I Love Lucy books...

[Ireneparalegal]

I know that Madame X and I share the one Bart Andrews book and NOVArick has mentioned some books on this board, what I would like to know, which books do you recommend for us die-hard Lucy fans? I know there are some duds out there, but I would like to know which ones are the best, have good pics and information. It would help me to know which ones to add to my Christmas list for this year.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I know that Madame X and I share the one Bart Andrews book and NOVArick has mentioned some books on this board, what I would like to know, which books do you recommend for us die-hard Lucy fans? I know there are some duds out there, but I would like to know which ones are the best, have good pics and information. It would help me to know which ones to add to my Christmas list for this year.

You may already have this, but I would highly recommend "The Lucy Book," by Geoffrey Mark Fidelman. It's a great resource in that he chronicles every episode Lucy did in her career, and attempts to cover every other appearance she ever made on television. The book isn't perfect as there are some TV appearances I remember her making that Fidelman missed (e.g., an interview she did on "Entertainment Tonight" in 1986 just prior to the debut of "Life with Lucy" and some of her game show appearances), but he covers the vast majority of her TV career. You'll also have to excuse some of his opinions. You'll find him putting down some of your favorite episodes while praising episodes you dislike. But it's still an invaluable resource. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes commentary and recollections from people involved in the particular episodes and appearances being discussed.

I also highly recommend "Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz," by Coyne S. Sanders and Tom Gilbert. This is an exhaustive and highly accurate examination of the personal and public lives and careers of Lucy and Desi. While this book is honest and frank, it is not a titillating Kitty Kelly-style tabloid (like that awful book by Kathleen Brady).

Another one I enjoyed is " I Loved Lucy: My Friendship With Lucille Ball," by Lee Tannen, a distant cousin of Gary Morton, and longtime friend of Lucy's. This book is a very revealing look at who Lucy was as a person, warts and all, good moods and bad moods. You'll come away feeling like you know her. But you may wind up not liking Gary Morton too much.

If you're looking for pictures, you can't beat the "'I Love Lucy' Scrapbook: The Official Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Show" by Elisabeth Edwards. Lucille Ball was notoriously sentimental, and saved virtually every card, telegram and letter she ever received in her life, as well as many other kinds of mementos. This amazing book is chock full of 3-D (yes, 3-D!) reproductions of mementos of her life with Desi, right up to his funeral. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Another couple great picture books include "'I Love Lucy': The Complete Picture History of the Most Popular TV Show Ever," by Michael McClay, and another one by Thomas Watson from around 1999 (I can't remember the title at the moment.

A really good history of how "I Love Lucy" came to be is "Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time" by Jess and Oppenheimer. I also recommend "The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance" by Frank Castelluccio and Alvin Walker. This was the first attempt to really explore the fascinating life of Vivian Vance.

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I know that Madame X and I share the one Bart Andrews book and NOVArick has mentioned some books on this board, what I would like to know, which books do you recommend for us die-hard Lucy fans? I know there are some duds out there, but I would like to know which ones are the best, have good pics and information. It would help me to know which ones to add to my Christmas list for this year.

I would strongly recommend Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball. Once I got it, I read it non-stop, it was so fascinating. I am currently reading The Other Side of Ethel Mertz, and I must say it is taking days for me to get through it. Ethel was my favorite character, but having a book written by someone else doesn't quite make it.

I tried to buy Desi's book, called A Book, but it is either sold out or very expensive. Go figure!

Another "book" for people who are interested, is the Official I Love Lucy Paper Dolls book. I didn't make the paper dolls, but it is very informative about the ILL wardrobes.

I also have the Lucy and Desi Scrapbook which has a history of their lives in scrapbook form, with birth/death/marriage certificates, letters, programs and photos of their lives. It is like a real scrapbook with things pasted in and items you can pull out and look at.

If you are wanting to buy basic informational books, I would recommend The I Love Lucy Book by Bart Andrews (even though there are some mistakes), and Love, Lucy, by Lucille Ball.

[Ireneparalegal]

This is great you two, thanx so very much. I know there are lots and lots of books available on ILL, Vivian and so forth, but I could never really know which ones were authentic and which ones were simply to make a buck. I really appreciate the information and I am sure others here will appreciate it as well.

[tanner]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

You may already have this, but I would highly recommend "The Lucy Book," by Geoffrey Mark Fidelman. It's a great resource in that he chronicles every episode Lucy did in her career, and attempts to cover every other appearance she ever made on television. The book isn't perfect as there are some TV appearances I remember her making that Fidelman missed (e.g., an interview she did on "Entertainment Tonight" in 1986 just prior to the debut of "Life with Lucy" and some of her game show appearances), but he covers the vast majority of her TV career. You'll also have to excuse some of his opinions. You'll find him putting down some of your favorite episodes while praising episodes you dislike. But it's still an invaluable resource. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes commentary and recollections from people involved in the particular episodes and appearances being discussed.

I also highly recommend "Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz," by Coyne S. Sanders and Tom Gilbert. This is an exhaustive and highly accurate examination of the personal and public lives and careers of Lucy and Desi. While this book is honest and frank, it is not a titillating Kitty Kelly-style tabloid (like that awful book by Kathleen Brady).

I actually met Kathleen Brady several years ago during those Lucy-Desi days
in Jamestown, NY. She was a very nice woman and we spoke for a long time about Lucy, however I do have to admit her book does leave a lot to be desired. It isn't very good.

One thing I told her that I knew about Lucy that even she didn't know ( and I havent seen it in the other Lucy books out there ) was what happened in May 1964 in Winchester, Virginia.

Lucy & Gary Morton were the Grand Marshalls for the local Apple Blossom Festival there in 1964. Back then the most popular radio show in the area was Joe Pasquali's Toast & Coffee which aired on WINC-AM ( the same station that launched the carrer of country music great Patsy Cline but thats for another post somewhere else . Since Lucy & Gary were in town for the festival, both appeared on Pasquali's program.

On the WINC broadcast, Lucy was asked about Vivian Vance and her TV kids since this was during the time of The Lucy Show. Lucy told Joe Pasquali that The Lucy Show was phasing out the kids in favor of a new format of a new show called simply "Lucy" and that the show would not only feaure Vivian Vance but also Gale Gordon and even Gary Morton would be a series regular.

If what Lucy said was correct then that means that "Here's Lucy" and her show without Ralph Hart, Jimmy Garrett, and Candy Moore was planned as early as May 1964. Yet in some of the Lucy books out there her TV kids were surprised to learn they were out of a job.

I heard a tape of this broadcast ( it was only a 15 minute show ) back in 2003. For awhile it was available online that is until Clear Channel Communcations filed a suit to have the site taken down which it succeded. The guy who ran the site worked at a local radio station in Winchester and Clear Channel claimed "conflict of interest".

Oh one more thing about that interview, Lucy was hoping Desi Jr. wouldn't be a rock star and have a normal life. Well that didnt happened. Can we say Deno, Desi and Billy?

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

If you're looking for pictures, you can't beat the "'I Love Lucy' Scrapbook: The Official Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Show" by Elisabeth Edwards. Lucille Ball was notoriously sentimental, and saved virtually every card, telegram and letter she ever received in her life, as well as many other kinds of mementos. This amazing book is chock full of 3-D (yes, 3-D!) reproductions of mementos of her life with Desi, right up to his funeral. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Oops! I gave you the wrong book title. The book I was talking about is "Lucy & Desi: The Real-Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple," the one Madame X also mentioned. It's the same author, but a different book. I've heard abou, but never seen, this "'I Love Lucy' Scrapbook," so I can't comment on it. But if it's half as good as the Lucy and Desi Scrapbook, then it should be awesome as well.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

This is great you two, thanx so very much. I know there are lots and lots of books available on ILL, Vivian and so forth, but I could never really know which ones were authentic and which ones were simply to make a buck. I really appreciate the information and I am sure others here will appreciate it as well.

You're very welcome. There are so many books out there about Lucy. Madame X mentioned "Love, Lucy." I would recommend that as well as these are Lucille Ball's own words. My only criticism (though it's not really a criticism) is that, when talking about the divorce, Lucy seemed to go out of her way not to offend Desi. So you're not really going to get the real lowdown on exactly what tore their marriage apart. You'll have to read some of the other books for that.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by tanner

On the WINC broadcast, Lucy was asked about Vivian Vance and her TV kids since this was during the time of The Lucy Show. Lucy told Joe Pasquali that The Lucy Show was phasing out the kids in favor of a new format of a new show called simply "Lucy" and that the show would not only feaure Vivian Vance but also Gale Gordon and even Gary Morton would be a series regular.

Gary Morton, a series regular? I'm glad THAT didn't happen!

[Madame X]

Hey, Salt Sister! Some other gift ideas are CD's. I will admit they aren't the ones I wanted. Oh why can't somebody exploit the market and give us all the songs from ILL! If I had the power, influence and capability, I would produce "The Songs of I Love Lucy."

Anyway, I have "Babalu Music!"-I Love Lucy's Greatest Hists...kinda

I also have "Desi Arnaz and His Orchestra." Not really what I wanted, but, oh well...

If they could only produce the songs from the show, someone would reap millions. Hell, "The Operetta" alone would be a best seller!

[HuntingtonM15]

I got The Other Side of Ethel Mertz when it was first released, and I actually really enjoyed it. I should try reading it again to see if I still feel the same way.

[comedyfreak]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

But you may wind up not liking Gary Morton too much.

What's the scoop on him?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Madame X

Hey, Salt Sister! Some other gift ideas are CD's. I will admit they aren't the ones I wanted. Oh why can't somebody exploit the market and give us all the songs from ILL! If I had the power, influence and capability, I would produce "The Songs of I Love Lucy."

Anyway, I have "Babalu Music!"-I Love Lucy's Greatest Hists...kinda

I also have "Desi Arnaz and His Orchestra." Not really what I wanted, but, oh well...

If they could only produce the songs from the show, someone would reap millions. Hell, "The Operetta" alone would be a best seller!

Hey, that is an awesome gift idea. Thank you for mentioning that to me. Any great Lucy items are nifty ideas.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

What's the scoop on him?

Just kind of annoying, and not terribly talented. For proof, check out the film clips of one of his painfully unfunny studio audience warmups for "Here's Lucy" on the "Here's Lucy" DVD.

[Superbatboy]

I made a thread about a week ago about the "Lucy Book" which no one replied to. Anyway, it's a great book that I've read twice through now and it's very informative.

[*ClassicPinUp*]

I'm so copying all these down and getting them for Christmas..