Apologies for typos - cat sitting on keyboard, getting in the way as usual...

I didn't know there was a biog of Lee Miller - I love love love her photography.

I recently read a absolutely compelling biog of Martha Gellhorn. Another fascinating, very damaged and driven woman.

Emma

I'd be interested in reading that, Emma. Obviously, lots of crossover between MG and LM. Incredible women, wot?

Yes, it's by Caroline Moorehead, who knew her at the end of her life when she was living in London. Really well-written, too. Ought to be compulsory reading for Hemingway-worshippers, too, not because it does a hatchet job on him, but just to even things up...

Another biog I thought was fantastically good was Meredith Daneman's of Margot Fonteyn. You need another dancer to really get under the skin of such a subject, I think, and she succeeded.

Emma

I'm not sure that this counts (as he was more of a film-maker than a writer), but I love 'Derek Jarman's Garden' - a simple and evocative glimpse at the final months of Jarman's life.

Not a biography, as such, but snippets which suits my attention span. The Scotsman has reviewed a new book being published by Canongate later this month - The Paris Review Interviews: Vol 1 which looks to be a fabulous collection. The review is here.

If you can't get in (you might have to sign up) let me know and I should be able to copy and paste the article.

The Paris Review books are wonderful. They've published themed collections, but the serendipity of a general collection must be a particular treat.

Emma

Canongate are publishing 3 volumes. It looks like a wonderful collection and The Paris Review appears to obtain the juicy details that would make fascinating reading.

Another book for the list then

Hello

Two that come to mind for me are:

Timebends: Arthur Miller

Thomas Hardy: Time torn man: Claire Tomalin [the most expensive book I bought myself for Christmas!]


Jen

My partner was given the Hardy biog for Christmas, too! He's loving it - keeps telling me that it should be the next book I read.

The new biography of Edith Wharton by Hermione Lee is very good...

Roald Dahl's autobiogs 'Boy' and 'Solo' are unputdownables.

Pete

I absolutely love Margaret Forster's biography of Daphne du Maurier. I've read it so many times...wish I could write like MF!

Not strictly a biography, but Steinbeck's 'a life in letters' is definitely the best i've read, and far more insightfull than a biography - perhaps even an autobiography. What a man! makes you want to write all day and all night.

Yes, the Daphne du Maurier is terrifically good.

At the opposite end of the timescale (have I mentioned this higher up the thread?) is Christina Hardyment's Malory - very good research, filled out with honestly admitteded to informed speculation. Also very well written.

Emma