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Coming Home: My Grand Adventures in a Wee Country
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
'Where do you come from? It's one of the most basic human questions of all. But there is another question, which might sound a wee bit similar but is actually very different: What do you come from? And, let me tell you, that question can take you all sorts of strange places...'
In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish.
Full of Billy's distinctive humour, Made in Scotland is a hilarious and heartfelt love letter to the place and the people that made him.
'Where do you come from? It's one of the most basic human questions of all. But there is another question, which might sound a wee bit similar but is actually very different: What do you come from? And, let me tell you, that question can take you all sorts of strange places...'
In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish.
Full of Billy's distinctive humour, Made in Scotland is a hilarious and heartfelt love letter to the place and the people that made him.
261 pages, ebook
Published October 18, 2018
351 people are currently reading
1296 people want to read
About the author
Billy Connolly
52 books261 followersWilliam "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin (The Big One). His first trade, in the early 1960s, was as a welder (specifically a boilermaker) in the Glasgow shipyards, but he gave it up towards the end of the decade to pursue a career as a folk singer in the Humblebums and subsequently as a soloist. In the early 1970s he made the transition from folk-singer with a comedic persona to fully-fledged comedian, a role in which he continues. He also became an actor, and has appeared in such films as Mrs. Brown (1997), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA; The Boondock Saints (1999); The Last Samurai (2003); Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004); and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008).
It is as a stand-up comedian that Connolly is best known. His observational comedy is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. He has outraged certain sectors of audiences, critics and the media with his free use of the word "fuck". He has made jokes relating to masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, haemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness, his aunts' cruelty and, in the latter stages of his career, old age (specifically his experiences of growing old). In 2007 and again in 2010, he was voted the greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.
Connolly has been married to comedian and psychologist Pamela Stephenson since 1989. In the book Billy, and in a December 2008 online interview, Connolly states he was sexually abused by his father between the ages of 10 and 15. He believes this was a result of the Catholic Church not allowing his father to divorce after his mother left the family. Due to this, Connolly has a "deep distrust and dislike of the Catholic church and any other organization that brainwashes people". In a 1999 interview with "The Sunday Herald" Connolly condemned the SNP as "racist" and the new Scottish parliament as a "joke".
In November 1998, Connolly was the subject of a two-hour retrospective entitled Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, which included tributes from Judi Dench, Sean Connery, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Eddie Izzard.
It is as a stand-up comedian that Connolly is best known. His observational comedy is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. He has outraged certain sectors of audiences, critics and the media with his free use of the word "fuck". He has made jokes relating to masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, haemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness, his aunts' cruelty and, in the latter stages of his career, old age (specifically his experiences of growing old). In 2007 and again in 2010, he was voted the greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.
Connolly has been married to comedian and psychologist Pamela Stephenson since 1989. In the book Billy, and in a December 2008 online interview, Connolly states he was sexually abused by his father between the ages of 10 and 15. He believes this was a result of the Catholic Church not allowing his father to divorce after his mother left the family. Due to this, Connolly has a "deep distrust and dislike of the Catholic church and any other organization that brainwashes people". In a 1999 interview with "The Sunday Herald" Connolly condemned the SNP as "racist" and the new Scottish parliament as a "joke".
In November 1998, Connolly was the subject of a two-hour retrospective entitled Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, which included tributes from Judi Dench, Sean Connery, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Eddie Izzard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
February 15, 2022
I didn't learn a whole lot about Scotland, but I did get a feel for Glasgow--particularly Glasgow of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. This book is to a large extent autobiographical I knew nothing about Tom Connolly before picking up the book. I didn't even know he was a comedian, known also for is writing and charity work. He was knighted in 2017. He not only swears a lot but is particularly well known for this.
Somme books are easy to review. You know exactly how you feel about the book and why. This is the case here.
Connolly's humor does not make me laugh. His humor is simply not my kind of humor. Although I knew when I was supposed to be laughing, I wasn't laughing. I will give only one example. Here goes--"Whoopi Goldberg said to me eating Vegemite is like licking a cat's ass. That made me wonder how she did her research." I get what he is implying but I just don't think it is so funny. Humor is very individual. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. There are a lot of jokes in this book that went in one year and out the other. They had no effect on me whatsoever!
