What do you think?
Rate this book
Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant
Jennifer Grant is the only child of Cary Grant, who was, and continues to be, the epitome of all that is elegant, sophisticated, and deft. Almost half a century after Cary Grant’s retirement from the screen, he remains the quintessential romantic comic movie star. He stopped making movies when his daughter was born so that he could be with her and raise her, which is just what he did.
Good Stuff is an enchanting portrait of the profound and loving relationship between a daughter and her father, who just happens to be one of America’s most iconic male movie stars.
Cary Grant’s own personal childhood archives were burned in World War I, and he took painstaking care to ensure that his daughter would have an accurate record of her early life. In Good Stuff , Jennifer Grant writes of their life together through her high school and college years until Grant’s death at the age of eighty-two.
Cary Grant had a happy way of living, and he gave that to his daughter. He invented the phrase “good stuff” to mean happiness. For the last twenty years of his life, his daughter experienced the full vital passion of her father’s heart, and she now—delightfully—gives us a taste of it.
She writes of the lessons he taught her; of the love he showed her; of his childhood as well as her own . . . Here are letters, notes, and funny cards written from father to daughter and those written from her to him . . . as well as bits of conversation between them (Cary Grant kept a tape recorder going for most of their time together).
She writes of their life at 9966 Beverly Grove Drive, living in a farmhouse in the midst of Beverly Hills, playing, laughing, dining, and dancing through the thick and thin of Jennifer's growing up; the years of his work, his travels, his friendships with “old Hollywood royalty” (the Sinatras, the Pecks, the Poitiers, et al.) and with just plain-old royalty (the Rainiers) . . .
We see Grant the playful dad; Grant the clown, sharing his gifts of laughter through his warm spirit; Grant teaching his daughter about life, about love, about boys, about manners and money, about acting and living.
Cary Grant was given the indefinable incandescence of charm. He was a pip . . .
Good Stuff captures his special quality. It gives us the magic of a father’s devotion (and goofball-ness) as it reveals a daughter’s special odyssey and education of loving, and being loved, by a dad who was Cary Grant.
Good Stuff is an enchanting portrait of the profound and loving relationship between a daughter and her father, who just happens to be one of America’s most iconic male movie stars.
Cary Grant’s own personal childhood archives were burned in World War I, and he took painstaking care to ensure that his daughter would have an accurate record of her early life. In Good Stuff , Jennifer Grant writes of their life together through her high school and college years until Grant’s death at the age of eighty-two.
Cary Grant had a happy way of living, and he gave that to his daughter. He invented the phrase “good stuff” to mean happiness. For the last twenty years of his life, his daughter experienced the full vital passion of her father’s heart, and she now—delightfully—gives us a taste of it.
She writes of the lessons he taught her; of the love he showed her; of his childhood as well as her own . . . Here are letters, notes, and funny cards written from father to daughter and those written from her to him . . . as well as bits of conversation between them (Cary Grant kept a tape recorder going for most of their time together).
She writes of their life at 9966 Beverly Grove Drive, living in a farmhouse in the midst of Beverly Hills, playing, laughing, dining, and dancing through the thick and thin of Jennifer's growing up; the years of his work, his travels, his friendships with “old Hollywood royalty” (the Sinatras, the Pecks, the Poitiers, et al.) and with just plain-old royalty (the Rainiers) . . .
We see Grant the playful dad; Grant the clown, sharing his gifts of laughter through his warm spirit; Grant teaching his daughter about life, about love, about boys, about manners and money, about acting and living.
Cary Grant was given the indefinable incandescence of charm. He was a pip . . .
Good Stuff captures his special quality. It gives us the magic of a father’s devotion (and goofball-ness) as it reveals a daughter’s special odyssey and education of loving, and being loved, by a dad who was Cary Grant.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
137 people are currently reading
1512 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Grant
2 books10 followersJennifer Grant is the daughter of actors Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon. Jennifer was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. She graduated from Stanford with a degree in history. She worked in a law firm and as a restaurant chef, before becoming an actor.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
May 16, 2019
If there was a Mount Rushmore of Hollywood leading men, Cary Grant would be on it. He had it all, charisma, good looks, etc. and decades after his death, his work is still enjoyed by movie audiences both young and old. In this book, his only child, Jennifer Grant, shares memories of growing up with a famous father. (Her mother, Dyan Cannon, is also well-known, but this book is primarily about Cary.)
I definitely like Cary Grant but he wasn't the only reason I wanted to read this book. Jennifer guest starred on Beverly Hills, 90210 and I really liked her in the role of Celeste, Steve Sanders' girlfriend. (She was way better than Clare. Ugh. She was the worst.) So I was really curious to find out more about her relationship with her father.
If you are looking for some type of Mommie Dearest tell-all, this isn't the book for you. There's no dirt here, it truly is just a woman reflecting back on what was a pretty good childhood. It's obvious she loved him and he absolutely adored her. And while I wouldn't say this was the most fascinating book I have ever read, it was refreshing to read about a healthy parent-child relationship rather than a dysfunctional one.
The most interesting thing I learned was Cary was meticulous about capturing and preserving just about everything regarding his daughter. If she wrote a brief note to her dad, he saved it. Drew him a picture? He didn't throw it out. Pictures, recordings, everything was saved in a vault and she was given access to it after he passed away. Now some people might find this to be creepy, but I thought it was sweet. He became a father at the age of 62 and I think that gave him a different perspective than other first time fathers. I think he had the wisdom to know how important it was to cherish every moment with her.
By no means is this what I would call a must read book. However, it's a quick read and it was nice to get a glimpse into Cary's life as a father.
I definitely like Cary Grant but he wasn't the only reason I wanted to read this book. Jennifer guest starred on Beverly Hills, 90210 and I really liked her in the role of Celeste, Steve Sanders' girlfriend. (She was way better than Clare. Ugh. She was the worst.) So I was really curious to find out more about her relationship with her father.
If you are looking for some type of Mommie Dearest tell-all, this isn't the book for you. There's no dirt here, it truly is just a woman reflecting back on what was a pretty good childhood. It's obvious she loved him and he absolutely adored her. And while I wouldn't say this was the most fascinating book I have ever read, it was refreshing to read about a healthy parent-child relationship rather than a dysfunctional one.
The most interesting thing I learned was Cary was meticulous about capturing and preserving just about everything regarding his daughter. If she wrote a brief note to her dad, he saved it. Drew him a picture? He didn't throw it out. Pictures, recordings, everything was saved in a vault and she was given access to it after he passed away. Now some people might find this to be creepy, but I thought it was sweet. He became a father at the age of 62 and I think that gave him a different perspective than other first time fathers. I think he had the wisdom to know how important it was to cherish every moment with her.
By no means is this what I would call a must read book. However, it's a quick read and it was nice to get a glimpse into Cary's life as a father.
August 6, 2016
This entire book can be summed up in one sentence. It is Jennifer Grant's love letter to her father Cary. Hearing someone gush about how wonderful their parent was can get pretty repetitive unless you also love that person. Lucky for me I do love Cary Grant and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the adorable stories Jennifer has shared in this book.
Cary fans will probably enjoy what this has to offer but those looking for a Grant biography should look elsewhere. There is no information on his upbringing, his films, or past relationships. This is solely a look into how he spent his retirement and chose to raise his only child.
3.5/5
Cary fans will probably enjoy what this has to offer but those looking for a Grant biography should look elsewhere. There is no information on his upbringing, his films, or past relationships. This is solely a look into how he spent his retirement and chose to raise his only child.
3.5/5
December 31, 2018
Jennifer adored her father, and it shows. Because he was older than the average dad, he was able to see how precious ... and fleeting ... a childhood truly is. So, he made the most of Jennifer's. He gave freely of his time, his love, and his wisdom. I'm a big Cary Grant fan, and it was nice to read about how much he loved his daughter.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
Read
June 19, 2011It's almost funny to think that there was a time when I didn't know who Cary Grant was. In college, I took a class on 20th century American history. The big project was for everyone to choose a movie theme and write about how the movies represented their time period. My theme was "The Ideal Man," all about Cary Grant. I was supposed to watch three movies and ended up watching something around twenty. I bought and borrowed anything I could get my hands on, just to get more Cary. He has that kind of draw.
Personally, I'm a fan of autobiography as opposed to biography. Nobody can know anyone better than themselves, right? As far as I'm aware, Cary Grant never wrote an autobiography (Though according to Ms. Grant, he started one). However, a biography by his daughter comes pretty close.
My initial reaction to Good Stuff was crying. I was on my break at work and just started crying. Jennifer Grant wrote a touching tribute to her father. No offense to my own dad, but Cary Grant was a wonderful father. He saved almost everything she touched, and the book is full of photographs, letters, and drawings. I was awestruck by how he took up fatherhood with such zeal.
It was nice to get a glimpse at the man behind the famous Cary Grant, and also reassuring to know that the real Cary Grant was basically just as he seemed. Rumors are addressed and mostly debunked. Cary Grant comes off as a poor boy who made it, then as a doting father trying to raise his daughter. Good Stuff made me cry, yes, but it also made me laugh and marvel at how amazing Cary Grant was in real life, even more amazing than C.K. Dexter Haven or any other character he played. My favorite Cary Grant quote was always:
"I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until I became that person. Or he became me."
In his case, Alexander Archibald Leech pretended to be a movie star named Cary Grant. Cary Grant the actor pretended to be a father. He was pretending to be all those things at once, when he already was all of them at once. He no longer had to pretend, he had become Cary Grant, and Cary Grant had become him.
Personally, I'm a fan of autobiography as opposed to biography. Nobody can know anyone better than themselves, right? As far as I'm aware, Cary Grant never wrote an autobiography (Though according to Ms. Grant, he started one). However, a biography by his daughter comes pretty close.
