Book Review: Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham

Have I Told You That Already? Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember
by Lauren Graham (Biography Graham)

This is a quick, feel-good read! Lauren’s little writing “quirks” make for funny, enjoyable essays geared toward those that are fans of Graham’s work (think Gilmore Girls and Parenthood). This book includes personal anecdotes from ranging from stories about attending various “health camps”, being an up-and-coming actor living in LA, and even stories about orange marmalade (read to find out!) and her dog.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try more non-fiction by Lauren Graham, including Talking as Fast As I Can, In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It, or Someday, Someday Maybe; or the TV series Gilmore Girls and Parenthood.)

 

( publisher’s official Lauren Graham web page ) | ( Wikipedia page for actress/author Lauren Graham )

 

Recommended by Amanda S.
Gere and South Branch Libraries

 

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Book Review: Making It So by Patrick Stewart

Making It So
by Patrick Stewart (Biography Stewart)

This autobiography is not simply for Trekkies or fans of the X-Men franchises. This well-written autobiography covers Stewart’s life from a young boy living in astonishing poverty with a violent father, to his interest in stage plays, to getting some semi-regular work in plays and working his way up to more prestigious playhouses, to eventually the pinnacle of Shakespeare playhouses — Royal Shakespeare Company.

 

At RSC he finally had regular work at a decent income, and was able to play many characters in Shakespeare’s plays for over 15 years. He mentions veteran and current actors and actresses that fans of British TV, American TV, and movies will recognize. With RSC he was able to travel the world and work with his idols and I enjoyed those stories.

 

Then came along Star Trek: The Next Generation and Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. ‘Everyone’ said it would last only a year. They offered an astonishing amount of money so he decided he could give them a year of his life. Well, we know how that went. His insider stories of fellow actors, several of whom became dear friends, were humorous and interesting as the stage actor had to learn to navigate the television world.

 

When he finished “The Next Generation” he was eager to jump into Shakespeare again but was offered the role of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies. His thoughts at the time? “No more fantasy. No more sci-fi. I’m done with that.” But, his involvement in the movies is when he and Ian McKellen became best of friends. And a movie franchise allowed him to continue his beloved work in his Shakespeare plays whereas a weekly television contract did not.

 

His writing is eloquent as he pulls you into of his stories and experiences. As any good biography has there are photos in the middle of the book. And I admit to re-listening to my copy of his A Christmas Carol audio performance while washing up Thanksgiving dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

 

( publisher’s official Making It So web site ) | ( Wikipedia page for Patrick Stewart — Sir Patrick Stewart has official accounts on Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram and more… )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Audiobook Review: Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mothr and Daughter Talk About Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding) by Laura Dern and Diane Ladd

Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk About Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding)
by Laura Dern and Diane Ladd (Compact Disc 791.43 Der)

Award-winning mother-and-daughter actresses Diane Ladd and Laura Dern collaborate for this unusual autobiographical conversation. When Diane’s doctor gives her a life-threatening diagnosis of lung damage due to exposure to pesticides, one of his recommendations for an activity which could improve her condition is for her to to take walks to force her to breathe more deeply and expand her damaged lungs.

 

Daughter Laura Dern (from Diane’s brief marriage to fellow actor Bruce Dern), eager to get her mother exercising, proposes an arrangement — they will both take walks in Diane’s Santa Monica neighborhood and instead of focusing on Diane’s difficulties they will swap stories, share memories, and ask each other the kinds of questions that loved ones should get the answers to before it’s too late. Dern recorded their conversations during these walks, and although this audiobook is not the original audio (the two actresses recreate these conversations for this recording), you can still feel both the love and occasional friction between the two women.

 

While I really did enjoy this audiobook (the print edition also has multiple photo inclusions), this recording did, admittedly, feel a little “staged”. None-the-less, it was fascinating to gain some additional insight into some of the life events that shaped such significant performers — both have been divorced and lived as single mothers, both had similar insecurities, both have inhabited groundbreaking stage and/or screen roles, and both have developed into strong, independent women.

 

If you’re at all interested in either Diane Ladd or Laura Dern, enjoy reading about life growing up in the South, are fascinated by the world of stage or film/tv production, or are fascinated by the inner workings of mother/daughter relationships, you’ll enjoy this one.

