Billy - Pamela Stephenson

Advantages: Unique insight into the man behind the comedy...
Disadvantages: Written by his wife ... any sense of bias?

...biography charting the life of Billy Connolly? Only Billy himself, and he hasn't put pen to paper yet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Initial Thoughts & Feelings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The book is a very unique insight into the man behind his very unique brand of comedy. It covers some very delicate issues from Billy's early childhood, and demonstrates that strength of human nature to fight against adversity to create success and wide-scale acclaim. ...
...I mean, she loves Billy Connolly, she is married to him and has bore his children, so this in itself would lead you to believe she will tilt the bias of the events of Billy's past to portray him as purely the victim, rather than providing a completely accurate and balanced portrayal of events, most notably from his childhood. Also, in performing her research, Pamela has been inclined to ask her husband about the particular events of his lifetime. ... Read review

Advantages: Well written, never attempts to tug any heart-strings despite ample opportunity
Disadvantages: Occasional unnecessary name-dropping

...United States of America. Billy Connolly was the first man to make me laugh. Obviously not “ha-ha” laugh. I mean “stomach hurts, can’t speak, tears rolling down cheeks” laugh. I was fifteen years old, and my uncle on a rare visit had brought with him a recording from a date on Connolly’s “Wreck on Tour” of the previous year. It was a revelation. To this day, I can quote large chunks of what will remain for me his seminal work, and there’s none better ...
...a jot”. Billy Connolly still thinks himself a welder who got away with it, and that someone will come along and tell him his time’s up, and to get back to work. How wrong can anyone be? Best price on 26/7/02: £3.14 (paperback) in Tesco stores ... Read review

Advantages: Funny. Very, very funny.
Disadvantages: Not a whole lot

...in the last 40 years. Billy Connolly, or as he is more affectionately known the world over, “The Big Yin”. It’s written by his second wife, Pamela Stephenson, herself a comedienne in her own right, and probably best known for her part in the comedy spoof show from the late 1970’s period, “Not The Nine O’clock News”. These days though she is a Doctor of Psychology, having got tired of life on the boards, and ...
...Amazon with great anticipation, as Billy Connolly has been a favourite singer/comedian/actor of mine from my teenage years in the late 1960’s. I first came across him when he was playing in a folk group called the “Humblebums” with the musician Gerry Rafferty. (of ‘Baker Street’ fame, and yet another of my long time favourites) They used to play the pub and club ‘circuit’ in Scotland, and I had one very memorable ... Read review

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I have liked Billy Connolly’s stand up shows for years, and I particularly enjoyed the slant he took with the “World tour of Scotland” and World Tour Of Australia” series, where hobbies and local history and culture were interspersed with clips from the shows he did, visiting smaller towns instead of the big cities in the UK, as his previous tours had been. I have never managed to see Billy live though, although it has not been for the lack of trying. ...
...since the early 80’s when Billy first appeared on Not the Nine O Clock News, a show which featured Stephenson in the cast. Stephenson has since qualified as a Doctor and practices psychology in Los Angeles and this has given her some insight into Billy’s feelings and insecurities about himself, following his abusive childhood. Stephenson has a tendency to write fairly objectively about Billy’s life and this is entwined with more recent times, linking ... Read review

Advantages: a very easy read and a great tale told
Disadvantages: none really

...to write a book about Billy Connolly than Pamela Stephenson? Not only originally a comic actress by trade, she is now a clinical psychologist but more importantly his wife. These three stand points must give her an all round insight of the man who has become one of the worlds best loved comedians. Often the best evaluation of a person can only come from an outside source, not the person himself or herself. For this reason whilst autobiographies are ...
...explores the man who is Billy Connolly. Billy Connolly is a work in progress and the man we see before us on stage to day is the process of a long evolution and the book relays the passage of this. From his early days in the rough Glasgow tenements to international stardom is a long walk and every step is brought to life in this vivid account. What I personally find fascinating about peoples road to fame is the whole question of what opportunities ... Read review

Advantages: Extremely funny, well written.
Disadvantages: You should read 'Billy' before reading this!

...'Bravemouth' is the sequel to the extremely popular 'Billy' also written by Pamela Stephenson. The first book detailed the life of the enigmatic comic and described his awful childhood where he faced abject poverty and abuse, both mental and physical from his family. 'Billy' was a fascinating read and captured the spirit of Billy Connolly by the only person that probably knows the real him, his wife. 'Bravemouth' is an extremely good follow up to 'Billy' as it describes a year in the life of Billy himself as he struggles to come to terms with his rapidly approachin 60th birthday. The reader is drawn into a world of international travel and high class comedy. We follow Billy as he takes part in blockbuster films, travels to Africa for Comic Relief and just comes to terms with his increasing years! This book is an extremely personal work... Read review

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Advantages: Occasional funny stories and glimpses into Billy
Disadvantages: Not much insight; Name dropping; Wanders off

...Following hot on heels from the success of 'Billy', Pamela Stephenson's recounting of her husband Billy Connolly's life and how it moulded him, came a sequel of sorts. Bravemouth (so-called because it's the nickname attributed to the Big Yin by Eric Idle, a neighbour in LA don't you know) is a bringing of matters right up to date, with the story of living with Billy for a year - a particular year, this being the one containing his 60th birthday. The book doesn't get off to an auspicious, or shall we say 'modest' start, with an introduction informing us of how well Billy was received and tales of people writing to the celebrity couple after its release to let them know how much Billy's story had inspired them after having gone through similar turmoil. Yes, yes, well done, can we get on with the story please? For a book supposedly... Read review

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...Billy, Pamela Stephenson's biography of her comic husband, shot to No. 1. Bravemouth, her latest effort, is more of the same stuff, with one difference though: HarperCollins swapped with Hodder Headline. It's no one's gain because Bravemouth's bigger format won't square up with the smaller Billy on the bookshelf. Then there's the cover. Billy was snappy, modern. Bravemouth is fuzzy, old-fashioned. The funny man is photographed upside down, hair grey, pointy beard purple. On the back, he wears a pretty-boy shirt nicked from a rock'n'roll travelling wardrobe. Pamela inserts a Lost and Found notice: send proof of ownership and it will be returned, maybe. I mention the notice because it's the funniest bit in No. 2. Why another book so soon, maybe to cash in on the success of No. 1. Also, it was Billy's 60th birthday, and Pammy, as he... Read review

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