How I Got to Be Whoever It Is I Am by Charles Grodin

Product Description
In his candid and engaging new book HOW I GOT TO BE WHOEVER IT IS I AM, successful actor, author, and activist, Charles Grodin, looks back at the major events and private moments that have shaped his life. And, since Grodin is one of the best storytellers around, he can't help but entertain while offering insight gained from a wealth of experience.

The combination of being impeached as class president by his fifth grade teacher (and then winning many school elections thereafter) with being thrown out of Hebrew School for asking too many questions (only to find a much better teacher as a result) informed Grodin's view of himself and made him adept at dealing with rejection--an important skill for an actor. Grodin's success in plays in high school and adventures in college theater led him to a career in acting, studying with the great teachers like Uta Hagen and Lee Strasberg.

Grodin shares behind-the-scenes tales of working on plays like Same Time Next Year and movies like The Heartbreak Kid and Midnight Run--even how close he came to playing the lead in The Graduate. His stories feature the many actors, directors, writers, and producers, with whom he's worked, such as Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Carson, Orson Welles, Warren Beatty, and other colorful characters.

Grodin's greatest work isn't limited to stage and screen, however. He has been an award winning talk show host and commentator on Sixty Minutes II, and he reveals insights about the political and personal side of journalism and some of the larger-than-life characters he's interviewed.

Still, it is the personal aspects of Grodin's life that are truly revealing and funny. He shares intimate anecdotes of humorous dating experiences during the carefree 70s along with stories of what it was like to be a young actor then with friends and colleagues like Robert Redford, Gene Wilder, and Dustin Hoffman.

But it is Grodin's tales of the lives he's helped save with his relentless advocacy work that make you realize what a great guy Charles Grodin really is. We are lucky that the nice guy his friends call, "Chuck" brings us along to share a little of his journey of how he got to be who he really is!

My thoughts
I like Charles Grodin, but have never read any of his other books before “How I Got to Be Whoever It Is I Am”. I feel after reading this book I got know a little bit about the man. This book is a light humorous read that shows the reader that Mr. Grodin is a normal down to earth person who deals with life just like you and I. I found that his writing is easily understandable and enjoyable. You get to be with him and learn what life was like on a movie or television show set. You also get to know what his childhood was like – a naïve young boy that he was. At the end of this book, you will get to know how the producer, writer, actor, television personality became to be who he is.

Now if you have gotten this far and read my review are are interested in my advanced readers copy of HOW I GOT TO BE WHOEVER IT IS I AM, just be the first one to leave a comment here and the book is yours. Don't leave your address, I will contact you via email (so make sure I have your email address).