ROMANY AND TOM: A MEMOIR PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Ben Watt | 368 pages | 15 Dec 2015 | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC | 9781408845103 | English | London, United Kingdom Romany and Tom: A Memoir PDF Book

Musician, songwriter and author not only experiences both these issues but writes about them in his memoir Romany and Tom. It rang so many bells with me we are almost exactly the same age, and many of the same concerns have braided themselves around my life in the last few months and years that I downloaded it as soon as we got to the hotel, and began reading it that night. Watt's parents were, perhaps, more revolutionary, more tempestuous, than most there again, perhaps not; perhaps the key difference was that they acted on their impulses where most didn't - having risked so much to be together, they appear in some respects to have been bound together until the end, whatever that end might be. At no stage is this book light and easy to read - indeed, the majority of the book is extremely harrowing given the various challenges the family had to face over the years. How do we get from there to here, from teenaged revolutionaries to middle-aged parents with cars and mortgages and teenaged revolutionaries of our own? A joy to read even in the moments of despair. That he went on to arguably outshine both his parents is a theme that might have been explored more in the book, as might the circle of fading fame, alcoholism and mental illness. The best book I read last year was by a musician from my formative years about her life and her unexpectedly vivid insights into the human condition Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. I read Ben Watt's 'Patient', about a serious physical illness he had in his early thirties and enjoyed; that has held up for this book about his parents, their ageing and his father's death, their relationship, their achievements, disappointments, and their parenting. Envious, Tommy returns to drinking. His account of his grandmother is very funny indeed. A book written with care about two people the author obviously dotes on. Bound together by the bottle and a feeling that they both couldn't fail again it was a strange and difficult space for a boy to grow in. Tom Watt was a charming rascal, a jazz musician and band leader who enjoyed a brief but notable amount of success until pop and rock began to steal the aural leanings of the listening public. May 26, Guy Jones rated it liked it. More filters. Ben's mother, Romany, the daughter of a Methodist parson, schooled at Cheltenham Ladies' College, was a RADA-trained Shakespearian actress, who had triplets in her first marriage before becoming a leading showbiz columnist in the. She later became a successful feature writer and broadcaster, before her fortunes, as well as those of her second husband's, slowly trickled away. The approach makes the book more interesting, but also emphasises that life is composed of fragments and sometimes we need to go back and forth in time to try and make sense of what our experiences are telling us. Musician Ben Watt, best known as being one half of , tells the story of his mum, his dad, and his family from his perspective. He is perhaps most well known for his twenty-year career in alt-pop duo Everything But The Girl This is Ben's biography of his parents, and of course his autobiography too. What's puzzling is why Watt, who has often seemed a private chap with a self containment unusual in the music business, has chosen to bare all in this way. I can only imagine what other books Watt might write in the future. She works as a journalist, using her theatre contacts — she had been at Stratford with Gielgud — to bag a series of syndicated interviews with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. First this is recalled, then some other anecdote which leads to another story. He is also an international club and radio DJ, and since has run his own independent record labels Buzzin' Fly and Strange Feeling. We do not see Romany and Tommy falling in love until the final stages of the book, by which time the drama of their collision feels as necessary as air. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. It is beautifully written, thought provoking and a fascinating insight into what it is to grow old. Want to Read saving…. Watt tries his best to learn to understand them both as they approach their ends, presumably in an effort to better understand himself. This meticulously researched book takes us through the ups and many downs of their relationship, beset as it was with alcoholism, mental illness and career disappointments. Though I suspect the thoughts it has provoked will continue to pop up and make me reflect again and again. Feb 22, Mark Walker rated it really liked it. Both a personal journey and a portrait of his parents, Romany and Tom is a vivid story of the post-war years, ambition and stardom, family roots and secrets, life in clubs and in care homes. You are browsing in private mode. What were their passions? Romany and Tom: A Memoir Writer

It rang so many bells with me we are almost exactly the same age, and many of the same concerns have braided themselves around my life in the last few months and years that I downloaded it as soon as we got to the hotel, and began reading it that night. Ben Watt, one half of Everything But The Girl, follows the other half, , his personal and professional partner, whose memoir Bedsit Disco Queen was one of last year's better non-fiction bestsellers. Yet, Ben never expresses pity towards his parents, nor does he wallow in pity for himself and his parental predicament. To ask other readers questions about Romany and Tom , please sign up. Veteran science fiction writer makes the Goldsmiths shortlist. Romany and Tom. They were both divorcees from very different backgrounds who came together like colliding trains in Worse, while we are doing that, our parents are morphing from vital, energetic, important people into curmudgeonly, tired, old people. It brings into light the complications of relationship and diversion of our views of those we love as our lives and dependencies change. When we find out how Romany and Tom got together, however, and how Ben Watt came to be, the effect is like a blow to the heart. Musician Ben Watt, best known as being one half of Everything but the Girl, tells the story of his mum, his dad, and his family from his perspective. First this is recalled, then some other anecdote which leads to another story. Jul 29, Richard K rated it it was amazing. Reuse this content. I did. Memories creep into Watt's mind of childhood holiday weekends as he watches his father: "empty motor-oil bottles on the tideline, a stretch of beach, salt rime, gulls squabbling". Lonely, Romany joins him. We do not see Romany and Tommy falling in love until the final stages of the book, by which time the drama of their collision feels as necessary as air. It looks like you are located in Australia or New Zealand Close. Ben Watt is known as one half of Everything But The Girl, but here he recounts the lives of his parents: jazz composer and musician Tom Watt, and Shakespearean actress, turned mother, turned writer and journalist, Romany. Her face has the same look Watt remembers when he himself was in hospital: "half connected and involved; half ready to go home". Books by Ben Watt. The film spoke of order and contentment: here was a happy couple fulfilling their allotted roles with aplomb and, in the case of Bain, not a little glamour. Boys, Boys, Boys. In the end the book felt like a fitting, moving tribute to Ben's loving but flawed parents. From Ben having to take on the grown-up role as his own parents' health deteriorates, to looking back at their careers, their romance, their drinking, their disappointments and their obvious pride in their son's success it is at times nostalgic and sad without being maudlin or dewy-eyed. Romany And Tom is a very honest book, warts and all in telling the story about age, depression, alcoholism, family and ultimately death. Romany and Tom: A Memoir Reviews

It's a sad and at times unedifying tale of sexual jealousy, genteel suburban alcohol abuse, and what happens when talent bumps up against the limitations of career and family. Such a timeline should be hard to follow, but it's not. Oh, yes, they had tried to break it off, their respective spouses having found them out. This might well make it two in a row. His heyday in the late fifties took him into the glittering heart of London's West End, where he broadcast live with his own orchestra from the Paris Theatre and played nightly with his quintet at the the glamorous Quaglino's. What's puzzling is why Watt, who has often seemed a private chap with a self containment unusual in the music business, has chosen to bare all in this way. How do we get from there to here, from teenaged revolutionaries to middle-aged parents with cars and mortgages and teenaged revolutionaries of our own? A letter, a turn of phrase. As Watt describes his father's depression, I found myself nodding in recognition; when the depression comes full circle towards the end, I found the room becoming a little dusty - rarely have I felt such a powerful urge to reach out and hug the author of a book and tell him that everything's going to be OK. May 26, Guy Jones rated it liked it. We do not see Romany and Tommy falling in love until the final stages of the book, by which time the drama of their collision feels as necessary as air. His approach to tough subjects was also unflinchingly unsentimental. That he went on to arguably outshine both his parents is a theme that might have been explored more in the book, as might the circle of fading fame, alcoholism and mental illness. Tom Watt was a charming rascal, a jazz musician and band leader who enjoyed a brief but notable amount of success until pop and rock began to steal the aural leanings of the listening public. I listened to the audio of this book, narrated by Ben himself. They were both divorced and from very different backgrounds, and they came together at a fateful New Year's Day party in like colliding trains. It's all there in the tiny details Watt captures perfectly: empty fridges, crumpled clothes, the blood pooling on a bathroom floor. Rating details. Error rating book. Would thoroughly recommend. It's hard not to moved by his stories of her at her husband's funeral: "Thank you for a lovely day, whoever you are. As I may have mentioned before, I feel a curious affinity with Ben Watt. Average rating 4. Before he became their caretaker, Everything But Thanks to the age gap between Watt and his elder half-siblings, he is both an only child and a brother to four, a complex and lonely position, especially once he is marooned with the warring adults. Feb 22, Mark Walker rated it really liked it. You can unsubscribe from newsletters at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter. His heyday in the late fifties took him into the glittering heart of London's West End, where he broadcast live with his own orchestra from the Paris Theatre and played nightly with his quintet at the the glamorous Quaglino's. Apr 23, Trish rated it it was amazing. What timing he has! His earlier memoir Patient, Watt chronicled his near- death struggle with Chugg-Strauss syndrome. Both a personal journey and a portrait of his parents, Romany and Tom is a vivid story of the post- war years, ambition and stardom, family roots and secrets, life in clubs and in care homes.

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But this isn't a memoir of their lives as musical artists. He has a songwriter's gift for the deft phrase, while his powers of observation and recall are quite extraordinary Rating details. I also must add that I enjoyed listening along to the playlist Ben has put up on Spotify of much of the music mentioned in the book was caught by surprise when "Autum Leaves" came on, as my dad used to sing it to my mum. Trivia About Romany and Tom: A They were both divorcees from very different backgrounds who came together like colliding trains in But it's beautifully written and draws one into a certain cheerful misery. You are browsing in private mode. It's May , and Tommy Watt , Ben's father, now 80, is in hospital. This book was difficult at times to get into and seemed muddle. Watt's parents were, perhaps, more revolutionary, more tempestuous, than most there again, perhaps not; perhaps the key difference was that they acted on their impulses where most didn't - having risked so much to be together, they appear in some respects to have been bound together until the end, whatever that end might be. Acquired downstairs in Books Upstairs, where they have a selection of bargain reads, these are memories and stories from Ben Watt, ostensibly about his parents but also about himself. Spanning several decades-and drawing on a rich seam of family letters, souvenirs, photographs, public archives, and personal memories-it is a vivid story of the postwar years, ambition and stardom, family roots and secrets, big band jazz, depression and drink, life in clubs and nursing homes. Details if other :. Though I suspect the thoughts it has provoked will continue to pop up and make me reflect again and again. In the last years of their marriage they seemed unhappy and their marriage suffered from dashed dreams and unrealized ambitions that Watt's tries to uncover and understand. The glimmer of hope is how hard the author tries over and over to be the son his parents want not just the one they need. I listened to the audio of this book, narrated by Ben himself. He lives in north London with his wife, Tracey Thorn, and their three children. Given the subject matter, it's not an easy one. Romany and Tom 's story begins near its end. In the first scene, Findlater was shown leaving for work in his coat and hat, his wife having carefully placed his newspaper in his hand. I also found it strange hearing about his father's childhood in Knightswood, Glasgow a few streets away from where I grew up. The son of big band leader Tommy Watt and showbiz writer Romany Evens whose father had been a media personality in the early days of broadcasting, Watt's upbringing could Ben Watt, one half of Everything But The Girl, follows the other half, Tracey Thorn, his personal and professional partner, whose memoir Bedsit Disco Queen was one of last year's better non-fiction bestsellers. More filters. Always engaging. On the eternal drive to Penticton the other week, I listened to a podcast As I may have mentioned before, I feel a curious affinity with Ben Watt. It's a sad and at times unedifying tale of sexual jealousy, genteel suburban alcohol abuse, and what happens when talent bumps up against the limitations of career and family. Ben Watt is a good writer, and his approach of moving between time periods and bringing bits of the story out in a non chronological order really works. Loading comments… Trouble loading? Difficult and tragic happenings such as suicide, depression ,divorce and dementia are analysed and discussed. This website uses cookies to improve user experience. This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Topics Autobiography and memoir The Observer. Now his focus is on his parents, and what a tale he has to tell. Visit the Australia site. Feb 13, Paul rated it really liked it. As Watt describes his father's depression, I found myself nodding in recognition; when the depression comes full circle towards the end, I found the room becoming a little dusty - rarely have I felt such a powerful urge to reach out and hug the author of a book and tell him that everything's going to be OK. You can unsubscribe from newsletters at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter. Boys, Boys, Boys. His mother, Romany, the daughter of a Methodist parson, was a Shakespearean actress who had triplets in her first marriage before becoming a leading showbiz feature writer and columnist in the '60s and '70s. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies. We don't mean to do it, but we become something we weren't, and in many cases, something we intended not to be. These are not 'average' parents: a talented, frustrated and ultimately despairing jazz musician and band leader, and a mother with a potentially good acting career ahead of her, and a renowned UK journalist. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. 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