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The Life of Lee
Lee Evans is one of the best-loved comedians in the country; a Hollywood star able to sell out arenas in the blink of eye.
But he was not always such a roaring success.
The Life of Lee is an utterly hilarious and very moving autobiography charting his ups and downs on the way to the top. Lee takes us on a darkly humorous journey through his childhood spent running wild on a Bristol housing estate and his unconventional school days, when he was publicly derided as 'a failure' by a sadistic teacher.
In this brilliantly entertaining and engaging tale, he also guides us through a grim teenage period of numerous dead-end jobs. When he was cleaning toilets and plucking turkeys, he could never have imagined that one day he would be playing to thousands of adoring fans at the O2 Arena.
The book also reveals how as a boy Lee got his first taste of showbiz, living out of a suitcase and accompanying his entertainer father around the smoky, rowdy, unforgiving working-men's club and theatre circuit.
Desperately struggling to be accepted, this quiet young loner always saw himself as an outsider. But he finally met the love of his life and accidentally discovered the one place where he felt at home: the stage.
The Life of Lee is a story that is like its subject: compelling, touching, charming and, above all, fantastically funny.
But he was not always such a roaring success.
The Life of Lee is an utterly hilarious and very moving autobiography charting his ups and downs on the way to the top. Lee takes us on a darkly humorous journey through his childhood spent running wild on a Bristol housing estate and his unconventional school days, when he was publicly derided as 'a failure' by a sadistic teacher.
In this brilliantly entertaining and engaging tale, he also guides us through a grim teenage period of numerous dead-end jobs. When he was cleaning toilets and plucking turkeys, he could never have imagined that one day he would be playing to thousands of adoring fans at the O2 Arena.
The book also reveals how as a boy Lee got his first taste of showbiz, living out of a suitcase and accompanying his entertainer father around the smoky, rowdy, unforgiving working-men's club and theatre circuit.
Desperately struggling to be accepted, this quiet young loner always saw himself as an outsider. But he finally met the love of his life and accidentally discovered the one place where he felt at home: the stage.
The Life of Lee is a story that is like its subject: compelling, touching, charming and, above all, fantastically funny.
386 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
109 people are currently reading
1111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
February 19, 2023
Stand up comedian Lee Evans has gone from a bullied schoolboy to a hugely popular entertainer & here he tells the story of his early years.
Lee Evans spent many years travelling & attending different schools, but a lot of his time growing up took place in Bristol. The story of his early life is by far my favourite part of the book. He tells how he never fitted in with other children & often escaped into his own fantasy world. Although much of his story is incredibly funny I found it sad how he spent a lot of of his childhood & teenage years being bullied by other children.
The second half of the book covers meeting his future wife & his struggle to find work. Evans manages to find humour even in the darkest of times & you do feel sorry for all the difficult years he went through before he achieved the huge success he deserved.
Lee Evans spent many years travelling & attending different schools, but a lot of his time growing up took place in Bristol. The story of his early life is by far my favourite part of the book. He tells how he never fitted in with other children & often escaped into his own fantasy world. Although much of his story is incredibly funny I found it sad how he spent a lot of of his childhood & teenage years being bullied by other children.
The second half of the book covers meeting his future wife & his struggle to find work. Evans manages to find humour even in the darkest of times & you do feel sorry for all the difficult years he went through before he achieved the huge success he deserved.
June 17, 2020
Although I was hoping for more humour, this book was still a great read.
It covers his childhood up to the age of 18 and the many, many struggles of his life. I am so glad he never gave up.
It covers his childhood up to the age of 18 and the many, many struggles of his life. I am so glad he never gave up.
March 18, 2023
Lee Evans is one of the best-loved comedians in the country; a Hollywood star able to sell out arenas in the blink of eye. One of my favourite stand up comedians.
The Life of Lee is an hilarious and very moving autobiography charting his ups and downs on the way to the top. Lee takes us on a darkly humorous journey through his childhood spent running wild on a Bristol housing estate and his unconventional school days, when he was publicly derided as 'a failure' by a sadistic teacher.
