Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman
Product ID: 507866375
2022 Minneapolis Star Tribune Holiday Book Recommendations, Long-listed 2022 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Best Books of the Year, Long-listed 2022 Kansas City Star Top Books of the Year, Long-listed 2022 Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year, Long-listed "Narrator Steven Crossley elevates the book with his excellent reading, providing personality and a sharp, biting sarcasm appropriate to the material. A foreword by Emma Thompson is voiced by Bonnie Wright, and editor Taylor’s prologue is read by Alfred Enoch. Rickman’s wife, Rima Horton, provides a touching afterword." - Library Journal “Emma Thompson's foreword, delivered by Bonnie Wright, and an afterword, narrated by Rima Horton, Rickman's wife of many years, combine with Crossley's engaging delivery to offer fans a listening treat.” – AudioFile Magazine "The interesting glimpse into Rickman’s life, both on and off the stage, is expertly read by Steven Crossley..."- Toronto.com This audiobook includes narration from Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Steven Crossley, and Rima Horton. Madly, Deeply is a rare invitation into the mind of Alan Rickman—one of the most magnetic, beloved performers of our time. From his breakout role in Die Hard to his outstanding, multifaceted performances in the Harry Potter films, Galaxy Quest , Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves , and more, Alan Rickman cemented his legacy as a world-class actor. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate audiences today. But Rickman’s ability to breathe life into projects wasn't confined to just his performances. As you'll find, Rickman's diaries detail the extraordinary and the ordinary, flitting between worldly and witty and gossipy, while remaining utterly candid throughout. He takes us inside his home, on trips with friends across the globe, and on the sets of films and plays ranging from Sense and Sensibility , to Noël Coward's Private Lives , to the final film he directed, A Little Chaos . Running from 1993 to his death in 2016, the diaries provide singular insight into Rickman's public and private life. Reading them is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close companion. Meet Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveler, the fan, the director, the enthusiast; in short, the man beyond the icon. Madly, Deeply features a photo insert, a foreword by Emma Thompson, and an afterword by Rima Horton. A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Review: A rare look inside a dedicated actor's mind. - Before you read this, I highly suggest you watch all of Alan's films and TV episodes (around 70 credits, according to IMDB). I was able to find everything he did (outside of his plays) on streaming services, Youtube and Daily Motion. The only physical media I had to buy was The Search for John Gissing ($5 on Ebay). His older stuff is mostly on Youtube, harder to search for, and of mostly bad quality, but still completely worth watching. Like many others, I wasn't familiar with his body of work outside of the hits. My obsession with Alan Rickman began in 1996 when I saw him in Sense and Sensibility and still continues to this day. However, I had no idea just how versatile and gifted an actor he really was until I watched his other, lesser known films. After I watched all of his acting credits, the diary magically made sense. No doubt, this diary was poorly edited. I spent the whole time reading it with a highlighter in one hand and Google search in the other. Most of the people he spent time with were famous, in one way or another, so I found nearly all of them online. That being said, I had to work WAY too hard to decipher this diary when better footnotes could have easily done the job for me. There were also careless mistakes, like when he spoke of a woman named Rahda B. The footnotes said this was actress Radha Blank when a two minute Google search made it clear that the woman was obviously Radha Bharadwaj (who directed him in Closet Land). I find it interesting that people are accusing him of name-dropping. This was his private diary, which he never asked to be published, according to the foreword. These were not famous people to him, but his contemporaries. My husband works in construction, so all his friends are in construction. Therefore, it follows, that actors are going to be friends with other actors. And I noticed some feelings were hurt by his comments. Please keep in mind, people usually vent in their diaries. Also, Alan said during an interview once that he would never lend his name to a right wing cause, so I'm not understanding the outrage at his liberal leanings. The comments in the diary were not published opinions or social media posts, but the man's PRIVATE THOUGHTS. I don't personally understand why his wife allowed this to be published, but that was her prerogative. I would have loved instead an authorized biography with a few diary quotes thrown in. That all being said, I gave this book five stars because it felt like a genuine treat to know what was going on inside that beautiful man's head. Yes, he went to lots of fancy dinners and parties, but for the most part, he agonized over his work. He was jealous at times of other people's success, but he also hated succeeding when his friends were failing. There were a few juicy tidbits along the way (like his crush on Norman Reedus and his taste for bizarre strip clubs), but for the most part, this diary showed the life of a man that loved his friends and family and worked hard at honing the craft he so obviously revered. Rest in peace, Alan. Your forever fan. Review: Fantastic Look Into AR's Life - Must Read - First, let me address the complainers. This is not a novel, nor a book that is supposed to read with flowing thoughts from one page to the next. It is a journal. Catalogued by date and location. With that in mind, it's brilliant. And I am happy Rima (his wife) allowed this to go to print. His words flow like art, and you can walk through his life with about 30 years worth of entries, all the way to the untimely end. No doubt it is edited, as it does lack mentions of Rima and anything related to the relationship. But, that does not matter. Buy it, sit back and enjoy what is a rare glimpse into this man's brilliant life.
