Rating: 
Summary: Glad I followed my own judgement!
Review: I was in a quandry about which book on Patrick Dennis I would buy and after reading a few of the rather scathing reviews of this one I almost passed it. Glad I changed my mind! If you are the kind of person who is in love with the witty language displayed by the likes of Dennis, I can certainly see why the prose style of this straightforward non-fiction book might be off putting. However, I found it a clean read, fair minded, extremely well researched and, as someone who didn't know much about the era or the author, I appreciated the fact that some things were explained to me. I wasn't born yet and can't have been expected to gain this knowledge through cultural osmosis. I wasn't writhing with glee over the charming language, I was absorbed by the information in the book. One reviewer on this site went into a tizzy because the author actually had the temerity to explain the culture of "camp", as if all of us live in an urban atmosphere and can expect to be surrounded by witty drag goddesses. Some of us just don't live in that world and appreciate contextualization of the subculture that helps to explain the eccentric Dennis. I was touched in particular by some of the details of Dennis's life, such as his night time encounter with a German soldier who stole his cigarettes but left him otherwise unharmed and richer for a map back to his own troops. That kind of story is gold. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: Glad I followed my own judgement!
Review: I was in a quandry about which book on Patrick Dennis I would buy and after reading a few of the rather scathing reviews of this one I almost passed it. Glad I changed my mind! If you are the kind of person who is in love with the witty language displayed by the likes of Dennis, I can certainly see why the prose style of this straightforward non-fiction book might be off putting. However, I found it a clean read, fair minded, extremely well researched and, as someone who didn't know much about the era or the author, I appreciated the fact that some things were explained to me. I wasn't born yet and can't have been expected to gain this knowledge through cultural osmosis. I wasn't writhing with glee over the charming language, I was absorbed by the information in the book. One reviewer on this site went into a tizzy because the author actually had the temerity to explain the culture of "camp", as if all of us live in an urban atmosphere and can expect to be surrounded by witty drag goddesses. Some of us just don't live in that world and appreciate contextualization of the subculture that helps to explain the eccentric Dennis. I was touched in particular by some of the details of Dennis's life, such as his night time encounter with a German soldier who stole his cigarettes but left him otherwise unharmed and richer for a map back to his own troops. That kind of story is gold. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting life, poorly written.
Review: I was interested in this book after recently enjoying "Little Me" and I was especially curious about how that book was created and the "cast". I was especially interested in whatever-happened-to Jeri Archer, who portrayed Belle Poitrine in such a delightful way.Unfortunately, the author simply quotes the photographer's (Cris Alexander) extremely spiteful comments about her, without any balancing commentary. An incident detailed in the book describes the source of the enmity: halfway through the shoot, Jeri Archer demanded double her promised fee to continue, creating bad blood and ill-feeling. Although she later expressed regret at her hardball tactics, the photographer Alexander is merciless in denigrating her in this book. A casual reader would gather that she was a mere prostitute pulled off the street for the project, when in fact she was an actress who had appeared in plays and vaudeville burlesques, worked as a model for both high fashion and Good Housekeeping, and did voiceover work for commercials.
In "Uncle Mame" Alexander crassly describes how many sex acts she would have to perform to earn the same amount as for "Little Me", insinuates strongly that she was a prostitute, calling her an "operator". It strikes me as extremely unfair on several counts: most importantly,her portrayal of Belle Poitrine contributed immeasurably to the book's success; she played the role extremely well, and humorously; and as the endnote of "Little Me" attests, over half the costumes and jewelry used in the shoots were her own. I only wish that the photographer's comments were balanced with some overview of her career and her contribution to "Little Me"- her expressions had me in stitches 42 years later, and I think it saddening that she is so denigrated in this book . She portrayed a gold -digger and acted like one- so what? Hollywood actresses do it all the time. The final sloppy insult: in the endnotes to "Uncle Mame" it says that Jeri Archer died of cancer "ca. 1970" Circa? We're not talking about ancient history here, just lazy research and smears upon the person who helped make "Little Me" such a classic. She deserves better , I think. Other than this, I found it very poorly written, chronologically incoherent at times, and the author is given to undignified,subjective declarations( "it was fabulous!") and tiresome attempts to explain "camp" humor.
Rating: 
Summary: This One Hits All the Right Notes
Review: I'm not sure if the author is the same Eric Myers I knew some 25 years ago, when he was starting out as an entertainment publicist and I was a reporter covering the media and entertainment industry. If it is, or even if it's not, he has written a wonderful book on an amusing, fascinating, enchanting subject. This book is skillfully written, imbued with passion, rich with research, detail and anecdote, and balanced with sharp perspective and fair objectivity. What more could one want from a biography of an important and colorful show business figure who has never before been given the full-length treatment? I'm also wondering if the Richard Kramer who filed the customer review ahead of me is the same Richard Kramer who was the executive producer of "Tales of the City" on PBS and, more recently, involved with "Queer as Folk" on Showtime. If it is, or even if it isn't, his remarks about Eric Myers' fine book are right on target. And if either of them is wondering if this is the same John Morgan Wilson who writes the gay-themed Benjamin Justice mystery series, yes, it is. And even if I wasn't, I'd still praise "Uncle Mame" to the skies. What a small world it sometimes is, and what a ripe figure for a biography was Patrick Dennis. Eric Myers has done him, and us readers, a great service.
Rating:
Summary: The real 'Mame' revealed!
Review: If any popular author deserves a biography, Patrick Dennis is that author. Very little has been reported in print about Patrick Dennis, and today he runs a very real danger of being forgotten or undiscovered by a generation of young people. As I am a "young person," and rabid fan of the writings of Mr. Dennis, I can attest to the enormous influence his books have had on my outlook. Once convinced to read his works, my friends and peers inevitably fall in love with his madcap characters and storytelling. Most well known for his outrageus and extraordinarily popular creation, "Auntie Mame," "Patrick Dennis," (actually one of many pseudonyms) used his many "light comic novels" to introduce both a hilarious camp aesthetic into mainstream pop culture, and perhaps more importantly, an underlying philosophy of tolerance and celebration of differences. Author Eric Myers dives right into the world of "Pat," and while he wastes no time in chronicling the eyebrow-raising behavior of young Pat, it might be slightly shocking for those unschooled in the style of Patrick Dennis. Have no worry -- the book builds in momentum, ever expanding on Pat's experiences in a world of lovable free spirits, searing society shenanigans, and snobbish blowhard conservatives, all stock characters of the Dennis style. Eric Myers paints a vivid picture of time and place, recreating an urbane society where someone with Pat's obvious flamboyant tendencies can be labeled as simply "fun and exotic." But Pat was a real person, not just one of his creations, and there is a real inner human struggle to be explored, as well. Thankfully, Myers peppers the heavily researched book with a generous amount of rare writings from Pat (including a marvelous grab-bag Appendices), and includes many entertaining quotes from friends and family. The book is appropiately structured like a Patrick Dennis story, this time, Pat himself serving as the teacher of the value of being one's self, no matter how difficult that may seem. The only criticism I have of the book (and I didn't allow it to effect my star rating) is the extremely tacky design of the book jacket. Without doubt, the most ardent fans of Mr. Dennis are extremely aesthetically sensitive, so there's no excuse for the second-rate-dinner-theater-playbill-knockoff of a cover. Wisely, the publishers printed the book in standard issue Patrick Dennis "light comic novel" size, so it will fit nicely next to your copy of Auntie Mame. Patrick Dennis has taught many people not to "judge a book by its cover" (so to speak) and that lesson applies well here. Eric Myers has crafted a very funny, exhaustive, affectionate portrait of one of pop culture's most influential authors. If Auntie Mame has played a special role in your life, check out the book that finally puts to rest the long debated origins of who the REAL Auntie Mame was.
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Look at an Enigmatic Subject
Review: It is difficult to write a credible biography with so many of the eyewitnesses gone. It is doubly difficult when the subject of the biography has spent most of his life obfuscating his true identity, on so many levels. Eric Myers has done a thorough and admirable job of documenting the life of a fascinating creative talent, as well as describing his context and much of the appeal of his work. He has drawn well a portrait of a complicated subject. For someone who has been a fan of "Patrick Dennis" for years, but has never able to find out anything substantive about the man (except for the tidbits in Richard Jordan's "But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame!") this book is, indeed, a banquet (sorry to be hackneyed, but it is). Thank you, Eric Myers, for a delightful read, and a thoughtful insight into a brilliant and troubled man.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a banquet
Review: It's amazing that Patrick Dennis has had to wait till now to get the biography he deserves -- but he's gotten it in UNCLE MAME. What I especially loved about Eric Myers' book was his obvious love for his subject, but a love that never goes gooey or adulatory. He puts Dennis on his proper Comic Pantheon pedestal and then abundantly shows why he belongs there now and forever. Auntie Mame is an archetypal creation who speaks to all of our needs for excitement, perspective, and an astonishing ultimate emotional honesty. Her creator pulled her from inside himself, and Myers shows how and why that happened. Mix this with an amazing and previously untold story about a unique American life -- and it's quite a book, that belongs on the shelf right next to AUNTIE MAME, LITTLE ME, GENIUS and the other Dennis masterworks. It is not for fans of Lucille Ball.
Rating:
Summary: Bios Don't Get Much Better Than This
Review: Seldom is a book about a funny, literate person written in an equally funny and literate way. The book moves quickly, makes one laugh, feels complete in its scope. For anyone who has loves AUNTIE MAME or who loves to celebrate eccentricities, this is a MUST READ.
Rating:
Summary: Good Subject, horrible writing~
Review: Some of the best-loved and best-remembered reads of my early adolescence were the books of Patrick Dennis. "Auntie Mame" left a nearly indelible impression, while its sequel, and the novels "The Joyous Season," "Tony," and "Little Me" were as eagerly devoured if not quite as unforgettable. On the recommendation of a friend I picked up a copy of "Uncle Mame" certain that I was going to be wildly entertained, but alas it was not so. I don't really know why this book didn't capture my imagination, though I do know that throughout, Dennis (nee Edward Everett Tanner III, aka, Pat Tanner) remains a somewhat shadowy figure, aloof and unapproachable. Myers never closes the gap between Tanner and his readers or indeed, between Tanner and himself. I had the impression that for all the delving into Tanner's life, particularly the facts of his sexuality, Myers is no more familiar with the subject of his book than is the reader. I don't necessarily blame the author; it's clear he's done his legwork on this book, interviewing those friends and family members who survived Tanner. It's just that the information as presented casts no revealing light on the man. We're told over and over again that Pat Tanner is a charming, gracious man, but see little evidence of it. We're told of his process of self-discovery, in re. his sexuality (And I give points to Myers for the way he handles it, unfolding the facts slowly rather than making it a primary issue from page one.) but I never got a real feel for either his conflict or the blunt reality of his homosexuality. Oddly, the book comes alive when Myers is discussing the other people in Tanner's life. In particular, his crazy aunt Marian lends herself to some very vivid narrative. Marian always claimed she was the original inspiration for Mame Dennis, though Pat always denied this absolutely. Either way, she's an unforgettable character, and Myers is at his best when writing about her misadventures. Also fascinating is the material about two of Pat's best friends, Cris Alexander and Shaun O'Brian. Cris in particular comes across as a vivid, creative, funny man, and I found myself wishing that the book had been about him and his partner, O'Brian, rather than Tanner. To be fair, I think Meyers was constrained by Tanner's personality. He seems a creature of opposites. Over and over, it's said that he was a kind, generous, gentleman, but his own words are cool (even cold), sardonic and frequently waspish, and paint a very different picture. His children adored him, we are told, but in the same chapter we learn that he ruled them with an iron will, often shamed them into good behavior, and preferred to teach them to play bridge or mix martinis for his guests, than to do parent-type things with them. We're told that he and his wife, Louise, loved one another deeply, but see scant evidence that they were more than just buddies who produced two children together before she and Pat separated when he felt the need to be more honest about his sexuality. We're told that he was generous to a fault to crazy aunt Marian, but his letters to her are cold and self-justifying, explaining that he has very little money himself (hardly true; he lived extremely well) and can't spare any more for her. And certainly while there was no reason for him to continue to support her, the tone he takes with her made me uncomfortable in light of all the praise that had been sung on his sweet nature. Over and over, we're told one thing and shown another. In the end, Tanner comes across as a sad, eccentric man who was easy to like but hard to know. I suspect that the force of his personality is not something that can be captured in print. I would recommend this book with reservations. If you're a huge fan of Tanner's work or interested in post-war New York, this might be just the book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Curiously uninvolving
Review: Some of the best-loved and best-remembered reads of my early adolescence were the books of Patrick Dennis. "Auntie Mame" left a nearly indelible impression, while its sequel, and the novels "The Joyous Season," "Tony," and "Little Me" were as eagerly devoured if not quite as unforgettable. On the recommendation of a friend I picked up a copy of "Uncle Mame" certain that I was going to be wildly entertained, but alas it was not so. I don't really know why this book didn't capture my imagination, though I do know that throughout, Dennis (nee Edward Everett Tanner III, aka, Pat Tanner) remains a somewhat shadowy figure, aloof and unapproachable. Myers never closes the gap between Tanner and his readers or indeed, between Tanner and himself. I had the impression that for all the delving into Tanner's life, particularly the facts of his sexuality, Myers is no more familiar with the subject of his book than is the reader. I don't necessarily blame the author; it's clear he's done his legwork on this book, interviewing those friends and family members who survived Tanner. It's just that the information as presented casts no revealing light on the man. We're told over and over again that Pat Tanner is a charming, gracious man, but see little evidence of it. We're told of his process of self-discovery, in re. his sexuality (And I give points to Myers for the way he handles it, unfolding the facts slowly rather than making it a primary issue from page one.) but I never got a real feel for either his conflict or the blunt reality of his homosexuality. Oddly, the book comes alive when Myers is discussing the other people in Tanner's life. In particular, his crazy aunt Marian lends herself to some very vivid narrative. Marian always claimed she was the original inspiration for Mame Dennis, though Pat always denied this absolutely. Either way, she's an unforgettable character, and Myers is at his best when writing about her misadventures. Also fascinating is the material about two of Pat's best friends, Cris Alexander and Shaun O'Brian. Cris in particular comes across as a vivid, creative, funny man, and I found myself wishing that the book had been about him and his partner, O'Brian, rather than Tanner. To be fair, I think Meyers was constrained by Tanner's personality. He seems a creature of opposites. Over and over, it's said that he was a kind, generous, gentleman, but his own words are cool (even cold), sardonic and frequently waspish, and paint a very different picture. His children adored him, we are told, but in the same chapter we learn that he ruled them with an iron will, often shamed them into good behavior, and preferred to teach them to play bridge or mix martinis for his guests, than to do parent-type things with them. We're told that he and his wife, Louise, loved one another deeply, but see scant evidence that they were more than just buddies who produced two children together before she and Pat separated when he felt the need to be more honest about his sexuality. We're told that he was generous to a fault to crazy aunt Marian, but his letters to her are cold and self-justifying, explaining that he has very little money himself (hardly true; he lived extremely well) and can't spare any more for her. And certainly while there was no reason for him to continue to support her, the tone he takes with her made me uncomfortable in light of all the praise that had been sung on his sweet nature. Over and over, we're told one thing and shown another. In the end, Tanner comes across as a sad, eccentric man who was easy to like but hard to know. I suspect that the force of his personality is not something that can be captured in print. I would recommend this book with reservations. If you're a huge fan of Tanner's work or interested in post-war New York, this might be just the book for you.
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