Rating: 
Summary: The best book on Lucy that I've ever read...
Review: ... and I've read most of them! I sort of expected this book to be some tabloidish tale, an exploitive expose' about The Queen Of Television Comedy. I was completely wrong and am not ashamed to admit that. It was one of the only books about Lucille Ball that I had not purchased. I ran across it one day at the library so I checked it out. I ended up purchasing the book for my collection before I even finished it. The glowing letter of endorsement from Lucy's daughter Lucie Arnaz that graces the back cover should have been enough for me to make the purchase upon its release! Tannen dishes a lot of dirt here, but it's nothing that Lucy would necessarily be mad at him for revealing. His words give Lucy fans a complete idea of what Lucy's last years were like. Stories about how Lucy desperately wanted to make the movie "Driving Miss Daisy" (Lee says she would have been all wrong for it, and he's right); her disastrous last two projects (the TV movie "The Stone Pillow", and the failed ABC sitcom "Life With Lucy"); her obsession with backgammon and game shows (she loved Vanna White of "Wheel Of Fortune"), plus a lot of other stories let us in on a Lucy we never really knew. As the star of one of the world's most popular TV shows, most people would think that Lucy lived a grand life of luxury. She did, but she seemed mostly unaware that it was so grand- and that it could have been even grander. She did not enjoy change. Her homes are described in detail, down to what the furniture looked like. It's all extremely riveting, especially for anyone that is a fan of Lucille Ball. The thing that makes this book so wonderful is that you truly get a sense that Lee Tannen REALLY did love Lucy. He didn't write this book to cash in on anything. He just wanted to share a side of Lucy with her fans that they didn't know about before. She does't come out smelling so perfect at all times, but this book certainly will not tarnish anyone's image of her. If you have any interest in Lucille Ball at all, this is a book that you will not want to miss out on. It was extremely hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: The best book on Lucy that I've ever read...
Review: ... and I've read most of them! I sort of expected this book to be some tabloidish tale, an exploitive expose' about The Queen Of Television Comedy. I was completely wrong and am not ashamed to admit that. It was one of the only books about Lucille Ball that I had not purchased. I ran across it one day at the library so I checked it out. I ended up purchasing the book for my collection before I even finished it. The glowing letter of endorsement from Lucy's daughter Lucie Arnaz that graces the back cover should have been enough for me to make the purchase upon its release! Tannen dishes a lot of dirt here, but it's nothing that Lucy would necessarily be mad at him for revealing. His words give Lucy fans a complete idea of what Lucy's last years were like. Stories about how Lucy desperately wanted to make the movie "Driving Miss Daisy" (Lee says she would have been all wrong for it, and he's right); her disastrous last two projects (the TV movie "The Stone Pillow", and the failed ABC sitcom "Life With Lucy"); her obsession with backgammon and game shows (she loved Vanna White of "Wheel Of Fortune"), plus a lot of other stories let us in on a Lucy we never really knew. As the star of one of the world's most popular TV shows, most people would think that Lucy lived a grand life of luxury. She did, but she seemed mostly unaware that it was so grand- and that it could have been even grander. She did not enjoy change. Her homes are described in detail, down to what the furniture looked like. It's all extremely riveting, especially for anyone that is a fan of Lucille Ball. The thing that makes this book so wonderful is that you truly get a sense that Lee Tannen REALLY did love Lucy. He didn't write this book to cash in on anything. He just wanted to share a side of Lucy with her fans that they didn't know about before. She does't come out smelling so perfect at all times, but this book certainly will not tarnish anyone's image of her. If you have any interest in Lucille Ball at all, this is a book that you will not want to miss out on. It was extremely hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVED " I loved Lucy!"
Review: Anyone who even LIKED Lucy needs to read this book. Expecting coffee table fare, I found this book to be the most touching, funny, behind-the-scenes book I have ever read! Great and surprising stories - very cool and personal photos. In a small way, I felt as if I had actually spent some time with Lucy, playing Backgammon and hearing her unique "Lucy view" of the world. Read this book and you will love Lucy even more! If anyone doesn't see how special this book is - I hope they die screaming!...Is that so wong???
Rating: 
Summary: Obessed Fan Stalks Fading Television Legend
Review: I couldn't give this book low stars because I read it very quick. Meaning that there was something very fascinating about this read. However I found this book extremely disturbing on many levels. First of all this author never ever found out what Lucy was really like or even who she really was. All he does is play games with her (at her request) and idolize her. He compares everything that happens to her in real life to an "I Love Lucy" episode. Which was not only boring to read but very very disturbing. He gets momentos from her (framed pictures) and sits around watching old "I Love Lucy" reruns while looking at the scripts while Lucy looks on. This is beyond creepy. The whole thing reminded me of MISERY - except Lucy was the one in control. Sort of MISERY in reverse. We never really get to know about Lee or his boyfriend. (Except they are rich) We only hear tabloid style mean jabs at Lucy's husband - very unfair because that is the ONLY way he got to know Lucy at all. It's sad when the only thing good about this book is the letter written by Lucie Arnaz to the author. It is such a sincere and nice letter. Much better than this fawning strange book. It was nice to see that Lucy had a soft sentimental as well as tough side. As Lucie Anaz put it she was "only human". Fascinating but gross!
Rating:
Summary: Meet The Personal Side Of Lucy
Review: I was in a bookstore picking up a new release of another book I had on my to read list when I turned my head and saw this book promiently displayed (with only 2 copies left!). I opened the book and skimmed a couple of pages here and there and KNEW I HAD to buy this book! I put this book before my "new released" book and what a ride Lee gives the reader in the final decade of Lucy's life! I was up to 2AM finishing the book up, I could not put it down! This book was poignant, written with true friendship, love for Lucy, honesty and personality. From page one upon meeting Lee, the read is made to feel that he/she is an ant sitting on Lee's shoulder experiencing all the times and visits he had with Lucy. I appreciated the fact that in telling his experiences, Lee did not glaze over any touchy moments when Lucy may not have been happy about something as well as didn't overload sugar in her good times. I found the written account to be what the experience was. What made Lucy tick? What made Lucy happy? What made Lucy laugh? What made Lucy angry? We was Lucy thinking? We got to meet people in Lucy's later life that we may not have ever met. In simplicity, Lucy the star, the icon and Queen of Comedy was in many ways an everyday person like so many of us are. The reader felt like they were having lunch with Lucy with her specialty of grilled cheese sandwiches or beans and franks. We had dinners that included her beloved Waldorf Salad. I laughed, I cried with the book. I got into an insight of her last years being married to Gary Morton that I really never contexted in the way it was. It was kind of sad as how it was, isn't what I had in mind. I think in several ways, Lucy never got over Desi. The only thing that made this reader wonder about is that we got to meet Lucie and her family and on occasion see them get together with Lucy. Desi Jr. is touched upon in several places but we never got to experience him visiting Lucy. From reading the book, I don't think it was just excluded by the author but the reader does wonder why Desi Jr. isn't around. I wholeheartedly suggest that any Lucy fan buy this book, read it, and add it to your Lucy library. This would make a WONDERFUL Christmas/Hannukah gift for the holiday season for the Lucy fan on your gift list!
Rating: 
Summary: REPETETIVE AND DISTURBING
Review: I'm sure Lee Tannen's intentions were good. I, however, cannot endorse this book.
First of all, Tannen's obsession with Lucy goes beyond normalcy. This is truly evident, not only in the way he has compared almost every situation he describes with Lucy to a particular "I Love Lucy" episode but the fact that he makes no secret of his dislike for Gary Morton is beyond reproach and disturbingly creepy. It is almost as if he's jealous of Gary and wants Lucy all to himself which is what happens most of the time in his anecdotes, which become repetetive and trite after a few chapters.
