R Biography
Offers
Reviews
 |
Darkness Descending: The Murder of Meredith Kercher - Paul Russell
by kirstymc Darkness Descending - the Murder of Meredith Kercher Paul Russell, Graham Johnson, Luciano Garofano As someone with a keen interest of both crime fiction and true crime the media storm that surrounded the tragic murder of British student Meredith Kercher has had me gripped from day one. For those unfamiliar ... with the case - On 1st November 2007 the murdered body of Meredith Kercher was found in her Perugia home that she shared with three other students. Within days her room mate Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend Rafaelle Sollecito were charged with the murder in what the prosecutors was the tragic result of a sex game gone wrong. A third party Rude Guede was later arrested and charged with the murder. All three were found guilty. The book takes us throughout the case from the time all parties arrived in Perugia to the final guilty verdict. This was the first book I read on the case and I have to say that I was not impressed mainly on 2 counts - bias and writing style. I was expecting an in depth examination of the case and the players involved but what it turned out to be was an anti Amanda Knox propaganda written like a sensational article in magzines such as The National Inquirer. Facts seemed to be thrown out of the window and the reader has to contend with what is in essence the vivid imagination of the author. I found that for a factual crime account the style and tone of the book was totally inappropriate. From the opening lines of the book I was quite shocked by a tone that read more like a crime thriller that a factual account. Bearing in mind that this is a factual book the book begins: "In death her body is still beautiful - dark and lithe. She looks as though she has been aroused from a deep sleep" The books starts right in the murder scene and I feel that the description of Meredith was completely inappropriate and again more like writing you would expect in a novel. "A hole that is the size of her mouth . Someone has carved another mouth - gouged a second mouth on the left side of her neck. A flap of flesh, which should cover the gape like a lid, protrudes from her neck like a tongue." For me this style of writing is wholly inappropriate for a True Crime book - this was a real person and I actually felt many of the descriptions disrespectful and completely unnecessary. As this is a book about a murder I expected descriptions of injuries but I expect these to be written in a more clinical form. I also felt that the authors took a lot of liberties when describing the supposed thoughts and intentions of Amanda Knox. "Coyly Amanda continued 'And then I came back home to have a shower.' She let the image hang there, giving the officer a glimpse into a world he could only fantasize about." This type of blatant supposition throughout the book made me pretty much doubt anything that was said. It felt almost like this book had been written with no more research than reading the Daily Mail. The authors clearly had an agenda that was so blatant that it was impossible to dig out any true facts from the "crime thriller" style writing. The book was completely one sided with lots of crucial information left out. Even the front cover of the book manages to completely ignore the perpetrator Rudy Guede who was found guilty alongside Knox and Sollecito. As of writing Amanda Knox and Rafaelle Sollecito are appealing their sentences and the DNA in the case seems to be collapsing around the ears of the prosecution. Amanda Knox and Rafaelle Sollecito are currently appealing their sentences. Are they guilty? This book does is best to convince you that they are but sloppy writing leads you to no other conclusion than what is written is to be taken with a pinch of salt. Read the complete review |
 |
More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea - Tom Reynolds
by zoe_page_1 Tom Reynolds' work was the inspiration for the new Channel 4 show "Sirens" but that is not its first incarnation. First there was a blog ("Random Acts of Reality"), then two books (this is the second). Now with the show there is what looks like a 3rd book, also called "Sirens", but this is really just a ... compilation of the first 2 volumes, released as a TV tie-in. Had I realised that, I might have downloaded it instead as the first book "Blood, Sweat And A Cup Of Tea" is not currently in Kindle form. So, at the moment I just have the second half of the tales and cannot obtain the first half electronically unless I purchase the bumper version and also therefore get hold of the 2nd part again... Presently, "More Blood, More Sweat And Another Cup Of Tea" is in Kindle form for £1.99 while the double "Sirens" is £2.99. Neither is expensive, but of course this is a blog-book so all the material was originally available for free online anyway. Blog-books are a bit like the newspaper-column-books of days gone by. Some can be excellent, and others a bit stilted and disconnected. A few could really use some proper editing to make them suitable for reading