Melville Shavelson (1917–2007)

This covers Bob Hope's military service from 1938 through 1990. His service to the troops. Lots of history in here, as interpreted and seen by Bob Hope. He plays down what he did, yet you get a pretty good idea of his affection for the soldiers and his effect on their morale.Towards the end, in talking about Vietnam, it's uncanny in its resemblance to the war in Iraq. Of course, we knew it would be. This book is full of Hope's dry humor, and he names names as to the people who made him so show more popular, his writers. I think it is a valuable insight into history, giving glimpses of events from a different perspective. That of a man trying to help others and himself survive by providing a little laughter. show less

A book written by a comedian was one of the categories for the 2016 Reading Challenge. And I expected it to be funny, since it was written by one of my favorite funny guys. However, it is a history of the US and his experiences from 1938 - 1990. It did make me laugh, but it also made me cry. It's especially poignant since I've finished reading it on July 4th, the day we celebrate our country's birth. It underscores what I've believed since military 'advisers' were sent to Vietnam: hatred in show more it's many forms is the enemy to freedom. If you hate someone because of their beliefs, background, religion, color, etc. you are taking away your own freedom as well as theirs. From 1938 - 1990, Hope and his Gypsies visited people in the military engaged in wars, both declared and undeclared. He brought them a bit of home and the reminder that they were supported even if that particular military action was not. Each year he wanted his Christmas with the troops to be the last performance for the military because there was peace in the world. Peace still hasn't arrived; it's that Christmas present we're all hoping to receive. show less

Do we count novelizations of TV movies as books? Anyway, I read this when I was around 11 or so, and I thought it was a big fat thrill because there was this one scene where a lady took off all her clothes and Houdini kneels down to look at her naked body and it talks about his looking at "her perfectly formed hips, her breasts, her vagina." (Yes, I am embarrassed that I remember it in such detail.) This was the first time I'd read a fiction book that used the word "vagina" and I was all, show more "Ooooooooooooh." (Ok, when I was 11 I didn't notice the fact that the author meant to say "vulva" instead of vagina, so sue me.) So that's what I remember. It was a novelization, though, so I'm giving it two stars. show less

It's a sixties style American movie about two widowed people, each with a large family, who fall in love and decide - after much indecision - to get married. Trying to blend the two families together (eighteen children in all, aged eighteen down to about two) produces significant difficulties.

There's some humour, and some touching moments, with a fairly predictable resolution. Nothing too deep, so it makes a pleasant evening's viewing for a couple or family, without any great mental strain.