Category: Autobiography

bars?

Posted on by Greig

Fast Forward

Stephen Morris

This book covers the career of New Order, the Hacienda nightclub, the music of The Other Two and the relationship between himself and Gillian Gilbert (also a member of New Order).
This book is just as good a read as the previous volume but it is a little more vague about the various ructions that happened in New Order particularly as it gets to the point where Peter Hook leaves.
There does seem to be a promise to one day cover the court case where Hook sued to wind up the band and the period where Gilbert rejoined after taking leave to care for their kids.

Rating: A-

taps?

Posted on by Greig

Record Play Pause

Stephen Morris

This is a very good rock autobiography.
Morris recounts his wayward childhood, his burgeoning interest in alternative culture, drugs and particularly music.
He becomes a member of Warsaw who eventually rename themselves Joy Division.
He talks in frequently humourous detail about the trials and tribulations of being a band on the rise in the late 1970s.
The book concludes with singer Ian Curtis committing suicide and the remaining members deciding to carry on under the name New Order.
I’ve already bought the follow up to this where he covers the New Order years and I’ll be reading it next.
Very much recommended for anyone with an interest in Joy Division.

Rating: A-

attention?

Posted on by Greig

Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl

Carrie Brownstein

I picked this up because Brownstein is part of one of my favourite bands: the wonderful Sleater-Kinney.
Despite her success with the cult comedy show Portlandia this book is very much more concerned with her band than any other aspect of her life.
Speaking with a disarmingly frank and self-deprecating tone she looks back at the band and her early life.
It’s definitely one of the stronger rock musician autobiographies I’ve read.
I don’t think she paints a very flattering picture of herself but she does come across as someone very much worth knowing.

Rating: A-

camp?

Posted on by Greig

Scrappy Little Nobody

Anna Kendrick

Kendrick’s short memoirs are entertaining but never particularly revealing (unless you’re surprised to learn that a twentysomething has taken some recreational drugs).
The best parts are about her early days as a child actor breaking into Broadway and the sacrifices her family made to get that to happen.
I would have been disappointed by this book if I had paid full price for it. At a discount it was worth it.

Rating: B-

concrete?

Posted on by Greig

Wishful Drinking

Carrie Fisher

Only a few days ago I nearly bought a physical copy of this book in a bargain bookstore.
Since I’ve just a had a big clear out of books I didn’t want to start adding new books to my shelves.
Imagine my delight when I saw it pop up in the Kindle Daily Deals on Amazon. Especially because I had a credit that meant I could get the book for nothing!
Wishful Drinking is a book adaptation of Fisher’s successful one-man show of the same name.
It’s a mostly hilarious, occasionally moving piece of autobiography. The best parts are when she talks about her family and her battles with mental illness but it’s never less than entertaining.
Given it’s stage show origins it’s not surprising that it’s a little on the short side but it’s still very much worth reading – especially if you can pick it up at a bargain price.

Rating: A-

sundry?

Posted on by Greig

You’re Never Weird On The Internet (almost)

Felicia Day

you're never weird on the internetFelicia Day is an American actress most famous for roles in various SF and Fantasy TV shows. She was in Buffy, Eureka and Supernatural among others.
She has a dedicated fanbase for her own shows produced for the web. Her show The Guild was a pioneer web series.
This is her autobiography. It goes into great and sometimes funny detail about her home schooled childhood and years at college. There’s very little about her work on TV and film but lots of information about The Guild and Geek & Sundry (her YouTube channel/production company). I would have liked to have read her thoughts on what it’s like to work with Genre TV alumni like Joss Whedon.
The most welcome part of the book is the section on her struggles with anxiety and depression.
I have to say this is not a book where the author uses autobiography to exorcize their demons. It’s a quick read where Ms Day often reaches for the joke rather than the truth of the moment.
I picked it up for £3. I wouldn’t recommend paying more than that for it.

Rating: B

match?

Posted on by Greig

I Am The Secret Footballer

The Secret Footballer

i-am-the-secret-footballer-lifting-the-lid-on-the-beautiful-gameI followed the Secret Footballer column on the Guardian website for a while so when this turned up in the 99p Kindle daily deal on the Amazon website I couldn’t resist getting it.
I read this in dribs and drabs over months when I needed to kill time and I only had my phone to hand to entertain me.
It’s an entertaining and decently written insight to the life of modern top level footballers with just enough self awareness to stop the author from seeming massively entitled. It’s still irritating in places when he talks about the obscene behaviours of his fellow professionals, especially with regard to women, but since this feels like honest reporting it’s not enough to put you off.
If you’re a football fan then it’s definitely worth splashing out 99p on this.

Rating: B

squirrel?

Posted on by Greig

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened

Jenny Lawson

Lets Pretend This NeverHappenedLawson’s autobiography is incredibly funny, occasionally moving and nearly always faintly disturbing.
I really don’t want to spoil anything for you. I wholeheartedly recommend this book unless you have no taste for dark humour or you’re incredibly squeamish.

Rating: A