TV Personality

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28234, 23 March 1957, Page 3

TV Personality

My Life Line. By Lady Barnett. With 43 Illustrations. Hutchinson. 194 pp.

Lady Barnett is a broadcasting personality and T.V. star whose autobiography is presumably of interest to thousands of her fans in Britain. Outside Britain, it will also be read with interest for what it shows of the characteristics that make for popular success in the twentieth century woman. Lady Barnett has ah easy and charming manner and plenty of confidence (though she protests that she is “terribly shy by nature”), and a gift for making a good story out of everything that happens to her. And circumstances have been kind to her in providing the opportunity for success in an unusual variety of activities.

Having trained as a doctor, she fhight never have practised, since she married almost immediately •fter her graduation, but the war brought the opportunity for tak>ng over the general practice of a man absent in the services. Her husband's term as. Mayor of Leicester brought her the experiences that fall to the lot of a Lady Mayoress. Hei son Alastair ensured that she should not lack the experience of motherhood. And then the 8.8. C. approached her with its first invitation to take part in a programme, and she found her most successful fine of all. The greater part of her book is devoted to show business and “behind-the-scenes’ ’ anecdotes which are gay and enjoyable even if of only transitory interest. And the whole offers an unconscious portrait of 8 thoroughly integrated and contented. if superficial, woman of 1 her times.