'Utterly Brilliant' by Timmy Mallett

For people of a certain age, Timmy Mallett on the telly was a fixture of childhood.  During the 1980s and early '90s, he hosted the Wide Awake Club on Saturday mornings and Wacaday during school holidays, bouncing around the studio in his fluorescent-coloured clothes and wacky spectacles, cheerfully striking everyone from pop princess Kylie to prime minister Margaret Thatcher over the head with Mallett's (foam) Mallet and delivering unashamedly dodgy puns and funny sketches.  Seeing his name on the book 'Utterly Brilliant: My Life's Journey' conjured up all sorts of memories, and I was intrigued enough to want to know what he'd been up to since last brightening our screens.

'Dickens and Christmas' by Lucinda Hawksley

Merry Christmas!  The decs are up, the gifts are wrapped and I have a mug of cocoa, so it must be time for a read!  Normally, I'd be diving into the absolute perfection that is 'A Christmas Carol' around about now, but this year, for a change, I decided to uncover the story of the author's relationship with Christmas by reading 'Dickens and Christmas' by Lucinda Hawksley.

'Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes' by Rob Wilkins

I've only read one Terry Pratchett novel - 'Good Omens', his collaboration with Neil Gaiman - so it might seem strange that I was so excited about his official biography, 'A Life with Footnotes' by Rob Wilkins.  After all, there are plenty of other authors I've not read, so what was it about Terry Pratchett that made him stand out?

Don't Ignore Him

'Just Ignore Him' by Alan Davies 

When celebrity biographies get released, it's usually to great fanfares and fireworks as each flashy hardback vies for our attention in the pre-Christmas glut.  My latest read - 'Just Ignore Him' by Alan Davies - got my attention because it seemed to do the opposite of that.  Just look at the cover; a simple image of a young Davies in white t-shirt looking straight into the camera.  Somehow cautiously bold, it's a long way from the usual stage-managed images we've come to expect on such books.  The only flash of colour is the red of his football shorts, leaving the book dominated by a brown-black that sits in stark contrast to the bright yellows, blues and whites of other biographies that I've read.  So what's going on?

Rebooting Orwell

'The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984' by Dorian Lynskey (Picador, 2019)

You know a book's big when it has its own biography.  I recently re-read 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' in preparation for 'The Ministry of Truth', Dorian Lynskey's story of the origins and afterlife of George Orwell's most famous novel.

Sex, Guys and Audiotape

'Diary of a Drag Queen' by Crystal Rasmussen (Ebury Press, 2019)

Picture the scene.  It's a beautiful sunny day in spring 2020.  Outside, the birds are singing a delicate morning chorus while the flourishing plant life sways and nods languidly in the gentle breeze.  Inside, a nearly-but-not-quite middle-aged woman sits quietly, embroidering a picture of a cute puppy dog using the softest of threads.  It's a complex pattern requiring infinite patience.  All is relaxed and calm and excessively gentile.  So, what do you suppose the embroiderer might be listening to?  Surely nothing so filthy, fun and raucous as 'Diary of a Drag Queen' by Crystal Rasmussen!

Caught in the Cultural Crossfire

'Kill the Black One First' AKA 'A Search for Belonging' by Michael Fuller (535, 2019)

I've discovered the library's audiobook app.  Talk about a kid in a sweet shop!  There's so much to choose from, but I stopped short when I saw 'Kill the Black One First' by Michael Fuller listed.  With a shocking title like that, I had to take a closer look.

Broken Hearts, Broken Minds

'When I Had a Little Sister' by Catherine Simpson (4th Estate, 2019)

Well, it's going to be a bit of a challenge to write this post, but nowhere near as tough as it must've been for Catherine Simpson and her family to decide to share 'When I Had a Little Sister', a powerful story of family, grief and mental illness.

