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'In Snakecharmers in Texas, a collection of essays, written between 1980-1987, Clive James tackles burning issues and shining personalities from Barry Humphries to Barry Manilow and Michael Jackson to Michael Foot. He discusses the nuances of Kung Fu cinema, the lyrical footwork of Torvill and Dean and the charms of the Statue of Liberty; he reviews books, such as Roland Barthes' Camera Lucida and the poetry of Les Murray; and he writes passionately, knowledgably and hilariously on subjects ranging from the Sydney Opera House to snooker via the Cambridge Footlights.
'Reminiscing about this book some years after publication, Clive James had this to say: 'a Jonathan Cape hardback in 1988, Snakecharmers in Texas became a Picador paperback in 1989. The title caused endless trouble in the bookshops, which were no longer keeping all the Picadors in the same spinner, but distributing them all over the shop according to classification. Thus it was that this book turned up, if it turned up at all, in shelves devoted to travel in the USA, or the customs of the Orient. For what an author's opinion of his work is worth, I think this is the book that best represents what I could actually do at a time of my life when I was under the impression that I could do everything at once and still stay out of hospital.'' (Publication summary)
Contents
- A Death in Life, single work criticism prose (p. 3-17)
- Elaborate Brute, single work criticism (p. 17-29)
- Approximately in the Vicinity of Barry Humphries, single work criticism (p. 30-44)
- The Boy from Brisbane, single work criticism (p. 44-48)
- Les in More, single work criticism biography (p. 49-57)
- A Dream of Zinc Cream, single work criticism prose autobiography (p. 57-61)
- The First Iron Lady, single work prose (p. 65-70)
- Ruins Without Value, single work prose (p. 70-76)
- Ground - Level Entrance, single work prose (p. 76-80)
- You Little Bobby - Dazzler, single work prose (p. 80-87)
- Tis Vidocq!, single work prose (p. 169-178)
- Kung Fu Wit, single work prose (p. 179-183)
- N.V. Rampant Meets Martin Amis, single work prose (p. 203-206)
- Out Into the Light, single work prose biography (p. 219-225)
- The Queen in California, single work prose (p. 225-233)
- Dedicated Follower, single work prose (p. 233-236)
- Ugh!, single work prose (p. 239-243)
- The New Diaghilev, single work prose (p. 243-246)
- Making a Whore Movie, single work prose (p. 247-251)
- Ice - Dancers, single work prose (p. 275-284)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
Hello Possums : Barry Humphries and Australian English
2007
single work
column
— Appears in: Ozwords , October vol. 16 no. 1 2007; (p. 1-3) -
Corsair Over the Rift Valley
1990
single work
review
— Appears in: Blocks and Tackles : Articles and Essays 1982 to 1990 1990; (p. 203-211)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
New Paperbacks
1989
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21 October 1989; (p. 84)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
A Revealing Plunge into Local Morals
1989
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian Magazine , 21-22 October 1989; (p. 10)
— Review of The Bathing-Machine Called the Twentieth Century 1988 single work novel ; Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
The Kid Picks a Bobby-Dazzling Bouquet
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 29-30 October 1988; (p. 10)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography
-
A Revealing Plunge into Local Morals
1989
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian Magazine , 21-22 October 1989; (p. 10)
— Review of The Bathing-Machine Called the Twentieth Century 1988 single work novel ; Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
Clive's Whingeing Ways
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 22 October 1988; (p. 85)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
James Bound
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian Listener , 19-25 November 1988; (p. 47)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
A Word Wizard of Oz Flaunts His Genius in Britain
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 12 November 1988; (p. B4)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
The Kid Picks a Bobby-Dazzling Bouquet
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 29-30 October 1988; (p. 10)
— Review of Snakecharmers in Texas : Essays 1980-87 1988 selected work prose criticism biography autobiography -
Hello Possums : Barry Humphries and Australian English
2007
single work
column
— Appears in: Ozwords , October vol. 16 no. 1 2007; (p. 1-3)