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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Passages of this book are extraordinarily well-written, showing that Mulgrew has writing talent in addition to acting. The book's organization left something to be desired, as it dwelled on some short periods and skipped over important events without incorporating them into a main theme. Mulgrew shows that it's NOT possible to "have it all" - 18 hour workdays are mutually exclusive with a fulfilling personal life.
Although well written, the "plot" did not contain any highly engaging elements so I ended up losing interest.
This is one of those books where I wish Goodreads had a star rating between “It was okay” (2) and “I liked it” (3), because Born with Teeth falls into that imagined crevice for me. I wonder if I would have felt differently if I had read the book instead of listening to it, narrated by Kate Mulgrew. Her narration was wonderful; clearly she is not just an actress, but a stage actress. The writing was good, but I found myself increasingly rolling my eyes over what she considered “agony” and the word hyperbolic came to mind dozens of times as I read the book. Also, Mulgrew either has a near-photographic memory when it comes to conversations and actions that took place many years ago, or she was perfectly comfortable taking plenty of literary license.
Would I read this book again? No. Can I recommend it? Not really. But am I glad I read it? Yes. Kind of a mixed review, at best, but I didn’t want to simply put my 2-star rating without clarifying it for those who might want an explanation.
Would I read this book again? No. Can I recommend it? Not really. But am I glad I read it? Yes. Kind of a mixed review, at best, but I didn’t want to simply put my 2-star rating without clarifying it for those who might want an explanation.
“But the fact is,” I continued, “that despite their sadness, and despite my guilt, and despite Egan’s anger, I went ahead and did what I needed to do for myself. In the end, it’s selfish.”
Hagan interrupted me.
“I think you’re wrong there. It feels selfish at the time, because the pain is excruciating, but there is no nobility in hanging on to something that is miserable and false. We have to fight for our happiness in life.”
---
Growing up in the 90’s as a second generation Star Trek fan (it was almost like I had no choice), if you had asked me which Star Trek series was the best, the answer would’ve been, without a doubt, Voyager. The series ran from 1995 to 2001, during which I was 6 to 12 years old. While The Next Generation was on constantly when I was a toddler, Voyager was the Star Trek of my formative years, and Janeway the captain at the helm. As the years have gone by, I’ve revisited the various Star Trek series, and slowly the overarching themes and darker tone of Deep Space Nine have grabbed hold of my heart and crept it’s way into my favourite Star Trek slot, and there’s no denying that, when considering all the captains, there’s a clear best - Jean-Luc Picard. But Janeway’s strength, depth, and unique character has always made her a favourite of mine. Recently I rewatched Voyager, and it wasn’t as spectacular as I remembered it being in my youth, however Mulgrew’s acting and performance never missed a beat, and I gained even more respect for her as an actress.
When she released her memoir, I knew I wanted to read it. Mulgrew is such a strong and capable woman, and her acting, so rooted in theatre, was always captivating. She is, in many ways, the female William Shatner. In fact watching them go head-to-head in Shatner’s 2011’s documentary The Captains, was so entertaining, they were like mirrored copies of each other, each with a plump sense of bravado and importance, and egos that could rival that of God. Actors, am I right?
While I started Born With Teeth expecting a more Star Trek-centered memoir, that would delve into her role as the first female captain of a starship in a period of time that still wasn’t sure what to make of women in a commanding role, I was surprised when it seemed to centre more around Mulgrew’s experience being a mother, and her own relationship with her mother. What I got from this book, was that Mulgrew wasn’t the greatest mother figure. At times she even admits it. Her career is above all to her, as it is for any great actor, and as such, children and family tend to unravel. Mulgrew certainly loved her boys, Ian and Alec, but the overall sense I got from her writing was that, her love for them was constantly butting heads with her love for acting. Early on in the memoir Mulgrew reveals that she had a child when she was in her early twenties and fresh on to the acting scene, whom she gave up for adoption, a choice she immediately regretted. She carried those feelings of remorse and regret with her throughout her entire life, and as much as this memoir highlighted her life and her career, it felt like a letter to her daughter, this phantom figure who was constantly present in the back of Mulgrew’s mind, causing her untold pain and sorrow, which she covered up with acting. It’s not until the end of the memoir when the two finally meet that the tone of the writing seems to shift. Mulgrew’s writing, as prolific as it is, always paints a women with an edge of sorrow buried deep within her, even in the moments of gleeful abandon, there’s this darker side of longing for the child she’d given up that haunts every page. When they finally meet at the end of the memoir, the writing lightens, and it ends on a rather positive note, one of love, acceptance, and carefree permission for Mulgrew to feel happiness.
My one real complaint, and it really as nothing to do with Mulgrew’s style or writing, is that this memoir was riveting, until I put it down. And that’s something all memoirs have in common for me. I love it while I’m reading it, but once I put it down I can’t be bothered to pick it up again. There was nothing driving me to continue reading, and it was a chore to pick up where I’d left off. Even though the writing was fantastic, and Mulgrew’s story was interesting and enlightening. I think it’s because I’m more fiction-driven. Who knows? Still, Born With Teeth is a beautifully crafted memoir, and one I highly recommend.
-----
FOR MORE BOOK REVIEWS, MY OWN NOVELS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE:
michaeljohnhalse.wix.com/michaeljohnhalse
Hagan interrupted me.
“I think you’re wrong there. It feels selfish at the time, because the pain is excruciating, but there is no nobility in hanging on to something that is miserable and false. We have to fight for our happiness in life.”
---
Growing up in the 90’s as a second generation Star Trek fan (it was almost like I had no choice), if you had asked me which Star Trek series was the best, the answer would’ve been, without a doubt, Voyager. The series ran from 1995 to 2001, during which I was 6 to 12 years old. While The Next Generation was on constantly when I was a toddler, Voyager was the Star Trek of my formative years, and Janeway the captain at the helm. As the years have gone by, I’ve revisited the various Star Trek series, and slowly the overarching themes and darker tone of Deep Space Nine have grabbed hold of my heart and crept it’s way into my favourite Star Trek slot, and there’s no denying that, when considering all the captains, there’s a clear best - Jean-Luc Picard. But Janeway’s strength, depth, and unique character has always made her a favourite of mine. Recently I rewatched Voyager, and it wasn’t as spectacular as I remembered it being in my youth, however Mulgrew’s acting and performance never missed a beat, and I gained even more respect for her as an actress.
When she released her memoir, I knew I wanted to read it. Mulgrew is such a strong and capable woman, and her acting, so rooted in theatre, was always captivating. She is, in many ways, the female William Shatner. In fact watching them go head-to-head in Shatner’s 2011’s documentary The Captains, was so entertaining, they were like mirrored copies of each other, each with a plump sense of bravado and importance, and egos that could rival that of God. Actors, am I right?
While I started Born With Teeth expecting a more Star Trek-centered memoir, that would delve into her role as the first female captain of a starship in a period of time that still wasn’t sure what to make of women in a commanding role, I was surprised when it seemed to centre more around Mulgrew’s experience being a mother, and her own relationship with her mother. What I got from this book, was that Mulgrew wasn’t the greatest mother figure. At times she even admits it. Her career is above all to her, as it is for any great actor, and as such, children and family tend to unravel. Mulgrew certainly loved her boys, Ian and Alec, but the overall sense I got from her writing was that, her love for them was constantly butting heads with her love for acting. Early on in the memoir Mulgrew reveals that she had a child when she was in her early twenties and fresh on to the acting scene, whom she gave up for adoption, a choice she immediately regretted. She carried those feelings of remorse and regret with her throughout her entire life, and as much as this memoir highlighted her life and her career, it felt like a letter to her daughter, this phantom figure who was constantly present in the back of Mulgrew’s mind, causing her untold pain and sorrow, which she covered up with acting. It’s not until the end of the memoir when the two finally meet that the tone of the writing seems to shift. Mulgrew’s writing, as prolific as it is, always paints a women with an edge of sorrow buried deep within her, even in the moments of gleeful abandon, there’s this darker side of longing for the child she’d given up that haunts every page. When they finally meet at the end of the memoir, the writing lightens, and it ends on a rather positive note, one of love, acceptance, and carefree permission for Mulgrew to feel happiness.
My one real complaint, and it really as nothing to do with Mulgrew’s style or writing, is that this memoir was riveting, until I put it down. And that’s something all memoirs have in common for me. I love it while I’m reading it, but once I put it down I can’t be bothered to pick it up again. There was nothing driving me to continue reading, and it was a chore to pick up where I’d left off. Even though the writing was fantastic, and Mulgrew’s story was interesting and enlightening. I think it’s because I’m more fiction-driven. Who knows? Still, Born With Teeth is a beautifully crafted memoir, and one I highly recommend.
-----
FOR MORE BOOK REVIEWS, MY OWN NOVELS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE:
michaeljohnhalse.wix.com/michaeljohnhalse
This woman is amazing beyond words, she will always have a place in my heart. What a life she has led. I devoured this in one sitting.
Cross-posted with http://www.thereader.ca/2015/07/staff-pickborn-with-teeth-by-kate.html
Janeway is the best Star Trek Captain. I will fight you on that. I mean no disrespect to Jean-Luc Picard, who remains one of my all-time favourite fictional human beings, but I don’t believe he could have handled the ongoing chaos of the Delta Quadrant with a fraction of Janeway’s unflappable chutzpah. Since Voyager’s original series run (1995-2001) unhappily coincided with my ill-advised teenage attempts to ditch sci-fi in pursuit of being “cool”, I revisited and finally finished the series a scant 3 years ago. Heavily pregnant during a massive heat wave, I watched in awe and increasing fascination at the courage, vigor, and poise with which Mulgrew portrayed Star Trek’s first female captain.
If you, like me, are drawn to Born with Teeth because of a suspicious curiosity that Mulgrew harnesses a similar energy to her characters, you will not be disappointed. Star Trek fans will see reflections of Janeway’s courage and leadership; Orange is the New Black fans will find layers of Red’s matter-of-factness and vulnerability. However, overall, Mulgrew’s voice is definitively and uniquely her own. Her memoir gives the impression of one who is supremely confident in her identity and goals; while her memoir is frequently pre-occupied with questioning (and at times, tenderly regretting) her choices, Mulgrew never seems to doubt who she is. Her voice remains unwavering through every joy and pain.
And what pain there is! Mulgrew has been no stranger to hardship in her life, and I was frequently moved to tears in the course of reading. Early on in the book, she reminisces of her first acting mentor, Stella Adler’s advice about pain in theatre: “use it.” That simple mantra is carried through Mulgrew’s entire 40-plus year career. In particular, her decision at 22 to give up her daughter for adoption haunts her throughout her life and work. Mulgrew’s regret over the adoption forms the book’s emotional center; like her life’s other heartbreaks, it is addressed directly, without shying away from the hard truths.
While Born with Teeth is rife with anecdotes from every phase of Mulgrew’s career, plenty of mystery remains after the book is closed. As a Trekkie, I chuckled the most at her Voyager experiences, in particular the tale of her disastrous first audition, and her description of actor Robert Beltran’s aura as halfway “between come hither and get lost.” Mostly, she prioritizes personal experiences over professional ones, and aside from those tragedies that define her life, Mulgrew keeps her emphasis firmly on the positive. Falling in love is lingered over, while break-ups are blips, practically footnotes. People whom she loves and admires are gushed over, while others are basically left out. Also missing are any musings on her life after Voyager, so Orange is the New Black fans may be disappointed. Personally, I’m hoping for a sequel.
Janeway is the best Star Trek Captain. I will fight you on that. I mean no disrespect to Jean-Luc Picard, who remains one of my all-time favourite fictional human beings, but I don’t believe he could have handled the ongoing chaos of the Delta Quadrant with a fraction of Janeway’s unflappable chutzpah. Since Voyager’s original series run (1995-2001) unhappily coincided with my ill-advised teenage attempts to ditch sci-fi in pursuit of being “cool”, I revisited and finally finished the series a scant 3 years ago. Heavily pregnant during a massive heat wave, I watched in awe and increasing fascination at the courage, vigor, and poise with which Mulgrew portrayed Star Trek’s first female captain.
If you, like me, are drawn to Born with Teeth because of a suspicious curiosity that Mulgrew harnesses a similar energy to her characters, you will not be disappointed. Star Trek fans will see reflections of Janeway’s courage and leadership; Orange is the New Black fans will find layers of Red’s matter-of-factness and vulnerability. However, overall, Mulgrew’s voice is definitively and uniquely her own. Her memoir gives the impression of one who is supremely confident in her identity and goals; while her memoir is frequently pre-occupied with questioning (and at times, tenderly regretting) her choices, Mulgrew never seems to doubt who she is. Her voice remains unwavering through every joy and pain.
And what pain there is! Mulgrew has been no stranger to hardship in her life, and I was frequently moved to tears in the course of reading. Early on in the book, she reminisces of her first acting mentor, Stella Adler’s advice about pain in theatre: “use it.” That simple mantra is carried through Mulgrew’s entire 40-plus year career. In particular, her decision at 22 to give up her daughter for adoption haunts her throughout her life and work. Mulgrew’s regret over the adoption forms the book’s emotional center; like her life’s other heartbreaks, it is addressed directly, without shying away from the hard truths.
While Born with Teeth is rife with anecdotes from every phase of Mulgrew’s career, plenty of mystery remains after the book is closed. As a Trekkie, I chuckled the most at her Voyager experiences, in particular the tale of her disastrous first audition, and her description of actor Robert Beltran’s aura as halfway “between come hither and get lost.” Mostly, she prioritizes personal experiences over professional ones, and aside from those tragedies that define her life, Mulgrew keeps her emphasis firmly on the positive. Falling in love is lingered over, while break-ups are blips, practically footnotes. People whom she loves and admires are gushed over, while others are basically left out. Also missing are any musings on her life after Voyager, so Orange is the New Black fans may be disappointed. Personally, I’m hoping for a sequel.
I learned to love Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway. I had no inkling of any of the other work she had done before or since. Her life seems full of pivotal events and tumultuous relationships. But her writing is so evocative, at times whimsical and at others exciting or brutally honest, that I think she could make eating a cucumber sandwich sound exciting.
I find it astonishing that despite all the gossip-worthy events of her life, that the media were so reticent. Mulgrew says they were respectful back then (in the 70’s) and had integrity.
She narrates the audio version herself, which is also a huge dollop of icing on the cake, and there’s an interview conducted by Rosie O’Donnell at the end which is wonderful.
I find it astonishing that despite all the gossip-worthy events of her life, that the media were so reticent. Mulgrew says they were respectful back then (in the 70’s) and had integrity.
She narrates the audio version herself, which is also a huge dollop of icing on the cake, and there’s an interview conducted by Rosie O’Donnell at the end which is wonderful.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Sexism, Abortion, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced