Life Interrupted: The Unfinished Monologue

by Spalding Gray

As the first decade of the new century was getting underway, Spalding Gray worried that the joy he’d finally found with his wife, stepdaughter, and two sons would fail to fuel his work as a theatrical monologist the way anxiety, conflict, doubt, and various crises once had. Before he got the chance to find out, however, an automobile accident in Ireland left him with the lasting wounds of body and spirit that ultimately led him to take his own life. But as his dear friend novelist Francine Prose notes in this volume’s foreword, “Even when his depression became so severe that he was barely able to hold a simple conversation, he was, miraculously, able to perform.”

As was always his method, Gray began to fashion a new monologue in various workshop settings that would tell the story of the accident and its aftermath. Originally titled Black Spot —for what the locals called the section of highway where Gray’s accident occurred—it began as a series of workshops at P.S. 122 in New York City and eventually became Life Interrupted .Gray died in early 2004, and though never completed, Life Interrupted is rich with brave self-revelation, masterfully acute observations of wonderfully peculiar people, penetrating wit and genuine humor, an irresolvable fascination with life and death, and all the other attributes of Gray’s singular and unmistakable voice.

In the final performance of Life Interrupted , Gray read two additional a short story about a day he spent with his son Theo at the carousel in Central Park and a brief, poignant love letter to New York City that he wrote after the terrorist attacks in 2001. This volume includes these pieces as well as many of the eulogies that were delivered by his friends and family at memorial services held at Lincoln Center and in Sag Harbor.




[If you had to reduce all of Spalding’s work to its essence, its core, if you wanted to locate the subject to which, no matter what else he talked about, he kept returning, I suppose you could say that his work was a profoundly metaphysical inquiry into how we manage to live despite the knowledge that we are someday going to die. . . .

If there is a consolation, it’s what he left the children whom he so loved and, of course, his work. Reading the unfinished pieces in this volume . . . we hear his voice again and feel the happiness we felt when he sat on stage behind his wooden desk, took a sip from his water glass, transformed the raw material of his life into art, and the crowd applauded each brilliant, beautiful sentence.] — Francine Prose, from the Foreword



Also available as an eBook

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Plays, Drama, Audiobook, New York, Biography Memoir

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Spalding Gray was an American actor, screenwriter, performance artist, and playwright.

Reviews

[Emanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wish Spalding Grey had lived to finish this monologue. It really is a heartbreaking and thoroughly compelling piece of work. Spalding, I miss you.

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spalding Gray committed suicide in 2004 by jumping off the Staten Island ferry. I still remember being stunned by the news, being a casual admirer of his work and having no knowledge of the car accident in Ireland that left him in so much pain. Reading Morning, Noon and Night with the specter of his death was odd—because it’s ostensibly a celebration of family life at a point when Spalding was welcoming the arrival of his second son, Theo. Spalding never thought he’d have kids or become a family man, and he says at one point in the book that he thought that if he did have children it would be late in life so that he would die before they became teenagers. Sadly, he got his wish. But Spalding brought great wit, thought and energy to his life while he lived and was clearly a great father. Reading Life Interrupted afterwards just made me cry copiously—it includes the last monologues he was working on and the eulogies that were read at the services in New York and Rhode Island.

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate how Spalding's life ended. Already a man known for fits of depression, a car accident in Ireland left him in grave pain with blinding headaches that wouldn't subside. So, one day, he stepped off the Staten Island Ferry and into the East River, ending a life of neurotic brilliance.

This book is a collection of a handful of scattered unpublished and unperformed works - mainly the monologue Spalding was working on at the time of his death, about the accident and his attempts to bounce back from the wreck. It's haunting, as is the subsequent "The Anniversary", a piece about 9/11.

Spalding had a gift - the trouble was, and he readily admitted it, that he had to keep having things 'happen to him' to give him his material for his monologues. The accident, sadly, was more than he could bear.

[James Lundy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spalding Gray was way cool. Then he got in an accident, got depressed and killed himself. So now you're a publisher and you have a single, lackluster, unfinished monologue, what do you do? You publish it posthumously as his last book. Oh, it's too short? Ok, you add tons of filler and forewards and afterwards and eulogies and whatever else you can to get it to book length. And it's a damn pity because Spalding Gray was a national treasure and this cheapens his death.

