Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life

by Alan Cumming, TBD (Read by)

Overview

"An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate—and most importantly—a happy human being. A wonderful book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability." —Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain

There is absolutely no logical reason why I am here. The life trajectory my nationality and class and circumstances portended for me was not even remotely close to the one I now navigate. But logic is a science and living is an art.

The release I felt in writing my first memoir, Not My Father’s Son, was matched only by how my speaking out empowered so many to engage with their own trauma. I was reminded of the power of my words and the absolute duty of authenticity.

But…

No one ever fully recovers from their past. There is no cure for it. You just learn to manage and prioritize it. I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or overcome something – an abuse, an injury to the body or the mind, an addiction, a character flaw, a habit, a person – you have merely decided to stop being vigilant and embraced denial as your modus operandi. And that is what this book is about, and for: to remind you not to buy in to the Hollywood ending.

Ironically maybe, much of Baggage chronicles my life in Hollywood and how, since I recovered from a nervous breakdown at 28, work has repeatedly whisked me away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. It is also about marriage(s): starting with the break-up of my first (to a woman) and ending with the ascension to my second (to a man) with many kissed toads in between! But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I’ve become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798200744909
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/26/2021
Product dimensions:	5.28(w) x 6.69(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Alan Cumming’s many awards for his stage and screen work include the Tony, Olivier, BAFTA, and Emmy. He is the author of two children’s books, a book of photographs and stories, a novel and the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Not My Father's Son. He is a podcaster (Alan Cumming’s Shelves) and an amateur barman (NYC’s Club Cumming). Find out more at alancumming.com, @alancumming on Twitter, and @alancummingsnaps on Instagram.

Table of Contents

Prologue 1

1 Elementary 5

2 Suspensory 13

3 Emergency 19

4 Mortality 31

5 Astrology 37

6 Lucky 55

7 Domesticity 67

8 Primatology 85

9 Debauchery 97

10 Discovery 115

11 Agony 123

12 Authenticity 149

13 Ecstasy 167

14 Chemistry 187

15 Insanity 201

16 Mutancy 223

17 Agency 239

18 Sanctuary 247

19 Finally 257

Epilogue 265

Acknowledgments 269

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/27/2021

Actor Cumming (Not My Father’s Son) returns with a series of revealing and witty reflections on coming to terms with his demons rather than conquering them. He lays out the truth as he sees it: “I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or overcome something, anything... you have merely decided to stop being vigilant and embraced denial as your modus operandi.” Growing up with a sadistic father and navigating the oft-bizarre situations that came with fame were just a fraction of the ups and downs that comprised Cumming’s personal and professional life. Though confronting his father about his abusiveness was transformative, Cumming resists the narrative that everything was magically solved; there were misguided decisions (including rushing into doomed romantic relationships), drug usage (“Ecstasy was my self-prescribed anti-anxiety medication”), and interventions that failed. But compassion trounces nihilism as Cumming looks back at his past with hard-earned wisdom and acceptance. “If life has taught me anything, it’s that change is a given.... The sooner we embrace its possibility the sooner we can really start living.” Engaging and often funny, this surprisingly deep work beguiles with its sharp observations and earnest life lessons. Agent: Luke Janklow, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

With winning resilience and buoyancy, Cumming revisits a stretch of his young adult life book-ended by two marriages: one straight, one gay…the 56-year-old Cumming remains the irresistible ‘cheeky chappie’ who has survived horrific trauma to become a beloved show-business institution, and perhaps unlikely fount of wisdom.”  — New York Times

“Alan Cumming’s Baggage has the right perspective on life—and so will you after reading it…To wit, Baggage is the most delightful after-dinner aperitif—something worth savoring.” — USA Today

"An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate—and most importantly—a happy human being. Cumming is a natural raconteur, and this feels like a private conversation between the author and the reader. A wonderful book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability."  — Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain

"It seems fundamentally unfair that Alan Cumming is, in addition to being a fine actor and a wicked performer, such a hell of a good writer. But he is. He's observant, honest, often trenchantly funny, always emotionally honest. He's an international treasure. — Neil Gaiman

"I could not love this man… or this book more. Alan writes with such unvarnished truth and a humor that can only come from a brilliant mind, rapier wit and resilience from emotionally painful life experiences. This book—like Alan is off the page—is full of insight, compassion, intellect and wisdom. This is the best Baggage to have." — Monica Lewinsky

"Everything that makes Alan Cumming so engaging as a person and a performer—his cleverness, kindness, charm, wildness and, above all, authenticity—shines from every page of this wonderful, witty and wise book." — Nigella Lawson

“Revealing and witty…Engaging and often funny, this surprisingly deep work beguiles with its sharp observations and earnest life lessons.”  — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Thoughtful, candid revelations join with intimate confessions while Cumming’s witty repartee never falters. Regardless of his traumatic past, the memoir lifts the veil on a happier man who has ‘transcended and bloomed.’ With heartfelt anecdotes and an honest perspective, Cumming shares the struggles and joys of a fulfilling life while making peace with the baggage of a troubled past. Cathartic and revelatory, Cumming’s memoir will fascinate fans and those who relate to his internal struggle.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

With winning resilience and buoyancy, Cumming revisits a stretch of his young adult life book-ended by two marriages: one straight, one gay…the 56-year-old Cumming remains the irresistible ‘cheeky chappie’ who has survived horrific trauma to become a beloved show-business institution, and perhaps unlikely fount of wisdom.” 