en masse. My favourite was always Bill Bryson's "Notes From A Big Country" which, while totally random and unpredictable, had some many brilliant stories in it really didn't matter. This book is like that one. There is very little continuity (just a few "as I said earlier..." comments) and the chapters range from several Kindle pages to just a few lines depending on the topic, but I found it easy to read my way through it like a normal book, going from one tale to the next. Working in the NHS, I have some let's say "interesting" stories of my own. With friends who do the same as me albeit in other hospitals, our dinner parties can be quite enlightening. And yet, a disproportionate number of my stories come from the two days I spent with the Ambulance Service when I was doing my NHS induction some 7 years ago. It really is a fascinating and eye-opening sector to work in, and I knew from a few pages in that the author, with his many years experience, was going to have some fab tales to tell. At the same time, the book is one anyone could relate to because it is about human life as much as anything. Not all the stories are straight from patients' case notes - they also feature day to day interactions between the public and the emergency services for example, and touch on the bureaucracy within the service though the author is quite reserved when it comes to criticising the institution - perhaps because he was a public blogger with permission of his organisation, and makes it clear where he works. He also fills readers in on how the system works - for example response times as mandated by the government, how calls are categorised, and what info is supplied by the call centre to the crew on the road - which help set the context of what he is saying. He also works in both a regular ambulance and a Fast Response Unit (those cars that sit on the street corners, waiting for a call) which adds another dimension. Most of the stories are not earth shattering - we're not talking terrorist attacks or plane crashes or even crowd surges at a Justin Bieber concert. But, they are the sort of stories you can easily believe occur on a regular basis. Old people who have fallen down and cannot get up. Children making excuses t get out of school. Babies having trouble breathing. Heart attacks and strokes and broken legs. Lots of drunks, some nice, some less nice. Even the odd deceased pet. It doesn't sound scintillating, but mix it in with some comments about the individual situations - from carers who don't care to GPs who are on the clock and trying to get onto the next patients, to unpredictably helpful hoodies - and it all becomes a bit more interesting. There is some repetition in the book but it only serves to remind you of the continual drudgery of the role at times - from having to clean the ambulance and oneself after a patient has vomited to acting as a taxi and transporting patients who have no clinical need for an ambulance. Others have called the book "depressing" or "infuriating" but I would disagree, perhaps because I know full well what ambulance crews go through on a daily basis. It is a very hard job that is not adequately rewarded, but the paramedics I know continue to do it because they like it and know they are making a difference. This could so easily have been a few hundred pages of moaning and groaning about Joe Public, but apart from the odd gripe about snotty nosed children, and "materna-taxis", I thought this was quite an upbeat book which was meant to entertain rather than stir the public into action. The humour is dark - perhaps as you would expect for a book that focuses on sickness and death more than anything - but I honestly didn't find it depressing. It's quite detached and impersonal at times which helps make it less emotional but not in a heartless way - just a reflection of someone who goes on a dozen similar calls a day. I suppose if you spend hours at a time up to your elbows in someone else's poo, the choices are only to laugh or cry, and choosing the former makes this a much better book in my view. I liked the style: simple and straightforward, it painted a picture of its narrator as a no-nonsense man who tells it like it is. It's definitely more blog-speak than classic literature, but it was easy to read and well written in a chatty but not annoying way. He seemed a little overly keen on proving he wasn't racist, but though I would never have expected him to be, you could see where he was coming from given the reactions of members of the public in that part of London. I haven't read his blog, but I would guess these stories have been picked and chosen as the most entertaining or illuminating of the bunch. There is no "story" as such but it's not quite as fragmented as it could be, as there are key characters whose constant presence helps knit it together. It also makes it a great book if you want to read a chapter before bed each night, as there's none of that not wanting to put it down feeling you get with some novels. I read it, as I said, like a normal book in 4 stretches, and never tired of the stories or the voice of the narrator, though it did mean a few of them blurred together a bit in my mind. I thought this was a great read, and enjoyed the convenience of having all the blogs collected together for me. It is interesting, certainly, intriguing, entertaining and, above everything else, human. Highly recommended. . Read the complete review |
