The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man - Paul Newman - Top Book Pick!

Memoir

Rating: 9/10

When Newman sat down with a friend to record his life story, he wasn’t particularly interested in reliving the past, but rather setting the record straight. After years being dogged by the tabloids and paparazzi, he captured something truly special in this memoir. Part confessional, part self-analysis, all deeply meaningful and utterly unexpected.

And to be clear, he didn’t write this for us, but to get it all down for his kids. Some of whom he was estranged from now and again. He wanted his record of it all in his words rather than the mythology created by other people.

You won’t read about red carpet run ins or private jets, but you will read about admissions, self-awareness, heartbreaks, and regrets. This is a man who thought himself an ordinary guy, made into something many treated as decoration. One who, as his life progressed and fame grew, felt as if he was outside himself, looking in. It was very enlightening to read about how beautiful men can also feel objectified.

I have been a fan as long as I can remember and now have at my finger tips a veritable encyclopedia of this actors’ thoughts and motivations, his conflicts and his context have been a treat. It's revelatory, introspective, and profound and in my humble opinion, not to be missed!

Throughout the book, the friend who finally pulled this all together after Newman’s death interviews many people, one of whom said the following about him. A very poignant statement.

“Paul has told me that he often feels a little sad, a little happy, but could not allow himself to feel all the way with either.”

Footnote: If you get a chance to pair this with the viewing of the documentary series The Last Movie Stars, directed by Ethan Hawke, you must do so. It’s a standout!

Book Pairing(s): My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand, Ideal Beauty: Life & Times Of Greta Garbo by Lois W. Banner, Being Henry: The Fonz & Beyond by Henry Winkler