[Dennis Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regarding the Audible version: The Sam Shepard narration of the two monologues is great -- but it takes up less than half the content/duration here. There's a lengthy (decent) introduction, and extended eulogies (and even a song) from various family/acquaintances at the end, which does feel a bit like a disappointing effort to flesh this out to be truly a "book." The result is that Spalding feels like a guest star in his own book. Recommended for Gray-ophiles, but not the best place to start for those wanting to get a taste of his brilliant mind.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 This was Spalding’s last unfinished monologue paired with The Anniversary as well as eulogies given by some of his closest friends. I listen to Sam Shepard (who has now also passed) read these works. Honestly, they are gut wrenching and melancholy but beautiful, too. There was an unexpected amount of synchronicity between Spalding and my dad. I think once people start mucking around in the brain, strange things happen.

[Deborah Bancroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spalding Gray was an amazing writer and performer and Sam Shepherd's reading is perfect. Disc 2 contains comments and tributes from Gray's friends and family.

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The monologue itself is melancholic and humorous but it's the accompanying essays and eulogies that truly encapsulate the man.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I miss Spalding Gray so much!!! What a great writer!

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

What he created and didn't finish was excellent but far too short. The additional viewpoints from loved ones were less compelling for me. SG was an amazing artist.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Shepard's reading was terrible.

[Cat Van Gogh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's more a tribute to the late Spalding Gray. His unfinished works make up less than half the book but I'm glad it was published.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strangely, I found this book extremely worthwhile and yet supremely disappointed. I have been a huge fan of Spalding Gray for many years and used to run into him occasionally in downtown NYC when I lived there in the late 80s and early 90s. I had somehow missed this volume which includes parts of his last unfinished monologue as well as a lengthy introductory essay by the novelist Francine Prose and the text of numerous tributes that were delivered at two memorial services for Spalding after his death.

Even without hearing Mr. Gray's voice, the words on the page of his final work are moving and funny and crazy in much the same appealing way as all of his earlier monologues. But the disappointment was that this work constitutes maybe 50 pages of this 256 page book. The rest is interesting, but far less appealing.

A must-read for hard core fans of Spalding Gray only, I'm afraid to say.

[Jack Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spaulding Gray was a true original, a monologist in a time where that particular form of entertainment had long since been seen as remnant of the past, and one who delved deeply into his own life for a compelling and often hilarious source of material. Never afraid of oversharing, this book is a look at his last monologue, a truncated work in progress on the physical and emotional devastation Gray suffered in a horrific car accident on a vacation in Ireland. You can read how Gray was struggling to find the humor and the effort he was putting into this trauma which eventually led to his suicide 3 years later. The rest of the book is a collection of reminiscences and poetry about Gray from friends and family that really add nothing to the book other than reinforcing the fact that he will be missed. As a fan, seeing Gray present “Monster in a Box” is still a cherished memory of mine, I thought this was worth a read but sadly it is forgettable, unlike the subject.

[Patrick McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reminded of Life Interrupted: The Unfinished Monologues (2005) when I watched Steven Soderbergh's impressive documentary on Gray's life, And Everything's Going Fine. I think I had read everything in print by Gray up to his suicide, so I somehow had overlooked his last works. And as usual they were entertaining and full of witty observations and stories. However, the bulk of the book was tributes from friends in memorial services at Lincoln Center and in Sag Harbor, his home. Many are from figures in the world of books and publishing;his agent, Suzanne Gluck; novelist A.M. Homes; essayist Roger Rosenblatt;others from show biz, like Laurie Anderson, John Perry Barlow, Eric Bogosian, Eric Stoltz and several others. Perhaps, only for the devoted Gray fans, but I proudly consider myself one of them. It's sad to know there won't be anymore monologues.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Or five stars. I can't decide how I feel about it. On the one hand, I'm sure Gray would be horrified that his unfinished work is published. On the other hand, it makes you understand the suicide more - even in its raw state, these fragments of pieces show how badly damaged he was following the accident, not what he once was, nor likely ever to return. The piece to New York is little more than two sentences and a quote from Wordsworth, and I'm not sure why it was even included except as padding. The eulogies range from embarassing to truly poignant. Definitely worth a read (I listened to it, and Sam Shepard was a terrible choice for narrator).

