Absolute Pandemonium: My Louder Than Life Story

Prince Vultan AKA The Dynamite Kid believes life is for living. And what a life!Over Christmas 2015, I listened to Brian Blessed's big, booming voice. No he didn't pop round for dinner, rather I listened to him read his autobiography, Absolute Pandemonium. In summary - a thrilling romp; a fantastic, fun listen. The best book I've heard since [b:I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan 12363948 I, Partridge We Need to Talk About Alan Alan Partridge https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327400385s/12363948.jpg 17344070]. Its read with ebullience and enthusiasm. He sings, he does the voices, he swears, he tells jokes, he does it all.The name of the book sums up the content pretty well. Here's a typical quote:“So the first time I ever came into contact with O'Toole was at one of these very gatherings. I remember it well because I'd just punched Harold Pinter down a flight of stairs. Oh yes, I'm afraid so. No long dramatic pauses this time, Harold; he got one right on the side of the jaw. Wham!”Blessed lives his life with the dial turned up to 11. He's a big man, with a big personality. But saying this the book isn't all brawling, madness and chaos. He shows a genuine streak of emotion, intelligence and kindness. He doesn't drink alcohol and has a loving family. For example, he says love never ages. He wakes with his wife [actor Hildegarde Neil] and they can't wait for the day to start. They hold hands, their love grows and they're happy.He also enjoys stillness and silence. Sometimes he needs to be on his own. Many times, he reveals, he's been in rehearsals and thinks, “Christ, I've got to leave.” This, he relates, got him into trouble many times.The book starts up Everest, with a story about a turd. It then covers his early life in Yorkshire and his discovery of acting. It moves onto TV roles such as Z Cars, film roles (including his most famous part in Flash Gordon ... GORDON'S ALIVE!), and beyond. Brian has a tendency to digress, going off onto various tangents in a nonlinear way. These anecdotes make it seems that Brian is sitting in a room with you, having a chat. Why bother to run though your life chronologically when you can bounce about a bit and select the best bits?You get the impression that he believes that we all have our own Everests to climb. The greatest danger in life is for us to decide not to take our own adventure, whatever they may be.Lots of laughs, and a few tender moments which will have you reaching for your tissues. All in all its an upbeat book with a distinct lack of malice. A big talent, big passion, bags of confidence. A man who grasps life with both hands and gives it a damn good shake. We can all learn from this. Brian lives to persue his dreams, and has had enormous enjoyment in the process. This is something we can all learn from.Highly recommended! But maybe the last word should go to Brian himself? [NSFW]