Can you please recommend an interesting biography?

[WetAugust]

Preferably an autobiography.

I've recently read Andre Agassi -Open, Joanna Lumley's, Rupert Everett's, Duncan Bannantyne's and Alan Sugar's (which is the best and most candid I have ever read).

Am very open minded, so could be anybody's.

Thank you

Ooh, love biographies.

Frank Skinner, Lee Evans, Tina Fey, Julie Walters have all written great ones imo. Have also just finished a memoir written by a journalist, Damian Barr which was great called Maggie and Me.

Frank McCourt's Tis is wonderful as well.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a biography with a difference.

That does sound fascinating.

These are old(ish) now but a cracking read and very naughty - Cybil Shepherd (moonlighting, Bruce, Elvis!!). Marc Almond - very sweet but daft as a brush and decadent.

And for a much more intelligent read the Waris Dirie book, Desert Flower. She tells her childhood in Somalia, FGM and escape to the UK.

Oh yes, Cybill Shepherd's was good - managed to get that for pennies on my Kindle ages ago.

Rob Lowe's is very good (first one, think he now has a new one out) and also John Taylors.

Agree on Frank Skinner and the Henrietta Lacks being good reads too. I couldn't get into the Julie Walters one.

Thank you for the recommendations. Us bio fans obviously stay up late!

I watched a Horizon programme many years ago about her and the research. If I remember correctly they couldn't cells that would divide in vitro until her sample was obtained and the scientists wasted many years of research as samples derived from her cells contaminated most if the worldwide research samples.

How about Dawn French, Katie Price, the Liverpool chap who likes dogs and has a c4 late afternoon show and us a friend of Cilla - can't remember his name. Hate the obese that dwell on their miserable childhoods.
Have read Angela's Ashes so us the other Frank McCourt book very different?

Obese??? Should have said 'hate the ones that......'

Baroness Trumpington 's autobiography is fairly recent, and has had some good reviews. She's in her 90s, and has led a pretty full and interesting life! I recently read Damian McBride's book about his time as Gordon Brown's spin doctor, and I found that fascinating.

Kim Woodburns' autobiography - couldn't put it down once I started reading it!

Oh, and Jamie Foreman has led an interesting life (not my usual cup of tea but I bought the kindle addition of his book when it was 99p from Amazon). I am a big fan of David Jason but his autobiography was very disappointing - mostly about his pre TV days in theatre and hardly anything about his OFAH/Frost days, which is what I was hoping to read about.

Tis by Frank McCourt takes his story up when he goes back to America as a young man.

I really enjoyed The Genius in my Basement by Alexander Masters. He also wrote Stuart: a Life Backwards which was made into a film I think.

The Stephen Fry ones are pretty good - Moab is my washpot and the Fry Chronicles

Haven't read it but heard the Jennifer Saunders one is pretty good - might have to steal that one from my mam!

Memoirs more than biography but these are really good:

This is Not About Me by Janice Galloway
What to Look for in Winter by Candia McWilliam

Tracey Emins autobiography I found really eye opening, especially hailing from the same neck of the woods.

Oops sorry didn't read the bit about miserable childhoods - scratch the emin one ??

Dawn French is good.

I like the Steven Fry ones and Jennifer Saunders. I am a fan of a good autobiography, I've not read them yet but Harry Redknapp and Patsy Kensit are a couple I'd like to try.

I thought the Piers Morgan one from his days as editor of The Mirror was interesting.

Bizarrely the one by Andrea ? Kampusch about her time when she was abducted us not only interesting but very intelligent too.

Patti Smith 'just kids' beautifully written memoir about her and Robert maplethorpe in 70's New York