Customer Reviews

Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best

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If you love Cary Grant, you will love this fantastic book written by Nancy Nelson. What makes Nelson's book special is that because it is supported by Grant's daughter Jennifer and wife Barbara, the reader can feel confident that the facts and descriptions reported are true to Cary Grant's character. The text is an enjoyable blend of Nancy Nelson's writing as well as Cary Grant's own words and the words of those who were his close friends. I was in love with Cary Grant before reading this book, simply because I adore him in his movies. After finishing it, I adored Cary Grant as not only an incredible actor, but as an endearing and generous friend, father & husband. The mark that Cary Grant has left on us is priceless and his films continue to bring joy to so many generations after him. His charm is timeless. Nancy Nelson allows us to get as close to knowing Grant as we possibly can. I highly recommend this book.

When I was in high school, my best friend Susan and I relished old movies. A particular TV station always had wonderful classic movies on Sunday afternoons. Our favorites were always the movies that featured Cary Grant. We happily munched our potato chips and moved to Hollywood for a few hours.

The author tells us in the beginning of the book that this is not a biography. It's more of a tribute to Cary Grant. The book skips around through the years and not always in chronological order. The author does give us Grant's background, growing up in England, and the sad story of his mother. She was committed to a sanitarium after she suffered a nervous breakdown when Grant was 8 years old, and he did not see her again for more than 20 years. He believed that she had died and did not know until he received a letter from her in 1937 that she was still alive.

Grant made dozens of films with some of the most beautiful leading ladies in Hollywood. Always a gentleman, Cary would never say which one was his favorite actress. He retired from films when he was 62. He felt that he was too old to be cast as the romantic lead which was always his forte.

Nancy Nelson approached Grant in 1981. She asked him to consider doing some unrehearsed appearances in front of audiences where he would answer questions about himself and his movies. It took her some time to convince him to do it, but it finally came about in a one-man show called A Conversation With Cary Grant. Grant made 36 public appearances from 1982 until his death in 1986 at the age of 82. This book highlights Grant's own words in discussing dozens of topics. It's also filled with insightful quotations from Grant's famous friends.

Most of us seem to remember Grant saying: Judy, Judy, Judy, but Grant never said that in a film and there are various explanations about where it came from. One version, was that in a night club show, comedian Larry Storch was doing an impersonation of Cary Grant. During that part of his show Judy Garland walked in and Storch imitating Cary Grant, said "Judy, Judy, Judy."

Grant's friends saw him as a generous and caring person. If you liked Cary Grant, you'll enjoy this book which gives fascinating recollections of his life. For instance, he loved the telephone, generally answered it himself and was famous for making calls to people who would not believe it was really Grant and hanging up on him. He also wrote articulate letters which he usually signed, with "Happy thoughts!"

Happy thoughts to you too, Cary from one Judy.

I've just discovered Cary Grant and this book recounts his life in an amazing way through the personal accounts of his friends and family. It's so wonderful to be remembered as a charasmatic and just plain perfect person. He was definately charming and such a beautiful man. I loved this book because it doesn't linger in the negative rumors about his sexuality or judge his character and it has soo many pictures! As Audrey said there's nothing wrong with Cary Grant.

With that handsome face, million-dollar smile, impeccable taste in suits, and debonair yet witty demeanor, Cary Grant is one of the most famous Hollywood stars of the 20th century. This book is not exactly a biography, but a collection of stories that are part biography, part homage, and above all, an expression of heartfelt love towards the man from the people in his life.

The stories are inspired by a series of Conversations with Cary Grant that were a one-man evening show where Mr. Grant essentially held a two hour QA session for an enthralled audience. Since Mr. Grant was adamantly averse to an autobiography, the woman behind the idea for the one-man show, Nancy Nelson, decided to embark on this project to give remembrance to this remarkable man. Starting from his humble beginnings in England, all the way through his illustrious Hollywood career and to his golden years - the reader will get a wonderful insight into this fantastic actor. The stories are told by his colleagues, friends and people in his life as they remembered him. The who's who of Hollywood give their deepest respect to Mr. Grant. You will learn that he was a true gentleman in real life as well. He wanted only to be kind to his fellow man and respected for his work.

If you are a fan of Cary Grant's, this is a must-read book.

This is a great book. It is, as the author herself explains, not really a biography, but more of a sketch of different episodes in Cary Grant's life. Not suprisingly, Grant - a poor boy from Bristol who, through his talent and intelligence, created the ultimate screen persona - was a very complex person. Sadly, many of his biographers do not do him justice and instead use useless gossip to sell more books.

This book, however, is an exception, as it uses Cary's own words, and those of his close friends to paint a picture of the true Cary Grant: a brilliant actor, a troubled and scared little boy, but all in all a wonderful and generous person! If you are a Cary Grant fan (or even if you aren't so much), read this book - you won't be disappointed at its depiction of Cary Grant. As you read it, you'll feel as though you really were spending an evening with Cary himself!

If you thought you loved Cary Grant before, wait until you read this book. It brings to vivid detail his generosity, wonderful humor, true professionalism, & the wonderful gentleman he was. The background of this man makes his work that much meaningful when one of his movies is reviewed. Also, this is one of Hollywood's great stories that appear to have a happy ending. A difficult book to put down....

Literally, I read from front to back, putting it down only when I had to; I loved this book, and made the mistake of following up by reading a new biography that came out on Cary Grant, which was so disappointing and disgusting. If you want to learn about Cary Grant, I recommend this book!!

Ten years ago I wrote the Kirkus Review you may still read under "Editorial Reviews" on the left, and can only commend my brilliance as well as Nancy Nelson's. This Grant bio, much of it from his own charming mouth and from those closest to him in his later years, has not been bettered since it first appeared. I called it "engaging, warm, and solid"--I should have added ravishing. This is like having dinner with Cary Grant. Grab it, you will not be disappointed.

It is no easy thing to become so successful in one's career and yet be universally loved and respected as Cary Grant was in his lifetime.

Thanks to the author for focusing on the good of the man and ignoring the rest. He was a good man and that is enough. Ms. Nelson does a good job in giving us an idea of who the man really was--a gentleman who was loyal to his friends, if not his wives...but in the end, even THEY still loved him after it was over.

My only disappointment (not the author's fault) was to find out that Cary Grant hated "Arsenic and Old Lace," one of my favorite movies.

This book is the BEST that I have read, the entire book gave me a better perspective of Cary Grant as well as an inside to his personal life. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in an icon of his stature not only as a actor, but also as a person. His personal and professional lives are detailed well, and the quotes that Cary had said in the past were moving.