What Are You Reading Right Now?

[Perk]

I think it's a shame that so many people don't read books these days, prefering their personal stereos &/or mobile phones all the time...

Today I went out cycling for a few hours, & when I stopped in a pub for a pint of lager shandy, I sat down & read my book. People looked at me as if I was mad.

COOL! That´s enjoying life! Forget the staring idiots. They´re probably missing something in their own life.

Perk : )

[martin bates]

I think it's a shame that so many people don't read books these days, prefering their personal stereos &/or mobile phones all the time...

Today I went out cycling for a few hours, & when I stopped in a pub for a pint of lager shandy, I sat down & read my book. People looked at me as if I was mad.

yes , but you were naked - right ?

Martin

[martin bates]

I've just started reading Elvis & The Memphis Mafia (by Alanna Nash with Billy Smith, Marty Lacker & Lamar Fike). Seems quite interesting so far.
.

It's the only 'tell all' book about Elvis you need. There are hundreds of books by Mafia members, but this is the big daddy. It's all in here. I've read it a few times.
I'd hope my 'best friends' wouldn't spill quite so many beans about me after I croaked!

the problem for me was the various authors contradict each other;on the subject of Gladys' funeral Fike says 3 or 4 of them had to drag Elvis off the casket ; Billy Smith says Elvis never hung on to the casket (both accounts are on p140.)

I like the 2 Guralnick books on Elvis best.

Martin.

[flip54]

The Guralnick pair are the benchmark for rock biographies, his last book on Sam Cooke was well tasty (unusual for a cook book;-)

I enjoyed the Nash M Mafia book as a great dip in book, her book on the Colonel was very disappointing

Phil

I've just started reading Elvis & The Memphis Mafia (by Alanna Nash with Billy Smith, Marty Lacker & Lamar Fike). Seems quite interesting so far.
.

It's the only 'tell all' book about Elvis you need. There are hundreds of books by Mafia members, but this is the big daddy. It's all in here. I've read it a few times.
I'd hope my 'best friends' wouldn't spill quite so many beans about me after I croaked!

the problem for me was the various authors contradict each other;on the subject of Gladys' funeral Fike says 3 or 4 of them had to drag Elvis off the casket ; Billy Smith says Elvis never hung on to the casket (both accounts are on p140.)

I like the 2 Guralnick books on Elvis best.

Martin.

[flip54]

Re- reading one of my alltime fav novels The Cold Six Thousand by the incredible James Ellroy, what a body of work, this post Dallas 63 should be filmed by the same guys who did his epic L A Confidential

For light relief amongst this post 63 Lincoln Limousine angst there's the hilarious parody of private eye noir Don't Cry For Me Aberystwyth, sort of Tom Sharpe meets Mike Hammer, 4th in a great series, surreal humour sublime

Music book of the moment Fred Rothwell's cool Long Distance Information the definitive Chuck music book, though the new box penned by Fred means it all needs an update

What the world needs now , a book on Big Joe Turner

Phil

[Akiller]

1997 by Laurence Bergreen: Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.

[flip54]

Builders are in next door so headphones on and several books on the go

Patti Boyd's memoir (former Mrs Harrison and Clapton)
Alanna Nash/Alan Fortas new book on Elvis chum (average)
Moaning At Midnight Howlin Wolf biog, superb
Resistance Owen Sheers, fine WW2 novel set in Wales after D Day was lost
Burt Lancaster An American Life
Bi Bop A Liwla history Of Welsh language Pop
Dominatrix A Memoir by Mistress Chloe

Heard a rumour about a Jimmy Swaggart book, anyone heard anything??
Er nothing to do with the last book listed above BTW )

Flip Lash

[Roland Boy]

I'm reading 'The Dandy' at the moment. It's 'The Beano' tomorrow.

[Tony Papard]

CND, Now More Than Ever - The Story of a Peace Movement, by Kate Hudson.

Quite a comprehensive account of the movement I've been actively involved in for 47 years, and which I worked for full-time for 6 years during the 1960s at their head office. I well recall Mike Kennedy, when National Organizer sitting at next desk to me, saying to visitors to CND office that the sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, etc. screaming and battering pianos to pieces, which I constantly played over my little portable tape player, were 'Mr Papard's idea of Heaven', and by implication everyone else in the office's idea of Hell!

My ex-boss, the late Peggy Duff (early picture below), is mentioned and quoted many times in this book, written by the current CND Chair, Kate Hudson.

I worked at the head office during the time of its first Chair, Canon L. John Collins of St Paul's Cathedral, Peggy Duff being the first Organizing Secretary of the movement. We only saw the Canon once a year when he came to have a Christmas drink with staff. We all stood round looking awkward wondering what to say, and someone suggested a song. Since there were Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, agnostics and atheists among the staff, there were only a few songs we could think to sing which we could all identify with. So the whole office, led by the Canon, sung 'The Red Flag', which is apparently still sung every year at Labour Party conferences, or at least was well into the Tony Blair era.

The book also covers related organizations such as the Direct Action Committee, the National Council for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons Tests and the Committee of 100, whose protests I also supported.

[martin bates]

what are we reading -
bank statements - perhaps ?

[peterchecksfield]

[Andrew McRae]

"Live Fast, Love Hard"; The Faron Young Story, by Diane Diekman.

..one of the better music biographies I've read in recent years. Highly recommended - and ultimately very moving. No punches pulled, and uncomfortable reading at times, but nonetheless a fine tribute to a genuinely great singer.

Andrew

[peterchecksfield]

I'm reading a book on the late Bo Diddley called 'Living Legend'.

[wolfgangguhl]

Well, the spirit of his legend is still alive for sure.

That's his biography, an entertaining read. He is not the poet that Chuckles is, but he tells it like it is.

And I got this book signed by none other than Bo Diddley!

[peterchecksfield]

Well, the spirit of his legend is still alive for sure.

That's his biography, an entertaining read. He is not the poet that Chuckles is, but he tells it like it is.

And I got this book signed by none other than Bo Diddley!

I know, I was just teasing you, & I agree it's a very entertaining book. Bo Diddley's 20 or 30 best recordings are as essential as anyone's music in my opinion & should be in everyone's collection.

Also recently read:

'Bill Haley' by John Swenson (pretty good but not in depth enough).

'The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back' by Roger White (very good book).

'Fats Domino and The Lost Dawn Of Rock 'n' Roll' by Rick Coleman (fantastic book, this has really got me more interested in Fats' music!).

I also have books on Howlin' Wolf & Cam Cooke here waiting to be read (I particularly look forward to the Wolf book).