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Frank Skinner
 
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Frank Skinner (Paperback)

by Frank Skinner (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
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Price For All Three: £26.31

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Product details

  • Paperback: 394 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd (2 May 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099426870
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099426875
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 126,776 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Frank Skinner is well known for his quick wit and biting humour. Both appear in spades in his eponymous autobiography. It is hardly a traditional, chronological work. Instead Frank, (or to give him his childhood name, Chris Collins) takes an offbeat approach to the life story genre. It is an approach which, on the whole, works well. Here, the writer takes an intimately personal tack. Like the man in the pub with tales to tell, the story jumps from childhood to middle age, failed romances to huge successes, with little or no pause to explain or sign post. In the opening chapters this organisation can be confusing. From a lesser writer, it would have been a mistake. For Frank Skinner, whose ability to relate to an audience is everything, it is a clever device to draw the reader in. In fact, this on the hoof, deadline-looming, almost stand-up style of thinking on the feet (or indeed, the page) makes the reader a confidante. Frank chats and asks questions. Pages fly past amid a string of intriguing hook lines, such as "Johnny Cash made me an alcoholic"; "English literature changed my life"; "Zola Budd was my saviour and spiritual guide"; and "My first ever professional show was as Julian Clary¹s straight man (leave it)".

In reality, Frank Skinner's factual life isn't that remarkable, but the quality of the writing lifts it way above its competitors. Besides the history told comes the most interesting, insightful stuff, wrapped up in stylish telling; reasons and justifications, irrelevant asides and rhetorical questions, insecurities and studied nonchalance, plus a grey area where there are a of loads of swear words, darker thoughts, deep hatred of journalists from The Sun and of course the blackest of humour. --Helen Lamont --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Hilarious...often shocking." -- "Mirror"
"Skinner has written his own life story -- and it's a minor masterpiece...although his stand-up revelations are far more fun than anything in the tabloids, it's his poignant portrait of his working-class youth that makes it a classic of its kind." -- "Guardian"
"Skinner tells this amazing story in a rapid and mucky manner." -- "Evening Standard"

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Customer Reviews

65 Reviews
5 star:
 (51)
4 star:
 (11)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (65 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Congratulations Frank!, 31 Oct 2001
By A Customer
From start to finish, this book is a success. The style is completely different to any other autobiography I've read, which makes a very refreshing change. I found myself laughing out loud on the tube many times this week! I've seen one of Frank's shows in person before, and reading the book is like an extension to one of his shows, but on a more personal level, its like a one-on-one show, and it works.

Certainly recommended to any Skinner fan, and anyone else who wants a truly personal account of a colourful life! (I write this just as WBA have scored the winner against Palace - I can just imagine Frank's face!!)

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The colourful life of Frank skinner!, 2 Aug 2003
As a stand-up commedian, Frank Skinner has appealed to me for a few years. Stories from his passion with WBA football club to his problems associated with drinking - I was quite keen to "get to know him better". From the start, it felt as though Frank was standing up on stage narrating the story in his usual funny way. There are no chapters as such, but stories flip from present day (such as splitting up with current girlfriend) to his younger days (loosing his virginity -well worth a few laughs and maybe a "yuk" thrown in too!

After reading this book, I felt as though I knew the Real Frank. It is an honest approach to his very colourful and emotional life. I respect him immensely by how much feeling he has expressed throughout.

This was the first biography I have ever read and I certainly wasn't disappointed. I think you need to find Frank Skinner's type of stand-up amusing, otherwise the book may annoy you. I loved it, and I think all Frank Skinner fans will too!

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and "laugh out loud" funny, 27 Oct 2001
By A Customer
This book was written by Frank himself and that quality shines through, there is nothing worse than someone else ghost writing a book, in this case you feel like you are having a one-to-one conversation with Frank. He is brutally honest throughout and I for one found this to be both endearing and brave in equal measures. I have always been a fan of Frank's, although I wouldnt consider to myself to be a diehard, but now he has certainly risen in my estimation.Prior to reading this book I had just finished the Billy Connolly book and am a diehard Connolly fan, but felt that, that book lacked the warmth and humour of Frank's book, albeit Connolly is dealing with quite dark family issues.
I would recommend the Frank Skinner book unreservedly, but dont make the same mistake I made and read it after having major surgery, as I nearly burst my stitches on more than one occasion! I just hope his sister is still speaking to him!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars crackin!
If you like knob jokes, football, stand up comedy and the odd strole down cadbury avenue, you'll relate to this book and find it very funny. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. R. I. Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars You might be surprised...
I was. This doesn't read like a typical celebrity memoir/autobiography. It's clear Frank Skinner wrote it himself (there are plenty of passages in which he describes the process... Read more
Published 7 months ago by lifeclearout

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written but short on laughs
This is a really well written autobiography and for once it is obvious that the celebrity wrote it themselves. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Hayles

5.0 out of 5 stars fun time frankie is fab
Just finished reading this over a weekend and loved every minute. The style was not what I expected, particularly with the tales from Frank's youth interlaced with his more... Read more
Published 15 months ago by T. Longhurst

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT GREAT GREAT
A VERY funny, bold, well written book. A biography but you would be hard pressed to make up something so good. Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2006 by GR

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh a minute
I must admit I don't generally like Frank Skinner. I find him not to my liking but thought I would give the book a go after I saw so many others reading it on holiday... Read more
Published on 29 Jul 2006 by Mr. G. Bridgeman-clarke

5.0 out of 5 stars "Frank Skinner" by Frank Skinner
The book I am going to review is "Frank Skinner" by Frank Skinner. The title is pretty self explanatory as it is the autobiography of Frank Skinner. Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2006 by lydia

5.0 out of 5 stars from provident cheques to a tidy sum!!
Well according to Amazon you have 5 days left to get this book ordered in time for Christmas. If your stuck what to get your wife, husband, son, daughter (must be over the age of... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2005 by helen woodhouse

5.0 out of 5 stars Frank Skinner - Legend...
Frank Skinner wrote this audacious and incredibly funny in 1999 and to be honest, this semi autobiography-cum-novel is great expanding to all corners of his humerous life. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2004 by Josh Yeomans

5.0 out of 5 stars The Skinny on Skinner
Frank by name and frank by nature. A funny and truthful book, full of down to earth anecdotes and great stories chronicling not so much the 'rags to riches' story often told by... Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2004 by Mr Siddique Hussain

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