Some real gems that made me laugh out loud and some sound advice that's also applicable to us lesser mortals not in the film industry.

According to his book (and there is no reason to doubt the content) he is calm, polite and professional while on set; he is organised and well prepared in advance of arriving; he doesn't drink to excess or go near drugs; he turns every difficulty into a positive and, has been married 50 years (how many actors can claim that?He is a brilliant actor and I always admired him in his roles through his whole career from "Zulu" to "Interstellar". I loved his down-to-earth style and philosophy of life, especially how he used the "little difficulties" to positive effect. A British icon, hugely respected, knighted in 1992, with a load of nominations and awards, it is all the more impressive given he was destined to follow his father into fish mongering after his early life in Elephant and Castle in Southwark. Now in his 85th year, Hollywood legend Michael Caine shares wisdom and stories from his remarkable career in this “engrossing” memoir that “shines with positive energy” (Library Journal, starred review). This isn’t so much a biographical retelling of his chronological life as it is pearls of wisdom/words of advice quotes exemplified with stories from his experiences.

Hollywood legend and British national treasure Sir Michael Caine, now 85, shares stories from screen and stage alongside some of the lessons and skills that life has taught him. It is very clear though, that Caine may be a great actor, but he doesn't have much experience reading aloud. For lord's sake, as a boy he was fostered during the war and kept in the cupboard under the stairwell, literally locked inside like a real world Harry Potter, while the family went off for weekends. And loved it: Alfred Pennyworth, the butler, was a beautifully written role and the whole thing was just fabulous . Although I haven't read any of the others, this isn't the first time Michael Caine has written an autobiographical book.This is the second Michael Caine's book that I read and, as the first, it was a very pleasant reading.

In my head I had already imagined and then quickly written off Batman, but I thought perhaps I could be a great villain. There were some items and situations frequently re-explained, oftentimes very closely to the last time these things were mentioned. I'd been looking forward to this one for a while, and deliberately chose the audio version, as I figured listening to the actor himself tell his story was the best way to experience it. A very enjoyable memoir regarding the actor's life, but with enough of his personal life included to make this a memoir/autobio hybrid.My sense is that this one is more of an addendum to his previous books, which are more straightforward autobiographies (and keep being outdated as he continues to find success in old age). Caine has also clearly worked very hard, and he wants his readers to know that he’s never taken his success for granted. But I like to think I got to know Michael Caine while reading this book and that he was offering up the same information over and over again to be helpful rather than just to fill pages, or something else less kind. While this second autobiography gives a great deal of advice to aspiring actors, the stories of his encounters with so many legendary figures are fascinating.