Superb

An interesting and compelling read, highly recommended for any technical minded people, or anyone looking for an interesting story.<br /><br />Much better than the film 21 (based on the book).

Brings back memories...

This book is scarily accurate. Scary, in that it reminds me of my house officer days, and scary in that it reveals to the layman (and woman) the enormous naivety of the junior doctor on the first few days and weeks at work. However, this is not something to be hidden, and the author is to be commended for his brutal honesty. (For the record, we're not related, and I've never heard of him before, let alone met him!)<br /><br />I'm not sure if this will appeal more to fellow doctors, who will remember everything Dr Pemberton all-too-well recalls, and laugh and cry at it, or to members of the public, who will see behind the eyes of the terrified junior doctor, facing disease, expectation and impossibility all at once.<br /><br />I'm not sure what is meant by the contributor who thought House of God more representative of the NHS. For one, House of God is a much older book. Two, it is set in the USA. Three, it is a satire, whereas this, I promise you, is as real as life (and death) gets.<br /><br />Buy it for your doctor friend, and he or she will thank you. Then borrow it.

Highly Recommended

This is a fantastic comic that will appeal to both comic fans & non-comic fans alike.<br /><br />Despite the Amazon title, this edition"Persepolis. The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return" actually contains the complete Persepolis series.<br /><br />"The Story of a Childhood" was original published in France as Persepolis 1 & 2,"The Story of a Return" was original published in France as Persepolis 3 & 4

Compelling

I actually bought this book for my wife but after about 3 chapters, I was memorised, 'hooked' would be properly better put. This lady expresses herself so well. You go into this 'hidden' world & are taken through every emotion Carolyn Jessop felt. To read the word obedient so often will explain exactly where women 'stand' in this hidden world. Yes, I felt so sorry for Carolyn Jessop but also anger that in this day & age, brainwashing at the highest level still goes on. A book that is Brilliantly written, emotionally received & quite flabbergasting.

An insightful page turner

Mark Everett is a great, creative musician, as is borne out by the undoubted appreciation he enjoys. He is what I would call a survivalist exponent of musical expression as therapy. He transcends the traumatic, tragic fabric of his life weaving it into a cathartic, rather uplifting and honestly straightforward account of how creativity and expression can heal or at least transmute abject misery into purposeful living.<br /><br />It is difficult to put this one down. Almost everyone would get something out of this book.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is the first political book I've read. I really enjoyed it. It's a very easy read. Compelling. Hilarious. Revealing. Sad. I found 750 pages wasn't enough. When's the next installment?

Bryson goes tedious

Although this book starts off entertainingly in true Bryson style, the speculative, suppositional style and nature of the information soon begins to grate to the point where I just want to flush the book down the toilet (incidentally, a good place to read this kind of drudge, permitting quick and instant disposal). <br />Bryson does, of course, admit to the dearth of material on Shakespeare, but that doesn't give him carte blanche to turn out such an utterly unnecessary pile of tedium.<br /><br />P.S. Don't be fooled by 5-Star reviews by Bryson fans, employees or relatives (see above and below) - this book really is cr@p.

Fascinating Beyond Words

History is enraging in the way it always tends to pander to current prejudice and contemporary political need. We are all so wise and good at this point in history and can pretend that we are far too well-educated and morally pure, that nothing so bad is going to be done in our name, on our watch. We are so frantic in our wish to be distanced from the sustained and systematic evils of history, that we condemn the guilty as geniuses, or more remarkably, fools. Those who cling to their denial would prefer that books like this should be banned, as they bear witness to not only Hitler's evil but the pan-European common-denominator, he aspired to tap into. <br /><br />It is morally convenient to believe that Hitler invented the evil aims laid out in this book. Hitler did not invent racism or anti-Semitism, he merely exploited what was already there and was actually voted into power by those who shared those views - many still do.<br /><br />Published in 1925 & 1926, the two parts of the book gave fair warning of his aims and his fanatical hatreds. Across the world, many read his words and had their own feelings and hatreds confirmed. These people ranged across every class in most societies, and definitely from top to the bottom of the British social strata. It must be noted that even having been aware of Hitler's promises and even in the knowledge of seeing him carry them out, the country was willing to look the other way. It was just total chance that Churchill became leader and not Halifax - our moral superiority is based on mere luck not natural goodness. Our jingoistic pride, a deluded vanity.<br /><br />Hitler's ranting coalescence of the hatreds and prejudices still bears witness to the heart of darkness of humanity, which shows no sign of going away. <br /><br />Let this book be read and stand as a warning of what still continues to inspire many people, beneath the veneer of our"civilization".<br /><br />Once you have read Hitler's poisonous rantings, you are forever aware that the same raving appeal to the common denominator, can still be heard or read, in the words of those who likewise wish to make us the sponsors of the contemporary fantatic's road to historical immortality.<br /><br />Knowing who said it all before, might guard us against such folly.

