My Anecdotal Life

Rating:
Summary: A Great Journey Down Memory Lane With A Comedy Genius
Review: Genius is easier to recognize than to define. Thankfully, Carl Reiner, one of our true comic geniuses, doesn't try to explain his gifts or the nature of humor in this pleasant memoir...he just tells a couple of dozen wonderful stories about his life, with his own unique brand of joy.

If you've loved Reiner's work on movies, TV, records, you should find this to be an enjoyable read. Imagine you've somehow been given the opportunity to spend an evening one-on-one with him, while he recalls some of his memorable adventures. This is not a comprehensive, chronological autobiography; the anecdotes skip back and forth in time and place, much like our own memories. I've always had the feeling that Carl Reiner was a genuinely kind man, full of gratitude for the blessings of family and success; this warmhearted book helps to confirm that belief.

Rating:
Summary: Mel Brooks was right
Review: OK, so I didn't buy this book, I read it standing up at a bookstore (Barnes & Noble on State Street in Chicago), and one, just one, of the anecdotes was so funny that I was laughing so hard that my sides were actually hurting and I thought they were going to throw me out of the store. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, but let's just call it the "Richard III" anecdote. And if you don't think it's the funniest thing you're ever read, -- well, then you have no sense of humor.

Rating:
Summary: I love Carl Reiner, but . . .
Review: Saw a lot of Reiner on TV growing up in the 60s, and he was always entertaining and funny. Not so this book. At best, its a behind-the-scenes look at a creative genius' more mundane moments. At worst, its a mish-mash of random thoughts and name-dropping. If you imagine Reiner telling the stories out loud, you might get a kick out of some of them, but on the printed page, its boring and doesn't tell you anything you haven't heard about show business from a hundrred other sources. Carl is only 81 - better luck next time!

Rating:
Summary: If you are expecting an autobiography, this isn't it
Review: This book isn't an autobiography and doesn't pretend to be one. Instead, this is a collection of stories you might hear if you were one of Carl Reiner's close personal friends. I laughed out loud at the craziness of the stories. While reading this book, I was struck by the humor and decency of Carl Reiner. He actually lives by the old saying "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". There is no dirt to be dished on friends. There are no descriptions of sexual exploits. What there is instead is a collection of very funny stories you might hear from a grandfather. I recommend this book highly.
And when you finish this book, find a copy of his play: Something Different. That is a truly bizarre, yet totally hilarious, play. You will thank me. You might have sore muscles from laughing, but you will thank me.