Ruth

What a great review! I'm adding this to my wishlist right now

The book does talk about his love for Audrey, but probably doesn't add anything that you won't already know if you've read bios of Audrey. Very sad really - she loved him too, but because he had had a vasectomy and she wanted children, it wasn't to be. Yes, they were together for nine years until he died. I have her autobiography - which I bought purely because of the William Holden connection. She loved him deeply, and I think they were very happy together, but again, his alcoholism did not make things easy.

Golden Boy: The Untold Story of William Holden William Holden is one of my very favourite actors, and during his lifetime, he was one of Hollywood’s favourites too. During the 1950s, he was a huge box-office draw, and the many films he made include such classics as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Sunset Blvd., Network and Stalag 17 (for which he won an Academy Award). Handsome, masculine and talented, William Holden nevertheless struggled with chronic alcohol addiction for much of his life. This book is a respectful biography of the great actor, and I enjoyed reading it very much, although it was hard not to feel sad at the damage that he was doing to his body and by extension, his career and his personal relationships. The book is an easy read, and is never dull. However, in some aspects, it was more of an overview of events – for instance, Holden’s childhood and adolescence is covered in a couple of short chapters, although as Holden was a private man, he might have preferred it that way. Some of his film also didn’t even get a mention, although all of the high points in his career are covered. I loved reading about his career, and the various films he made, both successful and less so. He came across as I have always imagined him to be – a very gifted actor, with a strong sense of right and wrong (no, he wasn’t perfect, but why should we expect him to be?). There is no escaping the effect of his addiction however, and it would probably be impossible to tell his life story without it. I did feel a sense of sadness while reading, probably because I knew how it would end – with Holden’s death at the age of 63, when he slipped on a rug in his home and hit his head. His body was not immediately discovered, and this is something that always saddens me when I watch his films or read about him. I am glad that the book dedicated time to his career and the fine work he did in films, rather than being exploitative. As far as biographies go, this was a good read, which I would recommend to fans. As mentioned earlier, it is thin on detail in some parts, but overall, a well-rounded story of a fascinating life.

Thanks to all of you I must admit, at first I thought it was slow going, but then it really picked up, and I cried at certain parts. I'm not sure that I enjoyed it as much as The World According To Garp, but it was certainly a worthwhile read, and I have kept hold of my copy of Owen Meany, because I think I will reread it at some point. I agree Julie - Owen is certainly unforgettable

A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving The diminutive (in size, but certainly not in heart) Owen Meany is the subject of this book, narrated by his best friend Johnny Wheelwright. Owen believes himself to be God’s instrument, and that he has a very specific purpose on earth. As an older John (in the late 80s) tells the story of his and Owen’s childhoods and adolescence in the 50s and 60s, the story takes several threads and brings them neatly together at the climax. I wanted to read this, because I have read and enjoyed John Irving in the past. However, I always find him to be a writer I can appreciate rather than always enjoy, and this book was no different. The story started slowly and I wasn’t sure whether I would like it or not, as Johnny describes himself and Owen in their younger days, and how Owen accidentally kills Johnny’s mother with a baseball, as well as Johnny’s interest in the identity of his unknown father. However, as the narrative progresses and the boys become young men with the shadow of the Vietnam War hanging over them, it picked up pace and I started to be drawn in. As a narrator, Johnny is something of an enigma – I never felt that he was really fully fleshed out, but that actually worked, as it made Owen the true focus of the story, as he should be. Owen was an extremely interesting character – highly intelligent, shades of arrogance, and not always likeable. He rubbed people up the wrong way, some people were even frightened of him (not least Owen’s own parents), but it was clear that he always felt he had a mission to complete that was more important than himself. A few times I wondered about the significance of certain plot points – exactly why was Owen so determined to master a tricky basketball shot? – but this made the ending so much more satisfactory as events are brought into sharp relief, and everything clicks. Some parts are genuinely moving, and other parts are extremely funny – the nativity scene with the four feet tall Owen playing a swaddled baby Jesus, had me laughing all the way through. Overall, I am very glad I read this book. It was not always easy going, but I felt that it paid dividends to readers who kept with it, and I imagine it will be a story that I will remember for a long time – particularly the wonderful ending.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends, by Rob Lowe Rob Lowe is a name familiar to anyone who grew up in the 80s. He became a huge star, was a member of the ‘Brat Pack’ and graced bedroom walls everywhere. In the late 80s and 90s, his career took something of a nosedive, but since his work on The West Wing, there has been something of a resurgence. I remember all the fan-worship of Lowe, and after seeing him speaking at the Hay Festival when this book came out, I looked forward to reading it, and getting his own perspective on his career. It’s an entertaining story, told in an engaging and warm voice. He describes his childhood, with a loving but turbulent homelife, and his early ambition to become an actor. His stories about his early days in the industry were my favourite parts of the book – the account of making The Outsiders, as one of a group of soon-to-be-household-names, including Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze and Emilio Estevez – was particularly interesting (his descriptions of co-stars Swayze and Cruise were affectionate and very witty). Lowe does a good job of portraying how a young and naive young man can get caught up in the Hollywood machine and lifestyle, and how inevitably, that lifestyle led to his fall from grace in spectacular fashion in 1988, with the sex-tape scandal. He glosses over the scandal and fallout somewhat, but I can’t really blame him for that – he acknowledges it and moves on. The book is packed with little anecdotes about some of the famous people he met (Cary Grant, Liza Minnelli amongst others, and these before he even got into acting himself), which are entertaining. What comes through most is Lowe’s love for his wife and family, and his passion for his work. I accept that there was a fair amount left out of the book; nonetheless, it’s an entertaining and enjoyable memoir, which I liked a lot and would recommend to fans of Lowe, or anyone with an interest in film-making.

Thanks My husband spotted it and thought I'd enjoy it (he knows my taste well, obviously!). Very interesting read, and like I mentioned, quite reassuring too. Oops, sorry! Well it's about the 'everyman', so I suppose it's sort of about Norm!

The Norm Chronicles, by Michael Blastland and David Spiegelhalter This is a fascinating book about risk, the probability of risk in given situations, and how humans react to the idea of risk. It takes as it’s basis three characters: Norm, a man who is average in every sense of the word, and calculates risk according to the statistics; Prudence, who worries incessantly and excessively about everything – for her, the worst case scenario is also the likeliest; and Kelvin, who is arrogant and irresponsible and seems happy to take risks in all aspects of his life. These characters are placed in different settings, as the book explores the statistical chance of something bad happening, in relation to the public perception of risk. For example, scary headlines that declare things like ‘Eating such-and-such every day leads to a 20% increase in your likelihood of getting cancer.’ Scary indeed, but the book shows what that 20% risk actually works out at. The book is written in easy to understand language, and is often amusing. It acknowledges that it’s all very well saying there’s a one in a million chance of a specific something bad happening, but that’s little comfort to the person that is that one in a million. Nonetheless, I found it oddly reassuring to be able to understand why certain situations are so scary, yet when looked at objectively, they actually pose little real danger. It explains how probability is calculated (and discusses the reliability – or not – of the numbers), and is full of interesting anecdotes. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable book, on a fascinating subject. Recommended.

The Empress of Ice Cream, by Anthony Capella In the late 1600s, Carlo Demirco’s skill at creating ice creams has brought him from lowly beginnings in Italy, to the court of King Louis XIV of France. There he meets the intriguing Louise de Keroualle, a lady-in-waiting from a noble but penniless French family. From there, Carlo is sent to London, to work as confectioner to King Charles II. Louise is sent as well, to become the mistress of Charles, thus furthering France’s political aims. But while Louise works on seducing Charles, Carlo finds himself increasingly drawn to her, and is faced with the unpleasant situation of encouraging the relationship between the object of his desire and the English King. I was looking forward to reading this, as I had previously thoroughly enjoyed The Various Flavours of Coffee, by the same author. While I did like The Empress of Ice Cream, it did not captivate me in the same way. The writing is descriptive and evocative, and the machinations and dealings of ministers both in France and England were well described. The politics of the story were interesting, and made me want to learn more about the period, but I found I could not warm to Carlo or Louise. Louise in particular always seemed like a distant character, and although the book is narrated by both Carlo and Louise, she never seemed fully fleshed out (although she was in fact a real person; Carlo is fictional, but has his basis in reality). However, I did like the gradual change in her character – from the point of view of an observer, it was interesting to see her priorities change, and see how she justified her own actions to herself. On balance, I think I would recommend this book, mainly for the political intrigue, and the descriptions of Carlo’s ice desserts, which are liberally scattered throughout the book. (WARNING: This book may cause extreme cravings for ice cream!)

Thanks Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Yeah, we all have those times when our mojo plays up! Sometimes it's just the guilt of having so many books on my shelves waiting to be read that keeps me picking them up!

