If You Lived Here You'd Be Famous by Now: True Stories from Calabasas

Via Bleidner transfers to Calabasas High from a private Catholic school, experiencing a culture shock and loneliness. She pretends to be on a journalism assignment, taking notes on her classmates and jotting down gossip. Despite the surreal glamour of Calabasas, Via finds an eclectic group of friends, including a multi-multi-millionaire, a wild-card 1980s throwback, a former Nickelodeon actor, and a doughnut-dealing madman. Through her writing, she reflects on her own coming-of-age, struggling to fit in, facing social pressure, and making her own way.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2022
Publisher: Flatiron Books

For Via Bleidner, the transition to Calabasas High from her private Catholic school is a jarring experience, compounded by feelings of isolation and loneliness. Suddenly immersed in a world of celebrities, affluence, and opulent homes, Via adopts a strategy reminiscent of Cameron Crowe's character in "Almost Famous," pretending to be on a journalism assignment to document her classmates and overhear snippets of gossip. Navigating high school in Calabasas presents its own unique challenges, ranging from Kim Kardashian endorsing the students' favorite hidden lunch spot to the theater program employing a famous dog to play Elle Woods' Chihuahua in its production of "Legally Blonde." Kanye even attempts to gain control of the school, aiming to transform it into the first YEEZY institution. However, Via's journey in Calabasas is far from detached from her peers. Instead, she courageously puts herself out there, driven by her passion for writing, and unexpectedly finds a diverse group of friends who become her own. Among them are a multi-millionaire, a wild-card 1980s throwback with a viral agenda, a former Nickelodeon actor, and a charismatic doughnut-dealing madman named Valentino. Through her witty, candid, and astute observations, Via grounds the surreal glamour of Calabasas with reflections on her own coming-of-age, sharing her teenage misadventures as she navigates the complexities of fitting in, dealing with social pressures, and ultimately forging her own path.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 228 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781250753946