The 'Little Sister' of the title is Tricia, who, following a lifetime dogged by mental health issues and depression, killed herself in December 2013 at the age of 46.  Beginning with this terrible event, Simpson describes the feelings and formalities of the immediate aftermath, then reflects on her family's past and how the tough, stoic attitude of generations ultimately led to tragedy.  Tricia, Catherine and their eldest sister Elizabeth grew up together on the ancestral Lancashire farm, living in the farmhouse where Tricia's life would eventually end.  The apparently idyllic surroundings belied a childhood dominated by tough and eccentric personalities, whose influence would echo down the generations.  Eventually, having exhausted their shared experiences, Simpson cautiously turns to her sister's journals, filling in the gaps and discovering a whole life that no-one knew her sister had.  The book ends where it began, with Tricia's death, and the effect of the tragedy on the family closest to her.

Could you Make it Up?

'Truths, Half Truths & Little White Lies: A Memoir' by Nick Frost (Hodder & Stoughton, 2015)

Hello everyone!  As you may have noticed, I'm a bit of a sucker for a celebrity biography.  My most recent read is 'Truths, Half Truths and Little White Lies: A Memoir' by film and TV actor Nick Frost.

(You know, the chap in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy.  And 'Spaced'.  And 'Cuban Fury'.  Simon Pegg's mate.  Oh, for goodness sake, if you're not sure, Google him!  Know who I mean now?  Good, let's proceed...)

Funny Boy

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proof that PR works.  Every year I decide not to read any celebrity biographies, and every year I accidentally catch an interview on the radio or TV and end up reading the interviewee's book!  Just in time for Christmas, folks!

This year, I've been distracted by 'Little Me: My Life from A-Z' by Matt Lucas.  Normally I'd have given anything to do with 'Little Britain' a wide berth (it's just not really my sort of humour), but he came across so differently in the interview, I was intrigued.

In 'Little Me: My Life from A-Z', comedian and actor Matt Lucas tells his story so far.  Starting with his first notable role - 'Accrington Stanley' - and ending with 'Zzzzzzzz', the book's chapters include 'Baldy!', 'Chumley' (his first popular comedy character), 'Eating' (perhaps his greatest weakness), 'Jewish', 'Nearest and Dearest', 'Really, really Big Britain', 'The TARDIS' and 'What are the Scores, George Dawes?'.  Lucas reflects on the great highs and lows of his life, including being discovered by his comedy hero Bob Mortimer and performing 'Little Britain' sketches to sell out stadium audiences, as well as the difficulties caused by his childhood hair loss and grief following the death of his ex-husband.

I've got to be honest and say that, despite my hopes, I half expected to be unable to read much of this book.  As I mentioned, I found 'Little Britain' wasn't to my taste and expected Lucas to be more like his more ostentatious collaborator David Walliams (let's face it, while he's undeniably talented, he's not everyone's cup of tea).  As it turned out, I was charmed.  Lucas comes across as thoughtful, cheeky and hopeful, despite the obvious pain he's in.

It did cross my mind, however, that 'Little Me' could be open to interpretation.  I think if you come to the book having decided that Lucas is trying to manipulate his image and gain sympathy, I think that's exactly what you'll see.   Sometimes, you just can't win.  As a reader who was more or less a blank sheet when I started the book, however, I was struck by the writer's cautious attempt at honesty without self-pity or over-sharing.

The A-Z structure of this book makes it great to dip into, but also makes it a lighter read.  Perhaps many years in the future Lucas will be ready to write something more intense, but, for the time being, people looking for an in-depth behind-the-scenes exposé of 'Little Britain' or a considered analysis of British humour would be better off looking elsewhere.

Overall, if you have a liking for Lucas, are curious about what makes comedians tick, or are just interested in other human beings, I think you will find 'Little Me' enjoyable.  It's not the most Earth-shattering read, but it's sweet and enables you to see a normal-ish person beyond the tabloid silliness.

Now, what next...

'Little Me: My Life from A-Z' by Matt Lucas is published by Canongate Books Ltd (2017).

Waste Not, Want Not

I do love the weekend papers.  The number of purchases I've made after reading interviews and extracts in the glossies... well, it's not really helped reduce the number of unread books I have!  Last year, I was intrigued by articles about 'A Life Discarded' by Alexander Masters, so trundled off to the bookshop to treat myself.  Should I have made resisted?

'A Life Discarded'
by Alexander Masters
(Fourth Estate, 2016)

'A Life Discarded' is the story of 148 diaries found in a Cambridge skip by two academics, which were then passed on to biographer of the unusual Alexander Masters.  After paying no attention to them for a number of years and several house moves, he finally picked up a volume and started reading.  This was the beginning of a five year project that would involve graphologists, detectives and archivists, not to mention 'I', the enigmatic diarist.  But did Masters get any closer to the mysterious writer and find a meaningful story in the millions of words?

I was extremely disappointed by this book.  It's so unbelievably depressing.  What made for several interesting articles led to a very dull and at times almost narcissistic tome. It seemed to be more about what the 'biographer' thought about his reaction to the subject and her diaries rather than the subject herself, wrapped up in an at times pretentious and repetitive prose and always keeping everything at arm's length.  I felt that this was a project he didn't really want and had no passion for, but felt he had to do in light of what had happened to the diaries' finders.

Assuming that Masters was writing 'A Life Discarded' out of a sense of duty rather than passion, then the apparent lack of feeling the author seemed to have for 'I' starts to make sense.  Without giving too much away, 'I' has led a life where dreams never became reality and what talent she had was never fully encouraged or explored, largely through her own inaction.  Although Masters seems to identify with this as a writer, I never really got a sense of how he felt about 'I'.  As a reader, I knew I felt compassion and pity, but as far as I could tell, Masters felt nothing, not even contempt at someone wasting their potential or a sense of injustice that she'd been let down by those around her.  Perhaps biographers should try to stay neutral, but if that's the case, why did so much of this book seem to be about Masters?

Ironically, this book feels like a wasted opportunity.  It could've been about the many ways lives are lost, through inaction, accident and early death, but instead somehow those threads didn't come together to create a stronger narrative and central theme.  Rather than being depressing, perhaps the book would've become inspirational and about making the most of what time you have, no matter how short or long.  If, if, if...

Unfortunately, I wish I'd resisted and not bought this book.  At least I read it, though, and you never know, whoever reads it next might not be so disappointed.  After all, tomorrow is another day!

Now, what next...

Related Links

'The Biography of a Nameless Person' (The Guardian, 14/05/2016)

Dressed to Empress!

Mention the Empress Josephine and the first thing that comes to mind is 'Not tonight, Josephine.'.  The second thing would probably be Napoleon and the third... erm...

This embarrassing lack of knowledge led me to the wonderful 'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' by the even more wonderful Dr Kate Williams.

'Josephine: Desire,
Ambition, Napoleon'
by Kate Williams
(Arrow, 2014)

Born on a plantation in Martinique in 1763, no one could have imagined that Marie-Josephe-Rose de Tascher would become the greatest jewel in the French imperial crown.  The wild little girl, who ruined her teeth gnawing raw sugar cane, became a romantic teenager, dreaming of the glamour of France and its court.  When her aunt decided she should marry her lover's son and move to Paris, Josephine thought her chance had finally come.  But the marriage was a ploy to keep wealth in the family and Josephine's husband, Alexandre, proved adulterous, suspicious and vile, while she found her lack of education and social graces made her the laughing stock of those she admired.  The French Revolution brought horror and death, but also opportunity.  Her husband was executed and Josephine narrowly escaped a date with the guillotine, but she became a streetwise survivor, determined to live by any means possible.  She rose to become a star of the new debauched France that seemed desperate to wash away the blood with wine and live life to the full in defiance of death.  When she caught the eye of a young Corsican soldier called Napoleon Bonaparte, her latest lover ordered her to keep him happy.  Thus one of history's great partnerships was born...

I adored this book.  I found it so interesting and learned so much that I was astounded that no one has made a TV drama about Josephine.  Hers was an amazing personal journey, shaped by circumstance as much as desire and survival as much as ambition.  Dr Williams' book is studded with fascinating gems of information that really made her subject come to life.  From Josephine's terrible teeth to her love of exotic plants, her naive spending habits to her diplomatic skills, each snippet brings Josephine out of Napoleon's shadow.  Above all, far from being Napoleon's chattel, Dr Williams shows that one of history's greatest couples were most successful when working as a team and that at least part of the General's success relied on his wife's ability to handle the more touchy-feely aspects of being a ruler.  Even the man himself recognised this, although far too late.

