A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute to My Father
by Chris Lemmon
(Click here)
Book Summary Information
Author: Chris LemmonForeword: Kevin Spacey
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-13
ISBN: 1565124804
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Book Reviews of A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute to My Father
Book Review: You can hear his father's voice
Summary: 5 Stars
When writing about Jack Lemmon's failed aspirations on the celebrity golf classic Chris Lemmon declared that he could clearly imagine his "Pop" winning with his traditional hearty "Isn't that a bit of terrific!" Every time I read that I could hear Jack Lemmon's voice in my head. That's the juice of this story. Jack's voice singing through his son's words.
This is the view of the gifted, charming, incredibly likeable Jack Lemmon through the eyes of his gifted, talented, and seemingly honest son Chris. He is a bit heavy handed on the "beloved father" and "cherished sister" phrases which, although refreshing in a celebrity biography (very un-Mommy Dearest), such affectations were completely superfluous because his adoration of his Pop came through in every word.
It took a bit of getting used to hearing of squeaky clean Jack Lemmon swearing and drinking so much. But he swore in such a funny, enthusiastic, unique way that I ended up adoring that about him. And the drinking? He fixed it. The hero came through in the end.
Some of the players didn't come off as well. I was appalled at the pettiness of Lemmon's wife who had her knickers in a twist over some fight with Walter Matthau's wife and made Jack and Walter's friendship difficult. Chris said of the depth of his father's relationship with Walter "I think if Uncle Waltz had taken up golf, Pop would have married him." But that was not the only time Lemmon's widow got into fights with people. She fought with Jack and nearly killed him in a drunken rage when she threw a heavy glass ashtray at Lemmon's head. That particular drunken brawl was the end of drinking for Jack, but not for his wife. Chris alludes that he and his stepmother were never on good terms and it's admirable that he didn't stoop to airing any of their dirty laundry in this book. Though dirty it certainly would be.
The book takes us on fishing trips to Alaska, sound stages in Hollywood, and on the golf course. Chris' references to the "Lemmon curse" is amusing and so well told that it played in my imagination as clear as a movie. What a great sense of humour Jack had, and how delightfully it was passed down to Chris.
I had such a crush on Jack Lemmon, and still do even now he's gone. I wish he had enjoyed a happier marriage and had taken more time to be a father. But he was true to himself, and did remarkable things. I would imagine being his son to be the most wonderful thing in the world and one of the hardest. What an act to follow!
This was a fascinating tribute to the father, not the actor or the person. Chris Lemmon is a really gifted writer. I hope he continues to write. I will eagerly buy whatever he puts his name to after reading this charming book. I hope he reads these reviews because there is something I'd like to say to him. "Hello Ramhead, go F yourself!" (He said he missed hearing that.)
Summary of A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute to My Father
Jack Lemmon was one of our most beloved movie stars. A two-time Academy Award winner, he appeared in dozens of memorable films, including such classics as Some Like It Hot, Mister Roberts, The Odd Couple, Grumpy Old Men, Missing, The Apartment, and The China Syndrome. On-screen, he came across as a kind of "everyman"-audiences loved him because they felt they knew him, because he was on of them.In A Twist of Lemmon, Chris Lemmon shares family tales, intimate father-son conversations, and anecdotes from and about his dad. The result is a vivid and enchanting portrait of a less-than-perfect father who in some ways assumed a greater reality for his fans than he did for his son. Chris writes about the difficulty of growing up in a broken home, the treasured time spent with his father, and the friendship that evolved as they came to share their passions for both music and golf. This very personal portrait provides new insight into a man who charmed millions with his rascal's smile and his very human vulnerability.
When Jack Lemmon died in 2001, the world lost one of its favorite actors, but Chris Lemmon lost the man he had admired above all others. A Twist of Lemmon is his warm and moving and often very funny celebration of his larger-than-life father.
Joining Chris in his tribute are a number of the people who worked with Jack Lemmon over thy years, including actor Kevin Spacey. In his foreword, Spacey writes, "He was a credit to his profession because he was a man whose humanity was bigger than his talent. And when you think for a moment about the size and depth of that talent, then you begin to understand how seriously he took his role as a human being."
In this first book of its kind written about Jack Lemmon, that "human being" comes fully alive-as an actor, a father, and a best friend. It is a heartwarming and discerning look at a true American legend.
Actors & Actresses Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in "The April Fools": An Undiscovered '60s Classic
Jack Lemmon - Twist of Lemmon/ Some Like It HotRelease date: 2001-07-31; Music CD
Best price: $5.55
Price in other shops:
Call Me Bud - Jack Lemmon On Filmby Nick Fuller
Authors OnLine Ltd; Published: 2006-10-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.50
Price in other shops:
A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute to My Fatherby Chris Lemmon
Algonquin Books; Published: 2006-04-13; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.50
Price in other shops:
Catherine Deneuve: Portraits choisis (French Edition)Des femmes; Published: 1993; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $74.99
April Fools 11"x17" Framed PosterPop Culture Graphics; Pop Culture Graphics; Kitchen
Best price: $29.99
April Fools 11" x 14" Reproduction PosterPop Culture Graphics; Pop Culture Graphics; Kitchen
Best price: $19.99
April Fools 11" x 14" Reproduction PosterPop Culture Graphics; Pop Culture Graphics; Kitchen
Best price: $19.99
April Fools 11" x 14" Reproduction PosterPop Culture Graphics; Pop Culture Graphics; Kitchen
Best price: $19.99
April Fools - Movie Poster - 11 x 17Pop Culture Graphics; Pop Culture Graphics; Kitchen
Best price: $14.99
The April FoolsDVD
Similar Books and other products
Rickles' Book: A Memoirby Don Rickles
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2008-06-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.48
Price in other shops:
American Prince: A Memoirby Tony Curtis, Peter Golenbock
Harmony; Published: 2008-10-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.78
Price in other shops:
Audition: A Memoirby Barbara Walters
Knopf; Published: 2008-05-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.25
Price in other shops:
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the Worldby Vicki Myron, Bret Witter
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 2008-09-24; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.75
Price in other shops:
Pieces of My Heart: A Lifeby Robert J. Wagner, Scott Eyman
HarperEntertainment; Published: 2008-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.45
Price in other shops:
Dean and Me: (A Love Story)by Jerry Lewis, James Kaplan
Broadway; Published: 2006-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.90
Price in other shops:
A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanityby Bill O'Reilly
Broadway; Published: 2008-09-23; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.75
Price in other shops:
Tony And Me: A Story of Friendshipby Jack Klugman, Burton Rocks
Goodhill Press; Published: 2005-08-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.55
Price in other shops:
Just One More Thingby Peter Falk
Da Capo Press; Published: 2007-08-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.71
Price in other shops:
Matthau: A Lifeby Rob Edelman
Taylor Trade Publishing; Published: 2002-10-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.00
Price in other shops: