Customer Reviews

How Paul Robeson Saved My Life and Other Mostly Happy Stories

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This collection of many short, short stories by Carl Reiner is a treat for anyone who is a fan of his, and will bring new fans into his circle. As he says in the title of his book, they are "mostly happy" stories, but one of the three best ones that stand out in my mind is about a homeless woman named Sally that is poignant, polished and emotionally wrenching. It is far from the hilarity we've come to expect from the creator of the Dick Van Dyke Show or the co-performer of the 2,000 Year-Old Man sketches with Mel Brooks. Of course, there are laughing-out-loud short short stories, involving unlikely figures such as Albert Einstein, who Reiner embroils in an illicit love affair. All you can do is laugh at the imagination and wit of such a premise. Of course, in my judgment, the best short story comes from the title of the book, HOW PAUL ROBESON SAVED MY LIFE. Read it and tell me if you think it's true. I can't tell. I hope it is, because it should have happened to Mr. Reiner when he was in the Army. One criticism of the book is that some of the endings seem oddly flat. One great compliment to the author is that he makes you feel that you can sit down, too, and start writing a story, and you'll be surprised at the ease and fluency of your work. It's a book worth reading, even with its highs and lows, and I look forward to his next effort.

This collection of many short stories by Carl Reiner is a treat for anyone who is a fan of his, and will bring new fans into his circle. As he says in the title of his book, they are "mostly happy" stories, but one of the three best ones that stand out in my mind is about a homeless woman named Sally that is poignant, polished and emotionally wrenching. It is far from the hilarity we've come to expect from the creator of the Dick Van Dyke Show or the co-performer of the 2,000 Year-Old Man sketches with Mel Brooks. Of course, there are laughing-out-loud short short stories, involving unlikely figures such as Albert Einstein, who Reiner embroils in an illicit love affair. All you can do is laugh at the imagination and wit of such a premise. Of course, in my judgment, the best short story comes from the title of the book, HOW PAUL ROBESON SAVED MY LIFE. Read it and tell me if you think it's true. I can't tell. I hope it is, because it should have happened to Mr. Reiner when he was in the Army. One criticism of the book is that some of the endings seem oddly flat. One great compliment to the author is that he makes you feel that you can sit down, too, and start writing a story, and you'll be surprised at the ease and fluency of your work. It's a book worth reading, even with its highs and lows, and I look forward to his next effort.

Carl Reiner is clearly a comic genius -- as a performer with Mel Brooks, as the director of numerous film comedies including "The Jerk" and in more recent years as an author. This collection is subtle but still another impressive part of his legacy