Russell Davies (1) (1946–)

A consistently readable and absorbing account of the life of a much-loved comic. Williams's waspish, contradictory personality, his loneliness and death have been well-documented; but the book also gives us an idea of the plays - probably long forgotten - that were a standard part of the repertoire in the years following World War Two and is a reminder - perhaps best forgotten - of the dismal TV game shows and sitcoms popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The later entries with Williams struggling both with poor health and his frail, cantankerous mother, are rather sad and the references to suicide that weave throughout the diaries do seem to suggest that he took his own life. Recommended reading for fans and admirers of Williams and his work.… (more)