Customer Reviews

My Life As a Ten Year-Old Boy

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I should preface this by saying that I am a Simpsons fanactic. Because of the wonders of digital cable, I am able to watch the show -- 3 episodes worth -- every afternoon as I'm making dinner. To date, it's the only show on television that makes me laugh until I snort.

Now that I've painted that beautiful picture, let me get to the book...

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and by Nancy Cartwright, the author. She did a great job of mixing the obscure, behind-the-scenes stuff that fans (like me)love with a pleasant grouping of autobiographical sketches and personal photos. I hadn't known that Nancy had such a wide-range of voice experience!

Truly, though, it was the "Behind the Simpsons" stuff that sold me. I thoroughly enjoyed about how the show began, what the performers are really like, and how time consuming/complicated it is to put together a 24-minute episode. Also, it was great when Nancy would reference different scenes/anecdotes from the episodes. I felt like such a Simpsons insider, especially when I was able to say, "I saw that!" or "I remember that!"

A final note: Make sure to look on the lower, right-hand corner of the last hundred or so pages in the book. By flipping quickly through the pages (think "flip book"), you can see an adorable animated short featuring Nancy and her alter ego, Bart Simpson. So cute!

Make sure to give this to every Simpsons fan on your holiday gift list. They will definitely appreciate it.

Having read Nancy Cartwright's book, My Life As A Ten Year Old Boy (5 cds, 6 hours, unabridged) which was not a great book or a great tell all. On the printed page, the book was slow and boring. So, I was very leary of an audio version. Well, I was wrong...The audio version sparkles.

Cartwright seems to do a one woman show in narrating her book. Okay, she doesn't fully get her co-stars voice patterns (like Julie Kavner's Marge or the late great Phil Hartman) perfect, but you will know who she is talking about. She is a masterful talent behind a mic, which makes this insiders version of the Simpson family rock.

So, DONT HAVE A COW, MAN over some of her crazy vocal detours Nancy tries. Cartwright's tell all is NOT an audio copy of Nimoy's I am NOT Spock. She is happy in the skin of Bart and it shows. What impresses me more is her humble beginning and her excitement in this reading. It overwhelms the listener. For most Overwhelming is bad, for this it is VERY good. Cartwright is a fan along with all of us ! She still had the awe with the rest of us!

So If you a Simpson fan, Animation fan, Love Saturday Morning Cartoons (or Cartton Network) or a fan of a life in Hollywood stories... this no nonsense, humorous recanting on the history of a cartoon series is great fun...and if you don't like this audio...well to quote Bart Simpson, in his immortal words, "EAT MY SHORTS!"--Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD

I have been the coordinator of Mensa's special interest group devoted to "The Simpsons" for many years now and when a fellow member of the group had an opportunity to go to a book signing for Nancy Cartwright's "My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy" I asked him if he could meet the author for me and get me an autographed copy of the book. When I received the book I began reading in earnest and I could not put it down.

Nancy Cartwright delights fans and non-fans of "The Simpsons" with her first book, "My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy." Her book goes beyond a traditional autobiography and takes an interesting look at the inner workings of one of America's most beloved television series. Cartwright's cozy writing style makes readers feel like they are getting a 12-year personal backstage tour of the show. As an original and integral castmember, Cartwright deserves attention; the book is a must for those interested in what goes on behind the scenes of the show. Nancy (after reading the book readers feel like they should be on a first-name basis with the writer)also shares her own personal and professional development with regard to her voice career. This amply satisfies the curiosity of anyone who has ever asked the question,"how does someone get a really cool job like that?" Interactions with guest stars, details about production and the author's personal reflections on people and events connected with the show serve to provide readers with a unique perspective of one of the most popular TV shows of all time. In short, Nancy Cartwright's book, "My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy" is an interesting and fascinating read. I would definitely recommend it.

The sayings "Eat my shorts!" "Don't have a cow, man!" are but a few of Bart Simpson. Ever wonder what it's like to be the voice of a famous cartoon? Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes and what it takes to make the cartoon come to life?

Nancy Cartwright is the voice of one of the most famous ten-year old boys in America culture and her book is an excellent look into the behind the scenes activities of the Simpson's.

Unlike like a lot of books in this genre, this is the first that not only tells a story of the person but also gives a glimpse of what goes into the show, production notes and working with the cast.

Easy to read and follow the storyline, you'll meet Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and the whole cast from a whole new perspective. It's funny, brilliant and entertaining and now when I watch the show I have deeper appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes.

This book is a fascinating cross between a standard "fanzine" bio -- giving enthusiastic fans all (and even MORE than all) they want to know about a star and/or show -- and a solid show biz bio. So it'll please and disappoint some. This isn't a hedge, but a fact.

Nancy Cartwright is a supremely young talented actress/voice-over artist who, unless you live on Jupiter, know is the REAL voice of 10-year-old Bart Simpson (and some other characters on the show). The questions: Could she write a book that satisfied detail-hungry Simpson's fans with tidbits about how the show is created, animated, written, voiced. Could she provide bio info on the other cast members? Could she give behind-the-scenes stories about the various highpowered guest stars? And could she also do a SOLID show biz bio that shows how she got from point A to Point B, from a child in awe of show biz figures, especially voice-over stars, to a behind-the-scenes star? The answers: YES...and no.

This book could be gifted to EVERY youth who seeks any career for one reason alone: it shows in the beginning how, at an early age, she was smart enough to pick a prominent mentor with whom she could consult, who could help open doors a tiny crack for her. It was Daws Butler, voice of a zillion cartoon characters such as Yogi Bear. She had the TALENT but was smart enough to seek out advice, meet her mentor, take his advice and let him guide her through the show biz obstacle course early in her career.

For Simpson's fans, the book is rich in enormous detail (also in italics and a conversational style that becomes slightly grating at times but is sincere). What comes across is Cartwright's underlying modesty (but she is confident) and her continued (endearing) ghee-whiz awe at being in a business where she can meet all these famous people. There's also a nice collection of photos and a little cartoon in the lower right hand corner that animates when you flip the pages. Some non die-hard Simpsons fans MAY flip this book's pages since it most successful as a book for fans of the show.

On the other level, as a show biz bio of interest to more than die-hard fans, it doesn't work as well, but has definite merits. There's a superb blow-by-blow explanation of how the program is created, animated and voiced. Excellent descriptions are given about voice-over specifics -- so this would indeed be an IMPORTANT book for someone who wants to do cartoon or commercial voices. They can learn about what goes into voice-overs, the importance of goal-setting, the importance of trying to implement a goal and the importance of seeking mentors (for at least advice before leaping into things).

Yet, because it is a mixture it somehow doesn't seem to TOTALLY fulfill either mission, as a fanzine book or show biz bio. But that is NOT -- rpt NOT -- Cartwright's fault: she is an enormously talented young woman who has already shot to the top of the voice-over business NOT because of her mentor, but because of incredible talent. We might forgive her if her book is not as solid or fascinating as the immortal Mel Blanc's solid 1988 autobiography That's Not All Folks. He was about a lot older than her.

Cartwright has a long career ahead of her -- and will most certainly continue to skyrocket once the Simpson's is off the air. We're sure to see her write another autobiography some years down the pike -- and that one will surely be a classic. For now, My Life As A 10-Year-Old Boy will do quite nicely.

This is the only first hand behind-the-scenes look at the Simpsons that I've read. It's interesting as Nancy walks you through (pretty much step by step) the entire production of the Simpsons and gives you a brief introduction to those responsible for our favorite show. Very entertaining and a definite must read for even the mild Simpsons fans (is that an oxymoron?).

Nancy Cartwright utilizes wit and humor as she explores not only her personal life and career as the voice of Bart Simpson, but as she provides a descriptive, in-depth account of the lengthy and difficult process of developing an entire Simpsons episode. Despite her various roles in films, Nancy Cartwright is better known for creating the voice of the rebellious Bart Simpson, especially since she is capable of giving a cartoon drawing depth and personality. There are several excerpts from her meetings with guest stars that have appeared on the show, including Mel Gibson and Kelsey Grammer. Through her book, she invites fans into the world of The Simpsons, from the whole cartoon making process (it takes 8 to 10 months to create one episode) to her experiences with working with fellow co-stars. She has established herself as a celebrity thanks to Bart Simpson, already an immediate icon of American culture. This book will inform readers with many interesting facts about the show. If you're a Simpsons fan or are solely interested in what goes on behind the scenes, then this a highly recommended book for you.

My Life As A 10-Year-Old Boy is the fascinating, behind-the-scenes story of Nancy Cartwright, who is the voice of Bart Simpson on "The Simpsons", the very popular and longest running comedy series on television today. Here revealed for her legions of fans is the inside story of Cartwright's career, with intimate and candid anecdotes from a true insider. We are treated to Cartwright's history of her life as Bart going back to the early days when she received a call from her agent about an audition for an animated "interstitials" series that was to be sandwiched between commercial breaks and "the Tracey Ullman Show". Nancy was originally asked to read for the role of Lisa Simpson, but landed the role of Bart, a devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, clever, soon to be a pop culture icon, ten year old boy from an hilariously dysfunctional family in the dysfunctional town of Springfield. My Life As A 10-Year-Old Boy is a "must" for all Simpson fans everywhere!

[...]
Although not as detailed as I would have liked, Nancy still offers a unique insider's perspective on the creation of each Simpsons episode. From the writers and storyboard artists' conceptions to the final product, the book takes the reader through the entire process of what it's like to produce an animated television show.

Nancy also gives a brief account of her journey through the business of voice-over artist. She starts with her humble beginnings in school plays and speech competitions through working with her mentor, Daws Butler (Huckleberry Hound, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, etc.).

In short, this was a very interesting and informative book even if it was, at times, a little "self-serving." But then again, what else do you expect from an autobiography?

]...]

When I came across <My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy>, I wondered if I would be interested in it at all. I must confess I have seen a complete episode of "The Simpsons" only once and was not particularly impressed, and subsequent partial viewings did not change my mind. But I am always immensely interested in accounts of how complex procedures are carried out; and the technical aspects of voice-overs seemed like a very interesting topic for a book. Provided, I thought, that the author does not introduce all sorts of autobiographical impedimenta along the way.

Well, after the first two chapters, I was hooked. Nancy Cartwright has a delightful conversational style, marred only by a steady use of slang that was popular in the early days of the show but used here to create a feeling of the bond between human and cartoon characters. And where she does discuss her private life, it is always with reference to her main subject.

My only major objection is that the technical part of her narrative starts with recording of the voices and only later in the book does she explain about the storyboards and the gels. Perhaps a chapter early in the book giving a brief "flow chart" of the procedure would have led to less confusion (at least on my part).

There are 23 chapters, 12 of which are generally shorter and written, somewhat annoyingly, in italics. These dozen recount her meetings with several celebrities from the unintentionally funny grand entrance of Liz Taylor and her entourage to the no-nonsense professionalism of Meryl Streep. And I would very much love to have heard Mel Gibson do a "Curly laugh"! It is in Chapter 15, "My Mom is Bart Simpson," that the author creates an interview which finally gets down to the psychological aspects of being known as a voice--and not even one's natural one-- rather than as a whole person. I would like to see this chapter excerpted in books designed for would-be actors.

It is certain that "Simpsons" fans will wear this book out reading it again and again. It does have minor stylistic and expository flaws; but in general it does what it sets out to do. It celebrates the author's rise to fame, the success of the show, and (by implication) the phenomenon of a cartoon family becoming internationally famous.

To quote Shakespeare: "If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."