Customer Reviews

My Secret History

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Outstanding biographical work by Theroux, couched as fiction to allow for creative license. The book takes you through the world of Andre Parent, a writer who travels Africa and Europe, living the surface life of an upstanding individual, concealing the secret life of an energized sexually charged vagabond.

Chapter 1 (Altar Boy) is about Andre's coming of age, and outgrowing his parents expectations.

Chapter 2 (Whale Steaks) covers his oscilation between his love of a slightly older girlfriend, and his fascination with someone from his parent's generation.

Chapter 3 (African Girls) talks about his adventures in the peace corps, largely oriented around sleeping with the local girls.

Chapter 4 (Bush Baby) is the continuing story of his adventures, including some encounters with a V.S. Naipul lookalike. (Interesting as Naipul was a major influence on Theroux's career)

Chapter 5 (Leaving Siberia) has a double meaning. It is about Parent physically leaving Siberia on a travel writing trip, and an emotional exit from Siberia after learning of his wife's infidelity.

Chapter 6 (Two of Everything) is about the double life that Parent lives - one with his wife, and another with his mistress. It chronicles an identical trip through India with both women. This is an example of him becoming what he had previously abhored.

The book is well written on several levels. It vividly takes you into the peace corps, and through Africa. It also has a lot of subtly, as the character first repeats his own mistakes, and then repeats the mistakes he dislikes in others. The disappointment with his eventual success (be careful what you ask for as you might get it) on both the large and small levels are told with a straight face, adding to the believability of the character.

The book is 500 pages of a quick energizing read. Well worth the time invested.

This is my favorite book written by Paul Theroux, one of the finest novelists of our time. The book is based on Theroux's life and you're not sure how much of it is his personal history and how much of it is fiction. It is an epic journey following him from his Irish, Catholic upbringing in Boston to his years in Africa and then in London. With thirty plus years of avid reading behind me, this book is definitely on my all time 10 best list, and towards the top of the list.

Another Paul Theroux book that you should not miss is Milroy the Magician. Fantastic!

As a former Peace Corps volunteer in Africa (and a Catholic) I found myself identifying with this author. He writes vividly and at times so richly describes landscapes I have encountered I felt I was visiting them again. His male Peace Corps Volunteer was dead-on (not much has changed from the 60's to the 90's in that respect) - many American men I knew in Africa behaved similarly, but with Theroux I was disappointed in his character. I kept wondering - how much of this is real and how much fiction.

I was angry with his dismissive attitude of women - "anything I want" - and later, his too soon forgiving wife. Women seemed ornaments to him - as were many characters and even locations in this novel - richly described, but only in terms of their utility to him. When no longer needed, the strongest of women looked weak - particulary Eve. In the end, I felt sorry for Andre, but I wanted to read more. Theroux is a gifted writer, despite Andre's (or was it Paul's) treatment of women. I found this book very hard to put down.

I came late to Paul Theroux. I'd been aware of his travel books (never read them) but assumed a good travel writer does not make a good fiction writer - boy, was I wrong. So, one evening, while browsing the used book store for something to read I picked up "My Secret History." I opened it and read the first paragraph and was intriqued enough to purchase it. Once I got it home I couldn't put it down. "My Secret History" is five extraodinary books seperated into six chapters, the last being the weakest. I went from loving this book to hating it-specifically the main character, for his contradictions and selfishness. Then it(or the author) would redeem itself for it's honesty. Bukowski said to be a great writer one has to expose every miserable and disgusting thing because if you don't the reader will know you're a fake. And Harry Crews also had a similar take when he said you have to put on paper the secrets that make you cringe and embarrassed. Well, Mr. Theroux exposes his racism, arrogance, mysogyny but does so honestly, like few other writers can and in doing so; he's crafted a readable and subtle piece of autobiography disguised as fiction.
The first chapter deals with the books protagonist- Andre Parente's troubled adolescence growing up in the shadow of the Catholic church and trying to be a good and responsible altar boy. Even while slowly waking up to the realization that his church isn't about religion as much as it is about conformity and guilt. After seeing his favorite priest treated shabbily and cruely Andy becomes lost and bewildered. Anyone who's grown up under the heavy hand of religion or authority will instanly relate to this young boys turmoil. Once his faith is lost and his eyes open up to the real world, Andy is left bewildered and angry.
The next chapter picks up with Andy looking for a job as a lifeguard during his summer break from college. He lands a job at a country club where he can barely hide his contempt for it's members. But he soldiers on because he's desperate for the good wages. This part of the book so expertly conveys the alienation and anger that is inherent at this age that it's really comforting to know that someone else felt the same alienation we may have felt at this age. Paul Theroux writes his own "The Catcher in the Rye" in this chapter so well that when the next chapter switches gear and tells of Andy as 21 year old teaching in Africa, its a bit jarring.
This chapter of Andy's life takes place during the 70's with England giving Malawai it's independence. Andy is headmaster at a small school in this tiny country in Africa teaching poor children. He thinks of himself as the great white savior. While at the same time he leads a secret life of a sexual deviant bedding as many Afican woman as possible. There are so many contradictions here and a growing dislike for Andy as a person that I wanted to strangle him and throw the book threw a window. But it'd be a shame if I did because this is where Mr. Theroux really shines. He writes Andy's story so convincingly that the reader takes on the mentallity of Andy in thinking that he is superior in his morals and judgements the same way Andy thinks he's superior to everyone around him in Africa. Only a pro could write something so subtle a turnaround as this. It really reminded me of Graham Greenes style of illustrating the ambiguity of the human condition.
The final chapters find Andy traveling India, living in England and coming to the realization that he's no not so perfect. I'd go into more detail but I wanna leave some mystery to this book which conveys the arrogance of man through the microcosm of one person's life. There are books just for entetainment and then there are books like "My Secret History" that leave me feeling like I learned something about myself.

The prequal to his acclaimed *My Other Life*, *My Secret History* is also a masterful work of narrative and characterization, imbued with grace, humor, and humanity. It demonstrates a young man's coming-of-age stuggles more astutely than any book I've read, and while it's easier to read than the later book, it's just as poignant: we often rather smugly hide behind our baggage and consider younger people frivolous because of inexperience, or somehow incapable of love. Theroux shows that they *do* feel love, of romance, friendship, respect--and these emotions form the measuring sticks by which all our subsequent experiences will be measured. Moreover, the book itself is an act of love--of writing and of living. It has made me value my own life more fully, through pages that made me relate, reflect, laugh, and read until dawn, and then, the better for it, get up and start writing, myself.

And living.

Just read the tender, blunt and beautiful first section, and I seriously doubt you'll stop.

Until now, I only read Theroux's famous travel books. The last one about his rail trip from Germany into Turkey and on and on to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Vietnam, Japan, and other places too wild to be imagined. I like to travel, so reading the tales of this intrepid traveler always is interesting, especially because I definitely do not want to travel like he does. Nowadays it would be too dangerous, but even in Theroux's travel times it was bad and dicey.

OK, this book is not another travel book. Whether or not it is a true biography, I have no idea. Some people lately have decided that an autobiography can be semi-fictional. I don't know about that. To me, I will have to accept this as a novel, since no other claim is made.

Nevertheless, it is a real interesting novel and this is coming from someone who reads almost nothing except non-fiction. Once in a long while I will pick up a fiction book and in this case did only because the author is Theroux.

Maybe it is an autobiography since he does reveal fascinating aspects of somebody's life, including extensive sexual escapades and wife beating, as well as adultery. Not something a person normally will put in their autobiography.

The book is divided into separate chronological periods in the author's life, each quite different than the other, but all held together by a fascinating life. Since at the end the author becomes a travel writer, traveling on trains around the world, one can only supplse it could be the author, but I think not. At least, Thoroux is not as bad a character as this one.

He often points out that, as in the title, this is his "secret history" or secret life, kept away from anyone else and only those with secret lives will understand what that is all about.

Could be; there are many people both well-know and not known beyond their home, who do lead a secret life.

Try to buy or borrow the book and enjoy some fun reading for a good long time. As I recall the book is nearly 500 pages in hard cover.

Paul Theroux is best known for his bestselling nonfiction tomes about travel around the world, be that China, England, or the South Pacific. This book, however, is a thinly veiled novel about the author's dangerous secret life...a tale of two women (one his wife, one his mistress). There is some exotic setting (Africa) and some sexually charged scenes. It lays bare the writer's own flaws as a man and his release as a writer (which to him feels like "home").

What I found most interesting in the book, however, was the way in which the main character (Andy Parent, a name with a Freudian reference?) helps the reader understand and appreciate each woman for her own unique character and what she has to offer the main character. It's a story that perfectly captures why men don't leave their wives when they have an affair. The writing here is top notch as usual, but the subject matter explores a different country altogether.

Although some may find this a strange departure from Theroux's normal fare, it also demonstrates the depth of his writing chops. His skill as a writer can be applied to any genre. That he has chosen to reveal much of his own inner landscape is a special gift to his longtime fans. While Theroux's readers may favor his lifetime's work on traveling the globe, this portrait of his inner journey can be just as interesting.

One of, if not the best, novels by P.T. It is my personal favorite. Add a star if you grew up catholic in the northeast or mid Atlantic states.

I have had this book for many years and have read and reread it a number of times. To me it is superb, if rather disturbing, and is one of my favorite novels of all time. (You can see other reviews here for a plot synopsis, so I will skip that.)

One thing none of the other reviewers have picked up on is the humour in this book. Some of the scenes are achingly funny in a tragic way, for example Christmas Day with the girlfriend's family in Walton-upon-Thames, a suburb of London, or the character sketches of some of the teachers at the school in Nyasaland, or the failed seduction by an older woman.

I think some of the negative reviews here may be reacting to the sexual frankness of the narrative.

Anyway, highly recommended by me.

Finally examines the ultimately therapeutic relationship Theroux finds in writing itself as a way to save him from his own romantic immaturity, hypocrisy and later self-indulgence. The real teaser here is exactly how close to his actual life the book is. It would be interesting to find books about him by others to make a decision. Well written and entertaining as usual, this book delivers on the jacket note claims and critical quotes.