Product Description

From the author of "Rubyfruit Jungle" comes a "wonderfully thoughtful, funny memoir" ("Publishers Weekly") filled with Brown's trademark social commentary--only this time the subject matter is herself. 8-page photo insert.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #754756 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Amazon.com Review
Before Rubyfruit Jungle stormed the book world in 1973, the term "bestselling lesbian novelist" was an oxymoron. But Rita Mae Brown's first novel was so honest and funny that it broke all barriers. The 52-year-old author's memoirs have the same sassy panache as her fiction. Generous and loving toward her eccentric family and most of those with whom she's been intimate, Brown pulls no punches when depicting those she considers hypocrites or cowards. Billie Jean King will hate this book; Martina Navratilova won't like it either. Almost everyone else will find it a delight.

From Library Journal
This is an autobiography of novelist, essayist, poet, and screenwriter Brown, who reached fame and notoriety with her first novel, Rubyfruit Jungle (1973). She begins with her illegitimate birth and adoption by relatives, followed by amusing tales of her adopted mother, father, and Aunt Mimi; accounts of her childhood pranks; stories of her volatile life as a student, political activist, lover of tennis champion Martina Navratilova and Fannie Flagg; and reminiscences of a writer who dared to live, speak, and write openly and honestly. Whether or not readers agree with her ideology, opinions, and lifestyle, they will enjoy the ease, candor, and humor with which Brown relates her life story. Brown's passions for life, her work, the English language, the South, and animals, especially her longtime cat companion, "Baby Jesus," are evident throughout. Reading this book is like sitting down and exchanging tales with a good friend or close family member.
-?Jeris Cassel, Rutgers Univ. Libs., New Brunswick, N.J.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
A novelist's autobiography shows that truth is not always as much fun as fiction. Rita Mae Brown--one of the first openly gay celebrities in America, as well as one of the founders of the Second Wave women's movement--has had a life worth writing. She has produced numerous popular novels and screenplays, and had lovers as famous and difficult as herself--Martina Navratilova, Fannie Flagg, and Judy Nelson. Given away at birth by her teenage mother, she was raised by relatives; her adoptive mother was the ``Juts'' made famous in Brown's novels. Juts comes alive in this memoir, too, as does her impossible sister, Aunt Mimi. The book offers a touching evocation of a southern tomboy's childhood, as well as unsparing descriptions of early feminism and of the peculiar burdens of gay celebrity. Rita Will has witty and absorbing moments, but much of it is morally and politically preachy: She's against secrecy, homophobia, big government, sexism, and racism. Readers won't be especially surprised by these positions, and most would probably rather hear about her life. The narrative is interrupted constantly by her gushing gratitude to people who have helped her out in times of need. And as we might expect from a writer who has coauthored numerous titles with her cat, Brown packs her memoir with sentimentality about the animals in her life. This volume would be better if it were much shorter; it's dangerous when egoists write memoirs. They assume that every experience is interesting, simply because it's theirs. Worth reading, especially for Brown's numerous fans. But for the better-than-truth version, and to spend time with someone more likable than the real Brown, go back to Rubyfruit Jungle, the only-slightly-autobiographical novel that made her famous. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Funny and Wild
This book is hilarious--several times I found myself laughing out loud at something she said. I minused out one star because of her blatant southern-centricism--she thinks most of us Yankees are rude, and that only southerners possess real manners. My little tabby cat Sammy says PFFFFFTTT to that.
Her account of the Martina/Judy galimony brouhaha is especially hilarious, with poor Rita Mae stuck in the middle, trying to encourage the two to settle things amicably. She gives a highly unflattering (but probably true) portrait of Judy Nelson. Her first impression of Judy was: "How often do you meet a woman whose hair can be ruined by a ceiling fan?" That one cracks me up every time. She talks about some of her relationships with women, most notable those with Martina Navratilova, Fannie Flagg, and Judy Nelson.
She relates the struggles she went through getting a college education and establishing her writing career, but she manages to keep things light by peppering amusing anecdotes of family life (and reactions) in between the more serious passages. She talks about her days as an lesbian feminist activist with Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, which I found to be of great interest, as she worked closely with these famous women. She is not kind to Billie Jean King, declaring, "Some people get the face they deserve as they grow old; Billie Jean also got the thighs she deserved." MEOOWWW. Sneaky Pie must have contributed that one.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, full of Southern wit and charm. If you're a fan of Rita Mae's work, you'll love reading her real-life story.

Rabble Rousing Genius!
One of the greatest gifts a popular author can give their fans next to a "How To" on writing and style is an Autobiography. In her Memoir Ms. Brown pulls out all stops and allows the reader a unique window into her life allowing one to see what motivates her writing.

It is no big surprise that some of her best books are snippets of the author's own life. Having read these works long before this creation my attention was pleasantly held in reserve as the pages leaped by me in high-volume page turning style. Others may have found this as a "re-read" of her past novels but I disagree and rather call it as a wonderful enhancement to the stories of her life as well as an humorous inspiration to me. No Rita Mae fan should be without this book on their shelf.

Great Book!
...I'm a tennis fan who was curious about the author's insights on Martina Navratilova. What I ended up with was a tremendously interesting and engaging book. Rita Mae Brown has perspectives and experiences unlike my own and I could not put the book down. I liked the parts about her family also. Certainly there are political messages here, but they are based on her own experiences and are not "preachy" or coming from someone who lives in theories only. If you are a fan of her books, this will be a big treat for you. If you don't know her, read this book for a different life perspective, particuarly about women's issues, including lesbian issues. If these issues offend you, or you don't like reading about them, then this book is probably not for you. It's not an integral part of the book, but it is there. The book is about a person. The book reads like you are talking to her, and she is very interesting. Also, I always suspected Billie Jean King was wretched personally, so I really liked the parts where my opinion is all but supported by someone in the know!
This is an autobiography. Of course the book is about her. Dah! There are a few instances where she comes off a little haughty in my opinion, but I haven't published books or earned the money to have a farm in Virginia, and I didn't struggle through poverty for years to get there either, so I think she's entitled to a little license, folks. The only part I didn't like was when she discussed Fannie Flagg's former lover and only gave her a pseudonym with a vague but "see if you can guess" description. I'm a born gossip and love stuff like that! I think I figured out her hints, but I hate having to do that. It's such a silly exercise. Maybe that was the point in doing that, who knows. Anyone in the closet ought to read this regarding her depiction of Jerry Pfeiffer. I think the silliness of that lifestyle is well exposed simply by recounting the facts. Anyway, very good read!