#152 From the Inside: Chopper 1 - Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read, edited by John Silvester and Andrew Rule

Jack has an upcoming novel called 'Audience Capture', out October 2026 through Bonfire Books! Preorder now! https://bonfirebooks.org/product/audience-capture-by-jack-cuthbertson-pre-order/

Mark Brandon Read, better known by his nom du crime 'Chopper', was an Australian celebrity criminal. His portfolio of misdeeds includes robbing drug dealers and pimps, shooting a few people, holding a county court judge hostage with a sawn-off shotgun and demanding the immediate release of a friend from prison, having his ears cut off while incarcerated, and melting people's toes with a blowtorch. Of artistic interest are the fifteen books he published during his life, selling over half a million copies, and a rap album, Interview with a Madman. Today's episode is on his first book, From the Inside: Chopper 1, a (notionally) true account of his crimes and the philosophy underpinning them, written by John Silvester and Andrew Rule on the basis of over 300 letters sent by Chopper to Silvester while Uncle Chop Chop was in Pentridge Prison.

Capitalisimo, not being an Australian, and, therefore, unqualified to talk about Chopper Read, sat this one out. I was joined by Russell Walter, a real-life friend and the man behind the Russel Walter Substack, the Chudstack Review podcast (delightful name!) and an upcoming novel which he was wanting to call Mein Kampf 2, before deciding to call it Man Against Time. I'm disappointed in him, but also know the power of forgiveness.

Russell on Substack: https://substack.com/@rwalter

Russell on YouTube: youtube.com/@russellwalter5145

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Jack has an upcoming novel called 'Audience Capture', out October 2026 through Bonfire Books! Preorder now! https://bonfirebooks.org/product/audience-capture-by-jack-cuthbertson-pre-order/

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