“Making It So: A Memoir” Review

A head shot of Sir Patrick Stewart takes up most of the cover with his chin resting on his clasped hands. He's wearing a black suit jacket with a green shirt under it. Written by Patrick Stewart
Published by Gallery Books, October 2023
479 Pages
Completed October 7, 2023

The long-awaited memoir from iconic, beloved actor and living legend Sir Patrick Stewart!

From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations with his indelible command of stage and screen. Now, he presents his long-awaited memoir, Making It So, a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.

This was quite an interesting read. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” has always been my favorite show since I was very young and Captain Picard my favorite of the captains. Sir Patrick Stewart is certainly a story teller – given his background in theater it’s not really a surprise. The memoir is very detailed and heavy with a lot of information about his childhood and background. I think some might be a little frustrated that it takes most of the book to get to his Star Trek days, but it was clear he had a lot he wanted to say about his childhood and early days working in the various theaters. Theater got him out of his situation and gave him a future so naturally that what he wanted to talk about most. It’s what he’s returned too every time in between his other work. It was also important to get through all of that to really understand how he ended up getting into Star Trek. He’d never even watched the original series, but his children had so they had to tell him what it was all about! He also talked about working on the film “Dune” and the “X-Men” movies and other films and shows. Sir Patrick was also very honest about his childhood with his violent father who abused his mother and how that impacted him growing up, and about his own mistakes in his first and second marriages. He had a lot to get through and deal with to be who he is today.