Written by historian and author of several books on John F. Kennedy, this is a curious biography. It is meticulously researched and very well written. However, its tendency to go into far too much detail on Branagh's activities and a tendency to hagiography mar the overall effectiveness of the book. If you're a fan of Branagh, you will enjoy the book; if you're interested in British film or theatre, this is also an interesting read. White goes into some interesting discussion about why the British press (and others) were so keen to attack Branagh. He's less effective, I think, in explaining why Branagh is (apparently) so driven and ambitious. There is also some inherent limitations to a biography on the life of a 50 year old with, we assume, many years left in his career. A bit of a Branagh love-fest, and mainly for fans, but I enjoyed it. ( )