Biography Books > A Biography Books > D

Advantages: A superb account of a personal discovery
Disadvantages: Only available in harback

This is the first of a number of book reviews that will be as a result of my visit to the Hey Festival 2004. Some months ago, I pre-booked tickets for a number of talks at the annual Hay Literary Festival. Serious doubts were raised whether I would be able to attend due to my limited mobility following the operation I had had on my ankle two weeks earlier. I was, needless to say, distraught. The Hay Festival is one of the highlights of my year. ...
...I managed to go for a weekend. In appreciation of their help, I dedicate this review to my husband and the festival organisers. As you will know from my review on the family history magazine, I am addicted to family history research. One of the main attractions of the Festival for me was a talk by Josceline Dimbleby on her latest book, “A Profound Secret”. The book is an account of her discovery of a rich and emotive part of her family history and ... 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

Advantages: Alternative perspective, easy to understand, good arguements and conclusions on some points
Disadvantages: Stereotyping, doesn't fully argue some points

Anne Boleyn is one of the most-maligned women in history, her reputation as a ‘witch’ and a ‘whore’ still prevalent over 470 years after her death. Even now, rumours created by her enemies to slander her are still averred as truth – as recently as around 13 years ago, I was taught in primary school that Anne Boleyn had a sixth finger on one hand, despite there being no evidence of this other than hearsay and much evidence to the contrary, such as ...
...that the popular impression of Anne Boleyn is mostly fabrication and plain lies. In her attempt to portray Anne Boleyn as someone other than the whore who bewitched Henry VIII, Joanna Denny veers off wildly in the other direction: she presents Anne Boleyn as the perfect evangelist, a portrait that seems as unrealistic and stereotypical as the one described above. Whilst there’s no doubt that Anne Boleyn was devoted to the protestant cause, being ... Read review

Advantages: none
Disadvantages: none

Hello and welcome to the review that should have been here. It was here but its not here now as I have taken it and put it into my private stash somewhere else. It may well appear somewhere else online and if it does it will have my name on it. Thank you to everyone, to all the people in my COT over the years who have stuck by me and who have been great influences over the reviews I have written. It is indeed a sad case that reviewers have to come ...
...sense at all when the original content should be listed and frankly because of endless problems with Ciao I no longer have the time and energy to carry on. Each time I tried, it didn't work. Each message I sent to other members, they didn't appear. Each rate I applied, it didn't show. So that's the end of it. Ty for reading. ... Read review

Advantages: Cheap, fun and easy to read
Disadvantages: I want her life

I bought this book on a spur of the moment shopping trip, basically because I was interested to see how Coleen went from being a schoolgirl to a WAG in such a short space of time. I was amazed to read her story and see how down to earth she really was, even after being catapulted at amazing speed into the limelight. She was even thoughtful enough to come back to her book and update it with her wedding plans for the release of the paperback edition. ...
...quick life update, within which she includes girly pages with tips on make-up, fashion, nights out and quizzes, making it so much more like a diary. It is really easy to read and highly enjoyable to learn how down to earth she is and how she enjoys nothing more than snuggling on her sofa watching the soaps just like the rest of us. ... Read review