kmg365's review against another edition
3.0
Three and a half stars.
Let’s set the book aside for a moment to ponder living a life that requires multiple volumes of autobiography to limn. Writing about my life would take less paper than the manual that came with my last cell phone.
I love self-deprecating humor as much as the next person, but the tone here seemed closer to self-flagellation. Be kind to yourself, Stephen.
I consider myself a fan of Fry’s, but I was completely unaware of his early working life. Didn’t even realize he was in Blackadder, for heaven’s sake, since I discovered Rowan Atkinson well before I discovered Fry. I was delighted by the mention of the song Abdul Abulbul Amir, which I knew from listening to Dr. Demento in the seventies, but hadn’t thought about in forever.
I love his use of language in the book-- I never met a sentence that couldn’t be improved by the addition of a few more subordinate clauses. Listening to him narrate the audio book made it nice and cozy, as though Cousin Stephen were reading me a bedtime story.
Though reviews of the third volume of memoir seem less enthusiastic, I'm still going to give it a try when I can get hold of an audio copy.
pattieod's review against another edition
3.0
The description of his University years was compelling, but as someone completely unfamiliar with any UK TV shows that didn't make it across the pond via PBS or BBC America, the second half, which documented his start in TV, was of little interest.
carolinethereader's review against another edition
3.0
STEPHEN Fry is that person I manage to always see on TV or making an appearance in a movie. I never quite knew what it was about him that made him so likeable but there was definitely something there. I was on holiday with my family and had 'absolutely nothing' to read. A trip to the bookstore later and ‘The Fry Chronicles’ was mine.
I didn’t realise until well after finishing the book that there was one before it called ‘Moab is my Washpot’. Fortunately for me (and for any reader) this books stands on its own. Not having read the one prior to it had no real impact on my reading my level of enjoyment. The book is focussed on a seven year period in his life. Each chapter begins with the letter ‘C’ and document his time at Cambridge and his career as a working man. We are told everything from his release from prison to the meeting of some (to-be) very famous friends and the beginning of his career.
This book gave me a reason to love Stephen Fry. ‘Eloquence’ does not even come close to conveying the effortlessness with which he writes. I don't think I am capable of describing his writing style so here is a small excerpt which sums it up nicely:
“If a thing can be said in ten words, I may be relied upon to take a hundred to say it… I like words- strike that, I love words- and while I am fond of the condensed and economical use of them in poetry, in song lyrics, in Twitter, in good journalism and smart advertising, I love the luxuriant profusion and mad scatter of them too.”
Fry uses long and complex words. At one point during reading, I encountered a word so discombobulating that even google was unable to define it! One of the things I loved the most about this book was Fry’s love of words. I loved having to google definitions so that I could add them to my vocabulary. He is so passionate about the words he puts on the page that I could not help but develop the same enthusiasm.
This book is candid and sincere. It is written so honestly and with such delightful spatterings of humour that I was almost sad when I reached the end. I much preferred the first half of the book to the second. This is probably because a lot of the events, films and people referenced in the second half were ‘before my time’ and I became slightly confused at times. This did not lessen my enjoyment though. The Fry Chronicles was an absolute pleasure to read from cover to cover.
I didn’t realise until well after finishing the book that there was one before it called ‘Moab is my Washpot’. Fortunately for me (and for any reader) this books stands on its own. Not having read the one prior to it had no real impact on my reading my level of enjoyment. The book is focussed on a seven year period in his life. Each chapter begins with the letter ‘C’ and document his time at Cambridge and his career as a working man. We are told everything from his release from prison to the meeting of some (to-be) very famous friends and the beginning of his career.
This book gave me a reason to love Stephen Fry. ‘Eloquence’ does not even come close to conveying the effortlessness with which he writes. I don't think I am capable of describing his writing style so here is a small excerpt which sums it up nicely:
“If a thing can be said in ten words, I may be relied upon to take a hundred to say it… I like words- strike that, I love words- and while I am fond of the condensed and economical use of them in poetry, in song lyrics, in Twitter, in good journalism and smart advertising, I love the luxuriant profusion and mad scatter of them too.”
Fry uses long and complex words. At one point during reading, I encountered a word so discombobulating that even google was unable to define it! One of the things I loved the most about this book was Fry’s love of words. I loved having to google definitions so that I could add them to my vocabulary. He is so passionate about the words he puts on the page that I could not help but develop the same enthusiasm.
