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Publisher:
Reagan Books |
Release
Date: April 29, 2003 |
ISBN:
0060529288 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Hardback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Nonfiction / Autobiography |
Reviewed:
2003 |
Reviewer:
Sharon Hudson |
Reviewer
Notes: African American related |
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Maybe
You Never Cry Again
By Bernie
Mac
There
is a serious side to every comedian, and Bernard McCullough is no
exception. Bernie Mac takes the time, in this autobiography, to
share the intimate portrait of his life and pay tribute to those
who influenced, inspired, and encouraged him on his comedic journey.
I've enjoyed his comedy when he toured with The Kings of Comedy,
and his television show, but to go behind the scenes really enlightened
me. Maybe You Never Cry Again isn't your typical chronological
display of life events that often has you reading a book to fall
asleep. No, if you really listen to Bernie Mac, you can hear him
saying the words as you read. This is the closest I've come to an
audio book without actually listening to one. The way the words
are written is exactly the way your mind imagines that he would
say them.
This
book is full of emotion. The title comes from a promise Bernie made
to his mother when he was just a little boy. While watching the
Ed Sullivan show one evening when Bill Cosby was on, his mother
begins to cry. It is upsetting to a child to watch his mother cry.
Bernie climbed on her lap to comfort her. The next moment she starts
laughing so hard, he has to hold on tight to keep from falling from
her voluptuous lap and it is then that he realizes that he never
wants to see her cry again and he'll do anything to keep her laughing.
It's also the moment that he realizes that laughter is a powerful
force. Bernie grew up in Chicago, Illinois and this book tells how
life was a normal one for a child of that time period, and how life
is still normal for him. Fame hasn't gone to his head. He's the
same down to earth person that he has always been. The book isn't
so intimate that you feel as if you're invading private space, just
enough to let the reader know that humility has its place and has
value. Endless fodder for material has come from the life lessons
that were passed to him from his grandparents and the "Mac-isms"
from his mother. His stage persona doesn't stray far from those
lessons of childhood.
Bernie
Mac shares a lot in this book. I like the way the book was laid
out - each chapter had a poignant quote that dealt with the theme
of the chapter. There was a picture of Bernie and/or his family
included in each chapter as well, which further personalized the
book and encouraged the reader to see the intimate side. Each reader
can pick up something that we can carry forward in our own lives.
He's never forgotten from whence he came and he's kept it real throughout
his career. He's been true to his craft, his family and himself,
which makes Maybe You Never Cry Again, a wonderful read.
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