What's it All About [Hardcover]

Michael Caine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 1995

The original autobiography of one of the most versatile, enduring and beloved British actors of our time.

Michael Caine is the best-loved film actor Britain has ever produced. Here, for the first time, he reveals the truth about his childhood, his family and his hard-fought journey from London to Hollywood, bringing to life the lean years and the triumphs with astonishing candour. And with typical charm and humour he talks about the movies, about his relationships -- on and off the screen -- with other actors and directors, and about the memorable screen presence which is his hallmark.

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

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Written with just the right mix of warmth and candour, and in a prose style that is the literary equivalent of his easy-going, up-front persona, this is hugely enjoyable. A super book that informs as much as it entertains."
--Sunday Express

"It has taken two decades to get a man back on the Moon, and the man is Michael Caine. Niven's influence as a writer runs rights through it... some genuinely vintage laughs."
--Sunday Times

"Caine gives his public value for money, covering his whole life with David Nivenish charm."
--Sunday Telegraph --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"A spirited autobiography...Michael's memoir may be even more noteworthy for the juicy, offbeat-on-wry anecdotes Caine, a veteran of more than seventy films, supplies with costars."
PEOPLE
He was born Maurice Joseph Micklewehite in London's impoverished East End. And yet Michael Caine emerged as one of the world's most versatile, enduring, and beloved actors of our time. With the easy charm of a natural raconteur, Caine takes us onto the sets and into the homes of Hollywood's most talented celebrities. Candid, vibrant, and warm, here is a captivating self-portrait of a man who is at once sublimely ordinary and freshingly unique, one of the greatest actors in film today.e --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing (November 13, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517129671
• ISBN-13: 978-0517129678
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,071,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great example of "follow your dream", June 27, 2001

By 

Craig Clarke "Living After Midnight: Hard and... (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: What's It All About (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is inspiring. Michael Caine knew at a very young age that he wanted to act, and through perseverance, he has become highly successful and one of the most respected actors of our time, with two Academy Awards to his credit. This should serve to encourage those with dreams but who tell themselves "I'll never make it."

This is the real thing. Caine starts at the beginning and tells it all without indiscreet name dropping. He mentions that he does not plan to write another autobiography and so does not want to leave anything out. That makes for a really great read.

But what's really special about this autobiography is how approachable Caine seems to be. He comes across as just a regular guy whom you could approach on the street and say hi. Considering that most of the other autobiographies I've read, however great they may be, still seem like stories told by a celebrity who has deigned to share his/her life story, that in itself is an amazing accomplishment.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Caine is Cool, April 10, 2000

By 

chris jackson (Syd, Aus) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What's It All About (Mass Market Paperback)

A very good read. Michael Caine had a surprisingly interesting early life, and it is the first half of the book which is the coolest. Unfortunately after he becomes a star, the autobiography loses its objectivity and he just becomes another Hooray Henry. It really is a shame that he couldn't keep up the wit that propelled me thru the first few hundred pages. Another annoying element is that everyone in the book is his "friend." By the end, the guy has about 5000 friends. He must spend a fortune on Christmas cards. Still, very recommended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Michael Caine's rules, March 8, 2001

By 

J. L LaRegina "Jim LaRegina" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What's It All About (Hardcover)

Michael Caine, one of film's most durable actors, tells his story through 1992 in the autobiography WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

How many film performers have done as much as well as Michael Caine? For more than forty years, the actor has delivered shining performances in dramas, thrillers and comedies. He's carried flicks as a leading man, shared the spotlight as a costar, contributed to emsemble casts and has even take small roles.

In WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT, Michael Caine vows this book is the only autobiography he will write. I hope he changes his mind. I am sure Mr. Caine had to leave a lot of good stories out of his first volume. And since its '92 publication, he has been knighted and won another Oscar. Why not another book?

The most noteworthy aspect of WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT is that Michael Caine, despite having done almost everything you could want to do, has had the same personal and professional ups and downs as you and me. He tells stories we've all been through, such as being nervous about meeting women and his strained relationships with friends. (Of course, you and I would not be pals with actor Terence Stamp.)

This Michael Caine fan wants more movie-making anecdotes. If Mr. Caine does publish a second autobiographical volume, I request a synopsis of the making of each of his ninety-something films. He barely mentions two of my favorites: WATER and especially the obscure comic gem WITHOUT A CLUE.

Bravo to Michael Caine for not kissing and telling. He alludes to the bedroom activity that made the 1960s what it was for the rich and famous but does not name names.

The night Michael Caine won the Best Supporting Actor for CIDER HOUSE RULES, ceremony host Billy Crystal had been making fun of Caine's role in a JAWS film. Yet Mr. Caine did not return the dig during his acceptance speech, despite notorious Crystal bombs such as MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, FORGET PARIS, and FATHER'S DAY.

Unless, of course, Michael Caine's saving those remarks for his next autobiography!

For now, read WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT.