Loitering With Intent: The Apprentice

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Summary: Brilliant 2nd. volume of O'Toole's biography.
Review: Peter O'Toole continues recounting his early years in the second volume of his biography. It has a slightly different style than the first volume (The Child), but is still extremely enjoyable. Highly recommended.

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Summary: The Memories
Review: This is the second volume of Peter O'Toole's autobiography, and is devoted to his years as a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in the 1950s.

It's very much a stream-of-consciousness memoir: O'Toole reflecting on the drama (and ballet!) classes, his escapades with his fellow students, his loves, and - it being O'Toole - the drinking. All of it is told in his often quirky, yet enjoyable style - shades of Joyce yet accessible.

I thought that "The Apprentice" could be viewed as a series of anecdotes woven into a memoir, yet it's more than that: O'Toole flits back into childhood memories, then to later life in order to set his reminiscences into a wider context. The ghosts of actors past, most notably Edmund Kean, haunt O'Toole. There's both joy and sadness here - remembering recreates past happiness and a sense of history, but it also reminds O'Toole of what (and who) he has lost.

I confess an interest - firstly, (and most disturbingly for me) I recognised the names of many of the central London pubs O'Toole haunted in the 1950s - they are still there today though no doubt are much changed since O'Toole's heyday. More reassuringly, I met O'Toole recently (albeit briefly) and found him utterly charming (apologies for name-dropping).

In all, an enjoyable read, and indispensible for anyone wanting tips on how to take a double bed through the London Underground!

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Summary: The Peter (O'Toole) prescription for a life well lived!
Review: Who says a great actor has to be a self-absorbed boor with no life or thoughts of his own offstage or off-camera? This second installment of noted actor O'Toole's autobiography brims over with vitality, quirky charm, and loving reminiscences of fellow drama school students, teachers, and a host of other fascinating souls. O'Toole is clearly one of those people who makes his own fun, and naturally finds kindred spirits wherever he goes in life. He doesn't choose his friends based on their status or what they can do for him, he just enjoys their company. And how! The myriad, unorthodox ways O'Toole and his pals devise to obtain lodgings, food, semi-clean laundry and other of life's necessities will have you laughing out loud. One of many highlights concerns the delightful, party given to celebrate the final hours of leaky old houseboat, where guests take turns pumping the sea back out even as it sloshes at their ankles. A rip-roaring good time was had by the artist as a young apprentice, and his mates!