He’s one of America’s most recognizable and acclaimed actors — a star on Broadway, an Oscar nominee for The Aviator, and the only person to ever win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing, during his eleven years on MASH. Now Alan Alda has written a memoir as elegant, funny, and affecting as his greatest performances.
“My mother didn’t try to stab my father until I was six,” begins Alda’s … begins Alda’s irresistible story. The son of a popular actor and a loving but mentally ill mother, he spent his early childhood backstage in the erotic and comic world of burlesque and went on, after early struggles, to achieve extraordinary success in his profession.
Yet Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is not a memoir of show-business ups and downs. It is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow.
It is the story of turning points in Alda’s life, events that would make him what he is — if only he could survive them.
From the moment as a boy when his dead dog is returned from the taxidermist’s shop with a hideous expression on his face, and he learns that death can’t be undone, to the decades-long effort to find compassion for the mother he lived with but never knew, to his acceptance of his father, both personally and professionally, Alda learns the hard way that change, uncertainty, and transformation are what life is made of, and true happiness is found in embracing them.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, filled with curiosity about nature, good humor, and honesty, is the crowning achievement of an actor, author, and director, but surprisingly, it is the story of a life more filled with turbulence and laughter than any Alda has ever played on the stage or screen.
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Alan Alda’s account of his life is filled with both humor and poignancy. An entertaining read that surprises and gives cause for reflection.
Well done!
Very sad that such a talented person had such atragic life.
enjoyable. NIce read for an evening.
LOVED GETTING AN INSIGHT INTO ALAN ALDA’S LIFE. NEVER KNEW ABOUT HIS MOTHER AND HER PROBLEMS!
Interesting but I didn’t find it particularly humorous as it was billed to be.
Haven’t finished it yet as I got bored with it. Will pick it up again later.
I’d like Mr. Alda for a neighbor.
I have always like Alan Alda from Mash and his movies. It was interesting to read how he grew up and how that affected him and guided his life. My only criticism is that it sometimes jumped back and forth in time and became confusing.
It feels as if it is just you and Allen Alda having a good talk.
Just ok !
Liked it. Brought back memories of “Mash”.
not at all humorous as I had expect. Kind of a “poor Me” but look how good I did.
I expected more from Alan Alda. Clearly a brilliant and funny man, this autobiographical tale, while readable, is not memorable. He was a bit self congratulatory- and he deserves kudos on a live well lived- however it does not make for a great read.
Good read