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Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Memoir & Autobiography (2022)Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre, from his breakout role as Die Hard’s villainous Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate new audiences today.
But Rickman’s artistry wasn’t confined to just his performances. Rickman’s writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid. He takes us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility, the Harry Potter series, Private Lives, My Name is Rachel Corrie and many more.
The diaries run from 1993 to his death in 2016 and offer insight into both a public and private life. Here is Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveller, the fan, the director, the in short, the real Alan Rickman. Here is a life fully lived, all detailed in intimate and characteristically plain-spoken prose. Reading the diaries is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close friend.
Madly, Deeply also includes a foreword by Emma Thompson and a selection of Rickman’s early diaries, dating from 1974 to 1982, when his acting life first began.
But Rickman’s artistry wasn’t confined to just his performances. Rickman’s writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid. He takes us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility, the Harry Potter series, Private Lives, My Name is Rachel Corrie and many more.
The diaries run from 1993 to his death in 2016 and offer insight into both a public and private life. Here is Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveller, the fan, the director, the in short, the real Alan Rickman. Here is a life fully lived, all detailed in intimate and characteristically plain-spoken prose. Reading the diaries is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close friend.
Madly, Deeply also includes a foreword by Emma Thompson and a selection of Rickman’s early diaries, dating from 1974 to 1982, when his acting life first began.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
4176 people are currently reading
79244 people want to read
About the author
Alan Rickman
22 books337 followersAlan Sidney Patrick Rickman was an Emmy-, Golden Globe-, BAFTA- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning English film, television and stage actor. He was perhaps best known to American film audiences for his roles as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films and Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,171 reviews
lost-interest
September 27, 2022I'm not famous but when I die please burn my diaries instead of sharing them with the whole world.
October 7, 2022
This is an unusual book in a lot of ways. It is “authorised” (by Alan Rickman’s estate), and includes an afterword from Rickman’s widow Rima Horton, but, despite some articles claiming that Rickman intended for his diaries to be published, the introduction states that “We do not know whether Alan would like to have seen his diaries published”. That makes what follows a little uncomfortable, especially given the vulnerability and harshness of some of the entries.
I also found it odd that this book has an editor (who wrote the introduction), but no real attempt is made to explain what was edited and why. There are some editorial interventions intended to clarify who people are, or what film Rickman is talking about (etc.), but this isn’t done consistently, and some clarifications are instead given by footnote at the end of the year (which is not very helpful for anyone, like myself, reading an ebook copy). After the diaries (1993-2015), there is an appendix with “a selection of extracts” from Rickman’s occasional earlier diaries (1974-82), but again no explanations are attempted with regards to the editorial process.
Despite having mixed feelings about the way this book has been published, I found Rickman’s diaries a really interesting and enlightening read. There is much that doesn’t really matter, or is not entirely clear (which, again, emphasises the need for a clearer editorial process), but the entries are generally brief, and it is fascinating to get a glimpse inside this man’s head. Rickman makes some excellent points, and I’m left with an urge to (re)watch so many of his (and others’) films, as well as to make more of an effort to visit the theatre.
Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries are moving, thought-provoking, and utterly absorbing. I’m glad that I decided to give this one a go.
I also found it odd that this book has an editor (who wrote the introduction), but no real attempt is made to explain what was edited and why. There are some editorial interventions intended to clarify who people are, or what film Rickman is talking about (etc.), but this isn’t done consistently, and some clarifications are instead given by footnote at the end of the year (which is not very helpful for anyone, like myself, reading an ebook copy). After the diaries (1993-2015), there is an appendix with “a selection of extracts” from Rickman’s occasional earlier diaries (1974-82), but again no explanations are attempted with regards to the editorial process.
Despite having mixed feelings about the way this book has been published, I found Rickman’s diaries a really interesting and enlightening read. There is much that doesn’t really matter, or is not entirely clear (which, again, emphasises the need for a clearer editorial process), but the entries are generally brief, and it is fascinating to get a glimpse inside this man’s head. Rickman makes some excellent points, and I’m left with an urge to (re)watch so many of his (and others’) films, as well as to make more of an effort to visit the theatre.
Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries are moving, thought-provoking, and utterly absorbing. I’m glad that I decided to give this one a go.
Read
January 8, 2025Nie będę tej książki oceniać, bo nie czuję, że powinnam była w ogóle ją czytać.
To zbiór bardzo krótkich wpisów do dziennika Rickmana, które moim zdaniem, po prostu nie są książką. Wielokrotnie jedyne treści jakie w nich są to „wizyta u dentysty”, albo „Samolot do Pizy. Spóźniony”. A jeśli nie to, to mnóstwo krótkich wpisów o ludziach, którzy byli dla mnie w większości nieznani, o scenariuszach do sztuk teatralnych, o których nigdy nie słyszałam i o restauracjach, do których nigdy pewnie nie pójdę.
Nie czytam zwykle dzienników, więc może po prostu nie rozumiem tej konwencji, ale jak dla mnie, to powinno było być jakoś sensowniej zredagowane i krótsze. Dużo krótsze, jak na ilość wyniesionych z niej treści.
Nie będę do niej wracać myślami, co jest dla mnie bardzo przykre :(
To zbiór bardzo krótkich wpisów do dziennika Rickmana, które moim zdaniem, po prostu nie są książką. Wielokrotnie jedyne treści jakie w nich są to „wizyta u dentysty”, albo „Samolot do Pizy. Spóźniony”. A jeśli nie to, to mnóstwo krótkich wpisów o ludziach, którzy byli dla mnie w większości nieznani, o scenariuszach do sztuk teatralnych, o których nigdy nie słyszałam i o restauracjach, do których nigdy pewnie nie pójdę.
Nie czytam zwykle dzienników, więc może po prostu nie rozumiem tej konwencji, ale jak dla mnie, to powinno było być jakoś sensowniej zredagowane i krótsze. Dużo krótsze, jak na ilość wyniesionych z niej treści.
