Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this memoir. I watched Kate Mulgrew a little bit as Captain Janeway and love her as Red in Orange is the New Black, but didn't know anything about her life. She turns out to very fun company and has had a really interesting life particularly for a theater person. I liked this a lot.
Prior to reading this book, my only familiarity with Kate Mulgrew was through her role on Orange is the New Black. After reading this and realizing what a long, diverse career she has had, I'm even more impressed with her. Beyond that,the writing of this book was of a much higher caliber than what I ever expect from celebrity memoirs, proving that Mulgrew is multi-talented as well. Advance copy provided by Edelweiss.
Smart and funny memoir by an actress with tremendous insight.
Three and a half stars, rounding up to four. It really is very readable, though I do think the first half is significantly better than the second - I was all ready to give it four stars, but the lyricism of the writing trailed off a bit. The first half seemed a lot more polished, anyway, and was less burdened with what I found to be the least interesting theme of the lot: Mulgrew's romantic encounters. I mean, they're interesting enough, but the sparkling relationship here isn't with any of the men. It's with her mother. I understand her mother was ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and although that diagnosis isn't reached in this book, it's clear by the end that her mental state was deteriorating. Very sad, especially as she was such a strong and appealing (if not always comfortable) personality.
I'm shelving this under television, as although Mulgrew is also a stage and film actress (and these do get mentions here) much of the career described in Born With Teeth comes from Mulgrew's two main tv roles, in Ryan's Hope (which I've never seen) and Star Trek: Voyager, which I'm a long-time fan of. It's basically because of Voyager that I chose to read this in the first place, as Janeway is one of my favourite characters from that franchise. There is some coverage of the show in the latter half of the book, but it's not actually in-depth. In some ways that's a little disappointing, but in others it isn't - I went into this knowing it was an autobiography, and for all I love Voyager it was a part of Mulgrew's life and not the whole of it.
I've heard there's a follow-up volume that looks more closely at her mother's deterioration, and I'm looking forward to reading that, as the most interesting prose here came from family relationships, and I'd like to read more of that from Mulgrew.
I'm shelving this under television, as although Mulgrew is also a stage and film actress (and these do get mentions here) much of the career described in Born With Teeth comes from Mulgrew's two main tv roles, in Ryan's Hope (which I've never seen) and Star Trek: Voyager, which I'm a long-time fan of. It's basically because of Voyager that I chose to read this in the first place, as Janeway is one of my favourite characters from that franchise. There is some coverage of the show in the latter half of the book, but it's not actually in-depth. In some ways that's a little disappointing, but in others it isn't - I went into this knowing it was an autobiography, and for all I love Voyager it was a part of Mulgrew's life and not the whole of it.
I've heard there's a follow-up volume that looks more closely at her mother's deterioration, and I'm looking forward to reading that, as the most interesting prose here came from family relationships, and I'd like to read more of that from Mulgrew.
Great memoir and quick read about a woman I knew nothing about (besides her role of Red on OITNB)...what a life she has had! I found her persistence and confidence throughout the trials in her life very inspiring.
My rating is not based on the quality of the writing, which is lyrical and strong, so much as it is based on the story. Mulgrew paints herself as both down to earth and extravagantly worldly. The juxtaposition of these extremes is not as endearing as I felt it could have been with a bit of editing polish.
Read this if you like memoirs, because it will probably surprise you. Many memoirs are about a trauma: the one thing that made my life miserable, the one struggle that made me who I am today, you get the gist. This is about a life, just a life. The family, the pain, the deaths, the sex, the love, the highs and lows. It gives insight about the life of an actress which is incredibly hard and yet, yes, glamorous.
And it's about CAPTAIN JANEWAY of course, so definitely read this if you are a Star Trek Voyager fan. You'll have a whole new appreciation for what it took for her to bring Janeway to life the way she did.
Also, this lady can write. Who knew.
And it's about CAPTAIN JANEWAY of course, so definitely read this if you are a Star Trek Voyager fan. You'll have a whole new appreciation for what it took for her to bring Janeway to life the way she did.
Also, this lady can write. Who knew.
I love her writing style- very fun! Her stories are filled with humor, sadness, love, and so much heart. Great book.
Ever since I first encountered Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway she has been an inspiration to me. Kate Mulgrew who my eyes first saw as the captain of a starship has showed me the strength that women have and the courage they have to follow their convictions. She showed me what it is to be a strong female character and showed a part of herself through the role that made her into a role model for me. I've been wanting to read her autobiography shortly before it finally came out and in the space of 24 hours I couldn't put it down. Life doesn't always go the way we plan it, but sometimes it takes us not where we want to go, but where we need to be and in the process we find out who we truly are. I am thankful Kate took us along on a small part of her journey and shared a bit of her life with us. She is truly an inspiration!