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a fair amount of filler in this book, seeing as it's primarily composed of an unfinished monologue, a few short pieces, and many essays of appreciation from various people. I skimmed or skipped much of the ancillary material, but I enjoyed the central piece that relates details about the car accident that appears to have precipitated Gray's long depression that ended in his suicide. That bitter note is not present in the monologue, however, and it's a pleasant addition to his work for anyone who enjoyed reading his stories and witnessing his dramatic recitations of them.

[Soon Har]

Contains Spalding's last monologue -- including a description of the devastating accident in Ireland -- and then the rest of the book is made up of touching and well-written eulogies and tributes to Spalding from his friends and family. This book helps to shed a little light on why Spalding chose to kill himself but of course it is still incredibly sad. It seems like it's always the best lives, the smartest, most interesting, sensitive and talented people whose time on earth ends prematurely. A must-read if you're a fan which I've been ever since watching "Swimming to Cambodia."

[Nick Capodice · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, this monologue is not tremendous. And the eulogies aren't absolutely perfect.

But it'll still make you cry, if you're in the vein. If you're tired and unhappy and angry at him for stepping over that rail. Goddamit, Spalding. He once said he never wanted children, he just wanted to be a "sort of uncle figure." He walked everwhere he could, taking as long as possible to get home to his wife and kids. He loved Sam Adams and himself.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

why do all my favorite writers kill themselves? This was a very moving book that i read through fits of tears and laughter, sometimes simultaneously. But he kind of had that effect on me in his later monologues. The monologue itself was maybe not his best but the comments and perspectives from his colleagues and friends was very moving and insightful. i have not yet come to terms with the idea that this is the last one :(

and another brilliant American artist goes finite....

[Ghym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge fan of Spalding. Was devastated by his tragic death. Don't have the time or energy to go into what a fabulous monologist he was. Rent Swimming to Cambodia to get a sense. This book puts together his last monologue about the accident in Ireland that some would say led to his suicide. And there are also pieces read and written by others at his memorials. Very sad and fast read. Recommended for Spalding fans, but if you don't know who he is start with his films first.

[Heather Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first part of the book is Gray's last monologue - originally called "Black Spot" - and published as Life Interrupted, it's the story of the car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury and deterioration over the last two years of his life. Last part of the book is from the memorial service held after his (untimely) death.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I at last had a chance to review this volume. My wife and I had seen Gray perform this monologue a few weeks before his death and were startled by his appearance. This book collects not only that short in-progress piece but a couple of other short works as well as the eulogies delivered at his memorial services. I wish this were finished; I wish he were here working on another.

[Brandann Hill-Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant and sob-inducing look into the final thoughts of Spalding Gray. Grab the tissues and get ready to read the touching sentiments of those who loved him, and the way his life was touched by his depression, and fierce struggle to hold onto that happiness through his inner grief.

If you are a fan of Gray, this is a must-read.

[Drew Raley · Rating 3 out of 5]

One mornings I picked up this book at a second-hand shop [sips from a water glass], and having read all of Gray's work to that point [gently clears throat], I told myself that his last, posthumously-published monologue deserved my time and attention. [tries to hold back a single tear]. It was... I'm sorry. There must be a cloud of pepper in here because [sobs].

[Bill Ibelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Spaulding Gray, this is an interesting, yet enormously sad read, since it deals with his decompensation into major depression and suicide following serious head injuries in a traffic accident in Ireland. The second half of the book consists of tributes to Gray by a series of writers and friends at his memorial service.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

really depressing. It was the last book he was writing before he killed himself. But it did make me understand why he did and where the depression came from. It was a form of closure for a great author.

[Mary Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

the work that Spalding Gray wrote in this book is a good read, but the rest...not really my style. If this is a favorite author of yours then this book would be a good way to say goodbye, since the last 1/3 of the book are excepts of readings from his memorial service.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved watching him and hearing the monologues. His suicide was a huge loss to us all. He was a truly unique talent and I'm very glad I was able to see him perform live years ago on Lincoln Road in Miami.

[Mark Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough Spalding in this one and it felt kind of unedited, being unfinished and all. I still felt glad I had read it. The eulogies at the end were just heartbreaking. Love the wry look on his face shown on the cover - a picture from better days. A brilliant guy.