Biography Books > O Biography Books > less than 5 GBP

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: Some useful tips, hearing the views of someone with ADHD
Disadvantages: Not great writing

...www.readitswapit.com - a book called Only A Mother Could Love Him - How I Lived With and Triumphed Over ADHD. It is written by a young Australian man called Ben Polis and - as you can tell by the extended title of the book - he has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). When I first got the book, I was interested in the topic because my fifteen-year-old son has ADHD. He was diagnosed at the age of five and after a few very difficult years, ...
...waited its turn. Then, only a week or two ago, my youngest child - my eleven-year-old daughter - was also diagnosed with ADHD. We have had a struggle to get her to this stage, as over the years, I have repeatedly gone to see my GP, only to be fobbed off with meaningless reassurances. I knew there was something 'different' about her nine years ago, but no-one outside of family and friends seemed to believe us. We initially thought she may have Oppositional ... Read review

Advantages: A must read for Carlisle fans, a good insight into the struggles of a player outside of the premiership
Disadvantages: Will have very limited appeal, mostly to football fans, Not many people outside of Cumbria are likely to remember him

...Carlisle fan it is possibly one of the most important goals anyone has ever scored for the club. Jimmy Glass will always be remembered by Carlisle fans as the man who quite possibly saved our club. It was his 94th minute goal on Saturday 8th May 1999 that kept Carlisle in the football league and it's that goal that's prompted this autobiography. With the help of Roger Lytollis, Jimmy Glass decided it was time to put his thoughts and feelings down ...
...side to football than the one portrayed on the TV. This isn't footballers wives, life isn't easy for players in the lower leagues and Jimmy's story certainly highlights that. I found his book to be incredibly interesting and even includes a few crossed paths and opinions on some of footballs big names. As biographies go it is certainly on of the better ones I've read. It kept me interested throughout and at times I found it very hard to put down. ... Read review

Advantages: Easy to follow the structure of this story
Disadvantages: Can't put it down

Out of the Dark - When I started reading this book, I had no idea how profoundly it would effect me. I have suffered with depression of varying degrees for a number of years, culminating in 3 attempts on my own life in 2005. The way this story has been written, makes it all the more interesting as not only do we get Linda's point of view, we also get the thoughts of Robin her psychiatrist. The way we are directed along the "mountain goat trail" ...
...the story together. Sufferers beware, this book hits home, I related to Linda's story on so many occassions I lost count. As it stands till now I am roughly 3/4's of the way through, and find it difficult to put down. I am about to go away for 3 weeks, so I'll finish it long b4 I get back online, but as soon as I do I will reveal my thoughts. ... Read review

Advantages: Thought provoking, gritty in parts & honest
Disadvantages: none

Dame Catherine Cookson (1906-1998) Our Kate is the autobiographical accounts of Dame Catherine Cookson, struggling with her demons and early childhood memories made the writing of the book especially difficult. In fact it took her over 10 years to complete and was only published in 1969 after her mother passed away. Nothing came easy for this amazing woman, born Katie McMullen in 1906 she talks of her desperate childhood in the North East of England.... ...
...95 million novels sold. Our Kate is compelling reading for lovers of social history in our country. Catherine Cookson allows you to gain knowledge into her triumphs and all too often tragedies. She overcame literary critics disdain that had in the past dismissed her work as romantic nonsense. She took offence to these comments and I agree as Catherine Cookson put a little part of her life into each book whilst challenging the hypocrisy of her own ... Read review