Engrossing and excellent biography
935456
The late Martin Booth was a writer of great skill and insight, and in Aleister Crowley he had a fantastic subject to examine.  The result is a thoroughly fascinating book.

Most of the things people 'know' about Crowley aren't true.  He was not a Satanist per se, wasn't deliberately much more wicked than anyone else, and frankly often felt put upon or victimized himself.  However, he was certainly aware of the concept of self-promotion, and to the extent he could, he reveled in his notoreity and reputation when it suited him (and played hurt when it didn't).

Crowley's severe upbringing is held responsible for bringing out much the rebel in him, and no doubt this is true; but the Victorian age itself was full of people who set out looking for the novel and for adventure.  Crowley's poetry and prose, much of it self-published, and his mountain-climbing in particular, is of a piece with the times and the spirit of the English.  Booth spends much time on Crowley's mania for climbing, and his triumphs really are impressive - but then so are his failures.  And Crowley did not handle failure very well at all.  People die, and not by black magic, and relationships are ruined.

There is a turning point in Crowley's life, where before that he was clearly a talent in the ascendant, his personality multi-faceted, his interests varied and success in life expected and frequent.  And then things begin to slide.  His relationships become more and more selfish, one-sided, and destructive; his drug use becomes more reckless and slips from his control; he becomes frustrated that his progress in the Great Work is impeded, that he cannot make headway.  His addictions, which once opened perspectives and perceptions, now block real gains.  He becomes more impatient, lashing out at life, the people around him who trust him and look to him for insight, insight he seems to know he does not really possess, might only just be on the verge of possessing.  The harder he presses, the more destructive and wasteful and self-defeating his behavior.  It is really sad.  Suddenly, he is an old and weak man, embittered and poor.  And then he died and it was all over.

Crowley was obviously a man of great intellectual power, of charisma, and of drive.  He knew everyone, knew a bit of everything.  Booth writes with obvious appreciation for Crowley's real genius... and so it is all the more a shame when it is Crowley himself, always pointing the finger assigning blame to others, who clearly is the cause of his own unraveling.  While a life well worth studying, Crowley is in the end not a powerful magician controlling the elements, but an old man in a cafe, waiting on an acquaintance or two for a game of chess to pass the time.
773963
A beautiful biography of a great man. It's refreshing to read a well written, incredibly researched biography of a community leader and teacher. He touched more lives directly than an celebrity. We need more books like this in the world.
3800956
This is probably one of the best biographies I've read to date. Sherwin and Bird bring to light the portrait of a man whose contributions to science and its ethical repercussions are greatly undermined and underappreciated.

Oppenheimer is best known as the father of the atomic bomb; but in this biography the authors have convincingly argued how his "child" was never properly raised to further the benign advantages of atomic energy. Repenting the manifestation of "Death that soon had become", Oppenheimer attempted, but ultimately failed, to dissuade the US government - at the height of McCarthyism - from augmenting its nuclear arsenal, developing the H-bomb, and in working towards the Bohrian policy of "openess" (a policy encouraging nations to act transparently in nuclear energy-related matters). Instead, he became the victim of one of America's greatest anti-communist purges and was forced to witness the world come within yards of Armagaeddon.

While evidence of very thorough research is palpable, I must in particular commend the authors for their rare and genuine ability to reflect upon what they have compiled. As someone who has heard so much about the man who was responsible for the deaths of a many hundred thousands, I give fulsome praise to the authors' ability to convince me otherwise and sympathize with him. I'd also like to note the very completed nature of this biography; it does not only focus on what Oppenheimer is known for, but also on the smaller details that ultimately makes him human - albeit a fascinating one!

A biography that fully deserved a Pulitzer.
2640580
I read three or four biographies a year and I'm invariably impressed when an author can bring a personality like Henry Ward Beecher to life.  Applegate has captured both the spirit of the time and the spirit of the man.  Admittedly I knew little about Beecher and the scope of his influence.  She also brings the characters around Beecher to life.  The book has both depth (obviously well-researched) and dimensionality (a terrific writing style).  It's clear that Applegate has immersed herself in every aspect of Beecher's life.  I actually had a hard time putting the book down - it reads like a novel.  If this is her first, I'm ready for more!
2193921
In this extensively researched and well-written biography author Kathryn Warner offers a new and thought-provoking look at one of England's most controversial kings.  While no attempt has been made to hide his overall incompetence or his irresponsible favoritism of Gaveston & Despenser, she offers new insight into the personality of the king and his relationship with his wife that is both believable and compelling.  She also offers a persuasive argument for his not having died at Berkeley Castle in 1327 but rather having died in his 60s in an Italian monastery.

