Biography Books > W Biography Books > 5 GBP to 9 GBP

Advantages: See Op
Disadvantages: See Op

...This is probably one of the reasons - no, let's be honest, this is the reason - I bought Kenneth Williams' diaries. It certainly wasn't out of admiration for the man: I'd always found him annoying. Sure, I liked the 'Carry On' saga, of which Williams was an integral component but I ignored him and just enjoyed the others. That isn't to take anything away from his abilities as a comedy actor, I believe he did have superb timing and equisite delivery, ...
...around the world. It's just that he was always too nasal and vocally grating for me. I know, features of which are loved by others. But I couldn't resist the diaries. Did I feel any different after reading the 40+ years of journals? No, if anything I disliked him even more, but I did feel so very sorry for him. Such a lonely and emotionally barren man. I pitied him. I really did. His upbringing was a typical working class affair, nothing out of the ... Read review

Advantages: Funny, honest, endearing and engaging.
Disadvantages: Sometimes you want to shout "Get a grip on yourself, man".

You spend all of those years as a member of the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World, and you end up, unsurprisingly, with drug and alcohol problems and frequent trips to rehab. More of a surprise is the revelation that Ronnie Wood never had much in the way of cash through these seemingly plentiful, hay-making years, and when he did, he did his best to blow it all as quickly as possible. That he seems to be on more of an even financial keel ...
...above all, he comes across as a decent, honest bloke who would happily share a pint with you. Of lemonade, these days, I guess. A cut above the usual rock star autobiography for its candour, its wide-eyed naivety, and eye-popping tales of Miami drug dealers, life on the road and with the family. Almost worth the cover price just for the tale of the emptying of Tony Curtis's wine cellar. ... Read review

Advantages: Gripping, informative
Disadvantages: May be found quite hard going

Carla Van Raay's autobiography "Gods Callgirl" details the life of a naive, immature girl, then woman who is devoted to God but goes from obedient convent girl to sexual prostitute over the course of her life, but remains as naive as ever. This life story is divided into three parts and develops the tale of this Dutch girl's life over the course of the book. Part one examines the life of a child abused by her father, yet finding she felt abandoned ...
...God from a very young age. As a school girl she idolising the convent and her sole ambition in life is to serve God as a nun in one of Australia's many convents. As an early teenager feeling unloved at home by her family yet supporting her mother in everyday chores and childcare of her brothers and sister she found herself believing she was a product of the devil. A problem no confession could speak of, and no action could heal. Part two follows ... Read review

Advantages: Neil Warnock
Disadvantages: Neil Warnock

There are individuals in sports that only come around so often. People that get everyone talking whether it be how much they admire them or how much they dislike them; Neil Warnock fits this category perfectly. Controversy follows him everywhere, so it is fitting that he should produce an autobiography that i'm sure even those that hate him so much would be just a little intrigued to read. This is the story of one of english domestic football's ...
...humble beginnings in Sheffield through an unglamorous but respectable playing career to a managerial career littered with controversy, success and disappointment. The dream of the Sheffield born man and Blades fan was always to manage his beloved Sheffield United and this dream was realised. He was hated by sections of his own teams support often but his team battled adversity to reach the promised land of the premiership - only to be denied by ... Read review

Advantages: Expertly written
Disadvantages: No chapters/sections to 'break up' the reading

I'm a student and had to read this book for an exam. I read it in 2 days and felt quite tired by the end of it. The main reason being that there are no chapters or sections, so it is basically one long detailed insight into what life was like during the Plague. However, it is very well written and there are times where the reader's emotions are 'pulled at'. The detailed descriptions of both people and places allow the reader to feel part of the drama. ...
...would not recommend this book to anyone who does not appreciate good literature as you will get easily bored and find it difficult to continue reading. However, if you like pre-18th Century Literature and enjoy a good piece of writing, i would highly recommend this old yet insightful masterpiece. ... Read review