Here i the strange thing. Although Connolly's humor leaves me cold, the man I have gotten to know, and I like him. I like his humility. I like the respect and value he gives the working class people. Without them society would go under. I like how he tackles his Parkinson disease.
So, I do like the book; in reading the book I came to know him. I like the man. I liked the sections about his youth too. He says, “Books are a ticket to the whole world.” I couldn’t agree more!
Bill Connolly reads the book himself. This is how it should be. His Scottish accent is very strong. There are words I don't understand. I give the narration four stars despite my difficulty in following all that is said. Listening to his words, in his voice, helps you get a handle on who he is. This is why I have given the narration four stars.
Somme books are easy to review. You know exactly how you feel about the book and why. This is the case here.
Connolly's humor does not make me laugh. His humor is simply not my kind of humor. Although I knew when I was supposed to be laughing, I wasn't laughing. I will give only one example. Here goes--"Whoopi Goldberg said to me eating Vegemite is like licking a cat's ass. That made me wonder how she did her research." I get what he is implying but I just don't think it is so funny. Humor is very individual. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. There are a lot of jokes in this book that went in one year and out the other. They had no effect on me whatsoever!
Here i the strange thing. Although Connolly's humor leaves me cold, the man I have gotten to know, and I like him. I like his humility. I like the respect and value he gives the working class people. Without them society would go under. I like how he tackles his Parkinson disease.
So, I do like the book; in reading the book I came to know him. I like the man. I liked the sections about his youth too. He says, “Books are a ticket to the whole world.” I couldn’t agree more!
Bill Connolly reads the book himself. This is how it should be. His Scottish accent is very strong. There are words I don't understand. I give the narration four stars despite my difficulty in following all that is said. Listening to his words, in his voice, helps you get a handle on who he is. This is why I have given the narration four stars.
November 12, 2019
I think the whole thing of acting your age is deeply over-rated. Acting your age is about as sensible as acting your street number.
This alluring, informal and a bit random memoir was an absolute treat and I was reading the whole thing with a smile on my face (or, during the part of Billy's knitted swimwear more like trying to muffle my loud laugh as I read that on the bus).
In a narrative voice that places you listening directly (or in some cases feeling more like having a chat) to a favourite uncle with a mind that works in all directions simultaneously - and who has an amazing sense of humor, wit and timing - Billy leads us through: Introduction, Childhood, A guide to literature, The shipyards ("What idiot built a castle in the middle of a shipyard?"), Music, A conversation of fine art, Comedy, A conversation on living with Parkinson's, Religion, A conversation on friendship, Scottishness and the Epilogue. If you have any prior knowledge of Billy Connolly, you know that you are in for a treat just by reading these topic headings.
An amazing man and talent, humble and sincere, Connolly is quite unique and I do think that this book is a good starting point and for the seasoned fan both.
This alluring, informal and a bit random memoir was an absolute treat and I was reading the whole thing with a smile on my face (or, during the part of Billy's knitted swimwear more like trying to muffle my loud laugh as I read that on the bus).
In a narrative voice that places you listening directly (or in some cases feeling more like having a chat) to a favourite uncle with a mind that works in all directions simultaneously - and who has an amazing sense of humor, wit and timing - Billy leads us through: Introduction, Childhood, A guide to literature, The shipyards ("What idiot built a castle in the middle of a shipyard?"), Music, A conversation of fine art, Comedy, A conversation on living with Parkinson's, Religion, A conversation on friendship, Scottishness and the Epilogue. If you have any prior knowledge of Billy Connolly, you know that you are in for a treat just by reading these topic headings.
An amazing man and talent, humble and sincere, Connolly is quite unique and I do think that this book is a good starting point and for the seasoned fan both.
December 7, 2018
This was such a fun read - had a smile on my face the whole way through. You feel like you’re with Billy Connolly having a nice wee chat with him - he comes across as a really nice guy as well. A must read for anyone who is a fan of the Big Yin.
November 13, 2020
This is an interesting read where comedian Billy Connelly goes back to his roots and reflects on his life and his love of Scotland. Told with plenty of humour and feeling although like his compatriot Sean Connery who also spoke of his love for Scotland yet they both chose to live elsewhere.
This is a fascinating read though and he tells of his early life and working in the shipyards as a welder before taking on the career of comedian loved by many and joining a band with Gerry Rafferty. Billy Connelly went on to lead a much different life mixing with the stars and royalty and living a much different life to the one he looked destined for.
Stories and anecdotes told in his unique style make this book an enjoyable read and will bring a smile to your face at the same time.
This is a fascinating read though and he tells of his early life and working in the shipyards as a welder before taking on the career of comedian loved by many and joining a band with Gerry Rafferty. Billy Connelly went on to lead a much different life mixing with the stars and royalty and living a much different life to the one he looked destined for.
Stories and anecdotes told in his unique style make this book an enjoyable read and will bring a smile to your face at the same time.
July 1, 2020
enjoyed this autobiography of the big yen written just after his knighthood
December 14, 2018
4.5 Stars!
“People often say that football and boxing are the way out of the working class and they are your ticket out of that kind of life, if you happen to want to leave it. But, for me, the library is the key. That is where the escape tunnel is. All of the knowledge in the world is there. The great brains of the world at your fingertips.”
I remember reading “Billy” nearly twenty years ago and enjoying that, but this has a lot more humour, depth and immediacy. Stephenson’s account came across as too detached and almost academic whereas this seems to have the voice of Billy more clearly and I felt like I could really identify and relate to this is a more meaningful way.
This is a memoir filled with cracking stories, veering between the random, dark and funny. Little nuggets like apparently he used to deliver milk to Mark Knopfler’s childhood home in Bearsden. We also hear of how he came to meet fellow rising Scottish actors and writers such as Tony Roper and Richard Wilson as he was making his way. Obviously some of the details and anecdotes have been covered before in his previous biographies and the biography of his wife too and even in his stand up material. But they are told with such warmth, eloquence and humour, that they still come across fresh and vibrant. There is also plenty of darkness in here too, as he and his long term friends dwell on their declining health and the people they have lost along the way.
Like his stand up where he has always been partial to a digression or two, he has some interludes in between the chapters, which include his love of reading and a short, yet fairly detailed list of recommendations. Insisting that, “But there’s no right way to read. You are not studying for an exam. The important thing is that books do you good. They improve your life, and the lives of the people around you. They improve you.” He also covers some other topics such as the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed and his long term friendship with the artist and writer John Byrne. There are some great photos in here too, in colour and black and white.
He recalls coming up through the emerging Scottish folk scene, where he met and played with people like Matt McGinn and Danny Kyle, in venues such as the Attic Folk Club in Paisley, where he first stumbled into stand up after forgetting the lines to a song he was singing. It was also in Paisley where he met Gerry Rafferty, after playing a gig at the Orange Halls, where Rafferty would go onto join him in The Humblebums.
“I used to think the royal family were a complete load of nonsense, until they started giving me things.” So reads the caption under the photo of him with the medal he got from the royals. In one sense I find it hugely disappointing and puzzling why someone from his background who idolises the likes of socialist, and trade union activist Jimmy Reid, would chose to accept honours from the royal family. Alex Ferguson being another example. I just can’t get my head round that, but I understand that people change, and maybe I would think differently when I am in my 60s or 70s, but I doubt it. Either way no one sums it up better than The Proclaimers in their song “In Recognition” which captures it perfectly.
That minor gripe aside, this was a hugely enjoyable read and it shows that Connolly, in spite of his much reported medical condition, still retains an incredibly sharp and witty intellect and is very much on the ball. He also remains a wise and entertaining man well into his mid-seventies. As the man says, “I didnae come from nothing: I come from Scotland. And this book is about why I will always be happy and proud that I do.”
“People often say that football and boxing are the way out of the working class and they are your ticket out of that kind of life, if you happen to want to leave it. But, for me, the library is the key. That is where the escape tunnel is. All of the knowledge in the world is there. The great brains of the world at your fingertips.”
