skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This memoir was different than anything I've read previously which had anything to do with Lucille Ball in the simple fact that Lucy was just a small part of this book, which is to be expected of course because, this man has accomplished so much besides working for "The Redhead", if I may borrow Mr. Rayfiel's affectionate term for his friend and employer.
Howard Rayfiel comes from a long line of honest, hard working judges. He was raised on a moral code built on honesty, justice, and compassion for our fellow human beings; and that shines through as he regales us with stories of the corruption of the behind-the-scenes business side of Hollywood and the way he chose to conduct himself while working with men who would do anything, stoop to new lows, etc. all in the name of the almighty dollar. Mr. Rayfiel began his multi-faceted entertainment career as a theatrical lawyer in NYC, he later moved to LA where, through a chain of events, he was appointed resident counsel to Desilu Productions, Inc. As he was, in his own words, the lawyer who wanted to be a writer, he went on to the top of the ladder as Vice President of Lucille Ball Productions, Inc., Production Executive on Here's Lucy, a member of the Writer's Guild of America, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
This work is filled with anecdotes on many of Howard's celebrity friends which included but was not limited to, Lucy and Walter Matthau. This book is very good if, like me, you enjoy becoming acquainted with the private persona of some of your favorite personalities or if the script and story writing prospect is something that interests you a great deal.
All in all, I'd give Mr. Rayfiel's memoir 4 out of 5 stars.Sunny Side Up!,
Krista
I know..I missed last week. Sorry.
I'll most likely miss next week as well, what with my trip to Georgia.
Anyway, I thought that this week, I would just compile a short list of what I am reading for the summer of 2008.
I've just finished The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, which I liked -well enough..until the ending but, that's another post for another day.
Other books in my summer line-up include:
-Where the Hell Is Desilu? by former Desilu Studios attorney and Vice President of Lucille Ball Productions, Howard Rayfiel . Obviously, I'm excited for this one!
-Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe.
-The Cider House Rules by John Irving.
I am currently embarked upon A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, which I only cracked open last night.
So, what are a few books which you plan on enjoying by the pool with a nice, tall glass of lemonade? Tell me!Sunny Side Up!,
Krista.
I have many quirks, as I'm certain all of us do but, one of those which I possess which irks me most is the fact that when it comes to classic literature, it takes me a very long time to finish reading books.
...and I mean a veryyyy long time. Word or page count does not matter, whether said piece of literature is 400 pages or 1,000; it takes me, and I'm sort of embarassed to admit it, sometimes a month and a half from the time I crack the first chapter until I come to the conclusion and heavy heartedly take leave of a group of characters.
Oh, and by the way, another thing I have is that I absolutely cannot begin another book until I'm through with my current selection. Yeah. I read maybe 6 books a year but, I'm always in the midst of one.
A perfect example? Take a look at the newest addition to my homepage, my book meter. 356 pages out of 606 pages of The Portrait of a Lady done. Not bad, you say? That's after reading a page here, a chapter there for oh.. I don't know, almost two whole months?
The thing is, I've been this way since I began delving into chapter books back in first grade. Wanna know how long I stayed with Heidi and her grandfather back in fourth grade? Six months.. SIX. FREAKING. MONTHS. So, obviously, it isn't that I secretly despise classic lit. On the contrary, I adore it. I guess, perhaps, I overanalyze the situations and topics brought up in these novels?
On the bright side, it proves I do, indeed, have great perserverance. I have never been able to justify just giving up on a story after a few chapters or halfway through. I mean, the author poured all they had, every aspect of his or her life was consumed by the creation of the piece of art which I hold in my hands for, months, years even and, I always feel that I owe it to that person to carry on, enjoy the ride for what it's worth, and only once I've finished do I have the right to judge whether or not I loved or loathed their tale. I've realized that 95% of the time, even if the book as a whole was not to my liking, I am able to pick out a few aspects that made me think or a character that I was drawn to.
I don't know, maybe the way to look at this drawback in my person is; slow and steady wins the race because, by concluding a great piece of the written word, I always feel like I've won. I've won more knowledge, I've been taught a lesson, I've been forced to see the world from a completely opposite point of view from my own and, though I may not agree, I've gained more understanding and respect for a certain group or individual and in that sense, I've won more than any kind of competition could have offered me.
So, what about you guys?
Do any of you identify with me here?
If you've participated in The Sunday Salon this week, please leave me the link to yours in my comments!Sunny Side Up!,
Krista
