Customer Reviews

It's Always Something

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Until I read this book, I thought Gilda Radner was a remarkable performer. After reading it, I realized she was much, much more. She was an extraordinary woman, too.

This book is not just written in a flowing, captivating way, it is also quite funny, despite its subject. While reading, you go through a journey with Radner, who takes you along with her for the good and the bad times. You cheer for her when she finally gets the man she loves, and you cry when you both lose the battle with cancer.

This book stayed with me for a long, long time after I read it. I want you all to have the same experience.

I've always been a fan of Gilda Radner.She was the greatest new comedian to come from the 70's.Just to look at her face doing skits on S.N.L. had me laughing out loud.I was so happy when it seemed Gilda was winning the battle over cancer.When she appeared on Gary Shandling's show,and made jokes about it.She looked fantastic.They even had a special lunch for Gilda,thinking she was cancer free,but she knew it was back again.Gilda still didn't give up. There's a part in the book when Gilda was walking down the street,and a car splashes muddy water on her.She starts yealing something about being "Cancer Women." Its the funniest part of the book.Gilda also write's about her childhood,and the S.N.L days,and her life with Gene Wilder.This book is very helpfull for anyone who has Cancer,and what to do if cancer runs in you family like it did in Gilda's.If only she knew,everything would have been different,but Gilda and her family have saved so many lives through Gilda's place. This is a beutifull book,and its not sad.Gilda's last gift to the World.

I have read "It's Always Something" by Gilda Radner probably a dozen or so times. Last night, I finished it once again. The message that Gilda gives to us is that you can never give up and no matter how bad things may seem in your own life, it can always be worse. Gilda Radner was a class act. She left behind memories that will someday make my children laugh. Gilda died as she lived; with respect, humor and dignity. Whenever I feel that life cannot get any worse, I pick up her book and it inspires me to go back out there and do whatever I can do to just get through the day. She is right when she says that some poems don't rhyme and some stories do not have a clear beginning, middle or end. Life was too short for Gilda. Her incredible life is her legacy. She made me laugh and I miss her. I finished the book once again, and I feel very sad today.

Gilda Radner died at age 42- and she didn't have to. That's

what kept going through my head as I read this book, for the

first time,and the sixth time..... Knowing how this story ends casts

a shadow over this bright and articulate memoir somewhat, if

only because you know that Gilda's optimism and wishing didn't

do her any good. You see, all of her life, she had such a fear of

cancer, she would cross the street if the word was on a

sign or a building. She even hated her astrological sign,

which amazingly enough, was "CANCER", because she thought it was

an unhappy omen. When she's finally diagnosed with the disease,

you can feel her terror and frustration leaping off the pages,

partly because she documents going from doctor to doctor, when she first

has symptoms, confiding her fears ( ironically, Gilda began penning this tome many months

BEFORE she was diagnosed, or even had symptoms; it was meant to be a light, newlywed movie

star/housewife's handbook, full of vignettes and witty observations; until, that is,

her diagnosis: Gilda Radner wrote that she now faced with a foe "mightier even than the

Interior Decorator"!) Before her definitive diagnosis, most of the physicians-- and

there were many-- gave

Gilda the medical equivilent of a "pat on the head", as you would a dis-

illusioned child, and sent her home. They wouldn't even TEST

for it when she asked them to do so, which was outrageous. When it was discovered too

late, they tried their best to cure her, but.... well, sadly, we all

know the outcome.

This book was not written by an "angel", who had a perfect life

and a perfect marriage. Gene Wilder, her husband and support

system, loses his patience at times; but these are two human

beings, not trying to live up to anybody's expectations of

what a cancer patient or their significant other is like.

Gene Wilder handled himself admirably, partly because he held

his wife's belief that, some day, Gilda would get well.

I liked this book, and still do, but it's not for the

squeamish, as Gilda gives graphic accounts of nearly all the

procedures that were performed on her, including chemotherapy.

And it's not for people who believe that "good people" don't

suffer, because she's a good person, and suffer she does.

This is an excellent book for people who think that their

bad day at the office, the "F" on their child's report card, etc., are

the end of the world.... if this book doesn't put the small stuff

into perspective for you, nothing will.

There's an African proverb that says if you call the name of a

deceased person once a day, they live on. And, I suppose, THAT'S why I read

this book often, because that wonderful, sparkling spirit that

was Gilda, should never be allowed to die.

