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bibliomaineiac's review against another edition
4.0
A very enjoyable memoir by an amazing woman. Rita Moreno is a determined and talented lady. I was engrossed in her story from the start. Despite suffering many hardships and setbacks, she has persevered. My only complaint would be that at times, her timeline was a bit too fluid, sometimes ebbing, sometimes flowing. However, it didn't bother me to the extent I thought it might have. Perhaps because her writing felt like I was sitting next to her, listening to her tell her story, and jumping back or forward in time, as one thought grabbed hold of another memory and the conversation followed.
mdabernig's review against another edition
4.0
This isn't the best written or the most in depth autobiography you will ever read. It jumps from anecdote to anecdote and feels more like a conversation you are involved in, listening to this living legend recount her life, her loves, her tragedies as they come to mind, but despite that, I loved it. It worked for me, because it made me feel like I was really there, really listening to her describe her childhood growing up in New York, or her tempestuous love affair with Marlon Brando, or the heartache of watching her husband die.
Rita (born Rosita) takes us from her early, happy childhood in Puerto Rico, to her mother taking her to New York, to the beginning of a showbiz career to eventual success, failure, success and the rollercoaster that was her private and professional life. I was always a fan, but I never really knew anything beyond the superficial details before and I feel that while this didn't go into a great deal of depth, I feel like I know and understand her and her life a lot better now. She had an amazing life! It was full of highs and lows, but the little glimpses of the old Hollywood glamour, the passions, how hard it was for a Latino woman in Hollywood in the 50's...everything was just fascinating to me.
Maybe it isn't flawlessly written, but it feels genuine and authentic and I appreciate that.
Rita (born Rosita) takes us from her early, happy childhood in Puerto Rico, to her mother taking her to New York, to the beginning of a showbiz career to eventual success, failure, success and the rollercoaster that was her private and professional life. I was always a fan, but I never really knew anything beyond the superficial details before and I feel that while this didn't go into a great deal of depth, I feel like I know and understand her and her life a lot better now. She had an amazing life! It was full of highs and lows, but the little glimpses of the old Hollywood glamour, the passions, how hard it was for a Latino woman in Hollywood in the 50's...everything was just fascinating to me.
Maybe it isn't flawlessly written, but it feels genuine and authentic and I appreciate that.
alisaisreadimg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
katysanderlin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
jefener's review against another edition
4.0
What a lady, what a life. From being taken from Puerto Rico by her mother to start a new life in America without knowing English and leaving her baby brother behind to becoming an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony award winning actress, this woman has been through a lot.
I love old Hollywood stories because it's so insane to me to hear about all of the corrupt and abusive things that would happen to these starlets on the daily. Being taken to parties where it was basically a meat market for rich men to pick out young and naïve actresses' to willingly and sometimes unwillingly bed just sounds insane.
Her toxic love with Marlon Brando who is just the most off the wall person with his own issues and then ending up in a marriage that was based on love and then ended up being a cage, Rita Moreno lays all of her triumphs and her tragedies out on the floor. I wish there was more about her mother who was a polarizing person. On one hand she was very much a "I will do everything I need to help my family survive and be on my own including working 3-4 jobs" to also being "I must have a husband at all times". Two very mixed messages. This woman was very ahead of her time in taking a stand against an unfaithful husband but she also had a habit of treating her kids as accessories that can be pushed aside and forgotten.
I am so happy for the woman Rita Moreno is, how far she has come, and everything she stood against to be a working Hispanic in the industry that knew she deserved more than every random racially ambiguous, whore type role everyone tried to cast her in.
I love old Hollywood stories because it's so insane to me to hear about all of the corrupt and abusive things that would happen to these starlets on the daily. Being taken to parties where it was basically a meat market for rich men to pick out young and naïve actresses' to willingly and sometimes unwillingly bed just sounds insane.
Her toxic love with Marlon Brando who is just the most off the wall person with his own issues and then ending up in a marriage that was based on love and then ended up being a cage, Rita Moreno lays all of her triumphs and her tragedies out on the floor. I wish there was more about her mother who was a polarizing person. On one hand she was very much a "I will do everything I need to help my family survive and be on my own including working 3-4 jobs" to also being "I must have a husband at all times". Two very mixed messages. This woman was very ahead of her time in taking a stand against an unfaithful husband but she also had a habit of treating her kids as accessories that can be pushed aside and forgotten.
I am so happy for the woman Rita Moreno is, how far she has come, and everything she stood against to be a working Hispanic in the industry that knew she deserved more than every random racially ambiguous, whore type role everyone tried to cast her in.
jazzhurt's review against another edition
5.0
I am a huge West Side Story fan so when I came across this, I had to pick it up. So much stuff about Rita’s life is crazy. Wow. Her Elvis Presley story was interesting. She aborted a pregnancy from Marlon Brando. She attempted suicide and almost succeeded. And so much more. I’m glad I decided to read this.
sireno8's review against another edition
3.0
One of those memoirs that reads exactly as if the subject were sitting there with you telling you their stories themselves. When that person is Rita Moreno, you know the experience will be immensely entertaining. Lots of emotional honesty here particular regarding romantic and family relationships. I would have like a bit more show biz dirt but that's just me. I remain a big fan. I'd love to meet her one day and this book makes me feel like I have.
ilex22's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
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macford's review against another edition
4.0
Besides some pacing and writing flaws--mainly just a lot of repetition--I really enjoyed this memoir. I was drawn in by the glimpses of old Hollywood glamour, some of the seedier secrets hiding behind that glamour, her dangerous and passionate romance with Marlon Brando, and especially the gorgeous, lush descriptions of her home country, Puerto Rico.
Rita's honesty and storytelling abilities were really heartening--I haven't read many memoirs, and this has definitely inspired me to read more. :)
Rita's honesty and storytelling abilities were really heartening--I haven't read many memoirs, and this has definitely inspired me to read more. :)