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Summary
Summary
Simply a must read for anyone who seeks a behind-the-scenes peek of some of Hollywood's classic films. . .
Beginning with his film debut in Breaking Away , Daniel Stern has grown up on-screen before our very eyes. His connection with audiences is cemented in movies like Home Alone and City Slickers , and in his debut memoir, Home and Alone , he is the Everyman narrator on a ride into the human side of Hollywood. Buckle up and experience what it's like driving Robert Redford in his Porsche at 100 mph, or stripping down for a nude scene in front of a group of total strangers. Share the out-of-body moments of flying alone with Mel Gibson on his jet to Las Vegas and smashing a fake mustache onto Gary Busey's face while cursing him out on the pitcher's mound of Wrigley Field in front of a sellout crowd. Join him in his triumphant stories like conquering his dyslexia as the voice of The Wonder Years , and his terrifying ones like being sued for $25 million by CBS and Columbia pictures. Touching and hysterical, often at the same time, Stern gives readers a peek at the highs and lows of a Hollywood career, and a closer look at the movies they love and the people who make them.
Inspiring as it is humorous, Stern weaves a compelling tale of an artistic hippie-child of the 60's, who by age thirteen had hitchhiked his way across the Eastern half of the U.S.A. By age seventeen he had dropped out of high school and was living on his own in New York, and by nineteen he was starting a family of his own. His insights into marriage, children, parents and parenting are not only hilarious, but packed with subtle wisdom. But the real surprises are in Stern's off-screen roles as a bronze sculptor, cattle rancher, avocado farmer and public servant. The hard work and commitment he has put into his on-screen successes are applied with the same intensity to every aspect of his life. From creating monumental public art projects and founding a Boys & Girls Club to visiting troops in Iraq and learning to birth a cow, he has lived it all. Home and Alone is for anyone who needs reminding that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
Reviews: (2)
Kirkus Review
The actor discusses his career on the stage and in film, and his life focusing on the value of art and public service. Now 66, Stern, perhaps best known for his roles in Home Alone and City Slickers, is no longer "the precocious teenager who moved to New York as a seventeen-year-old, at least ten years younger than all of my friends, the youngest dad at all my kids' school events." As he discusses his childhood in Maryland, his introduction to the theater, and writing a musical version of Lord of the Flies, the author's love of the work shows through on every page--as does his family's legacy of a strong work ethic (his mother told him, "I don't care what you do but you are out of this house when you turn eighteen"). Realizing that "academics were not going to get me anywhere," he committed to acting. After some early stage work, he began working in films, appearing in a number of critically successful projects in the late 1970s and early '80s, including Breaking Away and Diner. Stern analyzes key moments in the development of his craft, as well as the twists and turns of a very public life, which included work with the USO and the experience of being sued for $25 million over a TV show. Although readers may pick up the book to learn more about Hollywood, his focus on his work-life balance brings some of the most memorable passages, from his narration and directing work in the TV series The Wonder Years (which included no on-screen billing), which helped him overcome his childhood dyslexia, to his experience working with the Boys & Girls Club and his lifelong focus on public service. A fascinating and funny look at the life of a famous actor who found further fulfillment through giving back. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Actor, director, and artist Stern shares amusing and insightful stories about his life and his many years working in show business. Readers will be grabbed immediately by his nostalgic descriptions of growing up in 1960s suburbia. He learned he was dyslexic when he was a child. His accounts of moving to New York City (alone and as a teenager) to begin an acting career are gritty. Stern is known for his roles in Home Alone, Breaking Away, and City Slickers; his long career has provided opportunities to work with many famous people on various productions. His work in movies, plays, and TV supplies the backdrop for many anecdotes, written in an engaging and friendly tone. His collection of good, bad, and usually comical encounters with a laundry list of celebrities, including Joe Pesci, Robert Redford, Donald Trump, Barbra Streisand, and more, will entertain readers. VERDICT Stern's life, from a dyslexic child to a successful movie actor, is fascinating. Mixing behind-the-scenes insights from iconic movies with witty accounts of interactions with Hollywood A-listers creates a top-notch celebrity memoir.--Kathaleen McCormick