Dougie's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:16:03 -0800 60 Dougie's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Star Signs: Good Fortune 7516852 208 Michele Knight 0740729004 Dougie 5 5.00 2002 Star Signs: Good Fortune
author: Michele Knight
name: Dougie
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading: Time-Saving Strategies for Reading Faster and Remembering More]]> 19109063 * Useful for students, business people, lawyers, doctors
* Includes how-to strategies as well as practice timed readings
* Tips for reading on paper and onscreen
Show More Show Less]]> 376 Abby Marks Beale 1440636516 Dougie 0 3.91 2008 The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading: Time-Saving Strategies for Reading Faster and Remembering More
author: Abby Marks Beale
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Time To Go (Detective Caelan Small, #3)]]> 46158470
Back in the Met, she goes undercover with a vicious drug dealer, entering a dark underworld of drugs, scammers and thieves.

As Caelan gets drawn in, she starts to uncover a shocking trade in human flesh. But information, the detectives' most priceless asset, is leaking. If Caelan isn't careful, she won't survive.

Searingly intense and utterly gripping, Time to Go is the perfect read for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza and Line of Duty.]]> 371 Lisa Hartley Dougie 1
In all three books, one of the senior police officers is obviously overweight and a bit of a slob but the descriptions of him eating (covered in crumbs, etc) are so tedious that every time his character turned up, I was waiting for the next one.

In the end, it became so irritating and distracting that I just had to stop reading.]]> 4.27 2019 Time To Go (Detective Caelan Small, #3)
author: Lisa Hartley
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2021/01/12
date added: 2021/01/12
shelves:
review:
I loved the first book in this series, enjoyed the second book but I just couldn't get on with this at all for one very specific reason.

In all three books, one of the senior police officers is obviously overweight and a bit of a slob but the descriptions of him eating (covered in crumbs, etc) are so tedious that every time his character turned up, I was waiting for the next one.

In the end, it became so irritating and distracting that I just had to stop reading.
]]> <![CDATA[Tell No Lies (Detective Caelan Small, #2)]]> 38491324 A tortured body is found in a basement. Drug dealing and people smuggling is on the rise. Then police start going missing.

There seems to be no connection between the crimes, but Detective Caelan Small senses something isn’t right.

Plunged into a new investigation, lives are on the line. And in the web of gangs, brothels and nerve-shattering undercover work, Caelan must get to the truth � or be killed trying.

And then there’s Nicky...

Utterly gripping, written with searing tension and remarkable dexterity, Tell No Lies is a blistering crime novel for fans of Angela Marsons, Rebecca Bradley and Faith Martin.]]> 331 Lisa Hartley Dougie 3
The plot was fairly predictable, some of the characters were like something you'd find in a very poor low budget gangster movie and the twist in the tale was so easy to spot it might have been written in neon.

But worst of all was the lack of development of the central character. Given that this is a series, a disjointed romance portrayed nothing of the kind of emotional depth you'd expect to find in a second book. I'm still tempted to try the next one, but it's certainly not the 'must-read' that I hoped it was going to be,]]> 4.20 2018 Tell No Lies (Detective Caelan Small, #2)
author: Lisa Hartley
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/01/12
date added: 2021/01/12
shelves:
review:
I loved the first book in this series and was really looking forward to this one but ultimately, it was a bit of a let down.

The plot was fairly predictable, some of the characters were like something you'd find in a very poor low budget gangster movie and the twist in the tale was so easy to spot it might have been written in neon.

But worst of all was the lack of development of the central character. Given that this is a series, a disjointed romance portrayed nothing of the kind of emotional depth you'd expect to find in a second book. I'm still tempted to try the next one, but it's certainly not the 'must-read' that I hoped it was going to be,
]]> <![CDATA[Ask No Questions (Detective Caelan Small, #1)]]> 35486880 After an operation goes badly wrong, undercover specialist Detective Caelan Small leaves the Metropolitan Police for good. Or so she thinks. Then the criminal responsible is seen back in the UK.

Soon Caelan is drawn back into a dangerous investigation. But when the main lead is suddenly murdered, all bets are off. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone is a suspect - even close colleagues.

Someone in the Met is involved and Caelan is being told to Ask No Questions.

That isn't an option: Caelan needs answers� whatever the cost.  

The nerve-shredding new crime thriller from bestseller Lisa Hartley starts a must-read new series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza, it will keep you guessing until the very end.

]]> 336 Lisa Hartley Dougie 0 thriller
Will certainly buy book 2. ]]> 4.07 2017 Ask No Questions (Detective Caelan Small, #1)
author: Lisa Hartley
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/12/23
date added: 2020/12/23
shelves: thriller
review:
Loved it. The first thriller I've read all year (apart from the one's I've written obviously) that kept me gripped from the first page to the last.

Will certainly buy book 2.
]]> <![CDATA[Vulcan 607: The Epic Story of the Most Remarkable British Air Attack since WWII]]> 873380 It was to be one of the most ambitious operations since 617 Squadron bounced their revolutionary bombs into the dams of the Ruhr Valley in 1943 . . .

April 1982. Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands. Britain needed an answer. And fast.

The idea was simple: to destroy the vital landing strip at Port Stanley. The reality was more complicated. The only aircraft that could possibly do the job was three months from being scrapped, and the distance it had to travel was four thousand miles beyond its maximum range. It would take fifteen Victor tankers and seventeen separate in-flight refuellings to get one Avro Vulcan B2 over the target, and give its crew any chance of coming back alive.

Yet less than a month later, a formation of elderly British jets launched from a remote island airbase to carry out the longest-range air attack in history. At its head was a single aircraft, six men, and twenty-one thousand-pound bombs, facing the hornet’s nest of modern weaponry defending the Argentine forces on the Falkland Islands. There would be no second chances . . .]]> 520 Rowland White 0552152293 Dougie 5 military
So with that in mind, I can only say that in my opinion, this is one of the great aviation books. Indeed, I'd go so far as to say that this is one of the best books I've ever read on the conflict.

I'm not going to go into the details as to why that is because others have done it far more justice but suffice to say that I genuinely could not put it down.

Read it. Just don't expect to get much sleep.
]]> 4.36 2006 Vulcan 607: The Epic Story of the Most Remarkable British Air Attack since WWII
author: Rowland White
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/12/05
shelves: military
review:
I should preface this review with a few facts. First, I'm an RAF veteran and second, I was on Ascension Island throughout the conflict so was directly involved in the Black Buck Operations.

So with that in mind, I can only say that in my opinion, this is one of the great aviation books. Indeed, I'd go so far as to say that this is one of the best books I've ever read on the conflict.

I'm not going to go into the details as to why that is because others have done it far more justice but suffice to say that I genuinely could not put it down.

Read it. Just don't expect to get much sleep.

]]> <![CDATA[Harrier 809: Britain’s Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War]]> 43159425 ‘A military adventure, written with expertise…a tale of initiative,skill and courage, of pushing beyond the rules.� The Spectator

April 1982. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.

In response, Britain despatches a naval Task Force. Eight thousand miles from home, its fate hinges on just twenty Sea Harriers against the two hundred-strong might of the Argentine Air Force.

The odds against them are overwhelming.

The MoD’s own estimates suggest that half the Harriers will be lost within a week. Against this background, 809 Naval Air Squadron is reformed, trained and sent south to fight.

Not since WWII had so much been expected of such a small band of pilots.

Combining groundbreaking research with the pace of a thriller, Rowland White reveals the full story of the fleet’s knife-edge fight for survival for the first time, and shows how the little jump jet went from airshow novelty to sealing its reputation as an icon of British aviation, alongside the Spitfire and the Hurricane.

‘Without the Sea Harrier there could have been no Task Force�
Admiral Sir Henry Leach, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff]]> 320 Rowland White 1787631583 Dougie 5 military
With that in mind, this book isn't about the RAF per se, and having read Vulcan 607 I approached it with some trepidation. It surely couldn't be that good could it? In all honesty, no it isn't. But it's close. Very close.

As others have already mentioned, there are a few oversights and a couple of minor errors and if you're looking for a definitive account, this isn't it. That said, only those who have an intimate knowledge of the conflict and the Harrier will spot those and the truth is that this is as good an account of the Sea Harrier's role in the conflict as anyone will ever need. More importantly, it's a fantastic read. For as with Vulcan 607 (one of the great aviation books in my opinion) it's written in a style that perfectly captures the tension and excitement of the operation as it unfolded.

Brilliant stuff.




]]> 4.47 2020 Harrier 809: Britain’s Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War
author: Rowland White
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/05
date added: 2020/12/05
shelves: military
review:
I should preface this review with a few facts. First, I'm an RAF veteran, second, I was on Ascension Island throughout the conflict and third, up to 1982 I served with the Harrier Force as part of 4 Sqn at RAF Gutersloh. In other words, I have some insight into both the events covered in the book and the world of the Harrier.

With that in mind, this book isn't about the RAF per se, and having read Vulcan 607 I approached it with some trepidation. It surely couldn't be that good could it? In all honesty, no it isn't. But it's close. Very close.

As others have already mentioned, there are a few oversights and a couple of minor errors and if you're looking for a definitive account, this isn't it. That said, only those who have an intimate knowledge of the conflict and the Harrier will spot those and the truth is that this is as good an account of the Sea Harrier's role in the conflict as anyone will ever need. More importantly, it's a fantastic read. For as with Vulcan 607 (one of the great aviation books in my opinion) it's written in a style that perfectly captures the tension and excitement of the operation as it unfolded.

Brilliant stuff.





]]> <![CDATA[The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)]]> 46000520
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?