My initial reaction to Good Stuff was crying. I was on my break at work and just started crying. Jennifer Grant wrote a touching tribute to her father. No offense to my own dad, but Cary Grant was a wonderful father. He saved almost everything she touched, and the book is full of photographs, letters, and drawings. I was awestruck by how he took up fatherhood with such zeal.
It was nice to get a glimpse at the man behind the famous Cary Grant, and also reassuring to know that the real Cary Grant was basically just as he seemed. Rumors are addressed and mostly debunked. Cary Grant comes off as a poor boy who made it, then as a doting father trying to raise his daughter. Good Stuff made me cry, yes, but it also made me laugh and marvel at how amazing Cary Grant was in real life, even more amazing than C.K. Dexter Haven or any other character he played. My favorite Cary Grant quote was always:
"I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until I became that person. Or he became me."
In his case, Alexander Archibald Leech pretended to be a movie star named Cary Grant. Cary Grant the actor pretended to be a father. He was pretending to be all those things at once, when he already was all of them at once. He no longer had to pretend, he had become Cary Grant, and Cary Grant had become him.
May 18, 2011
This book was very disappointing. There was a lot of repetition, childish overtones and incomplete thoughts. I wonder where the editor was on this one! Although the perspective was a new one, Cary Grant's daughter, she did not provide complete background information to make a readable story. I think she assumed the reader would have know all about her father from previous books. But I would expect a whole lot of in depth information and tidbits from this book. Alas, they are not there in much detail. About all you get is that CG was a fanatic for recording his daughter, and saving her memorabilia. The book could have included more detail and many more stories. I had hoped for the ultimate insight into Cary Grant but was greatly disappointed.
May 8, 2016
First, let me state that I was stunned at the intelligence of the author, Cary Grant's daughter. Having worked in Hollywood and seen first hand how shallow and illiterate most of the celebrity offspring are, Jennifer Grant's book is a revelation in its simplicity, elegance, and directness. Rather like her father, in fact.
Reading this book at a time when even lower middle class families raise their daughters as spoiled self-entitled princesses, it's amazing that Jennifer Grant, a child of wealth, turns out the way she does....level-headed and thoughtful. She even references Pavlov during one sentence. Yes, astonishing.
As to the book's subject, yes she discusses papa Cary, but this isn't a mere biography. In fact, she only glances over Mr. Grant's career and childhood, as she is specifically writing about fatherhood and how Cary Grant, quite frankly, hit the ball out of the park (he loved baseball) in raising his only child. Though Jennifer was a product of divorce, she grows up to be a top student (Stanford graduate) who had to learn as a child how to manage money AND work several jobs to pay for her own car. Amazing.
"He combines a vivid sense of beauty with affection for the homely, keen zest for life and adventure with a rare appreciation of the common, universal pleasures, and finds in those simple things of daily life a precious quality, a dignity and a wonder that consecrates them."
The above description was actually about the poet W.H. Davies, but I thought of Cary Grant when reading Davies, as his daughter makes a fine point of emphasizing her father's love of the simple life. In fact, Cary Grant made a point of retiring from movies forever so he could focus on his only child and the result was that he saved almost everything about her childhood, including audio recordings, drawings, and letters. Jennifer Grant uses this treasure trove to focus each chapter, and the reader walks away with a guide to parenthood and life and everything it throws at you.
These were my favorites:
1. Value the middle stuff (not every day is graduation day).
2. Wabi-Sabi (the art of seeing beauty in imperfection).
3. Active silence (preparation for the real world).
4. Sense the apex (there's a natural limit for everything).
5. Jazz is one note from chaos (you may miss the mark, but you're close).
6. Don't get mad at the cookies (chemistry can ruin a friendship).
7. The bread of shame (if you haven't earned what you're given, it can work against you).
Jennifer has a wicked sense of humor and uses it throughout the book to describe film stars ("like Ben & Jerry's ice cream"), herself, her mother Dyan Cannon and her father.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book for the concept and originality. I walk away with a fuller appreciation of Cary Grant as a man who "chose to celebrate life...instead of expecting life to celebrate him."
Reading this book at a time when even lower middle class families raise their daughters as spoiled self-entitled princesses, it's amazing that Jennifer Grant, a child of wealth, turns out the way she does....level-headed and thoughtful. She even references Pavlov during one sentence. Yes, astonishing.
As to the book's subject, yes she discusses papa Cary, but this isn't a mere biography. In fact, she only glances over Mr. Grant's career and childhood, as she is specifically writing about fatherhood and how Cary Grant, quite frankly, hit the ball out of the park (he loved baseball) in raising his only child. Though Jennifer was a product of divorce, she grows up to be a top student (Stanford graduate) who had to learn as a child how to manage money AND work several jobs to pay for her own car. Amazing.
"He combines a vivid sense of beauty with affection for the homely, keen zest for life and adventure with a rare appreciation of the common, universal pleasures, and finds in those simple things of daily life a precious quality, a dignity and a wonder that consecrates them."
The above description was actually about the poet W.H. Davies, but I thought of Cary Grant when reading Davies, as his daughter makes a fine point of emphasizing her father's love of the simple life. In fact, Cary Grant made a point of retiring from movies forever so he could focus on his only child and the result was that he saved almost everything about her childhood, including audio recordings, drawings, and letters. Jennifer Grant uses this treasure trove to focus each chapter, and the reader walks away with a guide to parenthood and life and everything it throws at you.
These were my favorites:
1. Value the middle stuff (not every day is graduation day).
2. Wabi-Sabi (the art of seeing beauty in imperfection).
3. Active silence (preparation for the real world).
4. Sense the apex (there's a natural limit for everything).
5. Jazz is one note from chaos (you may miss the mark, but you're close).
6. Don't get mad at the cookies (chemistry can ruin a friendship).
7. The bread of shame (if you haven't earned what you're given, it can work against you).
Jennifer has a wicked sense of humor and uses it throughout the book to describe film stars ("like Ben & Jerry's ice cream"), herself, her mother Dyan Cannon and her father.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book for the concept and originality. I walk away with a fuller appreciation of Cary Grant as a man who "chose to celebrate life...instead of expecting life to celebrate him."
May 20, 2014
Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's revealing to read memoirs of the rich and famous. Jennifer Grant's emotional bath about her obsession with her father is neither. It chronicles Cary Grant's obsession with her from her infancy on and hers with him. He had a roomsized bank vault in his home in which he deposited every scribble, note or drawing they made for each other, no matter how quotidian. He also taped or filmed Jennifer constantly.
There is nothing else here except details of their trips to the race tracks or to A&W for root beer floats--and her maudlin sobbing about whether she could have prevented his dying. Of old age and natural causes?
There is nothing else here except details of their trips to the race tracks or to A&W for root beer floats--and her maudlin sobbing about whether she could have prevented his dying. Of old age and natural causes?
December 10, 2024
This book had a good flow but kind of lagged at the end. I learned many interesting things about Cary Grant but mostly his relationship with his daughter.
September 26, 2011
This was a good book. I loved hearing about how Ms. Grant grew up with all the luxuries of life an turned out so well.
I was also blown away by how much of a devoted dad Cary Grant had been to her-he seemed to exemplify fatherhood at its best. It was sweet to hear how he documented every moment of her life on film and with photos, letters and notes that he kept in a vaulted room so nothing would be destroyed.
I also loved how he would meet her on the school bus route every day to wave hello and rented a house in Malibu on Halloween to greet her when she was out trick-or-treating. Very sweet.
It's amazing to think of what this man accomplished as an actor and to think his personal life as a father matched that same standard is truly astonishing. He was also terrific in that he taught Ms. Grant to manage a budget, focus on academics, work hard and most important, to be a good friend and person.
The most interesting part of this book, though, was learning that despite that all that Ms. Grant had been given, she still wound up facing significant life challenges, like learning how to navigate her way to the top. I guess because her dad had been at the pinnacle for all her life, she had to learn the ropes of a show business career from a whole other perspective.
I am so grateful she took the time to share her enchanted upbringing in this book. Her story was touching and such a fascinating peek into life behind the scenes with one of Hollywood's greatest actors ever, who seemed to be as good a person as accomplished as he was an artist.
All I can say is that I hope she writes another book about more of her life at some point in the future. She is a talented storyteller and a true inspiration. I bet her dad would be proud.
I was also blown away by how much of a devoted dad Cary Grant had been to her-he seemed to exemplify fatherhood at its best. It was sweet to hear how he documented every moment of her life on film and with photos, letters and notes that he kept in a vaulted room so nothing would be destroyed.
I also loved how he would meet her on the school bus route every day to wave hello and rented a house in Malibu on Halloween to greet her when she was out trick-or-treating. Very sweet.
It's amazing to think of what this man accomplished as an actor and to think his personal life as a father matched that same standard is truly astonishing. He was also terrific in that he taught Ms. Grant to manage a budget, focus on academics, work hard and most important, to be a good friend and person.
The most interesting part of this book, though, was learning that despite that all that Ms. Grant had been given, she still wound up facing significant life challenges, like learning how to navigate her way to the top. I guess because her dad had been at the pinnacle for all her life, she had to learn the ropes of a show business career from a whole other perspective.
I am so grateful she took the time to share her enchanted upbringing in this book. Her story was touching and such a fascinating peek into life behind the scenes with one of Hollywood's greatest actors ever, who seemed to be as good a person as accomplished as he was an artist.
All I can say is that I hope she writes another book about more of her life at some point in the future. She is a talented storyteller and a true inspiration. I bet her dad would be proud.
June 20, 2011
I love the idea that her dad, Cary Grant, retired when she was born. He was 62---she was his first and only child, and he wanted to be completely involved with her---what a brilliant idea---and she loved that about him. And much more. He was a good one for teaching life's lessons to her--things she can always fall back on. No negatives, so the story is a joy to read. Jennifer had her dad for 20 years, and treasured every one. "He was not a religious man, but had a generous spiritual nature." One of his lessons---author unknown...
"Now, Lord, you've known me for a long time. You know me better than I know myself. You know that each day I am growing older and someday may even be very old, so meanwhile please keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and every occasion."
"Release me from trying to straighten out everyone's affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody, helpful but not overbearing. I've a certain amount of knowledge to share; still it would be very nice to have a few friends who, at the end, recognized and forgave the knowledge I lacked."
"Keep my tongue free from the recital of endless details. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They increase daily and the need to speak of them becomes almost a compulsion. I ask for grace enough to listen to the retelling of others' afflictions, and to be helped to endure them with patience."
"I would like to have improved memory, but I'll settle for growing humility and an ability to capitulate when my memory clashes with the memory of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that on some occasions I may be mistaken."
"Keep me reasonably kind; I've never aspired to be a saint..saints must be rather difficult to live with...... Yet, on the other hand, an embittered old person is a constant burden."
"Please give me the ability to see good in unlikely places and talents in unexpected people. And give me the grace to tell them so, dear Lord."
"Now, Lord, you've known me for a long time. You know me better than I know myself. You know that each day I am growing older and someday may even be very old, so meanwhile please keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and every occasion."
"Release me from trying to straighten out everyone's affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody, helpful but not overbearing. I've a certain amount of knowledge to share; still it would be very nice to have a few friends who, at the end, recognized and forgave the knowledge I lacked."
"Keep my tongue free from the recital of endless details. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They increase daily and the need to speak of them becomes almost a compulsion. I ask for grace enough to listen to the retelling of others' afflictions, and to be helped to endure them with patience."
"I would like to have improved memory, but I'll settle for growing humility and an ability to capitulate when my memory clashes with the memory of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that on some occasions I may be mistaken."
"Keep me reasonably kind; I've never aspired to be a saint..saints must be rather difficult to live with...... Yet, on the other hand, an embittered old person is a constant burden."
"Please give me the ability to see good in unlikely places and talents in unexpected people. And give me the grace to tell them so, dear Lord."
June 5, 2011
Cary Grant's only child, Jennifer, recounts some of her fondest memories of and lessons taught by her movie star father. Unlike some memoirs by movie star children, this one explicitly doesn't dig up dirt and instead is a tribute to her father and a meditation on their relationship. When sharing these stories, Jennifer is always digging deeper in herself and searching for motives from her father, elevating the book above the typical, gossipy Hollywood literary fare .
I've always admired Cary Grant -- he's in a class by himself when it comes to classy men -- and many of the stories are touching and cute, but the father figure that Jennifer presents can seem more obsessive than doting at times. But then again, when you're an elderly parent of a young child (Grant was 62 when Jennifer was born, and she 20 when he passed), perhaps you want to ensure your child has the clearest memories possible of you.
Nevertheless, it's obvious through copies of correspondence from Grant to his daughter that he adored and loved her very much. And with her thoughtful and caring prose, it's more than obvious she adored and loved him as well. Perhaps, criticism for this book is rather pointless then. And in the end, the love between these two and what they felt for each other are all that really matters.
I've always admired Cary Grant -- he's in a class by himself when it comes to classy men -- and many of the stories are touching and cute, but the father figure that Jennifer presents can seem more obsessive than doting at times. But then again, when you're an elderly parent of a young child (Grant was 62 when Jennifer was born, and she 20 when he passed), perhaps you want to ensure your child has the clearest memories possible of you.
Nevertheless, it's obvious through copies of correspondence from Grant to his daughter that he adored and loved her very much. And with her thoughtful and caring prose, it's more than obvious she adored and loved him as well. Perhaps, criticism for this book is rather pointless then. And in the end, the love between these two and what they felt for each other are all that really matters.
May 12, 2011
I just got this book today and read it in one sitting. I have been a Cary Grant fan since I was a young child and my mother introduced me to the movie, Topper. When I saw this book, I knew it was going to be a must-read for me. I loved how Jennifer described life with her father. It was such a unique look at someone I have admired for so long and her memories made me fall for him even more. I find it so sweet that he went to such great lengths to preserve their time together. It made me look differently at how I will preserve memories for my own children. Thank you, Jennifer, for this wonderful look into such a precious part of your life.
January 22, 2021
"My heart cried out.... Did I say what I needed to say? Did he know how much I loved him? Would he have stayed longer if I'd called more? What did I miss? If you can hear me, Dad, I'm sorry! If I could've done something, many things, anything...if there's anything you want me to do now...and I swear to you, I can hear him say, 'Be happy, darling.'"
I knew this would make me cry, aaaaand it did- teared up at so many little bits and pieces throughout the whole thing, and was full on weeping for the last couple chapters. Reading about such a close and loving father/child relationship really hits hard lol. And also obviously I just love Cary Grant regardless, haha!
I knew this would make me cry, aaaaand it did- teared up at so many little bits and pieces throughout the whole thing, and was full on weeping for the last couple chapters. Reading about such a close and loving father/child relationship really hits hard lol. And also obviously I just love Cary Grant regardless, haha!
October 12, 2011
It was an odd little book - I expected more. The author's way of writing was all over the place. And it was almost scary how focused on his daughter CG was - almost a little creepy the way he saved every thing she ever wrote or did. In the middle there was at least some interesting insights about his last marriage and her mother but I was severely disappointed by this. Pictures were cute though.
August 10, 2014
I just.. I don't know. It felt like she was unhappy with the world for loving her father, and that no one should adore him they way that she did. I mean, on the one hand I understand it, what with your father being Cary Grant.. but it was just too much. I found it repetitive and just wanted it to end about halfway through.
March 29, 2016
I thought that I would enjoy this book as I really like Cary Grant movies, but the book itself was quite boring. It was also a cautionary tale of why most people shouldn't wait until their sixties to have their first child. Cary seems obsessed with his daughter, and she seemed completely unprepared for his death which came in his eighties.
August 31, 2014
A first time father in his 60s, Cary Grant retired to dote on his daughter and save every scrap of paper she doodled on. The daughter of privilege who adored her father and was jealous whenever anyone else took his time away from her, tells this story. Forced myself to read halfway to the photos and couldn't go any further.
November 9, 2011
I love me some cary grant, but found this memoir/autobiography disjointed and a little self-centered. (Can you even say that about an autobiography?) I guess I wanted more of a flow about Cary Grant's life, not lots of random snippets, out of order, about his daughter.
March 23, 2017
Oh my gosh, if I didn't love Cary Grant so much and like the little bit of insight into him that I got from this book, it would have gotten zero stars. The writing is all over the place, the daughter comes off a bit crazy and almost mad at people for liking her dad, and it was somewhat comical the way she name-dropped all over the place the famous people they hung out with and mentioned her dad by name many times, but completely avoided calling her mom anything but mom. I had to google to see who her mom was! (I love CG movies, but I'm not big on the lives of celebrities, hence not knowing who her mom was.) It actually felt really awkward at times the avoidance of naming mom and I wondered what was behind that. I mean, it clearly wasn't a case of wanting to get by on her own merit as she was clearly trading on her dad's fame to become an author. It certainly wasn't on her genius as a writer!
November 16, 2023
Beautiful tribute to her father. However, the story is not congruent or flowing and is filled with impossibly glorious stories.
January 31, 2025
While I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of this book, I think it was very sweet and a nice tribute to her father.
June 13, 2022
a beautiful read
A short book from a daughter that loved her father, the remarkable Cary Grant. I enjoyed learning about him through her eyes. It is relaxing and heartfelt and available on Libby!
A short book from a daughter that loved her father, the remarkable Cary Grant. I enjoyed learning about him through her eyes. It is relaxing and heartfelt and available on Libby!
November 8, 2024
3.0-3.5 Interesting, yet somehow lacking
June 18, 2024
I loved this so much
My Mom will have been gone for 23 years in August. I miss her every day. I know how Jennifer feels. This book shows it. I’m sure she didn’t share all the intimate remembrances of her Dad, but it was more than enough for me. I like Cary Grant now even more than I did before. I loved this book. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing him with us.
My Mom will have been gone for 23 years in August. I miss her every day. I know how Jennifer feels. This book shows it. I’m sure she didn’t share all the intimate remembrances of her Dad, but it was more than enough for me. I like Cary Grant now even more than I did before. I loved this book. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing him with us.
September 18, 2017
It did enlighten me into Cary Grant
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2016
GREAT stuff. Grant was a prince. A wise, cheerful, and inspiring father.
Writing is smart, memories are affecting. Would make an excellent book on tape,...interweave with the many home recordings Grant made.
30..active listening
42..thoughtless behaviour.."Oh, how unkind"
Grant & Sinatra ...flirted with almost everyone and everything, and life graciously flirted right back.
68..modulate your voice...spoke highly of economical gesture..don't distract from what you're saying with your hands. People who move their hands this way and that as they speak are really saying that they don't wish to be heard.
73..horizontal money...the money you make while you're sleeping
74..letter firing florist, but staying friends
76..kabbalah bread of shame (If you're given something you haven't earned, you never internalize its worth, and it works against you.)
one must develop a keen eye for suck ups....the glossy flame of fame attracts moths
84..meditations
90..willie (housekeeper) other people will do what they're going to do. You mind your own business
110..birthday tapes **
126..barb generally played the pip to make us happy and give us a giggle..goosing before a speech
127..dad kept the closest watch on himself, and allowed the rest of us a bit more room for trespass
130..haste makes waste..Thoreau
cards & notes...canter-very tales...slow cook types, like stew
137..staved off temptation, and here were my rewards (eg, saddle soap) at 12, knew tax brackets, %'s, house budget
138..money is a gift to respect and work with
143..sign off: Happy Thoughts
146..took care of people, with tiny thoughtful gestures
152..ex libris: i shall not pass this way again..let me not defer or neglect any good i can do or kindness i can show
157..musings
165..dad would die soon. Grief's tide swelled within me
169..call that he died.."all i remember was the otherworldly roar of a cry that erupted from my core"
Writing is smart, memories are affecting. Would make an excellent book on tape,...interweave with the many home recordings Grant made.
30..active listening
42..thoughtless behaviour.."Oh, how unkind"
Grant & Sinatra ...flirted with almost everyone and everything, and life graciously flirted right back.
68..modulate your voice...spoke highly of economical gesture..don't distract from what you're saying with your hands. People who move their hands this way and that as they speak are really saying that they don't wish to be heard.
73..horizontal money...the money you make while you're sleeping
74..letter firing florist, but staying friends
76..kabbalah bread of shame (If you're given something you haven't earned, you never internalize its worth, and it works against you.)
one must develop a keen eye for suck ups....the glossy flame of fame attracts moths
84..meditations
90..willie (housekeeper) other people will do what they're going to do. You mind your own business
110..birthday tapes **
126..barb generally played the pip to make us happy and give us a giggle..goosing before a speech
127..dad kept the closest watch on himself, and allowed the rest of us a bit more room for trespass
130..haste makes waste..Thoreau
cards & notes...canter-very tales...slow cook types, like stew
137..staved off temptation, and here were my rewards (eg, saddle soap) at 12, knew tax brackets, %'s, house budget
138..money is a gift to respect and work with
143..sign off: Happy Thoughts
146..took care of people, with tiny thoughtful gestures
152..ex libris: i shall not pass this way again..let me not defer or neglect any good i can do or kindness i can show
157..musings
165..dad would die soon. Grief's tide swelled within me
169..call that he died.."all i remember was the otherworldly roar of a cry that erupted from my core"
July 24, 2017
Interesting perspective on fame, especially coupled with "Dear Cary" by Dyan Cannon, the memoir by this author's mother and Cary Grant's fourth of five wives. There are a lot of similarities in little details and locations, but the contrast in perspective on the same man is fascinating, irrespective of fame. Obviously an adult wife will have a different experience than a daughter. Cary's insistence on treating Cannon as a child, a project of sorts, is what lead to their break up (and her break down). Jennifer, as an actual child, is appropriately more receptive to what appears to be Cary's instinct to mold those around him to his ideals.
For all her father's ultimately destructive need for control over her mother, Jennifer seems to come out pretty well-adjusted, if more than a little idolizing (at times almost worshipful) of her father. But to be fair it is that relationship that is the center of the book and it seems to have been written soon after the author received (after his death) what were the obsessively kept archives of every note, picture, and flower she gave her father. And don't forget the endless tape recordings of everyday life throughout her childhood that she plays over and over, in her words, trying to resurrect his place in her life. That could put anyone in a one-track groove for at least a while while grieving.
The structure of the book needs some desperate help. The author might have benefited from a ghost-writer or as-told-to as opposed to what comes out as a mostly disjointed stream-of-consciousness meditation on her childhood. Maybe even putting it down and coming back to it in a year, but I hear publishing deadlines can be harsh.
I don't know that I'd have found this book half as interesting and maybe not even worth the read without the juxtaposition of her mother's perspective in "Dear Cary." I'd like to look at both books in a psychology study, but even more so with HIS perspective of that period.
For all her father's ultimately destructive need for control over her mother, Jennifer seems to come out pretty well-adjusted, if more than a little idolizing (at times almost worshipful) of her father. But to be fair it is that relationship that is the center of the book and it seems to have been written soon after the author received (after his death) what were the obsessively kept archives of every note, picture, and flower she gave her father. And don't forget the endless tape recordings of everyday life throughout her childhood that she plays over and over, in her words, trying to resurrect his place in her life. That could put anyone in a one-track groove for at least a while while grieving.
The structure of the book needs some desperate help. The author might have benefited from a ghost-writer or as-told-to as opposed to what comes out as a mostly disjointed stream-of-consciousness meditation on her childhood. Maybe even putting it down and coming back to it in a year, but I hear publishing deadlines can be harsh.
I don't know that I'd have found this book half as interesting and maybe not even worth the read without the juxtaposition of her mother's perspective in "Dear Cary." I'd like to look at both books in a psychology study, but even more so with HIS perspective of that period.
December 22, 2011
We all knew him as a suave, debonair, charmer of a man. He was the essence of “Hollywood”, always formally dressed, clean shaven, and ready to get the job done. However, not much is known about Cary Grant’s personal life. Everything from his sexual orientation to his family traditions and customs have been topics of speculation for decades.
While most of his sexual life still remains a mystery, the life Cary Grant treasured, his life off camera, has finally come to light. In her loving tribute to her father, Jennifer Grant’s book Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant shows us a man so few knew…a man devoted to his one and only daughter, a man clinging on to youth during a time when he should be enjoying retirement. A caregiver, a friend, a teacher, a style icon, and, perhaps most importantly, a father.
Good Stuff is a fond look back at the 20 or so years Jennifer was able to spend with her father before he passed away. Sprinkled with photographs, memories, letters, and notes, this memoir shows us a rare and beautiful bond between father and daughter. Written almost like a love letter, Jennifer shares everything from her father’s obsession with recording their conversations to how he taught her to pay bills and budget money. She wisely skips over gossip surrounding her father’s sexuality and marriages…claiming it’s none of her business what he did behind closed doors…so why should it be any of ours?
This simple yet powerful dedication to Cary Grant is one of the most touching and personal books I’ve ever read. It’s honest, raw, and shows a man with flaws, a man with struggles, a man learning–just like the rest of us–the struggles and sensations of family life.
Read more at http://thehobbeehive.wordpress.com
While most of his sexual life still remains a mystery, the life Cary Grant treasured, his life off camera, has finally come to light. In her loving tribute to her father, Jennifer Grant’s book Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant shows us a man so few knew…a man devoted to his one and only daughter, a man clinging on to youth during a time when he should be enjoying retirement. A caregiver, a friend, a teacher, a style icon, and, perhaps most importantly, a father.
Good Stuff is a fond look back at the 20 or so years Jennifer was able to spend with her father before he passed away. Sprinkled with photographs, memories, letters, and notes, this memoir shows us a rare and beautiful bond between father and daughter. Written almost like a love letter, Jennifer shares everything from her father’s obsession with recording their conversations to how he taught her to pay bills and budget money. She wisely skips over gossip surrounding her father’s sexuality and marriages…claiming it’s none of her business what he did behind closed doors…so why should it be any of ours?
This simple yet powerful dedication to Cary Grant is one of the most touching and personal books I’ve ever read. It’s honest, raw, and shows a man with flaws, a man with struggles, a man learning–just like the rest of us–the struggles and sensations of family life.
Read more at http://thehobbeehive.wordpress.com
October 2, 2015
"Good stuff" might have been one of Cary Grant's favorite sayings, but it didn't hold up for me with respect to this book. I'll admit to skimming rather than reading it. Not least because of the author's annoying habit of asking so many questions at the outset. I'm sure it was cathartic for Ms. Grant to write this, some twenty years after her father's death. But I imagine--had she not been the daughter of a famous Hollywood icon--her publisher might have pointed out that what she had to offer was less a book than a long-ish magazine article; a series of essays in which she muses about his life but doesn't really offer much beyond the fact that she considered him to be a wonderful, loving Dad.
As far as the writing is concerned, as one other reviewer has aleady pointed out, it comes across as something of a "stream of consciousness," and from someone who seems to be guilding the lily about her famous father in places. Still, she does make the point early on that "there are interesting misconceptions about Dad," it's just that she's not going to correct them.
So I'd echo what another reviewer here has written: "I think the editors cared more about the Cary Grant brand than they did about the actual story she told. Where was her editor?"
I enjoyed her mother, Dyan Cannon's book much more.
As far as the writing is concerned, as one other reviewer has aleady pointed out, it comes across as something of a "stream of consciousness," and from someone who seems to be guilding the lily about her famous father in places. Still, she does make the point early on that "there are interesting misconceptions about Dad," it's just that she's not going to correct them.
So I'd echo what another reviewer here has written: "I think the editors cared more about the Cary Grant brand than they did about the actual story she told. Where was her editor?"
I enjoyed her mother, Dyan Cannon's book much more.
June 21, 2011
Good Stuff is unlike any other book you will ever come across. Reading it is a very intimate experience, one you share with the author. Jennifer Grant has given the public a peek into the love between a father and his only child. The father, Cary Grant, just happens to be one of the most famous, well-known and adored actors ever to have lived. We come to the book with a false sense of familiarity with Cary Grant only to discover that we didn't know about this part of his life at all.
Jennifer Grant reminisces about the first 20 years of her life; the years when her father was alive. Although the book goes back and forth through time freely, the reader never gets lost. Each chapter has a theme which anchors it and the progression of the book feels chronological even when it isn't. The author tried to capture the "essence of Dad's soul" when writing this book.
Read the rest of my review here: http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com/2...
Jennifer Grant reminisces about the first 20 years of her life; the years when her father was alive. Although the book goes back and forth through time freely, the reader never gets lost. Each chapter has a theme which anchors it and the progression of the book feels chronological even when it isn't. The author tried to capture the "essence of Dad's soul" when writing this book.
Read the rest of my review here: http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com/2...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews