Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
337th out of 693 books
—
849 voters
Tommy's Tale
by
Alan Cumming
"Until yesterday I'd had a carefree existence. It was great. I had a laugh with Charlie, we went out, did drugs, had great sex, had a laugh, I saw Finn, I had a laugh. And now today, today, since the second I opened my eyes, the pair of them had turned into ogres of potential angst, pain, and -- oh no, the worst of all -- responsibility."Tommy is twenty-nine, lives and lov...more
Hardcover, 264 pages
Published
August 20th 2002
by HarperEntertainment
(first published January 1st 2002)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
664)
Part of the reason I originally read this book is because I love Alan Cumming and I pretty much hunt down everything he does.
"Tommy's Tale" is a bit rude, a bit crude, a bit queer, and a bit British but it is also heart breaking but heartwarming and a realistic look into the life of a man named Tommy.
I enjoyed my time in Tommy's world and I hope Alan writes another novel soon because I would love to read it.
"Tommy's Tale" is a bit rude, a bit crude, a bit queer, and a bit British but it is also heart breaking but heartwarming and a realistic look into the life of a man named Tommy.
I enjoyed my time in Tommy's world and I hope Alan writes another novel soon because I would love to read it.
This story of 29 year old Tommy's journey of self-discovery was a huge amount of fun. At first I was a little sceptical as to whether Cumming could write, but the odd clunky moment aside, it was a thoroughly debauched yet charming tale.
Tommy is a really sweet and amusing narrator - there were many points where I laughed out loud, and I was rooting for him and his "kind-of boyfriend" Charlie right from the start. But of course, before Tommy realises what he really wants out of life, he has to tak...more
Tommy is a really sweet and amusing narrator - there were many points where I laughed out loud, and I was rooting for him and his "kind-of boyfriend" Charlie right from the start. But of course, before Tommy realises what he really wants out of life, he has to tak...more
view 2 comments
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
While I enjoyed this gay romance about one bisexual man's longing for family, I found it a bit of a mish-mash. I was charmed by Tommy's room mates that formed his self-made family and I found it very interesting that his bisexuality was fully portrayed,but I just did not find his narrative compelling enough. Some of his characters were not believable. The child character seemed like an after thought. The boy was simply a way to provoke a contrived turning 30 crisis in Tommy. Some plot devices se...more
Jan 10, 2009
Corey
marked it as to-read
It's one of those books I really want to read. It's by my favorite person in the world (currently), Alan Cumming. I love the style in which he writes (only been able to get my hands on the first page) because I'm pretty sure he's going to ramble and go off of random tangents. Only one problem, my mom doesn't want me to read it, because, yeah, it's a little smutty and apparently has multiple graphic sex scenes.
But hey, one day.
But hey, one day.
I was fairly disappointed by this book. I really like Alan Cumming as an actor and performer, but I did not find this book to be as good as I had anticipated. It's really very shallow with a forgettable storyline and boring characters. It relies a lot on shock value with it's superfluous sex scenes and drug usage. However, it was fast-paced, and I was able to get through it without boredom, but it's not something I will read again.
Tommy's Tale is Alan Cumming's debut novel. I don't know Cumming's work as an actor but I thoroughly enjoyed his novel. I tore through it in a day, pausing occasionally to laugh myself silly.
The novel is told in diary form akin to the Adrian Mole series, Georgia Nicolson series or the Bridget Jones series. Except that Tommy is an e-popping bisexual suffering from a crisis as his thirtieth birthday looms. It seems that the diary form novel is a mainstay of British humour fiction. This off the cuf...more
The novel is told in diary form akin to the Adrian Mole series, Georgia Nicolson series or the Bridget Jones series. Except that Tommy is an e-popping bisexual suffering from a crisis as his thirtieth birthday looms. It seems that the diary form novel is a mainstay of British humour fiction. This off the cuf...more
I found the narrator annoying, since it was mostly a lot of ranting and digression. There were many parts that I think the book would have been better without. Not to mention, for all the sex and drugs...it felt boring at times, with the exception of the humorous scene with the bartender girl in the bathroom, and the "fairy tales" sprinkled throughout the book.
The ending felt "easy", but the characters did grow on me (which is why I gave it 2 stars)....
The ending felt "easy", but the characters did grow on me (which is why I gave it 2 stars)....
Alan Cumming is a gay comedian...he was floop in Spy Kids, and this book is absolutely hilarious and sad and a very insightful view into human nature. I really love this book because his writing style is seriously laugh out loud funny, but at the same time his characters are very well thought out in terms of placement and development. Love it.
Listened to this on an Easter Drive.
I liked Cummings' voice and smiled in a few parts.
Overall though, too full of bad first book malaise. Self-centered characters, melodrama, doesn't know when to end, fills up the book with drugs and bodily fluid as if he invented them.
I'd like Cummings to write something about adults.
I liked Cummings' voice and smiled in a few parts.
Overall though, too full of bad first book malaise. Self-centered characters, melodrama, doesn't know when to end, fills up the book with drugs and bodily fluid as if he invented them.
I'd like Cummings to write something about adults.
Tommy es un ayudante de fotografía bisexual y adicto a las drogas a punto de cumplir los 30 años. Su vida es un cocktail de drogas, relaciones y deseos sin cumplir. hasta no alcanzar el punto más bajo las cosas no empezarán a mejorar. Escrito por un actor, refleja el mundo del espectáculo británico.
A hilarious and unashamedly hedonistic novel about a bisexual party animal who suddenly realises he wants to be a dad. It made me snort with laughter on the bus and despite being a bit repetitive it conveyed a few excellent points about family, friendship and freedom. I loved it.
Completely love this book! Listening to the audio book is even more delightful as Alan Cumming is the narrator.
Tommy is wonderful and seeing the story unfold and finally come full circle is fun, naughty, hilarious, depressing, hopeful.
Really wonderful.
Tommy is wonderful and seeing the story unfold and finally come full circle is fun, naughty, hilarious, depressing, hopeful.
Really wonderful.
Wickedly funny, i read it in three days and that's while working fulltime, with school and traveling over the long weekend. It was so good I couldn't stop laughing out loud (even on the NYC subway).
Something different to read. Mainly picked it up because of Alan's celebrity status, to see if he could actually write or not. Not as good as Ethan Hawke's first novel but interesting light read.
I read this years ago, and the gyst of it stuck with me, a few passages, but it's a good read. The first person style of it grated at times, iirc, but overall, it's a fun read.
Apr 14, 2008
Alika Yarnell
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Sex-and-drug-crazed kids turning 30, trying to figure it all out
A surprisingly entertaining romp! Alan Cumming is obviously multi-talented as an actor and writer (I believe he also co-wrote the movie "Anniversary Party" with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which I thought was amazing). "Tommy's Tale" isn't afraid to give it to us straight (or gay, or bi) and shows a realistic account of the trials and tribs of going through a Saturn Return as age 30 approaches and all sorts of questions pop up like: Who am I? What am I doing? What is my place in the world? Why am I so...more
Oh, dear. Alan Cumming should stick to acting. Specifically playing the deliciously morally questionable Eli Gold.
It's not that this book was terrible. It just...wasn't good.
It's not that this book was terrible. It just...wasn't good.
A fun, saucy romp of a book, not for the light-of-heart or easily offended. I'd expect nothing less from the mind of Alan Cumming. :)
I feel a little churlish only giving this three stars because it was just the palate cleanser I needed. Filthy, fluffy and forgettable.
wacky, and lot's of sex...great, fun read! I am still bummed I missed his book signing in Seattle about seven years ago.
i think i liked it because i picked it up without any expectations. it's the only book i've ever read more than once.
Aug 03, 2011
Rachelioho
added it
It was quite funny and well written for a party boy type novel. Ending was good, but a bit wishy washy
Letto più che altro per curiosità, visto l'autore.
Ma devo ammettere che mi ha divertito parecchio.
Ma devo ammettere che mi ha divertito parecchio.
one of the most mind blowing n wickedly sexy novels of Bi guy. O Mon DIEUU...C'EST SUPER..!!
One of my all time favorite books. I have read it WAYYYY too many times. Just fantastic.
Just finished reading this. Excellent story, rather unique & funny!
funny and touching and vulgar and I loved it.
Actual rating 3 and a half stars
Enjoyable, but not a 'keeper' for me.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Alan Cumming, OBE, is a Scottish-American stage, television and film actor. His roles have included Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy. He has also appeared in independent films like The Anniversary Party, which he wrote, directed and starred; and Ali Selim's Sweet Land for which he won an Independent Spirit award as producer.
His London stage app...more
More about Alan Cumming...
His London stage app...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“You know what I hate most of all in the whole wide world?...More than people who think that if you're bisexual it means you'll fuck absolutely anyone (especially them)?”
—
29 people liked it
More quotes…
