One of the most powerful books I've ever read. ( )

A strange book about a vile human being. The author attempts to get to grips with the real Jimmy Savile, whilst documenting how he groomed a nation into believing he was a (all be it eccentric) secular saint. Ultimately, as with Louis Theroux, any attempt to understand the man meets with failure. Savile had wrapped himself in so many lies and stories that he retold at every opportunity, and primary sources about his formative years are almost non-existent. There are hints that as with many abusers he may have been abused himself but I get the feeling is that the key to the mystery of what made this particular monster is irretrievably lost. The lesson to learn is to be wary of power (Savile's ingratiating himself with the West Yorkshire Police is disgraceful) and to give credence to the voices of the relatively weak from who's ranks monsters seek their victims. It's clear that if just one of the many complaints about Savile had been investigated properly he would have been brought down many years earlier. Horribly fascinating. ( )

This is a very difficult book to read as I like many thought warmly of Jimmy Savile for so many years, and can you blame us? Here was a man who from such humble and hard working beginnings led an extraordinary life. From his early years as a miner (and I use that word with trepidation ) his short spell as a wrestler, his love of marathon running, his virtual creation of the British TV institute “Top of the Pops” and his equally electrifying Jim’ll fix it, a programme that for so many years was at the heart of BBC Saturday night entertainment. Then there was his memorable road safety ads, the famous clunk-click phrase followed by his equally renowned promotion of British Rail “This is the age of the train” He was friends to the powerful and famous, Prince Charles, Margaret Thatcher (who fought for years to obtain his OBE) and even the late Princess Diana sought him out so eager were they to ask his advice and be seen in his company....but against this all and against the charity money he raised was a monster of a man who used his position of celebrity to sexually abuse and destroy the lives of so many.

In Plain Sight by Dan Davies is a monumental book and a compulsive colourful and chilling read. This is a book that was researched for many years and over the course of that time Davies interviewed and spoke with Savile on numerous occasions, yet he always felt that there was a dark untold side to this seemingly affable gent.....and how right he was. It is with great sadness that Savile was not exposed during his lifetime and that those who were abused had not the courage to come forward (or indeed if they did were not believed) at an earlier time. Society and our obsession with celebrity must bear so much of the responsibility and blame for we kept this vile individual on a pedestal for so long even thought the crimes that he committed were done....in plain sight..... ( )