I highly recommend Julie Andrews' "Home: A Memoir of My Early Years." It's a beautifully written book that captures the times and places of the events that took place in her early years (i.e before her film career). As one who, as a young child, first heard her sing on the "My Fair Lady" orginal cast recording, I've been a fan for a very long time. This wonderful book adds to her many extraordinary achievments. I'm so looking forward to the next installment of her amazing life.

I have loved Julie Andrews since I first saw her in My Fair Lady and Camelot. She is so gracious, talented, beautiful and I've heard bawdy, which I think makes her a well rounded lady. Unfortunately, I preordered this book without realizing what the content would be, and I found it disappointing. She obviously was terribly offended by some of the unpleasant deeds of Rex Harrison, but she was too gracious in her reflection of their appalling behavior. The memoir just wasn't what I expected. It boring and after laboriously reading most of it, I put it aside. This memoir has nothing to do with my admiration of Julie Andrews and all of her awesome accomplishments.

This book is SO interesting! The first half is full of details that seem very pertinent to Julie's life story. I lost interest during the second half because I had a difficult time keeping up with all the different people in her life during that time. Still a very good read! She is an amazing woman!

What a great life Ms Andrews is having, I hated to see the book end, please write another about your life now...

Julie Andrews will always be associated with the lovely characters she has played, such as Camelot's Queen Guenevere, sprightly nanny Mary Poppins, and the delightful Eliza Doolittle. It is somewhat surprising, therefore, to read this autobiography and learn about the dysfunctional family she grew up in. There was alcoholism, emotional abuse, and infidelity, but somehow Julie Andrews emerged as a lovely, somewhat vulnerable yet strong young woman. Her singing voice, amazingly mature at an early age, catapulted her to fame by the time she was 20 years old. She is very honest about her past and about those with whom she has lived and worked. The book ends with the birth of her first daughter, Emma Katherine, who was born just before Julie departed for the U.S. with her husband Tony Walton to work on Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins". Hopefully she will write another book about the second half of her life which will be just as interesting as her early years.

HOME: A MEMOIR BY JULIE ANDREWS IS AN EXTREMELY READABLE BOOK, NICELY FORMATTED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED IN TWO SECTIONS. EXPLORES MID-20TH C LIFE IN RURAL ENGLAND, COMPLICATED LIVES OF HER PARENTS, AND THE STATE OF VAUDEVILLE AND THEN THEATRE OF THE ERA. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN THE BRITISH THEATRE ARTS & ACTORS OF THE TIME. MOVES READER FROM ENGLAND TO NEW YORK AND EXPLORES THE DIFFERENCES OF THE TWO SETTINGS. YOU TRULY DISCOVER JULIE ANDREWS' MINDSET ALL THE WAY ALONG HER ROAD TO SUPER-STARDOM. A NICE ADDITION TO ANY LIBRARY COVERING THEATRE ARTS. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Whether as Maria Augusta von Trapp or Victor/Victoria, any role that Julie Andrews tackled assured her audience of several things: she would pour her heart and soul into the part, and, it would be a classy bit.

It is no surprise that her autobiography, HOME, is just as classy as the woman who wrote it. Although it stops with Julie Andrews on her way to Hollywood to make Mary Poppins, the parts of her life that were shadowed by her meteoric rise in popularity are now told in a clean, honest way.

Her childhood in England is discussed as is: the war; vaudeville and her early career on the stage in England. Without bragging, Julie Andrews enters the reader's mind as a dedicated, hard working and diligent performer who deserved to succeed.

There are sad parts as well: her dysfunctional family; a rather surprising introduction to a man whom she discovered was actually her father. However, Julie does not dwell on them or detail them with any sense of historonics or self pity. She is, and always was, a very strong woman.

I found her recollections on performing in MY FAIR LADY and CAMELOT to be of particular interest but there is not a dull or lagging part in this wonderful book.

Now, about the sequel . . .

This movie is academy award material, but was not considered so at the time. The screenplay is flawless, and the tight direction is a joy to watch. Each of the actors gives the performance of their career !

I enjoyed Julie Andrews book about her early life. Her honesty and warmth for her family as well as her positive approach to life in spite of setbacks comes through in this book. It seems that inspite of fame all of her professional success has not changed her from the young girl in this book. I also purchased the CD which I think is nice to listen to after reading the book first.

After reading a biography on Julie Andrew's entire life; I wanted more detail on her childhood. Julie sheds light on her early years like NO OTHER PERSON could. The detail of her remembrances; her light easy-to-read style...it's almost if you are sitting with Julie herself listening to her talk!

A must for any fan!

I did not know that Julie had a troubled childhood. Her paycheck
kept her family going. She did not know how to get to do what she wanted
to. Her mother was a good help until she became like her husband
and started drinking too much.
I was completing was interested in the book and it held my attention.

