Box Office Poison

Image credit: Amazon

After quite a long stint of fantasy, history, and cats it was certainly time to take a break from fiction and dive into reading about my other great love from the human experience: films. I’ve had a love of movies from a very young age, particularly talking about the reasons why I like certain movies, what makes them so good (or sometimes bad). So, when Partner gifted me Box Office Poison by journalist Tim Robey, you better believe I was excited to read it.

Beginning with Intolerance (1916) and finishing up with Cats (2019), Box Office Poison, a term that was once used to describe actress Katherine Hepburn, chronicles the delicious dramas and disasters of a carefully chosen lineup of cinematic flops.

From billowing budgets that bankrupted studios, to the increasing social need for censorship, to creative conflicts, and misread interpretations of source material, the book is more than a mere collection of reviews about films that bombed. It simultaneously is an exploration into the Hollywood evolution story, the changing times, and how cultural, social, and technological attitudes and aptitudes influence the industry. Robey explores a whole range of potholes and roadblocks that caused films to underperform at the box office, as well as outrage social groups, destroy careers, demolish empires, and sink into obscurity. Each film’s entry focuses on a different villain: budget balloons, social intolerance regarding sexual identities, scheming moneymen, and more besides, and what makes the book particularly interesting is the fact that a compelling evolution narrative takes shape in the background, telling a story despite the unconventional, compilation format of the book.

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Robey writes professionally as well as with an attitude and a deep love and appreciation of cinema, providing a reading experience that feels a bit like a lecture of a favourite subject in university. Both facts and opinions are delivered with the same passionate tone that enlightens and excites the reader as well as very subtly draws their attention to the evolution narrative taking place in the background.

Box Office Poison is both a fascinating and fun collection of film reviews that gives insight into a huge industry as well as chronicling an intriguing tale about its evolution over the last century. While it’s insightful and entertaining, it’s also provocative and piques a desire to track down the films that it examines and give them a watch (a few of them anyway).

Author: Tim Robey, 2024

Published: Faber & Faber Limited, London, 2024

Storytellers

Image credit: simonandschuster.com.au

I am on a quest. A quest to read every book in mine and my partner’s personal library. I recall the moment that I decided I wanted to build a library; I had just finished reading the first book in the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke. In that book there are many celebrated quotes from classic literature that set the tone for the upcoming chapter and I found this a lovely detail and it made me want to read all these canon classics. At this stage I would have been about 20 and while I read a fair amount as a child, I completely gave up during high school and it was only at the end of my adolescence that I decided to get back into reading. I have never looked back; so I have accrued a collection since then and it’s my quest to read them all… as well as all the books that my partner has brought into my life.

While this is a noble pursuit, I do often find it hard to stick to the path because, now that I am an avid reader, I have developed an addiction to buying new books, thus furthering myself from completing my quest by adding another brick to the road. And while culls have happened over the years, because all that glitters is not gold, I’ve still got a long way to go. Longer now because in the last 3 weeks I have treated myself to five new books. But I refuse to be mad at myself because I’m loving the new batch so far. I have started with Leigh Sales’ newest, Storytellers.

A collection of interviews from journalists, anchors, editors, photographers, camera operators, and producers, Storytellers is a really fascinating and down-to-earth exploration into journalism. It’s a book that seems very simple on the surface, but when you’re reading it, you discover that there are so many layers and so much more going on that you initially thought. It’s a look into the journalism and news entertainment industry, a peek into the world of broadcasting, a seminar on how to write for multiple mediums, and a guide on how to socially function in the world.

What’s really clever and fascinating about the book is that you actually see the craft of which Leigh and her interviewees are speaking being applied to the page. Throughout the book the same question is asked a lot of the time, but never in the same way. And each variation on the question that Leigh asks prompts fresh and unique answers from the guests. Then of course we have these wonderful stories and anecdotes from the guests themselves that are a great blend of funny and moving.

Image credit: penguin.com.au

While all writing has a structure, Storytellers is visually the most structured book I’ve read. It’s made up of bold questions and normal answers with factual introductions written in italics. The presence of so many paragraphs bordered by a good solid page gap before the next question doesn’t create a feeling of disjointedness that some nonfiction interview books can have, but rather it makes it all the more compelling and easier to just power through because they are such good markers to aim for when you’re reading in a timed bout, like a lunchbreak. You can get lost in this book when you have the time, but you can also easily reach a good stopping point so that you can get back to work.

