A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

What an extraordinary fellow Howard Marks is. His autobiography takes him from his South Wales childhood and Oxford University education through his life dealing marijuana and the enormous mythology that accrued around what the tabloids called "the English Toff Drugs King of the World". This book is called Mr Nice after one of the many aliases Marks's life as a merchant of pot obliged him to assume, but it describes him perfectly too: the epitome of British niceness, the nicest international criminal you could hope to meet. It's not hard to see why this has become a cult book--Marks is a brilliant version of a mate down the pub, telling you the gobsmacking stories of his many adventured life. The writing is direct and the narrative will detain you as comprehensively as Marks himself was detained for seven years at Terre Haut Penitentiary, Indiana. He was released the same day as Mike Tyson. "I had," he observes mildly, "been continuously in prison for the last six-and-a-half years for transporting beneficial herbs from one place to another, while he had done three years for rape." Truly there is no justice; but there are eye-popping adventures, hilarious touches and a thorough-going wisdom in this excellent book. --Adam Roberts

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Incredible!, 03 Aug 2008
I read this book in two days and it really made me feel sick in the stomach.
How can someone do such things with their own childring is something I wish to know. Some people should not be allow to have children.
Everyone should read this book and learn of a demaged children and be alarm with the signs.
Children need to be protected!!

A sad story but compelling read, 02 Aug 2008
This was a really sad story, made even more so by the fact that Maria (the author) and I are the same age. As I read the book I compared my life to what was happening to her and this was really, really sad. The author explained herself and reasoning so well and I could understand just how her life was the way it was. However, Maria triumphed and overcame the years of abuse turning into a respectable woman and mother. I enjoyed this story and found it to be a really good read.

Worth reading, 19 Jun 2008
This truely is a horrific story it is well worth reading if only to highlight what adults should be looking for in children who they believe to be at risk. Maria paints a picture of a terribly shy child to the point of mute when adults were involved but no one bothered to question her alone or try to break down her defences to find out why she was so quiet and withdrawn.
Stories like this are becoming more and more common, i am not saying that what happened to Ria was normal but the walls of silence are breaking away so the predators cant get away with it anymore. The one thing that does puzzle is me is there is no mention of her brothers at the end it would have been nice to know they had turned their lives around to.

Good Read, 13 Apr 2008
A sad story, which you will not be able to put down. However the ending was open and it would appear likely that there will be a second book! Hate it when they do that!

An amazing true life story, 06 Apr 2008
This book was an incrediable read and i read it within a few days, i just couldnt put it down. The courage Maria Landon (the author) had to live through what she lived through and to come out the other side is incrediable. I resepect that and if one person can come through the other side anyone esle who is living in fear can do the same. The book was incrediable read!

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Incredible!, 03 Aug 2008
I read this book in two days and it really made me feel sick in the stomach.
How can someone do such things with their own childring is something I wish to know. Some people should not be allow to have children.
Everyone should read this book and learn of a demaged children and be alarm with the signs.
Children need to be protected!!

A sad story but compelling read, 02 Aug 2008
This was a really sad story, made even more so by the fact that Maria (the author) and I are the same age. As I read the book I compared my life to what was happening to her and this was really, really sad. The author explained herself and reasoning so well and I could understand just how her life was the way it was. However, Maria triumphed and overcame the years of abuse turning into a respectable woman and mother. I enjoyed this story and found it to be a really good read.

Worth reading, 19 Jun 2008
This truely is a horrific story it is well worth reading if only to highlight what adults should be looking for in children who they believe to be at risk. Maria paints a picture of a terribly shy child to the point of mute when adults were involved but no one bothered to question her alone or try to break down her defences to find out why she was so quiet and withdrawn.
Stories like this are becoming more and more common, i am not saying that what happened to Ria was normal but the walls of silence are breaking away so the predators cant get away with it anymore. The one thing that does puzzle is me is there is no mention of her brothers at the end it would have been nice to know they had turned their lives around to.

Good Read, 13 Apr 2008
A sad story, which you will not be able to put down. However the ending was open and it would appear likely that there will be a second book! Hate it when they do that!

An amazing true life story, 06 Apr 2008
This book was an incrediable read and i read it within a few days, i just couldnt put it down. The courage Maria Landon (the author) had to live through what she lived through and to come out the other side is incrediable. I resepect that and if one person can come through the other side anyone esle who is living in fear can do the same. The book was incrediable read!

