I Remember Me

Carl Reiner is still funny, clever, warm, and a good writer. His book is a series of short topics, which is OK considering the man is 90 years old and still as lucid as ever. He has a lot of fine stories to tell, and the book covers both his personal family life and his show business acquaintances.The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I think the best thing he ever did was create and write and produce the Dick Van Dyke Show, and I was really looking forward to some behind-the-scenes stuff about that. Unfortunately Reiner studiously avoids the topic. That show is only mentioned in passing, as context for stories about other things. For example, Carl does a piece on Shecky Greene, and one of the things he says is that Shecky was scheduled to play a part on a van Dyke episode but had to pull out at the last moment and was replaced.I wonder if maybe Carl Reiner has done this because he resents being known too frequently only for that part of his career.He does a lot of writing about other things he's done - for example "The 2000-year old Man" with Mel Brooks. I find this a bit odd - you can catch interviews with him on You Tube where he freely says that the van Dyke show is the thing he is most proud of and it was the best time of his life.Still, there are enough memories and laughs in his head for a very good book. And especially at the Kindle price, it's very good value. Carl Reiner is a bit of a legend, and we should be glad that he took the time to share his life with us.

First, this is not an autobiography. It is a series of vignettes, reminiscences of a comedy icon who has seen a thing or two in his 90 years. Carl Reiner is a national treasure. Yes, some of his stories border on the self-indulgent. Considering his long list of accolades and accomplishments, we can grant him a bit of leeway in that regard. The individual stories are short, as are the chapters, which is how he fit so many into this modest volume. Does he leave out some of my favorite stories, such as some about the Dick Van Dyke Show as some reviewers have complained? Of course! I'd also like to have seen more about his relationship with his close friends, like Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft, and so many others. I suspect that every reader familiar with Reiner's work knows a few favorite stories that he neglects to tell here. If he included every story that deserves telling, he wouldn't live long enough to write the book.Carl Reiner is a national treasure. I don't appreciate everything he has done, but his true genius is in the striving. To achieve what he has achieved demands that he risk failing also. Who but he and Larry Gelbart could have written and directed "Oh, God"? Who but he and Mel Brooks could have created and presented the 2000-year-old man? His list of accomplishments is almost as long as the book itself. So stop lamenting about what isn't here, and enjoy what is. You won't be sorry.

I saw Mr. Reiner promoting this book on The Tonight Show and was going to pre-order it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it's already available for the Kindle. At this point, I'm only about 1/3 through the book but I thought I'd write a few lines if it will help generate sales and make others realize it's available. And I'm obviously not being paid to do this or I never would've written that last sentence!THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW is my all-time favorite show. And I once got to hear Mr. Reiner speak at a WGA seminar. He walked right past me but I was too in awe to say anything to him.Anyway, I loved MY ANECDOTAL LIFE. I REMEMBER ME is more anecdotal than a true biography--which suits this reader just fine. Anyone would be privileged to be able to hang out with Mr. Reiner for an afternoon, listening to him tell stories. Both books offer that opportunity.It's a light read from a very warm heart.

Maybe it was my mistake to read Carl Reiner's autobiographic collection of memories right after reading Willard Sterne Randall's biography of George Washington, which was fantastic, but I found Reiner's book rather insignificant. I initially hoped to learn more about my favorite work of Carl Reiner's - The Dick VanDyke Show, so, if your hope is similar to mine you will be disappointed to see it mentioned only in passing.The book is riddled with proof reading errors (i.e.- articles in the parts of speech that did not belong) and there were at least two times when you are reading a sentence and turn the page to find the beginning of a new paragraph and no sign of the conclusion of the sentence that you were reading.Thank goodness there are quite a few Mel Brooks stories in the book or I may have read it without laughing at all. I perhaps laughed the hardest when Carl mentions his knowledge of Leon Kirchner composing for a Dracula production during WWII. On page 219 paragraph 4 he says - "Few or none of the copyists had ever before noted or played a selection in 5/7 or 2/5 time." After I laughed briefly I wondered if Carl really thought there was such a meter as 5/7 or 2/5. In the school district I work for they begin teaching meter in grade school. Maybe he was joking?.And I don't know. Maybe I am too much of a "forward thinker" but what did the love of his life, Estelle, feel about his constant inappropriate behavior toward other women? Where is sexual abuse in the work place when you need it.Do I recommend this book? It was a waste of money. Maybe I can use it for my dog BuddyCash as Homer used it in chapter 52.I leave you with G.K. Chesterton - "The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."

Although Mr Reiner is a man of great talent and is much loved in the film industry circles the book is delivered in a manner that can feel boring to some. He often assures the reader of great laughter for what he is about to tell and... well... only him can laugh that hard for that sort of stuff I guess. The book probably will be of greater interest to the people in his personal circle rather than to the public at large. I made it a point to read until the end but almost quit several times as I felt soooo bored. And I should have as it never got better. The rambling goes on and on. It could be rewritten and that time... just cut to the chase!

I like Carl Reiner but I certainly did not like this book.

Moving and funny account of the author's life, his loves and experiences, The writing was a bit spotty -- sometimes a bit boring, but most was very fun and enjoyable.