Friday, January 2, 2015

Not My Father's Son

Not My Father's Son
By Alan Cumming
Dey Street Books, 2014. 304 pgs. Biography.

Alan Cumming started working with producers on a popular reality show about discovering famous people's heritage. When he starts to dig in to his past, he starts to also confront issues and facts abut his own father. Alan's success and life have finally normalized for him for the most part, when a family secret about his grandfather brings out more than he ever thought. His painful childhood is narrated, alternating with the present, and this is done smoothly and with enough suspense that I finished the book in one day.

I have become a fan of Alan Cumming after his work on The Good Wife. I thought this book sounded interesting because it focuses on a very specific part of his life. He reads the audio in his wonderful Scottish accent which makes this book even more enjoyable. His emotion, love of his mom and brother, and anecdotes about his work all combine with his awful experiences with his father. He tries to accept everything as he learns of his past and the heartbreak in this book is equal to the times I laughed.

EW

No comments: