Books

[Fat Freddy]

Finally finished Stephen King's 1000+ page behemoth, "Under the Dome," last night. Great book. Even though it was extremely long, there was so much going on that my interest didn't flag at all.

 

I'm gonna need something a little more short and sweet as a chaser after that beast so next I'll be revisiting my childhood hero, Mack Bolan: The Executioner, for the first time in many years...

[Widda]

just finished 2 Larry McMurty books - The Last Picture Show & Texasville. both really good, but by the time he got to the end of em, he didn't know how to wrap em up neatly. Also read a book called 'shapeshifter' by JF Gonzalez, your typical werewolf fare. I apparently need to find more exciting things to do whilst laying around in bed reading? Got a Jackie Collins book from the library yesterday, i just need some light reading to do. I should have a ton of stuff coming from Interlibrary Loan.

[Jeff]

Since I am travelling I just finished 2 books:

Minight by Dean Koontz - this was my first Koontz novel and it was an entertaining quick read. Not sure I will jump right to anything else by him right away but someday I am sure I will try something by him again.

 

The Dirt the Motley Crue autobiography - wow, what a good read this book was. Very interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone here whether you like the Crue or not. And if you do like the Crue and caught them on tour in the 80s then you will especially enjoy certain parts of the book. Example, I caught the Dr Feelgood tour and saw Tommy do the over the crowd drum solo...his recollection of that whole experience was even more interesting...and made me wish I was getting trampled by the crowd back in La Crosse WI once again.

[All Nights Reserved]

Europe's Inner Demons. An Enquiry Inspired by the Great Witch-Hunt by Norman Cohn

[66 mustang]

REMEMBER THIS TITAN: The Bill Yoast Story - so far so good. guy grew up dirt poor and was working in the cotten fields by the age of 12 I think it said, maybe by 10 because his dad was a hobo and never was around so he had to help provide.

[hsf]

I finally trudged through Tennessee Williams' "Memoirs". I never describe buying a book as a "waste of money", but if I were to do so, I think I might use that label here. Aside from being very defined in terms of my reading material, I also like it to follow a format. Logical, chronological progression. Williams didn't do that at all. And between that and the very "superfluous" language that either only someone who was very educated or very old (when many of the terms he used may have been more common).

 

But, as soon as I finished, instead of moving on to Craig Ferguson (or Doc Holliday), I picked one of the recent buys (I picked up a few books at Borders during Teacher Appreciation Week); "Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride With Tommy James and the Shondells" by Tommy James. First of all, I remember reading a while back that Tommy James was one of the artists I knew, but wasn't familiar with personally, even though I'd heard all of his hits. And when I saw the book, between the title (including Mob stuff; being from the Mahoning Valley, that's always going to be something with which I can identify, whether that's good or bad) and being about a RnR artist, I had to get it.

 

All I can say is, whether you know/are a fan of TJ and the Shondells, this book is absolutely incredible. It is a smaller book (whether because he doesn't remember a lot or can't tell a lot), but it is absolutely jam packed with "Wow" moments. I'm sure he's not doing poorly, financially, but the money this guy lost because of the Mob is unbelievable. To hear his version, how he went into a haze and then came out of it, it's quite the "he's lucky to be alive" story. And, after being "saved", he doesn't beat you over the head with religious connotation. He's very matter of fact about being the best person (Christian) he can be, whether it's as good as someone else thinks a Christian should be.

 

When I finished the book, I got sad because I wanted to keep reading. I just couldn't put it down. So, to any of the literature fans, particularly of biographies and bios of rock acts, I cannot recommend this book enough. A terribly entertaining read that stayed strong throughout the whole book and never suffered from a let down, leaving you wanting more.

[Ali Rock]

I have just finnished Kenzie and Gennaro books by Dennis Lehane together with Shutter Island. Great books, Best I've read in a long time.

 

Has anyone read the three crime novels by the swedish author Stieg Larsson (I don't know thw english titles). They are sensational. Some of the best crime novels I've ever read.

[All Nights Reserved]

 

 

Has anyone read the three crime novels by the swedish author Stieg Larsson (I don't know thw english titles). They are sensational. Some of the best crime novels I've ever read.

