Amazon Review
Rolf Harris, This Is Your Life. The veteran TV presenter/artist/musician may have faced the BBC's big red book twice so far, but for those who missed those appearances, and those who cannot wait for any future instalment, here is the next best thing. Published to coincide with its subject's 70th birthday, The Court Of King Rolf takes a different tack to most showbiz biographies. Instead of dry, factual one-person prose, here is a celebration of our antipodean hero's life; here are the personal testimonies of the people who share Rolf's world.

Contributors to Mark Walker's book have been asked to relay their favourite thoughts, memories and impressions of Rolf Harris. The resultant collage of opinions is certainly colourful and bright. In his varied career, Rolf has touched many; from the Animal Hospital team, to fellow artist Tony Hart, from his family, of course, to neighbour Parky and Beatles supremo Sir George Martin. Between them, contributors manage to trace a passable biographic path from the Australian outback to Harmsworth Hospital. However, the strength of this book lies elsewhere. Although the inclusion of 70-odd stories throws up some inevitable overlap, the commendable editing and arrangement of these tales allows the reader to continue to learn about Rolf Harris as almost every page goes by. What emerges is a chorus of praise for a much loved entertainer ^Å and these tributes do not smack of the glib, gilded hollow statements which taint most TV commendations. Instead here are small stories; just moments in time--where a cartoonist who took time out to make a deaf child happy, where Rolf sketched well into the night to please every child at a village fete, where an animal lovers' empathy for pet owners made him the talk of national TV; there's even a thought that somewhere in pantoland, an irrepressible energy painted an mural for no reason other than to refresh the peeling dressing room paint.

Only one conclusion can come from such an overpowering volley of praise. Can you tell what is it yet? Just this--any man who garners such warmth and honest respect is worthy of honour indeed. --Helen Lamont