I absolutely loved everything about this book and would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. It’s funny, fascinating, insightful, and inspiring. You might get some tips on how to be a better listener, or a good insight into how to land a job in journalism. It’s really a treasure trove of tidbits and there is something for everyone. Go out and get yourself a copy of Leigh Sales’ Storytellers!

Author: Leigh Sales, 2023

Published: Scribner, and imprint of Simon & Schuster, Australia, 2023

Well Hello: Meanderings From the World of 'Chat 10 Looks 3'

 

Image credit: Penguin Books Australia 

You only need to look at the number that makes up the ‘non-fiction’ category this page’s little side-widget to know that I don’t read a lot of non-fiction. It’s kind of ironic because, like most people, my tastes are influenced by the people I surround myself with, and the media I consume. Considering that non-fiction is a veritable well of inspirations and recommendations for broadening one’s cultural horizons and tastes, you’d think I’d be all over it. 

Well, after literally just closing the cover of this week’s read, I can tell you that I’m inspired to be a lot more adventurous with myself: everything from books, to films, art, and cooking. This week I read Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb’s Well Hello: Meanderings From the World of ‘Chat 10 Looks 3’. 

This book is a delightful 300+ compilation of interviews, transcripts, lists, and anecdotes from Sales and Crabb’s podcast Chat 10 Looks 3, which features the two friends chummily chatting about what they’ve read, watched, or cooked during the week. I’d never heard of it before and have, since starting the book, taking to listening to it from the start on my morning runs. And it’s absolutely delightful!

It’s funny actually; because I’ve been listening to the podcast parallel to reading the book, it actually made the reading experience easier because the chummy and nonchalant tones of the two ladies is exactly the way you want to read this. On the surface the book is a collection of the podcast’s highlights loosely organised into chapters with a relevant theme (e.g. music, cooking, etc.), but on a deeper level it’s a warm and lovely depiction of an everyday friendship. I think the most lovely thing about it is that because it’s a friendship between two people within public awareness, and it’s been on display in audio form, book form, and live show form, it inspires other friendships, and positivity, and random acts of kindness (see the chapter about the Chat 10 Facebook Community). This is so lovely because it’s real and attainable and what the world needs, especially in these troubled times. 

Image credit: The Australian

I also love that this book has inspired me. To cook more, bake more, read a wider and diverse range of books and articles, listen to different music... maybe even get around checking out Hamilton...

For a warm, funny, inspiring, and just all around delightful afternoon read with your cup of tea or morning coffee in bed, I would highly recommend Well Hello!

Authors: Leigh Sales, Annabel Crabb & Miranda Murphy

Published: Penguin Books, 2021 

Queer Eye

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At a time popularised by making promises to create a better you, could there be a better way to ring in the New Year than reading a book that helps you do just that? Last year the Fab Five brought out a non-fiction collaboration in which they provide tips and advice to help you get the Queer Eye treatment and head out into the world being the best you that you can be.

Sounds a bit cheesy, like some awful motivational speech right? But honestly, the book is pretty good…

On Netflix’ Queer Eye, Bobby, Antoni, Karamo, Tan, and Jonathan transform their heroes from eh to wow and through home décor, fashion, grooming, food, and culture, teach them how to become the best version of themselves; look great, and feel comfortable and confident. The aim of the show is to not just do a makeover, but to teach the heroes (and the viewers) how they can realise and maintain their potential. The book, more or less, does the same thing with various chapters devoted to tips for improving your grooming routine, wardrobe, living space, culinary game, and social life.

Beginning with an introduction by show creators David Collins, Michael Williams, and Rob Eric, Queer Eye is a fusion of genres, starting with an autobiographical segment in which we learn more about our authors. Being a fan of the show and its presenters, I was completely rapt in the first five chapters because, of course as a fan of anything, I love learning more about the things, characters, and people I love. A book can seriously lose something if you’ve got no emotional connection with the characters so this one simply glides out of the gate cleanly on that front.

