Kiss Me Like A Stranger: My Search for Love and Art

When I first started reading this book, I felt uncomfortable -- maybe even a little embarrassed. It was almost like eavesdropping on a therapy session. But then, after a few chapters, I realized something -- Gene Wilder was being totally honest. He was sharing what he really thought, giving his real opinion, and telling about things he did or said, regardless of whether they would be judged as good or bad by his readers.

Don't read this book expecting Gene to be funny. Watch his movies for that. This book is about his career, his life, his friends, relationships, the ups and downs of his career, his marriages....his real feelings, his real struggles with mental illness and life in general. Creative people often have the hardest time with show more "real'' life. It makes sense -- if you spend more time pretending to be other people than being yourself....how do you remember who you really are?

He shares about his self doubt, talks about his failed marriages, loving and losing Gilda Radner, his own struggle with cancer and finally finding love again with his present wife.

It was nice to have a peek at the real man behind the acting skills. I was a fan of Gene Wilder before I read this book -- I am an even bigger fan now.

Thank you for being candid and real, Gene. Your story was amazing.

My rating: 8/10
Ages: 18
Candid discussions of sex and adult situations show less

This is pretty much the kind of memoir you'd expect Gene Wilder to write. It starts off a little stiff and mannered, but it quickly picks up pace and steam and the prose is such that you can almost hear Wilder read it to you: quirky and wry and imperfect, acknowledging some of his imperfections but apparently entirely unaware of others. He comes across by turns kind and sincere and, at times, a bit of an asshole. (And I think he'd have described that as a fair cop.) Worth reading if you're at all interested in his career.

I suppose I should've known by the book's title that Wilder was playing his cards close to the chest when he wrote the book. It's mostly about his career. His disclosure about his life comes out in tidbits and, at times, feel inconsequential. There's a part where he mentions his dad died then goes on about his career like it was no more than a cold day. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because there were some interesting insights into working with Richard Pryor and Gilda Radner, but the book could've been much deeper. The guy has been a brilliant actor. But there are parts of his life he doesn't want to show the public, I get that, and if you're okay with that then read it. Otherwise, put it down.

I listened to this book on audio, narrated by the author. His reading was enjoyable to listen to. I knew him mainly from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and this was a more faceted portrait. He was much more poetic and sensitive than I would have imagined. Also a bit neurotic (less surprising). There were a couple of cringey moments when he lamented the lack of sex from his third wife (who had stage four cancer at the time), but otherwise it was an entertaining read.

Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art
by Gene Wilder

I have always enjoyed the comedic humor of Gene Wilder but really didn't know anything about him except he was married to Radner ( who I also loved) at one time. This book takes the reader through his whole life. Childhood, school, family life, boarding school, bullies, love life, adulthood, professional life, love life, marriages. His grief, his happiness, what it felt like to be a Jew and bullied, his battle with cancer, watching Glenda's battle with cancer, and so much more.

I picked this up for a couple of bucks on Chirp and Wilder narrates it himself. It's so open and honest to the point of being shocking in spots. It's heartwarming and heartfelt as he lays his life show more open for all to see. I don't think I could be that brave. He wrote this when his cancer was in remission in 2005. He died in 2016 after battling three years of dementia. I looked this up after I finished the book. That made me cry. Such a brilliant and witty mind and it was crippled in the end. show less

Though I enjoy his movies, I would not consider myself a Gene Wilder fan. I'm not sure I've ever thought about him outside the characters he's portrayed. It was kind of a weird experience reading the life story of a complete stranger, especially one as brutally honest as this. Wilder tiptoes around nothing. Still, it was surprisingly readable, at once touching and funny. I got a little choked up reading about Gilda Radner's final days. Wilder focuses mostly on his personal life and romantic relationships, though there is also a fair amount of information about his experiences as an actor and later writer. It's refreshing to read a memoir written at the proper time in a person's life: after they've settled down with the right person, are show more more or less retired from what made them famous, and have the time to sit back and reflect. While I wouldn't recommend this to someone who hates Gene Wilder movies, you certainly don't have to be a fanatic to enjoy this tale of self-discovery. show less

Much like the man himself, I find this an odd little page turner. Who would have thought Gene Wilder had repression issues?