Madly, Deeply is exactly what the title states it is, the diaries of Alan Rickman. Any broader narrative shouldn’t be expected. As a fan of Alan, I was very interested in reading this book and ultimately am glad I picked it up but don’t think this is something I would recommend more broadly. This is a day-to-day accounting of his everyday life but gives some interesting insight into his opinions and thoughts as he filmed each movie, or a major world event took place. This takes an extra level of commitment than a memoir where you might be getting some additional insight or a new outlook outside of just the individual’s personal story.
The conclusion of the book came swiftly and is a sad reminder of just how quick and ruthless pancreatic cancer is. The world has lost an acting treasure.
A side note to the ethics of publishing his diaries; in the foreword, the editor mentions that it isn’t known if Alan would have wanted them published. This made me uneasy about continuing this book, as his personal musings shouldn’t be available to the world without his consent. I did move forward as his wife did give such permission, but this is something that should be taken into consideration.
Happy Reading!
Chris Kauzlarich 