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deanna_rigney's review against another edition
3.0
Very short & simple read that gives insight into Arkin's journey into the creative process & self-discovery. It's not your usual memoir. If you enjoy the prologue, which is quite short, then you'll more than likely enjoy the rest of the book.
uberbutter's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
2.5
I love Alan Arkin's work (Little Miss Sunshine being my favorite) and so I went into his memoir, An Improvised Life, with excitement. And that was my bad...I really shouldn't have. I still love his work and he doesn't come through as a jerk (and trust me, I've read memoirs that they come across as jerks *cough*Jackie Chan*cough*) but it was just...blah. Arkin goes a lot into his professional career but except for a couple mentions of family and friends, we never get to know the man behind the actor. And I respect that. He had every right to only give out what he wanted but it didn't make for a very intriguing memoir. I did enjoy reading about his time in Second City and all his acting gigs but something felt distant and lackluster about the whole book.
mikbisson's review against another edition
2.75
This book was interesting, but imo was pretentious and unexciting :(
d_saff's review against another edition
4.0
Review posted here https://55booksin52weeks.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/review-an-improvised-life/
sherming's review against another edition
4.0
I've appreciated Alan Arkin's work over the years, but haven't really sought him out. This memoir is mostly insights into acting method (improvise, be yourself) overlying biographical elements (wanting to be an actor since age 5, high school, college, Second City, various movies and plays and workshops). Listening to this work has the benefit of being able to listen to Arkin perform, which on this CD he does oddly unevenly. The biographical sections are somehow a little rote, but the parts where he's talking about craft show enthusiasm and spirit.
I'm going to recommend this to my friends and family who are actors, and I'm inspired to see if a gathering of non-acting friends could have fun improvising.
I'm going to recommend this to my friends and family who are actors, and I'm inspired to see if a gathering of non-acting friends could have fun improvising.
jeremyhornik's review
3.0
Read carelessly at the library. An artist’s life, with an artist’s obsessions, adequately told. For improv heads, mostly, more than fans.