Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Count your blessings, 26 Oct 2008
I write this in late 2008 as the global financial system goes into meltdown and the credit crunch is really biting into our individual pockets. What Nella Last would make of our sickeningly materialistic, wasteful, 'spend spend spend' times I cannot imagine!
On a domestic level we could all learn a lot from Nella's money-saving, waste-avoiding methods. Her descriptions of the meals she contrives are fascinating, and her make-do-and-mend philosophy would put us all to shame.
Aside from the domestic detail, Nella writes movingly about her thoughts and feelings as a wife and mother living through a second war, and especially about the changing role of women and her own sense of liberation through war work.
This should be be required reading for everyone lucky enough to have grown up in times of peace and plenty.

Just read it!, 26 Feb 2008
I can only add to the unalloyed praise of others and wish that Nella Last could know what pleasure and enlightenment her "scribbling" would bring to others over 60 years later.

She writes beautifully and naturally, but what's most interesting is the way she changes as the war progresses. At the beginning she is sickly and weak, plagued with arthritis, and refers to a "breakdown" she had a few years before. But she determines to "do something" for the war effort and joins the WVS. From there she goes from strength to strength, and the evolution of her ideas is fascinating; she comes to see her conventional marriage to an old stick of a husband as "slavery". She's also very observant and perceptive of the people around her.
She writes lyrically of walks home by moonlight, and trips out to the countryside at Coniston Water, but also of the stresses of the blitz, the challenges of getting palatable meals on the table every day, and everyday squabbles and power games at the WVS. She has a truly open mind, always questioning and wondering what the future holds for her sons and the other young people she knows.

I don't want to say too much about it; just read it. It's one of those books where you long to meet the author; she really does seem like someone you know and admire.

Quite Incredible - read it, 20 Feb 2008
A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down. Nella could never have imagined that her diaries would have such meaning so many years after she wrote them. The detail is interesting in it's own right and well written. I love the ins and outs of Nella's life and difficulties. I am interested in the people she writes about. I worry for her sons with her. But beyond that, she has made me look at myself. I have started to look at the way I cook, wastage, how to make things last and go further. The book has made me consider some of my own personal relationships and opened my eyes to the way a mother feels and thinks about her son. It has had me thinking about my grandmother and how she would have gone through the same thing. I hope Nella can look down and know how wonderful this book is.

An Ordinary Woman living through an Extraordinary time. , 09 Feb 2008
This is a book that I really enjoyed. Nella Last is an ordinary housewife aged 49 in the second world war, and it is the story of her everyday life, and how the war affected it, and how she coped. I have total admiration for the people who lived through world wars, in whatever capacity, whether military or civilian. I think that we really don't appreciate their efforts enough, and speaking for myself, I really don't know very much about what it was like in war-time, other than what I have read or seen on tv. I empathised with her so much when her boys went to do their military service, and she tried to keep a 'stiff upper lip' while quietly breaking her heart. I loved the fact that she didn't just allow herself to be dominated by her husband, that she found her niche in the shop and the canteen, and she never lost sight of what she thought was important. These people went through so much, yet never lost their sense of humour, or their ability to make the best of a very bad situation. It is a great read, and a marvellous insight into the British personality, I feel. I wonder how Nella Last would feel, knowing that her 'scribblings' as she called them, were being read avidly 60 years after the war, and appreciated and enjoyed by people whose lives would be so altered had the outcome of that war been different.

Utterly engrossing, 18 Sep 2007
Like many other reviewers here, I bought this book having enjoyed the TV dramatisation so much. I was not disappointed! There is a great deal to enjoy as the diaries give so much detail about many different aspects of life during the Second World War. Nella's growing awareness of her own abilities and her increased self-confidence as she has to tackle new challenges are an indication of the changes in women's lives that would eventually surface during the following decades. She speaks to us so directly through these diaries, that you feel totally involved in her experiences. She also displays humour and perception, and I was sorry to come to the end of the book.

When the eminent novelist and biographer Peter Ackroyd finished writing London: The Biography, he almost immediately had a heart attack, such was the effort of his 800-page work about the "human body" that is this most fascinating of cities. And not just any human body either, but "envisaged in the form of a young man with his arms outstretched in a gesture of liberation... it embodies the energy and exaltation of a city continually beating in great waves of progress and of confidence."

Probably there is no one better placed than Ackroyd--the author of mammoth lives of Dickens and Blake, and novels such as Hawksmoor and Dan Leno and the Lime House Golem which set singular characters against the backdrop of a city constantly shifting in time--to write such a rich, sinewy account of "Infinite London".

Ackroyd's London is no mere chronology. Its chapters take on such varied themes as drinking, sex, childhood, poverty, crime and punishment, sewage, food, pestilence and fire, immigration, maps, theatre and war. We learn that gin was "the demon of London for half a century", and that "it has been estimated that in the 1740s and 1750s there were 17,000 'gin-houses'." Fleet Street was an area known for its "violent delights" where "a 14-year-old boy, only 18 inches high, was to be seen in 1702 at a grocer's shop called the Eagle and Child by Shoe Lane." By the mid 19th century "London had become known as the greatest city on earth." By 1939 "one in five of the British population had become a Londoner."

