Book Review: This Time Together- Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett

  Hello, Book Worms and Book Dragons!


  I had the privilege growing up to be able to sit in front of the television, and watch the Carol Burnett Show new every week. Although I was young in the late 1970s (around five years old) I knew that there was something special about this show. In my world of GI Joe, Sesame Street, and riding the swings at the playground, I stopped my kid brain to watch Carol and company. She was magic. She made me laugh harder than any other person on television had. And if she could get the attention of a rambunctious five year old like I was, she must be magic.

  As I grew older and moved on into adulthood, I would catch Carol Burnett Show reruns on television.  I even ordered the VHS cassette tape set of the show on CBS Video. In one way or another Carol Burnett has been a part of who I am at any age. When I recently began to work as a writer and book reviewer, I told myself (Self! I said) I will find a book on Carol Burnett's life and review it.  Along came a blue tote at a local Goodwill. In it were dozens of biographies that someone had dropped off.  Among them sat several hefty tomes so big you would have thought they were dictionaries! Then (ironically, because they are friends) under the Julie Andrews memoir I was grabbing, was Carol Burnett's Memoir, This Time Together.

  As you all know I have been loving memoirs, having just read and reviewed Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking (and the funny thing is that they both have very amusing Cary Grant stories). This Time Together has touching and funny stories of Carol's many friendships including, Lucille Ball, Beverly Sills, Julie Andrews, and of course, the cast of the Carol Burnett Show. Each chapter is loaded with side-splitting humor and self-aware commentary. Carol makes fun of herself many times, and illustrates an amazing life that begins as a young girl visiting the movies. Little Carol dreams of a career in entertainment, swooning over Jimmy Stewart. We are introduced to her family, with each chapter that is written with great love and respect. Carol is a woman who has persevered. She decided early on that she would be an entertainer, and her journey is often riveting.

  Out of the many amazing stories she tells, four will be forever stuck in my mind: 

1. Carol gets a job as a young woman at a theater. She is appalled when a couple comes in at the end of an Alfred Hitchcock flick. And she addresses her concerns to the couple. What transpires afterward would stay with her until the day she was given her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2.  Carol's friendship with Lucille Ball. This mentor-like relationship spans many years of laughter, advice, and much love. But on the day of Carol's birthday she is given news that makes her last birthday gift from Lucy very bitter-sweet.
3. The chin story. It involves John Houston, the movie Annie, and a re-shoot of a musical number that comes after Carol had her chin augmented. I had to watch Annie again to spot what she was talking about.
4. Barbara Stanwick's Leprachaun. All I know is, when he talks...listen.

     I read this memoir in part with the audio book read by Carol Burnett. She has an amazing ability to whisk you away with her humor, love, and sincerity. I felt like an old friend was sitting down to tell me a story. It will rank in my top twenty of audio adaptions, and I highly recommend getting it as a companion to this book. It will enhance the book one hundred fold.

  I was very pleased with this memoir, and found the life of Carol Burnett to be very entertaining. As I read each chapter I remembered sitting on the floor in front of the television as a child watching Carol. With each story she told of her variety show, I found myself smiling and remembering each episode (especially Went with the Wind). It is a wonderful read that will have you laughing out loud and smiling ear to ear. 

  I gave this book five out of five stars.

Leave in the comments below what your favorite Carol Burnett Show moment was. And as always, thank you for reading my words.

  Carol Burnett also has a YouTube Channel showcasing much of her career on television on the Carol Burnett Show. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCry6nxAo2tfVyO6lEboiU3w

  Because there is always time to read,
   Xepherus3 

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All written content,and Top logo (c) Copyright 2016 by Thomas Bahr II
Book Cover (c) by the author and publisher