Book Review: Betty White's Pearls of Wisdom by Patty Sullivan

Betty White’s Pearls of Wisdom
by Patty Sullivan (Biography White)

This book’s author, Patty Sullivan, is the wife of blind singer and motivational speaker Tom Sullivan (a fixture on TV talk shows of the 1970s and 1980s). Before Patty and Tom were even married, when Tom was singing in a Cape Cod bar, actress Betty White and her husband Allen Ludden (who were both appearing in a play nearby) saw Sullivan’s musical act and befriended the young couple. From this point in their lives and beyond, Patty and Tom became a close part of Betty’s life, especially after Allen passed away. Over the years, Betty became Gram III to Patty and Tom’s two children, and they often spent the holidays together as a family, either at Patty and Tom’s home in the Los Angeles area, or the oceanside home in Carmel, CA that Betty and Allen had had constructed before his passing.

 

This book is Patty’s recollections of the more-than-fifty years relationship she had with Betty White, and the “Pearls of Wisdom” she acquired from watching how Betty lived her life. A large percentage of her recollections deal with Betty’s love for the animal kingdom and the environment. Patty also goes into a lot of detail of how everyone around Betty coped with her aging in the last 15-20 years of her life.

 

Pearls of Wisdom had a lot of great moments and memories but also became a tad repetitive. None-the-less, to see through the eyes of someone who was so close to Betty was invaluable, as are the large number of full-color photos used to illustrated this book. Anyone who loves animals, or who loved watching Betty throughout her superstar career on television should definitely enjoy this one.

 

(If you enjoy this, Betty wrote several books herself, all of the following of which are available through the libraries: Pet-Love: How Pets Take Care of Us (1983), Betty White In Person (1987), Here We Go Again: My Life in Television (1995), If You Ask Me (and Of Course You Won’t) (2011) and Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo (2011).

 

Mentioned within Pearls of Wisdom are three books she co-authored with Tom Sullivan, The Leading Lady: Dinah’s Story (1991), Together: A Novel of Shared Vision (2008) and Alive Day: A Story of Love and Loyalty (2009). The latter two novels are available in electronic formats, but the libraries don’t own The Leading Lady — you can order it through our InterLibrary Loan service for only a very small fee.

 

In 1971-72, Betty hosted a TV series, The Pet Set, for 39 episodes. All 39 episodes of this series are available through the libraries’ Hoopla Digital service, though each episode is a separate check-out and you are limited to 4 Hoopla check-outs per month.)

 

( Wikipedia entry for Betty White ) | ( publisher’s official Patty Sullivan author web page)

 

See Charlotte M.’s review of If You Ask Me (and, Of Course, You Won’t!) by Betty White in the January 2012 Staff Recommendations here on BookGuide!

 

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

 

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DVD Review: Jules

Jules
(DVD Jules)

One night Milton (Ben Kingsley) hears loud splintering sounds in his backyard. He goes out to check and finds a space alien has crash landed in his flower beds.

 

Milton (Ben Kingsley) is a retired widower living alone in the family home. He’s having memory issues that are probably developing into some kind of dementia and potentially a loss of his independence. His daughter wants him to move out of the house as she recognizes he needs assistance, but he is refusing to do so, and their relationship is shaky at best. He also doesn’t get along all that well with his senior neighbors.

 

Jules is a sweet, quiet, personal film about three lonely senior citizens who end up banding together to aid a space alien — who is now named Jules. All three seniors are struggling in some way as they become friends while they realize The Government is searching for Jules. They work together to assist the alien in trying to escape from the Men in Black. Low-key yet also poignant and humorous.

 

Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley stars as Milton, with Jane Curtin as Joyce, and Tony Award winner Harriet Harris as Sandy. At only 87 min, this is still a film that will stay with you. An alien film that doesn’t require battles and explosions – more “E.T.” than “Alien.”

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
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!

