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She Died Young

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents She Died Young by Brenda Fricker, read by Sorcha Cusack.

She Died Young is the literary work of an astonishing mind in which intellect, madness, art and raw honesty unite. It is as far from a ‘celebrity memoir’ as you can get.

With humour, honesty and a poetic sensibility, Brenda Fricker traces a life-journey in which her resilience and inner strength shine brightly. With luminous memories of happy summers in Kerry, where she and her sister Gránia got up to hilarious mischief and learned to rebel against Irish orthodoxy, she also explores devastating personal challenges. She talks frankly of her complicated adult relationships. She describes the difficulty of surviving sexual violence and living with mental illness.

Brenda’s contributions to theatre, film and television represent an artistic legacy that few can match. Her work in films like The Field, Swann, The Swallow, Home Alone 2 and My Left Foot is widely acclaimed and her character, Megan, in TV series Casualty, was a huge success.

She is the first Irish actress to win an Oscar.

Critics Review

Brenda Fricker's memoir is raw and immediate. I have always admired her acting but never met her. I feel I know her, a little, now.
Niamh Cusack
A truly extraordinary life brilliantly recalled. With writing that manages to be both vivid and dreamlike, it shocks and delights in equal measure.
Graham Norton
Anyone who has seen Brenda Fricker on stage or screen will have sensed instinctively the depth of both suffering and strength that lies beneath her remarkable performances. In this searing memoir she lays bare the sources of her physical and psychological anguish. She writes with a directness and honesty that can be as devastating as it is compelling. But in keeping with the extraordinary artistry she has shown throughout her career, she also transforms the pain into a deeply moving and utterly memorable presence. At once fierce, raw, tender and transcendent, She Died Young is book that had to be written and therefore has to be read.
Fintan O'Toole, author of We Don't Know Ourselves and Heroic Failure
Astonishing.
Belfast Telegraph
A revelation ... unsentimental, sometimes brilliant, often shocking ... a memoir that evokes some of the best by other Irish women. Fricker’s devotion to nature and early childhood recalls Edna O’Brien and her memoir Country Girl. Later, Fricker’s portrayals of Dublin in the 1960s and 1970s will remind many readers of Are You Somebody? by Nuala O’Faolain.
Irish Times
Remarkable ... This is a searingly honest memoir. Laced with humour as well as life-changing events, She Died Young depicts how a strong spirit could not be destroyed by a traumatic past or by her incessant demons. A powerful testament from an actor who deserves The Prize
Irish Independent
The legendary Irish actress writes beautifully and poignantly about the often painful childhood that shaped her as a person, her battle with mental illness, late sister Gránia, and of course, her incredible working life over the decades. And yes, okay - there are also a few amusing stories in there, too - all recounted with class and a sprinkling of mischief.
RTE Radio 1
Fricker writes candidly, but also stylishly and eloquently about her struggles ... She Died Young showcases what the Irish public have known for a long time - Branda Fricker is a true artist
Irish Examiner
Beautiful but raw ... very moving ... Fricker has had a fascinating life
Irish Times
Author Brenda Fricker
Narrator Sorcha Cusack
Duration 8 hours and 32 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781035907441
Format Audiobook
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre Memoirs
Availability AU, GB, IE

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