Though London's chapters vary meaning that it can be dipped into at random, Ackroyd is employing a skilful and continuous theme throughout, which constantly links past and present--the similarities of children's games in Lambeth in 1910 and 1999; the obsession with time--"in 21st-century London time rushes forward and is everywhere apparent", while in 18th-century London the church clock of Newgate "regulated the times of hanging." Above all, he insists that the "dark secret life" of the metropolis is as relevant today as it was in perhaps its most appropriate period, Victorian London.

Again and again Ackroyd returns to the image of London as a living organism, hence his use of the word "biography" in the title. At once awed by and intimate with this "ubiquitous" city, he stresses that "it can be located nowhere in particular... its circumference is everywhere." --Catherine Taylor

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Count your blessings, 26 Oct 2008
I write this in late 2008 as the global financial system goes into meltdown and the credit crunch is really biting into our individual pockets. What Nella Last would make of our sickeningly materialistic, wasteful, 'spend spend spend' times I cannot imagine!
On a domestic level we could all learn a lot from Nella's money-saving, waste-avoiding methods. Her descriptions of the meals she contrives are fascinating, and her make-do-and-mend philosophy would put us all to shame.
Aside from the domestic detail, Nella writes movingly about her thoughts and feelings as a wife and mother living through a second war, and especially about the changing role of women and her own sense of liberation through war work.
This should be be required reading for everyone lucky enough to have grown up in times of peace and plenty.

Just read it!, 26 Feb 2008
I can only add to the unalloyed praise of others and wish that Nella Last could know what pleasure and enlightenment her "scribbling" would bring to others over 60 years later.

She writes beautifully and naturally, but what's most interesting is the way she changes as the war progresses. At the beginning she is sickly and weak, plagued with arthritis, and refers to a "breakdown" she had a few years before. But she determines to "do something" for the war effort and joins the WVS. From there she goes from strength to strength, and the evolution of her ideas is fascinating; she comes to see her conventional marriage to an old stick of a husband as "slavery". She's also very observant and perceptive of the people around her.
She writes lyrically of walks home by moonlight, and trips out to the countryside at Coniston Water, but also of the stresses of the blitz, the challenges of getting palatable meals on the table every day, and everyday squabbles and power games at the WVS. She has a truly open mind, always questioning and wondering what the future holds for her sons and the other young people she knows.

I don't want to say too much about it; just read it. It's one of those books where you long to meet the author; she really does seem like someone you know and admire.

Quite Incredible - read it, 20 Feb 2008
A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down. Nella could never have imagined that her diaries would have such meaning so many years after she wrote them. The detail is interesting in it's own right and well written. I love the ins and outs of Nella's life and difficulties. I am interested in the people she writes about. I worry for her sons with her. But beyond that, she has made me look at myself. I have started to look at the way I cook, wastage, how to make things last and go further. The book has made me consider some of my own personal relationships and opened my eyes to the way a mother feels and thinks about her son. It has had me thinking about my grandmother and how she would have gone through the same thing. I hope Nella can look down and know how wonderful this book is.

An Ordinary Woman living through an Extraordinary time. , 09 Feb 2008
This is a book that I really enjoyed. Nella Last is an ordinary housewife aged 49 in the second world war, and it is the story of her everyday life, and how the war affected it, and how she coped. I have total admiration for the people who lived through world wars, in whatever capacity, whether military or civilian. I think that we really don't appreciate their efforts enough, and speaking for myself, I really don't know very much about what it was like in war-time, other than what I have read or seen on tv. I empathised with her so much when her boys went to do their military service, and she tried to keep a 'stiff upper lip' while quietly breaking her heart. I loved the fact that she didn't just allow herself to be dominated by her husband, that she found her niche in the shop and the canteen, and she never lost sight of what she thought was important. These people went through so much, yet never lost their sense of humour, or their ability to make the best of a very bad situation. It is a great read, and a marvellous insight into the British personality, I feel. I wonder how Nella Last would feel, knowing that her 'scribblings' as she called them, were being read avidly 60 years after the war, and appreciated and enjoyed by people whose lives would be so altered had the outcome of that war been different.

Utterly engrossing, 18 Sep 2007
Like many other reviewers here, I bought this book having enjoyed the TV dramatisation so much. I was not disappointed! There is a great deal to enjoy as the diaries give so much detail about many different aspects of life during the Second World War. Nella's growing awareness of her own abilities and her increased self-confidence as she has to tackle new challenges are an indication of the changes in women's lives that would eventually surface during the following decades. She speaks to us so directly through these diaries, that you feel totally involved in her experiences. She also displays humour and perception, and I was sorry to come to the end of the book.

Interesting for the most part, 20 Nov 2008
As a life long Londoner and a person well read in history this book was just up my street.

It was a well written book packed with all sorts of fascinating details. For the most part I enjoyed reading it although it could occasionally be long winded and tedious.

Limited history, 08 Aug 2008
Rambling, unfocused, poorly researched, and little real history. An enjoyable holiday read perhaps, but those looking to learn about the origins of this great city should look elsewhere. Most of the discussion centers on the 17th and 18th centuries and most of the anecdotes come from only two souces. The author could have taken the trouble to do a little more research! Very disappointing.

London Marathon, 13 Jan 2008
Couldn't/wouldn't get into it. Have read very little of it, and it was some time ago and I don't really remember it, so have no right to comment. Especially in the midst of such distinguished reviewers who have displayed the qualities required of anyone who completes the London Marathon.

But I will anyway. Viz:

I can relate to some reviewers' sentiments. Some, though not all.

One of those choice few I addressed as follows:

----

Talk of damning with faint praise! You seem to want to praise it like most of the other reviewers, but you let slip the fact that it doesn't really work for you until Page 772! Well, I personally can't be bothered to plough all the way through to Page 772 to get the gold! It's not as though there aren't any other books out there or other things I could be doing besides reading for that matter.

The following just sprang to mind regarding what [little] I've seen of Ackroyd's work:

[Onerous and] ponderous [portentous] tome, heavy with obsessiveness and lacking a certain leaven of lightness, charm and humour.

To my mind, anyway. Others have different minds, obviously.

Maybe I'll post this and see what happens if I dare to go against the flow!

----

Oh no! I've just posted it!

Well, I'll just have to sit back and see what happens.

'Tis all theatre, I'll tell myself as the brickbats fly. Ouch!

Sorry, sorry. I take it all back.

Ouch!

London in all its glory, 23 Dec 2007
I love London and am constantly excited about learning more about this, in my opinion, the best city in the world. This book is fascinating and if you can't get through it all in one go (it's a monster of a book) then you can dip in and out of it. I would recommend it to anyone whether or not you know the city well.

Love it or hate it..., 31 Jul 2007
Whether you love London or hate London, you have to admit that it has been a world-important city for centuries, perhaps millenia. Living in the place it is very easy to actually love and hate it at the same time. The detailed and well-researched book by Peter Ackroyd decribes the highs and lows of London from pre-history to 2000. The writer's strong and accessible style brings the city to life to the extent that one can almost hear it and smell it. Only one very minor quibble about people moving to the United States after the Great Fire - over a century before there was a United States - calling it the American Colonies would have been better. But that should not detract from Ackroyd's description of a city that was almost a country within a country for much of its history, and in some ways perhaps still is.

Georgiana Spencer was, in a sense, an 18th-century "It Girl". She came from one of England's richest and most landed families, and married into another. She was, beautiful, sensitive and extravagant. Acquainted fairly young with Charles James Fox, her move from parties to Parties led her to become the intimate of ministers and princes, and she canvassed assiduously for the Whig cause, most famously in the Westminster election of 1784. By turns she was caricatured and fawned on by the press, and she provided the inspiration for Lady Teazle in Sheridan's School For Scandal. But, luckily for her biographer, she also had weaknesses that were to taint her life. As gin gripped the masses, so gambling enthralled the aristocracy. By 1784 Georgiana owed "many, many, many thousands", and the creditors she acquired dogged her until her death, but the sterility of her marriage meant that she never came close to disclosing the magnitude of her debts. Amanda Foreman describes astutely the mess that was personal relationships for the aristocratic subculture (Georgiana and the Duke engaged for many years in a ménage à trois with Lady Elizabeth Fraser, who inveigled her way into his bed and her heart). She is, by her own admission, a little in love with her subject, which can lead to occasional lapses of perspective, but generally it adds zest to a narrative built on, rather than burdened by, scholarship, that is at once accessible and learned. An impressive debut, in every sense. --David Vincent

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Count your blessings, 26 Oct 2008
I write this in late 2008 as the global financial system goes into meltdown and the credit crunch is really biting into our individual pockets. What Nella Last would make of our sickeningly materialistic, wasteful, 'spend spend spend' times I cannot imagine!
On a domestic level we could all learn a lot from Nella's money-saving, waste-avoiding methods. Her descriptions of the meals she contrives are fascinating, and her make-do-and-mend philosophy would put us all to shame.
Aside from the domestic detail, Nella writes movingly about her thoughts and feelings as a wife and mother living through a second war, and especially about the changing role of women and her own sense of liberation through war work.
This should be be required reading for everyone lucky enough to have grown up in times of peace and plenty.

Just read it!, 26 Feb 2008
I can only add to the unalloyed praise of others and wish that Nella Last could know what pleasure and enlightenment her "scribbling" would bring to others over 60 years later.

She writes beautifully and naturally, but what's most interesting is the way she changes as the war progresses. At the beginning she is sickly and weak, plagued with arthritis, and refers to a "breakdown" she had a few years before. But she determines to "do something" for the war effort and joins the WVS. From there she goes from strength to strength, and the evolution of her ideas is fascinating; she comes to see her conventional marriage to an old stick of a husband as "slavery". She's also very observant and perceptive of the people around her.
She writes lyrically of walks home by moonlight, and trips out to the countryside at Coniston Water, but also of the stresses of the blitz, the challenges of getting palatable meals on the table every day, and everyday squabbles and power games at the WVS. She has a truly open mind, always questioning and wondering what the future holds for her sons and the other young people she knows.

I don't want to say too much about it; just read it. It's one of those books where you long to meet the author; she really does seem like someone you know and admire.

Quite Incredible - read it, 20 Feb 2008
A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down. Nella could never have imagined that her diaries would have such meaning so many years after she wrote them. The detail is interesting in it's own right and well written. I love the ins and outs of Nella's life and difficulties. I am interested in the people she writes about. I worry for her sons with her. But beyond that, she has made me look at myself. I have started to look at the way I cook, wastage, how to make things last and go further. The book has made me consider some of my own personal relationships and opened my eyes to the way a mother feels and thinks about her son. It has had me thinking about my grandmother and how she would have gone through the same thing. I hope Nella can look down and know how wonderful this book is.

An Ordinary Woman living through an Extraordinary time. , 09 Feb 2008
This is a book that I really enjoyed. Nella Last is an ordinary housewife aged 49 in the second world war, and it is the story of her everyday life, and how the war affected it, and how she coped. I have total admiration for the people who lived through world wars, in whatever capacity, whether military or civilian. I think that we really don't appreciate their efforts enough, and speaking for myself, I really don't know very much about what it was like in war-time, other than what I have read or seen on tv. I empathised with her so much when her boys went to do their military service, and she tried to keep a 'stiff upper lip' while quietly breaking her heart. I loved the fact that she didn't just allow herself to be dominated by her husband, that she found her niche in the shop and the canteen, and she never lost sight of what she thought was important. These people went through so much, yet never lost their sense of humour, or their ability to make the best of a very bad situation. It is a great read, and a marvellous insight into the British personality, I feel. I wonder how Nella Last would feel, knowing that her 'scribblings' as she called them, were being read avidly 60 years after the war, and appreciated and enjoyed by people whose lives would be so altered had the outcome of that war been different.

Utterly engrossing, 18 Sep 2007
Like many other reviewers here, I bought this book having enjoyed the TV dramatisation so much. I was not disappointed! There is a great deal to enjoy as the diaries give so much detail about many different aspects of life during the Second World War. Nella's growing awareness of her own abilities and her increased self-confidence as she has to tackle new challenges are an indication of the changes in women's lives that would eventually surface during the following decades. She speaks to us so directly through these diaries, that you feel totally involved in her experiences. She also displays humour and perception, and I was sorry to come to the end of the book.

Interesting for the most part, 20 Nov 2008
As a life long Londoner and a person well read in history this book was just up my street.

It was a well written book packed with all sorts of fascinating details. For the most part I enjoyed reading it although it could occasionally be long winded and tedious.

Limited history, 08 Aug 2008
Rambling, unfocused, poorly researched, and little real history. An enjoyable holiday read perhaps, but those looking to learn about the origins of this great city should look elsewhere. Most of the discussion centers on the 17th and 18th centuries and most of the anecdotes come from only two souces. The author could have taken the trouble to do a little more research! Very disappointing.

London Marathon, 13 Jan 2008
Couldn't/wouldn't get into it. Have read very little of it, and it was some time ago and I don't really remember it, so have no right to comment. Especially in the midst of such distinguished reviewers who have displayed the qualities required of anyone who completes the London Marathon.

But I will anyway. Viz:

I can relate to some reviewers' sentiments. Some, though not all.

One of those choice few I addressed as follows:

----

Talk of damning with faint praise! You seem to want to praise it like most of the other reviewers, but you let slip the fact that it doesn't really work for you until Page 772! Well, I personally can't be bothered to plough all the way through to Page 772 to get the gold! It's not as though there aren't any other books out there or other things I could be doing besides reading for that matter.

The following just sprang to mind regarding what [little] I've seen of Ackroyd's work:

[Onerous and] ponderous [portentous] tome, heavy with obsessiveness and lacking a certain leaven of lightness, charm and humour.

To my mind, anyway. Others have different minds, obviously.

Maybe I'll post this and see what happens if I dare to go against the flow!

----

Oh no! I've just posted it!

Well, I'll just have to sit back and see what happens.

'Tis all theatre, I'll tell myself as the brickbats fly. Ouch!

Sorry, sorry. I take it all back.

Ouch!

London in all its glory, 23 Dec 2007
I love London and am constantly excited about learning more about this, in my opinion, the best city in the world. This book is fascinating and if you can't get through it all in one go (it's a monster of a book) then you can dip in and out of it. I would recommend it to anyone whether or not you know the city well.

Love it or hate it..., 31 Jul 2007
Whether you love London or hate London, you have to admit that it has been a world-important city for centuries, perhaps millenia. Living in the place it is very easy to actually love and hate it at the same time. The detailed and well-researched book by Peter Ackroyd decribes the highs and lows of London from pre-history to 2000. The writer's strong and accessible style brings the city to life to the extent that one can almost hear it and smell it. Only one very minor quibble about people moving to the United States after the Great Fire - over a century before there was a United States - calling it the American Colonies would have been better. But that should not detract from Ackroyd's description of a city that was almost a country within a country for much of its history, and in some ways perhaps still is.

A great disappointment, 12 Aug 2008
Although 'Georgiana' is competently written and well-researched, I am frankly amazed that it has achieved such massive success and popularity since its first publication ten years ago. As other reviewers have pointed out, it perhaps fulfills a useful purpose in putting women back in the 'front-line' of the eighteenth-century political scene but, speaking for myself, I found the exhaustive discussion of the ups-and-downs of the Whigs and Tories tedious in the extreme and an almost total turn-off. This was doubly disappointing, since the rave reviews had led me to expect so much more.

Strangely enough, the most engaging part of the book was the introduction, in which the author writes with real verve and enthusiasm of how she was first 'introduced' to the duchess and how her sympathy and interest grew to such an extent that a full-length biography seemed to be the natural and inevitable conclusion. Would that this enthusiasm had percolated through to the rest of her work which I found to be both turgid and dull. Comparisons have already been drawn to the infinitely warmer, livelier and more approachable biographies of Flora Fraser, Claire Tomalin and Stella Tillyard. Being very familar with the writing of all these authors, and a great fan to boot, I am left to wonder why THIS work should be so celebrated, so well-regarded - and, sad to say, so completely over-hyped.

