Russell T Davies' new memoir, "The Queerest of Folk," traces the screenwriter's five-decade career in television through a series of his most acclaimed shows, from "Coronation Street" to "It's a Sin" and his revival of "Doctor Who."
Born in Swansea in 1963 to a television-loving family, Davies studied English at Oxford before a friend suggested he turn his passion for TV into a profession. The memoir moves quickly through his career, using his television work as the framework rather than dwelling extensively on his personal life.
According to the Guardian review, Davies brings an intimate, conversational tone to the book. The screenwriter makes readers feel "as if you're at the pub with him, settling in for the night, ready to hear his best stories." The autobiography offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of the British television industry and includes his work on pioneering shows like the gay-themed "Queer As Folk."
The review notes that Davies understands television as an intimate medium. His career has spanned from early soap spin-offs to breakthrough work with "Queer As Folk" to his successful reboot of "Doctor Who."
The book functions as both memoir and "a rallying cry for creativity," according to the review's description. Davies takes a warm, gossipy approach to his storytelling, moving at considerable speed through decades of television history and the shows that defined his career.