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  #346  
Old 24-05-2011, 12:50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Hiroshima View Post
Read it and absolutely hated it from beginning to end.

The only merit in this book, is that it makes me appreciate good writing all the more.

Surely someone out there must be capable of putting together a decent book about Richey?
The only person that could do that would be Nicky. He is doing a second book with Faber but I'm not sure it'll be about Richey. Maybe we'll never get anything that really makes sense......
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  #347  
Old 24-05-2011, 12:56
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Maybe we'll never get anything that really makes sense......
Agreed.
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  #348  
Old 24-05-2011, 13:28
Benny Hiroshima Benny Hiroshima is offline
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Originally Posted by Ermintrude the Cow View Post
The problem is, doing any kind of book on the Manics is a thankless task because whatever someone says, the fanbase will always pick it apart. I'm sure to someone who knows v little about him and isn't as "close" to the whole thing the book was probably quite enjoyable...
I can appreciate that someone not familiar with the band may find the read enjoyable, and living up to the expectations of any fan of a particular cultural artefact can prove difficult.

However, my main gripe is that essentially this is a very poorly written book which is in poor taste.

It would have been better to fictionalise Richey's life completely or make the book a factual biography. I don't understand writers who sit on the fence and try to do both. It reeks of shoddy journalism / writing - something more in the terrority of women's magazines like Chat.

I'm not averse to books about Richey, the Manics or indeed any other band / cultural icon being published - but at least do a good job of it for godsake. Basically what has been written in Richard is the view of one person, who was never close to Richey, offering his opinions as to what the missing Manic was like.

Any attempt of those responsible for the book saying it "provides an insight into the mind of troubled genius" is laughable, given the very nature that it's a fictionalised account.
Why make some elements fiction and not others? If you're going down the fiction route, you may as well as put something in about Richey fighting off space monkeys while Sean Moore is sitting in a room arranging matches all the time.

The opinions of Richey posted by people on this forum and others, as opposed to someone in a position of priviledge like Ben Myers, are far more useful and informative. They offer a real insight into how culturally relevant Richey still is almost 20 years after disappearing as well as how highly regarded he was/is as a writer and a rock icon.
Perhaps the opinions of people on this board may not be deemed as "entertaining" compared with a fairy-tale, but at least you know they are bullshit free and they're not trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

It really annoys me when any person in a position of priviledge doesn't use that power responsibly as they could or should have done.

Pure and simple: Richard is a glorified series of opinions (not true facts) aimed at making money for either the writer or publisher.
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  #349  
Old 24-05-2011, 15:07
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Ermintrude the Cow Ermintrude the Cow is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Hiroshima View Post
I can appreciate that someone not familiar with the band may find the read enjoyable, and living up to the expectations of any fan of a particular cultural artefact can prove difficult.

However, my main gripe is that essentially this is a very poorly written book which is in poor taste.

It would have been better to fictionalise Richey's life completely or make the book a factual biography. I don't understand writers who sit on the fence and try to do both. It reeks of shoddy journalism / writing - something more in the terrority of women's magazines like Chat.

I'm not averse to books about Richey, the Manics or indeed any other band / cultural icon being published - but at least do a good job of it for godsake. Basically what has been written in Richard is the view of one person, who was never close to Richey, offering his opinions as to what the missing Manic was like.

Any attempt of those responsible for the book saying it "provides an insight into the mind of troubled genius" is laughable, given the very nature that it's a fictionalised account.
Why make some elements fiction and not others? If you're going down the fiction route, you may as well as put something in about Richey fighting off space monkeys while Sean Moore is sitting in a room arranging matches all the time.
The opinions of Richey posted by people on this forum and others, as opposed to someone in a position of priviledge like Ben Myers, are far more useful and informative. They offer a real insight into how culturally relevant Richey still is almost 20 years after disappearing as well as how highly regarded he was/is as a writer and a rock icon.
Perhaps the opinions of people on this board may not be deemed as "entertaining" compared with a fairy-tale, but at least you know they are bullshit free and they're not trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

It really annoys me when any person in a position of priviledge doesn't use that power responsibly as they could or should have done.

Pure and simple: Richard is a glorified series of opinions (not true facts) aimed at making money for either the writer or publisher.
Agree 100%. Oh, and if someone ever wants to write that story, I'd buy it!
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  #350  
Old 08-09-2011, 08:18
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Article by Ben and a giveaway of the paperback version of Richard (coming out October 6th, 2011) taking place here: http://theculturevulture.co.uk/blog/...art-thursdays/
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  #351  
Old 08-09-2011, 08:35
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meganslastwords meganslastwords is offline
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entered, simply because i want to read it but don't want to pay for it!
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  #352  
Old 12-09-2011, 08:50
joanniejones joanniejones is offline
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libraries, my dear, one of the main reasons libraries are so great. (P.S - the book is shit).
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  #353  
Old 12-09-2011, 10:01
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libraries, my dear, one of the main reasons libraries are so great. (P.S - the book is shit).
Been in my local library at least 5 times, they've never had it in and the woman couldn't find it on the database
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  #354  
Old 12-09-2011, 13:26
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meganslastwords meganslastwords is offline
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oh dear, is it really that bad?
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  #355  
Old 12-09-2011, 13:44
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Originally Posted by meganslastwords View Post
Been in my local library at least 5 times, they've never had it in and the woman couldn't find it on the database
They should still be able to get it in for you via an inter library loan. There may be a small charge for doing so, but at least it will save you having to buy it (especially if it is shit). Go in with the details of the book (ISBN number, publisher etc) and ask them again.
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  #356  
Old 14-09-2011, 09:01
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It hasn't made it to the 1p for a second hand copy thingy on Amazon yet. Tragic.

Birmingham has 3 copies? AWESOME! Then again, they do like spending their money on crap (I refer you to the new library with those pointlessly shitty, and no doubt fiercely expensive random metal hoop things all over the windows that look like an explosion in a bed spring factory. BUY BOOKS NOT POINTLESS ARCHITECTURE YOU MORONS).
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  #357  
Old 14-09-2011, 14:16
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I'm quite glad I pay my council tax to Sandwell now! ;D

Then again, Sandwell's so impoverished that they never seem to have any new anything. I had a book overdue and didn't renew it on purpose - so that I could pay library fines out of pity so they'd have at least a couple of quid towards some new books!!!
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  #358  
Old 14-09-2011, 19:36
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hummingbird hummingbird is offline
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Originally Posted by meganslastwords View Post
oh dear, is it really that bad?
it's alright. Sections of it are laughable but if you forget you're a manics fan for the duration it'll pass the time. A version of reason is actually worse. Not good when you recognise magazine interviews in the text and i gave up on it.

Agree with the above poster saying it shouldn'tve been part biog and part fiction.
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  #359  
Old 14-09-2011, 20:08
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I didn't like the beginning or end but it got better in the middle. Overall I wasn't impressed, it just didn't seem like anything Richey would have said at all.
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  #360  
Old 13-04-2013, 14:06
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just got this for £2

what a waste of £2! boring, unrealistic, uninspired, don't feel for one second like i'm listening to richey - sorry ben, nice concept (I guess) horrible execution
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