• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Lieff Ink

TELL YOUR STORY

  • About
  • Services
    • Writing • Editing
    • PR
    • Writing Tutor
  • Words
  • Press
  • Blog
  • Clients
    • Client List
    • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Book
    • Accolades
    • Reviews

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

February 23, 2015

Neil-Patrick-HarrisIf you’re a child of the 80s, you most likely remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books fondly. Created by Edward Packard, these stories are written in the second person and allow the reader to become the protagonist by making decisions about what happens next. The reader is given at least two options to turn to different pages and see what their fate holds. Selling more than $250 million copies between 1979 and 1998, the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series was extremely popular and I’m not surprised – I loved those books as a kid. When I was 10 years old I thought the concept was brilliant and at 31 years old I still do. Before the Internet and iPads, those books provided the first interactive experience for young readers.

So now here we are in 2015 and I’m reading another “Choose Your Own Adventure” book – except this one is for adults! Knowing that I’m a fan of pop culture biographies, my thoughtful significant other gifted me Neil Patrick’s new book for Valentine’s Day and I can’t put it down. Like all the best biographies and autobiographies I’ve read, Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography is written to sound like the subject talks. I can literally hear NPH’s voice as I read about the various chapters of his life including the Doogie years, what it’s like to act on stage for live audiences, his Harold & Kumar “comeback,” his time spent on the LA club scene with 90s fools like Stephen Dorff, a hilarious incident with Scott Caan, meeting the man who would become his husband, playing a charming womanizer on How I Met Your Mother and gigs like hosting the Emmys.

When the NPH book first hit the stands I remember reading a review and laughing about that fact that he used the “Choose Your Own Adventure” format. But I didn’t rush out to buy the book because I wasn’t sure if I’d like an adult version of the stories I enjoyed so much as a kid. I remember thinking that creativity was definitely in his corner and writing an autobiography in this format was definitely ballsy enough to get my attention. But sometimes gimmicks like these work, and are then characterized as innovative, while other times they are simply gimmicks that end up on the discount rack never to be discussed again.

I’m glad NHP pulled this off because, like Tina Fey’s Bossypants, this book has me literally laughing out loud while I read. People around me must think I’m nuts – or they are curious about what NPH said that was so funny. In addition to the Scott Caan anecdote, one of my favorites is when his husband make handwritten notes throughout the chapter that describes when they first met. The two of them possess as similar sense of humor that is clever, refreshing and fun. As an overall statement, I enjoyed that although NPH describes his loving parents, brother and Albuquerque upbringing, he never gets too indulgent concerning his rise to fame. He never goes overboard but still tells an enthralling story. When he talks about how acting is his craft and something he can’t live without I believe him. He’s been a recognizable face since age 16 and now, at 41 years old, he is arguably in his prime. In fact I just checked my PO box and guess whose face is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly? I’ll give you two guesses but you’ll only need one.

Since you’re reading this online you can’t turn to a page so instead:

If you thought this post was well-written, click on my “About” page and read about why you should hire me for your next writing or editing project.

If you are going to buy Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography as a result of reading this post, click on the comments section and tell me which part of my review made you want to buy his book.

If you’ve already read the NPH book, click on the comments section and tell me what you liked or disliked about it.

 

 

Laura

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Blog Archive

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010

Footer

Laura Lieff was named Colorado Mountain College’s 2017-2018 Part Time Staff Member of the Year for her work as a writing tutor and teaching assistant.
Laura Lieff was named Colorado Mountain College’s 2017-2018 Part Time Staff Member of the Year for her work as a writing tutor and teaching assistant.

Work With Me

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
lieff-ink-logo_updated-2
  • About
  • Services
  • Words
  • Blog
  • Client List
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · PO Box 1228 Edwards CO 81632 · info@lauralieff.com