With Love and Laughter, John Ritter

With Love and Laughter, John Ritter
by Amy Yasbeck [Biography Ritter]

John Ritter was one of my TV heroes -- a comedic actor, adept at both witty dialog and absurd pratfalls, but who managed to remain a "good guy" in real life. From his early parts and recurring role as the paster on The Waltons, to his star turns on Three's Company, Hearts Afire and Hooperman, I had followed his career with pleasure, enjoying each of his performances, but enjoying reading about his behind-the-scenes life almost as much. His death in 2003 was so sudden and shocking, it threw me for a loop, and hearing after-the-fact that it was due to an undiagnosed medical condition was all the more alarming. Ritter's second wife, Yasbeck, does a tender job of looking back at Ritter's life -- the celebrity of his parents Tex and Dorothy Ritter, and his innate need to perform. Counter-balancing Ritter's career trajectory, Yasbeck shares her own background and upbringing, leading to their relationship and the child they had together. Though the last couple of chapters deal with the heartbreak of Ritter's death and the medical issues associated with the condition he fell victim to, the majority of this book is a feel-good tribute to one of our best comic actors, taken from us too early. I enjoyed this tremendously. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official John Ritter Foundation web site ] | [ John Ritter entry on Wikipedia ]
Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

American on Purpose

American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot
by Craig Ferguson

Most people who watch TV probably know Craig Ferguson primarily as the host of The Late Late Show on CBS. He was also a cast member of The Drew Carey Show sitcom. In addition, he's a screenwriter, stand-up comic, and erstwhile punk rock drummer, among other things. Although I don't agree with every comedic choice he makes on his show, I think he's a very good host/monologuist and I enjoy his smart-aleck-y personality and his intelligence. In this memoir of his life up to now, he takes us through his physical and emotional ups and downs, including alcoholism and ill-fated relationships. In telling his anecdotes, he shows a lot of admiration for his parents (now deceased) and those who've befriended him, takes responsibility for his negative behaviors, and illustrates the variety of reasons why he has chosen to add American citizenship to his native Scots heritage. Plus, he mentions Nebraska! I would have given a higher numeric rating to this book but for the prevalence of the f-word -- someone who writes this well should know that over-use of 'expressive' words and phrases de-emphasizes their impact! -- recommended by Becky W.C. - Walt Branch Library

[ Publisher's official American on Purpose web page ] | [ Wikipedia page for Craig Ferguson ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.