'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' has a highly accessibly style to it, full of an almost gossipy energy.  The author clearly has great passion for the subject and reading the book is much like sitting down with a friend who can't wait to tell you all the news.  I loved the way letters and other sources were quoted too, so while the whole thing had authenticity, I didn't feel bogged down and the book didn't loose its readability.  If you were doing an academic study on Josephine, you would obviously want more original text, but for someone like me, this was perfect.

Overall, I would really recommend 'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' to anyone interested in history and particularly women in history.  It's not just about the battles on the field, people!

STOP PRESS!!

Not long after finishing this book, I had the great pleasure of seeing Dr Williams talking about her new novel at Yeovil Literary Festival and this led to some amazing news.  A drama based on this book is actually being made!  Sounds like it's going to be a bit saucy in places, but so long as the series is true to all aspects of Josephine's story, I'm sure it'll be amazing.  It's currently at script stage, but hopefully we'll hear more soon!

Do Not Adjust Your Specs

I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but how cool a job have the graphic designers done on Sue Perkins' memoir 'Spectacles'?  I mean, just look at this cover.

'Spectacles: A Memoir'
by Sue Perkins
(Penguin/Michael Joseph, 2015

 There aren't many people who can be recognised through just a few brushstrokes.  Alfred Hitchcock and Adolf Hitler are about the only ones I can think of, but the less said about that the better.

Anyway, then you get to look inside the book and... wham!  More specs than you can shake an optometrist at!  Shame they didn't make this into wallpaper or fabric or something, I have a friend who would've loved it.

And just as you think it can't get any better, you arrive at the book itself!

In 'Spectacles', Ms Perkins takes us on an entertaining, whistle-stop journey through her life (or at least a version of her life - as the disclaimer says "Most of this book is true.").  We get to know her potty but lovely family, the friends that inspired her and her partner-in-prime time Mel Giedroyc.  (Wouldn't be surprised if the latter is brewing her own memoir in retaliation...)  There are demanding dogs, car-related calamities and an unexpected encounter with Esther Rantzen, as well as behind-the-scenes looks at 'Maestro', 'World's Most Dangerous Roads' and, of course, 'The Great British Bake Off'.

This is a charming book, full of energy and humour, much like you hope the author herself to be.  'Spectacles' is heartwarming, heartfelt and at times heartbreaking, as the anecdotes make you laugh at life's absurdities and shed tears for its cruelties.

This book may be filed under non-fiction, but like all autobiographies it's a version of the truth told to us as a kind of collaborative lie.  But unlike many celebrity memoirs, at least this one is self-aware and more about entertaining the reader than making the author look perfect.

'Spectacles' begins with Ms Perkins describing her wish to be a writer.  I think her understanding of her audience shows that she is.  I hope this is not her last book.

An Audience with Brian Blessed

I nearly called this post 'A Quiet Night in with Brian Blessed'.  Ha!  Who am I kidding?  For a start, I don't think I've ever finished a book in one evening, and for a finish, I doubt Mr Blessed has ever been quiet in his life!

Last week, I was distracted by 'Absolute Pandemonium', Brian Blessed's latest autobiography.  I was looking for something entertaining, read the first few pages and was hooked.

'Absolute Pandemonium'
by Brian Blessed & James Hogg
(2015, Sidgwick & Jackson)

'Absolute Pandemonium' is an energetic romp through Mr Blessed's life, full of love and passion and deftly linking more subjects than you can vigorously shake a stick at.  From his childhood and school days in South Yorkshire, to boxing and acting, Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, the tribulations of falling in love, 'Z Cars', 'Star Wars', the return of Hong Kong to China, death and, of course, 'Flash Gordon', every chapter brings a fresh avalanche of stories that entertain from beginning to end.  Far from the standard celebrity biography, this is a book built on themes and anecdotes that lifts the spirits with an infectious lust for life.

As you can probably already tell, I really enjoyed 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  Near the start, Mr Blessed encourages readers to imagine he is in the room telling them his story, so they should hear his voice in their head while reading.  As if I could do anything else!  The writing style is colloquial enough to be personal without becoming unreadable and adds to the energy of the text itself.  It really does feel like you have an audience with one of our most idiosyncratic national treasures!

