Authors > by Author Surname (First Letter)

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 ... Read review

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. ... Read review

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: none

...favourite detective novel author, Dame Agatha Christie - undisputed "Queen of Crime", in here pleased me even more! HER LIFE Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquary in Devon on 15th September 1890 to Frederick Alvah Millier (an American stockbroker) and Clarissa Margaret Boehmer (the daughter of a British army captain). She had a sister eleven years her senior and a brother ten years her senior. Her father died when she was 11 ...
... HER DEATH Agatha Christie died on 12th January 1976 in Berkshire at the age of 85 of natural causes. Sir Max Mallowan married his mistress, Barbara Parker a year later. Her daughter Rosalind died 28 years later in 2004 leaving a son Mathew Prichard. HER LEGACY Christie created two very memorable detectives in her novels, namely the Belgian detective with the "little grey cells" Hercule Poirot and the intuitive and likeable elderly ... Read review

Advantages: All about the man behind Bob Skinner.
Disadvantages: Lots of facts.

Quentin Jardine was bron in Motherville, Lanarkshire. He was educated both there and in Glasgow, where he later attended the university studying law. In his time he has been a journalist, goverment information officer, polictial spin-doctor. All these occupations must have provided him with a wealthy of background knowledge for his books. He lives in Gullane, East Lothian and has a home in L'Escala on the Costa Bravia, Spain. Readers will know these ...
...He became an author in 1986, he and his second wife Eileen (his first wife of 30 years having died of lung cancer in 1997) have an extended family of about four adult children. He suppors Motherwell football club, as does Bob Skinner. He has written 17 Bob Skinner books and 9 OZ Blackstone books. The two books were united in Poison Cherries where Oz was acting in a film adaption of the first Skinner book- Skinner's rules. I find all of his books ... Read review

Advantages: Completely captivating, skillfully written, enjoyable and thought-provoking.
Disadvantages: You may end up purchasing everything Rice ever wrote.

Anne Rice does not produce your average run-of-the-mill vampire story. Her work is carefully crafted and integrates several themes that directly affect the reader as a human being. She writes of conflict, of sexual desire, of lust and of beauty; she evokes the sense of longing with passionate skill, and her writing truly takes on a life of its own. I first began reading the works of Anne Rice when I was 13. I was a curious child, and having read ...
...unfamiliar with the works of Anne Rice, 'Interview' would be a good starting point. Reccurent themes in general seem to be sexuality, religion, the seeking of answers and to an extent, love. The books are well-written and sensual, as you can feel the smooth coldness of the vampires' skin, the clothes tharacters wear, and you can sympathise with characters, as Rice lets us see the world through a Vampire's eyes. The follow up to 'Interview' was 'Lestat', ... Read review