All About Me! by Mel Brooks

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now he shares his story for the first time in “a wonderful addition to a seminal career” (San Francisco Chronicle), “infused with nostalgia and his signature hilarity” (Parade). NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NEW YORK POST • “Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating, from the great Mel Brooks. What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?”—Billy Crystal For anyone who loves American comedy, the long wait is over. Here are the never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and remembrances from a master storyteller, filmmaker, and creator of all things funny. All About Me! charts Mel Brooks’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers’ room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks’s stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers. All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft. Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history.

Mel Brooks writes about his life, movie by movie, project by project. Fun times. I did not know (maybe another case of my being the last) that Max L. Brooks, who wrote [b:World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War 8908 World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War Max Brooks https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528312647l/8908.SX50.jpg 817], is Mel's son.

Do yourself a favor and get the Audiobook narrated by Mel himself. Well worth it!

To read eventually, but not now

I loved listening to Mel Brooks talk about his life. I think he hits all the right things and has good pacing and organization. The story about the first names sounded familiar. In 2017 I had listened to it as part of [b:Laughter Therapy: A Comedy Collection for the Chronically Serious 57459837 Laughter Therapy A Comedy Collection for the Chronically Serious National Public Radio https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616163104l/57459837.SX50.jpg 89967748]. Early in the book I loved hearing about how he had seen a Frankenstein movie and how he was afraid to sleep with the window open. So his mother explains to him that the monster would have to travel all the way from Transylvania and that once he got to their house he'd be much more likely to eat the people on the first floor. In addition to being funny and interesting I enjoyed hearing about some of my favorite movies and actors – Gene Wilder warms my heart and Madeline Kahn is amazing. It was a great mix of familiar and novel as I know some of Mel Brooks' movies (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Men in Tights, Space Balls) but not others (High Anxiety, Silent Movie). I'll probably end up seeking them out eventually. 2,000 Year Old Man is brilliant and my father and I most frequently quote the Fifteen Ten! Commandments! bit when we have dropped something. Since Mel is talking about his childhood and his projects that were part of my childhood and young adulthood the whole thing is tinged rosy. It made me want to talk to the people I had enjoyed the movies with, mostly my dad, my husband, and theatre friends. It also made me want to sing or listen to some of my favorite musicals. For me this was a good mix of personal and private life. I saw some other reviews that mention he omits his first marriage and doesn't talk about his kids much. I liked how he spoke of Anne Bancroft and loved hearing about his childhood and army days.