Hi everyone. In order to get rid of some of my backlog of
reviews I’ve decided to release a series of mini-reviews. These will be, for
the most part, shorter reviews than I’ve previously written and one post will feature
similar books contained within one long post. This way I hope to churn out
reviews a bit quicker, as well as reviewing some older books I’ve read without
having to worry about going into as much detail as one my regular reviews would
require, but still giving you an overall gist of the book.
Your
Voice in my Head by Emma Forrest
Your
Voice in my Head is a frank and somewhat eccentric memoir of a
young writer’s struggle with bipolar illness. Ostensibly a tribute to her
psychiatrist, Dr R., Forrest’s account begins with his untimely death and how
this affected her and her disorder.
The book is very much focused on her illness, yet it is
neither a self-help book nor a survival manual: no advice is given, but it does
help to create a sense of normalcy for those who have experience with mental
illness and in particular those with bipolar disorder or depression. The
first-hand account of a bipolar sufferer was interesting, insightful and
disturbing, with Forrest discussing in detail self-harm and suicide attempts.
Forrest’s writing is beautiful and alluring; her descriptions of the disorder
are beautifully wrought and resonant:
“Mania flows like a river approaching a waterfall. Depression is a stagnant lake. There are dead things floating and the water has the same blue-black tinge as your lips. You stay completely still because you’re so afraid of what is brushing your leg (even though it could be nothing because your mind is already gone).”
Nonetheless, I would have preferred a memoir of this sort from
someone who wasn’t semi-famous: Emma Forrest was already a published author by
the time she moved from England to America, and much of her account describes
her glamorous celebrity lifestyle in L.A., as well as her famous boyfriends,
about whom I became tired of reading.
Your
Voice in my Head offers a rare glimpse inside the mind of a
manic-depressive, but at the same time it is a little self-indulgent and
becomes a little repetitive. It is certainly not a book that everyone will
enjoy: the subject matter is disturbing and can be upsetting, and people with
no interest in mental illness will not find much of interest here. Nonetheless,
Emma Forrest is an engaging and honest writer and her insightful memoir is
worth a look, particularly if you or someone you know is a fellow sufferer.
Rating: 7/10
A
Liar’s Autobiography: Volume VI by Graham Chapman
A
Liar’s Autobiography: Volume VI (although this is in fact the
only volume…it’s getting very silly already, Chapman’s Colonel will be along
any moment…) is a fictionalised account of the life of Graham Chapman, probably
most famous for being a member of the Monty Python troupe before his premature
death in 1989. The ‘autobiography’ covers Chapman’s time at Cambridge and his involvement in the comedy club Footlights, as well as his medical career and through his time as a
Python.
The book does have its comic moments but it is rather
rambling as well as lacking a coherent narrative and time structure. Further,
in true Chapman form the book is very very silly and oftentimes it is tricky to
separate fact from fiction. These factors make the memoir quite difficult to read
except in short bursts.
Unfortunately there is very little about Monty Python found
within the pages, which is perhaps a missed opportunity to unveil some
interesting tales of the comedy troupe and its inner workings. Chapman’s stories
and anecdotes instead focus largely on sexual antics or things of complete
randomness.
A
Liar’s Autobiography is not for everybody but for any serious Monty
Python fan it is essential reading. It is very silly and strange, but at the
same time it is a fine glimpse into the disordered mind of this intelligent
loony.
Rating: 6/10
Around
the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin
From one Python to another, Michael Palin’s Around the World in 80 Days is Palin’s
account of his travels around the world in emulation of Phileas Fogg in Jules
Verne’s novel of the same name. The book is a companion to Palin’s TV series,
also entitled Around the World in 80 Days
– which aired in 1989. In keeping with the novel, Palin decides not to travel
by aeroplane, and instead relies mostly on trains and ships. This leads to some
frustrating instances for our narrator when several modes of transport are heavily
delayed among other obstacles which lead him to trail behind the
fictional Fogg for most of his journey.
Palin’s writing is flowing, friendly and personal. He is so
likeable and funny; reading about his adventures feels like he is in front of
you narrating it first-hand. Palin has a talent for attracting all sorts of
strange and interesting people wherever he goes, leading to some fantastic
anecdotes and funny situations. The book has lots of lovely high quality
photographs of Palin’s travels to accompany the text, adding a personal touch.
One flaw, which admittedly could not be avoided due to the
nature of this particular travel book, is that he hurries through most places
in order for him to reach his goal in 80 days. It would have been nice to see
him explore places a little more and become more fully immersed in the numerous
different cultures – but this is something I shall look forward to in his other
travel books.
I had never read a travel book before, but this was a great
introduction and I will definitely be reading more of Palin’s books as well as
other pieces of travel literature.
Rating: 8/10
