I picked up this memoir to learn more about his personal life and like other celebrity memoirs, I hoped he'd spill a bit of Hollywood tea. Despite me reading the hardcover book, Stewart's sonorous voice filled my head as he regaled me with his acting roles. But Hollywood gossip? Not s'much.
With a career that has lasted over 70 years, he has had MANY roles, and you hear about each and every one. Most of the book is about his career on stage and screen which is great if you love acting (especially Shakespearean plays), but I found the play-by-play (ha ha) of his roles and Shakespearean references a bit heavy. I wanted to get to know HIM better - his family life, his marriages, his friendship with Sir Ian McKellen and his TV and movie roles where I first saw his work.
His writing has a touch of snootiness and he's a titch obnoxious at times, but I appreciated his candor and touches of humour. We get some personal details, but he glosses over a lot of his personal life - his many marriages, his transgressions and his relationship with his kids. We meet some of his famous friends, but he doesn't spill the celebrity tea for those who want Hollywood dirt, and I was disappointed that Star Trek and X-Men don't come into play until the last third of the book.
Making It So shows readers where Sir Patrick began, what he achieved despite his rocky relationship with his father and his humble circumstances, to having a successful acting career and an actor who was knighted by the Queen. Not too shabby for a boy from Mirfield, Yorkshire. But in terms of entertaining writing and learning new things about the actor, this memoir was written like diary entries for the 83-year-old actor as a way to reminisce, not for an audience who won't know many of the roles he played or the lesser-known actors and acquaintances he mentions.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Gallery Books for the finished copy which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 3 stars
Author: Sir Patrick Stewart
Genre: Memoir
Type and Source: Hardcover finished copy from publisher
Publisher: Gallery Books (Simon and Schuster Canada)
First Published: October 3, 2023
Book Description from GoodReads: The long-awaited memoir from iconic, beloved actor and living legend Sir Patrick Stewart!
From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations with his indelible command of stage and screen. Now, he presents his long-awaited memoir, Making It So , a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments totally make my day!! I read each and every one and really try to reply to all messages posted. Thanks for stopping by my blog!