We then move on to the chapters devoted to self care and improvement, coloured by tips and advice to help you get more out of your wardrobe, home, grooming routine, diet, and way in the social sphere. What’s nice about this book is that the prose is not too informative or dry; being written from each of the Fab Five, the reading experience is just like hearing them on the show, only a little more intimate as they’re talking to you. Fans’ imaginations might take over a little bit and paint images in their heads of having these conversations with the guys in the room –I know I did, I imagined Tan fawning over my Kitten D’Amour collection while Jonathan helped me shape a skin-care regime around my dermatitis, and I showed Antoni my chicken tagine with blue cheese couscous. 

Yeah, I’m a bit of a Fab Five fangirl, and I love it!

Image credit: Metro Weekly

Finally we move on to how all the elements of the previous chapters can be put together to create a fantastic dinner party; the climactic third act so to speak. We’ve got an interesting selection of recipes (some of which I’m totally going to try), suggestions for music, and everything else you need to have a great night with friends and loved ones. The final chapters are a perfect endnote, as they provide some narrative payoff and leave the reader armed with an encouraging message of “we’ve shown you how, now go be the best that you can be and love your life”. Again, it’s cheesy, but for anyone who loves the show (and therefore has probably already read the book), it leaves you with that warm and inspired feeling that starts in your tummy and then spreads through your whole body.

I’m not going to lie, I kinda loved this book!

Queer Eye is a non-fiction collaboration written by Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, and Jonathan Van Ness and published by Headline Publishing Group in 2018.

Best Foot Forward

Image credit: Hachette Australia

Like TV interviews or daydreams, there’s a wonderful intimacy in autobiographies that I absolutely adore. While the initial inspiration to read someone’s autobiography is to find out more about a person you admire (or at least find interesting enough to purchase their book), there is this warm, underlying intimacy in that this person’s word (although printed and distributed to the masses) have been written by them expressly for you. A good autobiography feels as though the writer is right there across the table from you, regaling you with their delightful stories and messages. This is the feeling I am currently relishing in, having just closed the cover of Adam Hills’ Best Foot Forward.

The book chronicles various poignant and inspirational moments throughout Hills’ career; a fascinating one that has morphed into everything from stand-up comic, radio DJ, TV show host, spokesperson, and celebrated cultural darling. Fans of Hillsy will recognise such uplifting and memorable stories such as when he met the Queen of England, the Dalai Lama, and the Muppets, not to mention a few new ones and some behind-the-scenes titbits that haven’t been dropped on stage or screen.

If you love Adam, then you’ll love this book! Those who have seen Spicks and Specks, The Last Leg, and his stand-up shows will delight in the prose, which is that genuine and down to earth, anecdotal, method of telling stories with profound meaning or incredible inspiration that Adam has in spades. Like a three hundred page transcript of one of his shows, Best Food Forward tells these genuine, but also slightly unbelievable (to me and you at least) stories that are awesome in that they involve this exciting level of celebrity in them, but at the same time blur the distinction between celebrity and mundane as they are told in this delightfully innocent and casual way. The anecdotal vibe really gives the book an intimacy and genuine edge that’s really lovely.

Image credit: The Sit Down Comedy Club

As a person that multiple nations already know and love, Best Food Forward tells us that little bit more about Adam; like a friend we’ve known for years, but are still discovering little quirks about. It’s an entertaining, funny, and often heart warming read that everyone (Hillsy old-hats and newcomers alike) will enjoy.

Best Foot Forward is the autobiography and first book written by comedian and TV presenter Adam Hills. He began writing it in 2003 with various journal entries detailing exciting or inspirational events and it became a fully-fledged autobiography, published by Hachette and hitting shelves a few months ago.

The World's Greatest Hollywood Scandals

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Just as we have our little guilty pleasure with movies, we have guilty pleasure with books too. For some it might be schlocky fantasies or paranormal teen romances, for me it’s gossipy non-fiction about scandals in Hollywood. Perhaps one of the most juicy books in this genre is Kenneth Anger’s Hollywood Babylon that beautifully depicts the Jekyll and Hyde faces of Tinseltown: glamorous and charming on the top, drunken and sex-crazed underneath.

The World’s Greatest Hollywood Scandals by John Marriott and Robin Cross is a book that walks down the Hollywood Babylon path, but sadly does not deliver such a scoop. A dry collection of recounts of famous scandals from Marilyn Monroe’s suicide to the Hollywood ‘Blacklist’ that ruined so many careers this book contains juicy subject matter, but is a prime example of what happens when you just let the content speak for itself. Despite having a few witticisms and quips that give a voice to the narrator the book lacks any fresh or interesting tone and very quickly becomes a dry and boring collection of stories that could have fared better at the hands of some of the tabloid journalists that feature as characters.