Alternate cover edition can be found here .]]> 382 Richard Osman Dougie 5
*spolier alert.... *

My one comment -and I say that rather than criticism, and also with my own author's head on- is that I felt the ending was rather lame. It seemed to reach it's conclusion and then simply tail off into almost blandness. I suspect was deliberate as it leaves it open for the inevitable sequel but it did detract from it somewhat. Not enough to knock off a star though! ]]> 3.87 2020 The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)
author: Richard Osman
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/28
date added: 2020/11/28
shelves:
review:
A fabulous book that deserves all the plaudits and awards it's destined to receive. Beautifully written and structured in a way that you very rarely see but which actually makes it all the more intriguing.

*spolier alert.... *

My one comment -and I say that rather than criticism, and also with my own author's head on- is that I felt the ending was rather lame. It seemed to reach it's conclusion and then simply tail off into almost blandness. I suspect was deliberate as it leaves it open for the inevitable sequel but it did detract from it somewhat. Not enough to knock off a star though!
]]> The Liar's Room 37961294 ONE ROOM. TWO LIARS. NO WAY OUT...

Susanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a counsellor and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe.

But everything changes when Adam Geraghty walks into her office. She's never met this young man before - so why does she feel like she knows him?

Then Adam starts to tell her about a girl. A girl he wants to hurt.

And Susanna realises she was wrong.
She doesn't know him.
BUT HE KNOWS HER.
AND THE GIRL HE PLANS TO HURT IS HER DAUGHTER...

The addictive new thriller with an ending you'll never guess, The Liar's Room is perfect for readers of Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door and A J Finn's The Woman in the Window.

SIMON LELIC - THRILLERS TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT:

]]> 331 Simon Lelic Dougie 3 thriller
The problem for me was that it was trying too hard to be clever. That two central characters were overly drawn to the point where they were almost stereotypes but this also meant that they left absolutely nothing to the readers imagination. Instead, it was simply a case of what happens next which, in all honesty, was pretty easy to work out.

Yet worse than that was the ending. Personally, I love a conclusion that includes a twist and as a thriller, this was perfectly set up for one that might well have saved the book. Instead, the whole thing simply faded out into what can only be described as 'and they lived happily ever after.'

It was almost as if the author had realised that they'd reached their contracted word count and had to wrap it up quickly.]]> 3.60 2018 The Liar's Room
author: Simon Lelic
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/20
date added: 2020/10/20
shelves: thriller
review:
Whilst always an interesting premise -a buried past coming back to haunt someone- this is another of those so-called thrillers that promised much but delivered little.

The problem for me was that it was trying too hard to be clever. That two central characters were overly drawn to the point where they were almost stereotypes but this also meant that they left absolutely nothing to the readers imagination. Instead, it was simply a case of what happens next which, in all honesty, was pretty easy to work out.

Yet worse than that was the ending. Personally, I love a conclusion that includes a twist and as a thriller, this was perfectly set up for one that might well have saved the book. Instead, the whole thing simply faded out into what can only be described as 'and they lived happily ever after.'

It was almost as if the author had realised that they'd reached their contracted word count and had to wrap it up quickly.
]]> Football's Black Pioneers 55501479
Other reactions include:

� “The human stories are pretty unbelievable. Really, really fascinating to read.� (Nick Hatton, BBC Radio Leeds)
� “There are always stories that crop up that make you scratch your head
and think, really? Is that what was going on back in the day?� (Jules Bellerby, BBC Radio York)
� “Learn about the unsung black trailblazers of the game. 'Football’s Black Pioneers' profiles the first black player at each of the 92 league clubs.� (Kick it Out)
� “Looks as though 'Football’s Black Pioneers' is going to have a huge impact in bringing to the surface the story of black footballers in the UK.� (Stanchion Books)
� “Highly recommend this� features a chapter on Jack and other great stories, and the authors have been incredibly helpful to the campaign.� (the Jack Leslie Campaign)
� “Your book comes in a timely fashion given everything that’s being discussed. Empire has played a huge role in shaping quite literally the world that we live in but also the country that we live in. I for one think it’s a travesty that it isn’t taught, warts and all, in the school curriculum to help young children understand why the world looks the way that it does and why England and the UK looks the way that it does.� (Gul Nawaz Hussain, BBC Radio Leeds)
� "'Football’s Black Pioneers' book is amazing. Four years of research went into finding the history of every first black player to play for each football league club. This book should be in every school and family home.� (FootballShorts.org)
� "Just got my copy of the book, it’s a great read �. Congratulations, it’s quite an achievement. Great timing too, with the current interest in Black Lives Matter." (Jon Martin, grandson of pioneering footballer, Willie Clarke)

"Writing a book about the first black player at each of the 92 English Football League clubs seemed an ideal way to reflect our shared interests," said David Gleave "What surprised us when we started researching in 2016 was the wide variety of stories we uncovered. There have been black players in the EFL every decade since organised football started, the book therefore covers over 130 years of the black contribution to British society. At a time when racism is on the rise again and there is an ongoing debate about Black Lives Matter, the book seems especially timely, more so than we could have realised when we started our work four years ago."

David has also written a series of books for children and is a member of the Clerkenwell Writers Asylum, contributing short stories to two of their anthologies.]]> 228 David Gleave Dougie 5 football
With meticulously researched sections covering every single professional club, it would be easy to skim over those teams who have little or no interest but not only would be a huge mistake, it would do a disservice to every single player who is featured.

But be under no illusions, in many respects, this is a very tough read and provides some truly horrific examples of the type of thing black players had to confront. Yet in other ways, it is inspirational. Proving as it does, not merely the power of the human spirit but just how far the game has come in the drive to eradicate this cancer from football once and for all.

I don't often use the phrase 'must read' about a football book, but this is a genuine must read. In fact it's more than that, this is a 'you have to' read.

Yes, it's that good.]]> 4.50 Football's Black Pioneers
author: David Gleave
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/13
date added: 2020/10/17
shelves: football
review:
Those of us who have been around a while are well aware of how racism impacted on the game back in the last century but in this book, we read about how it impacted on those individual black players who were the first to represent the respective clubs.

With meticulously researched sections covering every single professional club, it would be easy to skim over those teams who have little or no interest but not only would be a huge mistake, it would do a disservice to every single player who is featured.

But be under no illusions, in many respects, this is a very tough read and provides some truly horrific examples of the type of thing black players had to confront. Yet in other ways, it is inspirational. Proving as it does, not merely the power of the human spirit but just how far the game has come in the drive to eradicate this cancer from football once and for all.

I don't often use the phrase 'must read' about a football book, but this is a genuine must read. In fact it's more than that, this is a 'you have to' read.

Yes, it's that good.
]]> Stolen (Lucy Clayburn, #3) 42959331 ‘A fast-paced, terrifying journey.� RACHEL ABBOTT

‘A born storyteller.� PETER JAMES

The Sunday Times bestseller returns with his latest nail-shredding thriller � a must for all fans of Happy Valley and M.J. Arlidge.

How do you find the missing when there’s no trail to follow?

DC Lucy Clayburn is having a tough time of it. Not only is her estranged father one of the North West’s toughest gangsters, but she is in the midst of one of the biggest police operations of her life.

Members of the public have started to disappear, taken from the streets as they’re going about their every day lives. But no bodies are appearing � it’s almost as if the victims never existed.

Lucy must chase a trail of dead ends and false starts as the disappearances mount up. But when her father gets caught in the crossfire, the investigation suddenly becomes a whole lot more bloody�

The Sunday Times bestseller returns with his latest nail-shredding thriller � a must for all fans of Happy Valley and M.J. Arlidge.

]]> 480 Paul Finch 0008244022 Dougie 1 Paul Finch and I started it with high hopes having seen some of the reviews. However, whilst it started off well, it soon sunk into contrived nonsense.

*spolier alerts....*

The opening was decent enough with our central character busting a dog fighting ring (although a DC having amount of power she seems to have was a bit of a stretch) but it soon started to falter when it was revealed that our copper was secretly the estranged daughter of a high profile gangster. A gangster who suddenly wants to rekindle a relationship with her mother. A mother who is of course, a stunning woman who looks ten years younger than she is.

It then moved into even more ludicrous territory with a chapter about 'The Crew'. An organised crime syndicate which was little more than a comic book rip-off of The Soprano's inhabited by a variety of criminal characters the likes of which you'd expect to find in an episode of The Sweeney from the 1980's. The enforcer, the pimp... etc, etc.

It was at this point that I pretty much gave up with it. I did spend half an hour flicking through later pages just make sure I hadn't over reacted but all that did was confirm my initial opinion and so it went in the charity shop pile.

I'll be glad to have it out of the house.]]> 3.99 2019 Stolen (Lucy Clayburn, #3)
author: Paul Finch
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2020/10/04
date added: 2020/10/05
shelves:
review:
This was my first book by Paul Finch and I started it with high hopes having seen some of the reviews. However, whilst it started off well, it soon sunk into contrived nonsense.

*spolier alerts....*

The opening was decent enough with our central character busting a dog fighting ring (although a DC having amount of power she seems to have was a bit of a stretch) but it soon started to falter when it was revealed that our copper was secretly the estranged daughter of a high profile gangster. A gangster who suddenly wants to rekindle a relationship with her mother. A mother who is of course, a stunning woman who looks ten years younger than she is.

It then moved into even more ludicrous territory with a chapter about 'The Crew'. An organised crime syndicate which was little more than a comic book rip-off of The Soprano's inhabited by a variety of criminal characters the likes of which you'd expect to find in an episode of The Sweeney from the 1980's. The enforcer, the pimp... etc, etc.

It was at this point that I pretty much gave up with it. I did spend half an hour flicking through later pages just make sure I hadn't over reacted but all that did was confirm my initial opinion and so it went in the charity shop pile.

I'll be glad to have it out of the house.
]]> In The Know 50711982
It’s been over a decade since gang leader Billy Evans stepped away from his life on the wrong side of the law to mourn the murder of his beloved wife.

Yet when he is hit by a second tragedy, his first thoughts are not of more loss, but of revenge. Violent, bloody revenge.

However, even before he can make his first move, Billy is presented with an alternative method of extracting vengeance. One so intriguing that he quickly finds his past passion for organised violence reinvigorated.

And as Britain heads toward a future defined by Brexit and the political right wing, he realises that he’s stumbled upon the opportunity he’s been waiting for. The chance to wield genuine power within the very establishment he's fought his entire life.

The only question is, will he be allowed to survive long enough to grab it.]]> 304 Dougie Brimson Dougie 5 3.81 2020 In The Know
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/06/10
shelves: wrote, sports-books, sport-fiction, soccer, football, guy-lit, thriller, vigilante, political-thriller
review:

]]> In the Know 50711975
From the writer of the cult hooligan film, Green Street and the best-selling thrillers The Crew and Top Dog comes the third and most explosive book yet in the most successful hooligan thriller series ever written.

It’s been over a decade since gang leader Billy Evans stepped away from his life on the wrong side of the law to mourn the murder of his beloved wife.

Yet when he is hit by a second tragedy, his first thoughts are not of more loss, but of revenge. Violent, bloody revenge.

However, even before he can make his first move, Billy is presented with an alternative method of extracting vengeance. One so intriguing that he quickly finds his past passion for organised violence reinvigorated.

And as Britain heads toward a future defined by Brexit and the political right wing, he realises that he’s stumbled upon the opportunity he’s been waiting for. The chance to wield genuine power within the very establishment he's fought his entire life.

The only question is, will he be allowed to survive long enough to grab it.]]> 265 Dougie Brimson 1913200086 Dougie 5 4.83 2020 In the Know
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.83
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/06/10
shelves: football, soccer, sport-fiction, top-football-literature, wrote, vigilante, thriller, political-thriller
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Beshenaya armiya. Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya]]> 43843751 304 Brimson Dugi 5367010784 Dougie 5 5.00 Beshenaya armiya. Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya
author: Brimson Dugi
name: Dougie
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/04/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Beshenaya armiya: Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya]]> 43843752 0 Brimson Dugi 5367002587 Dougie 5 5.00 Beshenaya armiya: Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya
author: Brimson Dugi
name: Dougie
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/04/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Beshenaya armiya: Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya]]> 43843753 0 Brimson Dugi 5483000862 Dougie 5 5.00 Beshenaya armiya: Oblik futbolnogo nasiliya
author: Brimson Dugi
name: Dougie
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/04/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Keeping Watch: A WAAF in Bomber Command]]> 543875 192 Pip Beck 0907579388 Dougie 5 4.32 2005 Keeping Watch: A WAAF in Bomber Command
author: Pip Beck
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/02/14
shelves:
review:
A fantastic book and a truly wonderful read although I am biased, Pip Beck was my auntie.
]]> Waaf in Bomber Command 7864217 176 Pip Beck 0907579124 Dougie 5 3.83 1995 Waaf in Bomber Command
author: Pip Beck
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/10/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Goodnight, and Thanks for the Vodka]]> 28102262
In Harpie’s wacky, psycho, screwball, demented book she bares her soul, revealing her innermost thoughts, slashing a metaphoric vein and bleeding onto the page

Harpie’s deepest and most intimate feelings gush from her, revealing anxieties ranging from her feelings for her mother, who died in tragic and suspicious circumstances, to her resentment towards her father. And then there were others who abused her physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually. All this is tied up and interwoven with her love of her young son, Mike.

Harpie has memories buried deep in shadowy parts of her subconscious that she’s never been able to reach. They include the mystery surrounding her mother’s murder. With the help of a clinical psychologist and regressive hypnotism, she revisits the past as she dips in and out of Now and Then.

In 'Vodka' Harpie uncovers the missing parts her lost childhood.

More than a modern-day and quirky diary, this is the story of one woman’s life in a typical English small town, encompassing the characters, texture and mentality of everyday living, told with brutal and shameless honesty while all the while cross-threading with a struggle for survival and acceptance.

This is no jump on the bandwagon 'pity me' story, as the vein of humour running through every chapter is testament. Harpie’s goal in writing ‘Vodka� is to prove to the cynics that it can be done. She can write her truth and miss nothing out � heart attacks, miscarriages, beatings, blood gushing, sex, poverty, mayhem, men and vodka - and always with that beautiful self-deprecating sense of humour common to the British.

After suffering a miscarriage, followed by a heart attack and having stopped breathing in intensive care she signs herself out of the hospital, clothing caked in dried blood, because there’s nobody at home to see to the animals. The following day Harpie berates herself for just sitting about moping all day on the sofa, so scrubs herself up and goes down the pub. The next day she walks four miles to the hospital to pick her car up, reasoning that “the walk might do me some good.� You can’t help but admire and applaud her efforts to keep her life on track, staying in work and as a single mum ensuring her child has a safe home life.

This book began as a social experiment in honesty after a debate among authors about how honest it's possible to be. Harpie set out to prove that everything can be written, the good, the bad and the shameful. There is nowhere that this woman won’t go. If there’s a line to cross, Harpie will stick out her chest and limbo under it, jump over it or dance through it with a glass of vodka in her hand while never spilling a drop.

This is a book of raw emotion �. And it bleeds

KW
]]> Harpie 131187996X Dougie 0 to-read 4.43 2015 Goodnight, and Thanks for the Vodka
author: Harpie
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2018/08/10
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]]> <![CDATA[The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry]]> 12391521
The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey through the minds of madness. Jon Ronson's exploration of a potential hoax being played on the world's top neurologists takes him, unexpectedly, into the heart of the madness industry. An influential psychologist who is convinced that many important CEOs and politicians are, in fact, psychopaths teaches Ronson how to spot these high-flying individuals by looking out for little telltale verbal and nonverbal clues. And so Ronson, armed with his new psychopath-spotting abilities, enters the corridors of power. He spends time with a death-squad leader institutionalized for mortgage fraud in Coxsackie, New York; a legendary CEO whose psychopathy has been speculated about in the press; and a patient in an asylum for the criminally insane who insists he's sane and certainly not a psychopath.

Ronson not only solves the mystery of the hoax but also discovers, disturbingly, that sometimes the personalities at the helm of the madness industry are, with their drives and obsessions, as mad in their own way as those they study. And that relatively ordinary people are, more and more, defined by their maddest edges.]]> 275 Jon Ronson 1594485755 Dougie 0 currently-reading 3.97 2011 The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
author: Jon Ronson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/08/07
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]]> Derby Days (Hooligan #4) 19170024
The Games we Love to Hate

The local derby isn't just about football, it's about pride, and being able to hold your head up when you go to work on Monday morning, and knowing your lads are better than the other lot. Sadly, the opposite can also be true. The scum up the road can ruin your entire season in ninety gut-wrenching minutes. However, what happens on the pitch is only half the story�

From Britain's most authoritative writers on football hooliganism comes a fascinating examination of the passions and emotions that are an integral part of the local derby. Derby Days takes a frank but often humorous look at why these games are so important to supporters and examines the lengths to which many will go to put one over their local rivals.]]> 216 Dougie Brimson Dougie 0 to-read 4.17 1998 Derby Days (Hooligan #4)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Manchester United Ruined My Life]]> 544523 310 Colin Shindler 0747259836 Dougie 0 to-read 3.60 1998 Manchester United Ruined My Life
author: Colin Shindler
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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]]> The Glory Game 1102037
Author Hunter Davies was allowed unparalleled access to the inner sanctum of a top professional soccer team, the Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs), and his pen spared nothing and no one.

This 30th-anniversary edition will appeal to new and enthusiastic audiences.]]> 376 Hunter Davies 1840182423 Dougie 0 to-read 4.22 1972 The Glory Game
author: Hunter Davies
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1972
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Promised Land: A Northern Love Story]]> 12392152

From the Hardcover edition.]]> 290 Anthony Clavane 0224082647 Dougie 0 to-read 4.23 2011 Promised Land: A Northern Love Story
author: Anthony Clavane
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The World is a Ball: The Joy, Madness and Meaning of Soccer]]> 8105522 Globe and Mail columnist John Doyle explores the international phenomenon of soccer

In A Great Feast of Light, John Doyle viewed his childhood in Ireland through the television screen. Now, he turns his eye to the most popular sport on the planet: soccer. It's a journey that begins with the first game John saw, in 1960s-era Ireland, through soccer in the 21st century - the World Cups in 02, 06, and 10, the European Championships in 04 and 08. In between the drunken fans, crazed taxi drivers, leprechauns and lederhosen, Doyle muses on the evolution of soccer as a global phenomenon. He shows a sport where for 90 minutes on the pitch anything seems possible. A game where colonized nations can tackle the power of their colonizers; where oppressed immigrant groups can thoroughly trounce their host countries. This book examines soccer from a new angle. John Doyle offers a compelling social history of the ultimate sport, each country and team competing in the historic 2010 World Cup, and how the game has kept pace as the global village has sprung up around the playing field.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 416 John Doyle 0385664982 Dougie 0 to-read 3.85 2010 The World is a Ball: The Joy, Madness and Meaning of Soccer
author: John Doyle
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[This Love Is Not For Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juárez]]> 12159292 272 Robert Andrew Powell 1608197166 Dougie 0 to-read 4.17 2012 This Love Is Not For Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juárez
author: Robert Andrew Powell
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Self-Publishing In the Eye of the Storm]]> 25236500

A MUST BUY for all self-published authors, writers, scribblers, bloggers, song-writers and spin-doctors

The moment you click ‘Save and Publish� you’re no longer on your own. You are now connected to a huge network of hundreds of thousands of fellow writers, and that feels both scary and exciting. By definition writing is a solitary profession. Writers need peace and quiet to gather their thoughts, to research, to dig deep into their subconscious for ideas. Marketers on the other hand need people, and the majority of authors are pretty poor at marketing and have absolutely no interest in it

So I’ve put this book together with the assistance of a number of fellow authors who’ve all contributed a piece or two. My objectives with this book are a) to demonstrate to those just about to publish their first book the amount of work they should expect to put in afterwards, b) to perhaps offer direction, to advise on what works and what doesn’t, and, I guess c) to establish for the reader just how hard authors have to graft to promote their work, which is why I’ve included pieces from various authors, who all deserve my recognition and gratitude for demonstrating their often contradictory points of view. What worked for some, bombed when fellow authors tried the same tack, so it’s crucial that I’m true to myself and present the Indie industry in a genuinely transparent form.

