Biography Books > B Biography Books > S

Advantages: A damned enjoyable read to raise a laugh.
Disadvantages: None for me.

The Author. Stephen D. Smith, locally known as Steve, started work as an office boy in a law firm, attending night school and eventually becoming a qualified solicitor himself. Two years after qualifying, he set up his own practice in Rotherham with a partner Steven Wilford in 1981. Not only has he become a highly successful solicitor but also an accomplished public speaker and author. He was awarded the MBE in 2006 for his services to charity. ...
...uncorrected proofs version published in 2006 and although there is a new titled edited edition, I would think that the basic content would be the same. I also believe that the book was originally published in the mid 1990's, although I am unable to confirm that. There are the usual initial pages to begin with, an about the author, contents pages, a foreword by another author, Gervase Phinn, a preface by the author himself and a page of acknowledgements. ... Read review

Advantages: Beautifully written
Disadvantages: None

Broken Music - Sting. This book was bought on impulse from Tesco, in paperback form. The recommended price is £6.99, but Tesco were selling it as one of their top 10 paperbacks at £3.73. To be honest, I wasn't aware until I spotted it on the shelf that Sting had written an autobiography, but I've always thought him interesting; he has always appeared to be articulate and intelligent, so a copy made it into my trolley. In an attempt to explain his ...
...plays something nicer than "that broken music". Sting's parents marriage runs into difficulty when his mother begins a long-term affair with an employee of her husband. The young Gordon is aware of the situation. Although his parents remain married, (social rules and conventions differing greatly from those of the present day, thus rendering divorce an unthinkable option) his mother continues to see her lover on a regular basis for the remainder ... Read review

Advantages: just a great reed
Disadvantages: a little bit jumbled

I read this book in just two days, i just couldn\'t put it down. This woman has been through so much. Its a miracle she is still alive. This book explain what it is like to live in one of these country\'s where men rule every thing and every woman. She was beaten daily, watched her mother kill her new born babies because they were girls and forced to live as a slave. Souad thought this was a normal way to live and was happy with her life, all she ...
...to be asked and couldn\'t get married before her elder sisters. Souad fell in love before she was married and got pregnant witch disgraced the family so her family planned her death. She remembered what happened the day her sister was murdered and listened to her family planning her death in the same way, her parents go out and then another family member commit the crime. She just carried on her life as she usually did and when her time come she ... 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