Spare

First off, I will say that I have always been a big supporter of Harry, first, & then Meghan. So, I go into reading this book with loving interest and a positive outlook. I trusted that he would actually tell us the truth (as he experienced it) with no sugar coating. And I thank him for successfully doing just that.I did not know anything about his military service and found that highly intriguing to read about. I cannot imagine being a pilot of a helicopter much less an Apache helicopter in wartime. Very impressive. Think about what it takes to do that - not something every man or woman can learn to do.I didn't know about his adventures in Africa and other countries. Those stories were really fun to read. I'm so glad this book was not just about his family and the 'Royal' part of his life. Yes, he did put things in the book about that, of course. But it was way more than just royal stuff, which really (to me) told us the story of who Harry truly is.Naturally he discussed his mother. I'm an old lady & can remember all that Diana went through as she was going through it in front of the world. I was shocked about her death, as we all were. The thing I did not know about was that Harry did not believe his mother to be dead. He thought she was in hiding. It broke my heart to pieces to learn about this fact. And now that I have read what his thinking was at the time - I fully understand why he would believe that, and to this day nobody really got any evidence or proof of her demise to show to Harry or William. It still seems really odd. The whole thing.It's very important when you lose somebody close to you that you are able to view the body. I guess that is not a royal or British custom. However, in reading books on Thanatology after my husband died, all grief therapists usually agree that seeing the deceased person is very important. Otherwise, you find yourself constantly searching the faces in a crowd or wondering if maybe they somehow, they slipped away and are living somewhere else. I know, because that's how I felt when I didn't know that viewing his body was actually healthier than not. It helps you face reality. Then you can heal.I knew that Harry would no doubt mention the Paparazzi and the Tabloids. Little did I know how really horrible it has been. The way he explained it made me feel claustrophobic and so downtrodden. And I was just reading it - not experiencing it. I got very angry about how the British people not only allowed this; but fed off of it. How his own father and brother felt like it was just something you have to accept, rather than standing up (like a man) and saying 'NO, this will not be tolerated'.And with that, I learned that Queens and Kings, who I thought are heads of state and run the country - are not. They are nothing more than props. They have no power. And if they have any - they don't seem to use it in the right way. Why is that?And this so called 'Institution' or gang of courtiers/assistants etc. - who are they? It seems like they are all running everything there in the palace or Balmoral or wherever. Not the Queen or King. Not the Prime Minister or Parliament. Just common, everyday people working for the royal family appear to be the bosses. The Queen had to 'obey' them. Now King Charles has to as well. What? That's crazy. What is the point of having a Monarchy if it's just all pretend, and the royalty has no power?I am keeping my fingers crossed that when enough people read this book that they will stop looking at Meghan in a negative light. My Gosh. Harry loves her and his children. She loves him. Let this couple live in peace. Stop saying nasty things about them and out and out lies. Who does that benefit? Let the tabloids go back to their headlines about alien abductions and 3 headed babies, etc.If the Brits don't want Harry & Meghan then I hope they live here in the US for the rest of their lives. They don't need a country who has stomped all over them & squished them down in the mud. Shame on you if you're one of those who has been a party to that.This book is a real eye opener. I think after all he and his Mom went through with being betrayed by people that are supposed to love them - but don't - that he deserves to tell this story in his own way. To not only clear somethings up - but to share with us very interesting parts of his life. I hope after a few more decades he'll write an updated memoir too. Because I'm sure he is going to do great things with his life. He is not perfect. But neither is anybody else. As human beings we need to remember that.

