Spare by Prince Harry is quite the story. If anything, it forever tarnished my opinion of royalty, a reaction that I suspect Harry wants. I have even more sympathy for him and everything he went through after his mother’s death and at the hands of his family. While I believe Harry shared WAY more than he should, I admire him for speaking out about the shitshow that is the British press’s relationship with the monarchy and the dangerous impact it had on his wife and him.

Spare reads like a therapy exercise where you are to write a letter to whoever hurt you, confronting them about how they made you feel and why. The trick here is that you never send the letter; the therapy resides in the unburdening of yourself. Except, Harry forgot that part and sent it to the public. His story contains too many intimate and unnecessary details about his past. I am still scratching my head, trying to figure out why he needed to include them since most of these details don’t pertain to his mental health or character. They don’t add anything other than a bit of scandal to a book deemed scandalous before he even wrote the first word.

Harry often talks about how he recognizes how privileged his life is. I do believe he is genuine about that sentiment. However, I do not think he knows the full extent of his privilege. In many passages, Harry is describing something that makes him out to be a regular guy, and he says something so matter-of-factly that it takes you a moment to realize that what he is describing is not how other people live. Want to take a skiing vacation? Go to Pakistan like Harry and his girlfriend! Need to get away from your work stress? Hop on a plane and fly down to Botswana! Want to try something different? Try going to not just the North but also the South Pole! Need a place to crash while in the US? Just go on over to Courtney Cox’s house! It is all so ludicrous that all you can do is laugh. Americans hardly take vacations, let alone fly to remote parts of the world, not just because we tend to be xenophobic but also because we can’t afford to do that. He talks about what would be grand adventures for us as if they were nothing more than another Saturday at the park. It’s ridiculous.

There is no doubt that Harry has severe PTSD. Throughout Spare, what struck me the most was not how his mother’s death impacted him but rather how being the second son affected his life. In listening to him narrate, I don’t know if he realizes how much he suffered because of that one detail. We all have issues with our siblings, but to be repeatedly told or shown that you don’t matter because you are not the heir is cruelty personified. That it was considered a typical outlook for the entire family and their staff speaks volumes about their dysfunctionality.

I finished Spare appreciating the courage it took for Harry to write and publish his most intimate thoughts. I already was a massive fan of his after the actions he took to protect Meghan and his son, but Spare made me understand even more just how high the stakes were. Harry may share too much personal information when airing his dirty laundry. Still, he definitely shines a spotlight on the garbage that is the Windsor family and their courtiers. ( )

I read the hardcover edition. The overly flowery language at times throughout the memoir served as a reminder it was not Harry crafting the story but a ghost writer. It was also clear that this was carefully curated to portray Harry as he would like to be, or like to be seen. The central/recurring role of victim is overplayed, in my opinion.

The extent and length of his drug use came somewhat as a surprise, however perhaps explains much of the anxiety and paranoia Harry deals with. It seems to me that he still has much growing up to do.

A sense of entitlement rises from the pages as Harry trots off all over the world experiencing many things that the public could never dream of.

Overall, I've read far more well written and more interesting biographies. ( )

By now, we all know, I love a dishy, celebrity memoir. Prince Harry does not disappoint. He starts at his childhood, before his mother’s death. He was traumatized by having to walk behind her coffin at her funeral. I had always assumed that he and Prince William wanted to do that. He’s honest about his wild party days – the drugs, the Nazi uniform scandal, etc. He also goes into quite a bit of detail about the time his nether regions got frost bite which, I could have done without!

A lot of the book is about his time in the British military. I didn’t realize that he was more than just a ceremonial soldier. He actually had several confirmed kills and I think that has affected him more than he thinks it has. He also writes about his former girlfriends, not just Megahan Markle. Of course, their relationship and their departure from Britain are the last part of the book. She was treated so horribly by the British press.

Even though he had a ghostwriter, (J.R. Moehringer) the memoir is written in a conversational style that sounds like I imagine Harry sounds when he’s chatting. I think that Royal followers will thoroughly enjoy this book. I feel like he addressed almost every scandal he’s ever been a part of and told his side of the story. Highly recommended.

By now, we all know, I love a dishy, celebrity memoir. Prince Harry does not disappoint. He starts at his childhood, before his mother’s death. He was traumatized by having to walk behind her coffin at her funeral. I had always assumed that he and Prince William wanted to do that. He’s honest about his wild party days – the drugs, the Nazi uniform scandal, etc. He also goes into quite a bit of detail about the time his nether regions got frostbite which, I could have done without!

A lot of the book is about his time in the British military. I didn’t realize that he was more than just a ceremonial soldier. He actually had several confirmed kills and I think that has affected him more than he thinks it has. He also writes about his former girlfriends, not just Megahan Markle. Of course, their relationship and their departure from Britain are the last part of the book. She was treated so horribly by the British press.

Even though he had a ghostwriter, (J.R. Moehringer) the memoir is written in a conversational style that sounds like I imagine Harry sounds when he’s chatting. I think that Royal followers will thoroughly enjoy this book. I feel like he addressed almost every scandal he’s ever been a part of and told his side of the story. ( )

Narrated by the author.

Hadn't planned to read this, I'm far from a royalist. I do however have a burning hatred for a good chunk of the printed news media in this country and I'm interested in anyone speaking out against them.

It's not a bad read, and almost completely unlike the way it's been portrayed in the media, but then why would you expect the very media it is taking a swipe at to give an accurate assessment of the book? Still, lots of people do and the people who could learn a little from it won't read it and will continue to be spoonfed by a business that sees and treats them as useful idiots.

It was worth a read but sadly it will change very little. ( )