Biography Books > A Biography Books > J

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: A good book with loads of info and fun to read
Disadvantages: None

Anything Goes is the biography written by John Barrowman with the help of his sister Carole. John first came to my attention when I watched him appear in Dancing on Ice, I did not know much about him before this and thought he was a very good looking fun guy so it was after seeing this that I started noticing him in more and more shows in the TV. THE BOOK The book is split into 19 chapters, each chapter has its title taken from a song which has ...
...laid out in the traditional way, starting with him as a child and progressing through his life to where he is now. He has written to book as if he was talking to you personally over a drink and started off with one thing and they it has digressed into other parts of his life. Even though it is a bit all over the place in years it is still very easy to follow. The back of the book has a time line so you can follow his career through the years in ... Read review

Advantages: well written, gets you involved, doesn't spend ages on the politics
Disadvantages: You don't want it to finish and you may want to be him!

...he strikes me as being a man who has met hundreds of very interesting people and has seen places that I can only dream of going in daydreams or nightmares. It is not all terrible war stories though, there are parts that will have you laughing out loud such as the interview he did with Colonel Gadhafi in 1998 which the Colonel himself was constantly breaking wind, him and his team crawling past a customs desk on their hands and knees due to lack of ...
...This book is a must read for anyone – I have to admit I am very slack when it comes to current affairs and history but this book isn’t about the wars its about the people he met and the places he has been. The other details: ISBN number: 0-330-35567-8 Book price £7.99 but is on Amazon for £6.39 new and cheaper for used copies. It has been published by Pan Macmilliam books, URL http://www.panmacmillian.com Photos – which are also stunning - are ... Read review

Advantages: A gripping read
Disadvantages: The writing style can be irritating....and a lot of the 'autobiography' is a lie

...track and manages to write a book about their past experiences. Perhaps in a way I'm doing research for when I write about my own experiences! Most of the stuff on my Amazon recommended book list ends up there in error - trying to encourage me to buy children's books due to the fact that I have purchased so many books about moose. This is because I'm obsessed with moose, not because I'm a child. Anyway, interspersed between "Alan the Alpaca meets ...
...then): http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0104061jamesfrey1.html A publisher's note has been included in subsequent editions of the book - however my edition is one published in 2004 with an "Oprah's Book Club" sticker on it. My copy is 430 pages and is a US edition. So, now we've got that out of the way, onto the book! The Story James Frey was 23 when he was admitted into rehab following an incident which left him with a hole in his ... Read review