Engaging, 07 May 2008
I have given this review 5 stars because I think the book is well researched and an engaging read. It easily moves through the early life of the duchess (who originates in the Spencer family) and her movement through 'the ton'. The author clearly highlights the role of a women in the regency type period - feminism was unheard of and yet here we have a woman influencing politics and refusing to be constrained by her gender. The only negative comment I can make (and this is not a reflection on the book at all) is that I am not sure that I would like Georgiana very much and whilst I have sympathy for her loveless marriage, I find it hard to find empathy for a woman who lived in to such excess when many women of the era would have been grateful for a fragment of the fortune she had.

A brilliant read, but a bit over political, 03 May 2007
I found this book absorbing from the minute I picked it up. Amanda Foreman managed to mix the political elaments with the more social side of her life, to keep it interesting and to keep our attention. Even though I had been warned that it was heavily political, I still found it managable. However, as the book came towards the end, I felt that maybe Amanda Foreman was being pressed by her publishers to get it finished or maybe she was restricted to a limited word count. It seemed to become very rushed, brushing over elements in her life that I felt should have been covered, such as 'Little G's' wedding, both daughters' period of being debutante's and her sister Harriet's affairs, which saw her baring more illegitimate children, instead of only focusing on her political attributes. Maybe it was simply due to the fact that there are little surviving sources, but the fact that the last chapters are only appromimatly 10 pages long stays alot! Overall, It's a good read and I do recommend it, but be prepared to read alot about 18th Century politics.

An exhaustively researched yet highly accessible book, 09 Jan 2005
I found this absolutely compelling; I simply couldn't put it down. I found the politcal angle paticularly absorbing; the extra juice was just an added bonus! I also loved how Foreman points the reader to the ironies which pepper Georgina's life.It's really got me hooked on 18thc social and political history. I'm lucky enough to have a history degree, but this book is so accessible you don't need one; Foreman just guides through giving you all extra info without sounding patronising. This has to be the best researched biography I've read... if only my academic reading was as fun.

a well-crafted, sympathetic and vivid portrayal, 21 Dec 2001
Clearly well-researched, this biography of one of the eighteenth century's most enigmatic figures conveys vividly the tumultous world of eighteenth century politics alongside that of Georgiana's private life. A pioneer in women's involvement in politics, her role as a campaigner and society hostess placed her in the centre of the Whig party throughout its years of opposition; prominent men instinctively sought her advice. As well as highlighting G's pivotal political role, Foreman succeeds in capturing the moral ambiguity of the age in the private dilemmas her heroine faces: a hopeless addiction to gaming, her husband's mistress being her best friend, forcing to choose between her lover and her children etc. Although from an age difficult to empathise with, Foreman never the less makes G and her world instantly accessible. An Interesting and insightful read.

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Count your blessings, 26 Oct 2008
I write this in late 2008 as the global financial system goes into meltdown and the credit crunch is really biting into our individual pockets. What Nella Last would make of our sickeningly materialistic, wasteful, 'spend spend spend' times I cannot imagine!
On a domestic level we could all learn a lot from Nella's money-saving, waste-avoiding methods. Her descriptions of the meals she contrives are fascinating, and her make-do-and-mend philosophy would put us all to shame.
Aside from the domestic detail, Nella writes movingly about her thoughts and feelings as a wife and mother living through a second war, and especially about the changing role of women and her own sense of liberation through war work.
This should be be required reading for everyone lucky enough to have grown up in times of peace and plenty.

Just read it!, 26 Feb 2008
I can only add to the unalloyed praise of others and wish that Nella Last could know what pleasure and enlightenment her "scribbling" would bring to others over 60 years later.

She writes beautifully and naturally, but what's most interesting is the way she changes as the war progresses. At the beginning she is sickly and weak, plagued with arthritis, and refers to a "breakdown" she had a few years before. But she determines to "do something" for the war effort and joins the WVS. From there she goes from strength to strength, and the evolution of her ideas is fascinating; she comes to see her conventional marriage to an old stick of a husband as "slavery". She's also very observant and perceptive of the people around her.
She writes lyrically of walks home by moonlight, and trips out to the countryside at Coniston Water, but also of the stresses of the blitz, the challenges of getting palatable meals on the table every day, and everyday squabbles and power games at the WVS. She has a truly open mind, always questioning and wondering what the future holds for her sons and the other young people she knows.

I don't want to say too much about it; just read it. It's one of those books where you long to meet the author; she really does seem like someone you know and admire.

Quite Incredible - read it, 20 Feb 2008
A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down. Nella could never have imagined that her diaries would have such meaning so many years after she wrote them. The detail is interesting in it's own right and well written. I love the ins and outs of Nella's life and difficulties. I am interested in the people she writes about. I worry for her sons with her. But beyond that, she has made me look at myself. I have started to look at the way I cook, wastage, how to make things last and go further. The book has made me consider some of my own personal relationships and opened my eyes to the way a mother feels and thinks about her son. It has had me thinking about my grandmother and how she would have gone through the same thing. I hope Nella can look down and know how wonderful this book is.

