Book 1 - Post 2 (Putting the Rabbit in the Hat)

"Putting the Rabbit in the Hat" was a book that surprised me in ways unique to me as someone that works in film and entertainment. The book is essentially a biography of famous actor, Brian Cox's life. The book goes in depth on his early life leading up to his life as an actor and father. To say it was a rollercoaster is an understatement as Cox goes deep into a plethora of moments in his past that vary in tone, comical yet melancholic.

The reason I choose this book was due to my love of the tv show, Succession. I found his performance to be stellar, later finding out that Cox has a catalogue of films he has been in where he did not stand out nearly as much as he did in his recent role as Logan Roy.  I always find the life of an actor fascinating as it is complicated, emotional, and inspiring. Actors as artists have a unique way of going about life that I think is always interesting looking into and Brian Cox's life was no exception.

Cox having a family on the poor side with a father that passed away early and a mother that was not involved very much, he lead a tough life in which he had to grow up quick and the book started off highlighting many of those hardships. It then progressed further into his life as he developed and worked towards his craft of acting, leading up to the career he has now. It was a rocky journey that I will detail a bit more later but is one to be expected of a life such as his. I will say that reading this book in audiobook format was a pleasure due to it being narrated by Brian Cox himself. You get that sense that he is telling you his life story and opinions on life and the industry personally with the Scottish accent enhancing the experience greatly. Despite me being someone that prefers physical books, I greatly enjoyed listening to it and would recommend it should you decide to also read the book. 

The tone of the book was something that can be hit or miss for many but I found it to be interesting. As mentioned before about its contents, the tone in which it is told clashes at times and has sprinkles of very personal opinions and takes on his life, career, and people he worked with that make the book an unpredictable one. It is easy to tell when he is making light of things in the past that may have been problems that do not bother him much anymore (and the way he recounted events was comedical despite its contexts) but there are times it is clear he is fairly bothered by events or people. Even the Industry as a whole. Understandably for some this can be seen as a negative due to at moments feeling like a bitter old man who has a thing or two to say about his experiences in the past, experiences in which he was not treated well. His distain for Broadway, theater, and many talent he has worked with is apparent and would be something important to be aware of before getting into the book.

Despite that, the moments he delves into his take on the craft of acting is quite intriguing. If acting is something you find interest deep diving into or if you are an actor yourself, I think this book is worth the read. It's always good to know about an actor's past and be fairly educated about many folks in the industry. It's like studying a historical figure except they are still alive and still acting. That being said, talent fades in and out of relevancy and can be quickly forgotten. Taking moments like these to read a book about their life and appreciating the ones that ARE relevant is, I believe, a healthy way to approach being a part of this industry. The book reminded me of how tragic an actor's life can be and how much work goes into it. The amount of sacrifices made and how many relationships Cox had to make second to his career. It can almost be seen as a cautionary tale for talent or anyone in the industry, demonstrating the amount of sacrifice that is needed to make it and to be intentional about what you do when being a part of something so chaotic.

Regardless, I'd say this is a book well suited for those in entertainment or are just a fan of Brian Cox's work. If you are neither of those things, it can be hard to recommend due to the pessimistic nature of the book despite its moments of comedical undertones. It can also be tough to listen to without prior, elementary knowledge of the industry and is something to be aware of if you consider reading it. Overall though, I personally found value in reading "Putting the Rabbit in the Hat" and hope anyone else this book interests enjoys reading it too.