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3.03 AVERAGE
3.03 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This book was not what I expected. I expected to get more of the stories and "dish" or the life of the butler. But, the book really just breezes over everything. I did learn some interesting information about blacks in movies. It is sad how little progress has happened over the last 150 years.
I could not finish reading this book. One-third of it is about how the writer visited the butler and how he told him about a couple of his experiences he had in the White House. The rest of the book is about little snippets of the black history whilst yet not giving much information about the events stated in this book. I expected to read about Eugene, his life prior to being a butler and how he managed to become a butler in more detail, and of course his experiences as a butler. I find that this book was very superficial in terms of the information that it gives about Eugene. Even so, Eugene's story is amazing and powerful, and I am still happy to have read one-third of the book, which was all about Eugene and his wife Helene. It was an honor to have read a little of their story. It is so touching and heartfelt. I wish this book shared Eugene's thoughts (there weren't almost any) and that it was an actual (and only the) autobiography of Eugene Allen. I wish the writing style was different and that it expressed the events more from the point of view of black people. It would have been an amazing, touching, and a more in-depth story about the life of Eugene Allen.
This book is more about the process of making a film than it is about the story of the actual "butler". Although there were some interesting facts, this book was rather dull.
Not exactly what I thought it would be. Wanted more details and history of Eugene Allen less on the making of the movie.
It was enjoyable. I will give you that. It says 'A mesmerising inquiry into the life of Eugene Allen...' Therefore you'd think I'd be forgiven for thinking it was about HIS life right? Instead it seems to be more about the authors quest into finding information about him and how the movie was made. Like I said, enjoyable but just not what I expected. Also VERY short.
Don't think you are getting the the movie.
The first half of this book is an account of the reporter who tracked down Eugene Allen and their relationship and what happened to Allen following the publication of the original article.
The second half is a brief history of black film history.
The first half of this book is an account of the reporter who tracked down Eugene Allen and their relationship and what happened to Allen following the publication of the original article.
The second half is a brief history of black film history.
Probably like many people, I picked up this book because I thought the movie was fabulous (and it's also my book club book for this month...but it's only the book club book because the movie was so awesome).
This is not anything like the movie. See the movie. Don't read the book because the power in the book is nowhere near the movie.
About 30 pages of the 96 page book is devoted to Eugene Allen, the inspiration for the movie. And that's not even told from his perspective; it's mostly present day narrated by the reporter who met him when Obama was first elected. So it's rather underwhelming. It's also disappointing to find out that the movie made things in Allen's story far more dramatic than they really were.
After the 30 pages about Allen, there's commentary, mostly about blacks in movies. Interesting commentary, but it wasn't necessarily thought what I was getting.
Just see the movie. Skip the book.
This is not anything like the movie. See the movie. Don't read the book because the power in the book is nowhere near the movie.
About 30 pages of the 96 page book is devoted to Eugene Allen, the inspiration for the movie. And that's not even told from his perspective; it's mostly present day narrated by the reporter who met him when Obama was first elected. So it's rather underwhelming. It's also disappointing to find out that the movie made things in Allen's story far more dramatic than they really were.
After the 30 pages about Allen, there's commentary, mostly about blacks in movies. Interesting commentary, but it wasn't necessarily thought what I was getting.
Just see the movie. Skip the book.
not exactly what I expected which was the butler himself telling his story and it was not
A bit of a mishmash of ideas. The book starts with Mr. Haygood's introduction to Eugene Allen, the man who served eight presidents and would be the inspiration for the film, "The Butler." This is followed by a brief biography of Eugene Allen and his time in the White House.
All too soon the books veers towards talking about the financing and making of the film "The Butler" and gives a short history of black actors in Hollywood.
The book finishes up with a few small vignettes about five different Presidents addressing certain civil rights moments in America.
The book is interesting yet disjointed. I'd like to have seen a larger portrait of Eugene Allen, but the extreme brevity of the book doesn't leave much room for expansion on any of the topics covered.
Worth a read, and it'll only take a couple hours to get through, but I was hoping for a bit more.
All too soon the books veers towards talking about the financing and making of the film "The Butler" and gives a short history of black actors in Hollywood.
The book finishes up with a few small vignettes about five different Presidents addressing certain civil rights moments in America.
The book is interesting yet disjointed. I'd like to have seen a larger portrait of Eugene Allen, but the extreme brevity of the book doesn't leave much room for expansion on any of the topics covered.
Worth a read, and it'll only take a couple hours to get through, but I was hoping for a bit more.