Chopper

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 luckiest criminal to ever live   June 24, 2003
Tez (Leeds, UK)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

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."


Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!   September 12, 2005
Robert Gilleo (Anytown, USA)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

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.


The luckiest criminal to ever live   June 24, 2003
Tez (Leeds, UK)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful

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."


Very entertaining book   July 6, 2008
Mike McG (Boston, Ma)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

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.