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Books/book club

Finally read ‘Spare’

(244 Posts)
nanna8 Fri 28-Jul-23 10:23:40

I wasn’t going to pay for it so I waited until the library had it. Glad I didn’t pay for it, having read it. Not a good book and quite delusional ,unfortunately. I was hoping to feel some sympathy for the ‘author’ ( if he actually managed to write it himself ) but no, nada. Self indulgence par excellence. Ah well, sometimes the press are right …

Glorianny Wed 02-Aug-23 16:31:43

I suppose then you could realy blame the ghostwriter for all of the things Harry reveals about other people (something he has been much criticised for).

Joseann Wed 02-Aug-23 15:17:49

PS what I mean is, if Harry wanted to spend the whole book, as he does, whinging about the bad treatment he received from everyone, without once thinking he might just have been in the wrong on occasions, or even been a tad over sensitive, then it makes him come out of it all as appearing to be a rather unpleasant self centered individual.

Joseann Wed 02-Aug-23 15:07:10

Thanks Glorianny, his writing there is reminiscent of the style he employs in Spare ........ an abundance of adjectives and adverbs.

Interesting the bit about how the ghost author encouraged Harry to organise his memoir around other people rather than himself. I sort of understand that, and Tennyson's I am a part of all that I have met, but I also feel it made Harry focus too heavily on the dysfunctional side of his own family.

nanna8 Wed 02-Aug-23 13:40:33

That was interesting, thanks Glorianny.Another point of view.

Glorianny Wed 02-Aug-23 13:02:17

For anyone interested in the ghostwriters opinion and experiences www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/05/15/j-r-moehringer-ghostwriter-prince-harry-memoir-spare
It's an interesting article about the writer and his relationship with Harry.

OurKid1 Wed 02-Aug-23 11:43:50

I bought it and read it when it first came out, so I could know what I was talking about when commenting on it. My reaction, apart from whether it's true/self-pitying etc... was that it was very badly written. I used to be a teacher and it was obvious which parts were written by Harry and which by the ghost writer, by the sudden changes in style - just like when a student copies and pastes bits from the internet.

Joseann Wed 02-Aug-23 11:07:03

the case, the case !

Joseann Wed 02-Aug-23 11:06:03

The state of anyone's marriage/divorce doesn't interest me. I just hope that any children from these broken marriages remain well balanced and happy, which in the case of Zara, Peter, Beatrice, Eugenie, Sarah Chatto, Viscount Lindley and indeed William seems to be the case. Harry is the only one who is bitter and publicly announces he hates the wicked stepmother, though his father falls over backwards for him.

Anniebach Wed 02-Aug-23 10:57:29

Alleged ?

You list 4 divorces over 3 generations !

Callistemon21 Wed 02-Aug-23 10:53:46

I suppose she wants to be queen.

Wow! 😲

Perhaps rumours are not true and even if they were, they have worked through it. Perhaps she loves him? And he loves her?

I expect Meghan and Harry will stay together too - perhaps they love each other too.
I'm sure he is very grateful to find someone who doesn't mind and is used to publicity after others rejected him because of media intrusion.

Glorianny Wed 02-Aug-23 10:27:34

Royal marriages don't exactly have a good track record anyway do they?
Charles and Di- divorce
Anne and Peter Phillips-divorce
Andrew and Fergie-divorce
Margaret and Tony- divorce
William and Kate stay married although he is alleged to have strayed. I suppose she wants to be queen.
Harry and Meghan may stand more chance of staying married having left the RF.

Anniebach Tue 01-Aug-23 20:16:56

They are stuck with each other, she will be in no hurry to leave him, bad publicity- hurting poor Harry, he surely won’t leave his children

Katie59 Tue 01-Aug-23 19:39:45

maddyone

Yes Katie but only until someone better comes along, and it’s hard to beat the status of a prince, especially in America. Then again, if the new person was extremely rich, and there are people much richer than Harry, particularly in America, then she may ditch him.

Nah, plenty of Arm Candy without baggage

maddyone Tue 01-Aug-23 19:34:28

I don’t think he’ll ditch her.

maddyone Tue 01-Aug-23 19:33:35

Yes Katie but only until someone better comes along, and it’s hard to beat the status of a prince, especially in America. Then again, if the new person was extremely rich, and there are people much richer than Harry, particularly in America, then she may ditch him.

Katie59 Tue 01-Aug-23 19:16:00

maddyone

I think the rumours are just that, rumours. I don’t think Meghan will give Harry up because he’s her ticket to status. As for Harry, I don’t think he’ll give up Meghan either, she’s the one who said ‘yes.’ The others got away. Plus I don’t think he’ll leave his children and Meghan won’t let them go either.
Stranger things have happened, but I think they’re stuck with one another. Are they happy? Who knows!

He’s her meal ticket for as long as it suits her, maybe longterm maybe not.

maddyone Tue 01-Aug-23 19:10:12

I think the rumours are just that, rumours. I don’t think Meghan will give Harry up because he’s her ticket to status. As for Harry, I don’t think he’ll give up Meghan either, she’s the one who said ‘yes.’ The others got away. Plus I don’t think he’ll leave his children and Meghan won’t let them go either.
Stranger things have happened, but I think they’re stuck with one another. Are they happy? Who knows!

Katie59 Tue 01-Aug-23 16:52:53

eazybee

I would say Meghan is beautiful and determined but also contemptuous of others and fatally underestimates them.
The Queen had her measure.

No class?
Dear me.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Meghan is above average, she scrubs up OK but nothing exceptional, as for inner beauty, no.

Skye17 Tue 01-Aug-23 15:58:37

NotTooOld

Here's another admirer of Princess Anne. Formidable lady doing a good job.

I read Spare ages ago. Someone sent me a link to a free copy. Don't ask me how that worked. I enjoyed it and thought it was quite well written but, honestly, what a ginger whinger he is.

Things don't seem to be going well for H and M, do they? Lots of rumours about divorce and H returning to the UK alone. Do we actually want him back?

I felt the same way about Spare (borrowed from the library). I also admire Princess Anne.

I wouldn't mind Harry coming back, and I'm sure his dad would be happy.

Anniebach Tue 01-Aug-23 15:52:12

Megan ? go past her looks and nothing, she is so shallow

eazybee Tue 01-Aug-23 15:49:22

I would say Meghan is beautiful and determined but also contemptuous of others and fatally underestimates them.
The Queen had her measure.

No class?
Dear me.

Anniebach Tue 01-Aug-23 14:37:33

The Duke of Kent suffered a stroke so suppose he had to stand back, he has been so loyal to the late Queen , as has Alexandra and the Gloucester’s.

NotTooOld Tue 01-Aug-23 14:08:34

Here's another admirer of Princess Anne. Formidable lady doing a good job.

I read Spare ages ago. Someone sent me a link to a free copy. Don't ask me how that worked. I enjoyed it and thought it was quite well written but, honestly, what a ginger whinger he is.

Things don't seem to be going well for H and M, do they? Lots of rumours about divorce and H returning to the UK alone. Do we actually want him back?

maddyone Tue 01-Aug-23 13:59:47

No, the Duke of Kent stepped down in 2021 Annie. I just looked it up.

maddyone Tue 01-Aug-23 13:57:42

Catherine, Princess of Wales is the royal patron of Wimbledon Annie. Is the president different?