New York Times

"I could not love this man… or this book more. Alan writes with such unvarnished truth and a humor that can only come from a brilliant mind, rapier wit and resilience from emotionally painful life experiences. This book—like Alan is off the page—is full of insight, compassion, intellect and wisdom. This is the best Baggage to have."

Monica Lewinsky

Alan Cumming’s Baggage has the right perspective on life—and so will you after reading it…To wit, Baggage is the most delightful after-dinner aperitif—something worth savoring.

USA Today

"Everything that makes Alan Cumming so engaging as a person and a performer—his cleverness, kindness, charm, wildness and, above all, authenticity—shines from every page of this wonderful, witty and wise book."

Nigella Lawson

"An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate—and most importantly—a happy human being. Cumming is a natural raconteur, and this feels like a private conversation between the author and the reader. A wonderful book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability." 

Douglas Stuart

"It seems fundamentally unfair that Alan Cumming is, in addition to being a fine actor and a wicked performer, such a hell of a good writer. But he is. He's observant, honest, often trenchantly funny, always emotionally honest. He's an international treasure.

Neil Gaiman

Alan Cumming’s Baggage has the right perspective on life—and so will you after reading it…To wit, Baggage is the most delightful after-dinner aperitif—something worth savoring.

USA Today

★ 10/22/2021

Tony- and Emmy Award—winning actor, author, podcaster, activist, and businessman Cumming follows up his memoir Not My Father's Son (in which he recalled childhood abuse at the hands of his father) with this new candid reflection on his adult life. Here Cumming describes failures, successes, and his ongoing journey to grapple with a past that inextricably influences his present. Told in a time-bending, nonchronological swirl, the book recounts Cumming's marriage to Hilary Lyon, plus other relationships, his experience coming out as bisexual, and meeting his now-husband, Grant. Cumming's memoir includes many delicious theater and Hollywood stories—featuring the likes of Liza Minnelli, Gore Vidal, Walter Cronkite, Parker Posey, and Jessica Lange—juxtaposed with insight into a wildly diverse spectrum of theater, television, and film projects. There are especially fun details of Cumming's Tony Award—winning performance as the androgynous emcee in the late '90s Cabaret revival. Perhaps the only actor to have worked with both the Spice Girls (in 1997's Spice World) and Stanley Kubrick (in 1999's Eyes Wide Shut), Cumming is an exceedingly talented, witty, brave soul; his poignant book is a testament to his willingness to wrestle with demons and move forward. VERDICT This second act is sure to be another hit in Cumming's career; readers will be left hoping for a third memoir.—Barry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX

Library Journal

Alan Cumming’s infectious warmth, sense of fun, and easy charm permeate this earnest and inspiring memoir. While he does briefly write about his abusive father and his struggles to rebuild his life after his first marriage, the overall tone of the audiobook is hopeful. He shares hilarious anecdotes from the sets of various movies and TV shows, offers a thoughtful reflection on his time starring in CABARET on Broadway, and writes candidly about his various love affairs, bookended by his two marriages. His narration is pure joy—informal and entertaining. After hearing him recount how he was told to repress his Scottish accent as a young actor, it’s especially moving to listen to him tell his story in his own voice. L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2021 - AudioFile

Alan Cumming’s infectious warmth, sense of fun, and easy charm permeate this earnest and inspiring memoir. While he does briefly write about his abusive father and his struggles to rebuild his life after his first marriage, the overall tone of the audiobook is hopeful. He shares hilarious anecdotes from the sets of various movies and TV shows, offers a thoughtful reflection on his time starring in CABARET on Broadway, and writes candidly about his various love affairs, bookended by his two marriages. His narration is pure joy—informal and entertaining. After hearing him recount how he was told to repress his Scottish accent as a young actor, it’s especially moving to listen to him tell his story in his own voice. L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2021 - AudioFile

2021-08-24
The acclaimed actor reflects on overcoming a painful past to make room for a fruitful future.

In his moving debut memoir, Not My Father’s Son (2014), Scottish actor and activist Cumming (b. 1965) urgently confessed to growing up in a sadistically abusive family and how that experience hobbled his adult life, suppressing his emotional maturity and limiting his capacity for happiness. In this wise, pensive, sometimes chatty book, the author examines how he has been able to embrace the painful memories embedded in his “splintered psyche” in order to move forward and face further challenges along the way. He shares stories of his strained eight-year heterosexual marriage and his deep dive into early theater roles to fill the void. From there, Cumming nonchronologically glances further back into his childhood and his burgeoning love of performance and drama school. In the 1990s, British theater gave way to glittery feature film junkets and side character roles in Hollywood; he includes an expanded memory about his work with Stanley Kubrick and Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut. Cumming came out in the late 1990s after a momentous Tony Award–winning performance in Cabaret and a greatly anticipated relocation to New York City. The book’s midsection is aflutter with Hollywood anecdotes of stars, dalliances, and heartbreaks over men as well as the breathless first encounter with his husband, Grant. Thoughtful, candid revelations join with intimate confessions while Cumming’s witty repartee never falters. Regardless of his traumatic past, the memoir lifts the veil on a happier man who has “transcended and bloomed.” With heartfelt anecdotes and an honest perspective, Cumming shares the struggles and joys of a fulfilling life while making peace with the baggage of a troubled past.

Cathartic and revelatory, Cumming’s memoir will fascinate fans and those who relate to his internal struggle.

Kirkus Reviews