' Want To spend Therese :'-.,\,lllitliEveryone,; OneiToj‘fOne; Forever, Now ' Damien Hirst (Booth-Clibbom EditioriSESQQS) ***
The enfant terrible has grown up. Now more the adulte terrible of the art world, Damien Hirst has done what every self-respecting. established artist does: produce a coffee4able book for grownoups with serious salaries.
At nearly £60, this is no lightweight purchase in more ways than one. A hefty tome, it is not the sort of book you can curl up with in bed. Besides the photograph of the occasional bloody carcass. your full interactive, none horizontal attention is demanded by elaborate graphics, pop-up formaldehyde tanks. pull tabs to make dead sheep disappear. and spin-
paintings to spin.
As much as you want to knock Him as a precocious upstart. a one-trick pickling wonder who you wouldn't let near your Sunday roast. there is no getting away from the fact that he is talented. The media might get outraged - the book includes repros of press clippings and the many cartoon strips that his sheep in a tank provoked - and the public may scorn - there are reprints of anonymous hate mail to prove it - but he is an interesting guy. This book is of course a nice little earner for him, but then
he is no fool. ($8)
With thanks to Waterstone’s Edinburgh West End branch, for loan of the
book.
The Hottest State
Ethan Hawke (Flamingo £5.99) *****
In the grand scheme of things, this may be nothing more than a decent read but, having been deafened by the guffawing of one’s pre-conceptions, this fey thespian’s debut is truly remarkable. In a simple tale of boy meets girl, our star-crossed lovers are actor William and singer Sarah who enact their affair against the backdrop of the Big Apple. (SM)
Take Me There: Oasis The Story
Paul Mathur (Bloomsbury £5.99) ** it
Another dissection of the Brothers Grimm? 'What’s the story?’ we ask. Well. According to Noel Grimm, this Mathur bloke ’has been there right since the start . he understands what we're about.’ Scary. Nonetheless. Mathur's writing IS competent if fawning, Oasis coming out on top whatever the debacle: Blur, bust-ups, binges . . . Fan-friendly. (SM)
Rosebud David Thomson (Abacus £9.99) it at it
’The story of Orson Welles‘ — another one? 'Fraid so. That said, Thomson has a long, solid career in film-writing and, although denied a hotline to the man
himself, has utilised friends and colleagues to good effect. A thoroughly factual, chronological read with bibliography which makes no attempt to further perpetuate the myth. (SM)
The Faber Book of Christmas
Edited by Simon Rae (Faber and Faber £9.99) * t at
A case of premature celebration? Perhaps, but it's only twelve weeks to go, folks. Presented wrth Faber's familiar anthology styling, this diverse collection exorcises the ghost of cosy Christmases past and embraces today's commerciality, through poetry, prose and polemics. With contributions from Norman MacCaig to Nabokov, this is a perfect gift idea for the intellectual and/or awkward individual. (SM)
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:
Joe Alexander, Susanna Beaumont, Rodger Evans, Teddy Jamieson, Susan Mackenzie.
STAR RATINGS
1k *** * Outstanding
* 1k * * Recommended ivkt Worth a try
* * 50-50
at Poor
COME AND MEET
JEFF NOON
who will be reading from and signing copies of his new books
Nymphomation and Automated Alice
at Dillons The Bookstore 174-176 Argyle Street, Glasgow on Thursday 9th October from 12.30 pm
TICKET ONLY EVENT For further details or to reserve a signed copy please call:
0141-248 4814 Jeff Noon will also be appearing
at Waterstone’s 13-14 Princes Street, Edinburgh on Wednesday 8th October from 7.00 pm
TlCKEl ONLY EVENT For further details or to reserve a signed copy please call:
0131-556 3034
W
Ol'LLQNS Doubleday C O I G l
26 Sep—9 Oct 1997 TllEUS‘I’Ob