While there is definitely time, research, and emotional investment within the pages, the segregated structure of chapters –some of which tell different stories while others confuse you by being follow-ons from the previous one- is done in a way that doesn’t grant the reader immersion into the text: not even a cheap voyeuristic peep over the fence.

At the end of it all I was left disappointed by having the promise of an engaging, juicy gossip fest turned into a dry and unimaginative lecture of regurgitated content.

The World’s Greatest Hollywood Scandals was written by John Marriott and Robin Cross and published by Octopus Books in 1989.

The Art of Asking

I guess –no, I am sure- that there are hundreds of thousands of millions who, like me, have this stubbornly and stoically rooted idea in their brains that you should be able to do everything yourself: that you don’t need help. Of course, this is utter bullshit and the people like me know it, but it’s very hard to dislodge our minds from that rusted track. This mentality comes back and bites you, whether in the form of getting caught walking home, unjacketed and umbrella-less in a downpour because you didn’t accept a lift from a colleague, or missing an important deadline because you said no to the offer of some-else’s internet. 

It takes a strong voice to chip away at the rust that binds us to our mentality-tracks. Usually, it’s our own, but there are some that just have that punch behind them to get through to us. Amanda Palmer is one such voice, as I discovered reading her autobiography, The Art of Asking. 

The book chronicles Amanda’s trials and tribulations (of which there are many) on the road to be an artist and a rock star. But underlying this autobiographical surface is a self-help (for want of a better word) story of discovery about both sides of humanity: helpful and naysaying. She talks about the lessons she has learned about asking for help and receiving it from tough, but humble beginnings as an eight-foot living statue, to half of a punk-cabaret duo, The Dresden Dolls, to being an official musician with a label, to being an ‘independent’ (again, for want of a better word because her musical endeavours and achievements grow from the help of her friends, family, and fanbase) artist. Each story she chronicles has a profound meaning and purpose to the overall message of the book, making it so much more than a rock star’s ramblings about life on the road. 

I am not usually a fast reader, but I absolutely powered through this. The main thing I accredit this to is Palmer’s writing style. The complete tone of the book is one of conversation and discussion, making it wonderfully accessible and digestible. Keeping in mind that my last review was A Tale of Two Cities, the joy that is this book was only heightened by its simple and straightforward tone and the short and simple stories it regales. 

The unbroken line between author and audience is blurred and then transcended as Palmer makes is clear that she is on the same level as the reader. Some of her phrases may have a bit more of a poetic edge, which is all artistic and lovely, but ultimately the stories she tells and the way she tells them is very down-to-earth and real. She could be sitting across the couch or table from you as you’re reading, telling you everything. It’s because of this tone and the simplicity of the stories and anecdotes she writes about that makes them all the more poignant and you all the more eager to turn the pages. 

On every level, this is something exciting about the contents of this book, be it rock star anecdotes that people like me only fantasise about, or suspenseful stories that you need to get to the end of to find out whether a heart gets broken. 

But I think the most wonderful thing about this book was that it spoke to me. Without knowing me, Palmer managed to dislodge some of the rust that holds me in a stubborn state of “no that’s ok, I’ll be fine on my own”. During my reading of this, I accepted help from people on a number of occasions (one of which saved me from an hour-long trek at midnight in the pouring rain and freezing cold, without jacket or umbrella, for which I had already steeled myself). 

I would heartily recommend that this be the next book you read; even if, like me, you’re not a real Amanda Palmer fan, this may just make a convert out of you! 

Author: Amanda Palmer 

Published: 2014

Hitchcock's Villains: Murderers, Maniacs, and Mother Issues

Written by Eric San Juan and Jim McDevitt, Hitchcock’s Villains does exactly what its title suggests. It’s a wonderfully compelling little read, particularly if you’re a fan of the subject matter, that closely explores some of Hitchcock’s most celebrated villains (and of a few of his underappreciated ones too) as well as Hitch’s obsession with the villainy of ideas, evil mothers, politics and ideologies, cruel women and opportunistic men, and antagonistic heroes. What is more, each chapter has a brief paragraph about Hitchcock in relation to his villains, whether they represent a part of his psyche, are manifestations of some hidden fantasy, or if they are men that Hitch secretly wanted to be. A phenomenally easy read, especially if you’re a massive Hitchcock fan like myself, Hitchcock’s Villains is a great book that you’ll just power through! 

