My aunt was having a clear out so she gave me some books :)

Out of all the autobiographies I have read so far, this one has to be my favourite. Who would have thought that Alma from Corrie would have led such a life. Had no idea she was bisexual. Defiantly would not have put her down as someone who lived romantically with both a husband and a girlfriend. The book is written well. It keeps you turning pages, there is not really anything here that could be considered boring. I guess I could be considered a fan. When I used to watch Corrie, I liked the character Alma and I loved her in Bad Girls. Makes me want to watch Carry On Cleo. For fans of Amanda and for fans of the stage.

Enjoy the book :)

Amanda was waiting for me on my arrival to London Town. Nothing makes you feel more at home than post waiting... I'll be having a busy week, but Amanda will follow me to a colder climate at the end of the week. Thanks for sending this, redfox5!

And finally, a year later, I get to read this. I've finished all my tag books except one and that can still wait...
I'm commenting as I read or I will forget what I wanted to say. My Mom has always been annoyed with scientist who say that children do not have clear memories prior such and such age (I've forgotten which), because she vividly remembers this and that (I've forgotten what). I can't comment on that as my childhood is a blur. If you ask me, I have certain recollections from the age of ten onwards. Before that I can't say when this or that happened as our life went pretty much the same way, summers on the same summer cottage and otherwise in the same block-of-houses in Helsinki. But Amanda (then Shirley) remembers things from very early on and good gracious what a childhood she had. If somebody's most vivid childhood memory is not being able to sleep because she had rags tied tightly in her head and could not put her head on the pillow - all because her mom wanted her to have curly hair like Shirley Temple had (the girl after whom Amanda was christened); aargh! And how as a toddler she was made to perform to her parents every night and her mom was coaching her to sing up, smile and work those eyes! I had to laugh out loud at times, although her mother was nothing to laugh about if you really think about it. What a horrid, self-centered person. And her father wasn't that great, either. But Amanda seems to be over it now and is able to see the humour in it - or should I say farce!?
[to be continued, have to rush to work].

Coffee break at work:
It's hard to imagine what it would be like to be dyslexic. It's always been easier for me to express myself in writing than orally (as you remember, my memory starts from ten years...). Actually I was told that my parents specifically tried to hindred me from learning to read before I went to school (in Finland that's usually at 7 yrs) so that I would not be bored there (like my elder brothers were and the devil finds things to do for idle hands...) and they read to me instead. Ok, what did I do? I learned fast and hated maths, so I pretended to have reading difficulties as we were told that those who find reading hard can have extra tuition during math's lessons... Unfortunately our teacher contacted my parents about my progress and they gave me in :(.
I did have a step-cousin, 15 or so years older than me, who everybody thought was a bit thick as he had difficulties learning to read and write. Dyslexia wasn't invented yet, so he got his diagnosis as an adult and said it was a relief, he wasn't that stupid after all and he carried on to become a professor later on.

I get far too little sleep as I read this at night. I just keep turning pages thinking that soon there will be a dull part where I can stop, but it does not come! And the Peeping Thomasina in me pushes on. I wonder what makes Brits the best biography writers? I'm so glad Amanda has found herself this excellent ghost writer - I've no idea if this sounds like the real Amanda, but anyhow it makes great reading.
How have those public boarding schools survived for centuries as teachers either spank or molest their studens - or both. I've recently read "Boy" by Roald Dahl and he told how he still as an octogenarian could feel the scars of his old headmaster whenever he sat on a hard bench for any lenght of time. If you happened to be put in such a school as a child, would you not make certain your kid would never have to go through anything like it? And yet, howcome most of these people turn out to be those Brits we all know and love?

Amanda's mother. What CAN I say????? Amanda had the habbit of hitting people in the head with chairs and such like, but so far she has not given this treatment to her mother, whom I would have liked to hit in the head several times a day. Was she a narcissist? She had some sort of über-ego and no shame whatsover. Shoplifting, white lies, anything goes. But I had to laugh out loud when she set up a hairdresser's Salon and when her clients were sittíng in their chairs she run into the back garden to pray and read the DIY manual... And got away with it!

Another sleepless night.... And I'm supposed to stay awake at lectures during day time as we have the annual Vet Congress at the moment.
Sixties, purple hearts and - laxatives!!! My oh my. And what does Amanda do when she falls for the leading lady - goes to bed and moves in with a married leading man!!
I've also been to Cannes, but it wasn't anything like Amanda's trip. I've never forgotten to eat... How come she danced all through nights when she a bit earlier said that a dancer always sits if she does not have to stand and lies down if she does not have to sit??
I had a certain bookcrosser in mind when I began this book, but now I'm feeling more and more tempted to keep the book in my permanent collection.

Nearly finished, perhaps tonight is the night.
Threesomes, alcoholic in-laws, you name it, she's seen or done it. Her relationships certainly aren't conventional.
Her Mom has passed away and she took it hard. Despite Mom being a nutcase, a controller, a thief and an embarrasment she also was Amanda's best friend. Odd, if that had been my Mom, the book would have been called "Murder, she wrote".
Now we have moved to the era of Coronation Street. My granny used to watch it, but I've never seen it, so I'm a bit of an outsider when Amanda tells about her workmates and who is who in the series. This part is for me the least interesting, but she still has a way with words, like when she described her hair which is either like Tina Turner's or Adolf Hitler's...

Finished!
I have to say that the last chapter about Corrie should have been shorter, for instance the dissappointment of the way they wrote Alma off was described at least five times, if not more. But otherwise a highly entertaining read!

Took this to my workmate and told her she would have some great laughs with Amanda. She is currently reading something else, but will be back to comment.

I'm dog-sitting for my workmate, who still hasn't read this book. I think I will offer to lend this to Annelis, whom I'm seeing tomorrow. I'm pretty sure she will find this amusing.

My marketing speech was successful. Amanda, meet Annelis.

Nice to meet you!
Thanks for the book! It sounds interesting. I wonder how I am going to stand Amanda's mother. Melissa Gilbert (Laura in Little House on the Prairie) had a mother who seems to be a milder case of Amanda's mother and I got quite angry reading about her in Melissa's memoirs.

I wonder, too, why Amanda did not give her mother a good treatment like she gave some other persons. The mother needed a good bang on the head! Or many blows. But did she get any? No! Not from Amanda anyway.
I am not halfway through the book yet. Amanda is still dancing. What a life she had. I always thought I had a hard life as a child. Compared to Amanda's my childhood was dancing on the roses (with some stings though, as roses do).

Now I wonder how she can be still alive and acting! She used alcohol and drugs abundantly for years and had anorexia as well. I saw her in The Real Marigold Hotel, Series 2, when she was about 80 years old and still going strong.

Amanda came home for Christmas! Found her and a loaf of homemade bred outside Annelis´s door when I was doing my little Santa Tour in Kerava. Thanks and Merry Christmas!