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Thread: Good autobiographies?

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    Banned The Stars's Avatar
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    Good autobiographies?

    can peolpe recommend some please?

    read Lance Armstrongs book...10/10
    George Best.....8/10
    Johnny Cash...9/10

    read Eamon Sweeneys "theres only one red army" recently...i know its not a autobiography but is an excellent read also.

    Any sports or Music related books?

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    International Prospect DmanDmythDledge's Avatar
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    I found David Beckham's to be good. 8/10. Sir Alex Ferguson's is good as well. But the best book I've read is "Roy Keane, Red Man Walking" by Frank Worrell. Not an autobioghraphy you were looking for, but by far the best biography/autobiography I've read.

    I've got Pelé's autobiography but haven't got around to reading it yet. Anyone know if it's any good?

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    Seasoned Pro drinkfeckarse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge View Post
    I found David Beckham's to be good. 8/10. Sir Alex Ferguson's is good as well. But the best book I've read is "Roy Keane, Red Man Walking" by Frank Worrell. Not an autobioghraphy you were looking for, but by far the best biography/autobiography I've read.

    I've got Pelé's autobiography but haven't got around to reading it yet. Anyone know if it's any good?

    Agree with all the above as I've read them all too and found Keane's to be brilliant. Niall Quinns was a decent read also. Robbie Fowlers has some good bits in it.

    Pele's was ok, nothing to write home about though.
    Top Breeders recommend drinkfeckarse....

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    First Team finlma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Stars View Post
    read Lance Armstrongs book...10/10
    Very debatable - don't have any time for him.

    If you're into cycling and the Kimmage haters will love this read Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage.

    Sport
    Tony Cascarino - Full Time (brilliant book)
    Ronnie O'Sullivan - decent read, he's a mixed up lad.
    Seabiscuit - I know horse can't write but its a good old yarn. I've never seen the flick.

    Non-Sport
    Shane McGowan

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    Leon Trotsky - My Life (a lot more entertaining than you'd imagine) 10/10

    Good writing style, humorous in parts, invaluble historical document, anatomy of a Revolutionary - it has it all. If you are interested in History/Politics this is well worth the read IMBO.
    TO TELL THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

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    First Team Billsthoughts's Avatar
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    Ali by Thomas Hauser(I think thats his name)
    great book full of anecdotes....
    and another one I am reading the mo is about the iraq war. I think its called fiasco by thomas e ricks. well interesting and dispells a few myths about the whole thing.
    Last edited by Billsthoughts; 25/09/2006 at 5:33 PM.

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    How many of these were wrote by the people themselves and not just ghost written?

    I point blank refuse to read a biography thats been ghost written because with most of them,it's almost always 50% lies!

    (I do realise that in some cases,it's beyond control because that person may be dead but i still refuse,it's easier to lie when there is no one to refute the claims)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Anto McC View Post
    How many of these were wrote by the people themselves and not just ghost written?

    I point blank refuse to read a biography thats been ghost written because with most of them,it's almost always 50% lies!
    As opposed to a self-penned memoir which is invariably 100% lies?
    A leading authority on League of Ireland football since 2003. You're probably wrong.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sheridan View Post
    As opposed to a self-penned memoir which is invariably 100% lies?
    I suppose it becomes a matter of how much you believe whoevers book you happen to be reading but i'd rather read,lets say for example,Roy Keanes own lies than Eamonn Dunpheys lies about Roy Keane!

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    I read Cascarino's, great book.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge View Post
    I found David Beckham's to be good. 8/10. Sir Alex Ferguson's is good as well. But the best book I've read is "Roy Keane, Red Man Walking" by Frank Worrell. Not an autobioghraphy you were looking for, but by far the best biography/autobiography I've read.

    I've got Pelé's autobiography but haven't got around to reading it yet. Anyone know if it's any good?
    Pele's book is ****e, don't waste your money. reading Gordon Starachans at the moment, not bad. A good read is Richard bransons autobiography, a great read..

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    First Team finlma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anto McC View Post
    How many of these were wrote by the people themselves and not just ghost written?

    I point blank refuse to read a biography thats been ghost written because with most of them,it's almost always 50% lies!

    (I do realise that in some cases,it's beyond control because that person may be dead but i still refuse,it's easier to lie when there is no one to refute the claims)
    95% of biographies are ghost written and I don't understand how you can say there is a difference. The person must sign off and read the biography before it is published so its the same as them writing it.

    The only difference is ghost writers are usually talented writers. Most footballers wouldn't have the best English or be the most articulate and I'd prefer to read about their life in an entertaining format.

    So tell us Anto, who's self-written biographies have you read?? I'm not too sure I know any.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PaulB View Post
    A good read is Richard bransons autobiography, a great read..
    Must get that, I'm a big fan. First chapter here.

    Have you read Screw It, Let's Do It, and if so is it any good? I love the title.

    adam

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    International Prospect bennocelt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finlma View Post
    Very debatable - don't have any time for him.

    If you're into cycling and the Kimmage haters will love this read Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage.

    Sport
    Tony Cascarino - Full Time (brilliant book)
    Ronnie O'Sullivan - decent read, he's a mixed up lad.
    Seabiscuit - I know horse can't write but its a good old yarn. I've never seen the flick.

    Non-Sport
    Shane McGowan
    damn....got there before me.....Cascarinos is a must for all football fans....funny to see how he blow a lot of his savings away on gambling

    also Dunphys first book.cant remember the name, about his life as a millwall player is considered one of the best football books of all time,

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    Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugerman, is a book I can't recomend strongly enough great read. (For any of you who don't know who Dany Sugerman is. He is the former manager of the Doors and later managed Iggy Pop)

    Other one I would recomend
    Long walk to Freedom-Nelson Mandela

    Mr Nice-Howard Marks
    Last edited by Neish; 25/09/2006 at 9:26 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by finlma View Post
    95% of biographies are ghost written and I don't understand how you can say there is a difference. The person must sign off and read the biography before it is published so its the same as them writing it.

    The only difference is ghost writers are usually talented writers. Most footballers wouldn't have the best English or be the most articulate and I'd prefer to read about their life in an entertaining format.

    So tell us Anto, who's self-written biographies have you read?? I'm not too sure I know any.
    Are you trying to tell me that none of the stuff is made up by these ghost writers?

    Mick Foley's is the only one,as i said i tend not to read biographys because a lot of it is pure lies. I've also read one or two from about people who are dead but again i wouldn't take anything from them as 100% truth. I've read Tim Pat Coogans on DeValera and Michael Collins!

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    First Team Billsthoughts's Avatar
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    should read frank skinners.deffo not ghost written. its all over the shop.
    very funny as well. and niall quinns is actually really funny as well. am i the only one who always skips the early life part of autobiographys? just no interest in childhoods. the keane book is a really bad starting point as it is a brutal book. interesting and all but dunphy made an arse of it. his matt busby book is actually fascinating. his only a game book is okish nuthin special. suffers from the same issues as rough ride.the kimmage book again is not great. he would admit that the writing style is poor himself. and its actually quite a depressing read about someone who at the time seemed to lack a personality. the new edition of it has a great updated chapter bout drugs in sport tho. proving what a class writer kimmage turned out to be.

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    Jimmy Boyle - "A Sense of Freedom". Absolutely searing indictment of the prison system and at the same time a magnificent testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Best autobiography I ever read.
    Revenge for 2002

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    I'm not trying to be funny, but I thought Boy George's "Take it like a Man" was gas...fun, informative, and very camp!!!

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    Mr Nice as mentioned by Neish is very entertaining and very funny.Dont find him interesting but have to admit Quinns book was an easy read.Dunphys book with Keane was so bad I could not bring myself to finish it.I am presently reading The best of Myles, a compilation of Flann OBrien writings and its very good especially considering its gathered from the forties.BTW, top thread.

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