I remember reading “Billy” nearly twenty years ago and enjoying that, but this has a lot more humour, depth and immediacy. Stephenson’s account came across as too detached and almost academic whereas this seems to have the voice of Billy more clearly and I felt like I could really identify and relate to this is a more meaningful way.
This is a memoir filled with cracking stories, veering between the random, dark and funny. Little nuggets like apparently he used to deliver milk to Mark Knopfler’s childhood home in Bearsden. We also hear of how he came to meet fellow rising Scottish actors and writers such as Tony Roper and Richard Wilson as he was making his way. Obviously some of the details and anecdotes have been covered before in his previous biographies and the biography of his wife too and even in his stand up material. But they are told with such warmth, eloquence and humour, that they still come across fresh and vibrant. There is also plenty of darkness in here too, as he and his long term friends dwell on their declining health and the people they have lost along the way.
Like his stand up where he has always been partial to a digression or two, he has some interludes in between the chapters, which include his love of reading and a short, yet fairly detailed list of recommendations. Insisting that, “But there’s no right way to read. You are not studying for an exam. The important thing is that books do you good. They improve your life, and the lives of the people around you. They improve you.” He also covers some other topics such as the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed and his long term friendship with the artist and writer John Byrne. There are some great photos in here too, in colour and black and white.
He recalls coming up through the emerging Scottish folk scene, where he met and played with people like Matt McGinn and Danny Kyle, in venues such as the Attic Folk Club in Paisley, where he first stumbled into stand up after forgetting the lines to a song he was singing. It was also in Paisley where he met Gerry Rafferty, after playing a gig at the Orange Halls, where Rafferty would go onto join him in The Humblebums.
“I used to think the royal family were a complete load of nonsense, until they started giving me things.” So reads the caption under the photo of him with the medal he got from the royals. In one sense I find it hugely disappointing and puzzling why someone from his background who idolises the likes of socialist, and trade union activist Jimmy Reid, would chose to accept honours from the royal family. Alex Ferguson being another example. I just can’t get my head round that, but I understand that people change, and maybe I would think differently when I am in my 60s or 70s, but I doubt it. Either way no one sums it up better than The Proclaimers in their song “In Recognition” which captures it perfectly.
That minor gripe aside, this was a hugely enjoyable read and it shows that Connolly, in spite of his much reported medical condition, still retains an incredibly sharp and witty intellect and is very much on the ball. He also remains a wise and entertaining man well into his mid-seventies. As the man says, “I didnae come from nothing: I come from Scotland. And this book is about why I will always be happy and proud that I do.”
November 4, 2018
Billy Connolly is just one of those people that everyone loves, he has an opinion on everything and isn't afraid to broadcast it to the masses. He's irreverent and sometimes disparaging, but speaks truthfully and tells it like it is. Made in Scotland: My grand adventure in a wee country is Billy's homage to his country, its funny, entertaining and a cracking good read and filled with stories and quotes such as.....
‘After my knighthood was announced, a woman from the BBC came to Glasgow to interview me. We sat down in a lovely hotel in a nice part of town, and she hit me with her first question: “This must mean a lot to you, with you coming from nothing?” I looked at her, and I laughed.
“I did’nae come from nothing,” I told her. “I come from something.”
I grew up in the tenements of post-war Glasgow. I am very proud to be working class, and especially a working-class Glaswegian who has worked in the shipyards. I come from the working class. And, most of all, I come from Scotland.
Scotland is a unique and wonderful place. Its national motto says a lot about it: Nemo me impune lacessit. A decent translation might be: ‘By all means punch me in the nose but prepare yourself for a kick in the arse.’
I did’nae come from nothing: I come from Scotland. And this book is about why I will always be happy and proud that I do.’
I bought this for my dad and he loved it, 4 stars.
‘After my knighthood was announced, a woman from the BBC came to Glasgow to interview me. We sat down in a lovely hotel in a nice part of town, and she hit me with her first question: “This must mean a lot to you, with you coming from nothing?” I looked at her, and I laughed.
“I did’nae come from nothing,” I told her. “I come from something.”
I grew up in the tenements of post-war Glasgow. I am very proud to be working class, and especially a working-class Glaswegian who has worked in the shipyards. I come from the working class. And, most of all, I come from Scotland.