I really enjoyed Julie Andrews' recently published memoir, "Home." Sadly, the reader is left at the beginning of her catapult to stardom wishing that the follow-up book was already available. Fans wanting to learn all about "Mary Poppin" and "The Sound of Music" will be disappointed, as this volume ends just as Julie is about to begin production on "Mary Poppins." Many will wonder what she could possibly fill a book with, leaving out the bulk of her career. I can tell you: PLENTY! "My Fair Lady" & "Camelot" on Broadway, "Cinderella" in the early years of television, live performances for the British Monarcy, and much more. Julie has written a beautiful tale of her early years; how her amazing vocal talents were developed, the trials and tribulations of growing up in a broken home, as well as all the things that contributed to her being able to grab the plum role of P.L. Travers' famous nanny, Mary Poppins (especially touching is her recounting of Walt Disney personally walking her around Disneyland). Julie is extremely frank, candid, and revealing; she had more than her share of hardships growing up. One will get a sense of what World War 2 was like for a little girl; she vividly paints the picture of the bomb shelters and the constant unease of not knowing when an evacuation might occur. Still, with all of the sadness that Julie reveals, her positive spirit never once asks for sympathy or for tears. This is an uplifting tale that is able to rise above the typical "who I slept with" narratives that so many celebrities choose to concoct. I highly recommend this book to those who admire Julie Andrews and want an inside look at her early years.

Julie Andrews gives us a close up look at her early years. She seems to have been very honest and forthright in telling about each member of her family and how she related to them.You have real emphathy for her as she struggled to have some childhood and the truth that many times she was responsible for her families support and survival at a very young age..This book brodened my knowledge of the entertainment business and made me wish at times that I had been able to meet and know all the famous entertainers and celebreties that she was fortunate to know.
I would like to have heard about the rest of her life after 28 years old.

Fabulous book , I've always loved Julie Andrews and I love her more now! A wonderful read!

How marvellous this book of Dame Julie's early years is.

Much of the story of her early career I knew from a concert Julie gave in the very late 1980's. Eventually PBS broadcast the concert here in California. I will always remember that particular concert for many reasons.

However, I have gone ahead of myself.

I downloaded Dame Julie's book to read, as I cannot hold a book in my hands because of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Then I eventually bought the hardcover to add to my library of first editions. I also wanted to see the photographs.

The strange thing is, as I was listening to Julie read her story I could not keep my eyes from looking at the beautiful face of our young Julie. It is a gorgeous picture of her! I was completely transfixed by the fresh-faced photograph of Julie and the manner in which she told the story of her young life and career.

Then, I realised, how short a time it has been from the first day I saw Julie on screen when I was a child, and how different everything is now - some forty-years later.

Julie writes as if she has been writing books all her life. Every sentence is well structured, and every word paints a clear picture of her life as a child, teenager, and young woman.

Her impressions are not over the top, they are genuine, her revelations beautiful, witty, and startling all at the same time.

Her love of England is felt deeply as one sits and reads the story, and in a way, she took me home as well.

The many vibrant images of England Julie painted with words brought back my own recollections of home. It was easy for me to smell and touch the English landscape as I listened to Julie's distinctive and peaceful speaking voice.

The pictorial images she draws are simple to see in ones mind as she meticulously unfolds each moment of her early life. One cannot help but feel her memories are authentic. She pays close attention to detail but does not embellish or bellyache. In that sense, it is as honest a story as one can possibly write, or read.

I enjoyed Julie's book, and I certainly do hope she will continue to write the rest of it.

Julie's story is all the more important for me because the last time I saw Julie sing live on stage was - and still is - an important night I will never forget.

Julie was in town and singing songs from all her stage shows, films, and TV shows, with narrative. What could be better I thought.

Followed by some thought, I decided I wanted to attend the concert with my mother. We did not get along well. All of life was a battlefield. However, I thought attending Julie's concert would be a step in the right direction - as it proved to be. At least my mother would not be grieving the loss of my father and perhaps stop drinking for at least that one night. I was trying to get her out of a morbid state of mind.

When I asked my mother if she wanted to attend a concert featuring Julie Andrews, she said yes! I was so happy and relieved to get her outside her grief even if it were for only a few hours.

That night my mother listened to Julie sing from the heart and soul. Indeed, I do not think my mother took her eyes off Julie as she performed everything from 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly' to 'Burlington Bertie from Bow' to 'Jazz Hot' to 'The Hills are Alive'. I remember the beautiful ball gown Julie wore at the end of the show stunned my mother that she did not stop talking about it for weeks afterward. It was a night - a memory - I will treasure all my life. More importantly, it was a night I was glad to spend with my mother.

Many years after an unknown assailant murdered my mother, I saw the very same concert on PBS again. It was a repeat, which aired around the time I got ALS. At the time I did not know I had cancer as well. Choked with emotion, I recalled that one magical night with my mother and Julie's amazing performance. The memory is so clear in my mind that it has not left to this day.

As I continue to struggle to hang onto the best left in life, I felt it important to write this review.

Finally, for bringing my mother and I together for that one special night, I can never thank Julie enough. I humbly bow to Dame Julie for the simple gift of song and story.

As for this book, it is a great read for all of us really. For many of us, we can look back and wonder what we were doing at the same time. Then - start all over again tomorrow with a new outlook on life.

