Not as heavy in subject matter as his other works, but still peppered throughout with that Irish wit that is a trademark of McCourt. There's a bonus Not as heavy in subject matter as his other works, but still peppered throughout with that Irish wit that is a trademark of McCourt. There's a bonus in the audio version in that the narrator is McCourt. So, along with his wit you also hear his specific intonations, dialect, tone, and accent which enhances things even further and gives exact meaning to his words. McCourt's teaching methods for creative writing are innovative for the times they occurred in, and made for a very entertaining story....more
I need to share upfront that THE KINKS are my all-time favorite rock band, and RAY DAVIES is my favorite songwriter. His wry observations on English sI need to share upfront that THE KINKS are my all-time favorite rock band, and RAY DAVIES is my favorite songwriter. His wry observations on English society and human nature caught my attention back in the 1960's and Kinks songs has been a big part of my background music as I moved through life. That may help explain why I give this a five-star rating compared to some other reviews on Goodreads. Yes, this is not a tell-all. It also only covers a short period of time (ending in 1973) and doesn't spend enough detail on the reasons the Kinks were so popular - their music and the clever songs. Naturally, being a big fan I've read about that elsewhere so I'm not disturbed by the absence of more details about that in X-RAY. However, it's not as if nothing is written about that here. It's just that Ray's troubles with royalties, family, depression, a failing marriage, self-doubt etc dominate this "unauthorized autobiography". Perhaps Mr. Davies wanted to indicate that the life of a rock star is not all it's cracked up to be. In any case, this is not your typical rock musician auto-biography. Just like "The Hard Way", one of the classic Kinks songs, Raymond Douglas Davies never takes the easy route. Instead, he chose to write this as a piece of fiction, taking place in an unspecified future where the "gray men" (a recurring theme from PRESERVATION) control the corporate world and/or the government. It's a corporation who assigns a young intern the assignment of interviewing an aged and grumpy old musician about his past life. For what purpose? The intern is the narrator of the book and as he learns from the book of Davies he begins to assimilate and then emulate the attributes of his subject, including his paranoia and mistrust of authority. And, why not? After all, the narrator is Ray through and through. What I learned from reading this for the second time (25 years later, first read in November 1997) is that not only can Ray Davies compose memorable rock songs - - he's just an inventive and good writer. Now X-RAY goes back on my shelf. I may not wait as long to read it again. Maybe target 2027, the 30th anniversary?...more
This novel begins with a biography of Howard Schultz, the man behind Starbuck's rise as a company for the 21st Century. It certainly helped to learn This novel begins with a biography of Howard Schultz, the man behind Starbuck's rise as a company for the 21st Century. It certainly helped to learn what molded and shaped his business philosophy as well as his own personal standards/goals. If I had to sum it up, I'd say that Schultz is guided by his heart and a sense of what's important to companies thriving in the modern world: engage the employees. The remainder of the book covers the first ten years of Schultz's involvement and guiding hand in the growth of Starbucks. Funny, I didn't really pay much attention to their stores until I moved to the eastern part of Pennsylvania where there were more locations. Then, I took a job that required me to travel to thirteen states and Canada, and I saw Starbucks everywhere. Starbucks became a reliable location to secure my morning cup of java. I enjoyed the story of their rise to prominence. Schultz doesn't leave anything out, including some of the setbacks. The years in question are 1987-1997, and since then the company has really spread out. I'd welcome a second book covering those years since 1997. I'm not certain that Starbucks still employs the same principles as Schultz (he retired as CEO) but weekly or more often visits to the local Starbucks are a regular part of my routine. I still get the sense that it's a decent place to work and employees seem to be appreciative in their demeanor. While it took me twelve months to read this book, that doesn't mean it was boring or wasn't engaging. It's because I decided to participate in many Goodreads challenges/group reads this year and prioritized the books with deadlines ahead of ones that I could take a more leisurely reading pace with. This book and one other suffered from my lack of attention because of that. Yet, by only reading one or two chapters at a time I came to appreciate the contents of Howard Schultz's story more than if I had read it straight through. The other book I neglected was fiction, which I abandoned after fifty-plus pages because more interesting reading compelled me. To be fair to it, I'm going to start over from the beginning with that one in 2023....more
