Used recent ill health to continue on my quest to read the memoirs of folk who appear often in deadpooling circles.
Denis Norden - Clips from a Life: Was alright, full of lightly amusing anecdotes (Tynan realising he was in trouble for swearing on live TV when he got a congratulatory telegraph from George Melly, for example) but much of life is glossed over. One might suggest that's the perfect description of Norden himself, casually directing the viewer away from the grim and the in-depth analysis in favour of a few silly moments. So we get the war in brushstrokes and lots on silly things people did on radio/etc.
Diana Athill - A Florence Diary: To be honest, each new Athill book that comes out, I expect to be the last. She as much as admits it herself in the introductions. We're now five books on since the wonderful Somewhere Towards the End (written when she were a mere 90), and six books of memoirs on since she wrote her actual memoirs themselves! I do suspect this one might actually be the last Athill, till proven wrong, however. For one, it has scarcely any new material. 17 pages in slighter larger font than normal are the sole interlude by the 99 year old Athill, the rest of the slim book being a reprint of her diaries from a trip to Italy in the 1940s. The book itself barely reaches 64 pages with that conceit, a third at best of one of her normal books. It is striking in its sparsity. Oh well. As a result, it is one of the lesser Diana Athill books, but its descriptions of post-war Italian (for lack of a better term) "English yuppy" holidays as they were is of some interest.
And for something entirely different:
Neil Nixon - Beatles Myths and Legends: As recommended on this very forum! Great book, which goes into depth on the history and origins of many of the (insane) myths which follow each of the Beatles. For example, that Lennon got shot by the CIA. Then essentially debunks or shows why they were highly unlikely. For those who can't stomach more Lennon (although in fact, the writer does the rare feat of making John come across sympathetic imo), there's a wonderful rant in defense of Ringo Starr, and some good research on Harrison. I'm not a big Beatles fan (I appreciate their spot in music history, however) but I found this musical history tour damn near hypnotic and amusing in turns. Highly recommended!