Down and dirty with what most of us like doing, 23 Sep 2008
The come-on title fronts a detailed account of HIV infection investigations in the field - chiefly among sex-workers and drug-users in Jakarta - and a passionate plea for the large sums now made available for AIDS prevention to be decoupled from self-serving political ideologies such as the US's `abstinence' conditions of aid. Listen to the people on the ground, is the message: see how they behave, target money and expertise to produce demonstrable reductions in transmission rates.

Pisani's re-training in epidemiology is grafted on to a tabloid hack's instinct for the jugular and the visceral metaphor (most women don't like the female condom "because it looks like a supermarket shopping bag stuck up your p***y, with handles hanging out the bottom"), allied to a lucid brain for figures from her Far East financial correspondent days. "When people ask me what I do for a living, I say, `Sex and drugs,'" she starts, disarmingly. The hands-on focus on her own work in Indonesia - the book's most readable, and affecting, sections - doesn't stop her comparing other countries' varying situations ("For the same amount of sleeping around, you now have a greater risk of getting infected if you use a condom every single time you have sex in Swaziland than you do if you never use a condom at all in China"), or from taking a global perspective: "When bishops, presidents and the media poke holes in condoms, they become ineffective."

The Wisdom of Whores has a rushed, provisional feel to it - which actually gives a sense of the speed at which responses to AIDS have developed over the past 20-odd years, and are still developing. Though she has tough words for a lot of decision-makers, she gives honour where it is due, to the talented, dedicated researchers and to some government bodies such as Britain's own DfID. There is wisdom and humour in this book, and essential information, too: the section `Back to Basics' ("Forgive me for getting graphic, but as you probably know sex can be a sticky business.") should be compulsory reading for all secondary-age children.



This is wisdom indeed, 20 Jun 2008
This really is a page-turner, a compulsive read, which is an extraordinary feat for a book about the AIDS epidemic (and I speak as an 'insider' who is punch drunk with writing and reading about this topic). Pisani shoots from the hip, always, which is challenging and stimulating, but she always pins her arguments down with good quality and compelling data. Even when I was happy to find myself saying mentally, "Yes but..." (because it's nice not to feel you are being led by the nose by a good talker!) I found the author answering my queries, settling my doubts, a little further on in the text. I think it's a great book, and an important one -- it forces us to confront our failures in preventing the spread of HIV, so often because of squeamishness, prejudice or lack of courage to acknowledge who is really at risk and why, and unpreparedness to spend the huge dollops of money where it is most needed.

Genuinely enjoy getting the facts straight, 19 Jun 2008
I am seldom found without at least one book close at hand, and end up trying to give books away in order to keep my shelves from collapsing. But I'm not ready to give this one away, I intend to read it again in a while. What I might do, however, is to order a few extra copies and have them delivered to people I know. Why just this one? Because it is one of those books that you come across once in a while, that works on more than one level. It is a book that keeps me turning the pages, with the energy that comes from a genuinely engaging story. Then there is the authors solid knowledge of the topic, and her ability to present it in an accessible way. This is a writer who knows her tools: she knows how to structure a presentation and how to juggle angles to keep it interesting, all in a style that gets the message across clearly and simply, with a strong personality and sense of humour. But the main reason why I want to gently blackmail my friends into reading it by buying it for them, is the information it contains and the message that it spells out. It is an important book. It untangles the facts about HIV and HIV prevention from the myths, which is good. It also shows clearly how ideological/religious/political/economical agendas often play a bigger role than science, which is depressing ... but essential to know. Getting the facts straight, about the infection and about the HIV/AIDS industry, is vital. And in my mind, Elizabeth Pisani is exactly who you should turn to for those facts

Superb! An excelent book for the layman or scholar, 03 Jun 2008

Dr. Pisani is a rarity in that she is a scientist who can write! She is a former journalist turned epidemiologist (aka "epi")working in AIDs research amd prevention. Her book will interest not just those readers concerned with AIDs, but anyone who wants to understand the effect politicians, bureaucrats and competing NGOs(Non-government orgaizaions) have on public health. Often only scientists and academics can grasp the process and explanation of scientific research. Dr. Pisani explains it so clearly that the general reader will understand as well. However, she hasn't "dumbed down' the research process or data analysis. Through out this excellent book she shows a deep respect for the intelligence of her reader. No matter what opinion someone has regarding AIDs and its victims, this book will help improve understanding of the disease, its transmissions, the risks of being infected, and how its spread could be slowed or even stopped. The title may be shocking, but sometimes it take a shock to get many of us to pay attention. Buy this book! Once you start reading you will likely want to continue until you reach the final page!

