I've just finished a much better memoir - Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot - in which John Callahan begins with the major event in his life - becoming a paraplegic, and only includes a brief mention of his childhood. I think Eddie's biggest mistake was starting at the beginning, and spending way too much of the book detailing his younger years. Never did I dream that it was going to be an actual memoir, and never did I dream that it would plod along chronologically, from birth to school days to adulthood. Yeah, I know it says memoir right there in the title, but I somehow thought this was going to be a bunch of rants and clever observations. You can only reach your goal if you engage your passion and try hard. The main theme of the book is really his motto, "Aim for the stars, and reach the moon." His lesson here is to aim for your passion in life, and to be persistent, not to give up. It took many years for him to discover his voice, to gain confidence, and to learn how to make people laugh. You can see videos of his acts on Youtube. Izzard's life-long goal was to become an actor, which gradually morphed into a career as a stand-up comedian. Then, since his father traveled a great deal for his job, Eddie and his brother Mark were enrolled in a boarding school. Izzard's mother died at the age of six, and it left him with an indelible mark on his own life. I am not sure if he personally remembers all those details-probably he got most of them from his older brother and his father. Half of the book is devoted to the portion of his life from age 6 to his leaving the university. Eddie Izzard describes his life, especially his early life in some detail. ![]() Is the book humorous? At times it is hilarious, while at other times it is dead serious. So much of it sounds like on-the-spot improvisation. And, I doubt that Izzard is reading it in a straight-forward manner. Honest and generous, Izzard's Believe Me is an inspired account of a very singular life thus far.ĭon't read this book-LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK! Eddie Izzard reads his book in a very personal way, and while I haven't seen the hard-copy book, I cannot imagine it coming close to his own narration. Writing with the same candor and razor-sharp insight evident in her comedy, she reflects on a childhood marked by unutterable loss, sexuality and coming out, as well as a life in show business, politics, and philanthropy. With her brand of keenly intelligent humor, that ranges from world history to pop culture, politics and philosophy, she has built an extraordinary fan base that transcends age, gender, and race. Still performing more than 100 shows a year-thus far in a record-breaking twenty-eight countries worldwide-Izzard is arguably one of today's top Kings of Comedy. In Believe Me, she recounts the dizzying rise she made from street busking to London's West End, to Wembley Stadium and New York's Madison Square Garden. As a self-proclaimed "Executive Transvestite," Izzard broke the mold performing in full make-up and heels, and has become as famous for her advocacy for LGBT rights as she has for her art. As a stand-up comedian, Izzard has captivated audiences with her surreal, stream-of-consciousness comedy-lines such as "Cake or Death?" "Death Star Canteen," and "Do You Have a Flag?" have the status of great rock lyrics. In her teens, she dropped out of university and took to the streets of London as part of a two-person escape act when her partner went on vacation, Izzard kept busy by inventing a one-person act, and thus a career was ignited. Born in Yemen, and raised in Ireland, Wales and post-war England, she lost her mother at the age of six. ![]() Over the course of a thirty-year career, Eddie Izzard has proven herself to be a creative chameleon, inhabiting the stage and film and television screen with an unbelievable fervor. Critically acclaimed, award-winning British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard details her childhood, her first performances on the streets of London, her ascent to worldwide success on stage and screen, and her comedy shows which have won over audiences around the world.
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