Brief Lives - William Deedes

As would be expected many of the people included come from the world of politics - Harold Macmillan, Stanley Baldwin and Nye Bevan to name just three - however Brief Lives concerns itself with far more than just the machinations of government.

Such colourful literary figures as Noel Coward, Evelyn Waugh and John Betjeman put in an appearance, as do the newspaper magnates Lord Beaverbrook and Rupert Murdoch.

Further a field, Bill's charity work led to a close relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales, and later Victoria Beckham.

Finally, and perhaps the most moving of the pieces, is the portrait of his friendship with Sir Denis Thatcher, who died in 2003. Like his previous books, Dear Bill and At War With Waugh, Brief Lives is an affectionate, perceptive and anecdotal book, bursting with life, humour and wit.