📖 Overview
This Time Together is a collection of personal stories and memories from comedy legend Carol Burnett's life and career in entertainment. The book presents short, standalone anecdotes that span from her early days in Hollywood to the height of her television success.
Burnett recounts interactions with fellow celebrities, behind-the-scenes moments from The Carol Burnett Show, and experiences with fans throughout the decades. She shares stories about Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Julie Andrews, and other entertainment figures who influenced her journey.
The narrative moves between professional milestones and personal moments, painting a picture of both the public performer and private individual. Through these collected memories, themes of gratitude, perseverance, and the transformative power of laughter emerge.
👀 Reviews
Readers describe this book as a collection of brief, conversational anecdotes from Carol Burnett's career and life. Many report finishing it in one or two sittings.
Readers appreciated:
- The light, casual tone that feels like having coffee with Burnett
- Behind-the-scenes stories about The Carol Burnett Show
- Stories about interactions with celebrities like Jimmy Stewart and Julie Andrews
- Clean, family-friendly content
Common criticisms:
- Stories feel surface-level and lack depth
- Too many short vignettes rather than detailed chapters
- Some anecdotes repeat from Burnett's previous memoirs
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (15,000+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,800+ ratings)
One reader noted: "Like sitting down with an old friend who has great stories to tell." Another wrote: "Enjoyable but leaves you wanting more substance."
The audiobook version, narrated by Burnett herself, receives additional praise for bringing the stories to life with her delivery.
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In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett Behind-the-scenes stories chronicle eleven years of The Carol Burnett Show through cast memories, guest stars, and production details.
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball The television pioneer's autobiography traces her journey from a young girl in Jamestown to the creation of I Love Lucy and beyond.
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🤔 Interesting facts
📚 Carol Burnett wrote this memoir without using a ghostwriter, drawing from decades of audience Q&A sessions from her variety show and stage performances.
🎭 The book's title "This Time Together" comes from the signature song Burnett sang at the end of every episode of The Carol Burnett Show, which ran for 11 seasons on CBS.
🌟 During the period covered in the book, Carol Burnett became the first woman to host a variety show on television, breaking significant gender barriers in entertainment.
🎬 The memoir reveals that Burnett originally wanted to be a playwright, not a comedian, and attended UCLA with the goal of writing for theater.
💝 A significant portion of the book discusses Burnett's friendship with Lucille Ball, who became her mentor and even offered to adopt her when Burnett was struggling early in her career.