Andy Mcnab
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Friday June 2, 2006
Everyone knows about all the old fogeys at the Hay festival. But what's it like for kids? We sent book-loving ace reporters Alix and Maya Hattenstone, aged 14 and 12, along to find out, and they bumped into some of their favourite authors...
(...)
Andy McNab
Some people say Andy McNab has done just that. Andy is the former SAS hero, the hard man turned author who doesn't normally show his face at events like this. Actually, he hardly ever shows his face to the public for security reasons. So we are honoured to have our photo taken with him - even if he has turned his back on us.
The first thing we think when we see him is: "Is he in EastEnders?" He definitely is a bit like Alfie Moon, with his blue and white stripy shirt, bright blue eyes and signet ring. He has short brown hair, not too neat, and a south London accent.
He sits with Robert Rigby, who is tall and bald. They both have a good sense of humour, and together they write the Boy Soldier series.
Andy left school with a reading age of 11, almost illiterate, and ended up in borstal after breaking into flats. Eventually, he joined the army, as a way out of borstal, learned to read properly, achieved incredible things in the SAS, wrote his life story and became a novelist. Now, he plans to teach other children in young offenders' institutions to read.
We ask him how many people he has killed. He looks embarrassed. "Ach, we don't talk about it in that way. In films, people are always putting notches into belts but it doesn't actually work like that. In special forces the vast majority of the work is not about getting into that situation cos actually you might lose, so you don't want to do it. It's all about getting around problems. People don't talk about it really because it's not heroic, it's actually very scary."
Full article see:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/hay2006/
story/0,,1788872,00.html?gusrc=rss
So much for 'coming out' - no p;ictures! Now why am I not surprised? ;-)
>>By Lynn (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 00:14)
Are people that stupid?
"How many people have you killed Mr. McNab?"
Ach!! is right what a bunch of pukes! Jesus I was there and I carrried a .50 cal. with a scope a patroled enemy territory. My wife has not even asked me that question for fucks sake. I new a Nam vet, cleared friggen bush for LZ's, I never had the nerve to ask such a dumbass question. Most of wern't Mr.Cool Swoford, and worried about are girlfriends loyalty while we dittled or we wee! We actually attended to work.
Do me a favor, pukes, don't ask stupid questions of all the folks coming home from Iraq.
More to the point, Who gives a major fuck fuck what Andy looks like? If you want a make to get worked about, go to Vince Flynns web site. He's hot!!
Women who worry about what this guy looks like have major issues with there life. It's embarassing, to watch.
>>By Reighnman (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 07:05)
They say Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills. While dazed in attack on his covoy, he climbed into the fire and saved several men from burning to death. He was burned so serverly that he never returned to Nam, and he alost died. The only reason he did not is God needed Carlos to train more snipers his craft of killing. Hathcock most likey killed more then twice the number he is famous for.
Point: killing an enemy combatent is a evil thing to live with, nothing glamorus about it. Don't glamorize it for the sake of idolizing a soldier/author. Andy was a soldier who fought for his country freely. He achieved amazing results. Carlos Hathcock had the same abilities. These men don't want the glamour of being a killer. They want to be known for there service.
>>By Reighnman (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 07:20)
I have to take up for the kids who asked about it...They may have read B20 and seen the astonishing "250 Iraqis" claim. Divide that by an eight man patrol and it's about 30 a piece. HOWEVER, Vince, Chris, and Mal weren't there for the final firefights, so the body counts racked up individually by Andy, Bob, Legs, Dinger, and Mike must have been somewhat higher than 30. I agree it's generally in poor taste to ask such a question, but in Andy's case I don't see who could resist!
>>By Just Jon (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 11:56)
Forgot to add--Andy did answer the question in an interview once and said he had killed somewhere around 10 men (Im too lazy to check exact figure). If you consider that in light of the 250 figure, and subtract the three or so he claims to have killed in Ireland, you can see that the other B20 members must have REALLY done some killing. Amazing stuff.
>>By Just Jon (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 12:01)
Wished you did check, I don't recall reading about '10'?
And indeed Reighnman, the 'reporters' here were kids, 12 and 14 of age - so it's only natural they don't show the same maturity as you show at YOUR age.
@ Women who worry about what this guy looks like have major issues with there life
So far I've thought of 26 sharp answers to this remark. But I'm gonna tease you.
Wanna share a bit of another book:
"It is important to realise that veterans are not the only ones who bare responsibility for the atrocities of war. Nonveterans sanction war, support the waging of war, supported troops being sent to Vietnam - and it is nonveterans who so often turn their backs on the returning soldiers in an effort to avoid their own complicity in the war.
