James Patterson (The Stories of My Life) by James Patterson is the autobiography of a storyteller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher  Little, Brown and Company  and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis and Opinions:
James Patterson is a really prolific author, and although I have been reading his books since I was a teenager, sometimes I need a break.  I am behind on two of my favorite series  (Alex Cross and The Women's Murder Club mysteries), mainly because he writes non-stop, but I will have to make more of an effort.  I have stayed away from his YA/middleschool novels.  I learned that he actually writes quite a bit of non-fiction.

So, about this book, which I felt I had to read.  He has become one of the most successful and prolific writers of our time, or maybe any time.  He is a household name.  Yet, other than the fact that he writes, and has his own charity, I really didn't know much about him.

I should be up-front about this.  Sometimes he really annoys me....all those collaborations don't sit well with me -- is he actually  writing any of them?  As well, how does he have time for his wife and son if he is pushing out book after book.  Some of my questions were answered in this book.

Okay, some of the basics.  He was born in Newburgh New York, and has 3 sisters.  He was an altar boy, attended  a Catholic school in Newburgh and a Catholic college in the Bronx (full scholarship). None of those were his choice.  He got a scholarship to Vanderbilt, but only stayed a year.  He was a weed-smoking hippy, and almost a monk.  He was hired as a junior copywriter at a major advertising agency, moved to writing television ads, and continued to rise.  I think there was a little too much on his advertising career in this book.

Okay, more.  He has problems with authority figures.  He is a sports fan and a movie addict.  He loves music. During school, he worked as an usher at a concert venue, and attended Woodstock.  At 19, he worked summers as a psych aide at McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Massachusetts, which is really where he started writing short stories.  He knows a lot of famous people.

Okay, so above are "facts"....but it is the stories behind those facts that are told in this book, and they are simply wonderful.

I think the only thing that disappointed me was the lack of personal stories about Sue and Jack. This was a "business" book more than a personal life book....although he did a lot of name dropping of "friends".

I admit that I enjoyed this book a whole lot more than most of the autobiographies I have read.  A lot had to do with the writing style.  Patterson writes his books in short, concise chapters, and that is how he wrote his autobiography.  He told his life in short stories, a chapter per story.   It was a very fast and entertaining read, with a good amount of humor.  It did jump around a little, and I felt he often got side-tracked,  but that was okay.

James Patterson is one of the most prolific writers I have had the pleasure of reading. But that wasn’t always the case. When I finished reading this memoir, I couldn’t help but think of all the people we perceive as being an instant success in the writing world. I wonder how many of them haven’t quit their day job yet?

James had a very interesting life before he wrote his first bestseller. And he didn’t quit his day job for a while. He didn’t particularly like reading growing up. He worked in a mental hospital for a while where he met a few famous people. He wasn’t wealthy and famous. He was trying to figure out what his place was in the world. He also had to make a living. So it was off to the world of advertising for him. Writing copy and jingles. Did you know he wrote the “I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid?”.

There were a lot of things I didn’t know about him. He has led a very interesting life. Golfing with presidents, being serenaded by Dolly Parton, meeting famous people, and putting out bestsellers left and right. And yet he tells funny stories of people not believing him when he tells them who he is.

The back of the book tells us the bare facts of the author. This put all of his work in perspective for me. Writing is hard work. And you need a Plan B. But never sacrifice your work for a publisher.

Very interesting and quite funny.

NetGalley/ June 6th, 2022 by Little, Brown, and Company

Thank you to NetGalley and @littlebrownandcompany for this ARC. Patterson writes his biography just like he writes all other books - quick, short chapters that keep you invested until you are shocking to find you finished the book in one sitting. He is everything I wanted him to be....nice, whitty, slightly arrogant (he is the best selling author of all time) and from a humble background. What I did not know is that he isn't as tall as I imagined and he is a major advocate of children's literacy WIN! In my business, I have been able to see the other side of celebrities and how they treat the "commoner". Some people treat others so unkindly that you no longer want to support anything they do (insert Dr. Phil and Bill Cosby). So when you read a biography, there is always a real chance they may not be who they thought they were. I was worried...will I still want to read his books? I am happy to say I am still a major fan! Phew - I would have really missed Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club. #JamesPattersonByJamesPatterson #June2022 #LittleBrownAndCompany

A Fun and entertaining dive into the life of James Patterson, his thoughts and stories. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

Readers should take note of the sub-title of this autobiography: "The Stories of My Life." Patterson is a storyteller, proudly and skillfully, and continues to be one even while talking about himself and his own life. His chapters are characteristically brief, the order is somewhat chronological, and the information is presented in a story-like style. I am a Patterson fan, and I knew a little about his pre-writing life, but I learned a lot more after reading this entertaining bio. When I was finished reading, I felt like I had just spent a lovely evening with a new friend. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.

For a rather short memoir; I found myself very entertained by “James Patterson by James Patterson”. Written in the style that his fans have come to appreciate; the autobiography is full of little two to three page vignettes that he has dubbed “The Stories of My Life” and I though for the most part, they were fascinating. I learned a great deal about him, even as vague as some of the stories were. I didn’t know much about his childhood and pre-writing career in marketing before reading this memoir, and honestly, I gained a great deal more respect for him as an author after reading this. He’s very candid with his reasons for using co-authors and how that process works for him, and he eloquently describes a lot of the charity work that he has done in his life; he just seems like a pretty humble guy.

Thanks to Little, Brown for the advanced readers edition.

4.5 ⭐️

This book was sent to me electronically for review from Netgalley. This is the voice of James Patterson. He has his voice...When reading one of his books, I know it is the voice of Patterson. Yes, it is sometimes difficult to determine whose voice is speaking when he writes books with other authors...but he has his own distinctive voice in writing. My favorites are the Alex Cross and the Murder Club books. This book is about the author in his own words. It reads like a novel...it is a quick read...learning about one of my favorite authors was a real treat. Don't miss this book written about himself by one of the world's best.

I'm not a fan of James Patterson. I can't remember the last book of his that I read. However, I love a good autobiography, and this is a fun, entertaining one day read.
Author Patterson's life stories are "nice and tight." Short, to the point, but interesting. Of course, he meets many famous people on his way to the top (where he still remains). He name drops, but not in an annoying way.
The journey of his life that he talks about pretty much touches on a bit of youth, more college, and mostly around the advertising world, which is super interesting. Don't think you'll be getting any writing advice in Pattersons book.. "Write The Book." That's it. That's the advice.
You will, however, heave a sigh of relief to realize Mr. Patterson worked very hard for years, had some duds, really worked at his craft, and is an all around interesting, humble guy.
Also, the story about his first love, Jane...well, damn, it cut my heart short a beat.
OK - POLIITICS..
If you lean right, don't skip this book because Patterson had a Collab with Clinton.
Patterson some how manages to stay middle of the road (and though I find no redeemable qualities about the Clintons) - the small part Patterson's relationship with the Clintons doesn't take away from the book.
This is a mostly upbeat, funny, very interesting look into not only Patterson's life, but those somewhat simpler times we took for granted.
Not just for fans, literally one of those books that I could handsell to just about everyone!