Stephen Fry talks Language

I just had to share this fantastic kinetic typography animation which RogersCreations has created from one of Stephen Fry's "podgrams."

Moab is my Washpot

Title: Moab is my Washpot by Stephen Fry
Genre: Non-fiction, Autobiography
Rating: 4/5

The humorous and frank story of the first twenty years of Stephen Fry's life, following his public school years and his turbulent teens.

I really enjoyed Moab is my Washpot. I've not read many autobiographies in the past, but Stephen Fry's was a joy to read, he's such a genius with words. And his intelligence, or at least his vast knowledge, was evident in the many literary and cultural references throughout the book. The language is a little colourful at points, and the humour a little bawdy but it follows with Fry's style of writing and I didn't find it off-putting.

I have to admit that I was surprised to learn what Fry was like as a child and teen. He seems so friendly now, and it's difficult to picture him causing so much trouble and being arrested in his youth. In Moab is my Washpot, he talks openly about his actions and doesn't make excuses. It's obvious now where many of the ideas for his first novel, The Liar, came from. In fact, he admits to taking whole sections of the book from his own life.

Fry's conversational style of writing and his wit are a joy to read, and I fully plan on reading the rest of his works. Apparently, Fry announced at the beginning of the year that he was taking a break from acting in order to complete a second volume of his autobiography and I await it with bated breath.

The Liar

Title: The Liar by Stephen Fry
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5

Adrian Healey is your average public school boy but for one thing, his inability to tell the truth. Over the years his lies land him into trouble, and he finds himself in over his head, tangled in murder and mystery.

The Liar is utterly hilarious and completely brilliant. Anyone who's watched or read Stephen Fry's work can tell you that the man's a genius. Unfortunately, it also means that there were points in the book where I had to go back and reread in order to catch things I'd missed the first time around. Time weaves through The Liar in a very intricate fashion, and something which seems inconsequential at first may later turn out to be rather important.

The protagonist, Adrian, is a fascinating character. It's nearly impossible to pick out the bits of truth from his lies, and everything around him becomes so much more dramatic as a result. At times I started to feel sorry for him, only to have another of his lies revealed. The theme of lies and untruths plays a large part in the book, and not just with Adrian. More and more of the characters seem to be involved in deceptions as the book continues until you're left wondering if anything is true. Shocking, hilarious and absolutely brilliant, The Liar is a must-read for any fan.