Witty, no nonsense read, 02 Jun 2008
This makes a subject - HIV prevention and its politics - which is sensitive, both politically and socially, accessible and dare I say, funny. The author communicates complex ideas and statistics with the same refreshing lack of stuffiness she brings to describing sexual networks and practices. If you are considering field work in epidemiology, medicine or any life science, this is a must read as it will show you the potential traps and pitfalls theory, without local knowledge will lead you towards.

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Incredible!, 03 Aug 2008
I read this book in two days and it really made me feel sick in the stomach.
How can someone do such things with their own childring is something I wish to know. Some people should not be allow to have children.
Everyone should read this book and learn of a demaged children and be alarm with the signs.
Children need to be protected!!

A sad story but compelling read, 02 Aug 2008
This was a really sad story, made even more so by the fact that Maria (the author) and I are the same age. As I read the book I compared my life to what was happening to her and this was really, really sad. The author explained herself and reasoning so well and I could understand just how her life was the way it was. However, Maria triumphed and overcame the years of abuse turning into a respectable woman and mother. I enjoyed this story and found it to be a really good read.

Worth reading, 19 Jun 2008
This truely is a horrific story it is well worth reading if only to highlight what adults should be looking for in children who they believe to be at risk. Maria paints a picture of a terribly shy child to the point of mute when adults were involved but no one bothered to question her alone or try to break down her defences to find out why she was so quiet and withdrawn.
Stories like this are becoming more and more common, i am not saying that what happened to Ria was normal but the walls of silence are breaking away so the predators cant get away with it anymore. The one thing that does puzzle is me is there is no mention of her brothers at the end it would have been nice to know they had turned their lives around to.

Good Read, 13 Apr 2008
A sad story, which you will not be able to put down. However the ending was open and it would appear likely that there will be a second book! Hate it when they do that!

An amazing true life story, 06 Apr 2008
This book was an incrediable read and i read it within a few days, i just couldnt put it down. The courage Maria Landon (the author) had to live through what she lived through and to come out the other side is incrediable. I resepect that and if one person can come through the other side anyone esle who is living in fear can do the same. The book was incrediable read!

Down and dirty with what most of us like doing, 23 Sep 2008
The come-on title fronts a detailed account of HIV infection investigations in the field - chiefly among sex-workers and drug-users in Jakarta - and a passionate plea for the large sums now made available for AIDS prevention to be decoupled from self-serving political ideologies such as the US's `abstinence' conditions of aid. Listen to the people on the ground, is the message: see how they behave, target money and expertise to produce demonstrable reductions in transmission rates.

Pisani's re-training in epidemiology is grafted on to a tabloid hack's instinct for the jugular and the visceral metaphor (most women don't like the female condom "because it looks like a supermarket shopping bag stuck up your p***y, with handles hanging out the bottom"), allied to a lucid brain for figures from her Far East financial correspondent days. "When people ask me what I do for a living, I say, `Sex and drugs,'" she starts, disarmingly. The hands-on focus on her own work in Indonesia - the book's most readable, and affecting, sections - doesn't stop her comparing other countries' varying situations ("For the same amount of sleeping around, you now have a greater risk of getting infected if you use a condom every single time you have sex in Swaziland than you do if you never use a condom at all in China"), or from taking a global perspective: "When bishops, presidents and the media poke holes in condoms, they become ineffective."

The Wisdom of Whores has a rushed, provisional feel to it - which actually gives a sense of the speed at which responses to AIDS have developed over the past 20-odd years, and are still developing. Though she has tough words for a lot of decision-makers, she gives honour where it is due, to the talented, dedicated researchers and to some government bodies such as Britain's own DfID. There is wisdom and humour in this book, and essential information, too: the section `Back to Basics' ("Forgive me for getting graphic, but as you probably know sex can be a sticky business.") should be compulsory reading for all secondary-age children.



