- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; New Ed edition (5 Oct 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 000638854X
- ISBN-13: 978-0006388548
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 258,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the great British television phenomena of the 60's and 70's, known to all who are now entering or firmly placed in mid-life, was the advent of Doctor Who. This original and most British of television series chronicled the travels and tribulations of the famous Doctor Who and his merry band of followers. Tom Baker, though not the first but probably the most unforgettable of the actors who took on this role, has published an autobiography that not only lets us explore the man made famous but also the man himself. Tom inhabited the world of television production agencies, the BBC with its cast of thousands, and the drinking haunts of Soho with the likes of Jeffery Bernard, Anthony Hopkins and actors for whom feast and famine were a daily way of life.
Tom, with his expressive face and kind eyes was born in Liverpool to a raucous and lively Irish family where love and a good respect for the teachings of the Catholic Church were able to prepare him for an interesting and fulfilling life. In fact, Tom's early experiences with the church involved a trial at a monastery for an unsuccessful preparation as a priest and an insight into the daily workings of these institutions. A slow starting but rapidly improving acting career was followed by time spent pulling pints and on London construction sites before the big break. Then came with the casting agent and the meeting that allowed for instant world-wide recognition for the famous Doctor Who that still exists today.
The style of the story is very much that of a black comedy with a marriage, children and a certain fixation with a lawnmower and the mowing of the grass around his own gravestone, making for an enjoyable read. He is now happily married and living in a rural utopia outside of London, millions of miles and light years away from the hectic and all- consuming career of both straight acting and in the television role that has made him famous in more that 70 countries. --Brian Reinker --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Simply wonderful”
Eclipse Magazine 11/97
“Baker’s superb delivery of his own fine, funny prose shows how tape can enhance the printed autobiography.”
Guardian 13/11/97
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am not the least bit interested in Doctor Who. So I was less than enthusiastic when I received this book for my birthday. More fool me. Tom Baker is a tremendous autobiographer, the type who makes you feel that to read him is to know him. And what a sad and sorrowful life our Mr Baker has had - from a bomb-dodging childhood in Liverpool to a life of being slave to his troublesome in-laws. Only about 30 pages of this 260 page book mention that BBC sci-fi series he used to star in.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a must for anybody who grew up only knowing tom baker as doctor who. If you expect this book will be a book about daleks and K9 then you will be disappointed. It is, however, a fascinating story of a refreshingly honest person, who has a darker side....
I was glued to it the whole time i was reading it!
I was glued to it the whole time i was reading it!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is, unlike most autobiographies, a life story worth reading. You don't have to be a Doctor Who fan to appreciate it, in fact serious fans might be disappointed by how little mention there is of the Tardis, daleks and so on. But not for long.
An extraordinary account of a truly unique life, 'Who on Earth' manages to make you laugh on every page, even when reflecting on the author's intensely personal and tragic moments. An astounding achievement.
An extraordinary account of a truly unique life, 'Who on Earth' manages to make you laugh on every page, even when reflecting on the author's intensely personal and tragic moments. An astounding achievement.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"WHAT on earth was Tom Baker thinking?"
What a disappointment this book is!! This man isn't 'eccentric' he's completely nuts! How much of this TWADDLE was true and how much fiction? Read more
Published 13 months ago by Paul Gleave
Compelling, funny, sad
I read this witty, well-written and moving autobiography in one sitting, then enthusiastically lent it to someone, then eventually had to go and buy another copy. Read more
Published 17 months ago by CarlOz
The Many Moods of Mr Baker.
When Tom Baker is funny he is very funny, and when he's sad, it's moving.
If you want to know about the man behind all that bluster here he is. Read more
If you want to know about the man behind all that bluster here he is. Read more
Published on 27 May 2010 by Armchair Pundit
A good laugh for the oldies
A superb read, couldn't put it down. Tom Baker is briliant.
I worked wit him may years ago. He is a true professional and has an appealing sense of humour. Read more
I worked wit him may years ago. He is a true professional and has an appealing sense of humour. Read more
Published on 27 April 2010 by P. H. W. Cracknell
lovely biography
of interest far beyond the confines of dr who enthusiasts, this is a fine example of that rare beast, a compelling biography. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2008 by harold adams
a very good read
i got toms book ive been a long time loyol fan .the book is very good funny and very honest im a fan what i say is celebs are only human and what they do is nothink to do with me... Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2008 by misst Rickhuss
Is it bad to be left wanting more?
I've been a huge fan of Tom Baker since my childhood exposure to his wonderfully charismatic performance as Doctor Who in the 70s. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2007 by critical_bill
Admittedly based on incomplete knowledge...
I had the good fortune to buy the audiobook for 20 pence, as it was being disposed of by the local library. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2007 by G. Horton
Much more than just Doctor Who...
If this book was written by anyone else, it would be regarded as one of the great media autobiographies. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2006 by Nessy76
Captures to coarseness of real life!
This is a great book and had me reading right to the end. It's not too long, and all the way through you sense that Tom is writing about real, ordinary life and not just his own... Read more
Published on 14 May 2002 by Mike Foster
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