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John Peel
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Margrave Of The Marshes Paperback – 3 July 2006

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 187 ratings
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Through nigh-on forty years of laconic brilliance on Radio 1, a musical taste which defined a culture and his wildly popular Radio 4 show, Home Truths, John Peel reached out to an audience that was as diverse as his record collection. He was a genuinely great Briton, beloved by millions. John's unique voice and sensibility were evident in everything he did, and nowhere is that more true than in these pages.

Margrave of the Marshes is the astonishing book John Peel began to write before his untimely death in October 2004, completed by the woman who knew him best, his wife Sheila. It is a unique and intimate portrait of a life, a marriage and a family which is every bit as extraordinary as the man himself - a fitting tribute to a bona fide legend.

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  1. Print length
    544 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Corgi
  4. Publication date
    3 July 2006
  5. Dimensions
    12.7 x 3.2 x 19.8 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0552551198
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0552551199
  8. See all details
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Product description

Review

Pure Peel...This magnificent book is the real thing...Essential reading ― Sunday Times

As with the man himself ... there's the surprising, the cosy ... and the fascinating. ― GQ

A rich and technicolor life... The joy of this book comes from something more than spiky anecdotage, delicious though it is... the evocation of an age is so sharp ― The Times

... Tender and acute ... underlines the one truth that Peel understood better than anyone ... [what] really mattered was the music. ― Independent on Sunday

Sparkling with the warmth and dry wit that made Peel nothing short of a national treasure, it's a timely reminder of a man who crossed the radio divides ― Daily Mail

From the Back Cover

Pure Peel This magnificent book is the real thing Essential reading
Sunday Times

Through nigh-on forty years of laconic brilliance on Radio 1, a musical taste which defined a culture and his wildly popular Radio 4 show, Home Truths, John Peel reached out to an audience that was as diverse as his record collection. He was a genuinely great Briton, beloved by millions. John s unique voice and sensibility were evident in everything he did, and nowhere is that more true than in these pages.

Margrave of the Marshes is the astonishing book John Peel began to write before his untimely death in October 2004, completed by the woman who knew him best, his wife Sheila. It is a unique and intimate portrait of a life, a marriage and a family which is every bit as extraordinary as the man himself - a fitting tribute to a bona fide legend.

Sparkling with the warmth and dry wit that made Peel nothing short of a national treasure, it s a timely reminder of a man who crossed the radio divides
Daily Mail

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Corgi; Reprint edition (3 July 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0552551198
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0552551199
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.7 x 3.2 x 19.8 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 187 ratings

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John Peel

John Peel

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
187 global ratings

Top reviews from United Kingdom

rubytuesday
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2024
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Great read and at an affordable price as is used.
Very good condition.
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Jonathan Taylor
4.0 out of 5 stars Can’t complain!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 January 2022
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Excellent book for an excellent price!
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John Bickerstaffe
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2015
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This is a superb read about the most influential DJ we are ever likely to know. Without him much popular and relatively unknown music would never have been heard. The book gives a great insight I to his early life, the development of his musical interests and his family life. This should also be read along with Andy Kershaws book. I have been glued to this book and having finished it I am now looking for more on John's work.
8 people found this helpful
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Guess Who
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Christmas present!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2013
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I bought this to go with the other John Peel autobiography (Margrave) but, as it was a present, I don't know what the recipient thought of it. However, as he asked for it, I am sure he will be pleased!
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gonnemans
3.0 out of 5 stars A Book in 2 Sessions
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 December 2011
I listened breathlessly to the early 80's broadcasts of Peel on Radio 1. The main reason, it is not surprising, was the music he played: Always new, always unknown and always great. Peel's understated sense of humor appealed to me. And it did it again.... at least in the first part. The following is the case. The first part of 'Margrave of the Marshes' is by Peel himself; the second part by his wife Sheila.
Peel died halfway through the completion of his autobiography at the age of 65, and Sheila completed his work. The latter has done it with incredible love, and she occasionally uses even the same writing style, but the last 100 pages is one great ode to her husband, with 'special' anecdotes listed in an obligatory way. Who can blame her for that, and I will certainly not, but it makes reading at the end one dimensional and predictable.
Peel did the first part of the book: in a loose writing style, humorous observations and a lot of intensity. In particular his time in America appealed to me: about his first radio show, his meeting with Kennedy and his first sexual contact (one Session where I was less interested in).
A final note: this is a book about Peel the person and less about the music he played. Ofcourse: The Fall is mentioned, his friendship with Marc Bolan ditto and sometimes a special Peel Session. But it is mainly about Peel, or rather John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, which is his real name.
I got a glimpse into the life of Peel, but after almost 500 pages, I would not dare to say that I also got a look into his soul.
One person found this helpful
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200colin
4.0 out of 5 stars book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 July 2013
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Very interesting book about his life and times.a tragedy he died when he did.It leaves you wondering how much more would have been said about certain colleagues he worked with.Very well finished off by his wife which must have been a difficult thing to do.
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C & J
5.0 out of 5 stars Story of a lifetime
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 December 2015
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Not just John's but a path through the life of all of us who grew up with him on the radio.
One person found this helpful
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Jennifermwhit
5.0 out of 5 stars Margrave of the Marshes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2013
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This was not the best autobiography I have ever read although it wasn't the worst either, In hindsight I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had known.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kerberenes Marc
5.0 out of 5 stars parfait
Reviewed in France on 17 January 2024
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livre en parfait état avec une livraison rapide.
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Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for John Peel fans.
Reviewed in Canada on 8 September 2020
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Brilliant book. John Peel is a legend. Arrived in good condition. No issues.
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Simon Mac
5.0 out of 5 stars Gone But Not Forgotten
Reviewed in the United States on 26 July 2013
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And John Peel's Margrave Of The Marshes has only 3 reviews on Amazon ?

It is a remarkable book, unlike any autobiography that I've read before and made all the more extraordinary by the circumstances. Apparently, a record one million pound advance was paid by the publisher before John Peel set pen to paper. And then he upped and died on us, way before his time and before he could complete the last two thirds of the story.

Most extraordinary is that the narrative, after John leaves us, switches from him to his wife in an almost seamless manner leaving the reader to wonder who had the most light hidden under the bushel.

Recommended without reservation. If you grew up in England during the seventies or eighties, this is an essential documentary of those times.
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The Big F
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not overwhelming
Reviewed in the United States on 29 June 2013
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Perhaps the only thing that I would take issue with if I could meet John Peel is that he died before getting even a third of the way through his autobiography. And in some ways, this book dies with him. Peel was not only a brilliant DJ; he was also a fabulous writer. Having said that, I am grateful The (so-called) Pig, his wife, finished it for him and gave us new insights to one of the most influential people in rock music. I have no doubt that Sheila Ravenscroft (The Pig) is as wonderful a person as John Peel, but her portion of this biography does come across as someone's wife telling the world about her husband. I don't want that to sound mean (but I know it does already); I grew up musically in the 70s and Peel was the musical equivalent of The Knowledge. He knew every musical avenue and street and even if you thought you were headed in the wrong direction, you always ended up where you wanted to be. Good grief, I even listen to Kevin Coyne for pleasure now. When Peel first played Coyne, I thought one of us had gone mad. This was the guy who introduced me to Montrose and Thin Lizzy's 'The Rocker' while I was under the covers or in the toilet at school. This was a guy I could worship for bringing such awesome sounds into my life, sounds I still live with and which are a part of my life. So the book tells me about the DJ I loved. I think Sheila should have gotten someone else to do it, but really that's a small price to pay for having any biography of such a musical giant. There's still another book out there waiting to be written; one where all the people who loved John Peel tell their stories, his story. For now, this will have to do. I hope people buy this just so they get to know John Peel. I wish I had.
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