Audible review: “More Fool Me” Stephen Fry

Written and Narrated by: Stephen Fry

Mr Stephen Fry brings his third autobiography after “Moab is my Washpot” and “The Fry Chronicles” to the audio book market. This is not a follow up to The Fry Chronicles, indeed much of the period of his life he talks about in “More Fool Me” has been covered in the first two books. In fact he himself writes that if you have read the other books, you have permission to skip to nearer the end of “More Fool Me”.

He begins the book in his childhood, regaling the reader to stories about his passion for books, visits to the mobile library, discovering the works of Oscar Wilde and beginning a life long love affair with his work.

This new piece of his autobiography deals with the period of time between 1996- 2001 when he developed a cocaine habit. This is hardly shocking news that someone working in the media in the 90’s may have recreationally used cocaine, but it is treated as such by Mr Fry.

Audible is by far the best way to access this book, as Fry’s wit shines through with his little vignettes from his life, like when met Frank Sinatra while living in a suite in a London Hotel, or when Prince Charles invited himself over to his house for Christmas. It is an insight into the lives of some privileged Oxbridge graduates who went from footlights to Hollywood but remained close friends i.e. Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson, especially during the time of filming “Peter’s Friends” together.

The last 100 pages of the autobiography are diary entries from when he was desperately trying to finish his novel “The Hippopotamus”, fighting against the publishers deadline and it really feels like a filler to an autobiography that really didn’t necessitate being written. Mr Fry has such a social media presence on Twitter that there is little left to write about.

“More Fool Me” is a book either for a Fry super fan, or for someone who has not read any of his other autobiographies. It certainly has its merits but his other two works outshine it.

Review by LAW