Seeds of Fiction: Graham Greene's Adventures in Haiti and Central America, 1954 - 1963 by Bernard Diederich.
In June 2012, Peter Owen Publishers will be publishing a major new biography of Graham Greene - Seeds of Fiction: Graham Greene's Adventures in Haiti and Central America, 1954 - 1963. In 1965, Graham Greene joined journalist Bernard Diederich in the Dominican Republic to embark on a tour of its border with Haiti, then ruled by 'Papa Doc' Duvalier. They were accompanied by an activist priest, Jean-Claude Bajeux.
The famous novelist was 61 and depressed having struggled to finish A Burnt-Out Case and was being plagued by religious doubt; Bajeux, meanwhile, had been informed that his family had been 'disappeared' by Duvalier's henchmen. As this trio travelled along the border they met a number of rebels and other characters later fictionalized in Greene's most politically charged novel, The Comedians, published the following year.
This major new biography finally and fully illuminates a pivotal episode in Greene's life and career in the kind of detail that will sate any fans of Graham Greene's work, but also provides a fascinating glimpse into a writer's life, making it an essential purchase for fans of literary biography. Including extensive new archive material on Greene and exclusive, never-before-seen photographs of Greene on his travels - some of the most remarkable portraits of Greene seen for years - Seeds of Fiction tells the story of how a series of extraordinary and often hair-raising journeys gave one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century new inspiration in his writings.
www.peterowen.com
Book review blog site, with some entertainment material from time-to-time.
Showing posts with label biography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biography. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Sunday, 18 December 2011
His life as a muppet! Writer reveals all!
20-year Muppets Writing Veteran Publishes Book About his Career Writing "Sesame Street", "The Muppet Show", and Many Other Projects
Joseph A. Bailey's book is a behind-the-scenes look at writing for Jim Henson's Muppets.
"Memoirs of a Muppets Writer", a new book by Joseph A. Bailey, was recently released by Walnut Press. The book, which Mr. Bailey refers to as his “aspirational best-seller”, recounts his experiences during the 20 years of his writing association with Jim Henson’s Muppets organisation. It also details how he made the transition from Madison Avenue copywriter to television writer and how he became involved with the Muppets.
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the early years of both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. It includes the author’s personal recollections of many of the key people involved with the creation of both shows, including writers, directors, producers, actors and puppeteers. He also describes the atmosphere of creative freedom and what’s been called the “benign anarchy” of the Muppet organisation under Jim Henson.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is also a unique insight into early Sesame Street educational philosophy and strategies and how they translated into entertaining material for the show. It goes into great detail about the show’s format and production. And, it also includes examples of Sesame Street curriculum, sketches, Muppet inserts, and song lyrics, as well as their rationale.
Muppet Show chapters include Muppet history, parts of Jim Henson’s biography, his methods of Muppet design and construction, and how the puppets are actually operated. Some of The Muppet Show guest stars for whom Mr. Bailey wrote include George Burns, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Rudolf Nureyev, John Cleese, and Peter Sellers. An entire chapter is devoted to seriously discussing comedy with Milton Berle.
One chapter describes how the author heard of Jim Henson’s passing and his reaction to it, as well as a description of the Jim Henson memorial service at the Cathedral of Saint John the Devine in New York City.
During the years of 1973 to 1992, Mr. Bailey worked on a wide variety of Muppet projects. He was a staff writer on both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. Additionally, he co-wrote Sesame Street and Muppet specials that included Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Big Bird in China and Rocky Mountain Holiday, as well as writing Muppet Business Meeting Films, collateral material, record albums, and scripts for special Big Bird appearances at Carnegie Hall and the White House.
Mr. Bailey’s writing awards include 5 Emmys, 3 Emmy nominations, a Writers Guild Award, a Writers Guild nomination, an Action for Children’s Television Award and a George Foster Peabody Award.
Living in Manhattan with his wife, Mr. Bailey indulges in occasional long-distance motorcycle trips and claims to speak French and play piano to the equal amusement of others.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is currently available on www.amazon.com and Kindle. Walnut Press, is also the publisher of the other aspirational best-seller, HELL is for REAL, by Gary Apple.
Joseph A. Bailey's book is a behind-the-scenes look at writing for Jim Henson's Muppets.
"Memoirs of a Muppets Writer", a new book by Joseph A. Bailey, was recently released by Walnut Press. The book, which Mr. Bailey refers to as his “aspirational best-seller”, recounts his experiences during the 20 years of his writing association with Jim Henson’s Muppets organisation. It also details how he made the transition from Madison Avenue copywriter to television writer and how he became involved with the Muppets.
