This Weeks' Reading List: 25th July

This is proving to be somewhat popular amongst a small group of pain sufferers and insomniacs on Facebook, so I thought I'd port it over to here each week. This is the 3rd entry in the Reading List, but you can read the others here. The basic premise is that I read a lot and offer up my thoughts on books, magazines and more that I've read in the previous seven days. Simple as that really. I'm also open to suggestions for what to read, and debate is always healthy. Bear in mind though, these are my own personal views and opinions, and all the material here I've bought, either new or second hand. Nothing has been given to me, free, to review, and if it were I'd be sure to say.

What did I finish this week?

Patrick Myler: Ring Of Hate - see last weeks entry for the details on that. I doubt that there'll be another book as detailed, or an interesting, about Louis and Schemling in the future. Track it down and read it, even if you're not a fan of boxing it's a cracking read about an era.

The Marvelous Party by Stephanie Clifford-Smith. The biography of Bernard King. He was a cook. He was an acid tongued TV personality. He was gay. Nothing new to see here, but the recipes included look damned tasty indeed. Light and breezy.

Glued To The Set by Steven D Stark. As predicted this 'definitive' guide to the '60 Television Shows and Events that Made Us Who We Are Today' is totally focused on the USA. If you live in America then it'll be a good read, otherwise it's curiosity value only. Frankly the 60 shows seemed a bit of a reach to me. I can accept MASH, Roots, Hill Street Blues and the obvious, but seriously, outside of America who cares for Bob Newhart or Barbara Walters? And Star Trek is lumped into the 1980s - that's the original series kiddies.

Diva: The Live Of Marcia Hines by Karen Dewey. Yep, I digest a lot of crap, but the best part is that books like these can be read in one sitting lasting no more than two hours at best. Sadly no in depth reporting about the events surrounding Marcia's daughter, Deni, shooting the nuts off Kirk Pengilly.

Geri Halliwell Just For The Record by Geri Halliwell. Believe this or not, but this book was far more entertaining than Marcia Hines. A fairly good read, if you can get yourself past the subject matter. Nice dirt on the Spice Girls, but then you know that there's more mud to sling but Geri, even then, was holding out for the reunion. Did she or did she not become a teapot for George Michael and his boyfriend? She ain't saying, but she's certainly hinting. Another quick read, 2 and a half hours.

I'm Free: The Complete Are You Being Served? by Richard Webber. Found this one during a clean out and with the deaths of Wendy Richard, Mollie Sugden and John "Inside Leg" Inman I thought I'd give it a shot. Much like the show, lightweight but funny in places. In case anyone is even remotely wondering about John Inman's sexuality, check out this photo on page 66 and wonder no more. Mind you I can't help but notice that, even back then, 'resident sexpot' Wendy Richard had the teeth of a greyhound - yellow, rotten and sharp in places. Poor thing, she didn't age well.

Marvel Omnibus: Captain Britain by Alan Davis, Jamie Delano and Alan Moore et al. BRILLIANT! For too long I've had to rely upon my old UK reprints to read this stuff. Marvel did put out the Moore scripted stories, naturally because anything with the name ALAN MOORE on the cover will sell a billion copies, even if it were his shopping list (probably especially if it were his shopping list) but this covers all of the Alan Davis stories and that's worth the purchase price alone ($160-180 here in Australia against a US cover price of $99, so it ain't cheap, but then you do have over 650 pages). This is one time that Marvel have gotten it right, by engaging the services of Davis for art restoration, as opposed to using uncredited freelance hacks. Loads of bonus material, the only quibbles: I have a far better condition copy of Captain Britain #1 as shown on page 602, if only they'd asked and the two Captain America stories are vile - not sure who's supposed to be them, but it ain't the same character from the rest of the book. Still, always good to see Paul Neary's artwork. With the recently announced purchase of Miracleman/Marvelman by Marvel, can an Omnibus of that material be far behind? Be still my beating heart!

Hollywood Confidential by Coral Amende. More pap, but great photos. I had to hide this one because I know Kat will want a read, and rightly so. Rumours and outright slander and lies are always an entertaining diversion in the little room, if you get my drift.

And a pile of Mojo and Q Magazine articles. I like those, they usually take 20 minutes to read and sometimes you learn something...

ON THE READING LIST THIS WEEK

The Draft by Emma Quayle. An engrossing look at the AFL draft process. Quayle follows the fortunes of a few young lads, Trent Cotchin being but one, and sees how they cope with the pressure of being a high draft pick. I'm almost finished this one, in fact I expect to finish it before lunch today. Damned good, but the interesting aspect is the players that they don't cover, and the discovery that the Crows might have gotten the deal of the century with Patrick Dangerfield...

Dark Lover: The Life And Death Of Rudolph Valentino by Emily W Leider. It's been off and on the list for over a month now, but I just can't get into it. I'll try again.

After Capone: The Life And World Of Chicago Mob Boss Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti by Mars Eghigian Jr. Massive volume, I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into it.

Plus a pile of books I found after raiding the storage unit - another raid is planned for early this coming week. Now if anyone is actually reading this and wants me to scan covers then by all means, leave a comment and I will.

Seeya in seven or so!

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