A candid and vibrant autobiography that was completed not long before he died, the story of Pete Postlethwaite is a good read.
| Publisher: | Orion Publishing, June 1, 2011 |
| ISBN: | 9780297864936 (ISBN10: 0297864939) |
| Characteristics: | 288 pages, colour plates. Hardcover |
| Source: |
Born in 1946 and passing away in 2011 at 65 years old from pancreatic cancer, Pete’s autobiography was completed not long before he died. In the last chapter, he explains his illness and how it is impacting his life and relationship with his family. He signs off, knowing that he doesn’t have long.
The book is an excellent insight into theatre and film in 1970s Britain. Despite having a face like a “stone arch” his acting career was very successful, his face lending authenticity to the characters he played.
Pete loved the theatre, having many roles in Shakespeare plays with the Royal Shakespeare Company. King Lear was a particular favourite and provided many challenges for the actor.
I can only recall seeing him in Brassed Off and The Lost World: Jurassic Park. His characters seem real and relatable.
The book wasn’t written by a professional writer, so it’s not as engaging as biographies written by professional writers like Walter Isaacson, for example. Pete doesn’t spend much time on family or friends, possibly because of privacy reasons. Much of the text is on the details behind his acting projects, which unless you know the work, isn’t that interesting. His career brought him contact with many other celebrities including the Beetles who didn’t impress him much, probably because his taste of music is conservative.
Overall, it’s a good read, with the last chapter particularly poignant. He reflects on his life and thanks his family and wife Jax for making life wonderful. He then signs off having spent enough time writing and spends his last remaining days with his family and friends.
