lauracollins096's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Grief, Body shaming, and Dementia
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol and Bullying
wastingtime1994's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
i wanted to read this just as a memoir but i had no clue about his struggles with anorexia and mental health and it’s actually severely intertwined with his story. id say it’s 45% that, 20% acting, and 35% about his father and dementia. and it’s 100% fantastic.
He’s lived so many lives and he writes about every single one so beautifully. i was glued to the pages and felt like i was right there living it with him. the only thing i wish we got was more about his beliefs and feelings. they’re briefly mentioned many times and clearly had an impact on his decisions but i wish we got to see more about what was so important to him.
5/5
He’s lived so many lives and he writes about every single one so beautifully. i was glued to the pages and felt like i was right there living it with him. the only thing i wish we got was more about his beliefs and feelings. they’re briefly mentioned many times and clearly had an impact on his decisions but i wish we got to see more about what was so important to him.
5/5
clio_o's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
cazmcdo's review against another edition
4.0
It is being given a 4, but it's more like a 4.5. Beautiful and heartfelt, if a little repetitive in places.
I don't think Christopher Eccleston is a born writer. But, as he says of his acting, he put his heart and soul into this book, he worked so hard and has this excellent work to show for it. Unlike a lot of working class men, and a lot of working class men of his era (I mention no names) he shows a grasp of the oppressions he had to face in his life and in how they relate to the oppressions of other people and how that is shaped by wider society. He's openly critical of these influences on society. He talks of his mental health with such eloquence that I've never seen in someone of his background. He owns his past, and his mistakes. He owns his present, how he thinks his future will be. He owns his attitude to intersectional feminist principles which would see him laughed out of my local Labour Club, but which are important and necessary for the kind of societal improvement he wants to see.
Sometimes he repeated himself, and it didn't always seem like the kind of purposeful repetition used to drive home a point, which is what loses him that half a point, or the full star on Goodreads because they don't seem to allow half stars.
Simply, it was FANTASTIC.
I don't think Christopher Eccleston is a born writer. But, as he says of his acting, he put his heart and soul into this book, he worked so hard and has this excellent work to show for it. Unlike a lot of working class men, and a lot of working class men of his era (I mention no names) he shows a grasp of the oppressions he had to face in his life and in how they relate to the oppressions of other people and how that is shaped by wider society. He's openly critical of these influences on society. He talks of his mental health with such eloquence that I've never seen in someone of his background. He owns his past, and his mistakes. He owns his present, how he thinks his future will be. He owns his attitude to intersectional feminist principles which would see him laughed out of my local Labour Club, but which are important and necessary for the kind of societal improvement he wants to see.
Sometimes he repeated himself, and it didn't always seem like the kind of purposeful repetition used to drive home a point, which is what loses him that half a point, or the full star on Goodreads because they don't seem to allow half stars.
Simply, it was FANTASTIC.
fresianfresco's review against another edition
3.5
A great memoir touching on masculinity, mental illness, class divisions, and, ultimately, love.
Certainly doesn’t read like a wikipedia entry - although Eccleston’s dissection of some of his roles is admittedly the less engaging part of the book - and is a worthwhile read, whether you’ve seen much of Eccleston’s work or not.
Certainly doesn’t read like a wikipedia entry - although Eccleston’s dissection of some of his roles is admittedly the less engaging part of the book - and is a worthwhile read, whether you’ve seen much of Eccleston’s work or not.
dyslexic_sanj's review against another edition
5.0
If I could give this book more stars I would! Such a beautful, Honest, brutal and brilliant book. A brill artist with a journey that he shared so clearly and honestly. And relatable on many levels.