I read Julie Andrews' memoir in an afternoon. Its voice is inviting and reassuring and, most important, genuine.

The newly released TEACHING LIFE: LETTERS FROM A LIFE IN LITERATURE impresses me as a welcome companion.

In 1978 one of the author's students died tragically in an automobile accident on her way to his office to talk over her career plans. It was the suddenness of her death, along with the utter loss of so much potential, which left him wondering whether anything he had said in class had made a difference in her too-short life or, for that matter, in the lives of any of his students.

Her death was not only a great misfortune but also a defining moment for the author. For the first time in his life as a teacher, and he had been at it for only five years, he realized in the weeks that followed that he wasn't in the classroom for myself. He was and remains there for the students, all of whom are giving him three hours a week of their most precious possession -- their time. What he says and do should make a difference in their lives. The worst thief is a bad teacher.

n a recent interview with Samantha Bravo he answers some pointed questions about the book:

1) Each letter to Kelly addresses a different aspect of
education, literature and life. How did you decide
which topics to address? How do you think the book's
organization of these topics affects the reader?

The topics suggested themselves to me as I moved ever deeper into the project. I knew I had to write "When a Parent Dies," for example, because the day after my father's funeral I returned to my class to discuss Hamlet and saw my father sitting in the back of the room. The chapter on "Marriage" suggested itself because I was struck by how many of my colleagues across the country wrestle with balancing the academics with family life. Many questions emerged over the years from discussions with my parents, both educators, as well as from my students. Overall I answer questions that many teachers (and students) ask of themselves and that I continue to ask of myself.

2) Why did you choose to format the book as a series of
letters?

To avoid the risk of coming across as "preachy" or dogmatic. That's not my style. Writing letters "to" a former student was an indirect way of reaching my potential reader. Also, this format helped me to establish a warm, personal tone that is the voice I try to maintain in the classroom. I am speaking to teachers, yes, but I am also speaking to students as well as to the general public - and I don't want to alienate them.

3) In the book's summary it says that "'Teaching Life"
is an effort to impart lessons to the next generation
of teachers." Would you also agree that these lessons
are equally benefiting to students who read this
book? What sort of insight should a student expect to
gain in contrast to a teacher?

Yes, most definitely. Letters as personal as these permit the student to slip away from present concerns, open the door, and step inside the secret life of a teacher. Happiness is a gift, not a right, and most of us as teachers have been so gifted. Perhaps some students themselves will carry from the book the thought of entering this noble and personally rewarding profession. At the very least I hope they will find here some useful suggestions for getting all they can from their educational experiences.

4) You say that Kelly has become a metaphor for all your
students. Could you explain this in more depth?

Every semester my classrooms are filled with Kelly's - bright, eager-to-learn men and women who are giving me three hours a week of their most precious possession - their time. What I say "to" Kelly in the letters I say to all of my students: make the most of your allotted time, seek the best in everything you do, and keep growing. My challenge is to find a way to connect with them, to encourage them to care about the material, to think about some of the deep issues of life, and to have a good time while doing so. That's part of what keeps me coming back day after day, month after month, semester after semester. Though Kelly didn't live to realize her potential as a teacher, my experience of knowing her and thousands of students like her continues to inspire me every day.

5) Thirty years after Kelly's death, why did you believe
that this was the right time in your career to publish
"Teaching Life?"

There were many months, even years when I didn't know when (or even IF) I would complete the book. Coincidentally I did so while approaching my 35th year of teaching. To borrow from Samuel Johnson, I believe that into every teacher's life there comes a "time to be in earnest." This is such a time for me.

Having grown up to the Sound of Music, I was only disappointed that Julie Andrews has yet to tell that tale. We need installment number 2. Meanwhile she tells a deeply candid and really readable tale of her early years and her start in show business.
In an era where celebrity journalism and memoirs can be so vapid, this books stands out as a truly wonderful read. I was surprised by how much we have all enjoyed this.

I had no idea that she had so many things to overcome and she did with such Grace and Class! She should be Dame Julie! I want to find out what happened when she made 'Mary Poppins'. Please write more!

I really enjoyed this book. I don't usually read autobiographies but I couldn't put this one down. It read like a great novel. Lots of interesting surprises.

It was an absolute joy to listen to the Audio Version (Unabridged). Julie pulls you into the formative early years of her life and early career making you feel as if she is sitting next to you in the car or across the table enjoying a private luncheon.

The luring cadence of her perfect voice is a delicious treat. With added melodies in between chapters it is a special treat. Then again, I could listen to her read the New York City Phone Book.

Highly Recommended!

I think she has never really been given her due outside of "The Sound of Music" but Julie Andrews was gifted with a truly heavenly voice and a strong acting talent as well. This book takes you to where it all began.

A great read for Andrews' fans.

Finally! The woman who brought life to the landmark musicals The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady and Camelot, and the woman who will always and forever be Mary Poppins---has written her life story. OK, so the book ends with Julie and hubby Tony Walton and babies flying first-class to California where Walt Disney (and a new book) awaits. Better than actually reading the book is listening to Andrews read it herself---the audio version of Home takes us through Andrews' parents' divorce and her early musical career as she traveled to perform vaudeville and musical theater, eventually financially supporting her mother and alcoholic stepfather. To listen to Andrews describing the incredible scenes of the London Blitz during WWI---at age 9, she was the only child able to identify the sound of German bombers and was charged with alerting her entire neighborhood---is as electric as it is eerie. There are wonderful anecdotes about wonderful friends and co-stars; the ribald story of Noel Coward at a certain "audition" had me howling for hours. As an extra bonus, Andrews reading includes original music by Ian Fraser and contains an enhanced CD with photos from Andrews' personal family photo collection. What is here is a richly detailed, poignant memoir, recounted in a voice as captivating on every page as it has been done on stage and on film, in that veddy proper British bent. By George, she's got it (down)!

The perfect upper crust image that many have of Julie Andrews is blown out of the water by this well-written, detailed memoir of her far-from-classy beginnings. Many will be surprised that she was raised in something very close to poverty in a family that was often torn apart by drink and infidelity. Along the way, however, she was loved enough to become a tender, grounded person capable of using her amazing voice and dramatic talent to thrill the world. The stories of her childhood are fascinating and every theater fan will relish her memories of her extraordinary Broadway years. The book ends just as she's about to begin filming "Mary Poppins."

Please hurry with the rest of the story, Miss Andrews! Even though I've followed your movie career from Day One, I'm still waiting with happy anticipations to read all about it in your own well-chosen words.

Julie Andrews' Home is a lovely account about her early days in England, concluding just as she arrives in the U.S. where her career truly took off. It is beautifully written and wonderfully supported with details and many interesting accounts I knew nothing about. I was so sorry when it ended where it did because I, as probably many other readers, would love to know her sentiments about how the remainder of her marvelous career developed. Some of her insights and honesty are richly rewarding because she has always been that illustrious "star" so well admired by fellow entertainers and zillions of us, her fans. Home is a tease and I hope she will one day collaborate with her daughter, Emma, and finish the rest of the story.

It was well written memoir. She is one of my favorite people. Very classy, I have an appreciation for her.

If you find Julie Andrews interesting, you will enjoy reading this book. Her early years were not sugar coated. It was interesting to learn how she entered show business and grew in her career. I was sorry to see the book end with her coming to America to film "Mary Poppins." I thought it would continue past her first film with Disney..... This book is easy, interesting and pleasurable reading!

Julie Andrews is no stranger to the world of books and it's apparent in her biography. It's a well written book and Julie's personality shines through it. The details of Julie's early life may be more of a revelation to the readers than the parts of the book dealing with her broadway success and beyond. Still, Julie presents her feelings about some well-known events, such as being given massive amounts of coaching by Moss Hart in preparation for her role as Eliza Doolittle. This is a classy book about a classy lady.

This is a good book, but would've been better if not so dry. Julie Andrews had an extraordinary life and if it had been written more warmly and less like a travelogue it would've been better.

I am certainly a Julie Andrews fan and have been since first seeing her in Mary Poppins. This books is quite an accomplishment and must have been quite an undertaking. Congrats Julie! The details are full and explanations are vivid. However, sometimes I felt I got a series of facts and recollections of events but not how they impacted Julie or how they made her be who she is today. There were chapters that left me with more questions. Maybe it is the British way of explaining life circumstances and emotions, or maybe it would have made the book too long or maybe it will be apparent if there is a Part 2. I concluded that the public Julie Andrews we know and love has archtypal qualities that our culture craves and we want to know more. But, as an author she owes us nothing and she can write the book any which way she wants. Thanks for the book Julie. I hope there will be a second one. And someday I would love to have tea with you and ask all those questions.

Criticize Julie Andrews? Unthinkable!

However... this text is worthy of criticsm; for the publisher, for the editor, and for their fact checkers... all of whom failed miserably in protecting this global icon from an entirely avoidable embarrassment.

Frankly, we can't tell whether this text was written by Ms. Andrews, or by an unnamed ghostwriter. Either way, the errors in fact within this book have a direct impact on the credibility of the work itself.

Jump to page 311. Within the next few paragraphs, we are told that on Mothers Day 1962, Walt Disney hosted Ms. Andrews at a meal in his exclusive "Club 33" private restaurant. Unfortunately, Walt Disney had been dead for six months before this restaurant opened its doors for the first time in 1967. Julie Andrews was never hosted at Club 33 by Walt Disney.

In addition, the "author" states with absolute clarity a remembrance of Walt Disney escorting Ms. Andrews to the "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" submarine voyage at Disneyland. Again, an avoidable misstep. Though Disneyland did debut a "Submarine Voyage" in 1959, the "Twenty Thousand Leagues" submarines (themed after the Nautilus in Disney's film) would never be viewed at Disneyland, neither by Walt Disney nor Julie Andrews. This attraction debuted only at Walt Disney World in 1971; five years after Walt Disney died.

