Howard Marks’s Followers (72)

Howard Marks

Born

in Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, Wales, The United Kingdom

August 13, 1945

Died

April 10, 2016

Genre

Biographies & Memoirs, Travel, Nonfiction

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Howard Marks (born Dennis Howard Marks) was a Welsh author, former teacher and drug smuggler who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug Enforcement Administration. At the height of his drug career, he was said to have controlled 10% of the world's hashish trade.

Marks attended Balliol College, Oxford between 1964 and 1967 to study Natural Science, with a Physics (B.A., Oxon). Among his friends at Balliol was the epidemiologist Julian Peto, and the journalist Lynn Bar Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Howard Marks (born Dennis Howard Marks) was a Welsh author, former teacher and drug smuggler who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug Enforcement Administration. At the height of his drug career, he was said to have controlled 10% of the world's hashish trade.

Marks attended Balliol College, Oxford between 1964 and 1967 to study Natural Science, with a Physics (B.A., Oxon). Among his friends at Balliol was the epidemiologist Julian Peto, and the journalist Lynn Barber. After this he studied Physics (Grad. Inst P.) at the University of London (1967 to 1968). Then, he went back to Balliol, Oxford (1968 to 1969) to study History and Philosophy of Science (Dip. H.Ph. Sc.) and then he went on to the University of Sussex (1969 to 1970) to study Philosophy of Science.

Following his release from prison, Marks published a best-selling autobiography, Mr Nice (Secker and Warburg, 1996), which has been translated into many languages. In addition to Mr Nice, he compiled an anthology called The Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories (Vintage, 2001) and more recently a follow-on from his autobiography; Señor Nice: Straight Life From Wales to South America. Señor Nice differs from his previous book as drugs are not central to the story and, while autobiographical, the book is more Marks' own exploration of his ancestor, the pirate Sir Henry Morgan. His ex-wife Judy Marks has also written her autobiography of their life together entitled "Mr Nice and Mrs Marks" published by Ebury Press, 2006.

He is also the subject of a biopic starring Rhys Ifans as Marks entitled Mr Nice, named after his autobiography of the same name. Chloë Sevigny plays the role of his wife Judy. The film was released in October 2010.

Marks was a campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis and tours the world with a one-man show. Marks recorded the song 'Grow More Weed' with the UK dub punk band P.A.I.N.
Within the world of music, Marks has managed the Welsh rock band the Super Furry Animals for a period of time in the late 1990s. He also co-recorded a song 'Three men in a boat' with his long time friend Lee Harris. The record was later remixed by River Styx (Musician, rap poet) and released on the album 'Angel Headed Hip Hop' on Genepool/Universal Ltd.

Marks stood for election to UK Parliament in 1997, on the single issue of the legalization of cannabis. He contested four seats at once: Norwich South (against future Home Secretary Charles Clarke), Norwich North, Neath and Southampton Test. The average vote was over 1%. This led to the formation of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) by Alun Buffry in 1999.

From 1999 to 2000 he was the honorary rector of Glasgow Caledonian University.

On 25 January 2015, it was announced that Marks had inoperable colorectal cancer.He died of the disease on 10 April 2016, at the age of 70. ...more

Combine Editions
Howard Marks’s books

Average rating: 3.87 · 12,997 ratings · 536 reviews · 20 distinct works • Similar authors

	Mr. Nice 3.90 avg rating — 10,670 ratings — published 1996 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas de Quincey, Howard Marks (Introduction) 3.28 avg rating — 10,567 ratings — published 1821 — 1036 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	The Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories 3.43 avg rating — 578 ratings — published 2001 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Mr Smiley: My Last Pill and Testament 3.72 avg rating — 353 ratings — published 2015 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Sympathy for the Devil 2.90 avg rating — 77 ratings — published 2010 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Two Dragons by Howard Marks, Alun Gibbard 4.29 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2010 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	The Score liked it 3.00 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Cymru Howard Marks by Howard Marks, Alun Gibbard 2.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Book Of Dope Stories 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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
	Dope Stories. Der Film 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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

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Quotes by Howard Marks (?)

“Forgetfulness is the catalytic germ of spontaneous creativity”
― Howard marks

14 likes

“Expensive illogicalities and inefficiencies do not worry the monsters of American bureaucracy, and the taxpayers are enthusiastic and eager to spend fortunes in the name of fighting crime. Prison places cost the US taxpayer more than university places. The American belief that prisons are the best way to combat crime has led to an incarceration rate that is at least five times that of almost any industrialised nation. Overcrowding is endemic. Conditions are appalling, varying from windowless, sensory-deprived isolation to barren futile brutality.”
― Howard Marks, Mr. Nice

tags: autobiography, prison

6 likes

“There's only one way to describe most investors: trend followers.”
― Howard Marks, The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor

6 likes

See all Howard Marks's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: ABANDONED. Nonfiction/realistic fiction about a man doing drugs, read around 1998-2002, no underlying warning of addiction, not Hunter S. Thompson.	8	1034	May 29, 2023 04:15PM

Howard Marks’s Followers (72)

Howard Marks

Combine EditionsHoward Marks’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Howard Marks’s books