When I came back from Vietnam, it was to a society and culture that attempted to wash its hands of its responsibility in that war by marginalizing those who had served. This clearly communicated that those who served were the ones who were responsible and that those who did not serve were somehow absolved of responsibility. But if we look deeply into this matter, we can know that those who don't fight are not separate from those who fight; we are all responsible for war."
>>By Lynn (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 16:07)
has anyone started to read Bloody heroes by damien lewis yet, come on Lisle you got have this on your reading table next to you bottle of red wine...
This is a terrific read, and the first chapter is excellent nearly as good as my novel, yeah its coming along folks,
and i'm building a website to one of your favourite f troopers lol...Where you will be able to finally judge his writing.
Sorry havent been around much folks but writing is taking up a lot of my time these days and do miss chatting with my three favourites peopel Lynn Ninjawoman and Lisle of course,
If you havent got bloody heroes why not and get down to your local book store today...
>>By Milligoon (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 18:12)
Lynn, I'm very glad you posted what you did--we are indeed all responsible for war, and that's why I make my points here to fellow civvies rather than post at military sites. As for the "ten kills" figure, I think the interview is referenced somewhere here at gnooks, but if not I can assure you it exists. I just thought it was kind of funny that Andy was too dignified to tell the kids how many he's killed yet puts forth the preposterous 250 figure in B20.
I know he says it's a C.I.A. estimate--but what document is he basing that on? I sure haven't seen it. It's pretty easy to make claims when the supporting evidence is "classified," much like Chris Ryan and his lie about stabbing Iraqis. In Ryan's case, he somehow left that out of his Hereford debriefing according to sources, yet we can't know for sure because the debriefing is classified. Convenient.
Just so you all know, I've killed over 300 men with my bare hands, but the police records on that have been sealed.
Milligoon, we're looking forward to seeing the writing (I assume the website is about you)...Take it from me, there's nothing wrong with shameless self-promotion!
>>By Just Jon (Saturday, 3 Jun 2006 23:02)
Blah blah blah...who gives a shite about how many kills monsieur Macnab has!! luckily the British military dont really go in for this Hoo ah gung ho bullshit that seems to be the SOP of the US military, like when we see US troops on mews reports cheering like schoolkids when rocket strikes/tank shells or other successfull fire goes in against the 'enemy'...or at least it didnt when i was in green skin...but that is a few years ago now!!
>>By BushisaManiac (Sunday, 4 Jun 2006 23:14)
I was of course reffering to news reports and not reports on exorbitantly priced quaint little london backstreets
>>By BushisaManiac (Sunday, 4 Jun 2006 23:16)
BlairisaHomo--What's your problem with American soldiers celebrating their victories? When you were in "green skin" and someone took out an enemy soldier, did you guys hug each other while you cried or did you just kind of dab each others' eyes with your lace hankies?
>>By Just Jon (Monday, 5 Jun 2006 09:18)
>> ...who gives a shite about how many kills monsieur Macnab has!! <<
Hmmm.... Testosterone aside, considering that AM is interviewed almost exclusively in the UK, shall we venture a wild guess as to the nationality of those asking that question? ;o)
>>By am-i-binned (Monday, 5 Jun 2006 15:24)
BushisaManiac=Pwned! Looks like U.S. 3, U.K. 0. Insert quarter to continue...10...9...8...
>>By Just Jon (Monday, 5 Jun 2006 17:56)
MUD FIGHT MUD FIGHT MUD FIGHT MUD FIGHT
oh, wrong show?
>>By Lynn (Monday, 5 Jun 2006 22:47)
I was a bad boy and recieved detention from MG. I am very sorry to all offended and look forward to a civil understanding of all our feelings. I was very bad and I hope it will not reflect on me in the future. Sorry MG, don't kill my Karma rating as if I don't have flork I will put a .45 to my head and end my life.
And most of all I am sorry to Andy McNab my hero, of life!!!!
>>By Reighnman (Tuesday, 6 Jun 2006 00:45)
Have any Immediate Action readers actually tried "teddy bear's porridge"? If so, is it any good?
Also, don't kill yourself Reighnman--kill me, as I'm still not done processing the podcast and have to sleep now!
>>By Just Jon (Tuesday, 6 Jun 2006 09:10)
Hey folks.......
CHATTY is back!!!
Put the link back, please AIB!!
>>By Reighnman (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 06:30)
There will be a new link, old room did 'POOF' ! Sigh. On the other hand they're making Chatzy 'free' for the period 'of this summer'. I know someone will explode reading that one.
