A new collection of memoirs and biographies has arrived, offering a fascinating glimpse into worlds of glittering success, personal struggle, culinary passion, and profound loss. These books, available now, span from the lavish offices of 1990s New York media to the intimate challenges of life in the UK today.
The Glittering Past and Personal Battles
In 'When The Going Was Good', former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter reminisces about what he now sees as a golden age. He writes, 'You never know when you’re in a golden age. You only realise it was golden when it’s over.' Carter details an era of extraordinary extravagance, where journalists received interest-free loans for apartments and were lodged in luxury hotels for months for research. He also revisits his famous labelling of Donald Trump as a 'short-fingered vulgarian' during his Spy magazine days, a jibe Trump reportedly remains sensitive about.
In stark contrast, former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips delivers a heartbreakingly powerful memoir in 'Remember When'. Phillips, diagnosed with early-onset dementia at 61, describes her journey with the disease that also afflicted her parents. She initially attributed her symptoms to menopause, noting her decline was 'a never-ending trudge down a tunnel'. The book's final sections are written by her husband, Martin, as the condition progressed. He movingly states, 'Bit by bit, it takes everything.' Phillips participated in drug trials, though new treatments may come too late for her.
Culinary Journeys and Comedic Reflections
Food writer Bee Wilson's 'The Heart-Shaped Tin' explores the deep emotional connections we forge with everyday objects. The catalyst was the heart-shaped tin used for her wedding cake, which fell at her feet after her 22-year marriage ended. She examines items from a family rotary whisk to a spoon secretly made by a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi factory, revealing their profound significance.
Nigel Slater, in 'A Thousand Feasts', reflects on his journey from a Midlands childhood kitchen that 'smelled of warm ironing and wet dog' to a life of exquisite gastronomy. He shares his daily rituals, including writing by candlelight with a fountain pen and drinking green tea from specific ceramics. Meanwhile, comedian Helen Lederer offers witty self-reflection in 'Not That I’m Bitter'. The Absolutely Fabulous star hilariously recounts her path through the male-dominated comedy scene of the 1980s and her struggles with self-image, once joking that on steroids she 'looked like an emoji in a hairband'.
From the SAS to the Kitchen: Diverse Lives Explored
Former SAS soldier Melvyn Downes recounts a life of resilience in 'Unbreakable'. Heeded his Windrush-generation father's advice to 'never back down', he faced down racism during SAS selection, outlasting prejudiced competitors. His memoir details extreme trials from Welsh marshes to post-invasion Iraq.
In the anonymously authored 'Tart', the chef known as 'Slutty Cheff' documents a frenetic life of 16-hour kitchen shifts and intense personal relationships, where cooking and sex vividly intertwine. Her uninhibited social media posts led to a column in Vogue.
Other notable releases include children's author Michael Morpurgo's 'Funny Thing, Getting Older, And Other Reflections', where he reveals the inspiration for War Horse and the shock of seeing his estranged father on television. Frances Wilson's biography 'Electric Spark' delves into the complex, lonely life of novelist Muriel Spark. Labour MP Chris Bryant's memoir 'A Life And A Half' traces his path from Anglican priest to politician, and tennis champion Boris Becker's 'Inside' unflinchingly describes his fall from Wimbledon glory to a prison cell.
These new releases, spanning triumph, tragedy, humour, and revelation, provide a rich tapestry of modern human experience, all available for readers now.
