The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore, by Stan Zimmerman

 

Publication Feb. 13, 2024

This book made me grin, laugh, and occasionally roll my eyes. It also made me cry. Like Kahlil Gibran in his "The Prophet" (can you tell what I've been rereading in spare moments), Zimmerman sings the praises of his mother and her role in his life throughout the book. She'd supported his dreams and helped him become his best self. Then she got dementia. Like Zimmerman, I, too, dealt with losing my mother to this awful disease that takes their presence from you while the body still remains. He describes it as watching the light dim in her eyes. That struck a bell, as did his admission that he felt both sadness and relief at her passing. She was no longer lost in the darkness of forgotten memories but he admits his best, most important role in life had been being a "son" and he was devastated. I needed a tissue. 

As for the rest of the book, it was a delight to read about his youthful passion for not just acting but writing plays that he put on in his basement. I flashed back to Randy Rainbow's book where he talked about basically getting his start in his own bedroom, doing it all, and grinned. I hope the two of them have met. Zimmerman was talented enough to be invited to a prestigious summer theater program before he'd even reached the required age but ultimately found him way primarily as a writer. 

While it was interesting to hear about his experiences as a quite young, gay man writing for The Golden Girls series, it was equally interesting to be given a, so to speak, behind the scenes look at how much goes into not just the creation of such series but the difficulty of getting even the best ideas on the air or stage. And, yes, tons of names are dropped that you'll recognize, from the cast of Golden Girls through his experiences in theater. Unlike many writers, I'll note he largely worked with a collaboration for most of his career, Jim Berg. Together, they are credited with some of the more memorable scenes on film, including the infamous lesbian kiss on the Roseanne Barr show. The behind the scenes look at that show alone is fascinating. 

Through it all, Zimmerman's almost conversational, often self-deprecating wit and words flow. It's an easy read and you're almost sure to encounter personalities you'll recognize. Zimmerman would have won me over with his love and respect for his mother and her role in his life, not to mention his acknowledgement of the role so many women had played, I'd like to think he's someone I'd have found intriguing even without that aspect. I mean, the man even danced behind Rudolph Nureyev in the glorious days of his youth. Andy Warhol even found him worthy of taking photos of at a party. Of course, he didn't recognize Warhol and told him to stop. 

Fortunately, he kept a journal most of his life, so such experiences are bolstered in the telling by his thoughts from the moment. Careful, wannabe show/play writers may even pick up a few hints as they read. Bottom line, a great, fun read. Thanks #NetGalley and #IndigoRiverPublishing for inviting me to meet Stan Zimmerman. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him and vicariously living through a few of his experiences and my heart definitely goes out to him for his mother. Made me want to hug him and tell him "Everything will be okay".

Floor Sample, by Julia Cameron

 

Publication August 8, 2023

Absolutely fascinating, well written, and disturbing. I can't say I enjoyed reading this but I kept coming back. I couldn't stay away. I wanted to see what she did next. There were a lot of nexts, too, as she seemed to flit from place to place, person to person, and genre to genre...mastering most of the last. As for the rest, uh, not so much.

I won't detail Cameron's life here as it's not only well-documented but others will have surely done so. Cameron, now well into her 70s, wrote this book when she was 57. She had a childhood full of horses, books, and freedom, but often dominated by "God says..." guilt and guilt trips. She lived close to the edge and, sadly, went over the edge. It's those times that make this a disturbing read as you're taken inside her drugged out or sedated by alcohol mind. In a sense, she was held hostage by not just her mind but her talent, which she has used in various venues, ranging from books like this to movies and theater. Recalling the scene where she details running out of the house in a panic naked, with an aide having to chase her down and cover her with a sheet, will horrify and astonish readers, who'll immediately feel either sympathy or horror. Honestly, Maybe both. 

Yes, reading this left me exhausted and disturbed. I found myself breaking down my reading stints into smaller segments, some at obvious breaks, others because, quite frankly, what I was reading left me so unsettled. Yet, she was painting a vivid picture of her life, which included not just growing up in the free spirited hippy age but name-drops famous names who dropped in and out of her life in a fascinating way. Some, like the father of her daughter, former husband Martin Scorsese, who was making Taxi Driver when they married, left, but many mentors and even former addicts were devoted to helping her defeat her demons. She drew people to her, yes, but she also drove them away.

Bottom line, as noted, not an easy read but one well worth making...even if you have to divide reading sessions up. As a former horse crazy girl, now dog person, I had to admire her devotion to her beloved animals. Even when her demons forced her to move and more again and again, her animals were always a priority. That tells me lots about her inner core, her true being. The Julia Cameron that I (and so many others) thought we knew and admired from her The Right to Write, is in there amidst all the chaos. It took nerve to write this book, which I admire. I'm not sure I could be so open and brave. Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress - #StMartin'sEssentials for allowing me this look into the real Julia Cameron. It's definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Playing With Myself, by Randy Rainbow

Which one of these is Randy Rainbow? The overweight, introverted child wearing a cartoon t-shirt? The boy being bullied in the school yard? The child hiding in his room to avoid his father's anger? The star of many a school musical? The boy who spent most date nights with his grandmother? The boy who would eventually count the legendary Stephen Sondheim as a friend? The one who cried when his cat had to be put to sleep? The multi-talented star of many a viral video?

If you said all of the above, you are right. Randy Rainbow is all of these and more. I came to this book as a fan of his viral videos expecting a light but intriguing look at his rise to video stardom but came away with far more respect for him than I could have imagined. His story manages to be both humorous and sadly enlightening for those of us who never had to walk in his shoes or, this being Randy, ruby slippers.

Randy Rainbow is his real name, btw. If you are at all familiar with his work you are likely familiar with the that he portrays in his videos, the heightened, campy persona that frequently breaks out in song. He writes like I'd imagine he'd talk. I found myself almost waiting him to break out in song somehow, never mind I was reading a print copy of "Playing With Myself". I found myself not only liking him but adoring his mother and grandmother. Apparently I share that with Carol Burnett, yes, that Carol Burnett.

Bottom line, I came to learn more about how Randy Rainbow makes his videos. I came away not only with a good idea of how that happens but a genuine respect and liking for the man behind the pink eyeglasses. "Playing With Myself" is a winner, especially for someone who claims not to be terribly political and even, no lie, compares his father to Donald Trump's personality.  

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for this wonderful introduction to this multi-talented man.

I Buried Paul: A Novel, by Bruce Ferber

 

It's been a long time since I've hung out with my musician buddies, so this sparked a wave of nostalgia. It also didn't hurt that Paul was my first celebrity crush, so the title sucked me right in. As it turns out, I'm glad it did. I liked the character of Jimmy Kozlowski and, yes, even Gene Klein. Author Bruce Ferber does an excellent job capturing the hopes, dreams, crashes, clashes, and determination of musicians everywhere who'd rather play their music than eat.

The key word is "their", however. Jimmy never quite had the drive to be famous, or at least well know, that Gene "John Lennon" Klein provides in their tribute band to the Beatles. As much as he loves the Beatles' music, his dream has always been to record even just one record of his own music, music that doesn't sound like anyone else's music and speaks to the heart. He admits that this is difficult in this day and age with the advent of a virtual studio being available in a laptop but that hasn't dulled his dream. He also hopes to connect with the daughter he's never known, showcasing a song he wrote to her during a gig at, no lie, a nursing home where his father now lives. Having had a parent with dementia myself, I wanted to find this fictional character, or at least the author, and give them a hug for this nod to not just the gift of music but Jimmy's determination to treat the nursing home residents with humanity. It's touches of Jimmy's good guy heart that made "I Buried Paul" a winner.

I won't detail the plot. It's easily found elsewhere. I found the stories of Jimmy's present and past connection to the driven, always dreaming, always hopeful Gene, intriguing. They captured the intensity of the love of music and where it can take you with the human side. We meet family and friends. We see the characters meet family expectations and fail to meet expectations. We see the frustration of playing someone else's music, no matter how wonderful, gig after gig, while your own remains unheard. We wonder if Jimmy will ever record that album? We root for him to do so. More importantly, we root for him to find closure with the daughter he's never known. Music and humanity. This is a winning combination, told from the vantage point of a character with heart. I thoroughly enjoyed "I Buried Paul".

Thank you #NetGalley and #TheStoryPlant for taking me back to my own days of embracing friends' musical dreams, whether attending gigs or hanging out at the studio. They're still making music, by the way. Rock on! 

Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin

 "Doing comedy alone on stage is the ego's last stand."

I could detail the process of how he reached success but that isn't what stands out to me after reading this 2007 memoir. Actually, Martin himself quips at one point that it's really more of a biography since the person he's writing about isn't who he is now. How he got there is a mix of ambition, frustration, glee, silliness, anxiety, and depression. 

How ironic that so many who do comedy seem not to have carefree, fun filled lives but lives that leave them somehow apart from both family and friends, not to mention the contrary views of fans as their fame grows. I have to admit to never being a huge Steve Martin fan in his "Wild and Crazy" stand-up days but came away from this book with a new respect and admiration for his intelligence, honesty, and, yes, humor. Hearing him narrate this was a plus. The banjo interludes between sections was also a fun bonus.

I won't detail his stand-up career, which is the focus of the book. Plot summaries are easily found. It ends just as his movie career begins with "The Jerk" movie. More than the how of how he become a success, I was moved by the obstacles he had to overcome to become the man he is today. Ironic isn't it, how many comedians seem to suffer from anxiety and severe depression, both of which dogged Martin throughout his life and career. Intelligent and ultimately well educated, with an interest in art, history, literature, philosophy and logic, it's doubtful anyone would have pegged Martin to become a stand-up comedian. 

Even worse, his relationship with his father was unhealthy, even abusive at times. That continued for years with them becoming closer only as his father was near death. Remember, his father once panned his son's first appearance on Saturday Night Live in a public review. Not until near death did his father admit that his son had done what he himself had once dreamed of, becoming famous.

Despite his eventual, years-in-the making success, he felt isolated and lonely at the height of his stand-up success.  He was tired from being constantly on the road, and depressed. He felt he'd gone stale and as audience numbers grew lost that sense of connection with his audience. It was, he said, the "loneliest period of my life." Stand-up comedy is by its very  nature a solo endeavor for most. You're on your own. As success grew, fans were showing up at his door, too, ringing the doorbell and expecting to be invited in or, at least entertained. He was expected to be the public figure he portrayed. They expected humor on demand, in other words. This details how this growing sense of isolation and depression lead to both the end of his stand-up career and the beginning of his acting and eventual career as not just a comedy sketch writer but an author.

I found this an intriguing read, well, listen. I "read" the audio version of the book that was read by Martin himself. I recall reading a print copy of this some years back with no real reaction to it, so this was an interesting listen for me.

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, by Martin Short

 "....in a fleeting moment."

Ironic that my big take-away from this likeable, funny book, published in 2014, is the humanity behind the public face. I came away with a new liking -- his characters have been hit or miss with me -- and respect for Martin Short. So much of what he said resonates loudly with his current visibility and popularity in the hit comedy-mystery "Only Murders in the Building" on Hulu. I "read" the audio version, btw, read by Short himself, which I highly recommend.

It's sometimes difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that they seemingly always funny, smiling man we see on television and in the movies or, if you're lucky on a Broadway stage, hasn't had an easy, smooth life. Short lost a brother and both parents by the time he was twenty. His wife of 30+ years died of Ovarian Cancer, ironically the disease that took the life of a former girlfriend, Gilda Radner.

Yet, even now that I know the back story of Short's life, it's hard to envision him as anything but smiling and loving life. As he writes, bad things happen but the sun does come up the next morning. He feels the mark of a man isn't just how he handles it all but what he learns from the experience. He's still smiling, remembering a good life, and surrounded by a circle of friends that would make almost anyone's A-list, including the likes of Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, not to mention one of his house guests at one point was the late Robin Williams. Steve Martin wrote a special song, "The Great Remember", for banjo in tribute to Nancy, Short's wife, after her death. I could go on and on but, well, think of your dream guest list and they are probably friends of Martin Short. That tells you something, the man is genuinely likeable.

I won't detail the whole list but Short lists the nine categories that have been essential to him. The key seems to be keeping a balance and getting your priorities straight. For him, yes, that included his show biz career but his family and friends were the ultimate concern. As he notes, all the little perks and rewards we get are nice but the important thing is really whether you're enjoying life and helping make the world a better place. A good philosophy for us all, I'd say.

Given the success and popularity of the Steve Martin created "Only Murders in the Building", I couldn't help but zero in on some performance/life traits that Martin Short brings to the character he plays. I also noted that he has a son who shares the name Oliver, Short's show name. The character is a bit of an oddball, aren't we all, but as Short notes in the book, written well before the show was created, oddball characters are often sweet, empathetic, and agreeable. It's the innocence in a character that strikes actor Short. While he definitely ascribes to the theory that, yeah, more can be fun, he also tries not to telegraph or oversell the character. Just as with his general life philosophy, he strives for that balance. As he notes in the book, any performance has in it the chance for danger, fun, and even anarchy.

The end of the book, while dealing with the lose of his wife to cancer, somehow manages to also strike that often precarious balance. It circles back to the death of his mother, who kept the seriousness of the disease from him as long as possible, thus illustrating his seeming need to somehow protect Nancy from the truth of her diagnosis as long as possible. His reaction and that of their children is enough to bring tears to the eyes. At the time, he tells Steve Martin that he is shattered. That said, the optimistic side of him seems to have won out, with not just imagined chats with her on the deck of their snug getaway but in the way his friends circle about him. As he recalls, it's a quote from his late brother that seems to bring peace: "I'll see you in a fleeting moment."

Funny, sad, and with lots of name dropping, this book should be a must for fans of both Short's past and present work. It'll make you look at him with new eyes.

The Binge Watcher’s Guide to The Golden Girls: An Unofficial Guide, by Marissa DeAngelis

This book was written with love. Not just a love of the show but the love of friends and friends who are family. Marissa DeAngelis' depth of information here is impressive and offered up in an easy-to-read fashion, almost as if she is simply having a conversation with you. It was as the book notes early on, a show where "exceptional writing and acting meet". Not only does DeAngelis offer up a recap of each episode, including guest stars, but offers her own opinions on why it resonated with not just here but probably other viewers. I should also note that despite the obvious love of the show and its characters, she doesn't hesitate to point out inconsistencies or story lines that simply didn't work for her.

And, come on. Admit it. Which Golden Girl are you? There is actually a quiz included to help you decide. Yes, I took it. I came off as a Rose but with leanings toward Dorothy, I guess I'd characterize it. Also probably fairly accurate. There are also bios of each of the actresses, lists of toys and games connected to the show, and even suggestions on how to throw the perfect watch party, remembering that the point is "to laugh and enjoy your friends". There's more, including a music play list for your part or simply entertainment. All this before it even got into the episode guide. As I said, the author has done a thorough job of research, oh, the horrors of having to indulge in watching every episode.....I'm jealous..... and packed "The Binge Watcher's Guide to The Golden Girls" with all sorts of data, fun facts, recaps, and glimpses behind the scenes. This one is a winner. I should also note, perhaps, that it was surely edited at the very least after Betty White's death, so it is quite up to date.

Thank you #NetGalley and #RiverdaleAvenueBooks for giving me the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the best friends a person could ask for. It was a joy. 

A Fatal Overture, by Kathleen Marple Kalb

I found myself deliberately slowing down my reading pace as I wanted the story to last awhile longer for my enjoyment. Although this was a new series to me, I will definitely be following the adventures of opera singer Ella Shane in the future, not to mention going back and reading the previous entries. While the story unfolded at a perhaps slower pace than many others of the same ilk, perhaps appropriately since it unfolds in the early 1900's, it was a delight to meet not just Ella and her beau Gil, a duke/barrister/lawyer, but his family and Ella's extended family and friends. And let's not forget Montezuma, an Amazon parrot, who is thoroughly entertaining with his renditions of not just opera but raucous drinking songs with attitude.

I loved that Gil's mother, a countess, no less, and aunts weren't put off at all by Ella's humble roots or mixed religious influences, even if it was a bit surprising to read they'd discovered a body in the bathtub of their hotel suite. True, he sounds like someone soundly deserving of his fate but, well, this death sets off a series of events and actions that draw you further into Ella's surroundings and reveal past events to those like me who are just discovering Ella Shane.

It's a fascinating world, too, peopled by characters that author Kalb brings to life well. I was particularly intrigued that one of the characters had been a drummer boy at Gettysburg as I, too, have an ancestor who fought in that battle. True, Ella is only a figment of Kalb's imagination but it shows how well she ties the characters, good or not-so-good, alive and part of their world, not just tossed in as distractions. Not only is there the bathtub murder to solve but the question of who is threatening GiI and what role does Ella's reporter friend have in the murder. And, oh, yeah, that ominous message from an aunt with second sight that Ella should be careful where fire is involved. The laudanum dreams Ella has at one point are both wonderful and reveal much background in a way that works, too. Finally, toss in the negotiation going on between Gil and Ella, both of them with many responsibilities, and every chapter was intriguing and informative on who these people were.

Bottom line, I'm looking forward to the next entrant to their lives. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Press for introducing me to these fascinating people.

 

Beatle Wives: The Women the Men We Loved Fell in Love With, by Marc Shapiro

Color me impressed. Having just come off watching "Get Back", I jumped on the chance to read this. Quite frankly, although never an avid enough fan to know all the trivia and details of Beatles lives and happenings, I was a fan and figured it would be a light, fun, largely repeat of info I already knew.

I was wrong. I came away from "Beatle Wives" knowing not just more about the women in the Beatles' lives but the Beatles themselves. If you've ever envied these women, think again. Being the spouse of a Beatle seems to be anything but easy. If it wasn't just having to largely live in the shadow of someone everyone thinks they knew and wanted a piece of or fans breaking and entering, you were dealing with complicated, often drug addled men. The book doesn't delve into it but one has to imagine that after Lennon's murder there was a sense of paranoia, too, the sense that outsiders couldn't just not be trusted but might be people to fear. Life in the seemingly ideal bubble was anything but ideal. These were real people, with real backgrounds, which Shapiro details, aspirations, and experiences. I came away from "Beatle Wives" with not just a new understanding of their lives but a fierce respect for it, too. Hugs to those often overlooked, derided, or simply ignored spouses.

All Beatle fans should read this book. You'll see your idols with new eyes and understanding. It's a must read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RiverdaleAvenueBooks for allowing me this glimpse into their lives. I've been a Beatles fan for ages but learned a great deal.