The penmanship of Alex Woodard is great. I started the book not knowing who Alex Woodard is. I still havent heard his music, though his memoir has rich text and depth.

Alex Woodard is an author, songwriter, singer, and musician. He writes about memorable moments of his life. He reflects in lyrical prose. He grows from his reflections and allows us to grow along with him. The author artfully includes past photographs and song lyrics that adds to the magic of the work. The chapters read with a musical flow that allows us to feel his memories as we would feel emotions from song lyrics. He is definitely a musical storyteller. It is a different kind of read - one that asks to be revisited again and again for the beauty and inspiration. I have since signed up for his emails which I enjoy as they read like the book. I also have enjoyed his songs and videos. This is a cool breeze in a hot paced world. I listened to the audio version which is narrated by the author - done beautifully as well.

This isn't musician Alex Woodard's first book, but it's the first I've read and his lyrical intimacy flows onto the page. I didn't expect to be so immersed in this story of the loss of his mother to dementia, told through vignettes of the past and present that come together to provide a detailed and richly told picture of their relationship and his love, anger, and grief.

It took me a few pages to adapt to Woodard's writing style, told in an abstract first person and present tense, with densely-packed metaphors and lyrics of songs that impacted him as he grew up. But it didn't take long to relax into the world he describes, to connect with him as the quasi child star, burgeoning musician and frustrated romantic, and to the common experiences of being a kid in the '80s.

It's a deeply personal story in the faded browns of old photos, reminiscences and missed opportunities, that left me with a feeling of melancholic nostalgia. I enjoyed reading it and will definitely be reading Alex Woodard's other works.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book! This review is shared on Twitter as well as my book review site.

This book really lives up to it’s name, the author does indeed “open up” to his audience. Woodard addresses the declining physical and mental health of his mum as she slowly succumbs to dementia while going back over his childhood memories and we see just how much he has grown through his mistakes and decisions, and what his relationships with his family and friends are like.

He also includes some beautiful lyrics throughout the book as, fun fact, Woodard is a renowned singer/songwriter. You can clearly see this come across in the beautifully lyrical way in which this book in written. These chapters could easily have been songs on an album of his and the flow of the words was almost poetic. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Thanks NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Open Up
by Alex Woodard
Biographies & Memoirs | Humor | Nonfiction (Adult)

Good read. I laughed a few times and cried a few. It was truly Alex Woodard Opening Up. Photos and some songlines also. I went to youtube to hear a few, but Spotify had the best. I think you too will enjoy this raw, true book.

Thank you #Netgalley for this copy!

This was a fun, casual read following Alex's journey including his aging mother with dementia, his personal relationships and his musical background. He has been through many struggles but continues to persevere. He has musical lyrics embodying the memoir, texts with a stranger that he converts into lyrics. At first, I had difficulty navigating the memoir then I picked up on the writing style of jumping back and forth and how all his life moments led up to where he is now.

“These are tears of unexpected anger.
Anger at what's happening to her. Anger at the heaviness that buries me in the past, because that's the only place I can still find her. Anger at my inability to build a bridge between the chasm separating me and these Polaroid versions of me. Anger at my anger, when I have so much to be grateful for.”

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs, Humor, Nonfiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions death, dementia

“Open Up” follows the author, Alex Woodard, and how he grows (as a child actor/line-memorizer, as a singer-songwriter) and fucks up and gets better and deals with his family and relationships and heartbreak and lowkey childhood trauma.

This memoir was wonderfully written, it was almost poetic. I really enjoyed the pictures at the end of some chapters (especially the Skippy one, I’m sorry).

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes funny memoirs or slice-of-life literature, especially if they have an interest in dementia and how it affects family members even in the most subtle of ways. No, dementia isn’t really the main topic here, but it’s like it’s been interwoven into the essential fabric of this memoir. Either way, it’s a really good book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

p.s. the chapters “Emily” and “The Sender” absolutely destroyed me. What a beautiful letter, what a beautiful song.