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A Coach Trip Adventure: My Life. Brendan Sheerin
Described by The Guardian as providing 'high-grade entertainment', Brendan Sheerin has acquired fans in their millions, young and old alike, through his enthusiastic, cordial and comical role as the tour guide on Channel 4's runaway hit reality show Coach Trip. Packed full of laugh-out-loud tales described in Brendan's unique voice, and with a brand new chapter, this warm, funny and very down-to-earth book will charm fans the world over. Brendan has been a professional tour guide for more than thirty years. Born in Leeds, Yorkshire, he spent his childhood summers with his family in Ireland - and his life travelling the globe, finally settling in Malaga, Spain. From stories about Brendan's childhood through to the mishaps and mayhem of life on the show and how he felt finding fame in his fifties, A Coach Trip Adventure is as entertaining and enjoyable as the man himself.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 29, 2018
I was mainly drawn to this book because I am a fan of Brendan's programme 'Coach Trip' and I am pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed this book! It is a really sincere biography and is brilliantly written, taking you on a real journey through Brendan's life. It is also very emotional; it made me laugh and cry. This has definitely become a favourite for me and would recommend it to anyone, especially those who are fans of 'Coach Trip'!
October 25, 2019
What an absolutely brilliant book. I've watched Coach Trip for a while now and loved Brendan and his witty comments and his knowledge of all the places they visit. I had no idea about his private life though ( why should i) What a remarkable man. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone but you al must buy this book.. To think to that he used to have a cottage on the outskirts of Scarborough, a tiny village called Flixton... My Auntie has had a farm there for almost 50 years!!!
May 19, 2017
A very interesting book about Brendan. Big fan of coach trip and Brendan. An interesting story of his life, how he got to where he is today with all the trials and tribulations that go with life. Some reviews are not happy that the book is not about coach trip but if you read what the book title is is about Brendan. So if you are happy about this and want to know more about the star of coach trip give it a read you'll laugh and cry.
August 8, 2012
We all love Brendan.
April 1, 2013
Rubbish is the only word for this book. I loved the TV show but the book is more about Brendan telling us how well he has done for himself than it is about coach trip. Save your money
December 13, 2022
This book is a amazing. I love Brendan and the way he carry’s himself on Tv you would think he’s been doing it all his life. I was so interested to hear about his life and where it all began as a fan of the show and him. He has done so many amazing things and travelled to some really nice places. His description of grief for the love of his life was spot on and It reminded me of how I felt. It was so real and raw it just made me cry. Someone reviewed and said he was a name dropper yes he is but it’s all his lovely friends that he has meet on his journey through life, I feel that there a important part of his life and have helped him through some tough times. If you like Brendan or Coach trip then I would read this book it was fantastic
March 11, 2021
I have never seen "Coach Trip", but my mum recommended this biography so I now know a lot about Brendan Sheerin. What a lovely man! I really enjoyed his story from his childhood, coming out, finding love and fame. He has a wealth of knowledge, having travelled so greatly and seems to have sound judgement about people and places.
May 31, 2017
What a lovely chap, I've just finished this book and I'm only 3 miles away from the town of Flixton where Brendan lived for many years with his dear partner Les. Anyone who enjoys watching coach trip will love this snapshot into Brendan's life from childhood to international celebrity tour guide.
April 10, 2018
We all love Brendan, especially his attitude on coach trip. It was interesting reading about his up bringing and it made me think about the past attitudes about homosexuality and the church. How times have changed and how people suffered for their sexual preferences.
September 2, 2020
Most enjoyable book I have read in ages and kept me quiet amused after waiting hrs in A&E. Lol
Yes, wld recommend this book to anyone. Such a fascinating read about Brendan's life. With many surprises. Wish I could go on coach trip.
Yes, wld recommend this book to anyone. Such a fascinating read about Brendan's life. With many surprises. Wish I could go on coach trip.
February 10, 2023
Entertaining. There was a bit of over-sharing of the TOO personal kind but I liked learning more about the author's roots in Ireland, his relatives and their day to day work along with the foods they cultivated.
July 31, 2017
a great read, I found him talking about his private life more interesting than his tales about his life on Coach Trip, still a good read though
September 15, 2017
This was quite a fun and easy holiday read! Love the Coach Trip series, and I can really hear Brendan talking in this book.
