Anything Goes Summary and Reviews

Anything Goes
by John Barrowman, Carole E. Barrowman

Anything Goes
List Price: $15.95
Our Price: $8.89
You Save: $7.06 (44%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Carole E. Barrowman, John Barrowman
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2009-03-01
ISBN: 1843173336
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Michael O'Mara
Product features:

Book Reviews of Anything Goes

Book Review: An invitation.....
Summary: 4 Stars

As a long-time fan of John, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of his autobiography. It seems an age ago that the announcement was first made. In reality, it was only last June. Imagine the lovely surprise then, when I arrived home from work yesterday, and there it was, my copy of the book, a whole week ahead of schedule!

First impressions are good. The front cover has a true-to life photo of John looking natural and very happy. Colour theme is blue and silver - his colours, and very classy.

The book is short - just 245 pages, so no room for wasted words! Many more pictures inside. And a final treat - on the back cover one of him as a boy, one as Captain Jack, and one of him in his bathers!!!!! At that stage, I melted all over the floor.

And so, at 11pm last night, I started to read. And I just HAD to finish in one go. Forgive me if I'm not making sense today; I turned the last page at 4am. I don't ever do well on two hours' sleep, as my family will testify. But maybe adrenaline is keeping me going, or perhaps some of John's legendary energy levels evaporated off the pages and into my brain, because I really don't feel too bad today.

In the introduction, John asks us to imagine that we're sitting in our pyjamas in the lounge of his Cardiff sitting room, sharing a drink, some music and the memories. That's almost an invitation isn't it??????

The book is divided into chapters, each named after a song from some of John's favourite musicals. So themes such as "Being Alive", "Live, Laugh, Love" and "High, Flying Adored" very aptly set the scene for what is to come.

The events described in the book are not arranged in chronological sequence, but as a series of reminiscences. So I found myself travelling, to and fro in time, as the themes developed. Good job Captain Jack is a Time Agent!

The style of the book is witty and intelligent, with just the right blend of content and comedy. I can imagine that John and his sister Carole had much fun and many a laugh whilst writing! I had quite a few laughs myself too.

What a life! John has packed more into his 40 years than many of us would struggle to manage in 400. John's explanation for this is simple, his mother taught him that, "You're a long time dead, son. You can sleep when you're dead." It's hard to imagine that John currently gets any sleep at all.

If the book has a down side, then for me it's that there's very little of John the man. I have seen and heard John many times, met him a few, and follow him in the media, albeit here with a very large shed load of salt. I have therefore heard many of the stories and anecdotes before, and for me there was very little new material. What I had been hoping for from the book was this: a better insight into the beautiful person, inside and out, that John is. His thoughts, feelings, opinions and emotions. I didn't get it. The content is very action and event-oriented. I finished the book feeling a tad disappointed that I didn't actually know John the person any better than when I started it.

All in all though, a very enjoyable and worthwhile read. The true value of the book for me is that at last I have this collection of stories direct from John's mouth, and all together in one place. That's worth its weight in gold.

And hey, this is theatre, so it's not all over till the fat lady sings. There's always Act 2, so bring it on, John and Carole!!!!


Biographies & Memoirs Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Biographies & Memoirs Books
The Glass Castle: A Memoir ImageThe Glass Castle: A Memoir
by Jeannette Walls
Scribner; Published: 2006-01-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops: $15.00
A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit ImageA Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit
by Mike Huckabee
Sentinel HC; Published: 2009-11-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.51
Price in other shops: $19.95
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game ImageThe Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
by Michael Lewis
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2007-09-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.37
Price in other shops: $13.95
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman ImageWhere Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
by Jon Krakauer
Doubleday; Published: 2009-09-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops: $27.95
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time ImageThree Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
by Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
Penguin Books; Published: 2007-01-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.49
Price in other shops: $16.00
A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity ImageA Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity
by Bill O'Reilly
Broadway Books; Published: 2008-09-23; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.00
Price in other shops: $26.00
When the Game Was Ours ImageWhen the Game Was Ours
by Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson Jr., Jackie MacMullan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2009-11-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.50
Price in other shops: $26.00
Open: An Autobiography ImageOpen: An Autobiography
by Andre Agassi
Knopf; Published: 2009-11-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.75
Price in other shops: $28.95
Going Rogue: An American Life ImageGoing Rogue: An American Life
by Sarah Palin
HarperCollins; Published: 2009-11-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.97
Price in other shops: $28.99
You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas ImageYou Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas
by Augusten Burroughs
St. Martin's Press; Published: 2009-10-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.87
Price in other shops: $21.99
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Torchwood: Almost Perfect ImageTorchwood: Almost Perfect
by James Goss
Random House UK; Published: 2008-12-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.31
Price in other shops: $11.99
Torchwood: Into The Silence ImageTorchwood: Into The Silence
by Sarah Pinborough
Random House UK; Published: 2009-08-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops: $11.99
Putting It Together: A Musical Review ImagePutting It Together: A Musical Review
Image Entertainment; Release date: 2006-12-12; DVD
Best price: $12.26
Price in other shops: $19.99
At His Very Best ImageJohn Barrowman - At His Very Best
Release date: 2009-10-13; Music CD
Best price: $8.51
Price in other shops: $18.49
Torchwood: The Radio Adventures ImageTorchwood: The Radio Adventures
by Anita Sullivan, James Goss, Phil Ford
BBC Radio; Published: 2009-09-22; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $12.35
Price in other shops: $19.95
Swings Cole Porter ImageJohn Barrowman - Swings Cole Porter
Release date: 2004-10-05; Music CD
Best price: $10.95
Price in other shops: $17.98
Another Side ImageJohn Barrowman - Another Side
Release date: 2007-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.19
Price in other shops: $31.98
Torchwood: The House That Jack Built ImageTorchwood: The House That Jack Built
by Guy Adams
Random House UK; Published: 2009-08-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops: $11.99
Music Music Music ImageJohn Barrowman - Music Music Music
Release date: 2008-12-02; Music CD
Best price: $9.97
Price in other shops: $36.98
I Am What I Am ImageI Am What I Am
by John Barrowman, Carole E. Barrowman
Michael O'Mara; Published: 2009-11-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $17.97
Price in other shops: $29.95