One More Time

One More Time chronicles Carol Burnett's journey from her early years in Depression-era Hollywood to her eventual rise in show business. Burnett details her life growing up in a single-room apartment with her grandmother while navigating the challenges of having alcoholic parents. The memoir follows Burnett's trajectory through her youth, capturing the contrast between her modest circumstances and her persistent dreams of a career in entertainment. The narrative includes the pivotal moment when an anonymous benefactor provided the means for her to pursue her aspirations in New York City. The story traces the complex relationship dynamics within her family, including her bond with her grandmother and her experiences with her struggling parents. Her father's eventual commitment to a sanatorium and her mother's Hollywood fantasies form key elements of the narrative backdrop. This memoir speaks to themes of resilience, the power of determination, and the impact of family relationships on personal development. Through Burnett's experiences, the book illustrates how early hardship can coexist with hope and ambition.

Readers appreciate Burnett's candid storytelling about her challenging childhood and path to success in entertainment. Many note the book provides more intimate details than her previous memoir, with raw accounts of family alcoholism and poverty. Fans highlight Burnett's resilience, humor, and ability to find light moments amid difficult circumstances. Multiple reviews mention being moved by her relationship with her grandmother. On Goodreads, reader Sarah K. writes: "Her optimism despite everything is remarkable without feeling forced." Some readers found the timeline jumps confusing and wanted more details about her later career years. A few noted redundancy with her other books. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,874 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (366 ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.6/5 (89 ratings) Common descriptor words in reviews: honest, inspiring, authentic, bittersweet The audiobook version receives particular praise, with listeners appreciating Burnett's own narration.

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🎭 The book's title "One More Time" comes from Carol Burnett's signature ear-tugging gesture at the end of her TV shows, which was a special message to her grandmother meaning "I love you." 📚 Initially released in 1986, the memoir was later adapted into a successful Broadway play titled "Hollywood Arms," co-written by Burnett's daughter, Carrie Hamilton. 🎬 The Hollywood that Burnett describes in her childhood was far from glamorous - she lived in a boarding house near Hollywood Boulevard during the 1940s, when the area was quite run-down. 👗 Burnett's breakthrough came through an anonymous benefactor who provided $1,000 for her to go to New York to pursue her dreams - she later repaid the loan and established a scholarship fund at UCLA. 🌟 Despite the hardships described in the book, Burnett's grandmother taught her to find humor in difficult situations, a skill that would become central to her later comedy career and influence her signature comedic style.