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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Didn’t get to finish before having to send back to the library- too much going on in life right now. Maybe try again another time.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Don't expect too much from these diaries. They rarely offer an insight into Rickman's thoughts on characters. He was very brief with his entries. But they offer an interesting look at his personality. Funnily enough, while I thought that, judging by his diaries, I would be too intimidated to talk to him, reading them was like listening bits of intimate conversation with him. I admit I cried in the end. It is also a great example of what an actor's life is. Very demanding, certainly not for everyone, but thankfully Rickman was passionate about it. And I loved his dry humour
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death
funny
reflective
slow-paced
This wasn't a book I read easily. As a person who's been journaling since, at least, 10 yo, it's hard not to compare writing styles - which, I recognise, is a pretty unfair way to judge a book filled with diary entries. It is, I would say, AR's writing style, which kind of matches his personality (from what his writings transpired): brass, unfiltered, sassy, literally straight to the point. There's pretty much no "poetry", just the description of things, people, feelings, as they were.
AR was also as much a critic of himself, as he is of others. At times, especially when in the director chair, he could be particularly demanding of himself. In one breath he can be critical of a fellow actor's performance, and in the next he was giving the most raw, sincere praise. And you can tell it's all really honest, because why would one lie in their own journal?
It was great to get his thoughts in some of his most famous parts - Severus Snape,or me, particularly -, but also, at times, exastig to try to understand who was who. Sure, there are some recurrent names and a few very well know by the general public, but as someone from outside of the acting business, it can he hard to match the name to the face (Google was a good friend with this book).
In the end, what stuck in my mind was of how said it was that he was writing his day to day life, not knowing he would be dead in 10 years time, or 5, or 2. It puts in perspective how one's life is so utterly fleeting. I am glad he passed away peacefully and, hopefully, feeling loved, by Rima, his friends, his fans (though he'd probably roll his eye at the thought of strangers weeping his passing).
AR was also as much a critic of himself, as he is of others. At times, especially when in the director chair, he could be particularly demanding of himself. In one breath he can be critical of a fellow actor's performance, and in the next he was giving the most raw, sincere praise. And you can tell it's all really honest, because why would one lie in their own journal?
It was great to get his thoughts in some of his most famous parts - Severus Snape,or me, particularly -, but also, at times, exastig to try to understand who was who. Sure, there are some recurrent names and a few very well know by the general public, but as someone from outside of the acting business, it can he hard to match the name to the face (Google was a good friend with this book).
In the end, what stuck in my mind was of how said it was that he was writing his day to day life, not knowing he would be dead in 10 years time, or 5, or 2. It puts in perspective how one's life is so utterly fleeting. I am glad he passed away peacefully and, hopefully, feeling loved, by Rima, his friends, his fans (though he'd probably roll his eye at the thought of strangers weeping his passing).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
This was a great read. I so appreciated the focus on the art of performing arts, the value of it and when it worked (and when it didn't). Also, I really enjoyed how much of the mundane parts of life are included. I don't know if he really meant for others to read it (the Foreward/Intro is a bit vague on this), but I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to read it. It's life, it's art, it's noticing, it's feeling, it's being. I loved it.
Sidenote: I am very happy that I switched from reading this in ebook to physical book because it's so much easier to read the footnotes in a physical edition (and they are on almost all the pages).
Sidenote: I am very happy that I switched from reading this in ebook to physical book because it's so much easier to read the footnotes in a physical edition (and they are on almost all the pages).
slow-paced
It was hard to read, lots of different people. I was expecting more of a story behind it from the author but it was just typed up diary notes and not even the full extract.
Emma Thompson foreword and Rima’s bit at the end were the best bits
Emma Thompson foreword and Rima’s bit at the end were the best bits
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Sadly, not my cup of tea. For me, it’s obvious it was not meant to be published and I oft got lost in countless names and partial information presented. If you are a Rickman megafan, this might interest you, but there is not really much meat on the bones (at least for me).
Unfortunately, the very nature of a diary does not make for great audio: lots of repetition (dates) and brief, sometimes cryptic, entries. There were a LOT of flights. There were a LOT of pick ups for this or the other show. it doesn't make for gripping listening. I think if I had been reading this there would have been a fair amount of skimming. The names, the parties, the pickups, the flights--it's all a bit overwhelming. The more interesting bits you have to wait for--Alan's opinions of shows and movies, his passion about what makes for good theater, the uncompromising (and at times, probably annoying) way he approached his craft. So, good bits, but I would recommend NOT to get the audio--read instead an skim as needed over the endless recitation of dates.