Spare
Books | Biography & Autobiography / Royalty
4
Prince Harry
It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrow-and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling-and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last. Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness-and, because he blamed the press for his mother's death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight. At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn't find true love. Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple's cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . . For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.
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More Details:
Author
Prince Harry
Pages
410
Publisher
Bantam
Published Date
2023
ISBN
0857504797 9780857504791
Community ReviewsSee all
"I enjoyed this much more than I expected. I was mildly intrigued in Harry’s story so I thought I’d give it a chance and found myself really fascinated. I loved the writing style and short chapters in 3 parts formatting. While the military portions were less interesting to me, I still found bits of personal struggle I related to throughout, which was also unexpected and quite eye opening. Spare speaks to the human experience of trauma, healing, and mental health, and shows what can happen when someone is put under a microscope - especially one they never asked for. I also found very real moments in the back and forth of loving supportive family that would at times completely turn their backs. Unlike fiction, sometimes your best allies are also your fiercest enemies. Definitely recommend this read even if royals aren’t your cup of tea. I only gained an interest in Prince Harry out of huge respect for him standing up for himself and his family and this book further reinforces all he had to go through and just how difficult it was."
Sam Herman
"<br/>I have been on a non-fiction kick lately in my reading slump and this one also doesn’t disappoint. Not really tabloid at all, but an interesting look at a guy who just happened to be a historical figure against his will simply by being born. I respect the man for telling his story. Also there is some serious grief and PTSD work here.<br/>"
R T
Rebekah Travis
"There were plenty of touching moments in this book, and getting to hear Harry’s account of all the drama surrounding the royal family and the press was really interesting. Also, his love for Meghan is just so present in Part III of the book and it was very tender. Some parts of this book, though, just felt dense and scatterbrained. Overall I’d recommend it to anyone interested in Prince Harry / the royal family, but it’s a hefty read (15.5 hour audiobook - though you will get to hear Harry’s singing voice, Batman impression, and seal calls)."
Olivia Cook
"I really enjoyed this audible. I have such a fuller understanding of Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex. In three chapters, the first speaking of his mother, we see Harry dealing with the loss of his mother. The poetic way in which he speaks of her is loving and endearing. He never got over this loss and to this day I feel as though he stills struggles to cope. Chapter 2 touches on his early adulthood and his career in the armed forces. A bit slower and tedious, it was very interesting. But chapter 3 speaks of his meeting Meghan and the love he has for his family. The torturous way in which the press vilified Meghan was truly disgusting, as was the way his family chose to ignore the press. Harry and Meghan have a love for each other. The way he speaks of her is what love stories are made of. I will defend his right to live his life in the way they deem is what works for his family. His entire life was like dealing with a huge corporation. He was never hugged as a child unless it was from his mother."
Karlee Mazzaferri
"Similar to the series on Netflix. Bad quality writing. But the goal was different - him wanted to speak up freely. And it happened."
Valeriya Verveda
"Spare" by Harry is a book that left me feeling perplexed and unfulfilled. It seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, with a scattered and directionless plot that left me struggling to stay engaged. While the characters had potential, they lacked the depth and complexity needed to truly care about their stories and motivations. Additionally, the unremarkable writing style failed to leave any memorable or standout moments that would have elevated the book.<br/><br/>Despite these flaws, I do have to give credit to BookTok for hyping up this book and drawing my attention to it. Freud himself may have found some satisfaction in the way "Spare" explores the darker corners of the human psyche, but ultimately, the book fell short of its potential.<br/><br/>Overall, "Spare" was a forgettable and unsatisfying read that I would not recommend to others. While it may have its moments for some readers, I found it underwhelming and lacking in the substance and impact that I look for in a book."
Neg
"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Great listen (because who doesn’t love an accent?!). I was interested in hearing the other side of the story because the media sure doesn’t tell it. But it makes sense. All of it. And what stinks the most, it’s not shocking. All families have their issues but throw the media, power, comparison & the entitlement of “the people” (not the royals) & dang! <br/>I think Harry was respectful but brutally honest. A few things surprised me to hear & disappointed as well. Nothing is ever as it appears. <br/>Well worth the listen & the time. Not a 5(because 5s are reserved for the few books a year I will rave about), but a solid 4 star listen.<br/><br/>#sparereview #spar"
Marissa Dodgen
"Way more war stories than I was expecting, but this was fine. It makes a fun audiobook though!"
G
Grace
"I have no interest in the Royal family or Prince Harry but I like memoirs, so I figured I’d give this a go as an audio book. While I enjoyed parts of this book, it was incredibly hard for me to get through it as quickly as I typically do with books like this. The book itself felt like one giant brain dump. There wasn’t much flow to the information shared or much intention. Though I’m glad he spoke his piece and chose the life his heart desired. This was a 3 ⭐️ at best for me."
Dilara Lindholm
"Ooof. Well, I almost feel bad about reading this. It reads as if Harry has some really deep mental issues. It is almost like reading a memoir about a teenager because he comes across as very immature for an almost 40 year old man. He has a very disturbing fixation on his mother, even above and beyond what would be considered normal. He has more than the usual amount of sibling rivalry. He didn't want his father to marry Camilla, which just comes across as immature. His relationship with Meghan comes across as odd - kind of like they both have the mentality of high schoolers. He also seems overly paranoid about everyone being out to get him and everyone planting stories about them to make people like the other members of the royal family better. It is pretty gossipy though and entertaining, but it didn't need to be as long as it was. (I also have to admit, I don't really believe much of his version of things.)"