Great

The narrator was great and loved hearing his life story, have loved Jack Wild since Oliver

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Legend…. One in a million

Actors like Jack only come round once every 50 years, such a shame he didn’t get more good opportunities when he was younger, he definitely deserved an Oscar, criminal he didn’t get one, if he had done that song - would he have go it, we will never know.. would have loved to have met him, what a legend - thank you Jack.

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Wonderful.

Jack wilhfs life in hirs own words, sadly he never completed it to the book on shelf stage as he sadly passed away in 2006. His wife put it together in this wonderful book. It makes you smile, laugh, be thoughtful and at times cry. Anyone who loved jack wild, like me, this is a must read.

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An extremely honest account of Jack Wild's life

I recommend this audiobook to anyone who can handle the truth.

My evaluation of this book is that Jack Wild shot straight from the hip - he was honest and very straight forward in what he thought and said and the speed of many of his decisions reflected this.

From this audiobook it seems to me that life became difficult for Jack because so many of the people that he encountered in his life did not share his own type of unique and colourful personality.
He didn't take time to evaluate things and his decisions were so often rushed into and (dare I say it) his main motivation behind so many of his decisions seemed only to be what he himself wanted to do at any given particular time. Lightening quick immediate and impulsive decisions that increasingly came back to bite him as he got older. having said that - he didn't have anybody to properly advise or council him, so often he was just left or expected to make his own mind up on an ad hock lottery type basis and you can see him making the same type of mistakes again and again and yet again.

But it must have been hard for him because all that he could do really was to say yes or say no - yes he worked or no he didn't work!
To his credit he worked a lot but he was clearly under a great big repressed strain hence his drinking which took over his life.

He lived in the NOW as children do - his constant toys were his joy and I was struck by his humanity especially towards his beloved animals and his observations and feelings towards animals that I think lesser people than him would not have even noticed.

He was madcap and very impulsive and impetuous and a lot of it right up to the middle of the book and beyond seems to be just about - anything for a laugh mate.

A generous of spirit kind and a really good natured bloke, however so much of this book is about what Jack wanted to do and when he wanted to do it without bothering to ask those around him what they wanted or even for their opinion before he went ahead and did things. There was a self reliance like a little tough guy facing off the world all on his own. Generally it became clear to me that he was misunderstood by people and probably seen as narcissistic and selfish when in fact I reckon he had learned to live on his wits and had had to become self reliant right from an early age.

In so many real life ways he was The Artful Dodger - his strength was his charming positivity and his strong and lovable personality but clearly he was also easily led and far too easily influenced into making half thought out whimsical and at times completely ludicrous decisions that had a much darker side to them that came back to haunt him as this book gets darker and darker from the middle onwards.

I liked the fact that he was straight with people and he nearly always spoke well of the people that he had worked with or who had been his friends. To get a balance we would need to hear the other sides of the stories but that's not going to happen - not now anyway. I believe that life and people's reality is all about our individual perceptions and this book is absolutely full up to overflowing with Jack's own take on his life which is fair enough because IT IS HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

I think that Jack was a unique character and he came across to me as a lovable and kind hearted gentle person who had deep insecurities about life that was never revealed in this his story - probably because he didn't know what they were and from the way that Jack explains it all mostly friends and family just seemed to want to go along with whatever it was that he said or suggested he or they all did. I was amazed for instance that his family didn't take more of an interest in his fragile welfare, I can see that this wasn't deliberate but it's pretty clear to me that he needed help badly when he was much younger and that nobody saw this - all that they saw instead was him demanding his own way of doing things which they probably saw as Jack being very confident and completely knowing his own mind.
Finally the ending came unexpectedly and it made me cry - I don't want to spoil it so I won't say - it was just so sudden and heart felt that's all.
This is a hugely enjoyable audiobook that's very well read and the writing it just flows and flows - story after story and all so very colourful from that glorious little animated chap that arrived on the big screen in 1968 singing and dancing his way through the Victorian market place in his huge top hat and funny little boots.

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It's a Dodgers Life

Really enjoyed this book but so sad that he passed away at such a young age.. I remember seeing Jack in HR Puff n Stuff in the early 1970's. I was round about 9 years old at the time and used to watch that programme at my Nan's house, brings back happy memories.. Thought he was great in Oliver and Melody as well as HR Puff n Stuff. My first ever crush. Taken way too soon Jack but thanks for the memories, Now an angel, RIP Jack, xxx

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Really enjoyed this

Bought on a whim … but really enjoyed. Quite a long book so you get moneys worth

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A very honest book.

I enjoyed learning about Jack's life. The book is very well written and narrated.

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Great listen very well written autobiography

A Dodger's life is a fantastic listen for everyone who loved Jack wild and his work 5 stars

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