Yes. Thought it was half decent, but the other book by some lad I’ve never heard of either is much much better.
Called “Massively violent and decidedly average”
Very enjoyable read so far. The author is a lot more perceptive than holden, a better writer, a better story teller, and not half as fond of himself.
An absolutely brilliant and quite shocking book. Years since I read it but it left quite a mark.
I’d put that down right now young man. The greatest load of shite I’ve ever read, pure Walter Mitty stuff.
Is it? The few reviews I read didnt allude to that — someone else from his regiment wrote a book and it wasnt far off Mcnab’s account … anyway, you always allow for a certain amount of embellishment in these books.
McNab is a cunt.
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I think the lad who wrote it is called Lee howey, anyhow, its the first sports bio in a long long time that I’m looking forward to getting back to reading tonight. He played for Sunderland and his bro for Newcastle. There is a great little song about it. Anyone who watched any bit of soccerball in the nineties, or anyone really, it’s a great book so far, I’m about 2/3 of the way through. Better than any sports book I’ve read for a good long time.
Cc @mickee321
They are reviewing Seymour Stein autobiography on Radio 1 at the moment.
Sounds like this would be up your street @Fagan_ODowd
Listening to All the presidents men at the moment. Great stuff
I read “A Bright Shining Lie” by Neil Sheehan recently. It’s notionally about John Paul Vann, a significant character in the Vietnam war but really it’s a phenomenal book about the war itself. Not a new book, from the late 80’s I think when it won a Pulitzer, it took Sheehan about 15 years to write. He was one of the first reporters into ‘Nam and reported on it all the way through including being the reporter who published the Pentagon papers I think (as seen in The Post film recently). His anger at the war is palpable and the book is all the better for it.
Sheehan and Vann both featured in the recent Vietnam documentary series on tv/Netflix and if you found the series interesting then the book is completely recommended.
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I read it years ago, it’s a brilliant and quite frightening book.
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Seymour Stein, See less money.
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Finished this last week read it in two goes
Not the kind of book you can read a chapter a night and not just because there are no chapters
It was good now and I like the rhythms
the crests and troughs
either carefully constructed or manifesting in the mind with prose like that you never really know
But once you build up a head of steam you’ll keep going
Keep going to fuck
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Ah lovely
This fella is great
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I’m rereading his second short story collection at the moment, he’s an incredible short story writer.
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He is not that small .
That’s outstanding. I’ve been meaning to pick up a few of his books. Not normally a fiction reader, but I’ve heard he has some excellent ones. Any recommendations chaps?
City of Bohane is one of his novels which is excellent. “There are Little Kingdoms” is one of his short story collections which is top class too. There is a story in it called “Atlantic City” which is as good a short story as I have ever read.
I thought City of Bohane was very good. The type of book that sticks in your head.
The style is strange and it takes a bit of getting into but I thought it was worth it as it really helps to visually create a scene in your head.
Beatlebone, while having some very good passages in it, is mainly weird and not that good.