This is wisdom indeed, 20 Jun 2008
This really is a page-turner, a compulsive read, which is an extraordinary feat for a book about the AIDS epidemic (and I speak as an 'insider' who is punch drunk with writing and reading about this topic). Pisani shoots from the hip, always, which is challenging and stimulating, but she always pins her arguments down with good quality and compelling data. Even when I was happy to find myself saying mentally, "Yes but..." (because it's nice not to feel you are being led by the nose by a good talker!) I found the author answering my queries, settling my doubts, a little further on in the text. I think it's a great book, and an important one -- it forces us to confront our failures in preventing the spread of HIV, so often because of squeamishness, prejudice or lack of courage to acknowledge who is really at risk and why, and unpreparedness to spend the huge dollops of money where it is most needed.

Genuinely enjoy getting the facts straight, 19 Jun 2008
I am seldom found without at least one book close at hand, and end up trying to give books away in order to keep my shelves from collapsing. But I'm not ready to give this one away, I intend to read it again in a while. What I might do, however, is to order a few extra copies and have them delivered to people I know. Why just this one? Because it is one of those books that you come across once in a while, that works on more than one level. It is a book that keeps me turning the pages, with the energy that comes from a genuinely engaging story. Then there is the authors solid knowledge of the topic, and her ability to present it in an accessible way. This is a writer who knows her tools: she knows how to structure a presentation and how to juggle angles to keep it interesting, all in a style that gets the message across clearly and simply, with a strong personality and sense of humour. But the main reason why I want to gently blackmail my friends into reading it by buying it for them, is the information it contains and the message that it spells out. It is an important book. It untangles the facts about HIV and HIV prevention from the myths, which is good. It also shows clearly how ideological/religious/political/economical agendas often play a bigger role than science, which is depressing ... but essential to know. Getting the facts straight, about the infection and about the HIV/AIDS industry, is vital. And in my mind, Elizabeth Pisani is exactly who you should turn to for those facts

Superb! An excelent book for the layman or scholar, 03 Jun 2008

Dr. Pisani is a rarity in that she is a scientist who can write! She is a former journalist turned epidemiologist (aka "epi")working in AIDs research amd prevention. Her book will interest not just those readers concerned with AIDs, but anyone who wants to understand the effect politicians, bureaucrats and competing NGOs(Non-government orgaizaions) have on public health. Often only scientists and academics can grasp the process and explanation of scientific research. Dr. Pisani explains it so clearly that the general reader will understand as well. However, she hasn't "dumbed down' the research process or data analysis. Through out this excellent book she shows a deep respect for the intelligence of her reader. No matter what opinion someone has regarding AIDs and its victims, this book will help improve understanding of the disease, its transmissions, the risks of being infected, and how its spread could be slowed or even stopped. The title may be shocking, but sometimes it take a shock to get many of us to pay attention. Buy this book! Once you start reading you will likely want to continue until you reach the final page!

Witty, no nonsense read, 02 Jun 2008
This makes a subject - HIV prevention and its politics - which is sensitive, both politically and socially, accessible and dare I say, funny. The author communicates complex ideas and statistics with the same refreshing lack of stuffiness she brings to describing sexual networks and practices. If you are considering field work in epidemiology, medicine or any life science, this is a must read as it will show you the potential traps and pitfalls theory, without local knowledge will lead you towards.

Love the book!, 24 Oct 2008
Wow! This book is phenomenal! Exactly what I've been looking for all this time. And finally something that'll cure how I always get tongue-tied around women. For years, I've been 'trying' to do only the situational opener and kicking myself for never being 'good enough'. I have purchased so many books, and nothing gave me the 'fundamentals' like this book did. Great stuff!

Destined to be a classic, 13 Feb 2008
"The Exclusive Layguide" could easily re-pen this work as a sociology of human mating in the 21st century. Because of the frankness of the point of the book, to help men get beautiful women into bed, he is able to write honestly about the dynamics of attraction in a world in which our drives don't match our social models. This morally neutral and unapologetically forethwrite manual unveils the reason why both men AND WOMEN find it so difficult to form relationships using what our heads tell us should work. The good news is, the author has developed ways to make attraction work in venues and social settings that actually serve more to hinder relationship than help it.

Still, like any self-help manual, it's useless unless you apply it. Learning how to demonstrate the reasons why a women should be interested in you in a short amount of time does take effort and can feel "forced". But, if you are ready to make it happend and stop waiting for it to happen, this book is the fasted way to get started. At least, that's what I've found.

I can finally attract any girl, 05 Feb 2008
I was really surprised about your revelations on how to compliment a woman. As soon as I heard about the book, I had to have it. I'm glad I did and that I'm one of the first people to get his hands on it

I have learnt so much valuable stuff from this book, 04 Feb 2008
This book has given me the confidence to not only attract women, but also to know what to say and how to act and not leave that room for doubt in my mind.
I get dates with great looking women now any time I want! Many thanks!!

This is great material..., 08 Jan 2008
I've been shy my whole life. All though school, I never danced at parties and never really worked up the courage to even talk to girls. I was kind of a reject. This book has turned my whole life around. I can't believe I was ever shy! The shyness is gone, I've got a gorgeous girlfriend and my life just gets better every day. Who's the reject now?

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Incredible!, 03 Aug 2008
I read this book in two days and it really made me feel sick in the stomach.
How can someone do such things with their own childring is something I wish to know. Some people should not be allow to have children.
Everyone should read this book and learn of a demaged children and be alarm with the signs.
Children need to be protected!!

A sad story but compelling read, 02 Aug 2008
This was a really sad story, made even more so by the fact that Maria (the author) and I are the same age. As I read the book I compared my life to what was happening to her and this was really, really sad. The author explained herself and reasoning so well and I could understand just how her life was the way it was. However, Maria triumphed and overcame the years of abuse turning into a respectable woman and mother. I enjoyed this story and found it to be a really good read.

Worth reading, 19 Jun 2008
This truely is a horrific story it is well worth reading if only to highlight what adults should be looking for in children who they believe to be at risk. Maria paints a picture of a terribly shy child to the point of mute when adults were involved but no one bothered to question her alone or try to break down her defences to find out why she was so quiet and withdrawn.
Stories like this are becoming more and more common, i am not saying that what happened to Ria was normal but the walls of silence are breaking away so the predators cant get away with it anymore. The one thing that does puzzle is me is there is no mention of her brothers at the end it would have been nice to know they had turned their lives around to.

Good Read, 13 Apr 2008
A sad story, which you will not be able to put down. However the ending was open and it would appear likely that there will be a second book! Hate it when they do that!

An amazing true life story, 06 Apr 2008
This book was an incrediable read and i read it within a few days, i just couldnt put it down. The courage Maria Landon (the author) had to live through what she lived through and to come out the other side is incrediable. I resepect that and if one person can come through the other side anyone esle who is living in fear can do the same. The book was incrediable read!

Down and dirty with what most of us like doing, 23 Sep 2008
The come-on title fronts a detailed account of HIV infection investigations in the field - chiefly among sex-workers and drug-users in Jakarta - and a passionate plea for the large sums now made available for AIDS prevention to be decoupled from self-serving political ideologies such as the US's `abstinence' conditions of aid. Listen to the people on the ground, is the message: see how they behave, target money and expertise to produce demonstrable reductions in transmission rates.

Pisani's re-training in epidemiology is grafted on to a tabloid hack's instinct for the jugular and the visceral metaphor (most women don't like the female condom "because it looks like a supermarket shopping bag stuck up your p***y, with handles hanging out the bottom"), allied to a lucid brain for figures from her Far East financial correspondent days. "When people ask me what I do for a living, I say, `Sex and drugs,'" she starts, disarmingly. The hands-on focus on her own work in Indonesia - the book's most readable, and affecting, sections - doesn't stop her comparing other countries' varying situations ("For the same amount of sleeping around, you now have a greater risk of getting infected if you use a condom every single time you have sex in Swaziland than you do if you never use a condom at all in China"), or from taking a global perspective: "When bishops, presidents and the media poke holes in condoms, they become ineffective."

The Wisdom of Whores has a rushed, provisional feel to it - which actually gives a sense of the speed at which responses to AIDS have developed over the past 20-odd years, and are still developing. Though she has tough words for a lot of decision-makers, she gives honour where it is due, to the talented, dedicated researchers and to some government bodies such as Britain's own DfID. There is wisdom and humour in this book, and essential information, too: the section `Back to Basics' ("Forgive me for getting graphic, but as you probably know sex can be a sticky business.") should be compulsory reading for all secondary-age children.



This is wisdom indeed, 20 Jun 2008
This really is a page-turner, a compulsive read, which is an extraordinary feat for a book about the AIDS epidemic (and I speak as an 'insider' who is punch drunk with writing and reading about this topic). Pisani shoots from the hip, always, which is challenging and stimulating, but she always pins her arguments down with good quality and compelling data. Even when I was happy to find myself saying mentally, "Yes but..." (because it's nice not to feel you are being led by the nose by a good talker!) I found the author answering my queries, settling my doubts, a little further on in the text. I think it's a great book, and an important one -- it forces us to confront our failures in preventing the spread of HIV, so often because of squeamishness, prejudice or lack of courage to acknowledge who is really at risk and why, and unpreparedness to spend the huge dollops of money where it is most needed.

Genuinely enjoy getting the facts straight, 19 Jun 2008
I am seldom found without at least one book close at hand, and end up trying to give books away in order to keep my shelves from collapsing. But I'm not ready to give this one away, I intend to read it again in a while. What I might do, however, is to order a few extra copies and have them delivered to people I know. Why just this one? Because it is one of those books that you come across once in a while, that works on more than one level. It is a book that keeps me turning the pages, with the energy that comes from a genuinely engaging story. Then there is the authors solid knowledge of the topic, and her ability to present it in an accessible way. This is a writer who knows her tools: she knows how to structure a presentation and how to juggle angles to keep it interesting, all in a style that gets the message across clearly and simply, with a strong personality and sense of humour. But the main reason why I want to gently blackmail my friends into reading it by buying it for them, is the information it contains and the message that it spells out. It is an important book. It untangles the facts about HIV and HIV prevention from the myths, which is good. It also shows clearly how ideological/religious/political/economical agendas often play a bigger role than science, which is depressing ... but essential to know. Getting the facts straight, about the infection and about the HIV/AIDS industry, is vital. And in my mind, Elizabeth Pisani is exactly who you should turn to for those facts

Superb! An excelent book for the layman or scholar, 03 Jun 2008

Dr. Pisani is a rarity in that she is a scientist who can write! She is a former journalist turned epidemiologist (aka "epi")working in AIDs research amd prevention. Her book will interest not just those readers concerned with AIDs, but anyone who wants to understand the effect politicians, bureaucrats and competing NGOs(Non-government orgaizaions) have on public health. Often only scientists and academics can grasp the process and explanation of scientific research. Dr. Pisani explains it so clearly that the general reader will understand as well. However, she hasn't "dumbed down' the research process or data analysis. Through out this excellent book she shows a deep respect for the intelligence of her reader. No matter what opinion someone has regarding AIDs and its victims, this book will help improve understanding of the disease, its transmissions, the risks of being infected, and how its spread could be slowed or even stopped. The title may be shocking, but sometimes it take a shock to get many of us to pay attention. Buy this book! Once you start reading you will likely want to continue until you reach the final page!

Witty, no nonsense read, 02 Jun 2008
This makes a subject - HIV prevention and its politics - which is sensitive, both politically and socially, accessible and dare I say, funny. The author communicates complex ideas and statistics with the same refreshing lack of stuffiness she brings to describing sexual networks and practices. If you are considering field work in epidemiology, medicine or any life science, this is a must read as it will show you the potential traps and pitfalls theory, without local knowledge will lead you towards.

Love the book!, 24 Oct 2008
Wow! This book is phenomenal! Exactly what I've been looking for all this time. And finally something that'll cure how I always get tongue-tied around women. For years, I've been 'trying' to do only the situational opener and kicking myself for never being 'good enough'. I have purchased so many books, and nothing gave me the 'fundamentals' like this book did. Great stuff!

Destined to be a classic, 13 Feb 2008
"The Exclusive Layguide" could easily re-pen this work as a sociology of human mating in the 21st century. Because of the frankness of the point of the book, to help men get beautiful women into bed, he is able to write honestly about the dynamics of attraction in a world in which our drives don't match our social models. This morally neutral and unapologetically forethwrite manual unveils the reason why both men AND WOMEN find it so difficult to form relationships using what our heads tell us should work. The good news is, the author has developed ways to make attraction work in venues and social settings that actually serve more to hinder relationship than help it.

