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Bio Of An Ogre

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Piers Anthony is a very successful writer. He has written many books in the Science Fiction genre and has become even more famous while writing Fantasy. This book is not one of his mental creations. It is, instead, his autobiography from birth until age 50. It covers the standard facts about his life and career that one would expect to read in any autobiography, and it also covers some of his life experiences and efforts to get published or rows that he had with others in the field.

The title of the book comes from when Piers was called an Ogre by some of his colleagues. In this book he manages to convey exactly why he received this title. Piers Anthony does not back down from a fight when he thinks he is in the right. No matter the cost. As he explains his side of each episode it is possible to get a better feeling for the kind of person that he is and the picture is not always pretty. He presents himself as he sees himself - warts and all.

Some of what he writes is by nature brags. He brags about the quality of his mind, he brags about his nature, he brags about his writing ability, he brags about his family. All of this is actually appropriate since he makes his living by being very self-confident.

I had the advanatges of reading this book in 2005 and being the parent of a child who has been diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome. From my perspective, this was a fascinating read as Piers Anthony would probably be diagnosed that way today if he was growing up in today's society. For me, it was heartening to see that he became as successful as he is despite his early struggles and his particular approach to life.

Should you read this book? Yes, if you are particularly attracted to learn more about his life and times; Yes, if you are interested in a success story of someone who is marginally autistic; But no, if you are looking to spend a few hours reading a light and fluffy novel like Piers Anthony typically writes.

If you fell in love with Piers Anthony's Xanth series or if you enjoyed his author's notes more than his clever books then prepare for a shock. Mr. Anthony writes beautiful books but in his autobiography he comes off as the cranky neighbor you love to hate. Oh well.

The life of a writer is not as boreing as we have thought. In his autobiography "Bio of an Ogre" Piers Anthony puts his own special twist and spin on things. By writing his own story he managed to get the whole story out in a style unique only to him. He depicts his story starting with his first memories, and finally ending just after his fiftieth year. He tells how his family moved from place to place untill he finally moved to America and started writing. Of course his works got rejected time and again untill his first publication and his first love. From then on he explains his stories and the stories behind them. Including Xanth, the Adept series, and Bio of a Space Tyrant. Along with many other works he has become one of the number one best sellers in America and in Europe. So if you enjoy Piers Anthony or are looking for something different then try Bio of an Ogre I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

I was very surprised about his literary past. Such a great writer. I was interested in hearing what he had to go through to get a book published. Good book overall. Don't get many like this.

Ok, I admit it. I went through a Piers Anthony phase. It is one of those things in my youth that I really regret. Part of the reason (though admittedly only a small reason) that I became disillusioned with this writer was because of this autobiography.

Piers Anthony defines a whole knew level for self-pity. He takes minor instances in his childhood, like when his parents let his sister use his tricycle, and makes them out to be traumatic events in his life. He then goes on to talk about his adolescence. Look Piers, its too bad that you were slow to develop, and that you had a problem with bed wetting, but my man, many people have had it a lot worse.

Anyone who reads this novel will come to realize how egotistical Anthony is. They will learn how sensitive he is to minor criticism, how he thinks the world of himself for being a vegetarian.

Oh well, if you are actually considering buying this novel you have obviously been bitten by the Anthony bug and there is very little I can do for you. But, when you too are one day tired with the high-master of hack, don't say no one ever warned you.

This book has interesting facts about his ideals of life, man's envolvemet with nature and ect.