What do you think?
Rate this book
Handling Edna: The Unauthorised Biography
In this unauthorised biography of Dame Edna Everage, acquired for an unprecedented advance and in spectacular secrecy, her long-time manager and the man who was there from the very beginning, Barry Humphries, takes a behind-the-scenes, no-holds-barred look at an icon of our times. Superstar, swami, confidante and advisor to royalty, Hollywood stars and international political leaders, Dame Edna's life has catapulted her from her humble Moonee Ponds beginnings as a suburban housewife to the most elite social and artistic circles in the world. Who would have thought that this modest Australian woman could achieve so much from London to Louisiana to New York to Tokyo? Who could have anticipated her global fame? Barry Humphries certainly didn't. Dame Edna may not like this book but Barry knows everything - the who, the why and the where - and in this much-anticipated work, for the first time, he reveals all. This exhaustively researched account of Edna's roller-coaster life is essential re
Audio CD
First published January 1, 2009
12 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Barry Humphries
47books19followersJohn Barry Humphries was an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the Court of St. James's. He was a film producer and script writer, a star of London's West End musical theatre, an award-winning writer and an accomplished landscape painter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 5, 2023
Funny, as long as you are acquainted with the two main characters (Barry Humphries and Dame Edna).
October 25, 2010
Barry Humphries is still amazing as ever. Here he takes the role of Edna Everage's manager and it is from this perspective that he writes. While it is a mix of fact and fictin, if you were not already aware of their unique relationship, one might wonder if it were indeed all true. This is a most interesting look at the man Barry Humphries and how he came to meet Edna.
Barry reveals himself as a young and budding talent with little or no luck at times finding his way in the world. His successes both here and in the UK are neither huge nor insignificant, but generally rather short-lived, leaving the young man at loose ends from time to time, when a chance meeting(?) changes the course of his life.
A hilarious romp, while evoking a sense of revelation. Mr. Humphries is probably Australia's best asset ever, and yet, I feel as if he has been somewhat undervalued. A very intellectual mind, a wit that can be both crass, clever and genius, and tempered with genuine warmth, I can't help but believe that Barry is a better human being than many. I certainly loved this book and now I must read his autobiography.
Barry reveals himself as a young and budding talent with little or no luck at times finding his way in the world. His successes both here and in the UK are neither huge nor insignificant, but generally rather short-lived, leaving the young man at loose ends from time to time, when a chance meeting(?) changes the course of his life.
A hilarious romp, while evoking a sense of revelation. Mr. Humphries is probably Australia's best asset ever, and yet, I feel as if he has been somewhat undervalued. A very intellectual mind, a wit that can be both crass, clever and genius, and tempered with genuine warmth, I can't help but believe that Barry is a better human being than many. I certainly loved this book and now I must read his autobiography.
September 16, 2012
I don't really know why Barry Humphries wrote this book. He's already written two volumes of autobiography, as well as 'My Glamorous Life', allegedly by Dame Edna herself.
I found it an amusing enough read; I especially love the way Humphries uses anachronistic words, phrases and long-forgotten brand names to evoke a long disappeared time or place.
But I feel that what's missing is Edna herself. I don't believe anyone, not even her creator (and inhabitor) can translate the terrifying, hilarious presence of Edna onto the page.
I found it an amusing enough read; I especially love the way Humphries uses anachronistic words, phrases and long-forgotten brand names to evoke a long disappeared time or place.
But I feel that what's missing is Edna herself. I don't believe anyone, not even her creator (and inhabitor) can translate the terrifying, hilarious presence of Edna onto the page.
January 13, 2012
What a totally boring book, I can't believe I carried on reading it, it's awful. Don't bother wasting your time and money folks on this pile of trash, it aint worth it!
October 2, 2023
You don’t know me from a bar of soap 🤣
A lot of people would find parts of this book offensive. The entire point of it is like Alf Garnet , the creator of the character stands against the ideology
I just find her hilarious and I always have. I would have liked more Madge Allsopp.
The name dropping didn’t even get on my nerves because it was so typical of Dame Edna.
Made me laugh out loud a lot.
May 2, 2024
I had a lovely time listening to Barry & Edna talk about their chequered career together, well, Barry had a bumpy ride but Edna's was really a meteoric rise to stardom. Oh, what a monstrous woman she is, as Barry plays her on-again, off-again manager - at least he got his percentage. We certainly see a different side to Madge Alsop than I recall. A very clever, humorous man was Barry Humphries - oh, those wonderful barbs!
March 1, 2023
What do you do when you love Barry Humphries (because you love Les Patterson), but you don’t really care for Edna Everidge? You read half the book.
I’ll post a review of Les� book soon after it arrives, but unfortunately there is only one. SOOO many Edna books! Barry obviously adores her, and only brings Les out occasionally to satisfy Australians� greater affection for him. *Sigh*
I’ll post a review of Les� book soon after it arrives, but unfortunately there is only one. SOOO many Edna books! Barry obviously adores her, and only brings Les out occasionally to satisfy Australians� greater affection for him. *Sigh*
June 1, 2024
I found this book very confusing knowing who is who and very weird. I must admit, I didn't really enjoy reading it but persisted to the end. It does have some good material in it, but it won't be a book I will remember for long.
November 28, 2018
Very amusing. Three and a half stars, although I don’t know what readers whom were not Australian would make of it.
June 14, 2020
A nice companion to "My Gorgeous Life", Dame Edna's autobiography, but this time from her manager's point of view.
May 26, 2023
I love the clever and descriptive language Humphries uses. Unfortunately although relatively amusing there’s no real point to this book. I imagine as an audiobook it may have worked better.
November 3, 2022
Barry Humphries and his character Dame Edna are true comedy icons around the world. Edna is a character 50+ years in the making and this semi-true biography of her is a worthwhile funny read.
February 5, 2018
Not laugh out loud like "My Gorgeous Life" but still amusing enough. Mister Humphries is a great story teller.
December 23, 2015
From :
Barry Humphries has been with Edna Everage since the very beginning. In Handling Edna: The Unauthorised Biography by Barry Humphries he describes how they met, and the adventure she’s dragged him along for ever since.
Before the book even begins there is a “Note to the Reader� eluding to the fact that some people have come to believe that Barry Humphries and Dame Edna are essentially the same person. Humphries writes that he hopes to shed some light on where this belief came from, so that the reader can make their own decision about what they believe.
The first chapter starts in Moonee Ponds, Australia and describes how Barry and Edna met. Humphries writes in the first person, and throughout the book uses description to indicate the decade and location of events he describes.
Each chapter gives an entertaining and fascinating insight into Barry’s life and career (or lack of), Edna and her family’s life and careers, her rise to stardom (and Barry’s lack of understanding as to why) and the problems that it brought her � all in a chronological order.
A few highlights (in no particular order) include Barry being the warm up act for Dame Edna � for various shows; Edna’s time in Hollywood; Barry’s stint in hospital with alcoholism and Edna being his only visitor; Barry’s love life; Barry’s impersonation of Edna on two occasions � the first for his benefit and the second trying to help her; Edna’s poor mental health � in particular in relation to the death of Norm (her husband).
As the chapters go on, towards the end of the book you start to get a fictional feel to the book especially in the final few chapters. Earlier in the book Barry is handed a letter for Edna by Madge. Madge instructs Barry to only give the letter to Edna when she dies. In the final chapter Madge finally dies in hospital. Barry remembers the letter and it reveals that Edna’s missing daughter Lois was taken by Madge in a moment of madness (which explains why Madge tolerated Edna over the decades). Madge writes that she gave Lois to some old friends to raise as their own, with Lois calling her Auntie Madge. In the hospital, the nurse turns out to be called Lois and is upset as her Auntie Madge has just died.
Having read the book do I believe that Barry Humphries and Edna Everage are the same person? Yes I think they are the same person, but that only makes Humphries even cleverer. The factual parts about Barry’s life are interesting to read, but the fiction about Edna is even more interesting. It not only makes the book very entertaining, but it gives an insight into the psyche of Humphries.
The book was a brilliant read, and as you’d expect from a bibliography it has several glossy photo pages throughout the book.
Barry Humphries has been with Edna Everage since the very beginning. In Handling Edna: The Unauthorised Biography by Barry Humphries he describes how they met, and the adventure she’s dragged him along for ever since.
Before the book even begins there is a “Note to the Reader� eluding to the fact that some people have come to believe that Barry Humphries and Dame Edna are essentially the same person. Humphries writes that he hopes to shed some light on where this belief came from, so that the reader can make their own decision about what they believe.
The first chapter starts in Moonee Ponds, Australia and describes how Barry and Edna met. Humphries writes in the first person, and throughout the book uses description to indicate the decade and location of events he describes.
Each chapter gives an entertaining and fascinating insight into Barry’s life and career (or lack of), Edna and her family’s life and careers, her rise to stardom (and Barry’s lack of understanding as to why) and the problems that it brought her � all in a chronological order.
A few highlights (in no particular order) include Barry being the warm up act for Dame Edna � for various shows; Edna’s time in Hollywood; Barry’s stint in hospital with alcoholism and Edna being his only visitor; Barry’s love life; Barry’s impersonation of Edna on two occasions � the first for his benefit and the second trying to help her; Edna’s poor mental health � in particular in relation to the death of Norm (her husband).
As the chapters go on, towards the end of the book you start to get a fictional feel to the book especially in the final few chapters. Earlier in the book Barry is handed a letter for Edna by Madge. Madge instructs Barry to only give the letter to Edna when she dies. In the final chapter Madge finally dies in hospital. Barry remembers the letter and it reveals that Edna’s missing daughter Lois was taken by Madge in a moment of madness (which explains why Madge tolerated Edna over the decades). Madge writes that she gave Lois to some old friends to raise as their own, with Lois calling her Auntie Madge. In the hospital, the nurse turns out to be called Lois and is upset as her Auntie Madge has just died.
Having read the book do I believe that Barry Humphries and Edna Everage are the same person? Yes I think they are the same person, but that only makes Humphries even cleverer. The factual parts about Barry’s life are interesting to read, but the fiction about Edna is even more interesting. It not only makes the book very entertaining, but it gives an insight into the psyche of Humphries.
The book was a brilliant read, and as you’d expect from a bibliography it has several glossy photo pages throughout the book.
November 13, 2011
This is a difficult book to categorise � is it an autobiography? A memoir? Fictionalised truth? Here, Barry Humphries tells us of his discovery of Moonee Ponds (i.e. Melbourne suburbia) housewife, Edna Everage in 1950s Melbourne and how that young woman became one of the grandest dames of history. Barry lays the rumours to rest that he and Edna are one and describes his tumultuous relationship with Edna through death, alcohol, bankruptcy and gladioli.
Barry paints for us a beautiful picture of 1950s and 60s Melbourne (of which a few points are still recognisable today) and Edna’s life with an ill husband, jealous live-in Kiwi bridesmaid and children. Barry is of course nothing like the common bourgeois that Edna represents, he shudders in her attempts at class and social climbing. But which of them has the better insight into the average (or ‘everage�) Australian? Edna becomes a hit much to Barry’s dismay on the stage and screen and he reluctantly becomes her manager while trying an acting/comedy career for himself. Edna’s dreams become true beyond her wildest fantasies while Barry becomes a shadow of his former self. Eventually they will work out that they need each other (but not that greasy Les Patterson).
