Brutally honest autobiography
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Les really lets it all hang out in this very witty, enjoyable and at times, painfully sad journey. I really admire his honesty in admitting his past desire to be perceived as someone better than he thought he was, even at his beloved family's expense. Les appears to have a "you reap what you sow" kind of attitude towards life and almost seems to accept his second wife's infidelity as just punishment for betraying his first wife's trust. I hope that Les has now found happiness with his partner Claire and can continue to move forward as I feel that he is truly remorseful for all the heartache that he has caused in his life. Hopefully Amanda Holden will continue to work at her relationship also and not cave in at the first hurdle with the nearest available commodity -as indeed will her partner Chris also.
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Karma comedian
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The late Bob Monkhouse once told Les Dennis that whilst he would never be the best comedian in the world, he would have a long career in entertainment because of he has a lot of charm. Bob was right, of course, people like Les Dennis because he genuinely seems like a nice bloke.
It is to his great credit that in this book he admits that that may not always have been the case. He tells us that whilst in his late teens he fell in with a arty group (which, amongst others, included Clive Barker) and as a result became embarrassed about his solid working class parents. Later on, when he gained success as an entertainer he had such a high opinion of himself he became estranged from family. He had various extra-marital affairs and generally treated his first wife very badly. So badly that he now thinks it is the karma from this that resulted in the very public breakdown of his marriage to second wife, Amanda Holden.
He never spares himself and you can sense that in writing this book he his baring his soul. This alone would make this book almost a must read but as well as this it is an excellent showbiz memoir, perhaps one of the best I have read, and it contains a great many genuinely funny anecdotes.
Les Dennis has done himself proud with this is a very brave and entertaining book.
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Charmingly endearing
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Les Dennis has written a very moving account of his turbulent life, a life full of ups and downs, of laughter and regret.. I have read many "honest" autobiographies, but none have moved me as this book has. There is no pretence, no drama, just an honest-to-goodness account of Les' very difficult experiences. He travels painfully from young boy to adulthood and takes the reader with him all the way. Les comes over as charming and forgiving human being and gives us a real insight into the "real" man.
May he be blessed with many, many years of happiness with his wonderful partner: he has clearly earned some peace!
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A simple, honest and refreshing read
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It is great to read something which is honest and strips away the TV persona which everyone thinks they see and assumes that we know the person.
It also portrays the fact that Les is simply a normal bloke who has had to deal with the difficulties of operating in a public life, and having his personal life exposed in the media in full.
The ability and difficulty to steer through living your life in public should never be underestimated - so it's a sobering thought for all of us who don't have to live in that way, especially when we criticise those in the public eye as we simply cannot comprehend it.
Les has written this book from a perspective that he is (and we are all) fallible and human so it's not pretentious in any way. A good read.
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Highly Recommended!
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I read this book by accident, what I mean is my wife was reading it and didn't seem to be able to put it down so when she finally did (after about 2 days of solid reading) I seized the moment.
It is a surprisingly honest book and not the sort one would necessarily expect from a household name, however, bear in mind that this is someone who has gone from starring in top West End musicals to talking to chickens in the Big Brother House and then allowing his public persona (and very public marriage) to be ripped to shreds by the media before making an incredible comeback as himself in Ricky Gervais' Extra's.
He has worked with so many well known celebrities that the book is like a who's who of british comedy. Les Dennis is an institution and this book will earn him new admirers whilst endearing him even more to the many fans that have stuck by him.
A really interesting, touching, and amusing read.
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