Thanks to these fellow authors - who’ve contributed a full 28% between them - the reader will find a variety of opposing viewpoints, conflicting assessments and impressions of the industry, and differing outlooks and perspectives. The reader will also discover that a number of authors share identical points of experiences and viewpoints.

Special thanks to all contributors, but especially Harpie for baring her soul in sharing excerpts from her wacky, psycho, screwball, demented diaries with us. You’ll be hearing a lot more from Harpie in the future.

WARNING: Writers can often be a precious breed of born-again goody-goodies. Me? I never ask anyone to like him. I never pretend to be anything that I’m not. I’m a handful and I know it. I’m strong-willed, a bit outspoken and I write exactly what I’m thinking. If strong language offends or you have an aversion to self-deprecating, piss-taking humour then please DO NOT buy this book, because I use these methods of bringing to light situations that just don't stack up. I truly believe that serious issues can be approached with humour, but I understand not everyone feels the same.

So what, or specifically who, is the Storm that the title refers to? I’ll tell you. The Storm refers to a group of people who have no issue whatsoever with an artist hiring out a gallery and displaying his paintings. They don’t mind if a chef opens a new restaurant by inviting local residents to an opening night special, or a beautician promotes her services with the use of posters and referral specials for nails, waxing or sun beds. They don’t even mind a scuba diving club offering come-and-try-it sessions. And they certainly don’t object to a local swing band or orchestra advertising an upcoming concert. They don’t even mind their friends trying out a recently acquired capacity for wine-making on them.

BUT, if a hard-working author does similar, if he/she promotes the book they’ve slaved over for the last year, this relentless and insidious enemy of all honest scribblers will have that poor author in their crosshairs in a New York heartbeat.

If you’re the Storm, you’ll recognise yourself here.]]> 335 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.63 2015 Self-Publishing In the Eye of the Storm
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> Nobody Asked Me, But .... 29760928
So much so in fact that people used to say, "You should write a book."

My diatribes in my blogs and newspaper columns are simply my way of spinning the balls, because sometimes I like to see what number they land on. That’s all.

But although I’m known mostly as a raconteur - and most of my books can be described as coming from the humourist vein � in ‘Nobody Asked Me� I touch on some subjects that are surely going to upset a few people.

I’ve never quite understood the politically correct brigade. Hardly any subject is taboo to the Englishman when he’s laughing. No longer simply a fad, blogging is now an important new literary innovation. This book is not a story, and if you’re looking for a book that is all sweetness and light, please give this one a miss. It’s not for you. I won’t be offended and I honestly wish you a great life. If everyone likes me, then I’m not being controversial enough � and trust me when I say that in this book I get controversial.

Oh, don’t worry; the humour that my fans seem to enjoy so much is still there, but right now the planet’s spinning in new and scary directions, and this needs to be addressed. So inside the covers of this book I take a look at some of the challenges we’re currently facing. And some of my opinions are going to rattle a few people.

So is a comedy writer honestly the best one to challenge some of the perceptions we’re facing nowadays? Well, I’ve always believed that if you can make people laugh then they tend to listen to what you say when you’re serious. And my goal, my life’s ambition if you like, is to give direction to comedy, purpose to satire.

So why the rabbit popping out of a tin of soup on the cover. Well ‘Rabbit & Pork� is Cockney rhyming slang for Talk, and on more than one occasion I’ve been accused of rabbiting away excessively � mostly at parties, and generally by my wife.

But why a tin of soup? Well I tend to believe that everyone is born perfect. Nobody is born with an inherent capacity to hate. It has to be taught. All of our experiences � family, school, work, the books we read, the newspapers we peruse, the music we listen to, our friends, our social life, the opinions of those around us, religion, sports we play or watch, those we love and those who love us, those we desire and those who desire us, those we travel with, our hopes and dreams and ambitions and achievements, our triumphs and disasters - go into a metaphorical cooking pot that we carry with us throughout our lives.

All these ‘ingredients� make up our Soup of Life.

Now, when making a soup, once you’ve added an ingredient, it’s forever blended in and you can’t take it out again. You add a sprinkling of finely chopped garnish; cumin or oregano, and you can never take that ingredient out again. Never, ever, ever.
So say at the age of six you add black pepper or rosemary or hatred or love or comedy, from then onwards it’ll always be part and parcel of your ‘soup.� And as you add more ingredients the ‘recipe� of your life evolves, and before you know it you can’t taste the coriander or the love any more, but it’s still there at a deep subliminal level. Remember that.

Some people may not add hatred until they’re in their twenties, and most of us never add it at all.]]> 274 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.13 2016 Nobody Asked Me, But ....
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> The Opening Line 18915651
I’m absolutely convinced that The Opening Line of a book or short story (or song or newspaper article or business report or whatever) is possibly the most important line �.. and thus the hardest to write.

So I’ve researched the Opening Lines of almost 200 books, finishing with the classics. Some are pure poetry, drawing the reader in, enticing him to read the next line and to keep turning the page. Others are absolutely terrible and appear to be nothing more than a cop-out.

Anyone charging good money for 11,000 words may well be ripping people off, but just take a look at the price above, it's less than a quid!

What do you have to lose?]]> 59 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.47 2013 The Opening Line
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2013
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> <![CDATA[You Really Are Full of Shit, Aren't You?]]> 24283871
In America they’re called Advice Columnists, in England Agony Aunts. Well Karl Wiggins is an Agony Uncle who takes no crap

Everyone has read these columns in the dentist waiting room, and I have to agree with Karl in that the majority of Agony Aunts or Advice Columnists are without exception patronising, condescending and pretentious, providing the same type of namby-pamby, wishy-washy band-aid solution for just about every dilemma; “I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through, but you know life is full of ups and downs, I’m sure if you give it time …�.� In short, they are no help whatsoever.

Not so Wiggins, for he has the Heaven-sent ability of being able to get right to the nitty-gritty in just a few sentences. His answers, however, are more often than not roll-on-the-floor hilarious.

Karl makes it absolutely clear that he’s no marriage guidance counsellor, psychotherapist, priest or vegetarian, but his adequacy to hand out solid advice is confirmed as soon as you start reading this book.

His advice is delivered in a humorous, occasionally impassioned and exasperated, yet always intuitive manner. Karl speaks from the heart and never, ever evades the issue. If you’re looking to read one of those family therapy books where the advisor hems and haws, and sits on the fence and tap-dances around the issue then stop right now. This is not the book for you.

But if you’re searching for straight-talking guidance on dating, marriage, cohabitation, divorce, sensuality, lust, and sexual urges then look no further. This is the book you’re after

Karl Wiggins does not tread warily around any issue whatsoever � racism, under-age sex, religious extremism, sexual violence. And he does not mince his words; Just the opposite in fact. I’ve known Karl for several years and I’ll tell you he dances towards trouble with a huge grin on his face, which is why I call him the Rascal-Sage. He is in truth a laughing, joking Shaman. The court jester but with all the respect of a sorcerer, for there’s always an element of danger lurking about beneath the surface of his smile, and when he’s angry he is truly a site to behold (Maybe that’s what attracts the reader).

Karl, thank you for being you, for not judging me, for seeing me as I truly am and for allowing me the honour of writing the forward to this book for you. But remember I’ve read the book and you are so naughty �. I’m going to pray for you.

Yvette]]> 263 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.28 2015 You Really Are Full of Shit, Aren't You?
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> Words are our Sorcery 21911024
You know those �.. drifting kinds of thoughts? When it’s easy to believe that someone else is dreaming you? Well that’s Trance Poetry.

The purpose of the poems in this book are to try and show how words alone can lift you up and take you places, how they can enchant and bewitch, creating the illusion that just for a few minutes everything’s alright with the world.

When I started to write poetry I searched around for subject matter, and chose colour. Not yellow, red and blue, but Paprika, Jet, Ochre, Huckleberry Blue, Fiesta etc. and went inside trying to see where that ‘colour� would take me. From this I created a series of poems which I entitled Colour-oetry, and I’ve included these here as well.

Only half of this book is poetry, well 56% to be precise. A while ago I took an interest in the parallel lives of the chef and the writer. How the chef creates his magic in the chaotic environment of the kitchen compares well with how the writer creates his hocus-pocus in the peace and quiet of his study. A chef’s wizardry is in his ingredients, whilst a writer’s sorcery is in his words. So I wrote a few chapters on food, following it all over the world at one stage, attempting to paint pictures with my words. But I also focused on the 'writer,' comparing him or her not only to the chef but also to other master tradesmen, even a bricklayer at one stage.

Deep down this is the purpose of this book, to discuss the art of the writer and the sorcery in his words. Whether I’ve succeeded or not, only the reader can tell.

I’ve finished the book with three chapters on parenting experiences. True stories actually. My goal here is to use the writer’s sorcery to establish emotion and hopefully leave you with a lump in your throat.

I hope you enjoy reading this, because I loved writing it!]]> 91 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.54 2014 Words are our Sorcery
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> Dogshit Saved My Life 23000635

Hardly any subject is taboo to the Englishman when he’s laughing, and this often seems insensitive to other cultures, but the bedrock of the British sense of humour is a strong sense of sarcasm and self-deprecation. The British can be very passionate � and if you doubt that try going to a football match - but that passion is often hidden deep in our humour so that other nationals fail to not only recognise the deadpan delivery and are never too sure if they’ve been involved in a serious conversation or just a little bit of friendly banter. Having said that my style of writing is now appealing more and more to the American market.

