Authors

"Writers should be read, but neither seen nor heard."

Advantages: One of the best authors of the 20th century
Disadvantages: None

...I enjoy the work of Daphne Du Maurier - 'Rebecca' has to be in the running for my most favourite book ever. When you hear of her background it is not really surprising that she became such a great novelist. Born on 13th May1907 in London into an artistic and prosperous family, she had two sisters - Angela and Jeanne - she was the second daughter and her father,who had wanted a son, encouraged her to dress like a boy, cut her hair short, and adopt ...
...It was here - when Daphne found the constant entertaining in the family home in London too distracting for her writing - that she persuaded her parents to let her move to. Daphne Du Maurier began writing short stories in 1928, and in 1931 her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit' ( The title was inspired by lines from an Emily Brontë poem) was published. It received wonderful reviews and brought her to the attention of Major ( later Sir Lieutenant Colonel ...

oldchem 09.07.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Daphne Du Maurier

A true Renaissance man

Advantages: Learn his life
Disadvantages: Learn about a great man's work

...get puzzled. Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the talents who nourished European Renaissance. people were awaken up bye Renaissance. they gave up their religious fundamentalism. cultural and industrial revolutions took place. the world started a new era. Revolution also took place in art history. Leonardo Da Vinci was an artist of that period. Please take an interactive journey through his life and works to discover what made him a true Renaissance man. ...

upal13 09.01.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Leonardo Da Vinci

Probably the worst poetry in the world.

Advantages: Unintentionally hilarious poetry
Disadvantages: Eye-wateringly bad scansion and appalling themes - great in small doses, but not for prolonged reading

McGonagall's poetry is hilariously funny. It completely ignores all the basic rules of writing poetry, and combines this with Victorian melodrama. Widely hailed as the worst poet ever, his works are still in print and easy to find. Here is an excerpt from "Saving a Train": But the breaking of the car stops the train, And poor Carl's struggle is not in vain; But, poor soul, he was found stark dead, Crushed and mangled from foot to head! And ...
...the cold wet ground they did him raise, And tears for brave Carl fell silently around, Because he had saved two hundred passengers from being drowned. This shows some typical McGonagalesque traits: the heroic rescue with gory details to add drama, the simple, cliched vocabulary and the triumphantly bad scansion of the final line. Truly inspired. McGonagall was actually a hand-loom weaver by trade, who suddenly decided that he would become a poet. ...

drewish 29.11.2004 · Read full review
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Review of William McGonagall

A Boy Called It/A Man Called Dave: David Pelzer

Advantages: May inspire others to write about abuse.
Disadvantages: May also show how NOT to approach the subject.

The publication of Pelzer's two books, "A Boy Called It" and "A Man Called Dave" in one volume was wriitten in such a style as to be easy reading, but not so with its content. The main protagonist, written in the first person, describing his life, I found particularly dull and not a little self-piteous, self-indulgent and 'holier- than- thou." Moreover, since the book was supposed to be an honest account of childhood abuse and recovery, it hardly ...
...social services department than anything else. Having had first hand experience of abused children there were many instances where I found myself being incredulous at what I was reading. The book opened with a promise which it failed to fulfill. 'David', does not as suggested, rise above or overcome his supposed early abuse but rather transforms into a neurotic adult. That this book has become an international best-seller isn't surprising, but to ...

crystalline 16.09.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Dave Pelzer

Terryiffic

Advantages: Amazing Author
Disadvantages: It takes time to write books

...actually brought into exsitence). Terry Prattchet is such a man. Terry Prattchet novels have been my absolute favourite since i was introduce to his works be a friend about 6 years ago, since then i have read every book with awe as i marvel at his unique abaility to link fantsy events with real life things for example a crude discworld bomb consists of a swamp dragon (very small cat sized dragon) in a box with a covered mirror, to activate the bomb ...
...and nurtured so that they each have seemed like they have actually been alive at some point in our lives. I hope Terry Prattchet continues the discworld series for many years to come and to bring as much enjoyment to others as i have gotten from reading his work. ...

redemption 06.10.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Terry Pratchett