The Insider

Ok, it's Piers Morgan mark II. No I am not obsessed with him, I swear. I am just riveted by tales of sleaze and scandal. The Insider, which is Mr Morgan's memoirs written when he was editing the Daily Mirror provides plenty of sleaze and scandal in akimbo. The auto-bio takes us through momentous occasions in history such as Blair's election victory, 9/11, the war on Iraq and Princess Diana's death. There are also not so momentous ones like his interview with Jordan, his spat with Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson and close shave with the law for purchasing unethical shares. This book is a real page turner what with Pier's dry observations and his witty one liners. He proves that to be the Editor of the nation's 2nd best loved newspaper you need to have talent, verve and a lot of front. Oh boy does Piers have some front as he stands up to Tony Blair, his nemesis, Alistair Campbell and his tyrant of a boss/friend Kelvin McKenzie. This book is brilliantly documented and reflects Pier's relationships with key people like Princess Diana, Sarah Ferguson, The Blairs, Gordon and Sarah Brown, Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson so you are presented with a vivid picture of what they are (or were in Diana's case) like. You get to find out how charming but manipulative Diana could be, why Cherie hated Piers so much, how Mandelson shaped the new-Labour dynasty and how Campbell controlled it and ooooh you even get a glimpse of what the Blairs and Browns really think of each other. This book is so juicy that I think it deserves another read and I never read books twice unless I am really really bored. I wonder how this will tally up to Cherie's auto-bio that is due out next year? Something tells me it won't hold a candle to it.

Picture taken from amazon.co.uk

Don't You Know Who I Am?

Autobiographies have always been popular but over the last few years memoirs from ex hacks, editors and royal insiders have swamped the book market. We have had insider books on Princess Diana, The Beckhams and Madonna by Andrew Morton and the hefty bio by Alastair Campbell, the former Labour king of spin. Which brings me to Piers Morgan; the former editor of The Mirror cum TV presenter and shameless showman has penned Don't You Know Who I Am, his diary on fame, power and naked ambition. After 20 years working on national newspapers in Britain, nothing could prepare Piers for the shock of his life - getting the sack from his high profile job on the nation's second best selling paper. Turfed out onto the street with only his P45 to show, Piers pondered on what to do next. For some apparent reason he decides to dive into the world of celebrity - well why not? - if Jordan and co can do it surely so can Piers? Well he finds out pretty quickly as he lands presenting gigs on a couple of TV shows such as Morgan and Platell and You Can't Fire Me, I'm Famous and finds himself rubbing shoulders with the creme of Britain. But Piers is not done there, he has LA in his sights so when he is invited to co-host America's Got Talent along with David Hasselhoff and singer, Brandy he jumps at the chance. During his quest for fame, Piers meets celebrities such as Freddie Flintoff, Stevie Wonder and Donald Trump and spills the beans on all of them. Out of all the newspaper editors, Piers Morgan has always been the most high profile and was always seen on TV shows and giving interviews. He came across as a right smug character and completely up his own backside. His book does nothing to change my perception of him and he even appears to be more obnoxious. However the beauty of Mr Morgan is that he is well aware of his faults and in fact embraces them which I find very endearing. He makes no pretensions about his cravings for fame and adulation and simply says it like it is. Don't You Know Who I Am is funny, witty and and a bit of an eye opener.