Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty
Read By Diane Keaton
(Random House Audio, Compact Disc, 9780804165853, April 2014)
The Short of It:
An observant, witty take on the meaning of beauty.
The Rest of It:
Diane Keaton is a wonderful storyteller. She can literally talk about anything and somehow make it fascinating. I enjoyed Then Again, some years back. That book focused on family and mainly, her relationship to her mother. I loved that book. She seemed so genuine and although she did hold a little back when it came to her many love affairs with some very recognizable names (Pacino, Beatty, Allen), I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
So, when her new book came out, I quickly snatched it up on audio, which is my preferred reading method for her books because they are read by her which makes them irresistible to me. Listening to it, I really got the feeling that she was sitting right next to me and we were having a little chat. Her conversational tone and her willingness to be vulnerable is what stands out to me. In Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, she focuses on beauty. Primarily, what beauty means to her. Given that she is one of the few actresses in Hollywood that hasn’t had anything done to her face, I have a lot of respect for her.
Sure, she’s a little neurotic and all over the place when she gives interviews but I love her personality. Her favorite feature? Her eyes, but not because of how they look, but because of what they see. This is a theme throughout the entire memoir. Through fashion and architecture, her love for all things beautiful shines through.
As a forty-something woman, I could certainly relate to a lot of what she shares. She doesn’t hold anything back as far as her insecurities about herself, but the book felt abbreviated to me. Maybe, a tad too short, especially for an audio book . It is just five hours long. I could have easily spent a few more hours with her.
Regardless of its length, I loved it for its message and listening to it was a nice way to spend a few hours. I REALLY wanted to see her in person. She had a few events close to me but I just couldn’t make them work.
Have you read her books? What’s your favorite Keaton movie? Everyone loves her more recent stuff but to date, my fave is still Manhattan Murder Mystery.
Source: Borrowed
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Book Chatter 
I love Diane Keaton – I think Annie Hall is my favorite of her movies. I’m so glad to see this book is so good since I have it on audio as well.
Keaton comes off as being so neurotic in many of her movies but I love her.
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And, again, I ask myself why Then Again is sitting on the shelf unread. I had no idea that she did the audiobooks…Now I want the audio versions.
I’m sure the print versions are just as good but I love hearing her tell her own story. I got both audio books from the library for my iPod.
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Ti, put a hold on this one at the library last week and hope to have it soon. I love the way she is –so real, and YES, my favorite movie is Manhattan Murder Mystery…LOL (have seen it close to 10 times)
Hope your ankle is on the mend
Alan Alda’s performance in Manhattan Murder Mystery was great too. I feel as if I need to see it again soon.
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I checked my library earlier and they didn’t have the audio yet, but I know they will. I’ll keep checking. I totally agree with you on her last book, but still it was very entertaining and I love her kookiness that comes across in everything she does. My favorite movie? Annie Hall is SO GOOD, but the one movie I’ve seen probably at least 20 times is Baby Boom. It didn’t win any awards like Annie Hall, but it brings to the screen a sort of fantasy of mine.
I love Baby Boom. I have seen it no less than 20 times myself. Spader is just so nasty in it. I want to smack him. And the Vermont farm house, and the going into business for yourself, and the handsome vet… ahhhh.
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I haven’t read her books yet, but would like to read Then Again. I think I like her role in Annie Hall best though I’ve probably seen Baby Boom many times more.
I really admire you for reading memoirs…I just can not handle them.
I can only handle certain memoirs. Ones that are couched between funny stuff. Like this one. She talks about fashion, aging and architecture in between her hilarious attempts to make her hair thinker, make her nose less prominent, etc.
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She was telling Jimmy Fallon that she used to put a bobbie pin on her nose to try to reshape it when she was young! My favorite Keaton movies are Annie Hall, Baby Boom, and Reds.
I saw the Fallon clip. She was a bit all over the place, wasn’t she? She is so fun though. She talks about that nose clip trick in the book too. I never knew she had such insecurities over hair. I always thought she had the best hair and that is not the case according to her.
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