Biography Books > 10 GBP to 14 GBP Biography Books > by Author Name (First Letter)

Advantages: Enlightening opinion from a mothers point of view
Disadvantages: Couldn't help but wonder....Is she on the band wagon ?

A brief synopsis. Love Ellen by Betty Degeneres is a true story of how a mother dealt with her famous daughter coming out as a lesbian. What made me want to read this book ? Personal experience. When I came out to my mum 13 years ago the response wasn't great and it still isn't after all this time. I thought maybe reading this book would help me understand why. The result was in fact the opposite. How it is written. The book is written from Betty's ...
...is semi diarised and autobiographical. What it's about. It briefly looks at Betty's childhood and upbringing. Explaining some traditional family values and how she was brought up to understand how a 'normal' life should be. Very quickly the book moves on to how Ellen told her mum she was gay and the initial response that she received. While it wasn't outwardly negative it was somewhat strained. The book then moves on to the acceptance Ellen received ... Read review

Advantages: Informs without dictating
Disadvantages: Difficult to read (emotionally)

...would be her final takeoff. Finding Amelia aims to separate the facts from the mountains of fiction and piece together Amelia's final days as far as we can ascertain. Part of the fascination with Amelia Earhart is due to her status as a feminist icon, despite not being an unusually talented pilot. As Gillespie says: "Earhart's piloting skills were average at best, but good looks, good luck, genuine courage, a talent for writing... made her one of ...
...a challenge to others." Finding Amelia can be difficult reading at times, not least because of the amount of misinformation and lack of communication involved. That's the real tragedy: that if the numerous mistakes hadn't been made, there is a good chance that the rescue mission would have been successful. Amelia was blamed for all kinds of things that weren't her fault, such as rejecting a suggestion that she use lower radio frequencies - a suggestion ... Read review

Advantages: Great inspirational reading
Disadvantages: Bit long winded when she laks about other race competitors

Black White and Gold is the biography written by 2 times Olympic champion, Dame Kelly Holmes. She starts the book in March of 2005 as she is sitting in a limousine driving towards the gate of Buckingham Palace. She is off to receive her Damehood and she says how surreal it felt and how she had to pinch herself to make sure it was really happening. She tells how she joked with the other people who were also their receiving their Damehood and Knights', ...
...to have the Queen place the sword on each of her shoulders, she tells them all she is going to kneel down anyway! As we all know she did not and she received her dame hood in the correct way! We are then taken back to her early years and she tells how when her parents found out she was pregnant and had split up from her boyfriend they did not want her to have the baby but she went ahead and when Kelly was born her mother was given the choice of ... Read review

Advantages: Funny, interesting and gossipy
Disadvantages: slightly boring in places

After watching multiple episodes of Britain's got talent, and quite enjoying the remarks made by Piers Morgan I decided to pick up one of his books. My brother had a copy 'Don't you know who I am?' so this was the obvious choice. The book consists of a number of diary entries around the time after his Mirror newspaper sacking, and evolves around his search for a new job, celebrity status and also I had no real idea of who Piers Morgan was except ...
...owing to a sacking. In this book Piers lifts the lid on his meeting with numerous celebrities ranging from top bench cabinet ministers to the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Sharon Osborne, all of which are thoroughly eventful. My favourite has to be his meeting with Sharon where he waits for her PR to go to the loo before asking her opinion of certain celebrities knowing that she would be more likely to slag them off without the PR present. Piers manages ... Read review

Advantages: Easy to read and follow
Disadvantages: Controversial at times with strong opinions

This is the story of one of Britains most controvercial and opinionated Shock Jock Radio presenters. It takes you along the road of his life in Radio, including Top Shop Radio, for the Top Shop clothes store, Local Radio in Newcastle, Radio Aire in Leeds, where he took his show to Television, to his last show on Talk Sport Radio. It also talks about his diagnosis with Cancer and the setting up of his cancer charity. This book does not dissapoint. ...
...his opinions on a variety of subjects as well as charting his life and career. It also has a wonderful tribute to his personal friend, Bernard Manning, who passed just before the book was published. Witty, controversial and entertaining, this is a must read for all who have listened to the James Whale Radio Show. The book is written by James himself and charts his life at various stages as well as sharing his experiences and opinions. ... Read review