Mini-Review: “Back Story” by David Mitchell (Audible / Harper)

July 8, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Audible, Audiobook, Comedian, Harper, Memoir

A marvellous memoir by one of Britain’s best new(ish) comedians

David Mitchell, who you may know for his inappropriate anger on every TV panel show except Never Mind the Buzzcocks, his look of permanent discomfort on C4 sex comedy Peep Show, his online commenter-baiting in The Observer or just for wearing a stick-on moustache in That Mitchell and Webb Look, has written a book about his life.

As well as giving a specific account of every single time he’s scored some smack, this disgusting memoir also details: the singular, pitbull-infested charm of the FRP (‘Flat Roofed Pub’); the curious French habit of injecting everyone in the arse rather than the arm; why, by the time he got to Cambridge, he really, really needed a drink; the pain of being denied a childhood birthday party at McDonalds; the satisfaction of writing jokes about suicide; how doing quite a lot of walking around London helps with his sciatica; trying to pretend he isn’t a total **** at Robert Webb’s wedding; that he has fallen in love at LOT, but rarely done anything about it; why it would be worse to bump into Michael Palin than Hitler on holiday; that he’s not David Mitchell the novelist. Despite what David Miliband might think…

The synopsis does a very good job of suggesting the tone and content of the memoir. But what it doesn’t fully convey is just how good it is. Delivered in Mitchell’s distinctive voice, with just the right amount of sarcasm and cynicism, this could very well be the best memoir I’ve listened to from Audible, or at least an equal to Stephen Fry’s The Fry Chronicles. This memoir had me laughing out loud plenty of times (something only Tina Fey and Jane Lynch have done so far).

I was surprised to learn just how much great television Mitchell has been involved in over his relatively few years of fame and celebrity. That being said, it was the chapters covering his early years that were hilarious – when talking about his successes, he came across as almost embarrassed (which was rather endearing). Tales from his childhood and years at Cambridge were great, and quite relatable. Recounting his post-university years of near-poverty, and his eventual success also gave me a modicum of confidence that I’ll be able to make something of myself, too (though, not in the way Mitchell has, I’m sure).

While the memoir is undoubtedly funny, as one can expect, it is also quite moving. When talking about his friends and colleagues, he is always gracious and warm. His respect and brotherly love for Robert Webb is obvious, and he is particularly heartfelt when talking about his writing/comedy partner’s wedding. The second-to-last chapter of the book, however, was the greatest surprise: in it, he talks about Victoria Coren, who he recently married. It is a very sweet and endearing story of a long courtship, with its ups-and-downs, but also shows Mitchell has a hitherto unseen romantic streak. Very moving.

Overall, and I know this review is relatively short, I loved listening to this. It’s funny, curmudgeonly, honest, and entertaining from beginning to end. There were no drops in momentum or interest. Excellently and clearly performed, great production, and a great story.

Very highly recommended. If you have any interest in comedian/actor memoirs, or comedy, then you must listen to and/or read Back Story.

I liked it so much, I’ve also bought the eBook, so I can read the best bits again, later – I’d like to share some of the best nuggets of wisdom, but I didn’t write any of them down while listening.

***

Back Story is out now – available as an audiobook from Audible, and in print and eBook from Harper.

Mini-Review: “Drama” by John Lithgow (Audible/Harper)

July 2, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Audible, Audiobook, Harper, Memoir

One of America’s great contemporary thespians on his actor’s education

Through the vivid stories in Drama, John Lithgow shares a backstage history of his struggle, crisis, and discovery, and the scenes of his early life and career that took place before he became a nationally-known star. Above all, Drama is a tribute to the most important influence in John Lithgow’s life: his father, Arthur Lithgow. An actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, Arthur brought theatre to John’s boyhood, where performance and storytelling were a constant and cherished part of family life. Lithgow brings the theatre worlds of New York and London to life as he relives his collaborations with renowned performers and directors including Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Liv Ullmann, Meryl Streep, and Brian De Palma. Lithgow’s ruminations on the nature of theatre, performance, and storytelling cut to the heart of why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it. At once hilarious and reflective, Drama pulls back the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.

This memoir took me a little by surprise. For one thing, Lithgow doesn’t linger so much on the projects in which he has performed – rather, he focuses more on the lessons he’s learned, the experiences he’s enjoyed, and some of the people he has met along the way. It’s an interesting memoir, and a really good listen.