|
|
Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder - Rachel Reiland
by marymoose ---Intro--- For the past 12 days I have been in a "Crisis House" (a much nicer alternative to hospital), as clearly the stresses and strains of it seemed to have got to me, and I turned up for my appointment with my CPN telling her that I was on the verge of complete mental collapse and that she had to help me, but ... that first I had to go to work to deliver a farewell speech to my ex-colleagues (which I actually did manage to hold myself together for). As I write this in the yard at the house (although when I type it I'll be back at home) a new 'resident' has just arrived, and quite frankly he STINKS, AND he almost stole my Diet Coke which I have now hidden in another fridge. Anyway, this is relevant as the title of this book "Get me out of here" is how I'm feeling right now. Although I'm in here completely voluntarily and the staff are lovely, I will be SO ready to leave on Monday. Not only to get out of HERE, but also resolved and motivated to get out of this mental illness trap which seems to have sucked me in a bit, somehow being quite comforting. ---The Book and why I read it--- Having already read a factual book on BPD ("I hate you, don't leave me") during my time in the house, a staff member suggested that I read this autobiographical account. And although I haven't really had the concentration to read much lately, I devoured the 436 pages (447 including resource section) in a day, as I was completely gripped. Being a bit of a (self-confessed, admittedly) expert in the mental health field (just unable to apply theory to practice in sorting my own head out) I wasn't surprised last year when my psychiatrist gave me the diagnosis of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder - Borderline Type (Borderline personality Disorder or BPD as it is more commonly known). On telling people my diagnosis there are generally 2 reactions - change the subject abruptly for fear that I will boil their bunnies, or say "Well, I think we all have a personality disorder". Neither of which are particularly helpful (but I think I only really say it in order to get a reaction!) Yes, we all have disordered personalities to an extent, but not all to the degree where we end up in a crisis house with a man who STINKS. Thankfully medication has come a long way, and for the most part my moods are now more stable than they ever have been - present 'crisis' aside. ---BPD--- Admittedly the experience of BPD is different for everyone, and Rachel Reiland qualifies this throughout. And admittedly her experiences are VERY different from mine - I have certainly never been so extreme, and thankfully have not suffered from child abuse (although unintentional emotional neglect which to some extent draws some parallels). However, I felt that I really related to many of her experiences and thoughts. But more than that it offered me a lot of hope for the future, one where BPD wouldn't be part of my life (thankfully unlike something like Bipolar, with the right help it's not something I have to have for the rest of my life), and a future which wouldn't involve sharing a house with the stinky man (did I mention the smell?!) ---Rachel's Story--- I have read a lot of autobiographies over the years, many of the 'sob story' variety. But this is certainly not a sob story, and Rachel Reiland is not in any way self-pitying, which is refreshing. "Get me out of here" chronicles Rachel's journey through mental illness, particularly aided by her psychiatrist Dr. Padgett, the Father at her church, and the love of her husband and children. When Rachel first ended up in a psychiatric hospital she was 29, married, and with two small children. Her relationship with her husband Tim was strained, due to her severe emotional outbursts, and while she took motherhood seriously, inevitably her illness was having an effect on her children. Over the course of the year she had two further stays in hospital, both as a result of her BPD and Anorexia. During her first stay in hospital she was fortunate to meet her psychiatrist with whom she spent the next 4 years in therapy - 3 times a week (although this diminished towards the end) for a 50 minute hour (typical in therapy) at the extortionate cost of $120 per session - and bearing in mind this was the early 1990s. Obviously few would be able to afford such luxuries. However one could argue that since it's a matter of life or death (suicide rates in those with BPD are around 5-10%) then what price can you put on that? But still, it's an awful lot of money! Although to be diagnosed with BPD one only needs to meet a certain number of criteria (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_personality_disorder for further info), Rachel pretty