Decent Adventure yarn

Mr Otter - perhaps you should do some research yourself. The Unit to which `shotoff' refers is 21 SAS, which is the territorial equivalent of the regular Army's 22 SAS. There's also a Northern-based Unit designated as 23 SAS, and they're TA also. And yes, I agree with `shotoff' that Grylls military background has always been a bit mysterious, and in the book (or on any TV show I've seen him on), it's never really clear exactly what he's done. And I don't believe that's a function of secrecy surrounding the SAS, I just think that maybe his military background is not as credible as a publisher would like to project....<br /><br />Anyway, I found this book to be thoroughly well-written story of a breathtaking adventure. Grylls clearly has a great deal of knowledge and credibility in his field and this knowledge really shines through his writing. However, having said that, I agree that it won't join the classics of mountain literature. It's a cracking read, but it just lacks that little bit of insight for me, that slight lack of context between man and his surroundings that defines a classic. If you want a great adventure from your armchair, read this book; if you want a book to take traveling with you on a climbing exped, you'll take Krakauer or Simpson.<br /><br />

Muscle

Carlton Leach looks the part and sounds the part, he is what he say's he is...HARD!<br /><br />Whether you read this book and feel that, he led either a somewhat charmed life or stretches the truth a little is for you to decide. To me, this was an easy read about a man who lost close friends whilst living a very perilous lifestyle. <br /><br />This book is written with real emotion by a man who usually leaves emotion at the front door and although not the longest book in the pile still deserves a place in it.

Good, but could do better

Last week I finished reading the book `When Genius Fails: The Rise and Fall of Long Term Capital Management'. Although the book was generally interesting for those interested in banking and Wall Street if your looking for book that documents the incredible rise and embarassing fall of (apperently) extremely intelligent individuals then I would suggest that you go for the Enron story instead. The two books are extremely similar in content but the Enron story is more colourful and gives a much better insight into the greed and ambition of the main players.

Ronnie the crack fiend.

Its sad to see such a talent showing, quite unscrupulously, how to smoke crack on the front covers of his audio cd's, books and personalised tobacco tins.<br /><br />Its said that he has cigarettes inserted in his snooker cue butt so he can quickley relieve the craving.<br /><br />Anyway enough of the 'legend', lets review the audio cd...<br /><br />In true unabridged style we find that ronnie stll has trouble reading. At first, i thought the long, pregnant pauses were for tension. I soon realised that it was one of the sound engineers whispering to Ronnie"a-p-p-l-e" as he had trouble reading of the juicy fruit.<br /><br />Ronnie is very frank about his addictions. He describes the lengths he would go to to get a hit of smack"i would wait all night outside snooker halls in London with my cue between my legs. Sooner or later a punter would pull up and ask what i was offering. It soon got about that i was a good teacher of deep screw"<br /><br />All in all this audio cd nagged at the purest in me. I'd have much prefered it if it had been read by Brian Blessed or Simon Callow.<br /><br />

social and feminist history in a humorous package

This diary, plus the later ones in which the author visits America and then works in a forces' canteen in wartime, is a fascinating glimpse of what life was like for a middle class woman in the 1930s. My favourite snippet, from ...Goes Further, is when she visits Boston and at a party asks a young man if he thinks television will ever become a part of everyday life. He looks at her as if she were mad!<br />The humour is intelligent and infectious and the narrative voice very real despite the 'diary' style.<br />Don't miss it!

Fanbloodytastic

I couldn't put it down, and was rather sad when I knew I was coming to the end. But still, iv never read an auto-biography, iv just never seen the interest, but this was far more than anything iv ever read. I was sad alot of the time because i could connect with alot of what Mindy said, but even though you know now hes alive and kicking and seems ok, the story of what he went through was incredible. My hat goes off to him.

Gripping story

They say that truth is stranger than fiction. The story of Eddie Chapman, a criminal, turned spy, turned double-agent, is one such example. This is a fascinating read brought brilliantly to life by Ben Macintyre, who has clearly researched his subject thoroughly. I couldn't put this book down. Well worth a read!

It's Not About the Bike: My Journney Back to Life

An excellent book, well written and gives a very open and honest insight into what only can be said is someone who clearly is a great sportsman with a very special talent.

BEST BOOK YET - A MUST BUY

My partner bought me this book for christmas, i couldn't wait to read it. I wanted to pace myself so i had something good to read for a while as i'm not really into books. No way could i stop at a few pages, or a chapter or two, after two very late nights it was finished. <br /><br />AMAZING BOOK!! It reminded me of myself a little, some of the things Katie was saying and how she reacted to certain issues, like when she saw Pete's ex on the plane.....i'd of been exactly the same. <br /><br />Well done Katie. Cant wait til the next book. I've already pre ordered!

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!

You will not be able to put it down, and will likely spend most of the time that you are reading it on the edge of your seat, before finally finishing drained and emotional. But if that sounds like your cup of tea then what the hey?

Much Truth Is Spoken In Jest

Sensitively written with a wry sense of humour, this book re-examines all the evidence of Jane Austen's life and seeks to find the truth behind the family tradition. Austen is revealed to be very un-prim, constantly concerned with money (shades of Sense and Sensibility) and heavily patriotic (in a way that her lack of historic references in her books belies). The episode of her engagement and her cancelling of it is well covered here to show her in a different light as is her doomed love affair which I'd never heard of before reading this. What is most startling though is the lack of consideration her family seem to have shown her again and again moving her from pillar to post and using her as a drudge despite the fact they apparently held her in affection. <br /><br />I loved this book and the author's teasing out of harsh truths from platitudes and her consideration of the family as a whole as well as the individual personalities. Most convincing was Tomalin's discussion of whether Austen's brother (who was a failure as a writer) unconsciously or consciously denied her publicity and fame in her life and in the aftermath of her death. Certainly the destruction of nearly all of her letters by various family members was a tragedy that leaves so many gaps in Austen's life it takes great dexterity to piece the remaining evidence together, dexterity which Tomalin is fortunately blessed with.

