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Not My Father's Son
- A Family Memoir
- Narrated by: Alan Cumming
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
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Not My Father's Son
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Summary
Alan Cumming grew up in the grip of a man who held his family hostage, someone who meted out violence with a frightening ease, who waged a silent war with himself that sometimes spilled over onto everyone around him. That man was Alan's father, Alex Cumming.
Alex was the dark, enigmatic heart of Cumming family life. But he was not the only mystery. Alan's maternal grandfather, Tommy Darling, had disappeared to the Far East after the Second World War. The last time Alan's mother saw her father she was eight years old. When she was 13, the family was informed that he had died in an accidental shooting.
Curious to explore this second mystery, Alan committed to filming an episode of the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? Then out of the blue, his father, who Alan and his brother had not seen or spoken to for more than a decade, called. He had a secret he had to share, one that would shock his son to his very core and set in motion a journey that would change Alan's life forever.
At times suspenseful, at times deeply moving, but always brave and honest, Not My Father's Son is a powerful story about embracing the best aspects of the past and triumphantly pushing the darkness aside.
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Editor reviews
Critic reviews
"What a shattering, compelling and extraordinary story Alan Cumming has to tell. And he does so with such style and grace . . . Beautifully and cunningly structured, Not My Father's Son is one of the most memorable, heart-stopping autobiographies I have ever read." (Stephen Fry)
"Do you know the old line "I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me"? Alan Cumming's moving memoir Not My Father's Son is all that and more. This is a beautiful book-sad, funny, haunting, surprising, suspenseful, gut-wrenching, endearing. It will linger inside of you long after you turn the final page." (Harlan Coben, author of New York Times bestsellers Missing You and Six Years)
"In beautiful, honest, arresting prose, he offers a tale you'll never forget. A real diamond of a book." (Andrew O'Hagan)
"A clear-eyed, often moving account of both his terrifying childhood and his recent attempts to come to terms with his past [. . .] Not My Father's Son moves elegantly and with an occasional dash of humour between Cumming's childhood and the revelations of the more recent past [. . .] memorable." ( Chicago Tribune)
"One of the most fun people in show business" ( Time)
"Cumming's eccentric style and assured voice shine brightly on every page, while escorting readers and fans on a memorable journey that is simultaneously insightful, brave, moving, and witty." ( Book List)
What listeners say about Not My Father's Son
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sally Alp
- 24-11-14
A must read! It explains so much
Would you consider the audio edition of Not My Father's Son to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the print version, but I think I will now
What did you like best about this story?
How Alan has come out the man he is. How all that he went though hasn't damaged him as much as maybe it should have, if you get what I mean!!!! If this hadn't happened I wonder where he would be. if his father didn't abuse him but loved and nurtured him as a father should have.
What about Alan Cumming’s performance did you like?
No other narrator could have done justice to this book!!!!!
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I cried, swore, sorry!!! I wished his mum had done something, but violence within a home paralyses everyone.
Any additional comments?
I don't normally read biographies. They are normally self serving but this one isn't.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Flower
- 13-04-15
Alan's pain
I loved Alan's passion and honesty in his book. Painful though it must have been for him I am just so glad he is now free of pain. His life can go on. He being the brilliant actor he is. I had the great pleasure of seeing his one man performance of MacBeth and Cabaret in New York in 2014 not knowing this book existed. If I had I would have waited at the stage door to meet him personally. He is wonderful. Good luck to him in all he does in his life.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Lynne Dickson
- 20-03-19
Well worth listening
I'm glad I stuck with this book, and my heart broke for all involved, but for me it left many unanswered questions. Perhaps the author decided we shouldn't be allowed to know the answers to these questions, or maybe he never asked them himself. Nevertheless, as the reader, I found myself asking them and, for this reason, it was a frustrating read. However, the denouement was very satisfying.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jacqui Hastings
- 13-07-16
Just FAB!
A very good listen. Not what you expect in the end and performed with wit and charm. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Andrew Ballard
- 28-12-20
Great book even if you don't know author
I had no idea who the author was (sorry, Allan) but this is a great and dramatic tale.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- uramyx
- 17-10-19
Absolutely Breathtaking
Narrated by the tremendous man himself. you must, by all means, buy this audiobook. I simply couldn't stop listening. It's heartbreaking, a complete and utter gut punch, funny, terrifying and just plain wonderful.
Worth every penny and second.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kate Harrison/Helm
- 14-11-19
Maybe the best audiobook I've ever listened to
Funny, moving, full of tension and pathos and love. I've always rated AC but this was brilliant.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jacky P.
- 06-01-20
a beautifully written and told memoir
Alan's lilting Scottish accent and the beautifully, emotionally charged words make this an unforgettable book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. Helen Shaw
- 16-07-20
Wonderful. Honest and heartfelt.
The honesty and emotion is clear. Down to earth and uplifting. Sadness, love, heartache and yet laughter is all in there.
I felt at home during this book. Knowing the places, growing up in the Highlands. I felt familiar with the description. Jumping on the Inverness suspension bridge, which my children still do now.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- P. S. Johnson
- 03-01-20
Compelling
I have read many biographies and autobiographies but none could be described as compelling. This one certainly achieves that description. Never have I been in the edge of my seat waiting to hear what happens in someone’s real life experiences before. This account of his life by Alan Cumming pivots around the episode of Who Do You Think You Are which looked into his family’s history. I highly recommend this well written, beautifully narrated memoir.
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