A story of music, madness and the Manic Street Preachers
Richard
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Review
'What is sure is Myers' skill for storytelling; the absence of any cynicism, a certain hypnotic meditative pace he successfully employs that draws you in as the novel progresses and a mood of melancholic nostalgia, a tantalising nostalgia for a time not long passed but gone forever' 3:AM Magazine
'A novel for our celebrity-obsessed age, a thorough investigation - written in beautiful prose - of a young man suicided or disappeared by society. From life in a small town to sex, drugs and rock and roll excess, Ben Myers' Richard slashes and burns its way through the bloated beigeness of the contemporary British novel' Bookmunch.com
'It's not uncommon to hear someone say something to the effect of, “There’s no such thing as a good rock and roll novel” - the next time you hear someone say this, point them towards this book' Bookslut
'Extraordinary' Daily Mirror
'This moving, tender novel tells the story of a lost boy adrift in a world that he can't make sense of . . . Myers' recreation of Edward's life is sensitively handled - an exploration of a troubled, articulate man who was shy and withdrawn' Marie Claire
'There are moments of haunting poetry' Metro
'A work of fiction that bears a convincing ring of truth' Mojo
'Myers' true service to the story is humanising the icon by portraying Edwards outside his common context. Offstage, alone, and out of sight, Richard is fully imagined. Some descriptions of the landscape are so fresh you can smell the moss' TheQuietus.com
'It's a brilliant book and I loved it' Sun
'Never once is there a dropped beat. Myers understands the reactionary nature of the post-punk diktat, the people it attracts and its importance to lives given up to it' The Times
'Richard is not a provocation, nor does it claim to solve the Richey mystery. It is a sympathetic and sad imagining of the boy who became a reluctant pop idol before that notion became oxymoronic' Time Out
'A novel for our celebrity-obsessed age, a thorough investigation - written in beautiful prose - of a young man suicided or disappeared by society. From life in a small town to sex, drugs and rock and roll excess, Ben Myers' Richard slashes and burns its way through the bloated beigeness of the contemporary British novel' Bookmunch.com
'It's not uncommon to hear someone say something to the effect of, “There’s no such thing as a good rock and roll novel” - the next time you hear someone say this, point them towards this book' Bookslut
'Extraordinary' Daily Mirror
'This moving, tender novel tells the story of a lost boy adrift in a world that he can't make sense of . . . Myers' recreation of Edward's life is sensitively handled - an exploration of a troubled, articulate man who was shy and withdrawn' Marie Claire
'There are moments of haunting poetry' Metro
'A work of fiction that bears a convincing ring of truth' Mojo
'Myers' true service to the story is humanising the icon by portraying Edwards outside his common context. Offstage, alone, and out of sight, Richard is fully imagined. Some descriptions of the landscape are so fresh you can smell the moss' TheQuietus.com
'It's a brilliant book and I loved it' Sun
'Never once is there a dropped beat. Myers understands the reactionary nature of the post-punk diktat, the people it attracts and its importance to lives given up to it' The Times
'Richard is not a provocation, nor does it claim to solve the Richey mystery. It is a sympathetic and sad imagining of the boy who became a reluctant pop idol before that notion became oxymoronic' Time Out
Book Description
In February 1995, Richey Edwards checked out of a London hotel instead of flying to the US with the rest of the Manic Street Preachers. There were a few subsequent sightings but then nothing. His body was never found, and he was declared legally dead in November 2008. Now Richard tells the story of his life – and disappearance – as he might have told it. ‘This moving, tender novel tells the story of a lost boy adrift in a world that he can’t make sense of’ Marie Claire ‘Myers deserves credit not only for adding a third dimension to Edwards, but for trying a fourth, for attempting to document a period of his life that seems destined to remain a mystery’ The Times ‘A sympathetic and sad imagining of the boy who became a reluctant pop idol’ Time Out ‘Harrowing and hauntingly sad’ Mojo
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Franny
Format:Paperback
Ben Myers has written one of the bravest novels in quite some time, not just because of the criticism he has faced but also because he has sought to accurately portray the mind and inner workings of one of rocks most tragic and glamorous figures, Richey James Edwards.
The book jumps between Richey's dissapearance and the formative years of his life in the band, although this may sound daunting it actually works very well and the book might have suffered from being purely linear. Myers handles the subject with sensitivity but is never too cautious as to damage his portrayal of Richey, it would have been naive to have Richard as simply being a tragic figure or as simply being a rock n' roll icon and Myers finds the balance between the depressive Richey and the glamorous spokeperson for the Manics.
