About the book, Searching for John Hughes
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (November 29, 2016)
For all fans of John Hughes and his hit films such as National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, and Home Alone, comes Jason Diamond’s hilarious memoir of growing up obsessed with the iconic filmmaker’s movies—a preoccupation that eventually convinces Diamond he should write Hughes’ biography and travel to New York City on a quest that is as funny as it is hopeless.
For as long as Jason Diamond can remember, he’s been infatuated with John Hughes’ movies. From the outrageous, raunchy antics in National Lampoon’s Vacation to the teenage angst in The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink to the insanely clever and unforgettable Home Alone, Jason could not get enough of Hughes’ films. And so the seed was planted in his mind that it should fall to him to write a biography of his favorite filmmaker. It didn’t matter to Jason that he had no qualifications, training, background, platform, or direction. Thus went the years-long, delusional, earnest, and assiduous quest to reach his goal. But no book came out of these years, and no book will. What he did get was a story that fills the pages of this unconventional, hilarious memoir.
In Searching for John Hughes, Jason tells how a Jewish kid from a broken home in a Chicago suburb—sometimes homeless, always restless—found comfort and connection in the likewise broken lives in the suburban Chicago of John Hughes’ oeuvre. He moved to New York to become a writer. He started to write a book he had no business writing. In the meantime, he brewed coffee and guarded cupcake cafes. All the while, he watched John Hughes movies religiously.
Though his original biography of Hughes has long since been abandoned, Jason has discovered he is a writer through and through. And the adversity of going for broke has now been transformed into wisdom. Or, at least, a really, really good story.
In other words, this is a memoir of growing up. One part big dream, one part big failure, one part John Hughes movies, one part Chicago, and one part New York. It’s a story of what comes after the “Go for it!” part of the command to young creatives to pursue their dreams—no matter how absurd they might seem at first.
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About the author, Jason Diamond 
Jason Diamond is the sports editor at RollingStone.com and founder of Vol. 1 Brooklyn. His work has been published by The New York Times, BuzzFeed, Vulture, The New Republic, The Paris Review, Pitchfork, Esquire, Vice and many other outlets. He was born in Skokie, Illinois, but currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife, his two cats and his dog named Max.
Connect with Jason
My Thoughts 
Like the author of this memoir, Jason Diamond, I grew up on John Hughes movies. Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy were my virtual best friends when I was a teenager, and while I never lived in Chicago or New York, I completely understand the feeling that comes from seeing the place you live depicted in a movie (thank you Kevin Smith for making people aware that Highlands, NJ is a place).
I always feel a bit weird about reviewing memoirs, because I feel like I’m judging the person, and not their story. In this case, I really enjoyed the story – the journey that Jason took from cupcake bouncer to witty and read writer.
I also enjoyed Jason’s writing style. I was completely unfamiliar with his work before I read Searching for John Hughes, but his ‘voice’ is so engaging, with a good balance of wry wit, self-deprecation, and frank observation, that I’m eager to go find his stuff at Rolling Stone and read every word.
Ultimately, this is a memoir that will speak to anyone who is considering a major creative endeavor, who hates their current job and wants to find something fulfilling, or who grew up on movies like Pretty in Pink and wants to recapture the feeling of seeing those films for the first time.
It’s a compelling read, a fast read, and one I’m really glad I got to experience.
Goes well with a cupcake (but please, chocolate, not double vanilla) and a perfect cappuccino.
Tour Stops 
Wednesday, November 30th: BookNAround
Thursday, December 1st: Book Chatter
Monday, December 5th: Helen’s Book Blog
Tuesday, December 6th: Kahakai Kitchen
Wednesday, December 7th: Cait’s Cozy Corner
Thursday, December 8th: Book by Book
Thursday, December 8th: Bibliotica
Monday, December 12th: Tina Says…
Tuesday, December 13th: Man of La Book
Wednesday, December 14th: 5 Minutes For Books
Thursday, December 15th: she treads softly
I enjoyed this one too. Hughes was so larger than life to me. I could totally relate to Diamond’s infatuation with him. Plus, I felt for Diamond. Bouncing around like that from home to home must have been hard. I found books during my difficult childhood years and he found movies. I’m glad he had something to pull him through it all.
Pingback: Jason Diamond, author of Searching for John Hughes, on tour November/December 2016 | TLC Book Tours
I’ve been to New York quite often but never to Chicago – it is one of the places I’d like to visit one day.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!