If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won't) [Hardcover]

Betty White (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 3, 2011

It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between.

Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything from her rumored crush on Robert Redford (true) to her beauty regimen ("I have no idea what color my hair is and I never intend to find out") to the Facebook campaign that helped persuade her to host Saturday Night Live despite her having declined the hosting job three times already.

Featuring all-new material, with a focus on the past fifteen years of her life, If You Ask Me is funny, sweet, and to the point-just like Betty White.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reads like a chat with the beloved star."

(-The Denver Post ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Betty White is an entertainment icon who has playing starring roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, and Hot in Cleveland, hosted Saturday Night Live (as the result of a fan-driven Facebook campaign), and spoken out on behalf of animals for many years.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition edition (May 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399157530
• ISBN-13: 978-0399157530
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (132 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 105 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to see why people still love Betty White May 5, 2011

By DavidT VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Still going strong at the age of 89, Betty White is practically a force of nature, and only a determined curmudgeon could dislike this endearing collection of mini-essays by the seven-time Emmy winner. Written in a style similar to her previous book "Betty White: In Person," this new book is filled with chatty, warm, winning anecdotes about HOT IN CLEVELAND, her recent turn on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, and, as always, her love for animals. Her fundamental decency as a person, as well as her gifts as a performer, are evident throughout. Numerous black-and-white photos from throughout her career grace the pages. If you're looking for bitterness, cynicism, or salaciousness, keep moving. But if you'd enjoy spending a few hours in the company of a very classy, funny, down-to-earth lady who wears her success lightly, this is just the ticket.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny Betty May 5, 2011

By A&D

Format:Hardcover

Betty White has become a new top celebrity with her latest successes in movies and television series Golden Girls. In her new book, she discusses of her celebrity, love, aging, television, friends, and her love for animals. She is 89 yrs old now and still as funny and clever as ever. She tells that most of the two- and three-page chapters came to her while she was relaxing on a couch with a pet.

In her book, there is a lot about her passion for animal welfare, including a photo of White sitting face-to-face with Koko gorilla. Betty White has been passionate with the animal welfare for a long time and has been heartbroken of the conditions of some animals and how they are treated. She often tells about the anecdotes of other celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and how she purchased a puppy in an auction hosted by Betty White, and later on the puppy died.
The book is quite interesting to read. It's a series of short essays about how Betty White feels about a number of different topics.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for a Mother's Day Gift May 6, 2011

By Laura Van Wormer

Format:Hardcover

Like her other books, Betty wrote this by herself in long hand that is so beautiful the editor used parts of her manuscript as artwork. The photographs are way cool, and believe it or not, she only finished writing this book about nine weeks ago so. It is a happy and very well designed book, too, the kind you leave on the coffee table and everyone who comes into the house picks up and starts reading. God bless her and rock on, Betty!

39 of 49 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new here in this very thin book May 10, 2011

By AlexsDad

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I will start out by saying that I LOVE Betty White and have since I first saw her as a guest panelist on "What's My Line?" I've read Betty's other books and have loved each one. So, I was looking forward to this one with much excitement. I was majorly disappointed. With the exception to references of "Hot in Cleveland" or the movies she has been in since "Here We Go Again," there's nothing new here. Almost half the book is photos. I agree with Betty's positive outlook on life, but her fans deserve better. We deserve a full fledged book. I highly recommend Betty's earlier books and will continue to watch whatever tv show or movie that Betty chooses to participate in. LOVE BETTY. Feel cheated about the book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I heart Betty! May 15, 2011

By love, nicole

Format:Hardcover

I cannot put this book down. It is such a feel good, fun read adorned with great photos throughout. I feel all the more closer to Betty and she simply makes me smile. There is so much to learn from her and she is sharing it all here. I highly recommend this lovely book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Icky-sweet Betty White" May 16, 2011

By JerryYelton

Format:Hardcover

First off, let me say that I have yet to read any of Betty's other books, but as a new fan of Betty, I'm only seventeen years of age, I have to say that after picking up this book at Target, I throughly enjoyed it. Betty's words come across just as well on paper as they do in her speech. In the book, Betty chronicles her life, specifically the most recent fifteen or so years, and the vigor with which she still approches life is astounding and encouraging. Her life has been filled with so many wonderful experiences and such incredible feats that reading this novel invigorates you with a passion to live life to the fullest.

As we all already know, Betty is the sweetest, most kind person on this planet, but if you have any doubts about this statement's validity, pick up Betty's newest book and any doubts will vanish. I guarantee you'll enjoy this splendid dose of the "Icky-sweet Betty White."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars "Growing older shouldn't be something to complain about." May 28, 2011

By E. Bukowsky HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Do you enjoy those memoirs in which celebrities bare their souls, name-drop shamelessly, and recite their list of romantic conquests? If those are your cup of tea, stay away from Betty White's "If You Ask Me (And of course, You Won't). This is a spare and heartwarming look at White's philosophy of life, the people who have stood by her, what makes for good comedy, and her devotion to animal welfare.

In previous books, White covered her early years, so she touches only briefly on her childhood, her marriage to Allen Lunden, whom she adored, and her early successes in show business. At eighty-nine, White is a hot commodity. She has a successful sitcom and is having a ball appearing in movies, talk shows, and commercials.

"If You Ask Me" is a breezy, fast-paced, and amusing look at how this congenial and funny lady has managed to stay active for so long. White has been in show business for over sixty years. She admits that she is lucky to have enjoyed good health (although she takes full credit for watching her weight). She has high praise for her agent and talks about her passion for acting and the pleasure she derives from her work on behalf of animals. Betty White could not be happier. She believes that "gratitude should be the name of the game" and that "if one has no sense of humor, one is in trouble." Amen to that.