The Dating Detox, by Gemma Burgess After being dumped six times in a row, 28 year old Sass decides that dating and relationships aren’t worth the trouble and goes on a dating sabbatical, which means that she can’t date (obviously), kiss or flirt with men. To her surprise she finds it enjoyable, and becomes more assertive and proactive in her life. The only problem is the rather gorgeous and funny Jake, who Sass keeps running into and against all her own rules, finds very sexy. Now, chicklit is not really my favourite genre, but I like it sometimes if I fancy a nice easy read. However, this is the second book I’ve read by Gemma Burgess (although The Dating Detox was the first one to be published), and I have really enjoyed both of them. Sass’s experience was less about waiting for any half-decent man to come along, and more about growing as a person and deciding what she wants from life. The story is told in first-person present-tense, and Sass is an engaging and likeable narrator. I also loved her totally believable friendships with best mates Bloomie and Kate, who are dealing with their own personal and professional problems. The characters – Sass particularly – are very relatable. We all know people like Bloomie and Kate. (And yes, Jake is rather lovely!) The story moves along nicely, with some genuinely funny moments. It makes a pleasant change to read a book about dating and relationships, that also focuses on the positive side of being single and learning to stand on your own two feet. It’s definitely aimed at female readers, and yes it is very ‘chicklitty’ but it’s fresh and pacy, and gave me lots to smile at.

Thanks for saying such lovely things Frankie I always thought you liked reading different kinds of books too? I think I get bored too easily

That's a lovely thing to say, thanks Frankie I like to read lots of different things because I think I get bored quite easily if I stick to a particular genre for too long. Ha! It's not pathetic of you to be glad about Linna's name - he was actually my favourite part of the book. Hope you love Death at Wentwater Court - it's a lovely cosy mystery, and I have the next few books in the series on my bookshelf Annabel was a great read, and I hope you like it as much as I did. I have not read Middlesex, but have put it on my wishlist now I picked The Dinner as the book to read for my face-to-face reading group, and was quite relieved when most people liked it, even if they didn't like any of the characters. I don't want to give too much away, but I think that the fact that they didn't get into the issue central to the theme was maybe a plot device, which I'll say more on if you read it, but I am wary of spoiling it for you! I bought State of Wonder sort of on a whim after reading Bel Canto, but then didn't pick it up for ages, because the blurb no longer really appealed to me. However, once I eventually started to read it, it was hard to put down. Hope you like it

Cry Freedom, by John Briley John Briley’s novel was adapted from his own screenplay for the film of the same name, which in turn was adapted from two books by Donald Woods (‘Biko’ and ‘Asking for Trouble’). It tells the true story of the friendship between white Journalist Donald Woods, and black anti-Apartheid activist Stephen Biko, in South Africa in the 1970s. Initially suspicious of each other’s motives, Woods and Biko become united, driven by their desire for equality in South Africa. When Biko dies in Police Custody – the Police’s story is that he died of a self-imposed hunger strike, while Biko’s body, and the routine practices of certain Police at the time make it clear that he was beaten and tortured to death – Woods is determined to tell Biko’s story to the rest of the world. However, the South African government and Police are determined to stop him, and place a banning order on him, effectively placing him under house arrest, and not allowing him to be in the company of more than one person at a time, save for immediate family. However, Woods is determined that Biko’s story should be told. I enjoyed the book a lot – it made me gasp in horror at times, but was very compelling. The injustices committed against people in this book made my eyes pop, even though I already knew something about them. The story is told in two parts – the first covers the friendship between the two men, while the second, after Biko’s death, describes Woods’ determination to see some justice for his friend, by telling the story of Biko and what he was striving for in South Africa. My only criticism of it would be that it doesn’t go into some areas in much depth, and I would have liked to have known more. It does read like a novel (and is described as such by the author), and so even though it is a true story, it flows well, and is hard to put down. I would have liked to have learned more about Biko’s life leading up to the events in the story, but as it is adapted from the screenplay, it only really describes what was happening in the film, which focused on just that time in Biko’s life. However, I would still recommend this book highly.

Two Pints, by Roddy Doyle Coming in at under a 100 pages, this amusing (and occasionally hilarious) book is a collection of conversations between two men in a Dublin pub, during 2011-2012. It’s somewhat unusual in that we never learn the men’s names, there are no other characters, and the whole book is just their dialogue. It really works too. The men make reference to the news stories of the day (the London Olympics, the deaths of Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston and others, and the whereabouts of Colonel Gadaffi – who one of the men is convinced is working as a cleaner at Dublin Airport), and discuss snippets of their lives. A funny and enjoyable book, which can be easily read in one sitting.

