Where Have I Gone?

By: Pauline Quirke

Narrated by: Pauline Quirke

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Pauline Quirke was a skinny child, a slim teenager, a curvy woman, then - according to her bathroom scales (curse them) - just plain fat. Yes, the "F" word. Tipping the scales at nearly twenty stone, with creaking knees and a dodgy ankle to boot, at the beginning of 2011 Pauline had reached a crisis point. Something had to change, and fast.

It was never going to be an easy ride, but with her trademark warmth and sense of humour, Pauline recounts the highs and lows of the roller-coaster year in which she whips herself, and her life, into shape - with a fair few tales from her celebrated forty-year acting career thrown into the bargain. She reveals all: from the strain of working long hours away from home on one of Britain's most popular soaps to renewing her wedding vows and reuniting with her Birds of a Feather co-stars; from battling the bulge and facing the naysayers to rediscovering the joys of airline travel…without a seatbelt extension.

Honest and revealing, Where Have I Gone? is brimming with brilliantly funny anecdotes and truly moving moments. So put your feet up and join Pauline as she embarks on the most incredible year of her life.

©2012 Pauline Quirke (P)2012 Random House AudioGo

Disappointing Listen.

The author writes of her weight loss journey that involved prepackaged shakes. My research show that Pauline is a spokesperson for the company, which probably influenced her success with the program. Had I known that, I wouldn't have downloaded the book. If you are looking for inspiration and life long nutritional success in the area of weight management, this isn't the book to listen to. If you just want to listen to a biography of a British actress read by the author with authentic British accent and dialect, this perhaps is for you. I did enjoy her voice and hearing about her life just not her choice of diet.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Pauline Quirke as never seen before

Would you consider the audio edition of Where Have I Gone? to be better than the print version?

Yes, Pauline's voice is so distinctive, so natural.

What did you like best about this story?

Her honesty and her passion, well done Pauline.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The incredible shrinking woman perhaps.

Totally Inspiring!

Brilliant from start to finish, brilliantly written and narrated by Pauline herself, I found this one to be completely inspiring. It is real, a first hand account of what it is like to battle with weight loss and stick with something despite everything else that is going on in your life. I've listened to this one twice now, the second time was better because the first time I kept laughing out loud that many times so didnt absorb some bits of text. When I first heard about this book I thought it was going to read like an advertisement for Lighter Life, the weight loss program that Pauline followed during writing this book, but it wasn't like that at all, its more of an honest account of day to day living, being a mother, a wife, an actress on one of tv's most popular soap opera's, weight loss ups and downs, hilarious bits, parts that had my eyes filling up with tears I was relieved to be listening not trying to read text, this one has it all and is a must have for all of us who have or are considering trying to address their body size issues once and for all.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Brilliant, Really encouraging as i am on a diet

Would you consider the audio edition of Where Have I Gone? to be better than the print version?

Have not read the Print version

Which character – as performed by Pauline Quirke – was your favourite?

herself

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Generally all but mainly when Pauline was talking about the struggles, Shows to you that sometimes, It's not only you that things can happen too. A really lovely lady and sounds like a really good laugh to go out with too.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

just what you'd expect

What did you like most about Where Have I Gone??

Pauline in her own words spoken in her own voice

What did you like best about this story?

Realistic, honest and down to earth
Pauline Quirke herself calls her "doomed diet diary", a "remarkable and rather bumpy journey" and I agree with her.
Full of lovely quotes, "why wasn't there ever a doughnut diet", I can identify with, particularly as an actor who has similarly decided to lose at least 2 pounds a week (albeit a much smaller one in all senses of the word!).

Have you listened to any of Pauline Quirke’s other performances? How does this one compare?

n/a

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A remarkable and rather bumpy journey told in her own doomed diet diary

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Enjoyable and Inspirational!

Lighter Life, Weight Watchers or Slimming World ... it really doesn't matter if you're on one of these programmes or not, I would still recommend this book if you're a Pauline Quirke fan!

Pauline was definitely the perfect person to narrate her own book, because she really sets the scene in all those

'opps silly me' moments which I found myself laughing at throughout the book!

And then there's the moments, if your a larger lady like Pauline was (or me) you'll totally get those tough times while she was losing her weight!

But a really good book for anyone!!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Inspirational?

As a fellow lady carrying a few extra pounds, I purchased this book hoping to be inspired and find out about the highs and lows of how Pauline lost all her weight to look so fantastic. Whilst I enjoyed hearing abour the pounds dropping off and the various reactions she had from people to her massive loss, I couldn't help but feel it's, for the most part, an advert for the diet she followed with a few extra stories thrown in... or maybe I'm just jealous!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Really Pauline, where have you gone ?

Oh dear!
Pauline - I've loved you as an actress - remember you first in Harvey moon - and was really looking forward to your autobiography . I got glimpses of your life but an overwhelming sense that "lighter life" sponsored your book as I can't believe how many times you mentioned them - or the routine you followed. It overwhelmed your memoirs and led us to feel that a weight loss programme was the sum of your life. You are a great actress whatever your size, just felt that "lighter life" was the key element to this story. Would have liked to hear about you without "lighter life" being referenced all the time. They must have given you good money?

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

my life my year

Would you listen to Where Have I Gone? again? Why?

fantastic absolutely loved this, and would listen to it again,

What other book might you compare Where Have I Gone? to, and why?

as its a biography difficult to compare

Have you listened to any of Pauline Quirke’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes regarding trying to stick with a weight loss plan,

Any additional comments?

Id recommend this book to all

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very insightful and witty book.

Having been a woman that struggled with being over weight most of my life, it was fantastic to read about Pauline's own dilemas in her life. The stories about her nights our and disaster were so witty. I loved sitting on the bus and trains listening to Pauline. She is an inspiration to us all who struggle with their weight.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not what i was expecting

I grew up on Birds of a Feather and still watch it today, so I found this book slightly disappointing as I was expecting more of a weight journey through the years, as the butt (pardon the pun) of most of the jokes on Birds were about Sharons weight and I’d always wondered was it the same for her off screen. Instead however it just detailed the small time on Emmerdale and little snippets of her past weight woes. I still LOVE her and think the book is worth a listen but dont expect and in-depth expression of her time being overweight.

Surprisingly Entertaining

Had no idea this was about her diet but still enjoyed the book . Pauline was very good as a narrator . A book I would recommend