The Long and Winding Road | Lesley Pearse
REVIEWED BY LINDA HILL
So many of us have been fans of Lesley Pearse’s writing for decades, but her autobiography The Long and Winding Road eclipses all her fiction.
It is an amazing tale of a challenging and fascinating life well lived, told with humour, honesty and considerable panache.
The Long And Winding Road: Synopsis & Review
Gripping from the very first page, The Long and Winding Road captivates the reader by taking us into Pearse’s confidence, as though she is simply chatting with us over a cup of tea. The fast pace is completely engaging, making for a breath-taking read, as well as considerable emotion throughout the book.
It’s no wonder Pearse’s fiction is driven by domestic drama when we discover that she was taken into care having been discovered by a neighbour while her mother lay dead in the house. In fact, so much of Lesley’s life – from her childhood experiences, through her partying days as an independent young woman, having to give up her son as an unmarried mother, to her successes in the present day – feel like the kind of things that happen to her characters.
One of the great joys in reading The Long and Winding Road is Pearse’s occasional reference to her books and how she has drawn on events in her own life. Like fiction, it’s quite difficult to review this memoir without plot spoilers – it is every bit as dramatic as any novel.
The Long and Winding Road may be an autobiography, but it’s also a riveting social history. The 1960s are particularly vividly conveyed, especially with reference to music, bringing a real sense of the era to the pages.
An autobiography full of resilience, hope and positivity
Personal, riveting and entertaining, this is a memoir that is is universal in its appeal, not least because most of us will encounter the kinds of things Lesley Pearse has experienced.
The manner with which the author faced what life threw at her is inspiring and admirable. But what makes it such a fantastic read is the sense of resilience, of hope and of positivity that shines through. It doesn’t matter whether you love reading Pearse’s fiction, or if you’re not especially interested in autobiography, because The Long and Winding Road is an absolutely fabulous read.
The Long And Winding Road is out now (Michael Joseph, HB, £22) and available from Amazon.
Read more fiction reviews by Linda Hill including Every Smile You Fake by Dorothy Koomson, The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson, The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins and The Due Date by Niki Mackay.
