Scotland Book Club Reviews

Review: Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Not My Father’s Son, the 2014 memoir by Scottish actor, singer, writer and producer Alan Cumming is one of those books whose story stays with you. A perfect mix of humour and brutal honesty, making it our first five-star review!

The book is split into four sections, which perfectly tell a broader tale with aspects of his life you might not be expecting. However, the most memorable and compelling part of the book is the story of Cumming’s abusive father and his attempts to deal with this from a very early age.

Despite the descriptions of both verbal and physical attacks, Cumming uses both comedy and insight to bring the story to life without asking for pity from the reader. As a small boy, his attempts to mollify and pacify an increasing violent man are so touchingly moving and completely understandable they will remain with me for a long time to come.

Cumming also tells of being aware of a mystery regarding his mother’s father, who was said to have died in a shooting incident in Malaya. The whole issue came to a head in 2010 when Cumming was invited to take part in the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are?. He describes how he was keen to discover what he could about this, as much for his own sake as his mother’s.

But then, completely out of the blue, Cumming’s estranged father reveals a secret that rocks his world, and the knowledge sets him on a spiral of highs and lows that affect the rest of his life.

Not My Father’s Son is by no means a solely heartbreaking tale. There are fantastic moments of success and happiness that perhaps shine more light on the man Cumming is today than the more harsh elements.

He tells the whole story with honesty and bravery, which I found a powerful reminder of how damaging lies can be and how people can survive trauma and loss and move past it and into the light.
A tragic story beautifully told with modesty, humour, and understatement is a must-read.

It’s also a fascinating insight into a popular genealogy programme.

Alan Cumming’s new autobiography, Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life, published on 21 October, has gone straight to our TBR list!