Still Standing: The Savage Years

<strong>Main story is great but needs editing and tightening up </strong>Really enjoyed this. O’Grady can reel off so many interesting anecdotes, so the main story is a page turner. But it needs cutting down: the introduction is far too long and the last chapter is tacked on. The editor should have got O’Grady to focus on the main story which is of him going from doing mime acts in pubs, to developing Lily, to becoming a live act, to compèring at the Vauxhall, and then finally ending with Lily becoming nationally famous.The anecdotes and reflections about society and politics around this narrative are great but cutting the introduction and the last chapter, ending the central narrative effectively, and tightening up throughout would really improve this. It would be better if it was tighter, and cut by 100-150 pages.Honestly it deserves three stars, because of the messy structure described above, but the stories and O’Grady’s strong voice throughout make it a four star book for me. It's still good in spite of the problems, because O'Grady is naturally witty, has led an interesting life, and has an interesting point of view on things. A good read that could have been perfect with better editing.

After reading his first two autobiographies, I was keen to read this next installment, covering the 'Savage Years'. A lot of sadness and loss in this era but plenty of optimism and laughs too. My only gripe would be, that although O'Grady himself points out he had to skip a fair bit to hit a reasonable word count and jokes at how embarrassing it was as it is to have needed 3 volumes to contain his life story; I and I'm sure others, would have been happy if he'd gone into more detail and finished up with a fourth. I wasn't a big Lily/Paul fan before reading these (obviously I did like him or I wouldn't have bothered, just I didn't go out of my way to watch/follow everything he did with work) but the books were hugely interesting, entertaining and moving with a wonderful knack for setting the scene. He comes across as relatable and a great person.

I fancied a funny and entertaining read during Lockdown, and this was recommended to me by a friend. Unfortunately, I was looking for a more genuine memoir, written with depth and humour. Although this is funny it's too much like a stand-up routine for me. I only got a few chapters in before putting it aside. It's there for me to pick up and dip into again but so far, the urge has not grabbed me.I love Paul O'Grady as a presenter and I think he's a genuine and kind human being, I just couldn't lose myself in this memoir. Sorry, Paul.

This is the second biography by Paul O'Grady I have read and he really does know how to tell a story. This is another entertaining read that will bring a smile to your face as he relates the Lily Savage years. Told in his unique, humorous and endearing style this is a very funny read but tinged with a few moving stories along the way.When a book opens with a story about a naked dwarf tugging on someone's quilt moaning that they can't get into the toilet because a drunk Snow White has passed out behind the door you know what sort of book you are going to read. The humorous stories keep coming and it is easy to imagine Paul O'Grady telling them in his own genuine way.A heart warming collection of anecdotes from a man who knows how to tell a story.

Unfortunately the title is a huge red herring. Most, if not all of the book are just explanations of drag shows that Paul and his friends put on..in great depth even explaining what the costumes looked like and step by step of how they were made or made use of. When we get to the part that the books title refers to, we suddenly skip 20 years past it to when he had his own chat show. I should have realised it by the time it mentions about Lily savage and how he chose the name I was already 70% through the book. I found myself skimming some pages as they were incredibly dull or repetitive.There are some touching moments granted and Paul comes across incredibly humble at times, but the main bits that I was interested in - not in this book.