Biography Books > V Biography Books

Advantages: A must for all fans
Disadvantages: None

The now 7 times world motorcycle champion gives a frank and honest account of his time with Honda and his move to Yamaha. He also gives a fascinating insight into his childhood times in Italy and his introduction to motorcycle racing by his Father, himself a racer. The first half of the book tends to deal with the unbelievable choice(at the time) to move from the all conquering Honda Racing to the struggling Yamaha. Tired of the assumption that ...
...Rossi decided to take the world on and prove them wrong(as we now know he has). His rivals at the time gloating at the fact may just be eating humble pie right now. Some amazing accounts of how multi million pound deals were taking place in the dead of night, hidden away in race track medical centres !!!! Truly unbelievable, but as you get a feel for the real Rossi you soon see it as not so far fetched. You really feel that you know the man behind ... Read review

Advantages: Factual,but also dramatic and entertaining.
Disadvantages: None

...the book serves as a fitting tribute to these Royal women, who, by their sense of duty in both their marriages and motherhood, have left us such a great legacy. Victoria's Daughters is published in hardback by Sutton Publishing and is priced at £19.99 and should be widely available. ... Read review

Advantages: It educates about Islam's roots and the hospitality of the Middle East
Disadvantages: I honestly can't think of any

Blood and Sand is a beautifully written autobiography by BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner. Not only does he tell the tale of the terrible attack he and cameraman Simon Cumbers were subjected to in Riyadh, but he tells it with with an incredibly unweakened love for the Middle East. Born in London, Frank Gardner went on to study Arabic Studies at university, before securing himself a well-paid job in banking with many exclusive benefits. Feeling ...
...travel articles he had written as a student and during his early career, recognising that he wanted to become a journalist, and educate the West about the Arabic world. Gardner goes on to tell of his struggle to get in to journalism in his thirties, clinging on to every contact and offering himself for graveyard shifts and jobs noone else wanted. Eventually he climbs through the ranks to BBC Security Correspondent (of which he is the first - he ... Read review

Advantages: Funny, honest, endearing and engaging.
Disadvantages: Sometimes you want to shout "Get a grip on yourself, man".

You spend all of those years as a member of the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World, and you end up, unsurprisingly, with drug and alcohol problems and frequent trips to rehab. More of a surprise is the revelation that Ronnie Wood never had much in the way of cash through these seemingly plentiful, hay-making years, and when he did, he did his best to blow it all as quickly as possible. That he seems to be on more of an even financial keel ...
...above all, he comes across as a decent, honest bloke who would happily share a pint with you. Of lemonade, these days, I guess. A cut above the usual rock star autobiography for its candour, its wide-eyed naivety, and eye-popping tales of Miami drug dealers, life on the road and with the family. Almost worth the cover price just for the tale of the emptying of Tony Curtis's wine cellar. ... Read review

Advantages: Gripping, informative
Disadvantages: May be found quite hard going

Carla Van Raay's autobiography "Gods Callgirl" details the life of a naive, immature girl, then woman who is devoted to God but goes from obedient convent girl to sexual prostitute over the course of her life, but remains as naive as ever. This life story is divided into three parts and develops the tale of this Dutch girl's life over the course of the book. Part one examines the life of a child abused by her father, yet finding she felt abandoned ...
...God from a very young age. As a school girl she idolising the convent and her sole ambition in life is to serve God as a nun in one of Australia's many convents. As an early teenager feeling unloved at home by her family yet supporting her mother in everyday chores and childcare of her brothers and sister she found herself believing she was a product of the devil. A problem no confession could speak of, and no action could heal. Part two follows ... Read review