by James Garner
First published 2011
James Garner opens his memoir by looking back on a childhood marked by his stepmother's physical abuse, which drove him from home at age fourteen. He became Oklahoma's first Korean War draftee and earned two Purple Hearts in combat before making his way to Los Angeles with acting ambitions. Despite battling stage fright and depression, Garner built a successful Hollywood career working with major stars like Julie Andrews, Marlon Brando, and Clint Eastwood. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from his film career, including his attempts to understand director William Wyler while working with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine, accidentally breaking Doris Day's ribs during filming, and having intense conversations with Steve McQueen. Throughout his recollections, Garner presents himself as a proud liberal and self-made man who navigated Hollywood's challenges through determination and authenticity.
Genres: biography, autobiography, biography-memoir, military-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: determination, self-made-man
Setting: Los Angeles, Oklahoma
Period: Korean War
273 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: abuse