Book Review: Nevertheless: a Memoir by Alec Baldwin

If anyone has earned a right to pen a memoir while still in middle age, it’s Alec Baldwin. Having had many career high points as a Hollywood actor – including memorable turns in Glengarry Glen Ross, 30 Rock and, of course, Saturday Night Live, where his Trump impersonations have passed into legend – the New York actor has also endured some serious upheaval in his personal life.

Following an acrimonious split from ex-wife Kim Basinger, the couple then entered into a notoriously bitter custody battle over their daughter, the strikingly named Ireland Baldwin. Baldwin is disarmingly honest about his personal failings in Nevertheless, even going into detail about the substance abuse issues that dogged his early career.

Tracing many of his problems to a lonely childhood – his father struggled to support the family while his mother was plagued by mental health problems – Baldwin’s emotional candour and wry humour make for a compelling read.