Nie będę do niej wracać myślami, co jest dla mnie bardzo przykre :(
reevaluate-for-tbr
October 2, 2022Huge sigh of relief that these are being published with the approval of not only Alan Rickman's widow but of Rickman himself since he wrote his volumes of diaries with the intention of having them published one day.
From The Guardian:
I've never read a celebrity memoir before, but this is a life I'm interested in delving into. I'm hoping that although it's 27 volumes being condensed into one book, it still gives us lots of insight into his life and career.
From The Guardian:
Rickman began writing the diaries by hand in the early 1990s, with the intention that they would one day be published [....] He wrote right until his death in 2016, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69.
I've never read a celebrity memoir before, but this is a life I'm interested in delving into. I'm hoping that although it's 27 volumes being condensed into one book, it still gives us lots of insight into his life and career.
October 19, 2022
I love Alan Rickman and he definitely is funny but it felt like this diary wasn't supposed to be published. Just his thoughts and choppy notes for himself.
October 29, 2022
This should really have been put into a biography format.
December 8, 2022
You're likely to know Mr. Rickman through his work in the Harry Potter films, Die Hard or Love, Actually. I found him through a smaller, throwaway role in a movie called The January Man. Then, of course, as Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. I imagine he would prefer to be remembered for his theatre work, though the majority of that took place in London and far from the world's maddening crowds. He did not construct this book; these are entries from his private journals spanning the years 1993 to 2015, the time of his passing. His notes are brief and bulleted, barely expressing a thought, and those couched among a litany of famous names with whom he had a drink, or dinner, or worked. He rarely opines on these characters, merely listing the people and how the time was spent - so you may think, and be forgiven for doing so, what's the bloody point of all of this?
And that's where things get interesting.
Madly, Deeply is a subtle piece of business and requires more dedication than one is used to expending on content from a posthumous diary. Forty pages in and you're not there yet; not in the state of mind that will make this material matter. His brevity encourages speed, you see; encourages sailing through for a film or a reference; a little dish, an anecdote, an insider's remark, and there's not enough of that to maintain such a pace. You will stall. Count on it. And if, at these moments, you were to pause, to still, to listen very hard, you might actually hear that low-throated voice say, in its trademark cutting tone, "Yes, well, it might be of help if you could manage to pay attention."
There is depth here. A personality emerges, a nature unfolding. Startling in its shift from pragmatism to wistfulness and yearning, then straight back again. But the startling is good, and I'm going to suggest you run with it and resist a preview of the center photographs until you're a few years in. It matters, because it will astonish you in such a wonderful way. More of him comes into view when you see what those journals were and from where this material was taken.
Then, naturally, he writes this:
...I can only hope that when I look again at the '90s (journal) volumes that I can remember the coded details and the sharp thoughts hidden between the safer lines.
Now you will look for them. And a few of them will be found. And there he is.
This was a moving experience for me. Also sad at the end because he wrote next to nothing about the disease that took him; the entries simply grew shorter, terser - not so much an aid to memory as an attempt to etch things in. It is obvious Mr. Rickman's journals were meant to act as reference for a potential memoir; a memoir life did not permit him time to compose. And now he's gone, and grief descends.
And that's where things get interesting.
Madly, Deeply is a subtle piece of business and requires more dedication than one is used to expending on content from a posthumous diary. Forty pages in and you're not there yet; not in the state of mind that will make this material matter. His brevity encourages speed, you see; encourages sailing through for a film or a reference; a little dish, an anecdote, an insider's remark, and there's not enough of that to maintain such a pace. You will stall. Count on it. And if, at these moments, you were to pause, to still, to listen very hard, you might actually hear that low-throated voice say, in its trademark cutting tone, "Yes, well, it might be of help if you could manage to pay attention."
There is depth here. A personality emerges, a nature unfolding. Startling in its shift from pragmatism to wistfulness and yearning, then straight back again. But the startling is good, and I'm going to suggest you run with it and resist a preview of the center photographs until you're a few years in. It matters, because it will astonish you in such a wonderful way. More of him comes into view when you see what those journals were and from where this material was taken.
Then, naturally, he writes this:
...I can only hope that when I look again at the '90s (journal) volumes that I can remember the coded details and the sharp thoughts hidden between the safer lines.
Now you will look for them. And a few of them will be found. And there he is.
This was a moving experience for me. Also sad at the end because he wrote next to nothing about the disease that took him; the entries simply grew shorter, terser - not so much an aid to memory as an attempt to etch things in. It is obvious Mr. Rickman's journals were meant to act as reference for a potential memoir; a memoir life did not permit him time to compose. And now he's gone, and grief descends.
Want to read
October 18, 2022UPDATE: I *know* what ARCS are and how they work. 🥴
someone explain to me how a book that isn't even out yet is already getting 1, 2, and 5-star reviews?
someone explain to me how a book that isn't even out yet is already getting 1, 2, and 5-star reviews?
dnf-not-my-cup-of-coffee
November 30, 2022DNF @ 4%
I love reading (auto)biographies, but diaries are another matter altogether. Indeed, some diaries are detailed accounts, almost narratives of events in one's life. This one isn't. The entries in this book are plain, deep, intimate brief thoughts of Rickman's feelings, and it felt wrong somehow to read them.
There is a Guardian article saying that the author wrote the diaries with the thought in mind to publish them at some point. Somehow I very much doubt it. Or maybe he wanted them as the base for an autobiography he didn't get to write anymore. From the few notes I did read, felt like invading someone's inner self, or eavesdropping on someone talking to himself at the end of a long, full day. Maybe if he would have published them when he was alive it would have been a whole different matter. But like this? I just can't.
To me, this book feels like it was published for material purposes only. We all miss Rickman terribly, so a book about his most intimate thoughts would be an instant hit among his fans, which are not few, wouldn't it? And it was, until I opened it. I would have preferred a biography with bits and pieces from his diary, not his soul into the open like this. But this is just me, because I have a deep sense of privacy, for myself and others around me.
Another thing which bothered me was Emma Thompson's foreword; it was gaudy and badly written, misleading even. She was supposed to be one of his closest friends. But is this how a friend talks? I almost thought that she was his wife, and somehow I knew wrong...
"One Christmas Eve party I had a sprig of mistletoe hanging up at home. I was loitering under it and turned to find Alan bearing down on me. I lifted my chin up hopefully. He smiled and approached. I puckered. He leaned in under the mistletoe and a sudden change came over his face. His eyes started to glitter and his nostrils quiver. He lifted up a hand, reached in and pulled a longish hair out of my chin.
'Ouch!' I said.
"That's an incipient beard,' he said, handing me the hair and walking off. That was the thing about Alan. You never knew if you were going to be kissed or unsettled."
Anyway, I think this book will appeal to many, but it is not for me, and it has nothing to do with Alan Rickman's thoughts, feelings or writing. He is and will remain one of my favorite actors and men ever. And my soft spot for his voice will be there forever, along with Fassbender's.
I love reading (auto)biographies, but diaries are another matter altogether. Indeed, some diaries are detailed accounts, almost narratives of events in one's life. This one isn't. The entries in this book are plain, deep, intimate brief thoughts of Rickman's feelings, and it felt wrong somehow to read them.
There is a Guardian article saying that the author wrote the diaries with the thought in mind to publish them at some point. Somehow I very much doubt it. Or maybe he wanted them as the base for an autobiography he didn't get to write anymore. From the few notes I did read, felt like invading someone's inner self, or eavesdropping on someone talking to himself at the end of a long, full day. Maybe if he would have published them when he was alive it would have been a whole different matter. But like this? I just can't.
To me, this book feels like it was published for material purposes only. We all miss Rickman terribly, so a book about his most intimate thoughts would be an instant hit among his fans, which are not few, wouldn't it? And it was, until I opened it. I would have preferred a biography with bits and pieces from his diary, not his soul into the open like this. But this is just me, because I have a deep sense of privacy, for myself and others around me.
Another thing which bothered me was Emma Thompson's foreword; it was gaudy and badly written, misleading even. She was supposed to be one of his closest friends. But is this how a friend talks? I almost thought that she was his wife, and somehow I knew wrong...
"One Christmas Eve party I had a sprig of mistletoe hanging up at home. I was loitering under it and turned to find Alan bearing down on me. I lifted my chin up hopefully. He smiled and approached. I puckered. He leaned in under the mistletoe and a sudden change came over his face. His eyes started to glitter and his nostrils quiver. He lifted up a hand, reached in and pulled a longish hair out of my chin.
'Ouch!' I said.
"That's an incipient beard,' he said, handing me the hair and walking off. That was the thing about Alan. You never knew if you were going to be kissed or unsettled."
Anyway, I think this book will appeal to many, but it is not for me, and it has nothing to do with Alan Rickman's thoughts, feelings or writing. He is and will remain one of my favorite actors and men ever. And my soft spot for his voice will be there forever, along with Fassbender's.
February 12, 2023
Where to begin? These diaries are probably not for everyone. At times Rickman comes across as testy and critical but then you remind yourself of your own private thoughts.
That said, I doubt he really intended these to be published which makes me a little frustrated with myself for reading them.
What does shine through is what a wonderful friend he was. He genuinely seemed to care for a vast number of people often visiting them in the hospital.
He attended a lot of funerals and spoke at many of them.
He was kind and loving to his mother and his aunts and uncles. Truly endearing.
If you watch British shows you will love hearing about all the actors he fellowships with.
Finally as the book gets thinner, the reminder that life is short becomes clearer. To read a diary and know you know something the writer doesn’t know, the date it all ends, is sobering.
I thought halfway through I would like him less for having read his thoughts but I was wrong. I like him even more now.
That said, I doubt he really intended these to be published which makes me a little frustrated with myself for reading them.
What does shine through is what a wonderful friend he was. He genuinely seemed to care for a vast number of people often visiting them in the hospital.
He attended a lot of funerals and spoke at many of them.
He was kind and loving to his mother and his aunts and uncles. Truly endearing.
If you watch British shows you will love hearing about all the actors he fellowships with.
Finally as the book gets thinner, the reminder that life is short becomes clearer. To read a diary and know you know something the writer doesn’t know, the date it all ends, is sobering.
I thought halfway through I would like him less for having read his thoughts but I was wrong. I like him even more now.
November 10, 2022
What a wonderful look into the mind of a talented man, interested in so many things, and able to express his thoughts with humor and flair. This was an immersive experience for me. Reading his most intimate thoughts makes me realize what an important figure we have lost.
My thanks to the publisher, Henry Holt, for my copy of this special book. #Goodreads Giveaway.
My thanks to the publisher, Henry Holt, for my copy of this special book. #Goodreads Giveaway.
December 15, 2022
Not worth the effort for the few random insights he has. Almost none of his ponderings about theatre or movies or politics are fully developed. Frankly, Facebook statuses have more depth than most of these entries. This should never have been published.
Edit: I’ve mentioned this in other places so I should here, as well: I’m guessing these diaries were intended as memory joggers for the memoir he was intending to write, but never got around to. Which is a bummer, but this book is no substitute. Any throughline or overarching conclusions one might arrive at are independent of his experiences.
Edit: I’ve mentioned this in other places so I should here, as well: I’m guessing these diaries were intended as memory joggers for the memoir he was intending to write, but never got around to. Which is a bummer, but this book is no substitute. Any throughline or overarching conclusions one might arrive at are independent of his experiences.
November 20, 2022
I was saddened to hear that Alan Rickman had passed away in 2016. He was an incredible actor and was in many of my favourite films. He played the bad guy so well and will always be my favourite Sherriff of Nottingham. I was so happy to receive this copy of his diaries from the lovely team at Allen and Unwin.
This is not a book that I can review, These are the diaries of a man. A famous man with many famous friends. He travelled alot, and met some amazing people. He has some very strong opinions on certain subjects. He hated being constantly asked about Harry Potter. He had a sense of humour and was much loved in the acting community. It was an honour to be able to learn more about this man. Such a sad loss, just 6 months from diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
This is not a book that I can review, These are the diaries of a man. A famous man with many famous friends. He travelled alot, and met some amazing people. He has some very strong opinions on certain subjects. He hated being constantly asked about Harry Potter. He had a sense of humour and was much loved in the acting community. It was an honour to be able to learn more about this man. Such a sad loss, just 6 months from diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
January 27, 2023
This is not in any way bad. Rickman was an excellent actor, but it’s a diary with lots of dates, lots of mentions of famous people, lots of food and restaurants, lots of funerals, comments on acting technique, but not a lot of introspection.