Mr Blessed has lived a wide and varied life (so far, although I don't think hitting 80 will stop him!) and I was pleasantly surprised by the range of stories in 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  When I started reading, I never expected to hear about Katherine Hepburn, for example.  Equally, I never thought I'd find myself enjoying reading about boxing, so hats off to Mr Blessed for that!  This wondrous variety does mean that I think many people will find much to enjoy in this book.

Although I loved the style, however, it may not suit everyone.  Mr Blessed's passion can manifest in choice vocabulary that some may find offensive, but he makes clear from the introduction what kind of book you hold in your hands.  Let's face it, if you find yourself po-faced at the Everest-poo story that introduces the book, then you might want to try something else.   

Overall, I would heartily recommend 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  It's full of bounce and go and you really do feel like you've spent time with the author by the time you reach the end.  It was almost exhausting, but what a ride.

Now, back to Poldark!

Princess Leia-ed to Death (Sort Of)

I've always liked Princess Leia.  Despite all that nonsense with gold bikinis and Chelsea bun hair styles, she still kicks ass.  A leader, a hero and no-nonsense defier of intergalactic dictators - and all in a terribly impractical white dress.  Hurrah!

I thought it might be interesting to find out more about the lady that brought the nearly queen to the screen, so I got myself a copy of 'Wishful Drinking', the autobiography of Leia-player Carrie Fisher.

'Wishful Drinking' by
Carrie Fisher
(Pocket Books, 2009)

Based on her one-woman stage show, 'Wishful Drinking' is a swift scamper through the life of actress and author Carrie Fisher (Duh!).  Born to Hollywood nobility Debbie Reynolds (best known for 'Singin' in the Rain') and Eddie Fisher ('50s crooner), Carrie Fisher's life was never going to be ordinary.  Getting her big break at 19 in 'Star Wars', possibly the biggest film (then franchise) of all time just made it even less so.  Alongside entertaining stories of sci fi strangeness, the complex connections between the celebrity classes and the highs and lows of her relationships with family, friends and lovers, Fisher also talks about her manic depression and drink and drug issues.  Following electroconvulsio therapy (ECT) to treat her illness, Fisher has forgotten much of her incredible past.  'Wishful Thinking' is how she's reacquainting herself with it, in her own funny, cheeky and irreverent way, and we're all invited along for the ride.

This is a book that feels like exactly what it is - a novelisation of a stand up show.  It's fast, loose and slap dash, but instead of leaving me disappointed, it left me wanting to know more.  (It also left me wanting to see the stage show, but since it's not available in a non-US format, I'll have to make do with wanting more and few clips on YouTube.)

It's a book with energy that sparks off every page, but aside from the great anecdotes, I felt that the most interesting bits were where Fisher talked candidly about what it feels like to be bipolar, including dealing with diagnosis and how it linked with her addictions.  On the one hand, I wanted more than just a few glimpses of this sort of insight into being a human being, but equally I knew it would take away from the overall bump and go of the narrative.

This is a short and highly readable book (though I'm not sure that the prim Princess would always approve), a woman's view of what often feels like a man's galaxy far, far away.  I definitely want to read more by Ms Fisher in the future.

You Couldn't Make It Up!

Sometimes, I find genres confusing.  When does something become 'Classic'?  Why isn't PG Wodehouse under 'Humour'? Where on Earth do you put Daphne Writes-Horror-SciFi-Romance-And-More Du Maurier?  And what the fudge is 'Women's Fiction'?  But never before have I questioned whether something should be in fact or fiction!

The cause of the consternation is 'Animal QC: My Preposterous Life' by Gary Bell, published by Monday Books  It says it's an autobiography, but this rip roaring tale of a life less ordinary can't possibly be true.  Can it?