From the cold charisma of Phillip Vandamm to the boyish charm and awkwardness of Norman Bates, Hitchcock’s villain canon is a vibrant, enchanting, repulsive, and frightening collection of murderers, maniacs, and mother issues. Exploring the most celebrated villains including Karl Anton Verloc (Sabotage), Uncle Charlie (Shadow of a Doubt), Alexander Sebastian (Notorious), Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan (Rope), Bruno Anthony (Strangers on a Train), John “Scottie” Ferguson (Vertigo), Phillip Vandamm (North By Northwest), Norman Bates (Psycho), and Bob Rusk (Frenzy), as well as taking a look at the relationships between Hitchcock and his villains, authority figures as villains, the villainy of ideas, villainous mothers, villains as innocents, the villainy of non-villains, and cruel women and opportunistic men, Hitchcock’s Villains: Murderers, Maniacs, and Mother Issues is a wonderful book that covers all the areas that make Hitchcock’s movies the brilliant and celebrates works of art they are! 

This is a very easy piece of non-fiction to read, written with a part academic, part conversationalist voice. It can, in fact, be read as the ultimate essay with an introductory chapter setting out the goals of the forthcoming chapters. Whilst there is a lack of a conclusion, the aims of the book are nonetheless achieved, as it provides a new reading and understanding of some of these classic evil characters of cinema. Between discussing the homosexuality of Shaw and Morgan in Rope and exploring John “Scottie” Ferguson as a personification of Hitchcock’s true, inner, character, the entire book is a great little piece. 

What I really liked about it was that it rekindled my love of Hitchcock movies and has actually inspired me to go out and buy up all the flicks of his that I can find (even the ones I haven’t seen). Reading about some of the villains from the movies that I’ve only ever seen once (and probably didn’t really understand properly) has inspired to get myself copies of them anyway and re-watch them, armed with this new insight. It also opened my eyes as to the evolution of cinema and Hitchcock’s progression with the changing times, something that you never really think about when it comes to movies. The bigger picture isn’t really addressed here, but hinted at, and I think that that’s something really good. 

Filled with all our favourite murderers maniacs, and malicious mothers, Hitchcock’s Villains is a wonderful read that I absolutely powered through and if you’re a fan of the Master of Suspense and any of his villainous characters, you’ll love this book too! 

The Writing Book: A Practical Guide for Fiction Writers

Written by Kate Grenville, author of Lillian’s Story and The Secret River, The Writing Book not only talks about how to write fiction, it’s a step-by-step interactive process of how to do it. Filled with numerous exercises covering all aspects of the field, it’s a comprehensive and accessible reading experience with a clear goal at the end of it. 

Each chapter is carefully structured with an explanation and description of the central focus: dialogue, characters, description, voice etc, outlining what it is and what it does for a piece of fiction. To relieve the sometimes dryness of the textbook explanation, each chapter is then fleshed out with examples from various fiction pieces, giving the reader field-displays as well as breaking the monotonous flow of the exposition, which I must add is not really boring per se, merely if there was too much of it you would tire quite quickly. 

Following the examples and brief explanations of what each example is doing and how it’s doing it, there is a series of small exercises the reader can choose to do, bringing a nice interactive element to the book and changing the whole reading experience really, for the better too it has to be said. What I really liked about this book was this part as it lifts the book from the realms of just reading about something to actually creating something so at the end of the whole experience there is a physical goal that has been achieved. 

Following the exercises is a brief, concluding section that ties the chapter together, leaving the reader with further ideas of what they can do with the fruits of the exercises and what the next step is before moving along to the next area of study. 

The book itself is written nice and simply, it’s very accessible and if you’re interested in engaging yourself in a bit of fiction writing, I would recommend this book as a guide because it gets heart and soul of the art across really well. As an added bonus, the last chapter is devoted to the ways to go about submitting a manuscript and putting your writing out into the universe, so everything about this book proves practical. 

Steven Tyler: Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?

Every time that I look in the mirror

All these lines on face getting clearer

The past is gone

It went by like dusk to dawn

Sing with me

Sing for the years

Sing for the laughter

Sing of the tears

Dream On, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll song to ever grace the earth! It’s lyrical, passionate, can be interpreted in practically any way, and is just downright genius. The man from whose mind burst forth that rock ‘n’ roll wonder is Steven Tyler and this is his autobiography; the aptly titled Does the Noise is My Head Bother You?  

From a humble, if not so much clean, beginning in Sunapee to the stadium rocking screaming sensation that we all know and love, Steven Tyler writes about a life completely lived: his life. From his musical family, to his first band, to the formation of Aerosmith, to the infamous drug abuse and numerous stints in rehab, to his marriages and his children, this is a real rock ‘n’ roll memoir! 

A personal story behind me is that my name is Hannah and my mum named me that because it was an old name and when I came into the world, it seemed to her that I had been here before. It’s a very apt name really, and I have only recently come to the conclusion that is explains my taste in music, which practically mirrors that of my parents. Throughout my life, I have been a fan of Queen, David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Tom Waits, and of course, Aerosmith, so when I discovered this book, I simply could not wait to add it to my library. It’s a wonderfully rock ‘n’ roll read: hard, jagged, stoned, high, passionate, musical, lyrical, and then personal. 

I found it hard to get into at first because Steven does tend to jump around a lot from one anecdote to another and it does read like an explanation or conversation; going off on tangents when something triggers some memory or reminiscence. It’s bloody entertaining though and gives the book a very close and personal vibe, like Steven himself is standing in front of you, telling you his life. 

What impressed me about the book too, was the fact that it was brutally frank and completely unfiltered. Steven just seems to have a case of verbal diarrhoea and completely overwhelms you with confessions and anecdotes of a very personal and sometimes edgy nature, things that I personally would never feel comfortable confessing. But it makes the book excruciatingly real, completely shattering any illusions about band unity, the trashy glamour of being a rock star; it really makes you understand the phrase “one man’s dream is another man’s nightmare”. 

Filled with absolutely everything from drugs, romance, music, drama, conflicts, anecdotes, history, name-dropping, comedy, and pretty much anything else you can think of, Steven Tyler: Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? is a fantastically frank and rock ‘n’ roll read that just will have you laughing, swooning, raging, and captivated from page one. 

Hollywood Babylon II

A follow on to Hollywood Babylon and written again by Kenneth Anger, Hollywood Babylon II has more scandals, more drama, more drugs, and more deaths. 

The basic structure of the book is pretty much identical to that of the first one, with photos and movie posters accompanying the juicy, scandalous stories. However, I found that I did not enjoy Hollywood Babylon II as much as I did the first one. 

For quite a few of the scandals, particularly for those of suicides and drug addiction, the tone of the book is a somewhat monotonous and dry one that makes you feel like your reading a history book for school or something. 

Having said that though, it was refreshing when Anger got heated up about certain scandals, in which case the writing took on a more rant-like and personal tone. I guess, what I’m trying to say (very inarticulately) is that the tone of the book jumped around a fair bit and I found that a little disconcerting. One moment, you’re enjoying a hot-headed, personal rant from the author in which he actually uses the world “I”, and then the next minute, the reading has become so factual and dry that you’re seriously considering putting the book down. I found that I really needed to push myself to read the entire thing. 

It’s much bigger than the first book and there is a lot more to read, both in terms of text and individual stories. Sometimes, it felt that Anger was really battling with what he wanted to focus more and what deserved less attention. Like the first one, there are a fair few chapters that are totally devoted to the sad life or career of one celebrity or scandal, but what was most different about this book was that Anger added an entire chapter that was made up of little individual articles covering numerous celebrities’ self-inflicted deaths. Don’t get me wrong, death sells, and a fair few of the stories were both really sad and really interesting, but it really did feel as though Anger wrote that chapter, purely to get all the names he wanted to drop in the book. Some stories only receive one or two lines of adulation. 

Aside from the apparent change in the general tone of the book, Hollywood Babylon II was a good read that you can power through in no time.  

Hollywood Babylon

Written by former child actor Kenneth Anger, who grew up to be a leading filmmaker, Hollywood Babylon is a deliciously juicy read that is just packed to the brim with gossip and celebrities, stars of the Golden Age of cinema. Filled with stars, deaths, drugs, sex, glamour, and gore, it’s an incredible work that you simply cannot put down! 

