Customer Reviews

Ozzie

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I read this book about 12 years ago. It is a great book about the life of an amazing 20th century musician. From his childhood in New Jersey to football days at Rutgers University, turning his band's lead singer into America's favorite mom, "Ozzie" is a captivating story about one mans adventures through life.

Book is currently out of print, but is unquestionably worth finding a copy. A truly remarkable family in every way. Ozzie led a very interesting life, and Harriet was an accomplished lady of her own. Would love for someone to write an update on the remaining Nelsons. We lost a genius with Ozzie's passing in '75 and you owe it to yourself to read his autobiography

As I had read his 1973 autobiography that i found at the library one day. Ozzie has truly become an inspiration. He proved that with alot of hard work, discipline, determination, and a sharp,alert mind anything and all things are possible.

Right after I got the DVD and saw the book I knew I had to buy it.
Love this book! Written not long before he died I sensed on every page that this was a truly happy man. He infuses his warmth, humor, and love for his family, both of origin, and the family he created with Harriet. He gives the reader a sense of his gratitude for and love of life.
Since David is (sadly) the only surviving member of this family I wish he would write a book about them. It would be a treat to all Nelson fans!
I'm so glad I bought this book!

Ozzie Nelson was a dynamic person with an enthusiasm that was enchanting, a warmth and full of compassion for others. After, first discovering his autobiography at the library. I have finally been fortunate enough to find a rare copy to add to my collection. And, had the tremendous fortune of having his twin grandsons autograph it for me. They said that they preferred to dress as their cousins, Danny snd Jamie, in the photograph printed of them for their grandfather's book; but were made to wear the outfits for the picture, which to me is adorable. As I saw them perform in their concert, although, their style of music is quite different than their late grandfather's. They have the Nelson humor, optimistic spirit, and their own men. Besides their late grandfather, Ozzie, the other person I admire is their mother whom is an artist of primitives. My great-grandmother was a portrait painter, and so good that I felt I couldn't compete. But, when I saw primitives by Kristin Nelson, I knew that's what I wanted to do when I was fifteen. Before I realized it, once as I was watching an episode of the "Adventure's of Ozzie and Harriet," when it was aired on television, my mother said to me that I was a young version of Kristin. That made me happy, yet as I grew I felt a connection to her and wanted to be as sophisticated as she, I didn't know anything about her then, and didn't have any role models other than my elegant great-grandmother whom passed away when I was six years old. I've grew to learn that she and I have much in common: aside from both being the eldest in our families, the same luminous eyes, and not given to easy confidences. Her father was a genuine war hero in the second world war winning the purple heart as my father did thirty years later. She was a visionary, like Ozzie Nelson, somehow she had the power to turn her goals into realities, and her dreams came true. She had a collected all of Ozzie's younger son's record albums and photographs, and had dreamed of marrying him from the time she was eleven. At the age of thirteen she met him at a basketball game. Her father took a picture of their first meeting, which she put up on her wall in her room with thousands of others of Ozzie's younger son and the legend, "Nothing Is Impossible." Although, they didn't see one another for a few years later. She had felt they were meant to be together. When her husband died I was very young, and didn't know they were divorced until much later. My father had passed away around that time also, except with cancer of the liver as Ozzie passed away from. Yet Ozzie was sixty-nine and my father was forty-two years old. I saw my first picture of Ozzie's twin grandson's, and they strongly resembled my father. I also developed as my aunt said to me an infactuation on one of them. Never thinking that I would ever see them in person. That could never even happen. I read how Ozzie loved the ocean, and enjoyed to play volleyball at his beach house. So, I painted a picture of him incorporating him with a volleyball. Most recently, A&E did a biography of the Nelson family, and I learned that his beach house was sold after his wife passed away, and the new owners levelled it to make way for a new house. Ozzie lived an extraordinary life. Like my father, he did it gracefully and with integrity for others to lead by his example. His only granddaughter whom herself had beaten Hodgkin's lymphoma after being dianosed shortly after she was married. She and her husband had one daughter, but separated when she was three. Although, her former husband hasn't remarried, she had a son eight months ago out of wedlock. And, is busy making the movie about her family's life story. I have admired Ozzie and his daughter-in-law Kristin since i was very young. And, am not sure what I think about a movie about their lives. Ozzie's autobiography is wonderful. I come from an illustrious family myself, but my memories of them and them are private treasures. After, his grandson's concert and they signing the book. I somehow found the courage to ask them if they were going to their mother's art show. The one whom I had a crush on said to me he might go, and as he said that all else in the room had faded away. The other one said that he and his wife were going, and with a warm smile and a thumb's up he said before I walked away, "I'll see you at the art show." He has his grandfather Ozzie Nelson's smile.