This book is not a novel, and if you’re looking for a book that is all sweetness and light, please give this one a miss. It’s not for you. I won’t be offended and I honestly wish you a great life. If everyone likes me, then I’m not being controversial enough.

If you’re looking for Humorous books about Life, Comedy Writing or even Humorous Books for Adults then take a chance on this book

If a chapter doesn’t suit, just move on.]]> 154 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.21 2014 Dogshit Saved My Life
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/07/22
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]]> Calico Jack in your Garden 21222015
“Anyone who is a bit saucy, very fond of boobies and doesn't mind peeing slightly when they laugh too hard, this is the book for you!� “I have to admit that I wet myself twice while reading it but this may in part have been due to my age and a couple of bottles of a fine St. Emilion,� “Due to the laughter you owe my secretary one clean pair of knickers.�

Two reviewers have even suggested I should tour as a stand-up comedian;

“I found myself laughing out-loud and even sharing segments with my spouse �.. I think Karl could tour as a stand-up comedian,� “Mr Wiggins has views on life that are expressed in a manner worthy of any stand-up comedian.�

So my scribblings do seem to raise a smile and a chuckle, and either way you look at it, that has to be a good thing.

“I got kicked out of bed TWICE for laughing so hard. This is, by far, one of the funniest books I've yet read�

“JFC!!!! This is soooo hilarious�

“I have never, ever read a book that caught me so unawares and made me laugh so much as Calico Jack. I laughed and laughed so much on the train home that I had to stop reading it. He is capable of making the reader cry with laughter�

“There were times when I had to set the Kindle down and just laugh out loud. Some of Mr Wiggins' thoughts are just hilarious�

Whilst it’s evident that a number of people love my writing - I've even been told by some that they settle themselves with a cup of coffee before reading my blogs, Newspaper columns or Facebook posts - I'm very much aware that I have an inappropriate sense of humour that isn’t to everyone’s taste. In short, not everyone ‘gets� me.

Hardly any subject is taboo to the Englishman when he’s laughing, and this often seems insensitive to other cultures, but the bedrock of the British sense of humour is a strong sense of sarcasm and self-deprecation. The British can be very passionate � and if you doubt that try going to a football match - but that passion is often hidden deep in our humour so that other nationals fail to not only recognise the deadpan delivery but are never too sure if they’ve been involved in a serious conversation or just a little bit of friendly banter. Having said that my style of writing is now appealing more and more to the American market.

No longer simply a fad, blogging is now an important new literary innovation. This book is not a story, and if you’re looking for a book that is all sweetness and light, please give this one a miss. It’s not for you. I won’t be offended and I honestly wish you a great life. If everyone likes me, then I’m not being controversial enough.

If you’re looking for Humorous books about Life, Comedy Writing or even Humorous Books for Adults then take a chance on this book;

I’ve been told I write with an “easy-going style and a zest for living that is infectious.� I’m not so sure about that, but I have an opinion on a range of hot issues, although you don’t have to agree with all my views to enjoy the ride. Other comments on my writing style warn that I "talk to the reader with all the confidence of a man in touch with his own reality, in a voice which is seasoned with a hint of world weariness that is so telling of a writer who has written what he knows and written it with disarming fearlessness." And that I guess is true.

I can be a handful at times and I know it. I’m strong-willed, a bit outspoken and I write exactly what I’m thinking. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but this is a book you can dip in and out of whenever the mood takes you. I hope you enjoy!]]> 296 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.23 2013 Calico Jack in your Garden
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2013
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]]> <![CDATA[Grit: The Banter and Brutality of the Late-Night Cab]]> 18461055
Enter the ludicrous, humorous and sometimes violent world of the London cab driver; You never know what to expect, and during my years driving cabs I got myself into some scrapes.

Luckily I’ve met and befriended many characters along the way, and their stories deserve to be told.

In the last third of the book, I recall my time spent driving cab in the projects of Watts, Los Angeles, home of the infamous Bloods & Crips, during the early 80’s. I’ve intended to paint an ominous picture of a community destroyed by drugs, guns and violence. You’ll almost smell the omnipresent whiff of cheap wine, and feel the dirty lino under your feet.

Read the true life adventures of an English lad as he struggles to make a living amongst ‘gangstas� who are arguably the most violent in the United States.

For anyone who has puked in the back of a cab, then argued over the fare at 3am, this book is your driver’s revenge. I’ve done my best to create a ‘living poem� that is by turns thoughtful and brutal, but very funny.

People have always told me I’m a natural storyteller, but like every good cab driver I have an opinion on a range of hot issues, from the congestion charge to Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam.

You’ll be able to hear my characters, see them and, in some instances, actually smell them. They’ll leave their stain on you. You may well be able to relate to guys who used their fists and their wits, you may laugh at their humour and get their jokes, but it’ll be the thugs with guns and no soul who will unsettle you. I want you to be scared of them.]]> 49 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 3.76 2004 Grit: The Banter and Brutality of the Late-Night Cab
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2004
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Shit my History Teacher DID NOT tell me!]]> 21015194
So what’s it all about then? History, that’s what. “Errgghhh boring boring bollocks boring, I had enough of that crap when I was at school. History just went on and on and on and on and on �.. and on and on. Nothing different ever happened.�

Well that’s where you’re wrong, because I’m going to bring it alive. Not all history books, or even books about teaching history, have to be tedious. I’ve looked under every rock, in every nook and cranny. I’ve searched all over the place and dug up some really interesting little titbits. Stuff not a lot of people know.

So stay with me on this one. I’ve chosen to look at past events from the birth of the planet to the birth of Christ. That’s enough for one book, isn’t it? Well, not really, because I’ve gone off track a little bit from time to time, but I do tend to do that so don’t worry about it.

If you’ve got a teenager who’s studying the history of this period, download a copy for them now because it’s all laid out nice and clear. But let me warn you, I have in the past been accused of having an inappropriate sense of humour, so if you want a little bit of a chuckle watching me make fun out of everyone I meet down the years, then this is the book for you - and if your offspring is in their early teens then it probably isn’t the book for them.

As I say, I do tend to stray into the modern day from time to time to bring things into focus, but I promise you this book will surprise you, inform you, keep you interested and put a smile on your face from time to time.

I discuss philosophers and philosophy a lot, including ancient Greek philosophers, Chinese beliefs and philosophy from around the world, but if you think it’s all Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, there’s a lot more here to be discovered. You’ll be surprised, for instance, at the similarities between the Celts and the Native Americans. The Rosicrucians will fascinate you, as will some of the secrets held by Alexander the Great!

It’s high time we had some history books for adults!]]> 227 Karl Wiggins Dougie 0 to-read 4.15 2014 Shit my History Teacher DID NOT tell me!
author: Karl Wiggins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Kicking Off: Why hooliganism and racism are killing football]]> 19475852
If the media and police are to be believed, the battle to defeat the hooligans has been all but won. But in KICKING OFF Brimson points out that the reality is somewhat different and paints a disturbing picture of what lies ahead for the game if the culture of hate, racism and violence remains unchecked.]]> 256 Dougie Brimson 1908400064 Dougie 5 wrote 3.79 Kicking Off: Why hooliganism and racism are killing football
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.79
book published:
rating: 5
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shelves: wrote
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]]> <![CDATA[Capital Punishment (Hooligan #3)]]> 19170018
London’s violent football following

London is home to some of British football’s most notorious hooligans. However, the history of such infamous ‘firms� as the ICF, the Headhunters and the Bushwhackers has never been fully documented... until now.

From the authors of the bestselling Everywhere We Go and England, My England comes a remarkable and frank examination of football violence involving the supporters of clubs from the capital. They explain not only how these groups have gained and maintained their reputations, but also why hooligans from other parts of the country see a trip to London as their biggest challenge, and how the system of public transport opens up opportunities for those who wish to fight.

Each of the major clubs is studied to assess why some seem to attract a more violent following than others and to explain how different inter-club and inter-regional rivalries have evolved. Capital Punishment is an eye-opening study of a problem that refuses to go away.]]> 222 Dougie Brimson Dougie 5 3.94 2011 Capital Punishment (Hooligan #3)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2011
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Rebellion: The Growth of Football's Protest Movement]]> 11480581 288 Dougie Brimson 1844542882 Dougie 5 4.20 Rebellion: The Growth of Football's Protest Movement
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 5
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date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, football, soccer, sports-books, sport-non-ficton
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]]> <![CDATA[The Art of Fart: The Joy of Flatulence!]]> 13243541 88 Dougie Brimson 1908886080 Dougie 5 wrote

It is the most natural of bodily functions. For most men simply doing it will provide a sense of self-worth whilst as a comedy tool it is virtually unrivalled. Yet the majority of women regard it with disgust and despise the fact that we men laugh at it (even though they do it just as much as we do).

It is, of course, farting.

In THE ART OF FART, bestselling author and eminent Fartologist, Dougie Brimson, explores the issue of flatulence in all its varied and pungent detail. From the simple basic science of why we do it at all right through to the issue of ‘stealth farting� and all points in between, no gruff related subject remains unexplored in what is quite possibly the most politically incorrect book of 2011 (and maybe even 2012)!

Available to download for just £1.71 from Amazon and all online retailers from Monday 19th December 2011.

Further details at:
]]> 4.46 The Art of Fart: The Joy of Flatulence!
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.46
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2011/12/15
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:
My very first eBook exclusive! Very exciting!


It is the most natural of bodily functions. For most men simply doing it will provide a sense of self-worth whilst as a comedy tool it is virtually unrivalled. Yet the majority of women regard it with disgust and despise the fact that we men laugh at it (even though they do it just as much as we do).

It is, of course, farting.

In THE ART OF FART, bestselling author and eminent Fartologist, Dougie Brimson, explores the issue of flatulence in all its varied and pungent detail. From the simple basic science of why we do it at all right through to the issue of ‘stealth farting� and all points in between, no gruff related subject remains unexplored in what is quite possibly the most politically incorrect book of 2011 (and maybe even 2012)!

