[joeb]

Can anyone recommend a motivating autobiography doesn't have to be climbing related but heading out on holiday and hate wasting my time starting crap books ? Cheers

[Johnny Brown]

Julian Cope - Head On.

[JamieG]

If you like Bob Dylan, I would recommend reading Chronicles. One of the most well written autobiographies I've read. Covers discrete points in his life rather that a whole history and seems to purposely avoid his most famous period. I really liked, but then I really like Bob Dylan.

[slackline]

The three biographies that have come out from Vertebrate in the last year are all very good .  In fact have a read of this thread for more climbing/exploration ideas.

I'd also recommend Angry White Pyjamas.

[joeb]

Interesting stuff there i read jerry's book twice as i'm a big fan but want a change from climbing stuff as i can be very one dimensional (read boring to the wife).

[Johnny Brown]

Julian Cope - Head On.

I suppose I need to sell this to you do I?

Probably the best, most candid and funny rock memoir out there from rocks last true visionary...

Book of the year... made my heart burst

Don't worry if you don't know who he is or what he's done, just read it.

[lagerstarfish]

The Moon's a Balloon

by David Niven

Not a new book, but still one of the best

[Johnny Brown]

Is that the one where he relates losing his virginity to a friendly hooker in king's cross?

[joeb]

has anyone got a copy of this ? was it any good ? http://www.amazon.com/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman/dp/1594200726

[SA Chris]

Yep, read it. Part biog (which is pretty interesting), part Patagonia business manifesto / (for want of a better word), which is as a whole less interesting, but insightful into their business philosophies, although you can't help but feel that some of it is just marketing shpiel.

I got it out the library, and while I enjoyed I'm pretty glad I didn't buy it. (Also part of their ethos is recycling stuff, and what better way to recycle than to give it back when you are done)  .

[joeb]

[quote author=SA Chris link=topic=15707.msg274233#msg274233 date=12816183 (Also part of their ethos is recycling stuff, and what better way to recycle than to give it back when you are done)  .
[/quote]
Genius had completely forgotten that libraries even existed, this sounds sarcastic but truly it isn't. Will be off to check out my local this afternoon but maybe not for this book based on your review cheers.

[SA Chris]

It's definitely worth a read, The biog first bit is definitely interesting, just not worth buying IMO.

Our local library is really tiny, so much so that you can reserve any books from city and shire libraries online for free, and they get delivered to the library when they are available and you get an email when they are read to collect. Genius.

[Jaspersharpe]

Libraries are fucking great. If this cunting government starts ruining them then I will smash Cameron's face in with Nick Clegg.

Biographies I'd recommend:

Absolutely amazing (and topical, RIP).

Brutally honest.

Very sad but also very funny in places.

[BB]

On a Rawk! theme...

I've just started Slash's bigraphy. I'm not far enough through it to comment yet, but it came highly recommended.

I've also heard good things about Golf Monster, the Alice Cooper biog.

[Jaspersharpe]

Ah yeah on that theme I keep meaning to read this which is supposed to be amazing.

[joeb]

Looking back through the suggestions i never expected david niven's name to appear, are you sure ? ??? thanks for all the suggestins though.

[nodder]

Dear boy, about Keith Moon is good but more sad than motivating. For motivation its gotta be Norman Mailer the fight. 

[SA Chris]

Read Howard Mark's Mr Nice or Dope Tales if you want to be motivated to be a drug smuggler and make millions.

[slackline]

  (although Dope Stories is more a collection of wiriting on all different aspects of drugs rather than a biography, good read though).

In a similar vein there is...

Phil Sparrowhawk : Grass (overlaps with Howard Marks dealings)

Robert Sabbag : Snowlbind

Rusty Young : Marching Powder

Second two are about individuals who sought to do some small-scale smug-druggling on their own.  Rusty Young got caught in Bolivia and thrown into jail, where he was lucky to survive, let alone become a tour-guide for the prision which produced some of the highest quality cocaine in Bolivia.

EDIT : Another one I read and enjoyed was Perfection she Dances by Robert Davies, who got busted in communist China for a relatively small amount of hash and spent seven years in their jails leaving his Chinese wife.  Very interesting story.

[butters]

Marching Powder is a good book - picked it up on spec a few years ago now.

Perfection She Dances does look good Slackers.

[Johnny Brown]

Niven's is good, no joke. Check the reviews for yourself. Anyone who, aged 15, persuades a hooker to teach him sex for free is worth hearing from.