ALW, Dogsbody, and Audrey

I finished the book I was reading to day; The Andrew Lloyd Webber Story by Michael Coveney. This was a great book. I learnt a lot about ALW as he is apparently known. It certainly made me want to see some more of his shows. I’ve seen Joseph, Cats, and Phantom the last two twice. I hadn’t realized just how much he has done. Michael Coveny’s writing, whilst a little too fawning at times, did make me want to understand the music a little more. I’m a geek, so I am very interested in the technical aspects of what he does with his music. Recommended.

The book I read before ALW story, was Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones. This was an (older) kids book, but one which I really enjoyed. I read several of her books before but this one was quite a departure from my previous experience of her style. Rather than kids and magic, this book is about Sirius, a Luminary who is/inhabits the star of the same name. He is accused and convicted of a terrible crime by his contempories and sentenced to inhabit the body of an earthbound dog (Sirius is known as the dog star) with a normal dog’s lifespan to recover the weapon he is supposed to have used. It is a an unusual tale being written mostly from the dog’s viewpoint. Recommended.

I am now reading Audrey Hepburn by Barry Paris. More when I’ve finished it.