It’s real shorthand.
If you loved Rickman fine, but for others I can’t see the appeal.
It’s real shorthand.
If you loved Rickman fine, but for others I can’t see the appeal.
Want to read
August 20, 2022This is a "must buy book" for me.
September 30, 2025
I loved this, a new favourite book! It was so well written I felt totally in his head! He could write as well as act!
December 7, 2023
Дочитав вночі щоденники Алана Рікмана. На останніх сторінках був я, він і його найближче оточення.
Останній допис Рікман зробив 12 грудня, а вже за місяць - 14 січня - помер. У післямові його дружина Ріма розповідала про цей місяць, про їхні зустрічі з друзями та рідними, про те як Рікман до останнього жив повноцінним життям (навіть хотів на НР вирватись потусити), і як сам особисто зрежисував власні похорони (пишу і мурахи шкірою), він обрав хто казатиме промови, яка буде музика, які фрагменти його творчого доробку варто показати…
Я міг поставити цій книжці 1 - вона починається зі слів редактора, який пише, що "невідомо, чи хотів би Алан, щоб його щоденники опублікували". Так, все виглядає ніби Рікман справді хотів цього (писав до останнього), і спадкоємці дали згоду, але остаточної відповіді немає, і це дещо турбує.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 2 - дуже багато імен, п'єс, локацій будуть незнайомі українським читачам.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 3 - у щоденників був редактор, але він не надавав контексту та пояснень (точніше - надав дуже мало контексту та пояснень), і невідомо, що саме редагувалось.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 4 - так, вона дуже класна, емоційна, "шалена, глибока", але звичайний читач буде рухатись десь по діагоналі, десь вчитуватись, десь перечитувати, а це ознака нерівномірності, тому 5 не може бути, але…
…але я поставив 5 з 5. Попри все вищезазначене. Чому? Бо у підсумку книга дала мені нові і дуже сильні емоції. Бо це унікальний досвід - подивитись на світ очима Алана Рікмана, який зіграв Северуса Снейпа, без харизми якого світ ГП був би зовсім іншим. Я ніби занурився у Сито спогадів у 1993 році, і спостерігав за днями з життя Рікмана до його останніх днів 2016 року. Це були десь важливі та знакові моменти, десь щось пусте. Дивився, як він зустрічається з топовими акторами, як готується до п'єс, як відмінно жартує і стібеться (до речі, тіпікал Снейп), як постійно літає по світу, як дивиться телевізор, як пише враження на переглянуті фільми/вистави, як відпочиває з дружиною, як бореться з безсонням, у якому до біса шаленому ритмі живе. Спостерігаєш за тим, як чим далі - тим більше смертей в його оточенні. І як боляче це по ньому б’є. Бо час в цих щоденниках летить, але чи в нашому житті не так? Щодо ритму життя Рікмана - це тотальне навантаження, моментами мені було фізично боляче читати. Особливо як десь за 1-2 роки до смерті, коли він вже мав певні проблеми зі здоров'ям, він пив антибіотики і грав у виставах декілька днів підряд до безпам'ятства. Рікман просто не міг підвести інших, скасувати виставу тощо.
Людина, про яку можна сказати "таких вже не роблять". Людина повністю віддана справі акторства.
І коли ти дочитуєш останні сторінки, коли виринаєш з цього Сита спогадів, то ти не можеш поставити іншу оцінку. Хоча правильніше було б навіть виокремити цю книгу, як таку, яку не варто оцінювати. Бо ти, як читач, можеш пережити унікальний досвід, завдяки тому, що Рікман не лінувався і протягом десятків років робив регулярні нотатки та рефлексії. І є щось містичне в цьому, коли ти за декілька днів можеш фактично прожити життя відомої людини, від її розквіту і до дня смерті. А оцінки та премії - це другорядне, Рікман сам висміював оскарівський комітет і критиків.
Ще більше відгуків та окололітературного шукайте в моєму книжковому блозі в Телеграмі
Останній допис Рікман зробив 12 грудня, а вже за місяць - 14 січня - помер. У післямові його дружина Ріма розповідала про цей місяць, про їхні зустрічі з друзями та рідними, про те як Рікман до останнього жив повноцінним життям (навіть хотів на НР вирватись потусити), і як сам особисто зрежисував власні похорони (пишу і мурахи шкірою), він обрав хто казатиме промови, яка буде музика, які фрагменти його творчого доробку варто показати…
Я міг поставити цій книжці 1 - вона починається зі слів редактора, який пише, що "невідомо, чи хотів би Алан, щоб його щоденники опублікували". Так, все виглядає ніби Рікман справді хотів цього (писав до останнього), і спадкоємці дали згоду, але остаточної відповіді немає, і це дещо турбує.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 2 - дуже багато імен, п'єс, локацій будуть незнайомі українським читачам.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 3 - у щоденників був редактор, але він не надавав контексту та пояснень (точніше - надав дуже мало контексту та пояснень), і невідомо, що саме редагувалось.
