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Chopper (John Blake) #1
Chopper
Bullied at school and growing up dreaming of revenge, Mark "Chopper" Read determined to be the toughest in any company. He became a crime commando who terrorized drug dealers, pimps, thieves, and armed robbers on the streets and in jail—but boasts never to have hurt an innocent member of the public. His story is one of violence, betrayal by trusted friends, and murder. To read his book is to read a legend who has become one of Australia's—and now the world's—most unlikely literary success stories.
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
38 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Mark Brandon Read
40 books45 followersMark Brandon "Chopper" Read is an Australian ex-criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels.
--from wikipedia
--from wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 27, 2017
“I’ve dug a few graves in my time. But I’ve never gone so far as to make a man dig his own. There’s no need to go that far - it would be plain bad manners” - Mark Brandon Read.
Have you read many autobiographical books that begin with the author being stuffed into a car trunk at gunpoint before being forced to dig their own grave? That’s the chilling beginning to Chopper, From the Inside, the story of Australian criminal turned celebrity, Mark Brandon Read, AKA Chopper.
You may have seen the Australian film Chopper, the movie that propelled Eric Bana to Hollywood stardom for his hypnotic portrayal of a violent, charismatic Melbourne extortionist (if you haven’t you’re missing out- it’s a great film and a classic piece of Australiana). This is the book the film was based on, and Mark Read (or his alter-ego, the terrifying standover man known as Chopper) is the ear-less extortionist that Bana was playing.
Chopper, From the Inside is violent, entertaining, outlandish and horrifying. This is a book that should be given to anyone considering a life of crime - Read’s life is surely not something anyone would wish to emulate.
Read wasn’t a low-profile criminal and spent most of his career under lock and key – between the ages of twenty and thirty-eight he was a free man for thirteen months. However, the months he spent outside prison were, well… productive. Read made his money extorting drug dealers, pimps and other criminals, bashing, torturing and occasionally murdering other denizens of the underworld. Read details nailing a target’s hand to a table, burning down a rival’s home, blowtorching drug dealers’ feet to extort the locations of their cash, and his own experiences of getting bashed, stabbed, shot at and imprisoned.
I’m making it sound like the transcripts of a war crimes tribunal, but this book is an engaging read, and is often surprisingly funny. Read’s sense of humor, and his near comical disdain for drug dealers and mafiosos somehow make his crimes less horrific and more entertaining, a strange balance that the Bana film managed to absolutely nail.
Read was known for paraphrasing Mark Twain’s adage of “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, and as per Twain’s dictum, some of the stories in the book feel somewhat exaggerated. Without corroboration there isn’t really any way to confirm many of Read’s anecdotes are based on real events, but they are entertaining nonetheless.
While some of his stories are suspect many of Read’s dirty deeds are matters of public record. The incident where his best friend stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. His attempted abduction of a County Court judge. His shotgun killing of Sammy the Turk behind a Melbourne nightclub, and of course, his voluntarily getting his earlobes cut off with a razor so he could be put into the prison infirmary and escape his cell block.
Read’s was a life of violence, pain and imprisonment in Pentridge Prison (one of Australia’s worst gaols) and there is an element of regret mixed in with his grandstanding, of having wasted a life in state custody, of being tired of having to constantly look over his shoulder for the next angry criminal seeking revenge.
Read is no literary stylist, but despite this his book has a raw charm - much like its subject - and its direct, unvarnished prose is often quite refreshing. It’s well worth a read, although you can probably skip the section at the back that go into detail about Read’s prison-mates, unless you’re particularly interested in the history of Melbourne’s underworld.
Postscript: I once met Read at a stand-up comedy gig. He would perform as ‘Chopper’ at The Comic’s Lounge in Melbourne, and I had a gig there the same night he did. I was intimidated by his reputation (and his noticeable lack of ears) but he was surprisingly friendly and polite. He is by far the nicest murderer/torturer that I have met.