Mr Bell is the most unlikely barrister you're ever going to meet.  Far from the silver-spooned toff of the stereotype, he was born to teenage parents and began life in a condemned Nottingham slum.  Although the family escaped the city for the mining town of Cotgrave, life was far from easy and money was often short.  Despite showing promise, unimaginative careers advisors and an old fashioned working class attitude to education meant that he left school without taking exams.  Everyone expected him to follow his father down the pit, but his fear of the dark meant he lasted just one day.  A decade of short lived employment, strange strokes of luck and homelessness later and the boy was back in town and ready to start again as a mature student.  Living proof that hard work, dogged determination and just enough cheek can get you through, 'Animal QC' is a funny, inspirational and ridiculously preposterous story.  

I absolutely loved this book, but it's so unusual, I really don't know where to start!  Never has the phrase 'you couldn't make it up' seemed more appropriate nor a single paragraph so far from enough to summarise a story. 

Top barristers need to be great (and convincing) storytellers and Mr Bell must be one of the best.  'Animal QC' is engaging, charming and even jaw dropping, a well written page turner that made me want to keep reading.  His 'warts and all' attitude (which means he covers his major embarrassments as well as his greatest successes) keep the narrative on the right side of smug and when he touches on controversial topics, the reader is reminded that it's based on his own, personal experiences.  

The tone changes as he begins to talk about his casework and the pace slows slightly, but 'Animal QC' remains intriguing for a whole new set of reasons.  While I think the book in general could be an inspiration to anyone who thinks that where they start is where they'll stay, the later chapters would be of particular interest to people interested in the criminal law and the legal process.

Overall, I can't recommend 'Animal QC' enough.  The paperback is due out at the beginning of March, so look out for it then.  Hopefully we'll find it in 'Biography'...

One Man and His Ape

One of my favourite days out is to a very special animal sanctuary nestled in the gorgeous Dorset countryside.  Monkey World is an internationally respected haven for unwanted apes and monkeys, a place where the abused, neglected and abandoned can find refuge and receive care from experts in their field.  It was founded by two extraordinary men, Jim Cronin and Jeremy Keeling, and I recently read Mr Keeling's excellent autobiography.

'Jeremy and Amy' is the story of Mr Keeling and his foster 'daughter' Amy.  She's stubborn and

'Jeremy and Amy'
by Jeremy Keeling
(Short Books, 2011)

grumpy and has plenty of attitude.  Oh, and she's also an orang-utan.  Keeling first meets the newborn Amy in 1983 while pursuing a career caring for a variety of exotic animals in both public and private collections, The two pound two ounce baby orang-utan is so frail her survival seems impossible.  But, with Keeling's help, survive she does and Jeremy and Amy develop an incredible bond.  Through amazing highs and heartbreaking lows, she remains a constant companion and an inspiration to Keeling and his work rescuing monkeys and apes from countries around the world.

This book could very easily have slipped into a cutesy, anthropomorphic, semi-biographical story about how caring for a characterful orang-utan helps a human find peace with themselves and the world.  Fortunately, it didn't and I think anyone picking it up and expecting some sort of light read about how funny and almost human animals are would, initially at least, be very disappointed.

In reality, it's the human at the centre of this story and the book includes some very upsetting sections which don't sit at all with the 'aren't animals funny?' sort of narrative.  Delivered in Keeling's characteristic matter-of-fact style, it's impossible not to be affected by some of his terrible experiences, particularly in childhood.  To call his early family life 'dysfunctional' seems the ultimate understatement.  Equally, I ended this book with so much respect for him as someone who could easily have slipped into self-destruction, but instead decided to work hard to make a future for himself and, as a result, found a way to make a real difference.

I found 'Jeremy and Amy' a real page turner, but to say I enjoyed it would be crass and insensitive.  I cried, I laughed and, as with 'We Bought a Zoo', had my respect for the people who care for the planet's animals reinforced.

It must've taken some bravery for Mr Keeling to publish this book, so I would like to thank him for sharing his story.  (Let's hope I never bump into him at Monkey World, I'm bound to make a complete 'nana of myself.)

Overall, 'Jeremy and Amy' is a story of hope and courage and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Now, back to the books!

Life of a Language Legend

Earlier this week, I finished 'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through: My Life in Language' by venerable linguist and writer David Crystal.  Earlier today, I finished writing a post about it, which unfortunately got swallowed by Blogger.  An extreme ellipsis that had me using some choice language I can tell you.  Anyway, here we go again!

Book 128:
'Just a Phrase I'm
Going Through:
My Life in Language'
by David Crystal
(Routledge, 2009)

In 'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through', Professor Crystal gives us a snapshot of what it means to be a linguist.  Driven by a passion for language and a boundless curiosity, he follows a childhood in North Wales and Liverpool with an academic career at University College London and later the universities of Reading and Bangor.  Seizing the opportunities presented by the burgeoning new science of Linguistics, he is able to explore and expand a range of fields and interests, including speech therapy, grammar and language teaching.  Following government cuts in the 1980s, however, Professor Crystal decides to leave academia, but this is far from the end of his linguistics journey.  He finds new roles, including broadcaster, consultant, writer and encyclopedia compiler, applying his endless energy to an ongoing quest to make knowledge accessible and encourage the public's interest in the words and language they use everyday.  It is a route Professor Crystal still follows.

To me, this book was the antithesis of the typical celebrity biography.  Rather than the author being the star of the show, language, Linguistics and Professor Crystal's ongoing passion for them both was centre stage.  His private life is often the catalyst for his work, but on the whole it took a comfortable back seat and is not the main focus of the book.  This means that the reader is able to learn something about Professor Crystal without feeling like they're intruding.

Professor Crystal was a bit of a legend for my A Level English Language group and 'It's Just a Phrase I'm Going Through' reminded me of how I felt about Linguistics in my late teens.  How much it fascinated me and how wonderful it was to have the freedom to study this amazing subject.  Thanks to him, we could pursue our interest because we had access to informative, well written and highly readable books on the subject.  We didn't have to wade through the tomes that almost put him off at our age, so, thank you, Professor.

Overall, this is a funny, interesting, touching, informative book which should appeal to anyone with an interest in the study of language or the Professor himself.  It tends to follow themes rather than exact chronology, but the writer's deft, accessible style means you never feel lost.  In fact, most of the time I was completely absorbed and found Professor Crystal's positivity and enthusiasm for life completely infectious.  I was sad to finish the book and look forward to reading more by him in the future.  Just as well really, I have at least three other books by him...

Now, from one book by a bearded man about a bearded man to another.  Bernard Cornwell's been chronicling Uhtred again!

Queen of Broken Hearts

Bet you can't guess what this post is going to be about!

Earlier this month, I finally finished 'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' by esteemed historical biographer Antonia Fraser.

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' is a hefty tome which examines the life of the last queen of France

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey'
by Antonia Fraser
(Phoenix, 2002)

and seeks the truth behind the many myths that surround her.  Daughter of the matriarchal Queen-Empress Maria Teresa, Marie Antoinette was born to be a pawn the game of European dynastic power.  Unfortunately, she was ill-suited to political machinations and unprepared for the cruel popularist media that thrived in the lead up to the French Revolution.  Innocent of much she was accused of and made a scapegoat by power-hungry politicians, this is the tragic story of a woman whose life became so unbearable, the guillotine's blade came as a relief.

I began reading this about seven years ago after finishing a book about Marie Antoinette's second son Louis-Charles ('The Lost King of France' by Deborah Cadbury).  It too was a heart wrenching story, but, as is often the case with history, reading about one person led to another.  Since studying A Level French I'd always wanted to know more about this period, partly because I couldn't believe the language assistant's claim that the whole French royal family had simply been wiped out.

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' is excellent in that it is focussed, well researched and refrains from huge leaps of supposition, but this does mean it lies more at the textbook than popular history end of the spectrum.  In itself, this isn't a bad thing, it just means that it's not an easy ready.

Although, given the subject matter, it was never going to be an easy read.  I suspect that one of the reasons why it's taken me so long to finish this book is that I knew where it was going to end.  Marie Antoinette was no angel, but she was still a human being and no-one deserved the vilification that she received at the hands of the media and her captors.  Throughout this book, she comes across as the wrong person cast in the wrong role and you can't help wondering what would've happened if she and Louis XVI had been born in a different class at a different time and in a different place.  Thinking back over representations of the Queen I've encountered on TV and in films, it makes my stomach turn to realise that more than 200 years later old prejudices still rule.

