A Young Man's Passage - Books (Julian Clary, Paperback)

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Customer Reviews of A Young Man's Passage

opelvaux
Scotland
11th April 2008

Sticky Moments!
This book was a really good read from beginning to end. I always thought Julian an interesting character when i was growing up. So reading this book intrigued me.

Very funny, sad, educational in ways too. A recommended read!

aka Clinty K
Brighton England
1st January 2008

A mouthful you will never forget !?
Julian has always been an idol of mine - as a young adolescent, I felt there were no gay role models in my life or in the media. His amazing 'entrance' onto our small screens on trashy game show 'Trick or Treat' marked a turning point in my existence. Naturally, I followed his career keenly and was always a fan - 'Sticky Moments', 'Terry & Julian', stage shows, interviews, pantos, etc.

This book actually shatters the glamorous illusion that Julian created with 'The Joan Collins Fan Club' - he is open, candid and reveals an emotional honesty never before revealed. At times, with raised eyebrows, one wondered if it might have been best to leave SOME aspects of his life out of his autobiography - especially some of the sordid details involving his sex life. (Not that I am a prude, far from it, I would have liked Julian to have kept a little 'mystique' going - there is something ill-dignified about revealing TOO much and I wanted to preserve his dignity in my mind).

It is a fascinating journey, jaunty and jolly in places - melancholy in others, but it is all held together with a wry, witty verve and - of course - huge dollops of innuendo and favourite quotes of old. The pictures/ photos are revealing in their own way - one gets a refreshing sense that Julian really wanted to 'tell it how it really was' (all too often celebrities write wishy washy, sentimental, white-washed versions of their life).

This was addictive reading. Entertaining. Shocking. Funny. Touching. One got to feel what the real JC is like minus make-up. He is - like most comedians/celebs - caught up in his own dramas, is his own worst critic and often cannot see the impact he has on others due to his own selfishness/ conceitedness. Julian seemed to have more affection for the canines in his life than the other two-legged characters around him - but this further adds to his vulnerability and highlights his detachment from the realities of day-to-day life.

If you don't want to burst the glamour bubble - dont read this. If you want a slice of comedic indulgence with lots of campness & sex thrown in for good measure - then dive in for more than a few 'Sticky Moments' with Julian Clary !?

Lovetoread
U.K.
3rd August 2007

Entertaining and insightful!
I've been interested in Clary's career since first seeing him at the Edinburgh Fringe, many years ago. Consequently, I found this book an absolute treat, devouring it in a couple of days.
Clary's glosses over or ignores some things eg what happened to Sticky Moments ( which I loved!) and how was the sitcom "Terry and Julian" received? He went into more detail than I cared for, regarding sexual activity, but I suspect that was a selling point for the book!
Overall, I gained insight into Clary's life, personality and motivation and also into the world "alternative" comedy in the '80s. This was a very enjoyable and frequently amusing read.

roybrookes
Hamburg, Germany
5th June 2007

Mildly entertaining but no Wuthering Heights
I picked up this book in a 3 for the price of 2 offer at W. H. Smiths (sorry Amazon). As such it did not cost me much. I ran through it in about 2 evenings, over dinner at a hotel. It was mildly entertaining but not wildly so. I passed it on to a gay friend of mine who enjoyed it much more than I did. Julian Clary seems to have glossed over most of his life. Even the sexy bits in the book were superficially handled. I believe, if you are going to bring sex into it, then do so wholeheartedly, not in a sniggering behind your hand sort of way.

SJB
London
11th November 2006

Disappointed
I borrowed Julian Clary's autobiography - A Young Man's Passage - from my local library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. We're about the same age, we're both gay, and his journey through life has been quite different to mine. I expected to enjoy this book but, though I liked the first third, the rest of the book was shallow, and ended with a series of dull diary extracts (how lazy is that), closing in 1993. What a rip-off! No doubt Mr C's agent is busily negotiating big bucks for his client for a second instalment. His fans are being cheated. I used to be a fan. No longer. It sickens me that publishers collude in this kind of thing: chucking money at media celebrities to write their "autobiographies" with no thought given to the ability of the "author" to put something decent and worthwhile together. Mr C isn't the first to do this, and he won't be the last. My copy of Wendy Richard's autobiography (which I DID pay for) ended up in a local charity shop (though I nearly chucked it down the chute).