Posts Tagged Book Review
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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
It Was The Worst: # 21 Reading A Book About James Blunt
I’ve read some really bad music books. This is the worst. Please understand that I wish I was joking when I tell you that a publisher sent me a copy of a book called Different Country, Same State: On The Road With James Blunt. Please understand I wish I was joking when I tell you that I read the entire thing.Archive
July 28, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Alan Duff: A Conversation With My Country
A Conversation With My Country Alan Duff Penguin Alan Duff wrote one of New Zealand’s most important books – Once Were Warriors. It’s not a particularly well written book. But its timing was crucial. It meant something. Since then he repeated the formula until no one cared, perfected the Old Man Yells At Cloud-persona of the truly entitled, right-wing newspaper columnist […]Archive
July 22, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Shayne Carter: Dead People I Have Known
Dead People I Have Known Shayne Carter VUP I started this book before there were any reviews of it anywhere – I was loving it. Like everyone! But shelved it to get to other things. And then (finally) finished it just after every single review had been printed or posted. Lots of great column inches in celebration […]Archive
June 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Howard Stern: Howard Stern Comes Again
Howard Stern Comes Again Howard Stern Simon & Schuster The shorthand that follows Howard Stern around is “shock jock”. He is at pains to let you know he’s moved on from that phase. When he was a shock-jock he ruled the airwaves – and people, famously, wanted to see what he would say next. One of […]Archive
May 26, 2019 by Simon Sweetman