Posts Tagged Book
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July 14, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
In Cold Blood vs. The Bonfire of The Vanities: Non-Fiction Novels and The New Journalism
Truman Capote released In Cold Blood in 1966; Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of The Vanities was published in 1987. Twenty-one years between them, the two books continue to have lasting effect as influential treatises regarding, what Wolfe confirmed by title in his 1973 text of the same name, as ‘The New Journalism’. These two books […]Archive
July 13, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Edith Wharton: Tragedy and Satire in The House of Mirth
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth” – Ecclesiastes 7:4 Edith Wharton’s novel takes its title from the above-cited biblical call to heed. Published in 1905, at a stage when the writer was still relatively unknown, The House of Mirth […]Archive
June 21, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
What A Good Score! – #16: The Shawshank Redemption by Thomas Newman
It’s that rare thing. I loved the film, and the music – and the book it was based on; well, the story. The trifecta. (Actually, I did love the book that the story was in, the whole thing, so there’s that too). The Shawshank Redemption is so good that it’s almost a cliché now – […]Archive
June 14, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
David Sedaris: Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky David Sedaris Little, Brown and Company; First Edition A new David Sedaris book is a treat. If you’re a fan, a convert, you’re generally there for life – keen and waiting. He’s given us plenty already, and been very generous across the last few years with a bit of closet-cleaning resulting in two volumes […]Archive
June 4, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
The Mary Gauthier Starter-Kit
Mary Gauthier (you pronounce it “Go-Shay”) is one of those great, great songwriters that never seems to get mentioned in the first breath of great songwriters. It’s a little bit of a secret. But like John Prine, and I would add Paul Kelly straight in there too, she’s got songs for days. Songs, in fact, […]Archive
May 12, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Bono’s Book
This is absolutely no lie: I’m pumped to read Bono’s memoir. Out in November. Here’s a wee extract. Bono is perhaps best known of course for being the “There’s Wally!” of rock-docs. But when he’s not being memed, when he’s not promising change, when he’s not getting right in under the goat(ee) of post-punkers, he’s […]Archive
April 7, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Tricky and Rickie: Two Great Recent Music Memoirs
I’ve read so many music biographies, memoirs and autobiographies. I used to call it an “occupational hazard” – I mean it was nearly a first love, I remember reading books about John Lennon and Mick Jagger and Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan when I was 12 and 13 years old. I was into all sorts […]Archive
April 1, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Noelle McCarthy: Grand
Grand: Becoming My Mother’s Daughter Noelle McCarthy Penguin It’s quite possible that Grand by Noelle McCarthy is the best memoir of 2022. One of the best books. It is brand new. Out this week. There has been much hype. All of it justified. There will be more hype. And so there should.Archive
March 20, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Steve Braunias: Cover Story
Cover Story: 100 Beautiful, Strange and Frankly Incredible New Zealand LP Covers Steve Braunias Oratia Books Designed to show replica-sized prints of the album covers, and therefore itself the size of a 12” record (or boxset of them) and ready to be shelved alongside your record collection, Cover Story is, like many of the very […]Archive
March 17, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Bob Odenkirk: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama Bob Odenkirk Penguin Random House I love Bob Odenkirk. Have done since before I knew his name. He just kept popping up on things. That same face in everything. A mild smirk. A guy who had some sadness, some trauma etched onto him and laced all through his comedy. A guy […]Archive
March 11, 2022 by Simon Sweetman