I read a lot of autobiographies – I never used to but when my interest in comedy grew, I started reading loads of them – which I have spoken about throughout my time writing this blog.So I thought each time I finish a book I will start writing a mini summary / review so that you the reader can get an insight into whether you want to have a read of the book yourself – This week – Steve Coogan : Easily Distracted.

Out of all the autobiographies I have read I think this is one of the biggest (apart from Lee Evans) ones I have read – its a good three hundred and something pages. Also unlike a lot of autobiographies I have read, it is quite jumbled up in the way that it is presented. it is cut into three parts but doesn’t start at the beginning and go through from A to B, no it scatters all over the place, one minute you are in Manchester reliving his childhood and then the next chapter you are talking about Alan Partridge or Rob Brydon. It is a mish mash  in the order and after he spends a whole two or three chapters talking in depth about the film Philomena it will be something that will always be referenced to in the future. I mean, he was nominated for an Oscar for it and also  has reference to his childhood in a Catholic upbringing so you can understand why he talks about it but it can grate time and time again.

However, once you get used to the format of the book and overlook the way its presented it is actually quite an interesting read. As well as praising himself at times he is also very grounded and admits his negatives about himself such as the cocaine use and the prostitutes. The book takes you on a whirlwind of a journey and even explores the time he stood up to the newspapers when they started to hack his phone in the Leveson Enquiry.

The ego that he starts out with at the beginning of the book never quite goes away, you will get to parts in the book where you start to symphasize with him and then he will say something that will probably make you change your mind.

It is an interesting read but It does feel at times that it tends to drag and that he beats around the bush a bit. The last few chapters focus on Alan Partridge but as it is one of his most iconic figures you do expect him to talk about him more but in a sense you understand why as he doesn’t want people thinking that he is him as he gets to referred to a lot. It skips over the nitty gritty in his life – it vaguely touches on the drugs but does not go into any of the other things that he has done.

All in all, read it if you are a fan of his work, if you are not a fan of him you will find it difficult to read and long winded and be looking forward for the 300 and so pages to end.

Readilbity Rating – 5/10