Book Review: Say Yes to What's Next by Lori Allen

Say Yes to What’s Next

by Lori Allen (646.72 All)

 

This caught my eye because I enjoy watching the TV series “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta”, which features Allen’s bridal boutique, which she formed from the ground up. She is the epitome of a successful and sassy modern Southern Belle. The subtitle is “How to age with elegance and class while never losing your beauty and sass”. Combining biographical information with advice and advocacy for middle- and older-aged women, this is a fairly quick and frequently humorous read. It is not ‘lightweight’ as much as to-the-point. For me, personally, a lot of the information was moot, as she centers most of the topics around women with children and grandchildren, which I do not have. However, one very nice thing about the book is that online and organizational resources, such as mentoring programs and a budgeting website, are referenced in a number of instances. Regarding her personal life, I was surprised to find out about a critical injury Allen had after she had come through breast cancer successfully and it was nice to learn how despite a deep depression she suffered, she persevered and overcame that as well.

[ publisher’s official Say Yes to What’s Next web site ] | [ official Lori Allen web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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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!

Book Review: Love and Meaning After 50 by Julia Mayer and Barry Jacobs

Love and Meaning After 50

by Julia Mayer and Barry Jacobs on behalf of AARP (306.7 May)

This book is an excellent look at all the many things that couples face after age 50: caregiving, downsizing, and health issues to name a few. Each section includes a survey for couples to take together to start communicating about the future. The chapters feature examples from these well-known psychologists and they offer suggestions to build your relationship through respect, love and communication.

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

Review: Unfinished Song (on DVD)

Unfinished Song
[DVD Unfinished]

It’s amazing how easy it is to stumble across unknown little gems in the libraries’ DVD collection. This was a 2012 film my wife found for us to watch, and I’ll have to admit — I’d never heard of it. But it turned out to be marvelous little movie!

Vanessa Redgrave and Terence Stamp play Marion and Arthur, an older, retired couple in a typical British “working class” suburb. She’s the vivacious, outgoing type and he’s the grumpy, grouchy type. But that doesn’t stop Arthur from taking his wife to the regular meetings of the small local choir she’s a member of…even though she’s dying of cancer. That choir, led by charismatic young choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton), is experimenting in non-traditional song choices as they practice to appear in a singing competition.

When Marion succumbs to her disease, Arthur is left on his own — estranged from his son James (Christopher Eccleston), and not interested in his late wife’s more “social” friends. But something pulls him back to the choir group, and ultimately he takes Marion’s place in the choir. It’s the first step — of many — as Arthur attempts to reconnect with the world around him, post-Marion.

This is a sweet, sad, sentimental film, with tremendous performances by Redgrave, Stamp and Arterton. Strongly recommended!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Calendar Girls.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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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 reviewers recommendations!

Review: The Last Movie Star (on DVD)

The Last Movie Star 

[DVD Last]

I really didn’t know what to expect with this film. My wife and I didn’t watch it until after Burt Reynolds had passed away, and it was being referred to as “his final film”. Reynolds plays Vic Edwards — basically just a version of himself — a former action/comedy/drama film actor living alone in his twilight years. When he is invited t0 receive a “lifetime achievement” award from a small, unknown film festival, one of his few friends convinces him to accept the invitation. However, when he arrives in Tennessee he discovers that the “film festival” is a rinky-dink amateur affair, and the organizers weren’t really set up to pay tribute to him. He’s being put up in a run-down discount motel, and his driver is the foul-mouth, grunge-dressing sister (Lil) of one of the festival’s hosts, who’s having relationship issues with her emotionally abusive boyfriend.

After making a token appearance at the festival, Vic basically commandeers Lil and her almost-broken-down car to go on a road trip — he actually grew up not far away, and Lil serves as his chauffeur to revisiting the sites of his youth, including a reunion with his wife, whom he abandoned years ago but has never stopped loving. Along the way, Vic and Lil bond. This was sort of an uncomfortable film to begin with, but ultimately turned into a very emotional journey, an exploration about aging, and how anyone who reaches Vic’s age has a lot of living to look back on.

One specific technical note — the filmmakers made creative use of clips of Burt from some of his classic film roles — Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit and Conan O’Brien’s talk show among them — that give “old Burt” a chance to interact and talk with young versions of himself. This was an incredibly risky experiment, but it pays off tremendously. Burt Reynolds is magnificent in this film, and the rest of the cast shines as well. I’m sorry he’s gone, now, but at least he left us with one final performance.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of Burt Reynolds lengthy list of feature films and television appearances.] [ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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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 reviewers recommendations!

