Biography and Autobiography - Read the
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Books listed in alphabetical order of the surname of the subject.
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| Chronicle of the Queen Mother | Order from the UK | |
| True by Martin Kemp |
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| Liberace: An American Boy by Darden Pyron | New Hardcover |  |
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Extraordinarily detailed, wonderfully funny and immensely sad account of the life and
self-destruction of a comic genius. Fascinating insights into the genesis of Beyond
the Fringe, Not Only..But Also, The Establishment, and That Was the Week That Was. Originally destined for the Foreign Office, Peter Cook's experience at public school in writing directing and acting for the stage, lit the spark of his brilliance. At Cambridge he was a natural for the Footlights and was writing and performing professionally before he left University. The roots of his spontaneous and sparkling humour are in these early days, which saw the birth of the character who became E.L.Wisty. Beyond the Fringe set the seal on his success, and by the age of 24 he had opened The Establishment club. It is extraordinary therefore that the confidence and ambition of this dazzling comic writer and performer went into a steep decline from which only flickers of brilliance were seen in his last years. Strongly recommended. (Linda) |
 Alan Rickman: the Unauthorised Biography by Maureen Paton To BUY THE BOOK select a link below. Hardback |
I must admit, I approached this book with some trepidation. It is, after all, an
unauthorized biography - one in which the subject has had no input - in fact if asked to
autograph it, Alan will very courteously decline. As a regular reader of biography I have
encountered many lurid attempts to besmirch the character of the subject, or, almost as
bad, unrealistic adulation. I needn’t have worried. This writer is clearly an admirer
of Alan and his work, but she is able to steer a very clever path. At no time does she
become more fannish than professional, and she is able to admit that he is not perfect
(well who is?) . Her sources are good, and she has obviously done considerable research.
Alan’s many admirers will obviously want this book, and can safely buy it knowing
that it is an honest account of his life and career which has clearly attempted to be both
accurate and fair. I have been an admirer since his Obadiah Slope days in 1982 and have
had to survive on a diet of newspaper reviews and magazine articles -so having an entire
book to wallow in seemed very luxurious. Obviously we only see him second hand as it were
- and a fuller picture of this clever complex and remarkable man may emerge at a later
date if he ever approves an official biography, but until then this makes a very enjoyable
read. (Linda)
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In his sadly short career Dwight Frye made a considerable impact in the world of horror movies, and is still remembered for his extraordinary Renfield in the 1931 "Dracula", Fritz in "Frankenstein" (1931) and Karl in "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935). This detailed biography, to which his son contributed, has a mass of material about his early career when he was a rising star of the stage. He acted in drama, comedy and musicals, sang and danced, and starred on Broadway. Films, which enhanced his fame, also were his downfall, through typecasting. He was about to make a comeback in a serious role when he died of a coronary at the age of 44. This book has many illustrations and a full listing of all Dwight's film and stage roles. (Linda) |
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Dear Boy: The Life
of Keith Moon by Tony Fletcher. (USA edition published as The Life and Death of a Rock Legend) Excellent biography of the talented madcap drummer of The Who. Fletcher casts a critical eye at the myths and legends in his search for the no less extraordinary truth. Enhanced by the writer’s knowledge of the 60s and 70s rock scene this detailed 550 plus page account of Moon's blazing comet trail of a life is never less than entertainingly gripping reading. Fletcher never allows his obvious admiration of Moon the drummer to obscure the less acceptable aspects of Moon the eternally adolescent man. It is the tale of a dangerously hyperactive child whose fierce energy and unique talent made him a star in his teens. Early tendencies to stunts and practical joking escalated into bizarre dangerous and criminal behaviour as the demonic Mr. Hyde fuelled by assorted pills and alcohol emerged from the Jekyll of the lovable imp. Steadily the booze and the drugs took over, and while still in his 20s he started to have dangerous black-outs. The end is inevitable, and leads one to wonder if, with more stability in his make-up would he have been a greater or a lesser person. |
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Kenneth Williams, he of the aristocraticically flaring nostrils and plummy vowels, made an unlikely beginning in working class London as the son of a hairdresser. While his diaries are Williams at his waspish and misanthropic best, this autobiography may surprise many with its charm and buoyancy. The wit goes without saying. His early acting days were in stage dramas, but it was a voice characterisation in Saint Joan that led to his being asked to join Hancock's Half Hour on the radio. From the comedy of 1950s radio to television and the Carry On films, Williams built up a dedicated following of his unique brand of camp humour, and towards the end of his career as a presenter, game panellist and raconteur was one of the best-loved comic figures in Britain. The autobiography is packed with fascinating and often hilarious anecdotes, and is an extremely pleasurable read. (Linda) |