Я міг поставити цій книжці 4 - так, вона дуже класна, емоційна, "шалена, глибока", але звичайний читач буде рухатись десь по діагоналі, десь вчитуватись, десь перечитувати, а це ознака нерівномірності, тому 5 не може бути, але…
…але я поставив 5 з 5. Попри все вищезазначене. Чому? Бо у підсумку книга дала мені нові і дуже сильні емоції. Бо це унікальний досвід - подивитись на світ очима Алана Рікмана, який зіграв Северуса Снейпа, без харизми якого світ ГП був би зовсім іншим. Я ніби занурився у Сито спогадів у 1993 році, і спостерігав за днями з життя Рікмана до його останніх днів 2016 року. Це були десь важливі та знакові моменти, десь щось пусте. Дивився, як він зустрічається з топовими акторами, як готується до п'єс, як відмінно жартує і стібеться (до речі, тіпікал Снейп), як постійно літає по світу, як дивиться телевізор, як пише враження на переглянуті фільми/вистави, як відпочиває з дружиною, як бореться з безсонням, у якому до біса шаленому ритмі живе. Спостерігаєш за тим, як чим далі - тим більше смертей в його оточенні. І як боляче це по ньому б’є. Бо час в цих щоденниках летить, але чи в нашому житті не так? Щодо ритму життя Рікмана - це тотальне навантаження, моментами мені було фізично боляче читати. Особливо як десь за 1-2 роки до смерті, коли він вже мав певні проблеми зі здоров'ям, він пив антибіотики і грав у виставах декілька днів підряд до безпам'ятства. Рікман просто не міг підвести інших, скасувати виставу тощо.
Людина, про яку можна сказати "таких вже не роблять". Людина повністю віддана справі акторства.
І коли ти дочитуєш останні сторінки, коли виринаєш з цього Сита спогадів, то ти не можеш поставити іншу оцінку. Хоча правильніше було б навіть виокремити цю книгу, як таку, яку не варто оцінювати. Бо ти, як читач, можеш пережити унікальний досвід, завдяки тому, що Рікман не лінувався і протягом десятків років робив регулярні нотатки та рефлексії. І є щось містичне в цьому, коли ти за декілька днів можеш фактично прожити життя відомої людини, від її розквіту і до дня смерті. А оцінки та премії - це другорядне, Рікман сам висміював оскарівський комітет і критиків.
Ще більше відгуків та окололітературного шукайте в моєму книжковому блозі в Телеграмі
November 1, 2022
While it is always fitting to pay tribute to a departed talented performer, it's unclear if this book is an appropriate way to do that for Alan Rickman. Filled with simplistic diary entries, the compiler even admits up front, "We do not know whether Alan would like to have seen his diaries published." It seems his wife decided for the late Rickman that the world had a right to see them.
The book's editor also says that the original diaries were actually over one million words and whittled down here to 450 pages. Yet the book is bloated, mostly filled with nothings--boring everyday facts that have no stories or context. The gems include his going to the dentist for the first time in four years, his seeing a king on an airplane, how he feels during various illnesses, and the comings and goings of his wife. There is a lot about planes, trains, and automobiles that transported him to spots, but rarely anything significant about what happened at those spots or on the way.
There's no sense that you know him much better at the end beyond the dull everyday habits. Since Rickman seemed so mysterious and pent-up, I understand why some cherish any private insight. But what should have happened was a competent biographer use a bit of the material as part of a larger book which would put some of the information in context. Many, if not most, of these diary pages didn't need to be seen by the public. Only mad, deep, diehard fans (pun intended) will want to slog their way through this.
The book's editor also says that the original diaries were actually over one million words and whittled down here to 450 pages. Yet the book is bloated, mostly filled with nothings--boring everyday facts that have no stories or context. The gems include his going to the dentist for the first time in four years, his seeing a king on an airplane, how he feels during various illnesses, and the comings and goings of his wife. There is a lot about planes, trains, and automobiles that transported him to spots, but rarely anything significant about what happened at those spots or on the way.
There's no sense that you know him much better at the end beyond the dull everyday habits. Since Rickman seemed so mysterious and pent-up, I understand why some cherish any private insight. But what should have happened was a competent biographer use a bit of the material as part of a larger book which would put some of the information in context. Many, if not most, of these diary pages didn't need to be seen by the public. Only mad, deep, diehard fans (pun intended) will want to slog their way through this.
Read
November 21, 2025Leaving the "book" without rating on purpose.
Did I regret reading it? NO, I am glad I did, no regrets on this front.
However, I have serious doubts whether Alan Rickman truly intended his diaries to get published. When all is said and done this is is not a Memoir with some clear purpose of writing, message for an external audience, but simply a (I guess heavily edited) collection of personal diary entries that AR kept up during a great part of his life - FOR and TO HIMSELF.
It has entries that will keep you interested if you love him as an actor/director and you can reflect on the events, movies, places, actors, directors, musicians, politicians that turn up among the pages, but you will not gain much insight into him as a person.
He had always been a private man and a closed book so to speak and reading the diaries won't change much about this, precisely because when you keep a diary for personal use, you may be contemplating on what was happening to you, but obviously you don't explain yourself to yourself.
I found the "footnotes" that popped up next to names/events also very arbitrary: there are brief who-is-who explanations attached to some names or short comments to some events, but they are missing for people/events/places where you'd need them most. Either they should have been edited more thoroughly or these diaries shouldn't have been published at all.
Once again, no regrets from my side, but I can understand the disappointment/frustration of other readers who were less than satisfied. This has nothing to do with Alan Rickman's abilities as an "author" and everything to do with the people who thought publishing these this would be a good idea.
Did I regret reading it? NO, I am glad I did, no regrets on this front.
However, I have serious doubts whether Alan Rickman truly intended his diaries to get published. When all is said and done this is is not a Memoir with some clear purpose of writing, message for an external audience, but simply a (I guess heavily edited) collection of personal diary entries that AR kept up during a great part of his life - FOR and TO HIMSELF.
It has entries that will keep you interested if you love him as an actor/director and you can reflect on the events, movies, places, actors, directors, musicians, politicians that turn up among the pages, but you will not gain much insight into him as a person.
He had always been a private man and a closed book so to speak and reading the diaries won't change much about this, precisely because when you keep a diary for personal use, you may be contemplating on what was happening to you, but obviously you don't explain yourself to yourself.
I found the "footnotes" that popped up next to names/events also very arbitrary: there are brief who-is-who explanations attached to some names or short comments to some events, but they are missing for people/events/places where you'd need them most. Either they should have been edited more thoroughly or these diaries shouldn't have been published at all.
Once again, no regrets from my side, but I can understand the disappointment/frustration of other readers who were less than satisfied. This has nothing to do with Alan Rickman's abilities as an "author" and everything to do with the people who thought publishing these this would be a good idea.
November 21, 2022
Ugh, this makes me sad. It just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I thought his diaries were being published because they would serve to show the depth of who he was, and instead it was just short journal entries of his day-to-day. There was very little to help one learn anything deeper of he was. Since the beginning states that they don't know if he would have wanted these journals published, I'm going to bet he would have said, "No! They'd be bored to bloody tears!" (LOL - Try reading that NOT in his amazing voice!) You can tell in his writing that these were for him and him alone, and never intended they be put out for public consumption. Not because of anything contained within, but because there's hundreds of journal entries where he refers to people that he knew personally (with no context), and sometimes just initials of people. I hate to say this...but it really feels like a cash grab. You learn more about the person he was from Emma Thompson's Forward, than the whole of the journals. Such a shame, because I would have loved to read a true biography rather than whatever this was intended to be.
On a positive note, I learned how to journal everyday in short soundbites via the way he did it. He didn't always have something profound to say, and sometimes his entries were just about the beautiful day or weather. What has always caused me to fall off everyday journaling is feeling like I had nothing to say about anything. I'm glad I read this for that purpose, because now I sort of have permission (in a way) to write about the mundane...because clearly nothing about another day should be so casually dismissed. *Sigh* I'm still so sad he's gone.
On a positive note, I learned how to journal everyday in short soundbites via the way he did it. He didn't always have something profound to say, and sometimes his entries were just about the beautiful day or weather. What has always caused me to fall off everyday journaling is feeling like I had nothing to say about anything. I'm glad I read this for that purpose, because now I sort of have permission (in a way) to write about the mundane...because clearly nothing about another day should be so casually dismissed. *Sigh* I'm still so sad he's gone.
November 24, 2022
DNF - this book should probably not have been published. It felt to me like a series of notes that Mr.Rickman was making for himself to use to jog his memory in order to publish his own biography one day. Transcribing them into a novel and calling it a diary does his legacy a disservice. I will forever love and cherish this man and would not allow myself to continue reading and have my memories of him altered. Read with this in mind.
November 17, 2022
I wanted to like this book more than I did, though I also didn't dislike it. I've been a Rickman fan since I was a kid--Galaxy Quest was what sealed it for me, and he's one of the few celebrity deaths that genuinely left me distraught.
The excerpts of these diaries that were published were very good, and they were pedaled with the message that he'd written them for publication, so I have been anticipating this book quite eagerly since I first read about a couple of months ago.
But the opening foreword admits that it is not clear if he ever intended for them to be published. The project has the blessing of his widow Rima, but I have really mixed feelings on whether they should have been released without a clearer mandate from him. I have been writing diaries on and off since I was 6 (and seriously since I was 12), and I'd be uncomfortable if someone released mine. Not that anyone wants to read my thoughts compared to Alan Rickman but still. LOL
Overall, their tone is very bitchy. It's a very witty, articulate, well-written, intelligent brand of bitchy--I'd expect nothing less of Rickman. But they're very bitchy all the same. Sometimes that is hilarious--I did genuinely laugh out loud multiple times while reading them--and other times they are quite mean-spirited and acidic. Rickman spends a lot of time sullenly ranting about productions and directors and fellow actors, but many of the details are quite cryptic, so it is often hard to follow what he is mad about, which makes it hard to conclude if he is being reasonable or not. Some of his harshest comments are reserved for seemingly close friends, and I did wonder how they felt about that. He does admit to being difficult in the diaries several times, and the moments he is more self-aware about his rants and his own reputation come off a lot better.
He also is very generous with praise when he thinks it is warranted, which helps even out the harsher aspects of the material, and I liked how often he delved into the mundane aspects of his life. No matter how big of a star you are and how many premieres and fancy parties you attend, you still have to battle home improvement projects and reading your mail, and he often has a sly wit in talking about it.
One highlight for me was his frequent movie reviews. He loved to watch movies and would often sound off with a pithy, insightful 1-2 sentence review. He also enjoyed reading and often mentions titles, though he has much less to say about the books he reads. Rickman was also an avid traveler, with a second home in Italy, and his descriptions of the various places he traveled are especially evocative and well done. Per some of the photos in the book, in the originals, Rickman--who had a background in graphic design--often sketched accompanying images with his entries, and I really wish the publisher had tried to reproduce this aspect.
Overall, I think the diaries would have benefitted from more editorial intervention. The editor does occasionally clarify who or what Rickman is referencing, but it is not consistent and there are large swaths of passages that are almost impossible to follow because Rickman is so inscrutable in his references. Intriguingly, there is an appendix with excerpts from Rickman's earlier diaries in the 70s and 80s when he was a less frequent writer, and I honestly would have preferred reading more of them. He tended to be more open, reflective, and analytical in them than he was once he became a more regular writer.
In any event, these are an uneven, interesting, intriguing behind-the-scenes look at a very talented but cryptic man. The final months of the diary, after Rickman is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, are genuinely heartbreaking. He still tries to maintain his privacy and normal social calendar--even attending a play a couple of hours after receiving the diagnosis and not notifying others of his prognosis for several weeks--and continues to be circumspect in recording the details of his illness in his own personal diary, but the trailing off in his energy is quite palpable and really hard to read.
The excerpts of these diaries that were published were very good, and they were pedaled with the message that he'd written them for publication, so I have been anticipating this book quite eagerly since I first read about a couple of months ago.
But the opening foreword admits that it is not clear if he ever intended for them to be published. The project has the blessing of his widow Rima, but I have really mixed feelings on whether they should have been released without a clearer mandate from him. I have been writing diaries on and off since I was 6 (and seriously since I was 12), and I'd be uncomfortable if someone released mine. Not that anyone wants to read my thoughts compared to Alan Rickman but still. LOL
Overall, their tone is very bitchy. It's a very witty, articulate, well-written, intelligent brand of bitchy--I'd expect nothing less of Rickman. But they're very bitchy all the same. Sometimes that is hilarious--I did genuinely laugh out loud multiple times while reading them--and other times they are quite mean-spirited and acidic. Rickman spends a lot of time sullenly ranting about productions and directors and fellow actors, but many of the details are quite cryptic, so it is often hard to follow what he is mad about, which makes it hard to conclude if he is being reasonable or not. Some of his harshest comments are reserved for seemingly close friends, and I did wonder how they felt about that. He does admit to being difficult in the diaries several times, and the moments he is more self-aware about his rants and his own reputation come off a lot better.
