Near fine/VGC.Methuen,2001.First UK edition-first printing(10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1).Blue hardback(gilt lettering to the spine,nick on the edge of the cover) in near fine condition,with Dj(two tears on the edges of the Dj cover,a couple of small nicks and crease on the edges of the Dj cover) in VGC.Illustrated with b/w photos.Nice and clean pages with a small ink mark,crease and nick on the edges of the pages,two pencil marks impressions on the edge of the half-title page.Nice and clean book except for the two tears on the edges of the Dj cover.342pp including index.Price un-clipped.First edition-first printing. This is another paragraph From Library Journal: Allen (critic, playwright, and BBC Radio broadcaster) presents the first full-length authorized biography of one of Britain's most popular and prolific 20th-century playwrights. Using dozens of interviews with people from all areas of Ayckbourn's life, Allen reveals a complex, brilliant individual who has contributed to the reshaping of British theater. Allen's sometimes rambling style seems to mirror the subject's life, from his early days as a teenage actor to his greatest successes as playwright and director. Ayckbourn's personal and professional experiences are interwoven with concurrent developments in British theater and in British society at large, providing insight into the playwright's extensive contributions to his country's literary life. The popular draw of Ayckbourn's plays (How the Other Half Loves, House, Garden) continues to be his genius in presenting serious issues of human behavior while keeping his audiences rolling with laughter. This biography shows that this genius stems from a very private man's personal style of dealing with life's challenges.
