"We Did OK, Kid: A Memoir," Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider

Anthony Hopkins’ memoir, “We Did OK, Kid,” proves the 87-year-old native born Welshman is not just an accomplished wonder of the stage and screen, but also is an accomplished writer. His book is thoughtful and heartfelt as it delves into the pain he suffered as a friendless boy who never fit in, and as an actor dodging potholes that threatened to upend him on his career path.

As a child Hopkins wasn’t into sports, didn’t do well in school and had no friends. He did enjoy playing the piano and digesting information from a set of encyclopedias his father brought home. Hopkins’ mind cataloged facts with uncanny accuracy, a hint that he learned differently and was probably on the spectrum, as Hopkins states. Of course in those days, Hopkins was born in 1937, students like him were labeled as dreamers, lazy, obstinate or dull-witted.

Like many who suffer damaged self-esteem in their youth, the actor’s past followed him into adulthood, leaving him vulnerable to alcoholism, a family disease from which his father suffered, his actions subsequently affecting his wife and son.

At age 9, when Hopkins was taking drawing lessons from Bernice, a woman in Port Talbot where they all lived, the woman introduced Hopkins to her boyfriend, “This is Richard. He’s an actor on the stage in London.” That was the first time the boy met Burton, which left Hopkins thinking, “That’s what I want to be.” At one point in Hopkin’s youth, with no idea what to do next, his father pleaded with Jack Edwards, a friend of his who was an administrator at the local YMCA, to take the boy there. His dad was concerned he had no friends and his “school report was bloody awful.”

The visit foretold Hopkins’ career. Community players were rehearsing for a play at the YMCA and Hopkins was mesmerized by what he saw.

While it took years for Hopkins to have success as an actor, he didn’t give up because he lived by the adage he developed as a browbeaten child, “I’ll show them.” Hopkins could never back down from an affront or fight, his surly attitude and the effects of alcohol clouding his judgement.

As Hopkins began to rise to fame, his alcoholism worsened, complicating a love affair that led to his only marriage and the birth of his only child, a daughter. She remains estranged from him, a heartbreak Hopkins blames himself for.

After driving drunk in 1975 and not remembering how he got home, Hopkins stopped drinking with the help of Alcoholic Anonymous. He believes if it hadn’t been for AA he would have died of the disease, a grim diagnosis his physician had warned him about. Hopkins continues to go to AA meetings and to follow the counsel of his sponsor.

“We Did OK, Kid” not only follows Hopkins’ personal journey, it walks readers through his career, the theater and films that have made him such an unforgettable, award-winning actor. Though he has risen to fame, Hopkins remains a private person who continues to struggle with anxiety at large gathering and parties. His memoir is sincere and untainted by ego.

For a real thrill, don’t miss the audio version, narrated by Kenneth Branagh and Hopkins. It’s unforgettably beautiful to hear Hopkins’ story told in their voices.

Buy the Book.