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angelofthetardis's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
My husband bought me this book from a charity shop, which was very sweet of him but not necessarily his wisest purchase. But, since my latest book club topic is 'autobiography', I figured of I don't read it now I have an excuse, I never will!
I went into this book convinced I'd either be falling about laughing, or it would end up being thrown across the room on multiple occasions, as I am severely conflicted about Miriam Margolyes. On the one hand, I find her forthright, funny and fearless; I have nothing but admiration for her DGAF attitude and her absolute conviction in her own point of view. Indeed, her views on certain subjects do go against what you would expect, but she stands loud and proud and says them anyway! However, at the same time I've heard her say things that just make me think she's just not a very nice person. She seems to have developed the affliction of anybody nowadays that has a zeal for politics; there is no room for nuanced debate - you're either with her or against her. And I don't care how much you loathe someone, wishing them dead on live TV just because they don't share your political views is abhorrent.
In the end, I actually found the majority of the book no more or less interesting than any other celebrity autobiography I've read. Details of childhood and schooling, the university years, and a succession of productions, cast members, auditions and blind luck. Only in this case you got a bit more honesty about the people she didn't like working with, as well as the people she did. If you're reading this book hoping for deeper insights into the making of some of her more well known roles (the nurse in Romeo + Juliet, Lady Whiteadder in Blackadder, or Professor Sprout in Harry Potter, for example), you will be left wanting. Clearly she has a passion for stage acting, and I am slightly jealous that she got to play Yente in 'Fiddler on the Roof' without having to sing a note! I had to make do with singspeak in my school production...
It is a well known fact that the author has no real filter when it comes to swearing, innuendo and general smuttiness escaping her mouth. And while in interviews this is what makes her so hilarious, it doesn't quite come across in the same way through the written word. Be warned; there is a LOT of dirty talk in here. She might be a lesbian and repeatedly states that she has never slept with a man, but let's just say she isn't backwards in coming forwards about her intimate knowledge of male genitalia. I'm not that prudish, but I think these repeated stories actually do her a great disservice and undermine her actual talent (although she would claim that IS one of her talents); it just feels like she used it a lot as her standard bargaining method.
Practically speaking, the writing style is straightforward and relatively easy to follow; she doesn't stick to a strict chronological timeline so you do need to watch out for jumps back and forth. But it's definitely written in her 'voice' - you will hear her reading the lines to you in your head almost immediately. It is a bit light on details in places IMO - if she rook out some of the smut she might have had the words to tell her readers and extra proper story or two! However, even with my preconceptions, I found the book generally an easy read.
Overall, I'm not sure I like her any better after reading this, but I do think I understand her just a little better. Which I guess is the whole point.
I went into this book convinced I'd either be falling about laughing, or it would end up being thrown across the room on multiple occasions, as I am severely conflicted about Miriam Margolyes. On the one hand, I find her forthright, funny and fearless; I have nothing but admiration for her DGAF attitude and her absolute conviction in her own point of view. Indeed, her views on certain subjects do go against what you would expect, but she stands loud and proud and says them anyway! However, at the same time I've heard her say things that just make me think she's just not a very nice person. She seems to have developed the affliction of anybody nowadays that has a zeal for politics; there is no room for nuanced debate - you're either with her or against her. And I don't care how much you loathe someone, wishing them dead on live TV just because they don't share your political views is abhorrent.
In the end, I actually found the majority of the book no more or less interesting than any other celebrity autobiography I've read. Details of childhood and schooling, the university years, and a succession of productions, cast members, auditions and blind luck. Only in this case you got a bit more honesty about the people she didn't like working with, as well as the people she did. If you're reading this book hoping for deeper insights into the making of some of her more well known roles (the nurse in Romeo + Juliet, Lady Whiteadder in Blackadder, or Professor Sprout in Harry Potter, for example), you will be left wanting. Clearly she has a passion for stage acting, and I am slightly jealous that she got to play Yente in 'Fiddler on the Roof' without having to sing a note! I had to make do with singspeak in my school production...
It is a well known fact that the author has no real filter when it comes to swearing, innuendo and general smuttiness escaping her mouth. And while in interviews this is what makes her so hilarious, it doesn't quite come across in the same way through the written word. Be warned; there is a LOT of dirty talk in here. She might be a lesbian and repeatedly states that she has never slept with a man, but let's just say she isn't backwards in coming forwards about her intimate knowledge of male genitalia. I'm not that prudish, but I think these repeated stories actually do her a great disservice and undermine her actual talent (although she would claim that IS one of her talents); it just feels like she used it a lot as her standard bargaining method.
Practically speaking, the writing style is straightforward and relatively easy to follow; she doesn't stick to a strict chronological timeline so you do need to watch out for jumps back and forth. But it's definitely written in her 'voice' - you will hear her reading the lines to you in your head almost immediately. It is a bit light on details in places IMO - if she rook out some of the smut she might have had the words to tell her readers and extra proper story or two! However, even with my preconceptions, I found the book generally an easy read.
Overall, I'm not sure I like her any better after reading this, but I do think I understand her just a little better. Which I guess is the whole point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
siobhanward's review
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I'll just get this out of the way first: this book is absolutely crass. Margolyes has never shied away from talking about topics that are more controversial to North American audiences (read: sex), and this book is no exception - I think even those who are fairly liberal-minded about the topic will find themselves blushing at points because it is a lot and it is very descriptive.
Alright, now that we have that out of the way and you've been fairly warned, this was a fun read overall. I really do like Margolyes' sense of humour (although we definitely have different thoughts on which stories are fun to share and which are better kept private) and the confidence with which she writes and lives. I loved her perspective and insights into the different parts of her identity (being Jewish, being a lesbian, being 80 years old, etc.), as well as how down to earth she seems. This was also a fun look at all of the things she's done in her career, although I would have loved to have seen more about James and the Giant Peach because it is an underrated classic.
Alright, now that we have that out of the way and you've been fairly warned, this was a fun read overall. I really do like Margolyes' sense of humour (although we definitely have different thoughts on which stories are fun to share and which are better kept private) and the confidence with which she writes and lives. I loved her perspective and insights into the different parts of her identity (being Jewish, being a lesbian, being 80 years old, etc.), as well as how down to earth she seems. This was also a fun look at all of the things she's done in her career, although I would have loved to have seen more about James and the Giant Peach because it is an underrated classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
lydia_reads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Antisemitism
catherinedsharp's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
I started listening to this as an audiobook to sleep to, but often found myself enthralled and giggling between the sheets!
A funny and very well written text, that is in equal measures informative and endearing. Very interesting to hear all about the life of someone who I’d never particularly thought much about; she has many lessons to teach.
A funny and very well written text, that is in equal measures informative and endearing. Very interesting to hear all about the life of someone who I’d never particularly thought much about; she has many lessons to teach.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
primrosedoe's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
jameshamblin's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Bit of a Margolyes fan so I am a little bias as to how good this book is. It covers pretty much her whole life from her own perspective and it is filled with so much energy and character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
robotsocks's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexism, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
bookbird's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Exactly what a memoir should be: reflective, interesting, a little fragmented, but always a complete and truthful account of a particular person. And what a person Miriam Margolyes is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia
kry55y's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
At times the book is slow and drones on, there are other times when there's something that you go oh to.
I am split over how I now feel about the book after finishing, I like Miriam Margolyes as an actress but my opinion with regards to her is split on the one hand she did what she need to, to get to where she wanted, she spoke her mind and was confident in doing so, and on the other hand she comes across as being rather self centered, and not very caring.
It was refreshing though to read something so honest and open, and if there was a lot of helping the male gender!
I am split over how I now feel about the book after finishing, I like Miriam Margolyes as an actress but my opinion with regards to her is split on the one hand she did what she need to, to get to where she wanted, she spoke her mind and was confident in doing so, and on the other hand she comes across as being rather self centered, and not very caring.
It was refreshing though to read something so honest and open, and if there was a lot of helping the male gender!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
rworrall78's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
I listened to the audiobook and it was improved immeasurably by speeding it up ever so slightly. I did really enjoy a lot of the family history from Miriam's early life (and before). For me, the lists of productions and people she loved and hated was is a bit dull, but I suspect that anyone who loves showbiz would find it quite interesting. I found it way more interesting when she got into talking about her relationship with her partner and about her politics.
I didn't find the shocking bits at all shocking just slightly sad. Particularly the semmingly the unexamined inappropriate relationships in her teenage years with much older men, also unexamined seemed to be the number of blow jobs she gave to try to influence (often not successfully) funding or work. In the light of all that, it seemed astonishing when she said that there was no one more feminist than her. I suspect everyone involved in the me too movement would disagree!
She talked about being a real lefty. But the way she lives and her love of money and houses doesn't really seem to correlate with that. Not that you can't be rich and be a socialist, just that it seems surprising not to examine that wealth and be conscious of the obligation to do good with it. She may well be conscious of that, but it did not come across in the book.
However I did very much warm to to the political chapter, and particularly her sadness and her passion for bridging divides over Israel and Palestine. I thought that was beautifully done and made a real Impression.
I didn't find the shocking bits at all shocking just slightly sad. Particularly the semmingly the unexamined inappropriate relationships in her teenage years with much older men, also unexamined seemed to be the number of blow jobs she gave to try to influence (often not successfully) funding or work. In the light of all that, it seemed astonishing when she said that there was no one more feminist than her. I suspect everyone involved in the me too movement would disagree!
She talked about being a real lefty. But the way she lives and her love of money and houses doesn't really seem to correlate with that. Not that you can't be rich and be a socialist, just that it seems surprising not to examine that wealth and be conscious of the obligation to do good with it. She may well be conscious of that, but it did not come across in the book.
However I did very much warm to to the political chapter, and particularly her sadness and her passion for bridging divides over Israel and Palestine. I thought that was beautifully done and made a real Impression.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Sexual content