Saturday, December 24, 2016

700 Sundays

Book 67 of my 2016 Reading Challenge
read from August 17 - 23

700 Sundays by Billy Crystal

Summary (via the book jacket)
One of America's most beloved entertainers takes us home. Billy Crystal opens the front door to a time in his life when he shared joy, love, music, and laughter with an eccentric family headed by the hardworking father who left them all too soon.
To support his family, Billy's father, Jack, worked two jobs and long hours and could spare only Sundays to spend with his loved ones. But these precious days would be in short supply - Jack's life was suddenly ended by a heart attack when Billy was just fifteen. 700 Sundays refers to the sadly precise amount of time shared by a devoted father and his adoring son.
From the story of the Crystal family's proud connection to the New York jazz scene of the 40s and 50s...to the hilarious living room performances that would sow the seeds of Billy's unparalleled career...to the times of tragedy, heartbreak, and his mother's unending courage, 700 Sundays celebrates the memories, the love, and all the other wonderful gifts parents can give a child.
Based on his Tony Award-winning play, 700 Sundays is not the story of Billy Crystal's great career. It is a tribute to a family and the people who helped make him a man. Personal, poignant, and funny, it will have you laughing out loud and sometimes crying - with the realization that Billy's family is also yours.

My Opinion
I could tell this was originally written as a performance.  It wasn't so bad because I could hear his voice as I was reading but it would probably be better as an audiobook because writing-pause-joke isn't great for the flow of reading.

I can't believe the amazing opportunities he had as a kid because of his family!

Quote from the Book
"Heroes don't have to be public figures of any kind. Heroes are right in your family. There's amazing stories in all of our families, you just have to ask, "And then what happened?"

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