J**E
A rare look inside a dedicated actor's mind.
Before you read this, I highly suggest you watch all of Alan's films and TV episodes (around 70 credits, according to IMDB). I was able to find everything he did (outside of his plays) on streaming services, Youtube and Daily Motion. The only physical media I had to buy was The Search for John Gissing ($5 on Ebay). His older stuff is mostly on Youtube, harder to search for, and of mostly bad quality, but still completely worth watching. Like many others, I wasn't familiar with his body of work outside of the hits. My obsession with Alan Rickman began in 1996 when I saw him in Sense and Sensibility and still continues to this day. However, I had no idea just how versatile and gifted an actor he really was until I watched his other, lesser known films. After I watched all of his acting credits, the diary magically made sense. No doubt, this diary was poorly edited. I spent the whole time reading it with a highlighter in one hand and Google search in the other. Most of the people he spent time with were famous, in one way or another, so I found nearly all of them online. That being said, I had to work WAY too hard to decipher this diary when better footnotes could have easily done the job for me. There were also careless mistakes, like when he spoke of a woman named Rahda B. The footnotes said this was actress Radha Blank when a two minute Google search made it clear that the woman was obviously Radha Bharadwaj (who directed him in Closet Land). I find it interesting that people are accusing him of name-dropping. This was his private diary, which he never asked to be published, according to the foreword. These were not famous people to him, but his contemporaries. My husband works in construction, so all his friends are in construction. Therefore, it follows, that actors are going to be friends with other actors. And I noticed some feelings were hurt by his comments. Please keep in mind, people usually vent in their diaries. Also, Alan said during an interview once that he would never lend his name to a right wing cause, so I'm not understanding the outrage at his liberal leanings. The comments in the diary were not published opinions or social media posts, but the man's PRIVATE THOUGHTS. I don't personally understand why his wife allowed this to be published, but that was her prerogative. I would have loved instead an authorized biography with a few diary quotes thrown in. That all being said, I gave this book five stars because it felt like a genuine treat to know what was going on inside that beautiful man's head. Yes, he went to lots of fancy dinners and parties, but for the most part, he agonized over his work. He was jealous at times of other people's success, but he also hated succeeding when his friends were failing. There were a few juicy tidbits along the way (like his crush on Norman Reedus and his taste for bizarre strip clubs), but for the most part, this diary showed the life of a man that loved his friends and family and worked hard at honing the craft he so obviously revered. Rest in peace, Alan. Your forever fan.
H**A
Fantastic Look Into AR's Life - Must Read
First, let me address the complainers. This is not a novel, nor a book that is supposed to read with flowing thoughts from one page to the next. It is a journal. Catalogued by date and location. With that in mind, it's brilliant. And I am happy Rima (his wife) allowed this to go to print. His words flow like art, and you can walk through his life with about 30 years worth of entries, all the way to the untimely end. No doubt it is edited, as it does lack mentions of Rima and anything related to the relationship. But, that does not matter. Buy it, sit back and enjoy what is a rare glimpse into this man's brilliant life.