From the very beginning, the lives of Hollywood stars have been glamorous, but also gory. Hollywood Babylon delves into the deep, dark, and best kept secrets of Hollywood. From political movements that crushed careers, to suspected murders and foul play, to sex scandals and marital dramas, to lavish and dramatic celebrity suicides. Hollywood Babylon has it all, and is the everyday gossiper’s most spectacular dream. This, right here, is what is missing in today’s society. 

What Hollywood Babylon is, is a gossip magazine that is actually a book. If we modernised it with scandals from well-known celebrities from modern society and placed it in front of a teenager, they would be completely hooked and, in the process, discover what a joy reading a book can be! Kenneth Anger had everything right! 

It occurred to me, whilst reading this book, that the private lives and “scandals” of modern society are almost nothing compared to what went on behind Hollywood’s closed doors in the Twenties all through to the Sixties. Sure we hear about stars beating up their wives or having it off with loads of other women, but some of the shit that went as far back as the Twenties was just awful! Take what Fatty Arbuckle did to that poor Virginia Rappe; he pretty much got her drunk and then raped her. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she died from injuries sustained through the act. It’s awful! And then there was all that Communist fear and political movements that completely shattered the careers of such talented artists. Reading stuff like this really opens your eyes to the world and what kind of stuff happens out there. Not only that, but you learn things about people you love that you were happier not knowing: Take the two years of Hell that Charlie Chaplin suffered when he was married to Lolita. 

Filled with delicious scandals, written with biting attitude, and armed with black and white photographs of the stars and the events entailed, Hollywood Babylon is a fantastic read filled with sex, drugs, politics, stars, murder, rape, and every other form of scandalous pleasure. It’s also a wonderfully easy read, no joke, you can through this book in a day.  

What Happens Next

A first work of non-fiction by screenwriter Marc Norman, Academy Award winner for Shakespeare In Love, What Happens Next is a factual and personal look at the history and future of American screenwriting: where it’s been, where it is, and where it’s going. Filled with personal stories, changing fashions, and heaps of movie-title dropping, it was a really interesting book that was both engaging and fascinating.

From nineteenth century vaudeville stage and theatrical performances to the sophisticated cinema screen creations of today, the screenwriters have always (though other professions may not care to admit it) been at the helm of the ship. From humble beginnings to sometimes-miserable ends, screenwriters have contributed as much to history as any natural disaster or politician. What Happens Next is a fascinating journey back in time that looks at where screenwriting began, what fashions fuelled its evolution, its dangers and vulnerabilities, and where it might be headed. A very good piece of non-fiction.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the many levels that it worked on. Straight from the off, it’s a history book so it’s undoubtedly going to be filled with facts, dates, names, and important historical eras such as times of War and the Golden Age. But the way that the book is written is really interesting because it does not take on that dry, lecture-like tone that many history books tend to adopt. The book reads more like a rant that is powered along by sophisticated words and better grammar use than the rants of today, which makes the book easier to read as you can almost hear how it’s meant to be read. Just like having a heated discussion with someone face to face. So from a storytelling point of view, the book succeeds in being very engaging and keeping the attention of the reader.
From a historical point of view, the book was just so interesting because it went into detail and dealt with a subject matter that is often overlooked and neglected. I mean, when you think about movies, you automatically can rattle off the names of the actors, actresses, the director, the producer, and maybe even the composer if you focus more on the films’ soundtrack. But funnily enough, hardly anyone thinks about the people who made the film really possible: the screenwriters. Whether it be original stories or adaptations of already existing works, the screenwriters are the ones who create it all. They see the film first, they put the words in the actors’ mouths, and they invent the technologies that appear on the screen. It was really amazing to read that the people to whom we owe the entire cinema experience were treated the most poorly and often passed over and not given credit for their ideas at all. Political battles existed and still exist over screenwriters gaining recognition for their work! Seriously, some of the events that this book delves into are completely unheard of, making the book all the more entertaining and gripping a read.
Filled with political battles, war, personal stories, postmodernism, youth, technology, and evolution, What Happens Next was a really fascinating book that opened my eyes to the darker side of the movie business. It’s a wonderful sneak peek of what happens behind closed doors and I simply could not put it down.

My Booky Wook

Written by comedic actor and stand-up artist, Russell Brand, My Booky Wook tells of the early stages and misdemeanours of the star’s life and career. 

