Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied with String [Mass Market Paperback]

Michael Crawford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2000

In his autobiography, Michael Crawford recalls his childhood, his memories and his early years in showbusiness and the friendships he developed. He recalls stage hits such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and films such as "Hello Dolly!", and offers both professional and personal anecdotes.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This is the long-awaited autobiography of one of Britain's best-loved and most internationally successful actors. By turns funny, charming, and poignant, here is Michael Crawford's vivid account of his war-torn childhood of a loving mother, violent stepfather, and the painfully revealed truth about his absent father. His early memories include being taught to sing by the great composer Benjamin Britten, and later, when he entered show business, his friendships with David Hemmings, John Lennon, and Oliver Reed. There are also stories of Crawford "making a fool of himself" in front of idols Gene Kelly and Barbra Streisand while filming "Hello Dolly." Starring in "Barnum" and "The Phantom of the Opera," Crawford became a huge international star, but this engaging memoir rarely strays from the honest and self-deprecating qualities that have endeared him to his many fans.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Arrow; First Edition edition (September 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099406411
• ISBN-13: 978-0099406419
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 1 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #964,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyable!, July 26, 2000

By 

K. Castillo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String--My Autobiography (Hardcover)

I loved this book! It's a truly delightful story, told in typical "Crawford style," with candor, wit, warmth and a great deal of hilarity. Anyone who appreciates Michael Crawford's ability to "embroider a tale" will thoroughly enjoy his autobiography. Stories of his early life with his mother and grandmother are shared with deep tenderness and reverence and woven all together very personally. The chronicle of his professional journey--from the boys' choir, to a starring role in a British TV comedy and on to his fantastic success as the original Phantom of the Opera--includes many touching, and many uproariously funny accounts. I found myself laughing out loud in several places, and to the point of tears in others. I appreciated Crawford's willingness to be deeply personal and to share candidly about both his trials and triumphs. In the end, it's clear that success did not come easily to him; he worked very hard for it. Michael Crawford's usual generosity with his audience carries through to this sharing of his life story. Touching, inspirational, and thoroughly enjoyable.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Much More Than The Phantom, March 17, 2000

By 

EC Stevenson (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String--My Autobiography (Hardcover)

Michael Crawford's autobiography is so well-written that it's easy to forget the author is a massively talented actor and singer. His self-deprecating writing style is easy to read and relentlessly enjoyable, whether describing hilarious moments or poignant periods in his life. The reader does not have to be Phantom fan to appreciate the trials, tragedies and triumphs that have shaped Michael Crawford: the lessons he learns -- and shares -- will be familiar to Everyman. This is a great book, worth sharing.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "Phantom" Writes of Beginnings and Endings, February 29, 2000

By 

Artist Barbara Garro (Barbara Garro at http://www.ElectricEnvisions.com in Saratoga Springs, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String--My Autobiography (Hardcover)

Born in secret, Michael Crawford remains a well-kept secret tome after reading his autobiography he wrote himself about himself.

So many times I wanted to ask Michael Crawford, "how did that make you feel?"

When I finished Michael Crawford's biography, I just wanted to give him a hug. I got the feeling that he's tiptoed over life thus far, never really wanting to get into it with abandon. And at the very end when he made the effort to reach out from his heart, the response was "Michael who?"

Ironically, Michael Crawford's book left me asking, "who are you really, Michael Crawford?; what do you dream for yourself, Michael Crawford?; and, most importantly, what do you need to do to give you the confidence you say you lack to marry again, if marriage is what you seek?"

So, with all these questions left at the end of the book, why the 5-Star Rating? Because the first rule of the author is to make you care about the characters. I came to care about Michael Crawford and the wonderful woman who spent half of her 99 years on earth loving him unconditionally.

And,it took great courage for this singer/actor to write his own book, in his own words, exactly as he remembered it.