Customer Reviews

Merman

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's as if Ethel is sitting there telling you her life story. It's a bright lively read and if she fudges a few details and glosses over some of the seamier stuff it is certainly more open and honest that most stars' autobiographies.

This was released in 1978 - 6 years before her death so it does cover most of her life. Fill in the rest with Bob Thomas' I GOT RHYTHM: THE ETHEL MERMAN STORY.

I'm nearly embarrassed to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography, largely because its details (particularly regarding Ethel's private life) are highly selective and sanitised. Still, as a long time fan of Ethel Merman's, I found it a very tasteful presentation, and a pleasant survey of her career, even if there is little detail about the shows themselves.

Brassy though Ethel was known to be, I truly believe she sought both to present her life in excellent taste (that is putting it mildly - she gives the impression she was a virgin at 30) and to reminisce with warmth (making her marriage to the volatile Bob Levitt seem so rosy that one wonders why they ever divorced.)

It is a pleasant 'read,' and has a nice flavour of an elderly lady with an exciting life presenting the details as she would have liked the public to know them.

I loved Ethel Merman all my life and still enjoy her singing and acting to this day. However, this book was really boring to me, except for the parts about her marriage to Ernest Borgnine. Those were hilarious! She is a wonderful lady and classy from head to toe. I just thought the book went into too much detail about studio background stuff that I don't really have interest in. Someone else may enjoy it though. It was good to read how she developed her strong personality. She is missed by us all.