Home: A Memoir of My Early Years

This book is so good you may want two copies - the audio to hear Julie Andrews tell her own captivating story in her own lyrical voice and the hardback to see the photos. After listening to a library audio copy, I bought the hardback for myself and the audio for my brother, who is a huge fan of My Fair Lady. The stories about Rex Harrison are hilarious. No one's life is ever what you think. So it was amazing to learn of her childhood years in vaudeville that made this teenage English girl the overnight sensation on Broadway and in the movies in America. She speaks candidly but with grace about the difficult years with her stepfather and during the war, the demands on her voice performing almost nonstop on stage every night, the challenging times of making movies, life on two continents, her romances, marriage, famous costars, and beloved family whom she supported through it all. The book traces her life from birth to mid-career. I'm hoping there is a sequel, because she has one of the purest voices of the twentieth century, a real gift for storytelling and so much more to tell. Thank you, Julie, for sharing your heartfelt and inspiring story!

Coming some 60 years after her first professional recording, this audiobook is sort of the pinnacle of Ms. Andrews' recording career. The life of Julie Andrews, as written by Julie Andrews, and read to you, as if she were personally telling you the story of her life, by Julie Andrews.

Ms. Andrews' life and career have both been well-documented by biographers, but everything takes on new meaning and becomes personal when told by Ms. Andrews herself. And, of course, there are anecdotes and details that only Ms. Andrews herself can share with her audience, so there is much for even the most devoted fan to learn from this book. Here, she tells the story of her life from her earliest childhood to her career as a child star, from her journey to Broadway and television through to being cast by Walt Disney in MARY POPPINS.

The audiobook on CD is 13 hours long, spread over 11 CDs. Each disc contains seven to ten tracks; some chapters are one track long, and others are two to three tracks long. The production is straightforward and what you would expect of an audiobook -- read clearly, recorded well. Of course, I'd be happy hearing Ms. Andrews read the dictionary to me, but there is something magical and mesmerizing about her voice here, describing her own life.

At the end of the audiobook, Ms. Andrews says, "Thank you for listening." This is the only detail she has wrong -- we, the audience, should be saying to her, "Thank you for telling." I only hope we don't have to wait too long for the next part of the Julie Andrews story...

I purchased this audiobook CD set simultaneously with the hardcover edition of the book "Home: A Memoir Of My Early Years" by Julie Andrews. I urge all true fans of the actress/author to do the very same. I read the hardcover book first, and have been enjoying listening to Julie Andrews "tell" me the story of her incredible life from 1935-1962 again on the 11-CD set; which is unabridged.
For my thoughts on the autobiography and Miss Andrews herself, please read my review of the book. I don't want to repeat what I've stated in the "book" review. But it is a real gift for her many fans, and much more so for her own family, to have her incredible life told in her own words and in her own voice on CD recordings. "Home" ranks with Patty Duke's "Call Me Anna," Carol Burnett's "One More Time" and Mary Tyler Moore's "After All" as one of the most honest, candid, and courageous celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore, incidentally, are also friends/colleagues of Julie Andrews.
In an age when most celebrity autobiographies/biographies are filled with monumental amounts of conjecture, speculation, self-pity, and self-absorbtion, "Home" stands out as a breath of fresh air. Julie Andrews writes and tells her story with wit, warmth, generousity, perception, and pathos. To reiterate my closing statement from my earlier "book" review: Julie Andrews proves that she is, without a doubt, one of the last, true "class acts" left in show business.

Dame Julie Andrews is our British import of an AMERICAN Sweetheart. She captures our hearts in whatever she does from Maria in The Sound of Music to Guenevere in Broadway's Camelot and of course, the role she is best known for, Mary Poppins. Her words and career are like the songs she sings

WHAT DO THE SIMPLE FOLKS DO?...However one would wonder her humble beginning. Well in Home, Andrews does a great job in recanting her family history with the warth she has always been known for.

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN....Ms Andrews takes on the on of storyteller in her family history and her early career (pre-Mary Poppins). She leaves no stone unturned as she climbs into the family history. Her narrative exutes the warmth she brings to her films. Her voice creates verbal characters with ease, which makes this thirteen hour production seem like a breeze.

