157 ratings | 21 reviews | avg rating:3.94

more photos (3)

Craig's Bookshelves

read (155)
currently-reading (2)
to-read (109)
will-finish-some-day (3)

Craig’s Friends (443)

Lauren

3,575 books | 1,598 friends

Dan Porter

2,041 books | 5,000 friends
Friend details

Jason Koivu

2,154 books | 2,286 friends

Emily May

1,830 books | 4,979 friends

Lance

269 books | 4,990 friends

Amy

86 books | 323 friends

G.P. Ching

192 books | 1,105 friends

Michelle (In Libris Veritas)

1,706 books | 410 friends

More friends…

Craig is following 0 people

Craig Machen

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/Craig111

born

Oklahoma City, The United States

gender

male

twitter username

craigwmachen

genre

Biographies & Memoirs, Humor

influences

John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hunter S. Thompson, Nick Hornby,...more

member since

April 2011

About this author

edit data

Craig Machen was raised on and off in Oklahoma, with stops along the southeast coast of Florida and central Arizona. A life long book, movie, and rock-n-roll fan, he got his start, and a healthy dose of inspiration, working concert security in high school, and later from a college job at the Improv Comedy Clubs in Tempe and San Diego.

After graduation, Craig moved his young family to Los Angeles and became a story analyst for Miramax, New Regency, Jersey Films, Robert Redford’s Wildwood Productions, Turner Pictures and finally the Jim Henson Company, where he got his break as a screenwriter.

A new career as a professional writer allowed him to be a stay at home dad while his kids were growing up, which has easily been the greatest joy of his...more Craig Machen was raised on and off in Oklahoma, with stops along the southeast coast of Florida and central Arizona. A life long book, movie, and rock-n-roll fan, he got his start, and a healthy dose of inspiration, working concert security in high school, and later from a college job at the Improv Comedy Clubs in Tempe and San Diego.

After graduation, Craig moved his young family to Los Angeles and became a story analyst for Miramax, New Regency, Jersey Films, Robert Redford’s Wildwood Productions, Turner Pictures and finally the Jim Henson Company, where he got his break as a screenwriter.

A new career as a professional writer allowed him to be a stay at home dad while his kids were growing up, which has easily been the greatest joy of his life.

In 15 years of writing for Hollywood, Craig has worked for Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, Ivan Reitman’s Montecito Pictures, the WB, Jim Henson Pictures, Warner Brothers TV, Paramount Television, Spelling Television, Tollin-Robbins Productions, VH-1, Viacom, 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, and many others. He also wrote the award winning movie WASTED for MTV, and the Zac Efron show SUMMERLAND.

In 2010, as his oldest son was preparing to head off to college in Oklahoma, Craig turned away from screenwriting and began his new memoir, STILL LIFE WITH BRASS POLE. At its heart, it's about the things that made him want to be a dad, but the logline is basically, "Young love and coming of age in the strip clubs." Part love story, part maturation tome, and part deconstruction of the titillation business, Still Life With Brass Pole is a funny, debauched, and totally heartfelt story about a kid with roaring White Knight Complex on a demented quest for a family of his own.

Craig is currently hammering away again in Hollywood, and spending down time walking his hound, surfing, working out, playing guitar, and composing a shorter bio. Craig holds an unused Marketing degree from Arizona State University. His diploma is signed by former governor and convicted felon, Fife Symington.(less)

combine editions
Craig Machen's Books

Average rating: 3.68 · 137 ratings · 56 reviews · 1 distinct work · Similar authors

Still Life With Brass Pole
3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 avg rating — 137 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Upcoming Events

No scheduled events. Add an event.

Craig is Currently Reading

Craig Machen is currently reading

The Story of My Experiments With Truth

by Mahatma Gandhi

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jun 13, 2013 11:03pm

Craig Machen rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Walden

by Henry David Thoreau

bookshelves: currently-reading, will-finish-some-day

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Craig Machen said: "Still working on this one, Yelda. Slowly, but surely. Really great, though."

Apr 26, 2011 08:30am · see review

rss
Craig's Recent Updates

Craig Machen is now friends with Peter Hallett
Jun 14, 2013 09:46am · like
Craig Machen is currently reading The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 13, 2013 11:03pm
Craig Machen rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 08, 2013 08:55am
Craig Machen added Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 11, 2013 04:40pm
Craig Machen rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 15, 2013 09:05am
Craig Machen rated a book 3 of 5 stars Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson by Gore Vidal	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 15, 2013 09:05am
Craig Machen rated a book 3 of 5 stars Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag by Henry Rollins	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 15, 2013 09:04am
Craig Machen rated a book 5 of 5 stars Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 15, 2013 09:04am
Craig Machen added Goodreads to his Facebook Timeline Add your books to Timeline! learn more
Mar 05, 2013 02:07pm

More of Craig's books…

Quotes by Craig Machen

“I like it here. I like the girls, and I like the DJ's, and the cocktail waitresses, and the loud rock'n'roll (though I would happily beat everyone in Poison to death with the severed limbs of the members of Warrant).”
― Craig Machen, Still Life With Brass Pole

tags: memoir, total-fangirl

5 people liked it

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Spring Challenge 2012: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2344	536	May 31, 2012 09:02pm
THE JAMES MASON C...: * JAMES MASON MEMBER WRITERS' - FREE!!! Book Giveaways!!!!	323	627	Jun 09, 2013 10:38am

Quotes Craig Likes

“Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.”
― Woody Allen

tags: art, humor, life

1,589 people liked it

“I don't know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.”
― Woody Allen

tags: humor, life, sex

4,913 people liked it

“My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.”
― Woody Allen

tags: life

930 people liked it

“There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely-or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands.”
― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

872 people liked it

“A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist

tags: humour, oscar, wilde

518 people liked it

More quotes Craig likes…