Hot and Cold: The Works of Richard Hell

I was always a minor Voidoids fan, and having read Go Now, I became a fan of Richard Hell's writing. It's not particularly earth shattering or life-changing. It's just plain talking, punk rock junkie writing with a certain nervous vulnerability and above all, a New York state of mind held by those who found their spiritual home in the city regardless of where they were born. This collection starts on shaky legs - puerile poems and silly drawings from a young Richard Hell with occassional flashes of wit. It was a bold move for the author, who chose to put in everything, good and bad, and it documents his growth as a writer who found his voice and became adept at self-expression and story telling. Worth the cover price for the pictures alone, the road stories and later works make it a steal.