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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
I forgot how much I a) loved her in the early 2000’s and b) love listening to her voice
A little disjointed but worth it for the last chapter as she sat with her mother at the end of her life.
Her narration was very good. The first half was interesting. 2nd half was not.
Most memoirs are written and read because of the information they provide and the secrets they reveal, because we are voyeurs by nature and curious about the lives of others. We don’t expect too much in the way of writing skills and often feel that an edit would have been needed. Managing Expectations: A Memoir in Essays by Minnie Driver is an exception. Driver is a remarkable author and her words are what carries this memoir. Reading this book is pure pleasure. I found myself replaying segments just to hear the cadence of her words. There is no doubt that Minnie Driver had and is having a unique life, filled with joy, sorrow, independence, self-doubt, insecurities and more. Her bohemian upbringing led her on the path to being a successful actor and now an author with much to say. I listened to the audiobook, read by the author. Highly recommended.
emotional
funny
informative
fast-paced
Adored this. It was funny and sad and not at all what I expected. But it was delightful and reminded me how much I love Minnie Driver.
Best for:
Fans of well-written and insightful autobiographies of public figures.
In a nutshell:
Actress and author Driver shares the details of a few stories that provide the reader with real insight into her life.
Worth quoting:
I listened so didn’t take down any particular phrases, but there were definitely multiple times I had a strong positive reaction to something she shared.
Why I chose it:
On one level, I’m a bit of a fan in that I think she is fantastic in Grosse Pointe Blank. On another, I have vague memories of claims that Matt Damon broke up with her on Oprah, and I was sort of hoping maybe she’s touch on that? (Spoiler: she does, in the classiest way possible.)
Review:
What an absolutely lovely autobiography. Given I’ve listened to some this year that left me a bit wanting in terms of both the quality of the writing and the choice of stories shared, I was a slightly hesitant, and thought perhaps this was no longer my genre of choice. Driver’s writing put all concerns to rest, as she provides a well-written, well-edited, and well-read (seriously, get the audio version she reads herself) collection of essays that provide insight into a privileged life. And even with that privilege, I didn’t get the sense ever that she was out of touch, or unaware of how lucky she has been in some aspects of her life. She seems to have a strong sense of self, and that comes across in this book.
The book isn’t just about her time as an actress - in fact it starts with a story about her being a bit of a brat as a child. I’d say nearly half the book is about her childhood, and the stories are fascinating. She doesn’t go from episode to episode - she seems to have carefully selected things that for her represent an important time and story in her life. There are just a handful of chapters, and each chapter is pretty narrowly focused, so don’t expect to get her literal life story.
She obviously does discuss her career, but I’d say it’s maybe 1/3 of the book max? The final chapter is heart-wrenching and beautiful, covering the short illness and death of her mother.
As with any memoir, I have no idea what was left out, how truthful the stories are, etc. But I get a sense that Driver has shared a lot of herself, and while it’s obviously not all of herself, it doesn’t feel censored or self-edited in an untrue way. I don’t ‘know’ Driver in any real way, but the book makes me feel now that I do, just a little bit, and I appreciate her contribution to this genre.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a Friend
Fans of well-written and insightful autobiographies of public figures.
In a nutshell:
Actress and author Driver shares the details of a few stories that provide the reader with real insight into her life.
Worth quoting:
I listened so didn’t take down any particular phrases, but there were definitely multiple times I had a strong positive reaction to something she shared.
Why I chose it:
On one level, I’m a bit of a fan in that I think she is fantastic in Grosse Pointe Blank. On another, I have vague memories of claims that Matt Damon broke up with her on Oprah, and I was sort of hoping maybe she’s touch on that? (Spoiler: she does, in the classiest way possible.)
Review:
What an absolutely lovely autobiography. Given I’ve listened to some this year that left me a bit wanting in terms of both the quality of the writing and the choice of stories shared, I was a slightly hesitant, and thought perhaps this was no longer my genre of choice. Driver’s writing put all concerns to rest, as she provides a well-written, well-edited, and well-read (seriously, get the audio version she reads herself) collection of essays that provide insight into a privileged life. And even with that privilege, I didn’t get the sense ever that she was out of touch, or unaware of how lucky she has been in some aspects of her life. She seems to have a strong sense of self, and that comes across in this book.
The book isn’t just about her time as an actress - in fact it starts with a story about her being a bit of a brat as a child. I’d say nearly half the book is about her childhood, and the stories are fascinating. She doesn’t go from episode to episode - she seems to have carefully selected things that for her represent an important time and story in her life. There are just a handful of chapters, and each chapter is pretty narrowly focused, so don’t expect to get her literal life story.
She obviously does discuss her career, but I’d say it’s maybe 1/3 of the book max? The final chapter is heart-wrenching and beautiful, covering the short illness and death of her mother.
As with any memoir, I have no idea what was left out, how truthful the stories are, etc. But I get a sense that Driver has shared a lot of herself, and while it’s obviously not all of herself, it doesn’t feel censored or self-edited in an untrue way. I don’t ‘know’ Driver in any real way, but the book makes me feel now that I do, just a little bit, and I appreciate her contribution to this genre.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a Friend
Beautiful book. Bleak description of lonely childhood; infused in a story of travelling from USA to Britain alone as a 12 year (?) old. Interesting to hear of how much of hollywood success is random and coincidental. Touching portrayal of losing a parent. The ending ties back to the early chapters of childhood - just a wonderful read.
I just loved this. Moving, funny (one story made me laugh out loud for ages, and still makes me laugh when I think about it) and charming. I recommend the audiobook, Minnie reads it herself and it’s great.
Quickly became a DNF for me due to language and some crude stories that could have been shortened, reworded, or left out altogether--they didn't add value to the read for me. I was also really excited that Driver herself was narrating the audiobook, but frankly, I found her hard to listen to--it didn't make me want to listen more.