As we did in 2021 and 2023, we're attempting to again increase book coverage in the community. This go round, we're talking to Stan about his "He should have called it HOW TO GET AWAY WITH DROWNING YOUR WIFE" and Kat about her "Cher: The Memoir, Part 1." Stan, let's start with you. Tell us about your book.
Stan: Sure. My book was PIECES OF MY HEART: A LIFE which is a joke -- an unintended joke -- written by the actor Robert Wagner and some ghost writer. Wagner's a minor actor with no real career. He worked steadily. He really left nothing to be remembered for. He was twice married to Academy Award nominated actress Natalie Wood. Unlike her husband, she had a career. Three Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globe wins. As a child and as an adult, she starred in many classic films such as MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, GYPSY, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, THE STAR, WEST SIDE STORY, BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, THE GREAT RACE, SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL and many, many more. Wagner's book is more garbage from a man who never managed to serve up anything else.
And, Kat, tell us about the writer of your book.
Kat: Cher. She's a Grammy winning singer, she's an Academy Award winning actress, a three time Golden Globe winner, she's a trail blazer and a pioneer. She's had a number one hit single every decade since the sixties. She's has a perfume line and she's a big time ticket seller anytime she does a concert tour or residency. Her book, A MEMOIR: PART ONE, covers her life from birth through the end of the 70s. She plans a second book, a part two, is scheduled to be released November 18th of next year. She's got a real style -- writing style -- in her book and Cher comes off the page.
Stan?
Stan: Robert Wagner's book reads like at least three different ghost writers put it together and it plods along like a never-anecdote that no one ever asked him to share.
Kat?
Kat: Cher covers her early career as a background singer -- and an acting student -- then the emergence of Sonny & Cher as recording stars, Cher emerging as a fashion diva, losing the career at the end of the sixties, going on TV and become even more popular than she was in the sixties.
Stan: It helps that Cher has actual accomplishments. I've read Cher's book and I loved it. But Wanger's book is garbage. While Cher let's it hang out, Robert's always trying to pretend to be straight. Yeah. As we all know and have known for over 20 years now, his first marriage to Natalie ended when she walked in and caught him in bed with a man. They worked through some understanding and that's why even when the reason for their first divorce couldn't be discussed publicly, when she died people immediately wondered if Christopher Walken and Robert Wagner were screwing each other and that's why she wanted off the boat.
Kat: Cher comes across real and like someone you know and are glad to know.
Stan: And Robert just tells one lie after another. Including that he had a four year sexual affair with lesbian Barbara Stanwyck. They kept it a secret, he insists. Yeah, right. He's surprised when Noel Coward puts his hand on Wanger's leg. That's a laugh getter. It's one laugh getter after another as he tries to act straight -- and like every other performance he's given in his life, it's very unconvincing.
Thank you both. We got this discussion just end under the wire. If you're a community member, remember that your ballots for books you enjoyed in 2024 are due by 7:00 pm EST this Friday. Martha and Shirley will be doing their annual book poll.
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Previous book discussions:
"Book Talk (Marcia, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Ty, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Stan, Rebecca, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Trina, Ava and C.I.)"
"Books (Ruth, Jim, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Stan, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Dona, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Ty, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Mike, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Stan, Rebecca, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Mike, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Ann, Marcia, Trina, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Elaine, Ava and C.I.)"
"Books (Marcia, Rebecca, Ava and C.I.)"
"Book Talk (Kat, Ava and C.I.)"
