Robert RedfordI got this book for Christmas, and was really looking forward to reading it, I took the excuse of the snow last weekend to actually do pretty much nothing but read!

We start off with a bit of a history lesson that put me in mind of ‘The Nearest Faraway Place’ By Timothy White, who delved into the heritage of Brian Wilson, I like this style as it shows us the stock as it were that made these people so great!

Redford has Irish heritage that he was very proud of, he also became very interested in the American Indians, and had like Jim Morrison a profound moment or two as a result.

I did enjoy the book, I felt very impressed by Redford for the good that he has done, and I don’t just mean in his films, of which of course I love, especially ‘Barefoot in the Park’, and ‘All the Presidents Men’, and Mum’s fav ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’.

Someone like Redford holds a special place in our lives; a constant, in fact years ago when I lived in Paris and the folks came to visit me, we went to the pictures on the Champs de Elysee and it was a Redford film we went to see, ‘Sneakers’ and I remember Mum commented that the last time she had been to the pictures was in act 1969 to see the aforementioned ‘Butch and Sundance’ 🙂

It is therefore sad for me to report that the book did not live up to my expectations, I realise it is a biography not an autobiography of which I love, but it would appear the author Michael Feeney Callan was given full access, i just felt when I had finished that I had sat and read a 400 odd page C.V! there wasn’t much depth, I still didn’t know who Robert Redford is, except for the film and political choices he has made.

For someone who is merely interested in the films this will be great, but for someone like me who would like to know more of the person it was a disappointment…. still a good read, just not the book i had envisaged.

Published On: February 7th, 2012 / Categories: Books, Reviews / Tags: /