Lord of Misrule: The Autobiography of Christopher Lee       

Author: Christopher Lee

Publisher: Orion Publishing

American release date: October 1, 2003

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Autobiography/392 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Christopher Lee is probably best known for his role as Count Dracula in old Hammer films, alongside his good friend Peter Cushing. In more recent years, you might remember him as Saruman, the wizard who goes wrong in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings films, and Count Dooku in Star Wars. But did you know he is related to Italian nobility? And he was the model his step-cousin Ian Fleming based James Bond on?

There is so much more to this man than meets the eye. I have been a longtime fan since I first discovered Hammer films. I loved him as Saruman, and as Scaramonga in The Man With the Golden Gun, Count Rochefort in the Three Musketeers.  I recently watched him in the original Wicker Man (much better than the Nic Cage version) But did you know he sang opera? And he was crazy about playing golf?

His autobiography is a must-read for anyone who is a fan. He is a wonderful storyteller, and he has a delightful sense of humor. I’m amazed at the things he remembered throughout his life – I cannot remember most of my childhood, much less in such detail.  He met a lot of people and did a lot of extraordinary things. He had a very interesting life and I highly recommend reading his autobiography.