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I Said Yes to Everything: A Memoir Hardcover – July 8, 2014


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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Blue Rider Press; 1St Edition edition (July 8, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 039916930X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399169304
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Grant, the Academy Award–winning actor who segued into directing in the 1980s, was fired weeks into directing a Bruce Willis movie in the late 1990s (the movie was subsequently shut down). While it definitely wasn’t the blow to her professional life as was being blacklisted for a dozen years, thanks to HUAC’s Communist witch hunt in the 1950s, readers of this no-holds-barred autobiography can tell that it really rankled. That’s the thing: Grant doesn’t make us read between the lines here; it’s all right there, on the page. When she was jubilant after winning an Oscar for her supporting role in Shampoo, we know it; when she was disgusted, as when a television network canceled her series without telling her, we know it, too; and, of course, when she was dismayed and bewildered and depressed when she couldn’t find work during her 12-year blacklisting, we know it for sure. The title, incidentally, comes from a piece of career advice she once received and which she followed with great enthusiasm once the blacklist era was over, advice that led her to take on such diverse projects as the TV series Peyton Place (for which she won an Emmy) and such films as In the Heat of the Night, Valley of the Dolls, and Portnoy’s Complaint. An excellent show-business autobiography. --David Pitt

Review

“The elegant theater and screen actress bares all of her insecurities and regrets…But there’s also an intimacy and directness in how she shares—including numerous dishy, behind-the-glam anecdotes….Grant has lived a long, full life. While she may prefer to be coy about precisely how long it’s lasted so far, I Said Yes to Everything serves as evidence that it’s been long enough to give her a meaty, multifaceted and compelling story to tell.”—Jen Chaney, The Washington Post

“[N]o-holds-barred…Grant doesn’t make us read between the lines here; it’s all right there, on the page. When she was jubilant after winning an Oscar for her supporting role in Shampoo, we know it; when she was disgusted, as when a television network canceled her series without telling her, we know it, too; and, of course, when she was dismayed and bewildered and depressed when she couldn’t find work during her 12-year blacklisting, we know it for sure….An excellent show-business autobiography.
Booklist, STARRED review

“In this wonderful memoir, actor Grant charts her life from a childhood in New York City through her performance in Shampoo and beyond…Whether recalling the traumas of her first marriage to screenwriter Arnold Manoff or sharing entertaining memories of her famous friends, Grant does so with a with a lively, approachable tone. Though famous for her achievements as a multi-award winning actor, director, and documentarian, Grant reveals herself to be woman unafraid of continual self-reinvention. These pages tell a gripping story full of drama, humor, and hardship, offering an intimate look into the singular life of one indefatigable protagonist.”—Publishers Weekly

“[T]he resilience of [Lee Grant’s] career outlasted the 12-year period when she was blacklisted by HUAC for her political affiliations…she became one of the most respected actresses of her generation….Rife with appearances from some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including an unsuccessful date with Marlon Brando, Grant’s career proves that the elusive and oft-sought-after second chance can not only be had, it can be triumphantly redeeming. An insightful, sharp Hollywood memoir that will appeal to fans and newcomers alike.”
Kirkus

“Lee Grant's blacklist memoir is deliciously indiscreet. She has written the definitive tell-all about life on the blacklist and no one who cares at all about those dark days can afford not to read it.”
—Victor S. Navasky, author of National Book Award-winning Naming Names

“Lee Grant came to know herself as a child, as an actress, as a woman and as a thinker. I have come to know her intimately in reading her book, and am so grateful for the experience.”
—Vanessa Redgrave

“Having had the privilege to work with Lee Grant on the motion picture screen was truly a delight. Now, out of nowhere, she has written a most wonderful book about her family and herself.  It’s warm, it’s touching and it’s a book that speaks of the human experience—the wonders of it, the magic of it, the difficulties of it, the history of a life’s unfolding, beautifully and brilliantly with purpose and with guts.”
—Sidney Poitier
 
