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John Barrowman Memoirs #2
I Am What I Am
Intimately exploring aspects of John's current life, this personal memoir is full of exclusive anecdotes from recent and ongoing projects, all told with John's trademark charm and humor. Full of juicy tidbits from behind the scenes of Doctor Who and Torchwood , this memoir also offers heartwarming family anecdotes and personal revelations, including John's perspective on fame and how it has affected him. With exclusive details about and opinions on talent shows, I Am What I Am allows intimate access to the multitalented man himself—an unmissable treat for any fan.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2009
36 people are currently reading
1251 people want to read
About the author
John Barrowman
71 books909 followersJohn Barrowman was born in Scotland, and moved to Illinois when he was eight years old. He is bi-dialectal, doing much of his stage and acting work in his American accent, but speaking with family in his Scottish accent.
He moved back to Britain in 1989 when he was hired to play the lead in Anything Goes. He took on a number of West End roles, including the leads in Sunset Boulevard and Miss Saigon and a dramatic play entitled Rope, while working as a children's television presenter and came back to America briefly to work on short lived shows such as Central Park West and Titans. He then bounced around Broadway, West End and the LA Stage for a number of years before moving back to Britain permanently. He won the role of Captain Jack Harkness in the new Doctor Who series and went on to star as Captain Jack in its adult spin-off Torchwood.
John married Scott Gill, his partner of fifteen years, in December 2006.
He moved back to Britain in 1989 when he was hired to play the lead in Anything Goes. He took on a number of West End roles, including the leads in Sunset Boulevard and Miss Saigon and a dramatic play entitled Rope, while working as a children's television presenter and came back to America briefly to work on short lived shows such as Central Park West and Titans. He then bounced around Broadway, West End and the LA Stage for a number of years before moving back to Britain permanently. He won the role of Captain Jack Harkness in the new Doctor Who series and went on to star as Captain Jack in its adult spin-off Torchwood.
John married Scott Gill, his partner of fifteen years, in December 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
November 9, 2016
As a lifelong fan of Doctor Who and just recently got into Torchwood I am a huge fan...a HUGE FAN of John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness)!! He could just stand in front of the camera and smile his huge dashing smile and I'll be content with that!! Ha-Ha!
So as a fan of the two shows and him, once I found out that he wrote a book about himself I just couldn't say no. So I interloaned I Am What I Am at my library. And I gotta tell ya...still in love with that guy!
Barrowman mostly talks about his life in the life of Doctor Who and Torchwood and he takes you behind the scenes of how he got involved and how much he just loves being on the show. Want to know how he got into show biz? Want to see how his family helped him out in so many ways? Then this book will answer all of that.
Sometimes I feel like a stalker reading a biography of someone that is STILL ALIVE!!! I'm fine reading a biography or autobiography of someone that has passed on, but someone that is still alive and I'm reading all their little dark secrets, I don't know. It just feels weird.
But in this case, I am totally fine reading about the life of one John Barrowman. Mostly because he is such a great guy. He loves his job, his family and he just loves life. Doesn't care what anybody says or feels towards him, he just gets back up and glides through life with a huge smile on his face!! Any fans of Doctor Who or Torchwood needs to read this book for the insights of the shows but also to one of the men who makes it possible to love it even more!!
***Also on a side note I would like to congratulate John and Scott on finally getting married! In the book John talks about his relationship with Scott and they seem to be happy with each other and that's what counts!
So as a fan of the two shows and him, once I found out that he wrote a book about himself I just couldn't say no. So I interloaned I Am What I Am at my library. And I gotta tell ya...still in love with that guy!
Barrowman mostly talks about his life in the life of Doctor Who and Torchwood and he takes you behind the scenes of how he got involved and how much he just loves being on the show. Want to know how he got into show biz? Want to see how his family helped him out in so many ways? Then this book will answer all of that.
Sometimes I feel like a stalker reading a biography of someone that is STILL ALIVE!!! I'm fine reading a biography or autobiography of someone that has passed on, but someone that is still alive and I'm reading all their little dark secrets, I don't know. It just feels weird.
But in this case, I am totally fine reading about the life of one John Barrowman. Mostly because he is such a great guy. He loves his job, his family and he just loves life. Doesn't care what anybody says or feels towards him, he just gets back up and glides through life with a huge smile on his face!! Any fans of Doctor Who or Torchwood needs to read this book for the insights of the shows but also to one of the men who makes it possible to love it even more!!
***Also on a side note I would like to congratulate John and Scott on finally getting married! In the book John talks about his relationship with Scott and they seem to be happy with each other and that's what counts!
March 31, 2014
I loved the way John/Carole wrote this book... it felt like I was invited into the house and was sitting there, sipping a drink while listening to John tell his stories... the beginning before the narrative got going and the end also set that tone wonderfully. The footnotes here hilarious as well sometimes... cute to see John interrupting himself.
*some spoilers for Torchwood if you haven't seen the show yet*
The first thing I did was to check out the photos included in the book hehe...
John's had a very interesting life and he's done alot of good things with his fame... He had me laughing and shaking my head at some of his antics :) He's one of those people I would love to spend a day with, having fun and picking his brain.
*He also gets points for being a dog lover, I was crying a couple times when he talked about his dogs at a certain part of the book*
You get to know him better in these books, there's an open-ness to both books... to me, everything felt very genuine.. sometimes in biographies/memoirs, there's a point where sometimes the writing goes dry and my eyes start to cross, so to speak.. no problems of that kind here, as soon as the last page was turned I wanted to go find John and ask for more stores:);). Hard to put down, which I always love <3
I would recommend this and John's other book 'anything goes', both fun reads that'll leave ya smiling and if you find the audiobooks (i'm still looking for a physical copy of each), I would say go for that as well.
