pop culture

Richard E. Grant takes his readers on a hilarious journey through his experiences in the film industry. His writing is sharp and incisive with no hint of egotism creeping through. Throughout the entire memoir, Grant is on the same plane as any working-class person in the world - this allows for him to connect with his reader, and at the same time, it makes his experiences, such as meeting a plethora of celebrities or attending all sorts of bizarre parties, all the more unbelievable and hilarious. With Nails is a book that can be read over and over again: Grant delivers so many bitchy, shrewd observations that, upon rereading, rear their barbed, comic heads.

Richard E. Grant is probably someone you've never heard of. He has always been a supporting actor, and has starred in a few dud pictures such as 'Hudson Hawk' and 'Pret-a-Porter'. The great thing about With Nails is that he's not afraid to admit his own, or his movies' failures and foibles. At the same time as he delves into his film diaries, Grant discusses some extremely personal experiences with the reader, such as the death of his baby girl only 36 hours after delivery: "she was the size of my hand" he laments.

It's moments like those in With Nails that remind the reader that Richard E. Grant is just a normal guy who has inadvertently stumbled into the totally bizarre and foreign world of Hollywood. For goodness sake, the man was born and raised in Swaziland, Africa! It's amazing that, despite his successes and run-ins with celebrity, he remains totally grounded. Just like your next-door neighbour. Just a guy that has had a tremendous run of luck and has described his whole way-out trip along the way.

This book is so excellent, so funny, so amazing... it's my favourite book of all time. Definitely get it. You won't regret it.

What a treat this book is. For those of us who love him as an actor, he surprised us with a book all about his acting. It's witty, biting, and furiously funny, and what's more, involves people, scenes, movies and events that we can all relate to and identify with because they're real. It's not just a book for Richard E. Grant fans, it's a book for anyone who loves movies and likes to laugh. If you're in the least bit "Hollywood", it's a great read.

Richard E Grant's film diaries are fascinating for anyone wondering about the machinations of the film industry. It covers everything from his earliest job in the film "Withnail and I" (which launched his career)through to working on "Hudson Hawk", LA Stories" and many more. He comes across as so affable and totally appreciative of his fame and new found financial security. The personal stories involving his wife's miscarriage and death of his father tug at the heartstrings.
I'm sure Grant is the sort of guy you coould meet on the street or in a pub and have a good chat with, not one of these pretentious Hollywood bores.Merely someone who has paid his dues and truly deserves to be where he is today.
If you read this Mr Grant, all I can say is hurry up with the second lnstallment of your film diaries. You've worked on so many films in the past few years that another book MUST be in the works. A book that I can't wait to read. If for nothing else for your recollections of working on SPICE WORLD:The MOVIE!!
Funny,poignant and truly endearing.