It's not particularly surprising that I would love a memoir from Tim Curry, an actor whose work I've adored from the early days of "Rocky Horror" to the beloved "Clue" to a myriad of other performances that captivated me in ways uncommon.

In short, I've always loved Curry and "Vagabond: A Memoir" reminds me why.

While Curry often made a name for himself playing villains bold and brash, "Vagabond" is a thoughtful, understated literary affair refreshing in its lack of gossip and revealing in Curry's ability to weave together real-life and Hollywood testimony.

Curry avoids the usual gossip fare, nary a word about romance to be found here and no kiss-and-tell celebrity encounters offering juicy reveals.

Curry captivates here, though quietly so. The Tony Award-nominated actor gives us a glimpse inside is childhood as a military brat, his years in boarding school and university, and you can practically feel his exhilaration as he describes his early stage experiences.

Curry is a master of character. He savors language, embraces the written word, and brings dialogue to life like very few actors. It's unsurprising that along with stage and screen he's found success as a voice actor and even in providing narration for books. A Curry character is a complex character, neither all bad nor good and so fiercely human that we love them even when we believe we ought not. If you've ever seen "Rocky Horror," you've never forgotten Curry's turn as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The same is true for Curry's portrayal of the sadistic clown Pennywise in "It."

While Curry avoids gossip here, his dry English honesty is occasionally sublime as he describes those with whom he worked quite joyously and others not so much.

While many celebrity memoirs are not much more than Hollywood storytelling and a step-by-step journey through a career, Curry's memoir feels like a memoir constantly reminding us of how his upbringing shaped who he's become and how his humanity feeds his remarkable portrayals. For those who know Curry's story, such a memoir would be incomplete without a journey into the 2012 stroke that changed his life and his career. Curry's honesty, neither self-pity nor false bravado, is poignant and also filled with strength, wisdom, and insights. There's a vulnerability to it all, just the right amount, and I'd dare say that "Vagabond" has left Curry even more beloved in my eyes.

A must-read for Curry fans, "Vagabond: A Memoir" is a sublime literary experience from one of this generation's most complex and gifted actors.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic