The Invisible Girl: A father's heart-breaking story of the daughter he lost - Softcover

Barham, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007205430 ISBN 13: 9780007205431

Publisher: Harper Element, 2005

Synopsis

A few years after packing for London, teenager Debbie Barham was writing the funniest lines for the top names in British comedy. But her genius belied a darker, destructive side that slowly span out of control. By 26 she had died of anorexia. This powerful memoir is her father's search to understand his daughter and make sense of her troubled end. In this poignant memoir of his daughter's short life, Peter Barham sets out to discover the powerful force that drove Debbie to anorexia, whilst inspiring her to write some of the best lines in British comedy. Drawing on her copious e-mails and scripts, and featuring contributions from some of the UK's most famous comedians, including Rory Bremner, Clive Anderson, Ned Sherrin and Bob Monkhouse, Peter takes you from the heady excitement of Debbie's mid-teen years to her troubled, solitary end. 'The Invisible Girl' is a father's remarkable journey to discover what went wrong in the mysterious and very private world of his daughter. It is a powerful and moving story that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

About this title

Review:

‘Debbie Barham was addicted to comedy: she lived and died writing it. This book is a moving tribute to an astonishing talent and a life that ran out before the jokes did.’ Rory Bremner

‘A truly extraordinary person.’ Clive Anderson

‘The unsung queen of comedy.’ The Telegraph

‘She could be rude enough to make even Graham Norton blush.’ Ned Sherrin

‘An amazing talent.’ Bob Monkhouse

‘In her short life, Deb achieved what most writers would wish for in a much longer lifetime. She was prodigiously talented.’ Bruce Hyman radio producer

‘A frank and heartbreaking account of the battle with anorexia that left acclaimed comedy writer Deborah Barham dead at 26.’ Mail on Sunday (Jan 06)

Synopsis:

Within a few years of packing her bags for London as a starry-eyed 15-year-old, Debbie Barham became one of the wittiest and most prolific writers in Britain, working for comedy names such as Rory Bremner and Clive Anderson. But things soon went wrong for Debbie: her comic genius belied a darker, destructive side that slowly span out of control. In this poignant memoir of his daughter's short life, Peter Barham sets out to discover the powerful force that drove Debbie to anorexia, whilst inspiring her to write some of the best lines in British comedy. Drawing on her copious e-mails and scripts, and featuring contributions from some of the UK's most famous comedians, including Rory Bremner, Clive Anderson, Ned Sherrin and Bob Monkhouse, Peter takes you from the heady excitement of Debbie's mid-teen years to her troubled, solitary end. "The Invisible Girl" is a father's remarkable journey to discover what went wrong in the mysterious and very private world of his daughter. It is a powerful and moving story that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Element
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0007205430
• ISBN 13: 9780007205431
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 418