Posts Tagged Book Review
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January 14, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
John O’Connell: Bowie’s Books – The Hundred Literary Heroes Who Changed His Life
Bowie’s Books: The Hundred Literary Heroes Who Changed His Life John O’Connell Bloomsbury Publishing Much was made of the fact that David Bowie liked to read – he had a list of his favourite books, and it included so many classics. Outside of that there were interesting choices including journalism, memoir, contemporary novels… John O’Connell […]Archive
December 12, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Jenny Slate: Little Weirds
Little Weirds Jenny Slate Little, Brown and Company Jenny Slate’s had a busy year of recalibration – a Netflix special of so-so comedy mixed with her charming kookiness and some deep-cut home videos to soften the blow of mistimed punchlines. And now this book of “essays” – and the accompanying promotional book-tour. A few bit-part […]Archive
November 19, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Lindy West: The Witches Are Coming
The Witches Are Coming Lindy West Hachette Books/Allen & Unwin When I’ve read Lindy West’s work (Jezebel, The Guardian, NY Times) I’ve enjoyed it. I haven’t followed her as fanatically as many but I started – and must get back to finishing – her memoir Shrill and I look forward to seeing the TV show […]Archive
November 5, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Prince with Dan Piepenbring: The Beautiful Ones
The Beautiful Ones Prince w/ Dan Piepenbring Spiegel & Grau / Penguin Random House A great many thoughts filled my head as I sat with what I’ve been told is Prince’s memoir but what is actually little more than a cash-grabbing scrapbook. It’s artfully designed, beautiful really, down to the purple ribbon bookmark – as […]Archive
November 3, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Dylan Jones: The Wichita Lineman – Searching In The Sun For The World’s Greatest Unfinished Song
The Wichita Lineman: Searching In The Sun For The World’s Greatest Unfinished Song Dylan Jones Faber & Faber Social It’s anyone’s guess what the “greatest” song of all time is – but a clever choice might be Wichita Lineman as recorded by Glen Campbell and written by Jimmy Webb. You could certainly do a lot […]Archive
November 1, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Dominic Hoey: I Thought We’d Be Famous
I Thought We’d Be Famous Dominic Hoey DeadBird Books Here’s one of the great pivots – and it’s taken place over several years – the poet Dominic Hoey, formerly the rapper Tourettes, is still writing about being a dirtbag; his focus is the broken dreams and the silent screams of the artist, struggling or otherwise; […]Archive
October 9, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Emily Nussbaum: I Like To Watch
I Like To Watch: Arguing My Way Through The TV Revolution Emily Nussbaum Random House [This Review Originally Appeared At The Spinoff] What Emily Nussbaum knows is that dressing up to eat a burger and pay double is fine sometimes, if it makes you happy. But what a lot of us love is a glorified […]Archive
September 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Don Walker: Songs
Songs Don Walker Black Inc. Don Walker is one of the great Australian songwriters. And that would be the case if he had done nothing but write the majority of the great Cold Chisel songs. His career extends beyond Chisel though, to solo albums, to material for the trio Tex, Don and Charlie – to […]Archive
August 27, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Philip Matthews & Paul Horan: Funny As – The Story of New Zealand Comedy
Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy Philip Matthews & Paul Horan Auckland University Press Read this as either standalone volume or as the tie-in (as intended) with recent TV series of the same name. Cleverly, you don’t need to watch Funny-As the TV series to enjoy Funny-As the book (though I don’t know […]Archive
August 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Charles Moriarty: Back To Amy
Back To Amy Charles Moriarty Cassell The death of Amy Winehouse made me feel very odd – I couldn’t process my feelings about it; I’ve realised now – in many ways that’s because I said a goodbye to her around the time of her “Rehab”-fame. The second album, Back To Black, is largely superb. And I can acknowledge that now. But even with that acknowledgment […]Archive
August 7, 2019 by Simon Sweetman