April Ashley's Odyssey [Hardcover]

Duncan Fallowell (Author), April Ashley (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd; 1St Edition edition (April 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0224018493
• ISBN-13: 978-0224018494
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,631,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Duncan Fallowell writes novels, history, autobiography, travel, libretti, lyrics and journalism. He was born in London in 1948 where he still lives but is often elsewhere. His work is controversial. He is currently working on an installation called Time The Dreamkiller and an album of abstract songs. The two videos here are from conversations he had with Patricia Highsmith and Graham Greene. See more on the YouTube channel mrduncanfallowell or on the 'unofficial' website www.duncanfallowell.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of a life lived with courage and humour., November 25, 1999

By 

"littlenell8" - See all my reviews

This review is from: April Ashley's Odyssey (Hardcover)

Miss Ashley's Odyssey is a voyage indeed. Told with frankness, humour, wit, and a total lack of self pity, April Ashley started out life as a boy in Liverpool, and became famous as Britain's most glamorous sex change. It took courage and determination, and after I read this wonderful book I felt, well, if April Ashley can get through life, then so can the rest of us.

In these pages, the book is beautifully written, you will meet anyone who was anybody in the haute bohemian world of the swinging 60's. You will meet such diverse characters as Lady Diana Cooper, Little Gloria from Leeds, Viva King, Sarah Churchill, various titled folk and other folk who live by their wits and their talents. Thankfully Miss Ashley is not a snob and will chat to anyone, and the resulting narrative has such wit and style, it is almost an object lesson in how to present a life lived to the full.

This wonderful book reminds of Misia Sert's memoirs, and also Daphne Fielding's Mercury Presides not forgetting Lady Diana Cooper's autobiographies. It has the same laugh-out-loud humour of Helene Hanff's Underfoot in Show Business too.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Met April and Duncan then read the her story., March 18, 2006

By 

Marie Scott "Coco" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: April Ashley's Odyssey (Hardcover)

I read this fabulous biography after April Ashley signed and gave me a copy to read. I met her years ago in London and she told me the story in the book of her life. She was a guest in my home for a week. Duncan Fallowell was also there at times. Very interesting writer and very fond of April. I was deeply touched and sympathetic to April's journey from man to woman. Truly interesting and a must read. MCS