I hope you enjoy it too

Mr Midshipman Hornblower, by C.S. Forester This is chronologically the first book in the Hornblower series, but was not the first one which Forester wrote, and so it (presumably) serves as a prequel of sorts. I wanted to read the Hornblower series, and decided to start with this one, where we first meet Hornblower, at the tender age of 17. It is the late 1700s, and he is a nervous new recruit to the British Navy. The book is more of a collection of short stories, than a novel. Each story presents Hornblower with a new dilemma, from having to stand up to a bully (which he does – and how!), dealing with enemy ships from Spain, or transporting a Duchess home across the sea. Hornblower matures throughout the book, and learns some tough lessons. I enjoyed the book a lot, although I think that some knowledge of a ship’s structure would have helped when reading this, as there are lots of references to how a ship is built and manned. However, I could usually understand enough of the jargon to workout exactly what character was doing what task, and in any event, the character of Hornblower himself was enough to keep me reading. Somewhat stiff and awkward, and not always the most socially confident, but with a strong moral backbone and plenty of courage, I really warmed to the young Hornblower, and enjoyed reading about his adventures. There were some other interesting characters along the way, and some moments of humour, as well as some sadder events which were described with little emotion. Overall, while some parts of the book felt somewhat dry, I liked the main character enough to look forward to reading other books in the series.

Hope you like it. I agree too - if it helps fight disease, then they can have any of my cells too. Henrietta's family were not against that, and they said themselves that it was a good thing that her cells had helped others, but it did raise the issue of consent (Henrietta was not asked if she would donate cells, and her family were not informed that the cells had been taken, or what they were used for; they found out almost by accident, several years later). There was some irony that they were so poor, and many of her family were in very poor health, and could not afford medical treatment for themselves. Anyway, it was a really interesting read, and really made me think, which is always a good thing.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot This story is true, but it is really quite remarkable. In 1951, a young poor black woman named Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer. During her treatment, cancerous cells were taken from her body – without the knowledge or consent of Henrietta or any of her family, and these cells became the first to be able to be grown independently. Even now, more than 60 years later, Henrietta’s cells (known as HeLa) are still being grown, and have been used in numerous – countless even – medical experiments, to help find cures for cancer and AIDS amongst other diseases. HeLa cells have been launched into space, used in nuclear testing, and…well frankly, all manner of things. However, her family did not find out about her cells for years, and when they did, it caused them great consternation and confusion. This quite remarkable book tells the story of the HeLa cells and some of the incredible advancements in medical science in which they have been used, but it also raises the thorny issue of consent and ownership. (Who DOES own your cells, and is it right that they could be collected and used without your consent?) Importantly the book also discusses Henrietta as a person, and looks at the effect that the whole matter has had on her descendants, who are still unable to afford their own medical care (in other words, they might not be able to afford the treatments that their own relative’s cells were instrumental in creating). I found it a fascinating read. I was concerned that the science parts might be a bit difficult to understand, but Skloot sets it out in a way that makes perfect sense. She has clearly conducted a huge amount of research into the HeLa cells, and I felt that I learned a lot about them. For that reason alone it was a worthwhile read, but what I really liked were the parts where Skloot met with members of Henrietta’s family (and in particular, Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was literally made ill by all the stress caused when she found out about her mother’s cells). It really made me think. I mean, REALLY made me think a lot about the issue of informed consent, and ownership of cells. On the one hand, if people were classed as the owners of their cells and tissues, they could start demanding money for their use (although after reading this book I don’t actually believe that this would happen a lot). They also may object to their cells being used in particular kinds of research. Such objections could slow down scientific and medical progress. On the other hand, it seems fair that people should have the rights over what happens to parts of their own body. The book does not attempt to answer the question, but it does look at previous cases, and discusses the opinions of many professionals in the field, who take opposing viewpoints. I really liked this book a lot, and would definitely recommend it.

Oh it's wonderful! And try Roman Holiday, and Sabrina, and.....well, I could go on and on. (If you like musicals, you MUST watch Funny Face!) I hope you love Breakfast at Tiffanys

The romance is a BIG aspect of the book. If it helps, I don't normally go for romantic blockbusters, but I did really enjoy this one I love Audrey - she was a beautiful woman inside and out. I'd say you'd like the book if you're a fan

Roses, by Leila Meacham This saga tells the story of the Tolliver and the Warwick families, who are two of the three founding families of the town of Howbutker in the Southern States of America. Along with the third family, the Dumonts, they agree that if one ever offends the other, they would send a red rose to ask forgiveness. The other family would send a white rose to say that forgiveness had been granted. They lived alongside each other as neighbours and great friends, until in 1916, young Mary Tolliver inherits Somerset, their cotton plantation from her father, against the wishes and expectations of her mother and brother. A rift develops, and matters are made worse when Mary turns down the proposal of handsome Percy Warwick, the timber magnate. The scene is set for a story that will have consequences for all families concerned, and for their future generations. The book was obviously influenced by Gone With The Wind (a precocious Southern belle, who is determined to save her family’s cotton farm at any cost), but it has its own story to tell. It relates events from three points of view, and only by reading all of them, does the whole picture become clear. I enjoyed every page of the book – the story had plenty of twists and a few shocks, and I thought it brought the periods described into clear focus. I liked most of the characters; Mary (like Scarlett O’Hara before her) was not always easy to warm to, but the book did a good job of explaining things from her perspective. The writing flowed beautifully, even if it had an occasional tendency to get ‘flowery’ and it was one of those books where I kept thinking, “I’ll read just a few more pages.” I liked the earlier parts of the story – those set in the 1920s and 1930s, more than the modern(ish) section, which showed how the events of years earlier were still reverberating down through the decades. Nonetheless, the last part did round things off very well. Although this is quite a big book at more than 600 pages, it didn’t feel like a long read. I would recommend it, and will look out for more by Leila Meacham.

What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh This book is a basically a lifestyle and looks guide, with Audrey Hepburn as inspiration (and really, who better?). There are also several stories from Audrey’s life (although, as is stated in the introduction, this is not a biography). Split into sections such as clothes, home, romance, etc., the book tells us what Audrey would do (hmm…) and gives advice on how readers can be more like Audrey. At this point, it seems fair to point out that I am a big fan of Audrey Hepburn, both as an actress, and a person. What I liked about it: This book is adorably pretty, if unashamedly girly (but it is aimed squarely at women); it’s about Audrey, who is so adored by many, including myself; there is quite a lot of biographical info in here; some of the tips are do-able. What I didn’t like about it: You need money (lots) to do some of the things suggested, although by no means all of them; the book encourages people to find their own style while also telling readers how to adopt Audrey’s style (!?); there is quite a lot of ‘filler’ – for example, a list on how to tell the differences between Audrey and that other great actress named Hepburn, Kate. It’s a fair bet that anyone reading this already knows which one is which, after all; it assumes a lot about what Audrey would have liked or things she would have done, were she still with us. Overall, it’s a nice book for fans, if for no other reason than it will look lovely on a bookshelf. However, I think the time spent reading it would be better spent on reading a good biography of Miss Hepburn, or watching some of her films.

Thanks, both of you The Harold Fry book is a nice, easy read - if I had had more time, I would probably have read it in one go. I expected a bit more from it personally, but I suspect that that is because I had heard so much hype prior to reading. I hope you both enjoy it. Julie, I've read two Ann Patchett books now, although not the one you mentioned (which I will be checking out) and have been very pleasantly surprised by both of them

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce One morning, mild-mannered Harold Fry receives a letter from a former colleague named Queenie, who he has not seen for some 20 years. The letters informs him that she is in a hospice, and is dying of terminal cancer. Harold writes a letter back, and sets out to post it, but when he gets to the postbox, he decides to keep walking on to the next one. And then he decides to walk a bit further, and his short walk eventually turns into a journey on foot from his home in Devon, to where Queenie is, in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Though the going gets tough, Harold knows that somehow or other he has to walk to Queenie, and that as long as he keeps walking, she will keep living. I had heard so many good things about this book, and was really looking forward to reading it. The story is lovely, although a little far-fetched occasionally. Harold meets many other people en route to save Queenie, and he realises that like him, everyone has regrets and worries in their lives, and that sometimes what we see on the surface tells us nothing about a person. For Harold, the journey is metaphorical as much- as it is physical. He believes that his walk can save Queenie, but he also seems to be seeking redemption for himself. As his walk unfolds in the pages, so does his history, and we learn all about the tragedies he has faced, the situations which he wishes he could change, his regrets about his relationship with his son, and the cause of a rift between himself and his wife Maureen. At times the book is achingly sad, and at other times oddly uplifting. I liked it a lot, but I was not as taken with it as I expected to be. (I had read reviews from people saying that the story had caused them to re-evaluate their lives, and it had made them cry.) Having read so many positive things about the book, I would say that this puts me in the minority as it did not move me to tears, and while I would certainly recommend it, I would not say it particularly moved me. It’s still an enjoyable story though, and I will be looking out for more by Rachel Joyce.