Customer Reviews

I Loved Lucy: My Friendship with Lucille Ball

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3 star:		(5)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

... and I've read most of them!

I sort of expected this book to be some tabloidish tale, an exploitive expose' about The Queen Of Television Comedy. I was completely wrong and am not ashamed to admit that.

It was one of the only books about Lucille Ball that I had not purchased. I ran across it one day at the library so I checked it out. I ended up purchasing the book for my collection before I even finished it. The glowing letter of endorsement from Lucy's daughter Lucie Arnaz that graces the back cover should have been enough for me to make the purchase upon its release!

Tannen dishes a lot of dirt here, but it's nothing that Lucy would necessarily be mad at him for revealing. His words give Lucy fans a complete idea of what Lucy's last years were like. Stories about how Lucy desperately wanted to make the movie "Driving Miss Daisy" (Lee says she would have been all wrong for it, and he's right); her disastrous last two projects (the TV movie "The Stone Pillow", and the failed ABC sitcom "Life With Lucy"); her obsession with backgammon and game shows (she loved Vanna White of "Wheel Of Fortune"), plus a lot of other stories let us in on a Lucy we never really knew.

As the star of one of the world's most popular TV shows, most people would think that Lucy lived a grand life of luxury. She did, but she seemed mostly unaware that it was so grand- and that it could have been even grander. She did not enjoy change. Her homes are described in detail, down to what the furniture looked like. It's all extremely riveting, especially for anyone that is a fan of Lucille Ball.

The thing that makes this book so wonderful is that you truly get a sense that Lee Tannen REALLY did love Lucy. He didn't write this book to cash in on anything. He just wanted to share a side of Lucy with her fans that they didn't know about before. She does't come out smelling so perfect at all times, but this book certainly will not tarnish anyone's image of her.

If you have any interest in Lucille Ball at all, this is a book that you will not want to miss out on. It was extremely hard to put down.

This is a book about a distant relative of Gary Morton's relationship with Lucille Ball during the last ten years of her life. He spent a good amount of time with Lucy, and he shares with us their dinner dates, skiing in Colorado, going to the theatre and, of course, backgammon! I couldn't put the book down. The private life of Lucy after "I Love Lucy" is fascinating, no matter what she said or did - I wanna hear it all. The author tells the story always with love for Lucy and with a good sense of humor of his own. Lucy fans should treasure this.

Lee Tannen was a good friend and frequent backgammon partner of Lucy during the last ten years of her life. He presents us with a lightweight yet winning book, although at times I felt I had strayed into the script of "Sunset Boulevard" as he details Lucy's isolation, her days spent playing backgammon inside her shuttered Beverly Hills home, with her outdated 50's decor and kitchen appliances.
He doesn't make the Lucy he knew into a saintly figure; instead he lets us in on her "star-ego" moments and her lapses into pettiness. He describes in detail how each of her homes and her ski condo at Snowmass, Colorado are decorated, and tells us of her wardrobe with her extensive collection of fur coats.
Although his book is entertaining, with some degree of unavoidable name-dropping, I think most people prefer to remember Lucy as she was in the 50s when her antics made a whole nation laugh with delight.

I confess to not reading the entire book.
I really didn't want to.

The tone was rather gushy and breathless. The photos of author and actress seemed to usually show him smirking into the camera, draped around her, as if broadcasting "here *I* am with a STAR!"

One didn't get the impression of the author as a friend, but as someone more needy. His likening Ms. Ball and himself to the main characters in "Sunset Boulevard" was therefore strange. He seemed to never forget--or let the reader forget either--that Lucy had been the Queen of TV Comedy, An Icon. And to then cast Lucy into the Norma Desmond role of someone who was forgotten, in need of the constant company of an adoring young man, AND crazy, is egregious. Not only contraditory, but also egotistical.

Glad I avoided the bits where he fantasizes that he's actually reliving episodes of "I Love Lucy"; to paraphrase Groucho Marx, sometimes a TV show is just a TV show.

