Customer Reviews

Chopper

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This man has a style of writing which can be compared to no other. He is witty, funny, illiterate, genuine and above all: psychotic.

The book starts off great but halfway lost its grip over me as it became a decoupled series of short stories where he tells of friends he has had in prison. Despite this, some of the stories are hilarious!

Having read the book, I eagerly ventured onto the Web in search of more stories and tales of the feared Chopper Read. This was far more rewarding than the book itself, but obviously something I would not have done had I not learned of his background via the book.

Chopper definately made an impression on me, that is, I even christened a boisterous new kitten after him: Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read.

The autobiography of Mark Brandon Read `Chopper' gives us a unique and seldom told insight into the criminal underworld of Australia, particularly Melbourne. The story begins by an infatuation with guns, explosives and military history crossed-wired with a young child who spent a lot of time drugged up in a psychiatric rehabilitation prison. Mix two vital ingredients together and you're left with a dangerous man.

Probably the most sought-after criminal in Australia, Chopper acquired his enemies through his friends' enemies and from robbing the bank robbers and other similar criminals. He's killed plentiful, but protests "I'm no murderer...I'm a garbage disposal expert" and from a certain perspective, his tales hold a strong point of view. The only men he has claimed to kill are murderers themselves, drug dealers and rapists. Any other men he has killed may well have been innocent, but Chopper was acting purely in self-defence.

Spending most of his life behind bars, Chopper inevitably made friends with other inmates and also confronted his worst enemies. Cleverly thought out antics and plots to burn down prisons are just a range of things Chopper and friends would execute in an attempt to relieve boredom and pass time. Nevertheless he claims: - "It is a madhouse in prison - and twice as bad outside,"

Packed with hilarious non-chronological stories about imbecilic big shot gangsters; Close attempts to wipe out Chopper; And a world where criminals fear Chopper over the law; this book will keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

In his own words; "You can fool some of the people all of the time, And you can even fool all of the people some of the time, but in the real world of blood and guts you don't fool Chopper Read any of the time."

If you like books about facial stabbings with needle nose pliers, blowtorches on the soles of bare feet and short anectdotes about having ones ears removed, this is the book for you. Mixed in with some graphic imagery, is the witty humor of an Australian Robin Hood. He's a confessed torturer, murderer, theif, thug, extortionist, etc. Mark "Chopper" Reed's claim to fame is that he has never hurt an innocent person. Everyone he's hurt, mamed, killed has been a "crim" of some sort. His favourite kind crim to deal with is the drug dealer. To Mark they are the lowest of the low, and in his experience, the most spineless.

Yes, the imagery is a little graphic but the humor is witty and greatly balances the violence in this novel. Since the publication of "Chopper", Mark Reed has become one of Australia's best selling authors and celebrity. Also check out the rest of the 8 books in the Chopper Series.

A little after high school a close friend of mine had introduced me to a film called "Chopper" starring Eric Bana. This was my first experience with good ol' Chop Chop, and Eric Bana as well.

I was completely intrigued and hysterical by Mark Brandon Read aka Chopper's funny yet crazy demeanor, and Eric's great acting chops. Little did I know Chopper had put out quite a few books, and even more since then. And Eric..well I'm sure everyone knows who he is at this point heh.

I picked up this book after getting slightly bored while reading Dante's Divine Comedy, not to say I didn't like it. Just wasn't in that kind of mood at the moment. Anyhow, this book is not for the faint of heart. Chopper talks about funny stories, crazy ones, murders, robberies and in pretty graphic detail. I had read on Amazon a few sample pages of the book and was completely over taken just as I was with the film, his humor mixed with sociopath-type tendencies and sadism were just enthralling. I could see some people getting turned off by this type of writing or humor, but this man really has a soft warm side littered through out his book as well. Albeit some of it is hidden behind Aussie slang you may have to Google ;).

One of my favorite stories talks of a hit put out on our friend Chopper. For the first and probably last time Chopper had been tripped up, and caught by a would be gangster looking for the bounty on Chop's head. Eventually Chopper get's thrown into said "gangster's" trunk and I believe he had said Dean Martin was blaring on the radio. Anyhow, eventually Chopper talks about how this was the only time he was scared enough to relieve himself on his person, and that he could never hear Deano sing again without thinking of this moment. He then goes into great detail about how he yuks it up with the gangster, who is trying to make him dig his own grave mind you...He then proceeds to fake not being able to dig very will with the restraints on and bare handed. Eventually Chopper has a small pick axe type tool and is now cuff-less, which was the gangster's very big mistake. Well with one blink of the eye or turn of the head by the gangster, Chopper proceeds to pay him back in spades. He also gets away with the gangster's car and lived to fight another day.

If my little snippet of information from this book doesn't sound like your cup of tea, it most likely isn't. Chopper proclaims to be semi-illiterate and doesn't have much of an education. But boy does he have personality, charm, and a violent streak that would make any fan of the movie, or even gangster films/books blush.

I whole heatedly recommend this book for those who don't mind a little violence with their humor, and can take some of it for what it's worth. Most likely a yarn.

Stories: A
Writing: A
Overall: A

A quick and easy read(no pun intended)that at times gets depressingly horrific.well worth the time and money for this one.

Brutally honest. Hell, this guy pulls no punches. He calls a spade a spade and the reader does not have to read into any hidden meaning. I enjoyed the comments about the punishment of predatory criminals. Justice is swifter than any courts. Harsh, funny and intriguing. Very entertaining. Unlike many criminal stories, Mark Read makes no bones about the sorry existence that most criminals live. It really breaks the mold of the Hollywood image of glamour and adventure. Some parts had me laughing my butt off. My only beef is the lack of chronological order. But I notice the same thing with Mad Frankie Fraser's book as well. The book still kept my interest. Two thumbs up for the honesty about crime, law enforcement and the probable future of crime in Austrailia. I look forward to his other books and the movie.

So many years back, I came across a movie called "Chopper". It's about a guy, in Austrailia, who goes around killing/beating up & shooting drug dealers because he believes that the police want him too. Messed up movie & more messed up book. Believe it or not Mark "Chopper" Read is a best selling author with a more than checkered past. Though this is the only book in the series that I've read, I can imagine that the others are entertaining too. The bopok basically gives you a glimps into his life, & whilke blended with humor it can be pretty graphic violent as well. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then give the book a shot you're sure to love it.

The autobiography of Mark Brandon Read `Chopper' gives us a unique and seldom told insight into the criminal underworld of Australia, particularly Melbourne. The story begins by an infatuation with guns, explosives and military history crossed-wired with a young child who spent a lot of time drugged up in a psychiatric rehabilitation prison. Mix two vital ingredients together and you're left with a dangerous man.

Probably the most sought-after criminal in Australia, Chopper acquired his enemies through his friends' enemies and from robbing the bank robbers and other similar criminals. He's killed plentiful, but protests "I'm no murderer...I'm a garbage disposal expert" and from a certain perspective, his tales hold a strong point of view. The only men he has claimed to kill are murderers themselves, drug dealers and rapists. Any other men he has killed may well have been innocent, but Chopper was acting purely in self-defence.

Spending most of his life behind bars, Chopper inevitably made friends with other inmates and also confronted his worst enemies. Cleverly thought out antics and plots to burn down prisons are just a range of things Chopper and friends would execute in an attempt to relieve boredom and pass time. Nevertheless he claims: - "It is a madhouse in prison - and twice as bad outside,"

Packed with hilarious non-chronological stories about imbecilic big shot gangsters; Close attempts to wipe out Chopper; And a world where criminals fear Chopper over the law; this book will keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

In his own words; "You can fool some of the people all of the time, And you can even fool all of the people some of the time, but in the real world of blood and guts you don't fool Chopper Read any of the time."