much met them all - the black and white thinking (or 'splitting' as it is known'), intense fear of abandonment, self-destructive behaviours...the list goes on. Rachel's therapeutic journey is colourful and gripping to read. The highs and lows as she finally comes to deal with the issues from her childhood that led to her illness - and there are many setbacks along the way (which I can relate to). Her psychiatrist Dr. Padgett (while obviously well-paid) was clearly excellent at his job, and the reader (well, me anyway!) is filled with admiration for his professionalism, patience, and passion for his work. Their relationship is very intense and involves her 'falling in love' with him so-to-speak. Something which I can't relate to my own experience of therapy (my counsellor is pleased to hear this) but can relate to other relationships in my life currently. Her story gives me hope that in time I will be emotionally dependent on myself. Although I am an adult, in many ways I am still a child, and I have a long way to go to being more emotionally self-sufficient. ---In relation to my story - I am REALLY self-centred after all--- I don't want to say much more since I'd like to encourage you to read the book for yourself. However, certain parts really struck a chord with me: "Thinking came easily to me. But it also kept me at an emotional distance. It was as if I were watching a play, discussing the plot, finding the meaning, but forgetting that I was the central character, and that it was real." (p.90) I spend much of my life doing this. In fact, much of my time here has been spent thinking of this as an interesting chapter of my autobiography. As I write this another resident has just arrived. Now there are four of us. And I feel I want to go into the third person and say "Tonight Mary will be cooking bolognaise for the staff and her fellow inmates". But when it comes down to it, as Rachel said, this IS real, and I am the central character in my story. It's time for me to start experiencing how I am really feeling and in time to move forward in my life, much as Rachel does in her story. It's been an interesting experience in the crisis house and it's given me a lot to think about - more than that it's given me a chance to relax and be removed from 'real-life' for a bit (although being allowed to nip out into the community!) However, it's not just the house and the staff here that have helped. Reading "Get me out of here" has really helped me, and given me hope for a recovery from BPD. ---Finally--- I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys autobiographies, and anyone with an interest in mental health problems, especially BPD and Anorexia. Definitely read if you've enjoyed such books as "Prozac Nation" by Elizabeth Wurtzel and "Wasted" by Marya Hornbacher. Probably one of the best and meaningful books I've ever read, and that's saying quite a lot. I was crying towards the end, but mainly happy tears for how far Rachel had come. ---Technical Details--- Published by the Hazelden foundation in 2004, this copy retails at $13.95. I get attached to books that have an impact on me or hold memories, so have kept the copy as a reminder of my time in the house. I have sent them back a new copy of the book - £7.56 on Amazon. Definitely 5 out of 5 and a gold star from me (btw I got a Star Chart when I left the house, it was very exciting)! Read the complete review |
R Biography |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Genre: Biography / Author: Fiaz Rafiq / Hardcover / 352 Pages / Book is published 2009-11-19 by Health 'n' Life Publishing |
|
|
2 reviews Genre: Biography / Author: Rose Rouse / Hardcover / 256 Pages / Book is published 2008-02-04 by John Blake Publishing Ltd |
|
|
Genre: Biography / Author: Mark Rowlands / Paperback / 256 Pages / Book is published 2009-05-04 by Granta Books |
|
|
1 review Genre: Biography / Author: Jasper Ridley / Hardcover / 384 Pages / Book is published 1984-10-29 by Constable |
|
|
Genre: Biography / Author: Mike Reid / Edition: New Ed / Paperback / 416 Pages / Book is published 2000-11-02 by Bantam Books Ltd - Best-known as Frank Butcher in 'Eastenders', Reid tells his life story - Hackney wide-boy, sometime convict, professional comedian, TV and film actor: both go... |
|
|
3 reviews Genre: Biography / Author: Tom Rubython / Edition: New edition / Paperback / 628 Pages / Book is published 2005-07 by BusinessF1 Books |
|
|
1 review Genre: Biography / Author: Griff Rhys Jones / Paperback / 336 Pages / Book is published 2007-01-18 by Penguin |
|
|
Genre: Biography / Author: Johnny Rogan / Edition: 2nd Revised edition / Paperback / 358 Pages / Book is published 1993-12-01 by Omnibus Press |
|
|
1 review Genre: Biography / Author: Dougal Robertson / Edition: Reprint / Paperback / 224 Pages / Book is published 1994-10 by Sheridan House |
|
|
2 reviews Genre: Biography / Author: Craig Revel Horwood / Hardcover / 280 Pages / Book is published 2008-09-04 by Michael O'Mara Books |
|
| R Biography Recommendations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 back next | ||
| dooyoo Results 41 - 50 of 90 | ||
