Why people recommend it
Clive James's Unreliable Memoirs is the celebrated first installment of the author's autobiographical writings, capturing his early life with wit and sharp observation. On The Book Review podcast in July 2024, during an episode titled Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Listen, Liberal’, Greg Coles shared that he had spent his recent train journeys reading the 1980 memoir, which he had just finished. Coles praised the volume enthusiastically, calling it one of the greatest memoir titles he had encountered. In another episode titled Picking the Best Memoirs Since 1969, John Williams referenced the memoir while discussing the inclusion of notable book critics on their curated lists, noting the multifaceted background of Clive James as a critic. Additionally, a guest on the podcast episode titled The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone briefly mentioned the book while reviewing selections from the compilation. Across these discussions, the podcast highlighted the enduring appeal of James's autobiographical work, cementing its status as a standout piece of life-writing that continues to resonate with readers and critics alike.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Discussed
- Greg Coles Recommended
John Williams — 1 mention
“Clive James unreliable memo I guess he's not just a book critic”
Greg Coles — 1 mention
“my train reading until this morning when I finished it has been uh a 1980 Memoir by Clive James it's the first of his several Memoirs it's called unreliable Memoirs one of the great Memoir titles”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“Clive James unreliable memo”