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North Face of Soho

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North Face of Soho

By: Clive James
Narrated by: Clive James
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About this listen

Read by the author, Clive James.

From Fleet Street to the television, North Face of Soho is the fascinating and hilarious fourth volume of memoir from much-loved author, poet and broadcaster Clive James.

It is 1968. Newly married, dressed in the style of the times ('a frenzy of bad judgement'), Clive James is leaving the cloistered world of Cambridge academia and setting his sights once again on the lights of literary London.

Luckily for him and us, this crack at the big city would go rather better than last time.

Still writing songs, directing sketch shows and trying to break into the movie business, with very mixed success, Clive eventually lands a weekly TV column at the Observer, finds his metier and rapidly becomes a household name. Credited with inventing a genre, Clive turns his attention to the previously critically disregarded medium of television to comment on the entire culture. Through the Seventies and early Eighties, from Fleet Street to Hollywood, from Russian department stores to Paris fashion shows, this is the hilarious, entertaining and honest story of a life lived to the full.

North Face of Soho is the fourth book of memoir from Clive James. Continue his story with The Blaze of Obscurity.

©2006 Clive James (P)2006 Macmillan Publishers Ltd Art & Literature Authors Funny Witty

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Critic reviews

'[James] delivers his gags with honed elegance' – Sunday Times
All stars
Most relevant  
Laugh out loud brilliance from a superlative writer and word magician. would highlyrecommend a trip through the madness.

Simply perfection by Mr James, again

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If you could sum up North Face of Soho in three words, what would they be?

Funny, interesting and educational.

What was one of the most memorable moments of North Face of Soho?

His editorial exploits in London.

What does Clive James bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

His own voice used, tell it how he meant it to sound.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Bold, Brave and Humble

Any additional comments?

Great Read.

Always witty

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... so much I never knew about Clive James. Always enjoyed his dry wit and wisdom.

A gentle listen to a great character.

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What I like most about this is that Clive James is so engagingly honest about his own faults and failures whilst at the same time honest about his successes and cleverness. It’s a wise reflection on his life and upon the many lows and highs of a remarkably demanding business. My goodness, he must have been difficult to live with. In old age he was candid to the point of self-laceration about some of the ways his lifestyle and appetites impacted his wife and family. This entertaining, thoughtful and characteristically articulate book is another piece of that long autumn of wistful apology whilst never quite shrugging off the honest relish for the literary life in its many manifestations.

Honest brilliance

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Clive James tells brilliant stories about his rise to fame. I realised by the end of the book how much I miss his voice and humour. A great tonic in these serious times!

Laugh out loud - brilliant!

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Now the Clive James is no more, it is in tribute to him that I'm collecting his generous works, and I've never been disappointed.
His life is so full of anecdote and real things wrapped up as anecdote that makes him on of the great descriptive writer's of our times.
For Bless you Mr James.

Another great book from Clive James

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What made the experience of listening to North Face of Soho the most enjoyable?

Clive James is such a brilliant and funny writer and an iconic and distinctive narrator.

What was one of the most memorable moments of North Face of Soho?

I loved the stories of Clive James growing up with his mother and his memories of his childhood in Australia.

Which character – as performed by Clive James – was your favourite?

His observations on the 'famous,' particularly celebrities and movie stars are brilliant. His story about meeting and interviewing Burt Lancaster on set with Michael Winner was wonderful.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Those of us who grew up with TV from the 1970's, 80's & 90's just love to listen to Clive James. This book will cause laughter and some sorrow, and then laughter again.

Any additional comments?

Thank you so much for giving us this as an audio book.

Clive James on Top Form. What More Could We Ask?

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Listening to Clive James reflect about his life in his unique style causes one to appreciate ones own lifetime that little bit more.

Unique

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Witty, clever, interesting, enlightening, moving, and amusing. What more can you ask for in a memoir?

Classic Clive James; he could make a walk around the block to get a paper, a packet of fags, and a pint of milk into a best seller.

er, um, well, great

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everyone should read this. great wise and funny writing. under appreciated in his own country

Amazing

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