Biography Books > U Biography Books > W

Advantages: Interesting
Disadvantages: nothing

Kim Woodburn is best known for the being the bossy person on "How clean is your house? As you can guess by the title of the book it is about her Brutal childhood. Kim was bought up by her violent mother as her father was often away as he was in the Royal Marines. Kim was the second child, another daughter. Her parents made her feel that she had disappointed them from the start as she was not a boy (obviously they must have wanted a son). Her mother ...
...friend, they ended up having seven children together. Kim left home at the age of sixteen and went to live with her father, their relationship as father and daughter was not very good. By 1966 she was living in the house of a lady whose daughter was at drama school (this daughter played the role of Suzie Birchall in coronation street in the 70's and later went on to play Suzie Birchall in Coronation Street in the 1970. Later Kim had been encouraged ... Read review

Advantages: an interesting and in depth read
Disadvantages: can sometimes be overwhelmed by the information

Jackk Johnson was the first black heavyweight champion in history, at a time when ‘drawing the colour line’ (the refusal of white heavyweights to fight black contenders) he took the title, amongst fear and hatred from both black and white communities alike. Fear and hatred from the white communities as they felt that they were the master race, and that a black man shouldn’t be able to beat someone who was white. Hatred from the black community as ...
...man should, as was blamed for years after for holding back the progression of black men in boxing. Jack Johnson was a one off. A man a head of his time, he was not into boxing just for the money as other heavyweights champions would claim, but for the fame and adulation as well. At a time when black men were hung for being suspected of having just having an ‘interest’ in a white woman, Jack Johnson married three, causing a huge furore over the first ... Read review

Advantages: A good lighthearted read
Disadvantages: Hardback, hard to carry around

Murray takes us on a detailed journey through his life, beginning with an introduction to his parents and his early pre-war years - his father Graham's enthusiam for bikes undoubtedly influencing his ultimate future career path. This fascinating book delves deep into his life, revealing unexpected discoveries such as his involvement in the Mars (chocolate) campaign as part of a very interesting career in marketing, all while commutuing to race meetings ...
...moving on to commentating full time. Murray also discusses his involvement in World War II, where his enthusiasm as a tank driver illustrates his passion for anything with an engine! Refreshingly, while recalling his partnerships with different commentators and racing personalities over the years, Murray's ability to 'tell it as it is' gives us an honest insight into the world of motor racing and how it has changed over the years into a multi-million ... 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