a man growing up in New England and grappling with his traumas and demons as he comes to terms with his own body, life, and masculinity.

I was really hoping to be all into this one, but I just couldn't connect. My only criticism is that it did feel all over the place, I could never get a could purchase on the story. Otherwise, I chalk this miss as just a personal difference. From the reviews it looks as though many have enjoyed it. Just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBrige Audio for gifting me with an ALC of Issac Fitzgerald’s moving memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy my time listening to this “confessional”, I did…it was riveting, arousing, entertaining and compelling but…it was also chaotic and overwhelming. Issac Fitzgerald has lived a life difficult to imagine; some parts were hilarious others heartbreaking. I appreciated the author’s willingness to openly share his journey in hopes that others can benefit from his experiences. Listening to Isaac tell his tales definitely added more to my reading and I believe the audio enhanced my emotional connection to the pages. If you enjoyed Patricia Lockwood’s memoir Priestdaddy then make sure to pick up a copy of Fitzgerald’s Dirtbag. Available July 19, 2022!!!!

Fitzgerald’s memoir—or confessional, as he’s called it—shies away from nothing, covering everything from infidelity and poverty to sexual abuse in the Catholic church. Fitzgerald has done the work—not only has he reflected on his experiences, but he’s considered how he was shaped by them, and how he can break negative cycles in adulthood. He is a deep thinker and a generous writer. He extends grace to his family well past the point many other people might have given up on them, and he does something that is sometimes even more difficult—he extends grace to himself.

He’s clever and his prose moves quickly, even when the subject matter is difficult. This book should not be missed.

Gritty and emotional, this is a memoir that lives up to the hype. Listeners who enjoy author-narrated tales will be pleased with the audio. A recommended purchase.

I was so looking forward to this audiobook and was so excited when I received an advanced listening copy from NetGalley. But I could not get past Fitzgerald's narration style. It felt forced instead of conversational; performative instead of natural. It wasn't how I expected him to sound, which is on me, but the book didn't flow like I wanted it to.

5 stars

Here, Fitzgerald creates a memoir through essays. While Fitzgerald's identities do not reflect those of authors (or characters) I typically read, I could not wait to get my hands on this very buzzy effort, and I am so glad I did.

Readers who have access to the audio version should absolutely grab it. Listening to Fitzgerald narrate his own experiences heightens the impact of what are (under any circumstances) profound and memorable moments and lessons. The throughline here is powerful, and Fitgerald bookends his work with his specific point of origin. Readers will have no questions about how far Fitzgerald has traveled - and yet how close he has stayed to his roots - upon completion.

I came into this book (despite LOVING, of all things, _How to Be a Pirate_) with some degree of skepticism about how relatable and impacting I'd find this narrative, but the storytelling is exceptional throughout. Fans of memoir will find this a fast, palatable, and surprisingly meaningful engagement.