Have you read many autobiographical books that begin with the author being stuffed into a car trunk at gunpoint before being forced to dig their own grave? That’s the chilling beginning to Chopper, From the Inside, the story of Australian criminal turned celebrity, Mark Brandon Read, AKA Chopper.
You may have seen the Australian film Chopper, the movie that propelled Eric Bana to Hollywood stardom for his hypnotic portrayal of a violent, charismatic Melbourne extortionist (if you haven’t you’re missing out- it’s a great film and a classic piece of Australiana). This is the book the film was based on, and Mark Read (or his alter-ego, the terrifying standover man known as Chopper) is the ear-less extortionist that Bana was playing.
Chopper, From the Inside is violent, entertaining, outlandish and horrifying. This is a book that should be given to anyone considering a life of crime - Read’s life is surely not something anyone would wish to emulate.
Read wasn’t a low-profile criminal and spent most of his career under lock and key – between the ages of twenty and thirty-eight he was a free man for thirteen months. However, the months he spent outside prison were, well… productive. Read made his money extorting drug dealers, pimps and other criminals, bashing, torturing and occasionally murdering other denizens of the underworld. Read details nailing a target’s hand to a table, burning down a rival’s home, blowtorching drug dealers’ feet to extort the locations of their cash, and his own experiences of getting bashed, stabbed, shot at and imprisoned.
I’m making it sound like the transcripts of a war crimes tribunal, but this book is an engaging read, and is often surprisingly funny. Read’s sense of humor, and his near comical disdain for drug dealers and mafiosos somehow make his crimes less horrific and more entertaining, a strange balance that the Bana film managed to absolutely nail.
Read was known for paraphrasing Mark Twain’s adage of “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, and as per Twain’s dictum, some of the stories in the book feel somewhat exaggerated. Without corroboration there isn’t really any way to confirm many of Read’s anecdotes are based on real events, but they are entertaining nonetheless.
While some of his stories are suspect many of Read’s dirty deeds are matters of public record. The incident where his best friend stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. His attempted abduction of a County Court judge. His shotgun killing of Sammy the Turk behind a Melbourne nightclub, and of course, his voluntarily getting his earlobes cut off with a razor so he could be put into the prison infirmary and escape his cell block.
Read’s was a life of violence, pain and imprisonment in Pentridge Prison (one of Australia’s worst gaols) and there is an element of regret mixed in with his grandstanding, of having wasted a life in state custody, of being tired of having to constantly look over his shoulder for the next angry criminal seeking revenge.
Read is no literary stylist, but despite this his book has a raw charm - much like its subject - and its direct, unvarnished prose is often quite refreshing. It’s well worth a read, although you can probably skip the section at the back that go into detail about Read’s prison-mates, unless you’re particularly interested in the history of Melbourne’s underworld.
Postscript: I once met Read at a stand-up comedy gig. He would perform as ‘Chopper’ at The Comic’s Lounge in Melbourne, and I had a gig there the same night he did. I was intimidated by his reputation (and his noticeable lack of ears) but he was surprisingly friendly and polite. He is by far the nicest murderer/torturer that I have met.
February 10, 2022
Fascinating. Badly written and perhaps the editor feared any criticism would result in retribution from Mark Chopper Read. Its an odd book and in no time line with repetition in places. Some of the stories are likely embellished but it is a fascinating read.
Chopper was a character with some major mental health issues. The stories of other criminals he knew, a code of honor, hatred of drug dealers, removal of his ears, fights and long boring stays in prison ring true. He also is always looking over his shoulder and while other criminals may have feared him his life was as he put it one of regret.
Chopper was a character with some major mental health issues. The stories of other criminals he knew, a code of honor, hatred of drug dealers, removal of his ears, fights and long boring stays in prison ring true. He also is always looking over his shoulder and while other criminals may have feared him his life was as he put it one of regret.
September 8, 2016
One of the best books I have ever read!
I am a huge fan of the film and Eric Bana who played Chopper (Mark Read) and I had always planned to read the book.
I wish i had read it sooner.
His stories and secrets were just incredible.
Even down to how he got the nickname Chopper.