*some spoilers for Torchwood if you haven't seen the show yet*
The first thing I did was to check out the photos included in the book hehe...
John's had a very interesting life and he's done alot of good things with his fame... He had me laughing and shaking my head at some of his antics :) He's one of those people I would love to spend a day with, having fun and picking his brain.
*He also gets points for being a dog lover, I was crying a couple times when he talked about his dogs at a certain part of the book*
You get to know him better in these books, there's an open-ness to both books... to me, everything felt very genuine.. sometimes in biographies/memoirs, there's a point where sometimes the writing goes dry and my eyes start to cross, so to speak.. no problems of that kind here, as soon as the last page was turned I wanted to go find John and ask for more stores:);). Hard to put down, which I always love <3
I would recommend this and John's other book 'anything goes', both fun reads that'll leave ya smiling and if you find the audiobooks (i'm still looking for a physical copy of each), I would say go for that as well.
February 8, 2019
Loved it!
January 11, 2013
I am a fangirl so when I saw this copy in a library sale I picked it up. I love Torchwood (A spin-off of Dr Who) and Captain Jack Harkniss (played by John Barrowman) is a fabulous television character.
The book is one you either love or just don't. Every single page has footnotes at the bottom of the page - Every single page. It makes reading the book incredibly difficult, and yet it is the perfect representation of John Barrowman's character. He is so busy and has so many trains of thought going at any given moment that he is constantly wanting to digress (hence the footnotes). At almost every page I would read a footnote and then go back searching the page to find out what he was referencing.
The man, like the book, is someone you either love or hate. The book is honest and really gave me a huge incite into who he is, and that is what a good memoir should do. He is incredibly full of himself, and yet I don't hate him for it. The extent to which he is in love with himself goes beyond what my Australian personality can handle, and yet as much as I try to scorn him for it, I just can't help but shrug my shoulders and think "well, that's John Barrowman".
I mean he was the star of Torchwood, the spin-off to Dr Who. Most Dr Who fans haven't even watched the show. It is a really different style (much more adult) than Dr Who. However to hear John Barrowman talk about it, you would believe he was the biggest star in the world. This makes him somewhat naive, as Torchwood was downgraded from a series into annual mini-series he failed to see it, believing his sheer star power meant that it would never end. Sad because I really did love the show.
I liked the story and him, even while I was shaking my head and hating the arrogance. I applaud him that alone. I didn't know someone could be so genuinely arrogant while being so genuinely nice and likeable.
The book is one you either love or just don't. Every single page has footnotes at the bottom of the page - Every single page. It makes reading the book incredibly difficult, and yet it is the perfect representation of John Barrowman's character. He is so busy and has so many trains of thought going at any given moment that he is constantly wanting to digress (hence the footnotes). At almost every page I would read a footnote and then go back searching the page to find out what he was referencing.
The man, like the book, is someone you either love or hate. The book is honest and really gave me a huge incite into who he is, and that is what a good memoir should do. He is incredibly full of himself, and yet I don't hate him for it. The extent to which he is in love with himself goes beyond what my Australian personality can handle, and yet as much as I try to scorn him for it, I just can't help but shrug my shoulders and think "well, that's John Barrowman".
I mean he was the star of Torchwood, the spin-off to Dr Who. Most Dr Who fans haven't even watched the show. It is a really different style (much more adult) than Dr Who. However to hear John Barrowman talk about it, you would believe he was the biggest star in the world. This makes him somewhat naive, as Torchwood was downgraded from a series into annual mini-series he failed to see it, believing his sheer star power meant that it would never end. Sad because I really did love the show.
I liked the story and him, even while I was shaking my head and hating the arrogance. I applaud him that alone. I didn't know someone could be so genuinely arrogant while being so genuinely nice and likeable.
May 3, 2018
I loved this book. It was not a quick read for me, but I loved every minute of it.
(Physical book)
(Physical book)
March 19, 2015
I enjoyed browsing this book.
November 18, 2011
Another memoir?? Yep - I am sure it will be the final one for me in this project. This is another book given to me by my pal Lara http://larasreadingroom.blogspot.com/ . She asked if it would be a book that I would be interested in checking out because she knew that I am a sci-fi fan overall and a Torchwood fan specifically. See, for the uninitiated, John Barrowman plays Captain Jack Harkness on the Doctor Who and Torchwood franchises. He is a Scottish-born actor who grew up in the US. He is flamboyant and funny and brilliant at his craft. He is also a little bit crazy - as evidenced in the opening of his book. He invites us, the reader, into his home. Pointing out what we see on the walls and in the foyer, introducing us to his dogs and using at least two footnotes on page one. He is a lover of a footnote - I am not...but I soldiered on.
One of the many things I dislike about the memoir format is at equal turns, it seems both self-indulgent and self-effacing. I got plenty of both from this book, but I also found out some great insight about this man. He spends a lot of time talking about Torchwood and the way the show ended. He talks about his 15-year relationship with his partner Scott Gill. He talks about his childhood and his unending love of his Mum and Dad. There were good stories and bad ones. Some went on for too long, some I wish hadn't ended.
For folks not familiar with Barrowman, I am not sure how enjoyable this book would be. I am a pretty big fan and even I was frustrated from time to time. It is very well-written with great humor and honesty - he really holds nothing back. There were definitely parts that made me laugh out loud and there were also some pretty moving stories. But - it is not a linear tale and he jumps from story to story and that sapped some of my enjoyment. Overall Barrowman is a fun guy, and I will watch him in anything, but I'm not sure I need to read anything more about him.
One of the many things I dislike about the memoir format is at equal turns, it seems both self-indulgent and self-effacing. I got plenty of both from this book, but I also found out some great insight about this man. He spends a lot of time talking about Torchwood and the way the show ended. He talks about his 15-year relationship with his partner Scott Gill. He talks about his childhood and his unending love of his Mum and Dad. There were good stories and bad ones. Some went on for too long, some I wish hadn't ended.
For folks not familiar with Barrowman, I am not sure how enjoyable this book would be. I am a pretty big fan and even I was frustrated from time to time. It is very well-written with great humor and honesty - he really holds nothing back. There were definitely parts that made me laugh out loud and there were also some pretty moving stories. But - it is not a linear tale and he jumps from story to story and that sapped some of my enjoyment. Overall Barrowman is a fun guy, and I will watch him in anything, but I'm not sure I need to read anything more about him.
March 25, 2017
Reading a book from John and Carole really is like sitting down with him and listening to family stories and discussing whatever subject might come up. Once again the chapters are entitled by the names of songs that pertain to the contents within. This time chapters are divided by Family Table Talk moments where you hear a more intimate remembrance or talk.
As before I would suggest not reading this in public, unless you don't mind people looking at you strangely for breaking out in laughter. John is truly a raconteur in every aspect of the word. His footnotes are, once again, as amusing and interesting as the information in the story itself.
You simply must buy this book and the prequel, Anything Goes. It is well worth the money and a delightful way to spend a few hours. And for those Doctor Who and Torchwood fans, there are more stories contained within about John's experiences with the cast and crew.
Bravo to John and his sister Carole for another wonderful read. I hope this is the beginning of many more books.
As before I would suggest not reading this in public, unless you don't mind people looking at you strangely for breaking out in laughter. John is truly a raconteur in every aspect of the word. His footnotes are, once again, as amusing and interesting as the information in the story itself.
You simply must buy this book and the prequel, Anything Goes. It is well worth the money and a delightful way to spend a few hours. And for those Doctor Who and Torchwood fans, there are more stories contained within about John's experiences with the cast and crew.
Bravo to John and his sister Carole for another wonderful read. I hope this is the beginning of many more books.
October 5, 2017
I like John Barrowman. He can be outrageous, and behaves quite frequently like a hyper-active five-year old, in ways a lot of people might find offensive. But he seems a genuinely good and caring person, and I gave his and Carole's book 4 stars because of what they write about being gay, acceptance, and tolerance. He tries to let the world know that being gay is no different than having blue eyes, or red hair, or any of the other differences between us humans. His outrageous behaviour puts the spotlight on that, I think. In-your-face, after LGBTQ people have spent decades hiding and pretending. I commend him for being forward, and telling people in no uncertain terms that he is who he is, and they just need to get over themselves. I'm not gay, so don't have any agenda except being fed up with prejudice, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and all the other idiocies my species engages in.
January 2, 2010
I am a slow reader. People have leant me books and then not seen them for up to a year. So when I tell you that I got this book...and FINISHED this book, in one day (almost in a single sitting, I stopped for tea) then I am saying something.
It's very well written, with an great sense of humour, honesty, and mixture of tales and thoughts. You get the sense that Barrowman is holding nothing back, and it makes the words even more special. There are parts that will make you laugh out loud, parts that will make you thoughtful, and parts that you will love if you are even remotely a John Barrowman fan. In fact even if you aren't, give it a go anyway...you might become one.
I haven't read the other book yet (Anything Goes). That will be rectified soon. If it is anything like this book, then I am sure that I will love it!
It's very well written, with an great sense of humour, honesty, and mixture of tales and thoughts. You get the sense that Barrowman is holding nothing back, and it makes the words even more special. There are parts that will make you laugh out loud, parts that will make you thoughtful, and parts that you will love if you are even remotely a John Barrowman fan. In fact even if you aren't, give it a go anyway...you might become one.
I haven't read the other book yet (Anything Goes). That will be rectified soon. If it is anything like this book, then I am sure that I will love it!
October 9, 2009
John Barrowman, I love you so much. But I think everyone knew this already. This was laugh out loud funny and a delight to read. It dragged a bit in the middle - he touched on a lot of very recent events that were so familiar it felt like a retread, and since he referenced things as recent as June, this may not have been as revised/edited as the first one. Also, I pushed myself through this in one afternoon/evening, which might have contributed to it. But his stories about his family and Scott were fantastic (Scott's trip through the Ls of WebMD and the story of catching the 1979 flight to Scotland, especially!) and I just continue to enjoy him so much. Also, he included plenty of footnotes and I love footnotes. So, basically, A+.
November 19, 2023
i love my best friend john barrowman
August 22, 2010
John Barrowman - I Am What I Am.
I dont think it takes much to fall in love with the likes of John Barrowman. One look that amazing blue eyes and cheeky grin and I was hooked. I've known for a long time that the man was hot and a great actor but it was only recently that I really started to take notice. For those of you who dont know, John Barrowman is a scottish actor who was brought up in the United States. He's famous for his stage performances, amazing voice and last but not least his portrayel of one Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and Torchwood.
I recently became a fan of Torchwood (after not being interested when it first aired here in Australia). Okay, I'm not just a fan ... I'm in geekdom heaven, getting highly addicted to the show, the characters and of course Captain Jack Harkness. Since this obsession took hold only about 4 months ago (and 3 seasons too late) my best friend (Lisa) and I have spent a bit of our limited money supply on collecting the Torchwood novels and any other Torchwood merchandise we can afford (or get our hands on).
On our latest Torchwood scavenger hunt at Minotaur (a pop-culture store in the city of Melbourne) I picked up a copy of John Barrowman's second autobiography titled "I Am What I Am"
If it werent for the fact that I was already smitten with the man, the cover would have convinced me that I needed to be smitten with him. John Barrowman had one of the most beautiful smiles and a hearty laugh - the kind of laughs that holds nothing back. The front cover is a gorgeous picture of John, his head sort of cocked to the side with a big wide smile, his blue eyes bright and happy. The back cover is a close up of his full smile laugh that just make me smile and want to laugh right along with him. There was no way I was not picking up this book along with the rest of my stash (Lisa and I had cleared a whole shelf of books in 5 seconds of walking into the store)
Cracking open this book I was already smiling as John took the time to welcome us into his home, detailed descriptions of his home as if he were leading us into his house and past the specially made Dalek he has in his foyer as you walk in. The man is a bigger geek than all the geeks put together and my god it makes him all the more adorable.
John takes us through many stories that both make your heart literally smile with happiness and he also takes through some moments that shock you, other moments that made me want to cry. All the while reading the combined effort of him and his sister Carole (she co-wrote it with him) I felt like I was in John's head, like I was sitting down with the man and listening to him talk animatedly (as John always does).
He told us about working on Torchwood and his feelings when it came to losing integral cast members (Naoko - Tosh and Burn - Owen *sniff*) and filming "Children of Earth" (The 3rd season) and losing the character Ianto (Played by the gorgeous and also cheeky Gareth David-Lloyd) It made me feel a little better to read his feelings of uncertainty about where the show was headed and his feelings of sadness at the losses they had suffered. The way he reacted to certain things during Children of Earth made me want to hug him and agree.
He told us many stories of his childhood and growing up as the youngest child in his family. His family sound like a riot, like the type of people you would want to know. They are all still to this day people that realise that just because you have grown up that doesnt mean that you cant be a child at heart. They all still pranks on each other, sometimes backfiring but everyone is a good sport and it's no wonder that he ended up such a theatrical person.
His Mum and Dad. My God he loves his parents. It oozes out of every sentence, every word when he talks about them. He adores his older sister and brother - Carole and Andrew - and he LOVES being "Unkie John". The things this family got up to and the little quirks that they hold to this day made me smile because all families have them. Simple things like whenever they would go out as a family, John's father would always be late. If someone asked what was taking him so long all of them would answer "He's cleaning the garage." It's the little knowing things about this family that I know about my own family. It's the in-jokes and the ability to not take things so seriously. I think John lucked out having a family like this because it has made him the gorgeous man he is today.
He spoke about his partner Scott and his tendancy to knock down walls ... literally. We all have our obsessions, right? Walls in the Barrowman/Gill household are not safe. He allows us to experience their relationship and shows that their relationship is no different from that of a man and woman ... other than the fact that it isnt a man and woman ... they are two gay men. John has grown up in a family of jokers and carefree people and is a big over grown child and I smiled fondly as John depicts Scott's reactions to some of the things that go on with the two of them. He seems like the long suffering husband who lets his partner have his fun. But Scott isnt always the straight laced boyfriend. He gets in on the mishceif too. Rickshaw races and mission impossible type attacks on John's mother and Carole with John at his side come to mind.
This coupling sounds so natural and I smile when I think of how happy they are. They have their disagreements and arguements like the next couple but I think 15 years speaks for itself. These two men love each other and are there for one another ... even if Scott appears to be a hypocondriact when it comes to pain and illness hehe
John spoke of his love for cars. He told us about his first car and the cars he has bought as he has grown older. He told us about some near misses he's had and how he handled them as the driver and how it lead to him being on the program "Fifth Gear" where he flipped a race car, writing it off. He's a very open gay man ... but he is also such a typical guy! He's a rev head through and through.
One of the funniest parts in the book would have to be him talking about ComicCon 2008. He was accompanied to the Con by his parents, sister Carole, Scott and Neice Clare. Carole disappeared, coming back getting excited about getting her photo taken with a Stargate, Scott and Clare were dying of boredom and his parents stayed with him as he signed autographs for hours on end.
He was sat next to Gareth David-Lloyd during the autographs and what a mistake that was for ComicCon as John and Gareth got their hands on plastic dart guns. The two of them spent some time shooting passersby. John remembers that while he was trying to get all the people wearing superhero costumes, Gareth was aiming at all the scantily clad females ... yes Gareth is the straight actor in this character pairing of Jack and Ianto and he proves it here LOL
After the con, John and his family all piled into the limo and just as they were taking off John spotted something outside that made him scream at the driver to stop the car. He exited the car without closing the door and sprinted across the road towards his target. Lindsey Wagner aka Wonder Women. Her "guards" knew who John was but poor Lindsey didnt. All she saw was this mad man wearing a Captain America racing towards her shouting. She eventually clued in that he wasnt a threat just a big overgrown geek and a celebrity himself no less. He doesnt remember what he said after he got to her which I laughed at so hard because when you meet someone you totally geek out at over sometimes the details of what you did or didnt say can be sketchy. How much do I love that this a adorable man is such a fan boy. I laughed even harder when he got back to the Limo and Scott idly commented that it was the fastest he'd seen John run for a woman since he'd known him. Oh I do love a dry sense of humor.
In this book John also shows us his love for kids. Two moments in particular stood out for me that I just have to mention because my heart just melted. While shopping in Costco in Cardiff (where he apparently shops all the freaking time) John was in the check out when this kid and his Mum lined up behind him. The little kid was too little to realise that it wasnt Captain Jack he was seeing. John went with it, and when the kid asked him why Captain Jack was shopping in Costco he told the kid because there had been Weevil sightings and he was hunting them and asked the kid to keep a look out for him. The kid looked back at him his whole way out to the car and had a great big smile on his face as he waved when they drove away. Another time when he was signing at a Hub convention a kid brought up his Captain Jack figurine to sign. He leant in to John and told him that he didnt care if "Jack" liked men or woman ... he was still his hero. OMG how adorable!!! This guy seems a natural with kids and I hope one day that he gets to experience his own ... but he does seem content beingf Uncle John and spoiling other people's kids LOL
But then he does act as a parent a lot of the time. He and Scott have owned a number of dogs over the years. These dogs are their babies. They spoil them rotten. It was also at this point in the book that I felt like I could cry. We all know as pet owners that owning a pet also comes with the guarantee that we will suffer loss. The loss of a pet is something that is anything less because it's simply a pet. I know we've all felt the pain of loss of a beloved pet and John's descriptions of when he lost his "first" baby Penny was terrible. I wanted to hug him. She was old and dying and couldnt see anymore and in the end he couldnt keep her alive anymore. The best thing for her was to put her down because she was suffering. He and Scott took her to the vet and he held her, got nose to snout with her so that she knew he was there by smell if she couldnt see and stayed that way while she went peacefully to sleep. His feelings on the matter of losing his beloved pets is heartbreaking. This man feels so deeply. There are two more losses, ones that had both Scott and him bawling their eyes out. God, I want to meet these two.
But the pet stories arent all sad. There is a funny story about a stray cat, a bedroom, disaster area and poor Scott coming home to find it all that will be stuck in my mind for a long time. I laughed hard. I will also never forget his experience shooting a documentary at a Zoo ... I was shocked as was he at the conditions.
John talks about his theatre experiences and his experiences as a judge on talent shows, his pride at hosting his own show "Tonights The Night" that allowed normal every day to get their shining moment on stage. I have watched clips of this show and wow ... it makes me fall for him a little more every time. I loved these stories as it once again showed his true character. He's a beautiful man and I love even more that he doesnt back down from what he believes in. He is fair and knows when to shut up but he sticks by his resolve. I appreciate a man like that.
John also took us through his feelings on what it is to be gay for him personally and his search to find out what makes a person gay, how he was born that way. It isnt a life choice that you make. It's not something he woke up one morning and he decided he was gay. He's always been gay since he was young and this is where I think I love his family and especially his parents. So many Gay people out there get treated terrible sometimes by the very people they should be able to rely on. He mentions that it was hard when he first told his parents but they hugged him immediately upon him telling them and never once was he made to feel different ... for being different.
I love how open he is about his sexuality. He doesnt hide anything and he is probably one of the most happiest celebrities I have ever witnessed. Hell, he is probably one of the most happiest human beins I have ever seen. His has this energy that is just infectious. He has his problems and dark moments like all of us do. But he is such a happy man for the most part and he just wants to help people and make people smile. There is nothing like watching that man on stage and letting his energy make you smile in your heart. He loves what he does. He really does and its something he cant hide when he's on set or when he's on stage singing, belting out tunes magnificantly.
One more moment in this book that stood out to me was when he explains a time in Cardiff when he and Scott were going to see a movie. The session was sold out and they had to wait. John got excited because they had time on their hands. He wanted to check out the Doctor Who museum. Here you have this actor who was on Doctor Who and lead on the spin off Torchwood and he's getting all geekily excited about going to the museum. Scott wasnt so much and they parted ways before the movie. Once in the museum, John found a Dalek and the cheeky little child came out in him again. He got into the exhibit and stood next to the Dalek like he was part of the show. The next family that came through, a child and his parents, got up close and the mother went to touch what she thought was a manican of Jack Harkness when he reached out and grabbed her arm. She screamed, the kid shit himself and the father doubled over laughing. He apologised and chatted to them but as soon as they left he got back into position before his next victims ... ahmm People came by. What a little kid. Meanwhile there's Scott looking at his watch as he waits at the cinema, John turning up late because he was too busy playing in the Doctor Who exihibit LOL Oh he's adorable.
I finished reading this book at 5 am and went to bed smiling. There is so much more in this book that I didnt mention because I could rattle on about this book for hours and pages and no-one wants that. After having read this I think I am totally in love and I would have John Barrowman any other way. Everything about this man compliments him and makes me smile whenever I see him. He's just such a bright soul and makes me smile deep inside. He's a beautiful, caring, soft, passionate and fun loving human being - a human being I hope I get to meet one day ... he is in scifi right? It's not out of the realm of possibility LOL
I highly reccomend this book even if you dont know alot about Doctor Who or Torchwood or John Barrowman. It will only take the first sentence for you to be hooked.
I dont think it takes much to fall in love with the likes of John Barrowman. One look that amazing blue eyes and cheeky grin and I was hooked. I've known for a long time that the man was hot and a great actor but it was only recently that I really started to take notice. For those of you who dont know, John Barrowman is a scottish actor who was brought up in the United States. He's famous for his stage performances, amazing voice and last but not least his portrayel of one Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and Torchwood.
I recently became a fan of Torchwood (after not being interested when it first aired here in Australia). Okay, I'm not just a fan ... I'm in geekdom heaven, getting highly addicted to the show, the characters and of course Captain Jack Harkness. Since this obsession took hold only about 4 months ago (and 3 seasons too late) my best friend (Lisa) and I have spent a bit of our limited money supply on collecting the Torchwood novels and any other Torchwood merchandise we can afford (or get our hands on).
On our latest Torchwood scavenger hunt at Minotaur (a pop-culture store in the city of Melbourne) I picked up a copy of John Barrowman's second autobiography titled "I Am What I Am"
If it werent for the fact that I was already smitten with the man, the cover would have convinced me that I needed to be smitten with him. John Barrowman had one of the most beautiful smiles and a hearty laugh - the kind of laughs that holds nothing back. The front cover is a gorgeous picture of John, his head sort of cocked to the side with a big wide smile, his blue eyes bright and happy. The back cover is a close up of his full smile laugh that just make me smile and want to laugh right along with him. There was no way I was not picking up this book along with the rest of my stash (Lisa and I had cleared a whole shelf of books in 5 seconds of walking into the store)
Cracking open this book I was already smiling as John took the time to welcome us into his home, detailed descriptions of his home as if he were leading us into his house and past the specially made Dalek he has in his foyer as you walk in. The man is a bigger geek than all the geeks put together and my god it makes him all the more adorable.
John takes us through many stories that both make your heart literally smile with happiness and he also takes through some moments that shock you, other moments that made me want to cry. All the while reading the combined effort of him and his sister Carole (she co-wrote it with him) I felt like I was in John's head, like I was sitting down with the man and listening to him talk animatedly (as John always does).
He told us about working on Torchwood and his feelings when it came to losing integral cast members (Naoko - Tosh and Burn - Owen *sniff*) and filming "Children of Earth" (The 3rd season) and losing the character Ianto (Played by the gorgeous and also cheeky Gareth David-Lloyd) It made me feel a little better to read his feelings of uncertainty about where the show was headed and his feelings of sadness at the losses they had suffered. The way he reacted to certain things during Children of Earth made me want to hug him and agree.
He told us many stories of his childhood and growing up as the youngest child in his family. His family sound like a riot, like the type of people you would want to know. They are all still to this day people that realise that just because you have grown up that doesnt mean that you cant be a child at heart. They all still pranks on each other, sometimes backfiring but everyone is a good sport and it's no wonder that he ended up such a theatrical person.
His Mum and Dad. My God he loves his parents. It oozes out of every sentence, every word when he talks about them. He adores his older sister and brother - Carole and Andrew - and he LOVES being "Unkie John". The things this family got up to and the little quirks that they hold to this day made me smile because all families have them. Simple things like whenever they would go out as a family, John's father would always be late. If someone asked what was taking him so long all of them would answer "He's cleaning the garage." It's the little knowing things about this family that I know about my own family. It's the in-jokes and the ability to not take things so seriously. I think John lucked out having a family like this because it has made him the gorgeous man he is today.
He spoke about his partner Scott and his tendancy to knock down walls ... literally. We all have our obsessions, right? Walls in the Barrowman/Gill household are not safe. He allows us to experience their relationship and shows that their relationship is no different from that of a man and woman ... other than the fact that it isnt a man and woman ... they are two gay men. John has grown up in a family of jokers and carefree people and is a big over grown child and I smiled fondly as John depicts Scott's reactions to some of the things that go on with the two of them. He seems like the long suffering husband who lets his partner have his fun. But Scott isnt always the straight laced boyfriend. He gets in on the mishceif too. Rickshaw races and mission impossible type attacks on John's mother and Carole with John at his side come to mind.
This coupling sounds so natural and I smile when I think of how happy they are. They have their disagreements and arguements like the next couple but I think 15 years speaks for itself. These two men love each other and are there for one another ... even if Scott appears to be a hypocondriact when it comes to pain and illness hehe
John spoke of his love for cars. He told us about his first car and the cars he has bought as he has grown older. He told us about some near misses he's had and how he handled them as the driver and how it lead to him being on the program "Fifth Gear" where he flipped a race car, writing it off. He's a very open gay man ... but he is also such a typical guy! He's a rev head through and through.
One of the funniest parts in the book would have to be him talking about ComicCon 2008. He was accompanied to the Con by his parents, sister Carole, Scott and Neice Clare. Carole disappeared, coming back getting excited about getting her photo taken with a Stargate, Scott and Clare were dying of boredom and his parents stayed with him as he signed autographs for hours on end.
He was sat next to Gareth David-Lloyd during the autographs and what a mistake that was for ComicCon as John and Gareth got their hands on plastic dart guns. The two of them spent some time shooting passersby. John remembers that while he was trying to get all the people wearing superhero costumes, Gareth was aiming at all the scantily clad females ... yes Gareth is the straight actor in this character pairing of Jack and Ianto and he proves it here LOL
After the con, John and his family all piled into the limo and just as they were taking off John spotted something outside that made him scream at the driver to stop the car. He exited the car without closing the door and sprinted across the road towards his target. Lindsey Wagner aka Wonder Women. Her "guards" knew who John was but poor Lindsey didnt. All she saw was this mad man wearing a Captain America racing towards her shouting. She eventually clued in that he wasnt a threat just a big overgrown geek and a celebrity himself no less. He doesnt remember what he said after he got to her which I laughed at so hard because when you meet someone you totally geek out at over sometimes the details of what you did or didnt say can be sketchy. How much do I love that this a adorable man is such a fan boy. I laughed even harder when he got back to the Limo and Scott idly commented that it was the fastest he'd seen John run for a woman since he'd known him. Oh I do love a dry sense of humor.
In this book John also shows us his love for kids. Two moments in particular stood out for me that I just have to mention because my heart just melted. While shopping in Costco in Cardiff (where he apparently shops all the freaking time) John was in the check out when this kid and his Mum lined up behind him. The little kid was too little to realise that it wasnt Captain Jack he was seeing. John went with it, and when the kid asked him why Captain Jack was shopping in Costco he told the kid because there had been Weevil sightings and he was hunting them and asked the kid to keep a look out for him. The kid looked back at him his whole way out to the car and had a great big smile on his face as he waved when they drove away. Another time when he was signing at a Hub convention a kid brought up his Captain Jack figurine to sign. He leant in to John and told him that he didnt care if "Jack" liked men or woman ... he was still his hero. OMG how adorable!!! This guy seems a natural with kids and I hope one day that he gets to experience his own ... but he does seem content beingf Uncle John and spoiling other people's kids LOL
But then he does act as a parent a lot of the time. He and Scott have owned a number of dogs over the years. These dogs are their babies. They spoil them rotten. It was also at this point in the book that I felt like I could cry. We all know as pet owners that owning a pet also comes with the guarantee that we will suffer loss. The loss of a pet is something that is anything less because it's simply a pet. I know we've all felt the pain of loss of a beloved pet and John's descriptions of when he lost his "first" baby Penny was terrible. I wanted to hug him. She was old and dying and couldnt see anymore and in the end he couldnt keep her alive anymore. The best thing for her was to put her down because she was suffering. He and Scott took her to the vet and he held her, got nose to snout with her so that she knew he was there by smell if she couldnt see and stayed that way while she went peacefully to sleep. His feelings on the matter of losing his beloved pets is heartbreaking. This man feels so deeply. There are two more losses, ones that had both Scott and him bawling their eyes out. God, I want to meet these two.
But the pet stories arent all sad. There is a funny story about a stray cat, a bedroom, disaster area and poor Scott coming home to find it all that will be stuck in my mind for a long time. I laughed hard. I will also never forget his experience shooting a documentary at a Zoo ... I was shocked as was he at the conditions.
John talks about his theatre experiences and his experiences as a judge on talent shows, his pride at hosting his own show "Tonights The Night" that allowed normal every day to get their shining moment on stage. I have watched clips of this show and wow ... it makes me fall for him a little more every time. I loved these stories as it once again showed his true character. He's a beautiful man and I love even more that he doesnt back down from what he believes in. He is fair and knows when to shut up but he sticks by his resolve. I appreciate a man like that.
John also took us through his feelings on what it is to be gay for him personally and his search to find out what makes a person gay, how he was born that way. It isnt a life choice that you make. It's not something he woke up one morning and he decided he was gay. He's always been gay since he was young and this is where I think I love his family and especially his parents. So many Gay people out there get treated terrible sometimes by the very people they should be able to rely on. He mentions that it was hard when he first told his parents but they hugged him immediately upon him telling them and never once was he made to feel different ... for being different.
I love how open he is about his sexuality. He doesnt hide anything and he is probably one of the most happiest celebrities I have ever witnessed. Hell, he is probably one of the most happiest human beins I have ever seen. His has this energy that is just infectious. He has his problems and dark moments like all of us do. But he is such a happy man for the most part and he just wants to help people and make people smile. There is nothing like watching that man on stage and letting his energy make you smile in your heart. He loves what he does. He really does and its something he cant hide when he's on set or when he's on stage singing, belting out tunes magnificantly.
One more moment in this book that stood out to me was when he explains a time in Cardiff when he and Scott were going to see a movie. The session was sold out and they had to wait. John got excited because they had time on their hands. He wanted to check out the Doctor Who museum. Here you have this actor who was on Doctor Who and lead on the spin off Torchwood and he's getting all geekily excited about going to the museum. Scott wasnt so much and they parted ways before the movie. Once in the museum, John found a Dalek and the cheeky little child came out in him again. He got into the exhibit and stood next to the Dalek like he was part of the show. The next family that came through, a child and his parents, got up close and the mother went to touch what she thought was a manican of Jack Harkness when he reached out and grabbed her arm. She screamed, the kid shit himself and the father doubled over laughing. He apologised and chatted to them but as soon as they left he got back into position before his next victims ... ahmm People came by. What a little kid. Meanwhile there's Scott looking at his watch as he waits at the cinema, John turning up late because he was too busy playing in the Doctor Who exihibit LOL Oh he's adorable.
I finished reading this book at 5 am and went to bed smiling. There is so much more in this book that I didnt mention because I could rattle on about this book for hours and pages and no-one wants that. After having read this I think I am totally in love and I would have John Barrowman any other way. Everything about this man compliments him and makes me smile whenever I see him. He's just such a bright soul and makes me smile deep inside. He's a beautiful, caring, soft, passionate and fun loving human being - a human being I hope I get to meet one day ... he is in scifi right? It's not out of the realm of possibility LOL
I highly reccomend this book even if you dont know alot about Doctor Who or Torchwood or John Barrowman. It will only take the first sentence for you to be hooked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2021
I like John Barrowman's memoirs, they are very entertaining.
