Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Great insight into Art Deco Architecture in London, 24 Apr 2003
If you like Art Deco, and detailed explorations with excellent photography then this publication is for you. The photography by Paul Riddle reveals the essence of this important movement in recent architecture. Many of the buildings listed, are not commonly known or accessible to the general public, so enjoy an exploration that can be done at home!

This book is excellent for anyone interested, and is suitable for students of art, design, fashion and architecture... A must

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Great insight into Art Deco Architecture in London, 24 Apr 2003
If you like Art Deco, and detailed explorations with excellent photography then this publication is for you. The photography by Paul Riddle reveals the essence of this important movement in recent architecture. Many of the buildings listed, are not commonly known or accessible to the general public, so enjoy an exploration that can be done at home!

This book is excellent for anyone interested, and is suitable for students of art, design, fashion and architecture... A must

just good!!, 07 Feb 2008
Its simply a very nice quality book, filled with really good quality stuff that felt worth the price, no way disappointing! I live in a house with textile student and fine art students who all want to buy it now!

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Great insight into Art Deco Architecture in London, 24 Apr 2003
If you like Art Deco, and detailed explorations with excellent photography then this publication is for you. The photography by Paul Riddle reveals the essence of this important movement in recent architecture. Many of the buildings listed, are not commonly known or accessible to the general public, so enjoy an exploration that can be done at home!

This book is excellent for anyone interested, and is suitable for students of art, design, fashion and architecture... A must

just good!!, 07 Feb 2008
Its simply a very nice quality book, filled with really good quality stuff that felt worth the price, no way disappointing! I live in a house with textile student and fine art students who all want to buy it now!

Fascinating, 28 Oct 2007
This book is a strange beast, but never fails to interest whether you dip into a section or read it from cover to cover as I did. Warhol didn't actually write the book, just as he didn't actually paint most of his works himself. He had a tape recorder into which he poured his thoughts, and an assistant with whom he worked to transcribe and edit what he chose to publish. The book is made up of sections rather than chapters, as it has no real narrative thread. Each section is given a title such as money or art, and Warhol simply reels forth his ideology, thoughts and musings on the subject. Luckily he was an extremely odd man with an unusual way of looking at the world, which is what makes the book so entertaining. He had a fascinating relationship with his art and the people around him and enough wit and humour to take the edge of what might otherwise come across as highly pretentious musings. If you want to know about Warhol and what his art means, this is as good a place as any to start.

Pop Philosophy, 25 Oct 2007
Andy's response to an excess of abstract art was Pop Art.

Andy's response to an excess of abstract philosophy was Pop Philosophy.

This book is not so much about Andy Warhol as it is about Warhol making philosophy pop. To make philosophy pop, Andy shared his observations and values, just as to make art pop, Andy shared the Campbell soup he enjoyed so often.

Philosophy has been abstract for so long, we had forgotten it could be anything else. It had belonged to academicians for so long, we had forgotten it could belong to anyone else.

Andy worked with the topics of abstract philosophy, such as love, beauty, time, death, economics and art ... but he rendered them pop by talking about them the way ordinary people talk about them. Not that Andy seemed ordinary but what do you call concerns of pimples (in "Beauty"), not being able to shop on Sunday (in "Economics"), or waiting in line for movies (in "Time"). Views of Andy's but also acts of making topics previously owned by abstract philosophy into instances of pop philosophy.

Pop philosophy can also move beyond the limitations of stuffy abstract philosophy. Andy offers a chapter on something not to be found in academic philosophy: not "Power" but "Underwear Power". The same commercialism found in pop art can be found here in pop philosophy: "Buying is much more American than thinking..."

So philosophy needn't be just about thinking, it can be about our everyday lives: loving, working and buying underwear. Andy liked having loud music on when doing art so he wouldn't think too much. Perhaps thinking too much gets in the way of good philosophy. If your underwear fits well, there may be no need to work out a lengthy critique of dialectical reasoning. But can you accuse Andy of living an unexamined life?

Warhol should not be underestimated. His contributions and challenges to society are not limited to areas he is well known for such as painting, movies, interviewing but extend even to philosophy and the spirit in which we live each day. Warhol lives. If we practice pop philosophy in the manner he suggests in this book, we may find our lives worth living a good deal more than academic philosophers have shown. Forget the doctorate, go to your own school of Warhol.

Witty, clever, intelligent musings by a cultural icon, 26 Feb 2007
Whatever you think of Andy Warhol, 20 years after his death and 3+ decades after this little book was written, he remains an inescapable figure in the arts scene. This witty book is difficult not to like, full of clever musings about life and art. You'll want to keep turning back to it and pass it on to friends to enjoy.

Warhol is witty and, against his better judgment, profound., 29 Mar 2002
This book reveals interesting and paradoxically profound aspects of Warhol, a man whose reputation for shallowness and whose self-confessedly mercenary approach to art can be offputting.
His philosophy is to question the nature of art and of beauty itself.He does that in print here as he does elsewhere in paint and film. He neatly highlights and passes back to the reader for re-examination the differentiations commonly made between art and artefact, between intimate and public, between personal and mass-produced.
There speaks a naked and entertaining truthfulness from the page and there is a refusal to deal in the euphemism and pretention which pervade much art criticism. It's also very funny.

Excellent, but with faults...., 16 May 1999
This is an excellent book to take a look into the life and mind of the author himself, Andy Warhol. Chapter after chapter, Andy provides relevant stories that directly relate to the title of the chapter in one way or another, it's a very interesting book, but it has it's faults....First of all, how does he remember some of those conversations, was he recording them. Second, some of the material in the book was just stupid and ignorant, third, he contradicts himself in the book several times by saying one thing and then saying another thing that contradicts the first statement. Although some chapters are very funny, others are not! For the best example, chapter 14!!!! I want to know who that woman is, obviously she liked Andy, but gee whiz! Finally, I didn't like Truman Capote's review of the book, this book does not display amazing candor by Andy, in fact, I believe in many places this book displays Andy as a cold hearted, emotionless lizard. Some people who don't know Andy well, see him as some kind of a cult figure, well, if you don't know a whole lot about Andy Warhol himself, I reccomend reading this book and you may never look at him the same way again, especially not as a cult figure or anything like that....

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Great insight into Art Deco Architecture in London, 24 Apr 2003
If you like Art Deco, and detailed explorations with excellent photography then this publication is for you. The photography by Paul Riddle reveals the essence of this important movement in recent architecture. Many of the buildings listed, are not commonly known or accessible to the general public, so enjoy an exploration that can be done at home!

This book is excellent for anyone interested, and is suitable for students of art, design, fashion and architecture... A must

just good!!, 07 Feb 2008
Its simply a very nice quality book, filled with really good quality stuff that felt worth the price, no way disappointing! I live in a house with textile student and fine art students who all want to buy it now!

Fascinating, 28 Oct 2007
This book is a strange beast, but never fails to interest whether you dip into a section or read it from cover to cover as I did. Warhol didn't actually write the book, just as he didn't actually paint most of his works himself. He had a tape recorder into which he poured his thoughts, and an assistant with whom he worked to transcribe and edit what he chose to publish. The book is made up of sections rather than chapters, as it has no real narrative thread. Each section is given a title such as money or art, and Warhol simply reels forth his ideology, thoughts and musings on the subject. Luckily he was an extremely odd man with an unusual way of looking at the world, which is what makes the book so entertaining. He had a fascinating relationship with his art and the people around him and enough wit and humour to take the edge of what might otherwise come across as highly pretentious musings. If you want to know about Warhol and what his art means, this is as good a place as any to start.

Pop Philosophy, 25 Oct 2007
Andy's response to an excess of abstract art was Pop Art.

Andy's response to an excess of abstract philosophy was Pop Philosophy.

This book is not so much about Andy Warhol as it is about Warhol making philosophy pop. To make philosophy pop, Andy shared his observations and values, just as to make art pop, Andy shared the Campbell soup he enjoyed so often.

Philosophy has been abstract for so long, we had forgotten it could be anything else. It had belonged to academicians for so long, we had forgotten it could belong to anyone else.

Andy worked with the topics of abstract philosophy, such as love, beauty, time, death, economics and art ... but he rendered them pop by talking about them the way ordinary people talk about them. Not that Andy seemed ordinary but what do you call concerns of pimples (in "Beauty"), not being able to shop on Sunday (in "Economics"), or waiting in line for movies (in "Time"). Views of Andy's but also acts of making topics previously owned by abstract philosophy into instances of pop philosophy.

Pop philosophy can also move beyond the limitations of stuffy abstract philosophy. Andy offers a chapter on something not to be found in academic philosophy: not "Power" but "Underwear Power". The same commercialism found in pop art can be found here in pop philosophy: "Buying is much more American than thinking..."

So philosophy needn't be just about thinking, it can be about our everyday lives: loving, working and buying underwear. Andy liked having loud music on when doing art so he wouldn't think too much. Perhaps thinking too much gets in the way of good philosophy. If your underwear fits well, there may be no need to work out a lengthy critique of dialectical reasoning. But can you accuse Andy of living an unexamined life?

Warhol should not be underestimated. His contributions and challenges to society are not limited to areas he is well known for such as painting, movies, interviewing but extend even to philosophy and the spirit in which we live each day. Warhol lives. If we practice pop philosophy in the manner he suggests in this book, we may find our lives worth living a good deal more than academic philosophers have shown. Forget the doctorate, go to your own school of Warhol.

Witty, clever, intelligent musings by a cultural icon, 26 Feb 2007
Whatever you think of Andy Warhol, 20 years after his death and 3+ decades after this little book was written, he remains an inescapable figure in the arts scene. This witty book is difficult not to like, full of clever musings about life and art. You'll want to keep turning back to it and pass it on to friends to enjoy.

Warhol is witty and, against his better judgment, profound., 29 Mar 2002
This book reveals interesting and paradoxically profound aspects of Warhol, a man whose reputation for shallowness and whose self-confessedly mercenary approach to art can be offputting.
His philosophy is to question the nature of art and of beauty itself.He does that in print here as he does elsewhere in paint and film. He neatly highlights and passes back to the reader for re-examination the differentiations commonly made between art and artefact, between intimate and public, between personal and mass-produced.
There speaks a naked and entertaining truthfulness from the page and there is a refusal to deal in the euphemism and pretention which pervade much art criticism. It's also very funny.

Excellent, but with faults...., 16 May 1999
This is an excellent book to take a look into the life and mind of the author himself, Andy Warhol. Chapter after chapter, Andy provides relevant stories that directly relate to the title of the chapter in one way or another, it's a very interesting book, but it has it's faults....First of all, how does he remember some of those conversations, was he recording them. Second, some of the material in the book was just stupid and ignorant, third, he contradicts himself in the book several times by saying one thing and then saying another thing that contradicts the first statement. Although some chapters are very funny, others are not! For the best example, chapter 14!!!! I want to know who that woman is, obviously she liked Andy, but gee whiz! Finally, I didn't like Truman Capote's review of the book, this book does not display amazing candor by Andy, in fact, I believe in many places this book displays Andy as a cold hearted, emotionless lizard. Some people who don't know Andy well, see him as some kind of a cult figure, well, if you don't know a whole lot about Andy Warhol himself, I reccomend reading this book and you may never look at him the same way again, especially not as a cult figure or anything like that....

A masterpiece of a book, 27 Jul 2006
It was the da Vinci code that got me interested in Leonardos work. This book is superb, the pictures are of an excellent quality, the literature is very interesting and the book is a cute little size (can easily fit in your bag). It is a bargain price and a great book to have in anyones collection! Highly recommended to any da Vinci code lovers!! The picture of the Last super spreads over 9 pages and the explanations are riveting!

great book. so interesting! , 24 May 2006
well i got this book due to the Da Vinci Code - the Last Super (i wanted a real look at it) but the book is so much more! if you love art you will love this book, it full of interesting facts - its also a neat little size.

