Rating: - Celebrities of today, take note...
I enjoy reading books written by celebrities. It helps you understand who they really are and whether they are genuine or not. Carol Burnett definitely is. This book is about her life from when she was a child to when she got her break. She had a very rough childhood but she also had love. Her mother was definitely dysfunctional. Her Dad was not in the picture due to her parents divorce, his illness and booze. But when she did see him, he was very sweet to her. Her mother had her own demons. Pregnant with Carol's sister Chrissy by a married man (Tony), she had the baby and kept it. Carol's mom also dealt with alcoholism. Nanny was the root of her childhood memories. She came off as weak and elderly but she really was the rock that held the family together. She did everything she could to keep food on the table and a roof over their head when Carol's parents couldn't. Nowadays, if someone grew up in this type of situation, they would probably end up dysfunctional themselves. Not Carol. Carol, no matter how bad her childhood was, she played by the rules. She received money from an unnamed elite in Holllywood to go to New York and have a shot at Broadway and she appreciated it. She wrote letters to this person to let him know how she was doing and when she finally earned enough money, she paid him back. She rescued her sister Chrissy when things got tough at home and raised her from her teenage years. I admire Carol for her success but more importantly for how she has handled her fame. She sets a great example for people who have become famous. Especially for those who have started from nothing. I am so glad I read this book. I'm now off to find the TVLand schedule to see if there are any Carol Burnette Show re-runs to watch.