Customer Reviews

Loitering with Intent

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Peter O'Toole's early years, growing up in Ireland, are a remarkable beginning for one of our grandest theatre artists. This story fascinating story is set against the back drop of the chaos of the 1930s, the rise of Hitler, and the lead up to World War II.

As enthralling as this story is, the writing in this book are every syllable as deliscious and enjoyable as the life in these stories. The biggest surprise is that the subject of these pages, Peter O'Toole, is also the author! As it turns out, Mr O'Toole is as superlative a writer as he is gifted on the stage and screen as an actor. Who knew?

The best news of all: this is volume one. Read it and then rush out and grab volume II, "Lotering With Intent: The Apprentice."

RUSS SARTAIN (russ11@flash.net) From creeking through the old house and rediscovering a youth not forgotten, to vivid chidhood memories of Der Furer, this book could be describing many a wild haired youth in war time Ireland and England, but could never be retold with such passion and utter beauty as the great Peter O'toole did in this sweeping portrayal of his childhood. I was mesmorized on how vivid each memory was in his mind. It reminded me of my own childhood but was described in a way that is difficult for even me to remember, and I am only 25 years of age. I highly reccomend this for any one and any aged person who longs to remember and aches to be reminded of his own wild eyed care-free youth. A MUST READ!

I've always known Peter O'Toole is a great actor, but have been wonderfully surprised to learn he is also a great writer. His stories of his early life are priceless, and his use of the English language is poetic, humorous, and as descriptive as a master's painting. I had read this book when it first came out, delighted in re-reading it again recently, then went online and bought three additional copies to share my enjoyment with friends.

If you are remotely interested in Peter O'Toole, this is a great account of his childhood (most interestingly the three major influences in his life including Hitler) and how he first broke into acting (his jokes regarding Bernard Shaw are hilarious). There are some interesting annecdotes regarding the filming of `Rogue Male', his first film.

His narrative style can a times be a bit disjointed, but the overall picture is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

This is a wacked memoir. O'Toole basically writes two parallel biographies, one of his childhood AND ONE OF ADOLPH HITLER'S adult life!!! Has this ever been done before? So you get to read about what O'Toole did and what Hitler was doing about the same time. It's amusing, and interesting. I did have trouble with some English slang. A weird book, I think. But I liked it. Peter O'Toole is my favorite actor. But I still think you'd enjoy it if you're not a big fan.

A charming book; somehow surprising, as the critics say too:'a new face of O'TOOLE': indeed, the tone of the story is a very warm one, with romantic overtones in the first part, without any trace of cynism or sophistication; therfore, it is contrary to his style maybe, or, a better word is to his type of characters he plays as an actor-usually being in a delicate psychological or emotional status. PETER is creating his book like a sort of collage of memories, keeping coherently the time which gives it a sense, a direction, yet somehow not enough as he needs a second link: Hitler's image(...). In the second part, still, a change of tone: more aggressive when it is about the war; a genuine atmosphere of the 40s, now in flashbacks in the 90s.Classic and modern at the same time as approaching, quite poetic.

Perhaps I shouldn't give this a 10, unfamiliar as I am with the life-of-an-actor genre.

But this is a wonderful book; O'Toole's intelligence and musical appreciation of and approach to prose shine in every line of every page.

It is unfathomable to me how anyone as talented as O'Toole could possibly have chosen to go into *shudder* acting.

Fair Warning: If you are the kind of movie fan who wants to know who slept with whom (or who slept with who, as you would be more likely to put it), you will find this book utterly baffling. You would be better off reading the latest Danielle Steele drivel.

Great copy. Some fine black dog hairs in many of the pages, not so bad but I'm allergic and am not happy dealing with that.

It is really something for a legendary actor to have such talents; he is an author too! Anyway, the book is very well written, interesting and informative about Peter's life as "The Child". I hadn't read it before because I was worried about being disappointed; after all I've put Peter O'Toole on such a high pedestal for so long that I didn't know what to expect! Guess I'm gravitating towards "The Apprentice" now. But, I must admit that I can't wait for the third one (maybe "The Adult" ?!?) and the great film career. Can't wait for all the info about Lawrence. One of the greatest (if not the greatest, which I think) performances in film history - and he was only 28-29 when it filmed. Wow!
p.s. Just my feelings: as far as that so-called "Academy" goes, noone can even count all of the rotten mistakes they've made and continue to make; they are and always have been a bunch of mean, stupid jerks.

First in a series of autobiographies by the actor who also writes very well. Here's hoping he finishes the third volume.