Lucky Bruce: A Literary Memoir
“A great comic actor, if he or she sticks around long enough, might win not an actual Oscar but a consolation prize: a lifetime achievement award. The National Book Award needs something similar for America’s comic writers. Among the first I’d nominate is Bruce Jay Friedman, whose prose, over the past five decades, has mostly been a pure pleasure machine. . . . There’s a bit of Larry David in Mr. Friedman . . . There’s a bit of Joseph Heller and Nora Ephron and Peter De Vries and Calvin Trillin and early Philip Roth in him too. . . . Mr. Friedman returns now with Lucky Bruce: A Literary Memoir, a buoyant book . . . about a kid from the Bronx who finds early literary fame; fritters away some of his prime years, dabbling in movies and theater; makes and loses a load of money; eats very well; has close and funny friends; sleeps with more than his allotment of beautiful women; and, agreeably for his readers, has a way with anecdotes.”—DWIGHT GARNER,New York Times"Jaunty, dishy ... Highly readable."—New York Times"Delightful ... one of those memoirs that's a large, refreshing pleasure, and worth pushing aside everything else to read."—The Longest Chapter"A literary star, frequently mentioned alongside Bernard Malamud and Philip Roth ... InLucky Bruce, readers get fresh, amusing stories from Friedman's life in letters."—New York Times Style Magazine"Friedman tempers hot remarks with humor (often hilarious), and affection for friends and foes alike ... refreshingly candid ... never mere dish."—WSHU Public Radio"Lucky Bruceis no ordinary self-story; it's a delightful addition to the catalogue of the last Mark Twain Leviathans—writers like Mario Puzo, Joseph Heller, Norman Mailer, and Kurt Vonnegut."—Brooklyn Rail"In this rousing memoir, [Friedman] relates taking on Natalie Wood as a secretary, helping Barbra Streisand in from the rain, and gaining Mario Puzo as a close friend. yet Friedman is refreshingly down to earth. He shares his journey from the Bronx to Broadway with wit, charm, and a distinctive voice ... Highly recommended."—Library Journal"A terrific memoir, informative and invigorating.  As I was reading it, I found myself going slower and slower because I began savoring the humor, wit, and pathos." —Ha JinLucky Bruce is a deeply funny memoir from one of the most deeply funny writers in American literature.  Bruce Jay Friedman has written yet another masterpiece.  —Andy Borowitz[A] hilariously juicy memoir... A life story that consistently charms with candor and the seasoned wit of a master storyteller who’s certainly been around the block... [T]here are plenty of stories here to solidify Friedman’s ranking as a supreme satirist.—Kirkus"A true testament to decades of hard work ... in true Don Quixote fashion, Friedman is fascinated by everything going on around him."—East Hampton Star