Bravemouth: Living with Billy Connolly (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“An Angela’s Ashes with punch lines.” -- Publishers Weekly, for Billy

“More fan fodder, enlivened by Billy's witty observations.” -- Kirkus Reviews

Product Description

This sequel to Pamela Stephenson’s million–copy best–seller, Billy, continues the story of one of the most successful British stand–up comedians in history.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0755312848
• ISBN-13: 978-0755312849
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #714,400 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Goldmine for Billy Connolly Fans, March 29, 2005

By	Truth Speaks - See all my reviews

"Bravemouth, Living with Billy Connolly," by his wife, Pamela Stephenson, is a goldmine of information for his fans. It starts with him dyeing his beard purple without warning. Near the end there's with a vivid description of his birthday party at his Highland castle with three hundred prominent guests in kilts, actors reenacting an ancient Scottish village, and a giant styrofoam sculpture of him on the lawn. It does indeed tell what it's like to live with Billy Connolly. I have a crush on him and, since he's married and thousands of miles from me, this was as close as I'm going to get. There were lots of pictures of him doing different things and looking very handsome (in my opinion).

The reason that I rate this book three stars, not five, is that there are about 150 pages worth of good material while the book is 300 pages long. It's still a good book for the fan or anyone who feels to the need to unravel this prominent actor. The author, his wife Pamela Stephenson, writes in detail about her travels without Billy. Those parts tend to feel like you're watching someone's vacation slideshow. She also has a tendency to overwrite. There are novelized descriptions of Billy's Glasglow childhood that contain way more detail than anyone could possibly remember now, especially a third party. Those passages and the travelogs really could have used an editing pen. Some readers will want to skim over them.

After wishing he was single earlier, I have to conceed that I could not improve on Pamela, who throws a party for three hundred for his sixtieth birthday, (her gift to him was a gorgeous gypsy caravan), and flies ahead to Fiji to make sure things go well for their trip, all the while maintaining her own life and career. We learn that he has a few annoying habbits like smoking cigars and showing up at studio meetings with the purple beard and refusing to change it for a role. It's pretty amazing that after decades of substance abuse (now past) he looks as good as he does at sixty. Did the love of his family (whom he seems to adore) and the self-expression afforded by his career override decades of substance abuse? Something to think about. One of the interesting facts I learned from this book is that he does not think he is handsome. It's probably better that way.

Anyway, I recommend this book for fans, and for people who want to know more about Billy Connolly. There is a softcover version of this book sold at Amazon too.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fan Letter, July 19, 2006

By	Richard Weik (British Columbia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bravemouth: Living with Billy Connolly (Audio CD)

I am a huge Billy Connolly fan & really enjoed Pamela's first book & looked forward to this. I have not read the book yet but enjoyed the audio very much. Pamela is an excellent writer & shares great insight into a very funny man. My only complaint is that the audio is abridged. As in the first book I'm sure much is left out that I would like to listen to often.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining look at a "year in the life" of Billy Connolly, October 24, 2005

By	Amelia Bluestocking - See all my reviews

Arguably one of Scotland's most famous exports, Billy Connolly's life and adventures have been well documented in print, in his stage acts, and television shows created for British audiences. While not so well known in the US, he has been a huge star in Great Britain for decades.

This book, lovingly written by his wife Pamela Stephenson, seems to take Billy's familiarity for granted. Rather oddly constructed for a biography, Bravemouth gives an interesting insight into their marriage and into Billy's evolving relationship with himself as he ages, cleans-up, and "embraces" Hollywood. The book focuses a great deal on their trips and in particular on Billy's extravagant 60th birthday party.

More a "year in the life of" rather than a true biography, this is a witty and winning look at the irreverent Billy Connolly. Full of color photos, this will be a welcome read for any fan.