 

The Millennium Trilogy? I've heard about it and it is published here in Hungary too, so maybe I'll give it a chance.

[Ali Rock]

 

 

Has anyone read the three crime novels by the swedish author Stieg Larsson (I don't know thw english titles). They are sensational. Some of the best crime novels I've ever read.

 

The Millennium Trilogy? I've heard about it and it is published here in Hungary too, so maybe I'll give it a chance.

Yep, that's it. The swedish film adaption of the books is fairly good as well. I think Colombia has bought the rights to do the American version.

[martinsane]

Men Of Steel by Karl Kock III

 

Interesting historical read about the steel building family and the projects they built, including the World Trade Center.

[Dead Planet]

Just started "The Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton

[hsf]

I just finished yesterday the Ted DiBiase book "The Million Dollar Man". Quite the interesting read. Talks about his road up as a kid, what shaped his life, his road up through the territories, and finally his stint as MDM.

 

Since he ended up becoming a preacher, there's a substantial amount of talk about God, but DiBiase doesn't kill with message. He tells how it has affected HIS life (and the lives of those he loves/has touched). A testament to the man is not only how many people (wrestlers) give praise to him as one of the best workers ever, let alone characters, but how many people give him praise for helping to guide them in the right direction. I was a bit surprised at how his return to the WWF/E in a new capacity didn't work out too well and it makes one wonder if he can't handle it, how do other people. Then again, it's a different skill set.

 

I really enjoyed the book. Not a big book. Another fast read. Whether it was luck or not, two books in a row I found great reads. We'll see how the next one turns out. (I just started Andy Summers' book today.)

[Geoff]

Holy shit, Jay, that avatar is ridiculous.

[HERBROCKS]

Just read the Bob Newhart auto I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE TELLING YOU THIS, it's a easy, quick read and contains lots of his famous bits. Recommend if you like BN.

 

Interesting trivia, BN's first 2 albums released in the 60s held the record for consecutive time in the 1 and 2 spots until the 90s, when GUNS N ROSES released USE YOUR ILLUSON 1 & 2. Said Bob, "Well, I'm glad it went to a friend"

[Nick C]

Oh my! I just looked through a very grim book that I don't get out much...Covenants With Death, an anti-war book printed in the 1930's by the Daily Express showing pictures from the 1st World War which show how war really is and not the glorified pics that the press ran at the time. Grim and harrowing stuff indeed yet also incredibly sad.

Think I'll put this one away for a long time again.

[Rockposer]

Just started reading The Common Lawyer by Mark Gimenez

[Geoff]

Got through 2 on holidays and started a new one:

 

'Lisey's Story' - Stephen King ; Pretty good read. Not totally engrossing, I have to admit, but I did enjoy it quite a lot.

 

'Less Than Zero' - Bret Easton Ellis ; Craziness. Hard not to enjoy, but just as hard to find a point. I really liked this book, but it's definitely not as good as 'American Psycho'. Love reading this guy's books, though.

 

And just started:

 

'Absolute Mayhem' - Monica Mayhem ; Yep, the Aussie porn star... my brother bought it for my birthday. Only just started but very surprisingly so, she seems like a genuine whore who is in it for the love of schlong and the attention it brings to her. She actually had good, proper corporate jobs (and still does where I'm up to, at 22 years of age) but let's wait and see what happens, 'ay?

[martinsane]

Just finishing up Behind The Bell by Dustin Diamond.

Wish he would have dished a bit more...

[heaven&hell]

Currently reading "Helmet for my Pillow" by Robert Leckie.

This is the other book that the mini series 'The Pacific' is based on.

 

Up next will be "An Army At Dawn" by Rick Atkinson.

This is part one of the 'Liberation Trilogy' and covers World War II in North Africa.

[Fat Freddy]

Currently in the midst of "The Master Assassin," an old book from the "Nick Carter, Killmaster" spy series.

[Chris]

"Hard Time" by Sara Paretsky

[Widda]

enjoying a series of books by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

 

the main character is a vampire named Saint-Germain.

 

really good stuff...

 

So far i have read:

 

Hotel Transylvania

 

The Saint-Germain Chronicles

 

and working on one called Writ in Blood.

 

I am also reading a sleazy dime paperback that is nothing but sex.

[Geoff]

'Absolute Mayhem' - Monica Mayhem ; Yep, the Aussie porn star... my brother bought it for my birthday. Only just started but very surprisingly so, she seems like a genuine whore who is in it for the love of schlong and the attention it brings to her.

Nup, just another slut for money. Still the quest continues for a female who just loves the schlong for the schlong... though I doubt there's one out there. She's complaining about "only" getting us$300 for giving a guy a blowjob, when in the past she did a blow job orgy and got us$1400. How she can find a compaison there between old and new prices when comparing ducks to mongeese, I'm unsure, but she's a stupid whore anyway. Still a good read, but she's pretty dumb and seems to think that her being called a whore is unjustified?

[hsf]

FINALLY finished "One Train Later" by Andy Summers (of the Police). As much as I felt I had to trudge through most of the book, the last few chapters seemed to fly by. (Whether that was because you were waiting for the other shoe to drop as the fate of the Police was already known on something else, I'm not sure.)

 

Unless you're a tremendous Police-aholic or are very interested in the technical aspect of the guitaral arts (Pete, I thought of you a few times, saying "I'll bet Pete could tell me what the hell that meant."), I'm not too sure I'd recommend this for just anyone. (One of those that I say "Eh, I could have done without this one.".) Glad it had a happy-ish ending for Summers, though.

 

I'm onto Craig Ferguson's "American On Purpose". As of now, it's just as engaging as the Late, Late Show. I only wish I'd started watching that show sooner than I did. To me, it's above and beyond anything else that serves as a "Late Night" television show.

[Geoff]

'Absolute Mayhem' - Monica Mayhem

Well that was, without doubt, the quickest book I have ever read at home! Hopefully I can maintain this sort of pace as I have so many books I want to read at the moment.

 

For those of you interested in reading about "Australia's most famous porn star," I do recommend picking this up. But in all honesty, I wouldn't fork out a truckload of money for it.

 

It is an interesting read, no doubt, and she has a good story to tell. The only problem is that she starts off telling her story but then seems to have little recollection of (or desire to speak of) some of the parts I dare say the reader would be most interested in. Around the time she gets into porn the structure of the book gets a little muddled. She'd started out in chronological order through the years up to her entry into porn, but after that it's an unorderly mixture of random movies from random years, mention of random scenes, pages of her opinions on everything from religion (she has a huge part on her being a witch, of wiccan faith), to money (a LOT of money talk, and how hard-done-by porn stars are) and her music career.

 

It's all an interesting read (except the witch stuff - definitely got bored with that), but I prefer a more structured read like the Jenna Jameson, Tracy Lords or even Linda Lovelace books. At times it was almost just like reading random thoughts jotted down in a journal on a variety of subjects.

 

The other thing that got to me a little bit was a continued - and what I personally felt was unjustified - feeling of self-importance. Monica Mayhem is 32 years old now (one year older than me) and her career in porn pretty much covers the period when I was most into porn. It's obviously impossible to keep track of even 1/1000th of all the porn stars in the undustry, but she has made 400+ movies, she's Australian (and it seems there are very, very, very few Aussie porn stars in the industry) and she even landed a small role in a 'Sex & The City' film (which my wife loves), but, through all this I had never heard of her. Which is crazy. She entered porn in a time when there was not as much overkill and not as many girls, and the concept of the "porn star" still existed. There were still actual movies (rather than just scenes), I was buying them... and I have to say I was really quite into it at this time in my life. So how is it that the first time I ever heard of Monica Mayhem was from my brother, when he told me about this book early this year?

 

Now, I'm not saying her level of success is gauged by whether or not I have heard of her, but it does make me wonder if her complaints about her worth in the industry and lack of awards and roles and a lack of general acknowledgement is a little unwarranted. Is she really the porn star she thinks she is? She also talks of failure as a model, which she put down to height, but it probably is more realistically because she does not really have a pretty face at all, despite a killer body.

 

Yeah, I dunno. She writes like she is/was a very important part of the whole porn scene, but I am just amazed that I had never once heard of her (which mostly has me baffled because of the whole Aussie connection) in my prime of porn interest and knowledge.

 

For the record, do many of you guys know of her, and know her older films? She got into porn around 2000.