Lucy & Desi: The Real Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 2004

During their marriage, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz filled over 100 scrapbooks with all manner of memorabilia. Now fans can take a rare peek at the details of the famous TV couple’s lives with this fantastic replica composite. Lucy & Desi, our exclusive, real-life scrapbook of the couple’s lives, contains 25 interactive, three-dimensional paper-engineered replicas of actual items—from Desi’s report card to important telegrams—which have never been published before. Vintage snapshots of happy family moments, touching love letters, passports, and other precious minutiae, with more than 150 photographs, both black-and-white and color, fill this wonderful, engrossing look back at the golden years of television comedy, when Lucy and Desi charmed America with humor and song. This official scrapbook is a must-have for the millions of devoted fans.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When they died, entertaining legends Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball left behind more than 100 scrapbooks filled with letters, notes, cards, telegrams, photos and other mementos. Much of that material contributed to a documentary and CD-ROM on the couple, and some of it made it into this kitschy collection. It's right up a trivia buff's alley, whether she fancies the personal (a speeding ticket Lucy got in 1940; the couple's marriage certificate from the same year) or the professional (a clipping from Life magazine's October 6, 1958, issue exclaiming "Arnaz and Ball Take Over As Tycoons" when the duo bought RKO-PathéStudios). The reproduced images have an aged look (newspaper articles are yellowed and sometimes marked with the remnants of Scotch tape), but the inclusion of numerous pull-out facsimile artifacts are what make the book unique. A small card tucked into a slot on one page announces the March 29, 1953, christening of son Desiderio Alberto; a pamphlet illustrates how to do La Conga, the "latest dance creation as done by Diosa Costello & Desi Arnaz"; and a 1989 note from Clint Eastwood to Lucy's second husband, Gary Morton, expresses the star's sympathy after Lucy's death. It's a welcoming, intimate and mostly upbeat tribute, and Edwards's decision to portray everything in Lucy and Desi's own words adds to the personal feel.
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About the Author

Elisabeth Edwards has worked with the Arnaz family since 1992. She lives with her family in Connecticut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Running Press; 1St Edition edition (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076241572X
• ISBN-13: 978-0762415724
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 12.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #579,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Ball, Lucille

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must have!, February 5, 2005

By 

Marcelina Lundy (Tiverton, RI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lucy & Desi: The Real Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple (Hardcover)

If you are a fan of Desi and Lucy, this book is an absolute must have. From pictures of both of them as babies to the death notices that were cut out of the paper, the entire book will have you completely captivated. This book made me laugh, made me cry and had me thanking my lucky stars that these two wonderful people were able to do what they did. They left a legacy to all of us that will continue to touch peoples lives and hearts forever. Saying thank you will never be enough. Still, I would like to thank their family for making this book possible. They were very thoughtful and kind to make the material in the book open to the public. Lucy and Desi, and (Lucie and Desi jr) thank you so very much for deeply touching my heart, bringing laughter and tears to my life, and for making this wonderful book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST have for EVERY Lucy fan!, October 25, 2004

By 

Ron Middlekauff (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucy & Desi: The Real Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple (Hardcover)

I feel I have read every "Lucy" book written. However, when you hold in your own hands, the "scrapbook" memories that Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz shared, you feel closer to what magic they created and shared.

This book is full of letters and mementos you can actually remove from the book and hold them and read them, just the way Lucy & Desi did. These are their very own birth announcements, photographs, articles, passports, greeting cards and letters that moved them enough to hold onto them and not discard them like the rest of us do.

With actual memories of items written by Lucy & Desi about the various items, you are not getting a third person account of their lives. Read it, touch it, feel it. There were parts I was moved to tears to read about. I cannot think of another book that has EVER moved me that way.

A must have book if you say "I Love Lucy". Sure we all did, but this book will show you like no other the human side of a fine, fine couple. Many thanks to Lucie & Desi Jr. for sharing these private mementos of their parents lives with the public.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for any Lucy fan!, October 15, 2004

By 

L. G. Saigeon (TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lucy & Desi: The Real Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple (Hardcover)

This book is filled with pictures and memories of Lucy and Desi's life together. From the opening pages filled with pictures of their childhood to pictures of them on the movie set. You have to look carefully because on some pages there are slits with reproductions of marriage certificate, cablegrams, letters, handbills, etc. These items really make you feel as if you're getting a private glimpse into their life. It's like holding a piece of Hollywood history in your hands. This book is well made, pages are sturdy. The book slides out of a cardboard cover which helps protect the book. I would love to thank Lucy and Desi's family and Elisabeth Edwards for bringing this book to the public. A wonderful book for Lucy and Desi fans!