Lucy in the Afternoon - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Roz1013 · 08-07-2001, 02:33 AM

I know it's been mentioned before (which is why I went out and got the book), but I'm reading 'Lucy in the Afternoon' by Jim Brochu and it is *so* good. I don't usually get into books, but I could sit down and read this in one sitting if I had the time. Definitely a must read for any Lucy fan. Some parts have had me rolling on the floor laughing, but mostly it's made me once again realize what a special, determined, hard-working, loving individual she is. Check it out if you get the chance.

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"Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

Mignon · 08-07-2001, 08:37 AM

I haven't heard of that book. Is it an autobiography?

Brandon 2006 · 08-07-2001, 09:39 AM

no.

Love,Lucy is the audiobiography that Lucille Ball wrote.

Roz1013 · 08-08-2001, 01:34 AM

No, it's written by a man who spent almost every afternoon of the last year of Lucy's life with her playing backgammon and just talking so there's a lot of really interesting stories in there.

Have you guys heard about how she helped dramatically change WWII? I had never heard that story before, I don't know why it wasn't big news. It's incredible.

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"Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

dawsongirl · 08-08-2001, 03:10 PM

Is that the story of her fillings picking up radio signals?

What other Lucy books have you read? If you've read anything I have, I'd like to know your take.

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Congrats to the 2001 Brickyard 400 Champion- Jeff Gordon!

Roz1013 · 08-08-2001, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsongirl:
Is that the story of her fillings picking up radio signals?

Yeah, isn't that amazing?

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsongirl:

What other Lucy books have you read? If you've read anything I have, I'd like to know your take.

'Lucy in the Afternoon' and 'Love, Lucy' are the only biographical books I've read on Lucille Ball, though I also own 'Lucy: A Life in Pictures' and 'The Official I Love Lucy Scrapbook', both of which are mostly pictures, but have some interesting facts here and there. Are there any other biographies I can read on her that I don't know about that are worth reading?

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"Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

dawsongirl · 08-08-2001, 10:20 PM

Yeah, there are a couple that come to mind.

"Lucille" by Kathleen Brady is excellent, as is "Lucy & Desi" by Warren something. Gee, now I can't remember his name. Harris maybe?

Both are really good. A lot of books I've read say some of the same stuff, but they each have enough different things to make them interesting.

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Congrats to the 2001 Brickyard 400 Champion- Jeff Gordon!

dawsongirl · 08-08-2001, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsongirl:
Is that the story of her fillings picking up radio signals?

You know where I read that? TV Guide used to have this Q & A thing on the first page, and one issue had that as a question.

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Congrats to the 2001 Brickyard 400 Champion- Jeff Gordon!

TV Guy · 08-09-2001, 02:14 PM

"Lucille" was definitely very good. I think the best of the bunch is "Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz". The author(s) had cooperation from the Arnaz children, who were able to give an interesting perspective, and were also able to open the doors for interviews with all kinds of former Desilu employees.

bweir · 08-23-2001, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roz1013:
I know it's been mentioned before (which is why I went out and got the book), but I'm reading 'Lucy in the Afternoon' by Jim Brochu and it is *so* good. I don't usually get into books, but I could sit down and read this in one sitting if I had the time. Definitely a must read for any Lucy fan. Some parts have had me rolling on the floor laughing, but mostly it's made me once again realize what a special, determined, hard-working, loving individual she is. Check it out if you get the chance.

Yes, yes. The book is wondaful if you LIKE FICTION!!!!!!!! There are hardly any facts in that book. It has been publicly denounced by the family and friends of Lucille Ball as fiction. Jim Brochu is an opportunist who only wrote the book to cash in on the death of his friend. "I didn't want to go to Buffalo" indeed.

[This message has been edited by bweir (edited 08-23-2001).]

Roz1013 · 08-23-2001, 06:58 PM

Alright already, geez! Maybe one more person could shoot that book down in my face today. I didn't right the so called 'fiction' book.

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"Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

[This message has been edited by Roz1013 (edited 08-23-2001).]

Terry Ross · 08-24-2001, 02:16 PM

Who exactly is saying that "Lucy in the Afternoon" is pure fiction? What expert has surfaced and knows so much?

Don't get down yet, Roz.

Roz1013 · 08-24-2001, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roz1013:
I didn't right the so called 'fiction' book.

Oh

hehe, *write* even, not right. It was late when I wrote that.....

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"Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

[This message has been edited by Roz1013 (edited 08-24-2001).]

08-24-2001, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Terry Ross:
Who exactly is saying that "Lucy in the Afternoon" is pure fiction? What expert has surfaced and knows so much?

Don't get down yet, Roz.

Brace yourself for this longer than intended response, ha.

I believe the "experts" being referred to are Lucie Arnaz and her family. I've read the book, and it was a great read, and I was a little disappointed to find out that it was what it was, as I'm sure many of you are. But, I believe it is important for other Lucy fans to be aware of the reality of the book, and the situation around which it was released.

Here's an excerpt from some of Lucie Arnaz's questions and responses in "Ask Lucie", from www.LucieArnaz.com

"Q. I am in the middle of reading Kathleen Brady's book about your mother and I was wondering what you thought about it. It seems very different from other books I have read because it talks about a lot of other events that other authors and even Lucy did not mention in her autobiography. I think it's really interesting.

Lucie: I do remember the Brady book. I recall it being very an interesting read, but not very accurate (for example she says Lucille did not have a single memory of her father [page 6]; the statement about the nice hats [page 8] I made up myself!; the topless photo is suspect and does not much resemble her, etc. etc.) Either she didn't check facts thoroughly, or people she interviewed made things up. The Brady book is better than some, however. The Jim Brochu , "Lucy in the Afternoon" book (which was released moments after her passing) is littered with inaccuracies, and totally fabricated stories. Skip THAT one!"

OR

"Hi, Lucie!
It's wonderful what you are doing to keep us all informed in the wide world of Lucie (and Lucy for that matter). Just a quick question. Are there any other books we should skip reading besides Lucy in the Afternoon?
Thanks,
Kaitlyn

LUCIE: Actually, Lucy In The Afternoon, had the most glaring mistakes and fictitious entries. But, Kathleen Brady's biography on my mother was also full of "almost truths" and factual errors. I was sorry for anyone trying to just get some names and dates straight about my mom, because there wasn't anything out there with all of the right information. That's one of the reasons that I decided to make the documentary (LUCY AND DESI: A HOME MOVIE) and to release the book we found that my mother had written and "shelved" before her death (LOVE LUCY), so that there would be SOME accurate record out there for the future. I have found that it's important to cross-check facts in all unauthorised biographies."

If you're looking for a good book, one which was written by a close friend of Lucy's, who was one of her best friends in her final decade, a book that has been publicly praised by Lucy's family and friends, I suggest you read "I Loved Lucy: My Friendship WIth Lucille Ball" by Lee Tannen, which is due to be released in a couple of weeks.

--Laura

CherryBomb · 08-24-2001, 06:34 PM

Thanks Laura!

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~*~Kristin~*~
"Rock and Roll music, I don't think it'll ever die completely out because they're gonna have to get something mighty good to take its place." - Elvis Presley

"Love yourself first, and everything will fall into line." -Lucille Ball

"The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results." - James Dean

08-07-2001, 02:33 AM	#1
Roz1013 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 05, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 261	Lucy in the Afternoon I know it's been mentioned before (which is why I went out and got the book), but I'm reading 'Lucy in the Afternoon' by Jim Brochu and it is so good. I don't usually get into books, but I could sit down and read this in one sitting if I had the time. Definitely a must read for any Lucy fan. Some parts have had me rolling on the floor laughing, but mostly it's made me once again realize what a special, determined, hard-working, loving individual she is. Check it out if you get the chance. ------------------ "Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

08-07-2001, 08:37 AM	#2
Mignon Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 06, 2001 Location: UK Posts: 16	I haven't heard of that book. Is it an autobiography?

08-07-2001, 09:39 AM	#3
Brandon 2006 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2001 Location: United States Posts: 338	no. Love,Lucy is the audiobiography that Lucille Ball wrote.

08-08-2001, 01:34 AM	#4
Roz1013 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 05, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 261	No, it's written by a man who spent almost every afternoon of the last year of Lucy's life with her playing backgammon and just talking so there's a lot of really interesting stories in there. Have you guys heard about how she helped dramatically change WWII? I had never heard that story before, I don't know why it wasn't big news. It's incredible. ------------------ "Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face."

08-08-2001, 03:10 PM	#5
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Is that the story of her fillings picking up radio signals? What other Lucy books have you read? If you've read anything I have, I'd like to know your take. ------------------ Congrats to the 2001 Brickyard 400 Champion- Jeff Gordon!

08-08-2001, 10:20 PM	#7
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Yeah, there are a couple that come to mind. "Lucille" by Kathleen Brady is excellent, as is "Lucy & Desi" by Warren something. Gee, now I can't remember his name. Harris maybe? Both are really good. A lot of books I've read say some of the same stuff, but they each have enough different things to make them interesting. ------------------ Congrats to the 2001 Brickyard 400 Champion- Jeff Gordon!

08-09-2001, 02:14 PM	#9
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	"Lucille" was definitely very good. I think the best of the bunch is "Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz". The author(s) had cooperation from the Arnaz children, who were able to give an interesting perspective, and were also able to open the doors for interviews with all kinds of former Desilu employees.

08-23-2001, 06:58 PM	#11
Roz1013 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 05, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 261	Alright already, geez! Maybe one more person could shoot that book down in my face today. I didn't right the so called 'fiction' book. ------------------ "Don't take this personally Ethel, but I'm sick of the sight of your face." [This message has been edited by Roz1013 (edited 08-23-2001).]

08-24-2001, 02:16 PM	#12
Terry Ross Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 20, 2000 Location: New Jersey Posts: 196	Who exactly is saying that "Lucy in the Afternoon" is pure fiction? What expert has surfaced and knows so much? Don't get down yet, Roz.

08-24-2001, 06:34 PM	#15
CherryBomb Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 22, 2001 Posts: 47	Thanks Laura! ------------------ ~~Kristin~~ "Rock and Roll music, I don't think it'll ever die completely out because they're gonna have to get something mighty good to take its place." - Elvis Presley "Love yourself first, and everything will fall into line." -Lucille Ball "The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results." - James Dean