{"title":"John Cooper Clarke","description":"\u003cp\u003eJohn Cooper Clarke’s work blends sharp wit, raw emotion, and a distinctive voice that captures the pulse of urban life. His poetry and prose reveal a unique perspective on contemporary culture, often layered with humour and poignancy, inviting readers into the mind of a modern-day bard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom memoirs to collections of verse, Clarke’s writing explores themes of identity, creativity, and resilience. His books offer an evocative journey through the intersections of \u003cem\u003earts and culture\u003c\/em\u003e, making them a compelling choice for those interested in both personal narrative and poetic expression.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"i-wanna-be-yours","title":"I Wanna Be Yours","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI Wanna Be Yours\u003c\/em\u003e by John Cooper Clarke is a vivid memoir that paints an extraordinary picture of an unconventional life. This candid and compelling autobiography takes readers on a journey through Clarke's remarkable career and personal experiences, offering a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of Britain's most iconic poets. The memoir is a rich tapestry of humour, melancholy, and everything in between, capturing the essence of Clarke's life from his early days in Salford to the heights of his fame as the Poet Laureate of Punk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Cooper Clarke is a phenomenon: poet, rock star, fashion icon, television and radio presenter, and social and cultural commentator. His unmistakable style, comprising dark suits, sunglasses, and untamed hair, has made him instantly recognisable. Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, with a 32-inch chest and 27-inch waist, Clarke's physical appearance is as distinctive as his writing voice, characterised by his unique sense of slightly sick humour that never strays far from the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eI Wanna Be Yours\u003c\/em\u003e, Clarke recounts encounters with a dazzling array of personalities, ranging from legends such as Nico, Chuck Berry, Bernard Manning, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Elvis Costello, Gregory Corso, Gil Scott Heron, Mark E. Smith, and Joe Strummer, to more recent admirers and collaborators like Alex Turner, Plan B, and Guy Garvey. The memoir goes beyond mere anecdote, delving deeply into Clarke's encyclopaedic knowledge of popular culture that spans centuries. Readers are treated to his reflections on figures like Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as his insights into Pop Art, pop music, cinema, fashion, football, and the wider sphere of showbusiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis rich narrative is interspersed with stories from Clarke's rock and roll and performance career, providing an insider's view of the highs and lows of fame. Yet, despite the vivid recounting of a life lived at full throttle, Clarke’s trademark wit ensures that the book remains as engaging and entertaining as his live performances. The memoir promises to be a joy for lifelong fans and a revelation for a whole new generation discovering Clarke’s work for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDescribed by Sir Paul McCartney as \"one of Britain's outstanding poets\" and by the Observer as \"riveting,\" \u003cem\u003eI Wanna Be Yours\u003c\/em\u003e is more than just a memoir. It's an exuberant account of a remarkable life, capturing the imagination and attention of both critics and readers alike. The New Statesman hails it as \"an exuberant account of a remarkable life,\" suggesting that the memoir not only recounts the events of Clarke's life but also immerses the reader in the vibrant world he navigates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a longtime aficionado of John Cooper Clarke or a newcomer curious about the man behind the myth, \u003cem\u003eI Wanna Be Yours\u003c\/em\u003e offers a captivating and richly detailed portrait of a true British cultural icon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45719235330284,"sku":"9781509896127","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509896127.jpg?v=1726121273"},{"product_id":"the-luckiest-guy-alive-by-john-cooper-clarke-9781509896066","title":"The Luckiest Guy Alive","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Luckiest Guy Alive\u003c\/em\u003e is the first new book of poetry from Dr John Cooper Clarke for several decades. It’s a brilliant, scabrous, and hilarious collection from one of our most beloved and influential writers and performers. From the 'Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman' to a hymn to the seductive properties of the pie—by way of hand-grenade haikus, machine-gun ballads, and a meditation on the loss of Bono’s leather pants—\u003cem\u003eThe Luckiest Guy Alive\u003c\/em\u003e collects stunning set pieces and tried-and-tested audience favourites to show Cooper Clarke still effortlessly at the top of his game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCooper Clarke’s status as the 'Emperor of Punk Poetry' is certainly confirmed here, but so is his reputation as a brilliant versifier, a poet of vicious wit, and a razor-sharp social satirist. Effortlessly immediate and contemporary, full of hard-won wisdom and expert blindsidings, it’s easy to see why the good Doctor has continued to inspire several new generations of performers from Alex Turner to Plan B: \u003cem\u003eThe Luckiest Guy Alive\u003c\/em\u003e shows one of the most compelling poets of the age on truly exceptional form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'The godfather of British performance poetry' - Daily Telegraph\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'John Cooper Clarke is one of Britain's outstanding poets. His anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades... long may his slender frame and spiky top produce words and deeds that keep us on our toes and alive to the wonders of the world.' - Sir Paul McCartney\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47616517275884,"sku":"9781509896066","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509896066-the-luckiest-guy-alive.jpg?v=1778463848"},{"product_id":"what-by-john-cooper-clarke-9781035033195","title":"WHAT","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNothing short of dazzling\u003c\/em\u003e - Alex Turner\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr John Cooper Clarke's dazzling, scabrous voice has reverberated through pop culture for decades, his influence on generations of performance poets and musicians plain for all to see. In \u003cem\u003eWHAT\u003c\/em\u003e, the original 'People's Poet' comes storming out of the gate with an uproarious new collection, reminding us why he is one of Britain's most beloved writers and performers. James Brown, John F. Kennedy, Jesus Christ: nobody is safe from the punk rocker's acerbic pen - and that's just the first poem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHot on the heels of \u003cem\u003eThe Luckiest Guy Alive\u003c\/em\u003e and his sprawling, encyclopaediac memoir \u003cem\u003eI Wanna Be Yours\u003c\/em\u003e, the good Doctor returns with his most trenchant collection of poems yet. Vivid and alive, with a sensitivity only a writer with a life as varied and extraordinary as Cooper Clarke's could summon, \u003cem\u003eWHAT\u003c\/em\u003e is an exceptional collection from one of our foremost satirists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244828143852,"sku":"9781035033195","price":52.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781035033195-what-1.jpg?v=1788017315"},{"product_id":"have-it-by-john-cooper-clarke-9781037404191","title":"Have It","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Cooper Clarke may have an honorary doctorate and a poem on the English Literature GCSE syllabus, but don't let that fool you: the 'Poet Laureate of Punk' is still a bona fide iconoclast. In \u003cem\u003eHave It\u003c\/em\u003e, a collection of scathing new poems, the Bard of Salford puts his pen to work across a host of painfully funny critiques of modern life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for John Cooper Clarke\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A rhymer to be reckoned with . . . with a panache contemporary poets should aspire to and respect' \u003cem\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'John Cooper Clarke uses words like Chuck Berry uses guitar riffs melody and anger, humour and disdain in equal measure. He's the real deal, really funny and really caustic, the velvet voice of discontent' \u003cem\u003eKate Moss\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'John Cooper Clarke is one of Britain's outstanding poets. His anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades . . . long may his slender frame and spiky top produce words and deeds that keep us on our toes and alive to the wonders of the world' \u003cem\u003eSir Paul McCartney\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68042776576236,"sku":"9781037404191","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781037404191-have-it-1.jpg?v=1793681239"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/john-cooper-clarke.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}