In all her life, there was no greater turning point than when Julie Andrews was introduced to screen immortality by Walt Disney as he signed her to star in her Academy Award winning role as "Mary Poppins." One would think that it might be important to make sure that this autobiography would be more thoroughly reviewed for factual errors relating to Ms. Andrews' encounters with Walt Disney; particularly when published by Disney's own publishing house, Hyperion. Here, the most blatant errors in fact are overlooked as if someone within the editing department simply chose to purposely embarrass the author. It makes no sense.

We will hope that the next volume can still be saved from the same fate. For an entertainment legend such as Ms. Andrews, her credibilty was central to her legacy. The best case explanation for these errors would be a momentary lapse in memory.

Unfortunately for Ms. Andrews, a competent publisher would have never let such errors find their way into print. With such easily proven errors in fact, nothing else in the text can be accepted at face value. When one cannot separate fact from fiction in an autobiography, the entire point is lost.

Criticize Julie Andrews? Unthinkable!

However... this text is worthy of criticsm; for the publisher, for the editor, and for their fact checkers... all of whom failed miserably in protecting this global icon from an entirely avoidable embarrassment.

Frankly, we can't tell whether this text was written by Ms. Andrews, or by an unnamed ghostwriter. Either way, the errors in fact within this book have a direct impact on the credibility of the work itself.

Jump to page 311. Within the next few paragraphs, we are told that on Mothers Day 1962, Walt Disney hosted Ms. Andrews at a meal in his exclusive "Club 33" private restaurant. Unfortunately, Walt Disney had been dead for six months before this restaurant opened its doors for the first time in 1967. Julie Andrews was never hosted at Club 33 by Walt Disney.

In addition, the "author" states with absolute clarity a remembrance of Walt Disney escorting Ms. Andrews to the "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" submarine voyage at Disneyland. Again, an avoidable misstep. Though Disneyland did debut a "Submarine Voyage" in 1959, the "Twenty Thousand Leagues" submarines (themed after the Nautilus in Disney's film) would never be viewed at Disneyland, neither by Walt Disney nor Julie Andrews. This attraction debuted only at Walt Disney World in 1971; five years after Walt Disney died.

In all her life, there was no greater turning point than when Julie Andrews was introduced to screen immortality by Walt Disney as he signed her to star in her Academy Award winning role as "Mary Poppins." One would think that it might be important to make sure that this autobiography would be more thoroughly reviewed for factual errors relating to Ms. Andrews' encounters with Walt Disney; particularly when published by Disney's own publishing house, Hyperion. Here, the most blatant errors in fact are overlooked as if someone within the editing department simply chose to purposely embarrass the author. It makes no sense.

We will hope that the next volume in her "story" can still be saved from the same fate. For an entertainment legend such as Ms. Andrews, her credibilty was central to her legacy. The best case explanation for these errors would be a momentary lapse in memory.

Unfortunately for Ms. Andrews, a competent publisher would have never let such errors find their way into print. With such easily proven errors in fact, nothing else in the text can be accepted at face value. When one cannot separate fact from fiction in an autobiography, the entire point is lost.

Criticize Julie Andrews? Unthinkable!

However... this text is worthy of harsh criticsm; for the publisher, for the editor, and for their fact checkers... all of whom failed miserably in protecting this global icon from an entirely avoidable embarrassment.

Frankly, we can't tell whether this text was written by Ms. Andrews, or by an unnamed ghostwriter. Either way, the errors in fact within this book lower the standard to that of a press agent's most mediocre effort. Never let the facts get in the way of great Hollywood copy!

Jump to page 311. Within the next few paragraphs, we are told that on Mothers Day 1962, Walt Disney hosted Ms. Andrews at a meal in his exclusive "Club 33" private restaurant. Unfortunately, Walt Disney had been dead for six months before this restaurant opened its doors for the first time in 1967. Julie Andrews was never hosted at Club 33 by Walt Disney.

In addition, the "author" states with absolute clarity a remembrance of Walt Disney escorting Ms. Andrews to the "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" submarine voyage at Disneyland. Again, an avoidable misstep. Though Disneyland did debut a "Submarine Voyage" in 1959, the "Twenty Thousand Leagues" submarines (themed after the Nautilus in Disney's film) would never be viewed at Disneyland, neither by Walt Disney nor Julie Andrews. This attraction debuted only at Walt Disney World in 1971; five years after Walt Disney died.

A similar theme presents itself when reading Ms. Andrews' written introduction to the Disneyland souvenir text as their Goodwill Ambassador for the park's 50th Anniversary year in 2005. While the words describing her meeting with Walt Disney sound both sincere and filled with warm remembrances... they are identical to the written introduction prepared for her in Disneyland's 30th Anniversary television special... twenty years earlier. Somehow the 50th Anniversary effort appears not to have been worthy of the time to pen some original material for this golden moment.

