LuvemBooks
LuvemBooks

Honest Book Reviews & Recommendations

​
BOOKS
P

Patrick Stewart

About This Author
Published

Read Time

8 min read

Reader rating

4.7

· 4,658 Amazon ratings
reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
Buy on Amazon
Curated & edited by

LuvemBooks Editorial

How we create our reviews →
Share This Review

Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart Review: A Yorkshire Boy Who Conquered Shakespeare and Space

by Patrick Stewart

Making It So is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling memoir from Sir Patrick Stewart, tracing his journey from a working-class childhood in Yorkshire, England, through decades with the Royal Shakespeare Company, to global fame as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Published by Gallery Books in October 2023, the 480-page memoir has drawn praise from peers including Sir Ian McKellen and Whoopi Goldberg, and earned coverage from major outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post.

LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for

Readers who want a warm, wide-ranging account of one of Britain's most distinctive careers — whether they come to it as Star Trek fans curious about the man behind Picard, theatre lovers drawn to six decades of RSC and Broadway work, or general memoir readers with an appetite for transatlantic stories of upward mobility and artistic ambition.

Worth it if

You want an engaging, chronologically satisfying record of an extraordinary life — from a working-class Yorkshire childhood through some 60 RSC productions to global icon status — told with personable prose, dry wit, and a warmth that carries across all its 480 pages.

Skip if

You're hoping for the kind of unflinching, self-lacerating honesty found in rawer celebrity memoirs — critical coverage notes that Stewart's characteristic modesty means he consistently softens self-criticism and "tells almost all" rather than everything, which may disappoint readers wanting sharper edges.

The Washington Post credits Stewart with "personable prose and dry wit" while characterising the book as "a slightly overlong, mostly chronological account of his sprawling life story," and noting that Stewart "tells almost all." The New York Times describes it as a "fond memoir" tracing Stewart's path "from the working class to the Shakespearean stage to Star Trek superstardom," landing it on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists upon publication.

“With personable prose and dry wit, Stewart tells almost all — a slightly overlong, mostly chronological account of his sprawling life story.”

— Washington Post

“A fond memoir tracing the path from the working class to the Shakespearean stage to Star Trek superstardom.”

— New York Times
Sources: Washington Post, New York Times, Simon & Schuster, The Cosmic Circus
4.7from 4,658 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score

Ask LuvemBooks

Was this helpful?

Making It So is Patrick Stewart's New York Times and USA Today bestselling memoir, tracing his journey from a working-class Yorkshire childhood through 60-plus Royal Shakespeare Company productions to global fame as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Published by Gallery Books in October 2023, the 480-page account earns praise for its personable prose, dry wit, and genuine breadth — appealing equally to Star Trek fans, theatre readers, and general memoir enthusiasts. The key caveat: critical coverage flags the book as slightly overlong, and Stewart's characteristic modesty means those hoping for an unflinching, self-critical reckoning may find the edges softer than expected.
Is it worth reading?
For readers with any interest in Patrick Stewart's career, British acting traditions, or transatlantic stage-to-screen journeys, Making It So delivers handsomely. Critical coverage praises its 'personable prose and dry wit,' endorsements from Sir Ian McKellen and Whoopi Goldberg reflect enthusiastic peer reception, and its New York Times and USA Today bestseller status confirms broad appeal. The primary caveat is structural: critical coverage describes the book as 'slightly overlong,' and Stewart's characteristic modesty means it stops short of the raw self-examination found in more unsparing celebrity memoirs.
Similar books
Readers who enjoy Making It So are likely to connect with other candid, richly detailed memoirs from celebrated performers. Out of the Corner: A Memoir by Jennifer Grey and Sonny Boy: A Memoir by Al Pacino both offer intimate accounts of iconic careers shaped by defining roles and complex personal journeys — much like Stewart's. Lucky Man: A Memoir by Michael J. Fox, Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi, and I, Tina: What's Love Got to Do with It? by Tina Turner each bring a similar mix of stardom, resilience, and candid self-reflection to the memoir form.
Who should read this?
Making It So is designed for a wide but specific readership. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation will find substantial material on the making of that series and Stewart's complicated evolution from stage purist to sci-fi icon. Serious theatre readers will appreciate the extensive Royal Shakespeare Company chapters and Stewart's account of Shakespeare's most demanding roles. The memoir's accessible structure and warm voice — noted across multiple published reviews — also make it inviting for general biography readers with an interest in British acting traditions or transatlantic careers.
About Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart is an actor best known for his iconic roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men film series. His memoir, Making It So, chronicles his distinguished career and offers an intimate account of his journey through theatre, television, and film.
What are the main themes?
The memoir's central arc is one of sustained upward mobility — from a working-class Yorkshire household to a knight of the realm whose name is synonymous with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and Star Trek. Woven through that arc are themes of professional identity, the tension between stage and screen, and the question of how an actor carries doubt and vulnerability into iconic roles. The book also explores what it means to embrace public fame after years of ambivalence, captured in Stewart's own words: 'No more sheepishness, no more embarrassment — I like being liked.'
What format and edition is available?
Making It So was published by Gallery Books in October 2023 and runs to 480 pages. The memoir is described as illustrated, adding visual context to the written narrative, though the primary mode is clearly the text itself. It is available in standard print editions and was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller upon publication.
Summarize this book

Summarize this book

Making It So is a largely chronological memoir by Sir Patrick Stewart, opening with his working-class upbringing in Yorkshire, England, and following six decades of stage and screen work. It moves through his formative years as a young actor, an extensive tenure with the Royal Shakespeare Company encompassing some 60 productions, his rise on Broadway and in the West End, and his transformation into a global icon as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The book also covers the revival of that character in Star Trek: Picard, including Stewart's candid account of announcing the new series at a 2018 Trekkie convention in Las Vegas. The publisher describes it as 'a revealing portrait of a driven artist' whose life proves 'as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.'

Follow up

How much of the book covers the RSC?
Does it cover Star Trek: Picard?
What is the overall tone?

Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review

​

Press Enter to ask. Answers come from our editorial Q&A — start typing to see related questions.

Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Adult

Reading level

Adult

Browse all Adult books

Skip if you're looking for an unflinching, self-critical celebrity memoir that pulls no punches.

Our Review

This review covers the content and published reception of Making It So from available sources; it does not reflect hands-on reading by this editorial team.
Making It So: A Memoir_main_0

What the Memoir Actually Covers

Making It So is a largely chronological account of Patrick Stewart's life, opening with his humble origins in Yorkshire, England, and following the arc of a career that spans six decades of stage and screen work. The memoir moves from his working-class upbringing through his formative years as a young actor, his extensive tenure with the Royal Shakespeare Company — encompassing some 60 productions — his ascent to Broadway and the West End, and ultimately his transformation into a global icon through the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The book also covers the revival of that character in Star Trek: Picard, including Stewart's announcement of the new series at a 2018 Trekkie convention in Las Vegas, a moment he describes with candid self-awareness: "No more sheepishness, no more embarrassment — I like being liked."

The Shape of a Life Well Lived

What distinguishes this memoir from a simple career retrospective is the arc it draws between personal origin and professional identity. Stewart's story is one of sustained upward mobility — from a boy shaped by a difficult Yorkshire household to a knight of the realm whose name is synonymous with two of the English-speaking world's most commanding cultural institutions: the RSC and Star Trek. The publisher describes the memoir as "a revealing portrait of a driven artist" whose life proves "as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself." Whoopi Goldberg, in her endorsement, highlights what she sees as Stewart's defining quality: that "his greatest asset as a human being is the fact that he is so completely and unapologetically himself." Sir Ian McKellen characterizes the book as written with "insight, truth, and passion."

Critical Reception and Tone

The memoir landed on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists upon publication. The New York Times describes it as "Patrick Stewart's engaging self-portrait of life on the British stage and the starship U.S.S. [Enterprise]," noting that Stewart's RSC work was marked by "his gift for conveying the doubt within the bluster" — a quality the review suggests carries through into his self-portraiture. Critical coverage characterizes the memoir as delivered with "personable prose and dry wit," and credits Stewart as someone "teeming with tales that span the decades." Both outlets acknowledge the book's engaging quality, and critical coverage situates Stewart as a veteran of considerable range — Broadway, the West End, and Hollywood — whose memoir reflects a life of genuine breadth.

Where the Book Invites Scrutiny

Not every published notice was unreserved. Critical coverage describes Making It So as "a slightly overlong, mostly chronological account of his sprawling life story," a critique that points to a structural limitation common to celebrity memoirs of this scope. The same source also notes that Stewart "tells almost all" — a qualifier that suggests moments where the narrative retreats into discretion. Readers drawn primarily to Stewart's most turbulent personal chapters or to frank critical self-examination may find that the memoir's characteristic modesty — what critical coverage calls "a ruddy blush of modesty" — occasionally softens edges that might otherwise have cut deeper. The book is described as illustrated, which adds visual context, but the memoir's primary mode is clearly written narrative rather than a visual chronicle.

Who This Memoir Is For

Making It So is designed for a wide but specific readership: fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation will find substantial material on the making of that series and Stewart's complicated evolution from stage purist to sci-fi icon, while serious theatre readers will appreciate the extensive RSC chapters and Stewart's account of interpreting Shakespeare's most demanding roles. The memoir's accessible, chronological structure and the warmth of its voice — noted across multiple published reviews — make it an inviting read for general audiences with an interest in British acting traditions or transatlantic careers. Those seeking a comparably rigorous or raw memoir in the mode of, say, Frank Langella's Dropped Names may find Stewart's tone more generous than searching. But as a record of an extraordinary six-decade career told by its architect, the book delivers on the promise of its title.

Sources & Further Reading

The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.

  1. Cited in this review
  2. 1
    Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

    barnesandnoble.com

  3. 2
    Making It SoHigh-authority source

    To Be Confirmed Gallery, Open Library, (2023)

  4. Further reading
  5. 3
    Amazon listing (bibliographic data, cover & pricing)

    Amazon

  6. 4
    Book description via simonandschuster.com

    simonandschuster.com

Books like Making It So

Curated picks for readers who enjoyed Making It So, with our reasoning for each match.

If you liked Making It So

In our catalogue

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir

Paul Newman

Hollywood icon, working-class roots, craft-first ethos — Newman's posthumous memoir covers the same tension between private self and public legend that Stewart navigates.

Newman recorded these reflections late in life, dissecting his acting instincts, his marriages, and the gap between the screen image and the man behind it — territory Stewart covers with equal candour. Both men are disarmingly self-critical about fame and more interested in the work than the celebrity. Readers who appreciated Stewart's honesty about his own limitations will find Newman's voice equally grounded and refreshing.

In our catalogue

Sonny Boy: A Memoir

Al Pacino

Stage-trained actor traces a turbulent rise to iconic roles — Pacino's memoir shares Stewart's arc from hungry craft obsessive to global screen star.

In our catalogue

No Time Like the Future

Michael J. Fox

Iconic sci-fi TV actor reflects on life, ageing, and resilience with warmth and wit — a natural companion read for Stewart fans drawn to thoughtful celebrity memoir.

Not your thing?

In our catalogue

It's a Long Story: My Life

Willie Nelson

If Making It So felt overlong and theatre-heavy, Nelson's memoir delivers the same warmth and dry wit in a looser, more digestible package with broader cultural range.