This fascinating new book offers a glimpse into some of the lives of just some of those the author has interviewed throughout his career.
Lauren Bacall, Maggie Smith, Michael Grandage, Hugh Grant and Roger Moore are just a few of the selection of people that Tim Walker has chosen to feature in this entertaining read that offers a glimpse at the people who have had an illustrious career whether in film, theatre or television.
This is not simply a recollection of when the author met them for the first time, but rather he has selected moments that capture their outlook on life – including the fame that has followed them and their achievements in their selected profession. But in addition to this, he offers his own opinions and thoughts of these personalities when he has met them – offering an honest look and makes you see them in a more human way as opposed to what roles they have played or in some cases what they have produced and directed.
His encounters with the likes of Stephen Fry (who called him “a creep from the inner ring of Satan’s rectum”) and Rupert Everett are particularly interesting to read – but throughout, the reader is able to read the stories told to the author in their distinctive voice, making you feel that you are sitting alongside him while conducting his interviews.
If I’m being honest, there are a few names in this book who I’m less familiar with and will certainly now look more into their lives and career to give me better understanding – but for the most part it is a nice and diverse selection of interviewees that he has chosen to focus on. Given the number of years Walker has worked in the industry – I’m certain that there is room for a sequel or two!
For someone who studied journalism at university, it is a book that gives you a fascinating insight into the style in which the author conducts his interviews – knowledge that is certainly invaluable to anyone hoping to embark on a career in journalism. It has certainly been written with warmth and humour, brought together in the form of profiles which certainly works better than written in a more traditional form – it allows the book to flow from one personality to the next with ease.
However, this being said, it feels like there was more to be said about certain interviewees – in particular I would have enjoyed to learn more about his encounters with Hugh Grant, Christopher Lee and Roger Moore for example. There are just times when the profiles seem a little bit cut short.
Yet despite this, it is an entertaining and easy read that reveals the personalities behind the fame – worth a read for anyone fascinated by the world of celebrity.
By Emma Clarendon
Star Turns by Tim Walker is available to buy now.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