Available to download for just £1.71 from Amazon and all online retailers from Monday 19th December 2011.

Further details at:

]]> <![CDATA[Kicking Off: Why hooliganism and racism are killing football]]> 12293324
If the media and police are to be believed, the battle to defeat the hooligans has been all but won. But in KICKING OFF Brimson points out that the reality is somewhat different and paints a disturbing picture of what lies ahead for the game if the culture of hate, racism and violence remains unchecked.]]> 256 Dougie Brimson 0755314360 Dougie 0 3.00 Kicking Off: Why hooliganism and racism are killing football
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, football, soccer, sport-non-ficton, sports-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[England, My England (Hooligan #2)]]> 2435734 277 Dougie Brimson 0747255083 Dougie 5 3.29 England, My England (Hooligan #2)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.29
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sports-books
review:

]]> Wings of a Sparrow 16190473
However, even as Rob is struggling to come to terms with these two bombshells, he is hit with another. For the estate contains ownership of an almost bankrupt professional football club. And the terms of the will are such that Rob will only receive his inheritance if he takes over the running of the club and manages to keep them going for the coming season. The problem is, the club concerned are the local and very bitter rivals of the club Rob and his family have passionately supported all their lives.

But after wrestling with his conscience, and driven by his wife’s desire for instant wealth, he accepts the challenge with a promise to the United faithful that he will do whatever he can to ensure that whilst his new club might survive, its supporters are about to experience the most depressing season in their history!

And so, in the full glare of the media spotlight, he sets out to do what most football fans could only ever dream about; humiliate their local rivals.

The trouble is, it just doesn’t work out like that!]]> 249 Dougie Brimson 1909270903 Dougie 5 4.14 Wings of a Sparrow
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.14
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sports-books, football, soccer, sport-fiction, humour, humor, guy-lit, top-football-literature
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eurotrashed: The Rise and Rise of Europe's Football Hooligans]]> 12096174
Bestselling author and world-renowned hooliganism expert Dougie Brimson has spoken to experts, journalists and even hooligans themselves to examine the truth behind the spread of football violence across Europe. In Eurotrashed he paints a disturbing picture of just how deeply entrenched in the fabric of European football the culture of hooliganism has become.]]> 331 Dougie Brimson 190840020X Dougie 5 wrote 3.40 Eurotrashed: The Rise and Rise of Europe's Football Hooligans
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eurotrashed : The Rise and Rise of Europe's Football Hooligans]]> 3374236
Bestselling author and world-renowned hooliganism expert Dougie Brimson has spoken to experts, journalists and even hooligans themselves to examine the truth behind the spread of football violence across Europe. In EUROTRASHED he paints a disturbing picture of just how deeply entrenched in the fabric of European football the culture of hooliganism has become.]]> 306 Dougie Brimson 0755311108 Dougie 5 3.43 Eurotrashed : The Rise and Rise of Europe's Football Hooligans
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.43
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sports-books
review:

]]> March of the Hooligans 2187722 224 Dougie Brimson 0753512939 Dougie 5 3.53 March of the Hooligans
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.53
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sports-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Capital Punishment (Hooligan #3)]]> 1890953 247 Dougie Brimson 0747257132 Dougie 5 3.28 2011 Capital Punishment (Hooligan #3)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.28
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sports-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Geezers' Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels]]> 8291572 Total Football

‘Like Fever Pitch with Dr Martens on...�
Four-Four-Two

‘Hilarious... any real football fans out there must have it in their collection�
Hull Daily Mail

From Dougie Brimson, one of the most controversial football writers in Britain, comes the first in-depth examination of the most misunderstood group of individuals ever grace the nation’s football grounds�

Football isn't all about players, tactics or even satellite telly. It's about a culture. A culture born out of the obsession, fanaticism and humour that is football fandom. The ultimate product of that culture is the Geezer. The sexist, elitist and abusive yob who, clad in his designer clothes, follows his chosen team week in, week out. Every club has them in their hundreds, but who or what are they? And just why do they do what they do?

Contents:
Part One - The Introduction
1 - What Is a Geezer?
2 - Why Football?
3 - Choosing your Club
4 - What to Wear
Part Two - Match Days
5 - Down the Pub
6 - Outside the Ground
7 - Other Fans
8 - Getting in and to your Seat
9 - The Game
Part Three - On the Road
10 - Travelling Away
11 - Stopping
12 - Arriving
13 - The Away Game
14 - Getting Home
Part Four - The Bad Lads
15 - The Hooligans
Part Five -Travelling Abroad
16 - Over Land and Sea
17 - The National Sides
Part Six - Warning!
18 - The Drawbacks
19 - The Future
Part Seven - The Performance
Annex A - The Songs
Annex B - The Gestures Glossary
]]> 223 Dougie Brimson 1840181141 Dougie 0 wrote 3.00 The Geezers' Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Geezer's Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels]]> 11942305 Total Football

‘Like Fever Pitch with Dr Martens on...�
Four-Four-Two

‘Hilarious... any real football fans out there must have it in their collection�
Hull Daily Mail

From Dougie Brimson, one of the most controversial football writers in Britain, comes the first in-depth examination of the most misunderstood group of individuals ever grace the nation’s football grounds�

Football isn't all about players, tactics or even satellite telly. It's about a culture. A culture born out of the obsession, fanaticism and humour that is football fandom. The ultimate product of that culture is the Geezer. The sexist, elitist and abusive yob who, clad in his designer clothes, follows his chosen team week in, week out. Every club has them in their hundreds, but who or what are they? And just why do they do what they do?

Contents:
Part One - The Introduction
1 - What Is a Geezer?
2 - Why Football?
3 - Choosing your Club
4 - What to Wear
Part Two - Match Days
5 - Down the Pub
6 - Outside the Ground
7 - Other Fans
8 - Getting in and to your Seat
9 - The Game
Part Three - On the Road
10 - Travelling Away
11 - Stopping
12 - Arriving
13 - The Away Game
14 - Getting Home
Part Four - The Bad Lads
15 - The Hooligans
Part Five -Travelling Abroad
16 - Over Land and Sea
17 - The National Sides
Part Six - Warning!
18 - The Drawbacks
19 - The Future
Part Seven - The Performance
Annex A - The Songs
Annex B - The Gestures Glossary
]]> 228 Dougie Brimson 0956722199 Dougie 0 wrote 3.50 Geezer's Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Geezer's Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels]]> 1890434 Total Football

‘Like Fever Pitch with Dr Martens on...�
Four-Four-Two

‘Hilarious... any real football fans out there must have it in their collection�
Hull Daily Mail

From Dougie Brimson, one of the most controversial football writers in Britain, comes the first in-depth examination of the most misunderstood group of individuals ever grace the nation’s football grounds�

Football isn't all about players, tactics or even satellite telly. It's about a culture. A culture born out of the obsession, fanaticism and humour that is football fandom. The ultimate product of that culture is the Geezer. The sexist, elitist and abusive yob who, clad in his designer clothes, follows his chosen team week in, week out. Every club has them in their hundreds, but who or what are they? And just why do they do what they do?

Contents:
Part One - The Introduction
1 - What Is a Geezer?
2 - Why Football?
3 - Choosing your Club
4 - What to Wear
Part Two - Match Days
5 - Down the Pub
6 - Outside the Ground
7 - Other Fans
8 - Getting in and to your Seat
9 - The Game
Part Three - On the Road
10 - Travelling Away
11 - Stopping
12 - Arriving
13 - The Away Game
14 - Getting Home
Part Four - The Bad Lads
15 - The Hooligans
Part Five -Travelling Abroad
16 - Over Land and Sea
17 - The National Sides
Part Six - Warning!
18 - The Drawbacks
19 - The Future
Part Seven - The Performance
Annex A - The Songs
Annex B - The Gestures Glossary
]]> 224 Dougie Brimson Dougie 5 3.26 Geezer's Guide to Football: A Lifetime of Lads, Lager and Labels
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.26
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, humor, humour, football, soccer, sport-fiction, sports-books, sport-non-ficton, guy-lit
review:

]]> Wings of a Sparrow 18722236 A comedy about football, fortune, and a fanatical fan

When Rob Cooper, editor of the anarchic soccer fanzine Wings of a Sparrow, receives the latest in a long line of solicitors letters, he suspects yet another law suit has landed in his lap. Instead, he finds himself slap bang in the middle of a situation the likes of which fans the world over have dreamed about since the birth of the game. He gets the chance to be chairman of his rival football team, giving Rob the chance to do to City what he, as a United supporter, has always dreamt of doing. But when your dreams become a reality, they very quickly take on a very different meaning. Sometimes they can even turn into nightmares. Not simply a tale of revenge and bitterness, this is a light-hearted story of one man, the great game, a small fortune, and a season of personal discovery.]]> 249 Dougie Brimson 1907565434 Dougie 5 to-read 4.56 Wings of a Sparrow
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Barmy Army: The Changing Face of Football Violence]]> 1327747 245 Dougie Brimson 0747263051 Dougie 5 3.68 Barmy Army: The Changing Face of Football Violence
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.68
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, football, soccer, sports-books, sport-on-fiction, sport-non-ficton
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Everywhere We Go (Hooligan #1)]]> 12293321 256 Eddy Brimson 0755315197 Dougie 5 wrote 3.00 Everywhere We Go (Hooligan #1)
author: Eddy Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Everywhere We Go (Hooligan #1)]]> 390274 245 Dougie Brimson 0747252254 Dougie 5 3.24 Everywhere We Go (Hooligan #1)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.24
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sport-fiction
review:

]]> Top Dog 7948690 288 Dougie Brimson 0747270244 Dougie 0 wrote 2.00 Top Dog
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 2.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> Top Dog 537601 Dougie Brimson 0747266573 Dougie 5 3.87 Top Dog
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, guy-lit, football, soccer, sport-fiction, sports-books, top-football-literature
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Billy's Log: The Hilarious Diary of One Man's Struggle With Life, Lager and the Female Race]]> 16812930
For Billy Ellis, life is one series of disasters after another. His haemorrhoids have just cost him promotion, his new boss is threatening to move in next door, and on the very occasions he need a condom, he can’t even buy a packet without almost getting arrested. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s suddenly woken up to the fact that he’s almost thirty, still single and has the looks that give a new meaning to the word ‘average�.

But at the end of last year, as always, Billy read his ‘Log of Life� and vowed to make things better.

And this year, he succeeded. Eventually.

Billy’s Log reveals the frustrations of life for a single male and the never-ending battle to understand the workings of the female mind.]]> Dougie Brimson Dougie 5 4.05 Billy's Log: The Hilarious Diary of One Man's Struggle With Life, Lager and the Female Race
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.05
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: football, soccer, wrote, humour, humor, guy-lit, plus-size-romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Il diario di Billy Ellis: Diario di un ragazzo e della sua quotidiana lotta con la vita, la birra e le donne]]> 10371111 345 Dougie Brimson 8884902606 Dougie 5 wrote 3.44 Il diario di Billy Ellis: Diario di un ragazzo e della sua quotidiana lotta con la vita, la birra e le donne
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.44
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Billy's Log - The hilarious diary of one man’s struggle with life, lager and the female race]]> 11556528 288 Dougie Brimson 1908400013 Dougie 0 wrote 4.03 Billy's Log - The hilarious diary of one man’s struggle with life, lager and the female race
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.03
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Billy's Log. The Hilarious Diary of One Man's Struggle With Life, Lager and the Female Race]]> 3802330
For Billy Ellis, life is one series of disasters after another. His haemorrhoids have just cost him promotion, his new boss is threatening to move in next door, and on the very occasions he need a condom, he can’t even buy a packet without almost getting arrested. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s suddenly woken up to the fact that he’s almost thirty, still single and has the looks that give a new meaning to the word ‘average�.

But at the end of last year, as always, Billy read his ‘Log of Life� and vowed to make things better.

And this year, he succeeded. Eventually.

Billy’s Log reveals the frustrations of life for a single male and the never-ending battle to understand the workings of the female mind.]]> 288 Dougie Brimson 0747263868 Dougie 5 3.85 Billy's Log. The Hilarious Diary of One Man's Struggle With Life, Lager and the Female Race
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: wrote, humor, guy-lit, humour, football, soccer, sports-books, top-football-literature, plus-size-romance
review:

]]> Real Men Don't Eat Quiche 968474 92 Bruce Feirstein 0671448315 Dougie 4 3.23 1982 Real Men Don't Eat Quiche
author: Bruce Feirstein
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.23
book published: 1982
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2016/12/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Get Off Your Arse Too 11944784 202 Brad Burton 1907451021 Dougie 5 Excellent. 4.04 2011 Get Off Your Arse Too
author: Brad Burton
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2015/11/12
date added: 2015/11/12
shelves:
review:
Excellent.
]]> <![CDATA[Life. Business: Just Got Easier]]> 17940621
Brad Burton, once a regular in the dole queue, burdened with unbearable levels of debt, is now the MD of a multi-million pound international business. If anyone knows about sorting your life out, it’s Brad. But this isn’t Brad’s story � this is about YOU. Brad is here to share practical, actionable steps � stuff you can actually do � to improve your life, both at home and in business. He’s learnt exactly how to motivate yourself, focus on your passion, face setbacks and keep on moving forward � and now Brad wants to share these lessons with as many people as possible. We all have it in us to improve our lives and succeed � we just need a friendly kick in the pants from Brad!  Chapters ]]> 224 Brad Burton 0857084836 Dougie 5 free
This is much more than a simple business book, it's a kick up the backside for anyone who thinks that their life is stagnating in any way.

Certainly, as a an author and screenwriter, almost every single point he makes relates to my working and creative life and this is certainly a book I will not only read again, but which I will constantly refer back to if ever I need a bit of self motivation.]]> 3.97 2013 Life. Business: Just Got Easier
author: Brad Burton
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2015/11/12
date added: 2015/11/12
shelves: free
review:
Another holiday read and one which hit me with more than a few home truths.

This is much more than a simple business book, it's a kick up the backside for anyone who thinks that their life is stagnating in any way.

Certainly, as a an author and screenwriter, almost every single point he makes relates to my working and creative life and this is certainly a book I will not only read again, but which I will constantly refer back to if ever I need a bit of self motivation.
]]> Invasion 13819147
THE INVASION HAS BEGUN.

Prime Minister Harry Beecham has escaped death by a whisker. The government has collapsed, and London is a war zone. His only option is to flee the city - if he can find a way out.

Escorted by his SAS close-protection team, Harry must head for a secret government complex hidden beneath the west country hills, but as they attempt their perilous escape through the besieged city, Harry realises that the target is not just London�

It’s Europe itself.

As England buckles before the might of the Caliphate’s onslaught, the eye of the storm shifts to the north, where scattered British forces are gathering along an ancient border, stockpiling arms and ammunition and digging in deep as they await the final, bloody battle for survival.

A battle they must win so that millions can survive.]]> 386 D.C. Alden Dougie 5 guy-lit
Make no mistake, not only is this a reasonable thriller, it's a thought provoking read and one I'd highly recommend. ]]> 4.09 2013 Invasion
author: D.C. Alden
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2015/10/23
date added: 2015/11/12
shelves: guy-lit
review:
Read this book on holiday and whilst it has some flaws, not least in terms of the technicalities of military hardware (and as a veteran these are important to me) the fact is that it scared the **** out of me.

Make no mistake, not only is this a reasonable thriller, it's a thought provoking read and one I'd highly recommend.
]]> Running with the Firm 18001252 'Of course I'm a f**king hooligan, you pr**k. I am a hooligan...there I've said it...I'm a hooligan. And, do you know why? Because that's my f**king job.'

In 1995, a film called I.D., about an ambitious young copper who was sent undercover to track down the ‘generals� of a football hooligan gang, achieved cult status for its sheer brutality and unsettling insight into the dark and often bloody side of the so-called beautiful game.

The film was so shocking it was hard to believe the mindless events that took place could ever happen in the real world. Well, believe it now...

Almost twenty years on, the man behind the film has explosively revealed that the script was largely a true story. That man, James Bannon, was the ambitious undercover cop. The football club was Millwall F.C. and the gang that he infiltrated was The Bushwackers, among the most brutal and fearless in English football.

In Running with the Firm, Bannon shares his intense and dangerous journey into the underworld of football hooliganism where sickening levels of violence prevail over anything else. He introduces you to the hardest thugs from football’s most notorious gangs, tells all about the secret and almost comical police operations that were meant to bring them down, and, how once you’re on the inside, getting out from the mob proves to be the biggest mission of all.

A disturbing but compelling read, this is the book that proves fact really is stranger than fiction.]]> James Bannon 1448175313 Dougie 5 3.86 2013 Running with the Firm
author: James Bannon
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Fever Pitch 4264
For Nick Hornby, his devotion to the game has provided one of few constants in a life where the meaningful things - like growing up, leaving home, and forming relationships, both parental and romantic - have rarely been as simple or as uncomplicated as his love for Arsenal.

Fever Pitch is his tribute to a lifelong obsession. Part autobiography, part comedy, part incisive analysis of insanity, Hornby's award-winning memoir captures the fever pitch of fandom � its agony and ecstasy, its community, and its defining role in thousands of young men's coming-of-age stories. Fever Pitch is one for the home team. But above all, it is one for everyone who knows what it really means to have a losing season.]]> 247 Nick Hornby 1573226882 Dougie 3
Indeed, I've always thought that Fever Pitch has more to do with the kind of things one would discover if Hornby had been lying on a psychiatrist's couch as opposed to sitting in the stands at Highbury. Dad left home when he was young, lack of a male role model at home, bit of a nerd, etc, etc.

One of the few books I've read where the movie was actually better.]]> 3.78 1992 Fever Pitch
author: Nick Hornby
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1992
rating: 3
read at: 2013/06/24
date added: 2013/12/28
shelves: football, guy-lit, sport-non-ficton, sports-books, soccer
review:
There's no doubt Fever Pitch is a great book but from the first time I read it many moons ago, I've always felt that whilst brilliantly written, in terms of being a 'football' book, it's hugely over rated.

Indeed, I've always thought that Fever Pitch has more to do with the kind of things one would discover if Hornby had been lying on a psychiatrist's couch as opposed to sitting in the stands at Highbury. Dad left home when he was young, lack of a male role model at home, bit of a nerd, etc, etc.

One of the few books I've read where the movie was actually better.
]]> <![CDATA[Left Foot Forward: A Year in the Life of a Journeyman Footballer]]> 43949
There are the injuries, the battles for selection, and the worries that age is catching up on him, which would mean the end of his career. But there are also the occasional triumphs, such as when he was appointed captain and scored the winning goal in a televised match.