He also is very generous with praise when he thinks it is warranted, which helps even out the harsher aspects of the material, and I liked how often he delved into the mundane aspects of his life. No matter how big of a star you are and how many premieres and fancy parties you attend, you still have to battle home improvement projects and reading your mail, and he often has a sly wit in talking about it.
One highlight for me was his frequent movie reviews. He loved to watch movies and would often sound off with a pithy, insightful 1-2 sentence review. He also enjoyed reading and often mentions titles, though he has much less to say about the books he reads. Rickman was also an avid traveler, with a second home in Italy, and his descriptions of the various places he traveled are especially evocative and well done. Per some of the photos in the book, in the originals, Rickman--who had a background in graphic design--often sketched accompanying images with his entries, and I really wish the publisher had tried to reproduce this aspect.
Overall, I think the diaries would have benefitted from more editorial intervention. The editor does occasionally clarify who or what Rickman is referencing, but it is not consistent and there are large swaths of passages that are almost impossible to follow because Rickman is so inscrutable in his references. Intriguingly, there is an appendix with excerpts from Rickman's earlier diaries in the 70s and 80s when he was a less frequent writer, and I honestly would have preferred reading more of them. He tended to be more open, reflective, and analytical in them than he was once he became a more regular writer.
In any event, these are an uneven, interesting, intriguing behind-the-scenes look at a very talented but cryptic man. The final months of the diary, after Rickman is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, are genuinely heartbreaking. He still tries to maintain his privacy and normal social calendar--even attending a play a couple of hours after receiving the diagnosis and not notifying others of his prognosis for several weeks--and continues to be circumspect in recording the details of his illness in his own personal diary, but the trailing off in his energy is quite palpable and really hard to read.
December 17, 2022
Alan Rickman, hombre de talento, inteligencia, buen gusto e increíble juicio crítico. En estos, los diarios escritos por el actor entre 1993 y 2015, se nos desvela una fracción de la compleja mente de un hombre que se entregó en plenitud tanto al teatro como al arte cinematográfico, que personificó villanos que han dejado huellas imborrables en la gran pantalla, quién cosechó amistades, inspiró colegas y permaneció generoso de espíritu pero agudo intelectualmente.
Los diarios nos permiten un recorrido por los años más exitosos de su carrera en una constante secuencia de viajes, ensayos, filmaciones, estrenos, lecturas de guiones descartados, análisis de los aceptados y una fuerte e implacable opinión de todo lo anterior. Esto, por supuesto, en compañía de amigos, de Rima, su alma gemela, y de incontables grandes nombres que forjan el universo cinematográfico que conocemos.
La lectura de sus memorias resulta en una experiencia satisfactoria para cualquier admirador de su trabajo y del arte interpretativo en sí mismo. Puede no agradar a todos debido a que Rickman no le temía a conjurar pensamientos críticos o a plasmarlos y porque su veloz y lúcida mente insistían en analizar y sobreanalizar todo aquello de lo que formaba parte. Aun así, no dejaba de ser un hombre cuya profundidad emocional y ansia de significado se halla también plasmada en multitud de páginas.
Gracias, Alan, hasta donde sea que estés por tu arte, tu integridad y la magnitud de tu legado.
Los diarios nos permiten un recorrido por los años más exitosos de su carrera en una constante secuencia de viajes, ensayos, filmaciones, estrenos, lecturas de guiones descartados, análisis de los aceptados y una fuerte e implacable opinión de todo lo anterior. Esto, por supuesto, en compañía de amigos, de Rima, su alma gemela, y de incontables grandes nombres que forjan el universo cinematográfico que conocemos.
La lectura de sus memorias resulta en una experiencia satisfactoria para cualquier admirador de su trabajo y del arte interpretativo en sí mismo. Puede no agradar a todos debido a que Rickman no le temía a conjurar pensamientos críticos o a plasmarlos y porque su veloz y lúcida mente insistían en analizar y sobreanalizar todo aquello de lo que formaba parte. Aun así, no dejaba de ser un hombre cuya profundidad emocional y ansia de significado se halla también plasmada en multitud de páginas.
Gracias, Alan, hasta donde sea que estés por tu arte, tu integridad y la magnitud de tu legado.
unfinished
November 13, 2022Simon and I began listening to this on our road trip to Springfield, Illinois. We enjoyed the introduction which is written by Emma Thompson and provides her perspective as a friend and fellow actor.
However, we came away unclear as to whether or not Alan Rickman actually intended these diary entries to be published, and to be honest, we had to ask ourselves the question of why we would want to read someone else's diary.
This book contains thoughts written down in the moment rather than a narrative of events, which makes them difficult to listen to and some comments about others perhaps should have been kept private. Simon quickly lost interest. I held on a bit longer, but it was also hard to decipher comments about people who are referred to simply by their initials, where's the fun in that?
Abandoned at about 45 minutes in. The book is 19 hours long, so I will leave it unrated.
However, we came away unclear as to whether or not Alan Rickman actually intended these diary entries to be published, and to be honest, we had to ask ourselves the question of why we would want to read someone else's diary.
This book contains thoughts written down in the moment rather than a narrative of events, which makes them difficult to listen to and some comments about others perhaps should have been kept private. Simon quickly lost interest. I held on a bit longer, but it was also hard to decipher comments about people who are referred to simply by their initials, where's the fun in that?
Abandoned at about 45 minutes in. The book is 19 hours long, so I will leave it unrated.
