About book The Two Of Us: My Life With John Thaw (2009)
I am usually quite picky about the biographies I read - 'celebrities' either have to be funny or done something I truly admire - I don't tend to read books about people who are famous just for being famous! And to be honest, I was never a huge fan of Morse or knew anything about John Thaw other that he was an actor and he died. And sorry to say, I was only vaguely aware of who Sheila Hancock was, in that I could pick her out of a TV show cast list, but wasn't a dedicated fan of her work. So what on Earth made me pick this up?I clearly remember that 'oh really?' moment when I first heard they were married. I also must have watched some interview or chat-show programme with Sheila on it, because her passion for what she was discussing, as her passion for her late husband, was self-evident and struck a cord. So when this book fell into my hands, I really wanted to read it.Well, it was a very pleasant surprise - apart from 'biographies' of famous horses or riders, I don't think I have another one marked as a favourite. But I found the style and format of this book very easy to read, not exactly enjoyable as it deals a lot with death and coping with loneliness, but a satisfying, thought-provoking and, at times, funny read. At first, I didn't like the mix of diary entries mixed in with past events, but as I continued to read, I found the juxtaposition between the two completely intriguing. I thought it was also very clever to introduce the diary entries dealing with John's death chapters before the actual biographic portion of the book dealt with it - usually you dread reading the last few pages of a book like this as you know that death is inevitable, but this way, the whole of the second half of the book focused on the aftermath.One I would definitely recommend and may well return to one day, as some of the poems and positive messages it gives out will stay with me.
An excellent double biography of Sheila Hancock and the great British actor John Thaw (of The Sweeney and Inspector Morse fame). Very much enjoyed her personal and somewhat offbeat memories of World War II and the days before the "swinging sixties." The power of the memoirs is amplified further by being intercut with her diary entiries during the last year of John's life and for the year of grieving after his death. It puts a personal and poignant spin on the memoirs themselves. A moving tribute to them both. - BH.
Do You like book The Two Of Us: My Life With John Thaw (2009)?
This is an autobiography of Sheila Hancock entwined with a biography of her late husband John Thaw. It is a beautiful book, honest, funny and sad, as interesting about their lives before they met as it is about their lives together.Not being a celebrity chaser I had not known that this couple had problems. I did not know about Hancock's cancer, or Thaw's drinking. Hancock's honesty about their problems, which lead to a separation, is very moving, and it was uplifting to read that after that bleak time they regained their love and closeness for each other.I was also very interested in what Hancock said about attending Quaker meetings - interested enough to look the Quakers up online. I was so impressed with what I read that I actually have begun to attend Quaker meetings myself.You could say this book has had a lasting effect!
—Manda
I enjoyed reading this book so interesting that I could not put it down. I finished it within two days. It is about the relationship between Sheila Hancock and her husband the renowned actor John Thaw. I feel that Sheila tells it as it was warts and all. Johns battle with the booze his mothers abandonment of both him and his brother at such a young age. This affected him all his life. And subsequently John's untimely death from cancer and her own dealing with the grieving process. I would recommend this book.
—Anne. Fothergill
While the story of Sheila and John was an interesting and at times moving one. I found myself getting annoyed with Sheila. Her political views are very different to mine. The woman is a Labour supporter and likes Cherie Blair! No one like Cherie Blair! To much 'lets be nice to prisoners' rubbish. And the last chapter of the book is basically dedicated to why she disagrees with the war. Thats all very well and good but I'm betting most people did not pick up this book for that reason. Saying that there are some very nice poems scattered thoughout the book which I did enjoy. Makes me really want to watch 'Goodnight, Mister Tom' again.I also recommene you read the book, it's much better than this one!
—Redfox5
