In Two Minds: A Biography of Jonathan Miller

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In Two Minds is the first comprehensive biography of Jonathan Miller the story of one of post-war Britains most intriguing polymaths. Descended from immigrants who fled Tsarist anti-Semitism to become shopkeepers in Ireland and Londons East End, Miller was born into an intellectual milieu, between Bloomsbury and Harley Street the son of a novelist and a leading child psychiatrist. Miller trained as adoctor but then forged a career as a stellar comedian and as a world-renowned theatre and opera director.

He is a controversial humorist, public intellectual and TV personality. As a star in the groundbreaking satirical revue Beyond the Fringe, he shot to fame alongside Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett. His expertise and interests encompass many areas, from medicine (he wrote and presented the hugely acclaimed BBC documentary series The Body in Question) to the history of art, Mozart, atheism and the nature of laughter.

Jonathan Miller is one of the most multi-talented Britons of his generation, celebrated for his dazzling intelligence and anti-establishmentarian wit. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this is an entertaining and illuminating portrait of a fascinatingly complex man.

Reviews

A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life * The Telegraph *
Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace thorough entertaining * Guardian *
An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies. * The Spectator *
Kate Bassetts fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man. * Jewish Chronicle *
Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassetts first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathans weaknesses, but she says that, in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerablethe bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the mans warmth. * The Economist *
Absorbing, in-depth and erudite Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller. * Observer *
Millers bravura is exemplary and life-enhancing, so it is sad to learn from Kate Bassetts magnificent biography (brilliantly researched even the extensive endnotes are a joy) that the man himself somehow feels hard-done-by, unappreciated and under-rewarded.' * Financial Times *
Bassetts beautifully balanced account describes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival For every bridge he burns, hes somehow able to build another. Hes inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid gloves fascinating * Bloomberg *
There is no more extraordinary figure in British public life than Jonathan Miller His achievement is undeniable, as In Two Minds makes clear, and though his workaholic days are behind him, he reveals no signs of retirement. * Wall Street Journal *
A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life. * Five stars - Telegraph *
Scrupulously researched, always fascinating... As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, there's 'bile and bitterness' here. As she demonstrates, there's also genius. * London Times *
Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic - her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace... thorough... entertaining. * Guardian *
An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies. * Spectator *
Kate Bassett's fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man. * Jewish Chronicle *
Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassett's first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathan's weaknesses, but she says that, "in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerable--the bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the man's warmth. * Economist *
Absorbing, in-depth and erudite... Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller. * Observer *
Kate Bassett's brilliant, exhaustively researched biography... reminds us what a truly astonishing man he is. Just try to imagine post-war British culture without him. * Jewish Chronicle *
Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy. * Sunday Times *

Jonathan Millerprodigiously multi-talented: mimic, comic actor, opera director, television-talker, scientist he has excelled in all those spheres This absolutely brilliant biographyshows us that Miller is still the brilliant schoolboy, fascinated by dissecting animals and reading philosophy, still with an adolescent sense of mischief

and the adolescent sense of grievance.

-- A.N. Wilson
Bassetts beautifully balanced accountdescribes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival For every bridge he burns, hes somehow able to build another. Hes inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid glovesfascinating. * Bloomberg *
Showing tremendous understanding of the poisoned chalice that his Janus-faced intellect has been A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life. * Telegraph *

Absorbing, in-depth and eruditeBassetts bookproduce[s] an appealingly multifaceted figure of a man whose polymathic genius has never been in doubt, but

whose refusal to toe the British line of self-deprecation has seen him become something of a prophet without honour at home.

* Observer *
Sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies. * The Spectator *
Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic her write-ups of Millers productions have verve and perceptive graceentertaining. * Guardian *
Millers bravura is exemplary and life-enhancingKate Bassetts magnificent biography [is] brilliantly researched even the extensive endnotes are a joy. * Financial Times *
Scrupulously researched, always fascinating As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, theres bile and bitterness here. As she demonstrates, theres also genius * The Times *
Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy * Sunday Times *

Author Bio

Kate Bassett is the theatre critic for the Independent on Sunday and has previously worked in that capacity for both the Times and the Daily Telegraph. She has also written features and reviews on film, literature, dance and comedy for the Guardian, Time Out, City Limits, TLS and the New Statesman.