moonagle's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly both charming and sad. I loved Jimmy Barnes as a kid and it's so nice when your childhood hero turns out to be not horrifically problematic and actually kinda ace.
nathaliehoffmannn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
cels's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
mandylovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
Love ya Jimmy!! What an emotional book that was and tough for him to write. Learnt alot about Barnesy and his family. Will have to get the next book. Loved that he reads this himself.. he is s funny man!!
elishaireland's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
zarasecker23's review against another edition
5.0
I read this on Audible and it was narrated by Jimmy himself. It was a really great book.
It was a very interesting and poignant book showcasing really well just how tough a life Jimmy and his siblings lived through. However, it’s a book about hope in the face of dire situations.
Jimmy and his siblings way below the poverty line both in Glasgow and even more so when they moved to South Australia but in spite of this he managed to pull himself up and out of poverty and make something of himself. He mentions that he felt they were better off in Glasgow than Elizabeth.
Jimmy shows us that the way Scots tend to solve issues is through alcohol and fighting so we get an insight into this culture.
Many years after arriving in Elizabeth Jimmy’s mum just up and left the children with their alcoholic father. Later on his mother remarried, essentially so she could get the children back. Jimmy felt that his step-dad was so much more like a father to him that he chose to take on this man’s name hence the name Barnes.
The writing style of this book more like that of a conversation between its author and its readers. It’s a bit slow to get into but when you do there is a point where you find your heart strings getting pulled at. This sneaks up on you and it’s hard to let go of. You certainly come out of this appreciating what you have in your own life.
This book really resonated with me as I lived in similar housing to Jimmy so descriptions of things he saw were familiar to me. I also got out of this housing circle and never been back so it’s possible to make a different life for yourself no matter what your circumstances.
It was a very interesting and poignant book showcasing really well just how tough a life Jimmy and his siblings lived through. However, it’s a book about hope in the face of dire situations.
Jimmy and his siblings way below the poverty line both in Glasgow and even more so when they moved to South Australia but in spite of this he managed to pull himself up and out of poverty and make something of himself. He mentions that he felt they were better off in Glasgow than Elizabeth.
Jimmy shows us that the way Scots tend to solve issues is through alcohol and fighting so we get an insight into this culture.
Many years after arriving in Elizabeth Jimmy’s mum just up and left the children with their alcoholic father. Later on his mother remarried, essentially so she could get the children back. Jimmy felt that his step-dad was so much more like a father to him that he chose to take on this man’s name hence the name Barnes.
The writing style of this book more like that of a conversation between its author and its readers. It’s a bit slow to get into but when you do there is a point where you find your heart strings getting pulled at. This sneaks up on you and it’s hard to let go of. You certainly come out of this appreciating what you have in your own life.
This book really resonated with me as I lived in similar housing to Jimmy so descriptions of things he saw were familiar to me. I also got out of this housing circle and never been back so it’s possible to make a different life for yourself no matter what your circumstances.
stanro's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.5
The poverty - in Australia! - shocked me. The brutality of his early life shocked me.