Scotland is a unique and wonderful place. Its national motto says a lot about it: Nemo me impune lacessit. A decent translation might be: ‘By all means punch me in the nose but prepare yourself for a kick in the arse.’
I did’nae come from nothing: I come from Scotland. And this book is about why I will always be happy and proud that I do.’
I bought this for my dad and he loved it, 4 stars.
August 7, 2019
Got to be 5 stars,very entertaining and honest.from a humble childhood to bring knighted, Billy has never lost his Scottish roots. Read it and like me you will love it👍
June 15, 2021
In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish. Full of Billy's distinctive humour and wit.
This was honestly just delightful to experience, It almost makes me wish that I was Scottish so that i could truly appreciate his life experience, as you can feel his pride in his writing of where he came from, where he is, and where he will be going next. Billy Connolly is a legend known around the word for his comedy and his stories, he see him on the stage with his huge flamboyant outfits and mad hair, but you read this book and you find his a very calm and chilled out person and those decisions where made so that when came to see him perform they wasn't sure what they was going to see, so that he could hook them in close with each of his stories, and if you ask me that just shows his genius and how clever of a man he is. And for me I call back to the beginning where I repeat that this book has honestly a joyous experience, and I think that even if your not a Billy Connolly fan or you don't know him, that you'll enjoy this, as the way he tells his story is unlike anything I've seen before in any Autobiography I've read, so it's definitely accessible and a pure delight.
5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟
100/100 Scotcheggs 🥚
This was honestly just delightful to experience, It almost makes me wish that I was Scottish so that i could truly appreciate his life experience, as you can feel his pride in his writing of where he came from, where he is, and where he will be going next. Billy Connolly is a legend known around the word for his comedy and his stories, he see him on the stage with his huge flamboyant outfits and mad hair, but you read this book and you find his a very calm and chilled out person and those decisions where made so that when came to see him perform they wasn't sure what they was going to see, so that he could hook them in close with each of his stories, and if you ask me that just shows his genius and how clever of a man he is. And for me I call back to the beginning where I repeat that this book has honestly a joyous experience, and I think that even if your not a Billy Connolly fan or you don't know him, that you'll enjoy this, as the way he tells his story is unlike anything I've seen before in any Autobiography I've read, so it's definitely accessible and a pure delight.
5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟
100/100 Scotcheggs 🥚
May 21, 2020
Billy Connolly is one of my favorites, but this is my first book that I've read by him. It definitely won't be my last because I really enjoy his style. I also listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. It would have been Connolly himself read it to us, but the narrator channeled him spectacularly.
April 6, 2020
I enjoyed this rambling journey through Billy Connolly's life. It is definitely rambling at times. But then if you have heard a recording, or better seen him, giving his routine, he rambles around sometimes going completely off topic, but always in a very amusing way. I enjoyed this much more than his book, which I also recently read, which reprints his sketches. That did not work because much of his humour is in the way he speaks, his pace, tone, accent and so on. He has a masterful use of his voice, and I suspect this book would be better if you heard him reading it rather.
Nevertheless, an enjoyable read about one man's journey from poverty, and at times a seriously unpleasant childhood, to great success whilst remaining aware of and proud of his roots. It's quite a journey and as always he comes across as a really admirable man.
Nevertheless, an enjoyable read about one man's journey from poverty, and at times a seriously unpleasant childhood, to great success whilst remaining aware of and proud of his roots. It's quite a journey and as always he comes across as a really admirable man.
October 22, 2019
I don't have an actual category for this book as my headings are all directed at romance etc.
As a Scot I remember Billy Connolly from the very early days when he would "perform" in local clubs in Glasgow. I loved him then and I love him now.
I have read other books by him and they all leave me with a smile on my face. This one was no different.
As a Scot I remember Billy Connolly from the very early days when he would "perform" in local clubs in Glasgow. I loved him then and I love him now.
I have read other books by him and they all leave me with a smile on my face. This one was no different.
