Izzard’s life is no laughing matter

Biography: Believe Me – A Memoir Of Love, Death And Jazz Chickens: By Eddie Izzard, Michael Joseph, €20

Eddie Izzard: ‘Trying to bring my mother back is at the base of everything I’ve ever done’

By loose definition, there are two types of autobiography that successful comedians generally write. The first includes those that give the reader (nominally an avid fan) serious perspectives on life, the universe and how to overcome adversities of one kind or another. The second includes those that semi-seriously flick through back pages while never forgetting to incorporate at least two zippy one-liners per page.

The latter includes Tina Fey’s Bossypants (2011) and Harpo ...