And Furthermore by Judi Dench

This is a delightful book attesting to Judi Dench's passion for her work, her friends and her choice of careers. Starting in theater, she is an accomplished Shakespearian actor. She tells of her escapades with her actor friends and her various adventures through the years. The episode of the black glove struck me as her real passion for practical jokes and having fun all the while she is working. I had seen her in the TV series A Fine Romance and later found that the co-star was her husband, actor Michael Williams. Together they were great. Later I became an avid fan watching her with Geoffrey Palmer in As Time Goes By. At times a little ridiculous, but I had fun watching her act. I look for movies, just to see her. Last night I watched for the first time Casino Royale with Daniel Craig just to see her play the famous "M" of British intelligence. We all have our passions, and mine is movies along with reading. Pure escape. The audio version on CD was read by Samantha Bond, daughter of actor Philip Bond and Pat Sandys, whom Judi has known also. Samantha Bond is an actor in her own right, appearing as Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan. I loved listening to her read, and actually felt it was Judi telling her own story as herself. So I'm easy to convince. The book is a who's who of British actors, many of them I have never heard of, plays I've never seen , but it's Judi's passion for life that rings true out of her memoir/biography.

To the left is a photo of Judi with her husband, Michael Williams, who passed away of cancer at home in 2001. To the right her famous co-star Geoffrey Palmer, a very serious actor in his own right, and very good looking in this younger picture of him. He appeared with her in the Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies and Mrs. Brown.