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scorpio53's review against another edition
4.0
A really enjoyable read, from Charlie's early life as a boy through his first job with Karno then onto his silent film making in the USA. I learnt many new and interesting things about Charlie & his famous friends as I read the book. I only thought of him as a silent movie star but in fact he beacme a director, a composer & also formed United Artists film studios along with Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks.
guinness74's review against another edition
4.0
As with all autobiographies, one should be aware of the unreliable narrator, but if one cannot be relied upon to tell their own story, then who can? As such, Chaplin provides as honest an account of his life from birth to roughly the 1960s and it is fascinating in terms of his creative output. Some of his story is lackluster as it deals with financial negotiations and sea-crossings, but his interactions with figures of import from Gandhi to Churchill are what really make this book engaging. I think many of us only know ‘The Tramp’ and this account shows us so much more beyond that one-dimension. Not an incomparable life, but certainly one to be admired.
miss_alaina's review against another edition
5.0
I actually cried when I finished reading this because I was so upset that I had reached the end. Probably the single greatest book I've ever read.
constantinursu's review against another edition
5.0
A most entertaining biography and a very interesting life, filled with a lot of grief and happiness. I was surprised to find out how many important figures at the time where either friends or good acquaintances with Charlie Chaplin, as well as how many things haven't changed since nearly a century ago. One could say he wasn't born at the right time, that in our time he would've accomplished more, without the censorship and the limitations of cinematography back in the day, but I think that exactly because of those he was able to create so many masterpieces and become the genius we all know. He would also, most definitely, suffer from some #MeToo backlash, given his numerous flings and relationships.
rob_edmunds's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
4.0
I've always admired Charlie Chaplin and enjoyed his movies and it was a real pleasure to read the memoir about his incredibly rich and varied life. It is a blend of the confessional, reflective and occasionally reserved, which is probably quite typical of autobiographies. It is a little unbalanced in terms of the phases of his life and the style alters noticeably depending on the part of his life story he's discussing. He is quite revealing of his emotions and affections in his early destitution in London and his affection for his mother and brother is apparent. He describes his craft very well and his transition from the stage to the screen and his meteoric rise to fame. The latter parts of the book often describe encounters with the rich and famous, often at dinner parties. Towards the end this gets a little rushed. For instance, he meets Picasso, Sartre, Kruschev, Nehru and Churchill in the space of a few pages with little acknowledgement that this degree of accessibility to artists, writers and politicians may have been an unique privilege. His language is sometimes florid but I liked that and it may well have been that some of the phrases he used were much more common at the time. It does reveal a keen appreciation for literature and the arts and it seemed to me the eloquence of the autodidact. It's certainly a book I will return to in the future and it is my hope that one day I will write something which touches a little on his life and the people he knew and loved.
jonid's review against another edition
4.0
An Icon of cinema, the first portion of the book reads like a Dickensian novel. The creation of the little tramp, United Artists and Hollywood during the silent era are fascinating to read
kfrench1008's review against another edition
4.0
Chaplin was a genius and his autobiography is a great read. I took one star off for the slightly stilted language.
xandrea's review against another edition
5.0
The ultimate rags to riches story yet keeping true to his unique character, Charlie delves you deep into his history and serves you up platters of insight and a different look into the high society of his hay days. What an absolute privilege to read and gain a whole new perspective of the infamous Tramp.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
ibecbec's review against another edition
5.0
I love Chaplin's films and I thought I would give his memoir a shot. I'm glad I did! I wasn't sure what to expect with it, but wow. The stories from his youth are captivating, along with his rise to fame in America. This man was a genius, he wrote, directed, composed, all on top of acting. He even put his own money into the success of his films, which no director would do today. It's great to hear vulnerability, and shyness from someone as famous as Charlie Chaplin. It connects the reader to him even more.
The only slow parts are near the end when he's talking about his legal problems and his trials. Otherwise I didn't want it to end.
I would recommend this book, but only after you've seen a few of his films first. I recommend The Great Dictator, Modern Times, The Kid, and City Lights (my personal favorite).
The only slow parts are near the end when he's talking about his legal problems and his trials. Otherwise I didn't want it to end.
I would recommend this book, but only after you've seen a few of his films first. I recommend The Great Dictator, Modern Times, The Kid, and City Lights (my personal favorite).