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Spectacles
- Narrated by: Sue Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Entertainment & Celebrities
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Publisher's Summary
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Spectacles, the hilarious, creative and incredibly moving memoir from much loved comedian, writer and presenter Sue Perkins.
When I began writing this book, I went home to see if my mum had kept some of my stuff. What I found was that she hadn't kept some of it. She had kept all of it - every bus ticket, postcard, school report - from the moment I was born to the moment I finally had the confidence to turn round and say, 'Why is our house full of this s--t?'
Sadly, a recycling incident destroyed the bulk of this archive. This has meant two things: firstly, dear listener, you will never get to see countless drawings of wizards, read a poem about corn on the cob, or marvel at the kilos of brown flowers I so lovingly pressed as a child.
Secondly, it's left me with no choice but to actually write this thing myself.
This, my first ever title, will answer questions such as: is Mary Berry real? Is it true you wear a surgical truss, and is a nonspherically symmetric gravitational pull from outside the observable universe responsible for some of the observed motion of large objects such as galactic clusters in the universe?
Most of this audiobook is true. I have, of course, amplified my more positive characteristics in an effort to make you like me. Thank you for listening.
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What listeners say about Spectacles
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- V T SPILLANE
- 01-02-2017
Very entertaining 'read'
Where does Spectacles rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
High up in the autobiographical group
What did you like best about this story?
Sue Perkins is very amusing and self-deprecatory - she is a laugh!
Have you listened to any of Sue Perkins’s other performances? How does this one compare?
No
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It made me laugh - a lot!
Any additional comments?
Go on, get to know this author!
1 person found this helpful
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- Elisabeth Mn.
- 29-06-2022
Sue Perkins is a fully rounded character
Yes, she’s funny, witty, intelligent and would make a marvellous dinner party guest or holiday companion . . . but wait, there’s more.
A lot more complexity, unrequited love, disappointment, a crazy but loveable family, and so much warmth, realness, humanity and good old fashioned love.
Loved it!
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- Anonymous User
- 11-08-2019
an extraordinary ordinary life
Hearing Perks tell her own story in her own way is fantabulous. 10/10 would recommend
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- Amazon Customer
- 09-03-2019
Baked
loved it, entertaining, funny and a big bay window into the Perkins world. only one more word to add - BAKE!
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- Julie Hart
- 16-09-2017
Love love love
Thank you Sue Perkins. As always you are warm and funny and thank you for explaining beautiful the horrible disease that afflicts so many
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- Jeannette
- 31-01-2016
I loved this book
Any additional comments?
I really enjoyed this book - it was a bit of a chance download,not being in the realms of my usual choice of listening, but I have to say how much I liked it. It is narrated by Sue herself (very well). I usually go to sleep listening to my audiobooks but I had to turn this one off to get some! She has such a great way with words and comes across as witty, clever, humble, thoughtful, honest and fallible. Only trouble is, it made me feel like I wanted her to be my friend! (oh dear that sounds sad). I don't usually write reviews, but had to say how much I loved this particular one.
23 people found this helpful
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- Jess Hearts Books
- 18-01-2016
What's not to love?
Any additional comments?
Sue Perkins is one of my favourite celebrities. She comes across as intelligent, funny, kind and like someone who has endless fascinating stories to share. I’m not usually interested in celebrity memoirs or autobiographies but was sold on the audiobook version of this with it being narrated by Sue Perkins herself.
Sue’s narration brings this audiobook to life. Listening to her stories is like going to the pub with an old friend for a catch up. I listened to this audiobook whilst doing chores and getting ready in the mornings and it made those mundane tasks so much more bearable. Not many people can make me laugh out loud at 7am on a Monday morning but Sue Perkins did. Not many people can make me cry whilst putting my mascara on but Sue Perkins did.
This book covers cake, travel, dogs, lesbianism, comedy, friendship, family and feminism all delivered in Sue's trademark humorous, warm and intelligent narrative. What's not to love?
36 people found this helpful
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- Karen d
- 22-01-2016
Made me laugh and cry out loud
If you could sum up Spectacles in three words, what would they be?
So funny
And cleverly put together .. Kept
My interest throughout like having a good gossip with a mate ! Loved it
Who was your favorite character and why?
Loved sues honesty and the way she described situations and don't know she was such a good impressionist !
Which character – as performed by Sue Perkins – was your favourite?
Her lovely mym
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Yes dads cancer and sues brain tumour and how they love each other so much
But never said it !
Any additional comments?
I loved it and didn't realise sue was so funny
Really enjoyed this book to and fro to work and am bit lost its finished !
12 people found this helpful
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- Mrs P.
- 22-01-2016
Absolutely brilliant!
Where does Spectacles rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
At the top
What other book might you compare Spectacles to, and why?
Graham Norton Story of a he devil
What about Sue Perkins’s performance did you like?
Brilliant
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
The hap hazard life of a TV presenter & comedian
11 people found this helpful
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- c brennan
- 04-01-2016
Laughed out loud often!!!
I loved this memoir as it was both incredibly funny in parts and sad in others. I was totally engrossed and couldn't stop listening. Beautifully narrated and a "must read" or should I say listen to book.
15 people found this helpful
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- Tamsin
- 23-01-2016
Fantastic
I laughed, cried and cringed along with Susan as she read her spectacular spectacles. Couldn't put it down, superb!
14 people found this helpful
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- Brakeinews
- 28-12-2015
Exactly what you would expect... but
If you could sum up Spectacles in three words, what would they be?
Funny, honest, revealing
Any additional comments?
A great collection of life stories told by the author herself - but you can expect some open and honest tales from childhood through to what approximates for her adulthood. If you like her, as I do, you will not be disappointed by her writing or performance in reading it. A total pleasure and not as silly as many might expect.
10 people found this helpful
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- Lucy
- 19-01-2016
very funny very honest
loved it !
had me laughing out loud on many occasions
very honest a must read !
6 people found this helpful
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- mat brown
- 10-01-2016
Proper laugh out loud book
Sue rocks as s narrator and her accents are flawless
I'm sure that we must share a grandma though as hers sounded exactly like mine
6 people found this helpful
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- Semtex
- 10-01-2016
A great wordsmith and very humorous. I
I loved this book. Sue was very funny. I loved the way she could describe the simple things with humor and sometimes sadness. a great book and a great listen.
6 people found this helpful
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