Wednesday, August 29, 2007

"Hack" + a shitty gold sedan


The book finally went on sale yesterday!!! Of course, I went to the store and bought myself a copy for good luck. I'm so psyched.

In the meantime, there was a big USA Today story about me and the book. It can be read here.

You can buy the book by clicking the Amazon link on the right of this page, or go to your local bookstore.

Thank you everybody! The past few days have been amazing, and it wouldn't have happened without the readers of this blog.


In other news, I pulled a shift Monday night (yes, I worked the night before my book went on sale) and this asshole in a shitty gold sedan (seen in the pic below) cut off all of Second Avenue, from right to left, so he could turn east, forcing about six drivers to stop short and almost causing a series of accidents. I figured I'd post his pic for old time's sake. Enjoy!

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go, MP! I ordered the book on-line from Strand Bookstore, which is located right in NYC. I figured if I was reading about a NYC cabbie, I should buy the book from a NYC bookstore. And it was a bit cheaper than Amazon too.

Congrats on the book and the USA Today article! Hope to catch your cab next time I make it to NYC.

D.

Anonymous said...

When a newscaster on the radio begins reporting on an earthquake in Indonesia, Plaut cuts him off midsentence, switches to a traffic report and says with a laugh: "Who cares about Indonesia? What about 57th Street?"

I was going to say, "Wow, no wonder they hate us," but I'm guessing it was a very minor earhquake and the USA Today writer left that pertinent info out.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, thanks for letting us know! I'll pick up a copy this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Congrats!!! Once I'm finished reading a library load of books for my college courses I plan to pick up a copy.

James Harrod said...

Fantastic news! I'm from east of London but will be coming to NYC in September ... any way I can get you to sign it for me while I'm there?

Loved the blog since the start and looking forward to reading the book!

The Pirate said...

Congrats MP:) I just emailed my local bookseller for one and I'm wishing I was gonna be home to read it when it comes in.

Anonymous said...

I ordered my copy AND sent one as a gift, as well! Can't wait to get it. I check the mail every day.

Lugosi said...

You're a real class act, Anonymous. Did you ever stop to think that it's people like you who give morons a bad name?

Meanwhile, I'm with Melissa on the earthquake thing. I live in DC, which has the nation's third worst traffic. If there's a massive earthquake on the other side of the world, my only concern is whether it will cause rubbernecking delays on the Capital Beltway.

Anonymous said...

MP, good luck with the book and everything else! I hope it sells like crazy.

ingenieurmt said...

Anonymous... you're fucked up. That's all I can say. You seriously need some help.

Melissa, congratulations on the release of your book! I'm planning to order it into Australia as soon as I can :) Keep up the great work!

Anonymous said...

I pre ordered your book on Amazon and started reading it the other day. I love it!! I am heading to NYC this weekend for the first time ever. I feel like I got a big eye opener from reading your blog and the beginning of the book! Maybe I will end up in your cab this weekend :)

Anonymous said...

Hey, it was the first time that I visted your blog!... It's fantastic!... Good luck!.. Sucess with the book!

January said...

Congrats on your success! I've so enjoyed reading your blog over the past year.

xtlviolet said...

Hi from Seattle,
I got my book last night and I was so into it I forgot to make dinner! My husband came home to a dark quiet house. He served me a drink and made me dinner as I read and read and read...It is a great book Melissa! Hope to have you sign it someday.

Crystal

xtlviolet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dino said...

awesome. waiting for mine from Amazon. That was a great article they did on you. you are not going to quit the blog now are you?

Anonymous said...

Hey MP, My book finally arrived yesterday. I had preordered from Amazon & I couldn't wait for it to arrive. Well I am just taking a few minutes to say congrats, because I have to get back to reading. I am about 10 pages into it & I can't put it down. So kudo's to you & I have to get back to my book.

Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa! I am a "lurker" here, I've never posted but am an avid reader of your blog. I went to my local Barnes and Noble the day the book came out and picked up my copy. I'm about 1/2 way through and I love it, awesome job!

Just a side note, when I went to the bookstore it was not yet out on the shelves. When I had them look it up they first told me that it didn't come out until June 2008. Seems that Amazon isn't the only one confused on the dates!

Keep up the great work! :o) Emmy

Jaelithe said...

Wow! Congratulations. I will have to see if my local bookstore is stocking it.

Anonymous said...

...If there's a massive earthquake on the other side of the world, my only concern is whether it will cause rubbernecking delays on the Capital Beltway.

Lugosi, did you really have to announce that to the world? Your mother must be proud of you.

Anonymous said...

congratulations Melissa!

In your post you said "for old times sake" ... is that foreshadowing? Say it isn't so!!!

Troy Bierkortte said...

Melissa, when did you stop moderating the comments? Those guys are assholes. So are some of the people who left comments on the USA Today article.
I'm a white, male Republican from upstate. I think Melissa tells a good story. She must be a great person to be around, and who gives a fuck if she's gay. Too bad for all those disappointed guys out there. Still, the writing is all that matters and this blog is all the proof we need that she has that figured out.
Ignore those jerks and keep on writing. I'm going to buy that book today!

Unknown said...

I started reading the book last night. Amazing thus far. It's good enough that I am squeezing it in before my loads of books I have to read for college. I highly doubt I'll regret that decision.

