Simon CallowReseñas

I was led to discover more about Charles Dickens after reading Tom Keneally’s book, The Dickens Boy. While at school I only read one set book Great Expectations, so this book painted a live picture of Dickens, his family and writing and acting exploits. A great read.
What an energetic and creative writer he was. He always seemed flat out writing his story installments.
His knowledge of London streets was firmly etched in his mind via lengthy evening walks.
He often sought new environments to stimulate his creativity, visiting prisons, asylums, medical institutions and traveling locally and abroad.
Interesting how often he wrote to his friends, especially when traveling, then asking for his letters back when he got home.
He was a very energetic and controlling, with strong willpower and driving energy.

Biography of Charles Dickens by British actor Simon Callow, focused on Dickens’s love of the theatre. It provides excellent insight into what Dickens was like as a person. It is not a comprehensive discussion of the writing of his books but mentions all fifteen in sequence. Dickens had a “difficult” personality in some respects, which comes through in his relationship with his wife and his publishers. The book covers his upbringing, travels, family, friendships, work ethic, and many lesser-known elements of his life.

It portrays the manner in which his childhood influenced the content of his books. His deep sympathy with the poor started early in his life. At age twelve, he worked 10-hour days in a boot-blacking factory while his father was being held in Marshalsea Debtor’s Prison. He wrote his first book as a series of monthly installments at age 24 and he was still writing when he died at age 58. Later in life, Dickens achieved even more acclaim due to his public readings. It is obvious that he loved the theatre and put a great deal of emotion and effort into these performances.

Simon Callow does a wonderful job narrating the audio book. His pacing is just right. He performs various accents – Scottish, Irish, American, various English regional accents, and a specific voice for Dickens himself. If you have never read a biography of Dickens, this book is a great starting point. It made me want to read more of Dickens’s books. I loved it!

I read this as a buddy read with BrokenTune, and was woefully inadequate with the status updates, but thankfully, some sidebar chats with her during and after our read, have helped me clarify my thoughts about this fantastic book enough to write some of them down.

Richard Wagner was, arguably, one of the most influential composers and conductors in the history of classical music. He changed the face of opera from top to bottom; from the way the music was played, the notes were sung, the lighting, even the shape of the theatre itself. He made opera dramatic storytelling. I'm not even sure I can imagine what it was before he turned everything and everyone on their ear.

Richard Wagner was also an unmitigated ass. Not merely arrogant; not merely selfish; Wagner was self-involved, egotistical, short-sighted, fiscally irresponsible and anti-semitic. Additionally, he was described as short, stoop-shouldered and afflicted with an appalling skin condition; we're not talking run-of-the-mill eczema here - words like 'sores' and 'pustules' were used. I mention the physical challenges here because in spite of all of this - the horrible character flaws and the physical challenges - he was apparently charismatic as hell. The crap he got away with, the abuse people took only to come back for more, the sheer number of people who shelled out money to pay his debts and provide him with housing is mind-boggling. Not just in Germany, but in Switzerland, Italy and the UK. All this, and he was not a good person.

I could have probably overlooked the childish selfishness; I could chuckle over his inability to stay out of any riot he crossed paths with. I might argue (weakly), that the trail of broken relationships he left behind him his whole life were people who knowingly attached themselves to this horrible man. But the anti-semitism is a deal-breaker. HIs disparagement of Jews was grossly casual, brutal, unwarranted and irrational. Worse, it was not a phase he outgrew, but a mania that only became more brutal and irrational with age, even though he continued to work with Jewish conductors, musicians and composers until the end.

So Wagner was both artistically brilliant and a horrible human being. This fascinating dichotomy is made still more fascinating by Simon Callow's writing. He masterfully writes this condensed biography with the utmost objectivity, clarity, and just a dash of humor in unexpected places. I doubt very much I could have read any other book about Wagner without dnf'ing it simply because I wouldn't have been able to swallow Wagner's life, but Callow made it not only palatable, but compelling.

Wagner may have created some of the most powerful music ever written - at least some of the most unforgettable - but his music will forever be tainted for me now that I know the man behind it better. The real star that came out of this book, for me, is Callow; his writing ... well, take it as read that I'm gushing over it, because it's some of the best biographical writing I've ever read (not that I read a lot, mind you).

If you're interested in Wagner but don't want a long academic biography, you should absolutely investigate this book; it's fair, it's balanced; it's unbiased and it's excellently written. The 1/2 star I took off was more my shortcoming than his - my eyes glazed over during the descriptions of the operas' stories, because I'm not a fan of opera. Seriously, ignore that and just check out the book.½

You don't have to be a fan of Welles to find this book fascinating. Simon Callow has done a masterful job with a larger than life subject.

