Autobiographies provide a candid look at celebrities
everybody’s favorite words, beginning in the selfish toddler stage,
persisting through adulthood and into doddering dotage.
These pronouns also characterize a favorite literary genre, the
autobiography. It may take an ego to tell a story, but it also takes
talent and something more to sell it to the public. Publicity doesn’t
hurt, but sometimes success happens simply because of our yearning to
step into a celebrity’s shoes or to just eavesdrop on events we would
never witness.
The Newport Beach Public Library always has an up-to-date
selection of books, especially the autobiographies of people you see
on the news and in the reviews.
The biggest splash this year was created by Bill Clinton’s
much-anticipated “My Life.” Just short of 1,000 pages, Clinton’s
chance to settle scores and set the record straight requires marathon
stamina but gives the reward of an authentic voice -- Bill wrote this
one all by himself. You’ll recognize his turns of phrase in the
details, telling the story of a boy from Arkansas who defied the odds
and attained the ultimate post in government, putting his liberal
principles to the test.
Another Bill, this one named Buckley and espousing a decidedly
conservative viewpoint, has written “Miles Gone By: A Literary
Autobiography.” Buckley’s childhood is a sharp contrast to Clinton’s.
Wealthy, aristocratic, urbane, privileged and gifted are just a few
of the adjectives that come to mind in describing the Yale-educated
intellectual credited with revitalizing conservatism as a political
force.
If your taste runs to high-profile, popular entertainers, then try
the tell-all tale of former child actress Tatum O’Neal, “A Paper
Life.” Fame, cocaine, heroin and a dysfunctional family of fellow
actors (notably Ryan O’Neal, her father and costar in “Paper Moon”)
round out this bombshell bundle of revelations, which also stars many
of Hollywood’s famous faces.
Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has finally decided to set the record
straight with a truthful account of his origins in “Chronicles, Vol.
1.” The enigmatic man of music, an icon of the 1960s, waffles between
country retreats and New York City. In fact, the book opens and
closes in the same locale, mirroring the man’s life.
If you favor the posh life with East Coast socialites to match,
try Gloria Vanderbilt’s romance memoir, “It Seemed Important at the
Time: A Romance Memoir.” Of course, Vanderbilt is famous for her line
of jeans in the 1970s, but has gained renown recently as the mother
of CNN news commentator Anderson Cooper. Famous in her own right, she
regains the spotlight and names names -- famous names -- all the
while employing a breathless, steamy prose style.
Real life, right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. And it’s all
true because they were there, and they wouldn’t tell a lie, would
they?
* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public
Library. This week’s column is written by June Pilsitz. All titles
may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the
catalog at https://www.newportbeach
library.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of
the branch locations, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library
at (949) 717-3800, option 2.
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