In all her life, there was no greater turning point than when Julie Andrews was introduced to screen immortality by Walt Disney as he signed her to star in her Academy Award winning role as "Mary Poppins." One would think that it might be important to make sure that this autobiography would be more thoroughly reviewed for factual errors relating to Ms. Andrews' encounters with Walt Disney; particularly when published by Disney's own publishing house, Hyperion. This publishing juggernaut will put lesser authors through an exhaustive fact-checking process just to get permission to even mention the name of Walt Disney in their text. Here, the most blatant errors in fact are overlooked as if someone within the editing department simply chose to purposely embarrass the author. It makes no sense.

Even so, a celebrity of Ms. Andrews' stature is responsible for the final product. This text would not have gone to print without her express prior approval; a standard right reserved by any agent worth their salt.

We will hope that the next volume in her "story" can still be saved from the same fate. For an entertainment legend such as Ms. Andrews, her credibilty was central to her legacy. The best case explanation for these errors would be a momentary lapse in memory.

Unfortunately for Ms. Andrews, a competent publisher would have never let such errors find their way into print. With such easily proven errors in fact, nothing else in the text can be accepted at face value. When one cannot separate fact from fiction in an autobiography, the entire point is lost.

An extreme disappointment... in every way.

I'm a big Julie Andrews fan and feel blessed that I have enjoyed her perfomances in person while living in NYC. This is a great memoir as it tells a story that allows us to know the life behind the actress, but not in a self serving way. I do wish that it had come out as a Kindle book sooner. I did but the hardcopy at an airport bookstore because the Kindle version wasn't available at the time.

This book gives an insight into the war years in Britain. It also shows how much hard work it took to get where Julie is today. It takes more than just talent and luck. I can't wait for the next installment!!!!!!

This is the best autobiography I've ever read.I have been eagerly awaiting this book since it was announced last year,and I was not disappointed.Julie tells her own life story in a straightforward and very honest manner.Her prose is lovely,and the photos are excellent.And yes,she
dishes the gossip(wait till you read what she says about Rex Harrison and Richard Burton!)The best thing about the book is that it's very informal.
You really feel like you're just having a long,intimate conversation with
Julie.This is a warm,leisurely,and highly entertaining read.I can't wat for the sequel!The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

Dame Julie has written a generous and candid book, describing a childhood and youth filled with special challenges and the musical gift that brought joy to millions. At the quiet center of her book is her kind father, who, while divorced from Julie's mother, provided the constant love and security that grounded this special young person. When she was growing up, Julia Wells was far from being the incandescent star we know today. Yet, her father treated her as the special young person she was. This book is above all the unsentimental tribute from that luminous child to her beloved father. How wonderful that Dame Julie Andrews is every bit as beautiful a person as she seemed atop that Austrian mountain.

Promise us, promise the world, promise yourself the rest of your story: you are forever one of our favorite things. Thank you for sharing with us your very special talents. We look forward to the next chapters in your amazing life.

One of the most interesting, well-written memoirs I have had the pleasure to read. In spite of all of the sometimes sordid incidents in her early life, Julie Andrews writes with wit, and provides fascinating details of life in WWII and post war England.
The book really never fails to keep your interest, the photos are marvelous, and I enthusiastically recommend this as the best memoir of recent years.

What a great read! I could hear Julie's voice as I read each word. I anxiously await Part II, where she will hopefully talk about Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Hawaii, Victor/Victoria and more. You can actually hear Julie sing the Polonaise when she was 12 years old - go to YouTube and look up Julie Andrews Polonaise.

A great book that I could not put down unless I was watching Sound of Music. I guess that's a dead giveaway that I am a fan. A very candid view of her youth which doesn't disguise the opportunities that she was afforded when she was young.

My grandfather who was from England went to Austria in 1960 always retells the story that while he was on vacation that the Sound of Music was being filmed. I guess Julie Andrews was making quite a stir not only with her fantastic talents but also her vices. The locals mentioned that she swore like a sailor, drank excessively and smoked like a chimney. I always thought my grandfather embellished his story a bit but after reading her Memoir it is consistent with his story.

Julie Andrews represents everything good in my childhood, and it's reassuring to know that she has persevered through her own difficult childhood to become a role model for the rest of us. This is one of the best written autobiographies I've ever read.

I recommend That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is extraordinarily insightful, inspirational, gracefully written, and an overall great read. The writing just flows.

"Home" was the first word that toddler Julia Wells -- soon to become Julie Andrews -- spoke. Though it was denied her as a young girl, a normal home life was important to Andrews from the beginning.

The embodiment of a class act, Julie Andrews tells the story of her impoverished upbringing in London with grace and candor. She recounts what must be painful memories in a straightforward way, never whining or asking for pity. She holds nothing back.

Stories of her alcoholic stepfather -- and his obvious efforts to molest her -- left me shaken. When she was 9, he insists he show her "how I cuddle with Mummy." At 16, he shows up in her bedroom and demands that he "really must teach you to kiss properly." Her uncle installs a padlock on her bedroom door. Julie's two younger brothers are regularly beaten and abused. When her 3-year-old brother has a potty-training accident, the stepdad rubs the little boy's nose in it.