*An inspiration to me*

This book is an exeptional inspiration to me and the courage in which this woman has is somewhat amazing. I wonder about the little things in this world that affect the people around us yet Miss Gilbert had the ultimate determination and strengh within her, that she must carry on for the sake of not just her but for other survivors and people to afraid to stand up to these bullies and evil scum (excuse my language lol). I always feel happy that a survivor of abuse can finally be out of their abuser's grasp and eventually be free.

Get the full story!

I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Adorable

As a dog lover and a lab owner I loved this book. It is absolutely adorable and a great read.

"That was Belfast."

I have read countless books which have used the events of this era as their focus and theme. Having grown up on the fringes of south Belfast myself during the early to late-seventies, I don't think I have ever read such a balanced narrative on"the troubles" and the blinkered tribalism that fuelled them. Even though by the final chapter when Myers writes of"...the darkness of my time there" - and by then we know he means the despair of guilt at possible wrong decisions, a failed love affair which still haunts him, lost friends and general disillusionment at suddenly discovering your twenties are gone - this is nonetheless an uplifting narrative where the writer's appetite for life remains strong. True, for every humorous encounter with, say, a Swedish prostitute ("...how I learnt the"Excuse me" is whorish for goodbye forever...") there are several encounters with terrifying characters such as Rab Brown, the UVF psycopath, and the odious John McGuffin, the bar-room socialist and parasite. This is powerful writing. One gets the feeling that Myers has set out to exorcise his own ghosts. I hope he has succeeded.

Slash - cutting a short story long

I bought this book based on the other recommended reviews but fail to see what the fuss is all about? The early chapters on Slash's childhood and how he started plating Guirar are interesting but frankly it all gets a bit repetitive and quite boring after that. I think the whole thing is purely to (a) have a rant over Guns'n'Roses and (b) plug how good 'Velvet Revolver' are. The main part of the book is endless stories of places in LA that most of us would not know and people in LA that most of us would not know. It is all cleverly written to avoid anything that could be libellous and is just a series of opinions and one-sided views. To save you all the money, the reason Slash left G'N'R was because (a) he did not like the way the band were always late, (b) the whole legal thing between Axl and other other members and (c) Izzy and Steven left so the essence of the band was gone. That's really all there is in it. Spend your money on some G'N'R CDs instead as they were a truly great band. Listen to them, don't read about them!<br />

He may be smug but I like him.

Yes, he is infuriatingly likeable despite his smugness. Why? Because he can laugh at himself and take all the stick he gets. I enjoyed his other book which was mainly about Politicians and his work at The Daily Mirror before his sacking. This is about how he set about earning a living after the sacking. And his diary style of writing is very easy and enjoyable to follow.<br />His sons seem really great, and give us plenty of humour. I think they will all grow up to be 'characters.' <br />I would have preferred more stuff about people like Kate Moss though. He writes a bit too much about cricketers for my liking. The Kate Moss and Pete Doherty bit was deliciously nasty. I want more of that, please. <br />And his encounters with The Hoff are really funny. What a curious bloke he is! And Mr Cowell seems to have the world pretty well sussed.<br />So come on Piers, I know you will read all these reviews on here, so give us more dirt about 'celebs' and less about cricketers, and get your next one in print a.s.a.p please. We all need some laughs the way the country is going at the moment. So to recap, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wait impatiently for his next one.

This book 'ain't a mucher,' I'm sorry to say!

'Spilling The Beans' is an amusing title and the dust cover portrays the author ('hideous' in Roy Hattersley's reported comment, though I don't commend him, either), but the work itself ain't a mucher (as some of us country folk say). One wants to be generous to an author who has suffered a lot and, by her lights, has come through to have a 'splendidly enjoyable life,' but her account is clearly not consistent with the facts in some places, and is not well-written or edited. Clarissa Dickson Wright's fans will still love it, I suppose, but I was pleased to put it down at its end and then to get on with some decent reading.

What a corker of a book!

What a brilliant book, I was sad when it came to an end, I just wanted to keep on reading. I really liked Gordon Ramsey before I read the book, now I love him. He is a man with passion and standards, yes he has a firey way of putting this across but it gets the job done and I say full respect to him and the things he has achieved. He could have let his childhood experiences ruin his life but he didn't used it as his driving force and you have to respect him for that. A must read for anyone and a big good on you Gordon.........

A unique author

Carole Seymour-Jones has given us a gift.<br /><br />My local reading group chose this unusual book as the subject for our latest review. I admit my heart sunk as I was handed this weighty book.<br />But I became completely absorbed by the dark truth that emerged as I continued to read. The author has obviously given much of herself up to Simone and her commitment to a man who could never bring her true joy.<br />I suffered along with Simone as I read and was able to report back to my reading group that they had finally chosen us a title that deserved respect.