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What I Just Finished Reading
Believe Me – Eddie Izzard
First of all, Eddie Izzard is a boddhisattva. Second, his memoir stands out from other comedians' offerings in its focus on telling the story of his life over being “just as funny as” his stand-up. Third, it still manages to resemble his stand-up in its propensity to ramble. This is definitely an “as told to” memoir, and content does repeat across various chapters. But Izzard is far more perceptive and intelligent than many authors of “as told to” books, so the result feels more like listening to someone you haven’t seen in ages catch you up on their life rather than slogging through a paint-by-numbers where some celebrity gave their ghost writer the bare minimum that could be turned into a quick, cash cow product. Memoirs can be iffy things, and on many occasions I’ve found I liked artists more the less I knew about them, but this book was well worth reading.
They Called Us Enemy – George Takei
Takei’s memoir is as restrained and graceful as the horrors visited upon Japanese Americans during World War II were unconscionable. The artwork is equally graceful and nuanced—and such a loving homage to its Japanese counterparts that I kept trying to read the book right to left, manga-style
What I Am Currently Reading
Opium – John Halpern & David Blistein
Still thoroughly middle-of-the-road. I didn’t make much progress on this one this week.
The Warmth of Other Suns – Isabel Wilkerson
I didn’t make much progress on this one either, largely because I’ve been to busy to give it the attention it deserves.
What I'm Reading Next
I acquired no new books this week; I may pick The Binding or The Half-Drowned Prince back up if the mood strikes.
これで以上です。
Believe Me – Eddie Izzard
First of all, Eddie Izzard is a boddhisattva. Second, his memoir stands out from other comedians' offerings in its focus on telling the story of his life over being “just as funny as” his stand-up. Third, it still manages to resemble his stand-up in its propensity to ramble. This is definitely an “as told to” memoir, and content does repeat across various chapters. But Izzard is far more perceptive and intelligent than many authors of “as told to” books, so the result feels more like listening to someone you haven’t seen in ages catch you up on their life rather than slogging through a paint-by-numbers where some celebrity gave their ghost writer the bare minimum that could be turned into a quick, cash cow product. Memoirs can be iffy things, and on many occasions I’ve found I liked artists more the less I knew about them, but this book was well worth reading.
They Called Us Enemy – George Takei
Takei’s memoir is as restrained and graceful as the horrors visited upon Japanese Americans during World War II were unconscionable. The artwork is equally graceful and nuanced—and such a loving homage to its Japanese counterparts that I kept trying to read the book right to left, manga-style
What I Am Currently Reading
Opium – John Halpern & David Blistein
Still thoroughly middle-of-the-road. I didn’t make much progress on this one this week.
The Warmth of Other Suns – Isabel Wilkerson
I didn’t make much progress on this one either, largely because I’ve been to busy to give it the attention it deserves.
What I'm Reading Next
I acquired no new books this week; I may pick The Binding or The Half-Drowned Prince back up if the mood strikes.
これで以上です。
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I too tend not to read memoirs ... and I also have this fear that I will not like what I read and that might colour the rest of my views on their works in the future.
From:
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Yes, for memoirs it's sometimes better to let the person's primary mode of artistic expression speak for them and leave it at that, but Izzard's memoir deepened my appreciation of his standup so in this case at least it paid off. ^^;