So Far...

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise!
Review: Familiar with Grammer's work on both "Cheers" and "Frasier," I find him a talented actor and enjoy his celebrated character, Dr. Frasier Crane. However, upon first seeing his autobiography I was immediately skeptical. In order to appeal to the least common denominator in all of us, I expected it to be filled with only two things: tales of controversy from behind the scenes of his two hit shows, and scandals from the semi-private life of a celebrity.

Instead I found an extremely intelligent and sincere look at the self. The narrative moves naturally through a life filled with great losses and spectacular successes, united by the thread of self-awareness and acceptance. The fabulously successful TV shows are only touched upon, and some readers may be disappointed by this dearth. But it is not sit-com writers who bring poignancy to Frasier Crane, it is Grammer himself, and his story provides not only an enjoyable and philosophical look at his life, but at life itself, and his tale of "trials and triumphs" is truly inspiring.

I especially recommend the audio format (unabridged if available) of this book, which is read by the Grammer himself, and which provides the listener a particularly intimate relationship with the author.

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise!
Review: Familiar with Grammer's work on both "Cheers" and "Frasier," I find him a talented actor and enjoy his celebrated character, Dr. Frasier Crane. However, upon first seeing his autobiography I was immediately skeptical. In order to appeal to the least common denominator in all of us, I expected it to be filled with only two things: tales of controversy from behind the scenes of his two hit shows, and scandals from the semi-private life of a celebrity.

Instead I found an extremely intelligent and sincere look at the self. The narrative moves naturally through a life filled with great losses and spectacular successes, united by the thread of self-awareness and acceptance. The fabulously successful TV shows are only touched upon, and some readers may be disappointed by this dearth. But it is not sit-com writers who bring poignancy to Frasier Crane, it is Grammer himself, and his story provides not only an enjoyable and philosophical look at his life, but at life itself, and his tale of "trials and triumphs" is truly inspiring.

Familiar with Grammer's work on both "Cheers" and "Frasier," I find him a talented actor and enjoy his celebrated character, Dr. Frasier Crane. However, upon first seeing his autobiography I was immediately skeptical. In order to appeal to the least common denominator in all of us, I expected it to be filled with only two things: tales of controversy from behind the scenes of his two hit shows, and scandals from the semi-private life of a celebrity.

Instead I found an extremely intelligent and sincere look at the self. The narrative moves naturally through a life filled with great losses and spectacular successes, united by the thread of self-awareness and acceptance. The fabulously successful TV shows are only touched upon, and some readers may be disappointed by this dearth. But it is not sit-com writers who bring poignancy to Frasier Crane, it is Grammer himself, and his story provides not only an enjoyable and philosophical look at his life, but at life itself, and his tale of "trials and triumphs" is truly inspiring.

I also recommend the audio format (unabridged if available) of this book, which is read by the Grammer himself, and which provides the listener a particularly intimate relationship with the author.

Rating:
Summary: Kelsey's life So Far is good
Review: I was fortunate to find it on the free book rack in thebasement of my condo building. I am very happy I read it. It wasvery easy to read very quickly. Grammer's use of proper grammar is refreshing and his vocabulary is impressive. If you can find it in a book store or library just sit there and you'll have it finished in a couple hours - tops. The book, too.

Rating:
Summary: Provocative and enjoyable
Review: My comments pertain to the audio tape version of this book, which I highly recommend. I think Kelsey Grammer's reading helped to paint a better picture than the print version would; hearing his voice added to the character of the stories he told.

Not being a hardcore fan of Frasier or Cheers, I knew very little about Kelsey Grammer, other than that I liked him in those shows. I happened to see the book on tape and thought I'd give it a try. I was not surprised to learn that Mr. Grammer is as introspective and articulate as his popular television persona. It was fun to come along for the ride as he described his early years, and thought-provoking to hear him describe how the tragedies and other events in his life had shaped him as a human being.

All in all, I found the audio version of this autobiography to be compelling and quite worthwhile.

Rating:
Summary: Blah Blah Blah I am an actor
Review: The guy had a pretty tough life, I will give him that. But I really hate when actors take their "craft" too seriously. The guy is a sitcom actor, he is very popular, he has a very hot, very young wife and he should leave it at that. When he gets into all this stuff about acting with a dog, and how the dog is not an actor and he was offended, I wanted to take the pages and wipe my rear with them. I enjoyed the book though for the most part

Rating:
Summary: SO FAR...SO GOOD...
Review: This is a wryly told portrait of a man whose life has had its share of ups and downs. With his father murdered when he was a very young boy, and his beloved sister raped and murdered when he was a young man, the author's life tragedies are significant. Yet, so are his successes.

This is a man who struggled to come to terms with the harsh blows dealt him in life. He is a man whose coping mechanism led him to abuse drugs and alcohol, addictions that, as a result of his celebrity status, were to become public and a source of great mortification. Conversely, Kelsey Grammer was also to find great personal success in his life, as an Emmy Award winning star of two hit series, "Cheers", where he was part of the stellar ensemble, and "Frasier", a spin-off of his character in "Cheers" and one in which he is the star.

Still, this is a remarkably candid recounting of those events in his life that were painful, as well as of those that brought him joy. Told with intelligence and wry humor, it is a touching look at a flawed man who is coming to terms with who he is. While the author does give some details of his professional life, this is not a book about stardom. Rather, it is a book of one man's journey through life, thus far, and his odyssey of self-discovery and acceptance.

I highly recommended that one get the unabridged audio book, which is narrated by Kelsey Grammer himself. While it may be a little hammy from time to time, his narration lends a certain poignancy to his words. His humor also shines through some of the reading, as does his innate intelligence. Those who enjoy memoirs and biographies will certainly enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile Reading, Especially for Fellow Actors
Review: While this is not the most tightly woven book I have ever read, I always enjoy reading about the life journey and current thoughts of an actor. I especially respect Kelsey Grammer's long run as Frasier Crane.

Though this memoir, we learn of the details of Grammer's life and also his life philosophy. We hear the truth behind the Hollywood gossip. We also hear the heart behind the actor and the character we have come to know from our weekly "visits".

This book and Grammer's work itself taught me a lot about the power of comedy, and how as an actor, comedy is not as easy as it looks... and yes, it is as significant as high drama.

It can be read very quickly - as an actor as well I try to read as much as I can from other actors. This is a book that can be shared and enjoyed by many.