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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
informative
sad
medium-paced
Rate: 5/5….lots to unpack here
If I could hug this man, his wife and children just to show appreciation for the authenticity of this life story it wouldn’t even come close to how I feel about Prince Harry’s life.
I have read about his family for years, I have been to England and visited multiple historic places and always wondered how different would the boys life be if we still had Princess Diana.
I just have always had a soft spot for those boys though I have never met them, read about them and wondered about them.
That being said: I feel for William he is in a bubble and honestly has an heir he really doesn’t have any choice in any matter as his path is set (hopefully when he is king he makes better choices and acknowledges the issues at hand). I don’t condone the silence when it comes to the extreme matters of the press. As mentioned both his father and brother has sued the press for different reasons and had the support so again why was it such an issue for Harry to stand up for Megan.
From my point of view and reading in between the lines I honestly feel that the family knew, they just didn’t want to say anything because of their own history. I think for people to approach the subject of racism coming to terms with yourself and realizing the impact you could have is a hard thing for some to accept within theirselves. Especially people who think they aren’t racist.
I hope now that Charles is the King and William has stepped up further in succession they take more time to reflect and pursue a new path of education, empathy and make the necessary changes.
Now: I don’t care if your a Harry and Megan fan or not but I love them, I feel that Harry has grown and continues to educate himself. I was so frustrated for him as all he wanted was his own path, his own way. He didn’t care what he was going to do as long as it was something to challenge him.
It doesn’t surprise me how cold the family has been since when Charles and Diana divorced. They literally fed her to the world.
I feel that they could have remained a working part of the family and still lived within the common wealth I mean each place they wanted to move beside America was within the Queens realm.
Separating from a toxic family is hard and honestly I think they handled everything extremely well. I think what sets his book apart from others or even the media is how he was able to set the record strait and move forward.
I felt his writing style was like I was reading a note from a friend or when he would go into details about things he was pleading with me as a listener to please listen and pay attention to what they are missing.
The royal family really could have carved such an amazing path for their family with Megan being a member of the family. She was working before she met him, she was cultured beyond Americas standards, she has actual stances on basic human rights and even more. I didn’t like her because of her acting skills I liked her because of the foundations she was apart of. There are multiple celebrities that I love for their acting and others who I love because of how they use their platform.
I thought Harry’s writing and truth went beyond what I was expecting with this book. I felt that he focus on every single topic rightly and gave a appropriate response to his life because this is his view point. I think it gives a much clearer picture of what we actually don’t know or see we only assume things are perfect.
I’ve talked about this book with friends and discussed their view points and how we as a society have got to change when it comes to the news and press.
Please give this a read and be open minded because it’s not him bashing it’s Harry healing and I’ll take a healing Harry any day.
Note: I would have liked to see links to the foundations that they are apart of to get more information in the end! As some of his book earning are going towards some foundations.
TW: death, language, 9/11, war, poaching, birth, racism, pregnancy suicidal thoughts, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, ptsd
If I could hug this man, his wife and children just to show appreciation for the authenticity of this life story it wouldn’t even come close to how I feel about Prince Harry’s life.
I have read about his family for years, I have been to England and visited multiple historic places and always wondered how different would the boys life be if we still had Princess Diana.
I just have always had a soft spot for those boys though I have never met them, read about them and wondered about them.
That being said: I feel for William he is in a bubble and honestly has an heir he really doesn’t have any choice in any matter as his path is set (hopefully when he is king he makes better choices and acknowledges the issues at hand). I don’t condone the silence when it comes to the extreme matters of the press. As mentioned both his father and brother has sued the press for different reasons and had the support so again why was it such an issue for Harry to stand up for Megan.
From my point of view and reading in between the lines I honestly feel that the family knew, they just didn’t want to say anything because of their own history. I think for people to approach the subject of racism coming to terms with yourself and realizing the impact you could have is a hard thing for some to accept within theirselves. Especially people who think they aren’t racist.
I hope now that Charles is the King and William has stepped up further in succession they take more time to reflect and pursue a new path of education, empathy and make the necessary changes.
Now: I don’t care if your a Harry and Megan fan or not but I love them, I feel that Harry has grown and continues to educate himself. I was so frustrated for him as all he wanted was his own path, his own way. He didn’t care what he was going to do as long as it was something to challenge him.
It doesn’t surprise me how cold the family has been since when Charles and Diana divorced. They literally fed her to the world.
I feel that they could have remained a working part of the family and still lived within the common wealth I mean each place they wanted to move beside America was within the Queens realm.
Separating from a toxic family is hard and honestly I think they handled everything extremely well. I think what sets his book apart from others or even the media is how he was able to set the record strait and move forward.
I felt his writing style was like I was reading a note from a friend or when he would go into details about things he was pleading with me as a listener to please listen and pay attention to what they are missing.
The royal family really could have carved such an amazing path for their family with Megan being a member of the family. She was working before she met him, she was cultured beyond Americas standards, she has actual stances on basic human rights and even more. I didn’t like her because of her acting skills I liked her because of the foundations she was apart of. There are multiple celebrities that I love for their acting and others who I love because of how they use their platform.
I thought Harry’s writing and truth went beyond what I was expecting with this book. I felt that he focus on every single topic rightly and gave a appropriate response to his life because this is his view point. I think it gives a much clearer picture of what we actually don’t know or see we only assume things are perfect.
I’ve talked about this book with friends and discussed their view points and how we as a society have got to change when it comes to the news and press.
Please give this a read and be open minded because it’s not him bashing it’s Harry healing and I’ll take a healing Harry any day.
Note: I would have liked to see links to the foundations that they are apart of to get more information in the end! As some of his book earning are going towards some foundations.
TW: death, language, 9/11, war, poaching, birth, racism, pregnancy suicidal thoughts, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, ptsd
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
There are three sides to every story, and we may never know the other two sides to Harry’s stories. I appreciated the insight to what it was like for a very young boy to experience such terrible loss within an emotionally repressed family, and how he’s learned to navigate that as an adult, I enjoyed his personal perspective on falling love with his wife, and about the charitable work he has done. Less interesting: long descriptions of his military career, squabbles with staff over tiaras, sibling rivalry that they should have outgrown ages ago. What I wanted more of: how terrible Camilla really is, the Invictus games, and behind the scenes of taking part in cultural events like the 2012 Olympics, etc.
Interesting to read HRH HARRY in his own voice. A little difficult to read but a good insight into royal life and the trails of living so publicly.
I think it might have been easier to listen to this book but I’m happy to gain a bit of knowledge about him as a person. It is a bit rambling and sometimes all over the place. Overall kept my interest and attention.
I felt sorry for his early loss of his mom, I’m glad he overcame some of the hardship with counseling and good friends and a loving wife.
I think it might have been easier to listen to this book but I’m happy to gain a bit of knowledge about him as a person. It is a bit rambling and sometimes all over the place. Overall kept my interest and attention.
I felt sorry for his early loss of his mom, I’m glad he overcame some of the hardship with counseling and good friends and a loving wife.
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Some interesting insight. Was a lot longer than it needed to be though.
more 3.5*
I am team Harry & Meghan. Watched their interviews, their docu, follow Meghans podcast (which is SO good) and think it is very good they are both telling their sides of the story
I wasn't too fond of the writing style at some parts and the whole militairy part I struggled with a bit.
But the first and last part of the book were good.
I am team Harry & Meghan. Watched their interviews, their docu, follow Meghans podcast (which is SO good) and think it is very good they are both telling their sides of the story
I wasn't too fond of the writing style at some parts and the whole militairy part I struggled with a bit.
But the first and last part of the book were good.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I'll admit that I bought this due to the hype and fear of missing out. I need to work on that, clearly. But, I've also been watching the interview Harry did on ITV, and the Netflix documentary that Harry and Meghan did, and I've been trying to make my mind up about this couple, without the influence of the press coverage of them (which is insanely biased against them and racist as well). So, what better way to continue this journey than to read Harry's own words and get his point of view on the events of the past few years (and decades).
I'm not a Royalist, and I firmly believe that it's an institution that has had it's day and needs to be dismantled. There's an entire discussion around colonialism that is probably left to better writers than me, and I would encourage people to look on YouTube for video reviews, or here on Goodreads to check out reviews from BIPOC reviewers who have written about the racism and colonialism that Harry fails to address correctly in this book.
The book is split into three parts. The first part covers Harry's childhood, mostly focusing on the years after his mother died, and his time in boarding school. The second part covers Harry's time in the army, interspersed with public engagements and personal relationships. The third part covers the time from when Harry met Meghan up until the present day, and the book ends with the death of the Queen. The book does not seem to credit this person, but it seems that there is a ghost writer, credited by Harry in the acknowledgements but nowhere else. Harry himself admits that he is no great writer, and has no talent for remembering conversations and instead he retains places and settings.
