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Posts Tagged Book

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 […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Bono, Bono’s Book, Book, Memoir, Preview, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, U2 ·

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 […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Book, Hell Is Round The Corner, Last Chance Texaco, Music Memoir, Rickie Lee Jones, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, Tricky, Tricky and Rickie: Two Great Recent Music Memoirs, Two Great Recent Music Memoirs ·

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.
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Alcohol, Alcoholism, Auckland, bFM, Book, Book Review, Featherston, Grand: Becoming My Mother’s Daughter, Ireland, Memoir, Noelle McCarthy, Noelle McCarthy: Grand, NZ, Radio, RNZ, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here ·

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 […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 100 Beautiful, 12", Book, Book Review, Cover Story, Cover Story: 100 Beautiful, Kiwi, LP, NZ, Oratia Books, Record, Steve Braunias, Steve Braunias: Cover Story, Strange and Frankly Incredible New Zealand LP Covers, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, Vinyl ·

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 […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Autobiography, Bob Odenkirk, Bob Odenkirk: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, Book, Book Review, Comedian, Comedy, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, David Cross, Director, Get A Life, Memoir, Movie, Mr. Show, Penguin Random House, SNL, Stage, Star, The Ben Stiller Show, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, TV, Writer, Writing ·

Archive

March 11, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Not Much Of A Bookstore Job

One year, when I gave up on university before it gave up on me, I made a last ditch effort to climb the hill and instead of going to class I studied the wall at Student Job Search, saw a piece of paper with a listing for a bookstore job. I’d always wanted one of […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Book, Bookstore, Bookstore Job, Essay, Not Much Of A Bookstore Job, Story, Student, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, Writing ·

Archive

March 5, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas: Blood On Black Wax – Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl

Blood On Black Wax: Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas 1984 Publishing If you’re a fan of horror films at all that probably means you’re a fan of horror movie soundtracks. They are such a crucial element – the mood-maker, the world-builder, they are in fact a character in the film in […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged [OST], Aaron Lupton, Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas, Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas: Blood On Black Wax - Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl, Blood On Black Wax, Blood On Black Wax - Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl, Book, Book Review, Collection, Collector, Collectors, Horror, Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl, Jeff Szpirglas, John Carpenter, LP, Record, Rue Morgue, Rue Morgue magazine, Score, Soundtrack, Vinyl ·

Archive

February 22, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Finding Delmore: Only In Dreams

Delmore Schwartz was an American poet, short story writer and scholar. His most famous story is In Dreams Begin Responsibilities. It was first published in 1937 and became the title for Schwartz’ first book. That was published a year later, he was 25. The story has been widely anthologised and is a classic piece of […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Academic, Author, Blog, Book, Books, Delmore Schwarz, European Son, Finding Delmore, Finding Delmore: Only In Dreams, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, In Dreams Begin Responsibilities, Influence, Lecturer, Lou Reed, My House, Only In Dreams, Second Hand Books, Short Story, Stories, Teacher, Velvet Underground, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Whanganui, Writer, Writing ·

Archive

January 2, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

R.I.P. Joan Didion

Just ahead of Christmas it was very sad to hear of the passing of Joan Didion. She lived a long and extraordinary life and wrote so beautifully, so dutifully also. She was a chronicler of times, putting art into journalism, putting her life down on the page alongside all she captured. She’s been one of […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Author, Book, Books, Essay, Essays, Eulogy, Joan Didion, Journalism, Non-FIction, R.I.P., R.I.P. Joan Didion, Tribute, Writer, Writing ·

Archive

December 20, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Mel Brooks: All About Me!

All About Mel! My Remarkable Life in Show Business Mel Brooks Penguin Random House I love a good Hollywood memoir – packed with stories, famous names and some cracking good yarns. I’ve always loved a good Hollywood memoir, but maybe now they’re even more of a treat. The chance to just ignore the social media […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged All About Me!, All About Mel! My Remarkable Life in Show Business, Autobiography, Book, Book Review, Comedy, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, Mel Brooks, Mel Brooks: All About Me!, Memoir, Penguin, Random House, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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December 13, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Books That Blew My Mind # 9: “Holidays on Ice” by David Sedaris

Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris I’m not really one for Christmas books. But there’s one favourite, one must, every year I read (and now re-read) David Sedaris’ story, The Santaland Diaries. It’s special to me for a couple of reasons – first of all it was my introduction to the world of Sedaris. I […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged “Holidays on Ice” by David Sedaris, Book, Books That Blew My Mind, Books That Blew My Mind # 9, Books That Blew My Mind # 9: “Holidays on Ice” by David Sedaris, Christmas, David Sedaris, Diaries, Elf, Essay, Essays, Holidays, Holidays on Ice, Macy's, Reading, Short Stories, Story, The Santaland Diaries, Xmas, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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November 21, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

In Praise of Tom Scharpling

Some days I reckon Tom Scharpling is one of the funniest people alive. Certainly, Tom Scharpling is one of the great underground wizards of radio, and podcasting. I don’t know how I first heard about him – or when I first started tuning in properly, but he has backstory and projects for days. And as […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Book, Comedian, Comedy, In Praise, In Praise Of, In Praise of Tom Scharpling, Jon Wurster, Meet My Friends The Friends, Podcast, Praise, Radio, The Best Show, Tom Scharpling, TV, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Writer ·
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