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evilregal4eva's review
4.0
The book content itself is really good and filled with so much detail about VW’s life and it’s lovely to hear from her friends and those she worked with. This book doesn’t hold back on the negative side of VW either which is great, we all have that other side of us that can be grumpy etc, VW is no different. A lot of the more negative character traits stem from her need for perfection and the fact that she was just really shy.
The audio version is a bit hit and Miss, the use of several narrators sounded a great idea at first but some read their pages faster than others and it can be a bit of a struggle to keep listening. A lot of the VW gags fell a bit flat too because they weren’t delivered properly (definitely something that she would have absolutely hated)
I was a bit perplexed with a line Jasper wrote about the time Daniel Rigby moved into VW’s spare room he described them as ‘A celibate Mother and son’ I mean, aren’t all mother and son relationships celibate? I should hope so anyway.
Over all this was a great book and done with some much love for her not just to cash in on her fame. Skip the audio if you can though.
The audio version is a bit hit and Miss, the use of several narrators sounded a great idea at first but some read their pages faster than others and it can be a bit of a struggle to keep listening. A lot of the VW gags fell a bit flat too because they weren’t delivered properly (definitely something that she would have absolutely hated)
I was a bit perplexed with a line Jasper wrote about the time Daniel Rigby moved into VW’s spare room he described them as ‘A celibate Mother and son’ I mean, aren’t all mother and son relationships celibate? I should hope so anyway.
Over all this was a great book and done with some much love for her not just to cash in on her fame. Skip the audio if you can though.
whippetyfriend's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
hayleyanne226's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
b00kh0arder's review
5.0
(Forewarning: this is going to be a very rambling review.)
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Victoria Wood has been ( still is & forever will be) one of my favourite comedian/comidiennes & writers, ever since I saw the ITV broadcast of her 'Live' 1997 tour (which my parents probably shouldn't have let me watch, to be honest, but as a 7 year-old, most of it just sounded funny & was performed in a funny way, with most if not all of the subtext going over my head, so hey ho! XD). From there I devoured her other stand up shows that we had recorded (1988's 'An Audience with...' & 1991's 'Sold Out', adding 'Live at the Albert Hall' in 2002) watching them multiple times, (I must shamefully admit that I didn't watch 'dinnerladies' when it first came out in 1998 as I deemed it 'boring' because it wasn't stand up - 8 year old me was an idiot), discovering more of her work as I got older ('As Seen on TV' is one of my favourite tv shows ever, not just sketch shows, and has gotten me through quite a few late night anxiety episodes), and was always excited when a new project of hers was announced. So when I saw that this biography was coming out, I was VERY excited!
If, like me, you're already a fan, then there won't be any earth-shattering revelations. Because it's not that kind of book. It's not a tell-all, gossipy rakeover but a detailed, considered and meticulous (not only did the author interview numerous friends and family members but was also granted access to Victoria Wood's vast personal archive of scripts, interviews, notes, audio diaries and personal correspondence - the list of sources for each chapter and index are epic) portrait of a comedy genius as a relatable and complex person, (stick on*) warts and all. A shy show-off who wanted fame and attention, who wanted to make people laugh but who also didn't like socialising; someone who was confident in her individuality and of her talent, yet also lacked confidence in herself; a brilliant performer who, offstage, was incredibly private; warm, funny, down-to-earth and generous but also ruthlessly professional, unafraid to be bossy when it came to her work and getting it right when the writing was often agonised over (she saw her sentences as constructed like music and wouldn't tolerate any bum notes); a voracious reader; brilliant writer; daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.
'Let's Do it' is brilliantly written: funny (there are plenty of quotes from both Victoria herself, her work and from her family and friends), fascinating and poignant (the last two chapters are particularly hard-going). If you're already a fan you are going to greatly enjoy this. If you're not familiar with her work (first of all, go remedy that, NOW!) but have any interest in British comedy and/or theatre, pick this up!
(* reference to 'Victoria Wood: From Soup to Nuts' orginally broadcast on BBC Radio4 ;D)
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Victoria Wood has been ( still is & forever will be) one of my favourite comedian/comidiennes & writers, ever since I saw the ITV broadcast of her 'Live' 1997 tour (which my parents probably shouldn't have let me watch, to be honest, but as a 7 year-old, most of it just sounded funny & was performed in a funny way, with most if not all of the subtext going over my head, so hey ho! XD). From there I devoured her other stand up shows that we had recorded (1988's 'An Audience with...' & 1991's 'Sold Out', adding 'Live at the Albert Hall' in 2002) watching them multiple times, (I must shamefully admit that I didn't watch 'dinnerladies' when it first came out in 1998 as I deemed it 'boring' because it wasn't stand up - 8 year old me was an idiot), discovering more of her work as I got older ('As Seen on TV' is one of my favourite tv shows ever, not just sketch shows, and has gotten me through quite a few late night anxiety episodes), and was always excited when a new project of hers was announced. So when I saw that this biography was coming out, I was VERY excited!