He talks about his peripatetic upbringing, and how he would change school too often to form close bonds – a problem that resolved later in his school years, when he returned to Massachusetts. Lithgow also talks honestly about his early-career luck, and acknowledges that some of his earliest roles he got partly because of his father’s position as a director. At the same time, he later recognises how this spoiled him for his career-proper, and how when he was in New York, he was completely unused to having to go through the auditioning grinder. Lithgow tells us about his time in London, and how he tried to get his draft deferred (successfully, it seems). He’s not proud of it, but he is honest about how afraid he felt about having to go to the jungles of Vietnam. He speaks candidly about his first marriage, and the dalliances that led to its demise.

Delivered in Lithgow’s distinct voice, the emotion in his performance is pretty flat – or, measured, perhaps. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I think I could spot the moments he found less interesting. It’s not as humorous as I was expecting, but it didn’t suffer for this.

Definitely recommended, this is another very good memoir – well-written, excellent production, and enjoyable and interesting.

***

Drama is out now, available as an audiobook through Audible, and is published in print by Harper.

Quick Review: “Happy Accidents” by Jane Lynch (Audible / Harper)

June 17, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Audible, Audio, Audiobook, Biography, Comedian, Comedy, Harper, Hyperion, Memoir

A great memoir by a great comedienne and actress

In the summer of 1974, a fourteen-year-old girl in Dolton, Illinois, had a dream. A dream to become an actress, like her idols Ron Howard and Vicki Lawrence. But it was a long way from the South Side of Chicago to Hollywood, and it didn’t help that she’d recently dropped out of the school play, The Ugly Duckling. Or that the Hollywood casting directors she wrote to replied that “professional training was a requirement.”

But the funny thing is, it all came true. Through a series of Happy Accidents, Jane Lynch created an improbable and hilarious path to success. In those early years, despite her dreams, she was also consumed with anxiety, feeling out of place in both her body and her family. To deal with her worries about her sexuality, she escaped in positive ways such as joining a high school chorus not unlike the one in Glee but also found destructive outlets. She started drinking almost every night her freshman year of high school and developed a mean and judgmental streak that turned her into a real- life Sue Sylvester.

Then, at thirty-one, she started to get her life together. She was finally able to embrace her sexuality, come out to her parents, and quit drinking for good. Soon after, a Frosted Flakes commercial and a chance meeting in a coffee shop led to a role in the Christopher Guest movie Best in Show, which helped her get cast in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Similar coincidences and chance meetings led to roles in movies starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and even Meryl Streep in 2009’s Julie & Julia. Then, of course, came the two lucky accidents that truly changed her life. Getting lost in a hotel led to an introduction to her future wife, Lara. Then, a series she’d signed up for abruptly got canceled, making it possible for her to take the role of Sue Sylvester in Glee, which made her a megastar.

Today, Jane Lynch has finally found the contentment she thought she’d never have. Part comic memoir and part inspirational narrative, this is a book equally for the rabid Glee fan and for anyone who needs a new perspective on life, love, and success.

While listening to this audiobook, I realised I’ve seen a hell of a lot more of Jane Lynch’s TV and movie work than I originally thought I had. And, it must be said, she’s brilliant in everything. That’s quite the detailed synopsis, above, and I think I will actually not go into too much detail about the topics and projects Lynch goes into, here. I really, really enjoyed listening to this.

Happy Accidents is an aptly-titled memoir, too. The author’s journey really has been a long string of happy accidents – with a few unhappy ones thrown in the mix, too. Here, Lynch takes the listener/reader on a journey to and from her childhood in small-town Illinois, to New York (which seems to have been an alternatively exhilarating and exasperating city), to Hollywood. She describes her experiences trying to get her first roles, the roadblocks that appeared in front of her – sometimes due to her gender, sometimes because of the vagaries of Hollywood and television.

She’s honest, self-deprecating, sarcastic and doesn’t speak ill of anyone. She’s kind towards and praiseworthy of many of the people she’s worked with – from Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) and James Spader (Boston Legal), to the whole cast and crew of Glee (her enthusiasm for this show is infectious).

Happy Accidents is, frankly, excellent. Lynch’s narration is amusing, welcoming, clear and, well, quite happy. She’s open and honest about certain aspects of her character that she doesn’t seem too happy about, but also enthusiastic about her experiences and work, and certainly her colleagues. The production is crystal clear. Very highly recommended.

