Smoke and Mirrors, Darling

The first book I finished in 2018 was 'The Panther in My Kitchen' by Brian Blessed, which is basically 'Absolute Pandemonium' with just animals, so you don't really need a post about that.  The next was 'Do You Mind if I Smoke?' by Fenella Fielding and Simon McKay, which somehow followed on perfectly thanks to its intimate, conversational feel.

'Do You Mind if I Smoke'
by Fenella FIelding and Simon McKay
(Peter Owen Publishers, 2017)

'Do You Mind if I Smoke?' is the memoir of 90-year-old actress Fenella Fielding, best known for her velvety voice and comic roles on stage, radio and screen (if you know her from nothing else, you'll know her from 'Carry On Screaming').  In this book, she tells tales from her childhood and career, painting a picture of life as a performer in the 1960s and tempting us with tidbits from behind the scenes of various productions.  Through her many stories, the reader is given a glimpse of the hard work and tough decision-making that has to happen before the curtain goes up and the cameras start to roll, as well as the thrill of success and a job well done.