The Moon's a Balloon - David Niven

Advantages: Evocative of more glamorous times
Disadvantages: Shallow

...Perhaps I'm going to be a little harsh on this book, after the joy of reading his brother Frank's books. At times I was reminded of the great david Niven's books "The moon's a balloon" and "Bring on the empty horses" in a similar autobiographical style, but when you're not that famous namedropping is so passe. Content I got pissed, I got fucked and I travelled; end of story. Yes I was harsh, there are some quite humorous moments and yes there are some quite famous people. Unfortunately this is an empty and unfulfilling bandwagon jump and does not deserve your attention. Vey unfortunately I have not entered enough words in this review, and these extra words are purely filler which describes the bookquite well... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Very funny and enlightening
Disadvantages: sometimes a bit too honest

...Moons a Balloon”. In fact Nivens ego massaging opus is lampooned on many occasions, the last, slightly psychedelic chapter is titled “The moods a full baboon”. Chapman describes his life from childhood, Biggles fixation and a nasty incident involving polish aviator body parts, to the late 70’s, LA parties with cardboard cut-outs of David Niven. Most of the story is told as a lapse of reality when Chapman forgets his lines during a Monty Python performance in the Hollywood Bowl. The forward gives some kind of insight into the childhood he had.... “My parents were outraged when I arrived because they’d been expecting a heterosexual, black Jew with several rather amusing birth deformities as they needed the problems” Chapman is very honest, ironically, when describing the struggle... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very good read
Disadvantages: Left wanting more

.... With the characters of this story, they are well fleshed out with their own likes and dislikes. The descriptions are well done enough to make them believable as persons, rather than as cardboard cut-outs. The whole story makes for a very good read and the ending is such that I was left wanting more as were a number of other readers. Whilst now a somewhat old book I would still stand it beside the likes of David Weber or Jonny Ringo, both of whom I also like This work seems to under go periodic reprints. The latest by Collins in 1993 priced at £6.99. Some 560 pages When I bought mine was nearly 30 years ago when it was priced at £0.95 this was a lot for those days. Larry Niven is the writer of the Ringworld book and the Tales of Known Space. Jerry Pournelle was an engineer who worked on both the Mercury and Apollo space programmes. He was later... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful