Biography Books > 5 GBP to 9 GBP Biography Books

Advantages: A super read and useful too.
Disadvantages: None for me.

...man, I am careful with my brass!! My Life on a Hillside Allotment is Terry's own account of his life story from childhood to the current day. The Book. After an opening acknowledgement by the author, there follows a foreword by Jeremy Vine, which is brilliantly written and extols the virtues of Terry, his infectious spirit and enthusiasm for his passion and is a joy to read that alone. There is an introduction passage entitled 'The adopted allotment' ...
...reading that, I shall view my extremely large garden in a totally different light, thanks Terry. My opinion. A very interesting read, not merely because of the many interesting gardening tips but a man whose passion for his allotment is unending and this feeling is clearly expressed with the undoubted effort put into passing this to the reader. It is a book I would readily recommend to anyone who enjoys a biography of an ordinary bloke finding ... Read review

Advantages: Written as a user guide, wide audience, humour
Disadvantages: none

Author This book is written by Luke Jackson, a 13-year-old boy with Asperger Syndrome. He has also written another book, A User Guide to the GF/CF Diet for Autism, Asperger Syndrome and AD/HD. Luke has 3 brothers and 3 sisters. One of his brothers has AD/HD and another one of his brothers has autism. He writes this book as a user guide for other people with Asperger Syndrome and their families. Asperger Syndrome Asperger Syndrome is ...
...in which speech development and IQ are normal, but in which social disability can be compounded by depression or other mental health problems." Autismspeaks.org.uk People with Asperger Syndrome have difficulty: · Understanding gestures and facial expressions · Understanding jokes and Sarcasm - they take things iterally · Making friends Asperger Syndrome is complex and there are lots of characteristics, which affect people differently. Because ... Read review

Advantages: Entertaining and interesting read
Disadvantages: Could have been longer

...John recently published his autobiography Anything Goes, chronicling his first forty years. His sister, Carole E. Barrowman helped him write it and between the two of them, the tone is perfect and you can easily hear John's voice coming through the text. The hardback version has a cover price of £18.99, but you can buy it for about half that if you look online. I got mine from Amazon UK for £9.49. It is around 250 pages, split into nineteen chapters. ...
...the end of the book. Anything Goes never becomes dull and each chapter has something interesting and shows the reader more about John's life, career, family and friends. He comes across just as he seems on television appearances - warm, friendly, caring, energetic, and full of life, frank, cheeky, confident and endearing. He isn't afraid of writing it how it is and is happy to laugh at his own actions. Although a couple of incidents he recalls did ... Read review

Advantages: laughter and tears of sadness
Disadvantages: Not to be read if you read his Plonkers book

I am actually reviewing a book but also raising a question about the author from my personal experience of reading two of his other books. For anyone not having knowledge of the author, Stephen D. Smith is a practising solicitor in Rotherham and also the author of a number of books, relating to his early life in the legal profession. This book is, according to the 'About the author' page, the second in his series following on from Boozers, Ballcocks ...
...something which I will go into detail later. For the benefit of those who have read my previous reviews by this author, if you experience a sense of 'I've read some of this before' feeling, then join my club, although this will be the second time around for me! The book introduces the reader to many characters on both sides of the law, both criminal and civil along with Smith's friends and colleagues. In the first chapter we meet Albert Heptonstall, ... Read review

Advantages: Fascinating story, evocative details, beautiful writing
Disadvantages: I didn't want it to end

"A Portrait of a Turkish Family" is an autobiographical work that tells the story of one Ottoman family from the turn of the twentieth century through the First World War and the establishment of Turkey as a republic. Irfan Orga was the eldest of three children; his mother was born into the harem - as were most women of such standing - and married at the age of thirteen. When the book opens, Irfan and his parents and younger brother live with his ...
...often idyllic childhood with warmth and humour, depicting the childlike vigour of his mother, the haughtiness of his grandmother and the kindness of the servants. One memorable episode describes a trip to the hamam (Turkish baths) with his mother and grandmother that is like a trip to the beach with the servants instructed to prepare hampers of food for the day. Orga writes "She always engaged private room for herself at the hamam; a room for disrobing ... Read review