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the early years of both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. It includes the author’s personal recollections of many of the key people involved with the creation of both shows, including writers, directors, producers, actors and puppeteers. He also describes the atmosphere of creative freedom and what’s been called the “benign anarchy” of the Muppet organisation under Jim Henson.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is also a unique insight into early Sesame Street educational philosophy and strategies and how they translated into entertaining material for the show. It goes into great detail about the show’s format and production. And, it also includes examples of Sesame Street curriculum, sketches, Muppet inserts, and song lyrics, as well as their rationale.
Muppet Show chapters include Muppet history, parts of Jim Henson’s biography, his methods of Muppet design and construction, and how the puppets are actually operated. Some of The Muppet Show guest stars for whom Mr. Bailey wrote include George Burns, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Rudolf Nureyev, John Cleese, and Peter Sellers. An entire chapter is devoted to seriously discussing comedy with Milton Berle.
One chapter describes how the author heard of Jim Henson’s passing and his reaction to it, as well as a description of the Jim Henson memorial service at the Cathedral of Saint John the Devine in New York City.
During the years of 1973 to 1992, Mr. Bailey worked on a wide variety of Muppet projects. He was a staff writer on both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. Additionally, he co-wrote Sesame Street and Muppet specials that included Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Big Bird in China and Rocky Mountain Holiday, as well as writing Muppet Business Meeting Films, collateral material, record albums, and scripts for special Big Bird appearances at Carnegie Hall and the White House.
Mr. Bailey’s writing awards include 5 Emmys, 3 Emmy nominations, a Writers Guild Award, a Writers Guild nomination, an Action for Children’s Television Award and a George Foster Peabody Award.
Living in Manhattan with his wife, Mr. Bailey indulges in occasional long-distance motorcycle trips and claims to speak French and play piano to the equal amusement of others.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is currently available on www.amazon.com and Kindle. Walnut Press, is also the publisher of the other aspirational best-seller, HELL is for REAL, by Gary Apple.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
A Heart For Africa By Moira Cooke
What makes an African person? Do they have to have black skin, to have been born there, or to have had African parents? None of which incidentally apply to Moira Cooke, author of ‘A Heart for Africa’.
Being an African person means being tough when faced with situations, like the time an orphaned girl of eight asked Moira if she would be her mother. It means making tough decisions, like why the Tanworth Starfish Fund, the charity run by the Cookes, can pick up this particular starfish but not that one. It means knowing how to react when a wrinkled old villager, or a prisoner on a manslaughter charge, or a community desperate for a school, a clinic and a borehole says, and with absolute conviction, “God has sent you to us!”
Yet, as the title suggests, you have to have a real heart for the place in order to keep going back and back to a continent where there is so much suffering and where, what charity workers like Moira and husband Robert achieve, may at times seem like no more than a drop in the ocean of human suffering
Yet this, Moira’s second book, is no dreary tale of hardship and poverty. Nor is it simply a liturgy of praise for the charity work the Cookes have done in both rural and urban Zambia. Rather it is a warts and all look at life in twenty-first century Zambia.
Think of the insight of Alexander McCall Smith combined with the adventurous spirit of Bill Bryson, and a dash of the passion of Karen Blixen to season the mix. If you enjoyed Moira’s first book, ‘Bwanakula Thandi’, then this second book, telling the story of the rest of the Starfish projects in Zambia, is a more than worthy follow up.
Read about Mr Banda, as slippery a head teacher as you’re ever likely to encounter. Empathise with pint-sized George, the ex high court judge now become chef, who sees off the white opposition. And laugh and cry along with Mr Chipotyo, the size of whose personality is perhaps only surpassed by the size of his glasses. Above all, muddle through with the Cookes as they work out what to do with the gift of a live and kicking goat or get stranded for five hours out in rural Zambia.
‘Moira has an engaging and pacey style of writing, as well as being moving, interesting and thought provoking. ‘A Heart for Africa’ is entertaining too and well worth a read. I know I bought it!’ Val Jennings Team Times November 2011.
An extract from A Heart for Africa is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Being an African person means being tough when faced with situations, like the time an orphaned girl of eight asked Moira if she would be her mother. It means making tough decisions, like why the Tanworth Starfish Fund, the charity run by the Cookes, can pick up this particular starfish but not that one. It means knowing how to react when a wrinkled old villager, or a prisoner on a manslaughter charge, or a community desperate for a school, a clinic and a borehole says, and with absolute conviction, “God has sent you to us!”
