Good (and bad) Biographies of Writers

[Murphy]

Les Hombres Invisible by Barry Miles and The Magical Universe of William Burroughs by ML Steven’s have strengths and weaknesses

It’s a shame the two can’t be moulded into one, having said that you could read both to compare but found myself skimming too often, or asking why more wasn’t extrapolated on re key sections/motifs/periods

Lunch-munch break fodder, so much has been picked over in the last few decades

 

[Benny Bunter]

Bloom liked to quote Emerson - "all is history is properly biography". Not sure if I fully agree or understand what he meant, but it's a good provocative quote in isolation.
I suppose it's to do with with the turns of history being more to do with 'great men', random unique geniuses, rather than wider social forces. Anti-ideology perhaps. What do you lot think?

 

[woops]

Bloom liked to quote Emerson - "all is history is properly biography". Not sure if I fully agree or understand what he meant, but it's a good provocative quote in isolation.
I suppose it's to do with with the turns of history being more to do with 'great men', random unique geniuses, rather than wider social forces. Anti-ideology perhaps. What do you lot think?

i think it smacks of scenius vs genius

 

[GhostofKinski]

The Che Guevara biography by John Lee Anderson is excellent.

 

[wg-]

There's a book about Nelson Algren by Colin Asher that's got maybe a bit of a dry style but he led a rambling, odd life & it is pretty good

The drunk and half skint gambler writer is such a great archetype but I think the drunk gamblers have stopped writing? A shame

 

[GhostofKinski]

There's a book about Nelson Algren by Colin Asher that's got maybe a bit of a dry style but he led a rambling, odd life & it is pretty good

The drunk and half skint gambler writer is such a great archetype but I think the drunk gamblers have stopped writing? A shame

It’s a real let down that.
In my experience meeting/knowing writers, they tend to be quite introverted (which makes sense) but love to embrace the mystique. The real wild ones Selby, Behan, Bukowski have have often stated that they never wrote anything good while drunk/high etc.
It’s a similar paradox with stand up comedians. Off stage they are generally pretty miserable. Although like everything, there are exceptions. Dave Attell is the only one I ever knew who was/is as funny on and off stage.

 

[raljax]

The Philip K Dick one by Emmanuel Carrere is worth reading If you're a Dick fan (sic).
The one on WG Sebald...I loved how it made you feel closer to his mystery BUT disliked how it hinted at revelations that (a) will be forthcoming or (b) will never be revealed. Stil essential if u liek his work though.

 

[jenks]

The Philip K Dick one by Emmanuel Carrere is worth reading If you're a Dick fan (sic).
The one on WG Sebald...I loved how it made you feel closer to his mystery BUT disliked how it hinted at revelations that (a) will be forthcoming or (b) will never be revealed. Stil essential if u liek his work though.

I thought the Sebald one showed just how difficult a man he was and potentially an unpleasant one - wife and daughter refusing to contribute - but also how important his work was/is - specifically the way he broke with the German literature of the past. Not sure I'd want to go for a pint with him.

 

[raljax]

I thought the Sebald one showed just how difficult a man he was and potentially an unpleasant one - wife and daughter refusing to contribute - but also how important his work was/is - specifically the way he broke with the German literature of the past. Not sure I'd want to go for a pint with him.

Dour wasn't he...the wife not collaborating yes. I found some things online after he died where students at UAE stated how amazing he could be a s a tutor/professor. One pint no. Perhaps one of those slowly evolving benders that happen after one pint and like James Stinson or Mike Banks his voice...i'd just wanna listen to him speaking no matter what he said.