Simon Callow’s “Alternative Autobiography” My Life in Pieces was one of the most exciting books I’ve read in a long time. Hearing stories from behind the curtain about the 1960s–1970s London theater scene was intriguing and delightful. Callow was lucky to get a job at theaters long before his acting career, which gave him both insight and inspiration into the real world of acting. The book is rich with anecdotes encountering theater royalty, and many younger actors who later became household names. The story grows in interest as he moves from observer to dramatic artist, sharing his fascinating experiences as he rises in his own brilliant acting career.

Callow intersperses his narrative with relevant pieces he had written in the past, which fit nicely into the autobiographical storyline. These interspersed biographical pieces were usually about other people (reviews of others’ works, tributes, even obituaries). They were fun in themselves, but they also helped show the progression of Callow’s intellectual life. They could constitute their own “Collected Works” and in fact seemed reminiscent of the late great Lytton Strachey’s “Biographical Essays” from the 1920s (published in 1969). It would be a perfect kind of vehicle for Callow’s biographical essays as well.

John Gielgud is at the center of some of the most memorable anecdotes of Callow’s encounters with the theater’s brightest lights. Callow has written very perceptive analyses and heartfelt reminiscences of Gielgud, as well as some very entertaining anecdotes. I pick those out because they were my favorites. But all of Callow’s essays-within-an-autobiography had that flavor: perceptive and heartfelt. Callow is both sharp observer and compassionate colleague to his subjects. Within the autobiography, they comprise a wonderful book-within-a-book.

Still, first and foremost, there is the autobiography proper. Callow tells a wonderful story that mingles heartache and joy through his own life growing up, gradually becoming an artist. His childhood between London and Rhodesia was partly painful, partly ideal training ground for a future actor, though it may not have felt like it at the time. Callow shined in challenging circumstances, seizing every opportunity to perform and to entertain others. He was honing his craft from toddlerhood. And in the fullness of time, the result became genius.

Callow is, by the most stringent definition of the term, an artist. The common theme throughout his life is art, especially the art of acting. Having seen his amazing one-man shows playing Charles Dickens, and playing Charles Dickens playing Dickensian characters, and having seen Callow in films and TV shows over the years, it made reading his autobiography all the more exciting and rewarding. Callow’s brilliant and sublime talents obviously come from painful, determined dedication and discipline, as well as the true gift that sets great artists apart. Callow is one of those great artists.

Now, having read My Life in Pieces, and having read Callow’s full-length biography of Charles Dickens, I see that his talent equally spills into the literary arts.

If you love the world of theater and acting, or you love a great story, or you just love great writing, I wholeheartedly recommend Simon Callow’s “Alternative Autobiography” My Life in Pieces.

Perhaps no one alive today has done more to shine a light on Charles Dickens, the man and his works, than Simon Callow (Charles Dickens 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870). Callow has achieved a most delightful and compelling biography.

Callow himself performs one-man shows of Dickens life, along with adaptations of selected novel scenes for the stage. This is appropriate because Dickens often thrilled audiences by acting out scenes from his novels when his public readings burst into dramatic performances. Callow carries on the tradition, becoming much more than a scholarly biographer, but a dramatic virtuoso who breathes new life into the 19th-century author and his creative genius.

Dickens wrote from life. The statement has become a cliché, but no one can say it more truly than Dickens. Callow does a marvelous job mapping the biographical facts with characters and scenes in the novels. Even Dickens’ famous detailed descriptions of quaint shops and other charming nooks of 19th-century London—they derived from intentional explorations of hundreds and hundreds of those shops with the express purpose of describing them later.

One of Dickens’ favorite pastimes was to walk London streets for miles and miles, hours on end, every day, sometimes with a friend, sometimes alone. He also haunted theaters and tried his hand at acting early in life. He was conversant with stage life and made use of that knowledge in his stories as well. Also notably, Dickens’ depictions of child labor came from his own consignment to forced child labor in a blacking factory.

Many of Dickens’ contemporaries recognized themselves and each other in the novels. Several of the novels’ lawyers, proctors, courts, and even specific court cases were lifted straight from the real thing. An anguished protest from one such person (Jane Seymour Hill) characterized in early chapters of David Copperfield (Miss Mowcher), moved Dickens to significantly improve her characterization in later chapters (197). He could modify characters and plot direction in-progress, because the novels first appeared as magazine installments over the course of a year or more.

Connecting the real-life elements with the stories makes Callow’s biography all the more compelling. The astounding breadth and variety of characters in Charles Dickens’ novels speaks to both the brilliant writing of the author and of the fascinating colorful culture of Victorian London.

Simon Callow provides a beautiful and thorough discovery of Dickens the exceptional human being, through his vibrant and compassionate telling of the life of the author. Callow also provides fascinating insights into Dickens’ superhuman energy, imagination and intellect. Callow’s biography gives a deep look into Dickens’ creative life, the interplay between creative output and personal circumstances, and the profound psychological battles Dickens fought throughout his life.

It’s hard to say which part of Charles Dickens’ genius was the greater: storytelling, artistic writing, descriptive detail, complex plot organization, sheer high-level imagination, mixing fantastical with real to make them indistinguishable. There is no end to the ways Dickens is remarkable. Callow highlights these qualities vividly, while keeping the main focus on the man himself, his motivations, his conscience, his physical and mental struggles, and his complicated personality. Callow brings us inside, where we really get to know Dickens on a personal level.

Simon Callow achieves his own remarkable work of genius in this biography of Charles Dickens. The work shows moving affection as well as deep understanding of its subject. Our lives are fuller because of Dickens’ novels. And we are fuller because of Simon Callow’s work of art in this biography.

Illustrated guide to cities in Europe where the major classical composers lived and worked. Based on a series of programs on Public TV.

Simon Callow's entry into the BFI Classics canon is a distillation of what might otherwise be a somewhat typical pop history examination of a classic film. Instead, at just over 75 pages, it doesn't wear out its welcome, but its charms will be better appreciated by a novice student of film than one steeped in the modern culture of DVD supplements, critical websites, and (of course) more academic texts. Some of Callow's observations have been simply outstripped since he made them 17 years ago; James Agee's screenplay for the film has been found, for instance, putting paid to one or two popular myths the book repeats. Callow's slightly grandiose writing also has a habit of presenting anecdotes, including possibly exaggerated ones, as if they're fact; it's fun to read, and it lends the whole book a slightly "shaggy dog story" quality of which Charles Laughton would probably have approved, but it keeps the whole thing from feeling essential. Callow's text also lacks the more focused technical analysis of the better BFI books; this is an actor and biographer talking about a work of art, and some readers (myself included) want something just a little bit more specialized from this monograph series.

Having said all of that, it's a very readable little volume, with some fine observations on Laughton's inspirations, as well as a very laudable section that quotes the original novel extensively to show the close adaptation of both content and tone. I just wish we could have foregone the "making of the movie"-esque narrative and taken a closer look at the other formal elements of the film.

I've read other biographies of Dickens, but this one was very readable and added the element of Dickens' love of and use of theater in his works to consideration. This added a new perspective to Dickens' work. As a stand alone biography, this book does not deal in depth with some issues such as Dickens' marriage and relationship with his family, and also his relationships with other writers. But as an additional biography, it definitely adds something useful to the field.

A clever criticism of Charles Laughton's film masterpiece. The only movie Laughton ever directed is cleverly dissected by Simon Callow in an extraordinary review.

Awesome cover photo of the "giant boy," as he was called in South America. Callow is a meticulous biographer.

My Life in Pieces is not your typical autobiography. It's a compilation of "pieces" written by the actor Simon Callow for various newspapers, books, programs, memorials, etc. Most of them, of course, revolve around Callow's work in the theatre and on film. If his name isn't familiar to you, his face probably will be, from movies if not the stage: he played the Rev. Mr. Beebe in 'A Room with a View,' Schikaneder/Papageno in 'Amadeus,' and Gareth, the gay man who dies of a heart attack at one of the receptions in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.' He's also well-known for his one-man show on Charles Dickens, which was televised in the UK and is available on DVD here in the US. Callow presents insightful essays on many of the great actors of the twentieth century, most of whom he has acted with, including Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Alec Guinness, Paul Scofield, Orson Welles, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Redgrave, Ian McKellan, and more. In addition, he writes about several directors and playwrights, classic 'schools' and 'methods' of acting, and his own views on the status of acting on today's stage.

Callow is a wonderful writer and a great storyteller. He can be funny, charming, reverent, and insightful--sometimes in the same piece. The stories he tells of working in the theatre are delightful, but they also give one an appreciation for the true art of acting. I listened to this book on audio, and with Callow himself as reader, it was a wonderful experience. I've always thought he was a fine, underrated character actor, and my admiration of his work has grown after reading/listening to these 'pieces.'

Recommended for anyone interested theatre arts.

In reviews I read of this book (I'd been hearing about it for a few years) some thought that Callow was exploiting his relationship with Playwright Agent Peggy Ramsay, but that's not how I felt when reading it. It was a unique relationship, sometimes lopsided, sometimes even, with the same ups and downs that all friendships experience, but with two artistic people involved, the volatility factor was exponentially increased. Full of passion, wisdom, and pain. It's unique.

Similar to the 1st book, perhaps slightly more accessible. Again, an undeniably well researched book. The book's center seems to lie in a subjective critique of Welles' life. For my tastes, there was much too much space devoted to Welles' lesser known or unfinished projects as opposed to his films or projects which remain. I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter on The Lady From Shanghai, which was interesting but too short. For me, these books are a love-hate situation. I greatly admire the amount of research and committment that has gone into these books. I think the writing could be less convoluted, less subjective, and more accessible to the reader. After reading 900+ pages, it seems like I am still waiting for more behind the scenes glimpses into Welles' surviving projects. I am very curious as to the details about his performance and involvement in The Third Man -- hopefully its forthcoming in the 3rd book.

The highest praise for this book is the sheer amount of research that went into its production. The book is extremely well researched, particularly with respect to the contemporaneous reactions to Welles' various projects. However, I found the book lacking in fluidity. Often times, it felt like the research was recited, rather than telling Welles' life story. The author's various personal agendas played a prominent role in the book; and, much of the time, the author inserted his own distanced subjective interpretation of the events. I found the author's personal agendas and subjective commentary to be distracting from what is a fascinating life. With those caveats, the book was so well researched and Welles' life so intriguing; I am continuing on with the 2nd volume.

A well-written and interesting biographical work, as well as an exposition of the art and life of an actor.

A lovely book to read on Christmas day - about the origins of the traditional elements of Christmas and how they influenced, and were influenced by, Dickens's work, especially A Christmas Carol. The full text of the novella is included as well. Lavishly illustrated, this was a lovely find in the Oxfam charity shop on my last working day before Christmas.

A huge, incredibly well documented account of Orson Welles's youth, from his birth until his completion of 'Citizen Kane'. The subject himself is fascinating. Welles displayed prodigious abilities from childhood onwards and Simon Callow tells of his numerous dabblings in art and theatre as well as his work on radio prior to his move to Hollywood. The research work is impressive. This is the most complete biography of Welles I have ever read. The second volume 'Hello Americans' is just as accomplished and fans of Welles can hope that Callow will continue his exploration of Welles's later life and works.

No idea why so few people saw this film. It is utterly incredible, both as a seering film and as a literary adaptation. Redgrave is the perfect performer for this, disquieting and savage. The screenplay is whiplash evocative of McCullers, thanks to Edward Albee. It made me wistful for the days when great playwrights were writing for the movies on a more basis, although, if you've seen Barton Fink, a thinly veiled fictionalization of Clifford Odets' bad time in Hollywood, you might have some idea. The production design, too, is really perfect.

From Publishers Weekly
"Callow was told by master performer Michael MacLiammoir that he was "a born writer, perhaps, but not a born actor." He went on to become not only a most versatile actor, but with this book becomes an accomplished commentator on the theater. What makes Callow's memoir of the familiar uncertainties of an actor's life pleasurable is this actor's eccentricity. He revels in spinning tales of failed shows, arrogant directors, Oscar Wilde reincarnations such as MacLiammoir, who became Callow's first mentor, and the craziness of the profession. Stardom doesn't seem to be a preoccupation with him, and the adventure of creating unique characterizations, such as his Orlando in As You Like It, is perhaps his reward, especially when he astonished London with his portrayal of Mozart in the original staging of Amadeus. Callow is opinionated and an outspoken protector of the performer's right to interpret character, but he finds today's actors at the mercy of ambitious directors: the director "has interposed himself between actor and writer, claiming that they cannot speak each other's language."

Callow, who portrayed Mozart in the play Amadeus, seems to have studied every extant foot of Laughton film, read everything printed about the actor and to have talked at length with a great many people who knew him well. The result is a fully realized portrait of an intellectually and temperamentally complex man and at the same time an illuminating analysis of the art and craft of acting itself. Callow's enthusiasm is infectious: readers will wish to see, or see again, The Private Life of Henry VIII, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and many other movies in which Laughton appeared, including Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidda low point in his career but nonetheless a great performance, according to Callow. Laughton's odd 30-year marriage to Elsa Lanchester and his homosexuality are sympathetically discussed, along with his fortuitous associations with Bertolt Brecht, producer Paul Gregory, Robert Mitchum and other relationships not so fortuitous. This is a theatre biography of the first rank, written with elegance, wit and psychological probity.