This week I have been reading
Comments
-
I spent a very enjoyable good hour or two listening to various Fred Wesley tracks and remixes last night (trying to find a version of House Party that would work in my DJ set, love that track). I've been vaguely looking for a decent book on Motown for a while and have just bought Detroit 67 - so thanks! I assume you've read "Respect Yourself" on Stax - any good?hawksmoor said:Having exhausted every book by and about James Brown as well as his sidemen (Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley), I'm now moving onto other soul/funk pastures with the book Detroit 67. Motown, civil unrest, Vietnam, the MC5 and George Clinton. But mostly Motown. I'm not a huge Motown fan, far preferring the gritty Southern soul of Stax, but it's interesting so far.
0 -
'Reckless .. My Life' .. Chrissie Hynde ..
I have just completed reading a couple of very entertaining American crime novels ,., this is a autobiog that reads like a novel about a BAD babe ((:>) .. I am enjoying it0 -
Going to Sea in a Sieve, Danny Baker. Brilliant read, he's a jammy so-and-so and freely admits it. I suppose you deserve a few breaks after a lifetime of following "them". Some moments I had to put the book down I was laughing so hard.2
-
AgreedAlgarveaddick said:Going to Sea in a Sieve, Danny Baker. Brilliant read, he's a jammy so-and-so and freely admits it. I suppose you deserve a few breaks after a lifetime of following "them". Some moments I had to put the book down I was laughing so hard.
1 -
Algarve, not read any rebus. Should they be read in order or dip in and out throughout the series?
Pretty much only read crime/thrillers and looking for new series to get into. Can't be doing with nothing too Cerebral as only read on the tube.0 -
Just about to start The Revanant - Michael Punke. Havent yet seen the film, so want to see how good the book is first.1
-
I would start at the beginning (Knots & Crosses), although it is not his best - it's slightly clumsy and stilted - I found it a joy to watch Rankin progress quite quickly into the first rate author he is today. Whoever decided to publish him at that stage had wonderful foresight in my opinion.MrOneLung said:Algarve, not read any rebus. Should they be read in order or dip in and out throughout the series?
Pretty much only read crime/thrillers and looking for new series to get into. Can't be doing with nothing too Cerebral as only read on the tube.
Mark Billingham is another I cannot rate too highly - the Tom Thorne series really hit the ground running (more so than Rebus). If you want "one offs" then you wont go far wrong with Linwood Barclay.2 -
I've got through the first 4 of Rebus and started from the beginning ... definitely a better way to do it.
Fully agree about Mark Billingham ... excellent writer and some local background rather than based in Scotland.1 -
Just seen this, Jints, but yeah, I've read Respect Yourself. Basically, Isaac Hayes is to blame for Stax's downfall. I've also just bought Kevin Le Gendre's Soul Unsung, which champions the sidemen in soul music. And this is where James Brown, for all his faults, was at his best. He always name-checked his musicians. You listen to enough James Brown and, apart from the ubiquitous Maceo and Fred, he repeatedly name-checks drummers Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield and Melvin Parker (Maceo's brother), guitarists Hearlon 'Cheese' Martin and Jimmy Nolen, bassist Benard Odum. The list goes on. And this is on studio tracks, not just live tracks. 'Hit it, Jabs!' 'One-two-three-CLYDE!'Jints said:
I spent a very enjoyable good hour or two listening to various Fred Wesley tracks and remixes last night (trying to find a version of House Party that would work in my DJ set, love that track). I've been vaguely looking for a decent book on Motown for a while and have just bought Detroit 67 - so thanks! I assume you've read "Respect Yourself" on Stax - any good?hawksmoor said:Having exhausted every book by and about James Brown as well as his sidemen (Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley), I'm now moving onto other soul/funk pastures with the book Detroit 67. Motown, civil unrest, Vietnam, the MC5 and George Clinton. But mostly Motown. I'm not a huge Motown fan, far preferring the gritty Southern soul of Stax, but it's interesting so far.
There's a story in Maceo's book, 98% Funky Stuff, about when the band first toured Africa, and the African JB fans had no idea that when Brown says 'Maceo' in his songs, he was talking to Maceo Parker. They thought it was just a cool saying like. 'What's happenin'? That's how they'd greet each other in the street: 'Hey, Maceo!"
Been listening to a lot of JB's, Maceo & The Macks, etc.
Detroit 67 is good. You'll find it could've done with a closer proofread, but it's very interesting none-the-less. A lot of distressing stuff about Florence Ballard and the police losing it during the riots. Basically executing black kids.
1 -
Just started The girl in the Spider's Web - David Lagercrantz and honestly struggling to get into it. Somehow it doesn't have the pace of the original triology but will keep persevering.0
- Sponsored links:
-
Do persevere, I thought it got better as it went along Dave.daveaddick said:Just started The girl in the Spider's Web - David Lagercrantz and honestly struggling to get into it. Somehow it doesn't have the pace of the original triology but will keep persevering.
1 -
Just read the biography - Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind the Legend written by Michael Munn.
