Quick Book Review

04 Jan 2013

I just cracked off another couple of books so here’s a quick review of each title.

The Beast - Paul Di’Anno (ISBN 978-1-84454-884-2)

I bought this book after reading about Paul Di’Anno in a news story back in 2011 (where he was done for benefit fraud). After he left Iron Maiden I hadn’t really taken much interest in what he’d done. A couple of years ago I bough one of his albums (Nomad) which was OK. Anyway I was hoping that this book would fill in the blank space post Iron Maiden. This book felt like a complete work of fiction. Many of the stories were vague to say the least. Dates and times - basic facts - were sadly missing hence the feeling that much of the content had been exaggerated from hazy memories caused by copious amounts of drink and drugs. To almost emphasize this point part of the quote on the back cover says

… Other names have been changed because I can’t remember the real ones.

It did nothing to make me sympathize with him and to be honest I felt it was all a bit pathetic and boring - like he was somehow proud of all the shit he’d done.

Steve Jobs - The Man Who Thought Different (ISBN 978-1-4088-3206-6)

I really enjoyed this book. I gave me a real insight into the life and mind of the great man. I felt like I’d personally shared his ups and downs as he battled towards his goals and understood why he did what he did, even though I don’t agree with some of his decisions. It was a well structured and written book. I also enjoy a book which has pictures (don’t laugh) of the subject, friends and family.

Bringing Down The House - Ben Mezrich (ISBN 0-09-946823-9)

I’d seen the film 21 with Kevin Spacey about the MIT students who took Las Vegas Casinos for millions by becoming experts at card counting so I though this would make an interesting read. I wasn’t disappointed. I was very well written keeping me interested from the first to last page. It was fascinating and exciting to read how they planned their assault on the Casinos and you rejoiced with them when they pulled in shit loads of cash. On the flip side you felt their anxiety when they were in danger and breathed a sigh of relief when they escaped unscathed. This is every red-blooded man’s dream. To swan into a Casino like you own the place, splashing cash around and attracting the hottest woman. The author sums this up in the last chapter when he actually teams up with the main character in the card counting team to try it out for himself. This is one of my favourite quotes in any book

I entered the circular casino like Kevin Lewis had taught me: bold, arrogant, leering at the gorgeous blond waitresses in their tight black shorts and dark stockings, walking in long strides as if my cock ran halfway down my leg.

Fucking brilliant.