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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
A pretty wild ride about a producer who is pretty full of himself, but with good reason. Lots of macho bluster but also a lot of hard work.
It was a fun read, but will it change my life? No.
There’s also a chapter long poem about seduction which is horrible.
Otoh, the audiobook reading by the author is an amazing performance.
It was a fun read, but will it change my life? No.
There’s also a chapter long poem about seduction which is horrible.
Otoh, the audiobook reading by the author is an amazing performance.
Brilliant! Evans is a madman. He may be full of shit at times, but when he's honest it's brutal. A great read if you're passionate about movies and/or interested in the businesses side of filmmaking. Plus, it has the best last line in the history of autobiographies.
This is a poorly-written and highly self-edited autobiography. His wikipedia entry provides a more thorough account of Robert Evans' life. It would've been a more interesting tale of a fascinating life if the author had been able to be more honest and less fawning.
As epic a life as any I’ve ever read, pulls no punches, doesn’t duck a scandal. Glad he lived to make the pictures. Equally glad it wasn’t my life to live.
What a crazy trip. Author Robert Evans was a small-time Hollywood actor who became a big-time Paramount producer and executive who was responsible for (as he'll remind you repeatedly) The Godfather and Chinatown. In his tell-all autobiography, everyone talks in Evans' voice (which in turn sounds like something from His Girl Friday, all punchy asides, but with a lot more cussing) and he tells the story of his rise/big fall/somewhat rise. During the '60s and '70s, Evans knew everyone, was friends (or enemies) with everyone and slept with about half of them. He names names (Steve McQueen seems like a jerk, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Towne *really* seem like jerks) and I can see why this is a Hollywood memoir classic.
Wild Book
Wow
What a hedonistic life!
This was a wild read. Reminded me a lot of [b:I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell|9010|I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Tucker Max, #1)|Tucker Max|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388179505l/9010._SY75_.jpg|2970640].
Some cool stories, but this guy is a real piece of work!
Kinda reminded me of Trump...
Also, there were some details about Kissinger in this book that I wish I never learned.
3.6/5
Wow
What a hedonistic life!
This was a wild read. Reminded me a lot of [b:I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell|9010|I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Tucker Max, #1)|Tucker Max|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388179505l/9010._SY75_.jpg|2970640].
Some cool stories, but this guy is a real piece of work!
Kinda reminded me of Trump...
Also, there were some details about Kissinger in this book that I wish I never learned.
3.6/5
"There are three sides to every story: yours... mine... and the truth. No one is lying."
This is from the first line of the preface to this book, and it is completely appropriate. Evans recalls his 35 years in Hollywood, and definitely only tells his side.
There were times when I hated this guy, and times when I loved him. But that is true of any honest memoir, and this is unlike any memoir I've ever read. There is no self-reflection-leading-to-redemption. It is all about him never changing who he is, and acknowledging that he is not always a decent person, but damned if he's going to change. He owns up to his mistakes, but refuses to change in order to avoid them in the future.
There are times when he could have used a better editor to make a better overall narrative, and not just strung along one story after another, but his audacity and his insight into Hollywood alone make this book worth the read.
This is from the first line of the preface to this book, and it is completely appropriate. Evans recalls his 35 years in Hollywood, and definitely only tells his side.
There were times when I hated this guy, and times when I loved him. But that is true of any honest memoir, and this is unlike any memoir I've ever read. There is no self-reflection-leading-to-redemption. It is all about him never changing who he is, and acknowledging that he is not always a decent person, but damned if he's going to change. He owns up to his mistakes, but refuses to change in order to avoid them in the future.
There are times when he could have used a better editor to make a better overall narrative, and not just strung along one story after another, but his audacity and his insight into Hollywood alone make this book worth the read.
The book I didn't know I needed to read by a guy I never heard of. Apparently he was involved in a lot of movies I've never seen and some I have. But this is one whacked out book! Wow! What a ride Evans life has been. If I've learned anything from this book, it is that Hollywood is a place to have fun but not a place to be happy.
Evans writes like he talks (I assume). That's clearly part of the charm of this book. However, sometimes I have no clue what he's talking about. It's almost as if he's assuming I know who all these people are and the gossip that surrounds them. It's fun when it works and I feel the insider, but confusing when it doesn't. And sometimes things seem to happen for no apparent reason. The beginning of the book is much stronger than the end which seems to be groping for a way to finish the story of an unfinished life.
If you like Hollywood insider stories, I would recommend this one.
Funny side note: I actually read this one, as opposed to hearing the audiobook version which is my normal MO. When I got to the end, Evans explains how awesome the audio version is. Oh well.
Evans writes like he talks (I assume). That's clearly part of the charm of this book. However, sometimes I have no clue what he's talking about. It's almost as if he's assuming I know who all these people are and the gossip that surrounds them. It's fun when it works and I feel the insider, but confusing when it doesn't. And sometimes things seem to happen for no apparent reason. The beginning of the book is much stronger than the end which seems to be groping for a way to finish the story of an unfinished life.
If you like Hollywood insider stories, I would recommend this one.
Funny side note: I actually read this one, as opposed to hearing the audiobook version which is my normal MO. When I got to the end, Evans explains how awesome the audio version is. Oh well.