Astonishingly good

As good as everybody says it is. Warm and in places devastatingly sad but always so readable.

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Becoming John Niven

A very funny, tender, sad, angry and honest account of loss and becoming, that rolls, swells, flows and beats like music. Its a heartbreaking account of two brothers in a family who, in the late 60s, have arrived into the middle classes with all the expectations and hope that comes with that. Johns little brother is ‘problem child’,with all the brilliant burning glory of the rebel, bearing all signs of mental health issues that will foster a terrible tragedy. We see him growing up in a time where issues like ADHD (my guess) is misunderstood and the language of child psychology does not exist especially for those hopeful parents with those class roots, Constantly told he is a ‘bad stick’ bearing the well meaning brunt of a frustrated father’s temper, the disappointment of his ever hopeful, heartbroken mother and a society not yet equipped to help, this bright flame is slowly extinguished. Niven the big brother, who’s faired better in the genes stakes, but who’s childhood is both overshadowed and outshone by his unpredictable, super cool, funny, younger brother gives a painfully, and hilariously honest confessional account of himself as the big brother allows himself to be estranged by his brother’s destructively punk attitude, which, in retrospect he realises, too late masks the darkest internal battle with mental health, in this confessional memoir he ponders the cost of his own self absorption, ambition and precarious struggles to become the unique, glorious and successful writer he is, whilst elsewhere the realities and vicissitudes of life, strained parental relationships, music and drug culture send his little brother to the darkest place, leaving behind a lifetime of myriad unanswered and agonising questions.
It’s a tragic story which like all good memories gives us a clue on how to live a better life.

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Great story telling

This is obviously an uncomfortable topic but it’s written and read exceptionally well. Fantastic listen and made an long journey fly in.

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Beautifully written

I loved this book, it has everything and resonates with everyone who has a sibling.
Bravo Mr Niven 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

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Amazing

Life-affirming, sad, totally relatable. Not always a very good brother, but a brother nonetheless. Shades lives on. RIP wee man.

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powerful and relatable

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and performance by the author. Although I have not shared his experiences, I became engrossed and emotionally involved.

I shall now look for his novels.

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Beautiful, funny and utterly heartbreaking

This book was just brilliant. I’m very glad the author narrated his own book- it was flawless.

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Bought by accident, but loved it!

I'm not usually a big autobiography fan. I clicked on the pre-order button before I even read the description because I've enjoyed John's other books. After my initial "ah no!", I decided to listen to it and wasn't disappointed. It's a personal, painful, funny engaging story that had me gripped to the end.

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I’m so glad I listened to this and didn’t read it..

John’s telling of the story totally unabashed and with no holds barred, is just one of the aspects of his tale that makes it absolutely brilliant. One of the best books I have ever listened to on this app.

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An incredible piece of work.

I've never laughed and cried so much while reading a book in my whole life.

Painfully and beautifully honest, John never pulls his punches about the rights and wrongs his brother and, more tellingly, himself.

To be this honest about yourself and your loved ones is incredibly brave but it is also what makes this book so movingly brilliant.

That it may be one of the funniest book I've ever read while simultaneously having me in tears with alarming regularity is a tribute to the author's abilities.

An absolute must-read.

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