Part of an Independent article:
Hard man McNab takes a leaf out of Trollope's book
As a former SAS soldier who was captured and tortured during the first Gulf War, Andy McNab can rightly lay claim to being the hardest man on the literary circuit. So imagine his fans' surprise last week when McNab declared his greatest literary influence to be none other than the "Aga Saga" queen, Joanna Trollope.
Speaking at last week's Hay-on-Wye literary festival, McNab told audiences: "I try and copy her [Trollope's] dialogue. It's great, really, really good. It's probably the best in the country."
McNab and Trollope's literary outpourings could not be more different. Where McNab's adventures tend to draw inspiration from his time in the SAS, Trollope's tales are usually centred around the quiet rural lives of the green welly brigade.
Full article:
http://news.independent.co.uk/
people/pandora/article625636.ece
So uhm... how true is this? Or should Joanne take place on the couch with the Teletubbies eating croissants from Tiffany's ? And 'probably the best of the country'?? How does one know?? I can't imagine AM having read ALL British authors in the last few years - where does he find the time?
>>By Lynn (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 11:12)
I forgot my 'wink'
Think of me winking
WINK WINK
>>By Lynn (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 11:13)
No can-do yet re: Chatzy, Reighnman...
Mainly cuz they're too unprofessional to advise how to RE-instate chatrooms, and there's no way on God's green earth that we're starting a new one and paying again.
So, here's the "feedback" email I sent them this morning:
-------
I am the administrator of the "former" chatroom chatzy.com/936403132436. Since that link is obviously no longer functioning, and since you didn't send any kind of email advisory regarding reinstating chatrooms, and since your website doesn't give any kind of instructions either, I would appreciate (and expect) an immediate response to this "feedback". I'm assuming you must still have administrator addresses somewhere in your files, particularly if you're actually planning on following up on your promise to double the paid-for capacity, but I'll repeat mine here just the same: amibinned@hotmail.com.
One other question (and it's one that I've raised with you folks before): Why didn't/don't you contact administrators IN ADVANCE of such events? Considering how functionally you've designed your chat program, why is it so difficult to send out simple email advisories to administrators? Or even put up a "notice" screen prior to logging into any chatroom?
If you had notified your users that a server migration was planned, we could have backed up our files in advance! You criticized WebHostPlus as being unprofessional, but I'd say you've shown the exact same lack of consideration and professionalism to your clients!
------
Prolly not worth holding my breath, tho, on getting a prompt response... GRRRRRRR!
>>By am-i-binned (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 16:23)
Come on AIB lets look a the big picture.
1: it looks really nice and new, lets test drive?
2: We need a chat room.
3: This will give the GREYMEN topics to roll off on!!!
Thanks AIB..I'll give you first chance, then I am going to only discuss Chris Ryan!!!
>>By Reighnman (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 16:50)
Just cuz you asked so nicely, Reighnman... :o)
http://www.chatzy.com/684178798316
>>By am-i-binned (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 17:58)
Very nice AIB!!!!!!
And it works!!!!
>>By Reighnman (Wednesday, 7 Jun 2006 19:32)
Great, post chat link here so all the weird lurkers with a vendetta can visit. A great opportunity to start fresh with McNab fans we've not met has now been lost.
>>By Just Jon (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 04:01)
...I apologize for that. We've always welcomed all weird lurkers and will continue to do so.
>>By Just Jon (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 04:21)
Oh good! I'm glad you clarified that, Just Jon...
--- Non-Vendetta'ers Only --- ;oP
- - - - - - - - - -
Officially reinstated: http://www.chatzy.com/936403132436
(the previously posted /684178798316 is now defunct)
>>By am-i-binned (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 09:07)
Define 'weird' Jon !?!
I'm sure they say the same about us ;-)
>>By Lynn (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 11:49)
Define 'weird' Jon !?!
I can easily......."LYNN"
hahahaha that was easy
>>By Reighnman (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 18:57)
Good thing I asked Jon ;-)
>>By Lynn (Thursday, 8 Jun 2006 21:25)
Wonder if this will work its way into an upcoming AM novel...
It's a bird!
It's a plane!
It's Nick Stone?!?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/ articles/news/news.html?in_article_id= 389357&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id= 1770&expand=true#StartComments
Pretty impressive, actually!
120 miles @ 220 mph with 200 lbs of equipment
From Dover to Calais in 12 minutes
>>By am-i-binned (Saturday, 10 Jun 2006 16:35)
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