Tuesday 19 August 2014

Jeremy Kyle, I'm only being honest. Book review.

Hiya, yes I do find time to read occasionally, not very often though. I've never been what you might call an avid reader, I can take them or leave them. As  a child I read The Famous Five, and The Secret Seven, after that I moved onto magazines. Jackie was my favourite. I remember a relative buying me Nicholas Nickleby, for Christmas once, I never did read it. 
Today I own hardly any books, I have given them all away. Except a few travel books, and I think I might have a cookbook somewhere. I think it's really strange that some people have hundreds of books all neatly lined up on bookshelves. I wonder if they ever read them more than once. These days the library is where I keep my books. If I want to keep them for longer than the allotted time I just renew them. 
My choice of reading is autobiographies, and non fiction.  I can't get into fiction, I can't bring myself to read stories that are made up. Strange really when I prefer modern and contemporary art, which is mostly the figment of someone's imagination. The mobile library has a very small non fiction section, so sometimes I am struggling to find something to read. I often take the same book out several times if it is a particularly interesting book. 
The Jeremy Kyle show on the tele may not be everyone's cup of tea, it definitely isn't mine. I have caught bits of  it on occasions, usually when I have been at someone's house and they have had it on. The whole thing makes me cringe. I probably think the same as everyone else, how can people go on there and tell the whole wide world what is wrong with their dysfunctional family. Shouting and swearing are the norm, as is throwing the odd punch now and then, though this behaviour is quickly defused. Fancy having big and burly security guards on duty in case it gets out of hand. Shocking really. 
Anyway, curiosity got the better of me when I spotted this book, I wondered whether it would give an insight as to what goes on behind the scenes. It does, Jeremy Kyle writes exactly how he speaks, direct and to the point. He has a bit of a colourful past himself, and draws on his own experiences to dish out advice. He is an agony uncle with balls, and tells it like it is. No pussyfooting around, he gives it to his guests straight and shoots from the hip. This style may not be to everyone's liking, but for me, I like a bit of common sense, and he has got plenty. 
He had a happy upbringing in a loving supportive family, and admits to being a recovering gambling addict. His daily struggles with OCD still affect him, and he has been twice married, he has four children.

In this book he takes a hard look at the social problems blighting modern Britain, and looks for solutions to repair what is damaged. He maps out an agenda for change, insisting that personal responsibility and a strong government is the key to the way forward.

His show is on the tv every weekday morning, and contrary to popular belief people are not cajoled into appearing on it, they are queuing to get in. Everyone appearing who wants to sort their lives out are offered support through relationship counselling, addiction counselling and detox. Sometimes the investment of months of work follow an appearance on the show for some of the guests.

Jeremy Kyle, although he has a direct and confrontational approach towards his guests, comes across as someone who genuinely cares in this book. Yes, he is a showman, but he has some good old fashioned down to earth common sense solutions to today's problems. I would suggest that some of the out of touch politicians who live in their ivory towers should read it. Jeremy Kyle for President I say. I enjoyed the book.
Toodle pip.

16 comments:

  1. My bookshelf diminishes daily, once had several thousand now have about 75...trying to get it down, down, down!

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  2. Honestly - I think the only thing Jeremy Kyle cares about is Jeremy Kyle and his ego. I don't know how anyone can watch his program, it is neither entertaining nor informative. I suspect he plays on people's fears and insecurities about society for self promotion. I don't think baiting and humiliating troubled people in public is helpful to either them or the wider society. Yes they probably do queue up, just as people queue for other shows which are designed for exploitation - they do it out of naivety, lack of education, boredom, hoping to get a name for themselves, some attention in their dreary world. I really wouldn't trust a word that man has to say - I think he is a chief manipulator. Hope you don't mind me expressing my opinion, I usually like your book reviews but I just don't like JK. Love you and your blog though : o ). Debbie

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  3. Third attempt to post!
    Jezza I used to work with someone who's relative was on JK omg I had to switch off
    There is a you tube vid that might help you with your framing it's by pelican art called framing fabric artwork they use spacers between the glass and the work looked like wooden skewers to me

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  4. We have five stuffed full and overflowing bookshelves in our home, as well as stacks of books that are part of our decor. YES, we do re-read them. Often. And refer to them. And I'm an unpaid reviewer, so I get (free) pre-publication books to read and review. We love books. We ADORE books. I've started a collection of 1950s and a decade before or after cookbooks. I have books as old as 1890-something. My sons hoard books. My husband hoards books. We have an entire bookshelf of nothing but study bibles. Another of birding books. Another of gardening books. One of cookbooks (mostly old ones). Anyway... you get the idea. :-D