JUST A SPOON FULL OF SUGAR... The narrative seems indepth but still too nice in spots. Andrews makes her family likeable. I dont know if it her narrative or her story. She does not SUGAR coat her words, it just seems like happy reflection.

IT'S A LOVELY HOLIDAY...Andrews narrating skills are nice. She developes each family member in a different voice. She recants even a nasty situation with a niceness in her voice that you know the displeasure, but it is semi-sugar coated by Andrews pleasant vocals.

MY FAVORITE THINGS...This audio is what a simple biography should be. It is an honest piece of life. The story of the making of an actress. her real life ups and downs told in the fondness of reflections. Her voice may not be in great singing quality, but I wish I could listen to her narrate more audio productions. One would hope she would narrate someof her children's books

THAT WILL BRING US BACK TO DO..This audio memoir syop at 1962 when she was given the role of Mary Poppins. With an audio memoir this good, i have one personal request.... Ms Andrews, please hurry and write the second volume of your memiors (and of course put it to audio) soon

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

Rather than pre-order the book, I waited until the CD came out to see if, as I suspected, it would be narrated by Julie Andrews. Julie's words in her own voice add so much to her story. I can't wait until the next installment! The only criticism of the CD is you have to turn the volume up all the way to hear it, at least while in the car. It brought back such pleasant memories as Julie related stories of her appearances on TV, with Carol Burnett, and on the Ed Sullivan Show, and her own show. Some of the excepts can be found on the internet. Wonderful performer. A voice not to be forgotten, nor repeated.

Loved the fact that Julie reads this !!!!!

This is my first time to write an online review, but listening to Julie Andrews is such a treat that I had to write one. After reading Home, which was highly absorbing, the reviews on the CDs were so good, I thought, "Hmm, I think I'll get these, too." I am currently on my second go-through of the CDs. It is amazing how much I have forgotten from the book, and even the CDs' first go-through. As others have noted, Julie's candor is awesome. What's more, she is so courageous in her presentation, never once showing any sadness, even when the events are tragic and hard for her to bear. Her voice is at once bright, warm, and soothing. And, on occasion, dramatic, as she sometimes bursts through her dialogue with a sudden flourish to highlight her points. For a brief moment, one thinks she is on stage. Those are happy surprises and ones that make the entire reading such a joy to listen to. I listen on my way to work and am actually sorry when I arrive at my destination, but happy again when I'm on my way home, ready for the next chapter. There is a friend in the car with me and Julie's voice, as her singing, lifts the spirits and brightens the day. Thank you, Miss Andrews, for sharing your life with us. Your voice, whether in songs of the past, or in the spoken word today, is a true delight. We cherish you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

It was if Julie Andrews was sitting across from you telling you about her life story. I also have and read the book first, so hearing Julie read her own story, with all of the inflections in her voice, was great.

I knew full well that when I heard that Julie's memoir would be coming out that I would devour it in no time flat. I didn't know however that there would be the unabridged audio-book, read by Julie herself. She has a beautiful speaking voice (of course) and she speaks with authority, knowledge, grace, and humor. We have heard her speak of her family life, her step-father introducing her to singing at a very early age, and her touring across much of greater England but never before have we been given the backstage pass! Julie's history is as rich as it is heart-wrenching. Life wasn't the "Spoon Full of Sugar" or "My Favourite Things" far from it. What we discover about Julie is that she was given the tools of a bygone trade and used them to the best of her ability. Her writing is a triumphant for both Theatrical history and to the preservation of cherished and most beloved icon.

There should be:

1. A Theatre with her name on it.
2. A recording studio/sound stage bearing her name
3. Voice Lessons/Master classes as taught by Dame Julie herself!

I was extremely impressed with Julie Andrew's memoir because she shared her life experiences in such amazing detail. She takes the reader from her very young life into the early years of her professional career. She blends both compliments and concerns for those who influenced her career choices, as well as speaking honestly about her family. Her pace and perfect diction made her recordings of her memoirs a perfect read as well. This book will be a joy for all Julie fans.

Shirley Johnsrud
Soldotna, AK