Vagabond

Like a lot of people, I've been a fan of Tim Curry since first encountering his amazing talents in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Over the years, I've been impressed and, yes, often dazzled by his ability to shift between comedy and horror, from portraying the most charming, lovable, often funny characters to characters who continue to live in nightmares (looking at you, Pennywise and Billy Flynn). But always, behind those characters, there was an inexplicable sense that this was a truly decent man. A man it would be interesting to meet, to have lunch with, to share stories.

"Vagabond" proved that to be true. Memoirs don't always speak in a specific voice, but this one does. It felt less like reading than like listening to an interesting person talk. And I learned an awful lot about this man, from his childhood as the son of a constantly moving Navy chaplain, to his career(s?) in film, stage and music, to his struggles with recovering from a stroke that took almost all his physicality away. 

Along the way, he casually name-drops without seeming gossipy. (He played the title role in "Amadeus" on the stage, with Ian McKellen as Salieri. I'd love to have seen that. Or his performance as the Pirate King in "The Pirates of Penzance."

Bottom line: I loved this book. I might have to read it again.