Recommend me a good autobiography
Discussion
I read Lenny Mcleans book and found it quite annoying. He likes to make out he is a reasonable man and only did certain things because certain people had it comming to them etc etc and he was just helping out friends all the time etc but thats just aload of old tosh. He was a bully and a nasty man, end off. I've spoken to people who worked with him and by all accounts the man was a w
ker.
ker.Edited by MPowerMark on Monday 23 August 16:34
Edited by MPowerMark on Monday 23 August 16:34
MPowerMark said:
I read Lenny Mcleans book and found it quite annoying. He likes to make out he is a reasonable man and only did certain things because certain people had it comming to them etc etc and he was just helping out friends all the time etc but thats just aload of old tosh. He was a bully and a nasty man, end off. I've spoken to people who worked with him and by all accounts the man was a wker.
The boys will be round later to have a word. ker.Agree with both you and the previous poster, the book was pure violence/porn and strangely compulsive as a result. Looking at the pictures of McLean in his prime and trying to imagine this lot coming at you is a sobering experience.
But bullies are bullies, and no amount of dressing up will change that. You can imagine whoever ghost-wrote it for him had twitching sphincter syndrome right throughout the process, especially during the copy review meetings. 
Brave man. 
Agree with the Howards Marks suggestion, and also Spike Milligan.
For those who like spike, his manager Norma Farnes wrote a book detailing her life working with him. Quite a read and insight.
Also the Last Post by Max Arthur was a real eye opener. Interviews with the last surviving soldiers from the first world war.
For those who like spike, his manager Norma Farnes wrote a book detailing her life working with him. Quite a read and insight.
Also the Last Post by Max Arthur was a real eye opener. Interviews with the last surviving soldiers from the first world war.
Edited by minky monkey on Monday 23 August 17:55
Arese said:
tuscaneer said:
Autobiography of pre-war german heavyweight champion max schmelling. He was the first man to beat Joe Louis and the return match the most politically important boxing match of all time. A fascinating insight into a man who in the space of a few years went from a popular champion in america to a hated Nazi symbol of "Aryan supremacy". Louis stopped Max in this fight and his victory was a morale booster for the allied troops. Hitler famously stopped the live broadcast of the fight on radio in Germany when he realised Schmelling was losing and on his return to Germany was forced into front line operations as punishment.
During this period Schmelling (who was never a Nazi) was hiding Jewish families on his farm and aiding their escape across the border knowing he would be killed if found out. After the war his Jewish manager (who he had never disowned throughout the war) sorted him a deal out that meant he became the president of the Coca Cola corporation in Germany. Only died a few years ago at the age of 99 years and his story is inspirational to say the least.
I fixed it for others. I'm kind like that.During this period Schmelling (who was never a Nazi) was hiding Jewish families on his farm and aiding their escape across the border knowing he would be killed if found out. After the war his Jewish manager (who he had never disowned throughout the war) sorted him a deal out that meant he became the president of the Coca Cola corporation in Germany. Only died a few years ago at the age of 99 years and his story is inspirational to say the least.
minky monkey said:
Agree with the Howards Marks suggestion, and also Spike Milligan.
For those who like spike, his manager Norma Farnes wrote a book detailing her life working with him. Quite a read and insight.
Also the Last Post by Max Arthur was a real eye opener. Interviews with the last surviving soldiers from the first world war.
The Last Tommy is a good book too.For those who like spike, his manager Norma Farnes wrote a book detailing her life working with him. Quite a read and insight.
Also the Last Post by Max Arthur was a real eye opener. Interviews with the last surviving soldiers from the first world war.
Edited by minky monkey on Monday 23 August 17:55
Don't bother with Gordon Ramsay byt he way, its rubbish as is the Billy Connoly biography (by his wife).
Excuse my spelling, cant be arsed to get up and take a look at book, what with my legs.
roman abramovich, if thats how you spell it, very good book.
James caan,duncan bannatyne and theo whatshisface are pretty good.
Not sure if Peter jones done one yet.
Edit to add it seems peter jones has
roman abramovich, if thats how you spell it, very good book.
James caan,duncan bannatyne and theo whatshisface are pretty good.
Not sure if Peter jones done one yet.
Edit to add it seems peter jones has
Edited by Wheelrepairit on Monday 23 August 20:01
Got it down to this collection to start me off 
Robert Mason - Chickenhawk
Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One
by Sid Watkins
Innes Ireland - All Arms and Elbows is one of the best motorsport books I've read
Ranulph Fiennes- Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know
David Niven's is superb- the moon's a balloon
'Rickenbacker' by Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
The Real McRae - Colin MacRae
James Hunt by Gerald Donaldson
Autobiography - max schmelling
Robert Mason - Chickenhawk
Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One
by Sid Watkins
Innes Ireland - All Arms and Elbows is one of the best motorsport books I've read
Ranulph Fiennes- Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know
David Niven's is superb- the moon's a balloon
'Rickenbacker' by Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
The Real McRae - Colin MacRae
James Hunt by Gerald Donaldson
Autobiography - max schmelling
I know he's not popular on here but I found this surprisngly interesting and insightful.
Another vote for Mr Nice (Marks) and Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bryson) - both genuinely excellent.
The Guv'nor (Mclean) was (as mentioned) had nothing outstanding about it tbh. I was quite disappointed with the Alex Higgins autobiography as well.
Another vote for Mr Nice (Marks) and Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bryson) - both genuinely excellent.
The Guv'nor (Mclean) was (as mentioned) had nothing outstanding about it tbh. I was quite disappointed with the Alex Higgins autobiography as well.
_rubinho_ said:
AndrewTait said:
On a motoring theme:-
Eddie Jordan
David Couthard
Ayrton Senna's biography is a fantastic read.
Valentino Rossi's is excellent too. Eddie Jordan
David Couthard
Ayrton Senna's biography is a fantastic read.
Wayne Rainey's is very good. Especially the parts covering his rivalry with Schwantz, and how he coped after being paralysed in his accident.
tonym911 said:
MPowerMark said:
I read Lenny Mcleans book and found it quite annoying. He likes to make out he is a reasonable man and only did certain things because certain people had it comming to them etc etc and he was just helping out friends all the time etc but thats just aload of old tosh. He was a bully and a nasty man, end off. I've spoken to people who worked with him and by all accounts the man was a wker.
The boys will be round later to have a word. ker.Agree with both you and the previous poster, the book was pure violence/porn and strangely compulsive as a result. Looking at the pictures of McLean in his prime and trying to imagine this lot coming at you is a sobering experience.
But bullies are bullies, and no amount of dressing up will change that. You can imagine whoever ghost-wrote it for him had twitching sphincter syndrome right throughout the process, especially during the copy review meetings. Brave man. My vote goes for Mr Nice. Utterly brilliant.
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