June 17, 2024
This is the 2nd time I have read this book and still love it!
February 3, 2022
Not that I had any idea of who the author is or the programme Coach Trip. I just wanted to have the insider view of what a tour director does on a coach trip around the continent.
January 11, 2013
This autobiography is so pleasant to read as it tells the story of a life that is lived with some candour and charm.
Brendan Sheerin is an unlikely celebrity who was launched from obscurity into the realm of the Coach Trip reality series – a cult and celebrated British television show where he acts as coach guide whilst taking competing passengers around Europe and beyond.
Television career aside, Sheerin tells an extraordinary story of an otherwise very ordinary life. He writes about his humble background in Leeds, West Yorkshire and his experiences of living his life as a gay man in this tough, Northern UK city. The majority of the book then concentrates on him catching the ‘travel bug’ in his late teens, meeting a cherished partner and spending much of his life working and travelling abroad in a way that really broadened his horizons. After his partner died, television beckoned out of the blue, saving him and turning him into a cult and immensely popular British television icon.
Like many other autobiographies on the market, I don’t find this book amazingly revelatory in the wider sense but it is humble, warm and somewhat homely in a good way. Sheerin seems to employ a narrative tone that keeps you hooked and he clearly believes in truly ‘living’ life despite any setbacks. Its appeal for me is in its simplicity and I enjoyed the travel themes that run throughout (I am an avid travel butterfly myself).
The tone of the book can be summed up nicely in one lovely quote that I found within the final pages. It says:
- It is so important to be free in this life, to soar like an eagle, to be yourself and to shine in your own way like the golden sun, and more importantly to love freely and to be loved –
It’s this kind of emotional intelligence mixed with straightforwardness that gives the book its own charm and appeal. For lovers of autobiography it’s a nice and uncomplicated little read.
Recommended.
Brendan Sheerin is an unlikely celebrity who was launched from obscurity into the realm of the Coach Trip reality series – a cult and celebrated British television show where he acts as coach guide whilst taking competing passengers around Europe and beyond.
Television career aside, Sheerin tells an extraordinary story of an otherwise very ordinary life. He writes about his humble background in Leeds, West Yorkshire and his experiences of living his life as a gay man in this tough, Northern UK city. The majority of the book then concentrates on him catching the ‘travel bug’ in his late teens, meeting a cherished partner and spending much of his life working and travelling abroad in a way that really broadened his horizons. After his partner died, television beckoned out of the blue, saving him and turning him into a cult and immensely popular British television icon.
Like many other autobiographies on the market, I don’t find this book amazingly revelatory in the wider sense but it is humble, warm and somewhat homely in a good way. Sheerin seems to employ a narrative tone that keeps you hooked and he clearly believes in truly ‘living’ life despite any setbacks. Its appeal for me is in its simplicity and I enjoyed the travel themes that run throughout (I am an avid travel butterfly myself).
The tone of the book can be summed up nicely in one lovely quote that I found within the final pages. It says:
- It is so important to be free in this life, to soar like an eagle, to be yourself and to shine in your own way like the golden sun, and more importantly to love freely and to be loved –
It’s this kind of emotional intelligence mixed with straightforwardness that gives the book its own charm and appeal. For lovers of autobiography it’s a nice and uncomplicated little read.
Recommended.
November 9, 2015
Coach Trip is a very popular travel programme broadcast on Channel 4 television in the UK. It is presented by a very likeable and camp man called Brendan, this is his memoir.
This book covers Brendan's life from his birth in 1959 to 2011, with the content relating to the Coach Trip television programme from 2004. It is not until you have read 53% of this memoir before Coach Trip is mentioned, so the title is a little misleading. However this memoir is easy to relate to and is told in the same soft manner as he uses on the television programme. Brendan is only 5 months younger than me and I found it very easy to fall into his shoes as he described the social themes of the day as his memoir moved forward.
I found this book not the best of reads. Brendan gives a very long name check of all the people he has met overs the years. This name dropping became rather tedious after a while! The anecdotes he raises are quite poor and short. The funniest being about a donkey in Ireland. There is a lot of moving around and Brendan never lives in one place for long. Each new home has a long description and when he leaves there is another tedious roll call of the people left behind.
The information I got from this book about the Coach Trip television programme was very poor. Programme makers can be quite lazy and a full day’s filming is edited down to just 30 minutes for broadcast. But Brendan does reveal a lot about the Catholic church, the way it deals with homosexuals and the personal grief experienced when his partner of 25 years Les, died at the age of 59.
This book is an okay read and solves the readers' curiosity about a celebrity life. It is not a thrilling read and is like someone getting back from holiday and telling you about what a nice time they had. Brendan is not the best of storytellers but I will still vote his memoir 3 stars because of how he explains the challenges of being a homosexual to a wider audience.
This book covers Brendan's life from his birth in 1959 to 2011, with the content relating to the Coach Trip television programme from 2004. It is not until you have read 53% of this memoir before Coach Trip is mentioned, so the title is a little misleading. However this memoir is easy to relate to and is told in the same soft manner as he uses on the television programme. Brendan is only 5 months younger than me and I found it very easy to fall into his shoes as he described the social themes of the day as his memoir moved forward.
I found this book not the best of reads. Brendan gives a very long name check of all the people he has met overs the years. This name dropping became rather tedious after a while! The anecdotes he raises are quite poor and short. The funniest being about a donkey in Ireland. There is a lot of moving around and Brendan never lives in one place for long. Each new home has a long description and when he leaves there is another tedious roll call of the people left behind.
The information I got from this book about the Coach Trip television programme was very poor. Programme makers can be quite lazy and a full day’s filming is edited down to just 30 minutes for broadcast. But Brendan does reveal a lot about the Catholic church, the way it deals with homosexuals and the personal grief experienced when his partner of 25 years Les, died at the age of 59.
This book is an okay read and solves the readers' curiosity about a celebrity life. It is not a thrilling read and is like someone getting back from holiday and telling you about what a nice time they had. Brendan is not the best of storytellers but I will still vote his memoir 3 stars because of how he explains the challenges of being a homosexual to a wider audience.
August 22, 2015
Whilst not generally a big fain of the biography/auto biography I do sometimes dabble if I have a particular liking of/interest in the individual as I do of Brendan Sheerin and his tv series, Coach Trip.
Seemingly every bit as lovable as the tour guide I have come to love, Brendan obviously hasn't let his 'celeb' status go to his head if this refreshingly down-to-earth biography is anything to go by.
Whether charting his early days looking back at his Irish roots; his childhood summers spent on his families farm, his time as an altar boy, his coming out as a Gay man, his experiences as an international tour guide and, latterly, the host of Coach Trip Brendan's zest for life and wonderful sense of humour comes across in his every word.
And yet it isn't all laughter. At times incredibly poignant, I actually found myself in tears as the author related his relationship with and eventual loss of his beloved partner.
A must read for all fans. I'm hoping there will be another book which fleshes out his middle years, details of which could be a bit sketchy.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Seemingly every bit as lovable as the tour guide I have come to love, Brendan obviously hasn't let his 'celeb' status go to his head if this refreshingly down-to-earth biography is anything to go by.
Whether charting his early days looking back at his Irish roots; his childhood summers spent on his families farm, his time as an altar boy, his coming out as a Gay man, his experiences as an international tour guide and, latterly, the host of Coach Trip Brendan's zest for life and wonderful sense of humour comes across in his every word.
And yet it isn't all laughter. At times incredibly poignant, I actually found myself in tears as the author related his relationship with and eventual loss of his beloved partner.
A must read for all fans. I'm hoping there will be another book which fleshes out his middle years, details of which could be a bit sketchy.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
December 27, 2011
I love watching Coach Trip on TV and Brendan always makes me laugh. I got weirdly excited when I saw this book in the library and knew I had to read it. Finally the chance to get to know the man of the coach better.
this book is perfect for anyone who loves the show. It goes right back to his childhood, where he grew up, the people he's met and the adventures he's had.
Brendan has had quite an exciting life and has traveled a lot (before Coach Trip). He's had hard times and I admire him for the way he's pulled through and got on with life.
His witty humour comes through in the book, but there are also some really emotional bits too.
It was a good read, and offered a real look into his world.
A must read for any fan!
this book is perfect for anyone who loves the show. It goes right back to his childhood, where he grew up, the people he's met and the adventures he's had.
Brendan has had quite an exciting life and has traveled a lot (before Coach Trip). He's had hard times and I admire him for the way he's pulled through and got on with life.
His witty humour comes through in the book, but there are also some really emotional bits too.
It was a good read, and offered a real look into his world.
A must read for any fan!
June 28, 2015
I have been a fan of the tv series Coach Trip since it first started so when I saw that tour guide Brendan Sheerin had released an autobiography I thought there’d probably be a lot in it that I’d find interesting. I was pleased that it didn’t just focus on his time with the series but instead covered his life before tv beckoned – it was nice to get to know more about him and his life as a whole. In terms of talking about the tv series the book was published in 2011 so it only covers the first few series, I found that I quickly remembered the contestants and incidents Brendan talked about – I just wish that the book had been reissued with an update, at least for the digital copy. Brendan’s voice shines through with this book, he had me laughing and crying at different points.
December 30, 2011
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of Coach Trip and also those who enjoy reading about other peoples' travels.
I found the first third a little slow. This section focussed on Brendan's childhood and his faith and I found it a little hard going. After this it picked up and I really enjoyed reading about his adventures.
I really liked the style of writing as it was easy to read and I felt like I could hear Brendan's voice in my mind when I was reading it.
As a warning, about three quarters of the way through you need to keep the tissues handy! Brendan is a lovely person who has led an amazing life and worked hard for it. Well worth a read.
I found the first third a little slow. This section focussed on Brendan's childhood and his faith and I found it a little hard going. After this it picked up and I really enjoyed reading about his adventures.
I really liked the style of writing as it was easy to read and I felt like I could hear Brendan's voice in my mind when I was reading it.
As a warning, about three quarters of the way through you need to keep the tissues handy! Brendan is a lovely person who has led an amazing life and worked hard for it. Well worth a read.
September 25, 2012
Being a fan of coach trip I was very much looking forward to reading Brendan's book. I wasn't disappointed it was a great read even though only a small portion of the book is geared towards his coach trip experience. A large part is Brendan's life growing up. I especially liked hearing about his time in leeds, living in West Yorkshire myself. The book is funny as well at times heartbreaking but always interesting. Even if you're not a fan of coach trip If you get the chance to read this please do :)
March 6, 2012
It was good to see the background of Brendan's life and his 'adventures' before Coach trip. I found a lot out about him from the book which I wouldn't have ever known out if I hadn't read this autobiography. Only relatively short in length it packs quite a lot of his life and coach trip, including bits that if you follow the series, you'll remember for yourself!
An all round great read about a great chap who will become a British Treasure.
An all round great read about a great chap who will become a British Treasure.
January 3, 2012
An absolutely incredible book! It was so nice to see the man behind what we only see on Coach Trip, with his fabulous stories of his childhood and travelling life. It combines both his cheerful, bubbly character and a softer side as we see his experiences. The book made me laugh and cry and I would strongly recommend it to everyone, even if you haven't seen the show Coach Trip.
January 25, 2013
Coach Trip has been a guilty pleasure of mine since the second series!
The first half of the book details Brendan's life pre- Coach Trip, including the poignant 'love of his life'. The second half covers the Coach Trip years, with enough juicy details to keep a fan interested, whilst still being discreet. A lovely reminder of the various seasons, including the Celebrity Coach Trips.
The first half of the book details Brendan's life pre- Coach Trip, including the poignant 'love of his life'. The second half covers the Coach Trip years, with enough juicy details to keep a fan interested, whilst still being discreet. A lovely reminder of the various seasons, including the Celebrity Coach Trips.
April 1, 2013
When I received this book as a gift I wondered why my friend had bought it for me.i have to say I am so glad she did! This book had me laughing and crying. Wonderfully written, it captures all the personality of Brendan and his enthusiasm not just for coach trip but for life.
July 15, 2013
What an interesting bloke. Had me in tears at one point.
July 11, 2014
Very enjoyable, massive fan if the series. Could have read faster IG hadn't been ill. I kept hearing Brendan's voice.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews