The acclaimed actor profiles his turbulent relationship with his father and discusses his 2010 appearance in a celebrity genealogy show to solve the disappearance of a WWII hero grandparent and his discovery of astounding family secrets.
In his unique and engaging voice, the acclaimed actor of stage and screen shares the emotional story of his complicated relationship with his father and the deeply buried family secrets that shaped his life and career
There is absolutely no logical reason why I am here. The life trajectory my nationality and class and circumstances portended for me was not even remotely close to the one I now navigate. But logic is a science and living is an art. The release I felt in writing my first memoir, Not My Father's Son, was matched only by how my speaking out empowered so many to engage with their own trauma. I was reminded of the power of my words and the absolute duty of authenticity. But. No one ever fully recovers from their past. There is no cure for it. You just learn to manage and prioritise it. I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or overcome something - an abuse, an injury to the body or the mind, an addiction, a character flaw, a habit, a person - you have merely decided to stop being vigilant and embraced denial as your modus operandi. And that is what this book is about, and for: to remind you not to buy in to the Hollywood ending. Ironically maybe, much of Baggage chronicles my life in Hollywood and how, since I recovered from a nervous breakdown at 28, work has repeatedly whisked me away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. It is also about marriage(s): starting with the break-up of my first (to a woman) and ending with the ascension to my second (to a man) with many kissed toads in between! But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I've become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage
Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer's world-traveling dogs are back...and off to Scotland! When Honey falls in love with a handsome Scottish pup, will Leon be able to protect their dads on his own?Honey and Leon have done a very good job of keeping their dads safe--but now the dads have decided to travel again! So the two loyal dogs pack up their disguises and secretly follow them all the way to Europe on a Scottish Highland adventure.All is going according to plan...until Honey becomes besotted with a charming Scottish dog named Coll! Can Leon manage to keep their dads out of trouble on his own while Honey is gallivanting with her new beau?Actor Alan Cumming and artist Grant Shaffer bring to life the imagined secret identities of the two dogs they once owned. Hilarious, sassy dialogue and wild escapades make this an unmissable read-aloud, perfect for families who love to put on a show!
Determined to keep their dads safe on their trip to France, two dogs disguise themselves and follow along.
In Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium, Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson reminisce about their hectic years as Victor and Barry through both beloved and never-before-seen photos, songs and musings in a scrapbook style compendium, including a foreword from former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.