In this entertaining and engaging tale, he also guides us through a grim teenage period of numerous dead-end jobs. When he was cleaning toilets and plucking turkeys, he could never have imagined that one day he would be playing to thousands of adoring fans at the O2 Arena.
The book also reveals how as a boy Lee got his first taste of showbiz, living out of a suitcase and accompanying his entertainer father around the smoky, rowdy, unforgiving working-men's club and theatre circuit.
Desperately struggling to be accepted, this quiet young loner always saw himself as an outsider. But he finally met the love of his life and accidentally discovered the one place where he felt at home: the stage.
In November 2005, the comedian Lee Evans smashed the world record by playing to the largest ever comedy audience, 10,108 people at the Manchester Evening News Arena. The record merely underlined his status as the most popular comedian in the UK.
A former boxer, Lee went on to break more records. On his 'Big' tour of 2008, he sold more than 500,000 tickets on fifty-nine arena dates. He has now sold in excess of four million DVDs.
The Perrier Award-winning comedian, who was born in Bristol in 1964, has also enjoyed great success as a movie star, headlining in such films as There's Something About Mary, MouseHunt, The Fifth Element, The Martins and the critically acclaimed Funny Bones.
In addition, he has made a big splash in West End shows such as the musical, The Producers (with Nathan Lane), Endgame (with Sir Michael Gambon) and The Dumb Waiter (with Jason Isaacs), receiving numerous theatre awards along the way.
Lee has been happily married to Heather for twenty-seven years. They live in Essex and have a daughter called Mollie.
Okay, so why only three stars, well I was approaching 350 pages thinking he still in his teens, this is not his life story, I came to the end and I thought what about his whole life as an adult, a film star, a top stage performer. Filling stadiums, appearing in front of million, non of this is in the book.
The book finishes before he established himself as a star, finishes when just married and no job!!
But, following his shock decision to retire in 2014, Lee stepped back from the spotlight and now devotes his time to family. So, where is he now?
Lee, who moved from Bristol to Essex with his family aged 11, announced his decision to retire from comedy in November 2014 during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show.
Speaking to host Jonathan, the comic explained that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and daughter.
Would have so much enjoyed reading about his decisions in a book, but the book was published in 2011, he retired in 2014, still young, but respectfully admire his decision to spend time with his family.
Loved his act, find the book not good.
The Life of Lee is an hilarious and very moving autobiography charting his ups and downs on the way to the top. Lee takes us on a darkly humorous journey through his childhood spent running wild on a Bristol housing estate and his unconventional school days, when he was publicly derided as 'a failure' by a sadistic teacher.
In this entertaining and engaging tale, he also guides us through a grim teenage period of numerous dead-end jobs. When he was cleaning toilets and plucking turkeys, he could never have imagined that one day he would be playing to thousands of adoring fans at the O2 Arena.
The book also reveals how as a boy Lee got his first taste of showbiz, living out of a suitcase and accompanying his entertainer father around the smoky, rowdy, unforgiving working-men's club and theatre circuit.
Desperately struggling to be accepted, this quiet young loner always saw himself as an outsider. But he finally met the love of his life and accidentally discovered the one place where he felt at home: the stage.
In November 2005, the comedian Lee Evans smashed the world record by playing to the largest ever comedy audience, 10,108 people at the Manchester Evening News Arena. The record merely underlined his status as the most popular comedian in the UK.
A former boxer, Lee went on to break more records. On his 'Big' tour of 2008, he sold more than 500,000 tickets on fifty-nine arena dates. He has now sold in excess of four million DVDs.
The Perrier Award-winning comedian, who was born in Bristol in 1964, has also enjoyed great success as a movie star, headlining in such films as There's Something About Mary, MouseHunt, The Fifth Element, The Martins and the critically acclaimed Funny Bones.
In addition, he has made a big splash in West End shows such as the musical, The Producers (with Nathan Lane), Endgame (with Sir Michael Gambon) and The Dumb Waiter (with Jason Isaacs), receiving numerous theatre awards along the way.
Lee has been happily married to Heather for twenty-seven years. They live in Essex and have a daughter called Mollie.
Okay, so why only three stars, well I was approaching 350 pages thinking he still in his teens, this is not his life story, I came to the end and I thought what about his whole life as an adult, a film star, a top stage performer. Filling stadiums, appearing in front of million, non of this is in the book.
The book finishes before he established himself as a star, finishes when just married and no job!!
But, following his shock decision to retire in 2014, Lee stepped back from the spotlight and now devotes his time to family. So, where is he now?
Lee, who moved from Bristol to Essex with his family aged 11, announced his decision to retire from comedy in November 2014 during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show.
Speaking to host Jonathan, the comic explained that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and daughter.
Would have so much enjoyed reading about his decisions in a book, but the book was published in 2011, he retired in 2014, still young, but respectfully admire his decision to spend time with his family.
Loved his act, find the book not good.
March 20, 2016
This biography did not meet my expectations but actually ended up exceeding them. Rather than a chornology of his quite obviously amazing career in comedy this biography is a compliation of childhood and teenage memories documenting the key events, people and breaks that eventually led Lee Evans into the path of showbiz and comedy.
I absolutely loved the way that Lee Evans writes in this book, so starkly honest but at the same time cracking jokes and keeping the whole thing light. I'll be honest there were some parts of this book that made me tear-up because both he and his future wife Heather went through some really tough years but look at him! He never gave up and look where he is now! A true inspiration to anyone, especially in a climate of economic downturn which reflects so closely that in Lee's book.
Not only has this book cemented the comedy genius of Evans but it has also shown me that he is an inspiration as a man, husband and entertainer! Loved it!
I absolutely loved the way that Lee Evans writes in this book, so starkly honest but at the same time cracking jokes and keeping the whole thing light. I'll be honest there were some parts of this book that made me tear-up because both he and his future wife Heather went through some really tough years but look at him! He never gave up and look where he is now! A true inspiration to anyone, especially in a climate of economic downturn which reflects so closely that in Lee's book.
Not only has this book cemented the comedy genius of Evans but it has also shown me that he is an inspiration as a man, husband and entertainer! Loved it!
December 1, 2021
Ive had this book since it first came out but never read it. Ive seen him live a few times too. Im glad I've finally got round to reading it. The book is a good insight into his childhood and how he was brought up. I love reading about his journey with his wife. The story goes up to how he realised that he was talented in comedy however I wish he wrote another book on how it all took off.
January 12, 2012
Sorry Lee, Love you, think you're a great guy and you deserve all the success in the world but found this book a bit too long-winded considering it only told your story up until you're eighteen. The childhood stuff just didn't interest me so it wasn't until the final third of the book that I really got into it.
On saying that, I'm glad I read it because I enjoyed getting to know Lee Evans. The story between him and Heather was truly touching and spoken straight from the heart. Some of the experiences shared towards the end of this book are very personal, which is exactly what anybody wants from an autobiography, but I only wish this could have been the first half of the book, with the second half being the days you finally made it (but I guess this has been left open-ended so he can bring a sequel out - and who can blame him?)
Worth a read but requires a good deal of patience.
On saying that, I'm glad I read it because I enjoyed getting to know Lee Evans. The story between him and Heather was truly touching and spoken straight from the heart. Some of the experiences shared towards the end of this book are very personal, which is exactly what anybody wants from an autobiography, but I only wish this could have been the first half of the book, with the second half being the days you finally made it (but I guess this has been left open-ended so he can bring a sequel out - and who can blame him?)
Worth a read but requires a good deal of patience.
April 27, 2020
Amazing! It makes you laugh, cry, and ponder. That's all I want in a book.
December 11, 2011
I love Lee Evans, he's such an amazing comedian, and I was not at all disappointed after listening to the book.
I don't usually like listening to audible books, but I think it was better to listen to this book because he did all the ascents to the people he mentions which makes it so much funnier.
his life is very fascinating and I didn't expect many of the events he talks about. what I found surprising was that he didn't actually want to be a performer, when he's got such a natural way of performing and making people laugh it was quite shocking.
there's not much I can say without giving away any spoilers but this book has made me love Lee even more.
an excellent (audio) book showing the fascinating and interesting but often unsuccessful life of one the best comedians; Lee Evans xxx
I don't usually like listening to audible books, but I think it was better to listen to this book because he did all the ascents to the people he mentions which makes it so much funnier.
his life is very fascinating and I didn't expect many of the events he talks about. what I found surprising was that he didn't actually want to be a performer, when he's got such a natural way of performing and making people laugh it was quite shocking.
there's not much I can say without giving away any spoilers but this book has made me love Lee even more.
an excellent (audio) book showing the fascinating and interesting but often unsuccessful life of one the best comedians; Lee Evans xxx
May 7, 2015
I absolutely love Lee Evans and I thought this books would be like some of the other comedian memoirs I have read. I thought there would be an insight into their personal lives and history with the occasional joke and funny story. For some reason though, this mostly bored me and it just couldn't keep my interest.
Sorry Lee, I love you, but this really wasn't what I expected.
Sorry Lee, I love you, but this really wasn't what I expected.
January 19, 2020
I loved every page of this. As a massive fan of Lee Evans and an aspiring (amateur) stand up myself, I couldn’t help but keep reading every story. His tone is warm and welcoming, and his life is so damn interesting!
October 7, 2023
The only way I could love this incredibly raw, human, and insightful autobiography any more than I do would be for it to have a second volume. I listened to it, Evans narrating with skill, hilarity and a deeply touching humility and sincerity the story of his grindingly poor, misadventure-prone childhood and the forces which ultimately would shape his manic, world-conquering, play-the-fool comedy career. Having scaled unfathomable heights, including blockbuster Hollywood movies, television, and record-breaking live shows, he walked away from it all in 2014, still a relatively young man, to spend more time with his wife and daughter.
I’ll be honest, I liked but was not a particular fan of Evans when I downloaded this, but what I am is a sucker for comedians’ or comedic actors’ autobiographies. They make for a good listen while driving - interesting, usually funny, but light enough to let you multi-task. Plus, I remain endlessly fascinated by people who are naturally funny. I want to know where it came from…how did they come to be that way? How will they treat the story of their own lives? Is there more to them than the patter or the role?
I’ve read or listened to a few over the past few years. Some have proven disappointing, threaded through with arrogance or self pity. The ones I’ve enjoyed the most have either been tear-leakingly hilarious - a romp through well-told tales that let you in on something of the life behind the curtain, even if not all the way (Adventures of a Wonky-Eyed Boy - the Short Arse Years, Jason Byrne); or a judicious mix of stories hilariously told and a peeling back of layers to reveal either something of the mechanics or philosophy of comedy (Mack the Life, Lee Mack) or, more profoundly, something movingly human, honest and true. Billy Connolly’s Windswept and Interesting - another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ listen, for it had to be a listen, it was Billy after all - was a rich sweep encompassing all of this and more.
Evans’ story is similar but more truncated, focused mainly on his childhood and early adulthood rather than the career that followed. It’s the story of how he arrived - clumsily, blindly, ineptly and certainly against all odds - at that astonishingly successful career. Moving and laugh-out-loud funny by turn, Evans shares his tortured progress, his fears and insecurities, his utter conviction that he is an unmitigated idiot who will never amount to anything, with an endearing mix of self-deprecation and optimism, peppered with effortless accents and impersonations of the cast of characters who wander in and out of his life, for better or worse. Memorably, and in no small part, this is a love story too. Evans’ recounting of how he met his wife, and the struggles they shared as two teens overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, is worth the price of admission alone.
I’ve read that Evans decided to write this book as much for his brother, Wayne, as for himself, after the tragic early death of Wayne’s son. He wanted to get it all down - the tough but extraordinary childhood they’d shared. He’s led a quiet, private life since retiring from comedy at 50, showing a complete willingness to surrender the spotlight that used to have him sweating buckets (seriously, buckets: whether through nerves or sheer physicality - probably both - he used to sweat so much he had to throw his suits away). For that reason, I have no idea whether he ever does plan to follow up with that subsequent volume covering the career he was on the cusp of at the conclusion of this book. He comes across as someone deeply motivated by family, focused on the people he loves. Perhaps he doesn’t feel the need to dissect what followed. But if he changes his mind, I’ll be the first in line to hear more.
I’ll be honest, I liked but was not a particular fan of Evans when I downloaded this, but what I am is a sucker for comedians’ or comedic actors’ autobiographies. They make for a good listen while driving - interesting, usually funny, but light enough to let you multi-task. Plus, I remain endlessly fascinated by people who are naturally funny. I want to know where it came from…how did they come to be that way? How will they treat the story of their own lives? Is there more to them than the patter or the role?
I’ve read or listened to a few over the past few years. Some have proven disappointing, threaded through with arrogance or self pity. The ones I’ve enjoyed the most have either been tear-leakingly hilarious - a romp through well-told tales that let you in on something of the life behind the curtain, even if not all the way (Adventures of a Wonky-Eyed Boy - the Short Arse Years, Jason Byrne); or a judicious mix of stories hilariously told and a peeling back of layers to reveal either something of the mechanics or philosophy of comedy (Mack the Life, Lee Mack) or, more profoundly, something movingly human, honest and true. Billy Connolly’s Windswept and Interesting - another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ listen, for it had to be a listen, it was Billy after all - was a rich sweep encompassing all of this and more.
Evans’ story is similar but more truncated, focused mainly on his childhood and early adulthood rather than the career that followed. It’s the story of how he arrived - clumsily, blindly, ineptly and certainly against all odds - at that astonishingly successful career. Moving and laugh-out-loud funny by turn, Evans shares his tortured progress, his fears and insecurities, his utter conviction that he is an unmitigated idiot who will never amount to anything, with an endearing mix of self-deprecation and optimism, peppered with effortless accents and impersonations of the cast of characters who wander in and out of his life, for better or worse. Memorably, and in no small part, this is a love story too. Evans’ recounting of how he met his wife, and the struggles they shared as two teens overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, is worth the price of admission alone.
I’ve read that Evans decided to write this book as much for his brother, Wayne, as for himself, after the tragic early death of Wayne’s son. He wanted to get it all down - the tough but extraordinary childhood they’d shared. He’s led a quiet, private life since retiring from comedy at 50, showing a complete willingness to surrender the spotlight that used to have him sweating buckets (seriously, buckets: whether through nerves or sheer physicality - probably both - he used to sweat so much he had to throw his suits away). For that reason, I have no idea whether he ever does plan to follow up with that subsequent volume covering the career he was on the cusp of at the conclusion of this book. He comes across as someone deeply motivated by family, focused on the people he loves. Perhaps he doesn’t feel the need to dissect what followed. But if he changes his mind, I’ll be the first in line to hear more.
December 14, 2022
One of my absolute favourite stand-up comedians (my other fave, Jack Dee - who is the complete opposite of Evans, but equally funny - also has a book out I'll be reading in a couple of weeks. I do have a tendency to veer towards humour at this time of year when the weather is enough to make anyone miserable...), and I was so glad to get to see him live approximately 2 and 1/2 minutes before he retired. I was recently lamenting the fact there was no new material from him I could turn to (I own all the dvds of his live shows), when I remembered he'd written an autobiography.
It's not quite as side-splittingly funny as his stand-up routines are, but there were plenty of chuckles, and it scratched my comedy itch. Thanks for the laughs Lee!
It's not quite as side-splittingly funny as his stand-up routines are, but there were plenty of chuckles, and it scratched my comedy itch. Thanks for the laughs Lee!
March 27, 2024
Lee Evans was one of my favourite comedians, before he retired in 2014. The Life of Lee is his autobiography, but if you are expecting to find out what Lee has been up to since retirement, you will be disappointed as this book was published in 2011.
The Life of Lee chronicles Lee's childhood and teenage years, the early days of his marriage, and his first step towards becoming a household name.
There is humour in this autobiography, but it's of the dark variety. There is an undercurrent of sadness. One cannot help but feel for the young boy who felt like an outcast, who was bullied and told that he would never amount to anything.
Happily we can rejoice that Lee proved his detractors wrong.
The Life of Lee chronicles Lee's childhood and teenage years, the early days of his marriage, and his first step towards becoming a household name.
There is humour in this autobiography, but it's of the dark variety. There is an undercurrent of sadness. One cannot help but feel for the young boy who felt like an outcast, who was bullied and told that he would never amount to anything.
Happily we can rejoice that Lee proved his detractors wrong.
April 4, 2025
Loved him as a stand up/actor growing up & book lives up to his way of getting across jokes within his life story. Brilliant anecdotes of a very interesting life up until his 18th.
Was expecting more on how he became a stand up comic but there’s so much to tell from his early life he might just need to do book no.2…
Would recommend as audio book as his narration adds to the quality. A solid listen tho.
Was expecting more on how he became a stand up comic but there’s so much to tell from his early life he might just need to do book no.2…
Would recommend as audio book as his narration adds to the quality. A solid listen tho.
June 18, 2020
Exceptionally funny.
December 30, 2011
Lee Evans is one of my favourite comedians. Actually, he's my ONLY favourite comedian; he's the only stand-up comedian I actually watch. I can't remember when I started watching him, but I've watched all of his DVDs, with XL being a particular favourite. I watched Road Runner recently, and that was just as good. I like his jokes, his brand of humour, the way he sweats A LOT. So when I saw he was releasing his autobiography, I was thrilled!
Although his autobiography is titled The Life of Lee, it should come with a subtitle that it only covers Lee's childhood and teenage years. Because that's all it covers. I did find that disappointing; I wanted to learn more about Lee's career, and I rather suspect that next Christmas we will probably see a second Lee Evans autobiography (not that I'm complaining).
It may not have been what I was expecting, but it's still a good read. Not perfect, and it was sometimes a bit repetitive, but I learnt a lot about Lee, things I didn't know. I know he's been with his wife for ages and made a faux pax the first time they met (well, it was the second time, really) and I know he's an awesome comedian (obviously) but I didn't know that Lee didn't know he was going to be a comedian, that Lee always felt like the odd one out, growing up on the Lawrence Weston estate, that he and his family moved around a lot making Lee feel even more ostracised. Lee spends a lot of the novel putting himself down, calling himself stupid and an idiot, and all of that, and it is kind of sad. You see him on stage, entertaining thousands and it is hard to see the Lee we read about in the book as the same one on stage. That they're the same two people.
Lee talks a lot about life on the Lawrence Weston estate, how he met his wife, how they moved to Scarborough and, eventually, how Lee got to life on stage. But his struggles were so sad to read about. You see how successful he is now, but the way he struggled when he left college and as he struggled to find a job, any job, to support himself and Heather was just so touching and sad. You will learn a lot about Lee from reading the book, even if it only scratches the surface of Lee's life. I look forward to the next edition, because I really now want to know more about Lee's rise to fame, because it seems as if it was epic!
Although his autobiography is titled The Life of Lee, it should come with a subtitle that it only covers Lee's childhood and teenage years. Because that's all it covers. I did find that disappointing; I wanted to learn more about Lee's career, and I rather suspect that next Christmas we will probably see a second Lee Evans autobiography (not that I'm complaining).
It may not have been what I was expecting, but it's still a good read. Not perfect, and it was sometimes a bit repetitive, but I learnt a lot about Lee, things I didn't know. I know he's been with his wife for ages and made a faux pax the first time they met (well, it was the second time, really) and I know he's an awesome comedian (obviously) but I didn't know that Lee didn't know he was going to be a comedian, that Lee always felt like the odd one out, growing up on the Lawrence Weston estate, that he and his family moved around a lot making Lee feel even more ostracised. Lee spends a lot of the novel putting himself down, calling himself stupid and an idiot, and all of that, and it is kind of sad. You see him on stage, entertaining thousands and it is hard to see the Lee we read about in the book as the same one on stage. That they're the same two people.
Lee talks a lot about life on the Lawrence Weston estate, how he met his wife, how they moved to Scarborough and, eventually, how Lee got to life on stage. But his struggles were so sad to read about. You see how successful he is now, but the way he struggled when he left college and as he struggled to find a job, any job, to support himself and Heather was just so touching and sad. You will learn a lot about Lee from reading the book, even if it only scratches the surface of Lee's life. I look forward to the next edition, because I really now want to know more about Lee's rise to fame, because it seems as if it was epic!
October 8, 2011
Like him or loathe him, Lee Evans is one of the UK's most successful comedians. "The Life of Lee" is his story, from his childhood on a council estate in Bristol to his first ever gig. If you've ever seen Lee Evans perform, you'll know his style - and his jokes run throughout the book. Although I raised a smile now and again as he recalled his madcap childhood accidents, to his troubled teens and struggling to survive on his own two feet in adulthood, I felt somewhat disappointed. You see, he beats himself up too much. On page after page he describes himself as a loser, a waste of space, a monkey boy, a failure, pathetic, someone who'll never amount to much, and quite frankly it gets a bit repetitive. I guess that's why he's so successful as a comedian - people relate to being the underdog, but they don't need to read about it time and again.
Anyway, that's not to say the story of his life isn't an enjoyable read - it is, and I guess another book will be in the pipeline soon as this one ends in 1985 with Lee promising his new wife 'he'll get a proper job...'
3/5
Anyway, that's not to say the story of his life isn't an enjoyable read - it is, and I guess another book will be in the pipeline soon as this one ends in 1985 with Lee promising his new wife 'he'll get a proper job...'
3/5
September 22, 2012
Lee Evans is without a doubt my favourite comedian and has been since I can remember. I enjoy his DVDS and material every much, I watch it probably way more than is probably healthy. I even had the luck of meeting him a year ago after his Road Runner performance in Nottingham. I was over the moon when I heard he was to release a book last christmas and knew it had to be on my 'christmas list'!
However I was disappointed when 'The Life of Lee' turned out to be nothing more than based on his childhood and teenage years. It left me on a huge cliffhanger at the end and I really hope that there is another one approaching because I am determined to continue on reading about his rise to fame because it is so interesting.
It wasn't what I was expecting but it was still one of my most enjoyable reads to date. Not perfect whatsoever and I sometimes found it a bit repetitive and not as gripping but I still found out so much about Lee and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his journey. I really hope there is another one coming soon.
However I was disappointed when 'The Life of Lee' turned out to be nothing more than based on his childhood and teenage years. It left me on a huge cliffhanger at the end and I really hope that there is another one approaching because I am determined to continue on reading about his rise to fame because it is so interesting.
It wasn't what I was expecting but it was still one of my most enjoyable reads to date. Not perfect whatsoever and I sometimes found it a bit repetitive and not as gripping but I still found out so much about Lee and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his journey. I really hope there is another one coming soon.
January 12, 2012
Let me start by saying I absolutely love Lee Evans. And this book proved him to be a humble, honest and complex man. I seem to switch from being bored by a chapter to enthral led by one. As my lovely friend, Helen, put it 'it's an interesting read but a boring one.' If lee Evans was in front of me telling me the story I would have loved it but it was difficult to read without your mind wandering off. Im not sure how much I agree with lee only going up to the age of 18 in this book. The most interesting chapters were when he was older. But then I find myself thinking it must be hard to pick and choose what you write about...what do you leave out? I think part two of Lee's biography will be more entertaining and easier to read and relate too.
September 27, 2015
This book is an interesting insight into Lee's growing up years and the trials and tribulations of his early life.
There are some very sad and moving tales of what life was like for his family. Without wanting to give anything away Chapters 33 and 34 must have been very difficult for Lee to write.
There are a lot of childhood stories and some other reviewers have criticised this, but I think you really need to understand how things were for Lee growing up, to understand just how much people appreciating his style of humour means to him today.
Very interesting to read the background of such a much loved British comedian.
There are some very sad and moving tales of what life was like for his family. Without wanting to give anything away Chapters 33 and 34 must have been very difficult for Lee to write.
There are a lot of childhood stories and some other reviewers have criticised this, but I think you really need to understand how things were for Lee growing up, to understand just how much people appreciating his style of humour means to him today.
Very interesting to read the background of such a much loved British comedian.
July 2, 2025
I’m not a massive fan of Lee Evans but I found this biography quite endearing. It shows his younger self living on a rough council estate, then meeting his wife heather at 16.
Lee’s life including the various work disasters reminds me of Frank Spencer. What you see on stage is basically himself. Warts and all. Luckily he stumbled upon the stage one day and never looked back, and deservedly so. At the time he was living in a bed sit, with heather, and no gas, electric and facing eviction due to back rent. He never gave up though and between them, they became wealthy.
It’s not only an interesting book but inspirational too. Never give up despite what life throws at you. Excellent.
Lee’s life including the various work disasters reminds me of Frank Spencer. What you see on stage is basically himself. Warts and all. Luckily he stumbled upon the stage one day and never looked back, and deservedly so. At the time he was living in a bed sit, with heather, and no gas, electric and facing eviction due to back rent. He never gave up though and between them, they became wealthy.
It’s not only an interesting book but inspirational too. Never give up despite what life throws at you. Excellent.
February 13, 2012
Official rating: 4.5(I enjoyed it about 99% of the time - not sure why, i think some things seemed to drag on a bit)
But still, BRILLIANT, interesting and funny book. Some things I did expect but others I didn't realise happened. Great book in general.
If you like Lee Evans or just want a good read, read this!
But still, BRILLIANT, interesting and funny book. Some things I did expect but others I didn't realise happened. Great book in general.
If you like Lee Evans or just want a good read, read this!
December 11, 2011
When I first bought the book, I imagined it to be funny, which is was but I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. I didn't think he went through as much as he did and I loved every thing about the book. I read the book in 3 days I think, which shows how much I loved it. I recommend it to anybody who loves Lee Evans.
June 24, 2013
I like most of the other reviewers, love Lee Evans, and I was really looking forward to his autobiography, but as it only goes up till when he got his first big break. It was interesting and a good read, but I can only hope that he will continue writing the biographies, even if its a case of 3 or more.
It is a good read, but I need more of Lee Evans autobiography!!!
It is a good read, but I need more of Lee Evans autobiography!!!
January 14, 2023
Absolutely love Lee Evans and was excited to hear his story and was not disappointed, proper laughed out loud at times. But only disappointment was that it stops just as he finds his love for being on the stage, would have love to hear this story continue as he enters the showbiz world and his career
January 15, 2012
Gave me in insight into the funny man himself, and a little about his wife too and how he came to do what he does. Very iformative and gave me many giggles, but wasnt as funny as I expected.
July 5, 2012
I found this book laugh out loud hilarious from beginning to end. Rarely does a book make me laugh so hard. Very witty and touching in places, a very enjoyable read!
August 10, 2012
This guy is the most talented yet modest 'celeb' out there. Parts of the book, describing his early life, are hilarious, but other parts are so very sad. All told wonderfully well.
May 5, 2013
Hahaha love his bio! Most biographies are rich people ranting about their sad childhoods but lee jokes and laughs about his 'sad childhood ( thats how he puts it!)
Want to read
October 8, 2011I MUST have this book!!
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