Category: autobiography

Nailing It: Tales from the Comedy Frontier, by Rich Hall (Quercus, 2022)

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A collection of true stories, charting aspects of Rich Hall’s career in comedy. Chronological though episodic, this perhaps widely avoids a straight narrative recounting of early years, breakthrough, and success, preferring to focus on the good bits: the Australian funeral is an especial highlight. Fans will love it, and will want more. That’s probably the right way to approach this kind of thing. Recommended.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Cinema Speculation, by Quentin Tarantino (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2022)

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A discussion of a dozen or so formative movies, mostly from the 1970s. A hugely entertaining blend of opinion, anecdote, and autobiography explaining how and why genre movies of the 70s (and cinemagoing) are fundamental to the director‘s approach to cinema. A little bit like the first half of Stephen King‘s On Writing: key context for a pop culture maven.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

My Sand Life, My Pebble Life, by Ian McMillan (Adlard Coles, 2022)

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Subtitled “a memoir of a childhood and the sea,” this is a kinda non-chronological autobiography, capturing moments of poet McMillan’s love affair with the British coastline and of working-class family holidays then and now. Light, whimsical in places, and charming and heartfelt. Cleethorpes features prominently, as it rightly should.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

No Encore For The Donkey, by Doug Stanhope (no publisher indicated, 2022)

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Developed from an Audible Original spoken word piece, a diary of sorts of 2016, focusing on Stanhope’s road life and his relationship with partner Amy “Bingo” Bingaman. Planet Stanhope is an interesting place to visit, and this is funny and bleak at the same time, but the journey’s a rough ride nevertheless. Opinions may vary about the extent to which self-loathing sometimes on display here is well-earned and/or entirely justified by behaviour and selfishness.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner, by Chris Atkins (Atlantic Books, 2020)

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The prison diaries of a fraudster, focusing on an initial nine months in HMP Wandsworth. A privileged perspective as the author notes (a middle-class documentarian), but a vivid account nevertheless, evidencing the UK penal system as chronically underfunded, dysfunctional, and counter-productive towards rehabilitation. Darkly funny throughout, though more focus on the regime mechanics would have been interesting.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Takeaway: Stories From a Childhood Behind the Counter, by Angela Hui (Trapeze Books, 2022)

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An autobiography, focusing on childhood and adolescence as the daughter of Chinese takeaway owners in 00s South Wales. An engaging account, addressing stressful family relationships, the mechanics of independent fast food, being an outsider in an insular community, experiencing racism, and reconciling multiple identities. Plus recipes, both family and commercial. Plenty to appreciate and to think on, basically.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Put Your Ass [Where Your Heart Wants To Be], by Steven Pressfield (Sarsaparilla Media, 2022)

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Another of Pressfield’s motivational books on creativity and overcoming barriers to getting work done, this time prioritising focus, place, and effort. The same but different: core messages from Pressfield’s other books are repeated, but the effect is cumulative. Plenty for those who think they’re struggling to be creative to reflect on.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Stuntman! My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life, by Hal Needham (Little, Brown, 2011).

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The autobiography of the leading stuntman-turned-movie director. Packed full of anecdotes, this gung-ho version of events emphasises can-do attitude while giving plenty of insights into moviemaking and into what’s involved in executing high falls and car crashes. Lots of fun, even if you’re left wanting to know more about the stuff (and movies like Megaforce) that gets glossed over.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Field Notes: Walking the Territory, by Maxim Peter Griffin (Unbound, 2022)

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A possible diary in images and words of a year in the East of Lincolnshire. Can’t say more than that – and this isn’t a review, ‘cos family – but if you’re familiar with Maxim Griffin’s work then this is the motherlode to date. If you haven’t, then this is your departure point. Get on it now before the inevitable Werner Herzog/Ben Wheatley/Johnny Nice bidding war begins. Onwards, as Maxim is wont to say.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Walking: One Step At A Time, by Erling Kagge [trans. Becky L Crook] (Penguin, 2019)

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Philosophical musings on walking, drawing on both personal experiences (both poles and Everest included) and wider literature. Maybe a touch whimsical for some readers, but nevertheless a useful first-hand perspective about how and why walking is necessary for being both human and centred.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.