Yet, as the title suggests, you have to have a real heart for the place in order to keep going back and back to a continent where there is so much suffering and where, what charity workers like Moira and husband Robert achieve, may at times seem like no more than a drop in the ocean of human suffering
Yet this, Moira’s second book, is no dreary tale of hardship and poverty. Nor is it simply a liturgy of praise for the charity work the Cookes have done in both rural and urban Zambia. Rather it is a warts and all look at life in twenty-first century Zambia.
Think of the insight of Alexander McCall Smith combined with the adventurous spirit of Bill Bryson, and a dash of the passion of Karen Blixen to season the mix. If you enjoyed Moira’s first book, ‘Bwanakula Thandi’, then this second book, telling the story of the rest of the Starfish projects in Zambia, is a more than worthy follow up.
Read about Mr Banda, as slippery a head teacher as you’re ever likely to encounter. Empathise with pint-sized George, the ex high court judge now become chef, who sees off the white opposition. And laugh and cry along with Mr Chipotyo, the size of whose personality is perhaps only surpassed by the size of his glasses. Above all, muddle through with the Cookes as they work out what to do with the gift of a live and kicking goat or get stranded for five hours out in rural Zambia.
‘Moira has an engaging and pacey style of writing, as well as being moving, interesting and thought provoking. ‘A Heart for Africa’ is entertaining too and well worth a read. I know I bought it!’ Val Jennings Team Times November 2011.
An extract from A Heart for Africa is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
The Lawyer Who Couldn't Sit Still By Michael Simmons
The jetsetting adventures of a well-travelled legal professional
Hardback
£16.99
978-1-84624-630-2
In this absorbing biography, Michael Simmons takes us on a journey through his long, colourful legal career, spanning some 50 years and almost as many countries. From his early years practising in the City of London to his travels - for business, pleasure and often both - to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America, The Lawyer Who Couldn't Sit Still is packed with humour, wit and deep insight into the ways and wiles of the legal profession, which inevitably holds a mirror up to human nature itself.
Whether you are a lawyer, incurable traveller, both or neither, the author's breezy style and gift for conjuring up far-away sights, sounds and cultures make this book a true delight from start to finish.
After graduating from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Michael Simmons began a long and fruitful career as a lawyer, which as this book attests, took him all over the world. He remains a non-practising consultant at his current firm, and in his capacity as a management consultant, legal journalist and writer has delivered lectures to fellow professionals worldwide. He lives in London W14.
Sharply observed and appealingly compact biography by a leading lawyer with 50 years experience
Will appeal to anyone with an interest in law, and also the armchair traveller. Will make an ideal Christmas gift.
Revelations about his many interesting clients, including hoteliers in Africa, a prince in Dubai and a rock star in Sardinia
www.bookguild.co.uk
Hardback
£16.99
978-1-84624-630-2
In this absorbing biography, Michael Simmons takes us on a journey through his long, colourful legal career, spanning some 50 years and almost as many countries. From his early years practising in the City of London to his travels - for business, pleasure and often both - to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America, The Lawyer Who Couldn't Sit Still is packed with humour, wit and deep insight into the ways and wiles of the legal profession, which inevitably holds a mirror up to human nature itself.
Whether you are a lawyer, incurable traveller, both or neither, the author's breezy style and gift for conjuring up far-away sights, sounds and cultures make this book a true delight from start to finish.
After graduating from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Michael Simmons began a long and fruitful career as a lawyer, which as this book attests, took him all over the world. He remains a non-practising consultant at his current firm, and in his capacity as a management consultant, legal journalist and writer has delivered lectures to fellow professionals worldwide. He lives in London W14.
Sharply observed and appealingly compact biography by a leading lawyer with 50 years experience
Will appeal to anyone with an interest in law, and also the armchair traveller. Will make an ideal Christmas gift.
Revelations about his many interesting clients, including hoteliers in Africa, a prince in Dubai and a rock star in Sardinia
www.bookguild.co.uk
Monday, 29 August 2011
Party People: How we Make Millions From Having Fun
How We Make Millions from Having Fun - By ‘Secret Millionaire’ David Jamilly is an interesting book.
It's a semi-autobiographical book and is written by the co-founder of London based events empire Theme Traders, with the assistance of experienced author Tammy Cohen.
