Customer Reviews

My Face for the World to See

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I don't know if I could recommend this book for its stunning literary quality, but it was literally the book that shaped my life. I read it when I was six, and it became one of those iconic reading experiences that forms an integral part of one's personality. The plot? Doesn't really matter, but Liz Renay is born to Bible thumpers in Mesa, Arizona, runs around with men, has a lot of sex, cozies up to gangsters, lies to protect Micky Cohen, goes to jail, and gets married six times. It's a classic.

This book is very entertaining, and it's a shame that it's out of print. Liz, who is best known as a star of one of John Water's films (DESPERATE LIVING), was a woman with a lot of chutzpah and cujones. She was independent before being so was acceptable. She lived life her way, without regrets, and this book tells it in unadulterated detail.

If you "get" Liz Renay, get this book. it's hysterical! She's like a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Penelope Pitstop! Danger seems to lurk around every corner for Ms Renay in her search for stardom--and if it isn't getting her, it's getting her kids! They fall out of second story windows, get attacked attempting to visit her in prison, and even end up stripping with her. Through all her trashy tales though, Liz manages to emerge as a lovable eccentric: a warm-hearted optimist, which saves 'My Face..." from ever becoming the maudlin "could-have-been" saga that it might have been. On a par with Mamie Van Doren, only more entertaining, Liz's quirky narrative entertains from start to pulpy finish. Oddly inspiring!

I read this book about 20 years ago and have never forgotten it. I believe it speaks to all women who try to live up to others expectations. I would recommend this highly.

A young friend of mine (Hi David!) gave me this book for Christmas and as soon as I saw its hot pink cover a wave of memories flooded my cortex like a wave of melting cotton candy. I remember getting the first edition, after a big push from the original publisher, the inventive Lyle Stuart, sort of the William Castle of publishing, who could take an ordinary book and, through the miracle of the modern publicity machine, make it a best seller overnight. In this case he had MY FACE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, with its original cover photo in Ms. Renay looking angelic and very much like a more aristocratic version of Kim Novak. Very pretty but who on earth would buy, or publish, a memoir by a woman whom literally nobody, except for a handful of inmates at Terminal Island, had ever heard? And even if you had heard of her, that was at least 20 years prior!

Well, it developed that in the intervening years Renay stayed busy mentoring her daughter, Brenda, do perform a mother daughter striptease act with her, and also in writing this memoir, which is the longest celebrity memoir ever written.

It's not exactly interesting, but you can tell why John Waters wanted her to appear in his movie DESPERATE LIVING. I was a retail clerk in a midtown bookstore in Manhattan during the final months of 1971. Famous people used to come in every day and I got quite blase. Wouldn't you know it, it was Liz Renay who blew my cool, just by showing up and rolling her top down in broad daylight nearby a pile of copies of her book, and a gang of press photographers arranged by Mr. Stuart were on her like flies on honey. They had still the old fashioned box cameras back then and the cameras were clicking and bumping into each other, like child's toys, to get the perfect shot of this notorious decolletage. Brenda later killed herself and unfortunately Ms. Renay passed away this past year but I still cherish the photograph she signed for me years later, when I had recovered from the shock and she was at a low ebb in her career. We met at PALM, the Performing Arts Library and Museum here in San Francisco, both donating some of our memorabilia to their annual auction, and we swapped a few items.

It's clear that despite all the mistakes and unfortunate circumstances of Liz Renay, she is clearly one of the happiest people alive. The camp value is definitely there and your hooked after the first paragraph - read between the lines and you'll connect with a woman who's happiness has been put to the test. Her belief in loving herself and to love others (as simple as it is) is an emotional level few people in life actually reach. Have fun reading this book - I sure did. Now, if only John Waters will make a movie version!!!

Not the most well written book, but is VERY interesting. I promise, you will not get bored reading this book. Liz manages to write about herself, and constantly talk about how beautiful she is without being annoying in any way (which must take some talent in itself).

Highly recommend this.

Liz Renay writes her version of her life as Hollwood might have filmed it. There are endless dangers, crises, love affairs that end up horrible men chasing her, she forever trying to escape, a brush with Hollywood that she says could have led to a bigger career than Marilyn Monroe's. who knows were reality begins and fantasy ends? Probably the biggest laugh comes when she becomes the mistress of some nameless man for several years.She claims she didn't know he was married and when she finds out, she gives him a farewell that Bette Davis would have loved. Liz then goes back to the huge mansion he brought her, she goes to her closet and ignores all the beautiful furs and cocktail gowns, jewels, etc. she finds her original old, tattered dresses that she came into the mansion with and she leaves him. Oh, she also gives him back the deed to her mansion. Joan Crawford would have been great in a movie version of this. Like all the Marilyn Monroe wannabes--from Jayne Mansfield, Mamie Van Doren, etc.--Liz's resemblance to her is her main claim to fame. Still, you'll have to read and re-read this and try to find out if there is a germ of truth in any of it.

God receive you Liz All My Love Henry Joseph Rychlicki Author of Fragments of My Life A Sex Fiction...xxo0x0oxo0