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Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother
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Product Description
Review
"Warm, fascinating but brutally honest memoir."--The Mirror
"Candid, affectionate memoir."--Mail on Sunday
"Johnston's unadorned prose style, blending tender personal recollection with just enough showbiz gossip to season the narrative, is like listening to her chatting to you over a cup of tea. Which I suspect is just how the author would wish it."--Mail on Sunday
"Candid, affectionate memoir."--Mail on Sunday
"Johnston's unadorned prose style, blending tender personal recollection with just enough showbiz gossip to season the narrative, is like listening to her chatting to you over a cup of tea. Which I suspect is just how the author would wish it."--Mail on Sunday
Book Description
A warm, poignant and often very funny memoir by one of Britain's favourite actresses
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
98 of 99 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The only things I was really expecting from Sue Johnston's autobiography were that it would be funny in parts, have some insights into the TV worlds of Brookie, The Royales, being Grace in Waking the Dead and from the title `Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother' I hazarded a guess that either Sue had some skeletons in her cupboard or her relationship with her mother might be a fraught one. Indeed it is the latter and really if I was to say Sue's book is about anything then it would really be about the difficult relationship they shared. This was much more interesting than any gossip of any TV set could have in store.
There are of course the tales of the television work that Sue has done, and I will admit I wanted a little more than the snippets we got, but there is a huge amount of stuff in store for anyone picking up this book, and I don't just mean the stories of her mother. Sue struggled to find what she wanted to do after her childhood, which sounded wonderful, and after a stint at the Tax Office she found herself hanging out at The Cavern in Liverpool with The Beatles and working for Brian Epstein's company where she discovered `The Hippy Hippy Shake'. We look at her two marriages, being a single working mother (and the struggles that could bring) as well as her political involvement with the Labour Party and how she protested and rallied for the miners and gay rights. Sue Johnston is a woman with a lot more going on than just being a wonderful actress who has become a national treasure.
The heart of Sue's thoughts and memories are really those of her mother though. A woman who whilst making her only child have a good, happy, secure childhood could never show her affection or full approval and it's this which really comes to life in the pages and almost haunts the book with its echoes throughout. What Sue Johnston doesn't do is make all this maudlin, yes there is some regret and anger on occasion, on the whole where possible you do feel Sue is looking at life with a glass half full attitude, there is a certain wryness here amongst the serious stuff.
I was a fan of Sue Johnston before I read `Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother', I am even more of a fan now that I have finished the book. I loved the books honesty and clarity I think the only thing is that I would have liked more of it. I felt like there was so much that Sue had to say, and so many other interesting stories in the background, it almost didn't all fit in the book and could have gone on much longer, I could easily have read another few hundred pages. Read `Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother' it's a great memoir from one of Britain's best loved, and most down to earth, actors (I nearly said actresses there, that wouldn't do) and don't be surprised if you find yourself shedding a few tears along the way, there's much laughter too.
There are of course the tales of the television work that Sue has done, and I will admit I wanted a little more than the snippets we got, but there is a huge amount of stuff in store for anyone picking up this book, and I don't just mean the stories of her mother. Sue struggled to find what she wanted to do after her childhood, which sounded wonderful, and after a stint at the Tax Office she found herself hanging out at The Cavern in Liverpool with The Beatles and working for Brian Epstein's company where she discovered `The Hippy Hippy Shake'. We look at her two marriages, being a single working mother (and the struggles that could bring) as well as her political involvement with the Labour Party and how she protested and rallied for the miners and gay rights. Sue Johnston is a woman with a lot more going on than just being a wonderful actress who has become a national treasure.
The heart of Sue's thoughts and memories are really those of her mother though. A woman who whilst making her only child have a good, happy, secure childhood could never show her affection or full approval and it's this which really comes to life in the pages and almost haunts the book with its echoes throughout. What Sue Johnston doesn't do is make all this maudlin, yes there is some regret and anger on occasion, on the whole where possible you do feel Sue is looking at life with a glass half full attitude, there is a certain wryness here amongst the serious stuff.
I was a fan of Sue Johnston before I read `Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother', I am even more of a fan now that I have finished the book. I loved the books honesty and clarity I think the only thing is that I would have liked more of it. I felt like there was so much that Sue had to say, and so many other interesting stories in the background, it almost didn't all fit in the book and could have gone on much longer, I could easily have read another few hundred pages. Read `Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother' it's a great memoir from one of Britain's best loved, and most down to earth, actors (I nearly said actresses there, that wouldn't do) and don't be surprised if you find yourself shedding a few tears along the way, there's much laughter too.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sue Johnston memoir should be compulsorary reading for all us women who have/had overly critical mothers and keep on going. She writes about those ambivalent feelings for her mother which are easy to relate to, even though my life experience is so very different from hers. She is an inspirational and charming women who shares her interesting passage through life, motherhood and acting career in such a warm hearted friendly manner that it was as though she was in the same room. Reading 'Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother' was good for me, like getting a hug from a good friend. Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother: My Autobiography
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sue Johnston is my favourite actress so I bought her autobiography and I read it in one day. It made me laugh and cry and I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Things I Couldn't tell my mother.... well I had lots more exciting...
It was readable, but on the whole fairly boring. The book made me like the writer (unlike most biographies) but didn't really feel Sue put enough of herself into the book.
Published 15 days ago by N. Jerem
Well worth reading.
Sue Johnston is an excellent writer, the book i have just read was entertaining,honest and heartwarming my only regret was the book just didn't last long enough.
Published 19 days ago by qwerky pen
Sue Johnston
What a lovely lady and a fab. book so true of her era, many smiles and I couldnt put it down. A definite must
Published 1 month ago by Veronica
A nice book by a lovely lady
I enjoyed reading this book. It wasn't too in depth or complicated, but it did make me think about how relationships work or don't work. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chrissie
Honest, warm and surprising
I love Sue Johnston as an actress and looked forward to receiving this book. I did not expect it to be so honest about her experiences, and my admiration for her has grown... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Useless cook
Enjoyable
This is a great insight into her life. I found it a very interesting read. She writes very honestly and really brings you into her life.
Published 1 month ago by Linda
Enjoyable read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book especially as Sue Johnston and I are about same age and some of the places and events and people she spoke about I could relate to as it was my era!!! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mrs M D Morris
A gift
The person I have given this book to is very happy with the book by sue johnson (things I couldn't tell my mother)
Published 1 month ago by Miss Dancey
Things I couldnt tell my mother
This was so personal it was as though she were telling my story. I found the book so brutally honest, it was almost scarey.
Published 1 month ago by Andrew C. Smith
Brilliant
Terrific read, took me right back to those times,a must read book.I could relate to various parts of the book.
Published 1 month ago by C. Retallack
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