Charlie Chaplin

Reviews

“Quietly enthralling…Ackroyd’s coolly perceptive literary style and equally devastatingly effective observations suggest that he doesn’t care a fig about pleasing geeks or fans or anyone else.”

“Chaplin’s rise makes an enthralling story, and it’s one perfectly suited to Peter Ackroyd’s prodigious and idiosyncratic talents…Ackroyd acknowledges Chaplin’s many human failings, while at the same time giving us a vivid sense of what made the man a genius.”

“[A] fine biography…The luxury of a short book about a vast life cannot be overestimated.”

“Compact, engrossing, intelligent.”

“Ackroyd brings a novelist’s as well as a biographer’s eye to the story of a man who ‘seemed to epitomize the human condition itself, flawed and frail and funny.’”

“Ackroyd rewards his readers with a tale fit for a Chaplin film, featuring humor, tragedy and a poignant fade-out.”

“Apparently, Peter Ackroyd can do anything. In the past, he’s written artful novels and books of poetry; adept biographies of Sir Isaac Newton, Chaucer, and Shakespeare; and encompassing histories of whole cities and civilizations, ancient and modern. Now he has keyboarded a brilliant little biography of Charlie Chaplin. Having been raised on silent films, I had already read Chaplin’s autobiography and another biography, but Ackroyd’s brief life kept me enraptured throughout its 273 pages. His well-turned anecdotes and judicious insights taught me things about the great comedian and filmmaker that I had never even suspected and sent me off to the internet, searching for his films—and more of Ackroyd’s books.”

“Ackroyd’s writing is masterful—elegant, pitch-perfect, a pleasure to read—and his timing is as impeccable as Bob Hope’s …Chaplin [is a] small gem.”

"[Ackroyd] deftly navigates the myriad facets of his subject.”

“In his typically elegant and measured prose, prize-winning biographer Ackroyd brilliantly brings Chaplin to life…Ackroyd’s book introduces the Little Tramp in such a charming and candid fashion that it will drive movie buffs to watch Chaplin on screen once again.”

“Detailed yet breezy, full of sharp insights into Chaplin’s public and private personas…Expect plenty of interest in this fine biography.”

“Award-winning author Ackroyd exposes the hidden truths in Chaplin’s life that help us to understand the artist both personally and professionally. An exceptional read for those who love Chaplin, film, history, and gossip.”

“Narrator Ralph Lister is well matched to this biography of film star Charlie Chaplin. His English accent reflects Chaplin’s place of birth and gives dialogue added realism while setting it off with oral quotation marks. Though his facility with American accents is less polished, his overall narration matches the author’s writing style effectively: He delivers the numerous simple declarative sentences with emphasis and pauses after each…This is an interesting book, well read.”

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