Ivor Novello: Portrait of a Star - Paul Webb 2006 * * * *

Biographies are another of my 'phases'. I love them and have started drooling over all the possible books I can read on my favourite old stars ( as long as I can find them in the library!)
I have only seen Novello in 'The Lodger' and so couldn't really say I was a hard-core fan of his but after reading about his life in a lovely easy and entertaining way and seeing numerous pictures of him through various stages of his life I was hooked. Sad really that 'The Lodger' is the only film of his that is now properly accessable as all others have been lost or destroyed ( it always upsets me to hear that rare silent films have been lost of detroyed - my generation will never be able to see them) and therefore anyone who wants to know more about Ivor would do well to watch that first. I feel awful not knowing that it was Novello who was responsible for 'Keep the Home Fires Burning' which was one of the most popular songs of WW1. He was an incredibly talented and charismatic individual that doesn't seem to have been matched today on account of his quantity and quality of work complete with drop dead handsome looks. To be a genius is one thing, but to be an amazingly jaw-droppingly handsome genius is quite different as his looks opened up many doors for him in film and theatre.
Amazing book and so easy to read. I'm now an Ivor Novello fan.

Started 20th October
Finished 27th October

Someone to Watch Over me - Izzy Hammond 2007 * * *

This was another misery memoir that succeeded in pulling me out of my reading block. I sped through it, devouring everything Izzy explained about her ghastly childhood at the hands of her abusive father Ronald who was also deaf and partially blind. Her mother Emily was also deaf and so Izzy had no one to turn to when the sexual abuse inflicted upon her became too much to bear, resulting in her bringing her own children up in a similar pattern to her mother and neglecting them emotionally. I very brave story full of heart-breaking events that was easy to read.

Started 17th October

Finished 21st October ( with breaks)

Love, Honour and Betray - Kathy Lette 2009 * * * *

I never realised Kathy Lette was so incredibly funny but she is, and also has a wonderful way with words when it comes to describing people.

I had a bit of a slump this month and the last and as I approach the middle of October this is really the only book I have properly read ( flicking through my Adrian Mole volumes hardly counts!). I needed a book to pick me up from my rut that I have become accustomed to finding myself in throughout the months and usually when this happens I either turn to chick lit or true crime. Having exhausted the majority of the true crime books in my library I decided to give this novel a go, having seen it a few times leering at me from the shelves as I went past and I must say it really brought me out of my reading block. The story follows the same kind of format that most other chick lit books do in that the lead character has found out her husband is cheating on her and so decides to become an independent woman and in doing so win him back forgetting in the process that her children are going to prove some work to convince.

There are loads of hilarious incidents and some memorable characters and the book flew along for me which is always a good thing. Lette's writing is fresh and witty and she describes Australia ( where most of the novel is set) in a very eye-catching way that makes me want to experience the place for myself. I'll be reading more of Kathy Lette's work and more books in general again hopefully!

Started 3rd October

Finished 5th October