Biography Books > L Biography Books > less than 5 GBP

Advantages: A real insight into an interesting figure
Disadvantages: Reed can be quite pretentious sometimes

"Lipstick, Sex, and Poetry" is billed rather threateningly as the "first autobiography" by the bisexual poet and novelist Jeremy Reed. In fact Reed seems to have a selective memory and the book consists almost entirely of memories and thoughts about sex separated by highly metaphysical speculation on the nature of poetry. Reed's androgynous looks and use of make-up tended to get him into trouble with irate motorists, but it had its positive side: ...
...on a deserted beach. My eyes were closed but I could sense someone encroaching. Without speaking a word, a girl screened by masses of black curls began..." What she actually began to do isn't really printable in a family site, but Reed helpfully adds "Things like that happen all the time when you are an androgyne." So that's how it's done. One of the main themes of Reed's book is the repeated point "at sixteen I was looking for a new species. I am ... Read review

Advantages: A fitting monument to a literary giant
Disadvantages: Will appeal only to a limited audience

...a Johnson play - "human like the rest of them." As a result, there is a wry scepticism in some of Coe's humorous asides. For example, quoting an overwrought early poem full of virgins and unicorns, Coe asks "is anything really being recorded here, apart from Johnson's frustration at not being allowed inside somebody's pants for several weeks?" Having devoted such a chunk of his life to Johnson, I think Coe is entitled to such a robust attitude. ...
...it, I imagine they would, like me, first seek out Johnson's novels (four are still in print, three in an omnibus edition). Plausibly, those interested in literary biography as a genre would read it too. Coe wrestles with biographical conventions throughout the book. Much of it relies on verbatim extracts. He makes sardonic asides to the reader ("No flicking forward by the way, this is a bound object, a work of 'enforced consecutiveness' not some ... Read review

Advantages: Inspiring, Inspring, Inspiring
Disadvantages: You whant to read it again and again

If you don't know who Richard Branson is...don't panic, you will soon discover one of the world's greatest business men ever! This book has a gripping and most inspiring influence once you start to read it. This is not the type of book you read to get a theory in business, this is the type of book that will release the zeal to do business and the need to be great! Reading this book will most certainly inspire you to action. The start of such a massive ...
...no for an answer. It is fun and astonishing to experience the way this man's head works. It is pure genius. The book is written in plain English and the integrity and honesty of the man shows on every page. By now you would have realised that Branson is one of a kind. Get the book! ... Read review

Advantages: A great read and gives you an understanding of what Parkinson's is.
Disadvantages: The start of the read is very jumpy, but stick with it

Michael J Fox How is he?????? Isn't he that little man that was on those back to the future films. This is what I thought when I seen he had a book out, when I was younger I did like him, but as I got old your never hear anything about him and sort of forgot who he was. Then I remembered he was the actor with Parkinson's disease, so went back to have a quick look at the book. In September 1998, Michael J. Fox stunned the world by announcing he ...
...condition. He had been secretly fighting it for seven years. This was part of what I read on the back of the book, so I bought it for £4.99 and off home I went. To start with the book was a little hard to get into, it was jumping all over the place, but I stuck with it and glad I did. Michael starts by explaining his life before he knew he had the disease, how life for him was all about Fame and Drink and how he married his long time girlfriend ... Read review

Advantages: alot you never knew about Lewis
Disadvantages: Needed more detail on early years

...for is the chapter where Lewis goes into detail about his relationship with Fernando Alonso, his Mc Laren teamate to get Lewis's version of what went on in their supposed rocky relationship which claimed much front page as well as back page headline in the press. Well far be it for me to let the cat out of the bag. I, knowing quite a lot about this young man must be objective, fair and not spoil anybody's xmas afternoon browsing. The book written ...
...of the input was from Lewis himself. So much so that the writing shows a fair amount of repetition and a naivety of someone not used to tell a story, after all Lewis has been a bit busy the last 12 years or so. Having said that the book has a reasonable balance, the first 3 chapters devoted to what it takes to be an F1 driver. The next 3 chapters are devoted to his early life, growing up in Stevenage and getting into competitive racing and his family ... Read review