Biography Books > A Biography Books > J > 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: 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: Fantastic writing, amazing story
Disadvantages: You will probably cry (I did!)

...we would ever see him on tv again, would he be the same person? The first television appearance was on Jonathan Ross, and I tuned in eagerly, to see if the Hamster we all loved was still there. It seemed yes he was, apart from a new love for celery, and an uncanny ability to recall everyone's phone number! What relief. During this time we had been watching the media storm against the BBC and more specifically Top Gear, claims it was dangerous, it ...
...I had found Hammonds interview on Ross fascinating. Being stingy however, I waited until I could pick it up at two books for £7 in the supermarket! (In all fairness, it's only now Mia's reaching one that I get chance to read anyway!). To be honest, I didn't expect a talented writer when I thought of Hammond, which in hindsight, was silly, he is a journalist after all. I was shocked by the unique and direct writing style he used. Somehow, there ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent read
Disadvantages: None

Russell Watson first came to my attention when I heard him sing at the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He sang 'Where my Heart Will Take me' (one of mine and my hubbies all time favourite songs) and I suddenly realised what an amazing voice he had. When I knew he was writing his biography I could not wait to get a copy and read it. Russell starts the book in October 2007 at the time of his collapsed and when he was told he needed ...
...We are then taken back to his childhood where he tells about how he grew up in Sunningdale Drive in Irlam, Manchester. He lived there with his mother and father and his younger sister Hayley. He openly talks about how he had a happy childhood due to the fact that his father always worked his hardest and his Mother always had her radiogram playing, he believes this is where his love for classical music came from. He tells us about the group of friends ... Read review