Customer Reviews

We're Ready for You, Mr. Grodin

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There is truth to the negative remarks in the previous reviews, but Charles Grodin is an interesting person. Yes, narcissistic traits reveal themselves, but so does a person who cuts through the bull and doesn't take abusive behavior. He stands up for other people, too. That's a rare and very positive trait. Grodin is also incredibly persistent in going after his goals. He has narcissistic traits, but he's not a narcissist. He's very aware of human behavior and his anecdotes are interesting to anyone interested in psychology. He's complicated and admirable. I miss him on talk shows, it was a special event when he was on.

I'm halfway through the book and enjoying it. So far, it's not quite as good as his other older ones, but I'm still looking forward to finishing it, since I like his humor a lot. Besides, I grew up just across the Allegheny River from him in Pittsburgh; he was two years ahead of me in school (different school), so I'm loyal to him and like to help support his writing, movies, etc. I'm a big fan; he's so funny!

Although, what I'm noticing is that some of the stories he tells in this book are not detailed enough; he also sometimes uses words that are indicative only of the entertainment field, therefore, I think to myself when they come up: "Huh?"

You must have something better to do than read this book. A somewhat organized collection of anecdotes and observations, very few of which are funny or enlightening. I liked Charles Grodin a lot more before I read this book. The only thing it's got going for it is that it's an easy read. I don't recall why it was on my "Books to Read" list. Thankfully, I bought it used and only paid a couple of dollars for it.

I'm not ready for anything more, written or otherwise, from you Mr. Grodin.

In this readable but ultimately self-serving book, Grodin, an intelligent and talented actor and great talk show guest, tells tales of Hollywood and theater that generally focus on how humorous and compassionate Charles Grodin is. Perfunctory comments about other celebrities and situations are surrounded by tales of Grodin, his compassion, intelligence, and how often his ability to make a mean-spirited comment is misunderstood by the object of his derision. There are some funny stories here, but you'll be quickly worn down by Grodin's inability to show even the slightest modicum of humility.