The writing itself seemed fairly average. At times, such as in the first part of the book, it evoked a lot of emotion, but that is also due to Harry himself telling us about how his childhood years were after losing his mother, how he remembered little from before her death, how he felt lonely at times, and how he was hounded by the press even while at school. The writing does fall down somewhat in the second part of the book, and again this is partly due to the subject matter: it's all about military training and war, which is not something I typically reach out for in these types of books. The writing picks up slightly in the third part, but it wasn't really the writing that kept me reading - it was the content.
I liked that Harry countered some well-known press stories from his youth with what actually happened. This is Harry's rebuttal, almost. A response to the many years of press coverage where, due to the unwritten rules of the Royal Family, he was unable to stand up for himself. I completely understand why Harry felt compelled to write this book, as he has clearly been deeply affected by the press coverage over the years, by the lies and attacks and the slander, and especially in recent years after he met Meghan and the press was so awful to her. However, I should counter this by saying that at times the level of detail revealed did make me a bit uncomfortable. Did I need to know so much about Harry's 'todger' being frostbitten after he went to the North Pole shortly before William and Kate's wedding? No. Did I feel uncomfortable by some of the conversations he shared about what he and his family discussed? Yes, a little. I understand why some were included, but not others.
I liked the insight into Harry's life and the reasons why he chose to do what he did, and I do sympathise with Harry and Meghan and what they went through. Any racism is awful, and there's no doubt that the press coverage of Meghan was racist (for example, Meghan being criticised for things that Kate did with no criticism). However, this is where the things I liked about the book end, and we come to some of the things I didn't like.
Harry's privilege is clear to see, but I'm not quite sure Harry recognises the sheer level of privilege he has. He talks about paparazzi being wealthy with numerous houses and such, but fails to recognise his own wealth and that of his family, some of which is down to colonialism and exploitation of poorer countries. Harry also fails to do any deep introspection about the effects his family (and ancestors) have had on the countries he visits, and still insists on referring to his own racist remarks and actions as down to unconscious bias rather than racism. He makes a point of describing the story where he referred to a friend of his using the 'p' slur, and how afterwards he apologised to this friend who said that he knew Harry wasn't racist. He also blames the Nazi uniform incident on William and Kate, who apparently encouraged him to wear that outfit to a fancy dress party. Instead of taking ownership of his actions, he seeks to shift the blame and try to prove that he isn't and wasn't racist. I would have liked to see him criticise the Royal family instead of saying that he supported it still, denounce his family instead of wishing for a reconciliation. Instead, Harry blames the press for ruining his family relationships, instead of the people in his family for being so stand-offish, or for feeding stories to the press in the first place.
Overall, I would rate this as three stars, and part of that is only because so many people review-bombed this with one star reviews on Goodreads without even reading it (and to be fair, some did the same with five star reviews). It feels somehow wrong to 'rate' a memoir - it's someone's life after all. But I do tend to rate books I read mostly on enjoyment, and this was a fairly average read when it comes to enjoyment. I liked the first section and the third section, but the second was a slog to get through. The writing was average, and I don't feel I learned much from this that I didn't already know from the Netflix documentary and Harry's recent interview on ITV (I never watched the Oprah one). Would I recommend this? Only if you are actually interested in the Royal Family. Otherwise, you are unlikely to gain much from reading it.
Oh, and a side note: if Harry admits his own poor and spotty memory, how are we to believe any of the stories contained in this book? Might be one to take with a pinch of salt, so they say. Can we truly believe anything either side is saying in this war of words?
I'm not a Royalist, and I firmly believe that it's an institution that has had it's day and needs to be dismantled. There's an entire discussion around colonialism that is probably left to better writers than me, and I would encourage people to look on YouTube for video reviews, or here on Goodreads to check out reviews from BIPOC reviewers who have written about the racism and colonialism that Harry fails to address correctly in this book.
The book is split into three parts. The first part covers Harry's childhood, mostly focusing on the years after his mother died, and his time in boarding school. The second part covers Harry's time in the army, interspersed with public engagements and personal relationships. The third part covers the time from when Harry met Meghan up until the present day, and the book ends with the death of the Queen. The book does not seem to credit this person, but it seems that there is a ghost writer, credited by Harry in the acknowledgements but nowhere else. Harry himself admits that he is no great writer, and has no talent for remembering conversations and instead he retains places and settings.
The writing itself seemed fairly average. At times, such as in the first part of the book, it evoked a lot of emotion, but that is also due to Harry himself telling us about how his childhood years were after losing his mother, how he remembered little from before her death, how he felt lonely at times, and how he was hounded by the press even while at school. The writing does fall down somewhat in the second part of the book, and again this is partly due to the subject matter: it's all about military training and war, which is not something I typically reach out for in these types of books. The writing picks up slightly in the third part, but it wasn't really the writing that kept me reading - it was the content.
I liked that Harry countered some well-known press stories from his youth with what actually happened. This is Harry's rebuttal, almost. A response to the many years of press coverage where, due to the unwritten rules of the Royal Family, he was unable to stand up for himself. I completely understand why Harry felt compelled to write this book, as he has clearly been deeply affected by the press coverage over the years, by the lies and attacks and the slander, and especially in recent years after he met Meghan and the press was so awful to her. However, I should counter this by saying that at times the level of detail revealed did make me a bit uncomfortable. Did I need to know so much about Harry's 'todger' being frostbitten after he went to the North Pole shortly before William and Kate's wedding? No. Did I feel uncomfortable by some of the conversations he shared about what he and his family discussed? Yes, a little. I understand why some were included, but not others.
I liked the insight into Harry's life and the reasons why he chose to do what he did, and I do sympathise with Harry and Meghan and what they went through. Any racism is awful, and there's no doubt that the press coverage of Meghan was racist (for example, Meghan being criticised for things that Kate did with no criticism). However, this is where the things I liked about the book end, and we come to some of the things I didn't like.
Harry's privilege is clear to see, but I'm not quite sure Harry recognises the sheer level of privilege he has. He talks about paparazzi being wealthy with numerous houses and such, but fails to recognise his own wealth and that of his family, some of which is down to colonialism and exploitation of poorer countries. Harry also fails to do any deep introspection about the effects his family (and ancestors) have had on the countries he visits, and still insists on referring to his own racist remarks and actions as down to unconscious bias rather than racism. He makes a point of describing the story where he referred to a friend of his using the 'p' slur, and how afterwards he apologised to this friend who said that he knew Harry wasn't racist. He also blames the Nazi uniform incident on William and Kate, who apparently encouraged him to wear that outfit to a fancy dress party. Instead of taking ownership of his actions, he seeks to shift the blame and try to prove that he isn't and wasn't racist. I would have liked to see him criticise the Royal family instead of saying that he supported it still, denounce his family instead of wishing for a reconciliation. Instead, Harry blames the press for ruining his family relationships, instead of the people in his family for being so stand-offish, or for feeding stories to the press in the first place.
Overall, I would rate this as three stars, and part of that is only because so many people review-bombed this with one star reviews on Goodreads without even reading it (and to be fair, some did the same with five star reviews). It feels somehow wrong to 'rate' a memoir - it's someone's life after all. But I do tend to rate books I read mostly on enjoyment, and this was a fairly average read when it comes to enjoyment. I liked the first section and the third section, but the second was a slog to get through. The writing was average, and I don't feel I learned much from this that I didn't already know from the Netflix documentary and Harry's recent interview on ITV (I never watched the Oprah one). Would I recommend this? Only if you are actually interested in the Royal Family. Otherwise, you are unlikely to gain much from reading it.
Oh, and a side note: if Harry admits his own poor and spotty memory, how are we to believe any of the stories contained in this book? Might be one to take with a pinch of salt, so they say. Can we truly believe anything either side is saying in this war of words?
It's a bit trite. but of course it would be because it's a memoir of the whitest and most entitled family in history.
I am not a fan of the royal family, I am not a fan of the commonwealth and it's history. But after reading this book, I am a fan of Harry, and Megan.
He didn't choose his family or the privilege, he had no control over his life, what he could do, who he could hang out with or fall in love with. A man who's life was surrounded by loss and grief but in the most public way - desperately lonely, trying to find a purpose in life... apart from being his older brother's organ doner.
If you read through the entitlement, it's a great read. He seems at least self aware of his position and privilege.
This book is a story of finding yourself, working through trauma, of hope, and finding the courage to protect those you love, even if it means from your own family.
Well done Harry.
I am not a fan of the royal family, I am not a fan of the commonwealth and it's history. But after reading this book, I am a fan of Harry, and Megan.
He didn't choose his family or the privilege, he had no control over his life, what he could do, who he could hang out with or fall in love with. A man who's life was surrounded by loss and grief but in the most public way - desperately lonely, trying to find a purpose in life... apart from being his older brother's organ doner.
If you read through the entitlement, it's a great read. He seems at least self aware of his position and privilege.
This book is a story of finding yourself, working through trauma, of hope, and finding the courage to protect those you love, even if it means from your own family.
Well done Harry.