cover image The Other Side of Me

The Other Side of Me

Sidney Sheldon. Warner Adult, $31.98 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-59483-096-9

Sheldon writes his memoir as an intense and emotional rollercoaster as only he can with battling bipolar disorder nearly his entire life. From his suicide attempt at age 17 in 1934 to the publication of his first book in 1969, Sheldon has worked hard for his accomplishments. His prolific writing career reads like a grocery list of productions spanning film, theatre, television and books. O'Malley guides listeners through the author's adventures in Hollywood and Broadway with a lively and animated tone that engages listeners. Some of his vocal caricatures for secondary characters seems questionable, instilling them with comical or bland voices that disrupt the story rather than enhance it. When 88-year-old Sheldon reads the Afterword, his voice lacks O'Malley's energy. As a bonus feature, Sheldon is also interviewed about his life and the writing of this book. Though he repeats some anecdotes from his book, listeners will still enjoy the additional words from the author.