For about the fourth time I am re reading Ida Lupino, a biography by William Donati.

Not many fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood films realize that Ida was born in Herne Hill, London, and came from a great theatrical family, going back to the 16th century.
Her father was Stanley Lupino, a popular musical hall star from the early part of the last century. Her uncle Lupino Lane had a smash success in the Musical, Me and my Girl in 1937, and it was still being revived in the West End in the 1980's.

Ida went to Hollywood in 1933 at the age of 15 to star in Alice in Wonderland, but even at that tender age she was already too sophisticated to be a convincing Alice.

By the late 1930's she was already scene stealing from Humphrey Bogart and George Raft in They Drive By Night, and with Bogart again in High Sierra.

By the late 1940's she was the first actress to turn to directing, and with great success too.

Probably the most underrated of all the great stars, she is only remembered today by film buffs of the Golden Age of Movies.

Alan Warner - Their lips talk of mischief

The Last Citadel by KM Ashman.

I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not very far in, but I don't really care about the characters, just about what happens next. I've read a few (spoiler free) reviews this morning where people have felt the same. I don't know if I want to continue it or not... but feel almost like I have to to see what happens.

It's weird.

I'm about a third of the way through Rough Music by Patrick Gale. Two family holidays in a cottage on the North Cornwall coast thirty years apart. I'm not convinced by the main character's romance but hey what do I know? I like Patrick Gale' s writing style and am just back from my holidays in Cornwall so this is a good choice for me this week.

Do you feel you learn something new and gain a fresh perspective each time you reread her biography?

Definitely, and a good biography is always worth reading again, I am now re-reading The Other Side of the Moon, a biography by Sheridan Morley, showing the darker side of David Niven.

My favourite of all the biography's in my collection is Once a Wicked Lady, the story of Margaret Lockwood by Hilton Tims. She was the Number One British Star during the mid 40's.

In terms of film stars do you tend to prefer biographies of stars or autobiographies and which tend to be more honest and enlightening?

I think some hatchet job biographies are just as much a sin as some Autobiographies that sugarcoat or sanitise everything but on the whole which do you prefer?

When The Music's over - Peter Robinson - Alan Banks is back!

I enjoy both, but you are quite right in your comments. I love Joan Fontaine's autobiography, "No Bed of Roses," which she signed for me personally in 1978. Her ex husband thought otherwise, and he gave it another title, "No Grain of Truth."

There have certainly been some hatchet jobs on many stars, including one on Errol Flynn, in which he was accused of being a Nazi Spy. Friends like David Niven and Ida Lupino said it was total rubbish, mainly because he was too busy screwing everything that moved, that he had so little spare time to even take his career seriously, let alone spying.

I'm reading 2 very different novels at the moment. 1 is The Show by Tilly Bagshawe, which is like an updated Jilly Copper bonkbuster

The other is Lee Child- Killing Floor. Who writes like this.In very short sentences. All the time.Which takes a bit of getting used to.But is quite good.

The Unauthorized Version - Robin Lane Fox

Down Under - Bill Bryson
Haven't been able to do a lot of reading in the last couple of months, but managed to finish the above, of which I have read twice before. I haven't been having a happy time, but this author and his writing proved to be a tonic. When you're feeling down, pick up a Bryson!!!. He'll have you chortling in no time.

Revelations of Divine Love - Julian of Norwich. Something of a bedtime challenge for me. And thank you Janina Ramirez for inadvertently putting that one on my reading list.

The TV programme was interesting, the first english prose by a woman. The Anchoress by Robyn Cadwallader is good if you fancy a fictional take on the subject.

Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child

Any good?

Am just about to start Joanne Harris - Different class

If you like the Banks series it's readable - the plot is very current - historic s*x abuse and another which I won't post about in case some think it's a bit of a spoiler - there are lots of references to Savile, Harris etc.

I've just started Summer on the River by Marcia Willet as a total change of direction, I've usually enjoyed all her books - the Chadwick chronicles in particularly but I'm not so keen on this one, it seems to be full of unlikable characters at the moment

I really enjoyed When the Musics Over by Peter Robinson, its the first DCI Banks book I've read in ages.

currently reading Dead and Buried by Helen H Durrant. Love this series of crime thrillers, the plots are a little ott at times but they are very readable.

"The View from the Cheap Seats" - selected non-fiction by Neil Gaiman.

The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel In The Crown by Vaseem Khan, the 2nd in Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series, really enjoying it as much as I did the first - (The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra)

Jon Appleton's Ready To Love. A quirky novel about general urban insecurities but it made me laugh and made me think.

Big treat next.

For Whom The Bell Tolls. Never read it but a huge Hemmingway fan.

Here's One I Made Earlier: The Autobiography of Peter Purves

Dead Simple by Peter James - a group of friends end up in a pickle after a prank goes not to plan.

Read two books on holiday: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - I just wish it had been a novel as opposed to the script (yes I know it's the play!) - no spoilers here!!!!

The Girls by Lisa Jewell - didn't like it at all. Didn't like any of the characters in it - all thoroughly unlikeable (IMO) - wouldn't rate it at all.

Just started Three Sisters, Three Queens by Phillipa Gregory

Caro Fraser - An Immoral Code