What do you think?
Rate this book
Young Winstone
From the boxing clubs of 1970s East London to the celebrity haunts of Hollywood the acclaimed actor offers a memoir with “gripping insight into his youth” (Telegraph, UK).
Ray Winstone’s amazing talent for bringing out the humanity of his tough-guy screen characters—a violent offender in Scum, a wife-beater in Nil by Mouth, and a retired robber in Sexy Beast to name just a few—has made him one of the most charismatic actors of his generation. But how do these uncompromising, unforgettable performances square with his off-duty reputation as a salt-of-the-earth, golden-hearted nice guy? The answer, as Winstone himself will tell you, lies in the East End of his youth.
Revisiting the bomb-sites and boozers of his childhood and adolescence, Ray Winstone takes the reader on an unforgettable tour of a cockney heartland which is at once irresistibly mythic and undeniably real. Told with its author’s trademark blend of brutal directness and roguish wit, Young Winstone offers a fascinating insight into the social history of East London, as well as a school of hard knocks coming-of-age story with a powerful emotional punch.
“As much about London as his nascent career. Ray made such an impression in Scum that I still remember his prison number, and he is just as vivid on his formative years.”—Independent on Sunday, Best Books on Film in 2014
Ray Winstone’s amazing talent for bringing out the humanity of his tough-guy screen characters—a violent offender in Scum, a wife-beater in Nil by Mouth, and a retired robber in Sexy Beast to name just a few—has made him one of the most charismatic actors of his generation. But how do these uncompromising, unforgettable performances square with his off-duty reputation as a salt-of-the-earth, golden-hearted nice guy? The answer, as Winstone himself will tell you, lies in the East End of his youth.
Revisiting the bomb-sites and boozers of his childhood and adolescence, Ray Winstone takes the reader on an unforgettable tour of a cockney heartland which is at once irresistibly mythic and undeniably real. Told with its author’s trademark blend of brutal directness and roguish wit, Young Winstone offers a fascinating insight into the social history of East London, as well as a school of hard knocks coming-of-age story with a powerful emotional punch.
“As much about London as his nascent career. Ray made such an impression in Scum that I still remember his prison number, and he is just as vivid on his formative years.”—Independent on Sunday, Best Books on Film in 2014
- GenresBiographyAutobiography
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2014
14 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 29, 2022
An actor I always expected a great, tough, brutal, honest performance from him, which I usually got.
His personality shows through the book, what you see is what you get. Tough, brutal background, a good story of his earlier life, but what I missed is the film stories, the actor friend stories, working with some greats.
Not much of a film book, more of this is my tough life towards my success, which he landed with the classic tough role in Scum.
It does show how instant fame does not always come straight away, It took Ray Winstone fifteen/twenty years to achieve international success and become and instant success after "Nil By Mouth" in 1997.
Quite a few years as a success in Britain and working mainly on British television.
We do have something in common, with bring back fond memories for me as it did for Ray Winstone writing this book.... Boxing
I started boxing at eleven years old in Torquay at the Riviera boxing club, such great memories of many great fights, including wins representing Devon, Devon/Cornwall and Western counties at Bantamweight and Featherweight, travelling all over the UK. I boxed for eleven years, with my last fight in Jersey, Channel Islands, where I have lived since I was nineteen, boxing in Jersey for the Pisces boxing club.
So I know his great memories as a young teenager, then I grew up watching him as a real tough nut in Scum.
Then and now I love reading about all the Hollywood stars, the old stories, friendships, that what I missed here. It really is about his childhood and then to his first success in Scum and hardships just after this.
The title I guess should have gave it away "Young Winstone" !
Three stars. I loved my teenager years in Torquay, Devon,UK.
His personality shows through the book, what you see is what you get. Tough, brutal background, a good story of his earlier life, but what I missed is the film stories, the actor friend stories, working with some greats.
Not much of a film book, more of this is my tough life towards my success, which he landed with the classic tough role in Scum.
It does show how instant fame does not always come straight away, It took Ray Winstone fifteen/twenty years to achieve international success and become and instant success after "Nil By Mouth" in 1997.
Quite a few years as a success in Britain and working mainly on British television.
We do have something in common, with bring back fond memories for me as it did for Ray Winstone writing this book.... Boxing
I started boxing at eleven years old in Torquay at the Riviera boxing club, such great memories of many great fights, including wins representing Devon, Devon/Cornwall and Western counties at Bantamweight and Featherweight, travelling all over the UK. I boxed for eleven years, with my last fight in Jersey, Channel Islands, where I have lived since I was nineteen, boxing in Jersey for the Pisces boxing club.
So I know his great memories as a young teenager, then I grew up watching him as a real tough nut in Scum.
Then and now I love reading about all the Hollywood stars, the old stories, friendships, that what I missed here. It really is about his childhood and then to his first success in Scum and hardships just after this.
The title I guess should have gave it away "Young Winstone" !
Three stars. I loved my teenager years in Torquay, Devon,UK.
January 2, 2017
I was delighted to receive this as a Christmas present as I have always loved and appreciated watching Ray on screen, even though some of his roles are a bit too violent for me! I nonetheless believe him to be a great actor and a genuine old-school Londoner, which of course could be said to be his stock in trade and why not? He does it so very well, after all.