If, like me, you're already a fan, then there won't be any earth-shattering revelations. Because it's not that kind of book. It's not a tell-all, gossipy rakeover but a detailed, considered and meticulous (not only did the author interview numerous friends and family members but was also granted access to Victoria Wood's vast personal archive of scripts, interviews, notes, audio diaries and personal correspondence - the list of sources for each chapter and index are epic) portrait of a comedy genius as a relatable and complex person, (stick on*) warts and all. A shy show-off who wanted fame and attention, who wanted to make people laugh but who also didn't like socialising; someone who was confident in her individuality and of her talent, yet also lacked confidence in herself; a brilliant performer who, offstage, was incredibly private; warm, funny, down-to-earth and generous but also ruthlessly professional, unafraid to be bossy when it came to her work and getting it right when the writing was often agonised over (she saw her sentences as constructed like music and wouldn't tolerate any bum notes); a voracious reader; brilliant writer; daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.
'Let's Do it' is brilliantly written: funny (there are plenty of quotes from both Victoria herself, her work and from her family and friends), fascinating and poignant (the last two chapters are particularly hard-going). If you're already a fan you are going to greatly enjoy this. If you're not familiar with her work (first of all, go remedy that, NOW!) but have any interest in British comedy and/or theatre, pick this up!
(* reference to 'Victoria Wood: From Soup to Nuts' orginally broadcast on BBC Radio4 ;D)
sprakskatan's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Illuminating, inspiring and heartbreaking. A personal favourite and something of a hero of mine, this is the most extensive account of Victoria Wood’s life I’ve ever come across. I can’t lie, the last couple of chapters are hard, because we know what’s coming, but we so desperately don’t want it to. Would recommend to any fan, it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry.
pewterwolf's review against another edition
4.0
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf, as part of NetGalley November 2020.
***Audiobook given by UK publisher, Trapeze, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***
My first NetGalley November write-up and it’s something a little left-field for me - a biography -, but when I saw this on NetGalley a fortnight or so ago, I knew I had to request from the publisher and hope that they would be kind and allow me to listen to it for review. Once I was approved (thank you UK publisher of Trapeze), I started almost immediately!
There is a slight problem with doing reviews or write-ups about biographies and autobiographies, and that is how to rate them. When you rate a book, you got with the writing and the story. But with a biography or an autobiography, people sometimes look at how you rate it or review it and say you’re attacking the subject of the autobiography or biography, and that’s not the case.
Most people, I found, only read a biography or autobiography if they know already that they are going to like the subject and it’s only if something really big happens that changes the person’s mind. So, going into this biography of the late great comedian of Victoria Wood, I knew I was going to like it. I mean, I grew up watching dinnerladies and watching repeats of As Seen on TV, Acorn Antiques and Housewife, 49. I remember dragging my mum to see Acorn Antiques: The Musical up in London so I knew, going into this, that I was going to find this fascinating and insightful
The thing I found really interesting about Victoria’s life while listening to this audiobook was how, at times, Victoria came across as egocentric (actors who work with her on her shows say that you would have to be word perfect with her scripts. You couldn’t say “can’t” if the script says “can not”). Because of this, she comes across as hard to work with and harder to please, though we are told multiply times, though she worked incredibly hard, she was incredibly shy and vulnerable and that could be due to how she grew up.
The audiobook reading was a joy as you had several narrators, each involved in Victoria’s work: Anne Reid, Celia Imrie, Daniel Rigby, David Threlfall, Duncan Preston, Jane Wymark, Julie Walters, Kate Robbins, Richenda Carey, Susie Blake and the author, Jasper Rees (who read the opening and closing chapter). I found the penultimate chapter, read by Anne Reid, very moving and I praise her for this as I sense it must have been a hard chapter to read. Plus, having these people read each chapter gave a much more personal feel. It’s as if you were with friends and they each were telling a story. “Do you remember the time when…”
I do understand some of you guys complains over the length. Believe me, even I was surprised when I was first approved and started listening, expecting it to be around 10 or 12 hours and seeing it was nearly 21. And I do understand of you guys saying “I wish the name-dropping would be less and we saw more of Victoria. Her work and her personal life” and, up to a point, I do agree with you. I do wish some aspects of the book was focused on less and others more, but I think that’s because I am a bit of a nosy so&so, but I understand why some aspects of her life were looked over less than others as Victoria’s children, former husband and family members are still alive and we need to respect their privacy.
