And Other Things I've Learned - Never Have Your Dog Stuffed

This is a wonderful introspective look at an unusual life. Mr. Alda writes wonderfully honest reflection of his life. It made me look at my own life in a kinder light. His gentle cogent conversational style is a delight to read. Take the time sit down and enjoy read.

Alan Alda has written an interesting book about his upbringing and life. Having watched his acting for many years, I enjoyed learning more about what makes him tick. He has a quirky and entertaining style which didn't come as a surprise.

As in his acting, the humor permeates his writing style. Great insight in to a funny man who could have turned out much differently given his Mother's health issues. A fun read! Love the characters you are playing in recent years...you do evil well!

My Dad loves Alan Alda. I purchased this for Father's Day. He is still currently reading it, but has really enjoyed reading about a celebrity he really likes. It was cheap, came in pretty good condition, and it was a great investment!

Alan Alda is one of the most respected actors, not only because of his long and successful career, but also because he has escaped the taint of Hollywood scandal. After reading his autobiography you know why - he has been married to the same woman for over 50 years, and grew up around actors and never wanted to do anything other than act and entertain people. Through a series of anecdotes, Alda describes his youth with an actor father who he adored and a mother who became more and more insane over the years. He met Arlene, the love of his life, when he was only 20 and they raised 3 daughters together. They had some very lean years, but he never gave up his commitment to act, though he took a few other menial jobs along the way to pay the rent.

He writes about some important life lessons, including why you shouldn't stuff your dog: "It's... what happens when you hold on to any living moment longer than it wants you to. Memory can be a kind of mental taxidermy, trying to hold on to the present after it's become the past." He writes with great poignancy about his mother's mental illness: "...always, mixed in with the spring of her laughter were the dead leaves of the winter of her madness."

He also writes with a degree of humor about the potentially fatal illness that he contracted while on assignment in Chile. However, and this is my only disappointment after reading the book, his humor didn't come across strongly in this autobiography. Some moments that could have come across humorously just sort of fell flat. And for a man that his spent his life entertaining, that's a shame.

Nevertheless, Alda's autobiography is very informative and entertaining - two things he has strived to do his whole life.

I titled this because so many times after reading an autobiography, I no longer like that person , but, I still like Alan Alda. This was insightful and interesting although disjointed and confusing at times .

Alan Alda has always been on of my favorite actors. The quirkiness and intelligence, and sheer fun of sharing stories was more like an anecdotal strewn conversation rather than a straight forward biography.

Have enjoyed this book on many different levels. I'm a performance reviewer, and I've presented this book over 100 times to appreciative audiences. The majority of them have told me they will purchase the book. It's an amazing story. A love story on several levels.

How come so many wonderful, kind people come from a childhood of horrible pain and abuse? It's nothing short of miraculous how this sweet man survived and actually ended up sane. I adore him and thank him so much for all he has done to entertain and enlighten me and mine throughout the years.

How come so many wonderful, kind people come from a childhood of horrible pain and abuse? It's nothing short of miraculous how this sweet man survived and actually ended up sane. I adore him and thank him so much for all he has done to entertain and enlighten me and mine throughout the years.

Alan Alda writes like he speaks. He is frank, funny and tells it like it is. From his amazingingly dysfunction childhood to the wondeful love story with his wife Arlene, Alda has someone ended up as the man next door.

You would want him for a friend or neighbor. He is a man of deep compassion and respect, with humor that just flows out of him.

He is witty, curious, smart and shy. He overcame great odds to become the performer that he is today.

I am glad he wrote the book so that we could all have some insite into this talented actor.

It was a delightfully well written book and made me smile and chuckle. I also learned that Alan Alda is a multi-talented and very
bright gentlemen. After reading the book I immediately ordered the second book he wrote.

Love Alan Alda since "Mash" and see him on science program so it was interesting to hear through his voice about his life. With every sentence you read you can hear him speaking. Disfunctional families and mental illness runs in many families and how famous people, specifically Alda, cope and are down to earth while becoming famous makes this a great read.

A delightful, fast read from my favorite MASH character, Hawkeye Pierce. Alda had a childhood most unlike his MASH character. His mother had mental illness that he saw when he was six, but was too young to understand. He was mostly home schooled (or self schooled) because his parents traveled the Burlesque circuit. He got his first acting lessons watching from the side curtains while his father and friends were on stage. Despite a lack of formal schooling, Alda was a curious thinker and avid reader. Alda entered college at age sixteen. A good read from the first page to the last.

I really like the book. I remember his father and watch him in Guy,s & Dolls & shared the same job as a doorman at the rest. He tells a great story and has you feeling that he is speaking to you. A great family man. The kind of guy I could be friends with. John Calamaro 88 Yrs. old