Humphries has written a wildly witty work of his time with Edna. I fear that Edna herself may not understand all the words he uses in various descriptions (an ebook version would be useful at times to use the inbuilt dictionary, but I’m probably showing my bourgeois side my even suggesting it). Barry paints himself as the perfect Toorak snob (upper class suburb of Melbourne) reacting to Edna’s feisty middle class suburban roots and the need to keep up and then overtake the Joneses. In some ways, she represents Australia itself.
While it’s debatable how much of the plain truth is in this book, it’s a fantastic tale and a great read for any possum, if only for the photos of Dame Edna’s outlandish outfits from the past through to today.
Barry paints for us a beautiful picture of 1950s and 60s Melbourne (of which a few points are still recognisable today) and Edna’s life with an ill husband, jealous live-in Kiwi bridesmaid and children. Barry is of course nothing like the common bourgeois that Edna represents, he shudders in her attempts at class and social climbing. But which of them has the better insight into the average (or ‘everage�) Australian? Edna becomes a hit much to Barry’s dismay on the stage and screen and he reluctantly becomes her manager while trying an acting/comedy career for himself. Edna’s dreams become true beyond her wildest fantasies while Barry becomes a shadow of his former self. Eventually they will work out that they need each other (but not that greasy Les Patterson).
Humphries has written a wildly witty work of his time with Edna. I fear that Edna herself may not understand all the words he uses in various descriptions (an ebook version would be useful at times to use the inbuilt dictionary, but I’m probably showing my bourgeois side my even suggesting it). Barry paints himself as the perfect Toorak snob (upper class suburb of Melbourne) reacting to Edna’s feisty middle class suburban roots and the need to keep up and then overtake the Joneses. In some ways, she represents Australia itself.
While it’s debatable how much of the plain truth is in this book, it’s a fantastic tale and a great read for any possum, if only for the photos of Dame Edna’s outlandish outfits from the past through to today.
March 6, 2012
This book is about Dame Edna Everage and is written by Barry Humphries from the viewpoint of Edna's agent. As it is focused on Dame Edna there are gaps from Barry's life although he has written two other autobiographies such as "More, Please: An Autobiography" (which he says only mentions him playing Edna in his shows because of the pressure he was put under at the to,e by his publishers to write the story in that way to maximise sales) if you want to fill those gaps.
As for Dame Edna's life all the peripheral characters such as the invalid husband Norm, the housemaid Madge and the sons and daughters make an appearance. It is amazing how many times the author mentions the similarities between his mother and Dame Edna. It's as if Dame Edna could have been a character creation based on his mother?
There is also an appendix with a few different bits and pieces of Dame Edna's material as a sort of DVD extra section.
All in all this was an informative read about a comedy icon even if it is a work of fiction (or not as the case may be).
As for Dame Edna's life all the peripheral characters such as the invalid husband Norm, the housemaid Madge and the sons and daughters make an appearance. It is amazing how many times the author mentions the similarities between his mother and Dame Edna. It's as if Dame Edna could have been a character creation based on his mother?
There is also an appendix with a few different bits and pieces of Dame Edna's material as a sort of DVD extra section.
All in all this was an informative read about a comedy icon even if it is a work of fiction (or not as the case may be).
June 11, 2016
Hysterical! - I love Dame Edna!
Because The Act is so good, the best way to read a book of Dame Edna MUST be in an audio format. Without the iconic voice and tone I don’t think it can be as funny. I loved this book and my only complaint is that is was abridged. I WANTED MORE!
“The Dame Edna Experience� is easily one of my favourite TV memories; ”The badge, Madge!� I can recall one particularly humorous entrance when Edna revealed her latest over-the-top evening dress: a sequined design of eyes with clever stings down the sides that when she pulled on would make the eyes blink. “For years you’ve been eyeing my frocks, and now my frock is eyeing you!� Classic.
“Dame Edna’s Neighbourhood Watch� was another side-splitting funny show that had me laughing out loud every time without fail; “Say your prayers, cuz we’re going up your stairs!!!�
In 2004 (ish) I saw her live and it’s a miracle I didn’t pee my seat! Absolutely hilarious! I am so sad to hear she is retiring from the world stage� I guess being a mega star really is exhausting!
Because The Act is so good, the best way to read a book of Dame Edna MUST be in an audio format. Without the iconic voice and tone I don’t think it can be as funny. I loved this book and my only complaint is that is was abridged. I WANTED MORE!
“The Dame Edna Experience� is easily one of my favourite TV memories; ”The badge, Madge!� I can recall one particularly humorous entrance when Edna revealed her latest over-the-top evening dress: a sequined design of eyes with clever stings down the sides that when she pulled on would make the eyes blink. “For years you’ve been eyeing my frocks, and now my frock is eyeing you!� Classic.
“Dame Edna’s Neighbourhood Watch� was another side-splitting funny show that had me laughing out loud every time without fail; “Say your prayers, cuz we’re going up your stairs!!!�
In 2004 (ish) I saw her live and it’s a miracle I didn’t pee my seat! Absolutely hilarious! I am so sad to hear she is retiring from the world stage� I guess being a mega star really is exhausting!
December 28, 2010
There is no doubting Mr Humphries talent. His command of the written word & his powers of observation are extraordinary, & contributing factors of his talent no doubt.
However in this book, "Handling Edna", appears to be more about "Handling Fans" His fans.
His reflection of Voltares definition of a bore (One who insists on a monologue of all encompassing (useless) information as preface to a simple story) seems to prevail all through this folly (book).
He seems to be determined to convince someone,,anyone,, that he is not Edna.
After all these years without success, one wonders about the purpose of his efforts here.
One of my stars relates to the proliferation of his aquaintances. On this, it is indeed a masterpeice of theatrical name-dropping, which I understand is a viable pastime to "Thespianology".
"A Koala took my baby!". Puleese!!
Yawn.
However in this book, "Handling Edna", appears to be more about "Handling Fans" His fans.
His reflection of Voltares definition of a bore (One who insists on a monologue of all encompassing (useless) information as preface to a simple story) seems to prevail all through this folly (book).
He seems to be determined to convince someone,,anyone,, that he is not Edna.
After all these years without success, one wonders about the purpose of his efforts here.
One of my stars relates to the proliferation of his aquaintances. On this, it is indeed a masterpeice of theatrical name-dropping, which I understand is a viable pastime to "Thespianology".
"A Koala took my baby!". Puleese!!
Yawn.
September 1, 2011
the great value of humphries' writing is his style, which is a rather unlikely combination of australian demotic and an aesthete's erudition. it is unique. it lifts "handling edna" above the "strictly for amusement" category which, naturally, includes lots of funny, "uncalled-for" moments. the regular disparagement of "sydney" is a constant joy.
humphries' off-hand description of the sydney push as a bunch of "losers" is perfect. it should become the standard oxford english dictionary definition of that shiftless, short-lived phenom.
humphries' off-hand description of the sydney push as a bunch of "losers" is perfect. it should become the standard oxford english dictionary definition of that shiftless, short-lived phenom.
March 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I should have sat with a notebook though to jot down all the sophisticated words that Mr. Humphries used. But it was a fun read - I loved it. Edna and Barry are "partners" a life-long love-hate relationship. I would suggest that anyone wanting to read this to first read My Gorgeous Life by Dame Edna Everage.
February 11, 2013
Frankly I find it rather contrived and overblown. The humour is heavy to say the least. I believe he wrote it to try and explain how mych 'Edna' dominated his life... but over half-way thru the book I am not convinced...
May 18, 2013
I'm not a great Edna fan, but reading this was intriguing for the way Barry Humphries handled the subject. He did a good job of writing about his alter ego yet keeping a distance between the two. I found it quite intriguing because of it.
September 1, 2013
Two and a half stars
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.