Book Review: Collection of reflections on the extraordinary life of a genius

Loved not only for her epic Wolf Hall trilogy, but also her short stories, other novels, and wonderful non-fiction and journalism, Mantel was, quite simply, a genius.

When she died at age 70 and talking about the books she still had in her, it was devastating.

For those of us mourning her loss, and looking for some consolation, A Memoir of My Former Self was published posthumously, a collection of her writing for newspapers and journals.

The book includes reflections on her own extraordinary life, observations about fellow writers from Jane Austen to Annie Proulx, and exquisite pieces on familiar figures from the world of Wolf Hall, from Anne Boleyn to Thomas More.

My favourite section, though, is her film reviews.

Did you know Hilary Mantel was a film reviewer from 1987 to 1990?

Well, I didn’t. And it turns out this is the Mantel content I’ve been waiting for.

These pieces are sparkling, funny and joyous.

From Fatal Attraction: ‘a quite unremarkable film in most ways, with its B-movie conceits, cliche-strewn screenplay and derivative effects’, to When Harry Met Sally: ‘It seems that people sometimes like to have their intimate dilemmas presented to them in terms that are slick and witty and bittersweet’, to Robocop: ‘A pure delight for those of us who have never had any culture’, they’re delicious.

The book also includes the full text of her iconic 2017 Reith Lectures, a must for every reader (and writer) of historical fiction.

It’s a whole new experience to read them from the page - but, of course, you can hear her voice in your head as you go, an experience both lovely and desperately sad.

The truth is, she was the best. I miss her.

And I want so much more.

This book is a beautiful prolonging of our reading pleasure with her but ultimately, as she says in the final piece, talking about an Opera North production of Orpheus, ‘I am only human, I’ve gone to the brink, I have done all that I can.’