Lee Tannen has given the millions of Lucy fans all over the world an especially welcome early-holiday gift--his touching memoir, I LOVE LUCY: MY FRIENDSHIP WITH LUCILLE BALL. While it can be argued that Lee is by no means the "typical" everyday Lucy fan (he has a jet-set career and many friends in high places), he brings tremendous compassion and intelligence to the often heartbreaking story of Lucy's final years. Exploring the often sad, mundane realities of her existence in the twilight of her life, he gives us Lucy--the real, honest, frank, demanding, and yes, heartbroken woman behind the laughs. An intelligent and open-minded memoir of a unique and complex friendship, one which had a profound effect on both the author and his once-in-a-lifetime subject, America's greatest comedienne.

As the niece of Gary Morton, my mother's brother, and a long-time resident of Los Angeles, I spent a significant amount of time with Lucy and Gary in their homes from 1962 on. I was, therefore, amazed at how inaccurate many of the so-called "facts" in this book are. To start with, my uncle was several years older than Tannen portrays him and was never a member of the Hillcrest Country Club. Thus, he never wore a terry robe with a Hillcrest Country Club logo on it, as Tannen claims.

I was also surprised at how someone who claims to have loved Lucy so much would show such disrespect for her and her family throughout the book by making unsubstantiated negative statements about them and discussing so many private things. In mentioning Lucy's relationship with her children, Tannen guesses about their feelings for each other and the reasons for them, and then presents these guesses as facts. He also infers - without any substantiation - that my uncle, who was Lucy's husband for nearly 30 years, was interested in how much money Lucy made for his own selfish reasons. Since my uncle acted as Lucy's agent at her request, it is more likely that he was concerned about how much money she was being paid on a project because he wanted to ensure she was treated with the respect she deserved. From my perspective, Gary always looked out for Lucy's best interests. Tannen also makes a statement about an opinion of my uncle supposedly held by Lucy's television show writers. I truly doubt these writers ever discussed their opinions about anything with Tannen, if in fact they spoke to him at all.

Knowing Lucy as well as I did and how much she valued her privacy, I believe that had Tannen written this book while she was still alive, she would cut him out of her life altogether, as she had done once before. Perhaps Tannen's real motive in writing this book was more self-serving, i.e., to make up for his inability to get Lucy to participate in one of his projects - such as the Broadway play he pushed for her to do.

In short, many of the purported "facts" in this book are nothing more than Tannen's personal beliefs and opinions. If you're interested in fantasies about Lucy and her life, read this book. If you're interested in facts, I would suggest you look elsewhere.

When I first heard about Lee Tannen's book, two questions came to me: Do I really care about Lucy? and How much more do I want to know about her? I decided to pick up the book for no other reason than for some light reading, and now I'm here to tell you - I am so VERY pleased that I did!
This is a GREAT book!
Tannen is both a fan and a family insider who got to spend the better part of an important decade with America's favorite female clown and I, for one, appreciate his honesty in his portrait of Lucy (and those around her)and for giving us details of his dealings with her. Yes, everthing and everyone is not presented as so "rosy" but that's because Lee is truthful and has no axes to grind. (If you think Gary Morton gets the shaft here - maybe it's because he deserves it! Lee knew him well, did you?). And while some may accuse Tannen of being a fanatical fan, or object to his style of referring him real-life dealings with Lucy to specific episodes of I Love Lucy, I found this to be one of the charms of the book. (What do critics of Tannen's writing style want - a boring narrative that starts and ends with "today we did this. . ." or some made-up juicy dirt? Get real!
Lee shows us that he knew Lucy, he knew the shows, he knew her background, he knew her friends, and most of all, he knew Lucy and cared for her - not as a delirious fan or follower, but as a true friend and admirer.
I found this to be such a good read, I couldn't put it down and I never wanted it to end. The humanity Tannen brings out - in both the main character and those around her - helps the reader to understand the souls within. And without these stories we'd never really know Lucy, the woman, and her times. I stopped after many a paragraph to admire the deeds of Lucy, while before this book, all I had to admire about her was the acting I saw on screen. Likewise, when I was made at Lucy's actions, knowing them still helped me to know her better than if I was simply an admirer of the silver screen. Tannen deserves credit for giving us this side of Lucy so effortlessly.
When the book concludes any reader with even a modicum of heart will have a lump in their throat and a tear in their eye. The pain in Tannen's voice is so evident, so real! It became my own pain and reminded me of all my own personal losses. So what's wrong with that?
I guarantee you'll love the book and find yourself telling Lucy tales to many a friend - for a long time!
To critics who take Tannen to task for his inside knowledge, or his style, all I can say is get over your case of jealousy. Here's a GREAT book by a guy who was fortunate enough to "be there," and we're fortunate that he's shared it all with us. I know I'm better off for the read. You will be too!

Lee Tannen has successfully and engagingly portrayed his relationship with the star Lucille Ball. From the very beginning of the book it is apparent that Lucy let Lee Tannen into her life at a time when she was becoming reclusive and spending time with only the closest of friends. Lee Tannen describes with wit and clarity the ordinary comings and goings of a friendship. It is a very moving journey of friendship and companionship between a very intelligent, energetic, and funny young man, with a star......it is clear that Lee Tannen loved Lucy, and importantly, equally clear that Lucy loved him. A wonderful read!

Just when you thought you new EVERYTHING about Lucy... SURPRISE! This book takes us on an amazing journey through the last decade of her life.

If you ever wished you could have gotten a chance to meet and spend time with Lucy..when reading this book it's like YOU ARE FINALLY THERE! And some of the adventures he takes you on with her...they are hysterical - in a Manhattan movie house watching "Terms of Endearment;" on the slopes of Snowmass, Colorado and mostly around her favorite backgammon table in Beverly HIlls! What a trip she was! And after reading this book I love her even more!

I couldn't put the book down....started before lunch, broke for dinner.. and finished around 2am...IT'S JUST THE KIND OF LAUGHTER I NEEED AFTER THE HELLISH MONTH WE HAVE ALL JUST GONE THROUGH IN AMERICA!

I was in a bookstore picking up a new release of another book I had on my to read list when I turned my head and saw this book promiently displayed (with only 2 copies left!). I opened the book and skimmed a couple of pages here and there and KNEW I HAD to buy this book! I put this book before my "new released" book and what a ride Lee gives the reader in the final decade of Lucy's life! I was up to 2AM finishing the book up, I could not put it down!

This book was poignant, written with true friendship, love for Lucy, honesty and personality. From page one upon meeting Lee, the read is made to feel that he/she is an ant sitting on Lee's shoulder experiencing all the times and visits he had with Lucy.

I appreciated the fact that in telling his experiences, Lee did not glaze over any touchy moments when Lucy may not have been happy about something as well as didn't overload sugar in her good times. I found the written account to be what the experience was. What made Lucy tick? What made Lucy happy? What made Lucy laugh? What made Lucy angry? We was Lucy thinking?

We got to meet people in Lucy's later life that we may not have ever met. In simplicity, Lucy the star, the icon and Queen of Comedy was in many ways an everyday person like so many of us are. The reader felt like they were having lunch with Lucy with her specialty of grilled cheese sandwiches or beans and franks. We had dinners that included her beloved Waldorf Salad.

I laughed, I cried with the book. I got into an insight of her last years being married to Gary Morton that I really never contexted in the way it was. It was kind of sad as how it was, isn't what I had in mind. I think in several ways, Lucy never got over Desi.

The only thing that made this reader wonder about is that we got to meet Lucie and her family and on occasion see them get together with Lucy. Desi Jr. is touched upon in several places but we never got to experience him visiting Lucy. From reading the book, I don't think it was just excluded by the author but the reader does wonder why Desi Jr. isn't around.

I wholeheartedly suggest that any Lucy fan buy this book, read it, and add it to your Lucy library. This would make a WONDERFUL Christmas/Hannukah gift for the holiday season for the Lucy fan on your gift list!