Best books you have read in the last 12 months?

[irratebass]

an absolute classic. could not count the number of times i have read this. i'm sure we have all seen people who can quote large chunks of monty python or derek and clyde - most of my mates could quote large chunks of this. we still do (isn't that embarrassing). i think i read everything hunter thompson ever wrote. he did go off the boil in later years after he'd fried his mind but in the early days, brilliant.

i have a copy of fear and loathing signed by ralph steadman (the illustrator). met him at a signing in london (a signing for something else but i'd brought my tattered old copy of F&L). he signed it with a big flourish and told me it was on behalf of the good doctor. we chatted for a bit, i asked him a couple of questions, which he apparently didn't like,  and he turned into one of the greatest tossers i have ever met, told me to F off and had me thrown out. who the hell gets thrown out of a book signing? worse, who throws someone out for simply asking questions about the book?

You're right Ken this book was great! I lol'd even.... I felt they put the book to justice with the film.

Wow that's a crazy story!


Just finished Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, what great funny ass book.... Now gonna give this a shot.



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[Ken Gargett]

7 hours ago, MaxG said:

 

Sorry to hear this.   I love Steadman's work.  We always hope people we admire in one facet of life are truly good (or at least OK) people in general.

- MG

 

i was a huge fan. i actually had posters of his all over my walls at the time (student over in london) - he did some great stuff for a winery in oz. i'd gone down to a nearby book signing - he'd illustrated alice in wonderland - as an old girlfriend was also a fan and i got her a copy. had brought my old F&L along. he was terrific to start but i asked him why he had drawn the guys in a right hand drive vehicle (and if you check the cover - a black and white version below - he does)?

he grabbed the book, obviously had not realised he had done it and no one had ever picked it up.

"imported car", he tells me. i point out it was an american car (and i forget exactly what it was but it was some sort of an american car).

"a rental" he says. i ask why anyone in america would rent out right hand drive vehicles.

so far, i have not really done anything too terrible, i thought, and i am there having bought his new book and getting him to sign an old one as well so he knows i am a fan.

but he absolutely loses it. starts screaming at me. gets really abusive. tells me to F off and so on. must confess i was shocked silent to begin with but then we had a discussion on insane tossers and sad old drunks riding on the coattails of those more talented and things went downhill from there. not sure the small assembled crowd had ever seen anything quite like it at a book signing.

needless to say, the posters came down that evening.

 

 

[Ken Gargett]

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[Ken Gargett]

Just now, Ken Gargett said:

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what is wrong with this forum??????

[El Presidente]

40 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

but he absolutely loses it. starts screaming at me. gets really abusive. tells me to F off and so on. must confess i was shocked silent to begin with but then we had a discussion on insane tossers and sad old drunks riding on the coattails of those more talented and things went downhill from there. not sure the small assembled crowd had ever seen anything quite like it at a book signing.

needless to say, the posters came down that evening.

.......I understand he was a great judge of character

 

[Ken Gargett]

22 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

.......I understand he was a great judge of character

 

he was a sad old drug-addled drunk wannabee with a niche talent that he used to, as i told him, ride on the coattails of those more talented. i would say that might remind some, not me, of our videos but i will take the high road.

[MaxG]

2 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

i was a huge fan. i actually had posters of his all over my walls at the time (student over in london) - he did some great stuff for a winery in oz.

 

 

I have his Whiskey Drip framed in my office.  Love it.  I remember he did artwork for Cardinal Zin labels and, I believe, for Bonny Doon Winery back in the day.  I bought his "Gonzo Art" book for myself for Christmas.  Quite a talent.  

I went to a symphony concert last October around Halloween where they did a "Danny Elfman's Music from Tim Burton films" program.  In the program notes, I believe it was Johnny Depp who was quoted saying Elfman was to Burton as Steadman was to Thompson.  Kinda neat, I thought.

- MG

[David88]

6 hours ago, irratebass said:

 

 

Just finished Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, what great funny ass book.... Now gonna give this a shot.



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I really like Joe Hill! You will have to let us know what you think of it.

[Ken Gargett]

3 minutes ago, MaxG said:

 

I have his Whiskey Drip framed in my office.  Love it.  I remember he did artwork for Cardinal Zin labels and, I believe, for Bonny Doon Winery back in the day.  I bought his "Gonzo Art" book for myself for Christmas.  Quite a talent.  

I went to a symphony concert last October around Halloween where they did a "Danny Elfman's Music from Tim Burton films" program.  In the program notes, I believe it was Johnny Depp who was quoted saying Elfman was to Burton as Steadman was to Thompson.  Kinda neat, I thought.

- MG

here it was with taltarni winery.

[irratebass]

Just finished Heart Shaped Box, excellent story. Not sure what's up next yet.

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[David88]

5 hours ago, irratebass said:

Just finished Heart Shaped Box, excellent story. Not sure what's up next yet.

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If you were after another joe hill then I thought the fireman was a good read

[planetary]

Revelation Space, a fun sci-fi audiobook with several interesting ideas and pretty good characterization.

I wish this thread was entitled "What are you reading?" to mirror some of our other threads, rather than "Best books"!  I might be inclined to post more in it.

 

[irratebass]

If you were after another joe hill then I thought the fireman was a good read

I've heard that, but isn't it the beginning of a series?

Revelation Space, a fun sci-fi audiobook with several interesting ideas and pretty good characterization.

I wish this thread was entitled "What are you reading?" to mirror some of our other threads, rather than "Best books"!  I might be inclined to post more in it.

 

I'm with ya there, this thread is hard to find sometimes, but I'm persistent

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[David88]

26 minutes ago, irratebass said:

 

 

 

I'm with ya there, this thread is hard to find sometimes, but I'm persistent

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I don't think it's the beginning of a series, it seemed to have a quite clear cut ending. 

This thread does seem to disappear at times, a bit of persistence is definitely worth it!

[Liga1069]

For the umpteenth time I just re-read the Ender's Game series.(Orson Scott Card.)

Now I am about to re-read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. (Stephen R. Donaldson)

 

[irratebass]

I don't think it's the beginning of a series, it seemed to have a quite clear cut ending. 

This thread does seem to disappear at times, a bit of persistence is definitely worth it!

Thanks, I might check it out

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[seville23]

Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes.

Frightening and funny in equal measure, at times the humour is so dark you're on the other side of the event horizon.

[Ken Gargett]

4 hours ago, seville23 said:

Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes.

Frightening and funny in equal measure, at times the humour is so dark you're on the other side of the event horizon.

i have it in the pile. might move it up!

[seville23]

2 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

i have it in the pile. might move it up!

Well Ken its worth it, at least in my opinion. Its some of the most daring social and political satire I've read in a very long time. Put it this way, I got to the end and wished that Stanley Kubrick was still with us to do the film.

[irratebass]

Mom lent me this one, been a long time since I've read Grisham.



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[MooseAMuffin]

I am wanting to get as far along in the Dark Tower series as I can before the movie cimes out. 

Just finished The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Started on The Drawing of the Three last week.

[irratebass]

Just finished The Whistler

Gonna start this one, I'm not into romance novels, but it is written by dude...sooo, also I told myself I would read all the ebooks that a generous botl hooked me up with.



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[brschoppe]

Thanks for the recommendation on A Man Named Ove.  Like stated previously, it is a good read and the end is really touching.  It was the antithesis of 13 Reasons Why (had to watch it with my wife).

Back to trying to finish 1Q84;) 

[irratebass]

Finished A Bend In The Road it was not the romance novel I thought it would be, it was way more deep, but also quite unbelievable.....it's fiction, but c'mon!!

Up next

I know it won't be believable either, but I'm hoping it will be a fun read regardless.



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[PlatypusMaximus]

 

Read this over the Easter break, a little heart wrenching but if you're a mans man it's a good read to give you perspective on life.

I just bought this book on Amazon. Looking forward to getting into it on my flight tomorrow.


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