Which is why I was so pleased to learn from this book that he also has a softer side! As I said, before I even opened the book I liked him immensely. Having read it I now like him even more! I love how he is totally realistic about his own memories and attitudes, how he is willing to accept others may have different experiences and opinions and how he respects that. He describes very well the impact of his early years and a move of house only just up the road when he was a boy; a small move that had great impact on him as he grew and may explain why he is perhaps not as exclusive and entrenched in the stereotypical culture of his birthplace as some (though he makes entirely believable reference to a few famous and infamous characters who walked those streets and with whom his father, and himself on at least one occasion, had close contact with.) I love how he writes with appreciation and respect of his parents and the tremendous influence they had on his current career and how they encouraged him in it. I think I might have been a bit wary of the young Ray (I knew about his boxing and that is just another facet of the man I admire and respect) but the older, wiser Ray who writes this recount is very likeable. And inevitably, throughout the book I could almost hear his immediately recognisable voice speaking the words!
I was also impressed at the quality of the writing. Without wishing to be disrespectful, quite a lot of these biographies by London hard-men, and other regions, are interesting and sometimes even shocking because they are frank, even brutal, real life tales, but they are let down by the poor quality of the writing. This is not the case with Young Winstone. It is well written, which means you can get on and read the history of one of our finest actors without being distracted by bad writing - always a bonus.
Highly recommended for fans and non-fans alike. Amongst other things, I was oddly and delightedly surprised to learn that Ray (often the hard man, always convincing no matter what he does - I'd believe anything that man says...) has a sweet tooth! Somehow that makes me like him all the more...
Which is why I was so pleased to learn from this book that he also has a softer side! As I said, before I even opened the book I liked him immensely. Having read it I now like him even more! I love how he is totally realistic about his own memories and attitudes, how he is willing to accept others may have different experiences and opinions and how he respects that. He describes very well the impact of his early years and a move of house only just up the road when he was a boy; a small move that had great impact on him as he grew and may explain why he is perhaps not as exclusive and entrenched in the stereotypical culture of his birthplace as some (though he makes entirely believable reference to a few famous and infamous characters who walked those streets and with whom his father, and himself on at least one occasion, had close contact with.) I love how he writes with appreciation and respect of his parents and the tremendous influence they had on his current career and how they encouraged him in it. I think I might have been a bit wary of the young Ray (I knew about his boxing and that is just another facet of the man I admire and respect) but the older, wiser Ray who writes this recount is very likeable. And inevitably, throughout the book I could almost hear his immediately recognisable voice speaking the words!
I was also impressed at the quality of the writing. Without wishing to be disrespectful, quite a lot of these biographies by London hard-men, and other regions, are interesting and sometimes even shocking because they are frank, even brutal, real life tales, but they are let down by the poor quality of the writing. This is not the case with Young Winstone. It is well written, which means you can get on and read the history of one of our finest actors without being distracted by bad writing - always a bonus.
Highly recommended for fans and non-fans alike. Amongst other things, I was oddly and delightedly surprised to learn that Ray (often the hard man, always convincing no matter what he does - I'd believe anything that man says...) has a sweet tooth! Somehow that makes me like him all the more...
October 20, 2022
He's played a lot of tough guys, thugs, and gangsters in films like Scum, Quadrophenia, The Departed, Nil By Mouth and Sexy Beast, but Ray Winstone, though he grew up in London's East end has more to him than a tough exterior. Despite starting off as an amateur boxer he also had an early interest in films and acting and wound up pursuing the later course almost by accident. This is, hopefully, the first volume of at least a couple of memoirs. It recounts his childhood and his early days as a young gad about before the death of his mother caused him to grow up a bit. He has a wry sense of humour and a feel for the East London turns of phrase which make it a very entertaining memoir linguistically. - BH.
September 10, 2023
More East End than the bbc soap, Ray relates his ups, downs, ducks, swerves, dodges, deals and lessons learnt growing up amongst the characters of the area while just managing to avoid becoming a caricature of the geezers he often portrays. An entertaining read on all things cockney, claret, blue and rub a dub. Thanks Ray.
January 3, 2018
Written in his own style of speaking, this book takes him up to the age of 28 and the death of his mother, by which time he has got married and had two daughters. The TV and film versions of Scum made his name but I had not realised he had some pretty lean years after that. An interesting read.
April 6, 2023
Minorly engrossing. Ray Winstone seems to be a likeable fellow with obvious talent and yet the events of his life are kind of thin as applies to impact. I still think his book is enjoyable, I just wanted a bit more.
September 29, 2018
I absolutely love this book. Such a down to eart bloke and an absolute legendary actor. True gentleman, not many around anymore. Very glad i read this.
December 4, 2018
A little bit autobiography by numbers, but with Winstones wit & character a great read.
January 24, 2025
Not as much about scum and quadrophenia as i would have liked and hoped for. It didn’t flow very well. I love ray winston and really wanted to like it. 😭
December 30, 2020
Not enough Robin of Sherwood anecdotes (grin) but a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews