LEFT-HANDED STORIES BOOK REVIEWS

From: Jay Riggio (Lifestyle Editor Mass Appeal Magazine)
Date: April 2, 2008

Been reading through Left Handed Stories and I'm psyched on it. John Fante's one of my favorites as well. Probably my all time favorite!

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From: Liza G. (Editor/Publisher of Check it Out Girls Skateboard Magazine)
Date: December 1, 2006

Your book is great! You are a very good writer!

xoxo,

Liza G.

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From: Young Seizone
Date: October 5, 2006

Your book was hot man! Props!

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From: Craig
Date: September 27, 2006

Just wanted to say that I love your books. Do you have an another book coming out any time soon, or do you know another author that I might like?

Much love!

Craig

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From: Katie
Date: September 4, 2006

Hey, I just wanted to say I ABSOLUTLY loved your book, Left Handed Stories it was amazing haha. Really, I love it and i'm actually doing it for a book review for my Highschool..haha.
But yeah Idk if you kno him but you sent the book to my brother Nick Venaglia? Yah I took it from him and read it, now im doing it for my book review...

But anyways just wanted to say great book!

<3katie.

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From: Karl
Date: June 28, 2006

Your books is great. I read it at Nate Sherwood’s house. That story about the guy whose friend is a crack whore is f*cking gnarly!

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From: Cyndi
Date: April 13, 2006

i'm totally enjoying your book. good stuff. had i known....i would have saved nightmare before christmas till later in the evening instead of first thing this morning....got the blood flowing, that one! ;) LOL

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From: Tanya
Date: April 10, 2006

I just bought and finished left handed stories today. And I fucking loved it. Your stories were nothing short of perfect. Thank you for the good read. It made my antisocial sunday more interesting. Im definitely an overnight fan (literally).

I look forward to your next book, if there will be one..take care.

-Tanya

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From: Dany Espinoza
Date: April 6, 2006

Left-Handed Stories is a classic!

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From: Ian
Date: January 7, 2006

It’s always nice to come back to this book. It’s like a good friend in a time of need. Thanks man!

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From: Mike York (Professional Skateboarder)
Date: February 26, 2006

My girl and I were crackin up off your short stories! That shit with the b*tch you smoked a bowl with, and the rusty nails. 15 year old playa. Holla!

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From: Lily Sengbouathong
Date: January 4, 2006

Hey just wondering when Welcome to San Franpsycho is coming out or if it already is! I just bought Left handed stories and I loved it so much I read it all in one day! Pink panies was hella funny! You’re the best!!

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From: Karim Tarmohamed
Date: October 25, 2005

Yo man, I received the book. Almost done with it too! Its great bro - Im really enjoying it. 1 question. do you have a few aliases? I see you use vincent sometimes....or are these just characters?

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From: Ian
Date: October 25, 2005

I really enjoyed the book, hope more are to come!

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From: Smash
Date: October 19, 2005

Yo picked the book at giant peach.com good job keep up the good work peace!

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From: Lizzie Lee – (Owner of Purple Skunk Skateboard Shop)
Date: October 18, 2005

…Anyways, since I had "me time", I took your Left-Handed Stories with me. I just want you to know that I enjoyed every short story. In fact, your book... your writing is so inspirational. I related to all your stories. I felt your happiness. I felt your pain. I could hear and smell the streets of SF through your writing. Yes, dear Travis, you have touched me with your writing and have inspired me to just write for myself.

I am a very sensitive and emotional person. I soon realized that writing would help me unstress, unwind and make me a better person. I am going to learn how to release through pen and paper thanks to you.

Much Admiration,

Lizzie

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From: Andy
Date: September 28, 2005

damn you should have seen the short story i was gonna write you tellin you how much i liked the things you write but i edited it down to this you straight murder words in a good fuking way!!

andy

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From: Scottie V.
Date: September 27, 2005

Dear S. F. Masher,

I just finished your book and I thought it was interesting. I see a lot of things happening to my friends and myself that happened to you, Drugs, depression, skateboarding, writing, fighting, and women plus some other minor things. I read the book in a couple of hours which is good for me. Sometimes it takes me two days to read a newspaper article. It’s not that I’m a slow reader but my attention span is the same as a fruit fly. I don’t particularly know why I was drawn into it. I guess I could relate to some of this stuff now because I’m growing up and I see a lot more clearly now what you’re trying to get across then if I was 16.

Overall I liked the book. I liked it a lot actually and gave it to a few friends to read. Good luck in the future!

Scottie Vosburgh

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From: Paul
Date: September 7, 2005

i read some of your book at future primitive and the shit had me busting up!

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From: Andy
Date: September 2, 2005

ok heres the deal some storys had me laughing like the musle dude dieing . some storys had me wishing i could go back and bang all the hoes in high school i was to afraid to approach but knew they wanted me deep down .some storys hit home like the drug test one except i failed miserably. some storys had me thinking of all the fukked up shit ive done and just being like fukit i wouldnt be who i am if i didnt go threw all that . so the only really dissapointment i had is that i should have stopped reading it after the first story because now im at square one again and i have nothing to read any suggestions?? anyway i loved it i will pass the word on to anyone who wants to listen and i cant wait to bug you for a copy of any new books you decide to write see you the streets dogg thank you again .

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From: Keir Johnson – (Editor Theforgottencity.com and 48Blocks.com Contributor)
Date: August 17, 2005

I just finished reading the book cover to cover at work, excellent! I feel inspired to write something…

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From: Nate Sherwood – (Professional Skateboarder)
Date: August 14, 2005

best book ever. iam a leffty and it is the best you rule man....

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From: Joe Berger
Date: August 4, 2005

Travis I just finished your Book of short stories (Left-Handed Stories), and I really enjoyed them. The Rawness and the No Bull-Shit Style was refreshing. I grew up and remain living in a Blue Collar Neighborhood outside Philly and even though thankfully I have never been Homeless (Been Close) I felt I could relate to some of the stories. I have given the Book to my 22 yr old ex-skater son (Sam) so he and his friends can enjoy your work.

Thank You for being a Writer!

Joe Berger Bellmawr, NJ

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From: Ed
Date: August 4, 2005

Nostalgic…that's the word for it, I spent a few moments trying to find a word other than raw to describe your book since that has been used oh just a few times. I thought of a few: clean (writing style, say nothing of content here), hot, wet, hard, nostalgic, disturbing, provoking, idiosyncratic. I loved it, I have to own my own copy. A miss Wendee Lee hailing from the Bay lent me her copy and I ripped through it in half a day, work could wait. I spent a few years in Santa Cruz, hail to the butt flap.

Looking forward to the next one,

ed

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From: Wendy Lee
Date: August 4, 2005

i thoroughly enjoyed the book and read it in about two sittings. the unabashed glimpse into real life - grimey city life - was gritty and raw. the events rendered were insightful, stuff that spanned childhood and beyond. all poignant little gems --->>-> in the process of being shared again.

;)

i particularly enjoyed "she brushed up on me" and "sunshine and rain'.

thank you.
again and again.

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From: John Groshong – (Paramdedic/Fecalface.com Contributor)
Date: May 17, 2005

These entertainingly gritty, coming-of-age memoirs reveal what is deep inside the mind of Travis Jensen. From humorous childhood experimentation and troublemaking in the Mid West to downtrodden lurking amongst the cold streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin, Jensen aptly translates his life for all to enjoy.

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From: (Brian Brophy Publisher / Managing Editor Mesh Magazine)
Date: May 16, 2005

If Hemingway met up with Bukowski in a residential Tenderloin hotel, they’d probably collaborate on something closely resembling Left-Handed Stories. Filled with tales of lust, bravado, and borderline depravity, the book is thoroughly modern, but without the gloss that seems to coat most of pop-culture today. Jensen is precise in his writing. Like Hemingway, he chooses his words carefully. Like Bukowski, he cuts straight to the animalistic core of the human experience.

–Brian Brophy
Publisher/Managing Editor Mesh Magazine

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From: Buck Austin -- (Writer -- Alarm Magazine)
Date: May 12, 2005

"Lefthanded Stories will change the way you look at San Francisco the way Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries did New York."

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From: Crisaida Pichay (Publisher / Managing Editor Short Cuts Zine)
Date: May 11, 2005

the one thing that separates travis jensen (aka sf masher) from other up and coming authors is that travis tells the story how its supposed to be told, with the gore and the realness of people's situations. mr. jensen is a great story teller and he executes this by telling the story without any candy coating. the stories hit close to home as if one of my friends were telling me their experience. left handed stories is a book that i've read over and over again. its the simplicity that keeps me coming back.

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From: Killgore
Date: Mar 16, 2005

yo just read your book of short stories in one sitting last night. good stuff for sure...working all your life to buy a gold shovel to dig your own grave with, i feel ya...... the one about your boy sammy w the blue hair was super sad..fiction or truth?.. when does the next book drop? lemmee know.

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From: Porous Walker (Artist)
Date: March 15, 2005

Left-Handed Stories for me is as close to the photos in my mind of living in San Francisco than anything in the world, I'll cherish my copy forever.

When I read Left-Handed Stories, I am amazed at how easy it is to place myself into every single story.

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From: Al Partanen – (Professional Skateboarder)
Date: March 5, 2005

Yo Travis, i got the book man, good shit! Mad respect to the creative minds of the Mill and beyond, the world is ours. I always knew you had it in you man, keep it flowin'. Peace.

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From: Jen -- (Giantpeach.com)
Date: August 24, 2005

Rarely do we find writers of our generation than can put out work that can entertain us much less hold our attention. In a culture that has gone forward into a digital age, we sometimes forget the tangible, specifically a good book.

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From: John Finnegan – (Editor Haveboard.com)
Date: July 27, 2004

Left Handed Stories is a Great book. I'm honored to have been a part of it, even if all I did was scan the Schoultz painting for chain! And print a few proofs...

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From: Darlene Toroc
Date: July 20, 2004

You are an awesome writer! Congrats again on your accomplishment!!! and i promise to buy every book u publish!! hehehe! love, dar

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From: Spanish Lit Review
Date: July 19, 2004

Hola amigos. Quiero recordar todos ese Jensen de Travis (alias El SF Masher) el libro "los Cuentos entregados Izquierdos" esta fuera y se prepara para ser ordenado. Acabo de obtener mi copia y he lemdo casi medio de ello ya. El material bueno y para poner duramente hacia abajo. Tambiin, el arte por tipos quiere Andy Schoultz, Pez de Jeremy, Chris Pastras, etc, etc. Usted lo puede ordenar aqui. El trabajo agradable, Vince. Quiso tambiin dar apropiado Bromear en el reciente actualiza la locura. El trabajo agradable, Nester."

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From: Musicians Friend Book Review
Date: July 7, 2004

Left-Handed indeed...Jensen takes the reader through the back door and shows us the personal insights of a promising young writer with humor and affectionate characterizations and hits home with his street savvy. Well done! "

- Musician's Friend

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From: John Trippe (Managing Editor Fecalface.com)
Date: July 1, 2004

You may know of Travis as The SF Masher who's been writing in our forums and other places including Vapors Magazine for awhile now. His newest book entitled "Left-Handed Stories" is a collection of short stories that leave you feeling as though you've woken up in the TL with a headache and the taste of mentol lights on your breath. These stories are harsh and beautiful... something like a greasy pigeon stumbeling through Union Square at 5am on a Sunday morning. The book is 175 pages of love, lust, passion, nostalgia, humor, wit, and anger from a 20 something who has something to say...