Rickles' Letters [Hardcover]

Don Rickles (Author), David Ritz (Contributor)

Book Description

Release date: November 11, 2008

Along with collected letters of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Jefferson and Wendell Willkie, Rickles' Letters illustrates the power of eloquent correspondence and offers universal wisdom for the ages. For example:

RICKLES TO MRS. LINCOLN: "Sorry you had problems at Ford's Theatre last night, but could you get me a couple of aisle tickets for the Saturday matinee?"

RICKLES TO ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: "Lose the cigar. It's hard enough to understand you without it."

RICKLES TO CLINT EASTWOOD: "How many guys could do a movie about Iwo Jima from the Japanese point of view? I got nervous; I thought you were going to let them win!"

RICKLES TO SANTA CLAUS: "Kiss my jingle bells."

RICKLES TO PRESIDENT CARTER: "Forget your hammers and nails and Habitat House and read my book."

RICKLES TO QUEEN ELIZABETH: "Is it true your husband has a day job working at a sword factory?"

RICKLES TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: "Cousin Herbie was doing great selling candles until you came up with the stupid idea of flying a kite."

RICKLES TO MAYOR BLOOMBERG: "What do I have to do to get a cab around here?"

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Legendary comedian Rickles is at his funniest when he's insulting people in front of an audience, and-as illustrated by his memoir Rickles' Book-at his most sentimental when reminiscing over old friends. This volume has a little of both, but not enough of either; a collection of open letters to fellow celebrities and other notable figures, it only hints at Rickles' uproarious comedic gifts. Most missives are strictly one-note: a letter to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where Rickles once studied, requests a statue in his honor; Fidel Castro gets joshed about his retirement; Jesus gets congratulations for starting a new religion, but chastised for Easter. Those waiting for the gloves to come off will be disappointed in his gentle treatment of longtime friends like Bob Newhart, Steve and Eydie Gorme and Frank Sinatra. Perhaps most puzzling is his temerity with those who could use the full Rickles barrage, like Osama Bin Laden: "You're becoming a real pain in my ass, way up there in the mountains. Just let me find you a nice condo in downtown Tel Aviv already." Longtime fans and comedy completists will want this in their collection, but they'll find it doesn't live up to Rickles' considerable talents.
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About the Author

Don Rickles is looking for his first big break in show business. If you have a gig for him, contact his agent (as soon as he gets one).

David Ritz is the only four-time winner of the Gleason Music Book Award. He has collaborated with Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Smokey Robinson, and Don Rickles. He also cowrote, with Gaye, the song “Sexual Healing.”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (November 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416596631
• ISBN-13: 978-1416596639
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,064,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Rickles is awesome January 6, 2009

By J. Flick

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book and his other book for my mother. She and I LOVED the other book (Rickles'Book: A Memoir). This one is good if you are a Rickles fan, but not as good as the other one.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fuuuuuny stuff! November 29, 2008

By Peterack VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

So there I was in a bookstore, the day after Thanksgiving, flipping this book from letter to letter...laughing my you know what off in the store. If you know Rickles you can hear his voice loud and clear through these.

If there is any downside, this is a very short book and one can get throuhg the whole thing easily, but worth having for the continued laughs alone!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars funny funny funny April 14, 2009

By Brian Greasley

Format:Hardcover

hilarious! A must read for fans of Rickles or youngsters who don't even know who he is!