[These notes were made in 1985:]. No more than Wapshott's effort is this an "authorized" biography, but Freedland seems to have had more cooperation from O'Toole's immediate circle. The result, however - though it looks more impressive in its hardback glamour - is actually less substantial than Wapshott's paperback. The same incidents, the same anecdotes are largely there, some added, some omitted, but the level of detail is lower, and there are fewer photos than one would expect, altho' they are interesting ones. The tone is less flippant in the text (but more so in the photo captions). Freedland tries less to analyse, but when he does so he gives a more literate impression. So - thin, but probably more accurate than the other. Together, they perhaps begin to form a picture of this extraordinary man.
