Book Review - Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The best part of my day for an entire week was the train ride home, because it meant 30 minutes of unencumbered pleasure listening to the hysterical tones of Neil Patrick Harris, relating the story of his life.

The incredible NPH tells us his life story in true NPH fashion - with grandeur, humour and a number of magical plot twists. I specifically picked up the audio edition of the book because it was narrated by the man himself with one chapter annotated by his husband David Burtka as well.

I know very little about NPH outside his career, but this book gives you not only an insight into the man behind the persona, but also provides an insight into the world of television, magic and theatre.

The Choose Your Own Story route is unique, though I just listened to it in one flow. It works as an added humourous element to a fun-filled tale.

This is a feel-good story like no other, with NPH often brushing over more uncomfortable parts of his story or colouring it with even more humour. His presentation is brilliant, his imitations are even better. Only once did he falter (intentionally, perhaps), and that was during the chapter annotated along with David, when am involuntary laugh appears to have escaped NPH despite himself.

Listening to home-truths about actual people takes a lot of getting used to. But this is an autobiography, I kept reminding myself, by a famous personality, in a business that you have an avid interest in, so of course you're going to hear a lot of familiar names, and, yeah, some of them are going to turn out to be douches. To be honest, I never go near biographies or autobiographies - I'm terrified (rightly so) of having my views shot to hell. Can't say much of that happened with NPH's book, as he always has a positive outlook on life and people.

I loved this book so much that I genuinely missed it once it was over. I'd look forward to my time off, only to remember that the book was over. As I drown in my sorrows, I can see NPH running towards me, saying, 'No, Les, not before you hear Neil Patrick Harris 2: Choose Your Own Biopic.'

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