Book Review: All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business

(Free. Found in a library box on 78th St. in Jackson Heights.)  I've seen most of Mel Brooks' movies and TV projects, so I really enjoyed this autobiography. At 451 pages, it flew by. From his childhood in New York to WWII, TV writing for Sid Caesar and Get Smart to his movie career, Brooks includes hilarious jokes, production details and behind-the-scenes glimpses of his gut-busting comedies. 

His personal life is somewhat stinted. While we learn much about his early years and his large family, very little is forthcoming about his first marriage. His second union to Oscar and Tony-winning Anne Bancroft is given full, loving attention. 

One surprise is the serous films like The Elephant Man, Frances, 84 Charing Cross Road, The Fly and the flop Solarbabies his production company Brooksfilms made.

My only quibble is after describing the making and casting of 12 films, it gets a bit repetitive. Every actress Brooks ever worked with is "talented and lovely," every actor is "talented." There are exceptions. The larger-than-life Zero Mostel and Brooks' frequent collaborator Gene Wilder are given special analysis. 

At 98, Brooks is still going strong and this is a joyous read. The best lesson to be taken from this book is laughter and work are the best medicine. These two elements helped his Producers Broadway director-choreographer Susan Stroman when her husband Michael Ockrent passed away and did the same for Brooks when Bancroft passed.