Its a life I just cant imagine.
The gansters he speaks of and the violence.
Full of great quotes and facts about the criminal underworld.
Best bit was when he said the hardest man he ever met was from Glasgow!!
Such a charasmatic man. Full of charm & wit.
"just because you are going to kill a man is no excuse for bad manners"
His dad and that greyhound story was so sick/funny.
His opinion on the psychology of fear & revenge were brillant.
I love this man! Will defo read again & recommend.
And towards the end I loved the bit where he dipped his fingers into Alex's blood and wrote "sorry about all that Alex" on his prison door after stabbing him with scissors.
5/5
I am a huge fan of the film and Eric Bana who played Chopper (Mark Read) and I had always planned to read the book.
I wish i had read it sooner.
His stories and secrets were just incredible.
Even down to how he got the nickname Chopper.
Its a life I just cant imagine.
The gansters he speaks of and the violence.
Full of great quotes and facts about the criminal underworld.
Best bit was when he said the hardest man he ever met was from Glasgow!!
Such a charasmatic man. Full of charm & wit.
"just because you are going to kill a man is no excuse for bad manners"
His dad and that greyhound story was so sick/funny.
His opinion on the psychology of fear & revenge were brillant.
I love this man! Will defo read again & recommend.
And towards the end I loved the bit where he dipped his fingers into Alex's blood and wrote "sorry about all that Alex" on his prison door after stabbing him with scissors.
5/5
February 5, 2013
Mark Brandon Read is a charming sociopath with enough stories of violence, underworld culture, and the bizarre to fill a hundred beer-soaked nights of telling, or as he's probably more used to, a hundred days of 23 hour lockdown. Unfortunately each chapter of his "story" exists on its own, none of them in chronological order, much less coming together to form a plot arch. And he insists on ending chapters with really bad poetry. Still, you grow to like him despite his obvious lack of formal education and serious mental health issues. I think of him as a soldier who never found a war other than those of his own making, a man of violence for whom fighting and conquest are worthwhile pursuits in and of themselves. The shock of his lifestyle wears off with repetition, but his sense of humor will keep you reading. "It was a clear cut case of self defense."
April 24, 2018
Chopper spent plenty of time in the clink, most of his time in fact. In the foreword, it states that Chopper only spent 13 months outside of a prison between the ages of 20 and 38, 94% of the time he was stuck in jail during what you'd think would be the prime of his criminal career. In the end, he died of natural causes which I guess is like the ultimate victory for a life long criminal...
For another 300 words on the book, checkout: https://www.codycanwrite.com/highligh...
Cheers,
Cody Steele
For another 300 words on the book, checkout: https://www.codycanwrite.com/highligh...
Cheers,
Cody Steele
January 21, 2016
Good read. Funny, half-truthful, and very entertaining.
November 8, 2022
I picked this up because William Gibson refers to it in the afterword of 'Idoru' as a source of inspiration for one of his characters. Mark Read was a 'toe cutter' or 'standover man'--a type of criminal who robs other criminals. The book's description emphasizes Read's brutality and reputation as a major criminal in Australia.
The book is tabloid trash, with minimal editing. There's no structure or organization to it. Belying his reputation as a master criminal, Read spent most of his career in prison and never seems to have particularly profited by any of his crimes. Nor does he appear to be capable of any meaningful insight: he describes the horrific violence perpetrated by his cohorts but describes them as gentlemen, and after 200 pages talking about how he's at peace with his life the closing chapter he tells us he regrets everything.
I have regrets, too. Like reading this book.
The book is tabloid trash, with minimal editing. There's no structure or organization to it. Belying his reputation as a master criminal, Read spent most of his career in prison and never seems to have particularly profited by any of his crimes. Nor does he appear to be capable of any meaningful insight: he describes the horrific violence perpetrated by his cohorts but describes them as gentlemen, and after 200 pages talking about how he's at peace with his life the closing chapter he tells us he regrets everything.
I have regrets, too. Like reading this book.
