Biography Books > C Biography Books > S

Advantages: Wonderful writing, beautiful feel good book
Disadvantages: Do we believe him?

OK, time to open up the where are they now file.... Chris Stewart got his big break in the late 1960s when he ws invited to join the rock band Genesis. Peter Gabriel was the band's first drummer but he decided that he wanted to concentrate on the vocals and so Chris Stewart was offered the opportunity. His stint was short-lived, however - only a matter of a few months and when it was suggested he was surplus to requirements, Chris followed his parents ...
...might think that perhaps he was a little hasty...not only have Genesis been one of the biggest rock bands in the world, but their individual members have all gone on to enjoy huge solo success. Reading "Driving Over Lemons", though, I shouldn't think Chris Stewart has any regrets about giving up the fickle world of rock stardom at the tender age of seventeen. Chris's life is now that of a farmer in one of the most picturesque spots in Europe, high ... Read review

Advantages: Easy to Read, gentle storytelling
Disadvantages: Chapter topics chop and change a bit

...Southern Spain where they have a farm and a relaxed pace of life that comes across in the book. Occasionally the books seems a bit jumpy as he addresses different topics in each chapter, rather than writing of events in a chronological order, but this should not detract from Stewart's tales. Non-Alpujarras chapters cover sheep-shearing (and driving over ice) during a Swedish winter, not being in Genesis (whom he joined at 17, and was replaced by ...
...eco-pool and the arrival of a dam in the region. Regardless of the topic Chris tells you exactly as it is without dressing it up for comic effect, as Chris often sees the comedy in everything (apart from, possibly, the dam) and has no need to exaggerate. All the chapters are well-written and I enjoyed all of them in spite of their diversity. I have marked this book four stars as the sometimes random nature of the chapters can be a bit annoying, however ... Read review

Advantages: Detail, detail, detail
Disadvantages: Ditto

'Very well written, critical and thoroughly researched' it says on the back. Well, two out of three ain't bad, as some other popster had it. The other quote is 'Rigorously researched and thoroughly readable'. Notably these quotes are for the author and not attributed to this particular book. I cannot fault the research - and 'critically' Sandford is honest and portrays as many sides as he can find. 'Well written' only applies in a technical sense, ...
...take on this book, you possibly need to know my starting point. "Bruce Springsteen" is the backdrop to my own Glory Days. I can't pretend to have ever come close to the remotest possibility of meeting the man in person - unless the jogger outside St James' in '84 were he (the bandanna suggests little Stevie as a more likely possibility) - or maybe if the chap we took to be a scamster at the last gig were for real, I might just have..! I came across ... Read review

Advantages: Gripping, informative
Disadvantages: May be found quite hard going

Carla Van Raay's autobiography "Gods Callgirl" details the life of a naive, immature girl, then woman who is devoted to God but goes from obedient convent girl to sexual prostitute over the course of her life, but remains as naive as ever. This life story is divided into three parts and develops the tale of this Dutch girl's life over the course of the book. Part one examines the life of a child abused by her father, yet finding she felt abandoned ...
...God from a very young age. As a school girl she idolising the convent and her sole ambition in life is to serve God as a nun in one of Australia's many convents. As an early teenager feeling unloved at home by her family yet supporting her mother in everyday chores and childcare of her brothers and sister she found herself believing she was a product of the devil. A problem no confession could speak of, and no action could heal. Part two follows ... Read review

Advantages: Neil Warnock
Disadvantages: Neil Warnock

There are individuals in sports that only come around so often. People that get everyone talking whether it be how much they admire them or how much they dislike them; Neil Warnock fits this category perfectly. Controversy follows him everywhere, so it is fitting that he should produce an autobiography that i'm sure even those that hate him so much would be just a little intrigued to read. This is the story of one of english domestic football's ...
...humble beginnings in Sheffield through an unglamorous but respectable playing career to a managerial career littered with controversy, success and disappointment. The dream of the Sheffield born man and Blades fan was always to manage his beloved Sheffield United and this dream was realised. He was hated by sections of his own teams support often but his team battled adversity to reach the promised land of the premiership - only to be denied by ... Read review