February 24, 2023
Great wee read from the man himself. Interspersed with stories from his life, meetings with friends and some funny rhetoric. Interesting view into Billy’s life and beliefs. He is an optimistic kind of guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously but is very intelligent and well read. Would recommend 😊
April 21, 2019
Great read. Didn't want it to end. This book is full of wisdom and pathos. It explains a lot, just as Billy has always done and, despite his health problems, the real Billy Connolly pours out of the pages. It goes from childhood and the mystifying sectarian bollocks that he had to endure, through his early days in the shipyards and to the beginnings of his career with Gerry Rafferty and The Humblebums. He then takes us on a journey of friends and his early venture into 'making shit up as you go along' and becoming a worldwide object of love and down-to-earth philosophy (he'd hate that). Take your time with this and cherish every sentence. Billy is a hero - well, he's one of mine.
November 5, 2018
I absolutely love this man. Being Scottish, I grew up watching him when I was tiny. He is the one comedian that I can watch over and over again and absolutely lose myself laughing at the same stories. He has a very special place in my heart and if there was one person that I could meet, it would be him. I am so grateful that I got to see him do one of his very last tours.
This book had me smiling the entire way through it until the end when I started crying my eyes out. Reading about his health really upsets me and yet he still finds humor in it.
What a great man. Love him to bits.
This book had me smiling the entire way through it until the end when I started crying my eyes out. Reading about his health really upsets me and yet he still finds humor in it.
What a great man. Love him to bits.
February 6, 2019
Billy Connolly's life story in his own words. Covers much of the same ground as the biographies done by his wife several years ago, and he freely admits he told her a few porkies.
A gentle, pleasant, feel good memoir from a genuinely funny man.
A gentle, pleasant, feel good memoir from a genuinely funny man.
September 17, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook where Billy Connolly looks back at his formative years in Glasgow and how they shaped him. There's a lot about the path of his career as well as recent Scottish history and culture. It's a pity he wasn't narrating it but I expect his Parkinson's Disease would make that rather difficult. Gordon Kennedy did a fine job as narrator though. A warm, witty and entertaining memoir.
May 10, 2024
Fun, witty & a great insight into a brilliant comedian.
October 19, 2024
I have always enjoyed Billy Connolly's humor. Lovely memoir from a lovely, optimistic person.
April 26, 2019
Took me a bit longer to read than I thought - a bit slowish in places - but it paid off in the end.
Could've used a couple more footnotes to explain who some people - and places - were for those of us who love Scotland (heck I even live here :o) ) but aren't actually native-born.
Nevertheless, this was a sweet love letter to Scotland from its greatest living son.
Could've used a couple more footnotes to explain who some people - and places - were for those of us who love Scotland (heck I even live here :o) ) but aren't actually native-born.
Nevertheless, this was a sweet love letter to Scotland from its greatest living son.
May 9, 2022
This autobiography should be read as a companion piece to his latest autobiography WINDSWEPT AND INTERESTING. While the books cover similar aspects but go into different detail. And if you're a Sir Billy fan, you're going to love it and hang on his every word. :-D
I listened to the audiobook which was lovingly read by the awesome Gordon Kennedy. He does a great job.
I listened to the audiobook which was lovingly read by the awesome Gordon Kennedy. He does a great job.
October 2, 2020
Catching up with my favorite Scottish comedian as he gets through his 70s and is diagnosed with Parkinsons. Still makes me smile.
February 14, 2019
I loved this book. It is typical Billy and I felt immersed in Glasgow and the tenements. I admire how he is dealing with his Parkinson’s and how he is happy to be a guinea pig for any trials. A must read if you are a fan.
February 26, 2019
There's something about Billy Connolly that's always made him a leading light in how to cope with the highs and lows of life. Whether it's pointed instruction on learning how to swear at those awful people who knock on your door flogging their brand of religion, through to assurances that nobody, anywhere needs to wear beige, Billy is older than us, he's lived a hell of a life and he's learnt a few things along the way.
Thanks to Billy's advice, ever since hitting my 50's I've never let a loo stop go by, I've always been a fan of the correct clothes when it's cold (the truism sort of holds when it's stinking hot), and I've laughed over the years at his live shows, his TV appearances and any chance I can get. MADE IN SCOTLAND is a typical ramble around through his life, warts and all. From young boy in the tenaments of Glasgow to welder to folk musician and ultimately comedian. His wisdom and life experience shines through, his approach to life in the face of Parkinson's Disease - the whole kit and caboodle is, once again, packed full of lessons on the opportunities we all have to live a good life. And laughs, as you'd expect, many laughs.
After finishing MADE IN SCOTLAND, I'm now obsessed with pockets, I'm in 100% agreement about the importance of libraries, and I'm well aware that as we get older, things get dafter. Sure there's a bit of the same territory here that was covered in the books already written by his wife, although he admits he might have fibbed a bit on a few things in those, but doesn't matter, more from Billy is never too much. I love his take on life even more and luckily the narrator of the audio version of this book, Gordon Kennedy, had just the right accent as the icing on the cake. (By the way - make sure you read the blurb of this one.)
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Thanks to Billy's advice, ever since hitting my 50's I've never let a loo stop go by, I've always been a fan of the correct clothes when it's cold (the truism sort of holds when it's stinking hot), and I've laughed over the years at his live shows, his TV appearances and any chance I can get. MADE IN SCOTLAND is a typical ramble around through his life, warts and all. From young boy in the tenaments of Glasgow to welder to folk musician and ultimately comedian. His wisdom and life experience shines through, his approach to life in the face of Parkinson's Disease - the whole kit and caboodle is, once again, packed full of lessons on the opportunities we all have to live a good life. And laughs, as you'd expect, many laughs.
After finishing MADE IN SCOTLAND, I'm now obsessed with pockets, I'm in 100% agreement about the importance of libraries, and I'm well aware that as we get older, things get dafter. Sure there's a bit of the same territory here that was covered in the books already written by his wife, although he admits he might have fibbed a bit on a few things in those, but doesn't matter, more from Billy is never too much. I love his take on life even more and luckily the narrator of the audio version of this book, Gordon Kennedy, had just the right accent as the icing on the cake. (By the way - make sure you read the blurb of this one.)
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January 14, 2019
I love Billy Connolly, and have been lucky enough to see him live twice over the years, with each time leaving with a huge belly ache from laughing so much. In the last few years he has been on tele a lot with his shows travelling the world and has published a few books about his life.
His latest book, is mainly about growing up in Glasgow, his rough childhood being abused by his aunt, and hating going to school and hating going home, you have to admire his spirit at just getting on and getting through. Working as a welder on the shipyards provides many funny anecdotes about the rough and funny workmates he spent his time with to dressing in velvet and being a folk singer to taking the stage as a comedian.
He also talks about his Parkinsons and ageing, and he talks to a few of his mates about their own journeys throughout the book. Good on you Mr Connolly.
His latest book, is mainly about growing up in Glasgow, his rough childhood being abused by his aunt, and hating going to school and hating going home, you have to admire his spirit at just getting on and getting through. Working as a welder on the shipyards provides many funny anecdotes about the rough and funny workmates he spent his time with to dressing in velvet and being a folk singer to taking the stage as a comedian.
He also talks about his Parkinsons and ageing, and he talks to a few of his mates about their own journeys throughout the book. Good on you Mr Connolly.
May 30, 2022
My issues with this book are ones of expectations. I love Billy Connally - stumbling on him in the 1990s from an HBO special, then more recently enjoying some of his "back catalog" on via YouTube. I didn't know much about his controversial history or even the history of Scotland before reading this book.
I expected this book would be a series of funny anecdotes loosely based around Scotland and Billy's life. The story, however, was much more serious. It wasn't dire in any way, but it was a legitimate memoir with humor sprinkled in. I would've enjoyed such a book if that's what I were looking for. On the flip, there were a few life-important advice gems that hit me.
Every chapter (there were 6) ended with a dialogue. Maybe it was lost in the narration (didn't do voices), but these were tough to follow, and I didn't really understand the topics either.
The narration itself -- it was fine....read by a Scotsman that helped give a sense of authenticity, but it wasn't as engaging as Billy himself...then again, who is!
So, I'd recommend this book to someone with a curiosity of how Scotland shape's Billy's life...and only if you have an interest in both.