An Ordinary Woman living through an Extraordinary time. , 09 Feb 2008
This is a book that I really enjoyed. Nella Last is an ordinary housewife aged 49 in the second world war, and it is the story of her everyday life, and how the war affected it, and how she coped. I have total admiration for the people who lived through world wars, in whatever capacity, whether military or civilian. I think that we really don't appreciate their efforts enough, and speaking for myself, I really don't know very much about what it was like in war-time, other than what I have read or seen on tv. I empathised with her so much when her boys went to do their military service, and she tried to keep a 'stiff upper lip' while quietly breaking her heart. I loved the fact that she didn't just allow herself to be dominated by her husband, that she found her niche in the shop and the canteen, and she never lost sight of what she thought was important. These people went through so much, yet never lost their sense of humour, or their ability to make the best of a very bad situation. It is a great read, and a marvellous insight into the British personality, I feel. I wonder how Nella Last would feel, knowing that her 'scribblings' as she called them, were being read avidly 60 years after the war, and appreciated and enjoyed by people whose lives would be so altered had the outcome of that war been different.

Utterly engrossing, 18 Sep 2007
Like many other reviewers here, I bought this book having enjoyed the TV dramatisation so much. I was not disappointed! There is a great deal to enjoy as the diaries give so much detail about many different aspects of life during the Second World War. Nella's growing awareness of her own abilities and her increased self-confidence as she has to tackle new challenges are an indication of the changes in women's lives that would eventually surface during the following decades. She speaks to us so directly through these diaries, that you feel totally involved in her experiences. She also displays humour and perception, and I was sorry to come to the end of the book.

Interesting for the most part, 20 Nov 2008
As a life long Londoner and a person well read in history this book was just up my street.

It was a well written book packed with all sorts of fascinating details. For the most part I enjoyed reading it although it could occasionally be long winded and tedious.

Limited history, 08 Aug 2008
Rambling, unfocused, poorly researched, and little real history. An enjoyable holiday read perhaps, but those looking to learn about the origins of this great city should look elsewhere. Most of the discussion centers on the 17th and 18th centuries and most of the anecdotes come from only two souces. The author could have taken the trouble to do a little more research! Very disappointing.

London Marathon, 13 Jan 2008
Couldn't/wouldn't get into it. Have read very little of it, and it was some time ago and I don't really remember it, so have no right to comment. Especially in the midst of such distinguished reviewers who have displayed the qualities required of anyone who completes the London Marathon.

But I will anyway. Viz:

I can relate to some reviewers' sentiments. Some, though not all.

One of those choice few I addressed as follows:

----

Talk of damning with faint praise! You seem to want to praise it like most of the other reviewers, but you let slip the fact that it doesn't really work for you until Page 772! Well, I personally can't be bothered to plough all the way through to Page 772 to get the gold! It's not as though there aren't any other books out there or other things I could be doing besides reading for that matter.

The following just sprang to mind regarding what [little] I've seen of Ackroyd's work:

[Onerous and] ponderous [portentous] tome, heavy with obsessiveness and lacking a certain leaven of lightness, charm and humour.

To my mind, anyway. Others have different minds, obviously.

Maybe I'll post this and see what happens if I dare to go against the flow!

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Oh no! I've just posted it!

Well, I'll just have to sit back and see what happens.

'Tis all theatre, I'll tell myself as the brickbats fly. Ouch!

Sorry, sorry. I take it all back.

Ouch!

London in all its glory, 23 Dec 2007
I love London and am constantly excited about learning more about this, in my opinion, the best city in the world. This book is fascinating and if you can't get through it all in one go (it's a monster of a book) then you can dip in and out of it. I would recommend it to anyone whether or not you know the city well.

Love it or hate it..., 31 Jul 2007
Whether you love London or hate London, you have to admit that it has been a world-important city for centuries, perhaps millenia. Living in the place it is very easy to actually love and hate it at the same time. The detailed and well-researched book by Peter Ackroyd decribes the highs and lows of London from pre-history to 2000. The writer's strong and accessible style brings the city to life to the extent that one can almost hear it and smell it. Only one very minor quibble about people moving to the United States after the Great Fire - over a century before there was a United States - calling it the American Colonies would have been better. But that should not detract from Ackroyd's description of a city that was almost a country within a country for much of its history, and in some ways perhaps still is.

A great disappointment, 12 Aug 2008
Although 'Georgiana' is competently written and well-researched, I am frankly amazed that it has achieved such massive success and popularity since its first publication ten years ago. As other reviewers have pointed out, it perhaps fulfills a useful purpose in putting women back in the 'front-line' of the eighteenth-century political scene but, speaking for myself, I found the exhaustive discussion of the ups-and-downs of the Whigs and Tories tedious in the extreme and an almost total turn-off. This was doubly disappointing, since the rave reviews had led me to expect so much more.

Strangely enough, the most engaging part of the book was the introduction, in which the author writes with real verve and enthusiasm of how she was first 'introduced' to the duchess and how her sympathy and interest grew to such an extent that a full-length biography seemed to be the natural and inevitable conclusion. Would that this enthusiasm had percolated through to the rest of her work which I found to be both turgid and dull. Comparisons have already been drawn to the infinitely warmer, livelier and more approachable biographies of Flora Fraser, Claire Tomalin and Stella Tillyard. Being very familar with the writing of all these authors, and a great fan to boot, I am left to wonder why THIS work should be so celebrated, so well-regarded - and, sad to say, so completely over-hyped.

Engaging, 07 May 2008
I have given this review 5 stars because I think the book is well researched and an engaging read. It easily moves through the early life of the duchess (who originates in the Spencer family) and her movement through 'the ton'. The author clearly highlights the role of a women in the regency type period - feminism was unheard of and yet here we have a woman influencing politics and refusing to be constrained by her gender. The only negative comment I can make (and this is not a reflection on the book at all) is that I am not sure that I would like Georgiana very much and whilst I have sympathy for her loveless marriage, I find it hard to find empathy for a woman who lived in to such excess when many women of the era would have been grateful for a fragment of the fortune she had.

A brilliant read, but a bit over political, 03 May 2007
I found this book absorbing from the minute I picked it up. Amanda Foreman managed to mix the political elaments with the more social side of her life, to keep it interesting and to keep our attention. Even though I had been warned that it was heavily political, I still found it managable. However, as the book came towards the end, I felt that maybe Amanda Foreman was being pressed by her publishers to get it finished or maybe she was restricted to a limited word count. It seemed to become very rushed, brushing over elements in her life that I felt should have been covered, such as 'Little G's' wedding, both daughters' period of being debutante's and her sister Harriet's affairs, which saw her baring more illegitimate children, instead of only focusing on her political attributes. Maybe it was simply due to the fact that there are little surviving sources, but the fact that the last chapters are only appromimatly 10 pages long stays alot! Overall, It's a good read and I do recommend it, but be prepared to read alot about 18th Century politics.

An exhaustively researched yet highly accessible book, 09 Jan 2005
I found this absolutely compelling; I simply couldn't put it down. I found the politcal angle paticularly absorbing; the extra juice was just an added bonus! I also loved how Foreman points the reader to the ironies which pepper Georgina's life.It's really got me hooked on 18thc social and political history. I'm lucky enough to have a history degree, but this book is so accessible you don't need one; Foreman just guides through giving you all extra info without sounding patronising. This has to be the best researched biography I've read... if only my academic reading was as fun.

a well-crafted, sympathetic and vivid portrayal, 21 Dec 2001
Clearly well-researched, this biography of one of the eighteenth century's most enigmatic figures conveys vividly the tumultous world of eighteenth century politics alongside that of Georgiana's private life. A pioneer in women's involvement in politics, her role as a campaigner and society hostess placed her in the centre of the Whig party throughout its years of opposition; prominent men instinctively sought her advice. As well as highlighting G's pivotal political role, Foreman succeeds in capturing the moral ambiguity of the age in the private dilemmas her heroine faces: a hopeless addiction to gaming, her husband's mistress being her best friend, forcing to choose between her lover and her children etc. Although from an age difficult to empathise with, Foreman never the less makes G and her world instantly accessible. An Interesting and insightful read.

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Simple but elegantly written, 20 Nov 2008
Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.

Best Book I've read in 10 yrs., 20 Nov 2008
He describes his childhood to manhood in such a sensitive & interesting way. An honest & frank look at race issues that he had to consider due to his mixed race & ancestry. Until I'd read the book, I hadn't realised how deep he was. I Highly Recommend this book! Once I started it , I then looked forward to my next train journeys, to get the next instalment. And its now solved my Xmas gift ideas! I'm buying 10 x copies for friends & family. Great Writer!

Touching and sincere, 16 Nov 2008
This book was written so beutifully, that even the most mundane information evokes emotions that can't be explained. The chapter in which he describes his only memories of his father from about age ten is the part that really got me. Obama shares the memory of the one and only time his father taught him to dance. "Come Barry,my father said. "You will learn from the master" And suddenly his slender body was swaying back and forth, the lush sound was rising, his arms were swinging...." I became teary eyed while reading that part on the tube on the way to a job interview. I felt sorry that this young boy held onto all that he could of his father. Obama goes onto describe many years of his child and adult life. This is a must read for book fans, even if Obama hadn't become the first black American president he was still one hell of a writer.

Moving,engaging and inspiring, 15 Nov 2008
I have just finished President elect Obama's book. I could not put it down,and could not believe it was written by a politician.

He gives an honest account of his journey into his self, and search for his identity and roots.

I feel I have a real sense of the man, after reading this book. He is self aware, and I enjoyed his ability to share his struggles with readers.I could pick up on his sense of sadness, and confusion in his journey.


His work in the South side of Chicago, definitely gave him the grounding for the brilliant campaign he ran for the presidency.

I particularly enjoyed his description of his journey to Kenya, which I have travelled to several times.

This is definitely one of the best memoirs I have read.He writes with sensitivity,and is able to connect with his readers.

It gives me a lot of insight into the values,and background of the next president of the United States.



Perceptive, sensitive, funny, self-ironic, 13 Nov 2008
This was an unexpectedly fantastic read: how could a man who (later)decided to go into politics be so honest, so self-searching, so willing to explore beneath the surfaces? The fact that the author is now the US president-elect makes it all the more intriguing, but the autobiography is wonderful even without that extra 'icing on the cake'. Obama has a sensitivity to his own and others' weaknesses and strengths; he sees through the facade but is forgiving of people's foibles. What he has to say about being of mixed race is very much worth listening to: all those who just don't get the problems in US ghettoes or African countries might learn something here. His search for his own identity--the archetypical hero's journey to find the father--is both funny and very touching; the immense disappointment becomes a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is a man who crosses many bridges: between black and white, men and women, 'West' and 'Third World', past and present. Buy it--and enjoy it!

What a find!!! An absolute treasure trove., 17 Oct 2008
I don't usually read diaries but this caught my eye and I decided to give it a go as I generally read war books. From page one it became a treasure trove of snippets from a bygone era. How a family strove to make ends meet through severe hardship during ww1. Thomas makes light of it all with wit, charm and such delightful drawings of news items or his family.
Shaun sewell has made a great discovery and shared it with the nation. We must thank you for that and just hope Harper collins will see fit to produce book 2 from 1919 t0 1933. I only hope someone will find the pre war diaries that might have started as early as 1905 whilst thomas was courting Agnes.
This is a real gem, set in Glasgow it gives us all another angle on the great war, A great social history, and whether you are from the North, the south, England, scotland, Ireland or Wales it will appeal to all.

A Delight, 20 Sep 2008
This book is a delight, a gem. The original illustrations take the diaries beyond the mundane, and Thomas Livingstone's gentle humour enlivens the often dreary weather and seemingly constant worries over Agnes health. Zeplins, Chimneys, the wash house, news from the front, the ironing, the cost of coal..... all of life is here. You will love it!

Glasgow's WWI Kiss, 19 Sep 2008
Well, what a find, I am normally an avid veiwer of the Antiques Roadshow but must have missed the autumn 2007 episode at alnwick castle which featured the original MSS of these diaries, these are, I think unique, part facsimilie MSS part typeset, the diaries are illustrated throughout by Thomas Cairns Livingstone, a well to do Glasweigian shipping clerk, the diaries span the best part of 30 years, but here we have the best bits, the Great War years, plus a few entries for 1933, depression era (how spookily apt for today) I am a collector of WWI Diaries, I like seeing the great war from all angles, but I have never come across one like these, and i don't think there will be another set like these published, I can rave on about how superb they are, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I am sure you will agree, it will be the best money you've ever spent, open the pages of Thomas Cairns livingstone's diaries and let him talk to you himself and be transported back to Post Edwardian Glasgow

Count your blessings, 26 Oct 2008
I write this in late 2008 as the global financial system goes into meltdown and the credit crunch is really biting into our individual pockets. What Nella Last would make of our sickeningly materialistic, wasteful, 'spend spend spend' times I cannot imagine!
On a domestic level we could all learn a lot from Nella's money-saving, waste-avoiding methods. Her descriptions of the meals she contrives are fascinating, and her make-do-and-mend philosophy would put us all to shame.
Aside from the domestic detail, Nella writes movingly about her thoughts and feelings as a wife and mother living through a second war, and especially about the changing role of women and her own sense of liberation through war work.
This should be be required reading for everyone lucky enough to have grown up in times of peace and plenty.

Just read it!, 26 Feb 2008
I can only add to the unalloyed praise of others and wish that Nella Last could know what pleasure and enlightenment her "scribbling" would bring to others over 60 years later.

She writes beautifully and naturally, but what's most interesting is the way she changes as the war progresses. At the beginning she is sickly and weak, plagued with arthritis, and refers to a "breakdown" she had a few years before. But she determines to "do something" for the war effort and joins the WVS. From there she goes from strength to strength, and the evolution of her ideas is fascinating; she comes to see her conventional marriage to an old stick of a husband as "slavery". She's also very observant and perceptive of the people around her.
She writes lyrically of walks home by moonlight, and trips out to the countryside at Coniston Water, but also of the stresses of the blitz, the challenges of getting palatable meals on the table every day, and everyday squabbles and power games at the WVS. She has a truly open mind, always questioning and wondering what the future holds for her sons and the other young people she knows.

I don't want to say too much about it; just read it. It's one of those books where you long to meet the author; she really does seem like someone you know and admire.

Quite Incredible - read it, 20 Feb 2008
A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down. Nella could never have imagined that her diaries would have such meaning so many years after she wrote them. The detail is interesting in it's own right and well written. I love the ins and outs of Nella's life and difficulties. I am interested in the people she writes about. I worry for her sons with her. But beyond that, she has made me look at myself. I have started to look at the way I cook, wastage, how to make things last and go further. The book has made me consider some of my own personal relationships and opened my eyes to the way a mother feels and thinks about her son. It has had me thinking about my grandmother and how she would have gone through the same thing. I hope Nella can look down and know how wonderful this book is.

An Ordinary Woman living through an Extraordinary time. , 09 Feb 2008
This is a book that I really enjoyed. Nella Last is an ordinary housewife aged 49 in the second world war, and it is the story of her everyday life, and how the war affected it, and how she coped. I have total admiration for the people who lived through world wars, in whatever capacity, whether military or civilian. I think that we really don't appreciate their efforts enough, and speaking for myself, I really don't know very much about what it was like in war-time, other than what I have read or seen on tv. I empathised with her so much when her boys went to do their military service, and she tried to keep a 'stiff upper lip' while quietly breaking her heart. I loved the fact that she didn't just allow herself to be dominated by her husband, that she found her niche in the shop and the canteen, and she never lost sight of what she thought was important. These people went through so much, yet never lost their sense of humour, or their ability to make the best of a very bad situation. It is a great read, and a marvellous insight into the British personality, I feel. I wonder how Nella Last would feel, knowing that her 'scribblings' as she called them, were being read avidly 60 years after the war, and appreciated and enjoyed by people whose lives would be so altered had the outcome of that war been different.

Utterly engrossing, 18 Sep 2007
Like many other reviewers here, I bought this book having enjoyed the TV dramatisation so much. I was not disappointed! There is a great deal to enjoy as the diaries give so much detail about many different aspects of life during the Second World War. Nella's growing awareness of her own abilities and her increased self-confidence as she has to tackle new challenges are an indication of the changes in women's lives that would eventually surface during the following decades. She speaks to us so directly through these diaries, that you feel totally involved in her experiences