Moose: Chapters from My Life

by Robert B. Sherman

Robert B. Sherman has forged a phenomenal career as a songwriter, screenwriter and painter. Along with his brother, Richard, he is responsible for the iconic scores of Mary Poppins, Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte's Web and The Tigger Movie, to name just a few. But to fully appreciate the impact of his songs, one has to get to know the man behind them first. Finally, in his own words and inimitable writing style, comes his long awaited, definitive Moose, the delightful and unconventional story of a creative giant who changed the fabric of the family musical forever.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

First published November 26, 2013

Reviews

[Robert Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was the book's editor so obviously my rating is not impartial, but in my capacity as editor (and, more importantly, as the author's son) I can say that every time I've picked up the book, and still until today, I'm learning new things about my father and the marvelous life he lead.

I think it's an important book for anyone interested in delving into the mind of a creative giant. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

My only wish would be that my father were here to enjoy the accolades his book has receiving.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Thanks also to his son for making this possible. Two memories which stuck out were the blatant anti-Semitic Lutheran nuns Grrrhhh) during his military service in WW2 Germany and when his middle school classmate's mother told him he was not to associate w/his daughter due to his Jewish heritage..

A collection of memories intertwined w/sorrow, loss and humour.

Thanks Again!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful look at half of the team behind so much of the iconic music from Disney parks and movies like Mary Poppins. There is not a lot on the time with Disney besides Mary Poppins, but the rest of the story is excellent. Told in a series of short stories that are not linear, it's a fascinating look into a fascinating life.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marc bought me this book a few years ago and I'm finally getting around to reading it. He doesn't remember why he picked it out for me so I was really going in blind on this one.

Moose is an autobiography of Robert Sherman; he is a man you've probably never heard of but are probably familiar with his work. He was a writer of film scores that include Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In the grand scheme of things, he led a pretty average life. He fought in WWII, went to college on the GI bill, worked with his brother for most of his career and made a lot of money. What is interesting in this autobiography is his unique writing style and ability mesh the dark aspects of life with the humorous.

This book is, more or less, a series of short stories and vignettes that are loosely clustered by theme. In the intro, his son says that this caused strife with publishers who wanted a more traditional structure. I'm glad they stuck with it because the style is interesting, charming, and truly seems to fit the personality of the author.

I recommend this one to folks who like fairly obscure biographies or are particularly interested in film/music. It was a pleasant and easy read with nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout.

[Michelle Leighty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I now understand why Disney does not promote this book. Robert (Bob) Sherman tells it all like it is! The book begins with Bob’s account of being a soldier in World War II and he does not hold back. It can be hard to read but he tells the truth of the horrors of war that he experienced. Bob then jumps back and forth with stories throughout his years but it’s all done to paint the picture of his life, as well as remedy the misconceptions from the 2009 film The Boys. Filled with raw emotion, Bob’s writing in this book is just as eloquent as his lyrics. This will be a book that I come back to over and over again.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I mostly skimmed my way through this book. I expected it to be primarily about his role as songwriter for Mary Poppins and Disney and Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang so it was too much about his childhood and war experience for my taste. I should have managed my expectations better.

[Michelle Chenard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book for a book club. It is about the life of Robert B. Sherman. He and his brother were the composers and lyricists for some of the famous disney movies. It highlighted his time in WWII. He and his brother were a winning team even though they did not like each other. Parts of the book were interesting others were disjointed.

[Alan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

I’m not one to read autobiographies but this one caught my eye after hear of Moose on Mike Rowe’s podcast The Way I Heard It. I picked up this book and enjoyed reading about this mans life and success. Highly Recommend if you have a love for classic Disney or Broadway Theater.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book when watching the Sherman Brothers documentary on Disney Plus. I enjoyed the documentary and the book. It's the story of Bob Sherman's life, as told by him, but it's not really linear. He just picks out various interesting stories from his life and tells them.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disjointed but fascinating stories from a very interesting life.

[Tracy Dietzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few parts were a bit repetitive but the story was beautifully written and gave wonderful insight into this icon's fascinating life. A truly enjoyable read.

[Melanie Mcdaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Disney fans. This is not a traditional autobiography but I loved the stories Robert chose to tell from his personal life & his professional life working with his brother, Walt Disney & numerous other legends. He was a beautiful writer & a beautiful soul.

[Amanda Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with an animal in the title