Life Is a Banquet
by Rosalind Russell
Book Summary Information
Author: Rosalind RussellEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1977-10
ISBN: 0394421345
Number of pages: 260
Publisher: Random House Inc (T)
Book Reviews of Life Is a Banquet
Book Review: A Real Page-Turner
Summary: 5 Stars
"Life is a Banquet" is the most solid proof that you don't need to be Groucho Marx or George Burns to write a witty memoir. All you need here is some time and a nice, comfy couch (or bed, if you wish) to spend a few hours in, because Rosalind Russell, with her uninhibited and candid voice, will make the book in your hand feel like a thriller.
Remarkably, Russell avoids the pitfall so many autobiographies take. One serious defect that can be easily detected in movie star autobiographies is the tedious descriptions of a film or any other professional endeavor, which often takes the enjoyment out of what is otherwise a highly intriguing read. Somehow the engaging "Roz" (short for Rosalind) escapes such a mold -- as you read about her experience on a film set, you will find that she manages to illustrate a vivid and humorous memory that literally makes you laugh out loud. You can be assured that whether she writes of a Hollywood party with famous colleagues like Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert or of a working day on set with director George Cukor, the words on the pages always describe only the most interesting aspects of the experience. One would expect nothing less of the lady who, after all, excelled in comedic roles and entertained brilliantly on stage and on TV.
The contents do indeed cover the entire span of her life, starting from childhood to whenever it was when she stopped working on the book. The foreward by her husband Freddie Brisson fills you in on the last portion of her life -- facts about her illness and how she dealt with it -- because Roz never really believed in complaining or going on about such things. Indeed, she comes across the pages as a genuine human being who preferred to look to the blessings in life, always grateful for the good things that came her way.
To anyone who still feels the need to ask, "should I read it?" I say, "absolutely, you idiot!" Just make sure you have a nice bed, a warm cup of coffee and plenty of time at your side.
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