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Entertaining and insightful!, 03 Aug 2007
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights, 05 Jun 2007
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

Disappointed, 11 Nov 2006
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).

A brick of a book., 05 Nov 2008
Syllabus reading: this book is a brick of words. It is excellent in terms of delivering a very intensive and conscise history of modern architecture; and provides a great interlocking understanding of many important modern buildings. If I had a single criticism about it, it would be that the words are so packed together in it, as are the tiny thumbnail images that accompany them, that it can be quite a strain on the eyes to read. As a cohesive representation of 100 or so years of architecture it provides a main route from which personal investigation can begin. I, certainly, went searching the internet, and other books, for better images of many of the buildings mentioned in here.

Art in Renaissance Italy, 13 Jul 2003
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.

Great insight into Art Deco Architecture in London, 24 Apr 2003
If you like Art Deco, and detailed explorations with excellent photography then this publication is for you. The photography by Paul Riddle reveals the essence of this important movement in recent architecture. Many of the buildings listed, are not commonly known or accessible to the general public, so enjoy an exploration that can be done at home!

This book is excellent for anyone interested, and is suitable for students of art, design, fashion and architecture... A must

just good!!, 07 Feb 2008
Its simply a very nice quality book, filled with really good quality stuff that felt worth the price, no way disappointing! I live in a house with textile student and fine art students who all want to buy it now!

Fascinating, 28 Oct 2007
This book is a strange beast, but never fails to interest whether you dip into a section or read it from cover to cover as I did. Warhol didn't actually write the book, just as he didn't actually paint most of his works himself. He had a tape recorder into which he poured his thoughts, and an assistant with whom he worked to transcribe and edit what he chose to publish. The book is made up of sections rather than chapters, as it has no real narrative thread. Each section is given a title such as money or art, and Warhol simply reels forth his ideology, thoughts and musings on the subject. Luckily he was an extremely odd man with an unusual way of looking at the world, which is what makes the book so entertaining. He had a fascinating relationship with his art and the people around him and enough wit and humour to take the edge of what might otherwise come across as highly pretentious musings. If you want to know about Warhol and what his art means, this is as good a place as any to start.

Pop Philosophy, 25 Oct 2007
Andy's response to an excess of abstract art was Pop Art.

Andy's response to an excess of abstract philosophy was Pop Philosophy.

This book is not so much about Andy Warhol as it is about Warhol making philosophy pop. To make philosophy pop, Andy shared his observations and values, just as to make art pop, Andy shared the Campbell soup he enjoyed so often.

Philosophy has been abstract for so long, we had forgotten it could be anything else. It had belonged to academicians for so long, we had forgotten it could belong to anyone else.

Andy worked with the topics of abstract philosophy, such as love, beauty, time, death, economics and art ... but he rendered them pop by talking about them the way ordinary people talk about them. Not that Andy seemed ordinary but what do you call concerns of pimples (in "Beauty"), not being able to shop on Sunday (in "Economics"), or waiting in line for movies (in "Time"). Views of Andy's but also acts of making topics previously owned by abstract philosophy into instances of pop philosophy.

Pop philosophy can also move beyond the limitations of stuffy abstract philosophy. Andy offers a chapter on something not to be found in academic philosophy: not "Power" but "Underwear Power". The same commercialism found in pop art can be found here in pop philosophy: "Buying is much more American than thinking..."

So philosophy needn't be just about thinking, it can be about our everyday lives: loving, working and buying underwear. Andy liked having loud music on when doing art so he wouldn't think too much. Perhaps thinking too much gets in the way of good philosophy. If your underwear fits well, there may be no need to work out a lengthy critique of dialectical reasoning. But can you accuse Andy of living an unexamined life?

Warhol should not be underestimated. His contributions and challenges to society are not limited to areas he is well known for such as painting, movies, interviewing but extend even to philosophy and the spirit in which we live each day. Warhol lives. If we practice pop philosophy in the manner he suggests in this book, we may find our lives worth living a good deal more than academic philosophers have shown. Forget the doctorate, go to your own school of Warhol.