This was an engaging and entertaining memoir, with plenty of wit and wisdom (often obtained the hard way). I've more respect for Colin Jost after reaThis was an engaging and entertaining memoir, with plenty of wit and wisdom (often obtained the hard way). I've more respect for Colin Jost after reading this. Watching Saturday Night Live, I've always assumed that success came easy for him, a good-looking sharp young man and engaged to one of the most attractive women in Hollywood. (I was surprised to learn that he's the older of the two - - he looks so young I thought that Scarlett was robbing the cradle). Jost isn't afraid to bare his soul, warts and all. He's certainly had his share of embarrassing moments as well as dangerous accidents and scars and tells this in confessional but still comedic fashion. I respect anyone who includes both ups and downs in their memoir. There is enough behind-the-scenes moments of working as head writer for Saturday Night Live to learn that all is not glamorous about the job, and it involves a lot of hard work and long late-night hours. It's hard to imagine anyone wanting to leave the show but now I understand much better why it happens. My favorite chapter and the one that stays with me is "Why I Love My Mom". Not meant to be funny, it's a serious account of the fall of the Twin Towers on 9/11 and the role that Jost's mother, the head medical doctor/consultant for the New York Fire Department, played that day in rescuing firefighters and risking her own life several times. It's always interesting to see what parts of their life that a writer will include in a memoir. Jost seems to pick the key moments that reveal his character, from early childhood to college to the job hunt, stand-up comedy, all those accidents, and landing his dream job at Saturday Night Live. I was surprised that there wasn't more of his relationship with Scarlett Johansson here, but I respect his privacy. I don't want to punch Colin Jost in the face. I'd like to shake his hand and thank him....more
I read Pete Townsend's book some years back, so it's only right that I check out what Roger Daltrey has to say about one of the most influential rock I read Pete Townsend's book some years back, so it's only right that I check out what Roger Daltrey has to say about one of the most influential rock bands during my music obsession, growth and development in the mid to late '60's. The Who were always on my Top Ten Bands list at that time. After reading this, I'd have to conclude that Daltrey was the most level-headed and straightforward of the quartet. He used music to turn his life around and made the most of it over the past fifty-plus years. However instead of a joyous rags to riches story there is an underlying theme of sadness running throughout the entire memoir. Along with all the defining career moments and trail-blazing triumphs there was an instability among the band due to egos, drugs and hyper-personalities that always seemed ready to unravel everything that had been accomplished. Daltrey deserves the majority of the credit for holding the band together. Daltrey's not a complainer or finger-pointer - - he's just brutally honest in telling the history of the band focusing on everything that affected them, not just the high points. He's also quite candid, not afraid to relate his own faults and short-comings, and comes across as a genuine down-to-earth person. While I'll always consider Pete Townsend a gifted songwriter and musical genius, I now have renewed respect for the contributions of Roger Daltrey. ...more
If you want to understand Presidential candidate Bernie's Sanders position on issues and get a preview of his platform this is the book to read. For If you want to understand Presidential candidate Bernie's Sanders position on issues and get a preview of his platform this is the book to read. For those who are tired of the same-old, same-old centrist politics of the Democratic party and completely turned off (as am I) by the divisive, hate-mongering, catering to big business and the wealthy elite by the Republican party, and the shamefully wrong and deceitful Citizens United decision on campaign financing - - then you need to learn what the progressive faction inside the Democratic party is up to. Bernie was the trailblazer and many are taking up his causes and making progress in bringing them to the public's attention and growing acceptance. If you're looking for some hope in the political morass, some reason to stay positive - - this is essential reading. In fact, listen to the majority of the current Democratic presidential candidates and they are all talking about the things that Bernie has, what is needed to happen to turn the country around and grow together. If you thought Sanders would sit back and be more of a bystander after his 2016 primary defeat, you'd be surprised to learn what he's been doing since then. He certainly appears to be the real deal, activing working and promoting his causes since then. This book is essentially an accounting of Bernie's actives since the 2016 primary, presented in chronological order. If more people work this hard, a lot is going to get done. The current generation of young voters is turning from apathy and poor voter turnout to activism and registration. It gives me hope, too. ...more
