Biography Books > M Biography Books > S > Miranda Seymour

Advantages: A beautifully grafted story which makes for a riveting read
Disadvantages: It ends too soon

...at their home, Thrumpton Hall in Nottinghamshire. His obsessive love of this 400 year old, rose brick, mansion came to dominate his life. Even at seven , in a school essay, he wrote, “When I am the squire of Thrumpton Hall, I shall look after my people and I shall preach to them on Sundays” and this desire never left him. The author is at pains to discover the roots of and reasons for this house becoming her father’s ‘raison d’etre’. Maybe it was ...
...career and job in banking This is accounted for by the fact he was “ an insufferable little prig” ridiculously spoilt and indulged by his mother, father and aunt alike. Maybe his loneliness and frequent isolation from his mother and father made him regard the house as a security blanket. More likely it grew from his own pretentious nature. From his very early years, he demonstrated all the attributes of a sanctimonious snob. He never failed to mention ... Read review

Advantages: Interesting read and good insight into Hellé Nice's life
Disadvantages: Too absorbing - you'll finish it too quickly

...I found this book in the biography section of my local bookstore, I had never heard of Helene Delangle, or Hellé Nice, the stage name that she took. The synopsis on the back cover intrigued me, and once I'd started reading the opening chapter, I knew I had to purchase and read this book. Helene Delangle was born in 1900 in a tiny French village, just outside of Chartres. She moved to Paris and became a dancer but went on from there to become the ...
...along the way. A serious accident almost ended her racing days, and then later, after the Second World War she was accused of having collaborated with the Gestapo. I'm not going to use this review to go into her life further, as Seymour does this during her book, and frankly, I don't want to ruin it for you! Seymour lays out this book extremely well in order to capture each different period of Hellé's life in equal measure. She begins the story ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic insight into the life of the Dog
Disadvantages: None

...In this book, Dog takes you back to his roots and gives a unique insight into his life before bounty hunting - his mother and father, the biker gang he was a part of, the murder, and jail. He shows how all these factors added together have made him into the man he is today. After taking you through his childhood, and adolescence, and how he got his famous nickname, Dog writes about some of his most amazing captures, including the sensational six ...
...and read however much time you have. For anyone who has never heard of Dog the Bounty Hunter, this is a good place to start. A must read for anyone of any age. (Note: there is some use of bad language in the book, but this is a life story, with everything that happens in great detail, so this can only be expected) ... Read review

Advantages: great insite into russels life
Disadvantages: explixit in some areas

Great book, gives a real insite to the rocky life of Russel Brand and also explains a lot about why he is like he is. I never liked Russel Brand until i read this book, i now understand his comedy as i now feel that i know more about him and understand the backround about his humour. In the book he explains about how he went through childhood dealing with his mothers illness and how he got into drugs and how he got to where he is now. We also see ...
...and he explains this in such a comical matter. there are some great pictures in this book of russel in his child hood and his family. Overall great book must read for anyone with a sense of humor or for someone who is just looking for a good read, i don't read much but i have read this many times over and still get the same enjoyment from it. ... Read review

Advantages: Evocative, heart rending
Disadvantages: Sad, should never have had to have been written in the first place

A brilliant read. The young Anne Frank writes with perception and eloquence most people can only dream of when they are fully grown! Plus, her story is of such an exceptional nature that the subject matter alone is enough to create fascination. Reading the book from beginning to end, you really do see the change in Anne Frank's character, from her childish beginnings to her more mature outlook towards the end. One can only guess at how difficult ... Read review