Fascinating read about a much loved actor.2 -
completely agree to read the first few Rebus first, after that it matters less. The earlier ones aren't as good (but are still worth reading), and cover a bit of Rebus' back story. If you like Edinburgh-based crime thrillers, I definitely recommend Kate Atkinson. Very good writer. It's her Jackson Brodie books - Case Histories, One Good Turn, When Will There Be Good News?, Started Early, Took My Dog.Algarveaddick said:
I would start at the beginning (Knots & Crosses), although it is not his best - it's slightly clumsy and stilted - I found it a joy to watch Rankin progress quite quickly into the first rate author he is today. Whoever decided to publish him at that stage had wonderful foresight in my opinion.MrOneLung said:Algarve, not read any rebus. Should they be read in order or dip in and out throughout the series?
Pretty much only read crime/thrillers and looking for new series to get into. Can't be doing with nothing too Cerebral as only read on the tube.
Mark Billingham is another I cannot rate too highly - the Tom Thorne series really hit the ground running (more so than Rebus). If you want "one offs" then you wont go far wrong with Linwood Barclay.
0 -
Or if you like Glasgow based crime - Malcolm MacKay's Glasgow trilogy (though I have only read the first , "The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter" so far). The other two are on the shelf ready to go...2
-
Just started this as well, I'm about a quarter of the way through. Enjoying it so far!cafc4life said:Just about to start The Revanant - Michael Punke. Havent yet seen the film, so want to see how good the book is first.
1 -
'After Rain' by William Trevor - this guy really is a master of the short story. He can hook the reader in a couple of paragraphs and has tremendous economy of language.
'Tulip Fever' by Deborah Moggach - set in 17th century 'Golden Age' Amsterdam, this story revolves around an affair between the young wife of an elderly wealthy merchant and the painter he has engaged to paint their portrait. The book was inspired by the author's love of Dutch painting and, unusually, a number of such images (from Vermeer and others) are interleaved into the novel. It is quite a slight (and, at times) far-fetched tale but I read it whilst we were in Amsterdam and enjoyed it.0 -
Read it a while back but "the Lucifer effect: why good people do evil things" by Philip Zimbardo is an amazing read especially for those wanting to know the psychology of evil0
-
Just finished reading Michael Freedland's biography of Dean Martin called "King of the Road".
Thoroughly enjoyable.0 -
I am now on the second book - "How a gunman says goodbye". Even better than the first. In between I have read Buried, another Mark Billingham Tom Thorne book. More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing...Algarveaddick said:Or if you like Glasgow based crime - Malcolm MacKay's Glasgow trilogy (though I have only read the first , "The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter" so far). The other two are on the shelf ready to go...
1 -
Ever predictable, I'm now reading Funk: The Music, The People, And The Rhythm Of The One by Rickey Vincent (foreword by George Clinton).0
- Sponsored links:
-
Broken Vows by Tom Bower. If you were a fan of Tony Blair, this may make you think again. If you never trusted him, this will vindicate your worries with a vengeance.
What this man got away with as Prime Minister and since is bloody disgusting.1 -
Now onto the third - The Sudden Arrival of Violence. Great stories, begging to be made into films.Algarveaddick said:
I am now on the second book - "How a gunman says goodbye". Even better than the first. In between I have read Buried, another Mark Billingham Tom Thorne book. More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing...Algarveaddick said:Or if you like Glasgow based crime - Malcolm MacKay's Glasgow trilogy (though I have only read the first , "The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter" so far). The other two are on the shelf ready to go...
0 -
and her secondcafcdave123 said:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18657684-the-best-thing-that-never-happened-to-me
My sisters debut book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Night-That-Changed-Everything/dp/05521708280 -
Just finished reading Ben MacIntyre's: A Spy amongst Friends
Great story about British Intelligence during the Second World War and Cold War involving the Double Agent: Kim Philby0 -
Currently reading Leaving Berlin - Joseph Kanon. A good start0
-
A case of exploding mangoes - hanif Mohammed. Comedy based on a true story where the president of Pakistan was killed in a plane crash. Amusing so far0
-
Downriver by Iain Sinclair. I will probably finish it but won't rush out to buy anything else by him.0
-
I'm afraid I didn't like it much at all. The editing was really disgraceful - a typo in every page and loads and loads of repetition - the same anecdotes popping up 2, 3 or 4 times in virtually identical form.hawksmoor said:
.
Detroit 67 is good. You'll find it could've done with a closer proofread, but it's very interesting none-the-less. A lot of distressing stuff about Florence Ballard and the police losing it during the riots. Basically executing black kids.
There was some interesting stuff in there but Cosgrove just isn't a good enough writer to draw the connections between subjects like the riots, the Ballard departure and the rise of the militant left so it felt disjointed.
Never mind, I still learnt plenty and I liked that he was pretty even handed about some pretty horrible events, trying to see both sides of most stories.
I'm currently twin-tracking the Thornbirds (never saw the TV show, so all new to me - it's very good so far) and a history of the American West, very cowboys and Indians but interesting.
0 -
That's quite a daunting book to ease yourself into Iain Sinclair, to be fair. I started with Lights Out For The Territory. He even visits Charlton in that one.1
-
What did you make of this mate?Rufus is a dogs name said:
Just started this as well, I'm about a quarter of the way through. Enjoying it so far!cafc4life said:Just about to start The Revanant - Michael Punke. Havent yet seen the film, so want to see how good the book is first.
0