I greatly enjoyed this book which I read while listening to Manics songs past and present and I felt that it gave me more of an insight into Richey's mind than any biography could have done, Myers captures almost perfectly one of the most interesting characters in recent musical history and this book reads well for both fans and non-fans alike.
The book jumps between Richey's dissapearance and the formative years of his life in the band, although this may sound daunting it actually works very well and the book might have suffered from being purely linear. Myers handles the subject with sensitivity but is never too cautious as to damage his portrayal of Richey, it would have been naive to have Richard as simply being a tragic figure or as simply being a rock n' roll icon and Myers finds the balance between the depressive Richey and the glamorous spokeperson for the Manics.
I greatly enjoyed this book which I read while listening to Manics songs past and present and I felt that it gave me more of an insight into Richey's mind than any biography could have done, Myers captures almost perfectly one of the most interesting characters in recent musical history and this book reads well for both fans and non-fans alike.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Richard Edwards, an intelligent, talented Welshman, played and wrote music for The Manic Street Preachers. He disappeared in 1995 and was declared officially dead in 2008, assumed to have committed suicide. Ben Myers' book cleverly reconstructs Richard's last few weeks alongside a history of Richard's life and career, based on some real people, fictionalized interpretations of real events and reported sightings in 1995. It is a sensitive, respectful account of both Richard's life and presumed death, not attaching blame to anyone nor condemning this obviously troubled young man.
I was deeply moved by this book and was left feeling incredibly sad for him, his family and his friends and colleagues, all of whom are reflected as supportive and kindly. Richard received a lot of help, both informally and professionally, but ultimately life was too much for him. He suffered no obvious childhood traumas but like several people I have met he seemed to have been born without that protective psychological outer skin that helps the rest of us cope. I lost a young person to suicide and it made me think about her and how weary she was of the struggle to act normal. Richard, like her, presumably gave up the struggle. A sad book extremely well written.
I was deeply moved by this book and was left feeling incredibly sad for him, his family and his friends and colleagues, all of whom are reflected as supportive and kindly. Richard received a lot of help, both informally and professionally, but ultimately life was too much for him. He suffered no obvious childhood traumas but like several people I have met he seemed to have been born without that protective psychological outer skin that helps the rest of us cope. I lost a young person to suicide and it made me think about her and how weary she was of the struggle to act normal. Richard, like her, presumably gave up the struggle. A sad book extremely well written.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By P. J. Davies
Format:Paperback
Having not read any books based on the Manics but being a big fan of The Holy Bible and especially that period I thought I'd give it a go during my hols. Ben has pulled a lot a material from other Manics books(he states this)so there may not be too much for the hardened fan but enough to keep me informed and entertained. Harrowing stuff and won't suit all readers but gives a glimpse into what may have been going on in Richey's troubled head.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crikey - this is heart wrenching
I have to say that this book really struck a chord with me. The despair and lack of any hope rang a bell with a time in my life and whilst I dealt with these problems in a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mellow Yellow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling and thought-provoking
This book never really appealed to me due to the fictional nature of it, but when I spotted it for £1.40 in HMV's closing down sale, I was more than willing to take a gamble. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cathal Lynch
4.0 out of 5 stars
Haunting
A deeply controversial book - it certainly alienated the band members Richey left behind - that attempts to get inside the troubled head of Richey Edwards and posits the notion of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. Cunliffe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely Worth Buying!
I really enjoyed reading Richard. It was written in an unusual yet interesting way and I finished it in almost one sitting. Definitely worth reading! :)
Published 4 months ago by Catherine
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a comfortable read
Being a fan of Manic Street Preachers and clearly remembering Richey's disappearance, I was very curious as to what this book would be like. Read more
Published 13 months ago by J. Bonner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strange but compelling
I wasnt sure if i would enjoy this read but i have to say i found it spellbinding. The sad true life tragedy of Rich Edwards is well documented but this book weaves fact and... Read more
Published 22 months ago by A. Hogg
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strangely compelling
The cynic in me says that basing this book on the life of Richey Edwards gives it both its raison d'être and a ready-made audience, but in this respect I suppose I'm as guilty as... Read more
Published on 6 May 2011 by SpecialOrder937
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW
this book is amazing, loved it from start to finish. Accurate portrayal of Richey, one of the most amazing men ever to walk the earth. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2011 by Mags
4.0 out of 5 stars
Richey Remembered
This could have been a disaster in the wrong hands, but this is a sensitive 'imagining' of Richey's life, from his time in the band starting with the early days, to the troubled... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2011 by Mr. K. Cross
3.0 out of 5 stars
From Despair to Where?
Sitting somewhere between a novel and a biographical account, Richard could be termed, for want of a better word, an imagining. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2011 by D. J. Franklin
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