I don’t really read these kinds of books. I’m addicted to sci fi and historical romance and intake most my gossip/nonfiction news from social media mediums and independent research (Tik Tok and Twitter). I don’t think I’ve ever read a biography, autobiography, or memoir outside of an educational setting. I picked this up just bc I was interested in all the weird excerpts the media put all over headlines in the days leading up. I’m also a big supporter of evaluating primary sources first-hand as my liberal arts bachelors degree taught me before I form opinions. I expected a celebrity tell-all gossip piece..BUT, this piece took my breath away. I read it in one night and went through so many emotions. I had to put it down multiple times to laugh, cry, and self reflect. Well-done to Harry taking the hard step to be vulnerable to the world in his own way and taking control of his narrative and his writer is absolutely so talented. The writer is so magnificent, I cannot say it enough.This book is going to be analyzed in classrooms, positively, negatively, analytically one day as it touches on coming-of age, literature and motifs, the most recent war, and a love story and a social and political discourse on British press and its relationship with the Palace. People are going to be talking about this book for ages and as Meghan and Harry seem to be really polarizing to some. I recommend anyone supporter or not, British or American, read this book first and form your own opinions. Clear your mind of the bias from what you know of Harry from the press and media and read it about a story of a boy growing into a man. It’s really quite good when you look past you’re own biases.Harry’s really grown when it comes to his own biases and privilege and this book really explores that growth in a first person POV that also causes to reader to take a step back and evaluate themselves but I do think he needs to sit on his support of a Monarchy a bit more lol…it was nice as an American to understand British culture a bit more though and I feel like I was able to put myself in the other Royals shoes and humanize them as well! Since Meghan and Harry are the only ones who we’ve been able to authentically hear from as of late.I know a lot of people will speak on his chapters of his experiences in the war negatively, and to be honest. I wasn’t expecting that kind of candor and rawness and it resonated with me but in a introspectively beneficial way..as someone who is currently in the neo-stage of their military officer career (I only joined because I wanted to be a leader and get college paid but I’ve been more introspective on leadership and military more lately) I had to take military history classes when I was in college, I read many textbooks and memories who recount experiences similar to his from the civil war, Vietnam and WW1/2 perspective and we analyzed them relentlessly…but I haven’t seen a lot of memoirs from veterans from the War on Terror or from non-Americans. With the peacetime the U.S. is in I guess I doubt I’ll be serving long enough to ever experience the trauma he went through and it helps me understand the PTSD of modern soldiers and those veteran NCOs I work with. That section made me really introspective about the military and the way we’re trained and the discourse around the ethics of it even though his military experience is from a different country. (Side note this really helped me realize how important OPSEC is lol I literally screamed OPSEC at the book at one point).I enjoy the way he recounted his childhood and his relationship with his family. It was very tactful and well-written and I think every comment that a tabloid has pulled as “offensive” out of context was balanced out throughout the book as we really delved into the nuances of family and our childhoods. The people he mentions in this book are not just characters and celebrities in a show or tabloid but real people who are multifaceted and there is no antagonist and protagonist in real life.He also kept it spicy with the funny TMI moments about his social life and ~extracurricular~ activities. The random celebrity name drops were hilarious to me with his sarcastic tone and obviously not ill-mannered or narcissistic as I saw some implied. I think that was the perfect amount of comedy and tiny factoids that are ultimately harmless and affect no one except entertain the reader. I’m a very TMI person and the way he exposed embarrassing moments is the way I talk to my inner circle of friends and I felt like I was listening to a friend tell me a story on girls night. I saw on Twitter people were offended by the TMI but let’s be honest, if he hadn’t left in the spicy/funny comments people would have just said his memoir is boring and a waste of money and money-seeking. I’m sure there are plenty of other TMI details of his life that are private and he did not share. Everything he shared that people called “TMI” is inconsequential to the audience and only there to entertain comedic relief amongst the other dark themes in this book. This probably went through hella reviews and many consultations to make sure it wasn’t too out there.I could ramble forever about this book…I wanna join like a book club or reddit to discuss it. This is truly one of my favorite reads in like the last ten years. I may have separate opinions about the Harry v. the Monarchy discourse but I just want to endorse the book is SUCH a good read anyways for those on edge.

Excelente material de estudo para ghostwriters, além de ser uma leitura fascinante.

Que buen libro con chisme interesante 👌🏻

"a secret about truth that many people are unwilling to accept: it's usually painful"This quote, taken from part 2, page 170, chapter 33 really spoke to me. I noted it immediately upon reading, highlighting it, because it really spoke to the theme of this book. That truth is often wrapped with pain...that owning ones truth is often brave, hard and often misunderstood. That speaking ones truth often comes with risk, with people who will continue to read your truth and misquote you, who will cherry-pick and judge based on mistruths, often quoted as others as the gospel.I started this book with my own opinions, and when I finished this book, I was surprised - surprised to find myself empathizing with almost every major player. Even the ones I had demonized in my own minds eye. I found myself empathizing with what it must feel like to be "owned" by an institution - owned by the public. After all, the public were paying for their very existence. What it must feel like to have to grow up, make mistakes and be judged perhaps more harshly than those of his peers. But I also experienced a level of sympathy for what generations of that family have had to undergo.Trauma is a major theme that wraps it's tentacles around Harry - long past childhood, it ensnares him, forms his very being. I was surprised to learn many things about his feelings about Diana's passing, ones that would be understandable for any young man to feel, but are more so understandable after what he experienced on a world stage. The descriptions of his feelings are so vivid, so painfully raw, that you can't help but feel for him.I have to give credit where credit is due - this book is exceptionally well written...this speaks to a very close partnership with Prince Harry's ghost writer, JR Moehringer. I could see Prince Harry pouring over his laptop all night long, writing all his feelings down and then JR, taking those feelings and moments and creating a more aesthetically pleasing, descriptive tome. You never feel like it isn't Prince Harry talking from his heart, but you can see where JR has been able to give such clear description, you feel like you're right there, in the battlefield with Harry - that you're walking along side him during that long walk behind his mom. I usually find biographies exceptionally boring because they feel like a history lesson, and don't speak from the heart. This isn't that type of book. You feel like you're reading from his diary, a very personal and private journey he is giving us access too. His entire life has been shown to the world, by those events were not by his choice. THIS was his choice. His truth.I don't want to take away from this book so I will not go into specifics because I feel like you should go into this book willing to listen - remove your preconceived notions, drop your prejudice, erase from your memory the stories told by others about him and read his truth. Because if nothing else, why should someone else opinion of you be treated as truth, when their opinions are formed by the very people who have tried to destroy you.

it’s good for the heart to know the prince is not what the press says. it is NEVER what the press says. he couldn’t be that bad, raised by that loving mother in a bitter royal household. He found comfort in war, always hiding. he describes his “top-gun” life in the army and the girlfriends. He explains how hard it is to have a life in the eternal hiding, never protected by the royal system.

Libro scritto molto bene . Well done !.