'Put your hands together' for Mr Paul O'Grady ! (At My Mother's Knee... - Paul O'Grady)

Member Name: bluebeatbabe

Product:	At My Mother's Knee... - Paul O'Grady
Date:	26/10/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well written evocative memoir...leaves you wanting more...

Disadvantages: Paul leaves us teetering on the edge...Paul's to be A Dad...how does he react?

'Put your hands together..let's hear it' for Mr. Paul O'Grady!
The title 'At My Mother's Knee ( and other low joints) certainly fits the bill as Paul takes us on an intimate adventure into his childhood, formative years, growing up as a Catholic lad in working class Birkenhead, the daily banter in the corner shop where his mum forever 'bigged' him up to the odious shopkeeper who thought she was ' a cut above' the rest of the proletariat who frequented her little empire. Paul regales with tales of swinging the incense as an altar boy, (it seems he really went for it...as one would expect from Paul), his episodic journey to London for work in a hotel which turned out a near disaster as he ended up in the Magistrates Court (through no real intention of deceit...you have to read the book...)
Strong females feature strongly in Paul's life from his mother to his beloved Auntie, 'Our Chrissie' ...'The pride of Birkenhead Buses' who wore her 'warpaint' or 'slap' as Paul would call it like a badge of honour and he describes how he would watch Chrissie applying her make-up, an early precursor to Lily perhaps...certainly, some influence there.
Paul's description of his mother innocently enquiring about a wad of cannabis or 'Marihaji' as she called it is hilarious and of how she goes onto smoke it, getting 'high' on a freezing cold night in Birkenhead!
There is so much information in this book that Paul manages to place in an appropriate social contect that evokes the era he was brought up in and reflects the beliefs and social mores of the day. I was sorry to reach the end of the book, it was so absorbing and one could hear Paul's voice throughout as if he was reading the words off the page.
Paul left me wanting more.... which I understand we are going to get in the next part of his autobiography.
A highly recommended read, You will laugh and cry with Paul. A thoroughly absorbing memoir.

Summary: Paul grabs you by the scruff of the neck and never let's go...but in a nice way! Totally engaging.