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A review by pemuth59
The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man: A Memoir by Paul Newman
3.0
Not being especially interested in the lives of celebrities, I don't read a lot of books about movie stars. The story behind this one (see synopsis above) caught my attention. I must admit that, as a huge fan of Paul Newman's movies, I found this book both fascinating and depressing, mostly the latter.
Without getting into the many intimate details Newman shares, his memories of a truly evil mother, a disinterested father and his ceaseless doubts about his own talent combine to paint a difficult profile. That's not to mention his lifelong struggles with alcoholism. But he is justifiably proud of his wife, children and his many charitable works. In general, though, the book is a good example of why we might not want to get too close to the real-life troubles behind those wonderful on-screen portrayals.
In some ways, the most interesting aspects of the book are the many recollections about Newman from his friends, peers and family. For the most part, they contradict Newman's stated viewpoint in their celebration of a warm, generous and extremely talented man. We all have times when we don't feel great about ourselves. Maybe Newman's personal thoughts come from a especially difficult time in his life. We're don't really know.
Having said all the above, the book's (often quite funny) stories and personal honesty combine to create a rare tale of the price of celluloid fame. And I'll still enjoy every minute of "Butch Cassidy," "The Sting, "Cool Hand Luke," "The Verdict," and many, many others.
Without getting into the many intimate details Newman shares, his memories of a truly evil mother, a disinterested father and his ceaseless doubts about his own talent combine to paint a difficult profile. That's not to mention his lifelong struggles with alcoholism. But he is justifiably proud of his wife, children and his many charitable works. In general, though, the book is a good example of why we might not want to get too close to the real-life troubles behind those wonderful on-screen portrayals.
In some ways, the most interesting aspects of the book are the many recollections about Newman from his friends, peers and family. For the most part, they contradict Newman's stated viewpoint in their celebration of a warm, generous and extremely talented man. We all have times when we don't feel great about ourselves. Maybe Newman's personal thoughts come from a especially difficult time in his life. We're don't really know.
Having said all the above, the book's (often quite funny) stories and personal honesty combine to create a rare tale of the price of celluloid fame. And I'll still enjoy every minute of "Butch Cassidy," "The Sting, "Cool Hand Luke," "The Verdict," and many, many others.