Still, like any self-help manual, it's useless unless you apply it. Learning how to demonstrate the reasons why a women should be interested in you in a short amount of time does take effort and can feel "forced". But, if you are ready to make it happend and stop waiting for it to happen, this book is the fasted way to get started. At least, that's what I've found.

I can finally attract any girl, 05 Feb 2008
I was really surprised about your revelations on how to compliment a woman. As soon as I heard about the book, I had to have it. I'm glad I did and that I'm one of the first people to get his hands on it

I have learnt so much valuable stuff from this book, 04 Feb 2008
This book has given me the confidence to not only attract women, but also to know what to say and how to act and not leave that room for doubt in my mind.
I get dates with great looking women now any time I want! Many thanks!!

This is great material..., 08 Jan 2008
I've been shy my whole life. All though school, I never danced at parties and never really worked up the courage to even talk to girls. I was kind of a reject. This book has turned my whole life around. I can't believe I was ever shy! The shyness is gone, I've got a gorgeous girlfriend and my life just gets better every day. Who's the reject now?

not what i was expecting , 07 Jan 2009
I bought this book not because of Jenna but Neil Strauss having loved "the game" however despite this book being very well written Jenna Jameson soon stole my attention and is now someone I have real admiration for. To some this will sound crazy having admiration for a porn star however once you understand the life she has had you will understand my comment. For someone to identify what is wrong with them and fix it shows true character this is why I have admiration for her, yes she had made mistakes and openly admits them. Some of the things she admits are shocking not because they are explicit but she has came through them and grew stronger. I really recommend this book as expected she does go into detail about her sex life and its not for everyone however for a mature reader this is not too explicit. I hope she writes a second book with Neil as a lot has changed since the ending in the book.

Fabulous, 29 Oct 2006
I read this book when it first came out over a year ago and it is one of the best books I have ever read. Jenna has had an amazing yet unbelievably life, I found quite a lot of it shocking but very very honest. I was shocked to read about the things that have happened to her when she was younger, she has well and truly come out the other side.

I think to read this and enjoy it you have to forget she is such a famous porn star an just enjoy the book. It portrays her in a totally different light and makes you realise she is actually a person who has had one hell of a life and not just a porn star. I was also very sad to hear that she and Jay have split up now. Please read the book! You will not be disappointed!

Brilliant!, 04 Sep 2006
I think this was such a good read, very open but still fun.
This shows Jenna in a different light. Really enjoyed it!
Well done Jenna!

"Pardon?" said the deaf man., 13 Jul 2006
Lets face it. The one thing the world knows Jenna Jameson for isn't her writing skill or her acting skills. Yet there is a sense of facination as to why she does what she does.

I knew nothing about Ms Jameson. I hadn't even seen a film with her in but the title kinda caught my eye, like it does. After I read this book i was left with a sense of what life can do to a person and what a person will do to escape the realities which they don't want to face.

It wasn't brilliantly written but was enjoyable and kept me going. I feel that, perhaps, a lot of spin may have been added to make certain people look better or worse than they really are.

Maybe the best book by a porn star but that isn't much, 22 Jul 2005
This book is a light, easy and somewhat intersting read. However the intersting bits could be condensed into maybe 25 pages. The rest is a bunch of two bit, feelgood self-psychoanlyses. Seriously you're better off hanging out with your friends for the 3 or 4 hours it will take you to read this. Good airplane book for an overnight flight though.

A one dimensional view of poverty in the UK, 28 Dec 2008
There are excellent parts of this book, especially the account of how immigrants, whose qualifications were ignored, needed only two generations of racist abuse to produce grandchildren, who are prolific gangsters. The book as a whole is a good read, but so are many novels!

