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I Like What I Know: A Visual Autobiography
American actor, Vincent Price, known for his horror movie career, recounts his life-long love of art from his first acquisition to his eventual turn as art dealer to the rich and famous.
311 pages, Hardback
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Vincent Price
45 books107 followersVincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 - October 25, 1993) was an American actor best known for his performances in horror films, although his career spanned other genres, including film noir, drama, mystery, thriller, and comedy.
He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures, and one for television.
He was an art collector, and arts consultant, with a degree in art history, and he lectured and wrote books on the subject. The Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College is named in his honor. He was also a noted gourmet cook.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Vincent Price
He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures, and one for television.
He was an art collector, and arts consultant, with a degree in art history, and he lectured and wrote books on the subject. The Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College is named in his honor. He was also a noted gourmet cook.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Vincent Price
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 3, 2014
An enthusiastic, conversational book detailing the author's love of art. It suffers a bit from a lack of reproductions -- as much as he insists that reproductions can't convey the brilliance of a piece of art, it would have been nice to see more of his favorites, particularly when it comes to artists who have not achieved the level of fame he expected. But the book did get me itching to go to more museums and galleries, and to buy more art, which seems to be exactly what he intended!
March 22, 2026
I really enjoyed this. It was written in the 50s, so parts of it are very dated, which is something to keep in mind when reading.
But it is worth it when Price is so obviously in love with art in the least pretentious way. It is so affirming to read something from the perspective of someone who unapologetically loves art and artists.
But it is worth it when Price is so obviously in love with art in the least pretentious way. It is so affirming to read something from the perspective of someone who unapologetically loves art and artists.
February 28, 2018
An autobiography, not so much about his acting career, but about his avocation as an art collector. It's an unexpected view of the actor. I rather enjoyed it, but as I have little interest in the visual arts, I wasn't entirely engrossed by it.
December 2, 2017
A 1958 autobiographical surey of Prices’s love and understanding of the visual arts. It made me want to look up every painting or sculpture he mentions. Illustrated with pieces that he had bought for his own home. Hmmm... I’m heading now to our local art museum, just because...
August 1, 2013
A must read for any fan of Vincent Price. A wonderful look into what truly made Vincent happy in life.
August 18, 2020
Vincent Price writes with all the wit and urbanity that I would have hoped to find. The books loses me a bit because in his love for art, the author assumes a level of familiarity in his audience that I simply don't have. I also wonder if cultural literacy has simply changed in the years since this was published, but regardless, many of the art references went over my head. The best parts of the book combined autobiography and travelogue. I'm not sure this would be an essential for anyone who isn't already a fan of Price, but I enjoyed it.
August 31, 2024
You can hear VP's voice as you read. Undeniably humourous with serious points to make. The enthusiasm of the writing made me go and look up the artists and their work. I didn't always agree with him but it made me investigate, which was his aim.
April 5, 2020
I am a huge fan of Vincent Price. This autobiography did not disappoint. Known for his horror films (and the voice in the Michael Jackson music video Thriller), this was a great view behind the scenes of the man. What an amazing individual. If you like Vincent Price, then this is an excellent book for you.
March 5, 2026
Pretty much everybody knows that Vincent Price was a gourmet chef. But who knew that he was an art collector, and something of an amateur art expert? Not I.
Though I would've known had I read his Wikipedia article. It says here that he majored in art history at Yale, and began a masters in fine arts at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, only to be sidetracked by his other love, theater. (He had planned to do his thesis on Albrecht Dürer, and had done quite a bit of research towards it.)
He was himself a collector, beginning in his early teens, and saved enough money to spend a high school summer on a trip to Europe to see the museums of the Great Capitols thereof.
He did not limit his interest to European art, but collected Asian, African South American and Native American pieces, and was for a time a Commissioner of the Indian (Native American) Arts and Crafts Board.
Beginning in the 1950s, Price began an active program of helping "average" Americans see that "fine" art was not "above" or "too difficult" for them. In 1957, he and his wife, Mary Grant Price, donated 90 pieces from their collection to establis the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College, ultimately donating two thousand piece.
This 1959 book was, loosely, a part of — or perhaps an apologia for — that program.
It is, basically, autobiographical, but the autobiographical frame allows him to tell funny stories and rhapsodize about favorite works, two things he was very good at.
I read the book silently "aloud in my head," hearing it in his distinctive voice, and it gave me a great deal of pleasure that way.
Seven out of ten miniatures by up-and-coming painters.
Though I would've known had I read his Wikipedia article. It says here that he majored in art history at Yale, and began a masters in fine arts at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, only to be sidetracked by his other love, theater. (He had planned to do his thesis on Albrecht Dürer, and had done quite a bit of research towards it.)
He was himself a collector, beginning in his early teens, and saved enough money to spend a high school summer on a trip to Europe to see the museums of the Great Capitols thereof.
He did not limit his interest to European art, but collected Asian, African South American and Native American pieces, and was for a time a Commissioner of the Indian (Native American) Arts and Crafts Board.
Beginning in the 1950s, Price began an active program of helping "average" Americans see that "fine" art was not "above" or "too difficult" for them. In 1957, he and his wife, Mary Grant Price, donated 90 pieces from their collection to establis the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College, ultimately donating two thousand piece.
This 1959 book was, loosely, a part of — or perhaps an apologia for — that program.
It is, basically, autobiographical, but the autobiographical frame allows him to tell funny stories and rhapsodize about favorite works, two things he was very good at.
I read the book silently "aloud in my head," hearing it in his distinctive voice, and it gave me a great deal of pleasure that way.
Seven out of ten miniatures by up-and-coming painters.
June 26, 2025
Written midway through his acting career, Price's memoir of art-collecting and art-loving doesn't share much about his early days in film. Occasionally he'll name-drop a celeb like Orson Welles or Helen Hayes but infinitely more pages mention Picasso, Rubens and Tintoretto, secondhand. As autobiographies go this one is far from inward looking or dishy. That's too bad because when the personal drives the narrative, "I Like What I Know" has definite charm -- like when Price convinces his parents to let him take an unchaperoned art tour of Europe at 16 years old or convinces Bea Lillie to buy a funny portrait of a boy. Those kind of anecdotes are few though as "I Like What I Know" is moreso a screed championing the visual arts and calling on Americans to shop local. You can hear Price's singular voice throughout, which makes me wish this hadn't predated audiobooks. I would've liked to hear his thoughts on John Resko, the one-time death row inmate who gained freedom through painting and inspired the biopic "Convicts 4" which features Price as an art critic...briefly. (But that came years later.)
February 7, 2021
Price went to school to study art but ended up an actor instead. Art is clearly his first and truest love but perhaps pursuing it as a career would have limited him to specializing in one or two areas of art instead of indulging in a wide variety. I was slightly disappointed in this book because of the title. Calling it a visual autobiography implies it will be lavishly illustrated. Instead, it's Price talking about how art has played a roll throughout his life and the pictures are limited to some photos from his personal collection in one chapter. Decent book, bad title.
February 15, 2024
I have attempted to get through this book for years. It is not an autobiography of Vincent Price’s career, and rarely-if ever, does he discuss his career. Unless you adore reading about art that you cannot see (and that is often impossible to find a photo reference for) you may struggle with this book. I know I have.
I Like What I Know, and I apparently know far less about art than is necessary to enjoy this book.
I Like What I Know, and I apparently know far less about art than is necessary to enjoy this book.
June 30, 2024
Realmente amé este libro, es un libro en el que ocupa su experiencia personal para invitar a las personas a que se acerquen al arte, por lo que es un libro de divulgación del arte. Nos contagia de su entusiasmo y nos muestra facetas de piezas y de sus conocidos que realmente son únicas. Totalmente recomendable. (BTW si faltan imágenes, pero la realidad es que hoy en día es muy fácil buscarlas en línea).
July 17, 2025
I appreciate the GOAT’s love of the visual arts, but this book was a bit of a chore. Was hoping for more life anecdotes (and maybe one story from House of Wax or something) and less a recounting of his museum visits.
December 3, 2025
A wonderful autobiography and study of art from possible the greatest actor to ever live. The pages are filled with a joyous love of all schools and the place both professional and personal where he encountered them.
January 4, 2020
I love Vincent as an actor but I found his writing to be a touch boring.
January 12, 2025
Vincent Price is an entertaining writer. Even his cook book is fun. This is an interesting part of his life if you are into fine art and collecting. His enthusiasm takes you along.
July 27, 2026
“If I come from a long line of anything, it’s a long line of collectors. I’ve told of my mother’s penchant for collecting, my father’s hoard of fuses, lightbulbs and essential knickknackeries like corkscrews, knives, bottle openers, and luggage. My youngest sister is a pack rat whose husband used to send her off on a trip every other year so that he could get rid of the tons of paper, string, old toys, candle ends, and huge balls of tin foil which she never stopped collecting from World War I. […] I should mention my one grandmother, whom I never met but who, according to legend, was forever collecting her wits and herself.”
What an adorable memoir! I couldn’t read it fast enough, and at the same time, I never wanted to finish. The only thing that would have made it better would have been Vincent Price’s wonderfully hilarious voice narrating an audio book. As it was, it was easy to imagine him reading aloud to me, since the style of his memoir was both conversational and poetic.
First of all, you’d better understand what kind of book this is. This not a memoir about his career as an actor; in fact, only three or four instances are even mentioned about his stage and screen work. This is also not a picture book, like Elizabeth Taylor’s book on jewelry. It’s truly a “visual autobiography” in which the author describes his surroundings so vividly, you can see it in your mind. You can also understand the significance art and visual beauty had on young Vincent, to instill a lifelong passion of the arts. Paintings, sculptures, artifacts, nature, architecture – anything artistically beautiful or interesting, and Vincent will love learning about it.
The title stems from the oft repeated, “I know what I like,” people say to avoid branching out or learning more about art. Instead, Vincent says so poetically, “I know what I like – I like art – and I like what I know.” So much of his prose is lovely and could have been found in a poetry collection. He’s witty, quick, and accurately descriptive. I knew exactly what he meant, and I felt as though he’d truly taken me through his childhood up to the 1960s when the book was written. I’ve been all around the world with him, witnessed his artistic attempts in college that ended in an attempt on the stage, and have walked through his childhood home. An entire chapter is devoted to the architecture and interior design of his home, and all the trouble his mother and father took with it. The Prices encouraged a love of all the arts in their children, but chiefly music. Remember Vincent’s lovely voice in The House of the Seven Gables? In this hilarious, poetic passage, readers can tell he loves his parents: “Mother played by ear, though by whose ear we were never quite sure, but she was a dauntless lady and would sail into anything if she’d heard it twice. It was all great fun, though it left Father with the idea that music, while admittedly the food of love, came close to giving him an ulcer.”
Show biz folks will be the first to admit that people become actors because they weren’t loved as a child. Vincent Price is the only person I’ve ever read about who had a perfectly lovely childhood – and that might be why he looked at acting as secondary. He freely admitted that he was grateful for the salary so he could add to his art collection, and he was apt to film movies abroad so he and his wife could take a few extra days and peruse European museums. He loved art in every form, and he also admits that had his attempts in painting or sculpting been rewarded with praise, he never would have stepped on the stage. When writing about his family, it was so obvious he loved them – and so refreshing!
I can’t recommend this book enough for fans of Vincent Price, art, or both. I truly felt like I got to know him through his experiences and learning his life outlook. He was a fascinating man with human quirks and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Kindness, appreciation, intelligence, wit, and humility pepper every page, and when I reached the last sentence, I felt a little lump in my throat knowing my reading journey had come to an end. It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Price.
https://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/i-lik...
What an adorable memoir! I couldn’t read it fast enough, and at the same time, I never wanted to finish. The only thing that would have made it better would have been Vincent Price’s wonderfully hilarious voice narrating an audio book. As it was, it was easy to imagine him reading aloud to me, since the style of his memoir was both conversational and poetic.
First of all, you’d better understand what kind of book this is. This not a memoir about his career as an actor; in fact, only three or four instances are even mentioned about his stage and screen work. This is also not a picture book, like Elizabeth Taylor’s book on jewelry. It’s truly a “visual autobiography” in which the author describes his surroundings so vividly, you can see it in your mind. You can also understand the significance art and visual beauty had on young Vincent, to instill a lifelong passion of the arts. Paintings, sculptures, artifacts, nature, architecture – anything artistically beautiful or interesting, and Vincent will love learning about it.
The title stems from the oft repeated, “I know what I like,” people say to avoid branching out or learning more about art. Instead, Vincent says so poetically, “I know what I like – I like art – and I like what I know.” So much of his prose is lovely and could have been found in a poetry collection. He’s witty, quick, and accurately descriptive. I knew exactly what he meant, and I felt as though he’d truly taken me through his childhood up to the 1960s when the book was written. I’ve been all around the world with him, witnessed his artistic attempts in college that ended in an attempt on the stage, and have walked through his childhood home. An entire chapter is devoted to the architecture and interior design of his home, and all the trouble his mother and father took with it. The Prices encouraged a love of all the arts in their children, but chiefly music. Remember Vincent’s lovely voice in The House of the Seven Gables? In this hilarious, poetic passage, readers can tell he loves his parents: “Mother played by ear, though by whose ear we were never quite sure, but she was a dauntless lady and would sail into anything if she’d heard it twice. It was all great fun, though it left Father with the idea that music, while admittedly the food of love, came close to giving him an ulcer.”
Show biz folks will be the first to admit that people become actors because they weren’t loved as a child. Vincent Price is the only person I’ve ever read about who had a perfectly lovely childhood – and that might be why he looked at acting as secondary. He freely admitted that he was grateful for the salary so he could add to his art collection, and he was apt to film movies abroad so he and his wife could take a few extra days and peruse European museums. He loved art in every form, and he also admits that had his attempts in painting or sculpting been rewarded with praise, he never would have stepped on the stage. When writing about his family, it was so obvious he loved them – and so refreshing!
I can’t recommend this book enough for fans of Vincent Price, art, or both. I truly felt like I got to know him through his experiences and learning his life outlook. He was a fascinating man with human quirks and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Kindness, appreciation, intelligence, wit, and humility pepper every page, and when I reached the last sentence, I felt a little lump in my throat knowing my reading journey had come to an end. It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Price.
https://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/i-lik...
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April 9, 2019A difficult superfluous read more about art than his life but an interesting look into his language. He spoke in a very distinct manner and it comes out in this book.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews