A review by jenni_elyse
Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

3.5

My IRL book club has done a memoir-of-choice-month in July for the last three or four years. This year I chose to read CHOOSE YOUR OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Neil Patrick Harris (NPH).

I have been a fan of NPH for a while. I loved him as Barney Stinson in the sitcom HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER and as Dr. Horrible in Joss Whedon’s DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG. And, I thought it would be fun to read his memoir.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY is written in the style of the choose your own adventure novels. This style lends mostly to true stories about NPH with the occasional “if you want to listen to your own horrible death, keep listening” anecdotes. Like most celebrity memoirs, NPH narrates his own audiobook. I really enjoyed listening to him recount his own story. I also really loved when he broke out into song. Despite the choose your own adventure style which would’ve worked better in book form, the audiobook’s definitely the way to go.

I really loved a lot of the over-the-top parts. I especially loved listening to the sometimes true, sometimes comedic notes from his friends. However, my favorite parts were the stories of his life with his husband, David Burtka, and their twins, Gideon and Harper. When he talked about his family, I saw a regular person instead of a celebrity.

NPH’s memoir’s the first one I’ve read that focuses on the author’s entire life instead of some challenge he had to deal with. CHOOSE YOUR OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY is just about NPH as a whole and gives him a chance to be funny. Because of this, I didn’t feel really feel inspired like I have with other memoirs.

Even thought I didn’t feel inspired or like I got a lot out of NPH’s memoir, it was fun to listen to in an entertaining way and I’m glad I read it. I’d definitely read another memoir by him if he ever decides to write one.