The Author
Peter O’Toole was a stage and film actor. He is known for his stage portrayal of Shakepeare’s Hamlet, and his film performances Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Becket (1964), The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr Chips (1969) and The Ruling Class (1972). O’Toole died in 2013 after a long career spanning seven decades.
The Book
In the first volume of his autobiography, Peter O’Toole talks about his father, Hitler, and an unconventional childhood. He takes us through his young childhood, life as an evacuee, his service in the Royal Navy, to his acceptance into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA).
Review
It’s not everyone who would spend a portion of their autobiography talking about Hitler. And yet, O’Toole became fascinated with this extraordinary figure from history, that he first got to know about through the Pathé newsreels, as a child. He intersperses Hitler’s life from childhood with his own life story in random, yet thoughtful provoking, ways. It seems an extraordinary thing to do, yet the power of Hitler and his evil truly made a huge impact on him.
Also, his love for his father is very clear. He remembers much about his father’s life as an itinerant bookie. Their close relationship is spoken of in touching detail.
O’Toole’s writing could be described as semi stream-of-consciousness. The method of writing will not be to everyone’s taste. It is written in a very British manner with British colloquialisms that not all will understand (although O’Toole does explain them along the way).
His love of expressing the written word is very evident. He had the gift of the gab, a touch of the Blarney. It’s very obvious that he enjoyed the process of writing — he seems to have revelled in the richness of language.
He wrote in a highly descriptive fashion that gives the impression that he was right there in the moment of the memory. When he wrote about his childhood, he wrote as though he were still that child. Those memories are encapsulated in a very fluid language; a caressing that enveloped the very essence of his thought.
It’s been a delight to read his autobiography. I’m looking forward to reading the second volume.
This article was originally published on Medium.
Charlotte Clark 