Guest alex Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I finally got round to getting a copy of a book I've meant to read for ages, Wanderer, Sterling Hayden's autobiography. He's one of my favourite actors and had an incredible life so I was looking forward to it. But this book is absolute torture, like swimming in blancmange. He fancies himself as a Conrad I suspect, but the result is a mess - I managed about 20 pages. I'm now looking for a decent biography Love him as well. Only acted for the money so he could go on adventures iirc. Didn't he sail across the South Pacific with his kids once just for the craic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 A Picture of Dorian Gray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Onion 0 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I finally got round to getting a copy of a book I've meant to read for ages, Wanderer, Sterling Hayden's autobiography. He's one of my favourite actors and had an incredible life so I was looking forward to it. But this book is absolute torture, like swimming in blancmange. He fancies himself as a Conrad I suspect, but the result is a mess - I managed about 20 pages. I'm now looking for a decent biography Love him as well. Only acted for the money so he could go on adventures iirc. Didn't he sail across the South Pacific with his kids once just for the craic? Something like that aye. I've only got sketchy bits of his story, which is why I want to know a bit more - the bones of it makes it all sound very interesting anyway. Now I've mentioned it I might have another go at Wanderer actually - I'd had a beer when I started it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin sane 0 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Just started The Secret History of the World By Jonathan Black. Just finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Just started The Secret History of the World By Jonathan Black. Just finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favourite authors. Amazing imo. Not his best but some fucking debut all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin sane 0 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Just started The Secret History of the World By Jonathan Black. Just finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favourite authors. Amazing imo. Not his best but some fucking debut all the same. I've enjoyed everything i've read of his so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Just read 'Mary and the Giant' by Philip K. Dick. It's one of his non-sci-fi novels and I'm surprised at how good they are. Reminiscent of Sinclair Lewis' 'Babitt' and Richard Yates' 'Revolutionary Road' and stuff of that ilk (same era, similar themes etc.). Also just finished 'South of no North' by Bukowski which is one of his earliest short story collections and one I hadn't read before. Pure class, as always. Just started on 'Northline' by Willy Vlautin. I'd recommend his debut novel 'Motel Life' which falls somewhere between Bukowski, Steinbeck and Douglas Coupland's 'Life After God'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Just started The Secret History of the World By Jonathan Black. Just finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favourite authors. Amazing imo. Not his best but some fucking debut all the same. I've enjoyed everything i've read of his so far. Jay Electronica raps about Vonnegut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Just finished 'Northline'. Absolutely brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3517 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 'Tell me where it hurts' by Nick Trout - it's ok if you're into amusing animal stories. 'Life of Brian in black & white' by Brian Hall - Badly written but an interesting story. And I swear page 182 features a reference to toontastic's wor stevie. 'Who ate all the pies?' - Micky Quinn's biography which is an entertaining read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3517 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. Alex, fuck your sofa must be comfy! Kevin Keegan - My Autobiography Just for all the wums on here at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 10972 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 The Damned United - David Peace As You Do - Richard Hammond Agincourt - Bernard Cornwell well I've got lots of spare time at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. How did they get a new and expanded edition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. How did they get a new and expanded edition? It includes stuff omitted in the original publication. Stuff like Anne talking about her awakening awareness of her sexuality and her feelings towards Peter etc. The book came out in 1947 and has been taught in a lot of schools so it was probably considered a bit risque at the time but is fairly mundane by today's standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. How did they get a new and expanded edition? It includes stuff omitted in the original publication. Stuff like Anne talking about her awakening awareness of her sexuality and her feelings towards Peter etc. The book came out in 1947 and has been taught in a lot of schools so it was probably considered a bit risque at the time but is fairly mundane by today's standards. Interesting (and sadly comic, in a way) that they'd censor something like that, even then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Just read 'Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank as I hadn't read it since I was at school and saw there was a new and expanded definitive edition out in Penguin. Great book. Also just read 'The Outsiders' by S. E. Hinton which is a bit corny in parts but pretty decent anyway. I've just got 'Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life' which is Howard Sounes' biography of Charles Bukowski so I think I'm going to re-read all Buk's 'Chinaski' novels then read the biog. How did they get a new and expanded edition? It includes stuff omitted in the original publication. Stuff like Anne talking about her awakening awareness of her sexuality and her feelings towards Peter etc. The book came out in 1947 and has been taught in a lot of schools so it was probably considered a bit risque at the time but is fairly mundane by today's standards. Interesting (and sadly comic, in a way) that they'd censor something like that, even then. The original book was editted by her father and someone else. There's also a lot of stuff in it where she criticises her mother, sister and father (because of the stress of the way they all had to live no doubt) so I think the original version came about with that in mind too. Anne's father was the only one from the house who survived after the war so you can understand his sensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20780 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The Death of Marco Pantani - Matt Rednell Good read about one of my all time fave pro riders, does go off in some mad tangents about the history of the regions of Italy, but a good, sad read about a true great of cycling. RIP Panta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Bush at War - Bob Woodward First of his 4 books on Afghanistan/Iraq. It goes through the 100 days immediately following 9/11. The problem is that once bombing started in Afghanistan, the same discussions were being had most days, and Woodward omits none of it. He repeats the views of each principal at each daily gathering of the NSC when perhaps a weekly view of the changing situation would be less laborious. Despite that, it is often fascinating and probably a fairer view than the more left leaning books I normally go for. Woodward never gives opinion, he just reports the way it went which has given me sympathy for Bush and a bit more respect....though it is still clear he made one almighty clusterfuck out of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Bush at War - Bob Woodward First of his 4 books on Afghanistan/Iraq. It goes through the 100 days immediately following 9/11. The problem is that once bombing started in Afghanistan, the same discussions were being had most days, and Woodward omits none of it. He repeats the views of each principal at each daily gathering of the NSC when perhaps a weekly view of the changing situation would be less laborious. Despite that, it is often fascinating and probably a fairer view than the more left leaning books I normally go for. Woodward never gives opinion, he just reports the way it went which has given me sympathy for Bush and a bit more respect....though it is still clear he made one almighty clusterfuck out of things. Read it. Very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Jay Sea 0 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Just been travelling around southern Spain for a few days accompanied by 'Ham On Rye', by Charles Bukowski. Excellent. 10/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Just been travelling around southern Spain for a few days accompanied by 'Ham On Rye', by Charles Bukowski. Excellent. 10/10. Probably his best novel, which is saying something. You should read John Fante (especially the Bandini Quartet) and the novels of his son, Dan. The former inspired Bukowski and the latter is very much in his style (but a bit updated). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloopJohn 0 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 reading The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, pretty difficult read init Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Bush at War - Bob Woodward First of his 4 books on Afghanistan/Iraq. It goes through the 100 days immediately following 9/11. The problem is that once bombing started in Afghanistan, the same discussions were being had most days, and Woodward omits none of it. He repeats the views of each principal at each daily gathering of the NSC when perhaps a weekly view of the changing situation would be less laborious. Despite that, it is often fascinating and probably a fairer view than the more left leaning books I normally go for. Woodward never gives opinion, he just reports the way it went which has given me sympathy for Bush and a bit more respect....though it is still clear he made one almighty clusterfuck out of things. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fascism-Beginners-...d/dp/1874166080 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Just been travelling around southern Spain for a few days accompanied by 'Ham On Rye', by Charles Bukowski. Excellent. 10/10. JJ remains a true connoisseur of whatever he partakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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