A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life
The Telegraph
Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic – her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace… thorough… entertaining
Guardian
‘An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed ... Read moreby long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies.’
The Spectator
‘Kate Bassett’s fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man.’
Jewish Chronicle
‘Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassett’s first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathan’s weaknesses, but she says that, “in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerable—the bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the man’s warmth.”’
The Economist
‘Absorbing, in-depth and erudite… Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller.’
Observer
‘Miller’s bravura is exemplary and life-enhancing, so it is sad to learn from Kate Bassett’s magnificent biography (brilliantly researched – even the extensive endnotes are a joy) that the man himself somehow feels hard-done-by, unappreciated and under-rewarded.'
Financial Times
‘Bassett’s beautifully balanced account… describes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival? For every bridge he burns, he’s somehow able to build another. He’s inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid gloves… fascinating’
Bloomberg
‘There is no more extraordinary figure in British public life than Jonathan Miller… His achievement is undeniable, as In Two Minds makes clear, and though his workaholic days are behind him, he reveals no signs of retirement.’
Wall Street Journal
A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life.
Five stars - Telegraph
Scrupulously researched, always fascinating... As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, there's 'bile and bitterness' here. As she demonstrates, there's also genius.
London Times
Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic - her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace... thorough... entertaining.
Guardian
An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies.
Spectator
Kate Bassett's fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man.
Jewish Chronicle
Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassett's first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathan's weaknesses, but she says that, "in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerable
the bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the man's warmth.
Economist
Absorbing, in-depth and erudite... Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller.
Observer
Kate Bassett's brilliant, exhaustively researched biography... reminds us what a truly astonishing man he is. Just try to imagine post-war British culture without him.
Jewish Chronicle
Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy.
Sunday Times
‘Jonathan Miller…prodigiously multi-talented: mimic, comic actor, opera director, television-talker, scientist – he has excelled in all those spheres… This absolutely brilliant biography…shows us that Miller is still the brilliant schoolboy, fascinated by dissecting animals and reading philosophy, still with an adolescent sense of mischief and the adolescent sense of grievance.’
A.N. Wilson ‘Bassett’s beautifully balanced account…describes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival? For every bridge he burns, he’s somehow able to build another. He’s inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid gloves…fascinating.’
Bloomberg
‘Showing tremendous understanding of the poisoned chalice that his Janus-faced intellect has been… A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life.’
Telegraph
‘Absorbing, in-depth and erudite…Bassett’s book…produce[s] an appealingly multifaceted figure of a man whose polymathic genius has never been in doubt, but whose refusal to toe the British line of self-deprecation has seen him become something of a prophet without honour at home.’
Observer
‘Sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies.’
The Spectator
‘Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic – her write-ups of Miller’s productions have verve and perceptive grace…entertaining.’
Guardian
‘Miller’s bravura is exemplary and life-enhancing…Kate Bassett’s magnificent biography [is] brilliantly researched – even the extensive endnotes are a joy.’
Financial Times
Scrupulously researched, always fascinating… As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, there’s ‘bile and bitterness’ here. As she demonstrates, there’s also genius
The Times
Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy
Sunday Times
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