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  5. Oh I love reading and never go without several books on the go at once. I also own about 200 books mostly stacked neatly on my shelves. Contrary to your thought, I do read them. Many though are reference books, study books and books I want to read again so I keep them for now. Once I've read some of the novels, I will give them away. These days I seldom buy a book or a magazine. If I do I spend 25 cents or 50 cents for one and return it to the good will store as soon as it is read. That way I don't add to my already stuffed bookshelves. I also use my local library a lot. It's a great service and a way to curb the book buying impulse I have. I live in Canada but have seen the show you are talking about on tv from time to time. It's great if Mr. Kyle is offering aftercare and various services to his guests. Otherwise the watching audience are just being voyeurs.

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  6. never seen it thankfully :-D but your review makes the book sound like one I would be interested to read.

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  7. I love reading, it's my relaxation. As for Jeremy Vile, I think his show is a sad reflection of some people's life these days. He comes across as the main antagonist. He is neither kind nor caring and I personally think he is full of self importance. As you may have gathered I'm not a fan of his and I won't be looking for his book in the library.

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  8. I can't help thinking that these books are just a way to make a few more £millions. When you've seen one J Kyle show you've seen 'em all.
    I read the Duncan Bannatyne book which i enjoyed and shows that becoming a millionaire business person is open to anyone with a good idea whose prepared to work hard.
    The one i really would like to read is you're fellow North Lincs resident, Guy Martin. He's like an old fashioned style sportsman in that he has a job and uses his holiday entitlement to go motorbike road racing at the Isle of Man TT.
    Now i'd say he's far more interesting than someone who's won X factor.
    Dave.

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  9. I hate the show and don't know much about the man, but the book sounds an interesting read.

    All too often we jump to conclusions about people from what we see and read in the magazines and tabloid headlines, but taking the time to read a book by them sometimes opens your eyes to who they really are.

    And yes, I am a bookaholic, I have hundreds and hundreds of the things and enjoy dipping into them. Once I've read a book it has to be really good to keep it's place on my shelves, usually they get sold on at car boot sales or donated to charity.

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  10. Prior to appearing on tv Jez used to front a radio phone-in programme(he was very good on this medium;)in 2002! X

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  11. I don't like this kind of thing but if they are following up with rehab and counseling for the guests then I'm all for that!
    Did you ever see Vivian Vile?

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  12. Can't stand the show either but I like JK and have only watched it by chance and have found it fascinatingly awfull. I think JK speaks a lot of sense and gives his guests on the show the kick up the backside that they need. Half the time I cannot believe that these people are real though, are they a different species or a throwback to Neanderthal man?

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  13. My husband and I greatly enjoy reading and have lots of books, including about 100 we have not read yet. I like nonfiction and memoirs too, like you. I hadn't heard of JK (we live in California), but I don't watch that type of show. No reality shows for us.

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  14. The real name of the show I was talking about is The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle.

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  15. I have seen the show a few times and JK really does tell it like it is especially to those who will not seek work and expect our taxes to fund their drug/alcohol related lifestyle. I do believe he can and does send a lot of people for rehab and does follow up. I have not read his book but will look out for it. I am a real bookworm, bought 2 new autobiographys yesterday, about life on the North Sea by a fisherman, Fred Normandale who is a Scarborough man now retired, I have Freds first 2 books which start from his childhood and go on until last year and his retirement. I read every day and often thro the night if I can not sleep. I usually buy my books as my father would not allow my sisters and I to use a library as he said he didnt know who had had the books before and everyone was not fussy or clean, it was in the days when Impetigo and other diseases were rife so he always bought us girls books. I usually pass my books on to either people in a club I go to or the charity shop to help animals welfare. By he way Ilona, the hair looks good but I could never be able to cut my own locks in a million years. ~~~~~~~ Danneke

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  16. Staying out of the JK argument - don't like his show, don't watch it - but oh the joy of wandering round the bookshelves deciding which old friend to pick again. Not surprised you're not interested in adult fiction if your introduction was Nicholas Nickleby - I love "A Christmas Carol" but edit out the overly sentimental bits, and Dickens' longer novels are quite tough going, and I have failed to finish those I have tried. I love your soon-to-be-framed picture! Let us know where and when it is available to be seen, and I'll try and get there!

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