I got halfway through. Terrifically boring.

I love Eddie Izzard. He's been my favorite comedian since high school. So when I saw that not only had he written a book, but that he was narrating the audiobook, I had to get it. I'm glad I learned more about Eddie, but I rather wish I had read the actual book. The audiobook version has a lot of tangents (aka footnotes), some of which are incredibly random and can distract from the greater narrative. Overall, an interesting read.

Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2023 #21 A second-hand book.

Picked this up in a charity shop - an interesting read and a very different character. I completely related to their childhood - I also lost a parent at a similar age and also was not in anyway prepared for it (the done thing in those days), and I felt Eddie was very insightful about the impact and upheaval of their loss and how all the things they have done was because "on some childlike, magical-thinking level, I thought doing those things might bring her back."

I enjoyed all the rambling asides, and you have to admit Eddie has achieved a lot, despite challenges thrown up by losing their mum, boarding school, dyslexia and coming out as transgender. Perhaps even because of those challenges...

Enjoyed the book a lot but the last couple of chapters felt like a different book tacked. The last chapters would have been better as a collection of essays or whatever but a different book (which I would have enjoyed).

HIGHLY entertaining audiobook. ABSOLUTELY listen to it. He is a magical and wise human, and (obviously) a talented comedian. The footnotes alone earn this book five stars. His life and opinions are fantastic to listen to, and the book’s style meanders and is random and great and I’m a huge fan. I wouldn’t recommend if you don’t find his standup funny, because he is just as bizarre and irreverent as you might expect from a book by a comedian.

Went with the audiobook as I almost always do for books by comedians and loved the extra on the spot footnotes although it did make some things a bit repetitive. (I heard about that train donation so many freaking times...) but overall a really lovely, funny memoir. You have to love izzard’s comedy to like this but why would you be reading it otherwise? He obviously has a very different view on matters of faith than I but this book gave me a deep empathy for why he feels that way and a lot of respect for the work he does outside of comedy.

I LOVE Eddie Izzard's comedy and humor. I've enjoyed him in many of the acting roles that he's done. I utterly respect the charitable work he's done. This book, however, was a wee bit of a slog to get through. Perhaps it's because I already know so many things about his life since I've been a fan for so long? Or else I'm just in a crabby mood...you never now. Bottom line, though, is that as a fan, I really felt that this book belonged in my collection and Mr. Izzard is one hell of a human being to have brought so much joy to the world in so many ways.

I'm disappointed that there weren't more Jazz Chickens in this.

This is one of those books that is 100% better if you're familiar with the author's work already. Much of this is written kind of the way Eddie does his stand up and I felt I was better off for being able to read it in his voice and (sort of) intonation.

There were bits that were very speculative and sort of rambling that I normally wouldn't give a pass but hey, that's kind of his thing.

I'm glad I read it. There were things here I really identified with and very good takeaways. Because of this book I know a bit more about dyslexia and can wrap my mind around transvestites and trans people that much better. (there's nothing wrong with it; I just don't fully understand it yet) I'll most definitely try to insert more "sheer bloody-mindedness" in my life. (It clearly seems to work)

In all honesty, this would likely be a 3 star book for me if I weren't already a fan. But I am a fan (and wouldn't have picked it up if I weren't) and beyond that, I felt like I was 100% part of the intended target audience.

So good on you, Eddie. You wrote a good book. It reached me; it helped. Looking forward to more good things from you in the future. *waves Izzard fan flag*

End of long windy footnote