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meganpbennett's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal death, Infidelity, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Death
author2223's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Death
Minor: Bullying
tguccione's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Death, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Death of parent and Pandemic/Epidemic
heather667's review
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Classism, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence, Torture, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, and Suicide
queer_bookwyrm's review
5.0
Making It So: A Memoir by Sir Patrick Stewart is my first read of the New Year! I'm not typically a memoir reader, but I make an exception for Star Trek greats.
Patrick Stewart takes us through his entire life, starting with his love of stage acting and passion for Shakespeare all the way through his time with Star Trek: The Next Generation, the X-Men franchise, and the intricacies of his life. He is so open and honest about every part of his life, not just the successes, but his mistakes and struggles, including his failed marriages and relationships, and his insecurities around being a leading man on the stage and in front of the camera.
Honestly, it was like reading about an old friend. I found myself smiling a lot and even laughing out loud a bunch of times at his storytelling. It's no secret I'm a huge Trekkie, and adore Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I so enjoyed reading this in his voice and learning all the behind the scenes moments of his life. He is brilliant, modest, genuine, and quite funny. I do hope he is able to make the Picard movie he is trying to get.
I definitely recommend this for anyone who cherishes Captain Picard, Professor X, or any iteration of Shakespeare Patrick has been a part of. He kept me engaged (pun definitely intended) the whole time. Thank you, Captain, for Making It So.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
laurasullivan's review
3.0
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Alcohol
katndrsn's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Drug use, Child death, Alcoholism, and Miscarriage
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
4.5
While I was interested in his stories overall and hadn't heard any of them, being a very casual fan, there were a few that I wasn't quite sure why he included them. They weren't bad, they just felt like non-sequitors in the grand scheme of the book's narrative.
That being said, I appreciated how Patrick Stewart told these stories from his life with humility and respect for those involved. While he did grow up with a certain amount of prejudice, he tells these stories now as someone who has since grown into a very accepting and progressive-minded individual. Of course, there's always the possibility that something is being omitted or falsified, but even if this were a true work of fiction it would still be a good book to me.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Mental illness, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Addiction, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Murder, War, Dementia, Drug use, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Cancer, and Car accident
deebaxreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Animal death
Moderate: Death
Minor: Alcohol
erebus53's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second memoir I have checked out in short succession that tells childhood tales of not having an indoor toilet. Patrick Stewart tells of his childhood trauma, his working class roots and his penchant for train-spotting (what else is there to do in a small town?), and weaves a story of how he got the acting bug. After many lucky breaks, and much hard work, Patrick learns a new accent, embraces the lifestyle of a working actor, and forms a lifelong passion for Shakespeare.
After many crushes on many women he tells of his patchy relationship history. Life with a partner often does not stand up to the rigours of long shooting schedules, and active commitments that span continents... he was a bit of a bounder, which is all well and good to be remorseful of in retrospect, but the accounts he gives are candid and apologetic. Not everyone in his life forgives his transgressions.
As Sir Patrick recalls the layout of one of the places he used to live I am reminded of a house that Dave Grohl talks about in his memoir Storyteller. I was surprised to find that both men talk of spooky hauntings in these houses. I wonder if they are in the same area, or made at around the same time. Just describing the layout of the house gave me a sense memory of having read about it before, so it was extra strange.
This is quite a long book, and quite informative about all sorts of things; If you are not at all into Shakespeare, and English lit like Dickens, it might begin to drag for you. The scope of the narrative shows a change in attitudes toward queer identities and how they are presented in media, right through to how Patrick Stewart chooses to present himself in social media. There is some fanservice of Sir Patrick's short time spent in the company of Vivien Leigh, right through to his work on Star Trek and X-Men. It's been very long career and he doesn't want to quit. I enjoyed the book.
Graphic: Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Violence, Animal death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Vomit, Torture, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Minor: Classism