Berserker!

 

Growing up, Adrian Edmondson was sure (well, he wanted to believe) he was part Norse with the blood of the Vikings, and possibly the Berserkers, running through his veins. In truth, he tells of his upbringing in a strict Methodist family and of the boarding school where he was subjected to a lot of ‘sixes of the best’, dealt out by cruel school masters. 

Having raised sons of my own, my heart broke to read of a boy who wasn’t shown much love or made to feel he was anything special.  Adrian, however, had talents which refused to be submerged, and a way-out-of-the ordinary sense of humour.

Varying stages in Adrian’s life story are marked by whichever songs were popular at the time, and I know often when I hear music from a particular time I can also place where I was or what was happening then; I think it was a brilliant way to lead into each particular memory. Adrian writes as if he is speaking to the reader and even occasionally makes little interjections on the reader’s behalf to make a point clear. As can be expected from him it was a new and different way to write an autobiography, and a joy to read.

I guess it is because of having said sons in my life that I totally appreciated and found hilarious The Young Ones, Bottom and anything Adrian Edmondson and Rick Myall did. They were in a class of their own and took comedy down a new, weird and wonderful path.

Berserker! is packed with fascinating details from Adrian Edmondson’s life from insecure, desperate-to-be-cool, schoolboy to brilliant comedian, musician and actor and loving family man. What a life! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published by Pan Macmillan 

PS: Give yourself a treat and look on youtube for Living Doll by Cliff Richard and the Young Ones. Magic!