Party People contains expert advice compiled from the director of a company which has been at the head of the event management industry for in excess of two decades.
Party People reveals how a quirky brother and sister, who left school at fifteen, came to be running the UK’s leading events company, numbering amongst their clients some of the biggest celebrities in the world.
The answer involves a lot of hard work, a lot of good judgement and a lot of learning by mistakes. In this entertaining, inspirational and often humorous book, David Jamilly and his sister Kim tell the story of their journey from scraping a living as children’s entertainers (something they sort of fell into) to being heads of multi-million pound events empire Theme Traders.
The answer involves a lot of hard work, a lot of good judgement and a lot of learning by mistakes. In this entertaining, inspirational and often humorous book, David Jamilly and his sister Kim tell the story of their journey from scraping a living as children’s entertainers (something they sort of fell into) to being heads of multi-million pound events empire Theme Traders.
It also tells the equally fascinating story of the Jamilly family who started as cinema impresarios in the Middle East and became famous for entirely different reasons as highly successful entrepreneurs in London. (The family would make a superb case study for the Who Do You Think You Are? TV series.)
Their honest, warts and all yet amusing account of what they did and how they did it, which details their mistakes as well as their triumphs is crammed full of party tips, practical suggestions and enthralling real life party stories and will appeal to budding entrepreneurs, professional event organisers, and anyone who just wants to know how to throw an unforgettable party. It covers events ranging from shoe string budget DIY affairs to lavish dos and celebrity bashes. They have done everything from wedding anniversaries to organising parties to billionaires and royalty. Even at least one at Buckingham Palace!
A combination of biography, inspiration and practical advice, this book -described as a page turner page turner, a description I cannot disagree with!- from ‘Secret Millionaire’ David Jamilly offers the most compelling insight ever published about the Party Planning and Events Management industry. And the kind of person who can make a success of it!
Aside from being a self professed party man, David Jamilly (also a reasonably successful pop musician, not unknown to appearances on Top Of The Pops!) is also the founder of Pod’s Children Charity, the Good Deeds Organisation and the co-founder of Kindness Day UK.
The book traces their careers, starting at the family-owned Laurence Corner business. This was one of the first and most successful army surplus dealers in the UK and an important theatrical costumiers, too. Filled with quirky goodies from Zulu shields to pre war police lanterns, it was a godsend to people needing workwear, hippies, film makers and everyone and anyone who wanted something just a little bit out of the ordinary. Well, or something quite a lot out of the ordinary, it must be said! (The Christmas that your author bought all of his presents from Laurence Corner was one of his best ever, taking into account the genuine WOW! factor of the many and varied gifts that he made purchase of. They were also trying to sell a complete army field hospital at about that time. I wonder if they managed to sell it?)
The book is a very easy read, yet very informative, it costs £8.99 in paperback from Indenpress.
To purchase the book -at a discounted price- please visit http://tinyurl.com/3m2k857
Monday, 27 June 2011
We Live Forever - The Story Of The Woman With X-Ray Eyes
by Anne Owen and Peter Valentine
Reading 'We Live Forever' is said to be like watching the trees grow green in springtime. It lifts the spirit, and it lifts our awareness of the world beyond the senses.
'We Live Forever - The story of the Woman with X-Ray Eyes' is the fast-moving story of a highly gifted remote viewer Anne Owen who has been the subject of a great many press articles. Anne's remarkable X-Ray vision and extra-sensory experiences have had a remarkable impact on her life. At the age of twelve her remote viewing allowed her to avert a serious accident to the car in which she is travelling with her father.
This remarkable tale also describes Anne's development in aura seeing and the book includes instructions for everyone on how to achieve this for themselves. The story leads on to Anne's UFO experiences and she describes her involvement with a UFO crash, a Man in Black, and a young UFO abductee.
Next her interest in reincarnation develops, followed by a dramatic telepathic first meeting with her husband-to-be. Finding him to be her match in many areas of remote viewing, her husband Peter recounts his own development finally achieving his goal of finding documented proof of a former lifetime of his. Together they describe case-histories of people's former lives, showing the influence these can have upon us all.
Anne's exceptional ability to communicate with the discarnate is illustrated through case histories. A detailed analysis follows of how her astonishing X-Ray vision functions inside people's bodies with descriptions of the healing of many ailments including an African skin disease the cure for which was unknown to medical science.
Her clients have ranged from princesses and Heads of State to Ronnie Kray of Gangland fame. Finding herself at one of these parties which involved the plotting of a military coup to overthrow a Far-Eastern government, Anne warned the people involved saying if you go through with this there will be blood on your doorstep. Her advice was ignored and some weeks later television coverage showed images on the screen of the same man lying assassinated on the pathway in front of his house.
This amazing story goes on to cover some fascinating case-histories of crimes solved by this means, and the rescuing of three men trapped four decks down underwater in a sunken ferry (the "Herald of Free Enterprise") by remote viewing which was reported in the national press.
Anne relates stories of her involvement with some of her extremely wealthy high-flying clients, explaining how people can discover some of their own former lives; ending with a literally out-of-this-world perspective on the foundation of Western religion as some see it.
An extract from We Live Forever - The Story of the Woman with X-Ray Eyes by Anne Owen and Peter Valentine is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Imprint:Bright Pen
Published:Apr 11th 2011
ISBN (Paperback editions):0755213327
ISBN-13 (Paperback editions):9780755213320
Available to buy in paperback (£7.99) from www.authorsonline.co.uk; www.Amazon.co.uk and www.Amazon.com
Reading 'We Live Forever' is said to be like watching the trees grow green in springtime. It lifts the spirit, and it lifts our awareness of the world beyond the senses.
'We Live Forever - The story of the Woman with X-Ray Eyes' is the fast-moving story of a highly gifted remote viewer Anne Owen who has been the subject of a great many press articles. Anne's remarkable X-Ray vision and extra-sensory experiences have had a remarkable impact on her life. At the age of twelve her remote viewing allowed her to avert a serious accident to the car in which she is travelling with her father.
This remarkable tale also describes Anne's development in aura seeing and the book includes instructions for everyone on how to achieve this for themselves. The story leads on to Anne's UFO experiences and she describes her involvement with a UFO crash, a Man in Black, and a young UFO abductee.
Next her interest in reincarnation develops, followed by a dramatic telepathic first meeting with her husband-to-be. Finding him to be her match in many areas of remote viewing, her husband Peter recounts his own development finally achieving his goal of finding documented proof of a former lifetime of his. Together they describe case-histories of people's former lives, showing the influence these can have upon us all.
Anne's exceptional ability to communicate with the discarnate is illustrated through case histories. A detailed analysis follows of how her astonishing X-Ray vision functions inside people's bodies with descriptions of the healing of many ailments including an African skin disease the cure for which was unknown to medical science.
Her clients have ranged from princesses and Heads of State to Ronnie Kray of Gangland fame. Finding herself at one of these parties which involved the plotting of a military coup to overthrow a Far-Eastern government, Anne warned the people involved saying if you go through with this there will be blood on your doorstep. Her advice was ignored and some weeks later television coverage showed images on the screen of the same man lying assassinated on the pathway in front of his house.
This amazing story goes on to cover some fascinating case-histories of crimes solved by this means, and the rescuing of three men trapped four decks down underwater in a sunken ferry (the "Herald of Free Enterprise") by remote viewing which was reported in the national press.
Anne relates stories of her involvement with some of her extremely wealthy high-flying clients, explaining how people can discover some of their own former lives; ending with a literally out-of-this-world perspective on the foundation of Western religion as some see it.
An extract from We Live Forever - The Story of the Woman with X-Ray Eyes by Anne Owen and Peter Valentine is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Imprint:Bright Pen
Published:Apr 11th 2011
ISBN (Paperback editions):0755213327
ISBN-13 (Paperback editions):9780755213320
Available to buy in paperback (£7.99) from www.authorsonline.co.uk; www.Amazon.co.uk and www.Amazon.com
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
New Richard Burton biography to be published in May
The Myrtle Press is publishing Tom Rubython’s new book, And God Created Burton, on 15th May 2011.
The publishers state that the 864-page biography is the first proper and fully detailed account of the life of Richard Burton, who died on August 1984, aged only 58. In 49 carefully researched and written chapters, every aspect of Burton’s life is looked and examined. The book is over 300,000 words long.
The book is described by the publishers as a “sweeping saga spanning 1898 to 1984 - stretching from the mining areas of South Wales to the film sets of Hollywood.” The book is a sensational account that tells Burton’s story from A to Z and leaves nothing out – good or bad. The publishers are confident that there has been nothing like it before.
