Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography

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Most purchases from business sellers are protected by the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 which give you the right to cancel the purchase within 14 days after the day you receive the item. In this book he tells of his childhood, finally from his own words and a lot of his childhood memories. Listening to this book had me laughing to a point where I had to pause the book so I could compose myself and also hear what Billy was saying! Now a 'welder statesman', he is the recipient of a BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award and is regularly voted the nation's favourite stand-up comedian. The first time I tried to read this I couldn't get into it at all so I approached it this time with a little trepidation, which proved to be unnecessary as I found myself completely caught up in it.

Young Billy, possessed of “a face that would get you a scone at every door”, was forced to wear wool swimming trunks. There was certainly plenty in the book which made me laugh, often stories I’ve heard him tell on tv shows. Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy’s life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds. It is something that had taken many, many years for him to come to terms with and also to understand. Billy had a difficult childhood, and then went to work in his teens, but slowly he moved away from his original welding job and ended up in firstly, a folk group, and then, eventually - as we all know - he became a world-famous comedian.The book is by his wife, Pamela Stephenson, formerly of Saturday Night Live, now with a PhD in psychology. Another very enjoyable autobiography from a comedian – this time a British National Treasure: Sir William Connolly – aka The Big Yin. In 2007 and again in 2010, he was voted the greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups. I think Billy Connolly is a gifted comedian and a decent actor, and I have enjoyed his 'on the road' documentaries too.

I think probably us British may enjoy it more than our overseas friends as he is clearly one of our great exports and a little loyalty may come into play. However, and at the risk of sounding morbid, this is essentially Connolly’s final written testament: the ultimate account of his extraordinary life, recorded for posterity. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. He was sadly orphaned by the age of 4 and went on to suffer terrible abuse at the hands of his family. In the 2020 BBC documentary Billy and Us, his eccentric aesthetic was likened to that of David Bowie, whose Ziggy Stardust persona inspired Billy to stand out from the crowd.Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds. For the very first time, Billy Connolly shares intimate details of his life, in his very own words in a full-length autobiography. There are no universal rules, however, Billy has written his own, and as far as inspirational quotes to live by go, these top the lot.

I have to admit that the constant allusion to famous people, the casual remarks about having dinner with so and so etc. It annoys me to the core when, after reading a few reviews of said autobiography, how many people complain that the star/comedian/actor (delete as appropriate), 'name-dropped' too many times. The rise of Billy from welder on the Clyde to a folk singing banjo player to a stand-up comedian and film star is the stuff of dreams. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH).There was a refreshing lack of famous name-dropping that you find in some autobiographies of people in the entertainment business. It comes just as his dad, William, learns about Mona’s tyranny and you think he’s going to put a stop to it. It was a brilliant choice and exceptional audio and one that will be on my Top Books of the Year list!