This book is candid and sincere. It is written so honestly and with such delightful spatterings of humour that I was almost sad when I reached the end. I much preferred the first half of the book to the second. This is probably because a lot of the events, films and people referenced in the second half were ‘before my time’ and I became slightly confused at times. This did not lessen my enjoyment though. The Fry Chronicles was an absolute pleasure to read from cover to cover.
sahanoisette's review against another edition
4.0
It was genuine, it was interesting, and I learned at least twenty new words. If you enjoy listening to Mr. Fry hold forth (think QI), you'll enjoy this book. It's rather like having a long one-sided chat with him where he picks up, analyzes, qualifies, and abandons several trains of thought (this description doesn't really do justice to how compelling the book was). I did tire of the name-dropping after a point but mostly because I stopped recognizing the names--and I can't say I wasn't warned by the author himself.
hazeyjane_2's review against another edition
4.0
Stephen Fry’s linguistic dexterity is, as always, delightful.
In The Fry Chronicles, he offers up not only a frank discussion of his own foibles and fortune in his teenage and adult years, but a smorgasbord of names and stories from the entertainment world. He also ‘chronicles’, in typically self-deprecating and (whatever the book says to the contrary) self-effacing fashion, the series of events (and media) that led him to sketch comedy.
I came in expecting an autobiography, and got more of a wonderful account of the entertainment world throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s than I ever thought I’d be interested in.
It is testament to his writing skill that Fry’s book managed to not only hook but actually entertain someone like me, who has only ever been to a play twice in her life (seats are *expensive*, and front row seats even more so) and wouldn’t know Sondheim from my left elbow.
In The Fry Chronicles, he offers up not only a frank discussion of his own foibles and fortune in his teenage and adult years, but a smorgasbord of names and stories from the entertainment world. He also ‘chronicles’, in typically self-deprecating and (whatever the book says to the contrary) self-effacing fashion, the series of events (and media) that led him to sketch comedy.
I came in expecting an autobiography, and got more of a wonderful account of the entertainment world throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s than I ever thought I’d be interested in.
It is testament to his writing skill that Fry’s book managed to not only hook but actually entertain someone like me, who has only ever been to a play twice in her life (seats are *expensive*, and front row seats even more so) and wouldn’t know Sondheim from my left elbow.
blysse's review against another edition
1.0
I am very surprised and slightly disappointed to be giving this book a 1 star review ( really, it should have been a zero star review).
I had read Moab is my Washpot and loved it. I like Fry's forays into comic writing and acting on British television.
But I found reading this book an extremely aversive experience- so much so that I barely finished it. Fry descends into the sort of verbose narcissism that is hard work to enjoy.
If I were to summarise my review a la Fry it would read as follows:
'His prolix pomposity encouraged the deviation of my attention from the examination of this exposition'
On the upside though, and maybe worth the one star after all, I did learn some new words.
I had read Moab is my Washpot and loved it. I like Fry's forays into comic writing and acting on British television.
But I found reading this book an extremely aversive experience- so much so that I barely finished it. Fry descends into the sort of verbose narcissism that is hard work to enjoy.
If I were to summarise my review a la Fry it would read as follows:
'His prolix pomposity encouraged the deviation of my attention from the examination of this exposition'
On the upside though, and maybe worth the one star after all, I did learn some new words.
ziltoidia's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. Stephen's language is always enjoyable, and I really did get a 'complete experience' from listening to the audio-book. For some reason I still found it a bit... lacking, somehow.
Actually, this review sums it up much better than I could.
I found it a bit strange and disappointing that he largely left out certain aspects of his life, such as bipolarity and cocaine usage. Although it is of course entirely up to him what he chooses to share about his personal life.
Actually, this review sums it up much better than I could.
I found it a bit strange and disappointing that he largely left out certain aspects of his life, such as bipolarity and cocaine usage. Although it is of course entirely up to him what he chooses to share about his personal life.
alisonw's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
A very enjoyable autobiography. Some I’ve read have been inspirational, some boring and self centred, some a great story badly written, some educational, but this one was likely the most enjoyable read so far.
The right mix of self depreciation and pride, humour and seriousness, straight forward storytelling and meandering.
As with many autobiographies I highly recommend the audiobook read by the author, in this case more than most because not only is it more expressive but the Fry has a great voice for reading (I may or may not have picked it up for that reason alone).
The right mix of self depreciation and pride, humour and seriousness, straight forward storytelling and meandering.
As with many autobiographies I highly recommend the audiobook read by the author, in this case more than most because not only is it more expressive but the Fry has a great voice for reading (I may or may not have picked it up for that reason alone).