As a young 80’s child my grandparents bought me the Little Golden Book Record Read-Along Collection (which featured 20 stories with a corresponding 33.5 rpm vinyl for each story). It sparked a lifelong joy in stories – and to this day I still love to grab a good book and wile away the hours reading.
Having been on holidays for the last few weeks, I have been able to indulge in this favourite pastime of mine (as well as finishing the TV series Fortitude – but that is a different blog post!). So what have I been reading? A pretty great book by screen-writing maestro (and novelist) William Goldman (author and screenwriter of The Princess Bride) entitled, “Which Lie Did I Tell: More Adventures In The Screen Trade”. I picked it up from a charity shop in the London’s Hammersmith for a measly £2 last year… and it is turning into a most excellent little investment!
Now is it all good? No – much of Goldman’s gruff humour and charm derives from emphatic statements of the obvious – and by about half way through, you start to get the feeling that the book may just be devolving into a conspicuous case of sour grapes. BUT, if you are willing to wade past his personal biases (and honestly, what writer isn’t biased? That includes you, Mr/s Reviewer!), then there is some treasure therein. I am not a screenwriter. But you don’t really need to be to enjoy it. There is some advice to wannabe screenwriters as well as some script analysis – but the book is also full of funny anecdotes, uncomfortable truths about Hollywood, and an array of personal insights which have been gleaned from over 40-years in the industry. It is well worth checking it out… especially if you can get it for £2 from a second-hand store like I did.
And that’s it peeps. I am back on board with my blog roll-outs – and look forward to sharing a bunch of great bits and pieces over the next little while!
Waiting 2B Scene 