| Stephen Crane 2005-05-31, 10:46 pm |
| Hi there, I was searching google for books on society, disillusionment,
redemption etc and came across this little gem 'The Disillusioned' see here
http://www.fishpond.co.nz/product_i...ducts_id=631792
On the strength of the reviews I went ahead and bought it ( plus the NZ
dollar exchange rate is good for us ) and I have been thoroughly impressed
with what I read - it was just what I was looking for after not being able
to find anything else like it... A remarkable read, brutally honest
depiction of modern society, epic in scale, and all the more remarkable for
being an autobiography. It deals with UK and New Zealand society,
alcoholism, sexual abuse, lost loves, you name it this guy has lived it and
come out the other end in one piece... it helped me to understand my own
self destructive tendancies. Well done Mr Scott ! I wish others were as
brave in bearing their souls, their mistakes and their faults in the name of
redemption and helping others deal wth modern life
I've cut and pasted a bit more information here
regards
Stephen
Author: D.W. Scott
Format: N/A
Publisher: Fraser Books
ISBN: 0958233284
The Disillusioned is a ruthlessly honest memoir of a young man who writes
both searingly and disarmingly about the highs and lows, the perils and
promise of our times.
The Disillusioned encompasses three decades, beginning with the
impressionable child indoctrinated with the propaganda of Thatcher's Britain
and suffering sexual abuse, a lack of role models and any sense of
belonging. It is a gripping story of obsessive ambition, discrimination,
sex, scams, suicidal impulses, alcoholism, the search for love, loss and the
quest for redemption in New Zealand. It is David Scott's story, but also the
story of a disillusioned silent majority; the story of young people bogged
down with debt and disillusionment; the story, too, of the increasing
dangers facing our children in a materialistic world where family bonds and
values are sacrificed for higher incomes and status.
"The Disillusioned is a surprisingly compulsive read about what I call the
Misfit Generation - the one beguiled at first by the challenge of rational
economics and then bewildered by its effects. David Scott's odyssey is to
find self-worth, to discover basic human values among the detritus of modern
life. At the end you can't be sure he's made it. But his story matters and
he tells it with the pace and directness of a pro." - Gordon McLauchlan,
writer and book critic for New Zealand Herald
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Reviews
- Customer review on 12/05/2005
I was pretty sceptical when I started reading this book, but soon realised
that the writer was the real deal. Plenty of people have hard starts in
life, but Scott's takes some beating. It's hard to believe that living
standards this dire really existed in Thatchers supposed 'land of
opportunities'. Add to this - sexual abuse, jobs from hell, lost loves,
alcoholism, financial failure and self-destructive behaviour. This man
leaves no stone unturned. What I liked about The Disillusioned, was that
Scott takes responsibility for his mistakes and is rightfully mystified by
his seemingly endless run of bad luck, but he's not a whiner. This book is
funny, bawdy, incredibly sad and thought provoking.
- Customer review on 26/04/2005
I first read The Disillusioned because I wanted to meet the Author; since
then I've re-read most of it twice!
It's what I would call a gripping read, passionate, gritty and at times
heartbreakingly honest.
I was reduced to tears during some chapters and guffawed with laughter
during others.
This book is full of contradictions and can be painfully frustrating , much
like it's author, but finishing it has only whetted my appetite for more.
An excellent read, bring on the sequel!!
Gemma Arnell.
- Customer review on 26/04/2005
When your family, friends and loved ones cannot reach you, where do you
turn, what saves you from being completely swallowed by the darkness.
The one and only thing that pulled me through and gave me the hope and "The
Light at the End of the Tunnel" was a remarkable and outstanding book by a
New Zealand author, David Scott, "The Disillusioned"
David is an amazing, intelligent, thoughtful writer, who after coming
through all his trials is still a very open, caring and loving man.
Kindest Regards
Shelley Carr
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