Scottish-born actor Alan Cumming -- who has stolen just about every movie and TV show I've ever seen him in -- was invited to appear on the British version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" in 2010. He was curious to find out more about his grandfather, Tommy Darling -- barely remembered by his daughter, Alan's mother, Mary Darling -- who never returned to England after the Second World War and died in a mysterious "gun accident" in Malaysia in 1951.
But just as Alan embarked on this emotion-packed journey into the past, he received some shocking news about another figure from his past: his long-estranged and now dying father, who brutally abused Alan and his older brother, Tom, as they were growing up.
"Not My Father's Son" goes back & forth between "then" -- Alan's memories of growing up on an isolated Scottish estate -- "now" -- and 2010, where two stories rapidly unfold at the same time: the filming of WDYTYA, with some stunning revelations about Tommy Darling's life and death, and Alan's reassessment of his troubled relationship with his father.
It sounds complicated (and it is) -- and the abuse that he describes is hard to read about. As several Goodreads reviewers put it, there were several points in the book where I just wanted to give the guy a hug.
But I'm very glad I picked this up. It was riveting reading -- an amazing story, and very well told. I read it in three days & probably could have finished it sooner if life hadn't intervened. ;) Cumming can definitely add "writer" to his long list of distinguished credits.
There are many episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" available on YouTube; alas, Alan's doesn't seem to be one of them. If anyone finds a working link that's viewable in Canada, let me know. ;)
This was book #10 that I've read in 2015.
I love Who Do You Think You Are! I'll have to look for this book!
ReplyDeleteHe is one of my favourite actors. I had been interested in the book, but your review just pushed it into the to-read pile.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say exactly what Kinsey and Mel said.
ReplyDeleteWow. This sounds like an awesome book. I like memoir, but don't often know where to start. I love the way you describe the narrative approach ... yet another reason to pick it up at some point.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned this a long time ago, but I got rid of most of my grad school books, and it still pains me, even though I know I didn't need them any more ... some of them were more like trophies than they were things to read. Still, they were a part of my identity. As you books are part of yours.
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