MEDIEVAL TIMES...

Just after the fall of the Taliban regime, the author, an award winning Norwegian journalist, lived in Afghanistan with a middle class bookseller and his family for three months. What emerged from her intimate association with this family is a book that almost reads like a novel, so riveting is the account of life in post Taliban Afghanistan. <br /><br />The bookseller, Sultan Khan, is a canny and shrewd business man, as well as a devout Muslim, who despite his love of books, seems to have learned little from the knowledge at his fingertips. He rules the roost like a patriarchal despot with a decidedly strict view of the role of women. In fact, it is through the women in his household that the reader is drawn into how truly circumscribed and stultifying life is for Afghani women, even after the Taliban is no longer in power. Khan rules his household as if it were a feudal fiefdom, with little thought, concern, or interest in the desires, hopes, and dreams of the members of his household. <br /><br />The author's reporting on what life is like in post Taliban Afghanistan paints a fairly grim picture of a society fraught with ignorance and corruption. It is a society where women are merely chattel with little or no say in their future. Education is pretty much non-existent, and what passes for such is pathetic. Even that little, however, is routinely denied to the feminine gender. It was also particularly surprising, as well as ironic, that Sultan Khan, being a bookseller and purporting to love books, denied even his sons an education. <br /><br />The author certainly has had an eye-opening experience by donning a burka and I, for one, am glad that she chose to share it. Despite its lack of any cogent critical analysis, this is certainly a provocative book and one that will provide much food for thought. Her birds-eye view of life in Afghanistan is truly a powerful statement and an indictment of a society so steeped in ignorance and poverty that it will take a miracle for it to enter into the twenty first century. Life in modern day Afghanistan is bleak, indeed. Those with an interest in other cultures will certainly enjoy this book.

A simple, honest and refreshing read

It is great to read something which is honest and strips away the TV persona which everyone thinks they see and assumes that we know the person. <br /><br />It also portrays the fact that Les is simply a normal bloke who has had to deal with the difficulties of operating in a public life, and having his personal life exposed in the media in full. <br /><br />The ability and difficulty to steer through living your life in public should never be underestimated - so it's a sobering thought for all of us who don't have to live in that way, especially when we criticise those in the public eye as we simply cannot comprehend it. <br /><br />Les has written this book from a perspective that he is (and we are all) fallible and human so it's not pretentious in any way. A good read.

Great read - inspirational

Fab book. Dean has a very easy writing style. I finished this book in a couple of days and know that I will be reading it again (and again!). <br />Dean proves that you can do anything if you set your mind and body to it.

A good read!

I am a big fan of Paul O' Grady and his wonderful creation Lily Savage so when I saw this book, I just had to give it a go.<br />It's brilliantly written, some rare photographs included and contains a lot of great stories however Paul's own autobiography when it's finally published will be far more the superier read so be sure to pick up for copy of it as well as this entertaining biography.<br />I can recommened this book to all Paul fans even though a lot more probably has happend in Paul's life than what is covered here but this really should satisfy those fans who just can wait to for Paul's autobiography.<br />I hope you found this review helpful.

a beautifully touching book

I wasn't sure what this book was going to be when I started reading. I was concerned that it may upset me more that help me. I need not have worried. This is a beautifully written book, which tells a powerfully uplifting story. <br /><br />The author's decision not to force her book into a linear structure adds an oral story telling quality which, when coupled with direct addresses to the reader, makes the reading of the book more like a conservation with a wiser friend. <br /><br />This is a book of hope and compassion which I would recommend to anyone who is suffering, or has ever suffered, from depression.

amazingly touching

I recived this book for my birthday...i read it in a day,it was brilliant! i couldnt put it down,its a tragic,heartbreaking and frightening story about love,hate and all the things inbetween. i would highly recommend this book to everyone,although obviously,not children!<br /><br />I only discoverd torey hayden last week, im so glad i did!! ive read nearly all her books and so far,i havent been disapointed!

Once again a beautifully written masterpiece by Isabel Allende

I have always enjoyed reading Isabel Allende novels and this one does not fail - It had me gripped from page 1 right to the end.<br />Following on from Paula - Isabel write's from the heart for Daughter informing her of the changes that have taken place since she passed away.<br />The book is so well written in true Isabel Allende style - a must read for all fans and new readers to will enjoy this wonderful story.

Chuck's Life Great Read

Not being a big reader i thought it was goingto take me a while to read this book, But being that chuck is the main man i picked it up as soon as it arrived. And flew through it i literally could not put it down, Chuck holds nothing back in this book talking about scrapping as a young lad all the way to the pleasure off beating lumps out of TITO!.<br /><br />I would suggest this book to any mma fan or any fan of a good book.....10 out 10 if i could had to settle for 5 stars though...Buy this book....Dean Jones/S Wales

Humorous, sad and honest

I have just finished reading this book and found it such a good read that I felt compelled to share this view with anyone thinking of purchasing it. <br /><br />I am not a fan of the memoir genre but the reviews of this book made me curious and so I purchased it. I laughed and cried when I read it and I was struck by how Sanghera has managed to write a book about his life as a British Asian and yet manage to captivate a much wider audience than this with his tales of growing up in the 1970s and 80s. <br /><br />The tale of the schizophrenia afflicting his father and sister is tragic and yet full of hope and pride.<br /><br />This is not only a journey through his past to understand these illnesses but a journey for Sanghera to discover who he is and become more comfortable with this. He does this with such engaging humour that you are full of the admiration his mother must feel for her son.<br /><br /><br />