Whatcha reading?

[Dr. Medulla]

Audiobook:
Finished Magary's The Hike yesterday. In many respects it's a frustrating story because it's just a mass of bizarre, horrible things that happen to a guy who has, in essence, been sent into the Twilight Zone, but I can't deny that I didn't lose interest and it does have a pay-off that, while perhaps too cute in its cleverness, does validate the whole point of the story.


Sam Lipsyte, The Ask. I could have sworn that I've read this before but so far it's not ringing a bell. Anyhoo, a guy who has recently been fired from his job as someone who solicits gifts for his university—"asks"—is brought back because of a potential donor who knows him and asks to deal with him. Apparently there's something sinister at work in all this, however.

[Silent Majority]

9)The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz. Audiobook. 2014. Horowitz writes about business in a more real world way, with little of the self-help platitudes which tend to define corporate tomes. Pretty useful, some feelings of second hand embarrassment based on the writer's character, but on the whole a better and more down to earth version of all these books.

10) The Taming of the Shrew - William Shakespeare. Play. Listened to and read. C. 1592. A pretty hideous play, really! Horrible misogyny that only works for me when I infer some BDSM consent from Katherine at some point. Young Shakespeare, you little goof. I know he'll wise up some in the coming years

[Dr. Medulla]

Two things …

I'm about 2/3 of the way thru Sam Lipsyte's The Ask and it's dawned on me what I'm listening to: it's a Chuck Palahniuk novel. One of the better ones overall, I think, but a CP novel. There's a plot of sorts there, but it's in service of just writing about stuff, partly characters but partly just stuff. That's not necessarily criticism—I love several of CP's books, but am bored silly by many of them, too—but this is in that approach. This book isn't bad, tho, bits that are quite engaging are followed by passages that I really don't give a fuck about. This might be a book that writers like more than readers.

Tub book:

Scarlett Thomas, Popco. I've read this before and I remember liking it—not as much as her fantastic The End of Mr. Y (which should fucking well be adapted)—but I don't recall much about it. Huzzah, for a flaccid memory! Anyway, reacquainting.

[Dr. Medulla]

Audiobook:

Bob Odenkirk, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama. It's a strange thing that, back in the 90s and early 00s that the smart money on becoming mainstream successful was on David Cross. On Mr. Show, Odenkirk was mostly the straight man and Cross the funny guy. And Arrested Development suggested that Cross' star was in ascendency. Yet here we are in 2023 and Cross is still mostly co-star or even co-co-star casting and his stand-up comedy is generally unfunny smug liberal jokes about flyover state rubes. Yet Odenkirk has made a successful shift to dramatic acting, informed by his wry sense of life. Anyhoo, I expect to be fully engaged with this.

[Silent Majority]

11) James Connolly: 16 Lives
Book by Lorcan Collins. Paperback. 2012. A fantastic entry level introduction to Connolly's life and work. This is part of a book series of biographies for sixteen individuals involved in the 1916 Easter Rising, compiled for the 100th anniversary of that event. I vow not to read another of this set, because then I'll read the whole bloody lot. Connolly comes through as a clear visioned man of principle with a quick wit and a long suffering family. I adore the simple moral clarity of his writing and a physically brave man. Lots to admire.

12) A Study In Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle. 1887. Audiobook. The first Sherlock Holmes. The origin story, to put it in tiresome 21st century terms. This is the second of these books that I've read that takes the narrative to America for ages for no apparent reason than Doyle enjoying the setting. This is still alive, this book. Some novels from the last decade have died on the page, but this endures.

[Dr. Medulla]

Finished listening to Odenkirk's memoir this morning. It's slight stuff, really, but entertaining enough. How do you make it in show business? Keep it trying even as you fail, plus get lucky. Seems about right. He's a guy who seems devoid of any bitterness and more than a little astonished that he still gets to do things he likes.

Next up in the audiobook category:

Michael Shermer, Conspiracy. Less about debunking conspiracies that about figuring why people who otherwise seem rational buy into the most outlandish nonsense. It's easy to dismiss the ranter on the street corner, but when you find out someone you respect and trust thinks the moon landing was faked or Sandy Hook never happened, that's jarring.

[Low Down Low]

Just finishing Helen O'Hara, What's She Like, and have to say, if there's a less rock n roll musical memoir out there, I have yet to read it. Which isn't a criticism of the ex Dexys violinist in any way, she comes across very charming and interesting, but the warts and all intimate details you often get with these things are conspicuously absent here. What's Kevin really like? It's hard to know but she remains clearly in awe of him and it's nice to know their personal attachment remains strong despite all they've been through. Fwiw, I can recall only one figure earning her (mild) censure in the course of the entire book - step forward the one and only Bernard (Bernie) Rhodes!

[Silent Majority]

Just finishing Helen O'Hara, What's She Like, and have to say, if there's a less rock n roll musical memoir out there, I have yet to read it. Which isn't a criticism of the ex Dexys violinist in any way, she comes across very charming and interesting, but the warts and all intimate details you often get with these things are conspicuously absent here. What's Kevin really like? It's hard to know but she remains clearly in awe of him and it's nice to know their personal attachment remains strong despite all they've been through. Fwiw, I can recall only one figure earning her (mild) censure in the course of the entire book - step forward the one and only Bernard (Bernie) Rhodes!

Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue!

[Low Down Low]

Just finishing Helen O'Hara, What's She Like, and have to say, if there's a less rock n roll musical memoir out there, I have yet to read it. Which isn't a criticism of the ex Dexys violinist in any way, she comes across very charming and interesting, but the warts and all intimate details you often get with these things are conspicuously absent here. What's Kevin really like? It's hard to know but she remains clearly in awe of him and it's nice to know their personal attachment remains strong despite all they've been through. Fwiw, I can recall only one figure earning her (mild) censure in the course of the entire book - step forward the one and only Bernard (Bernie) Rhodes!

Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue!

Ha! True. Always thought it weird though that after initially getting rid, Rowland turned back to Bernie again after third album hit the skids. I mean, sort of like Joe in a way, seemed Bernie had some weird hold over both of them that's not easy to explain.

[Silent Majority]

Just finishing Helen O'Hara, What's She Like, and have to say, if there's a less rock n roll musical memoir out there, I have yet to read it. Which isn't a criticism of the ex Dexys violinist in any way, she comes across very charming and interesting, but the warts and all intimate details you often get with these things are conspicuously absent here. What's Kevin really like? It's hard to know but she remains clearly in awe of him and it's nice to know their personal attachment remains strong despite all they've been through. Fwiw, I can recall only one figure earning her (mild) censure in the course of the entire book - step forward the one and only Bernard (Bernie) Rhodes!

Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue!

Ha! True. Always thought it weird though that after initially getting rid, Rowland turned back to Bernie again after third album hit the skids. I mean, sort of like Joe in a way, seemed Bernie had some weird hold over both of them that's not easy to explain.

Rhodes is an insta-manipulator, adept at finding the strings that challenge a person to do more while building them up to feel stronger and bigger while he's around, getting a tighter hold on them as time goes by.

His easiest prey are the young, the damaged, and the well-meaning. It's interesting to me that Dammers was strong, smart, and tough enough to fuck him off immediately, seeing, as all his proteges do after some time, that Rhodes' flaw is that he's mental and megalomaniacal. This isn't a knock on Strummer or Rowland, who were, initially, more idealistic and open to his encouragement. Dammers is another control freak who, like Rhodes, believes if he's got complete control all will go well. The difference is that Dammers made Ghost Town under those conditions while Rhodes made Dictator.

[Low Down Low]

Just finishing Helen O'Hara, What's She Like, and have to say, if there's a less rock n roll musical memoir out there, I have yet to read it. Which isn't a criticism of the ex Dexys violinist in any way, she comes across very charming and interesting, but the warts and all intimate details you often get with these things are conspicuously absent here. What's Kevin really like? It's hard to know but she remains clearly in awe of him and it's nice to know their personal attachment remains strong despite all they've been through. Fwiw, I can recall only one figure earning her (mild) censure in the course of the entire book - step forward the one and only Bernard (Bernie) Rhodes!

Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue!

Ha! True. Always thought it weird though that after initially getting rid, Rowland turned back to Bernie again after third album hit the skids. I mean, sort of like Joe in a way, seemed Bernie had some weird hold over both of them that's not easy to explain.

Rhodes is an insta-manipulator, adept at finding the strings that challenge a person to do more while building them up to feel stronger and bigger while he's around, getting a tighter hold on them as time goes by.

His easiest prey are the young, the damaged, and the well-meaning. It's interesting to me that Dammers was strong, smart, and tough enough to fuck him off immediately, seeing, as all his proteges do after some time, that Rhodes' flaw is that he's mental and megalomaniacal. This isn't a knock on Strummer or Rowland, who were, initially, more idealistic and open to his encouragement. Dammers is another control freak who, like Rhodes, believes if he's got complete control all will go well. The difference is that Dammers made Ghost Town under those conditions while Rhodes made Dictator.

I agree with this take. I'd suggest that Bernie had some good ideas in getting bands moving but over time, his influence became negative and pernicious. That chaotic trip he sent The Specials on to Paris actually helped mould them as a band I think, whether that was by accident or design may be debatable, but they had the good sense to fuck him off after it. What perplexes me somewhat is that both Joe and Kevin, knowing the man and his methods, should have went back for seconds. Rowland certainly wasn't a shrinking violet when it came to the control stakes, may even have left Bernie in the shade on that front!

[Dr. Medulla]

I would guess that all successful managers (like politicians) must have a certain element of predator in them, able to size up others in order to know which buttons to push to get their way. Not all act maliciously or selfishly, but those are the ones that stand out and seem to rise higher.

[Kory]

I would guess that all successful managers (like politicians) must have a certain element of predator in them, able to size up others in order to know which buttons to push to get their way. Not all act maliciously or selfishly, but those are the ones that stand out and seem to rise higher.

This holds true for regular business too.

[Flex]

This holds true for regular business too.

[Kory]

This holds true for regular business too.

Don't forget to cure your bone-itis!