As a former admirer of Woody Allen disappointed with his latest cinematic productions, I have to admit that I did not hold my hopes up regarding this autobiography either, assuming that it would be a long self-congratulatory address. However, awe, envy, and admiration were the sensations I experienced upon reading + listening to Woody Allen describe his journey through failure and fame. I craved to be as intimate with myself as he was to his; self-knowledge is indeed a most enviable trait.
I highly recommend those interested in taking up this book to listen to the audiobook version as well as Allen himself beautifully tells the tale using his habitual humorous tone.

Constantly amusing, occasionally laugh out loud. The chapters on the abuse accusation are riveting and credible. Especially good to listen to on Audible.

Hmmmm

There's an abrasive quality to Allen's prose. I read his other stuff but this is a real dip. There is the odd..reallygood zinger but not.many. The stuff about the ALLEGATION dominates and will leave many just as perplexed. His drooling over women won't win him any converts though .

Comedy writing has always been problematic for me. It has always turned out--until now--that I never really find any comedy writing to actually be funny. Even people who I feel are amazingly funny, such as John Cleese, had books that simply were not funny to me. But here, for the first time in my life, is a book meant to be funny (mostly) that is honestly funny. Kudos to Woody Allen for having such a talent for comedy writing.

Naturally, the book has to cover some unfunny business--the unfortunate accusations made against Allen, which while fully debunked by all of the formal investigations, continue to be viewed as true because people wish to feel they are true. Those parts of the book are not funny, nor should they be, and they had to be addressed, even though they are not entertaining, while the rest of the book really is.

Interesting, but tiring to read, because of not having chapter breaks. Includes enumeration of findings and testimony of witnesses that confirm, for me, his innocence re child molestation charges (and Mia Farrow's mendacity).

It's impossible to discuss this book without discussing the accusation against Woody Allen, so let me first just take it on the chin and say I do not believe he is guilty of the crime of which he is accused. He does a fine enough job of laying out his case as it has existed, unaltered for his part and on the part of the courts and witnesses for the last 30 years, but if you are emotionally and intellectually honest enough with yourself to at least consider that side of things, you can find more detailed breakdowns of the saga by Robert Weide and Rick Worley, respectively. If you are uninterested in hearing this case out, well then you're not the sort of person who ever could be argued with to begin with, are you? In which case you already know how you feel about this, and, I'm guessing, everything else there is to have an opinion on.

As for the book, and the story of Allen's life as he recounts it, it is perfectly enjoyable, and often very humorous. The narrative shtick of his setup and punchline delivery method does feel a bit pat if you listen to the book over long sessions, but you can hardly hold it against him; the man is a comedy writer and at 85 years old he's got a style which is his own. Sometimes it lands and other times you just kind of chuckle inside the silence of your own mind.

I think there's value here for creatives who could use more lessons on forgiving themselves for the audacity to want to create. Allen's attitude is unapologetic yet wholly self deprecating. You get the feeling he loves what he does, regrets nothing but his own creative shortcomings visible in hindsight, and that he has all his earned self confidence but also all the good sense to behave with humility in spite of being one of our best living writers.

It's a shame what will likely have been his final memoir is weighed down by necessity with so much content dealing with the accusation, and with the misapprehensions about his relationship to his wife, but for the reader / listener it is gratifying to hear his side of things, and I find it quite amazing the grace with which he handles all the hearsay and slander. Near the end we're left a few words about his most recent, and any future films not being distributed in America because here (and now I am editorializing) we (filmgoers, press folks, actors and distributors) are too afraid of being caught on the wrong side of a social movement—or even appearing to be—to think for ourselves. It is a very chilling thing to watch take place as Allen's career and legacy are burned at the stake without any further inquiry on the part of the torchbearers.

Lettura gradevole, un po' piatta in alcuni punti, molto divertente e toccante in altri. Molto coinvolgente, nonostante la pacatezza e la lucidità nel raccontare, la parte riguardante la battaglia per l'affidamento dei figli. E' straziante pensare che un genitore possa essere privato dell'affetto dei propri figli, nonostante sia risultato innocente. E' pazzesco. Lettura interessante.