: PJ O'RourkeTom Wolfe,Colin Wilson,P J O'Rourke,Hunter S Thompson,George Martin,The Bible
I am almost loath to recommend books. People tend to think that they can pigeon-hole one by the books that one likes. "You Are What You Read". I've had so much flack from the few essays I've put into the home-page I'm pretty certain that people also think that "I Am What I Write". What a load of cobblers !
I prefer to think of books as catalysts. One might not agree with what is written in them to gain something from them. I like books that are catalysts. They make me think. Rarely do I like books merely because they are entertaining. For entertainment in a book I am more likely to read Science Fiction than anything else. It's been about 25 years since I last read fiction as a habit so my recommendations tend towards non-fiction.
The Criminal History of Mankind : Colin Wilson
This book is less about man's criminality than about the development of his consciousness. The book covers every topic from Anthropology to Pop Culture and is intriguing in a very profound way. Some of my friends have objected to it's general overview and some of the sweeping statements that are made. I'm partial to sweeping statements myself so I don't find it a problem. More important is that the book is "unputdownable" ; with the sound of skulls popping in ovens mixed with speculations about the development of language in primordial man it becomes a potent brew to curdle your neurons.
Holidays in Hell: In Which Our Intrepid Reporter Travels to the World's Worst Places and Asks, "What's Funny About This"
P J O'Rourke goes to 3rd world countries and calls it as he sees it. What a giggle ! He has a stunning chapter on South Africa that really hits the nail on the head even though it was written before Mandela's release from jail. O'Rourke calls himself a Republican Party Reptile but the truth is that he is just an old cynic with a sense of humour. Great reading before bedtime...see also http://www.pjorourke.com/
The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time
A collection of Thompson's articles and extracts from most of his books. For those of you who don't know the mythology surrounding Gonzo Journalism it will suffice to note that if one is attempting to meet Rolling Stone Magazine's deadlines and the odds are stacked, then consuming vast quantities of noxious substances and locking oneself away in a hotel room will result in the incisive and vicious sense of reality that comes to the fore in Thompson's best work. (Not to be attempted without parental supervision.) Some of my favourite memories are coloured by Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
The 3rd of my unholy trio of journalists that knock my socks off. Most people approached Tom Wolfe via The Right Stuff
The Magus
What a writer ! A fiction writer I can sink my teeth into. I preferred the 1st Edition which is now out of print. Only the revised edition is now available. The ending has changed and the book is now less cryptic. Nevertheless, this book had a profound effect on me 25 years ago and was instrumental in me giving up reading fiction as a hobby. Head-games and philosophy. Meaty stuff. After this book one can read Foucault's Pendulum
The Platinum Rainbow: How to Succeed in the Music Business Without Selling Your Soul
A book about the music industry. How to do it and the pitfalls involved. After being involved in music for donkey's years I have found that everything said in this book is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. A real treasure-trove of advice.
All You Need Is Ears: The inside personal story of the genius who created The Beatles
From the 5th member of the Beatles. The title says it all really. A bit of gossip mixed with a lot of useful advice on recording techniques.
The Bible
I've read almost every book worth a damn in the past 35 years and some things are true and cannot be avoided. Firstly ; There is Nothing New Under The Sun. Secondly ; It's All Been Said/Done Before. I have had occasions where I have had nothing but a Bible to read (Talking about serious isolation here. No TV. No Magazines. No People. Don't Ask.) it became one of my favourite past-times to dip in and read at random. There is great stuff here that will intrigue even those who see the Bible as complete invention. Here are some of my favourites :
1/ The stories of Genesis. Is the Bible version just a retelling of the The Epic of Gilgamesh
2/ Why are we told to to eat the veggies but not the meat in Eden but this changes at a later stage ? Or does it ?
3/ What the heck is that bit about angels interbreeding with proto-humans to give rise to a race of giants ? Was Erich von Däniken right ?
3/ "And God said, let us make man in our image." The use of the plural is way mysterious and definitely worth a double-take.
4/ Ecclesiastes. How's this for pessimism !! It reads like Jean Paul Satre in the middle of an existential crises.
5/ The Big Question of the New Testament is whether or not Jesus was just a good Jewish boy and whether or not Paul invented Christianity. (see Paul: The Mind of the Apostle
5/ Textual comparisons. It is a great way to pass the time just comparing various translations of the Bible. The variations in meaning are astounding.
6/ The multiple names for God and the multiple names for Satan. A lot of Bibles just use the singular form of God or Satan. In truth, the early texts used many different names. This is a can of worms. The "Jerome Commentaries" goes into this in detail and will be mind-blowing to those who believed that the concept of a Unitary God existed for all time. (see also A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Tom Wolfe,Colin Wilson,P J O'Rourke,Hunter S Thompson,George Martin,The Bible