recommend me an autobiography

[Gingerman]

"A Bone in my Flute" by Holly Johnson was pretty interesting,even though I think hes a twat I quite liked "Is That It?" Bob Geldof's autobiography.Sportswise I loved "A Lot of Hard Yakka: Triumph and Torment - A County Cricketer's Life" by Simon Hughes despite not being a cricket fan.

 

[spanglechick]

Rupert Everett's is great for showbiz fabulousness combined with likeability - really dishes the dirt too.

Laurence Olivier's Confessions of an actor is wonderful, but i wonder how much that depends on existing interest. The bit where he talks about vivien leigh's decline and death made me cry.

Seeing things by Oliver Postgate is lovely.

Lucky Man by Michael J Fox is really well written and intelligent - especially the stuff about his Parkinsons.

and i might attract some flack, but i'd absolutely recommend sharon osbourne's book - it's really quite surprisingly engaging.

 

[spanglechick]

with nails, by richard e grant is great in places - but quite dry at times.

 

[5t3IIa]

Rupert Everett's is great for showbiz fabulousness combined with likeability - really dishes the dirt too.

Laurence Olivier's Confessions of an actor is wonderful, but i wonder how much that depends on existing interest. The bit where he talks about vivien leigh's decline and death made me cry.

Seeing things by Oliver Postgate is lovely.

Lucky Man by Michael J Fox is really well written and intelligent - especially the stuff about his Parkinsons.

and i might attract some flack, but i'd absolutely recommend sharon osbourne's book - it's really quite surprisingly engaging.

Loved that The bit about

Spoiler: .

him once saying that "I'm really glad I haven't got a drinking problem because I don't think I could ever stop"

was quite striking

 

[FoxyMKII]

I know it was quite serously embelished in places but A Million Little Pieces by James Frey is still well written and a great read.

On a music tilt I'd recomend 'Bad Vibes' Britpop and My part in its Downfall by Luke Haines. Good Night jim bob by Jim-Bob is also another good music book the great thing about both of these is you don't need to know/like/care about the bands the prtaganists were part of as they are about being an everyman at a certain point in time.

Biography Wise these is a really good Bukowski one, I think it's by Wensley Clarkson.

 

[5t3IIa]

with nails, by richard e grant is great in places - but quite dry at times.

Uh-huh. I love the stuff about Withnail, about how

Spoiler: Yes, I did just learn how to use the spoiler code

they all so utterly desperately wanted to be in it

is

 

[El Jefe]

On a music tilt I'd recomend 'Bad Vibes' Britpop and My part in its Downfall by Luke Haines. .

I keep meaning to get that, Haines is a bleeding genius (if an utter wanker with it )

 

[badlands]

I've got Andrew Loog Oldman's Stoned if you want it - I got bored but that's cuz I'm not arsed about The Stones. PM address. And you like film - What Just Happened? by Art Linson is more of a development-Bladwin-hell light-touch memoir but is ace.

thanks for your kind offer, but I've read Stoned.

I'll definitely look out for The Art Linson book.

 

[5t3IIa]

thanks for your kind offer, but I've read Stoned.

I'll definitely look out for The Art Linson book.

I got it from the library


So you don't like biographies? I often prefer them. Bit more dishy, naturally, and some people would frankly be fucking dull writing about themselves, or are dead.

I would also recommend Slash's autobiog It's less posey and wanky and mindless stripper-fucking than you might imagine. He's a dry and funny man.

 

[cybertect]

Seeing things by Oliver Postgate is lovely.

Seconded.

A copy of that book was the best Xmas present from a client I ever got.

 

[Sunspots]

On a music tilt I'd recomend 'Bad Vibes' Britpop and My part in its Downfall by Luke Haines.

Ooh, I'd forgotten that that was released this month.

As well as insightful, I bet its rather bitchy too?

 

[Sunspots]

And what about Mark E Smith's Renegade from last year?

Is that any good? I really liked the extracts published in The Guardian, but I heard that the rest of the book sadly didn't quite live up to expectations.

 

[FoxyMKII]

Ooh, I'd forgotten that that was released this month.

As well as insightful, I bet its rather bitchy too?

Bitchy would be a vast understatement, it is bitter, twisted, vitriolic and above all very funny.

 

[Weller]

Of all the autobiogs Ive read I found the Clive James the most entertaining , 4 all together that go from early life in Australia to London Footlights and later.



Clive James - Unreliable memoirs was the first I think , starting on the 4th soon.


My cousin had to tell me to stop reading it because of laughing out loud on the plane with the first book...

Pretty much spot on...
'Do not read this book in public. You will risk severe internal injuries from trying to suppress your laughter. What's worse, you can't put it down once started. Its addictive powers stun all normal, decent resistance within seconds. Not to be missed' - "Sunday Times".

Someone got me Frank Skinner and Peter Kays for xmas , found Peter Kays to be quite a decent read considering I dont like his comedy show , it was very down to earth , Skinners Im reading now and its a bit hit and miss at mo.

Screaming Lord Sutch also a good biog although it takes some concentration as its a little jumbled but what a guy.

 

[elevendayempire]

Former Doctor Who Tom Baker's one is fucking brilliant.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

 

[glaucon]

As said above Clive James' autobiographies are very funny although there are times when he's obviously just trying to impress the reader with how clever he is and how much he's read.

More seriously, the first volume of Simone De Beauvoir's autobiography, Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, is beautifully written and very moving; and you don't need to know anything about her philosophical writings to enjoy it.

 

[Sabu]

Klaus Kinski's autobiography Kinski Uncut is a great read but fucks knows how much of it is true.