I choose audiobooks for their ability to keep me engaged and truly be able to listen and understand regardless of whether in traffic or just on a weekend drive or relaxing at home.
Karma by Boy George does this tastefully.
Starting with being aware and knowing his sexual preference at age 6, he begins with his childhood and growing up in the New Republic era with his parents and 3 other siblings.
Boy George dives into his teen years and early adulthood from leading a band, to coming out, to being in a tumultuous relationship and starting Culture Club. We get the raw and gritty of his adult life, dealing with drugs, being on the road, trying to hide from the world; while trying to find himself and be better. He is real, honest, and fully transparent about his life.
His greatest and biggest supporter was his mom; for whom he admits he will forever be in awe of her and seeks her energy often.
I enjoyed this FOR his transparency. Much more than a snippet, it gives decades of accounts on how he came to be, fell short, and rose again…. Better than ever. At 62, Boy George is still touring, writing, and producing; a musical virtuoso, who will always be a “fan”.
If you are a fan of his music, the bands, or Boy George himself, this is definitely for you!
Thank you NetGalley and Blink Publishing for an advanced complimentary copy for my honest review.

So. I grew up in an era with Boy George and most recently have seen him quite a few times on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as a pop up friend of PK and some of the other girls who he mentions in the audiobook. I thought, hey let me see what he has to say in his memoir since I was too young at the time when he was 'really big' to remember much and he seems like such a great and interesting person on RHOBH.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I do read many memoirs, and I do prefer them in audio format but with this one... well I just wasn't a fan of the way he was rattling off memories so quickly. Almost like ticking them off his fingertips. I wanted to really dive into these memories and feel a little more from the book.

It just felt too rushed and I wasn't a fan.


Many thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Boy George for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is in relation to the audio back which Boy George himself narrated.
I grow up with Culture Club and the new romantic movement and it was really entertaining listening to the background of what was happening then - I only remember the sanitised version of it all. It was interesting learning about his stay in prison.
Yes there was loads of name dropping and yes it did wonder around but I just enjoyed it for what it was and I am so glad that I listened to it as it gave me a new perspective.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

While I generally enjoy autobiographies, particularly ones where the audio is narrated by the author, this one fell flat and felt ick for me.

First off, his inflection was non-existent, which made for a sleep-inducing listen. He’d laugh every once in awhile, but it was the only aural clue that things were funny.

Second, his grasp on story-telling was abysmal. Everything was chaotic (and not in a fun way), clipped, dis-jointed and lacking in cohesion.

Third, he’s a hypocritical, mean-spirited ass.

He talks about meditation and mantras one second, then spends the next several chapters name dropping all the famous people he hates.

THEN HE HAS THE AUDACITY to suggest that, while he can’t remember any of the details, the man he SEXUALLY ASSAULTED should “move on” because the attack only lasted “30 seconds”.

This man shouldn’t be getting more book deals, he should be getting more prison time, and mandatory therapy.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and DreamScape Media in exchange for an honest review.

It doesn't matter if you like him, love him, can't stand him, or don't understand him this book gives you a look into the driving force behind his life and his career.

Boy George and Culture Club were part of every school dance I went to, every party I was at, and every broke up with moment of my teenage years. Do you really want to hurt me was played so many times I'm pretty sure I still know every word of that song.

I remember being young and hearing about controversies, not understanding why some people didn't like this group that just put out really good really fun music, hearing it from his perspective is intense and opened my mind to the world the way it was for him and I like to think I learned a lot from listening to his story.

Since I mentioned hearing it, I just have to say listening to him tell his story, in his way and in his own words, I can't describe the feelings and the music, ohh my goodness the music is all just so good.

If you've ever wanted to know more, if you've ever wondered how this man became Boy George this book answers those questions and so many more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of this audiobook, I have listened to it and reviewed it, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Exceptional! I absolutely loved listening to Boy George read this himself. His laugh is so contagious! From scandal to completely serious moments, this was one of the best biographies I've ever read. FABULOUS!!! ALL THE STARS!

It was fun to hear the stories that Boy George had to share, but I had a hard time getting past him giggling at himself constantly in the audio version. I’m planning to get the print version to read so that I can enjoy and not be distracted waiting for the next giggle.

This is what I refer to as "machinegun memoirs".
It's half stories and tidbits in no particular order or flow.
A lot of name dropping, which can happen organically in a memoir, but didn't.
I enjoyed a few of the stories and there is some lovely new music here, but overall it was not well structured.
I prefer a memoir that unfolds like a story and pulls you in with a slow unfurling of their life.
Yes, I read memoirs for the gossip, but you can get the tea in a more natural and less obvious way lol.
Boy George does narrate his audio himself, so you get his giggles which are adorable and made the audio a little cuter.
Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for my ALC.

I listened to this audiobook through NetGalley.

What a treat to hear Mr. George Alan O'Dowd himself narrate "Karma" and sing two songs. Yes, it's not spoken in RP and there were a few parts that I didn't understand because of the accent and because I'm not familiar with the London fashion or art scene. I wasn't entirely lost; his whole hearted laughs made me laugh too.

I haven't read any of his previous books, but the book included stories from his family and childhood, leading to and during Culture Club and past the covid-19 pandemic. I hadn't realized CC didn't put out several albums; it seems like their music was always around. He also writes about his arrests and being in prison. His description of being arrested in the U.S, was eye-opening, mainly because he's a celebrity and I thought he'd be treated better. He doesn't make excuses for ending up in prison and talks about the other prisoners as real people.

He dishes on other celebrities and keeps it entertaining. I particularly appreciated his explanation of squatting how all these artists would end up living together.

My only complaint is that he wasn't consistent with the star signs. He starts off describing people's signs and somehow in the middle forgets. He gets back to it near the end.

I just finished listening to Karma by Boy George. Why audio for this one? Because we get a bonus perk... new music included! I'm a fan, so this was a nice surprise.
Back to the book though. It was a fascinating read for me, mostly because I think in the US, we don't hear as much about a lot of UK artists after our initial introductions.
While I learned a lot, I was mostly just struck by how honest Boy George was in his telling about things that he's done, or that have happened to him, and the humility and owning of his actions. I've read of a few biographies as of late where there's no responsibility taken. This is definitely not one of those. He sounds very grounded and dare I say, humble.
Absolutely a great listen, a fun time capsule as well as bringing us up to speed, and extra great to hear laughter throughout the recording. Boy George was one of the many that I was blessed to watch at an early age that helped to form my little self in knowing to be who you are and to not concern yourself with the little boxes everyone tries to put you in. Forever grateful for those lessons

I love an audio autobiography that the author narrates themselves, and this was no exception.

Boy George was always an interesting character and I enjoyed listening to him tell the story of his life - his struggles, his triumphs, and everything in between. His laugh on the audio made me smile every time I hear it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Title and Author: Karma: My Autobiography by Boy George
Overall Grade: A-
Narration: A-
Depth and Topics covered: A
Writing: A-
Best Aspect: He is very real and not shy about saying anything
Worst Aspect: If you are a fan (there is new music on the audio) or if you really love biographies.

Karma is an autobiography by Boy George, narrated by the artist. From his childhood, raised in an Irish Catholic family, to his evolution as an artist and the person he is today, Boy George lays out his life in an honest and interesting way.

As a teenager in the 80's, one could not listen to the radio without hearing Culture Club on the top 40. Though I was not really a fan of the music, I was impressed by the individuality and uniqueness of the band and its members. I was curious to read the memoir because I was interested in hearing the artist's side of the story.

However, I was not as much of a fan of the narration as I was hoping. Boy George rushed through parts of the book - coupled with random laughter, the flow was thrown off at times. Additionally, the memoir was a bit repetitive in places. I might have enjoyed this book more in the printed format because of this.

Overall, Karma might appeal to readers who are fans of the artist or are children of the 80's.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy of Karma by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

I love Boy george so I found this to be a very exciting listen, to not only listen to his success but also his upbringing, I found his voice very relaxing to listen to.

I really enjoyed the music that was included with the audiobook, especially “Suddenly I’m Wiser”. I have not read the two previous memoirs written by Boy George, but I grew up enjoying his music during the 1980s. I found most of his anecdotes interesting. His sometimes cattiness was accompanied by a kind warmth, which both surprised and enlightened me to his personality.

I was a little lost in some of the name dropping initially. A lot of first names that didn’t mean anything to me, but most, later turned out to be people I was familiar with once I learned their full name or legal name and the context.

At times, especially at the beginning, it felt like he was just reading quickly to get through. His personality came shining through in the funny parts as he paused to laugh. As the book progressed his narrating skills became more organic or natural and it made the listen more comfortable and enjoyable than his earlier stiff affect. Since he admitted that this was his first audiobook, I think he was doing a fine job by the end and would listen to him again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy provided for an honest review.

The most recent of several of Boy George's memoirs/autobiographies, this takes us through a recap of his life from childhood to the current day, but now with the perspective of a 62-year old man who's Been Through It.

As usual I don't know a lot about celebrities or their lives so most of this was new to me, but there was a lot of interesting sort of... maybe not commentary per se, but How Things Were with regard to life in London back in the day, the punk scene, how intrinsically fashion tied in with art and music, and how integral queer lives are to all of it. That's most of my takeaway here, so those were the parts I found most fascinating.

As an audiobook, Boy George narrates it himself in a manner that's mostly like reading aloud something put in front of you, but every so often he'll give a little (or a big) laugh at something he's saying which really humanizes it and makes it a much better experience than "I am reading this aloud."

