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David Hare recommended The Lives of Lee Miller in Books (curated)
Sarah Betts (103 KP) rated Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II in Books
Dec 31, 2019
I received a copy of Dutch Girl from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book. It's not just a biography of Audrey Hepburn but a biography of the time and place that made her who she was.
Robert Matzen does a stunning job of bring Audrey to life.
I loved this book. It's not just a biography of Audrey Hepburn but a biography of the time and place that made her who she was.
Robert Matzen does a stunning job of bring Audrey to life.
Jasmine Guillory recommended You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington in Books (curated)
John Waters recommended Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare in Books (curated)
LucyB (47 KP) rated The Age of Bowie in Books
Jul 23, 2017
Interesting angle for a Bowie biography
At first, I wasn't so sure about this biography. It seemed too focused on the author, not enough on Bowie himself.
However, once it got going, it was great! A really novel take on the biography format, almost veering into fiction in places, which might not be for everyone, but I personally thought it worked very well.
Did I learn anything new? No. However, I enjoyed it immensely, and in places, it made me view David Bowie in a new light. I very much enjoyed it.
However, once it got going, it was great! A really novel take on the biography format, almost veering into fiction in places, which might not be for everyone, but I personally thought it worked very well.
Did I learn anything new? No. However, I enjoyed it immensely, and in places, it made me view David Bowie in a new light. I very much enjoyed it.
Lirahlu (37 KP) shared Suswatibasu 's rating
Mar 15, 2018
Sexist, self-absorbed codswallop
This is probably one of the worst books I've read this year unfortunately. It's full of contradictions, too many to go through each and every one. But here are a few.
For one, it claims to be an anti-self-help book but in fact it is, not only that it repeats phrases that other books use often but it reiterates it in a much more uglier fashion by replacing every other word with "f**k".
Secondly, the author is actually incredibly sexist throughout the whole book - revealing that this book is for a privileged white, male audience. He flashes his wealth throughout the book by even saying "I come from a wealthy family" and 'this doesn't apply to an Indian family who need an extra $10'. And then talks about his sexual exploits with women, saying that one of his former goals was to "be with more women" - like women are collective objects. He's boastful about sleeping around throughout, referring to women in a derogatory way.
The chapter on false memories and child sexual abuse is shocking, absolutely no disclaimers, just a rookie spouting off information that he clearly had no idea about. He discounts thousands of horrific accounts as if they're something imagined up and to be gotten over with. An extremely precarious viewpoint.
The irony is that the author describes himself perfectly here: "People declare themselves experts, entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators, mavericks, and coaches without any real-life experience. And they do this not because they actually think they are greater than everybody else; they do it because they feel that they need to be great to be accepted in a world that broadcasts only the extraordinary." And this pretty much sums up the book.
For one, it claims to be an anti-self-help book but in fact it is, not only that it repeats phrases that other books use often but it reiterates it in a much more uglier fashion by replacing every other word with "f**k".
Secondly, the author is actually incredibly sexist throughout the whole book - revealing that this book is for a privileged white, male audience. He flashes his wealth throughout the book by even saying "I come from a wealthy family" and 'this doesn't apply to an Indian family who need an extra $10'. And then talks about his sexual exploits with women, saying that one of his former goals was to "be with more women" - like women are collective objects. He's boastful about sleeping around throughout, referring to women in a derogatory way.
The chapter on false memories and child sexual abuse is shocking, absolutely no disclaimers, just a rookie spouting off information that he clearly had no idea about. He discounts thousands of horrific accounts as if they're something imagined up and to be gotten over with. An extremely precarious viewpoint.
The irony is that the author describes himself perfectly here: "People declare themselves experts, entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators, mavericks, and coaches without any real-life experience. And they do this not because they actually think they are greater than everybody else; they do it because they feel that they need to be great to be accepted in a world that broadcasts only the extraordinary." And this pretty much sums up the book.
Erika (17788 KP) rated My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots in Books
Feb 25, 2019
This is supposed to be the 'new' and 'definitive' biography of Mary, Queen of Scots. Honestly, there was nothing mind-blowing about this biography at all. Most noticeably, of course, is that John Guy is peddling is that Mary wasn't aware of the Darnley murder. I still haven't been given enough evidence to believe that.
Overall, this was an ok book that inspired an ok movie.
Overall, this was an ok book that inspired an ok movie.