Anonymous said...

This interesting blog has now turned into a place for advertising your book:(

Last time I visit this site to read another article about your release.

MOWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Anonymous said...

[i]When a newscaster on the radio begins reporting on an earthquake in Indonesia, Plaut cuts him off midsentence, switches to a traffic report and says with a laugh: "Who cares about Indonesia? What about 57th Street?"[/i]
hey, im from indonesia and im a fan of your blog :p


love your blog still :p

Unknown said...

Your Rich! Have a happy life!
Majic mike

Anonymous said...

Hey there! Just wanted to let you know I picked up a copy of your book yesterday at a Barnes and Nobles in South Dakota! I've never read your blog before and had no idea who you were prior to my trip to B&N yesterday, but I am looking forward to finishing your book. Good luck!

Unknown said...

I read your op-ed piece in the Times today on the GPS issue. I was indifferent on the issue until I read your piece. You're definitely the voice of reason on this and I support you and the strike!

Drunken Master said...

Awesome. I'm waiting for amazon to ship your book along with Stewart Mandel's Bowl, Polls and Tattered Souls and The Gods Must Be Crazy DVD. Man am I going to have a great weekend coming up!!!

Anonymous said...

Te felicito por tu libro… me parece un esfuerzo digno de valorar. Un beso.

Omar Edgardo Rivera - Honduras
www.omaredgardorivera.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa,
I knew about your blogg almost by coincidence. I'm chilean and I have read some of your past entries and I really think you're on the right track!!! Keep writing and hopefully one day I'll buy your book here in my country (if it is sold in bookstores), I mean the English version, because for to wait the translated version is going to be forever!!!

Keepp on driving, keep on writing and hopefully one day I'll travel to NY and see you in flesh, hahahha.

Congrats!!!!!!!!

From Chile, even if you don't believe it. At least you have a reader back here!!!

NYC taxi photo said...

Kudos on your OP-ED article on the strike. I agree, soon passengers will wish they never had those monitors in their cabs.

Montgomery Maxton said...

i have been coming by for well over a year now; i'm excited to see the finished project. good job sweetie. -montgomery maxton

northmotion said...

Oh man! i read the article on reuters! Yer my hero for life!

Ry Pepper said...

Congratulations on your book! I can't wait to get a copy myself!

Anonymous said...

Lug you are real class act yourself, as it seems you are concern about rubber necking then lives being at risk from earthquakes with the following:

"If there's a massive earthquake on the other side of the world, my only concern is whether it will cause rubbernecking delays on the Capital Beltway."

Anonymous said...

Another Congrats M.P.! Just read about your story and the book this morning in L.A. Times and can't wait to get my hands on it.

Anonymous said...

Hey, congratulations! That's the culmination of a writer (or cab driver's) dreams. Seeing the finished book in the bookstore!

czeltic girl said...

Congrats! I'm going to stop in my local bookstore on my way home to see if they have a copy. Can't wait to read it!

loofrin said...

Reading right now, actually I ordered it into the BN I work in (I noticed that the pic was taken in a BN...) I like your writing style. Good luck with the book. Safe driving.

Anonymous said...

I live in the capital of Canada (Ottawa) and your book isn't being sold at all at Indigo! I asked and they said that I'd have to order it online. What the hell? :(

Anonymous said...

Picked "Hack" up at a bookstore in Salt Lake City this weekend. I'd never heard of you or the book before and I'm glad to report that it made an interminable, shitty trip to SLC, worthwhile. I wasn't able to put it down until I finished it late last night. I cannot tell you enough how much it meant to me to have your book to help get me through this6 weekend.

Anonymous said...

My pre-ordered copy arrived in Australia yesterday, and I took it with me on my night shift, reading it on cabranks in between passengers and wishing it was an audio book so I could keep up while I was driving. I'll finish it tonight.

Melissa, apart from the fact that I'm a bloke and you're a sheila, you drive in New York and I dodge kangaroos in Canberra, and maybe a few other things, you had me nodding and chuckling as I recognised my nights. Crazy people, drunks, big tippers, petty officials, the problem of finding a toilet - it's all there.

Quite apart from loving your stories, I can see now why it's taken a while. You've put a lot of work into this book. It's far more than just polishing up your blog. I'm glad you've taken the time and effort. This is a taxidriving classic!

Anonymous said...

Several of my friends here in the UK are positively beaming now that your book has been released.

Can't wait to get one!

We're even having a Hack party soon.

Take care =)

Anonymous said...

haha that is the downstairs of the building I work in...how random!

Eugene Salomon said...

I was able to find your NY Times Op-Ed piece online and I want you to know that I think you explained the reasons why we NYC cab drivers are striking extremely well. Thank you.

Paradise Driver said...

A nice review of HACK from a Canberra, AU taxi driver.

Kaul said...

I learned about you from your story on 9-11 on NPR. I am looking forward to reading your book. Blogged about your NPR article on my Hindi language blog, and had to translate almost all of it into Hindi for my readers - hope you won't mind. Good luck with your book. BTW Hindi is the main language spoken in India.

Anonymous said...

So&So city....
http://sergica.miniville.fr/env/

Minicabs London said...

I got my book from Amazon today using a Xmas voucher, should have it in the next couple of days. Looking forward to a good read. Will let you know how I get along. :))