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Mack the Life

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Mack the Life

By: Lee Mack
Narrated by: Lee Mack
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Where do comedians come from?

Why is it that one person is a funny bloke down the pub while another actually makes a living by standing up in front of an audience telling jokes?

And where does all that material come from?

Well, young Lee McKillop used to wonder that too.

Growing up in his parents’ pub, small and wiry in a world of bigger and chunkier specimens, Lee quickly learned that cracking jokes was a way to get attention. After a somewhat random series of jobs, which included being Red Rum’s stableboy and a bingo hall barman, it was as a Great Yarmouth holiday camp entertainer that he had his first crack at telling jokes on stage. It got him some laughs, the sack and a punch in the face.*

Now, as Lee Mack, he’s one of our best loved and most successful comedians, both as a live stand-up and on television. In Mack the Life, Lee tells the story of how he got there and gives extraordinary insight into what really makes comics tick. Hilarious and brilliant, it’s the kind of book which reminds you why you learned to read in the first place.

*Nearly.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Lee Mack (P)2020 Penguin Audio Entertainment & Celebrities Performing Arts Celebrity Comedy Funny Witty

Critic Reviews

"His book is a joy to read, full of homespun wisdom and hilarious asides." (Independent)
All stars
Most relevant  
Really enjoyed listening to this, especially the little snippets of Lee’s thoughts - those parts made me laugh the most

Honest, funny

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I like its humour and presentation. Lee Mack has a very believable personality and interesting character.

Natural voice is a good thing.

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The audiobook industry seems to be booming. There are a lot of my favourite entertainers who have written/read memoirs of their lives. I have a "rule" that I'm reluctant to shell out on an autobiography for someone who hasn't read their life story themselves. A couple of exceptions with Freddie Mercury (for obvious reasons) and Elton John. I had this book on my wish list for well over a year, and the release kept getting pushed back. Presumably Lee Mack was busy with other work? When it finally landed in my library, I enjoyed it a lot. Some have said they didn't like the psychiatrist parts, but I enjoyed them. If you like Lee Mack, and are interested in how he became the person he is, I've no hesitation in recommending this. My main criticism is that it is a read through of the original book which was released in 2012. A lot of what has happened in the last decade is therefore not mentioned. In saying that because the reading was recorded in 2022, some comments are updated. Loved the reading and am glad Lee did take the time out of his busy life to read the book himself. Recommended if you enjoy Lee Mack's comedy work.

SLIGHTLY OUT OF DATE, BUT AN ENTERTAINING LISTEN

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Outstanding! Thanks Lee Mack. It was much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I think I will listen to it a second time. Thanks again.

Enjoyable

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Im a huge Lee Mack fan and was really looking forward to reading his book. Sadly, it didn’t live up to my expectations.
Lee’s humour just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Little disappointed

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Not as good as Jimmy Carr or David Mitchell’s books but still good. I think they’re a good influence on him…

Really very good

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He explains his journey to become the successful comedian that he is today and the courage it takes to stand up in front of an audience for the first time

l enjoy his humour

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Wonderful storytelling engaging and entertaining walk through his driven and ADHD thought processes. A light listen that won't let Lee Mack fans down

Greatyarn

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as above, love this bloke on tv, but annoying to listen to for long...as I'm sure I would be too.

not as funny as I hoped

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With his usual cheerful puns and self-deprecating humour, comedian and actor Lee ‘Mack’ McKillop presents his childhood, his journey to becoming a standup comedian, and his TV writing / acting career (with a focus on his long-running sitcom, Not Going Out). It’s a little dated now, having been released in 2012, but the struggles and most of the humour are pretty timeless. The autobiographical chapters are interspersed with genuine transcripts of sessions he had with a psychiatrist who gave him feedback on the book and his ‘issues’, as well as Lee’s racing thoughts at the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, there are some great jokes and one-liners as well as honest insight into someone with a busy mind who constantly second-guesses himself. I only know Lee Mack from his witty appearances on Would I Lie to You where he always seems to be at the top of his comedic game. My strong impression from the book is that of the duck gliding serenely across the water while furiously paddling underneath—a lot of hard work goes into a comedic career and that still doesn’t guarantee you success or failure. It’s a book I’d go back to just to hear some of the jokes again. 🎧 As you’d expect, Lee does a fantastic job of narrating the audio himself, adding amusing asides.

Thoroughly entertaining!

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