“Read this book—every juicy page! Lee has lived her life and practiced her craft with reckless abandon, bravery, honesty and ultimately brutal clarity. You will want to be her friend, lover, child or student, and you will finish the final pages her ardent admirer. A ferocious and fragile woman who unapologetically states: For better or for worse, I'm right here!”
—Frank Langella
 
"If there is any adventure, from love to politics, that you feel you've missed in life, Lee Grant has had it for you—and describes it here with wit, honesty and all five senses. No one, but no one, has better explained, say, the difference between the theater and Hollywood, between love and romance, or between families born and chosen.  Go ahead, live a little. Say yes to Lee Grant."
—Gloria Steinem
 
“Lee Grant’s I Said Yes to Everything is heart-stopping. More than just a show business memoir or chronicle of the Hollywood blacklist era, it is a terrifying account of a gifted artist’s tumultuous journey—both personal and professional.  You will feel every jolt of terror that Grant endured, wondering if you would have been as brave. Her triumph becomes our own. Readers of this gripping book will surely reach the final page shouting a victorious ‘Yes!’ to everything that is Lee Grant.”
—Marlo Thomas
 
“Lee Grant—I have worked with her—is a great actress.  Lee Grant is also my friend—a great conversationalist.  I never knew about her writing talent.  She has written a wonderful book.  It made me laugh, it made me cry.  Read it!”—Kirk Douglas
 
“Lee knows how to tell a good story with passion, honesty and a good sense of humor.”—Michael Douglas

“It's so easy to say ‘Yes’! I loved Lee Grant's memoir—everything about it! She is direct, honest, witty and compelling!”
—Dyan Cannon

“The minute I looked at the new memoir [by] actress Lee Grant, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist I Said Yes To Everything….I'm afraid I pretty much abandoned everything else until I read it. Lee Grant is one of America’s greatest actors, most heroic survivors, a contradictory enigma one minute, a sympathetic victim the next….who keeps turning it all around into triumph.”
—Liz Smith

"Lee Grant's I Said Yes to Everything is a fantastic read. Beautifully written and brutally honest, she takes us through the highs and lows of her brilliant career and incredibly interesting personal life. I loved every page of it.”
—Joy Behar

 

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Customer Reviews

Found it rather boring.
Kate
Ms. Grant's memoir reveals an an intriguing, honest and inspiring life.
Sandra Lang
This very well written memoir was addictive- I couldn't put it down .
SW

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful By Agatha Christie TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on July 16, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Written from a stream of conciousness point of view and a tad on the artsy side, this memoir put me off initially until I got caught up in the rhythm of Lee Grant's writing. For a fan, this book is not only interesting but revealing. Knowing little of Grant's backstory, this memoir explained for me why her film career seemingly ended after just taking off and why her fans didn't see Grant surface again for over a decade. While the taint of the Hollywood Blacklist may have slowed Grant down it didn't stop her as she redirected herself to stage work and anything else she could get. In the process, she also became a staunch advocate for the arts.
While this memoir deals with Grant's life and career, it is also anecdote driven as some of the most interesting figures in mid to late 20th century in the entertainment industry shuffle on stage and off. The overall effect as I read this memoir had me feeling as though I was a fly on the wall taking it all in. Grant has a wonderful way with telling a tale.
Viewed as one woman's observations and experiences, this is an interesting book that reflects the changing social scene.
What I specifically liked about this book was Grant's candor and humor.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful By OpenBookSociety dot com on July 23, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Brought to you by OBS reviewer JoAnne

What can I say about this biography? It’s stark, all-encompassing, heartfelt and honest. Ms. Grant lays bare her soul. I wanted to read this because I have always liked her as an actress. My favorite movie with her is Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell. Admittedly, she has a supporting role; but in my opinion, she stole the movie without trying to upstage anyone. Her mere presence on the screen is riveting, and so is this autobiography.

She begins literally at the beginning: her relatives emigrating to Ellis Island, how her parents met, her birth, her parents’ divorce and subsequent remarriage, etc. She explains how difficult it was growing up Jewish in New York, and how she survived it.

