This is a book review of Tabloid Girl by Sharon Marshall.
I grew up in the UK and for a short time delivered newspapers as a youngster, and like many others in Britain, I’ve read tabloid papers at times. Upon seeing Sharon’s book sat upon a library shelf, I couldn’t resist borrowing the book, which covers ten years of her life as a tabloid reporter.
I thought I wouldn’t be shocked by the antics of some reporters, but the book was an eye-opener, and covered not just Sharon’s life, but some of the actions of other reporters. I read about how Sharon started her tabloid career, the competition with others for jobs and scopes, and how she progressed her career and went in search of stories, often finding herself in bizarre situations with strangers.
Along with those seeking to work in newspapers, I think anyone who has read a tabloid newspaper, even if just occasionally, might be surprised and interested in Sharon’s book. I hope to some, this book is a warning on a career not to take, but for me, it was just interesting to read about how some of the stories end up in the papers, and interesting to follow Sharon’s career.
Perhaps I shouldn’t of, but at times whilst reading the book, I felt sorry for Sharon, such as her lack of romance and struggling to find a partner. After being involved with all those stories about others, in the end, Sharon had her own story to sell.
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