On Sunday, May 21, 1989, I was dining at a favorite restaurant, poring over the front page of "The Kansas City Star." When I saw the cruel headline ("Gilda Radner Dies at 42"), my appetite vanished - and I felt as if I had lost a very close friend. Two months later, battling my own chronic illness, I was given a copy of "It's Always Something" while hospitalized with major depression. I had always loved Gilda from "SNL", but now I loved her even more.

The gifted comedienne's gripping, poignant, wrenching (and, yes, at times humorous) account of her fight with Ovarian cancer touched my heart, and I mourned her death even more fully. Ovarian cancer ended Gilda's life, but Radner's tragedy didn't begin and end there. The medical community failed Gilda. Her maligancy was not diagnosed until TEN MONTHS - that's right - nearly a near - after her symptoms began. By the time she underwent surgery in October 1986, she was at Stage IV in the illness - a time in which survival rates are distressingly low.

I'm angry. I was angry in July 1989 - and I'm still angry nearly 15 years later.

But the sorrow and regret do not mitigate the joys and beauty of Gilda's wonderful book. Her vulnerability, endearing childlike innocence, her abundant wit, her lovable nature, and her enduring kindness pervade "It's Always Something." And that's probably why I loved this book, even at the lowest point in my own life, when I was facing potential long-term hospitalization.

Luckily, I didn't have cancer, but I still relate - in spades - to Gilda's frustration with the medical establishment. I'm still fighting the condition diagnosed 15 years ago, and I still love and revere the beloved comedienne who inspired such loyalty from so many.

I adore Gilda Radner, and "It's Always Something" I'll carry in my heart.....forever.

When I found out I had to do a project on Gilda Radner I was stunned. It was for my American history class. I had never been a huge Gilda fan, but seen a few of her SNL skits, so I thought to myslef 'how did she change history'. I had no idea, until I read this book. Not only did Gilda change comedy forever, but she gave many cancer patients a reason to try and live. My Aunt had ovarian cancer durring the 80's, and told me that with out Gilda's advice, she would have wanted to die. Gilda wrote this book while she had cancer, what an amazing thing to do. She wrote a beautiful book that truely I wouldn't put down. I read the book 4 times, and still wanted to read it again. Gilda finds a way to tell her story as your own. She touches something from your past or future. It's such an amazing book, and i recomend it to people of all ages.

I read Gilda's book in August of 1991 when I was going thru Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer. I was so scared because my 3 children were under 5 years of age. This book gave me alot of courage. It also made me realize that I had a better chance because it was caught in time where her's wasn't, which is a real shame. She suffered so much & so did Gene Wilder at her side. I borrowed it to a friend whose sister was also going thru this, but unfortuneately she was not a survivor. I recommend this book to everyone, especially the men. It'll make you appreciate your women & it'll also make you aware of this silent killer that is usually caught too late.

I remember when Gilda Radner died and hearing about her book. I always had wanted to read it and kept the title in some rolodex in my memory. I never got around to buying it. Last summer I was at a mom's group/playgroup where we were doing a book exchange and there was "It's Always Something" laying on the table. I grabbed it up immediately and felt like I'd gotten the best of the bunch. Tonight I finished reading it and I'm so glad I did finally get to read it. It's sad, uplifting and funny. It gave me a glimpse into her personal life and how she came to terms with her cancer. I recommend it to anyone but I also think if you're facing cancer this is excellent. It's an easy read, won't take long and worth every minute spent. I'm not a cancer patient, but it tells me that regardless of what obstacle we're facing we're allowed to be strong, fearful, childish and brave in whatever order we want. There are no rules when dealing with life altering issues and seeing that the human spirit can rise above, even in the face of terminal illness, and help us face things head on. God bless Gilda Radner and every person facing such a mountain.

I have always loved Gilda Radner's sense of humor, but this book showed me there is much more to her than just her ability to make people laugh. This book was written by Gilda herself and chronicles her battle with ovarian cancer. She goes into detail about certain procedures she had done, about how she reacted when she lost her hair from chemo and about how the Wellness Community helped to keep her sane when she could no longer cope with having cancer. I had tears in my eyes thoughout the book, but I was able to smile and rejoice along with Gilda when she managed to put a positive spin on a bad situation. It doesn't matter if the reader can relate to her experiences or not. This book will touch your heart either way.

I read this paperback edition when it first was published
and read it again years later. It still amazes me that
this book by Gilda can instill in me, once again, the
pure joy that was Gilda. If you were (are) a fan of the
original Saturday Night Live cast, you owe it to yourself
to learn what our Gilda was really like.