Tagged: Autobiography

Mini review: “The Storyteller” by Dave Grohl (audiobook edition)

An excellent autobiography – his time in Nirvana is only a small part of the story.

It’s great having him read the book himself (this is definitely the way to experience it, so naturally done) and I really enjoyed every minute.

If you are in any way interested in music this is a book you should hear…

Mini review: “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (audiobook edition)

For a Bruce Springsteen fan it’s taken me a long time to get around to reading the Boss’s autobiography, especially as the audiobook is read by the man himself.

You have to be pretty dedicated to get through 18 hours, but if you are so inclined then you are bound to find a lot to like.

Here are my takeaways:

• the stories of his first bands and his early adventures on the road are the best parts of the book
• I didn’t know that he stuggles with depression to the degree that he (bravely) discusses it
• I had completely the wrong impression of at least one member of the band
• You can see in the way that he frames and phrases his story how he could dramatise it for his Springsteen on Broadway show – I get the impression that he approached the book and the show as a single project that would be expressed artistically in different ways.

Also, for a guy in his early 70’s who could well have retired a long time ago, he is still working hard. Since the book was published in 2016 he has performed his Broadway show over 260 times, released 2 albums, co-directed a film, had a podcast series with a former American president, started his own radio show and is (reportedly) planning to go on tour next year with the E Street Band.

Not to mention the professionally produced recordings of all the concerts from The River Tour in 2016 and the on-going releases in the Archives series of restored and remastered past concerts.

He will be leaving some legacy…

… now roll up Little Steven’s autobiography!

Mini review: “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama (audiobook edition)

I think that Barack Obama was an excellent US President. By the sounds of it he often polled better overseas than at home. I’m not a big reader of autobiographies or biographies but me reading / listening to this book was always going to happen.

It covers a broad range of topics that he had to deal with in the run up to and during his presidency – including race, the financial crisis, health care provision, war(s), the environment and the Middle East – in quite exhaustive detail, which is both interesting and necessary for the public record. The details of life in the White House, the behind-the-scenes negotiations that are needed to get anything done and his opinions of senior foreign politicians are highlights.

At over 700 pages (29+ hours for the audiobook) this could well have been cut down. There are a number of times when the book gets repetitive, even though it only covers most of Obama’s first term in office. There is a second volume coming at some point and I hope it will not be re-treading a lot of old ground.

I liked listening to him read the story, although I found his delivery to be best experienced when put at 1.20x speed…

I highly recommend this book if you have an interest in the former President or US politics, but one of the main points you come away with is this: he may have been Commander-in-Chief but the most interesting, coolest Obama is his wife Michelle. I look forward to reading her autobiography in the future, especially as it comes in one volume of less than 500 pages 😀.