Details from Audible:
Oh Miriam!
Stories from an Extraordinary Life
By
Narrated by
Oh Miriam! risks the curse of the sequel, and pulls it off . . . A force of nature, a tour de farce. Bold, brave and bright, but also revealing, shocking and touching. Miriam is an icon, a cocksucker – and the star of her show’ ROBERT McCRUM, Independent
‘Our naughtiest national treasure . . . famously filthy, funny and phlegmatic . . . Oh Miriam! is Margolyes’s manifesto for a fulfilled life . . . She loves to tell it straight. And the older she gets, the straighter she tells it’ SIMON HATTENSTONE, Guardian
‘Irrepressible . . . A life-enhancing rollercoaster of a ride . . . this book is like Margolyes herself – outspoken, ebullient and unexpectedly wise’ EMMA LEE-POTTER, Daily Express
‘Snortingly funny . . . deliciously unbridled . . . There is something heroic in her unruliness. Let Miriam take the lead and enjoy the show’ RHIK SAMADDER, Observer
‘Insanely interesting, full of profanity and profundity, Oh Miriam!‘s title comes from all the people who have ever exclaimed her name in every tone from horror to hilarity; and her unfiltered personality leaps off the page – honesty, kindness, generosity, sanity, erudition, outspokenness’ SUZANNE HARRINGTON, Irish Examiner
‘Endearingly eccentric’ WOMEN’S WEEKLY
From declaring my love to Vanessa Redgrave to being fed cockroaches by Steve Buscemi, from turnip-based comedy with Blackadder to being farted on by Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Graham Norton’s sofa to Alan Cumming’s camper van, my life has been (and continues to be) an uproarious adventure.
Oh Miriam! has been such a constant refrain in my life, said in all kinds of tones – laughs, surprised gasps and orgasmic sighs (I’m hoping for all of those from you as you read on!) – that it had to be the title of this book. And with a cast list that stretches from Churchill to DiCaprio, Dahl to Dietrich, Princess Margaret to Maggie Smith, I’ve so much more to tell you and so much more to say.
My chapters range from ‘How to Stay Married’ to ‘Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down’. Discover how to break the thickest conversational ice; why swearing is actually good for you (though not on the Today programme); the unexpected things I learned at school and what my Spice Girl name would be. Not to mention my Tale of the Unexpected and my very own Vagina Monologue.
Buckle up and join me on another unforgettable adventure, but this time through my heart and head . . .©2023 Miriam Margolyes
Initial Thoughts:
Having listened to Miriam’s first book, and really enjoying it, there was no doubt I’d check out this one. I am a sucker for an author that reads their own book (non-fiction is best) and she has a lovely speaking voice. So I checked out “Oh Miriam!” for my monthly title on Audible last month.
Main Points:
Miriam tells you right away that there will be some overlap between this book and the first one and she even cheekily says how the second book is often where the quality goes way down, but she’s going to risk it. I’m so glad she did, this is a wonderful book filled with funny, unique, touching and insightful moments from her life. She does tell about 15 stories/moments again from the first book but they are told in a slightly different way or in a new context, I didn’t mind this at all. It reminded me of a concert where I knew some of my favorite songs are coming. There is lots of humor, some intimate/sexual stories that most people in their 80s would never tell but that’s part of her charm and what makes her so unique. I laughed, some stories and ideas are quite touching and moving, while others are serious and really show the problems she sees in the world and how we might fix some of them. Her love towards her fans is very refreshing and I especially enjoyed the chapter she did on fandom/conventions. I was happy to see that Miriam has two more books, read by her, which I will certainly check out.
Final Thoughts:
Miriam is a treasure and I loved this book. I thought she gives wonderful advice on a wide range of topics and she has remarkably modern views on is a good, kind and generous person. My only real complaint is that I wish it would have gone on longer and that lots of time when she talked about British politics I didn’t have the right context (I don’t follow UK politics), so it was hard for me to fully understand her viewpoints. I give this 9 out of 10 and a huge recommendation to anyone who is not a prude (ages 19+) and can handle talk of a sexual nature, along with very serious topics like the Holocaust and the current state of the world. She does a wonderful job narrating and I am continually impressed with her ability to do voices/change her own voice.