I expected this book would be a series of funny anecdotes loosely based around Scotland and Billy's life. The story, however, was much more serious. It wasn't dire in any way, but it was a legitimate memoir with humor sprinkled in. I would've enjoyed such a book if that's what I were looking for. On the flip, there were a few life-important advice gems that hit me.
Every chapter (there were 6) ended with a dialogue. Maybe it was lost in the narration (didn't do voices), but these were tough to follow, and I didn't really understand the topics either.
The narration itself -- it was fine....read by a Scotsman that helped give a sense of authenticity, but it wasn't as engaging as Billy himself...then again, who is!
So, I'd recommend this book to someone with a curiosity of how Scotland shape's Billy's life...and only if you have an interest in both.
May 20, 2023
Can’t believe I finished this so quickly. It was such a joy to listen to. I know it wasn’t read by Billy Connolly himself, but I was totally fooled by it. I love his outlook on his upbringing. He holds no grudges about how he was treated, at least not apparently. He accepts that his life was hard and that’s just how it was. However, this isn’t some tale of nostalgia that makes any kind of social progress look dumb - he commends the way society has changed for the better, and he also acknowledges that the Way Things Were weren’t always a good thing. The most boomer he gets is talking about his love of literature and the value in reading books - physical books and not digital/e-books. But frankly, I agree with him!
Absolute delight, would recommend.
Absolute delight, would recommend.
January 4, 2020
It’s funny how reading a book can send you off in many directions.
Whether living vicariously through the adventures of the author or learning of his favorite books to add to your to read list.
I’ve just finished beloved Billy Connolly’s memoir, “Made in Scotland “.
What a life he’s led.
The silly, the sweet, the bittersweet.
And it’s always a pleasure to learn of another’s love of books.
My next read is Billy’s favorite, “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole.
Thanks, Billy.
Be well.
Whether living vicariously through the adventures of the author or learning of his favorite books to add to your to read list.
I’ve just finished beloved Billy Connolly’s memoir, “Made in Scotland “.
What a life he’s led.
The silly, the sweet, the bittersweet.
And it’s always a pleasure to learn of another’s love of books.
My next read is Billy’s favorite, “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole.
Thanks, Billy.
Be well.
August 31, 2020
Reading this book felt like I was sitting opposite Billy Connolly with a cup of tea having a wee chat. You can definitely feel his love for his country, for people and generally the simple things in life as you read the book.
His humour definitely came through in the book and I was very pleased to find a few familiar jokes I've heard him deliver in his live stand up shows.
I especially found his positive outlook despite his parkinson's diagnosis moving and in very much in keeping with his general attitude to life.
"And I told my wife Pamela a long time ago the epitaph that I want on my gravestone: Jesus Christ, is that the time already?
Failing that, I would like an epitaph in writing so tiny that visitors would have to inch right next to my gravestone to read it. It would say: You're standing on my balls.”
I really hope his wife goes with the second option.
His humour definitely came through in the book and I was very pleased to find a few familiar jokes I've heard him deliver in his live stand up shows.
I especially found his positive outlook despite his parkinson's diagnosis moving and in very much in keeping with his general attitude to life.
"And I told my wife Pamela a long time ago the epitaph that I want on my gravestone: Jesus Christ, is that the time already?
Failing that, I would like an epitaph in writing so tiny that visitors would have to inch right next to my gravestone to read it. It would say: You're standing on my balls.”
I really hope his wife goes with the second option.
August 10, 2020
I must say I'm disappointed.
I was expecting typical Billy Connolly funny (and more swearing).
The Daily Mail quotes "brutally honest and infectiously funny", The Herald said "laugh out loud funny". I think I read a different book!
I smiled a little during the last few pages but that was it.
It touched the surface of an early life Billy who was a welder and a banjo player.
Where were the grand adventures? Where were the laughs? Not in this book that's for sure.
I was expecting typical Billy Connolly funny (and more swearing).
The Daily Mail quotes "brutally honest and infectiously funny", The Herald said "laugh out loud funny". I think I read a different book!
I smiled a little during the last few pages but that was it.
It touched the surface of an early life Billy who was a welder and a banjo player.
Where were the grand adventures? Where were the laughs? Not in this book that's for sure.
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