A superb, enlightening and funny look at life’s trickier times

Neither a memoir per se, nor a self-help guide, comedian and writer Mark Watson discusses his own battles against failing self-esteem and placing self-worth in the hands of others, using the medium of discussing symbolic deaths - a death on stage at an early stand-up show, the death of innocent childhood dream careers and all leading up to facing the ultimate death, the end of life.

On paper (audio), this likely sounds like it is a sad and depressing listen, but it is anything but - the real purpose of the book is not for Mark seeking pity, but rather to discuss how he’s come to terms with some of the sudden turns and disappointments, and that as he’s gotten older, more settled and happier in his personal life, how he’s become more accepting of himself and of how life has to be lived now, rather than always looking at what’s ahead and comparing yourself against your peers. He’s at pains to point out it is not a self-help guide, nor is he trying to say he has all the answers… however, it is a thrilling listen, to hear someone who we look at as being a success being so honest about how difficult things have been at times.

But it is also uplifting - Mark’s humorous writing style and personable warm delivery draws you in, and will leave you with the message that dark times, whilst inevitable for us all, can be survived and that we can be more than those traumas and not feel that the need to succeed at all costs is the only way to happiness. Given the strange times we live in, with social media causing us to place a dangerous amount of our self-worth on the number of likes our photos have or the number of friends we have, this book is a must listen - it offers a perspective on life and that the concept of “winning”, that happiness equals beating others or being the best, is ultimately in fact the opposite… a route to insecurity, doubt and unhappiness when things inevitably don’t go your way. We should enjoy the ride and the various twists and turns it throws at us, accepting that there’ll be good and bad to come and that ultimately, we can’t control it through sheer will, talent or trampling over others - we just have to try to cope with it, crest the waves and ultimately enjoy the ride.

An absolute essential listen - download it now!

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15 people found this helpful

This is about all of us

This is not a self help book, it is more useful than that.
A funny, honest and thought provoking memoir.

We can all resonate with the 8 deaths in some form but the most important part is the parentheses.
We dust ourselves off, learn and move on. Life can be fiddly but it turns out a lot of things are actually going pretty well, when you think about it.

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11 people found this helpful

Honest and interesting

really enjoyed listening to this (i think) honest autobiographical reflection. Thanks for sharing your darker times.

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1 person found this helpful

More helpful than any 'self-help' book.

Mark says this isn't a "self help" book, yet i find it hugely helpful, and reassuring to hear that someone as brilliant and successful as Mark also really struggles with the day to day problems we all do.

I've been a fan of Mark for a very long time, and it's difficult to listen to someone you like, describing the terrible things that have happened to them but there is still the usual humour and delivery that I love about him.

To 'feel seen' is massively helpful when dealing with one's own Fiddly Brain, to know I'm not on my own, navigating through each day. It just gives me a little more strength than I thought I had.

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1 person found this helpful

Brilliant

I love stand up comedy, but have never felt that comedians translate very well to other media. This proved me wrong. Watson is laugh out loud funny in many places, while also being searingly honest about his numerous mistakes. Very relatable . i have just listened to this while isolating with my son and it really helped me get through.

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1 person found this helpful

not great

I started it twice, didn't finish it (or if I do, I don't remember)..

I love Mark Watson's stayed up. the book wasn't funny for me. a it dull, so much so that I'd forgotten that I'd even started it/possibly finished it.

no great revelations. disappointing.

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Honest & delightful

Brilliant book about the reality of a world I’m not familiar with. Really interesting, open, and honest. Well worth listening to!

I’m downloading more of Mark’s work now as I enjoyed this book so much.

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5 stars

Thought provoking, hard hitting, and as usual from Mark, beautifully written and narrated. Amazing stuff yet again.

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8 people found this helpful

Good Book

Well delivered!

I liked Mark Watson when I saw him doing stand up, it was sad to see him dissappear. And now I know why.

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What a lovely book

Neither quite an autobiography nor a self-help book, this succeeds in being both. A candid but ultimately reassuring book about ambition, success, that business we call show, hubris, self-sabotage, failure, human frailties, survival, redemption and lots more besides. Read by Mark in his beautiful Welsh voice, it made me smile, cringe (quite a few times - poor Mark), elicited the odd guffaw and, yes, it also made me tear up a bit. I am a huge fan - we need more of the lovely, perceptive Mark Watson in our harrowing times. I also loved his novel, Contacts and wish that all his novels were available on audio - preferably read by him.

I bought this with one of my credits some time ago but I see it is now available for free to Audible members - give it a go,

p.s. Mark, re the Skegness gig, you probably know this already, but when Frank Sinatra toured the UK in the 1950s he played to empty houses up and down the land. And I believe things worked out ok for him.

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