Publishers Weekly
★ 10/28/2019
Singer and actor Andrews, writing with her daughter Hamilton, offers a sincere and inspiring account of her life, focusing on her Hollywood years beginning in 1962. After a brief recap of her youth in England (covered in more detail in her earlier memoir, Home), Andrews recounts her first movie role in Mary Poppins and her experiences in the Disney studios, where Walt Disney himself offered “fatherly kindness” to the young actress, who was newly a mother and married to her childhood sweetheart, set and costume designer Tony Walton. Her next big role—again, as a nanny—was in The Sound of Music. Writing of her role in 1966’s Torn Curtain, she shares behind-the-scenes tales of Alfred Hitchcock’s wry humor, as well as shooting an “anything but dreamy” love scene with Paul Newman. Her marriage collapsed from the strain of work and travel, but in 1969 she met the mercurial producer Blake Edwards at a traffic intersection on Sunset Boulevard. Andrews shares tales of her colleagues (Peter Sellers was testy on The Pink Panther set; Dudley Moore charmed her in Ten) as well as her efforts to stabilize her marriage to Edwards (they remained married until his death in 2010). This charming account of Andrews’s professional and personal life will no doubt serve to make the venerated performer all the more beloved. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"Home Work is a quiet revelation. And by quiet I don't mean dull. The book is packed with emotion, action, gossip, and fascinating tidbits about craft. The Julie Andrews we get to know is salty, funny, passionate, hard-working, gracious, and above all, a brilliant vocalist and actress who has braved many disappointments."—O Magazine
"A frank and intimate storyteller whose radiant spirit fills these pages, Andrews chronicles the peaks and valleys of her life and career. This event-packed memoir is a must for fans of Andrews's life and work, students of cinema history, and anyone who is curious about musical film production."—Library Journal (starred review)
"Details Andrews' transformation from traveling performer to movie star."—Los Angeles Times, Book Club Pick
"Shares reflections on Andrews's astonishing career, and discusses her famous roles in Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria, and more."—Bustle, New Celebrity Memoirs that Will Leave You Starstruck This Fall
"A warm, entertaining memoir...An insightful treat for Andrews's fans."—Kirkus Reviews
"[Home Work gives] readers long-awaited details about [Julie Andrew's] earliest films like Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.... Andrews continues to approach life — and writing — with strength and grace."—People
"Full of delicious details...and poignant recollections."—Long Island Living
"Sincere and inspiring...This charming account of Andrews's professional and personal life will no doubt serve to make the venerated performer all the more beloved."—Publishers Weekly
"[W]arm, graceful, and candid... This deeply pleasurable and forthright chronicle illuminates the myriad reasons 'home work' has such profound meaning for artist and humanitarian Andrews... [a] treasury of delectable Hollywood revelations."—Booklist
"The inside-look into the perils and stress of movie making, and the honest portrayal of Andrews' struggles to blend her career, home life, and complicated personal matters offers a rich glimpse into a resilient star. Edward's mercurial but brilliant and generous nature is vividly recounted...her memoir makes it vividly clear that her stardom was not an easy path to achieve."—The Missourian
"Thrillingly honest but never unkind, Andrews mixes fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of filming... with moving revelations....This enchanting memoir reveals Andrews as a rare creature: a mega-star whose feet remain firmly on the ground."
—Daily Mail
"Julie Andrews's two memoirs, Home and Home Work, are at once heartbreaking and awe-inspiring."—"Our Mothers Ourselves"
"[Home Work] is everything you could hope for and more."—Scribbles by Kat
OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile
Following her bestselling memoir HOME, Julie Andrews, along with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, have put together an elegant memoir of Andrews’s Hollywood years. In that charming, familiar voice, Andrews fills in the years between 1963 and 1986, recounting her arrival in Hollywood, her marriage to designer Tony Walton, its eventual end, and her astronomical rise to stardom in MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Delivering many of her insightful diary entries, Andrews sounds sincerely amazed and delighted. She married producer Blake Edwards (VICTOR/VICTORIA), a marriage that lasted 41 years, until his death. Andrews acknowledges her gifts, but she attributes much of her success to luck. We’re the lucky ones—to have Andrews and this audio gem. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
