The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

...Hancock's diary, made shortly after the death of her husband, the actor John Thaw, perhaps sums up why I bought this book. I'd long been an admirer of Thaw's work, dating back to his portrayal of tough copper Jack Regan in the seventies TV series, The Sweeney, through to his more erudite roles as Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC, and when he died from cancer in February, 2002, I, along with many other members of the ordinary public, felt a strangely ...
...met the man of course, yet it was as though I had lost an old acquaintance, as I'm sure it was for many people. So yes, Sheila Hancock was right; we were, in all likelihood, mourning one of the familiar characters which Thaw personified on screen rather than the man himself and it's perfectly true that none of us really 'knew' him. In spite of his profession, John Thaw remained an essentially private person who for the most part, achieved what many ...

silverstreak 20.05.2006 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

The inner sleeve of this book begins "When John Thaw, star of The Sweeney, Inspector Morse and Goodnight, Mr Tom, died from cancer in 2002, a nation lost one of its finest actors. Sheila Hancock lost a beloved husband". That sums up what this is about. Actor Sheila Hancock opens her heart, her personal diary and family album to show us a little more about John Thaw and how she felt throughout his illness and subsequent death. There are some wonderful ...
...Alec died from cancer of the oesophagus, the muscular tube for the passage of food from the pharynx to the stomach. It was a condition that was also later to take the life of John. It has been linked to smoking. As Sheila puts it "I needed a man" and she also says "I cannot remember a glad reunion with John....it did not feel like a betrayal so soon after Alec's death". John knew that Alec had died of cancer but when he fell ill with the same condition, ...

Mel27 09.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

" Just the two of us - we can make it if we try, just the two of us, you and I". I cannot help it but each time I reach for the cover of this book that darn song appears in my head. Don't let that start of my review fool you though, this is not a story to put a smile on your face. It's a pity that the book isn't as cheery as the song as there is no happy ending. The book is a true story about John Thaw of The Sweeney and Morse fame written by his ...
...white picture of John on the front in what looks like it was taken in one of his Morse episodes. *******How does the story begin? ********* Sheila starts the book as talking about the main characters, her and john as "the girl" and "the boy". The girl was born on the Isle of Wight in 1933, nine years before John. Her mother was Ivy, was English but her father was from Milan, Enrico Hancock. Doesn't quite sound right does it? Even Sheila admits that ...

mrsmopples 16.01.2006 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

...think l could have watched the whole program just by using the expressions shown through his face and eyes ..... that's how good an actor he was. I don't usually read biographies, they're not really my kind of reading, But one day l was watching the telly when Sheila Hancock was being interviewed (John Thaws wife). She was explaining how someone else had written an unauthorised biography of John Thaw, where some of the facts were not entirely true. ...
...Life with John Thaw" the book is split into 20 chapters, each chapter alternating between Sheila and John's lives from the day each was born, leading on to their early careers, previous marriages to their own turbulant but always passionate relationship, and then finally ending with John's death and the year that followed for Sheila. Throughout the book there are some fabulous photos giving you that extra bit of insight into their lives. Amalgamted ...

Lynso1977 14.10.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

...are two reasons for this. The first is Hancock's writing...The second is John Thaw' Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times This is the comment on the front cover of the book and I am not usually someone who buys biographies but I was interested in this one especially as it is written by his wife and details both their lives. It was only £3.73 in paperback in Tesco's so I thought why not? I loved the way this was written, the first chapter is entitled The ...
...Every now and then in the chapters you have diary entries which are present day from Sheilas own diary starting in January 2001 I found this book to be compelling reading and the inclusion of the photos both public and personal made it an even better read. One diary entry 'I suggested we buy a couple of fold-up camp chairs and start sitting in lay-bys with our picnic. We really are becoming a couple of old farts. And it's lovely.' Sheila Hancocks ...

Danni1973 14.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

...was most famed as the wife of John Thaw, whose Inspector Morse character enthralled millions of TV viewers . When Thaw died seven years ago, the nation mourned the loss of one of its favourite actors. Sheila Hancock was mourning a husband she loved passionately. Unlike many autobiographies, this one isn't "ghosted" and Hancock is a natural writer with a powerful voice. She tells the story of her early childhood in London as the daughter of a publican, ...
...of cancer. But it is the relationship with Thaw which, inevitably, dominates the book. It wasn't a perfect marriage. They were together for many years but she describes with raw honesty how Thaw's alcoholism, and her own battle with breast cancer, brought them to the brink of divorce. Volatile and moody, he clearly wasn't an easy man to live with but, despite it all, he conquered his drink problem and they were about to embark on a happy semi-retirement ...

bookaddict 18.07.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock

I saw The two of us my life with John Thaw advertised and as i am a fan of John Thaw i had to go out and buy the book for myself. I bought the hardback book at £16.99 and a few weeks later it had dropped in price. I read my life with John Thaw by Sheila Hancock in a few days as i couldn't put the book down. It is Sheila Hancock telling her story of when she met John who was 10 years her junior and his time through his battle with cancer. It includes ...
...are a few photos of Sheila Hancock and John Thaw through the book from being at a young age up til present of writing te book. For me this is a book i could read again and i would recommend people to read it as it is a good read. ...

giantpanda21 20.01.2008 · Read full review
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Review of The Two of Us - Sheila Hancock