August 12, 2021
A very interesting insight into the mind of an very interesting character. Tourism Victoria will definitely be glad Mr. Read wrote a book of his personal adventures in the criminal underworld, even of they do think he's illiterate!
April 1, 2011
After watching the Film so many times over the years I thought I might aswell check out the book.
Its a great read if you`ve seen the film and even if you havnt this book shows how much of a dramatisation the film really was. So expect a very different account on events...good and gritty :O
Its ashame with Chopper that there have been many speculations made as to which parts of his accounts are actually true, but with the character that Chopper Read is you gotta expect a little exaggeration, because I doubt anyones going to argue with the guy.
Its also a shame that he doesnt go into alot of detail on certain interesting events (maybe for protection reasons) but some parts of the book would have been improved with a bit more focus on what was going on at one certain event before he moves on to another "torture job" or streetfight of his.
Its a great book that has twisted elements of physical description of torture and life within the Aussie Criminal World, but with Choppers personality and almost demented sense of humour it gives the book a humble and almost personally friendly glaze to cover Choppers humorous ramblings of a violent life.
Worth the Read :)
Its a great read if you`ve seen the film and even if you havnt this book shows how much of a dramatisation the film really was. So expect a very different account on events...good and gritty :O
Its ashame with Chopper that there have been many speculations made as to which parts of his accounts are actually true, but with the character that Chopper Read is you gotta expect a little exaggeration, because I doubt anyones going to argue with the guy.
Its also a shame that he doesnt go into alot of detail on certain interesting events (maybe for protection reasons) but some parts of the book would have been improved with a bit more focus on what was going on at one certain event before he moves on to another "torture job" or streetfight of his.
Its a great book that has twisted elements of physical description of torture and life within the Aussie Criminal World, but with Choppers personality and almost demented sense of humour it gives the book a humble and almost personally friendly glaze to cover Choppers humorous ramblings of a violent life.
Worth the Read :)
February 2, 2008
Australia's modern day Ned Kelly (seriously, we love this guy) recounts some of his colourful history. People (police even) argue that ol' Chop-Chop's retelling of certain facts are far from factual. But as many Melbournian's will tell you, I know a guy who knows a guy who...
Well, that's a story for another day.
Well, that's a story for another day.
August 17, 2022
What an insane book about an absolutely crazy individual. He reminded me of Keyser Soze from the usual suspects. I had a friend at school called Danny bell who once told me a long long time ago well before I had heard of chopper that he'd actually met chopper read in the pub in Australia somewhere. I didn't think much of it at the time but now almost 20 years later I can see what an interesting encounter that must have been. So this book’s about a crazy gangster from Melbourne in Australia who is a bit of a Robin Hood in the sense that he really targeted criminals. Not that he was a saint in anyway and redistributed to the poor but it's just that he liked a challenge and was completely fearless. He's been stabbed and shot at multiple times and survived to live the tale until he died around 2013 from cancer. A very funny individual but completely insane: there's been a film that's been made about him starring Eric Bana. I guess the most famous instance about chopper that comes to mind is when he got someone to chop his ears off for him at prison so he could get out of a particular ward.
Here are some of the best bits from the book
our gang kept weapons hidden in the toilets of the South yarra arms, the morning star hotel and later on the Bush inn hotel. We stashed 1 sawn off shotgun one tomahawk one meat cleaver and one iron bar in each pub. And idea I got from the Krays brothers and reading about what they did in London.
All my life dad has slept with a gun beside his bed. And after his divorce from my mother he took to sleeping with a fully loaded pump action shotgun alongside him with the double bed barrel pointing down towards his feet. It now goes under or alongside the bed on the floor. Getting up at night to go to the toilet with my old dad and his trusty pump action shotgun in the next room meant yelling: going to the toilet dad so he knew who was walking around.
When cowards have no place to run they will drink the blood of 1000 heroes to survive. Those words were used to describe the foreign legion 100 years ago.
