Alec Guinness (1914–2000)

The Oscar-winning actor's diary from January 1995 through June of 1996. This guy knew how to live. Guinness turned 82 years old while keeping this diary (he kept a diary for over 30 years), lost sight in one eye, experienced significant hearing loss, was mostly retired, and did more in a month than most people do in a year. The reader is treated to his views of society, food, his adherence to his Catholic faith, his hopes of winning the National Lottery, worry about his forgetfulness that show more made learning lines increasingly difficult, and his complaining about junk mail and illness. He is self-conscious about speaking to an audience and often beats himself up for what he perceives to be a poor speech or performance.
He is also the person art is made for, as his mood is elevated considerably by beautiful music, an enjoyable play or a though-provoking painting, and he attends the theater or new exhibits at an enviable rate, while also finding time to dine in famous restaurants with other famous actors and writers. He's funny, yet fears he's a bore:

...Shakespeare in Henry V, has a brief phrase, "Old men forget". It is horribly true, as every old person knows, but what would be even more disturbing would be "Old men remember!", for once they start remembering how the hell do you put a stop to them? And by 'them' I mean me.

I found so much in this little book. He'd discuss actors, artwork or a sonata by Beethoven with such admiration that I had to look them up immediately. He loved books, and shopped for them in London bookstores often (his favorites were Patrick O' Brian, Shakespeare, John Updike and Montaigne) while admitting shame at his slowness in reading, as he couldn't stop himself from acting out favorite scenes. show less

Somebody said, "Hey, Sir Alec Guiness, will you keep a daily diary for a couple years so we can publish it?" And he said "ok." If one expects to learn deep or penetrating information about the life of Alec Guiness, one will be disappointed. If, however, one enjoys an old British actor's daily commentary on his mundane and sacred activities, with lots of reminisces included, this is a delightful read! Despite the conceit of the book, I really liked his ruminations, often witty, mostly candid, show more on aging, what books he is reading, and his random stories of actors I may or may not have heard of. It made me want to read more books of the "journals of" or "letters of" variety. show less

If your only acquaintance with Sir Alec Guinness runs to the Star Wars movies or George Smiley, do yourself a favour and pick up this collection of diaries. Fans of Smiley will be immediately charmed by the preface, written by none other than John le Carré. The diaries themselves are also a treat to read. Covering approximately 18 months, from New Year's Day 1995 to June 1996, Sir Alec gives us little snippets of what he's thinking about. Current events, reminiscences about old friends, show more daily life with his wife, Merula -- all are discussed with elegant writing and quiet, self-deprecating humour. The collection is a bit bittersweet in places because he is at the age where funerals are becoming the main social outing, one friend or another passing away. And as friends pass away, whoever's left is falling apart; Sir Alec frequently mentions "the tiresomeness of old age" that prevents him and Merula from getting out and about like they used to.

The real treat in this diary for me was seeing just how much of an avid reader Sir Alec was. Of course I shouldn't be too surprised that a member of "the older generation" preferred reading as his primary entertainment, but his descriptions of what he was reading and the reading experience in general consistently made me smile. At one point he is reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series: having enjoyed the third one he's read (out of order, thus somewhat vindicating me in my series reading habits), he states his determination to "climb up the rigging" of all of them. And really, how can anyone resist a man who says that "One of the nice things about feeling rotten is having a good excuse to stay tucked up in bed with an entertaining book"?

Reading this collection gives one a glimpse of just how wonderful it must have been to be a friend of such a great actor. I will be seeking out his other autobiographical writings very soon! show less

Guinness is a skilled writer. He weaves his tales and vignettes of "the great dead" simply, in an unpretentious tone and then, when you're not expecting it, slips in a wry, comical but wisely accurate observation that makes you pause and reflect and/or laugh.

His preface was particularly clever and enlightening, as was his lengthy chapter on his religious journey and his time in the Navy during WWII.

I found myself looking for events, moments, coincidences, that were the blessings in show more disguise referenced in the title. As I came to the end of the book I realized that it wasn't the moments that he was highlighting. It was the people that were the blessings in disguise. So, perhaps, it is with us. show less