Call Me Mrs. Brown: The hilarious autobiography from the star of Mrs. Brown’s Boys

by Brendan O'Carroll

The hilarious and remarkably honest autobiography from the star of Mrs Brown's Boys, Brendan O'Carroll
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Before he became the nation's favourite Mammy, Brendan O'Carroll was known simply as Brendan.

The youngest of ten children from a poor family in Dublin, his father died when he was just nine years old. Leaving school at the mere 12 years of age, Brendan began what would become a long and varied working life; he would go on to be a waiter, a publican, a window cleaner and a publisher amongst other jobs.

Throughout the tough moments, Brendan always had humour and a good story to tell alongside the ever-guiding inspiration of his own Mammy, a formidable figure who became Ireland's first female Labour MP.

In his own unique voice, Brendan O'Carroll strings together the threads of his life, a helter-skelter story tracing the helter-skelter journey of a scrawny kid from Finglas, Dublin to TV screens around the world.

Told with warmth, humour, a touch of mischievousness - and more than a few coincidences - this is the fascinating story of the one and only, Brendan O'Carroll.
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Genres: Audiobook, Biography, Autobiography, Nonfiction, Ebooks, Biography Memoir

369 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2022

About the author

Brendan O'Carroll is an Irish BAFTA-winning writer, producer, comedian, author, actor and director. A popular comedian in Ireland since the early 1990s, O'Carroll is best known internationally for portraying the foul-mouthed Irish matriarch Agnes Brown in Mrs. Brown's Boys. O'Carroll has written seven novels, including The Mammy (1994), The Chisellers (1995), The Granny (1996), The Scrapper (originally published as "Sparrows Trap", 1997) and The Young Wan (2003); a number of these have been translated into 12 languages and have been best sellers worldwide. He has also written four films and nine comedy shows. These include The Course (1995), Grandad's Sure Lilly's Still Alive (1997), The Last Wedding (1999), Mourning Mrs. Brown (2000), Mrs. Brown Rides Again (2004), For the Love of Mrs. Brown (2007), How Now Mrs. Brown Cow? (2009), and Good Mourning Mrs. Brown (2011).

Reviews

[Kathy]

The audio version is not listed in the Goodreads list, so please understand that that is the version that I am reviewing. Brendan O'Carroll reads this autobiographical book, which certainly adds "color" to it. I discovered "Mrs. Brown" in 2005 when my husband and I were in Oxford for a week. Someone recommended that we go see "Mrs. Brown's Last Wedding" so we did. I won't say that, as Americans, we caught all the humor, but I will say that we laughed ourselves silly. (Interesting note from the book that performances in Oxford were not a financial success as the theater was never full). I've been a Brendan O'Carroll fan ever since. This autobiography is a warts and all telling of his rise to fame.

[Stephen Robert Collins]

Much in the style of Swing Hammer Swing and Angeles Ashes with pinch of Oscar Wilde.
This is a book about a wee gob shit from Ireland who has the lucky Irish paddy and out of something bad always comes something good.
If you want a good laugh and cry about life this it ,but if you want book about the TV show forget it because it's there

[Kristi Betts]

I found Mrs. Browns Boys not long ago and my husband and I binged the show. It is hysterical. When I discovered O’Carroll has written an autobiography, I knew I wanted to read it.

It was so into read about his early life, especially the coincidences that fate brought to him. If you enjoy Mrs. Brown, I think you will enjoy reading about her inner self.

[Chelsea May xxx]

Wow this book was so interesting to read and I learnt a lot more about the person who plays Mrs Browns Boy. He background of when he was growing up was so interesting to read about he never ever gave up at all if he got knocked down he got back up again. His childhood was filled with laughter and sadness and the death of his beloved parents. You learn a lot though out this book of how he become who he is today and what he took for him to get there. Brendan is such a inspirational guy and I hope he continues to do great work in the future. I also liked the fact he mentioned his children but also keep them private as best as he could though out the book. My heart broke when he lost his 1st born son xxx

[Heather]

I’ve been a big fan of Mrs. Brown’s Boys for awhile, so I had been desperate to read The Real Mrs. Brown by Brendan O’Carroll.

I loved all the photos included in the book as well as what life was like for O’Carroll growing up as well as his adult life. I found it interesting how Mrs. Brown’s Boys came to be as well as how hard O’Carroll worked to get where he is today.

I did find myself getting confused a bit as to who was who as there were many names mentioned in the book. Luckily, I would just google the name to find out instead of having to search in the book.

Whilst some of the book was forgettable, I found the majority of the book to be quite entertaining. Pacing is decent as well.

I’d recommend The Real Mrs. Brown by Brendan O’Carroll to those aged 16+ who are fans of the show. It helps a lot if you know who is who to O’Carroll in real life when it comes to their characters they play on the show.

[Shane]

I really like Brendan O'Carroll as a person and the Mrs browns boy show. The book was okay but a little bit of a let down. The first few chapters very rocky and didn't know what way it was going. At points it hops and jumps a little lacking in flow. Also the book ends around 2008/2009, a little bit of an abrupt ending. I assumed the book would cover right up to today, areas such as Rory Cowans departure and Covid. Personally I felt the previous biography by Brian Beacon 'the real mrs brown' was actually better.

[Laura]

Brendan O'Carroll is commonly known as Mrs. Brown, his alter ego that stars in Mrs. Brown's Boys. This tell all book is funny, interesting and shows Carroll is not a man that gives up easily. He's been up and down both money and career endeavors, but he always believe in himself, worked hard and made his way to the top.

I loved this book as well as his hit series Mrs. Brown's boys. The cast members are all his relatives and friends, making up a caring, funny and loyal group that you will never for get.

[Natalie]

I really wanted to enjoy this much more than I did but I am afraid it wasn't as good as I expected. Not as funny as I thought it would be.

This is Brendan's story in his own words of his career going from a teenager to how Mrs Brown's boys came about. Whilst it is interesting, I expected more comedy and there were lots of parts of this book that were boring, unfortunately for me.

I've read a book before about Mrs Brown and it was written by someone else so I thought written in his own words would be better but unfortunately, not for me.

[Alexis Taft]

I love Mrs Brown so this book was a must for me. I did it via Audible to hear Brendan tell it himself and had some extra help with his wife and son on parts.
To hear his life story was truly amazing about how much family means to him, How he has done the hard work to be where he is today.
But mostly to hear how Mrs Brown was born and how far she has come.
Full of fun and laughs with some heartbreaks and kicks along the way.

[Aoife]

Growing up with Mrs. Brown’s Boys on in the background you wouldn’t be wrong to think Brendan was an overnight sensation, but this book shows the struggles, salemanship and stamina that brought this storyteller we have today. How he swapped waiting tables to building his empire and employing his whole family in his theatre company.

He definitely is a great story teller and brings to the life the true inspiration he has for his Mrs. Brown, his mother.

[Peeps Peoples]

While I love O’Carroll’s works of fiction and parts of this book made me laugh out loud, I don’t feel like it was worth the read. So much of it was about the actual details of deals he made concerning his plays, shows, and movie (none of which I’ve seen) that I found myself tuning out and skimming through a lot of it. There’s still lasting love in my heart for The Mammy series, but this autobiography just didn’t do it for me.

[Jason Herrick]

Brendan O’Carroll is an amazing story teller. I loved that this was a story over overcoming obstacles and not just everything going as planned. While I have seen all seasons of Mrs. Brown’s Boys, the book makes me want to watch them all again. Knowing the backstory will make it even more enjoyable. Excellent book!

[Mollie Andrews]

I was really worried I wouldn’t get into this at all; I’ve only ever known O’Carroll for Mrs Browns Boys. But WOW. This guy has had a life. It was so lovely just to see beyond a TV Special I would watch with my nan at Christmas. It was so well written and just, well, a lovely insight into the life of a wonderful waiter, actor, writer and director 😂

[David]

Really great story of life growing up in the 50's in and around Dublin. Mr. O'Csrroll's journey through school, a career in the food service industry, and finally breaking into entertainment as successful writer, director, and especially, comedian. If you are able to get access to episodes of "Mr's Brown's Boys" be sure to watch... Brendan O'Carroll is an absolute riot.

[Frances]

I really enjoyed this memoir, i love Mrs Brown’s Boys , so found this very interesting.
I didn’t realise that he has also written some Mrs Brown books…. I must look into that.
Expertly narrated by Brendan himself

[PJ Morrissey]

great read. brendans ability to tell a story never ceases to amaze me. one of my favorite autobiographies I've read. whether you like Mrs. brown or not it gives great insight into life in Dublin and growing up there.

[David Edwards]

laughing all through the book ……

A wonderful, easy read. I can picture every event as I read. Thank you Brendan for very amusing insight to the history of Mrs Brown’s Boys. (My favourite tv programme).

[Paul]

Just like the television series of 'Mrs Brown's Boys', the Brendan O'Carroll's autobiography is as hilarious. I was unaware he had written so many different plays & books and it was exciting reading about his upbringing and the trials and accomplishments he achieved.

[meryl gormley]

Fantastic

if you like Mrs Brown's boys the series you will love this book, it's a very interesting read about a very funny man .

[Tracey Sessions]

Loved this book. It made me laugh and it made me cry. Comedians write the best autobiographies and this one didn't disappoint it was brilliant.

[mclovin]

Brendan O’Carroll is a top swagger

[Kevin Franz]

Absolutely hilarious from start to finish

[Melissa]

I am not going to rate this as I feel I couldn’t appreciate it however the beginning about his sister Fiona was emotional and beautiful.

[Janet farrow1]

Despite not being a fan of Mrs Brown’s Boys, his autobiography is interesting with lots of good stories. I listened to the audio version.

[Samantha Louiisee]

I have loved Mrs Brown since the start an it was very interests to see how it all came about an how this show became a family I definitely recommend if you love Mrs Brown's Boys

[MRS LINDA WEIGHTS]

What a brilliant book. It was so funny and really well written. I read this on holiday and never stopped laughing. WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

THANK.YOU BRENNAN

[Richard McGowan]

I loved the book, however I just didn’t like the scripts wrote into the chapter’s

[Elizabeth Allan]

What an interesting life he's lead. And he's put his story together really well.

[Sara Louise]

Hilarious. Particularly liked the Mrs Thatcher story 😂

[Helen Sanders]

This man is incredible. He is 2 years younger than me and it would take 3 of me to do half of what he's done in his life! Multitalented, a fabulous story teller. Definitely worth the read!