Scar Tissue

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very hard book to rate. I didn't think it was very well written, but that's not why I was reading it in the first place, but it didn't help the cause any. Sex, drugs and rock and roll can be a very interesting ride and why not take the chance to go through it by reading a book.

It was a giant roller coaster ride of the life of a rock star that has major points of addiction issues, relationship issues, etc. The one thing I can say for sure, celebrities do not have it easy. As much as people think they are living the dream of being famous and wealthy, it's one hell of a life. They have people trying to expose or use them at every turn, ie the paparazzi and reporters. They have people trying to exploit them for personal reasons, ie, wives/girlfriends/partners or friends. Then a major issue is what they have access to, ie. drugs (the variety is limitless), sex, alcohol and so much more. For a person with addiction issues the celebrity life is not an easy one and this picture was clearly painted in Kiedis' book. In and out of relapse and recovery, is and was a hard journey for Kiedis, who later discovered the link between using and the end of relationships for himself. Since I am not a long standing fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, when he was writing about their early music and when they just got their break, it wasn't about songs that I knew about or liked. It wasn't until approximately half way through the book that Under the Bridge was mentioned and then the musical stuff started to click for me. One point I found interesting, was the bond between Kiedis and Flea, who considered each other brothers and family. Through thick and thin they were in each others lives, they supported each other musically and reached success together, as well as with the others in the band. The dynamic between them was very interesting and sometimes tumultuous, but they always remained friends no matter what.

I will admit that I did find the end of the book a little preachy regarding addiction, but I will give Kiedis the credit he deserves for fighting with his demons and coming out on top. Another thing I found a little annoying, is that the pictures were not in any sort of order. They were from various times and just chucked in with a little blurb. It would have been more effective if the pictures were done in some sort of order, but that's just my opinion.

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A Life in Parts

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The opening chapter had my jaw dropped and me thinking WTF. Bryan Cranston truly captures the role of storyteller in this autobiography. A lot of the time when I was reading I felt like I was sitting at a campfire sharing with him and he actually telling these stories to me. The book is well written for a celebrity. In short, the book is divided in to different roles he has played or been throughout his life. Cranston lives an interesting life full of adventure and yet remains to be a very humble guy. I cannot say more about this book without giving the story away but I definitely give it 5 stars.

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