One of Jimmy Loughnan’s favorite party tricks At H division during the war was to get hold of chaps we felt had been putting holes in their manners. We would grab the offending party and give him a touch up otherwise known as a sound beating. Then we would stand him up. I'd put a butchers knife to his neck and Jimmy would pop a razor blade in his mouth and he would be told to chew on it. There would be a little protest at first but it was a case of chew or die and a mouthful of blood was better than a neck full of cold steel. So chew it would be. If you've never seen a man chew on a razor blade you have never seen blood flow.
I do it. Click. Nothing. This was Russian roulette. I would then remove the slug from the gun and hand them both to the rice eater I was playing. However I had made sure I had little advantage no one else knew about. I knew my gun was perfectly balanced so that if I put a slug in at the top and spun it the right way and snapped back the cylinder it would snap back with a slug at the bottom well 19 times out of 20 anyway. Which is good enough odds for me. I practice with my gun so that I had the odds on my side. Hours I spent spinning the cylinder until I worked out that I had the safety edge of about 20 to one. I had faith in my gun and believe the odds were on my side. Sunny: this reminded me of a scene from the Deer Hunter staring De Niro :) if you know you know :)
lemon twist: a drug gang wishes to maintain its standing in the eyes of the criminal world yet remain out of jail. They pick a known police informer some physically weak wimp who's easily frightened. They call him in and explained to him that he now works for them after a nice little beating of course.
If I remained in the world of crime where I have been for 20 years I would be splitting the face of my own logic. I've read military tactics and strategy all my life. To walk away and never look back is the smart move. It is the only logical tactic left to me. For every Napoleon there is a Wellington waiting.
Je ne regrette rien? I regret nothing? What a sick joke. I regret everything.
Here are some of the best bits from the book
our gang kept weapons hidden in the toilets of the South yarra arms, the morning star hotel and later on the Bush inn hotel. We stashed 1 sawn off shotgun one tomahawk one meat cleaver and one iron bar in each pub. And idea I got from the Krays brothers and reading about what they did in London.
All my life dad has slept with a gun beside his bed. And after his divorce from my mother he took to sleeping with a fully loaded pump action shotgun alongside him with the double bed barrel pointing down towards his feet. It now goes under or alongside the bed on the floor. Getting up at night to go to the toilet with my old dad and his trusty pump action shotgun in the next room meant yelling: going to the toilet dad so he knew who was walking around.
When cowards have no place to run they will drink the blood of 1000 heroes to survive. Those words were used to describe the foreign legion 100 years ago.
One of Jimmy Loughnan’s favorite party tricks At H division during the war was to get hold of chaps we felt had been putting holes in their manners. We would grab the offending party and give him a touch up otherwise known as a sound beating. Then we would stand him up. I'd put a butchers knife to his neck and Jimmy would pop a razor blade in his mouth and he would be told to chew on it. There would be a little protest at first but it was a case of chew or die and a mouthful of blood was better than a neck full of cold steel. So chew it would be. If you've never seen a man chew on a razor blade you have never seen blood flow.
I do it. Click. Nothing. This was Russian roulette. I would then remove the slug from the gun and hand them both to the rice eater I was playing. However I had made sure I had little advantage no one else knew about. I knew my gun was perfectly balanced so that if I put a slug in at the top and spun it the right way and snapped back the cylinder it would snap back with a slug at the bottom well 19 times out of 20 anyway. Which is good enough odds for me. I practice with my gun so that I had the odds on my side. Hours I spent spinning the cylinder until I worked out that I had the safety edge of about 20 to one. I had faith in my gun and believe the odds were on my side. Sunny: this reminded me of a scene from the Deer Hunter staring De Niro :) if you know you know :)
lemon twist: a drug gang wishes to maintain its standing in the eyes of the criminal world yet remain out of jail. They pick a known police informer some physically weak wimp who's easily frightened. They call him in and explained to him that he now works for them after a nice little beating of course.
If I remained in the world of crime where I have been for 20 years I would be splitting the face of my own logic. I've read military tactics and strategy all my life. To walk away and never look back is the smart move. It is the only logical tactic left to me. For every Napoleon there is a Wellington waiting.
