Comic actor and political activist Alec Baldwin delivers a very personal—actually, arrogantly self-centered—memoir. There is little of interest or appeal in the protagonist’s feeling powerfully sorry for himself as a lower-middle-class Long Island child and young man who was raised in a single-family home with more limited funds than his neighbors. But Baldwin’s persona as a talented actor is a powerhouse behind the microphone. He will likely reach out and absorb the listener’s focused attention, despite a text that offers little deep insight into his life, celebrated as it might be. Blame and anger predominate in this story of eventual big success. Baldwin fans will likely be enthusiastic at learning the details, however they may be slanted in his favor and however much he uses his significant presentation skills to convince. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
On the third page of Alec Baldwin’s unvarnished new memoir, Nevertheless, he startles you with this: “I’m not actually writing this book to discuss my work, my opinions, or my life…I’m writing it because I was paid to write it.” That’s all the heads up you get that this isn’t your typical memoir. Yes, Baldwin […]
Though it sometimes feels as though the daily news gives us all the non-fiction we can take, there’s always room for a well-written memoir or biography. April welcomes books in a variety of styles for all different tastes, whether you’re fascinated by figures in the worlds of rock music, sports, cooking, movie, TV, or even royalty. […]
Eventually, everyone famous writes a memoir, in part because famous people do tend to lead interesting lives, and in part because publishers know those memoirs will sell because readers want the inside scoop on being famous. The entertainment value of these memoirs varies widely, of course, from rote tellings to revealing journeys into the lives […]
When it comes to famous people writing their memoirs, there are two basic categories: those who you know on some level are famous, but whose appearance escapes you, and those whose names immediately elicit an overriding urge to perform an impersonation. When those people—like the six on this list—write a memoir, you can’t help but hear them […]