Take away the sections that include Donald Trump, and this would still be a very interesting and entertaining biography. In spite of a troubled childhoTake away the sections that include Donald Trump, and this would still be a very interesting and entertaining biography. In spite of a troubled childhood with a disturbed mother, an absentee father, and sexual abuse from a neighbor Stephanie Clifford (aka Stormy Daniels) grew up to be an intelligent, wise and savvy business person. That she decided to make her rise to the top through the learning curve of stripper, porn actress and then successful porn movie director doesn't diminish her credibility. This is an amusing biography (in spite of some of the trouble spots) that kept me reading through the revealing anecdotes on all aspects of her life and career. Anyone picking this up hoping to get read some new scandalous dirt on DJT will only get a smattering of additional information, as the subject of her several encounters with him have been the subject of media saturation. There are some revealing bits into his character, which only serve to confirm what a narcissistic egotist he is. He really doesn't understand how to converse with a real woman, and resorts to bragging about himself and then holding out the promise of a big reward (a spot on the Apprentice tv show) in hopes of pleasuring his you-know-what. Trump is morally bankrupt. Stormy has more principles and a proper code of conduct than he does. Stormy sums up his character very well during her first meeting with Trump, when he was bragging about his plans for "the greatest golf course the world has ever seen" in Scotland and his difficulties in getting it started: "He was getting agitated talking about it, but there was nothing that made him seem as petulant and prone to tantrums as he has been as president. He was just run-of-the-mill insecure, which I find happens a lot with people with money that they didn't earn themselves. They harbor this inner self-esteem problem that they try to mask by overcompensating. That's him to a tee." It's ironic that a person of Trump's character, a man who has cheated on a pregnant wife and bragged about grabbing women by the pussy and getting away with it, gets "a pass" from evangelicals who buy into his pro-life statements. He just doesn't seem sincere to me, just playing to his base and saying what they want to hear. I have a hard time believing that he cares one whit for women or children, beyond their connection to him. It's all about him. While overlooking his indiscretions, these same evangelicals most likely will condemn Stormy Daniels for her involvement in the pornography business. ...more
Some musician's autobiographies are tedious affairs in which the author lets everyone know how clever, creative and what a genius he or she is. Not soSome musician's autobiographies are tedious affairs in which the author lets everyone know how clever, creative and what a genius he or she is. Not so with Johnny Marr. He's refreshingly to the point, and matter of fact. Not much editorializing here, except he does reveal his thoughts and feelings. There's definitely a benefit to an audiobook narrated by the author, as you can tell even more from his inflections and tone. As founder, writer and lead guitarist for the legendary Smiths, this is essential reading for anyone interested in musical artists that make a lasting difference in their field, as the Smiths without question certainly did. Marr tells all here, how he became interested in music and guitar, how he learned, his influences, his early efforts, forming the Smiths and partnering with Morrissey, the band's break-up, his later collaborations with Electronic, The The, Modest Mouse, The Cribs and sessions with The Pretenders, Talking Heads, and Paul McCarthy. He's seen a lot and learned a lot and shares it all. Those expecting to read some dirt about any of these artists, or hear some trash-talking or blaming of Morrissey will be disappointed. Marr seems to get along with everybody, or at least tries to. As revealed in the story, the break-up of The Smiths had more to do with the rhythm section of the band suing over the split of royalties than anything that Marr or Morrissey did. What a shame. ...more
Unforgettable. The best description and explanation for bipolar disorder that you are likely to find - - all the more impressive for the insights froUnforgettable. The best description and explanation for bipolar disorder that you are likely to find - - all the more impressive for the insights from Hornbacher's own perspective. That she suffers from this mental disability and can still analyze her illness with such clarity and conviction is amazing. She wrote this book over the course of several years while still struggling to overcome the symptoms. Captivating non-fiction that reads like fiction. Hornbacher is incredibly brave to share her personal story, and holds nothing back regardless of how disturbing or embarrassing it might appear. Her honesty helps readers to obtain a clear idea of the wear and tear on the body and the mind that everyone with bipolar disorder has ago deal with. She has a real gift for words and images. I'd love to see what she could do with a work of literary imagination. There is a valuable glossary, reference sources, and contact information compiled by Hornbacher to close out the book. ...more
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