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Advantages: A trip down memory lane for those who also remember the Nolans
Disadvantages: ended too soon

Well I must say, after receiving this book as a birthday present I thought I might give it a try when there's nothing else to be done. What a pleasant read I found it to be, very entertaining. The book depicts well the atmosphere and camraderie at Pontin's, and he certainly did live it up while working there (puts Alfie Moon in the shade!) Shane's personality and sense of humour definitely comes through I almost laughed out loud at times. Although ...
...latter stages of the book as his marriage breaks down, and Shane knows he only has himself to blame he finds the guilt very hard to bear. I got the impression that Shane and Coleen Nolan were made for each other, but he blew it!!!! Altogether an entertaining read and was sad to come to the end. ... Read review

Advantages: Interesting insight into the author's opinions
Disadvantages: Sensationalist writing style that irritates

...but an analysis of the Rat Pack phenomenon at the height of its popularity. It follows the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise and death of the three plus two singer-actor-comedians who stormed their way into the charts and hearts of 50s and 60s America in a way that was unprecedented and, claims Levy, never again seen... This is the fame in the life of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. "Frank, Dean, ...
...from the mid-fifties through the Rat Pack heyday up to the election of John F Kennedy and the death of Marilyn Monroe. It tackles the gossip and the rumours; being mainly a book about the wonder (debatable) that was Frank Sinatra, this is largely to do with two things: Organised crime and JFK. The two halves of the books are neatly bisected with a generous 16 pages of black and white photographs that span the period and illustrate the text. In terms ... Read review

Advantages: An Interesting read.
Disadvantages: Not wholly convincing.

...Gang Violence" co-written with Becnel. Redemption was his first autobiographical book (written solely by himself) and was published in 2004. In 2004 Redemption was even made into a TV movie of the same name, starring the well-known actor Jamie Foxx as Williams. ~ ~ So what did I think of Redemption, and was I convinced by the conversion of Stan Tookie Williams from sinner to saint? The book was nothing if not an interesting read. It was an impulse ...
...big fan of this type of book. But the "gangsta-rap" culture does interest me, in particular the way it seems to have taken hold in the mainstream entertainment media, with games such as "Vice City", etc, and in the way its music and message seems to capture the imagination of young people. (My own 15-year old daughter included) I found the book itself a little heavy going. Tookie may well have educated himself and built up a huge vocabulary while ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic writing, amazing story
Disadvantages: You will probably cry (I did!)

...we would ever see him on tv again, would he be the same person? The first television appearance was on Jonathan Ross, and I tuned in eagerly, to see if the Hamster we all loved was still there. It seemed yes he was, apart from a new love for celery, and an uncanny ability to recall everyone's phone number! What relief. During this time we had been watching the media storm against the BBC and more specifically Top Gear, claims it was dangerous, it ...
...I had found Hammonds interview on Ross fascinating. Being stingy however, I waited until I could pick it up at two books for £7 in the supermarket! (In all fairness, it's only now Mia's reaching one that I get chance to read anyway!). To be honest, I didn't expect a talented writer when I thought of Hammond, which in hindsight, was silly, he is a journalist after all. I was shocked by the unique and direct writing style he used. Somehow, there ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent read
Disadvantages: None

Russell Watson first came to my attention when I heard him sing at the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He sang 'Where my Heart Will Take me' (one of mine and my hubbies all time favourite songs) and I suddenly realised what an amazing voice he had. When I knew he was writing his biography I could not wait to get a copy and read it. Russell starts the book in October 2007 at the time of his collapsed and when he was told he needed ...
...We are then taken back to his childhood where he tells about how he grew up in Sunningdale Drive in Irlam, Manchester. He lived there with his mother and father and his younger sister Hayley. He openly talks about how he had a happy childhood due to the fact that his father always worked his hardest and his Mother always had her radiogram playing, he believes this is where his love for classical music came from. He tells us about the group of friends ... Read review