(1996) Jon Pertwee & David J. Howe, Virgin, £16.99, hrdbk, 128pp. ISBN 1 85227 621 5
Billed as Pertwee's final memoir, this lavish production proved a more than pleasant surprise. No doubt the vast majority of the buyers will be fans of the long running (1960s to 80s) British children's, TV series of the time and space travelling Dr Who, as it centres around Jon Pertwee's time as the third (and, debatable for some, perhaps the best) Doctor, but the warmth and humour in the plethora of anecdotes given by Pertwee, his colleagues and friends would make it an entertaining read for anyone. That said, it is not a book that anyone but a die-hard Who fan could read all the way through at one sitting. It is a coffee-table book to be enjoyed in short bursts.
The visual images that accompany the text are well-chosen, appropriate and, in some cases, a laugh. However, the real focus of this book is not so much on the character of the Doctor, but about the fascinating life of a man who will be missed terribly.
Louise Tyers
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