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Making It
- How Love, Kindness and Community Helped Me Repair My Life
- Narrated by: Damian Lynch
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Adventurers, Explorers & Survival
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Summary
The Sunday Times best seller
'We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn’t have a lot of food and didn’t have a lot of money. But that didn’t stop me having the time of my life.'
Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless. In this book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming a beloved star of the hit prime-time show The Repair Shop.
Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay’s positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through here and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.
Critic reviews
"Lynch dramatically conveys the diverse cultures, personalities and accents of Blades's world, and recounts how he coped with dyslexia and learned to 'upcycle' - repair items from a dump for resale - then taught homeless kids this marketable skill. Most memorable is Lynch's delivery of Blades's honesty, self-deprecating humour and can-do motto: If something's broken (including life), you can always find a way to put it together." (AudioFile)
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What listeners say about Making It
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Platinum Luv
- 14-05-21
Fantastic life story, very well read
This is a really interesting autobiography; kept me gripped to the end. Great choice of narrator brought the story to life. Fantastic!
8 people found this helpful
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- Janet whyte
- 16-05-21
JUST AMAZING 🙌🙌
If you only get to listen to one audiobook make it this one.
It was amazing and Jay as an inspiration.
Read so we'll had me gripped from start to finish.
Just shows you how you can do anything in life no matter where you come from or what circumstances.
Jay is simply a legend.
5 people found this helpful
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- Georgie
- 15-05-21
Phenomenal
Ground breaking bio, a relatable story written by an outstanding human being with so much love to give. Jay blades deserves an award for his stoicism and his resilience towards life's challenges.. Every family should have a copy on their bookshelf..
5 people found this helpful
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- lyndelou
- 16-05-21
a very good read, had me rivetted to the end.
i was rivetted listening to the narrator, i think it was brilliantly read and the different accents used were authentic. i felt so sad that as a child Jay faced such racism and hatred by bigots. He has been very honest in this book and i liked his unique way of communicating with the boy in the children's home and gaining respect from the troubled youths. although its not a conventional method. i was sad when it came to the end of the story. its a story of twists and turns and Jay has come through this as a shining star. i think he has much more to do with helping disaffected young people. being able to build trusting relationships with them is not something that just anyone can do.
4 people found this helpful
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- Donna Short
- 15-05-21
Fabulous book
This book is absolutely brilliant. It’s the first book I’ve read all the way through in a long time.
Honest and emotional. Couldn’t stop listening.
4 people found this helpful
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- bloved
- 18-05-21
Absolutely brilliant
I loved it from the first few utterance. I thought it was Jay talking. Damian Lynch narrated brilliantly. I cried and laughed so much. Jay gives hope to the underdog, the unheard, the lost and the marginalised. I want to give this book to everyone. Jay is such a realist. I believe so many will identify with his life experiences. I simply couldn't put it down. Jay has lived a thousand lives, and it has made him the great man that he is today. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for him.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 14-05-21
Great read
Thank you Jay
I really enjoyed reading this book and felt it was honest and brave. Would love to see you on SCD though . Lol x
2 people found this helpful
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- Dawn
- 25-09-21
Well done Jay Blades for telling your story
We dine Jay Blades for telling your harrowing story of rasicism that could have destroyed you. despite this you have compassion and strength and became a likeable strong character who has managed dispite emotional wounds to stay on top. also to recognise the strength of love even when it's not from blood relatives.
1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-08-22
Inspiring
An uplifting and inspiring story that gives hope to us all.
Jay is an inspiration to us all.
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- Screwy
- 28-07-22
Making it
Bloody hell Jay! I have no idea what it’s like to be a black guy, but it don’t sound like fun half the time!!!! Brilliant e book and narrator, thanks Jay for all you do and have done, top bloke
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- David T. Moore
- 10-02-22
Wow!
This is an amazing human being who had an amazing life. So glad he shared it with the world. Narrator is fantastic (although I wish Jay could have narrated).
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- Aaron Haddaway
- 06-01-22
Striking similarities
Very well orientated and very well put together story of Jay Blades, I was amazed by the similarities in lifestyles between blacks in England and America share and I have personally experienced many of the setbacks that the author has been through, I was deeply touched by his upbringing because I grew up the same way. Great story!
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- Amanda Amtmanis
- 30-08-21
Amazing story!
Riveting story! Jay Blades is a remarkable multi-talented individual. He has led an amazing life so far!
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-05-21
love it
really love this and it make me thing that I can do something in my life more as I am dyslexic too and I didn't say anything thought out my child hood. u think that u are the only one going thought this. I think this book is amazing to read and see what u went thought thank u jay and keep up the good work though out your life x