 

( official Diane Ladd web site ) | ( official Laura Dern feed on Instagram )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Number One is Walking: My Life in Movies and Other Diversions by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss

Number One is Walking: My Life in the Movies and Other Diversions
by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss (Biography Martin)

Comedian/actor/musician/writer Steve Martin and cartoonist Harry Bliss team up for a second collaborative book, following their 2020 release, A Wealth of Pigeons.

 

This time, it’s even more autobiographical than it was the last time. The first 60% of the book is Steve Martin’s reminiscences about his years in the motion picture industry, where he made over 40 films before ultimately becoming disenchanted with the film-making process and walking away. This portion of the book is told through a series of cartoons of Steve and Harry taking a walk with Harry’s (talking) dog, and Steve throwing out bits and pieces of memories, which Harry then illustrates. The book is crammed with dry, wry humor and fond memories. And Harry’s artwork, while occasionally fanciful, also includes absolutely stunning recreations of many of Steve’s co-stars or the other celebrities in whose orbit he occasionally found himself.

 

The latter 40% of the book is a collection of (mostly) single-panel cartoons co-created by both Martin and Bliss — which feel very much like Bliss’ frequent contributions to the New Yorker magazine.

 

I enjoyed Number One is Walking a great deal, and constantly found myself in awe of Harry Bliss’ ability to capture the essence and personalities of so many recognizable entertainers and celebrities in a few simple brush strokes. However, as much as I enjoyed reading this, I left this book feeling like I wanted more than I was given…it feels very lightweight, especially in comparison to most celebrity biographies. On the other hand, even if each of Steve’s show biz memories is only 2-4 pages long, the artwork brings them all to life! So…it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A Wealth of Pigeons by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss, or the autobiography Born Standing Up by Steve Martin, or possibly Steve’s humor book, The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten. The Tweets of Steve Martin.)

 

( official Harry Bliss web site ) | ( official Steve Martin web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton

Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard
by Tom Felton (Biography Felton)

As a fan of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter books and the movies based on them, I was interested to see what actor Tom Felton had to say about his experiences portraying Draco Malfoy, the kid you love to despise in all of the stories. The book was incredibly funny — much more than I was expecting — and brutally honest about his experiences on set and off. I could empathize with Tom’s descriptions of being born the youngest in a family of four (his brothers called him “maggot”) and how those older brothers would get him in trouble. Yet through all of his experiences, he has nothing but good to say of his family, the actors he worked with, and his adoring fans. The best part of the book besides the descriptions of working alongside Britain’s finest actors is the honest reflections on his own life and the mistakes he made over the years which led to a stint in Rehabilitation. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of the Harry Potter series and with an interest in the child actors that grew up together in the films. I will mention that there is a lot of swearing in the book as well as drug and alcohol abuse, so I do not recommend Beyond the Wand for children.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try all of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, all of the Harry Potter movies starring Daniel Radcliffe or The Borrowers by Mary Norton (Tom Felton was in a film version of The Borrowers as a child prior to being cast as Draco Malfoy).)

 

( publisher’s official Beyond the Wand web page ) | ( official Tom Felton web site )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Audiobook Review: How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well-Lived by Leslie Jordan

How Y’all Doin’? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well Lived
by Leslie Jordan (Biography Jordan and Hoopla Audio)

When actor/singer/comedian Leslie Jordan died in late October (after suffering a “medical incident” while driving and fatally crashing his car), I had no idea how sad I was going to be. It wasn’t that I was an ardent fan of his, who tracked down everything he’d ever appeared in. But, his bubbly, sarcastic, Southern gay personality had been a staple in film and TV comedies and dramas for decades, and it didn’t seem possible that he was suddenly gone. So I was especially happy to be able to enjoy his distinctive voice as he narrated the audiobook version of his 2021 best-seller How Y’all Doin’?

 

Despite always being sort of a cult-favorite actor for many fans, it wasn’t until COVID-19 hit and everyone sequestered themselves in their homes in 2020, that Leslie achieved mega-fame. Despite not even initially knowing what Instagram was, he launched a new Insta account, where he shared his personality and quirky musings, and managed to gain 5.8 million followers. Which led to this, his second book (his first, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (2008) isn’t in the libraries’ collection). Leslie wanders back and forth in his career and personal life, not holding anything back as he shares recollections filled with both hilarity and strong sentiment. Despite his seeming befuddlement with technology and social media, his stories of his explorations of Instagram are among the highlights of this incredibly entertaining and informative autobiography. Leslie makes this book feel like he’s sitting and chatting with you.

 

I got this as an audiobook-on-CD through the libraries’ InterLibrary Loan service, but if you can do downloadable audio, the Lincoln City Libraries do have it available through our Hoopla streaming service. I had tried reading this book in print format when it came out in 2021, but just couldn’t get into it. But when he read it aloud, How Y’all Doin’? became one of my favorite reads of 2022. He’s one of those performers I think I would have loved to meet in person. Strongly recommended, for anyone with an interest in celebrities, behind-the-scenes on the entertainment industry, the acting profession, and LGBTQ+ personalities.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, also by Jordan, but only available through InterLibrary Loan.)

 

( official Leslie Jordan web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills

Forever Young: A Memoir
by Hayley Mills (Biography Mills)

If you came of age in the 60s and 70s, you are probably familiar with the name Hayley Mills, a British child and teen actress who starred in some big Disney films such as The Parent Trap and in other movies of the era. I most remember her in The Moonspinners, a young adult suspense story filmed on the island of Crete. This is her account of her family, professional, and personal lives and how she often struggled to find balance between them all. Her father was the well-regarded actor John Mills. Her older sister Juliet is also in the business of film and theater, and her younger brother appeared in some movies as a child. Mills’ mother was a frequently frustrated writer and dependent upon alcohol. Added to this was her marriage to a much older man, a producer, as well as an unfortunate negligence by Hayley’s parents to safeguard her set-aside earnings, much of which was mishandled by her family’s lawyers. In the end, she has come through a number of trials with a positive attitude, spiritually anchored, and grateful for her loved ones and her place in cultural history.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Boys by Ron & Clint Howard, Unsinkable, A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds or The Girl On the Balcony by Olivia Hussey.)

 

( Wikipedia entry for Hayley Mills )

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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Audiobook Review: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, written and read by Ron Howard and Clint Howard

The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family

by Ron Howard and Clint Howard (Compact Disc Biography Howard)

 

This is an absolutely charming autobiography of the Howard boys — both Ron and Clint — and the influence their parents, Rance and Jean Howard had over their lives. Told roughly in chronological order, after a framing sequence in which Ron and Clint remember going through their parents’ home following the passing of Rance, the Howards share stories about what their lives were like during their childhoods, when Ron was appearing on The Andy Griffith Show and Clint was starring in Gentle Ben. Ron shares memories of the making of Happy Days, and his relationships with his fellow castmates on that legendary sitcom, particular his friendship with Henry Winkler, and Ron’s efforts to move behind the camera to become a director.

 

But despite all the tales of Hollywood, The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family is also a very personal chronicle of the very ordinary lives they lived in the Howard family home — a modest suburban tract where actor Rance Howard and his wife Jean were success in imparting a set of good values in their two boys. Rance and Jean both had dreams of striking it big in film and TV, but it was ultimately the boys who found that success. But the elder Howards proved to be the stable rocks in the family, shepherding the boys between film gigs, serving as sharers of worldly wisdom and more.

 

I particularly enjoyed the audiobook (on CD) version of this, which is personally narrated by Ron and Clint, and has an audio introduction by Ron’s daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard. You can clearly hear the sincerity in both Howard boys’ voices as they recall their formative years, and Clint matter-of-factly addresses his substance abuse issues and the fact that his parents stood by him even in his darkest years. This was a truly special audiobook — I highly recommend it, for anyone wanting a peek behind the scenes on the production of TV series and movies, anyone who grew up on Ron and Clint’s performances, and anyone who loves to hear about close-knit families working together to get through tough times.

 

(This book will inspire you to re-watch many of the TV shows and films that the Howard boys appeared in. Fortunately, the libraries have many of them, including multiple seasons of The Andy Griffith Show, and most of the films Ron Howard has directed, as well as a few of Clint’s cult movies — and don’t forget his appearance as “Balok” in the season one episode of classic Star Trek!.)

 

( Publisher’s official The Boys web site ) | ( Ron Howard and Clint Howard Wikipedia entries )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Fan Fiction by Brent Spiner

Fan Fiction

by Brent Spiner (Spiner)

 

Having just finished Fan Fiction by Brent Spiner, I’m still trying to decide exactly what I think of it.

 

Spiner is the actor who played Data for seven seasons and four movies of Star Trek the Next Generation — the emotionless, gold-toned humanoid android who longed to be human. This novel is set in the Fall of 1991, during the filming of STNG’s fifth season. The main character is…Brent Spiner…who describes the process of creating the show, including numerous appearances of his fellow STNG actors (Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis). But at the same time, it’s a fictionalized account of Spiner being terrorized by an obsessive fan, who is sending him horrifying gifts and writing him rather threatening letters that have him fearing for his life. As we jump back-and-forth between explorations of how Spiner prepares for and plays Data, and his wild, surreal experiences working with two beautiful twins (one and FBI agent and the other a personal bodyguard) and a cop who wants to break into semi-autobiographical screenwriting, there are wild shifts in tone. Meanwhile, other obsessive fans are sending him letters that reveal they have psychoses of their own…or are they maybe all the same person, who is threatening him?

 

As a long-time fan of Star Trek the Next Generation, I loved his insider’s perspective on the idiosyncrasies of television production, and his introspection about a working actor’s life, and his working through some “issues” from his childhood and youth. But, even though the “obsessive fans” plot is “inspired by actual events”, a lot about that part of the book just felt too absurdly comical and over-the-top. As the novel’s subtitle says — this is a Mem-Noir, and there is a nice noirish feeling to part of the book. But if his real life was anything remotely close to how he portrays it here, I pity him. But there were moments, including an encounter with Dr. Oliver Sacks, and a group outing to see co-worker Patrick Stewart in his one-man Christmas Carol show, that were very emotional. In the end, I did enjoy Fan Fiction, but I just felt like it didn’t quite merge all of its diverse components completely. Your mileage may vary…

 

(If you like this pseudo-reality novel-telling style, you might like Bruce Campbell’s novel Make Love (the Bruce Campbell Way), in which he tells the story of an actor named Bruce Campbell who gets into various adventures while filming a movie.)

 

( publisher’s official Fan Fiction web page ) | ( Brent Spiner page on Wikipedia )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci (as an audiobook)

Taste: My Life Through Food

by Stanley Tucci (Compact Disc Biography Tucci)

 

The story of actor Stanley Tucci’s life growing up in an Italian family in New York state, where meals were family recipes handed down for generations. We learn his family history, the history of the dishes they prepared, and the story behind dishes – and cocktails – he sampled in restaurants.

 

We follow him through his youth, career, friends, the death of his first wife, his courtship with his second wife (Felicity Blunt), his friends, both restauranteurs and actors, and much more.

 

Well-written with humor and recipes throughout the book. I’m not a Foodie but I thoroughly enjoyed this book on CD, even as he read aloud the recipes. Being an actor, he was qualified to read his own book (not many authors can). Also available as a physical book, so Foodies may wish to grab a physical copy of the book to write down the recipes.

 

( publisher’s official Taste: My Life Through Food web page ) | ( Wikipedia page for Stanley Tucci )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Reviews: Home and Home Work both my Julie Andrews

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years and Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years

by Julie Andrews, and Julie Andrews with Emma Walton Hamilton (Music 782.14 Andrews & Biography Andrews)

 

These two autobiographies should appeal to and even fascinate anyone who is a Julie Andrews fan — she of the sublime soprano and the bawdy sense of humor. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years goes into great detail about her childhood and teen years and the very hard work it took to be one of the world’s most “naturally gifted” singers. It also covers her Broadway trials and triumphs. Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years delves into her two marriages, her primary film career, and her blended and growing family. Did you know that she and second husband, acclaimed movie director Blake Edwards, adopted two Vietnamese orphans? That’s just one tidbit you will learn more about. Andrews is, of course, most strongly identified with the iconic musical films “Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music” but has done a number of other movies of differing genres. She is very open in both memoirs about her family relationships and associated dynamics and her personal struggles and satisfactions. Home Work was co-written by Andrews’ biological daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. The two ladies have also shared authorship of over 30 young people’s books.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any autobiographies of Carol Burnett, Debbie Reynolds, or other variety performers; any movies written and/or directed by Blake Edwards or starring Julie Andrews; any movie soundtracks or other music albums featuring Julie Andrews.]

[ publisher’s official Home web page ] | [ official The Julie Andrews Collection web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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Book Review: More Than Love by Natasha Gregson Wagner

More Than Love: An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood

by Natasha Gregson Wagner (Biograpy Wood)

 

A book of love, and pain, and mystery, and discovery — this is the story of Natalie Wood, one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the second half of the 20th century, from the late 1940s through the 1980s, as recounted by her firstborn child. Natalie’s given name was Natasha and, so, she named her first daughter after herself. It was indicative of not only the very close bond they would have for the first eleven years of Gregson Wagner’s life but also the devastating loss of that relationship due to Natalie’s death in 1981. To be expected, much of the content includes Natalie’s first — and also third! — husband, actor Robert Wagner. The main focus, though, is what a devoted mother Wood was to her children and stepchildren, especially Natasha, and how her “little Natooshie” came through years of heartache to be able to be her own person and more fully appreciate her mother’s legacy, as well as her immediate and extended families, eventually having her own blended family. I especially wanted to read this biography because Wood (nee Gurdin) is one of my very favorite American actresses, and her death was such a strange tragedy. When visiting Los Angeles about 25 years ago I was surprised and moved to discover that her handprints and footprints at the famous Chinese Theater are an exact fit to mine.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Natalie Wood: A Life by Gavin Lambert, Carrie and Me by Carol Burnett, Unsinkable by Debbie Reynolds or My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd Fisher.]

[ publisher’s official More Than Love web site ] | [ Wikipedia page for Natasha Gregson Wagner ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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DVD Review: Safety Last! (1923) with Harold Lloyd

Safety Last! (1923)

(DVD Safety)

 

I first saw this DVD in the libraries’ collection shortly after having the opportunity to tour Harold Lloyd’s boyhood home, outside of Beatrice in Gage County, Nebraska in 2019. Lloyd is one of Nebraska’s cinematic treasures, having grown up in Gage County, before eventually making his way to Hollywood, and film fame.

 

Safety Last! is one of Lloyd’s masterworks, originally released in 1923. Lloyd is generally considered to be one of the silent film era’s three single-star auteurs — Charlie Chaplin was the “sweet innocent”, as personified by his Little Tramp character; Buster Keaton was the stoic, emotion-less outsider; and Lloyd was the “every man” that audiences could identify with. Safety Last! is 73 minutes of humor, adventure and spectacular stunt work, most notably the classic scene in which Harold hangs from a skyscraper’s clock face by the clock’s hands.

 

In addition to the beautifully restored film itself, this DVD set from Criterion also features two marvelous documentaries, including “Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius” (108 minutes), all about Lloyd’s life and film work.

[Be aware that the Gage County Classic Film Institute here in Nebraska has, for years, held an annual film festival in Beatrice, celebrating the lives and careers of Gage County natives who’ve gone on to fame in the film and TV industry. You can follow them on Facebook to see what native film star is featured next, and/or you can visit Lloyd’s boyhood home in Burchard, NE, now a small-town museum.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ Wikipedia page for Safety Last! ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Lon Chaney Speaks by Pat Dorian

Lon Chaney Speaks
by Pat Dorian (741.5 Dor)

 

This was a fascinating graphic novel format biography of the legendary silent movie actor Lon Chaney, master of transforming himself into other people via early cinematic make-up effects and the way he held his own body. As the author/artist says, Chaney “chose to keep his personal life hidden, he rarely gave interviews, preferred not to be photographed without [character] makeup”. Therefore, the biographical elements of this short, intriguing work are, in part, supposition on Dorian’s part.

 

Dorian intersperses chapters in Lon Chaney Speaks dealing with Chaney’s childhood and early vaudeville career, then his superstar motion picture career, with side chapters focused on the films he’s best known for, including Shadows, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the Phantom of the Opera, among others. Each “movie” chapter goes into detail describing the work Chaney had to do to create his distinctive and memorable characters.

 

This was a fascinating read, and the “cartoon”-like illustrations don’t take away from the serious story of Chaney’s life. I’ll have to admit, I really didn’t know much about him, beyond his famous roles, and this book gave me a good picture of the hard, sometimes difficult and complicated life, he led. Highly recommended!

[ Lon Chaney on: Wikipedia & Internet Movie Database ] | [ official Pat Dorian web site 

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. 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. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!