5 reasons you should read Him & Me by Jack and Michael Whitehall

Anyone that knows me will be well aware of my love for stand up comedy. I first started becoming interested in how language could be used to make people laugh when I was fifteen years old and I first discovered Nevermind the Buzzcocks. Since then, I've always been on the hunt for new comedians! 
Jack Whitehall is definitely one of my favourites and I'm excited to tell you that I will be seeing him live this week! My mom brought me tickets as a graduation present (thanks, Mom!!)
This book is written by both Jack and his dad, Michael. They've done various different projects together before including a talk show called Backchat, which I loved! The comedy comes from how different they are to each other. Michael is very conservative, sarcastic and can be quite grumpy whereas Jack is full of energy, is known to be quite camp and likes a dirty joke or two! You can see how these different dynamics can create the most hilarious results. 
I'm not usually one to read autobiographies as my heart truly lies with fiction, however, I'm really enjoying this book. It's laugh-out-loud funny and I hope that I'm able to finish it before I see the twice-crowned king of comedy himself on Friday! Here are just some of the reasons why you should read it too: 1) There are lots of family photographs 


These photos adorn the opening two pages, the back and are also scattered throughout the book. Whilst you read about antidotes from Jack's childhood, you're greeted which beautiful accompanying pictures such as Jack as a baby, at school with Robert Pattinson and dressed up Peter Pan and Captain Hook on two separate occasions! There are also some pretty hilarious photos of Michael too, including one of him competing in a fathers race at Jack's sports day whilst donning a formal business suit. 

2) The chapters are in sections 

I'm a bit of a neat freak, and the fact that all of the chapters are split up into little sections pleases me a lot more than it should. (I have a colour-coded diary and my DVDs are in alphabetical order...) The sections are in relation to different parts of Jack's life, and it's so sweet to hear about the all the different experiences from the perspective of both father and son. 

3) They correct each other

Each chapter is either written by Jack or Michael, but that doesn't mean that the other doesn't get their say! Throughout the book passages are corrected, commented on and generally there is a lot of back chatting, much like how you would interrupt someone during a spoken conversation. This aspect of the book makes you feel like you're reading a personal diary rather than an autobiography. 

4) Jack illustrates the book

























For moments that don't have a photograph to accompany it, there are funny drawings penned by Jack himself. Throughout the book you learn of Jack's love of art, and it's great to see him using his talents to make the funny situations discussed about in the book come to life.

5) It's heartwarming
The running theme in this book is that, despite their many many differences, Jack and Michael adore each other. Their father and son bond is an unbreakable one and something that shines through on the page. They bicker throughout the book, but you know it's tongue in cheek. For anyone who has a strong relationship with their parents, it's something that is easily relatable and they've captured the emotions perfectly. 
I'm really enjoying this book, and has definitely made me rethink my reading habits. Perhaps I should read a few more autobiographies. Although, I think I'd be hard pushed to find one similar to this as it feels so personal and reads like a diary. Fingers crossed that I finish it before the Jack Whitehall gig on Friday! 
So, how about you, do you read many autobiographies? What do you like about them?

| follow me | tweet me | email me |