Marlo Thomas

Very disappointing and hard to read. The book is subtitled My Story. I expected to hear about what it was like to grow up with Danny Thomas as your father and having dinner guests such as George Burns or Jack Benny and yes, you did get some of that and I admit that what there was of it was very good - but I am sure there were many more stories Thomas could have told of her father, her tv series That Girl, and others she worked with. Instead, you got an interruption every other chapter or so show more where Thomas interviews a comedian such as Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Jay Leno, and others and asks them questions about their childhood and if they were the class clown. This has NOTHING to do with Ms. Thomas' story. If I had wanted to read about these people (which I did not) I would have bought a book on them. It got so that I skipped those chapters to preserve the continuity of what there was of the story of Marlo Thomas. It disrupted your concentration on the text and the enjoyment of hearing those stories to then go into a chapter on a completely different topic and subject. Additionally, Ms. Thomas did not go into the loss of her mother and what affect that had on their family. She devoted a chapter to her mother but never let us know what happened to this interesting personality and comedian in her own right. The interviews with the comedians that so disrupted this book should have been a different book or put altogether in the back. show less

It's ironic that I would choose to read a book about lasting marriages, when I am no longer in a current relationship. However, this book intrigued me, as having been married for over 30 years, I sought to find out the secret to lasting marriages of celebrated couples. Were they happily married, or were they living together in toleration of each other? I'm not sure that I found the true answer to that question, but I did notice that most of the couples faced obstacles that interfered in show more their marriages, and they sought some kind of counselor or therapist from which to help resolve the issues. Honest, empathetic communication seemed to foster a resolution to many of the issues they encountered. From the stories presented, it was easy to recognize that a great deal of effort was extended by both partners to make these marriages work. Aside from those similarities, each relationship had its fine nuances and personal idiosyncrasies to make the couples' lives unique and interesting. show less

I needed something light and inspiring after a couple of disturbing books. This one hit the mark. There are so many that hit home. Of course, some were much better than others.

Stephen Ambrose quoted Eisenhower "never question another man's motives. His wisdom, yes, but not his motives."

Jeff Bezos quoted his grandfather, " You'll learn one day that it's much harder to be kind than clever."

David Boies quoted his wife to make the decision that you would want your child to make.

Barbara Bush," show more Give your children the best education, set an example and all the love in the world and independence."

Those are a few that hit me. Some of the stories hit more than the quote like Whoopi. Basically is was to be yourself. There are many essays that the person saying the right words said words of encouragement but there were also others that the person told them they couldn't do something and it affected them the opposite. I think the book was worth reading. Very uplifting stories from people of all walks of life. Politicians, actors, artists, journalists, etc. show less

Reviewed by Jaglvr for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com

I was a young child when FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME was first released. My elementary school even used songs from FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME for a spring concert. As I reviewed this book now, as an adult, I was still amazed that I could hum the tunes to the songs written as poems in the book.

FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME is one of those rare gems that have managed to stand the test of time. Updated with vibrant new illustrations, FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME show more takes controversial messages (imagine how controversial they would have been in the early 1970s!) and brushes off the impossibilities of what can be.

FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME emphasizes to children the endless possibilities that are available to them. The book encourages children of all ages to do what they want, and not be limited by what society expect of them.

Take the story of "Atalanta." The princess's father automatically expects her to marry the man he chooses for her. Atalanta wants nothing to do with that. She wants to be the creator of her own destiny. She compromises with her father that if she can run the race with the possible suitors, if she loses the race, she will do as he wishes. But ultimately, Atalanta holds her own fate in her hands by risking running the race against the suitors.

Or, there's "William's Doll." What father doesn't cringe at the thought of his son wanting to play with a doll? But this story shows that by allowing William to have the doll that he desires, he has gained the knowledge to be an awesome big brother.

These are just two of the wonderful parts of FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME. With poems, comics, songs, and amazing illustrations, parents will fall in love with the book again, and children will immediately make FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME one of those treasures to be read time and again.

And if you are a parent that doesn't remember this from your childhood, pick up a copy and read "Boy Meets Girl." There's no way you can forget the amusing tale of the babies that meet minutes after being born in the nursery! show less