Over the last few months I have found that I love reading celebrity biographies. I love hearing about how they got their start in the industry and what drives them to keep going in their chosen profession, and with a Spicks and Specks reunion to be aired this year I decided to read Best Foot Forward.
Adam Hills is one of Australia and Britain’s most loved comedians and part of that comes from just how kind and likable he is. Reading his book, I could really see that. I could see his sense of humor and the honesty that came from it. When he talked about his parents, I felt like I could feel the love that he had for them and that really gave the book an extra edge.
One of the things I really did love about this book is that it’s not all stories that we have heard before from his stand-up routines. This is all fresh stories about how Hills became a well-loved comedian and how he started without ever mentioning the fact that he only has one leg. I think that was what made it even more interesting to me, I didn’t know all of this already. It wasn’t repetitive. He was told once to become known without mentioning he only has one leg, and then bring it up so as not to become “the one-legged comedian”. This book talks about his time on radio and how Spicks and Specks and The Last Leg came to be.
All in all Best Foot Forward is just about Adam Hills and how he just wanted to be himself. It never feels like he is bragging about how he got to where he is and often Hills mentions that he is thankful every day for it. He never wanted to be known for his disability as he doesn’t believe he is disabled and there are people out there who have it much worse. A genuinely heart-warming and funny book about someone who deserves all the success in the world– and someone who got it. A book that shows just how much Hills supports his friends and co-workers and the importance of kindness. Plus, the chapters that include Billy Connolly are a hoot.
Review by Jordanna, QBD Knox City