The flamboyant and stylishly eccentric dandy Russell Brand lived his life as though performing in a Victorian vaudeville. But his ascent to stardom has not been an easy or smooth journey. He has had to battle through a troubled childhood in Essex and addictions to drink, drugs, and sex that found him drying out in institutions and rehabilitation clinics all over the world. This flamboyant, frank, and brutally honest memoir charts the peaks and the troughs of Russell’s thorny rise to fame, introducing the audience to the man behind the hair. 

I suppose, in order to really like an autobiography, you have to really love the person you’re reading about. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Russell Brand, he has a presence and is the type of person who catches the eye because he is different (a noble and sadly disappearing trait in modern society). But to be brutally honest, I only bought his book to keep myself amused on a flight home from Melbourne (one on which I had forgotten to bring the book I was reading at the time). Of course, after starting the book, it would have killed me no to finish it sooner rather than later (I cannot stand starting something and than not finishing it) so, after finishing The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Harry Potter 7, and A Christmas Carol, I endeavoured to sit down and finish reading My Booky Wook. 

What is nice about the book is the way that it is written. It uses casual language and is very frank and down to earth. It actually feels as though you are talking to the man and he is relaying all this information and these stories to you personally. 

The book also kept my attention because it mentioned, sampled and quoted other works, some cultural and some more tragic and modern. References to Star Wars, Spike Milligan, Black Adder, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and snippets of poetry sneak into the text, giving it a sense of realism and making you feel that you can relate. 

The book also harbours pictures and photocopies of documents that played a key role in Russell’s ascent to stardom, because, in this day and age, people respond more to photographic evidence and visual stimuli. It’s sad but true. 

A brutally frank memoir filled with sometimes graphic stories of prostitutes, homelessness, drink, drugs, abuse, self harm, and sexual escapades, My Booky Wook was an interesting read, though not one that I would really rave about. It’s very simple to read, using casual language with the occasional big word thrown it to add a dash of sophistication and culture, but it really isn’t anything spectacular. Only read it if you’re a big Brand fan. 

Harry, A History

From award-winning webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron, Melissa Anelli, comes this true story of a boy wizard, his fans, and life inside the Harry Potter phenomenon.

As webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron, which is one of the most popular Harry Potter sites on the Internet, Melissa Anelli had a front row seat to watch the wonders of the Harry Potter phenomenon unfold. From starting out as just a reader and fan of the books, Melissa soon found herself in the middle of the mania that followed anything that was associated with Harry Potter. She was helping Scholastic stop leaks, tracking down counterfeiters, hosting live PotterCasts in bookstores across the country, touring with the wizard rock group Harry and the Potters, and she even got to meet J.K Rowling personally. This book is not only about the Harry Potter phenomenon or how the books encouraged people to read again. It's Melissa's own journey through the mania and how the boy wizard changed her life.

Admittedly I usually read fictional books, but I saw this on the shelf when I was browsing with a friend in a bookshop and thought "you know, this might actually be interesting." So I bought it. It took me a little while to get into it, I found the first couple of chapters a bit simple and there was nothing that really grabbed my attention. But as I persisted, I started to become adept at reading the book the way it's supposed to be read. As I read more and more, it felt like Melissa was there speaking to me, and the book became one giant conversation. It actually felt like being in school and listening to a teacher, though it was a subject that I was actually really interested in. To really appreciate this book, you need to sit back and listen, not just read.

It became really interesting as you learn about all the things that happened with the creation and release of the Harry Potter series. The Internet was being used in a way that had never been done before. People were encouraged to create their own little stories about Harry Potter and "fan fiction" became really popular, with kids and even adults writing their own stories and publishing them online. Harry Potter even created a new genre of music known as "wizard rock", which consisted of bands that came out with catchy tunes that were all scenarios taken from the books. Bands such as Harry and the Potters, The Remus Lupins, and Draco and the Malfoys became increasingly popular.

And then you read about all Melissa's personal experiences. Meeting the actors in the movies and even J.K Rowling herself. There is photographic evidence in the book to support all Melissa's personal stories, including a really cute picture of her sitting on Dumbledore's chair! I was so jealous of her when I saw that photo!

All in all Harry, A History was a very entertaining and educational book filled with personal experiences, photos, and a foreword by J.K Rowling. If you love anything to do with the boy wizard, read this book and learn just how famous he is (not just in the wizarding world, but amongst the muggles too).