This touching and hilarious memoir is 100 percent Carol Burnett—funny, irreverent, and irresistible.
Carol Burnett is one of the most beloved and revered actresses and performers in America. The Carol Burnett Show was seen each week by millions of adoring fans and won twenty-five Emmys in its remarkable eleven-year run. Now, in This Time Together, Carol really lets her hair down and tells one funny or touching or memorable story after another.
In engaging anecdotes, Carol discusses her remarkable friendships with stars such as Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant, and Julie Andrews; the background behind famous scenes, like the moment she swept down the stairs in her curtain-rod dress in the legendary “Went with the Wind” skit; and things that would happen only to Carol—the prank with Julie Andrews that went wrong in front of the First Lady; the famous Tarzan Yell that saved her during a mugging; and the time she faked a wooden leg to get served in a famous ice cream emporium.
This poignant look back allows us to cry with the actress during her sorrows, rejoice in her successes, and finally, always, to laugh.
As I said in my recent status update, I loved this book. The Carol Burnett show was such a staple growing up in the 70's; it wasn't until I started reading/listening to this book that I realised how much I missed the kind of comedy she and her cast served up every week.
The book is broken into individual anecdotes that cover her early life and career. Almost all of them are light, interesting, amusing and often laugh-out-loud hilarious. A couple towards the end will bring tears as she relates particularly heartbreaking moments, but mostly the tears are from laughing so hard.
I don't know how well this book's promise would translate for anyone who hadn't at least watched a few episodes of The Carol Burnett Show, but for those that have and enjoyed it, this is a welcome trip down memory lane.
Burnett herself reads the book, and she does an amazing job. At no point did it ever feel like she was 'reading' anything; her delivery is as natural as if she was right there talking to you.
I'm thrilled to find out she released another book last year, In Such Good Company. All behind the scenes stories from the show. It's taking all my self control to not check it out and immediately start listening, but I'm going to make myself listen to a book from my shelves first.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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14 February, 2018:
Finished reading
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14 February, 2018:
Reviewed