Book Review: This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett (2011)
Synopsis: Falling in love with acting when she first saw Jimmy Stewart in a movie, Carol Burnett go on to pursue her dream, starting on Broadway and eventually becoming one of the most recognizable people on television. This memoir talks about her decades-long career, the people she met and the memories she made along the way.
Review: Even though I am pretty sure they were all re-runs by that point, I remember watching quite a few episodes of The Carol Burnett Show when I was a child. While I don't know if I could necessarily say it was my favorite show growing up (it might have been a little too adult) I do remember enough of the skits to understand why it was a popular series and, now that I'm older, how it was just one of the reasons she is an icon today.
As a result, when I came across her memoir This Time Together, at the library, I decided to check it out and read it. After finishing the book last night, I can say I both enjoyed it and have gained even more of an appreciation for the comedian.
This wasn't a typical autobiography in my opinion. Most of the time, books like this are a play-by-play of the person's life, sometimes with way too many unimportant details or too much of an effort to inflate their importance. This book, in comparison, tells Burnett's overall story through a series of short stories. Some are funny. Some a bit sad. And some that make you wonder "did that really happen?"
Two stories, in particular, stood out for me - the one where she pretended to have a wooden leg to put a rude restaurant hostess in her place and the one where she implies (or at least I think she was implying) her famous Tarzan yell was the result of her trying to scare away a mugger. They were stories that told me as much about the author as anything else in a humorous fashion and, as an added bonus, I thought it made the book easier to read versus the typical autobiography with 30+ pages per chapter.
There is quite a bit of name dropping in the book, with Burnett being quick to mention the famous celebrities she's been friends with over the years. Under normal circumstances, I might have viewed that as pompous but, in Burnett's case, I'm willing to give her a pass because I know she wasn't exaggerating when she suggested those celebrities were begging to be on her show.
In fact, if I had any criticism, it would be I wish the book told a few more of those celebrity stories or at least given a few more details about those friendships. Of course, given the length and success of her career, that probably would fill a book all on its own.
Final Opinion: It's an entertaining and easy-to-read book by a beloved and iconic entertainer. It's worth taking the time to check out.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other celebrity autobiographies:
Book Review: Officer Clemmons by Dr. Francois S. Clemmons (2020)
Book Review: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (2022)
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