Biographies. Why bother?

[John Dorian]

Gordon Ramseys was class. Chris Moyles was once again a good read, but I wouldn't read it again. I do enjoy the footballers autobiographies such as Bobby Robson and Patrick Viera's. I'd like to read Paul Gascoignes...next on the list to read.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BoF - I presume that was ghost written, I doubt she could spell her name right

I would imagine so. I am sure the book came out pretty much straight after she 'shot to fame'. What on earth could be of interest in that short time (and at all!)!?

I bet it was a devil of a job for the ghost writer.

 

[rospants]

Jordan's wasnt actually that bad. Not a classic, but a good holiday read

i read that as well, thought it was ok

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Gordon Ramseys was class. Chris Moyles was once again a good read, but I wouldn't read it again. I do enjoy the footballers autobiographies such as Bobby Robson and Patrick Viera's. I'd like to read Paul Gascoignes...next on the list to read.

Gazza's new book is so so so bad, avoid.

 

[Le Premier Cru]

The interesting biographies for me are the ones of folk that I'm not bombarded with every time I turn on the TV or open a paper. I'm thinking of dead people.

Try Benjamin Disraeli, or Agatha Christie.

For a laugh, as a kind of spoof autobiography, try Benvenuto Cellini. In his own words, the man had done everything - and better than anyone before or since.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

I'm with TiD. Real people and real people programmes remind me of nothing but the sour perception i usually carry.

i'm so glad i'm not alone.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

I used to many years ago work for a "vanity publisher". ie people wouyld pay to have their books published.

Anyway, some of the most facinating biographies/auto-biographies are written by ordinary folks who have led amazing lives.

holocaust survivors, Kinder transport people, old soldiers, resistance fighters etc etc

One of the best of these I read was by a French woman who witnessed the ceremony of the bringing of the body/remains of the "unknown soldier" in 1919 from the Western Front.

One bit was she described the scene where the body was taken in secret from a place on the Front, and carried on a gun carriage along the streets of Belgium and France to London....seemly people lined the way 10 or 12 deep in some places , standing in absolute silence, whilst the coffin was carried along. It was carried to the port, shipped accross the channel and from Dover, the roads were lined all the way to London of people.

It must have been something to behold!

 

[Gwylan]

It's a bit harsh to damn all (auto)biographies. I can think of several that are profoundly influential.

We know most about Dr Johnson from Boswell biography. Similarly, it's Plato's work that sets out the life of Socrates and Socratic thought. Cardinal Newman's Apologia Pro Sua Vita is a key book for the modern Catholic and Augustine's Confessions was a major influence on all Christianity.

In more modern times, George Orwell's two autobiographical works: Down and Out and Wigan Pier are widely read and admired. The biography of John Nash not only inspired an Oscar-winning Hollywood film, it also sets out some complex mathematics.

There are several biographies/autobiographies that I've read several times: some of them mentioned above but also Andrew Hodges' biog of Alan Turing, a minor masterpiece; Martin Duberman's biography of Paul Robeson and of course, all of Primo Levi's work, all his books are autobiographical to some extent.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

i read that as well, thought it was ok

Must admit that victoria beckhams and geri halliwell's are good too!!! but dont tell anyone!!!

 

[rospants]

Must admit that victoria beckhams and geri halliwell's are good too!!! but dont tell anyone!!!

your secret is safe with me

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

There has to be an unexpected honesty and a story to tell. Footballing autobiographes I have enjoyed are:

Eammon Dunphy (Only A Game) - was this the first warts and all autobiography.
Tony Cascarino - unexpectedly good - how he handled the breakdown of his marriage and move to a new country.
Tony Adams (Addicted) - good at the time - but an old story now.

I have re-read Dunphy - but a number of years later.

I am not a great fan of autobiographies - but I met lad who read them all the time in his youth. He said he wanted to learn from other people how to live a good life. It seemed quite reasonable at the time.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I am not a great fan of autobiographies - but I met lad who read them all the time in his youth. He said he wanted to learn from other people how to live a good life. It seemed quite reasonable at the time.[/QUOTE]

That's entirely reasonable, but doesn't it scare you to think of reading the personal thoughts and beliefs of Bob Monkhouse or Paul Daniels or Michael Chang and find that he's almost your mental doppelganger? You've always thought yourself independent and demure and inventive, but really you're just Every Second Counts?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

That's entirely reasonable, but doesn't it scare you to think of reading the personal thoughts and beliefs of Bob Monkhouse or Paul Daniels or Michael Chang and find that he's almost your mental doppelganger? You've always thought yourself independent and demure and inventive, but really you're just Every Second Counts?

Good point - but to be fair I think he was reading political ones. Mind you it could have been Edwina Currie ................

 

[Easy 10]

I'm thinking of dead people.

Try Benjamin Disraeli, or Agatha Christie.

I didn't know Agatha Christie was dead.

Whodunnit ?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I'm really struggling to finish Norman Hunter's autobiography even once to be honest. Keep thinking it's going to get better or throw up some nugget of new and half-interesting information. But not so far - and Revie's just left Leeds for the England job! Next chapter is where Clough joins Leeds as manager and our Norm's cock-up helps Poland knock England out of the World Cup. If that chapter fails to reach levels of moderate interestingness I certainly won't be persevering to hear the enthralling tales of his time at Bristol City.

 

[Yorkie]

I'm really struggling to finish Norman Hunter's autobiography even once to be honest. Keep thinking it's going to get better or throw up some nugget of new and half-interesting information. But not so far - and Revie's just left Leeds for the England job! Next chapter is where Clough joins Leeds as manager and our Norm's cock-up helps Poland knock England out of the World Cup. If that chapter fails to reach levels of moderate interestingness I certainly won't be persevering to hear the enthralling tales of his time at Bristol City.

You can pass it on to me if you get bored with it Tom.

 

[Braders]

these are sort've pretty much all i read , but mostly i tend to go for people who have come to the end of there represented careers (either comedy,music or football mostly) or have actually lead there lives and have characters - hence i haven't read Rooneys (although i've read Owens who was about 21 at the time of writing it and it was really good , read Gerrards,Rios,Lampards etc.. bit hit and miss)

some fantastic ones overall though - Enjoyed Roy Keanes which is suprising considering i hate the United scum but he stands out above and beyond, Cascarinos as mentioned is weird but brilliantly told, Gazzas,Fowlers etc.. spot on

as for Music Scar Tissue (Anthony Kiedlis) is top rate and Heavier then Heaven (Kurt Cobaines biography ) is well worth a read

comedy Frank Skinners autobiography is very much worth a read, one of the only books to make me laugh out loud whilst reading and finished in one sitting.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You can pass it on to me if you get bored with it Tom.

It's yours Yorkie!

(on condition that you don't EVER inform me that that Norman's next door neighbour, briefly mentioned on page 148, is in fact the nephew of your ex-father-in-law's butcher's best friend's mate's babysitter)

 

[Yorkie]

It's yours Yorkie!

(on condition that you don't EVER inform me that that Norman's next door neighbour, briefly mentioned on page 148, is in fact the nephew of your ex-father-in-law's butcher's best friend's mate's babysitter)

You have my word.
I only know relatives of Flinder's fiancee's Dad's employee.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You have my word.
I only know relatives of Flinder's fiancee's Dad's employee.

Oh, and you're not allowed to mention THAT either ever again BTW