The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies, hands down. I always have loved it. My family will tell you they can’t count how many times they had to rewind the two VHS’s so I could watch it again. Even now, I have watched it on Disney+ at least five times (they even have the intermission!). I can’t help it. I want to climb every mountain! 

So, of course I wanted to read Julie Andrews’ latest memoir. Luckily, my grandma (aka Gma) knew and gave me a copy for Christmas. What a great lady.

Book Read: Home Work
Author: Julie Andrews with Emma Walton Hamilton
2020 Book Count: 2

In her latest memoir, Julie Andrews focuses on her years in Hollywood, beginning with her first film, Mary Poppins. Her rise to fame is fast - by the time Mary Poppins is released, she is already filming The Sound of Music. Andrews even takes home an Oscar for her very first role. You could say they thought she was supercalifragilisticexpialiodocious.

Andrews describes her film career with great detail, but also is open about her personal life during this time. From separating from her first husband, who was making a career for himself in the costume industry, to meeting her second husband Blake Edwards, to embracing two stepchildren and adopting two more, she discusses every aspect of her life.

Throughout the book, Andrews talks of her concerns that this life has on her daughter Emma, her concerns of her husband’s love of self medication and her family’s lives. She combines that with telling stories of film sets, of finding friendships in costars, and of beginning to wrote children’s books.

Throughout it all, film is the constant. From the world of Walt Disney, to the hills of Austria, to the sets of Victor/Victoria, Andrews takes readers through her Hollywood years, in a heart warming, yet somewhat heartbreaking way. She does it in a way that works.

While reading this book, I found myself being more surprised than anything. Despite my love of The Sound of Music, I only knew so much about Julie Andrews’ life. In this memoir, she is open and honest about everything. I was surprised yet flattered that she chose to share so much.

She’d tell inside stories, like when asked to play Mary Poppins, she told Walt Disney she couldn’t because she was pregnant. He told her they’d wait. That worked out well for everyone. 

Andrews also discussed how she felt about her films that flopped, yet she supported the decisions she made. I also appreciated her honesty about her marriages, and the impact her Edwards’ self medicating on their marriage and family. Yet you could see the love between the two on every page. 

At times, yes, I did think that Andrews seemed to ignore her children. That pains me to say because I would never want to talk badly of Julie Andrews. She was constantly moving around due to visa restrictions. I was worried she’d tell me something terrible happened to one of them, and part of the reason would be that she wasn’t there. Thank goodness I was wrong! Andrews was aware of the impact of her career on her children and openly discussed it. 

This book made me love Andrews no less. I’m looking forward to the next one already (by the way this ended, there is another one coming). If you’re a fan of Julie Andrews, read this. It’ll give you an inside look at one of the biggest stars. 

Next Read: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves