Biography Books > C Biography Books > B

Advantages: The mix of personal experience and international crises
Disadvantages: none

...books have you read about the second world war from a German perspective? To be fair, Christine Bielenberg isn't German, she's an Anglo-Irish woman married to a German and that perhaps makes this book even more readable. "The past is myself" follows her life as the wife of a German from just before the outbreak of the second world war to its end. Having missed the opportunity to escape to England she manages to avoid internment. She and her family ...
...move to the safer rural area of the Black Forest. The story includes arrests, plots, rescues and living in hiding. Throughout the book Bielenberg blends domestic detail with international events. On the one hand she writes about the problems she has when her hens invade the neighbours garden, and on the other hand she describes her husbands involvement in the plot to kill Hitler. What makes it such a good read is that Beilenburg is an ordinary person. ... Read review

Advantages: Easy reading. Nicely written. The honesty.
Disadvantages: None

I've never really been a big fan of Cilla Black, but do like the woman. On TV she comes across as a very nice and down-to-earth woman. So, when her autobiography came out, I wanted to read it. Get an insight into the life of the Liverpool lass. She was brought up in Liverpool at 380 Scottie Road (Scotland Road) with her 3 brothers, mum (mam to her!) and dad. They lived above a Barber shop. She always dreamed about being a singer and famous one day. ...
...hair brush. Wherever the echo was louder, you'd find Cilla in there singing! She often told her mum that she wanted to be famous one day. Her mother never knocked her, always standing by her side whatever she said. She loved her parents. She was born Priscilla White. As a child, her family didn't have a lot of money. Throughout the book, she never forgets her Liverpool roots, and often refers to how she misses the place. Her parent remained up there, ... Read review

Advantages: Great Caine filmography
Disadvantages: You need to like Caine

THE AUTHOR Christopher Bray graduated in Film and Literature at Warwick University. He's written about films and books for the Observer, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times, Independant, New Statesman, Spectator, etc. This is his first book. BIOGRAPHY OR FILM BUFF'S CRITIQUE? A critical filmography and biography. The personal biography takes second stage to the analysis - nay deconstruction - of Caine's performances in every film he appeared in, up ...
...here, from his earliest to 'Mona Lisa' (which arguably heralded his 'comeback'), to 'Last Orders', the 'Quiet American' etc, as well as many you may never have heard of. It's a film buff's book, but also a Caine buff's book. Bray interleaves biography with social history, showing how Caine's initial circumstances, his escape from these, and his later film roles, reflect wider social changes in the latter 20th century. Specifically, Bray is talking ... Read review

Advantages: amazing, inspirational read
Disadvantages: plays on the heart strings

Firstly Id like to say a huge Thank you to Cupcake Brown for giving me back hope and helping me succeed in life. This is about a girl called Cupcake aged 11, Cupcake lives with her Mom in San Diego, while her brother Larry lives with her Dad. She and Larry don't get on at all, they fight continuously, one day Larry hit his mother, so she sends him to live with his father. Cupcake gets up one morning to the sound of her mother's alarm clock blaring, ...
...Californian law states that if a parent dies then the other biological parent gets custody if they want the children, the judge must uphold Mr Burns' request, and Cupcake's Daddy and uncle (Jr) lose custody of the children. Unfortunately, Mr Burns,only wants custody of the children so he can claim their insurance money that their mother has left in trust for them in the event of her death. As he's unable to access it, he leaves the children with ... Read review

Advantages: Based on a true story
Disadvantages: Upsetting

...it for £1.50. Ugly is a true story written by Constance Briscoe who was abused and hurt by her mother and step-father and as a result of this wet the bed. When Constance was growing up she was called Claire by her mother and siblings, who never got abused or hurt, and was quite clever at school and wanted to become a barrister which she did become and a part-time judge. When Claire got hold of her birth certificate she found out that her real name ...
...young girl who just wanted to be loved by her mother but just got abused and hurt. I didn't think a book could be so sad about a young girl who couldn't defend herself. Ugly by Constance Briscoe is a book that can make a tear come to your eye. ... Read review