I read this book in a state of wonder, not just for the author’s gifts as a nuanced storyteller and sharp observer, but for those other remarkable gifts, of intelligence, sensitivity, wit, intuition, self-awareness, and élan that were bestowed on him when he came into the world—all of which he has freely shared with us so long and so beautifully; and finished reading in a state of deep gratitude for the gifts, and the gift, of Patrick Stewart.” —Michael Chabon
“Patrick’s early life is a Dickensian tale of domestic violence and misfortune, transformed by chance and some good folk into the actor internationally admired and loved. He writes as well as he acts, with insight, truth, and passion. Another Stewart Triumph!” —Sir Ian McKellen
“There is so much to say about Sir Patrick. He is an amazing actor, great to look at, really funny, and up for anything. He is a kind man...compassionate and sensitive....but, as you will find when you read the book, his greatest asset as a human being is the fact that he is so completely and unapologetically himself.” —Whoopi Goldberg
"What a glorious memoir Sir Patrick Stewart has written. His prose is elegant and beautiful, diamond-like in its clarity and precision, and his recollections of his life are full of tenderness, insight, candor, and pathos. If he hadn't been so busy all these years being a great actor, delighting us all, he could have been a great writer, and now with this book, he is one." —Jonathan Ames
“I read this book in a state of wonder, not just for the author’s gifts as a nuanced storyteller and sharp observer, but for those other remarkable gifts, of intelligence, sensitivity, wit, intuition, self-awareness, and élan that were bestowed on him when he came into the world—all of which he has freely shared with us so long and so beautifully; and finished reading in a state of deep gratitude for the gifts, and the gift, of Patrick Stewart.” —Michael Chabon
“Patrick’s early life is a Dickensian tale of domestic violence and misfortune, transformed by chance and some good folk into the actor internationally admired and loved. He writes as well as he acts, with insight, truth, and passion. Another Stewart Triumph!” —Sir Ian McKellen
“There is so much to say about Sir Patrick. He is an amazing actor, great to look at, really funny, and up for anything. He is a kind man...compassionate and sensitive....but, as you will find when you read the book, his greatest asset as a human being is the fact that he is so completely and unapologetically himself.” —Whoopi Goldberg
"What a glorious memoir Sir Patrick Stewart has written. His prose is elegant and beautiful, diamond-like in its clarity and precision, and his recollections of his life are full of tenderness, insight, candor, and pathos. If he hadn't been so busy all these years being a great actor, delighting us all, he could have been a great writer, and now with this book, he is one." —Jonathan Ames
Yorkshireman Sir Patrick Stewart presents a revealing, clear, and beautifully written memoir, discussing the entirety of his journey from humble beginnings that included domestic violence to the heights of international film, stage, and television stardom. His performance is compassionate, sensitive, and powerful, with well-paced timing and notable precision exercised in every word. The audio effort is nuanced and evokes pathos in the listener. Stewart expresses great appreciation for the handful of teachers, friends, and mentors who helped create such a miraculous journey from poverty to great wealth--wealth shared with others by demonstrations of kindness in employing his skills and gifts. Stewart's insights and observational skills are fully on display--he easily could have been a great full-time writer. This is an audiobook not to miss. W.A.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
2023-10-03
A charming memoir of a long life onstage and onscreen.
Before Stewart (b. 1940) captained a starship on Star Trek: The Next Generation, he was a fixture on the London stage. Before he was an acclaimed Shakespearean actor, he was a struggling drama student, and before that a working-class child of Yorkshire. He became a voracious reader to escape an unhappy childhood, and, he writes, “the stage would prove to be a safe space, a refuge from real life in which I could inhabit another person, living in another place and time.” He skipped the equivalent of high school because he couldn’t afford the uniform, but, placed in a less traditional school, he fell into acting classes, followed by apprenticeships, during which one adviser told him that he would one day be a famed character actor—in 20 years’ time. Those two decades passed, and Stewart was taking roles in theatrical productions and films such as David Lynch’s Dune, where he admits to a faux pas with another Yorkshireman: Sting, whose band The Police he’d never heard of. Indeed, part of Stewart’s appeal is his admission that, while grave and commanding behind the persona, he scarcely paid attention to pop-culture phenomena such as the Beatles, even though he became friends with Paul McCartney (who once exclaimed, over drinks with Stewart and a bandmate, “Sir Ringo. Sir Patrick. Sir Paul. Hey—we’ve got the Knights of the bloody Round Table!”). Funny and self-effacing, Stewart is gracious as he describes the talented players—Vivien Leigh, Helen Mirren, Malcolm McDowell, and yes, the cast of Star Trek—he’s worked with. One wants only for more notes on how an actor’s work proceeds, for Stewart is a master, even if a humble one.
A pleasure through and through—and you don’t even have to be a Trekkie.
