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I Am Ozzy

by Ozzy Osbourne
Read by Frank Skinner

     

Early in his memoir, Ozzy Osbourne reveals that years ago he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and an addictive personality. Those tendencies help shape the content of his life and the telling of this story, which chronologically (more or less) describes the foul-mouthed rocker’s rise to fame and his struggles with substance abuse. As read by British comedian Frank Skinner, the story comes alive through his enthusiastic delivery which never imitates Osbourne, but interprets the story and mines the material for its most entertaining aspects.

Throughout the three CDs, the author moves abruptly from one bizarre anecdote to another, including his youthful days working in a variety of strange metal jobs, struggling to make it in the music business, killing a coop full of chickens that his first wife (Thelma) had bought for him, watching his former band Black Sabbath grow in popularity through luck and talent, biting the heads off a dove and a bat, escaping several near-death accidents and experiences, and meeting and "romancing" his current wife, Sharon. Keep in mind, Osbourne’s idea of romance usually included drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence.

Osbourne’s story is not a tale of deep introspection, a how-to for singers and musicians, or even a cautionary tale for addicts. Instead, his unique life shows what one man did to escape his impoverished background, and how his inner needs were satisfied through outer excesses. This audio book should entertain anyone with a strong enough stomach to make it through until the final track, which includes an interview with Osbourne. This interview provides little in the way of new information, but gives solid evidence why I Am Ozzy needed a professional reader rather than the author as narrator.

The Book

Hachette Book Group
January 2010
Audio Book / Abridged / 3 CDs / Appx 3 hrs
978-1-60788-520-7
Memoir
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE: Profanity, Sexuality, Violence

The Reviewer

Leslie Halpern
Reviewed 2010
NOTE: Reviewer Leslie Halpern is the author of Reel Romance: The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies, Dreams on Film, A Writer's Guide to Fearless Interviews, and the co-author of Connections: A Collection of Poems. Coming Soon: Passionate About Their Work: Celebrities, Artists, and Experts Discuss Creativity.
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