Can you please recommend an interesting biography?

the one about the PM having sex with a severed pigs head.

Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary which MN just sent me to review is very good! About the daughter of the last Maharajah of an Indian kingdom, god-daughter to Queen Victoria, and her life in the UK and unlikely involvement in suffragette movement, & Indian liberation politics.

I'm a sucker for the bios from cheap bookshops! Cheesier the better.
The Steve Brookstein one is a bit of an eye opener, especially if you want confirmation of how much of a cock Cowell is.
Roy 'Chubby' Brown (!!!) was really well written, enjoyed it a lot.
Dave Mustane has one of the best rock autobiographies going, amazing.

Hated Miranda's book, really annoying.

And if you like comedy then 'I, Partridge' is seriously hilarious!

Though probably not the right thing if you like celeb ones

Stella Rimington's Open Secret is really great. Released about 15yrs ago but really interesting. Obv the story of her career as the head of MI5.

Currently reading Tracey Thorn's memoir, Bedsit Disco Queen. It's an interesting read - it doesn't pack the same punch as the Viv Albertine memoir, but it's engaging and gently humorous.

Slippersmum It may be too obvious, but The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks is fantastic. It's getting a lot of publicity at the moment which sometimes makes me suspicious of a book but it is a really good read. It tells of his life in the Lake District and his battle to get his family's ancient way of life recognised as important and valid.

Harry Thompson's biog of Peter Cook.

Midge Ure's is also a good read. And I'm not a bookworm by any means.

Another vote for Alan Cumming's memoir Not My Fathers Son. It is superb. And I am really picky about memoirs. It isn't really showbiz at all. It's about his family history.

Also recommend Alan Bennett's two memoirs Writing Home and Untold Stories. They are massive and kept me occupied for over a month .

Viv Albertine's is brilliant.

Give Me Ten Seconds by John Sergeant.

I don't want to hijack someone else's thread but was going to start one on this very subject myself but I am looking for one that isn't written by a celebrity, something inspirational, rising from tough times that kind of thing? Anyone got any suggestions? I have had some wonderful suggestions on here (my last 4 books infact)!

I would def agree with the earlier recommendation of Clothes clothes clothes, music music music, boys boys boys by Viv Albertine. I loved it, as much for the music references as for her. She's fab smile]

Clive James' Unreliable Memoirs is very funny.

Growing up in London is not the title, btw! Can't remember what it was called. Something like, Janet Street Porter, autobiography

I really enjoyed Janet Street-Porter's autobiography, growing up in London. Also Benazir Bhutto's, Daughter of the East.

David Attenborough's is good.

I just finished Stephen Fry's Moab is my Washpot

It was published in 1997 and the reviews on Amazon of the subsequent two books says they are not as good as the first.

I would definitely recommend it, I really got a sense of his early isolation and 'different-ness'. It was very funny at times, sad and poignant at others.

Night Song of The Last Tram by Robert Douglas.

Autobiography of the author's childhood in 1940's/50's Glasgow.

It's a magical, funny and sad story but is the best autobiography I've ever read.

Another vote for This Boy by Alan Johnson. Yes his childhood was poor, but the warmth and affection which which he speaks of his mum and sister is truly inspiring. I work in the area he grew up in so I enjoyed that aspect as well.

84 charing cross road
Alan johnson - this boy
Loved Franz skinner's autobiography - he writes brilliantly
Very disappointed by pamela Stephenson-billy. Am big BC fan!

Not an autobiography as such, but brilliant writing by a young windower about his wife - it's not raining daddy its happy '. Brookes-Dutton

Alan Cumming! Not my father's son.
Mostly about his experiences delving into family secrets for his episode of Who do you think you are? - worth a read even if you've seen that episode (she says avoiding huge spoiler!)

Richard E Grant, Stephen Fry..

Miracles Of Life - J G Ballard's autobiography. Fascinating overview of his years in a Japanese internment camp in Shanghai (which he later fictionalised in Empire Of The Sun) as well as his time at Cambridge and later years that gave birth to the likes of Crash.

I see this thread is still going! Hope the OP has found something to her taste by now. If not, Viv Albertine's memoir, published last year, is an excellent read.

Empty Mansions, the story of millionairess recluse Huguette Clark. A fascinating read with some amazing photos of her various homes.

Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr.