Customer Reviews

My Dinner of Herbs

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My Dinner Of Herbs is the personal and engaging memoir of Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., the son of renowned soprano Alma Gluck and the acclaimed violinist Efrem Zimbalist. His own career included work in the theater, talent as a producer, a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize for "The Consul" (which he produced with Chandler Cowles), as well as numerous television specials and series. My Dinner Of Herbs is a thoroughly delightful and entertaining memoir packed with a informed and informative personal view of the Hollywood entertainment business, anecdotes of unforgettable people, and the memorable challenges that mark life, ranging from Efrem Zimbalist Jr.'s hard work to earn a Yale degree, to his military service in World War II. A first-rate, engaging portrait of a life well lived, My Dinner Of Herbs is very highly recommended reading which is especially recommended to those with an interest in Hollywood autobiographies and memoirs.

I have been a fan of Efrem Zimbalist since childhood watching 77 Sunset Strip and The FBI. He has had an astonishing career considering he didn't even go to Hollywood from the New York theatre until well into his 30s, an age when most aspiring actors are washed up!

"My Dinner of Herbs" is a light and entertaining read in the genre of books by the old time movie stars. It tells a lot of fun stories but holds the reader at arms length from Mr. Zimbalist's soul.

We know from his writing that he is not just a pretty face but is in fact highly intelligent with a vocabulary that sent me to the dictionary several times and I have made my living as a journalist! Not only is he erudite, he is clearly a man who enjoys adventure.

However, everything in the book is a light story. When he talks of the death of his first wife Emily from cancer at an early age he is almost as detached as he is describing working with luminaries such as Errol Flynn. Efrem leaves a lot of questions unanswered for his fans. Among them:

1) What did he find so special about his first wife that made him decide to marry her?

2) Who cared for his children after his first wife's untimely demise?

3) Why did he marry his second wife and what was it like for her to raise his children when she was apparently very young before they had Stephanie?

4) He was single in Hollywood for some time after divorcing his second wife yet the divorce is NEVER mentioned in the book. Why did they divorce and what was it like to be one of the best looking single actors in the world in a land of beautiful movie stars?

5) How did he become a Christian? I always thought he became a Christian while watching Trinity Broadcasting Network but he mentions that his famous Russian Jewish (I believe) parents were Christian. That's a story in itself since they were apparently "Jews for Jesus!"

6) He was once quoted as saying that getting gigs is all about "politics" in Hollywood. How did he perceive the political situation's impact on his career both negative and positive as a Republican Born Again Christian?

7) He makes a reference to his oldest daughter Nancy that leads the reader to believe she is a lesbian. How does he feel about that and does he think the tragic death of her mother when she was a baby had an impact?

8) How did he influence his daughter Stephanie's successful television acting career (Remington Steele) and how did he feel about her taking up the acting profession?

9) He mentions his son Skipper but tells us almost nothing about him or his sisters.

Also, after reading the book I don't understand Efrem's biblically referenced title "My Dinner of Herbs." It looks like he is a man who was literally born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has turned that spoon into a silver shovel as he has accomplished much with his long career in the fiercely competitive world of movie and television acting. It seems like his "dinner" went from "dinner" to a "banquet" in life!

I think there is room for a sequel to this book from his heart telling us all he has learned from his triumphs and tragedies.--A sincere fan, Linda Love

I really enjoyed this book. I just love Efrem anyway but never knew much about his life story. I thought it gave an insightful look in to Efrem's past. My only problem was that it was too short. I would have loved a bit more details on his personal life. What a gentleman he is, and a wonderful role model for young people especially in this day and age.

Parents who have tried to raise their children in the best classical tradition will get the shaking agonies from the first portion of this book as the author mischiefs his way out of the heritage and magnificient opportunities offered him. But read on. All is not lost.One cannot take issue with the title, it is Holy Scripture. But what about this life could be called the "dinner of herbs?" Most readers will not see life as a Hollywood star as the simple and humble life. It is only in the context of the life of the classical and highly successful muscians who raised him, and his own way of taking his gifts and putting them to use, that this can be seen by the receptive reader.Absorbing, enjoying every minute of life and every relationship and communicating that joy is the message of this book.

I enjoy reading biographies of movie and television celebrities. I can't remember when I enjoyed one so much as this book. It's very well-written (and not ghost written), humorous and filled with Zimbalist's joy for life. Thank you Mr. Zimbalist for creating a small treasure!

I love Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. dearly, and have met him several times, but found this book a little heavy-going. The language and tone is very old-fashioned, and I was hoping for more details about his most popular work, such as TV's The FBI. I was also hoping to learn more about his three children, and something about what he's done in the last 15 or so years. Efrem spends much of the book talking about the many famous people he's known over the years, most of whom this writer had never heard of, and I'm 61 years old! I enjoyed reading about the time he spent going to school in Russia, and the hardships he endured there. Efrem is 92 years old now, and I'm blessed to have known this wonderful man!

An elegant book spanning nearly a century spent in and around music and show business. I've been a fan since the late 50's and richy enjoyed going both forward and back through Mr. Zimbalist's life experiences from his unique point of view. A particularly interesting insight into the twilight of the Hollywood studio system. Enjoy.

...since I was a child. His character Stuart Bailey on "77 Sunset Strip" was so charming, gentlemanly, worldly, and gorgeous-- and it turns out he's that way in real life, too. And what a vocabulary! I had to stop to look up a few things. The text is laced through with love, affection, humor, and charm. Easy and delightful reading.

I didn't think this was the greatest autobiography written. The photos were terribly dull. The book was 75% of the film/TV/stage life which I don't ever find particularly interesting. I don't care to have the plots hashed out and to hear of people's abilities or lack of them--but of the personal life and details. We didn't get much of that. He told the basics and maybe that's all that there was to tell, but I think there was more to tell that wasn't.

For instance, I was hoping to hear about how he came about to being a Christian as I see him reading the Bible on TBN many times. I'm pretty sure Zimbalist and Gluck (his mother's maiden name) are Jewish. But he doesn't. And for a Bible believing Christian as I believe he is--it was rather disturbing and disappointing to read on page 96 where he's talking about a date with a Mormon woman and that ".....in short, if there are many mansions in the Father's house, surely there are many driveways as well.", referring to many pathways to God I assume. BUT--Mr. Zimbalist apparantly has not considered the verses Matthew 7:13-14 'Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and NARROW is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it', and John 14:6 that says 'Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE; NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME'. There are NOT many driveways, only one.

I have been a fan of Mr Zimbalist for 47 years. I was looking forward to all my questions being answered, but although this book was very interesting, it left more story out than was told.
I felt the book went together more as journal entries for family and friends than for fans and followers. Mr. Zimbalist please forgive syntac errors. R. Harris of N Jersey.