August 7, 2019
John (and Carole) is an amazing storyteller (If you didn't get that from Anything Goes then there's something wrong with you ;))! Absolutely loved this book. The stories and John's convictions really come out. There is one small cavat that I didn't really like and that was the main chapter on the Dr. Who/Toarchwood stuff. I've never seen either show or have ANY desire to watch them so that chapter was kind of hard to get through because I've never seen any of the stuff he talked about. Other than that this book is fantastic and everybody should read it. They will laugh and cry!
July 5, 2014
I finally carved out some time to finish up this book in more than a few minute spurts just before bed. I must say the book is much more enjoyable when you can just sit and read it, than to do so as a before bed read.
I learned quite a few things about John from this book, and it was a lovely follow up to Anything Goes: My Autobiography
I learned quite a few things about John from this book, and it was a lovely follow up to Anything Goes: My Autobiography
April 4, 2010
In contrast to John's earlier book, Anything Goes, this is not so much an autobiography but a book full of stories - and lovely ones they are! John is every bit as cheeky and fun as he is during his shows or on TV and reading the book simply guarantees you having a great time. It should come as no surprise then that there's 5 stars for this book of my favourite performer - Mr. John Barrowman!
January 17, 2010
learned some nice things about John's partner and a few more interesting tales of family life.
Much the same as the first book, but more a day to day telling of his past than anything really outstanding. Plus there was details of the scandel with the Daily Mail.
Much the same as the first book, but more a day to day telling of his past than anything really outstanding. Plus there was details of the scandel with the Daily Mail.
January 24, 2018
John's second autobiography, again co-written with his sister Carole, features more about John's life, this time, other than in "Anything Goes", more about his current life, with his husband, his family & friends and colleagues, as well as a lot of behind the scenes stories from his work life, tv-shows, stage and singing work and everything else he did at the time. Again, it was a sheer pleasure to read it, all written with typical Barrowman-wit, his enjoyment of naughty, nutty fun and love of life. Some great stories from his current life at the time, very open and insightful. And so interesting and funny to read what happened behind the scenes of the tv series and shows he did. Since my first reading of it I often re-read it and as some time has passed and so many things have happened in John's career and life since then, I'm ready for a new AB which I hope John and Carole are already working on!
May 27, 2019
Again, I felt like I was sitting with John Barrowman swapping tales about his life. I enjoy the way he can talk about himself and tell his stories with both humor and gravity and leave his reader breathless. My favorite quip of his in this book was when he was someplace to see a movie and they had a Doctor Who Exhibit next door. He couldn't get in to see the early movie so he went next door to kill time (and maybe a Dalek) before the next movie. He decided to get into the scene by pretending to being part of the Dalek scene and almost caused a patron to have a cow! I was laughing so hard by the time "she screamed and he screamed" and the husband just stood there laughing!
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn a little more about John Barrowman and what makes him tick.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn a little more about John Barrowman and what makes him tick.
January 19, 2018
Funny
I found this book to extremely funny. John Barrowman is my favorite actor/entertainer. Captain Jack Harkness is my favorite character he plays. He talks often about working on Torchwood. A lot of behind the scene stuff. Plus his personal life and that's what makes the book so funny. I definitely recommend this book to anyone. You won't be offended by its content if that's what you're worried about. He is what is and that's what I love about him.
I found this book to extremely funny. John Barrowman is my favorite actor/entertainer. Captain Jack Harkness is my favorite character he plays. He talks often about working on Torchwood. A lot of behind the scene stuff. Plus his personal life and that's what makes the book so funny. I definitely recommend this book to anyone. You won't be offended by its content if that's what you're worried about. He is what is and that's what I love about him.
April 30, 2024
It's ok, interesting that the stories of exposure that plague Barrowman's career are mentioned here AGAIN in an inappropriate joking way, quite embarrassing for him. He also comes across as quite braggy and self-aggrandising but not that unusual for him.
Overall ok read, the sheer amount of footnotes make it horrible to read on an ereader but obviously this was not published with the thought of ereaders in mind so I will forgive it for that.
Overall ok read, the sheer amount of footnotes make it horrible to read on an ereader but obviously this was not published with the thought of ereaders in mind so I will forgive it for that.
October 24, 2023
For some reason I read the first half of this book about 6 years ago, but never finished it. I finally read the last half in the past 2 days. It was a fun read except for the part about his elderly dogs. I greatly enjoyed this book, but should have tried to find the audiobook to hear his excited voice exclaim over Costco so much.
February 25, 2024
I adore this man and this book, as well as his other memoir, Anything Goes. I loved reading about all his comedic antics, as well as his life and career. I've read a lot of celebrity memoirs before, but with Barrowman's, I truly felt as though I'd gotten to know him in a significant way. Truly a great read for any of his musical theatre fans, or Doctor Who fans alike.
December 18, 2024
I enjoyed getting to know more about John Barrowman. I could feel his personality jump off the pages. He has lead interesting life and been in so many productions. I hope he comes out with a book about his life now. It would be interesting to see what has changed and what has stayed the same. If you are a fan of John Barrowman, I definitely recommend reading this book.
March 14, 2021
Read this book when it came out in 2009. I do recall it was an easy read, with a fairly interesting back story on this actor who was in both Dr Who and Torchwood. His first memoir in 2008 was written in same easy style. Would i read again. No
May 9, 2017
Just read this book. John Barrowman is everything and a fabulous bag of chips.
June 2, 2017
reread because I needed a laugh, absolutely charming
May 21, 2018
Loved it. As upbeat and fun as the man himself.
July 19, 2018
Just as good as his first autobiography, I loved every minute of this. Several chapters had me laughing so hard I had tears.
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