Customer Reviews

DeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories : My Life and Times With a Remarkable Gentleman Actor

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As a life long admirer of DeForest Kelley, I snapped up what I thought was a rare biographical look into his life. What I found was a book about a fan seeing herself through her idol's eyes, giving us a blow by blow of every personal interaction they had, every time he mentioned her name in public, even recreations of telephone conversations they had. Okay, I was still with the book that far. The author over the years develops an authentic and admirable relationship with both Carolyn and DeForest Kelley, and they truly do become friends. The author is utimately so trusted by both De and Carolyn Kelley that they asked her to help care for them when they were simultaneously hospitalized. At the time, De Kelley was dying of cancer. The author did an angelic and laudable thing in putting her life on hold to care for De Kelley for over three months, as his physical system began to shut down. I admire and commend her for extraordinary act of kindness to him. I lost a father to a lengthy battle with cancer, and I know precisely what such personal care involves. That said, I was deeply pained to find the last third of her book presents the excrutiating minutiae of Kelley's decline, complete with accounts by the author of her helping him bathe, helping him with his biological functions, holding him as he vomits... To me this seemed a violation. As a reader I did not expect or want this highly detailed, day by day account of the last months of De's life as he languished in pain and emotional distress in the hospital. And DeForest Kelley himself, a classic old school Southern gentleman, would surely have been a man of great dignity and privacy. The painful details (and there are many of them) of his demise do not belong in a published book that his lifelong fans will read. I applaud what the author did FOR DeForest Kelley, in staying with him day and night as assistant and caregiver in his last months. Thank God for her - seriously. But knowing how deeply she loved the man (because she tells us on almost every page) I am perplexed that after his death, she felt it was appropriate to offer those painfully intimate and lengthy details of his loss of physical strength and dignity to the world. DeForest Kelley lived and acted in public, but the intimate moments preceding his death should have remained private.

I think many of us have no real conception of what kind of people movie and television stars are, how they live, or what kinds of friends they have. Our views are jaded by the seemingly never-ending sensational bits that come out of Hollywood, tales of excess well beyond any the rest of us can imagine much less indulge in. Many stars have wild reputations, which are often deserved. Many times I have read about the behavior of some of our biggest stars and thought how stupid they must be to squander what they have been so fortunate to obtain, that fame and fortune seems so wasted on them.

Then there are the very few actors who have the reputation of quiet dignity and warm graciousness; actors that we respect not just for their acting ability but for their humanity. DeForest Kelly was one of those actors.

In all the years I have been a Star Trek fan (over 30), I have never read or heard so much as a rumor that DeForest Kelly was anything except a complete gentleman, a kind and caring individual for whom the role of Dr. McCoy was a natural. This despite the fact that he was, for years, typecast as a villain.

Kristine M. Smith's book gives us a look into the lives of Mr. Kelly and his wife Carolyn from the perspective of a fan turned friend turned aide and confidant. Along the way, Ms. Smith shares aspects of her life as well, which is appropriate considering the intertwining of her life with the Kelly's.

I found the book to be a page-turner, and could not put it down once I started reading it. In many ways, I found that, even though I had never heard anything but good about Mr. Kelly, I was surprised from time to time how normal the Kelly's and their life were. At other times I was moved by various events that Ms. Smith describes. I don't want to give any details away so as to not spoil anything for new readers. Suffice to say that I strongly recommend this book to Star Trek and DeForest Kelly fans as well as to anyone who would like to have a glimpse of what a real star, in every sense of the word, is actually like.

Whether you are a DeForest Kelley fan who followed him to Star Trek, or admirer Dr.Leonard McCoy and followed him into the helping professions as I did, to truly get to know this quietly courageous and dedicated "country doctor" you have to read Kristine Smith's "A Harvest Of Memories". In it you will meet a man who possessed that extremely rare kind of courage, someone who dared to be who he really was, without the protective shell that most of us use. In an often heartbreaking universe Mr. Kelley was strong enough and brave enough to remain kind, compassionate, and caring to his fellow man [and animals !]. His only protective "shield" was the love of his wife of over fifty years, his few close friends, and the deep affection of his legion of fans. Kris Smith's book shows us a man with inherent goodness and human decency, in a profession not known for those qualities,who did indeed suvive and prosper.

Reading this moving and heartfelt memoir I came to understand why Dr. Leonard McCoy's compassion, humanity, and fervent commitment to his patients [and his friends: "Dammit Jim..."]had always seemed so very real. It's because they were real; They were the mirror reflections of the man standing firmly behind the image of Dr. McCoy. In "Harvest" you get to meet him in an up close and personal way that few were priviledged to experience, for he was a very private man. He would not write his own autobiography, although many of the Star Trek cast did.....Somehow that is not surprising. This book is not a biography.It is much more personal than that. In the newly released "From Sawdust To Stardust" Terry Lee Rioux calls Kris Smith DeForest and Carolyn Kelley's daughter. As this memoir unfolds you will see why. And you'll watch a very special relationship develop, over time and distance, joy and trial, triumph and tragedy, all the way to the very edge of that "Undiscovered Country". For those of us who have accompanied a loved one on the first part of that final journey, Kris' description of the love, pain, sorrow and joy, will ring very true.....as will the ultimate decision to love someone enough to let them go on ahead.

Thus, if you would like to meet and get to know DeForest Kelley....or Leonard H. McCoy....you should really read both books: "A Harvest Of Memories" and "From Sawdust To Stardust". They allowed me to meet one of the role models of my youth [for the good doctor was an empathetic and caring counselor long before starships carried a mental health crew]. I read Kris' memoir first....I was hooked.....And I agree with Mr. Spock regarding the future: "There are always possibilities." ["He's not dead Jim."]

This charming book is certainly a must-read for fans of the late Mr. Kelley. Not a biography, it is rather a diary of the author's interactions with the actor over several decades as circumstances allowed her relationship with him to grow from idolizing teenager to correspondent to family friend and, finally, to personal assistant and caregiver during his final long illness. Smith shares those experiences with us, recounting extensive anecdotes, conversations and exchanges reflecting everyday incidents as well as the broader influences the Kelleys had in various stages of her own life. Kelley was pretty universally acknowledged to be the nicest and most down-to-earth person involved in Star Trek; this view into his personal life reinforces that impression. The tone is undeniably adulatory, which is part of its charm - this is a fan's history, after all. Fans will also enjoy the level of detail and inclusion of ordinary conversations, though non-fans may find it to be overload.

There were a couple of fascinating aspects to the book I had not expected. The author spent considerable time as an animal-welfare activist and, as a result, acquired a three-legged serval named Deaken, who figures largely in this book, as in her life. The story of how she managed to accommodate Deaken in her move to L.A., and his part in her connection to the Kelleys was great fun to read. The other unexpected feature, on which several reviewers have commented here, is simply the story of the author's experience as caregiver during the terminal illnesses of her mother and then of Mr. Kelley. Smith has worried that fans might find the last section of the book, detailing Kelley's illness and death, too distressing, and at least one reviewer here believed the very-private Kelley would have found it intrusive. I rather doubt that, myself. Kelley was a remarkably sensible fellow; he acknowledged on several occasions that all modesty goes out the window once one is in a hospital, and he retained a good sense of humor to the end. Smith's telling, like her caregiving, is warm, cheerful and practical; I don't think Kelley would mind his fans knowing the details - which are more likely to ease their minds than distress them - once he was gone and didn't have to worry about trying to answer sympathy cards!

On the technical side, the book would have benefitted from both a table of contents and an index, and a brief chronology might have been useful. Also, upper case type is used for emphasis in place of italics, giving a rather jarring impression of shouting. The hardbound copy I purchased is nicely presented, though the photographs are poorly printed; I would recommend
purchasing the electronic version in addition to the print - the beautiful color photos in the PDF version are worth the extra few dollars.

As a teenager I became enthralled with the phenomenon known as "Star Trek." As an adult I have devoured all the biographies written by its main stars - in all their self-serving backbiting glory. One biography was notably absent - that of DeForest Kelly AKA Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. I was saddened upon his passing that Mr. Kelley never took pen to paper to detail his life story. However author Kristine M. Smith has happily given us an account of her 30+ year friendship with him that gives us, his fans, an account of what we already suspected - that everything his co-stars said about him was true. He was a wonderful gentleman bereft of star ego, a devoted husband, generous to his fans, supportive of his friends and an advocate for the animals, who he loved so much. Ms. Smith's book is not Mr. Kelley's life story but an account of her friendship with De and his wife and how in his final days she became his advocate and caregiver. This is a book for all of Mr. Kelley's fans who want to learn more about who he was and what he was about. Of all the tributes I have seen in the years since his passing none have been more moving or more eloquent than Ms. Smith's book. A first-time author, she captures the man behind the icon and tells a wonderful, moving story of friendship and devotion. It is obvious that Mr. Kelley was far too modest to tell his own story but at least with this book we can glean some insight into the man who inspired thousands to enter the noble profession of medicine with the portrayal of a gruff, irascible (and loveable) country doctor who was a loyal officer and devoted friend to his shipmates. It's a must read for all "Trek" fans want to learn more about De and who are tired of, "He stole my lines," and "He got in the way of my closeup," nonsense. Highest possible recommendation!

This book truly is a harvest of memories. It shows what a wonderful human being Mr. Kelley was. After reading the book, you will get to know his most beautiful and genuine feelings and how much he enjoyed his life, his career and his friends. This book is a real treasure for all of Mr. Kelley's fans.
Kris Smith is a remarkable, courageous person. No doubt she was a blessing for the Kelleys, and a role model for all of the people who get to read this book. The admiration I feel for her now is limitless.
This book will make you laugh, and it will certainly make you cry. It shows how life should be lived, how friends should be loved, treasured and taken care of, and how important family is.
You will not be disappointed. It will change your perspective of life in a positive way.

I did not know exactly what to expect with this book. I had finished From Sawdust to Stardust: The Biography of DeForest Kelley, Star Trek's Dr. McCoy (Star Trek) (which I enjoyed very much) and was interested in learning more about De, and happened upon "A Harvest of Memories" which seemed to be just what I was looking for. It turned out to be very different from what I had expected - unlike so many other books like it, this book provided a very intimate and personal look at DeForest Kelley in a way that I found surprising, refreshing, sad, and real. The later half of the book provides an uncensored look at the last days of De, right down to the nitty gritty reality of being so ill you can not do anything for yourself; not even take a bath or use the bathroom. To some who have had experiences with loved ones passing over the course of long illnesses that render them physically weak and reliant upon others, I should warn you that this book will bring those memories back to you in a strong way. If you can endure, though, the reward is something you'll never get otherwise; a chance to feel as if you truly knew DeForest Kelley. Not the actor, not the celebrity, not Doctor McCoy - but De, the wonderful, kind, gentle, man. I am fortunate to have met, via conventions, almost every member of every cast of every Star Trek series both regular and recurring. Yet with De, I never had the opportunity; I became a Star Trek fan only in 1996, attended by first real convention in 1998, and De was gone in the summer of 1999. This book made me feel as if I finally did get to meet him - more, really. It made me feel as if I was lucky enough to know him.

Once in a while you come across a book that you know you will want to treasure. To me this is such a book. It is not a biography, it is a personal memoir. Whether you know DeForest Kelley from his work in Westerns or from his years serving aboard the Enterprise as Dr McCoy (Bones) in Star Trek, you will appreciate the author's narrative of how she first came to meet him and the friendship that grew thereafter. As that friendship grows between Kris, Carolyn and DeForest, you will find yourself going from smiles to laughing out loud, especially when it comes to Kris's cats and the really special one that the Kelley's took a great interest in.

The last third of the book has a sadness over it since it tells of DeForest's life drawing to a close. It is quite graphic, but if you have lost someone you loved very much, you can identify with it. Kris was De's caregiver for those last months, not an easy job to take on for someone who is not close family. Kris is honest about the pain, the tiredness, the aching heart, the laughter and most of all the love, that is charted here. Kris tells us that DeForest called her his angel, it would seem that for both he and his wife Carolyn she was just that.

Another reviewer thought that DeForest would not have wanted Kris to write about his dying, but I feel that is wrong. DeForest knew Kris and that she writes about everything that happens to her, one way or another. He liked her style of writing very much and therefore I think that DeForest would have approved of the book.

kristine m. smith has described one of the greatest experiences
a person can have - to know someone they had idolized - and then to find out that that person surpasses all expectations. in return for his goodness she was exceptional in her devotion to mr. kelley. In his last months she went where angels fear to tread. together they approached the final frontier. we can only hope we will be so pure and courageous when it is our turn to be the caregiver or the patient.

Dr. McCoy once said, "He's not really gone, as long as we remember him..." He was referring to Spock but he might as well have been talking about the actor who brought McCoy to life, DeForest Kelley.

Kris Smith has created a very personal glimpse into the life of this very private man. It is not so much a biography as it is a sneak peak into Kelley's world. She tells of her first meeting with the Kelleys and reconnecting with them 17 years later. She tells of De's friendship and compassion for animals and his boundless love for his wife Carolyn.

For anyone who always wanted to meet Kelley but never had the chance, this book paints such a vivid picture of the man it is like you almost know him.

Towards the end of his life De was very ill and Kristine became his caregiver. It's heartbreaking to read about those last tragic days yet at the same time we see the grace and dignity with which Kelley faced his own mortality.

The world is a better place for having a man such as De kelley in it and we are blessed to have such a tender and touching book by Kris Smith.