December 29, 2021
what a terrible book to describe an amazing man
Want to read
October 15, 202210/18/22
ALWAYS
ALWAYS
January 17, 2023
Here is a life fully lived. The breadth of work and his dedication to the art of acting, endless social occasions, constant travel and bouts of ill health and the numerous people he knew is exhausting to read. He never stops, even his holidays sound tiring. Ultimately the diaries reveal a man of contadictions: a Labour socialist who lives a life of riches, a massively successful actor who always seems insecure or troubled by his work, a man who can be difficult to get along with but has a huge band of lifelong friends and is immensely popular. The diaries are also refreshingly honest, with many barbed comments left uncensored. Some entries are so brief and some gaps are large, with months passing by with no entries, that there is a sense of a heavy handed editor. These are very much personal thoughts, which were clearly not written to be published, and the writing is less polished than, say, Michael Palin's diaries. It also pays to have Google search standing by as Rickman often omits full names or play and film titles, or a full explanation of events being commented on. The sadness and suddenness of all this life coming to an abrupt end is heartbreaking.
October 22, 2022
Apparently, I reviewed this book/diary in the wrong place. (My iPhone Goodreads app is strange and confusing). So, I’ll try again.
I’m biased because, as I said before, I fell madly, deeply in love with Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon.
I’m sure others have their own moments and feelings as he played to perfection the “Bad Guy” in other films.
I’ve seen a lot of 3 star reviews and lower of this work - his official published diary. I guess it didn’t reveal anything juicy or scandalous or, perhaps, it was thought that those parts were taken out.
I’m not hard to please when it concerns Rickman. Just his gorgeous face on the jacket cover of the book is 5 Stars 🌟.
The only thing that would have made the book a 10 is Alan Rickman alive and able to to be the narrator. But, sadly for everyone who loved 🥰 him and his work, he was gone way to soon 😢
I’m biased because, as I said before, I fell madly, deeply in love with Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon.
I’m sure others have their own moments and feelings as he played to perfection the “Bad Guy” in other films.
I’ve seen a lot of 3 star reviews and lower of this work - his official published diary. I guess it didn’t reveal anything juicy or scandalous or, perhaps, it was thought that those parts were taken out.
I’m not hard to please when it concerns Rickman. Just his gorgeous face on the jacket cover of the book is 5 Stars 🌟.
The only thing that would have made the book a 10 is Alan Rickman alive and able to to be the narrator. But, sadly for everyone who loved 🥰 him and his work, he was gone way to soon 😢
October 8, 2022
This was such a hard read.
There was an obvious slash of privacy crossed in this eye-opening, honest book of colourful thoughts, mixed feelings, uncensored opinions and very harsh critiques -most about himself. I found out, this man with the 'to die for' facial bone structure - which he was openly known for (and celebrated!) was insecure, funny, inspirational, thoughtful, wise and sometimes grumpy. I think I like him even more now.
His life was acting. He gave himself to it, was obsessed and breathed with passion for it, I lost count how many directors he fell out with and laughed along with his frustrations and lengthy descriptions. This is a raw look at an actors life that gave so much to the industry but alos gave to others. He was a socialite, driven and liked by 'most' who met him. The books has A LOT of celeb name dropping but that is to be expected from the theatre tycoon.
Although I enjoyed this immensely I found it wasn't an easy read. It's a 'twitter feed' for some of his past years and even though there were sub notes at the bottom it was hard to know if the next day followed on from the previous entry with the same people or new. It was raw and unfiltered and for that it was well worth the read. I certainly feel like I know him personally and I so gutted I didn't get to meet him.
How rare opportunity to see things through an experienced actors eyes.
Like I said. A hard read but well worth it.
There was an obvious slash of privacy crossed in this eye-opening, honest book of colourful thoughts, mixed feelings, uncensored opinions and very harsh critiques -most about himself. I found out, this man with the 'to die for' facial bone structure - which he was openly known for (and celebrated!) was insecure, funny, inspirational, thoughtful, wise and sometimes grumpy. I think I like him even more now.
His life was acting. He gave himself to it, was obsessed and breathed with passion for it, I lost count how many directors he fell out with and laughed along with his frustrations and lengthy descriptions. This is a raw look at an actors life that gave so much to the industry but alos gave to others. He was a socialite, driven and liked by 'most' who met him. The books has A LOT of celeb name dropping but that is to be expected from the theatre tycoon.
Although I enjoyed this immensely I found it wasn't an easy read. It's a 'twitter feed' for some of his past years and even though there were sub notes at the bottom it was hard to know if the next day followed on from the previous entry with the same people or new. It was raw and unfiltered and for that it was well worth the read. I certainly feel like I know him personally and I so gutted I didn't get to meet him.
How rare opportunity to see things through an experienced actors eyes.
Like I said. A hard read but well worth it.
November 1, 2025
He won my heart decades ago. Most girls wanted Robin Hood to save them, not me. I wanted the Sheriff of Nottingham to sweep me off my feet. The voice, the sneer, the snark…will forever melt me.
Lilly Potter, you picked the wrong damn man.
My Fav Part:
The entries where all this stuff is going wrong for him and you can sense his stress levels rising and then a brief comment about his wife appearing at a place for dinner or staying the night in the hotel with him, and everything returns to a manageable level again. It melted my heart. Some of us are loud and proud lovers and some of us are quiet and fierce lovers. The latter will rock your world.
“9.30[pm] Rima arrives. As usual, most things calm down.”
I would only recommend this book to fans of Rickman. It is a tedious read full of names, dates, and events. If you aren’t about reading through the day-to-day replay of a guy who is wise enough to write in code, then don’t go for this one.
Lilly Potter, you picked the wrong damn man.
My Fav Part:
The entries where all this stuff is going wrong for him and you can sense his stress levels rising and then a brief comment about his wife appearing at a place for dinner or staying the night in the hotel with him, and everything returns to a manageable level again. It melted my heart. Some of us are loud and proud lovers and some of us are quiet and fierce lovers. The latter will rock your world.
“9.30[pm] Rima arrives. As usual, most things calm down.”
I would only recommend this book to fans of Rickman. It is a tedious read full of names, dates, and events. If you aren’t about reading through the day-to-day replay of a guy who is wise enough to write in code, then don’t go for this one.
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