I Love Lucy as much as anyone but to idolize someone to the point of obsession the way Tannen does with Lucy is too "far out" for my taste.
I agree with the reviewer who wrote that Lucie Arnaz only endorsed this book because Tannen wrote what she wanted to hear....that Desi Arnaz was the love of Lucy's life (no big secret)and that he never got the credit he deserved for making Lucy the television institution she became (again, no big secret).
The book itself in context, grammar, etc. is very poorly written. With all the money Tannen claims to have he could have had this book at least edited properly.
When Lucy wrote him off for a year after he threw a temper tantrum (which he later regretted) Lucy should have kept her distance completely. This book, alas, adds nothing new to the Lucy Legend. As a matter of fact, it detracts greatly from it.
Rating: 
Summary: A touching memoir of time spent with a beloved legend...
Review: Lee Tannen has given the millions of Lucy fans all over the world an especially welcome early-holiday gift--his touching memoir, I LOVE LUCY: MY FRIENDSHIP WITH LUCILLE BALL. While it can be argued that Lee is by no means the "typical" everyday Lucy fan (he has a jet-set career and many friends in high places), he brings tremendous compassion and intelligence to the often heartbreaking story of Lucy's final years. Exploring the often sad, mundane realities of her existence in the twilight of her life, he gives us Lucy--the real, honest, frank, demanding, and yes, heartbroken woman behind the laughs. An intelligent and open-minded memoir of a unique and complex friendship, one which had a profound effect on both the author and his once-in-a-lifetime subject, America's greatest comedienne.
Rating:
Summary: Lucy's Last Decade
Review: Lee Tannen was a good friend and frequent backgammon partner of Lucy during the last ten years of her life. He presents us with a lightweight yet winning book, although at times I felt I had strayed into the script of "Sunset Boulevard" as he details Lucy's isolation, her days spent playing backgammon inside her shuttered Beverly Hills home, with her outdated 50's decor and kitchen appliances.
He doesn't make the Lucy he knew into a saintly figure; instead he lets us in on her "star-ego" moments and her lapses into pettiness. He describes in detail how each of her homes and her ski condo at Snowmass, Colorado are decorated, and tells us of her wardrobe with her extensive collection of fur coats.
Although his book is entertaining, with some degree of unavoidable name-dropping, I think most people prefer to remember Lucy as she was in the 50s when her antics made a whole nation laugh with delight.
Rating:
Summary: THE LUCILLE BALL YOU NEVER KNEW
Review: The Hanukah/Christmas holiday season really came early for this reader this year! Lee Tannen's memoir of his close friendship with Lucille Ball titled I LOVED LUCY is an incredibly sensitive, loving, real, amusing, touching, honest, candid and extremely well written insight into the unknown and fascinating final chapter in the life of one of America's most beloved personalities (probably now more than ever). The love, devotion and deep friendship between Mr. Tannen and Lucille Ball leaped off of the pages at every turn. I was engrossed completely from start to finish and was sad to get to the end of the book. I wanted more, more, more! This is a wonderful literary achievement! Mr. Tannen will make many, many readers and fans of Lucille Ball quite happy with I LOVED LUCY! Enjoy! PS. This book will indeed be the perfect Christmas gift for anyone who loved Lucille Ball (which seems to be EVERYONE)!
Rating:
Summary: I Loved It
Review: This is a book about a distant relative of Gary Morton's relationship with Lucille Ball during the last ten years of her life. He spent a good amount of time with Lucy, and he shares with us their dinner dates, skiing in Colorado, going to the theatre and, of course, backgammon! I couldn't put the book down. The private life of Lucy after "I Love Lucy" is fascinating, no matter what she said or did - I wanna hear it all. The author tells the story always with love for Lucy and with a good sense of humor of his own. Lucy fans should treasure this.
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