Letters to the Editor: Looking for a good role model? Read Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’

To the editor: All praise to columnist Robin Abcarian for getting Prince Harry’s book “Spare” right. She sees it as an honest report on how an honorable, confused and damaged young man extricates himself from a royal mess.

Many reviewers buy into the pop idea that this man’s life story is a privileged self-serving justification for continued fame and misbegotten fortune. Instead, we English professors would call it a “bildungsroman,” a story of how I became who I now am, and a powerful one at that. Did I mention that the book is very well written?

Harry is ruthless about his failures, candid about his struggle for mental health, fiercely loyal to his friends, tenacious about facing tragedy, intensely committed to his life’s partner and able to endure debilitating pain, physical and psychological.

As someone who once taught gender studies, I would recommend this book to young women and men today, who might need a commendable model of how to fashion oneself as a modern son, daughter, husband and wife.

Also, they could learn what it means to love intensely. Being a privileged royal or pop celebrity only makes that more difficult.

Robert Chianese, Ventura

..

To the editor: Prince Harry came into this world with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. And now, after holding onto it all his life, he’ll make millions with a heart-wrenching memoir about his miserable royal existence and the courage he gathered to take the silver spoon out of his mouth.

We Mexicans have a saying about people like him: “Ay, los pobres ricos.” (Oh, the poor rich).

David Quintero, Monrovia