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer
by Fredrik Backman

Poignant and bittersweet with moments of happiness and fun, this novella by acclaimed Swedish author Backman [“A Man Called Ove”] imagines what it must be like inside a mind that is being destroyed by dementia and depicts how such a person’s family-cum-caregivers provide for and accompany him or her on the long good-bye. The tale focuses on 3 main relationships revolving around the central character, an unnamed man: Grandpa and Noah (“NoahNoah”); Dad and Ted; and “darling you” and “my love” (a.k.a. Grandma). Noah loves math and space and being silly and adventuring, just like his Grandpa, so their times together become all the more precious in memory. Dad and Ted have always had a slightly uncomfortable bond but love each other nonetheless. Man and Wife have loved each other fiercely and happily and forever since they first met. This tale, which the author notes was not originally intended for publication, may be slightly confusing at first until you figure out the alternating perspectives and events. Even though it is a short book, it pays to re-read small segments as you go, to absorb and savor the layers of emotion and meaning, and the beautifully crafted writing/translation. And then read it again a few more times. Those who have gone through a loved one’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease or a comparable condition will recognize and sympathize with many elements of the story, and those who have yet to endure such a challenging journey may become better prepared to make it..

[ official And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer page on the publisher’s official Fredrik Backman web site ]

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

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Young@Heart [on DVD]

Young@Heart
by Bob Cilman [DVD 305.26 You]

If you’ve never seen the documentary film, “Young @ (at) Heart”, it’s about time you did! This group of senior singers who can rock modern tunes will please your ears, tickle your funny bone, and steal your heart. The chorus from Massachusetts has been going strong for over 30 years and has performed nationally and internationally. Witness as they prepare for their big annual show in their home city, led by their indefatigable choir director. Will they learn the lyrics and the rhythms of all the new songs that are to be included in the program? How will their run-through at a local correctional facility go over? Will illness prevent some of the soloists from participating? This is a wonderful and candid look at the lives of two dozen elderly people — the youngest folks in the chorus are over 70 — who are full of life and passion and camaraderie, willing to share their love of music with each other and the public. Be prepared to hear some songs in a way you haven’t before, like “Schizophrenia” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” It’s “a trip” worth taking!

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Young@Heart web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

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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 reviewers recommendations!

Keep Moving and Other Tips and Truths About Aging by Dick Van Dyke on Compact Disc

Keep Moving and Other Tips and Truths About Aging
by Dick Van Dyke [Compact Disc Biography Van Dyke] 

Having enjoyed Dick Van Dyke’s very entertaining autobiography — My Lucky Life In and Out of Showbiz — a couple of years ago, I was excited to see that he had a new book out in 2015, and that he had recorded the audiobook adaptation of it himself. I was surprised, once I started to listen to this one that it wasn’t purely an entertainment biography, but was, instead, Van Dyke’s guide to how to live life as a senior. Van Dyke had just turned 89 at the time he was writing this volume, and looking back on almost 90 years of life, he has developed a number of personal philosophies and behavior choices that keep him happy and healthy and he’s happy to share with his fans. Don’t get me wrong — he does share quite a lot of stories about his life in showbiz, but frequently with an eye towards illustrating his points about lifestyle choices that lead to happiness and personal contentment.

Personally, I find his one most essential rule of behavior to be the most interesting — as the title of the book indicates, that’s “Keep Moving”. Van Dyke quotes a lot of statistics throughout the book, but one telling stat was that one of the most essential activities for maintaining a healthy and active mind in your senior years is to dance…and Dick dances every single day! A fun and enlightening volume, particularly entertaining as read by Van Dyke in audiobook format!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try My Lucky Life In and Out of Showbiz, by Dick Van Dyke (also on audio by Van Dyke).]

[ official Keep Moving web page from Weinstein Publishing ] | [ Wikipedia page for Dick Van Dyke ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you read this? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?  
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 reviewers recommendations!