Je ne regrette rien? I regret nothing? What a sick joke. I regret everything.
June 17, 2018
This book was my holiday reading for a trip around Kyushu and in Taiwan, and I found it curiously enjoyable to read. Chopper was no Shakespeare but there's some nice turn of phrase and his story is as entertaining as it is both revealing and repulsive. While much of it could be regarded as self-justification for the binge of violence that was most of his adult life, he remains sufficiently restrained on self congratulation. Indeed I felt I learnt an interesting lesson, comparing the way he applied his own ethical and social framework to the criminal world, with the ritualised warfare enacted in Taiwanese traditional kung-fu displays: violence is not so much anti-social but social - societies (or sub-societies) construct their own forms of and narratives for violence.
In the last chapter, Chopper reverses his perspective and the last paragraph of the book is one of the most poignant endings I've ever read.
In the last chapter, Chopper reverses his perspective and the last paragraph of the book is one of the most poignant endings I've ever read.
April 9, 2019
An entertaining, but ultimately vapid affair.
“What you won’t have heard...”
“But I can’t say anything more about that...”
“You can’t fool Chopper Read...”
Expect to hear versions of these three lines make up the bulk of this tedious and narcissistic pulp novel. What minor thrills may lie within fall victim to a queasy, confused narrative; not dissimilar to humouring the ramblings of a drunken uncle at a disappointing family gathering. The novelty of the Chopper Read persona wears increasingly thin; as you realise that the only thing that props these anecdotes up, is the overwhelming satisfaction Read himself gets in constructing his own legend.
The book struggles with it’s own nature; Read has been accused of fabricating many of his underworld tales. This begs the question, if the tales truly are part fiction, how can they make such a juicy subject matter feel so inconsequential?
“What you won’t have heard...”
“But I can’t say anything more about that...”
“You can’t fool Chopper Read...”
Expect to hear versions of these three lines make up the bulk of this tedious and narcissistic pulp novel. What minor thrills may lie within fall victim to a queasy, confused narrative; not dissimilar to humouring the ramblings of a drunken uncle at a disappointing family gathering. The novelty of the Chopper Read persona wears increasingly thin; as you realise that the only thing that props these anecdotes up, is the overwhelming satisfaction Read himself gets in constructing his own legend.
The book struggles with it’s own nature; Read has been accused of fabricating many of his underworld tales. This begs the question, if the tales truly are part fiction, how can they make such a juicy subject matter feel so inconsequential?
July 27, 2019
Het is voor mij bizar en moeilijk voor te stellen dat de dingen die hierin worden beschreven ook in het echt gebeuren. Ik ben blij dat ik kan zeggen dat dergelijke criminaliteit een ver-van-mijn-bed-show is. . Ik werd het op termijn zat dat Read zichzelf niet als kwaad zag, omdat hij de levens van onschuldige burgers wel spaart. Ik kan niet geloven dat iemand die gemarteld en gemoord heeft, denkt dat hij geen slechte dingen doet en dat God hem niet daarvoor zal veroordelen. Ik vond dit boek te rustig en te saai in opbouw. Ik zou dit boek niet aanraden, er zijn vast wel interessantere boeken geschreven door criminelen.
January 9, 2020
If you can somehow appreciate mindless violence and benighted social circles, then Chopper is at least entertaining.
The book is full of hyperbolic bravado and rhetoric - its saving grace being that Chopper would never claim to be a saint or to be a moral compass for anyone. It was just his way.
However, his sentiments towards friends and family, and even respected enemies does resonate as truly human and offers a slight edge to the otherwise psychotic protagonist.
Without spoiling too much, the last chapter in conclusion really brings the book full circle in a poignant climax of revelation.
A perfect and easy book for travelling, if you like that kinda thing.
The book is full of hyperbolic bravado and rhetoric - its saving grace being that Chopper would never claim to be a saint or to be a moral compass for anyone. It was just his way.
However, his sentiments towards friends and family, and even respected enemies does resonate as truly human and offers a slight edge to the otherwise psychotic protagonist.
Without spoiling too much, the last chapter in conclusion really brings the book full circle in a poignant climax of revelation.
A perfect and easy book for travelling, if you like that kinda thing.
January 13, 2018
This was like no other crime biography I have ever read. Normally I feel somewhat anxious about hearing the finer details of crimes. However, despite discussing some truly horrifying events, Choppers witty one liners and descriptions of underworld figures make this book a real laugh. It has a very conversational tone about it, as if he is sitting there with you having a yarn. I will definitely be reading more of his books!
May 27, 2023
Mark Brandon Read better known as Chopper, is Australia's most feared man, the things this guy did are beyond crazy. He was a gangster for 2 decades and after that became a toecutter, or bountyhunter. He knows everyone in the underworld, and tells of his violent streak, his many years in prison which had riots for years, his killings, mutilations, betrayals and other "fun" stories. This guy also makes poems of his friends and victims, and this is a very riveting read.
August 24, 2023
Quite awful. I say 'quite' because Read does write with some humour and intelligence. However, his autobiography is trashy and poorly edited, it's too short and despite the amazing life Read has led, seems to repeat itself. And the poetry! Oh dear, such bloody awful poetry, it was practically vulgar, and without any swearing in it. The shame. Oh well, the book only took about four hours (or less) to get through.
August 21, 2019
verknipt, inderdaad.
"Voor mij is tenenhakken of koppensnellen de zuiverste, puurste vorm van misdaad. de koppensneller staat alleen. De gemiddelde crimineel heeft de mentaliteit van een kuddedier. De koppensneller heeft de mentaliteit van een solitaire wolf. " "Je zou me een criminele snob kunnen noemen, ik kijk danig neer op de rest" (p103)
"Voor mij is tenenhakken of koppensnellen de zuiverste, puurste vorm van misdaad. de koppensneller staat alleen. De gemiddelde crimineel heeft de mentaliteit van een kuddedier. De koppensneller heeft de mentaliteit van een solitaire wolf. " "Je zou me een criminele snob kunnen noemen, ik kijk danig neer op de rest" (p103)
July 28, 2024
Sorry Chopper, this narrator has to be the worst bit of audio casting in history. If you weren't dead, you'd come back and make him understand why. Talk about miscast. Horrid, I just can't take any more of this fool. Pity.
28% is all I can take of this clown's attempt at 'being' Chopper. He gets as close as tinker bell would to being the incredible hulk.
28% is all I can take of this clown's attempt at 'being' Chopper. He gets as close as tinker bell would to being the incredible hulk.
August 6, 2020
Never underestimate the impact of family and relationships on who you might become.
A gut wrenching tale of truths and white lies, of (lost) opportunities, and bizarrely, of friendships and commitment.
A gut wrenching tale of truths and white lies, of (lost) opportunities, and bizarrely, of friendships and commitment.
March 10, 2022
Saw the movie when it came out 20 years ago, been wanting to read book for a while.
No time line so you can jump around from chapter to chapter.
Went back and forth to feel sympathy for Read.
Probably would have got more out of it if were more familiar with Australia and all the name of "famous" criminals he mentions
No time line so you can jump around from chapter to chapter.
Went back and forth to feel sympathy for Read.
Probably would have got more out of it if were more familiar with Australia and all the name of "famous" criminals he mentions
March 31, 2022
Well, this was a book in the loosest sense of the word. This seemed to be a collection of ramblings, sort of grouped together by theme but not chronologically, with heaps of fanciful stories that cannot be confirmed by any other party. What’s with the nation’s obsession with Chopper?
June 1, 2017
Chopper knows how to spin a good yarn. A surprisingly fun easy read.
January 28, 2018
Need to read the series. Was an interesting book with some slight humour.
May 21, 2018
LEGEND!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2018
Awesome
April 10, 2020
Compulsive candid reading
December 6, 2020
Hard books to read because of the writing style used. The film was brilliant and there is just too many books to deal with.
July 18, 2022
Great introduction to the life of Mark 'Chopper' Read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews