Not My Father's Son

Not My Father's Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming, 295 pages

In 2010, producers of the BBC genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? asked accomplished Scottish actor Alan Cumming to appear on the show and delve into his family's past, particularly the mysterious tale of his maternal grandfather, a soldier who died in Malaysia when Cumming's mother was a child. At the same time he was filming the episode, Cumming's father threw the actor into a tailspin with some revelations of his own. In this memoir, Cumming recounts that period in his life (as well as occasional flashbacks to his childhood to provide some perspective), offering insights into his troubled upbringing and the ways in which his experiences as a child affected his adult life and career.

This was an excellent memoir, full of revelations, humor, touching tales, and humanizing stories. Basically, it's exactly what you want from a memoir. However, don't go into this celebrity memoir hoping for industry dirt. Aside from a brief discussion of Patti Smith's penchant for spitting, this book focuses entirely on Cumming's life. And that's the way it should be; anything else would detract from this excellent book. (For additional enjoyment, listen to the audiobook, which the author reads.)