Patrick Stewart: The Unauthorized Biography

Describes the celebrated actor's violent upbringing at the hands of an alcoholic father, extramarital affair, early years as a recognized but struggling Shakespearean actor, relationship with Star Trek co-stars, and psychological therapy. Original.

In this candid, and unauthorized biography, Patrick Stewart's life is examined from his earliest, unhappy days growing up in a violent, alcoholic household, where make-believe provided the fantasy and escape necessary for the sensitive young boy to survive his abusive father. Listeners will discover how those formative years shaped the gifted actor leaving him insecure and tortured until the critical acclaim he enjoyed as a great Shakespearean actor helped him reveal a charming, charismatic side -- and eventual the role that would make him a household word: Star Trek's Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Patrick Stewart: The Unauthorized Biography examines the highs and lows of Stewart's 25-year marriage and the affair that destroyed it, his years of therapy to deal with the traumas of his childhood upbringing, and his drive to be creative, demanding only the best of himself and those around him. -- Midwest Book Review