The book thread

[CFC2010]

I'm intrigued - what about George Best's son?

I was intrigued also when I picked it up..........see below




Open Preview
Second Best: My Dad and Me
by Calum Best

Calum Best should have had it all. As the only son of world-famous footballing legend George Best and his first wife Angie, a gorgeous English model, Calum was born into a world of privilege and opportunity.

But his father’s fame came at a price, and George’s playing career was soon overshadowed by his playboy lifestyle and an increasing dependence on the comforting embrace of alcohol. Whilst his tumultuous later years could never diminish the memories of the peerless, often breathtaking, quality of his football, they had a profound effect on Calum.

Growing up with his mother in California, Calum’s visits to see his father in England were all too rare, and he cherished every moment he could spend in the company of the man he adored. But as George’s alcoholism spiralled out of control, inebriation frequently led to violence and George’s self-destruction spilled over onto his son.

Vivid, deeply moving, brave and honest, Second Best is the heart-breaking story of their relationship. It is a powerful tale of love and suffering, of an absent father and his wayward son, and of a family torn apart by addiction

 

[The Dawes]

I was intrigued also when I picked it up..........see below




Open Preview
Second Best: My Dad and Me
by Calum Best

Calum Best should have had it all. As the only son of world-famous footballing legend George Best and his first wife Angie, a gorgeous English model, Calum was born into a world of privilege and opportunity.

But his father’s fame came at a price, and George’s playing career was soon overshadowed by his playboy lifestyle and an increasing dependence on the comforting embrace of alcohol. Whilst his tumultuous later years could never diminish the memories of the peerless, often breathtaking, quality of his football, they had a profound effect on Calum.

Growing up with his mother in California, Calum’s visits to see his father in England were all too rare, and he cherished every moment he could spend in the company of the man he adored. But as George’s alcoholism spiralled out of control, inebriation frequently led to violence and George’s self-destruction spilled over onto his son.

Vivid, deeply moving, brave and honest, Second Best is the heart-breaking story of their relationship. It is a powerful tale of love and suffering, of an absent father and his wayward son, and of a family torn apart by addiction

Oh dear.... might have me reaching for the Brandy bottle methinks......

 

[olivia89]

I started reading The Way of Kings a couple of weeks ago. I feel like I am ripping through it but I just passed the 600 page mark and I haven't hit the halfway point yet... Loving it though

 

[Vicky Park]

I started reading The Way of Kings a couple of weeks ago. I feel like I am ripping through it but I just passed the 600 page mark and I haven't hit the halfway point yet... Loving it though

Sounds like a doorstopper, love it! But what is it about?

 

[CFC2010]

I was intrigued also when I picked it up..........see below




Open Preview
Second Best: My Dad and Me
by Calum Best

Calum Best should have had it all. As the only son of world-famous footballing legend George Best and his first wife Angie, a gorgeous English model, Calum was born into a world of privilege and opportunity.

But his father’s fame came at a price, and George’s playing career was soon overshadowed by his playboy lifestyle and an increasing dependence on the comforting embrace of alcohol. Whilst his tumultuous later years could never diminish the memories of the peerless, often breathtaking, quality of his football, they had a profound effect on Calum.

Growing up with his mother in California, Calum’s visits to see his father in England were all too rare, and he cherished every moment he could spend in the company of the man he adored. But as George’s alcoholism spiralled out of control, inebriation frequently led to violence and George’s self-destruction spilled over onto his son.

Vivid, deeply moving, brave and honest, Second Best is the heart-breaking story of their relationship. It is a powerful tale of love and suffering, of an absent father and his wayward son, and of a family torn apart by addiction

Just finished the book and I really enjoyed it.

I don't follow soccer but I have been told that George Best was better than Pele by people that do follow that sport.
He also partied very hard..............."I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered" G.Best.

His son Calum wrote the book and I hope it was therapeutic for him........tough upbringing having a Dad like that.

 

[The Dawes]

Finished it - loved it, now halfway through Our Man in Havana and already bought a copy of Brighton Rock.

I am a fan.

Brighton Rock done and dusted halfway through the Tenth Man, loving it too - a touch of the Return of the Martin Guerres about it.
Can write, can Mr Greene.

 

[CFC2010]

My oldest boy has become obsessed with the Percy Jackson Books by Rick Riordan........I promised him I would read one.

Started reading the following book..........its an easy and fun read so far.

 

[General Soreness]

I very very rarely read a book twice, but I am happy to make an exception for:

 

[The Dawes]

Brighton Rock done and dusted halfway through the Tenth Man, loving it too - a touch of the Return of the Martin Guerres about it.
Can write, can Mr Greene.

Off to Vietnam in a few months so thought it appropriate to move onto The Quiet American

 

[WalterBlaknWhte]

Off to Vietnam in a few months so thought it appropriate to move onto The Quiet American

Where are you going in Vietnam comrade?

Been before?

 

[The Dawes]

Where are you going in Vietnam comrade?

Been before?

Hoi An

No have not had the pleasure

 

[CFC2010]

Just finished this book........amazing what "really" happens in Bali.

I feel really sorry for poor "innocent" Schapelle also.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Just finished this book........amazing what "really" happens in Bali.

I feel really sorry for poor "innocent" Schapelle also.

View attachment 473005

I could tell you a story about Bali.

Jakarta's royalty young kids, heroin addicts.

 

[CFC2010]

I could tell you a story about Bali.

Jakarta's royalty young kids, heroin addicts.

The Royals are at the top of the tree in Bali O A.

Corrupted country from the top to the bottom.

