Reviews - A Pocketful of Happiness: A Memoir

246 reviews for:

A Pocketful of Happiness: A Memoir

Richard E. Grant

4.32 AVERAGE

hellenmelon's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

missscarlettb's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

lmorris1717's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

angelacoraccio's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

I love how gossipy Richard E. Grant can be - and hearing about celebrities' real-live actions and personalities is shamelessly alluring. Obviously it isn't meant to be the focus of the book but I think it does make it less oppressively sad. He is so honest about the experience of losing his wife, and I identified with much of what he shares, including the relentlessness of having to care for someone and be 'on' when you are tired and emotionally/mentally destroyed. He portrays his wife Joan honestly, warts and all, but with such love. I think this is really important because dying can make a person pretty cranky and demanding, but we should not pathologise this. The never-complaining patient narrative is very unrealistic and puts pressure and shame on people. I hope that Richard keeps writing and shares his bereavement journey.

svanderslice's review against another edition

3.5

reflective sad medium-paced

Illuminating, loving, compassionate depiction of a marriage and loss of a partner. But the clipped sentences, which read more like a daily diary (not surprising since the author has, admirably, kept one since he was 10), become extremely wearing very quickly. A book is a made thing, a crafted thing. Not a diary. True, reflective, full sentences would have done more justice to this story.