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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
5/5 ⭐
"De camino, mi padre preguntó a Meg si era verdad, como le habían dicho, que era la protagonista de un culebrón estadounidense. Ella sonrió. Yo sonreí. Me moría por decir: «¿Un culebrón? No, eso es nuestra familia, papá»."
"De camino, mi padre preguntó a Meg si era verdad, como le habían dicho, que era la protagonista de un culebrón estadounidense. Ella sonrió. Yo sonreí. Me moría por decir: «¿Un culebrón? No, eso es nuestra familia, papá»."
It's one man's perspective on his life. There are some parts of his truth that I really would have appreciated an editor excising from the text; frostbite.
It opens a window into a very closed world, and provides one viewpoint on that world. Given that there are always at least two sides to every story I don't look at this as anything more than a part of the truth. No one will Ever really know the truth of what actually happened - which is fine - it's not really our business.
I think the great tragedy is that this family has seemingly NEVER learned how to love or care for each other. The fundamental rules of royalty, rank. privilege. protocol, and procedure seem to have overshadowed any natural inclination towards true caring or concern. Which is sad. I hope the younger generations are not saddled with those same burdens as they grow older.
It opens a window into a very closed world, and provides one viewpoint on that world. Given that there are always at least two sides to every story I don't look at this as anything more than a part of the truth. No one will Ever really know the truth of what actually happened - which is fine - it's not really our business.
I think the great tragedy is that this family has seemingly NEVER learned how to love or care for each other. The fundamental rules of royalty, rank. privilege. protocol, and procedure seem to have overshadowed any natural inclination towards true caring or concern. Which is sad. I hope the younger generations are not saddled with those same burdens as they grow older.
I so badly wanted to like this but Jesus Christ What a fucking SLOG. Terribly written, not down to earth at all, super fucking boring. I am so glad I’m done with this dribble.
A mixed memoir. Some parts worked pretty well for me, others not so much.
Prince Harry has a very unique life experience (obviously) which in theory would make for an interesting memoir but the storytelling was uneven. There was a long section in the middle about his experience in the military which had a lot of details, but not ones that were particularly memorable. It was obviously an important period in his life but I wish there’d been a more concrete perspective there besides (paraphrasing) “this stuff I did was really cool and important.”
Other takeaways - he really hates the press, and the sections regarding journalists, the press, the media have a noticeably angrier tone, but I wasn't sure what to do with it. The sections of the memoir that were most compelling to me were around topics that are relatable to the average reader - having a complicated relationship with family, not knowing what you want to do in life (or what you can do) and dealing with loss. The way he described growing up after the loss of his mother was very touching.
Towards the end there were some entertaining depictions of his relationship with Prince William that didn’t paint William and Kate in the best light (Willie, in the book) and some funny passages where you could really feel the pettiness in their relationship seeping through. Paraphrasing, but a scene where they were arguing over who gets to “have” various charity endeavors: “I let you have veterans! Why can’t you let me have Africa?” Or when Harry told William about Megan: “Willie was smiling thinly.” Those sections were more entertaining but overall, a very small subset of the book.
Prince Harry has a very unique life experience (obviously) which in theory would make for an interesting memoir but the storytelling was uneven. There was a long section in the middle about his experience in the military which had a lot of details, but not ones that were particularly memorable. It was obviously an important period in his life but I wish there’d been a more concrete perspective there besides (paraphrasing) “this stuff I did was really cool and important.”
Other takeaways - he really hates the press, and the sections regarding journalists, the press, the media have a noticeably angrier tone, but I wasn't sure what to do with it. The sections of the memoir that were most compelling to me were around topics that are relatable to the average reader - having a complicated relationship with family, not knowing what you want to do in life (or what you can do) and dealing with loss. The way he described growing up after the loss of his mother was very touching.
Towards the end there were some entertaining depictions of his relationship with Prince William that didn’t paint William and Kate in the best light (Willie, in the book) and some funny passages where you could really feel the pettiness in their relationship seeping through. Paraphrasing, but a scene where they were arguing over who gets to “have” various charity endeavors: “I let you have veterans! Why can’t you let me have Africa?” Or when Harry told William about Megan: “Willie was smiling thinly.” Those sections were more entertaining but overall, a very small subset of the book.
This was a wild ride. He really just says stuff. But it's also deeply touching and made me cry so here we are!
*audiobook
*audiobook
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5/5
I don’t even know where to start with this review because I have so many feelings and opinions about it. I felt overall it painted a detailed picture about Harry’s life, his love for his family and country, and his relationship with Meghan while also anecdotally describing how each of those aspects and experiences were ruined and/or affected by the press. I mostly believe it to be a good book, but I likely would’ve been bored if I hadn’t listened to him reading it. And I think there was maybe a little too much detail on the states of his “todger.”
I think so many people thought this book was an attack on the Royal Family, but I really don’t think it was. Despite the conflict Harry describes, by the end I believe he still has a lot of love for them (maybe omitting Camilla). Rather, I think this is a detailed account on how the press — and the Royals’ relationship with the press — have eventually come between him and his brother and father.
It is shocking to me how paparazzi aren’t illegal. If anyone else were following someone around, taking pictures of them, or trying to sneak onto their property for a glance or snapshot they would be accused of stalking. But because paps are paid for it, it’s not wrong? I don’t want to hear any “they are famous, they asked for it” because regardless people deserve to feel safe and secure and private, especially in their own homes.
Any other details I will leave to you to decide for yourself. There are too many details to go over in one review, but it is definitely worth a read even if the Royals aren’t your thing.
I don’t even know where to start with this review because I have so many feelings and opinions about it. I felt overall it painted a detailed picture about Harry’s life, his love for his family and country, and his relationship with Meghan while also anecdotally describing how each of those aspects and experiences were ruined and/or affected by the press. I mostly believe it to be a good book, but I likely would’ve been bored if I hadn’t listened to him reading it. And I think there was maybe a little too much detail on the states of his “todger.”
I think so many people thought this book was an attack on the Royal Family, but I really don’t think it was. Despite the conflict Harry describes, by the end I believe he still has a lot of love for them (maybe omitting Camilla). Rather, I think this is a detailed account on how the press — and the Royals’ relationship with the press — have eventually come between him and his brother and father.
It is shocking to me how paparazzi aren’t illegal. If anyone else were following someone around, taking pictures of them, or trying to sneak onto their property for a glance or snapshot they would be accused of stalking. But because paps are paid for it, it’s not wrong? I don’t want to hear any “they are famous, they asked for it” because regardless people deserve to feel safe and secure and private, especially in their own homes.
Any other details I will leave to you to decide for yourself. There are too many details to go over in one review, but it is definitely worth a read even if the Royals aren’t your thing.
Another book that so many have disliked that I liked. Spare is the story of Prince Henry’s life, in his own words, from childhood to present day. I admittedly don’t keep up with the royal family or know much more than the basics, so I found it really interesting. I also loved this as an audiobook, read by the Prince himself.
He covers a lot of ground in the book, but there were a few parts that stuck out. His mother’s death impacted his entire life and it made me so sad that he couldn’t even accept that she was dead for so long. It also made me wonder, as I’m sure he does, how his life would have been different had she lived. I also really liked hearing about his military experience as it seemed like the first time he could really be his own person.
His love story with Meghan is fascinating as well. You can tell how much they truly love each other after all they were put through. (Which, by the way, some of the terrible things the press apparently said about her is despicable). There is a specific story told about her pregnancy with Archie that is haunting.
I would imagine that writing this book was very therapeutic to Henry as he was finally able to tell his side of the story. But it is just that- his side and, as we all know, there are two sides to every story.
He covers a lot of ground in the book, but there were a few parts that stuck out. His mother’s death impacted his entire life and it made me so sad that he couldn’t even accept that she was dead for so long. It also made me wonder, as I’m sure he does, how his life would have been different had she lived. I also really liked hearing about his military experience as it seemed like the first time he could really be his own person.
His love story with Meghan is fascinating as well. You can tell how much they truly love each other after all they were put through. (Which, by the way, some of the terrible things the press apparently said about her is despicable). There is a specific story told about her pregnancy with Archie that is haunting.
I would imagine that writing this book was very therapeutic to Henry as he was finally able to tell his side of the story. But it is just that- his side and, as we all know, there are two sides to every story.
reflective
tense
medium-paced