I’m #currentlyreading #SparebyPrinceHarry and it is not what I expected at all.
For a start, the book is deeply emotional. The writing is superb and I guess I didn’t expect this to be as good as it is.
Yes, there are bits that shocked me a bit. I’m Irish, so some of the British media coverage I didn’t realise had happened over the years and it was horrid.
But here is a book that is also so utterly relatable on a deeply personal level. Who hasn’t questioned their path in life? Their role? Their purpose?
I genuinely smiled when Meghan came into the book. The ability to reflect Harry’s happiness in the writing is truly wonderful. While he shared his love for his family/ previous girlfriends in the earlier chapters, it wasn’t represented in the way that Meghan is. The pages almost glow. The writing does such a terrific job of sharing how Harry sees how wonderfully beautiful she is.
This book answers so many questions I’ve had about public figures. I’ve wondered how they can manage the loss of privacy, the papers, and the attention. Why others can’t see them as human beings? Are they not due the same courtesy you’d give another person just because of their job? Their place of birth?
Harry also doesn’t shy away from his immense privilege either and the book isn’t a ‘poor woe is me’ either. It’s about another human who was also in pain and trying to make sense of the world as best they can. I wasn’t prepared for the level of respect that Harry has shown others, especially on receiving so little himself from the media.
The ending of this book was strange. It felt like there was a hurried re-shuffle before it went to print multiple times and not just due to the sad passing of the Queen. I have let this book sit for a long time and come back to the last few chapters, and it still sits rather strangely for me.
My 7 Favourite Quotes from Spare by Prince Harry
“Hey … I know you.
But also: I need to know you.
Hey, I’ve known you forever.
But also: Iv’e been searching for you forever.
Hey, thank God you’ve arrived.
But also: What took you so long?”
“I love my Mother Country, and I love my family, and I always will. I just wish, at the second-darkest moment of my life, they’d been there for me too. And I believe they’ll look back one day and wish they had too.”
“It wasn’t that she felt no emotions. On the contrary, I always thought that Granny experienced all the normal human emotions. She just knew better than the rest of us mortals how to control them.”
“I heard the story of what Pa allegedly said to Mummy the day of my birth: Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an Heir and a Spare—my work is done. A joke. Presumably. On the other hand, minutes after delivering this bit of high comedy, Pa was said to have gone off to meet with his girlfriend. So. Many a true word spoken in jest.”
“The Heir and the Spare—there was no judgment about it, but also no ambiguity. I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy. I was summoned to provide backup, distraction, diversion and, if necessary, a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow. This was all made explicitly clear to me from the start of life’s journey and regularly reinforced thereafter.”
“I recall one headline, addressed pointedly at Granny: Show Us You Care. How rich, coming from the same fiends who “cared” so much about Mummy that they chased her into a tunnel from which she never emerged.”
“With bagpipes it’s not the tune, it’s the tone.”
Is Spare by Prince Harry worth reading?
Absolutely. The book not only showcases Prince Harry’s unfiltered perspective but also provides a glimpse into his tumultuous journey. With his family and the media often misconstruing his life events, Prince Harry decided to pen his own story with utmost honesty. Yes with the help of a ghostwriter.
The book is a captivating blend of honesty, wit, and entertainment that leaves readers surprised and intrigued. Prince Harry’s voice shines through in the audiobook version, adding a personal touch that will undoubtedly resonate with his fans. Dive into Spare and experience Prince Harry’s story in his own words – a well-written and insightful account that’s not to be missed!
Is Spare a best seller?
Yes. Spare by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is a #1 bestseller, as well as a record breaker, selling 1.4 million copies in a single day, which is the largest first-day sales for any nonfiction book published by Penguin Random House.
Why is Harry’s book called Spare?
Prince Harry’s book is called Spare in reference to a joke his father, King Charles, allegedly makes upon his birth, calling Prince William the “heir” and Prince Harry the “spare.” It also implies that Harry has felt “less than” in the British royal family.
What is Spare about?
Spare is Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex’s memoir about his life, from the time his mother, Princess Diana died, until the present. It offers both his own perspective on the very public events of his lifetime, and critiques of the British royal family and the media.
How long is Spare audiobook?
The audiobook of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, has a run-time of 15 hours and 39 minutes when listened to at a speed of 1.0.
Who narrates Spare audiobook?
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, narrates the audiobook for his memoir, Spare.
Who is the ghostwriter for Spare?
J.R. Moehringer, is the ghostwriter behind Spare. He is an esteemed American author and has proven himself to be a master of the ghostwriting craft. His expertise is not only limited to one genre or personality, having ghostwritten memoirs for the likes of tennis star Andre Agassi and Nike founder Phil Knight. Though Moehringer has remained quiet about his involvement in the book’s creation, he has shared insightful details about his ghostwriting process in the past.