Witty, clever, intelligent musings by a cultural icon, 26 Feb 2007
Whatever you think of Andy Warhol, 20 years after his death and 3+ decades after this little book was written, he remains an inescapable figure in the arts scene. This witty book is difficult not to like, full of clever musings about life and art. You'll want to keep turning back to it and pass it on to friends to enjoy.

Warhol is witty and, against his better judgment, profound., 29 Mar 2002
This book reveals interesting and paradoxically profound aspects of Warhol, a man whose reputation for shallowness and whose self-confessedly mercenary approach to art can be offputting.
His philosophy is to question the nature of art and of beauty itself.He does that in print here as he does elsewhere in paint and film. He neatly highlights and passes back to the reader for re-examination the differentiations commonly made between art and artefact, between intimate and public, between personal and mass-produced.
There speaks a naked and entertaining truthfulness from the page and there is a refusal to deal in the euphemism and pretention which pervade much art criticism. It's also very funny.

Excellent, but with faults...., 16 May 1999
This is an excellent book to take a look into the life and mind of the author himself, Andy Warhol. Chapter after chapter, Andy provides relevant stories that directly relate to the title of the chapter in one way or another, it's a very interesting book, but it has it's faults....First of all, how does he remember some of those conversations, was he recording them. Second, some of the material in the book was just stupid and ignorant, third, he contradicts himself in the book several times by saying one thing and then saying another thing that contradicts the first statement. Although some chapters are very funny, others are not! For the best example, chapter 14!!!! I want to know who that woman is, obviously she liked Andy, but gee whiz! Finally, I didn't like Truman Capote's review of the book, this book does not display amazing candor by Andy, in fact, I believe in many places this book displays Andy as a cold hearted, emotionless lizard. Some people who don't know Andy well, see him as some kind of a cult figure, well, if you don't know a whole lot about Andy Warhol himself, I reccomend reading this book and you may never look at him the same way again, especially not as a cult figure or anything like that....

A masterpiece of a book, 27 Jul 2006
It was the da Vinci code that got me interested in Leonardos work. This book is superb, the pictures are of an excellent quality, the literature is very interesting and the book is a cute little size (can easily fit in your bag). It is a bargain price and a great book to have in anyones collection! Highly recommended to any da Vinci code lovers!! The picture of the Last super spreads over 9 pages and the explanations are riveting!

great book. so interesting! , 24 May 2006
well i got this book due to the Da Vinci Code - the Last Super (i wanted a real look at it) but the book is so much more! if you love art you will love this book, it full of interesting facts - its also a neat little size.


A literary prizewinner maybe but I found the story rather boring., 18 Oct 2008
This book is obviously a great literary achievement, must be as it won the Booker prize. Although I found this very well written from a purely literary viewpoint I just could not get into the story and just found it boring! I almost feel guilty admitting this as it seems that the majority of reviewers consider it brilliant. I however struggled to keep reading and it took me so long to do so, for me a sign that it lacked appeal.
It is an exploration of the 1980's through the eyes of the protagonist Nicholas Guest, a young graduate from Oxford, exploring his homosexuality. He lodges with the family of a friend from Oxford, Toby whose address just happens to be one of the best in London as his father is Tory MP Gerald Fedden. We therefore gain an insight into the lifestyle of a wealthy MP and his family including his manic depressive daughter Catherine, Nick seems to be one of the only people she trusts.
In reading this you will certainly get an insight into the unpleasant excesses of the Thatcher years and Nick's desire to be part of the wealthy world of greed and politics that he is mixing in. He never quite fits in though and in the end even gets the blame for the failures of others as scandal and death overwhelm him.

Without a doubt this a beautifully written novel but it just did not appeal to me.



An excellent cure for insomnia, 13 Oct 2008
Goodness me - a racy novel about gay love and freeloading in the 80's that won the Booker Prize. Does it deserve to have won? Well, yes, based on the fact that it's well-written, doesn't actually go anywhere in terms of storytelling, and nearly all of the characters are unlikeable people you'd probably cross the road to avoid.

