Book Review #58: A Different Life By Alice Taft

Title: A Different Life

Author: Alice Taft

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

ISBN: 9781849639064

Genre: Autobiography

Pages: 210

Source: Review Copy from Publishers

There is always a tough situation when you are reviewing an autobiography book. You can’t really judge the person and their story by merely reading 200 odd pages. It appears to be too judgmental when you sort of rate an autobiography. This becomes even more difficult when the autobiography you are reading is not a famous personality. That’s the exact situation I felt when I offered to review this book “A Different Life” by the publishers. This book is the story of a woman and her household and her entire journey from the age of 7 till the age of 60 plus.

The person, whom this book talks about, is a person who is living right next to our door. They might not be a celebrity, yet they make their life memorable in a way Alice Taft has made her life. I did really enjoy reading this book. She explained her simple life in a more simplistic way without hyping anything of that sort. She is not a big shot or a big business tycoon or even a TV personality. She is a woman that led a different life. Hence the title “A Different Life”

So, what makes the story of Alice Taft a different one? Well, to speak of everything, one must read this book to understand it better. Born in a bigger family with 11 odd siblings, for sure, she didn't have the best of the childhood that we can talk off. She faced numerous hurdles as early as possible. With such a large family, she and her other few siblings were forced to move to different houses where they could get a proper childhood. She survived her childhood in many houses. She worked in most of the unusual circumstances and yet she didn't let go of her spirit. In all these events, she made sure that, she kept in contact with her siblings, no matter where they stayed for the rest of their lives.

As she narrates her story in subsequent chapters, she did numerous odd jobs to stay alive. She worked as a cook; she worked as a baby sitter, etc… I think her life took a leap when she started to work in Royal Household of England. She made a career for herself by working in Royal Kitchen. She explained her tryst with cooking in the Royal Household in a greater detail. She explained the numerous occasions where she saw and interacted with the queen and appreciations she received from queen, etc…. She also didn't forget to mention her love interests and her date with few men who had taken interest in Alice.

She did mention her marriage, her loving husband and her charming kids etc… as far as her story is concerned, her husband Tony Taft has been a great support for her. Without his constant encouragement and support, she wouldn't have been able to build her career. She also mentions about her great friendship and talks good about her colleagues and her neighbors.  

Overall, I feel this book is a good read and you will come to know about Alice Taft. She is such a fine lady and I believe she lead a happy different life. Rating this book is somewhat injustice according to me. She is one in a million who lived and retired without becoming famous. But, this book gives a glimpse of Royal Kitchen and the food preferences of the Royal Household, and more than that, this book gives us firsthand information.