Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris
It feels like it's been a while since I've reviewed one of the books I've read. But the truth is I feel as though I've been in a rut reading and I'm having trouble getting excited or aggravated enough about the books I've read to review them. This one was different. But then it is a different kind of book.
My housemate had heard about this autobiography and and made a mental note to check it out at some point. And then, coming home from our cruise adventure in January, we saw the book in the shops at the Las Vegas Airport during a layover. While the book was tempting, we decided not to buy it on the way home if only because we were already stretching our luggage and it would have had to ride in the bag with me and there were already four other books in my bag. I put my foot down and demanded a bit of comfort.
Upon our arrival back home, my housemate dropped the book on her Amazon Wish List and promptly forgot about it. Thankfully her dearest did not. He got her the book for Valentine's Day. (Yes, I know it's not a typical Valentine's Day present, at least as far as advertisers are concerned, but neither my housemate nor her dearest are typical people as far as advertisers are concerned.)
We needed a memoir for part of my housemate's 2015 Ultimate Reading Challenge, and she choose this autobiography to fit the category. I argued that it was an autobiography and not specifically a memoir, but since the challenge is really about reading more, and there are no specific rules about what book any reader can use for any category, she said "her challenge; her rules." Which is completely fair enough, I suppose.
Semantic worries aside, we began the book. I voted in favor of reading the book as the author intended, as a choose-your-own-adventure, but my housemate decided to read the book front-to-back as most other books are read. In the end, she grudgingly agreed that she should have listened to me. But she did gloat a bit because we happened upon one page that you can only get to by reading the book front-to-back or by random flipping. No other section directed the reader to that particular page in the choose-your-own-adventure format.
The adventure was really good. My housemate found out that Neil Patrick Harris is only two months and twelve days older than herself, a fact she kind of liked for some reason. And there was some background and tidbits she had not known before. Mr. Harris' outing/coming out as gay was a large point in the book, but then the media made in a large point in his life. Famous people have no private life, even when they actually do. It makes me really happy I'm a relatively unknown bear, and in no way famous. Very few people care about the intimate details of my life, and I prefer it that way.
The book talked about parts of Mr. Harris' life we did not know and those were interesting. As a reader, you definitely come away with the idea that outside of Hollywood's or Broadway's glitz and glamour, Neil Patrick Harris is a real person, with a real person life. But then again, his life is inside the world of Hollywood's and Broadway's glitz and glamour so he's not really a real person with a real person life either.
I know my housemate was disappointed a bit because her favorite role of Neil Patrick Harris' was not discussed with anything more than a passing mention, but I know she enjoyed the book just the same.
I've known of Neil Patrick Harris since his Doogie days, and watched a few seasons of How I Met Your Mother. (At least until it got a bit tortured and too drawn out to be bothered -- I know several people who were screaming at their televisions: "Come on, meet the mother already!" by the end of the sixth season. And after reading reviews of the series finale, I am rather glad I gave up when I did, even if I never met the mother.) It was interesting to read the book and meet the person behind the actor. I felt their could have been more discussion of his family life outside of his husband and children, but then again, those people are not famous and they have their own lives and their own stories to tell, so I can see why the book focused more on him and relegated other family members to supporting characters.
Overall, it was a fun book, and I loved the gimmicky idea of a choose-your-own-adventure autobiography. It was fun to read, but definitely read it as the author intened.
One Bear's Opinion: Four glasses of chocolate milk made with Hershey's syrup with a whole big stack of Double Stuff Oreos
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
