Who Do I Think I Am?
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Who Do I Think I Am?
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Narrated by:
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Mark Steel
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By:
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Mark Steel
About this listen
Comedian Mark Steel's hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of his own adoption.
Growing up in humdrum Swanley in Kent with loving parents, Mark Steel had never been bothered about being an adopted child. But in later life, established as a successful comedian and writer, he decided to search for his biological parents.
What he uncovered was a story so strange, a cast of characters so eccentric and far-fetched that he was transported to social and cultural divides that spanned half the world. His mother had at first refused to have Mark adopted, while his father later went on to become a key player in Mayfair’s Clermont gambling club and reached the pinnacle of high society. What happened when Mark finally contacted both his parents is as moving as it was entirely unexpected.
As well as his own story, told in his uniquely endearing and hilarious voice, Mark delves into the more serious aspects of adoption, single motherhood and the brutality of the social attitudes of the time. He surveys the testimony of mothers and those adopted and tries to find reasons for his own mother’s crucial and agonising decision. Who Do I Think I Am is one of the funniest, most heart-breaking stories you’ll ever encounter.
©2021 Mark Steel (P)2021 Audible, LtdListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Who Do I Think I Am?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian F
- 12-12-21
An utter joy
I could listen to Mark Steel talking all day long. This is laugh out loud funny, poignant, fascinating and unremittingly weird. Absolutely excellent from start to finish.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 14-12-21
Nor to be missed
Even better than I anticipated, an honest appraisal of Mark's life experience and a fascinating comparison between nature and nurture that his research into his biological origins reveals.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 16-09-22
A very sad story of society and it's failures
well voiced up , of the story which changed Mark's life and all around him. With what grows into a story you could not make up. crossing continents and class divides. A very good listen, which makes you think and stays with you.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John Keenan
- 23-03-22
Very Entertaining
Funny, poignant account of Mr Steel's formative years and search for his birth parents. Fantastic description of 70s and 80s Britain.
Does to the Scottish accent what Dick Van Dyck did to Cockney but entertaining none the less.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Weightless Astro
- 25-12-21
Hilarious, moving and thought-provoking
This is one of the very best audiobooks I’ve ever purchased. Mark Steel tells his story beautifully, with hilarious anecdotes and some crazy twists and turns along the way. Naturally, I’d expected it to be funny but I was surprised at just how moving it was.
The book explores the themes of family and what it means to belong, of missed opportunities, class and privilege, nature versus nurture and it does so in an intelligent and amusing way.
Highly recommended.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ms. E. K. Hazlewood
- 24-05-22
Insightful and intriguing, as well as amusing
I had not heard of Mark Steel before, and I am probably not the normal target audience for his cheeky chappie brand of cockney working class comedy. In all honesty, I would not have bought this book if it hadn't been on daily deal. And that would have been my loss. This book is insightful and fascinating as well as humorous, and though the nature vs nurture argument is something many may be familiar with, hearing it direct from the horse's mouth made it real to me in a way that it hadn't been before (as someone who was raised by her birth parents and has always known who she is). I also adored the cast of characters brought vividly to life not only by their accents but by their mannerisms and behavioural tropes, most especially Steel's unflappable mum who always wants to know about the weather.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Joe
- 14-09-23
Brilliantly done
What a story. Mark takes his own life story and turned it into a reality adventure for the reader/listener to feel like you’re almost be by his side as he analyses and learns about his origins in epic detail and thought.
Superb writing and very animated narration by Mark borderline passionate and lively. Loved every second of it. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 24-02-24
Riveting
Such a wonderful listen. I absolutely loved this story, it was so interesting and engrossing.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lesley Anderson
- 27-10-24
his clear diction
this book is fascinating very interesting subject and his different voices are cleverly done extremely fascinating
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ian13
- 17-11-22
A Superb Take off Real Live
I saw Mark Steel perform his touring version of this back in 2015 and found it deeply moving and funny at the same time. I was really excited to see this much more in depth and expanded telling of his story, I was not disappointed.
Mark narrates this in his own unique style, which has entertained me now for many years. it's a fascinating tale of a real life and how the morals of the day shaped it and the lives of those involved. Mark, in telling his story, also explores the social and moral history in some depth, never failing to see the ridiculousness of the situations and attitudes that often blighted the lives they touched.
Highly recommended.
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1 person found this helpful