R**T
Poignent and intimate look into the life of Allen Rickman
As a keeper of journals myself, I found this book a wonderful insight into the life of this remarkable actor. It was published with care by his widow, Rima and with Alan Taylor, from the Estate of Alan Rickman, and taken from journals written between1993 to 2016, the year of his passing. The inner covers and fly leaf pages are actual images from the pages of his journals, but the book itself is in regular type. (Which is a good thing, as Mr. Rickman's hand writing is as sloppy as my own! ) They were likely not meant for others to read, but are delightful to see. The colorful images that he did in his journal show him to be a skillful visual artist on many levels. He would sketch as well as write on the pages as many of us journal keepers do! They share his thoughts as he was experiencing his rehearsals, plays and the process of making his many movies ... The Craft of being an Actor. The pages are filled with his joys and disappointments, insights and opinions as well as a his wonderfully dry sense of humor. The last chapter will have tears pouring down your face ... RIP Alan, you are still so sorely missed.
S**A
Interesting, but somewhat superficial. (Would still recommend.)
I enjoyed these snippets of Rickman’s life, but be warned - this will leave you wanting more. Don’t expect any in-depth insights into his life. Also, Rickman himself notes that some of the entries are coded and he hopes that when he looks back he can remember all the details. Do I regret buying it? No; however, it would be great to have an authorized biography come out in the future. I did enjoy the few pictures containing actual photos of his diary. His handwriting is challenging to read so I can see why it’s typed out neatly, but it’s obvious things are missing. It is what it is though. He makes you laugh with his sarcastic wit, sympathize with his beautiful yet tortured soul, and will challenge you with his diction and the number of abbreviations. Get it if you’re a Rickman fan. You’ll most likely enjoy it. P. S. Not a fan of the photo on the cover, but I’m sure it was picked for a reason. He was so much more handsome later in his life…
R**N
Diaries of Alan Rickman
Still reading it. Very enlightening. He was a remarkable man who left us too soon.
L**N
Worth the read
A beautiful and moving book. So fascinating to peer into another's life, especially one so interesting as Alan Rickman's. The forward and afterward are very touching.
S**8
Not What I Expected
I thought this diary was going to be more about his work and "I loved working with so and so". I don't know. It felt like,"this director won't let actors act, people always wanting autographs, the same 5 questions in interviews, all anyone wants to talk about is Harry Potter..."
B**7
The print is small, might need magnification to read.
I loved Alan Rickman. What a wonderful man and actor he was. I was looking forward to reading this book. If I could change one thing would be to make the print a bit larger. I can't read this. I'll find a magnifying sheet to use to enlarge the print on the page. Then I can actually read it! :-)
I**A
The book is awesome, but arrived crumpled.
The book itself is excellent, extremely interesting, Alan Rickman is unbelievably talented person. Though the book came wrinkled and the cover was dented in several places.
K**G
Love
Very good
J**L
Muy bueno
Muy interesante,claramente esta muy muy resumido pero aun hay la esencia del señor Rickman ,hay algunas imágenes ,aun que me decepciono la tapa dura color naranja pensé que sería como la cubierta o con algún diseño atractivo pero no,el idioma es totalmente en inglés
P**G
reading it to learn to do cryptic Journals
what a big help in formatting my own Journals with brevity and hard-hitting facts
I**3
Perfecto
Una lectura perfecta para conocer mucho mejor a este gran actor. Tierna y emotiva, pero también divertida a ratos. Anécdotas sobre su carrera en el teatro y cine, pero también muchísimas sobre su vida. Me ha encantado poder saber más de él como persona. Ahora le admiro incluso más que antes.
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