Anthony R. Birley

Advantages: Comprehensive and thought-provoking
Disadvantages: Sometimes a bit dull.

..., and Birley is clearly writing on a subject opon which he is an authority. The book generally reads very well, but is sometimes rather boring - inevitable for a book of this nature, though a great deal of the book is very entertaining, and it's good to read about the personal factors in Hadrian's life. The only times I felt myself drifting off were at the points which explained that Hadrian was 'here was at such-and-such a place at such-and-such a time'. The sections on Antinous are particularly interesting, trying to make sense of the conflicting reports of his death. I hadn't heard of the idea that he was offered in sacrafice to prolong Hadrian's life - whether true or not, they certainly provide an insight into the way Hadrian was seen by the upper classes of Rome at that point in time. I am certainly not a scholar or a historian, but I... Read review

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Advantages: well-crafted
Disadvantages: compared favorably with 'Lord of the Rings

...Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy ('The Golden Compass' / Northern Lights', 'The Subtle Knife' and 'The Amber Spyglass') is a series of best-selling stories for teenagers / young adults. In 2001, 'The Amber Spyglass' - the last book in the series, was the first-ever children's book to win the Whitbread Prize. By mid-2002, more than a million copies had been sold in the UK alone. Film rights to the series have been bought by New Line Cinema, who brought us 'Lord of the Rings'. In January 2003, the BBC broadcast the series on Radio 4, over three Sunday afternoons, starring Lulu Poppleswell as Lyra, Dan Anthony as Will, Emma Fielding as Mrs Coulter and Terence Stamp as Lord Asriel. These stories are well-crafted, and keep you turning the pages to find out what happens. They have an epic sweep that inevitably brings 'Lord... Read review

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Advantages: Packed full of honest and mindblowing stories
Disadvantages: It was too short!

...Scar Tissue - A Biography written by Anthony Kiedis and Larry Sloman. This book without a doubt has been one of the best books i have ever read. It is a brutally honest and emotive representation of one of the most famous singer/ songwriters of the last 3 decades and the front man of one of the worlds greatest bands, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The book gives an extreamly detailed description of the ups and downs throughout Anthony Kiedis' life and of those around him. The book gives us a clear image of how drugs have effected the lives of Anthony and those around him. He is not afraid to show the world how vulnerable he can be and how even the smallest things can effect so many others. Upon reading the book, one thing i noticed was how highly he spoke of the many women in his life and how these women have played a major part in his... Read review

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