BOOK REVIEW: ALL ABOUT ME – My Remarkable Life In Showbiz by Mel Brooks Century November 2021 Hardback Rrp $39.99 Autobiography By Shane Pinnegar 80% Imagine being sat down comfortably with your favourite uncle, and being told warm, interesting and often hilarious stories about his life. That’s exactly what All About Me is all about […]
BOOK REVIEW: EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson Penguin Random House March 2022 Paperback, $32.99 Mystery, thriller, whodunnit Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar 85% Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone has, quite rightly, already had the rights sold to HBO for a future film or TV series, and that’s all down […]
BOOK REVIEW: BECOMING MR NICE – THE HOWARD MARKS ARCHIVE by Amber Marks No Exit Press Rrp $39.99 Hardcover, November 2021 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar 90% Howard Marks’ story remains a riveting ride, six years after his death and more than thirty years after he was ‘banged up’ in the USA for his drug smuggling […]
COOKBOOK REVIEW: Savory Dinner Pies From Around The Globe by Ken Haedrich Allen & Unwin/Murdoch Books January 2022 Rrp $35.00 By Shane Pinnegar 60% I’ll wager ol’ mate Ken Haedrich has never had to cater for a gluten free guest, such is his fascination with big ol’ meat (and seafood, and veg) pies, all lovingly […]
COOKBOOK REVIEW: BIG BOARDS FOR BIG FAMILIES by Sandy Coughlin Allen & Unwin Rrp $35.00 By Shane Pinnegar 68% Sandy Coughlin’s Big Boards For Big Families is an undeniably colourful affair, lovingly photographing and describing huge grazing boards designed to be shared by families (or, presumably) groups of friends. All too often Coughlin’s ideas lean […]
BOOK REVIEW: OASIS SUPERSONIC – The Complete Authorised and Uncut Interviews curated by Simon Halfon Headline Publishing Group 2021 Hardback Biography By Shane Pinnegar 89% Simon Halfon relates how he received a call from Oasis’ Noel Gallagher sometime in 2014 asking if he was busy. An old friend of some twenty years standing, Noel wanted […]
BOOK REVIEW: ERUPTION – The Eddie Van Halen Story by Paul Brannigan Faber Social through Allen & Unwin November 2021 Paperback, $34.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Biography/ Rock and Roll 90% Paul Brannigan’s name should be familiar to most fans of rock and roll journalism from his stints writing for Kerrang!, Mojo, Rolling Stone, Q, […]
BOOK REVIEW: HOT STUFF – The Story of The Rolling Stones Through the Ultimate Memorabilia Collection by Matt Lee Welbeck, through Allen & Unwin November 2021 Hardcover, $49.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Biography/ Memorabilia/ Rock and Roll 90% Matt Lee has somehow managed to assemble a collection of memorabilia celebrating the extraordinary career of the […]
BOOK REVIEW: DOC by Jon Bradshaw and Anne Souter Allen & Unwin October 2021 Paperback, $32.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Biography/ Rock and roll 70% It was difficult to not approach this biography of the mighty Doc Neeson with some scepticism. Written partly by Neeson’s childhood friend Jon Bradshaw, and partly by his last partner, […]
BOOK REVIEW: ASTERIX & THE GRIFFIN by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad Sphere through Hachette November 2021 Hard cover, $29.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Comic book, Graphic novel 93% The thirty-ninth Asterix book is a beauty, featuring all the elements that we know and love from the series (which was created by René Goscinny and […]
BOOK REVIEW: BAD BOY BOOGIE – THE TRUE STORY OF AC/DC LEGEND BON SCOTT by JEFF APTER Allen & Unwin August 2021 Paperback, $32.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Biography 85% There have been countless books and articles published about AC/DC frontman Bon Scott –some hack jobs containing nothing new for fans and followers, some personal […]
BOOK REVIEW: THE CAT WHO SAVED BOOKS by SOSUKE NATSUKAWA Picador September 2021 Paperback, $19.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Magical Realism, Fiction 80% Sosuke Natsukawa, a Japanese physician, welcomes you into the lonely world of Rintaro Natsuki, with the help of translator Louise Heal Kawai. Rintaro is what the Japanese refer to as hikikomari – […]
BOOK REVIEW: Set The Night On Fire by Robby Krieger with Jeff Alulis Hachette Australia October 2021 Hardcover, $32.99 Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar Autobiography/ Rock and Roll 92% Robby Krieger writes about seeking enlightenment in this illuminating autobiography, penned with the help of Jeff Alulis. Judging by Krieger’s calm tone throughout, and the lack of […]
BOOK REVIEW: There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers Harper Collins October 2021 Hardcover, $29.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Picture Book / Mixed Media / Pantomime 85% Rocking A captivating new picture book with interactive transparent pages, from world-renowned artist Oliver Jeffers. Hello, come in. Maybe you can help me? A young girl […]
BOOK REVIEW: The Curiosities by Zana Fraillon and Phil Lesnie Lothian Children’s Books September 2021 Hardcover, $26.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Children’s Picture Books / Diversity 78% Rocking A lyrical and moving story inspired by the people who see the world differently, from the award-winning author of The Bone Sparrow and Wisp. With the […]
BOOK REVIEW: Where’s Wally? Santa Spotlight Search by Martin Handford Walker Books September 2021 Hardcover, $24.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Children’s Picture Books / Classic Collection / Picture Search 70% Rocking The spotlight search is back with a fabulous festive edition! Use the paper spotlight-searcher as a magic torch to illuminate six scenes buzzing with […]
BOOK REVIEW: Wandi by Favel Parrett Lothian Children’s Books September 2021 Hardcover, $19.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Australian Animal / Children’s Fiction / True Stories 90% Rocking A young cub is snatched from his family and home by a giant eagle, then dropped, injured and alone, in a suburban garden. This is where he meets […]
BOOK REVIEW: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly Lothian Children’s Books September 2021 Hardcover, $32.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Young Reader Encyclopaedia / Non-Fiction / Animal Art / Natural History 85% Rocking Come along for another fresh take on the animal kingdom from bestselling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. Discover […]
BOOK REVIEW: A Cornucopia of Fruit and Vegetables by Caroline Ball Bodleian Library May 2021 Hardcover, $29.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Botanical Art / History 65% Rocking Plump apricots, juicy mangoes, crisp lettuce. We’re used to seeing close-up photographs of beautiful fruits and vegetables in cookbooks and garden guides. But these detailed illustrations of fruit […]
BOOK REVIEW: Lily Takes a Walk by Satoshi Kitamura Scallywag Press September 2021 Hardcover, $22.99 Reviewed by Steph O’Connell Children’s Picture Books / Modern Reprinting 55% Rocking When Lily takes a walk with her dog, Nicky, she notices many lovely things. But poor Nicky only sees monsters lurking at every turn… A charming book for […]