Andrews began performing to support the family while still very young. She tells fascinating stories of learning to sing properly and working the shabby vaudeville circuit. The result of her first screen test? "She's not photogenic enough for film." To combat the stress the 12-year-old would go to a nearby cinema to watch Mickey Mouse cartoons between her two performances of the night.

The fact that Cinderella is her door out is almost too perfect. Later, when Walt Disney picked her to play Mary Poppins, she gets a whirlwind tour of Disneyland by Walt himself, riding the Jungle Cruise and seeing the Swiss Family Treehouse. "Mary Poppins" author P. L. Travers even calls her, complaining: "Well, you're much too pretty, of course. But you've got the nose for it!"

The memoir ends there, with Andrews on the cusp of real stardom.

"Home" was the first word that toddler Julia Wells -- soon to become Julie Andrews -- spoke. A normal home life was important from the beginning, and it was one of the things denied to the young girl.

Miss Andrews, that embodiment of a class act, tells the story of her impoverished upbringing in London with grace and candor. She recounts what must be painful memories in a straightforward way, never whining or asking for pity.

She holds nothing back.

Stories of her alcoholic stepfather -- and his obvious efforts to molest her -- left me shaken. When she was 9, he insists he show her "how I cuddle with Mummy." At 16, he shows up in her bedroom and demands that he "really must teach you to kiss properly." Her uncle installs a padlock on her bedroom door. Julie's two younger brothers are regularly beaten and abused. When her 3-year-old brother has a potty-training accident, the stepdad rubs the little boy's nose in it.

Andrews began performing to support the family while still a very young girl. She tells fascinating stories of learning to sing properly and working the shabby vaudeville circuit. The result of her first screen test? "She's not photogenic enough for film." To combat the stress the 12-year-old would go to a nearby cinema to watch Mickey Mouse cartoons between her two performances of the night.

The fact that Cinderella is her door out is almost too perfect. Later, when Walt Disney picked her to play Mary Poppins, she gets a whirlwind tour of Disneyland by Walt himself, riding the Jungle Cruise and seeing the Swiss Family Treehouse. "Mary Poppins" author P. L. Travers even calls her, complaining: "Well, you're much too pretty, of course. But you've got the nose for it!"

The memoir ends there, as Andrews is on the cusp of real stardom.

I wondered if Julie Andrews, a very private celebrity, would ler her guard down in her long-awaited autobiography "Home: A Memoir Of My Early Years." To my surprise and delight, she does just that and much more-- writing about many personal and painful memories with more candor and courage than I expected. After reading this book, I realized that biographies by Robert Windeler and Richard Stirling did not even begin to do her justice. To begin with, Julie can write wrings around her other "biographers". She has a true gift for writing and providing details of people, places and eras that create very specific and clear images in the the mind's eye of the reader. Many of her memories are emotionally harrowing and filled with almost heartbreaking pathos. Yet, it is never a sad, self-pitying, or self-serving autobiography. Julie balances the sadness with perception, depth, and her own delicious, delightful, often bawdy, sense of humor.
Julie's "early years" were mostly spent touring around England in the last, dying days of British vaudeville. Most of the venues she played in were terrible and tacky; a few were gloriously fun. She never complains or despairs, but life at home was definitely not a Disney "Jolly Holiday"-- definitely not with her abusive and alcoholic stepfather; "Pop" Ted Andrews. She resented him from the start, and he quickly gave her every good reason to resent him. She must have terribly resented having to adopt his last name. Yet, she is very "matter of fact" about the turn of events: "my name was changed from Julia Elizabeth Wells to Julie Andrews...I didn't have any say in the matter, and I don't think my father (Ted Wells, whom she absolutely adored) did, either. He must have been hurt.' Her family was severely fractured and disfunctional; and she seems acutely aware of this. Writing of a visit to her boyfriend Tony Walton's house, she says, "Everything was soothing, pleasant and spoke of a real home--quite a contrast to my own rather sad and disorganized one." Her mother, Barbara, was a rather pathetic alcoholic as well. When Julie was 14, her very drunk mother dropped a huge emotional bombshell regarding Julie's "biological father," who was not, as she always assumed, Ted Wells. This revealation, understandably, knocked Julie sideways for years. Yet, she responded to every adversity with the iron will and resolve of a true survivor. She writes, "I committed myself wholeheartedly to assumming responsibility for the entire family. It seemed solely up to me now to hold us together, for there was no one else to do it."
Because of her dedication to keeping her family intact, she nearly passed on the opportunity to make her Broadway debut in "The Boyfriend" at age 19. She had to be literally shoved onto a plane to the U.S.A. Broadway provided her with a nurturing environment, an education, and another "home", of sorts. When Julie describes her lengthy, nearly three year marathon run in the megahit musical "My Fair Lady," guided by her great director/mentor Moss Hart, the autobiography is completely engrossing. After this, she details the trials and tribulations that plagued "Camelot," Lerner and Loewe's costly, often misguided follow-up to "My Fair Lady."
The book ends rather abruptly-- just at the point where the reader is totally capitivated and feeling we are just beginning to know Julie. Julie, Tony Walton, and their newborn daughter Emma, are happily flying off to Hollywood-- Julie and Tony having accepted Walt Disney's offer to work on "Mary Poppins." One hopes Julie won't wait too long before she offers a second installment. Whether writing about personal tragedies or professional triumphs, Julie displays the warmth and graciousness that have made her so endearing for over 50 years. Above all, Julie proves that she is, without a doubt, one of the last true "class acts" left in show business.

