About book Through Thick And Thin: My Autobiography (2010)
Everyone benefits from a good, quick read every now and again and this book is no exception. It took me the best part of a ‘reading day’ to get through it and I enjoyed it as a light and interesting autobiography.Gok Wan is infamous in the UK and beyond for his prowess in sorting out fashion issues and for helping woman of various guises and sizes to embrace their figures and dress accordingly. You learn from the book that this body image knowledge and positivity comes from Wan’s own personal history and that his childhood and teen to early adulthood years were blighted by overeating, bullying and then subsequently by self-controlled starvation and anorexia. What is interesting about the tone of the book is that Wan doesn’t come over all maudlin when describing his issues. As he paints a well-established loving family background with hardworking, loving parents from different races, he also talks about himself being ‘different’ and his trials of self-acceptance and self-loving against the odds. His narrative tone is very matter of fact and the reader assumes a very honest portrayal of Wan’s struggle to make something of his life and of himself.I’ve noticed that many other reviewers cite that Wan is not ‘a very good writer’. I disagree and found that the book matched my expectations completely. I never expected (or wanted) this book to be a piece of great social art of Zola-esque proportions but it more than suffices as a decent read on current celebrity/media culture. It’s a shame that there are some very simple grammatical and lexical mistakes (I winced when I read ‘she had a great flare’ instead of ‘she had a great flair’ (I certainly don’t think he was on about trousers here!)) but ultimately these are publishing errors and I find these throughout all the books I read.I would recommend the book to all those who have a little bit left in their heart to embrace celebrity culture as well as to any lover of general autobiographies. Gok, is has to be said, is a little bit of a ‘one off’ and whilst some may write him off as a bit of a media darling, I personally think there is enough heart and talent there to warrant a read. I actually bought this for my mum who is Gok mad... but decided to read it before I gave it to her... :P I managed to devour this book in one day. It's simple writing makes it a nice, easy read. It's amazing hearing about Gok's life growing up.There are some points that made me cringe (his acting capabilities, or shall we call them moments of dishonesty??But everyone has flaws and if that's the only one that made me cringe, then good on him. He is an inspiration. :)
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