Reading the Weekend Away

After spending every free moment this weekend with my nose buried in "The Fry Chronicles", I finally finished it late last night.  I knew it would be good but I never realized how good it would be.  For those who don't know him, he's a British writer/comedian/actor/historian and all around (from what I can tell) good egg.  But the life he's led and the opportunities he's had are what make his story remarkable. 

As you learn in the book, after a fairly "normal"childhood, he faced some demons head on and went to prison for a bit.  After being released he was able to pass the test for Cambridge and became one of only a few students that attended Cambridge under similar circumstances.  From there, he jumped into acting. Then became a member of the Footlights where he met his lifelong writing partner Hugh Laurie and a slew of other big name Brits such as Emma Thompson and Tony Slattery.  As much as I loved hearing the stories of his career beginnings, what I was most interested in as a Psych major was his thoughts on living with Manic-Depression. 

In the mid-90s, at the peak of his career, he suffered a nervous breakdown per se, walked a way from a starring role on the West End and very nearly committed suicide.  After coming through to the other side, he was diagnosed with Manic-Depression and has been open about his condition ever since.  I learned none of this through the book, however.  He ended his 425 page memoir at his 30th birthday.  He failed to write about the last 25 years of his life.  I have to say I was pretty annoyed!  I'm guessing this leaves him open to write "Fry Chronicles 2" which will not be arriving in the States anytime soon (there's a 2 year delay at least between books published in UK and selling said books here in the US).

But other than the end coming much too soon for my liking, the book has reached the top ten list of books I'd take with me on a desert island (yes, us geeks have lists like that).  I knew a great deal about him already, but he's someone I can't seem to get out of my head.  He's garnered this amazing career with sheer talent and grabbing the opportunities that were thrown at him.  He's taken the difficulties that life has dealt him with grace and patience. He's a geek who loves words and dude who loves to shop.  What's not to love about him?! He's why I'm so gung-ho about finding a job that I LOVE.  He's living proof that it's possible.  Hopefully in my case though, without the prison part...