Home: A Memoir of My Early Years Reviews

• She Has Confidence...in a Gracious, Generous Memoir of the Years Before Her International Stardom

  
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2008-04-01
  I am convinced that any baby boomer who does not admit to having had a bit of a crush on Julie Andrews is lying. I recall even as a toddler how I begged my parents to let me see Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music multiple times only to enjoy those movies again in sing-along versions forty years later. The crispness of her vocal delivery and the angularity of her wholesome appeal just seemed right before the counter-cultural revolution took over with the escalation of the Vietnam War. However, she does not get to that career pinnacle in her memoir, as her story stops just as she flew to Los Angeles in 1963 to film Mary Poppins. It's a major credit to Andrews that she makes intriguing those early years prior to her international success with such perceptive candor and gentle humor. Perhaps because of her long-standing success as a children's book author, she displays a great deal of dexterity as a writer.
  
  Andrews' childhood memories are full of self-effacing observations about a most unenviable home life. Belying her image of elegant breeding, she was raised in poverty by an alcoholic mother and a lecherous stepfather during the dwindling days of vaudeville in England. Already a part of her parents' music hall act by age nine, Andrews found she had an acrobatic soprano voice that so astounded the press that she performed for the Queen and became a nightly sensation at the London Palladium. She had a range of over four octaves and yet most tellingly labels her voice "freakishly high". Her talent certainly impressed others more than herself as she became the toast of Broadway and London first in Sandy Wilson's The Boy Friend and then legendarily as Eliza Doolittle and Queen Guinevere in Lerner and Lowe's My Fair Lady and Camelot, respectively. Andrews' professional recollections are full of celebrity dish but not obnoxiously so between Rex Harrison's flatulence, Richard Burton's amorous advances, Cecil Beaton's bitchiness about how she wears his clothes, and impressionable backstage visits from the likes of Laurence Olivier and Ingrid Bergman.
  
  However, the book's most resonant passages focus on her conflicted and still painful memories of her rather dysfunctional family - her late mother, a promising classical pianist who let the bottle overcome her; a philandering grandfather whose indiscretions eventually cost the life of her grandmother; and most harrowing is her stepfather whose violent tendencies instilled an unsettling fear in the young Julie. There are some surprising revelations Andrews willingly shares in that recognizably crisp manner, and reflecting the woman herself, there is no doubt of the personal bravery it took for her to share them. With the inclusion of over fifty personal photos, the 339-page autobiography really whets the appetite for the sequel which I am hopeful is in the works since it will cover her impressive big-screen career. In the meantime, this first volume clearly reflects how she evolved into the iconic persona that is her legacy - classy, disciplined, forthcoming, amusing, a bit starchy, and truly one of the great treasures. I think I still have that crush.
  
  

• Practically perfect

  
  By A10G4BPT5MGBHY on 2008-04-06
  "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.
  
  

• Julie Andrews's Unflinching Memoir Plumbs the Depths

  
  By A2G0G9SB3MXXUJ on 2008-04-02
  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 soprano 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. After the book arrived from Amazon, I devoured it in two sittings, staying up late to finish. In beautiful, unflinching prose she fills in the gaps I've wondered about over the years, giving insights into her evolution from a young English girl with a big voice to the coloratura toast of Broadway--a transition she made with grit and talent. Ms. Andrews depicts a childhood that forced her to leave school at 14 and support her family with her singing, but there's not a trace of self-pity. She also shares details about her vocal training with Lilian Stiles-Allen. If you're a Julie Andrews fan, you'll want to buy this book and immerse yourself in her memories. She's a "fair lady," all right, and still the queen of the golden age of musicals. Brava, Ms. Andrews, and many thanks! -- from Susan Dormady Eisenberg, contributing writer to Classical Singer Magazine & author of the novel, THE VOICE I JUST HEARD.
  
  

• An Amazing Woman's Early-Life Story Beautifully Told

  
  By A1N9CTWPF2OX3W on 2008-04-02
  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".
  
  

• Home Sweet Home

  
  By A14H1F5YCUEU4J on 2008-04-04
  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.
  
  
• JULIE ANDREWS: A CLASS ACT
  By A3PPSZB0W5DZH6 on 2008-04-05
  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.
  
  
• I Love Julie Andrews
  By AUICK2BKIPZ5B on 2008-04-02
  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
  
  
• GREAT
  By A1096SGUV64EO9 on 2008-04-01
  As a fan of Julie Andrews, this book is a gem. If you want to know about her and her amazing life, buy it today.
  
  Author of: Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond
  
  I also recommend A Step of Faith - an inspiring story to help get you through the month.
  
  
• Engrossing, Entertaining Memoir!
  By A1Q7LB9HPSU66G on 2008-04-12
  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 long-awaited delight!
  By A3BAJH4QW7LDWV on 2008-04-19
  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)
  
  
• Julie Is Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious!
  By A38RCRYT1VTL1O on 2008-04-08
  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.
  
