Mustn't Grumble

by Terry Wogan

Written in a style familiar to his millions of listeners, rich with warmth and irony, MUSTN'T GRUMBLE is Terry's definitive autobiography. Not only does he introduce the reader to post-Emergency Ireland, his chain-smoking maiden aunts, his quick-witted mother and hard-working father and the (not so) Christian Fathers who tried to knock his hands off, he explains how he's managed to avoid a hard day's work from childhood to knighthood, and entertained a few million people along the way. Terry talks in full about his past 35 years with the his hugely popular Radio 2 show, his TV shows WOGAN (NOW & THEN) and BLANKETY BLANK, the Eurovision Song Contest, working on the BBC's Children in Need programmes, and where he learnt to breakdance so brilliantly. It is the autobiography his fans - and TOGs - have been waiting fresh, honest, a real craic and completely the same ... but different.

Genres: Autobiography, Biography, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, Memoir

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL (born 3 August 1938), or also known as Terry Wogan, was a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who held dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career. Before he retired from the weekday breakfast programme 'Wake Up to Woga'n on BBC Radio 2 on 18 December 2009, Sir Terry had a regular 8 million listeners, making him the most listened-to radio broadcaster of any European nation. He began his career at Raidió Teilifís Éireann where he presented shows such as Jackpot in the 1960s.

Wogan was a leading media personality in the UK from the late 1960s and is often referred to as a national treasure. He is perhaps best known in the United Kingdom for his BBC1 chat show Wogan, for his work presenting Children in Need, as the host of Wake Up to Wogan, the original host of the BBC game show Blankety Blank (before being replaced by Les Dawson), a presenter of Come Dancing in the 1970s, and as the BBC's commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest on radio and television from 1971 to 2008. Wogan started a primetime weekend show on Radio 2 from 14 February 2010.

Reviews

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing but rather rambling read...don't expect an autobiography, this is more a set of musings & recollections that veer off in different directions as the fancy takes ol' Tel.

It was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I enjoyed "The Togmeister of Eurovision" in particular (after all, Terry's quips were always a delight to hear & probably the highlight of the show for me) but some of the other passages didn't hold my interest. Towards the end I was a little tired of the way that Terry would show how wonderfully he was perceived to be & then be immediately self-deprecating eg:

" I'm not big on showbiz, radio or television awards; I've had more than my fair share, and doubt I was worthy of most of them"

Overall, a humorous read that you can't help but hear in Terry's voice.

[Hilary Cockshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

My final book of 2021... finished 3 hours before midnight.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love Wogan and I found this book very interesting, well, the problem is that he rambles as much in writing as on his radio show. I was expecting an autobiography but this didn't have that feel. It was just him rambling on about a bunch of things - all related to him in one way or another but with the BBC and TOGs as subjects they weren't really about him. There seemed no clear direction for the book and while the chapters did subdivide the book into discrete sections I never did work out properly what each chapter was about. This is also his second autobiography (which I wasn't aware of) and so maybe it's a top-up to another book where he says a lot more about himself? Or maybe the first book is just as random as the second. So yes, it's an interesting read if you like Wogan, but it's not the autobiography I was expecting.

[John Wilkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring drivel.

Too much meandering Blarney and drivel that never really built up any meaning or lasting momentum. I found this book tedious and monotonous. I waded through to the end trying to find some substance to it but couldn't.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this second Wogan autobiography as much as 'Is it Me?' but it was still a good read.

[Mr Allan Goldie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While on my time off I plucked this book from the shelf to give me some time of light reading. I had always enjoyed listening to Terry Wogan on radio and his excellent interview skills on Wogan. It just sounded like he was speaking as I read through the book and I learned more about his life and particularly his family life and I admired his strong family commitment. He clearly built up good strong friendships with those he worked with and that was how he was as a person.....clearly a very kind man. The book content also made me laugh as he gave account of his radio shows and of course the TOG stories and those Janet and John stories which are classic and worthy of reading and hearing more of. I am glad I chose to read this autobiography and he will never be forgotten.

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read as you would expect from the "Togmeister". Much of it you can "hear" Terry with his wonderful lilt and his fits of giggles. From his humble background through to the Janet and John stories this book gives a little of his life. He was a unique talent and a man of the people, who felt through both radio and television that they "knew" him. Many of us grew up with him and I can't help but remember the day he finished his radio show with the immortal words " Thank you, thank you for being my friend" because that was the type of man he was- your friend, his "other listener". He made it personal to each and every one of his listeners. A rare talent indeed.

[Rohase Piercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I do miss dear old Terry Wogan! Loved his witty banter and sparkling innuendos cloaked in innocent merriment ... apparently this is the second volume of his autobiography, the first being entitled 'Is It Me?', but it stands up beautifully on its own, and as a former TOG (a bit on the young side, mind, as I used to listen to him whilst getting my children ready for school in the mornings) I snapped this up at a charity shop and found it laugh-out-loud funny almost from beginning to end.
RIP Sir Terry, gone but never forgotten and often imitated but never bested.

[Matthew Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is true that this is "Written in a style familiar to his millions of listeners", as it a) certainly isn't written in a style familiar to a reader of traditional autobiographies, and b) is full of so many in-jokes and references that you are left wondering if this autobiography is less about Wogan and more about his fans. It is disjointed and episodic, but there is still a breezy spark there that will carry you through to the end.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoyed Terry Wogan on Eurovision and so his reflections on it in "Mustn't Grumble" were interesting and entertaining. Same with his childhood and thoughts on Ireland. A lot of the book seemed random though and was lost on me. I think it would have meant more if I'd read it while he was still alive and I was living in the UK.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining of course! Wogan was a legend who is very much missed! Although towards the end of the book he does share a few too many of his listeners letters/emails/poems. His very honest criticism of the BBC is brilliant!

[Darla Ebert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess ya have to be British (or Irish as is Terry Wogan). There were so many in-jokes I had trouble following Wogan's life story. I am sure, however, that the anecdotes are fun and funny for those in the United Kingdom.

[Mr P Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much Missed Young Geezer

Not a regular radio listener but enjoyed the book very much and found it informative and very funny. Now feel like an old TOG

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely information about his rise from being a bank clerk to Irish radio and the BBC and beyond.

[Alison White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this as much as his first book. I got the feeling that the best stories went into the first one and this one was just trying to spin them out a bit more.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy book to read with many funny stories, loved the photos.

[Andy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good light hearted read. Gets a bit repetitive in parts but really good overall.

[Mrs E Wetherall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love old Tel. But too boastful me thinks of his achievements. Best bit is the last chapter with examples of the Janet and John letters to his radio 2 show.

[Sam Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved Wogan but found this hard reading. Rambled on and verved off in different directions. Couldn't keep track.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a regular radio listener but enjoyed the book very much and found it informative and very funny. Now feel like an old TOG.

[Oscar Maquito · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of Wogan's usual wit and rambles, this book is a must for any fan be them young or TOG. My only complaint is that its sometimes hard to follow when things are happening as the story jumps around.

[Nicholas Matthews · Rating 1 out of 5]

Grumble, grumble - put me right off old Tel! Too much me, me, me (even for an autobiography!).

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit like the Curate's Egg, good in parts.

[Jenny Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

RG may 2008

[Sally Daffarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

[Maggieg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14133323