Biography Books > Deric Longden Biography Books > by Title (First Letter)

Advantages: Great book if you love Deric Longden's writing
Disadvantages: You would be better starting with an earlier book if new to his writing

...to arrive from Amazon. Paws in the Proceedings is the latest in a line of books which looks at life in the Longden household and, given the title, I was hoping it would make a lovely follow on from 'The cat that came in from the cold' and 'Enough to make a cat laugh' which were his two previous book about the felines in his life. It sort of does that because woven throughout the book is the tale of the latest arrival, Nokia, and how he fits in with ...
...it also continues with varied tales of Deric and Aileen's life and the numerous problems that befall them and their extended family. I read this book within a couple od days of receiving it which is testament to the fact that I enjoyed it and because it is formed from lots of little tales of Deric's escapades it is quite easy to find sensible breaks to put it down which would make it an ideal book to dip into and out of. Deric's humour is as good ... Read review

Advantages: Giggle-out-loud funny, charming, immensely accessible, honest.
Disadvantages: Unusually, absolutely nothing!

...that it was one of the best literary investments she could ever have made. This charming little tome drags the reader on a lovely journey of enlightenment and discovery, as writer Deric Longden comes to the wonderful realisation that he is, in fact, a Cat's Best Friend. It all begins when he spots his next door neighbour's new kitten sitting on an upturned bucket in the yard. When the day turns rainy and the little mite is still out in the cold, ...
...new love affair culminates in the sneaky adopting of the kitten, and the story runs from there. Fears of sheepskin rugs, drunken misbehavior with spilt wine, climbing trees, a pet sultana called Ralph, and all sorts of other scrumptious quirks and mishaps ensue as Deric and his kitten bond, culminating in Aileen - who is almost blind - shutting him in the fridge with a pack of Danish bacon. The wonderful image of Deric thawing him out in a shrunken ... Read review

Advantages: Charming book - makes you laugh
Disadvantages: Makes you cry too

I have loved Deric Longden's books for many years and I found "Enough to Make a Cat Laugh" whilst browsing on Amazon. Having been reading more 'serious' books recently the thought of his light hearted style of writing really appealed to me so I ordered the book. The book chronicles a year in the life of the Longden household, starting with spring then summer, autumn and finishing with winter. The 'household' consists of Deric, his wife Aileen and ...
...Other members of the family include Arthur's wire brush and a sultana called Ralph - but you will have to read the book if you want to know more about these two! This is a book guaranteed to make you laugh if you have any connection with cats in the house yourself but, on the other hand, it is equally able to move you to tears. For those not already familiar with his writing, Deric's wife - writer Aileen Armitage - is registered blind and occasionally ... Read review

Advantages: Heart warming and sometimes harrowing account of life with a chronically ill family member, balanced with lots of humour
Disadvantages: Stock up on tissues...

...times, is a celebration of Diana's life. It shows her strength of character, despite being very ill indeed, her natural warmth, her love for her husband, her wonderful mind and most of all,how this man loved and cherished his wife and wanted nothing more than to ease her suffering and make her life as complete and happy as possible. It tells of the couples' fight and determination to get the medical authorities to take them seriously and how the ...
...her family too. Throughout the book however, are splashes of humour that will have you laughing out loud, and yet the story is so much more... If possible, I would love to give this man the biggest hug, and to thank him for telling what is a very sad and heart wrenching story in a way that made me smile through my tears. Read it....it's wonderful... P.S. I did get a reply back from DL, a hand-written letter full of warmth and modesty and thanking ... Read review

Advantages: It will have you giggling away as you read
Disadvantages: There are some very poignant moments in there

If you haven't read any of Deric Longden's books then you really are missing out on the opportunity to enjoy some lovely writing that will have you chuckling away as you read. He has a lovely style which I have to say appeals to my sense of humour. He can take the most mundane situations and relate them in a way that a good stand up comic will - emphasising the ridiculous things we do in every day life. This little booke entitled "Lost for Words" ...
...eventual decline into old age. You may have seen the film or DVD of this book which starred Thora Hird as his Mum and Peter Postlethwaite as Deric? Even if you have seen the film it is still well worth reading the book in order that you can enjoy Deric's style and humour first hand for, although the film is amusing and touching, it doesn't quite capture the full story in all its glory. I loved this book party because of his writing and partly because ... Read review