As for the tosh about capturing the essence of Britain during these times - don't believe a bit of it. Authors like Jonathan Coe do that much better than The Line of Beauty - and achieve it with humour at the same time. Another Booker winner that shows the prize is out of touch with what most of us want from a book.

But - ideal if you like pretentious writing that will certainly put you to sleep. What on earth was the fuss all about? This is well-written drivel, but nothing more.

A massive achievement, 04 Jul 2008
Alan Hollinghurst's fourth novel is his most feted, winning the Booker Prize. It is further proof that Hollinghurst is one of our greatest living writers and this novel makes three great works. (I'm afraid "The Spell" didn't do it for me). This is a tale of Tory Britain in the 80s, of wealth, class, greed and excess. Nick Guest lives in London with the family of his Oxford University friend, the Feddens, in a household dominated by the larger than life presence of Gerald, a Tory MP. The beautiful first section charts Nick's relationship with Leo, a working-class black guy who fears his religious mother uncovering his sexuality. The less successful second section sees Nick with Wani, a son of a multi-millionaire whose life is even more closeted than Nick's and Leo's and who leads Nick into an inevitably disastrous would of drugs and cocaine-fuelled sex. The third section moves the story on another couple of years where the shadow of AIDS is looming large and beginning to stalk the gay characters and the "golden era" of the early Thatcher years experienced by most of the characters is beginning to become severely tarnished.
This book is superbly written and impressive. However, I do feel that the enjoyment factor is a little lacking compared to "The Swimming Pool Library", maybe the wealthy classes in London in the mid 80's just threw up too many noxious characters. This does tend to distance the reader, it can be hard to feel sympathetically towards any of them at times, but nevertheless this book is a massive achievement.

On the Outside, Looking In, 19 Apr 2008
One of the biggest challenges of any novelist is to provide a perspective that's accessible to us and helpful in understanding what's being portrayed. Alan Hollinghurst has achieved remarkable results by stationing his narrator, Nick Guest, outside of all the worlds he inhabits. Guest is like a spirit rising amused over the action that can draw us a picture while recording every sound that's created or uttered.

Here are the worlds that Guest helps us explore:

-Tory MP life during the Thatcher years
-Young Oxford graduates looking for a place
-A young man exploring his homosexuality
-Wealthy British on the make for more
-Middle-aged married life
-Inner life of a young manic-depressive

The book's overall theme is about everyday hypocrisy and the large price that has to be paid by those who pretend to be other than what they are and believe.

The story evolves in three time periods: 1983, 1986, and 1987. In all three years, Nick Guest resides with the family of an Oxford friend where the father is a rising conservative MP. Nick has an unofficial role as low-cost lodger to keep on eye on the friend's troubled sister. The family knows that Nick is looking for a boy friend and is open about accepting his sexuality. The three years give us a chance to learn more about the characters and to see how their relationships change. The 1987 period brings all that had been known in private into public with large consequences for all.

The book is filled with great scenes where nuances of knowledge, awareness, perception, accent, and perspective separate and unite the characters. Often, contrasting scenes occur back-to-back so that the contrasts are even more obvious. You'll gain a deeper insight into British society than you could on your own.

Ultimately, I feel that a work of fiction must be judged by how successfully it takes you into a world you have never been in before and allows you to understand that world much better. Any novel that can help me understand what it's like to be gay during the AIDS epidemic while giving me a strong sense of Thatcher's leadership has to be pretty terrific because those dimensions are outside my experience and normal reading.

As a person who enjoys art, I was most impressed by the way that the ogee was worked into the story to provide a connecting metaphor for our common humanity.

Bravo!


Stunningly Elegant Prose, 09 Dec 2007
At the time of writing I am appalled to see that the review star rating is only 3.5 stars; it is most definitely a 5***** star work of literature.
When I picked up this book and began to read I was already aware of the homosexual theme and I really did not have any high expectations. However I have to say that, for me, this is the finest prose since Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited". Elegant and evocative English, shimmering phrases and a magnetic storyline. Don't miss the chance to read this work of art.

Sticky Moments!, 11 Apr 2008
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

A mouthful you will never forget !?, 01 Jan 2008
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont re