[.ca] Are You Hungry, Dear?: Life, Laughs, and Lasagna (ISBN 031231227X)

Not a Must-Read for Marie Fans:
I love watching Everybody Loves Raymond. I love every character on the show, including Marie. And I've read and love the books by Patricia Heaton and Ray Ramano. There was no doubt in my mind that I'd love this book too. I'm sorry to say this, but this book has been very disappointing. The preface is good, where she makes the comment that "when you love someone you feed them." Fun reading. I enjoyed Parts One and Two, each (only) 3 chapters long, which deal with the tv show and motherhood. That's why I gave the book 2 stars instead of 1. But from Part 3 on, I've had trouble picking up the book to continue. It's not that it's bad, it's just boring. Much of her career has been in theater, so most of her experiences deal with people and shows in that field. (people I've never heard of.) I have to be honest...I have not yet finished this book. If, as I continue reading, the book gets better, I'll come back and write a new review. But as of right now, I'm not even sure I'll be able to finish the book. I was hoping for something more like the books by Patricia Heaton and Ray Ramano. Funny, remininds me of the show, and easy to relate to. This book is nothing like theirs. If that's what you want, don't bother with this one. If you've been a fan of Doris Roberts for some time, if you know her work and the field she's most experienced in and you can take or leave Raymond, you may enjoy this book.

Memoirs, not an autobiography:
This is a collection of reminiscences. If you are interested in show biz memoirs, you'll like this. I like biographies that explain people's minds and behaviors, and I didn't care for this. There are lots of recipes, which is a cute idea, but they all look WAY too complicated.

Lots of laughs and lots of learning:
Who knew? Doris Roberts is one classy lady - funny, ribald, sophisticated - everything her character on Everybody Loves Raymond is not. And, she's a great storyteller, too. This isn't one of those "I wrote it for the $$$" books. She candidly tells her life story with all of its rollercoaster ups and downs. And the chapter on people of "a certain age" having active \ophysical\c lives is worth the price of admission, alone. A great read. A great dame.

Hungry for Something Else:
I am a huge "Everybody Loves Raymond" fan and was excited to read star Doris Roberts's autobiography, "Are You Hungry, Dear?" However, the book did not live up to my expectations and left me hungry for something else. Instead of taking the reader on a chronological journey through her life, Roberts shares various bits and pieces that are linked by a common thread -- loss of people close to her, lessons learned in life, etc. While this approach is novel and somewhat interesting, it does make things immensely confusing. The book seems to be put together in no real apparent order and jumps around so much that it is difficult to follow. Another irritating factor of the book was its preachiness. While Doris Roberts is definitely a very talented and respected actress, I felt like I was being lectured instead of being introduced into her life's journey. Instead of talking about lessons that she's learned throughout her struggle to become an actress, Roberts shares advice, more advice, and still more advice. There is so much advice in this book that it should be categorized under self-help, not biography. "Are You Hungry, Dear?" is not a complete loss, however. There are several funny passages and stories throughout, and Roberts offers insights into her dealings with famous actors like Ray Romano, Pierce Brosnan, Cary Grant, Laurence Olivier, and many others. There is great information on the workings of both New York theater and the Hollywood film scene. Unfortunately, the jumpiness and onslaught of advice ruines what could have been a very interesting story to hear. Sorry, Doris. I'm hungry for something else.

Hearty and Heart-Felt:
Doris Roberts seems to be a very hearty, generally happy woman at least that's what the book conveys. A fabulous collection of her very personal memoirs and stories and advice, it's almost like having a conversation with the archetypical grandmother. But far from old-fashioned and foppish, Miss Doris is downright hilarious at times and speaks with the energy and zeal of somebody less than half her age (in fact, she puts most young people to shame when it comes to fully embracing and enjoying life). Her stories, taking place everywhere from New York theatre to Los Angeles tv to her bedroom, are all colorful and more entertaining than fiction ever could be. You can't make this stuff up! She opens herself up admirably, sharing her personal struggles and her darkest times as well as her triumphs and good days. Throughout, the conversational style of her and Danelle Morton's writing makes you feel more like you are spending time with a friend than reading a book. If you want advice from somebody who has been there before, or colorful tales from the world of entertainment, or a touching autobiography, or an endless source of laughter, or just some fabulous recipes (which the book is peppered with) then this book is for you!