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madamenovelist's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body horror, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Because Alan Rickman was in the film industry, there are mentions of interacting with certain names that might be a bit of a jumpscare if you’re not bracing, such as a positive interaction with Kevin Spacey. Weinstein crops up multiple times but Rickman believes a female colleague’s account of mistreatment.booksalacarte's review
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
I love Alan Rickman. Listening to these personal diary entries was revealing in a way I’m not sure I was 100% comfortable with, knowing that he was gone before this was published. This is the main reason for the lower stars.
This was such an intimate and interesting look at a man know for his stoicism and British wit. I adored hearing his introspective snippets and lovingly harsh reviews of stage and screen performances of his peers. Looking at the daily life of someone so settled in his life and career without the opportunity flowery editing was fascinating.
It doesn’t replace him and what he could have continued to do in theatre and film.
This was such an intimate and interesting look at a man know for his stoicism and British wit. I adored hearing his introspective snippets and lovingly harsh reviews of stage and screen performances of his peers. Looking at the daily life of someone so settled in his life and career without the opportunity flowery editing was fascinating.
It doesn’t replace him and what he could have continued to do in theatre and film.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
genie09's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
issyd23's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.0
Not the book he deserved: a really lazy memoir 2🪄 instead of ‘curating diary entries’ (not well curated as it could’ve been an 1/8 of the length - I don’t need his Christmas shopping lists every year!) why not interview Rickman’s friends, family and coworkers and write a biography instead?
Despite the disappointment of this book I enjoyed hearing his opinions/tea/quips about various actors, their performances and their partners. NB Emma Thompson’s foreword was truely a highlight! (why couldn’t the entire book have been like that?)
Things I learnt:
- Kathy Lette is the worlds biggest flirt
- He loves Alanis Morissette and owns a copy of Jagged Little Pill
- He was very anti-Iraq war
- Brian Cox yells too much (on stage)
- Produced the play ‘My name is Rachel Corrie’ about a pro-Palestinian journalist crushed to death by the IDF
- His line ‘take out your wand’ keeps cracking up Helena BC on HP6
- He loves GoggleBox, Don’t tell the bride and Say yes to the dress
- Had a jungle curry at Chin Chin in 2015
- Thinks Melbourne architecture is ‘terrible’
- Emma Thompson is really the best!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
siriface's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Terminal illness
rosalind's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Torture, Medical content, Dementia, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
staceyinthesticks's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death
charlotteappleyard93's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
A compulsively entertaining read that delves into the glamour and surreal life of a jet setting actor. Rickmans diary really is a window into the mind of a passionate and often complex man who is witty, self-critical, hot headed and deeply invested in his craft. His insights into the acting world and the goings on on various films including Harry Potter as well as his views on movies he sees himself or actors he has worked with or met are such amazing gossip you can't help but turn the page to see what he says next.
I really felt like I got to know Alan Rickman which also made his eventual demise and his wife Rimas final notes following his death all the more heart wrenching. I don't think I could watch one of his films in the same way now.
I really felt like I got to know Alan Rickman which also made his eventual demise and his wife Rimas final notes following his death all the more heart wrenching. I don't think I could watch one of his films in the same way now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
leweylibrary's review
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I'm having a hard time rating this book. It was difficult for me to stay engaged because Rickman's diaries weren't exactly pages of his thoughts and feelings, more like a planner listing stuff he did (everything from dentist appointments to Broadway premieres) with some nuggets of funny or insightful stuff interspersed throughout. The problem was the nuggets weren't consistent of course, so the list nature made it easy to miss the good bits (like him making dick jokes with Helena Bonham Carter on the HP set lmao WHAT 😂). I feel like this would've been more interesting as a primary source document not an audiobook. It would've been easier to skip over the mundane bits. But then I also get that the mundane bits are interesting because they show how very human and normal he was despite being such a big name in the acting world.
I also think there could've been a lot more context given for many entries--it was hard to keep it all straight, especially all the names of people, places, and plays. I almost wish it would've been more focused on the context and then included snippets of his diary to illustrate certain things and show his voice. But then I also get that would detract from it being his life in his voice. I don't know! I really am torn here on how I feel about it. It definitely wasn't my favorite audiobook, that's really the only thing I know for sure 😅
Overall, he was so snarky in his diary entries lol and whenever he talked about politics the snark percentage went up about 394%. He really just used his diary mostly as a place to bitch or make snide comments. There were happy or funny things in there too, they just seemed much fewer and farther between and were breezed over quite quickly. It was also interesting to see some of his relationships with other celebrities like Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McKellen, and Kate Winslet (the first one I knew obviously but the latter ones I had no idea).
Also, if you're reading this as a HP fan, don't lol he really doesn't talk about HP much, and when he does it's more often to bitch about the producers or being annoyed that's all anyone wanted to talk to him about. Same goes for Die Hard.
I also think there could've been a lot more context given for many entries--it was hard to keep it all straight, especially all the names of people, places, and plays. I almost wish it would've been more focused on the context and then included snippets of his diary to illustrate certain things and show his voice. But then I also get that would detract from it being his life in his voice. I don't know! I really am torn here on how I feel about it. It definitely wasn't my favorite audiobook, that's really the only thing I know for sure 😅
Overall, he was so snarky in his diary entries lol and whenever he talked about politics the snark percentage went up about 394%. He really just used his diary mostly as a place to bitch or make snide comments. There were happy or funny things in there too, they just seemed much fewer and farther between and were breezed over quite quickly. It was also interesting to see some of his relationships with other celebrities like Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McKellen, and Kate Winslet (the first one I knew obviously but the latter ones I had no idea).
Also, if you're reading this as a HP fan, don't lol he really doesn't talk about HP much, and when he does it's more often to bitch about the producers or being annoyed that's all anyone wanted to talk to him about. Same goes for Die Hard.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
tyr2607's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer and Death