Not My Father's Son in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

May 09, 2014 Renata rated it really liked it

Shelves: grownup, nonfiction, memoir

Whew! I'm so glad I liked this as much as I did! I've been a long-time fan of Alan Cumming--such that I read his other book, Tommy's Tale when I was in high school. Tommy's Tale a) is not... super appropriate for high schoolers... and b) is not that great, sort of a queer Bridget Jones-y thing.

BUT NEVER MIND ALL THAT, Not My Father's Son is a truly engaging memoir with some real mysteries at its heart. It's a heartbreaking look at the way Cumming's abusive father warped Alan and his brother's c ...more

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Dec 07, 2014 Sarah rated it it was ok

Shelves: nonfiction, audiobook, memoir

There is so much to love about this book. Alan Cumming is charming and funny and exposed - and he so perfectly capture the horrifying impact of childhood trauma and the paralysis of anxiety, depression, and doubt. And I liked the narrative's "now" and "them" formats which keeps the story compelling and fast-paced.

Ultimately, though, I felt like there wasn't quite enough here for a memoir. The book might have benefited from a shorter format and heavier editing as later passages began to feel rep ...more

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Dec 06, 2017 Alvin rated it liked it · review of another edition

I recommend listening to the audiobook. It's a heartbreaking memoir that hit me in the gut. It felt let like a therapeutic case study, with his insights and reflections of his life being beautifully and tragically shared. ...more

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Oct 02, 2016 eb added it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, i-gave-up, audio-book, memoirs, non-fiction, read-by-the-author, autobiography, biography, male-author, queer-ancillary-characters

Eh. I couldn't keep going with this. I mean, nothing is revealed-- it's basically an account of aftermath and lead-up, and to be honest, it's among those memoirs that grow out of scandal and are created to function like the trainwreck you can't look away from.

I listened for quit a few disks simply because Cumming's brogue is lively to listen to; but the voice he has as a narrator in terms of the story is frankly whiny, despite the real trauma of his life. ...more

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Jul 03, 2015 Abby Johnson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, grownup_books, audio, celebrity-memoirs

Just the right blend of personal memoir and a story about an abusive father and one man's quest for family. This was a book that made me go to the gym so I could listen to more of it. ;) ...more

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