 

[The Dawes]

The way this season is shaping up we are going to need some excellent reading material to distract us.

 

[General Soreness]

Finally got 'round to reading 'The Dirt'. Even if you only like 3 Crue numbers (as I do), this is a great read. Reading it totally changed my impression of the band - and not always for the better - but the insights I gained into the band members and their dynamics remain fascinating. The book consists of transcripts of interviews which means there's quite a few cases of the same event being accounted for in different and interesting ways.

There's a (rather brutal) excerpt here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/jun/29/artsfeatures (Note that with the paragraph begining, 'On the fourth night of the party, the booze ran out.' the narrator has changed to Vince Neil, the band's singer.)

 

[JB1975]

Haruki Murakami, 1Q84. If you like big novels which speak in beautiful metaphors, then this might well be for you. I'm not sure why it took me so long to find Murakami, but I'm stunned by what I've found and also grateful.

I'll track down some more Murakami soon, but for now I've flicked the switch to non-fiction: The Eighties by Frank Bongiorno. I'm enjoying it. The book isn't meant to be a nostalgia trip, and it's got a solid argument about why the 1980s were so important to Australian history, but the trip through time can't help but flip my mind. Cliff Young and the Westfield marathon, Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland, Bob Hawke's hair, Alan Bond, Scott and Charlene, breakdancing.

 

[General Soreness]

Haruki Murakami, 1Q84. If you like big novels which speak in beautiful metaphors, then this might well be for you. I'm not sure why it took me so long to find Murakami, but I'm stunned by what I've found and also grateful.

I'll track down some more Murakami soon, but for now I've flicked the switch to non-fiction: The Eighties by Frank Bongiorno. I'm enjoying it. The book isn't meant to be a nostalgia trip, and it's got a solid argument about why the 1980s were so important to Australian history, but the trip through time can't help but flip my mind. Cliff Young and the Westfield marathon, Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland, Bob Hawke's hair, Alan Bond, Scott and Charlene, breakdancing.

I always have to make an effort when I'm reading Frank Bongiorno to remember I'm not reading Paul Bongiorno.

 

[JB1975]

I always have to make an effort when I'm reading Frank Bongiorno to remember I'm not reading Paul Bongiorno.

Don't see much of Paul on TV these days, but hear him on ABC radio every once in a while. He always talks too fast, as if he's in a hurry to get out of the studio or afraid of being interrupted. He seems likeable, though.

 

[General Soreness]

Don't see much of Paul on TV these days, but hear him on ABC radio every once in a while. He always talks too fast, as if he's in a hurry to get out of the studio or afraid of being interrupted. He seems likeable, though.

PG pops up on The Drum occasionally.

I saw the book on the 80's you're reading today. Pretty tempted, but I have a couple of other books on Australia in the 80's to plow through first! (Graham Maddox's 'The Hawke Government and the Labor Tradition' and Dean Jaensch's 'The Hawke-Keating Hijack'.)

 

[JB1975]

PG pops up on The Drum occasionally.

I saw the book on the 80's you're reading today. Pretty tempted, but I have a couple of other books on Australia in the 80's to plow through first! (Graham Maddox's 'The Hawke Government and the Labor Tradition' and Dean Jaensch's 'The Hawke-Keating Hijack'.)

All good. Obviously the two books you mention have a more political focus, as told by a couple of political scientists, whereas Bongiorno goes in for a wider social, political and cultural perspective.

Can I assume you've already read Paul Kelly's The End of Certainty? I'd say it's the best read on the politics and economics of Australia in the time (i.e. late 1970s to early 1990s).

 

[General Soreness]

[QUOTE="JB1975, post: 54831876, member: "All good. Obviously the two books you mention have a more political focus, as told by a couple of political scientists, whereas Bongiorno goes in for a wider social, political and cultural perspective.

Can I assume you've already read Paul Kelly's The End of Certainty? I'd say it's the best read on the politics and economics of Australia in the time (i.e. late 1970s to early 1990s).[/QUOTE]

I've dipped into it, though really only for a more detailed presentation of the idea of the 'Australian Settlement'. My main interest is around '66 to '83 so I didn't go much further than that.

 

[JB1975]

[QUOTE="JB1975, post: 54831876, member: "All good. Obviously the two books you mention have a more political focus, as told by a couple of political scientists, whereas Bongiorno goes in for a wider social, political and cultural perspective.

Can I assume you've already read Paul Kelly's The End of Certainty? I'd say it's the best read on the politics and economics of Australia in the time (i.e. late 1970s to early 1990s).

I've dipped into it, though really only for a more detailed presentation of the idea of the 'Australian Settlement'. My main interest is around '66 to '83 so I didn't go much further than that.[/QUOTE]

No worries, but from memory the book does have a great discussion of Labor's post-Whitlam transformation after 1975 and up until 1983.

 

[General Soreness]

I've dipped into it, though really only for a more detailed presentation of the idea of the 'Australian Settlement'. My main interest is around '66 to '83 so I didn't go much further than that.

No worries, but from memory the book does have a great discussion of Labor's post-Whitlam transformation after 1975 and up until 1983.[/QUOTE]

Ah. I might have to have a second look. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[JB1975]

No worries, but from memory the book does have a great discussion of Labor's post-Whitlam transformation after 1975 and up until 1983.

Ah. I might have to have a second look. Thanks for the heads-up![/QUOTE]

Just checked, and the first two chapters dwell in the 1975-83 period. Chapter one talks about the rise of economic consciousness in the ALP, chapter two goes into the rise of free market economics within the Liberals during the Fraser years. Definitely worth a look.