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

Book 8 of 2024 - ☑️! Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Boy George for the ALC of “Karma: My Autobiography” by Boy George in exchange for my honest review.

Hello, your resident 80s pop culture-loving friend is back with another book review! If you’re a fan of the 80s, odds are high you’re familiar with Boy George and Culture Club. Aside from the song Karma Chameleon & Boy George’s fashion, I’m was not extremely familiar with Culture Club, or Boy George’s personal life.

“Karma: My Autobiography” really does feel like Boy George is sitting with you and telling you stories - I love that they left his laugh in the audiobook; it made it that much more personal. I also liked that the book included some new tracks by Boy George. That said - I think the book would have benefited from a little more structure and for the recording quality of the songs to be a bit higher, especially since I believe the songs were exclusive!

A solid 3/5 ⭐️ for this book! 🎤 🌈 ✨#NetGalley #Karma

omg omg omg ...

I LOVEEEEEE BOY GEORGE

So much so, that I have tickets to see him star as Harold in Moulin Rouge, February 24th. This little lady is over the moon excited!

Karma, perfectly narrated, tells the story of Boy George first hand in this raw and honest autobiography. I swallowed this one on up and hung on his every word. I didn't think it was possible for me to love him more but after concluding, I promise you I do.

I loved the honesty, there was nothing held back. This isn't an "image" but who he truly is. At times, his story is heart wrenching but also has some comedic edge.

Also - we get an added surprise as he has included NEW music that we are the FIRST to listen to (eek!!!)

If you are anything like me, and a huge fan of Boy George, this is a must read (or listen) - I prefer audio when it comes to autobiographies as most are narrated directly from the author, I feel as though it makes the story that much more "real"

"Be kind, because I haven't always been" - Boy George

Check out this teaser :

Nothing short of an amazing story. Karma is the long-anticipated celebrity memoir from Boy George. The memoir delivers a searingly honest and captivating account of his extraordinary life. Take a front-row seat to the highs and lows of a life lived in the spotlight. Boy George's compelling storytelling shines a light on his encounters with legendary figures like David Bowie, Prince, and Madonna, providing an intimate peek into the music industry's glittering world.

Humor, sarcasm, and signature style. This is the explosive and honest account of Boy George's life as a child growing up in sixties London and coming out to his Irish Catholic family. Hear his account of his exploration of his sexuality through the hedonism of the seventies (the glam rock and punk rock revolution that birthed Culture Club), his recollections of the heydays of the nineties, and his ultimately embracing the man and artist that he is today. For those seeking books on self-acceptance and recovery from addiction, Karma stands as an example of the transformative power of embracing one's true self.

Boy George's audiobook, "Karma," offers a lively and entertaining glimpse into the tumultuous life of the iconic Culture Club frontman. The storytelling, reminiscent of a candid gossip session, meanders through decades of fame, addiction, recovery, and encounters with music legends. With a mix of stream of consciousness, genuine laughter-inducing asides, and original compositions, the audiobook captures the essence of Boy George's exhausting yet captivating journey. It is an honest reflection on identity, self-acceptance, and the evolution of an artist, providing a unique and entertaining perspective on the life of a music icon.

In "Karma," Boy George's narrative unfolds like a dynamic tapestry, weaving together the highs and lows of a life lived in the spotlight. From a tumultuous childhood in sixties London to the zenith of Culture Club's success and personal battles, the audiobook is a celebration of the artist's evolution. With humor, sarcasm, and an unapologetic embrace of self, Boy George invites listeners to join him on a thought-provoking exploration of life's profound questions, making "Karma" more than just a music memoir—it's a compelling journey through the unpredictable landscape of a unique existence.

I received a copy from #NetGalley and #Dreamscape_Media for an honest review.

(Posted on Goodreads)

Filled with pivotal moments, self-reflections, entertaining gossip and one-sided perspectives/insights, this work contains stories that shaped who Boy George is, but also stories that transformed Boy George along the way. I really get the feeling that he has been wanting to tell his side of the story for quite some time, as he does not hold back his thoughts on others or particular events. It's insightful and contains heaps of one-liners, and the added bonus of his laughter and never released songs is great.

Look, I really don't enjoy rating autobiographies, because I think everyone has a story to tell, and you're definitely vulnerable when putting your story out there. My recommendation would be to read the book versus listening to the audiobook. While both will be repetitive at times (could use a little more editing), I feel like the book will hold your attention more. I usually love when someone narrates their own story, but unfortunately not this time. Boy George is a gifted entertainer, but narration is not his strong suit (Look, we can't be good at everything!). It is really monotone in parts, and you can definitely tell he is reading. Weird comment, I know, but narrating is a definite skill.

Thank you, Dreamscape Media for this gifted audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Everybody has a story to tell, and I enjoy listening!