  
• Promise Us....
  By A3G8ZK06NGX99N on 2008-04-17
  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.
  
  
• Surprising memoir
  By A3L0ABRA91QVJ5 on 2008-05-06
  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.
  
  
• A good start to a fascinating life
  By A8S11VP9Z36D6 on 2008-05-22
  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.
  
  
• Loverly!
  By AVUUQH4MZIZID on 2008-04-10
  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.
  
  
  
• How A Loving Father Nurtured a Special Girl
  By AQ0M43PVQZREI on 2008-04-17
  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.
  
  
• BY GEORGE, SHE'S GOT IT!
  By AJWMVSLEVJ1UP on 2008-05-07
  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)!
  
  
• Home - Almost A Love Story
  By A1QQDHM5YMLQ8Z on 2008-06-10
  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 . . .
  
  
• Where Was Her Editor?
  By A33SO0VKEQNJ7R on 2008-07-11
  Julie Andrews, a heroine of my early life, has disappointed me in this poorly written, garrulous memoir. She has all the material for a fabulously written life - but on the page, her writing falls flat. Long chapters on family matters are depressing. Gratuitous incidents involving various English relatives could have been cut. I felt I was listening to a too-loquacious older family member, who remembered everything, but did not remember her listener, or think in terms of what her listener would want to hear. I wanted to read about Julie Andrews' career on Broadway, about the great actors she starred opposite - Rex Harrison and Richard Burton - about working with Lerner & Loewe. And while she did recount theater memories, she did so in such a turgid manner, without the charm that she surely still possesses. I felt I did not know who Harrison and Burton were as people, and I certainly did not gain insight into Lerner or Loewe. Although apparently she has written or co-written many children's books, Julie Andrews is not a skilled, professional writer. She lacks personal insight, for one thing. I know this book will make her many fans happy, but to me, it seems an exercise in dogged grit rather than the natural expression of an inborn talent.
  
  
• Great Book...
  By AR3YOPMPMDDBX on 2008-04-09
  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.
  
  
• Enjoyable but left with questions.
  By A12TBELOAKPGED on 2008-04-24
  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.
  
  
• I'm glad this book covers the early years in such evocative detail...
  By A2UBSGFCP2QFNV on 2008-07-29
  Julie Andrews' new autobiography, "Home," is a must-read for anyone who loves Disney, entertainment, England and great family stories. She is a consummate writer -- yes, she is one of the celebrities who writes her own books -- and evokes the mood, settings, and even the smells of her early life, from a dysfunctional but loving family and the last days of British Vaudeville to Broadway stardom and getting the role of Mary Poppins.
  
  I was not aware that two Disney legends crossed paths twice in their careers. Julie Andrews performed in her first big stage variety show with none other than Disneyland Golden Horseshoe fixture Wally Boag. Boag also figures prominently in Steve Martin's autobiography, in which he fondly recalls Disneyland as his haven from an unhappy home life.
  
  Julie's childhood had tough times, but she remained very close to her family over the years despite the bumps in the road. I'm glad she chose to focus in so much detail on her early career in this book, since many of us know little about the theatrical world she came from. Mary Poppins makes an appropriate stopping point since she suggests that her early experience led to her being uniquely qualified to play the part, which had a lot of music hall-style set pieces. The life she led after the movie made her an international star is really another story for another book.
  
  I listened to the book on CD. Hearing Julie Andrews herself spin her tale in a warm, friendly way is a remarkable experience. Some of my friends chose to read the book first. I also bought the book to share with family and friends, and to have on hand for quick reference.
  
  
  
  
• A Must Read
  By A2DHND5A4QNLM1 on 2008-04-20
  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!!!!!!
  
  
• Home:
  By A39IPY0H49RTBX on 2008-04-25
  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.
  
  
• Julie Andrews is one Fair Lady
  By A34G4XGZIMV10L on 2008-05-02
  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.
  
  
• My family loved this book
  By A2G4LKK57XMBL3 on 2008-05-10
  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.
  
  
• Review of Julie's Early Years
  By A20S6D34NX9XP8 on 2008-05-15
  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.
  
  
• A frank and surprising autobiography
  By A1IOJE0W1NXOSE on 2008-06-13
  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.
  
  
• Unendingly Interesting
  By A264GU3UWOVYZP on 2008-06-16
  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!
  
  
• After "Home" by Julie Andrews, we eagerly await Volume 2 of this great star's autobiography!
  By A26DJU0UGI6B8Q on 2008-06-26
  "Home," Julie Andrews' superbly written autobiography of her earlier years, simply makes the reader eagerly await a second volume, covering the subsequent years of this great star's life. The book is written in a frank and interesting manner, revealing the happenings in a performer's life before and after the curtain is raised and lowered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
  --Ron Howe (a.k.a., Toby Martin II) / Erskine, Minnesota
  
  
  

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