Author:Leslie Kenton
Leslie Kenton was the only child of Violet, a stunning Hitchcock blonde, and Stanley - the legendary jazz giant Stan Kenton. Their story takes place on the road in 1950s America and in the mania of Hollywood - a world of jazz clubs, dance halls and one-nighters, where lives were lived on a razor's edge.
Love Affair takes us beyond the bright lights and glamour into an intense, claustrophobic world of a father and his child. Too closely matched, their shared DNA traps them in a double helix - one strand forged in terror, the other luminous with a shared passion for music, joy and laughter. As the strands become entwined, blood on white tiles obliterates innocence and a forbidden honeymoon brings a terrifying, unbounded freedom. Gradually, as Stanley grapples with alcohol and his personal demons, his actions threaten to destroy the only real, untainted thing in his life: Leslie.
A true story of obsession, tragedy and grace, Love Affair is Leslie Kenton's powerful memoir. At its heart is the complex relationship with her father - a union so powerful it defines all that comes after. As their lives become increasingly entangled, so do the forces of darkness and light that exist within us all, leading to destruction for him and heartbreaking redemption for her.
Kenton's composure in describing all this, and the quality of forgiveness that she seems able to bestow...is little short of heroic. As an account of a damaged childhood made good, her memoir is brave and inspiring
—— Daily MailLeslie Kenton's determination to ignore the pressures and assumptions of our times and to write her own book in her own way represents a rare kind of bravery
—— Terence Blacker , IndependentIn this brave memoir of growing up Leslie reveals how the complex relationship she shared with her father has led to heartbreak and redemption
—— Express...in a different league than all other 'how to manage as a parent' books.
—— Daily MailBurch approaches his task with vigour and pace, exploring the therapeutic failures of doctors over the ages...there is much of interest as the story unfolds
—— Irish TimesBurch leads us through an array of shocking and surprising medical practices
—— Financial TimesIntriguing and informed
—— Tom Whipple , The TimesTwenty-five essay-chapters examine 'cures' such as aspirin and thalidomide, all with a good bedside manner
—— Sunday TelegraphThis is a gripping history of the blundering progress of medicine
—— Christopher Hirst , IndependentA fascinating and irreverent history of medicine and those who've claimed to understand it, written by an NHS doctor with searing intelligence and a lively wit
—— Good Book GuideMore complex - and funny - than one would ever imagine ... It's a candid account of a woman unafraid to reveal the scared, jealous, and immature sides of herself while painting a portrait of her rollicking, fun-loving Irish Catholic parents and brothers who bolster her, and the husband who understands and loves her
—— San Francisco ChronicleCorrigan infuses her prose with vivacity and humor. She explores that process called growing up, and how it can happen in a defining moment, like a lightening strike, but also how it is illuminated in less dramatic ones, like flickers of heat lightning in a summer sky
—— BookPage