When it was announced that Home, Julie Andrews' much anticipated memoir would only cover until she began Mary Poppins, I was initially disappointed. But as I began delving into Home, I realized the detail she was able to afford her early years by doing so allowed a story to unravel that was absolutely absorbing; something that likely been comprised had Home chronicled her entire illustrious career. I was very ignorant of Julie's early career, thinking it essentially began with My Fair Lady on Broadway. What I didn't know was the dark lonely childhood lived in poverty during the war. Unlike Elizabeth Taylor, Julia (as she was originally named) did not have the luxury of seeking refuge elsewhere, and was forced to remain in a very bleak and dark London; many nights spent huddled in one of the city's Underground stations with her mother and her new stepfather who she despised. Weekends spent with her father in the countryside provided fleeting moments of happiness for the young girl.

As she grew a little older, her stepfather discovered that she had an extremely powerful singing voice, and she was quickly enrolled in lessons. In no time she was shoved onstage to entertain crowds alongside her parents in dusty old music halls across England. Julie, known as the "pigtail prodigy," became the centerpiece of the act, much to the frustration of her jealous stepfather, who was an alcoholic. In Home, Julie intimately remembers her early days spent touring around England during the dying days of vaudeville. As interest in the family act begins to dissipate, Julie appears in Christmas pantomimes and on the radio, and catches the eye of producers who are mounting the Broadway production of The Boy Friend, a recent musical hit there on the West End. By the end of Home, Julie is the toast of Broadway, originating the lead roles in My Fair Lady and Camelot, and is to begin work on the film that made her an icon, Mary Poppins.

In Home, the story of Julie Andrews' early career tumbles out a rapid pace, all the while displaying grace, wit, humour, and surprising honesty. It was quite clear to me just how meticulously researched Home actually was. As this book took ten years to complete, I doubt we'll see another so soon--although I pray I'm wrong. I'd love a follow-up just to know what happened in the lives of Dad, Mum, Pop, Aunt Joan, etc. after the book's completion. The characters are that endearing. Home is one of the greatest memoirs I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It's not hard to know why Julie Andrews and her films have become such an important part of our lives. Bravo, Julie. Bravo.

I came of age listening to the original cast recordings of MY FAIR LADY and CAMELOT, and my first glimpse of Julie Andrews was in snippets from the latter show on ED SULLIVAN. I fell in love with her crystalline coloratura voice and crisp diction and have always followed her career. When I heard she was writing a memoir of her early years, I couldn't wait to read it. It arrived yesterday and I devoured it in two sittings, staying up late last night to finish. In beautiful, unflinching prose she fills in all the gaps I've wondered about over the years, giving insights into her development from a little English girl with a big voice to the toast of Broadway--a transition she made with grit and talent. I'm so grateful she wrote this book, and if you're a Julie Andrews fan, you'll want to buy it immediately and immerse yourself in her memories, some painful. She's a "fair lady," all right, and still the queen of the golden age of musicals, as far as I'm concerned. Brava, Ms. Andrews, and many thanks! -- from Susan Dormady Eisenberg, contributing writer to Classical Singer Magazine & author of THE VOICE I JUST HEARD, a novel about singing.

Very touching and yet at times she had me laughing out loud. The photos in the book are wonderful. What man in his sixties can honestly say that he was never in love with this actress? She's led a remarkable life, and is a beautiful person. A must read.

Editor of Michele Cozzens' award winning women's fiction A Line Between Friends

I came of age listening to the original cast recordings of MY FAIR LADY and CAMELOT, and my first glimpse of Julie Andrews was in snippets from the latter show on ED SULLIVAN. I fell in love with her crystalline coloratura voice and crisp diction and have always followed her career. When I heard she was writing a memoir of her early years, I couldn't wait to read it. It arrived yesterday and I devoured it in two sittings, staying up late last night to finish. In beautiful, unflinching prose she fills in all the gaps I've wondered about over the years, giving insights into her development from a little English girl with a big voice to the toast of Broadway--a transition she made with grit and talent. I'm so grateful she wrote this book, and if you're a Julie Andrews fan, you'll want to buy it immediately and immerse yourself in her memories, some painful. She's a "fair lady," all right, and still the queen of the golden age of musicals, as far as I'm concerned. Brava, Ms. Andrews, and many thanks!

I read the book in one evening. I could not put it down. I found myself at times forgetting that it was a book about Julie Andrews' early years and would get caught up in the storytelling. I found it to be occasionally very candid and, as with everything I've ever read, seen or heard from Ms. Andrews, included a great deal of humor. I laughed out loud many times.

What an amazing woman and a wonderful book. I eagerly await the next "chapter".