So, overall, this book is not for the faint hearted, in terms of content or style.  It is interesting and informative, however, so I would recommend it for anyone who wants an insight into this almost legendary monarch.  Just be prepared to work at it.

Now, what next...

There's Something About Mary

Goodness, it's been a long time since I finished a book!  It's taken me about two months to read 'My Heard is My Own', John Guy's biography of Mary, Queen of Scots.  Not a good start to 2013, but nevermind, I'm still determined!

'My Heart is My Own'
by John Guy (2004,
Fourth Estate)

'My Heart is My Own' explores the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, from her birth at Linlithgow Palace in 1542 to her execution in at Fotheringay Castle in 1587.  It's a story full of excitement and intrigue from the very beginning as Queen Mary battles forces seen and unseen to stay on the throne.  As soon as she's born, Mary is under very real threat from the Scottish nobility and they remain a thorn in her side all her life.  The key theme of Queen Mary's life seems to be 'nothing going to plan' or, if you're feeling less generous, 'bad decision-making'.  As well as her efforts to control the bickering nobles in Scotland resulting in uprising and exile, none of her three marriages go as expected and a final appeal for her 'sister Queen' Elizabeth in England ultimately leads to imprisonment and death.  In the end, even her family abandon her.  But despite all this, Mary remains a strong character and, as a reader, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd have done anything differently in her situation.  This is the story of a fallible human being, which contrasts well with the popular myth of almost unimpeachable Elizabeth I.

I didn't know much about Mary, Queen of Scots, before reading this book, which is why I bought it in the first place.  I have a lifelong admiration for Elizabeth I, which led to a less than flattering idea of Mary, a prejudice that I didn't even realise I had.  It just goes to show that powerful. positive image Elizabeth created of herself in the popular imagination has managed to survive more than 400 years.  Just as her grandfather Henry VII rewrote history to make Richard III and his predecessors wicked tyrants, she recreated herself as the venerable 'Gloriana', England incarnate, bold, beautiful, just and bountiful.  Mary, Queen of Scots, is often portrayed on screen as the opposite of Elizabeth, so I'm glad I read this book to realise that things certainly aren't that clean cut.

'My Heart is My Own' is an enjoyable, accessible read right up until chapter 22.  Unfortunately, I really hit a wall with chapters 22 (Mary's Story), 23 (Bothwell's Story), 24 (The Lords' Story) and 25 and 26 (dealing with The Casket Letters).  Up until that point, longer quotes from original sources had been kept to a minimum, so the author was in control of the narrative and able to give it pace and drama.  In these chapters, the pace changes completely and the true historian comes out, so we get longer quotes from the protagonists' letters.  Unfortunately, Mary isn't an easy writer to read and this is a stumbling block I didn't quite get over.  By this point in the book, the narrator has earned my trust and I didn't need to see all of Mary's own words to believe his interpretation of them.

The chapters dealing with the Casket Letters, a cache of probably faked correspondence used to show Queen Mary complicit in murder, was so confusing that I found myself rereading whole paragraphs to try and get to grips with them.  Really, this in depth analysis of the texts could've been consigned to an appendix, so it could still be read, but without interrupting the until then excellent narrative.  As it was, it stalled the story further and meant that the book began to lose my attention.  Reference to primary sources would be important in an essay, but wading my way through the archaic and sometimes incomprehensible language just made me feel disappointed after enjoying the book so much up to that point.

Overall, I did enjoy this book enough to want to read more by Mr Guy, but I am slightly worried that storytelling will be lost to academic analysis in his other publications.  I love history, but have to accept that I'm a casual reader without the time to take in indepth analyses of the evidence.  I need books such as 'My Heart is My Own' to balance readability with fact.  I'm very glad I read this book, however, as I've learned a great deal and gained a new perspective on an oft maligned historical figure.  It's also made me want to find out more about other figures, including William Cecil, who has also changed in my perceptions too.

I would recommend 'My Heart is My Own' to anyone with and interest in the era, but be prepared for the narrative shift in some chapters!