Booky Wook 2: This time it's personal [Hardcover]

... which is to say I'm very much on the fence about Booky Wook 2. I certainly don't think it punches at the weight that Booky Wook (1) managed. Book 1 was a real treat. Absolutely hilarious, searingly honest, well written and warm. The person you glimpsed behind the words had recovered from a terrible part of their life with kindness and decency intact, and you wanted them to be your friend. Sadly I get none of that with Booky Wook 2- it is very much missing the 'warm.' The first time he harped on about how deserved and inevitable his propulsion to the lofty heights of stardom was, I thought, 'good for you, Russell. No false modesty here. You worked for it- you should be proud.' The second time he devoted a flowery paragraph to the same subject I frowned. The third time I grimaced. The twentieth time I was starting to think I didn't like him after all. Yes, he always said he was egotistical, but what actually came across was a man humbled by life and grateful for acknowledgment. It seems hollywood has eaten that away and convinced him he's the best thing ever. This is just my opinion, of course, by it's a shame, innit?
I'm also not fond of the brown-nosing he lavishly applies too all named celebrities. Name dropping I can live with, but waxing lyrical on how they're all so bloody kind, gentle and wonderful just sticks in my throat. Not cool.
Last of the downers is that I don't think its as well written as book 1, either. The more ambitious sections of Book 1 were always hit and miss anyway, but some parts had a certain grace to them. Similar sections in Booky Wook 2 feel a bit too forced for me, and read like a considered exercise in verbose, creative prose- which he's actually not as good at as he thinks.
It's not all bad news though, because the book's saving grace is that it is absolutely hey-larious. I don't like his 'listen to what my friend said' sections, written in script form (in fact not one of those made me laugh) but when he casually throws a joke at a normal paragraph it hits you cross wind and kills you. In my opinion he's at his best when he not trying to be a writer and is just telling you about his life and jibbing around it. The stuff about Saint Francis marching up to someone and declaring he is "well religious" just ruined me. As did his thoughts of voodoo in prison. If you want to laugh out loud like a donkey and annoy all the people around you, this is the book for you.
So what am I complaining about? Well.. I guess I'm just a bit sad that I didn't emerge from this book feeling as warm and fuzzy about Russell Brand as I did before. I still like him and all, but just not quite so much. Maybe with the next book he'll win me back, not that he needs me. Anyway, if you want me, Russell, I'm ready and willing (wink, wink).

Now that Brand's fame has reached gargantuan proportions, this timely book give the inside story on many of the controversies of the past few years. The "Bring Back Trevor" campaigners will be interested to see why Brand dropped him based on some rather dubious (to say the least) legal allegations. The genesis of the "put down of the decade" against Geldof is fully set out, and most importantly we find out why he and Matt stopped talking, which led to the strange events of late 2008.

I found the last bit about Katy Perry a bit unconvincing as he tries to persuade us he has put his womanising days behind him for this rather plain american girl (let's guess how that one will finish!).

Overall a good read, some funny stories, not quite up to BW1 but, especially for fans of his from the 6 Music days an interesting read. Who knows how his Hollywood adventure will turn out but from Britain's no.1 comedian of 2006-8 this is another entertaining book.

My Booky Wook 2 suffers from Biography sequel syndrome (see Peter Kay's Saturday Night Peter) in that the 1st book always intrigues as you get an insight into the star's early life, written with all the expected wit that has made them a star in the first place. Book 2 covers the fame years, when we already know the story and so it is harder to convey from a new angle. I am a big fan of Brand's as for me he is part of the great tradition of naturally gifted British comedians but a lot of the material here was quite often a re-hash of stage material (although it is very funny material). He does open up about the truth behind `SachsGate' (the best part of the book) and reveals a vulnerable side underlying the cocky exterior but it does not flow as well as the 1st book. The story is of course so current and in time it may mature as a book with age.