Also try: Tina Fey’s Bossypants; Stephen Fry’s The Fry Chronicles

Audio Review: “Bonkers: My Life in Laughs” by Jennifer Saunders (Audible / Viking)

June 6, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Audible, Audiobook

An excellent, amusing memoir

“As the steady march of time takes its toll on my memory and the vultures circle, I thought I should have a stab at recollecting how it all happened…”

Jennifer Saunders’s brilliant comic creations have brought joy to millions for three decades. From Comic Strip to Comic Relief, from Bolly-swilling Edina in Absolutely Fabulous to Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia, her characters are household names.

But it’s Jennifer herself who has a place in all our hearts. This is her funny, touching and disarmingly honest memoir, filled with stories of friends, laughter and occasional heartache – but never misery.

From her childhood on RAF bases, where her father was a pilot, to her life-changing encounter with a young Dawn French, on to success and family, the book charts her extraordinary story, including the slip ups and battles along the way.

I have been a fan of Saunders’s ever since I was a kid, and my father introduced me to Absolutely Fabulous. The series, which is excellent and everyone should watch, had a lasting impact on my family’s and my own lexicon. Countless times we have made comments to each other, instinctively knowing its origin. Hilarity ensues, strangers shuffle away. Anyway, I picked up Bonkers, and although it started off a little strangely, I thought it was a brilliant, honest, amusing memoir from one of Britain’s greatest comics.

Saunders takes us through her childhood and education in a something of a monotone, which was a little strange. She speaks with great affection about her parents and family life. I also really liked that she spoke of her tendencies to fantasise and daydream as a child and teenager. I did very much the same thing. After her story moves to her early years struggling as a comic and performer, though, things get far more interesting and amusing. We learn of how and where she met Dawn French, her long-time writing partner and friend. The stories about the early sets in a strip club, the first movie projects, the French & Saunders Show, and – most interestingly of all for me – Absolutely Fabulous. She also speaks of her battle with cancer (which I had no clue about until I listened to this), and her doomed movie project with Meg Ryan. And her amusing work on French projects, and the international stardom she gained from the cult following Absolutely Fabulous gained.

Before my recent bout of memoir reading, I had only ever read biographies about politicians and historically significant individuals (usually for work), so one of the great things about listening to memoirs of comedians is finding out the stories behind some of my favourite TV series and movies. Bonkers is not about dishing the dirt, and Saunders is honest and fair when discussing any difficult or strained relationship. She doesn’t point fingers, pass blame (not that there’s much of that needed), and she’s always respectful to those she’s worked with.

If you are a fan of Saunders’s comedy, then you really should read or listen to this. The audio book is excellently produced, and it was a real pleasure to listen to Saunders tell her story. Recommended.

***

Bonkers is published in audiobook by Audible, and in print and eBook by Viking.

EVERNESS by Ian McDonald (Jo Fletcher/Pyr/Audible)

March 21, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Audible, Audiobook, Be My Enemy, Empress of the Sun, Everness, Ian McDonald, Jo Fletcher Books, Planesrunner, Pyr Books, Tom Lawrence

A mixed-media reading experiment…

There is not one you. There are many yous. There is not one world. There are many worlds. Ours is one among billions of parallel earths.

When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves young Everett a mysterious app on his computer. Suddenly, this teenager has become the owner of the most valuable object in the multiverse — the Infundibulum — the map of all the parallel earths, and there are dark forces in the Ten Known Worlds who will stop at nothing to get it. They’ve got power, authority, the might of ten planets — some of them more technologically advanced than our Earth — at their fingertips. He’s got wits, intelligence, and a knack for Indian cooking.

To keep the Infundibulum safe, Everett must trick his way through the Heisenberg Gate that his dad helped build and go on the run in a parallel Earth. But to rescue his dad from Charlotte Villiers and the sinister Order, this Planesrunner’s going to need friends. Friends like Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, her adopted daughter, Sen, and the crew of the airship Everness.

Can they rescue Everett’s father and get the Infundibulum to safety? The game is afoot!

