A huge, very detailed, excellent biography of a very interesting character. I’ve always had a fascination for the so-called “beat” writers (although Burroughs, as I learned, bristled at being categorized as such), and WSB was undoubtedly the most interesting of the bunch. The book chronicles, in extensive detail, the insanity that gripped much of this man’s life. The myriad places…
I’m very into music, with the music of the 60’s being my favorite genre. I read a lot of books about that era, but this one is undoubtedly the best one I’ve read so far. Filled with fascinating inside information, not just about the artists, but about the social, political, and cultural climate that gave rise to the music. The…
The ultimately triumphant tale of a child, Corey Friedman who, at a young age, developed Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorder, all of which combined to make his life a living hell. After trying nearly every psychoactive drug imaginable (and suffering terrible side effects) and struggling terribly through setback after setback. He manages, through sheer will and determination, to…
An absolutely delightful autobiography of my favorite member of Monty Python. I’ve been a fan of the show since 1975, and although I knew much about Cleese’s career in comedy, I didn’t know much about him personally, about his family, his schooling, etc. This book covers it all, and it’s totally absorbing. He’s very self-deprecating, very humble, and totally hilarious. …
I found this book in a bookstore in Amsterdam. I’ve been a Chet Baker fan for years (I have over 200 of his albums). Most of the books about Baker focus on the salacious. This book promised a different take on the man, and it delivered. A very personal memoir by the jazz drummer Artt Frank. Frank befriended his musical…
After reading Eric Idle and John Cleese’s autobiographies, I found myself plunged into Python mode, and I read this short book of interviews with all of the members of the troupe (except Graham Chapman, who had passed away. They did interview his brother and his long-term partner, though.) It was nice hearing from Michael Palin, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam,…
A fascinating memoir by Cleve Jones, creator of the AIDS quilt, and lifelong gay rights advocate. This is a very personal, first person account detailing the struggle for gay, lesbian, and transgender rights. Although the story has been told many times, for me, it never gets old. The stories of San Francisco in the 70’s, the wildness of the Castro…
I’ve been a big Monty Python fan for about 45 years now. I own all the DVDs, all of the scripts, most of their books, and several biographies and autobiographies. Although he’s not my favorite Python, he’s hilarious and very talented. The book is filled with many jokes, lots of funny stories, and poignant tributes to George Harrison and Robin…
A pretty boring autobiography, I have to say. The struggles of their early years as they tried to make it big were moderately interesting, but Daltrey just isn’t much of a writer. Not much analysis of the music, and not a whole lot of compelling stories. Daltrey is a great singer and The Who are one of my favorite bands,…
So far, this is the best novel I’ve read this year. It won the Pulitzer Prize, and I’m not surprised at all. An incredible debut novel that gives a very different perspective on the Vietnam War. An epic story about love and betrayal, written in an amazing style. I couldn’t put it down. Fantastic.
A really wonderful autobiography. She’s so honest, so real, so down-to-earth. I enjoyed hearing about her courtship with Barack, her struggle with trying to find a job that gave her a feeling of purpose, and how she dealt with the transition from being a regular citizen to being a heavily-guarded first lady whose every move was scrutinized. Her passages about…
An in-depth look at the struggles of the ultra-poor in America. The authors do extensive interviews and reporting on families that somehow manage to survive on $2.00 per day per person. People who move from place to place to place; a woman who sells her plasma twice a week for $30 a visit and who lives in fear that if…
My first book by Wallace. (About 8 years ago I tried reading Infinite Jest and could only get through the first 100 pages, with great difficulty. I vow that one day I will read it in its entirety along with Moby Dick and Gulliver’s Travels. Really.) I see why he garnered so much fuss. This book is a collection of…
The plot sounded cute: a guy sells and gives away his old vinyl, and then decides he wants to get these records back. Not just the music, but the actual, individual albums that he specifically owned. He would hunt for the actual albums in record stores and conventions, looking for the Bon Jovi album that had a high school girlfriend’s…
My second book by Hawking that I’ve read this year. The brilliant scientist has a way of making outrageously esoteric concepts graspable, and he really outdoes himself in this book. The question and answer format works very well here, as he tackles some of the more philosophical questions about God, time travel, and possibilities of other life in the universe.