I liked listening to this and found it really interesting and engrossing, but I get some fans of Victoria Wood might find this tarnish their memory of Victoria and her works so if you are a fan of her work, I would advise you to think long and hard before going in as, while her works are hilarious, we have to remember she was human and did have flaws.
***Audiobook given by UK publisher, Trapeze, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***
My first NetGalley November write-up and it’s something a little left-field for me - a biography -, but when I saw this on NetGalley a fortnight or so ago, I knew I had to request from the publisher and hope that they would be kind and allow me to listen to it for review. Once I was approved (thank you UK publisher of Trapeze), I started almost immediately!
There is a slight problem with doing reviews or write-ups about biographies and autobiographies, and that is how to rate them. When you rate a book, you got with the writing and the story. But with a biography or an autobiography, people sometimes look at how you rate it or review it and say you’re attacking the subject of the autobiography or biography, and that’s not the case.
Most people, I found, only read a biography or autobiography if they know already that they are going to like the subject and it’s only if something really big happens that changes the person’s mind. So, going into this biography of the late great comedian of Victoria Wood, I knew I was going to like it. I mean, I grew up watching dinnerladies and watching repeats of As Seen on TV, Acorn Antiques and Housewife, 49. I remember dragging my mum to see Acorn Antiques: The Musical up in London so I knew, going into this, that I was going to find this fascinating and insightful
The thing I found really interesting about Victoria’s life while listening to this audiobook was how, at times, Victoria came across as egocentric (actors who work with her on her shows say that you would have to be word perfect with her scripts. You couldn’t say “can’t” if the script says “can not”). Because of this, she comes across as hard to work with and harder to please, though we are told multiply times, though she worked incredibly hard, she was incredibly shy and vulnerable and that could be due to how she grew up.
The audiobook reading was a joy as you had several narrators, each involved in Victoria’s work: Anne Reid, Celia Imrie, Daniel Rigby, David Threlfall, Duncan Preston, Jane Wymark, Julie Walters, Kate Robbins, Richenda Carey, Susie Blake and the author, Jasper Rees (who read the opening and closing chapter). I found the penultimate chapter, read by Anne Reid, very moving and I praise her for this as I sense it must have been a hard chapter to read. Plus, having these people read each chapter gave a much more personal feel. It’s as if you were with friends and they each were telling a story. “Do you remember the time when…”
I do understand some of you guys complains over the length. Believe me, even I was surprised when I was first approved and started listening, expecting it to be around 10 or 12 hours and seeing it was nearly 21. And I do understand of you guys saying “I wish the name-dropping would be less and we saw more of Victoria. Her work and her personal life” and, up to a point, I do agree with you. I do wish some aspects of the book was focused on less and others more, but I think that’s because I am a bit of a nosy so&so, but I understand why some aspects of her life were looked over less than others as Victoria’s children, former husband and family members are still alive and we need to respect their privacy.
I liked listening to this and found it really interesting and engrossing, but I get some fans of Victoria Wood might find this tarnish their memory of Victoria and her works so if you are a fan of her work, I would advise you to think long and hard before going in as, while her works are hilarious, we have to remember she was human and did have flaws.
nickymaund's review against another edition
4.0
This was an intricately detailed journey into the difficult life of Victoria Wood that follows her on her path to becoming Britain’s best loved female entertainer. She was a legend. Brilliantly funny and I have my own fond memories of her from the 80s and 90s. I think if this hadn’t been the audiobook, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much, as it is rather long. The vast array of narrators are connected with Victoria in some way; friends, collaborators, colleagues and they’re just perfect. And some of them mimic her beautiful northern tones. This was very revealing into her private life using personal correspondence, journal entries and memories from those in her life. This was very revealing - the consummate perfectionist who consisted of two different personalities; the outgoing and incredibly funny public persona and the incredibly shy real Victoria. She was a genius; as a comedian, a musician, a composer, a writer, an actor - her talents knew no bounds. Very contrasting to the shy real Victoria. The sad ending to her life, a final battle with cancer, had me in tears.