A Manly Tome Indeed: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XVIII

 

THE POWER OF A PROMISE KEPT: Life Stories
Gregg Lewis

[In the 1990s,] in jam-packed stadiums across the country, men [were] accepting a powerful challenge  -  choosing to live by the Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper. But [did] it make a difference? [Did it change] the lives of their wives and their friends? In these pages are true stories of a few individuals  -  men just like you  -  who put their promise keeping into action every day and have found hope, encouragement, and healing. Their struggles are the same as yours. And their victories can be yours as well.

This book is almost 30 years old (hence the bracketed changes of tense in the publisher's description above), but the copy I purchased from the library ($0.25) looked like it had never been opened (which is probably why they sold it off instead of having it take up shelf space). However, I attended a couple stadium-packing Promise Keepers events back in the day, so my interest was piqued enough to invest a quarter. The stories in this book give evidence to the powerful impact Promise Keepers had...and make me wish they were still filling sports stadiums across the nation like they did back in the 90s. The good news is, I just checked and they are returning to arena-based programming this summer! (Click Here for Info)

First Line: This may be the most unusual book you've ever read.

Page 56 / Line 5: He was in and out of the hospital for months.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Don't you see that when men lift you up, they can also let you down?

Last Line: When I decided to let Him fight my battle for me, He went a perfect three for three.

She Did It Her Way: Books I "Read" in 2024, Vol. XVII

 

MY NAME IS BARBRA
Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in the history of popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In [this book], she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from growing up in Brooklyn to her first star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl to the long string of successes in every medium in the years that followed. No entertainer's memoir has been more anticipated and this engrossing and delightful book will be eagerly welcomed by her millions of fans.

With the tremendous scope of Streisand's career, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at how big this book is. It weighs in at 966 pages, and the audible version, which is what I experienced, is over 40 hours long! (And that takes a long time to get through when you mainly listen while driving.) A lot of that length is due to the depth of her details. I think she must remember every gown she ever wore to any premier, awards show, fundraising gala, or trip to the corner deli. I highly recommend the audio version. While you'll miss the photos included in the book, you'll get some extra material, like snippets of songs and what I swear is a running commentary on the book's contents as Ms. Streisand adds quite a few asides and "by the way"s while she's reading. That seems unusual for an author reading their book, but it's a fine example of what is made clear time and time again...Barbra Streisand does things the way they make sense to her, not necessarily the way any kind of establishment thinks they should be done.

And not necessarily the way any clear, logical person thinks, either. Streisand seems to operate with a strange mixture of faith, ego, and superstition. She talks about praying to God...and her dead father. She puts a LOT of emphasis on 24 being her favorite/lucky number. And in talking about her visit to Israel, she says her first stop was the Western Wall "a sacred place of prayer in the old city of Jerusalem. I slipped a note between the stone slabs, but I can't tell you what I wrote because then it won't come true." As if a written prayer is like making a wish while blowing out candles on a birthday cake.

One final note...I admit to fast-forwarding through some sections where Ms Streisand apparently felt we couldn't live without hearing all about her political convictions.

First Line: An "amiable anteater"?

Page 56 / Line 5: Right before I auditioned at the Bon Soir, I have a vivid memory of walking down the street thinking, This night could change my life.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Fame is a hollow trophy.

Last Line: I think I truly am one of the luckiest people in the world.

The Creation of the Biggest Sitcom in the Whole Universe: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XVI

 

THE BIG BANG THEORY: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series
Jessica Radloff

When The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019 after twelve seasons, it wasn't just the end of television's longest-running live-action multi-camera sitcom; it was the last great comedy with massive ratings and broad appeal. Yet, for all that's been written about the show, the most riveting and surprising stories have never been revealed. . . . [The author] was granted unprecedented access, conducting over 120 hours of new interviews. From on-set secrets and stories behind the most beloved episodes to never-before-seen photos, the oral history will intrigue everyone from the casual viewer to the most diehard fan. And yes, you'll get an answer about Penny's last name (if you think you know, you don't).

There are some who consider The Big Bang Theory a practically-perfect television sitcom. To the degree you agree, this book is a practically-perfect companion; full of behind-the-scenes stories and nostalgic anecdotes that emphasize the unique, close-knit, caring nature of the relationships of the cast members, writers, producers...even prop masters. The book reads like a transcription of a long-form documentary with short bits of narration that set up a string of quotes from the extensive interviews Radloff conducted. It really is the participants telling their own stories in their own words (a few of which are PG-13 and R-rated [Fair Warning]). Just my cup of tea...or whatever your hot beverage of choice is.

One weird thing, though...in the transcriptions of the interviews, all the cast and crew members said "all of the sudden" instead of "all of a sudden." Does anyone really say that?

First Line: Two years.

Page 56 / Line 5: He became a great, wonderful voice of the ensemble.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: But Big Bang spoke to a deeper issue, which is, on the simplest level, loneliness and feeling left out.

Last [Two] Line[s]: I always wanted to do something, to be a part of something that had the ability to withstand time. And The Big Bang Theory does.