Keith Floyd - Stirred But Not Shaken

Keith Floyd's autobiography, as told to James Steen.

My rating: 7/10

I have read a few biographies and autobiographies, and I rate this one second to Johnnie Walker's (I'll reread at some point, been meaning to for ages).  The guy had a fascinating life, albeit heartbreaking at times, if you ever thought that lightning couldn't strike you more than once in a lifetime, you won't believe the turn of events in Floyd's life, some admittedly of his own making, but a lot of them clearly not.

One criticism I have, although his stories are well told and arranged, is that I don't think Floyd was completely honest talking about some of the periods in his life.  You feel some righteous anger for him sometimes, but there are incidents which he just "skips over" as if they had nothing to do with him and could not see where the blame lay.  I don't think he was self-absorbed - if he was then I think he would have known himself better - I think he was more interested in stuff going on around him and in his life to pay much attention to his own behaviour.

I only saw a TV series or two of his, and maybe one book (American Pie), so it would be stupid of me to say that I'll miss him, as unlike the rest of the world, I wasn't that absorbed.  But he was the first, true "celebrity" chef, and the pattern and format of his programmes continued with Stein and Oliver, so the man certainly left a legacy, and it seems he did die (relatively) content.  I admire his bravery and tenacity too - there are few left like him.

Next: Spoiled for choice, an author with a fiction story based around the Bayeux Tapestry (name escapes me), two Ellis Peters, one Christopher Brookmyre and a certain Caroline Cooper.  Not sure which one first, but probably a Peters.