Written with wit, intelligence and insight, Left Foot Forward reveals far more about what it is really like to be a footballer than any number of ghosted autobiographies by the big stars. It is destined to become a classic of football writing.]]> 375 Garry Nelson 0747251827 Dougie 5 4.01 1995 Left Foot Forward: A Year in the Life of a Journeyman Footballer
author: Garry Nelson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 2005/09/01
date added: 2013/06/24
shelves:
review:
In my opinion one of the great football books. Written with brutal honesty and full of humour, it provides a fantastic insight into the life of a journeyman footballer plying their trade in the lower league.
]]> Goalkeepers are different 2901409 154 Brian Glanville 0517500701 Dougie 3 3.81 1972 Goalkeepers are different
author: Brian Glanville
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1972
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> The Life of Senna 6684433 602 Tom Rubython 0954685733 Dougie 3 4.22 2004 The Life of Senna
author: Tom Rubython
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> Mr Unbelievable 8142374 320 Chris Kamara 0007360584 Dougie 1 3.67 2010 Mr Unbelievable
author: Chris Kamara
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2010
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> David Beckham: My Side 183363 416 David Beckham 0007157320 Dougie 4 3.68 1998 David Beckham: My Side
author: David Beckham
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.68
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> Headhunters 369264
From its base in the asset-stripped, emotionally castrated 90s, Headhunters shows the dreams of The Sex Division members breaking through the heavy media cloud of anorexic pin-ups and paedophile fashion. A missing brother, prophetic visions, a love affair, and tit-for-tat confrontation draw the characters out into the open - revealing the men behind the machismo, their need for mutual respect, and their recognition of the hidden or suppressed affinities.]]> 320 John King 0099739518 Dougie 1 3.60 1997 Headhunters
author: John King
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1997
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Congratulations, You Have Just Met the I.C.F.]]> 1111386 400 Cass Pennant 1904034853 Dougie 2 3.52 2002 Congratulations, You Have Just Met the I.C.F.
author: Cass Pennant
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2002
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football]]> 281299 246 David Winner 0747547084 Dougie 4 4.05 2000 Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football
author: David Winner
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer]]> 1270311 1008 David Goldblatt 1594482969 Dougie 2 4.18 2006 The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer
author: David Goldblatt
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2006
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Get Her Off the Pitch! How sport took over my life]]> 6908198 Eats, Shoots & Leaves, spent four years as an unlikely sports writer for The Times. It was a job that took her round the world (via the most difficult journeys and least glamorous hotels) and introduced her to some of the greatest living sportsmen (and a lot of obstructive men with clipboards). During her time in the press box she was cold-shouldered by fellow sports writers; tried unsuccessfully to interpret bizarre commentary and memorise results statistics; circled Wembley in an airship eating chocolate cake; wept at football matches and, much to her surprise, discovered a lasting love of golf.

Hilarious, perceptive and at times very moving, Get Her Off the Pitch! is the perfect book for those for whom sport is a matter of life and death, but also vital for those who have no idea what all the fuss is about.]]> 302 Lynne Truss 0007305745 Dougie 2 3.66 2009 Get Her Off the Pitch! How sport took over my life
author: Lynne Truss
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2009
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> The Damned Utd 984021
David Peace's extraordinarily inventive novel tells the story of a world characterised by fear of failure and hunger for success set in the bleak heart of the 1970s.]]> 346 David Peace 0571224334 Dougie 5 4.15 2006 The Damned Utd
author: David Peace
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics]]> 3621358 374 Jonathan Wilson 0752889958 Dougie 4 4.15 2008 Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics
author: Jonathan Wilson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> How Soccer Explains the World 10395 � The New York Times Book Review "An insightful, entertaining, brainiac sports road trip."
� The Wall Street Journal "Foer’s skills as a narrator are enviable. His characterizations� are comparable to those in Norman Mailer's journalism."
� The Boston Globe A groundbreaking work—named one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated—How Soccer Explains the World is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world’s most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy.]]> 261 Franklin Foer 0060731427 Dougie 4 3.79 2004 How Soccer Explains the World
author: Franklin Foer
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport]]> 6617185
These are questions every soccer aficionado has asked. Soccernomics answers them.

Using insights and analogies from economics, statistics, psychology, and business to cast a new and entertaining light on how the game works, Soccernomics reveals the often surprisingly counter-intuitive truths about soccer.]]> 336 Simon Kuper 1568584253 Dougie 3 3.95 2009 Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport
author: Simon Kuper
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Soccer Against the Enemy: How the World's Most Popular Sport Starts and Fuels Revolutions and Keeps Dictators in Power]]> 101905
Simon Kuper traveled to twenty-two countries to discover the sometimes bizarre effect soccer can have on politics and culture. At the same time he tried to discover what makes different countries play a simple game so differently.

Kuper meets a remarkable variety of fans along the way, from the East Berliner persecuted by the Stasi for supporting his local team, to the Argentine general with his own views on tactics. He also illuminates the frightening intersection between soccer and politics, particularly in the wake of the attacks of 9-11, where soccer is obsessed over by the likes of Osama bin Laden. The result is one of the world's most acclaimed books on the game, and an astonishing study of soccer and its place in the world.]]> 302 Simon Kuper 1560258780 Dougie 5 4.03 1994 Soccer Against the Enemy: How the World's Most Popular Sport Starts and Fuels Revolutions and Keeps Dictators in Power
author: Simon Kuper
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1994
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Doctor's Delight (Big Girls Lovin' Trilogy, #1)]]> 11394508 118 Angela Verdenius Dougie 0 to-read 3.71 2011 Doctor's Delight (Big Girls Lovin' Trilogy, #1)
author: Angela Verdenius
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Far Corner: A Mazy Dribble Through North-East Football]]> 1225977 256 Harry Pearson 0349108374 Dougie 5 4.25 1994 The Far Corner: A Mazy Dribble Through North-East Football
author: Harry Pearson
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1994
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/12/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Perfect Pitch: Home Ground 770353 Book by Simon Kuper 0747276986 Dougie 0 to-read 3.80 1998 Perfect Pitch: Home Ground
author: Simon Kuper
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.80
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/12/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Awakening Desire 14406111 108 Michele Knight 1465378138 Dougie 5 5.00 2011 Awakening Desire
author: Michele Knight
name: Dougie
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/13
shelves:
review:

]]> 365 Birthdays Interpreted 1990042 468 Michele Knight 0764127241 Dougie 5 4.17 2004 365 Birthdays Interpreted
author: Michele Knight
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Astrology Birthday Book: A Guide to Your Personality and Destiny]]> 4348348
Each day of the year has its unique magic which will reflect on your personality DNA to reveal your strengths and weaknesses. Harnessing this information will help you odiscover your full potential.

The power of your birthday is determined not only the your ruling planet, but also by the numerology of the date of your birth. By combining your birth date ruler with your ruling planet, you will be able to understand why you are not just a typical Taurus or Aries.

Find out which careers resonate with your personality and what you are like as a lover and partner. Discover the important events that happened on your birth date and the famous people with who you share your day.]]> 463 Michele Knight 1846012945 Dougie 5 4.29 2008 Astrology Birthday Book: A Guide to Your Personality and Destiny
author: Michele Knight
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/13
shelves:
review:

]]> Touched By Evil 6465687 438 Michele Knight 034095129X Dougie 5 3.88 2008 Touched By Evil
author: Michele Knight
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Derby Days: Local Football Rivalries and Feuds (Hooligans #4)]]> 2011272 246 Dougie Brimson 0747258686 Dougie 5 3.57 1998 Derby Days: Local Football Rivalries and Feuds (Hooligans #4)
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.57
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/06/16
shelves: wrote, sport-non-ficton, football, soccer, sports-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Survivor (Jacob Striker, #1)]]> 8563193 528 Sean Slater 0857200380 Dougie 3 currently-reading 3.57 2011 The Survivor (Jacob Striker, #1)
author: Sean Slater
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2012/06/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Get Off Your Arse: Straight Talking Business Advice: Brad Burton Shows You How to be Successful, by Using Guerilla Marketing, Networking and a Goya Attitude]]> 7189449 192 Brad Burton 1907451005 Dougie 5 3.92 2009 Get Off Your Arse: Straight Talking Business Advice: Brad Burton Shows You How to be Successful, by Using Guerilla Marketing, Networking and a Goya Attitude
author: Brad Burton
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2012/06/13
date added: 2012/06/16
shelves:
review:
Brilliant motivational book. Very different from the norm and all the better for it!
]]> The Crew 6111959 256 Dougie Brimson 0747275874 Dougie 5 3.48 1996 The Crew
author: Dougie Brimson
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.48
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/03/01
shelves: wrote, soccer, football, sport-fiction, sports-books, free, guy-lit, top-football-literature
review:

]]> Number 13 (Lightmasters, #1) 11805486 192 M.G. Wells 1453885935 Dougie 0 to-read 4.21 2010 Number 13 (Lightmasters, #1)
author: M.G. Wells
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/01/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Gnomes 926908 212 Wil Huygen 0810909650 Dougie 5 to-read 4.05 1976 Gnomes
author: Wil Huygen
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1976
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Graffiti Moon 7863274
Ed thought he was in love with Lucy, until she broke his nose.

Dylan loves Daisy, but throwing eggs at her probably wasn't the best way to show it.

Jazz and Leo are slowly encircling each other.

An intense and exhilarating 24 hours in the lives of four teenagers on the verge: of adulthood, of HSC, of finding out just who they are, and who they want to be.

A lyrical new YA novel from the award-winning author of Chasing Charlie Duskin and the Gracie Faltrain series.]]> 264 Cath Crowley 0330425781 Dougie 5 to-read 3.86 2010 Graffiti Moon
author: Cath Crowley
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> An Object of Beauty 7907803 292 Steve Martin 0446573647 Dougie 0 to-read 3.77 2010 An Object of Beauty
author: Steve Martin
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Wall and Piece 114683 240 Banksy 1844137872 Dougie 5 to-read 3.85 2005 Wall and Piece
author: Banksy
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Art Book 567616 515 Phaidon Press 0714836257 Dougie 5 to-read 3.86 1997 The Art Book
author: Phaidon Press
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1997
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art]]> 102920 222 Scott McCloud Dougie 0 to-read 4.00 1993 Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
author: Scott McCloud
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)]]> 2767052
Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.]]> 374 Suzanne Collins Dougie 0 4.34 2008 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Dougie
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2011/12/15
shelves:
review:

]]> The Soloist 229108 284 Mark Salzman 0679759263 Dougie 0 to-read 3.67 1994 The Soloist
author: Mark Salzman
name: Dougie
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2011/12/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>