She became an actress as a teenager, and was nominated for an academy award in 1952. She married Arnold Manoff, a Communist; and while he attempted to get her to join the party, she was basically apathetic about it. Yet because of him, and friends they socialized with, her career was completely and finally cut off. The marriage was tempestuous, and everything she did had to be with Arnie’s approval. When she finally struggled her way back to acting, she eventually did win the coveted Oscar, for Shampoo.

I was extremely interested in hearing her stories about the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committe), which was started by Senator Joe McCarthy. For those who have no knowledge (and I am sure that is not many), it was a time in America where famous people were expected to ‘name names’ if they wanted to keep on working. Many would not, and their careers would be over forever. Ms. Grant was one of the lucky ones; she was able to find her way into acting again, although it was not easy.

Ms.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful By Ski-Wee's Book Corner on July 8, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Lee Grant shares her childhood story and the relationships with her mother and aunt while living on 148th street in New York. Ms. Grant further reminisces about her education and training in the Arts field of dancing and acting that lead to starring in several stage plays and movie films. She discusses her long-term companionship with Arnold Manoff before their marriage including the twelve-year black list she endured due to an affiliation with a Communist Party Arnie believed in and supported.

Ms. Grant recalls the early years of dating and the relationships with famous and well-known stars that sometimes lasted only one or two dates. She discusses in depth her formative years as a teenager through the absent twelve years of perfecting her trade on screen cut short by accusations of befriending Communists living in America extending from the famous ‘Hollywood 10.’

In addition, Grant discloses a play-by-play recount of her widespread on-stage Broadway plays, filmography, and documentaries under her direction after being released from the Red Channels blacklist used by the CBS television company.

Lee Grant’s memoir provides enormous information regard the problematic situations she endured and the driven force within herself not to give up at any cost. I recommend this book to readers of celebrity memoirs and those wishing to learn more on her personal stance on the handling of actors blacklisted during the reign of terror during the ‘McCarthyism’ years, as she had become a victim.

I received this book free from the Net Galley reviewer program in exchange for an unbiased opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful By Sandra Lang on July 10, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Five Stars! Ms. Grant's memoir reveals an an intriguing, honest and inspiring life. Her remembrances and insights of her Theatre and Hollywood experiences and her friends brought them to life. And what an interesting life it was. I didn't want the book to end!
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38 of 48 people found the following review helpful By avidreader on July 8, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
I’ve picked up this book several times, read part of it, and put it down again. I still haven’t finished it; it hasn’t been a very engaging read. The writing style is curiously detached (i.e., I did this, then this happened, then…). I wanted to know how Lee FELT. Even when she does talk about emotions (“I ran screaming down the street”), it sounded wooden and I didn’t understand how she felt. The writing style wasn’t very cohesive, either. There’d be a paragraph about Arnie’s kids, a couple of paragraphs on the state of her marriage, then a discussion about the plays she was in, then back to the marriage, all in the same section.

Grant drops some pretty famous names, and then moves on without elaboration. For instance, she mentions that when she was a kid she was enrolled in George Balanchine’s ballet school. George Balanchine! Did she meet him? Was he autocratic, friendly, distant? Did he teach her class personally? She never says. Similarly, a date with Brando (yes, that Brando) is covered in two sentences. I got the sense that Grant didn’t see these events as… important? But I wanted details.

The first part of the book is about Grant’s childhood. (Think of reading it as eating your lima beans so you can have dessert.) It got more interesting when she started her stage career. This part, however, is packed with industry names, none of which I recognized. It was still fun to read about her career taking hold. From there, there’s a long section about the blacklisting of actors in the late ‘50s. She made The List and was blacklisted from TV and radio for 12 years.

I Said Yes would be of interest to stage aficionados, Lee Grant fans, or those looking for a different perspective on the McCarthy Era, written by someone who was targeted.

*ARC from NetGalley in exchange for agreement to review*
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