Nerd Do Well by Simon PeggMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I know this isn't my usual YA fiction that I review most of the time, as it is a memoir of an adult comic. However, it does fit in with my love of YA in some ways. The fact that I am such a big fan that I have to read about things I love, and I love Simon Pegg movies! He is also quite the "fanboy" as he discusses over and over in this book. This memoir goes clear back to his boyhood, telling about when he first discovered a love of acting, to his love of movies of the zombie genre, as well as the Star Wars series. I loved reading about how these things developed in his life. I love how he can now go back and see how it seems as if things happened for a reason. Makes me wish something would happen in my life soon so that I can start seeing reasons for things that have happened in my life.
A couple things I didn't enjoy were his fictional story he added in to the book every few chapters. It really wasn't that funny, a few points made me laugh, like the referrals to Shawshank Redemption, but really, I would scan through those bits so fast to get on with the real stuff. The other part I didn't like he even discusses about how it is kind of annoying. People who go to film school and then must discuss all the symbolism in movies and what the filmmaker was trying to say in relation to the politics or world happenings of the day. It's the same way I felt whenever sitting in a literature class having to discuss the same things about books. I know, maybe the symbolism really is there, meant or not, but can't I just read a story and enjoy it for the story? Maybe that's why I have so much trouble finishing any stories I start, because I'm just writing a story, not trying to get a bunch of symbolism across. I don't know, just my opinion.
Reading the book made me eager to get out Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz and watch them again. Also made me eager for Paul to be released on DVD so I can buy it and watch it, even though it wasn't quite as funny as the first two moves I've listed. It's also made me realize I must get a hold of the show Spaced and watch it.
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