The biography focuses on three main areas:
1) Burton’s personal life
He married five times and simultaneously carried the life of a playboy for virtually the entire length of his marriages, sleeping with an estimated 2,500 different women throughout his life. The book examines in detail the six main relationships of his life: his four wives (Sybil Williams, Elizabeth Taylor [twice], Suzy Hunt and Sally Hay) and his two significant mistresses (actresses Claire Bloom and Susan Strasberg).
2) Burton’s finances
By his own account, Burton earned the sum of US$75 million in his career, stretching from 1950 to 1984. In today’s money, that sum equates to nearly US$500 million, making him easily Britain’s highest ever paid actor. The new book dissects in details those earnings, his expenses, and how he lost most of it in his four divorces.
3) Burton’s acting career
Destined to go down the Welsh pits and become a coal miner just like all his ancestors and five of his seven brothers before him, Burton instead was mentored by four brilliant men and one brilliant woman who ultimately took him out of South Wales, onto the London stage and towards Hollywood stardom.
Other highlights
*For the first time, we see presented the complete story of the terrible hatred that he felt for his natural father, leading him to decline to attend the latter’s funeral. The author describes how his father’s brutal behaviour, previously airbrushed by the family, effectively killed Burton’s mother.
* For the first time the full story of Richard Burton’s effective adoption by a schoolteacher, called Philip Burton, and the amazing process that saw his strong Welsh accent replaced with a voice that had no rival in its resonance and diction.
*The alcohol addiction that dogged Burton’s life and the continual arguments with his wives, who sought to clean him up and help him rebuild his life after drink forced his career into the gutter in the late seventies.
* For the first time, Burton’s remarkable intellect is analysed and discussed by the people who knew him best. The author concludes that there has never been a more intelligent actor in the history of theatre and film.
* The most comprehensive account of the last days of Burton’s life and the people he left behind.
* 64 pages of photographs, over 200 in all, chronicling Richard Burton’s extraordinary life from start to finish.
ISBN: 78-0-9565656-2-4
On sale from Sunday 15th May
The publishers state that the 864-page biography is the first proper and fully detailed account of the life of Richard Burton, who died on August 1984, aged only 58. In 49 carefully researched and written chapters, every aspect of Burton’s life is looked and examined. The book is over 300,000 words long.
The book is described by the publishers as a “sweeping saga spanning 1898 to 1984 - stretching from the mining areas of South Wales to the film sets of Hollywood.” The book is a sensational account that tells Burton’s story from A to Z and leaves nothing out – good or bad. The publishers are confident that there has been nothing like it before.
The biography focuses on three main areas:
1) Burton’s personal life
He married five times and simultaneously carried the life of a playboy for virtually the entire length of his marriages, sleeping with an estimated 2,500 different women throughout his life. The book examines in detail the six main relationships of his life: his four wives (Sybil Williams, Elizabeth Taylor [twice], Suzy Hunt and Sally Hay) and his two significant mistresses (actresses Claire Bloom and Susan Strasberg).
2) Burton’s finances
By his own account, Burton earned the sum of US$75 million in his career, stretching from 1950 to 1984. In today’s money, that sum equates to nearly US$500 million, making him easily Britain’s highest ever paid actor. The new book dissects in details those earnings, his expenses, and how he lost most of it in his four divorces.
3) Burton’s acting career
Destined to go down the Welsh pits and become a coal miner just like all his ancestors and five of his seven brothers before him, Burton instead was mentored by four brilliant men and one brilliant woman who ultimately took him out of South Wales, onto the London stage and towards Hollywood stardom.
Other highlights
*For the first time, we see presented the complete story of the terrible hatred that he felt for his natural father, leading him to decline to attend the latter’s funeral. The author describes how his father’s brutal behaviour, previously airbrushed by the family, effectively killed Burton’s mother.
* For the first time the full story of Richard Burton’s effective adoption by a schoolteacher, called Philip Burton, and the amazing process that saw his strong Welsh accent replaced with a voice that had no rival in its resonance and diction.
*The alcohol addiction that dogged Burton’s life and the continual arguments with his wives, who sought to clean him up and help him rebuild his life after drink forced his career into the gutter in the late seventies.
* For the first time, Burton’s remarkable intellect is analysed and discussed by the people who knew him best. The author concludes that there has never been a more intelligent actor in the history of theatre and film.
* The most comprehensive account of the last days of Burton’s life and the people he left behind.
* 64 pages of photographs, over 200 in all, chronicling Richard Burton’s extraordinary life from start to finish.
ISBN: 78-0-9565656-2-4
On sale from Sunday 15th May
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)