Review by Booklist Review
Douglas, an actor for six decades, has appeared in 70 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award three times: for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful, and Lust for Life. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 and the National Medal of the Arts in 2001. In this, his fourth book, Douglas writes about his love for his wife, children, grandchildren, and his two dogs. (His son, Eric, died at 45 from alcohol and drugs.) Douglas discusses dealing with death, his fans, his life as a Jew, his fellow actors, and the dangers of being a celebrity. He reminisces about his friends (all of them famous) and denounces anti-Semitism. There's not much new here, but the actor's fans won't be disappointed, and so expect demand. --George Cohen Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
At 90 years old, recovered from a stroke and a near-fatal helicopter crash, acting legend Douglas is in a reflective mood: "now is the time to have an audit of my life," he writes, and he does not disappoint. Douglas recalls his childhood and his own children, 50-plus years of marriage to wife Anne and the deaths of his son and many of his famous friends. He tackles a wide range of topics, with chapter names like, "Three Thoughts About Two Races," "I Love Dogs" and "Does God Laugh?" He's also unafraid to take a few swings at the young ?uns, most notably at Mel Gibson, Michael Moore and even the whippersnappers at NASA. Douglas's assessment of his life is honest, wise and not always flattering; when he heard, in a recent documentary, what some family members had to say about him, he notes, "It's difficult to see ourselves as others see us." Nevertheless, Douglas is upbeat, engaging and full of sharp observations, such as his simple epitaph, "I tried, dammit, I tried." (Apr.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Review by Library Journal Review
For the record, this is Douglas's fourth memoir. His first, The Ragman's Son (1988), tells of his hardscrabble early years as Issur Danielovitch and his rise to fame. But a brush with death in a helicopter crash and a stroke led him to reevaluate his life and renew his Jewish faith, which he describes in Climbing the Mountain (2000). In his third book, My Stroke of Luck (2003), he shares his near recovery from the stroke. All of the books are liberally sprinkled with anecdotes, including this latest narrative. Now 90, Douglas weighs in on everything from Terri Schiavo to racism. He contemplates the meaning of life, gives tips on a happy marriage (he and his wife have been married for over 50 years), shares his sorrow over the death of his son Eric, and relates what it's like to outlive all of your friends. There is less pomposity here and perhaps even more truth as the actor rethinks things he wrote earlier. At his age, what do you have to lose? Fans of Douglas and those who enjoyed the previous memoirs will want to read this one.-Rosellen Brewer, Sno-Isle Libs., Marysville, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