For anyone interested in medieval English history, this is definitely a "must read" that will undoubtedly inspire further investigation of the era.
1562042
I've read all of Styron's fiction and all his published nonfiction, and was happy to find out that this biography explores in detail the mind of the writer who has created such beautiful, enduring prose. Author West has had unusual access to working papers, unpublished works, and early drafts  of Styron's well-known books, and is able to illustrate how the changes  Styron made during the editing process reveals his character. You couldn't  ask for a more deeply felt biography. In contrast to the main review on  this page, I also felt that this was one of the only biographies I've read  in which the connection between the subject's childhood and writing was  made clear. If the only book of Styron's you've read is the excellent  Sophie's Choice, this biography may give you more information than you  want. If you have more of an interest in Styron's other writing, this book  is a fascinating adjunct. By the biography's end, you feel you know Styron  and you hope he completes the "Marine novel" he's been working on  for so long.
1585172
This is an excellent biography of Benjamin D'Israeli. Pearson has nicely captured D'Israeli's life. He allows you to get to know D'Israeli during his many pursuits and love of travel. However, D'Israeli's written and political accomplishments are more so mentioned than that of his personal or private life. As a biography of a politician one may expect it to be very dry, but this is one biography that is not. If anyone is interested in D'Israeli and wants to be bombarded with dates and figures of his life than this is not the book to get, but if one is looking for a good read with a feeling of satisfaction at the end this is it.
Happy Reading
3904123
This is an excruciatingly detailed, 3-million paged account of the life, and family, and habits, and vices, and diary entries, and plumbing of a truly fascinating person. I am inattentive, and it took me three months to get through. However, it's an amazingly well-researched glimpse not only into one life, but into privileged and influential society across two continents and three decades. Well worth the effort.
2845275
Professor Kaplan has given us a comprehensive and compelling biography of a gifted and very complex man. Richly detailed and fast-paced, it surely ranks as one of the best biographies of the year!
719976
I know that a good number of people would purchase this biography on the basis of what new light could be shed on Ted Hughes' relationship with you-know-who, or through curiosity on what the infamous poet was really like, from birth to death, but either way, I think you'll be satisfied and a whole lot more once you put it down.

I checked this out at my local library and became immersed in every chapter in no time flat. The book is hard to put down because it is written extremely well and offers broad insight into everything that made Hughes who he was. It's obvious that Hughes was a very engaging presence even in childhood, and the biography, like so many others, inevitably plunges into his first meeting and ultimately unstable relationship with Sylvia Plath (an entire chapter serves as a quick summary of Plath's life before the fated meeting).

What separates this biography from, say, "Her Husband", is that after Plath commits suicide, the book carries on in Hughes' favor, chronicling his rather difficult life onward, indulging us with every detail as to the seemingly major damage done to his reputation in the wake of Plath and Assia's suicide, his short-lived relationships with the few women in his later years, his artistic struggles, and his eventual redemption. The book does not glorify him or draw a biased line just because it's his biography, although some would beg to differ; it simply tells it like it is. Some moments of his life were great, but most were rife with darkness, and it makes you understand that he was not a man to be hated for his indiscretions, but a man to be cherished for his grand vision and bold demeanor. There is no question that he and Plath, two extraordinary poets that made each other famous, have made their peace in the afterlife.
602364
A great combination of biography and social history.  In addition to Lange's formidable strengths and talents,  the author is not afraid to show her flaws. Understanding Lange's processes and motivation also made me appreciate her work even more than I already did. An excellent book on many levels.
1996555
Ron Chernow's monumental biography of one of the great men of American history is, frankly, not an easy read. That's not a reflection on Ron Chernow's writing, but on the enormity and importance of the events documented. It's almost more to be studied than read. It's not just a biography (warts amd all)of this amazing man (of illegitimate birth on an obscure Caribbean island who rose to be unquestionably the most important American who never became president), but it is a history of the period with superb glimpses into the lives many other giants of the Revolutionary Period--Washington, Adams, Madison, Jefferson, Burr, Monroe among others--as they interacted with Hamilton.

Allow at least a couple of weeks to read Alexander Hamilton. It'll be worth it.

Phillips Huston
4427722
This is the biography of a man as much as of a writer. I admit to preferring Forster's non-fiction to his fiction (although I find the continual disparagement of the modestly presented Maurice to be pointless, not to say unwarranted). And I am fascinated by the man. He is a window into so much from early-twentieth-century British life among the upper-class to British India to Bohemians (of whom Forster was quite wry) to literary analysis. Furbank is scrupulously honest and rarely falls prey to forcing an agenda on Forster's life. His goal is to reveal the man, and he succeeds. I suggest Furbank's book over any other biography or analyses of Forster currently on the market.
3802097
With a growing interest in the life and literary works of the English writer G.K. Chesterton, I was in the market for a modern, one-volume biography of the man. A friend suggested this book, and I am SO glad he did! As literary biographies go, this one is excellent. Coren not only  covers the great Chesterton's life with sympathy and humour, but also  manages a solid critique and evaluation of the writer's output...and  Chesterton's output was very substantial (rather like the man himself)!  What is a real joy though, is to read a biography of a fine writer, written  by another fine writer. And Michael Coren is all of that. This  well-educated, erudite, and witty man is a wonderful author in his own  right, and I look forward to further works by him. I suspect that a century  from now, people may be reading a biography of Michael Coren, just as we  can now read Coren on Chesterton. We can only hope that such a future  author creates as pleasant and stimulating a work as the Canadian Michael  Coren has here! I'll go so far as to say that this biography is a  worthwhile read, even if you don't care about Chesterton. Biography doesn't  get any better than this! -A wonderful book.
1031544
While I'd heard lots of wonderful things about McCullough's book, I must admit that I did not know much about John Adams.  Most of what I knew stemmed from American history classes or, more recently, studying Abigail in the light of feminist theory.  I was truly impressed by McCullough's astounding accomplishment - a thorough portrait of a complicated, interesting, flawed individual who played a pivotal - and under-appreciated - role in the history he witnessed and shaped.
With Adams' own diary as a resource - along with the vast amount of correspondence to which he had access - McCullough ventures behind the history and politics to talk about John Adams as a person.  He clearly conveys the passion Adams had for his country, friends and family as well as his frustration at often being misunderstood.  While the Adams that is revealed is perfectly human - flaws and all - the fact remains that he saw events and lived a life that few, if any, others of the time did, and McCullough is able to both describe how Adams viewed his experiences as well as, with the hindsight of a couple of hundred years, the long-lasting significance of his actions, significance that Adams probably never even imagined.  The result is an impressively vivid and relevant portrait of a man who lived during an amazing period of history.
There's no need to belabor the minor details of the book except to note that it covers an extensive period of Adams' life, one that sees his achievements, struggles and so on.  One of the central underlying themes is both the lack of appreciation that Adams experienced and that the the author clearly feels Adams has suffered from.  It is this obvious subtext that provides my only point of criticism.  While Adams certainly was an extraodinary individual who did not always receive the recognition he deserved, I did feel that others - most notably Jefferson - were treated less than favorably given the application of that particular perspective.  While Jefferson is perhaps remembered in a better light than that in which he lived, I did feel some bias in the comparisons between the two, particularly given that Jefferson, whose motives often appear less honorable and more devious than Adams, nevertheless did not experience as much harsh treatment as did the more controversial bu no less worthy Adams.
Still, despite this criticism, I found the book immensely valuable and endlessly fascinating.  I am an avid reader of biographies of all sorts, and I seldom have encountered one that renders such a comprehensive and candid appraisal of its subject nor one that brings the individual so much to life - and this includes books about those still living.  I could not recommend this book more highly.  Perhaps a caveat to consider some of the interpretation carefully is in order, but my concerns over a slight bias have only encouraged me to read - and learn - more.  I await Mr. McCullough's next endeavor with a great deal of anticipation and excitement.
111136
Isaacson's book is a meticulously detailed portrait of the life of one of America's greatest statesmen. This biography is not a whitewash, and Isaacson does not see the need to abridge or simplify the biography of a supremely complicated person.

This was not a quick read, and I frequently found myself paging back to earlier sections to remember one detail or another. But it was time well spent. This book deserves a place on your bookshelf.
954195
Intriguing and engrossing book on a person and subject I knew very little about prior to this.  Excellent writing style and almost reads like a novel.  Loved the accompanying pictures.  Well worth a read!