I only wanted to read this book because my parents grew up in Urbana, and at the beginning of Chapter 10, Mrs. Wuellner and her 2 sons are my grandmother and uncles. Then I was done. It was like listening to someone tell you every aspect of his day. Very dry, redundant, just the story of someone's life.
I listened to all 12 CDs in this set. I was torn, sometimes, I just was so bored, sometimes I was moved and entertained. I know who Roger Ebert is. I think most of America knows him, as he also states, as "the fat one", of Siskel and Ebert, the two thumbs up movie critics. It has been my experience, that often if those two loved a movie it might be really dull and profound. So sometimes if they liked it I skipped it.
But what I learned slowly over 12 CDs that there was more to Roger Ebert's life then this movie critic gig. He tells his live story from boyhood. Talks a lot about his parents. His dad was an alcoholic who stopped drinking when his mother added that nasty meds to his alcohol. He got so sick he never drank again. Turns out she was an alcoholic up to the very end. Roger got into AA in the 70s. So we learn all about his life, his travels, his lose of virginity, his serious live in loves that his mother didn't approve of. He introduced me to people who are now long dead, that I had never heard of but wished I had. He seemed to live a full and varied life. He was a writer, screen writer, journalist, critic, and he was involved in the making of some weird 70s XXX works. Again stuff I had never heard of. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (as R. Hyde). Roger does mention a few others I do know like Ann Landers, and Oprah, and Dave Letterman. You will notice he doesn't really tell tales out of school or bash anyone. He is grateful for his life.
The reader sounds enough like Ebert to make you feel like he is the one talking to you, but by the time he has written this book Ebert can no longer speak do to many bouts with cancers and surgeries. Roger died April 4th 2013.
But what I learned slowly over 12 CDs that there was more to Roger Ebert's life then this movie critic gig. He tells his live story from boyhood. Talks a lot about his parents. His dad was an alcoholic who stopped drinking when his mother added that nasty meds to his alcohol. He got so sick he never drank again. Turns out she was an alcoholic up to the very end. Roger got into AA in the 70s. So we learn all about his life, his travels, his lose of virginity, his serious live in loves that his mother didn't approve of. He introduced me to people who are now long dead, that I had never heard of but wished I had. He seemed to live a full and varied life. He was a writer, screen writer, journalist, critic, and he was involved in the making of some weird 70s XXX works. Again stuff I had never heard of. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (as R. Hyde). Roger does mention a few others I do know like Ann Landers, and Oprah, and Dave Letterman. You will notice he doesn't really tell tales out of school or bash anyone. He is grateful for his life.
The reader sounds enough like Ebert to make you feel like he is the one talking to you, but by the time he has written this book Ebert can no longer speak do to many bouts with cancers and surgeries. Roger died April 4th 2013.
