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Spilling the Beans (Paperback)

by Clarissa Dickson Wright (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Customers buy this book with Rifling Through My Drawers: My Life in a Year by Clarissa Dickson Wright

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Product details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (4 Sep 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0340933895
  • ISBN-13: 978-0340933893
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #2 in  Books > Food & Drink > Food Writers > Clarissa Dickson Wright
    #5 in  Books > Biography > Women

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Product Description

Review

'Packed with hilarious anecdotes, fizzing with energy, throbbing with pain, this has to be the autobiography of the year' (Daily Mail )

'She packs her story with marvellous anecdotes' (Sunday Times )

'This is a searing book, but also one with rays of good humour' (Country Life )

'Extraordinary and occasionally heartbreaking story' (Belfast Telegraph )

'Fascinating’ ‘An often funny, shocking and very honest read’ (Active Life )


Product Description

Clarissa was born into wealth and privilege, as a child, shooting and hunting were the norm and pigeons were flown in from Cairo for supper. Her mother was an Australian heiress, her father was a brilliant surgeon to the Royal family. But he was also a tyrannical and violent drunk who used to beat her and force her to eat carrots with slugs still clinging to them. Clarissa was determined and clever, though, and her ambition led her to a career in the law. At the age of 21, she was the youngest ever woman to be called to the Bar.

Disaster struck when her adored mother died suddenly. It was to lead to a mind-numbing decade of wild over-indulgence. Rich from her inheritance, in the end Clarissa partied away her entire fortune. It was a long, hard road to recovery along which Clarissa finally faced her demons and turned to the one thing that had always brought her joy - cooking. Now at last she has found success, sobriety - and peace. With the stark honesty and the brilliant wit we love her for, Clarissa recounts the tale of a life lived to extremes. A vivid and funny story, it is as moving as it is a cracking good read.
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88% buy the item featured on this page:
Spilling the Beans 4.1 out of 5 stars (59)
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Customer Reviews

59 Reviews
5 star:
 (31)
4 star:
 (14)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (5)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (59 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
83 of 86 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Confined to bed; this almost made it worthwhile., 11 Sep 2007
By Mrs. C. L. Clarke - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Spilling the Beans (Hardcover)
What an amazing, moving, autobiography. A strong person who through her relentlesly non-self-pitying honesty gives hope to all of us with our own acknowledged flaws, and allows us to form other perspectives on various ideas about life without thrusting her own views upon us. Thank you, Clarissa. Perhaps you could now turn your hand to writing novels, since it would be unfair to expect another volume of your autobiography just yet. You have left me wanting to read more of your fabulous thoughts, which could surely be given somewhat more of a free rein in a novel, so please think about turning your talents in that direction.

Sadly, I don't suppose you will ever see this. If anyone else does, I cannot recommend this book more strongly; it is both uplifting and inspiring.

Cora-Lynne
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, funny, sad, moving and story of survival!, 24 Mar 2008
By E. V. Hall "Lainey" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Spilling the Beans (Hardcover)
I loved it! Clarissa is so funny and very clever! Sadly, she had been affected by alcoholism brought on by the loss of her mother, that said, her father was an alcoholic so the addictive gene is there!

She has had an eventful life to say the least and although was struck by alcoholism and the truama of what happened to her in her earlier years she is a born survivor and an example to all! You can recover and pick yourself up and even better with the support of friends - she has lots of them.

This book was laugh out loud at points - you could actually hear her speaking as you read. There were of course very poignant times too which affected her deeply.

She was never afraid of hard work and proved that even although she was a barrister, when she hit an all time low she took a job in a country manor as a cook! She had no qualms about doing so either. A lesson to us all!

A fine read and well worth the money - I loved it and recommend it to anyone!
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44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful insight into a facinating personality, 10 Sep 2007
By Mrs. B "Mrs.B" (Norfolk, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spilling the Beans (Hardcover)
I have always loved Clarissa Dickson Wright's TV programs and books. I followed the Two Fat Ladies and Clarissa and the Countryman avidly. When I caught a preview of this book in the Sunday Mail, I preordered it there and then.

It was from the beginning an very matter of fact tale of a person who has led an incredible life of ups and downs and then when it seemed all was lost, turned it around when so many may have just given up.

From being violently abused by her famous father, becomming a barrister just to spite him, to falling into the abyss of alcoholism and then digging herself out again, this story had me enthralled and amazed from the first page to the last.

I recommend it to anyone who is facinated by the human being's ability to survive against the odds.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars CDW
I enjoyed parts of this book and found parts of her life interesting but I came to the conclusion that CDW is playing a role. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Pedro the Llama

4.0 out of 5 stars Spilling the Beans
Very interesting history of author without getting too bogged down. Such an honest desciption of the addiction problem and its effects. Read more
Published 9 days ago by jilliz

4.0 out of 5 stars Organic Meets Earthy
When I was 28, in 1984 and was a supposedly mature student in the first year of a law degree, a young female lecturer brought in a guest to talk to my year, a fat florid woman who... Read more
Published 10 days ago by ianrmillard

5.0 out of 5 stars a breath of fresh air!
Well done Ms Dickson Wright. I truly enjoyed the book, it is so refreshing to read an honest true account of what is happening in this country under the present government ect!
Published 18 days ago by Julie Bee

4.0 out of 5 stars spilling the beans
a facinating read, such an interesting woman, used to love two fat ladies, knew from snippets in the show she had an interesting upbringing, its inspiring for any recovering... Read more
Published 19 days ago by babs s

3.0 out of 5 stars a fighting lady
What a great character is Clarissa. A tormented childhood because of her father's erratic ways..even though he was an eminent surgeon. Read more
Published 1 month ago by palace pier

5.0 out of 5 stars Onwards and upwards
What a life!!! From great heights to lowest depths and then the big climb back up again.
An uplifting read,look forward to reading "Rifling through my Drawers"
Published 1 month ago by Reed Well

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY ENTERTAINING
The book was relaxing reading and funny in parts and quite entertaining, I enjoyed it and would buy the next one
Published 1 month ago by CAROL B

5.0 out of 5 stars Clarissa Dixon Wright Spilling The Beans
An interesting and highly entertaining book about Clarissa's colourful life. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. D. M. Fellows

3.0 out of 5 stars Over the TOP
This book was not as good as reviews that I had read!Too much booze involvment.If you want a really great book read SNOWDON biography!
Published 2 months ago by Alexander G. Talbot

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