Ian McDonald’s science fiction YA series – comprised of Planesrunner, Be My Enemy and Empress of the Sun – has been widely praised across the SFF community and all over the press. Despite that, it has taken me a long time to get around to giving it a try. Needless to say, it’s a lot of fun, and deserves all of the glowing reviews it has received. A must-read sci-fi series.

Everness US Covers

I am not much of an audiobook listener. Aside from a handful of Black Library audiodramas (usually clocking in at around an hour in length), I haven’t listened to many audiobooks since I was a kid – on our frequent, long drives between Germany and Austria, or Germany and the UK, we used to listen to The Lord of the Rings and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. However, I have received both printed and audio review copies of Ian McDonald’s critically-acclaimed Everness series. So, I decided to conduct an experiment, alternating between the print and audio depending on where I was – so, at the gym, on commutes, and walking into town, I would listen to the audiobooks; when I was at home, or in a café, I would read the books. This helped me get through them much quicker than I ordinarily would have (see below for more on this). This review will, therefore, be more of a comparison between the two mediums, rather than a book review proper.

Before I compare the audio- and print-book, however, I do just want to say that this series is really good. It’s action-packed, fun, well-composed and very well-written. Everett is a great protagonist, and I loved following his story. The book is filled with great observations, characters, and above all a great story. McDonald packs just as much science as action into his story, and, while there were a couple of moments when the explanations went on just a tad longer than the pacing supported, the author never talks down to his readers. It was great, fascinating stuff. Not only that, McDonald maintains the quality throughout, too – true, the first one has that New Series Fresh Feel, when everything is a new discovery. But, given the multi-dimensional storyline, each of these novels offers plenty of new discoveries and developments to experience and shape the characters (all of whom are developed well).

Everness Audiobook Covers

So. The audiobooks. Narrated by Tom Lawrence, they are actually excellent. The production is clear and very good. Lawrence’s delivery was very good, and his voice – a mixture of Richard Hammond and Rupert Grint, I thought – conveys the story very well. I think there were only a couple of moments that didn’t work for me (some of his accents weren’t great, but this was easily forgivable). Lawrence didn’t emphasise or ham-up the witty asides, which made them all the better.

The thing that made the audiobooks less satisfying than the novels is something that is entirely my issue, rather than the quality of the audio versions: the pacing. I am someone who frequently devours novels, blitzing through those I enjoy as I become hooked and Must Find Out What Happens. With an audiobook, you’re stuck at the narrator’s speed, regardless of how much you enjoy it. This is probably obvious, but given my preference for reading quickly, my switching between print and audio did mean I got through the novels much quicker than the recorded length of the Audible editions. I also find it easier to keep track of what I’m reading, rather than listening to (unless it’s from repeat listens).

Overall, then, the Everness series is a must read (or listen), and both the print and Audible editions are fantastic. If, like me, you read very quickly, then I’d recommend the print editions. But, if you’ve recently over-dosed on reading (as I had, when I started listening to these), or want a change, then these Lawrence-narrated audiobooks are great, too.

Very highly recommended series.

***

The Everness series is published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books, in the US by Pyr Books, and also by Audible. Be sure to check out Ian’s website and follow him on Twitter for more on his writing and novels.

Artwork: Ian McDonald’s NECROVILLE (Audible)

March 7, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Artwork, Audible, Audio, Audiobook, Cover, Gollancz, Horror, Ian McDonald, Necroville, Sci-Fi

Ian McDonald is an author I have always wanted to read, but either never got around to, or I have just not had the chance to get hold of his books. This year, Audible are releasing new audio editions of a handful of his earlier novels (some of which have also been released as eBooks by Open Road Media). One novel of his in particular that I’ve been interested in is Necroville, which was released as an audiobook this week. And I just really liked that new cover (above), which has a certain Cinquo de Maio feel to it – alternatively spooky and groovy. It would make a great rock/metal album cover, too, I think. Here’s the synopsis…

In the Los Angeles ghetto of Necroville, the yearly celebration of the Night of the Dead – where the dead are resurrected through the miracle of nanotechnology and live their second lives as non-citizens – becomes a journey of discovery and revelation for five individuals on the run from their pasts.

With his customary flair for making the bizarre both credible and fascinating, McDonald tosses aside the line of demarcation between living and dead in a story that confronts the central quandary of human existence: the essence of non-being.

Necroville is published by Gollancz in paperback and eBook. In the US, it is Terminal Café for reasons that I cannot fathom.