Status
Available
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Health & Fitness. Performing Arts. Nonfiction. HTML: NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Janet Maslin, The New York Times �?� People �?� Vogue ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR Financial Times �?� Chicago Sun-Times �?�The Independent �?� Bookreporter �?�The Sunday Business Post Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she�??d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK. So begins Diane Keaton�??s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals�??literally thousands of pages�??in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane�??s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother�??a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents�??as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years. More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most. Look for special features inside. Join the Cir… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member debnance
Why do people who are wonderful in one field always think they can be wonderful in others?
I love you, Diane Keaton, but I love you in movies. In the future, I ask that you please stay away from writing implements and tablets of paper.
I’ve never been one to seek out celebrity bios and I made an
My two cents: Spend your twenty bucks on a Diane Keaton video rather than this book. You’ll be happier for it.
I love you, Diane Keaton, but I love you in movies. In the future, I ask that you please stay away from writing implements and tablets of paper.
I’ve never been one to seek out celebrity bios and I made an
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exception for you, Diane, and I should not have. My two cents: Spend your twenty bucks on a Diane Keaton video rather than this book. You’ll be happier for it.
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LibraryThing member bearette24
This is Diane Keaton's memoir, which is also a memoir of her mother. Keaton's writing was awkward at times, but sometimes powerful and moving. And of course it was interesting to learn more about the famous men she had dated.
LibraryThing member SalemAthenaeum
Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside
So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years.
More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.
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table. Mom liked to THINK.So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years.
More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.
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LibraryThing member lizchris
This is not a predictable showbiz autobiography.
Diane Keaton's main focus is her family; memories of famous lovers are warm and generous, there is no scandal here.
An enjoyable read, I was charmed (and a little alarmed) at how much like Annie Hall she really is.
Diane Keaton's main focus is her family; memories of famous lovers are warm and generous, there is no scandal here.
An enjoyable read, I was charmed (and a little alarmed) at how much like Annie Hall she really is.
LibraryThing member gbelik
Most actor biographies seem dull to me, but not this one. Diane Keaton talks about her share of success and failures, but the meat of the book is a tribute to her mother, quoting her mother's journals, contrasting and compare their two lives. She is thoughtful and articulate.
LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
Actress Diane Keaton is much beloved for her quirky characters. She is also known for her ability to move into older roles both on and off screen as she ages. Her memoir, “Then Again”, is much in the same vein. It captures her youth, ambivalence over her looks, and her entry into acting with a
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few juicy personal details thrown in for good measure. Most importantly to Keaton is a running conversation with her Mother, particularly her mother found in the pages of old journals found after her death. While interaction with and understanding one’s parents is a universal endeavor, it takes on much more freight, pathos and empathy once one has died. For trying to meet her mother across that great divide, Keaton is to be commended. Mine was an audio version narrated by Ms. Keaton herself. Heard in that lilting familiar cadence, the book had particular resonance for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member dpappas
I decided to read Diane Keaton's memoir because I am a fan of her acting. I have to say it was really hard for me to get through this. Diane Keaton writes this memoir as half her memoir and half her mother's memoir. I thought the beginning was good. I liked how she included her mother's journal
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entries. After I got through the beginning the memoir went downhill fast. Diane Keaton came off as whiny and completely neurotic. I found myself annoyed with her throughout most of the memoir and I just couldn't wait for the end. Towards the end I did like when Keaton would describe her relationship with her children, it seemed to show a different side to her. My overall thoughts on Keaton's memoir are just because you can write a memoir doesn't mean you should. I would probably only recommend this book to really dedicated fans of hers, if I had to recommend it to someone. Show Less
LibraryThing member br77rino
Diane Keaton Hall's memoir is open and honest. And the numerous included pictures are beautiful. She talks of her younger brother and sisters, her Grammy's, her father, and especially of her mother, who she sees as her co-memoirist.
I didn't realize she is an Orange County girl, so hearing her talk
There are some good anecdotes of Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, and Jack Nicholson.
The writing is a bit sub-par, but as she herself admits, she's no great intellect. Again, she is very open and honest.
I didn't realize she is an Orange County girl, so hearing her talk
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about Laguna, Santa Ana, Corona del Mar, etc. was an extra treat for me.There are some good anecdotes of Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, and Jack Nicholson.
The writing is a bit sub-par, but as she herself admits, she's no great intellect. Again, she is very open and honest.
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LibraryThing member MarthaL
Sweet, sentimental, and inspirational. Actress and movie producer, Diane Keaton's uniquely formatted biography is an endearing and insightful look at her life and all our lives in general. The combination of her mother's writing of her and Diane's own interpretive narative of herself, her mother
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and father's life and others makes for an intriguing, unusual and worthwhile read. There is some remarkable stuff in this book worth discussing with other readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member mochap
Mixed bag--a bit all over the place, but sounds like how I imagine DK would sound. Heartfelt, touching, and a bit of a mess.
LibraryThing member Elpaca
I don't think I know Keaton any better, but the book gave me a lot to think about concerning Mothers/Daughters/Aging Gracefully.
LibraryThing member lucybrown
Then Again is an impressive memoir of an insightful woman attempting to come to terms with her life through, at least partly, by holding it to the prism of her mother's life. Keaton is such a remarkable woman. Quite honestly, I don't understand many of the reviews that people have written here
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about this book. I admire her even more after reading her memoir than I did before. It is a testament to how much I am fond of her persona that I read this at all. I have only read one other Hollywood biography or memoir, Audrey Hepburn's. Hepburn is a woman both Keaton and I admire. Anyhow, as I said I have always been intrigued by and fond of the Diane Keaton persona. Now I admire the person. Show Less
LibraryThing member abitbookish
This book begins with a sparkle. Very well written, charming. Sadly, a few chapters in and the sparkle fades leaving the reader confused and let down. The high points are definitely her discussion of her children and her interactions with Jack Nicholson on the movie Something's Gotta Give. I'd say
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that story alone was worth the price of admission, for me. Overall, this book just left me a little depressed. I don't mind reading about death and alzheimer's and aging, but when I do, I want to share in the poetry of it. For me this was lackluster, but I still really love Diane Keaton. :) Show Less
LibraryThing member lucybrown
Then Again is an impressive memoir of an insightful woman attempting to come to terms with her life through, at least partly, by holding it to the prism of her mother's life. Keaton is such a remarkable woman. Quite honestly, I don't understand many of the reviews that people have written here
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about this book. I admire her even more after reading her memoir than I did before. It is a testament to how much I am fond of her persona that I read this at all. I have only read one other Hollywood biography or memoir, Audrey Hepburn's. Hepburn is a woman both Keaton and I admire. Anyhow, as I said I have always been intrigued by and fond of the Diane Keaton persona. Now I admire the person. Show Less
LibraryThing member faithp
Loved it! Very sweet account of her life in her own words!
LibraryThing member jhullie
I have to admit to being disappointed with this book. I adore Diane Keaton and had such high hopes, but it left me a little lost. I think that was mostly because she kept switching between her own memories and her mother's journals. I lost count of the times I was unsure who's words I was listening
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to. All in all I'm sad to say, wouldn't recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member MHanover10
This was a little hard to listen too. Confusing as she went from her Mom's writing to her view. It was interesting to learn some of the behind the scenes moments of Diane's life. She really is a down-to-earth person who doesn't think of herself as a celebrity. I've always liked her.
LibraryThing member lucybrown
Then Again is an impressive memoir of an insightful woman attempting to come to terms with her life through, at least partly, by holding it to the prism of her mother's life. Keaton is such a remarkable woman. Quite honestly, I don't understand many of the reviews that people have written here
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about this book. I admire her even more after reading her memoir than I did before. It is a testament to how much I am fond of her persona that I read this at all. I have only read one other Hollywood biography or memoir, Audrey Hepburn's. Hepburn is a woman both Keaton and I admire. Anyhow, as I said I have always been intrigued by and fond of the Diane Keaton persona. Now I admire the person. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Then Again is Diane Keaton's memoir of her life - growing up with her family, becoming an actress, forming relationships with notable actors (such as Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino), directing films, adopting children, and enduring the death of her parents from illness.
I have discovered
I have discovered
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I enjoy listening to well-read audio books. Diane Keaton reads her memoir. She reads well and conveys emotions beautifully. This memoir is a touching tribute to Diane's mother, who dealt with Alzheimer's. I do not typically read many celebrity memoirs, so those who read them regularly will probably enjoy it even more than I did. Show Less