Seb Hunter

Seb Hunter spends a year devoting himself to charitable works, from working in an Oxfam shop to aiding asylum seekers, from walking the streets picking up litter to running in a marathon. This book is a diary of his years activities, and it makes for a very entertaining read, at times hilarious, at others heart-warming, and frequently though provoking.

It is an honest and frank account, warts and all, and nowhere does Seb come across as self congratulatory. In the process he raises awareness show more of a number of issues, be it the practices of charitable organisations or the unreasonable complexities associated the process of seeking asylum.

Does it all make Seb a better person, well you'll have to read the book to find out; but along the way you'll be greatly amused, perhaps occasionally angered at the bureaucracy those in need of help are faced with, and possibly be a better person for it. show less

I read this funny, moving and well-written book in under twenty four hours, so it joins the ranks of the very few books that have grabbed me in this way. For me, this is how Fever Pitch should have affected me if I'd been as into football as I was into AC/DC, but as I read through the chapters the music, like the footie in "Fever Pitch", became secondary to the tale of growing up. The author's relationship with his family, his mates, his girlfriends, his dad and, throughout it all, himself show more is what kept the interest. It made me think that most of us have our share of spice in life, or at least what seems like spice to us. I read a couple of reviews on Amazon which seemed to miss the point, written as they were by bona fide Heavy Metal fans. This isn't a book for listing the bootleg albums of The Tigers of Pan Tang, like "Fever Pitch" wasn't about to list the greatest substitutes who played less than fifteen minutes for Arsenal. It's about growing up, and for a forty year old (forty-one year old, why do I find that hard to concede?!) those memories are ones you enjoy raking over. show less

hilarious! a memoir of a time that must be cringe-inducing for the author now but at the time was so serious and important to him, all with dry british wit, interspersed with a metal primer. i now know the correct way to dress metal, and the 6 steps of putting on a metal show (actual playing is last).

Pretty entertaining. Not a great writer, but good enough and he has some funny stories I could certainly relate to. I lived pretty much the same experience, only everything 5 years earlier. He does manage to capture the embarrassing earnestness and ridiculous narcissism, along with some of the passion, drama and ecstasy of being being young having your whole life revolve around music. At least for some of us.