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List Price: $11.95 | | Publisher: Villard
Salesrank: 1232799
Released: April 8, 2003 |
| Our Price: $0.94 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Paperback |
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Editorial Review:
Motherhood and Hollywood is Patricia Heaton’s humorous and poignant collection of essays on life, love, marriage, child-rearing, show business, having parents, being a parent, spousal rage, surviving fame, success, and the shame of underarm flab. She is warm, witty, and refreshingly irreverent.
Heaton grew up in suburban Cleveland, one of five children of devout Roman Catholic parents. Her father was a noted sportswriter for The Plain Dealer; her mother died suddenly and unexpectedly when Heaton was twelve. Love, fast food, and an unflagging sense of humor held the clan together and propelled Patricia on a showbiz career that began with hilariously nightmarish struggles in New York, eventually leading to a triumphant move to Los Angeles.
In Motherhood and Hollywood, Patricia Heaton pours out her heart and minces no words. She’s taking all prisoners for cookies and a glass of Jack Daniel’s and diet ginger ale. Laughter ensues.
Motherhood and Hollywood: How to Get a Job Like Mine Reviews:
Too much surface, not enough depth... 
2008-04-21 - I'm a huge fan of Patty Heaton, but was a little disappointed in her autobiography. I loved her humor and am truly amazed at everything she experienced along the way to stardom and love, but I was hoping to learn more about her true self. It seemed to scan the surface of some of her life experiences, but didn't offer much of an insight into her true feelings about life, love, family, etc.
Like becoming Friends 
2007-09-25 - Have you ever read a book and felt like you had become friends with the character of the book? I have read Motherhood and Hollywood over the last week and everyday after reading it I would discuss the book with my wife. My wife bought the book for me knowing how much I love Patricia Heaton and her character on Everybody Loves Raymond and the Movie: "The Engagement Ring." We even set aside a special time to watch the first episode of her new sitcom on Fox. One night after talking about the chapters I had read with my wife, she actually said: "Did you ask her...." She stopped when she realized that I did not know Patricia nor had I ever met her, but the book had given me so many details about her life and was so genuine, it was as if we were friends. It even gave me a tiny epiphony later that evening when watching Everybody Loves Raymond and realizing that the Chuck Heaton that was nominated with Ray for "Sportswriter of the Year" was really Patricia's Father from Cleveland. Her book had actually given me insight on what must have been a loving and private joke on the show, as well as a tribute. I would recommend this book to any mom who has had to deal with growing older and how to look presentable. Who has had to deal with Motherhood and all the wonders such as flu, floaties and epidurals. This book is a treasure and a very private look into a very wonderful persons life. Patricia has given more than entertainment, she has given us her friendship and that is a very special gift. God Bless You Patricia,
M E Rosson
Informative, Interesting but No Pictures
2007-09-11 - I enoyed Patricia's book about her life and adventures on tv show,...Every Body Loves Raymond. I especially liked the parts about the show and the funny things that happened while making it. But I was very disappointed that there were no pictures. Maybe it's just me, but I like an autiobiography to have pictures other then the one on the cover. She is not the comic writer that Ray Romano is with his books, but I still enjoyed it.
Not as good as I anticipated
2007-02-15 - First of all I would like to state that I am a huge fan of Heaton, but I was quite dissapointed with the book. I read the book in one night; it is an easy read. Heaton jumps around with random short stories, one minute you're reading about cleveland, the next minute it is raymond. I didn't really like the structure of the book. Don't get me wrong, there are some good chapters, and the book is funny at times, but she doesn't give much insight into her life. She doesn't tell you much about her family and keeps a lot to herself. (Partially because the book is so short) The only major insight about her life that I got from this book is that she was a waitress at countless places and drank a lot in her youth. She loves her family and that is about it.
Lost a fan
2006-10-26 - I had heard that Ms. Heaton supports "conservative" causes (in quotes because todays conservatives hardly resemble fiscal discipline, limited government and individual rights advocates I recall having respect for). My take to date was that her political affiliation was largely a result of her anti-abortion beliefs, which I could accept, although I personally think that consistently credible sexual education is the answer to making abortions rare, not simply making abortions illegal and generating the tragedy that unwanted pregnancies wreak on women and their families).
There is great promise in stem cell research, including a possible method for cloning stem cells that does not include destroying the blastocyst. However, in supporting Mr. Talent and other republicans, she is supporting the currently morally corrupt cabal of Republican leadership in this country. Her spot is being touted as the anti-Michael J. Fox ad. Perhaps she really values those 4-celled, undeveloped blastocysts--if so, maybe she should take a leaf from Mr. Fox's activist' book and lobby for the preservation of the left-over fertilized embryos that are destroyed every year (400,000 or so and counting), rather than supporting a blanket ban on potentially life-saving stem cell research.
Frankly, Ms. Heaton, I have had to shake my head at your dogged political support of the GOP. The hypocrisy they espouse as the moral compass of this country while they accuse the poor of laziness (while the working poor do without decent health insurance for themselves and their families, which of course, include their children), cut social network programs for the most vulnerable of the population, cut education programs that would allow impoverished young people to rise above the lack of opportunity they experience solely on their unfortunate decision to be born to poor parents ...
Let me just say, Ms. Heaton, that I no longer have any desire to support your career. I'm sure there are plenty of hateful, ignorant ditto heads who will think you are simply great ("she is one of us"). Let them support you. I gave your product a neutral rating, simply because I have no desire to lower the ranking of your book simply because it was written by you. This review is solely meant to formally communicate to you, and others, that I cannot stand to see your work any longer--whether it be on television, in movies or in print. I used to be a fan.