The limitations of the book arise from the author's view that the UK's problems are entirely due to rising inequality and a lack of government spending. Perhaps this is not surprising from a Guardian journalist, who wants to see the chattering classes, who are well-off but not TOO well-off, get more money and power. As a consequence, two major causes of poverty are barely analysed: family breakdown and drugs. The importance of drug abuse is obvious; many heavy users can't keep down a job. The relationship between family breakdown and poverty is at least circular and certainly not in one direction only, poverty causing family breakdown, as presented in the book. The failure of (mainly) fathers to support their children is a major cause of poverty. This is conveniently sidestepped. The role of the welfare state in actively promoting parental separation is not considered worth a mention. Other issues are similarly ignored: whether the ability of working class communities to regulate themselves has been removed by the encroachment of the state and/or immigration; whether poor-on-poor crime can be entirely explained by widening inequalities - the implication being that there has been a loss of moral values, the reasons for which should be explored; whether an economy can both be affluent and accomodate a high level of unskilled labour in a post-imperial era.

'The shocking truth about hidden Britain' should include how money is currenly wasted on middle-class pen pushers, who don't want to get their hands dirty. It doesn't, probably because these people are the target readership for this book. There is absolutely no discussion on whether the country gets value for the money that is already spent on social services, the police, local government, education and the NHS, all of which impinge heavily on the welfare of the most vulnerable in our society.



we all need to read this book, 27 Feb 2008
It will open your eyes to the hidden deprivation in this country and change your perspective on things. poverty is not the fault of the poor.

a tour of what you don't notice or don't want to see, 04 Feb 2008
This is very readable, and very important - a Dickensian look at modern Britain's 'underclass', though thankfully not as long-winded. The part I found most fascinating was about the estates in Birmingham that had become no-go areas for the police; I had heard some snippets on the radio and tv, wondered briefly how that worked, then put it to the back of my mind - it's fascinating to have the story fleshed out, and it's a great piece of research, as is the whole book.
I was tickled pink to find someone I know slightly in the book - the guy who toured him round London's King's X, a friend of a friend, a likeable moocher and unusually peaceful. That's another story, but suffice to say that I found a world under my nose that I had never suspected and, from what I know of it, it's actually much worse than Davies describes or possibly imagines. So I would suggest to any readers that think he may be sensationalising that, in fact, he has only seen the tip of the iceberg.

All in all a magnificent piece of research, vital reading, especially for those who have no contact with this world - you'll see things differently when you pass through a city centre, or railway station. Can't recommend this enough.

fascinating if depressing read, 25 Nov 2007
As a social work student, I found this book by accident in my uni. library and thought it would be relevant to my course. It is a fascniating, if thoroguhly depressing read as it dwells one hundred percent on the darkest side of Britain - hence its title. Although he goes in depth into the background of the problems (I found the chapters on the Jamacains the most interesting as it helps to build a background as to why so many are involved in crime) I do not agree with his simplistic view that all these problems are caused purely by poverty. Being poor alone does not make you become a criminal, an abuser, a rent boy and so on - people have been (and in many contries still are) much poorer than the poor of UK today, without going to those depths. A bit more enquiry into WHY these people have no self worth or morals whatsover would have been interesting.

Journalistic, 12 Oct 2007
For me, the journalistic, rather than academic style spoils the book slightly, though I guess that is the point. It is rather sensationalised though, and really much of the subject matter is reality rather than sensation.

It is definitely a piece of "media" rather than a factual appraisal in my mind, based on the way stories are presented; particularly the issues surrounding the disturbances in Hyde Park, about which one story of the events and tensions is presented as fact, when (for those such as myself who lived in the area) there was a much more complex discourse.

It is still a very good read though, and may open some peoples eyes.

Buy This Book! , 05 Dec 2008
I have read this book three times, and I love it. I can't put it down. The subtle humour in it is superb, the story is told very well by his ghost writer (a few minor copy edit mistakes but what the hell) whoever he was.

To anyone familiar with the international offshore banking world as it was before the "war on terror" [sic], you guys will laugh your socks off at the happenings in Hong Kong. Anyone who knows of Patrick Lane and the "Offshore Banking Report" of yore, will be shocked to find the relationship between Howard and him outlined. I suspect some of the knowledge in Dr W G Hill's works came from Patrick, learned from dealings on behalf of Howard Marks.

If international (celebrity interspersed) travel, spending obscene amounts of money, outwitting the authorities, crime stories and the general musings of a jovial Oxford educated cove float your boat, then read this book. If you have some previous understanding of the world it is set in - you will love it even more.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself