700 Sundays

Hailed as a triumph by everyone from the New York Times to Sports Illustrated , Billy Crystal's 700 SUNDAYS is the crowning achievement of an amazing career. A poignant, hilarious, and personal portrayal of his youth, Crystal's play broke Broadway box office records and failed to leave a dry eye in the house. Publishers Weekly Reading the book version of comedian Crystal's Broadway solo show can be initially off-putting. The jokes he uses to warm up his audience (on why Jews eat Chinese food on Sunday nights, his complaints about his circumcision, the nasal pronunciation of Jewish names, etc.) are distinctly unfunny on the page. But once Crystal is finished with shtick and on to the story of his marvelous Long Island family, readers will be glad they can savor it at their own pace. There's the story of Crystal's uncle Milt Gabler, who started the Commodore music label and recorded Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit" when no one else would. Then there's the Sunday afternoon when Holiday takes young Crystal to see his first movie at what later became the Fillmore East. There's even Louis Armstrong at the Crystal family seder, with Crystal's grandma telling the gravelly-voiced singer, "Louis, have you tried just coughing it up?" At the heart of these tales is Crystal's father, the man who bought his little boy a tape recorder when he announced he wanted to be a comedian and didn't scold when he recycled off-color borscht belt routines for family gatherings. Crystal's dad worked two jobs and died young, so they had maybe 700 Sundays together-but how dear they were. Photos. Agent, Jennifer Joel. (Oct. 31) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. One of America's most beloved entertainers takes us home. Billy Crystal opens the front door to a time in his life when he shared joy, love, music, and laughter with an eccentric family headed by the hardworking father who left them all too soon. From the story of the Crystal family's proud connection to the New York jazz scene of the 40s and 50s, to the hilarious living room performances that would sow the seeds of Billy's career, to the times of tragedy, heartbreak, and his mother's unending courage, this book celebrates the memories, the love, and all the other wonderful gifts parents can give a child. This is a tribute to a family and the people who helped make him a man.--From publisher description To support his family, Billy Crystal's father, Jack, worked two jobs, having only one day a week to spend with his family. Based on Crystal's one-man Broadway show of the same name, "700 Sundays"--referring sadly to the time shared by an adoring father and his devoted son--offers a heartfelt, hilarious memoir. Photos throughout. Hailed as a triumph by everyone from the New York Times to Sports Illustrated(c), Billy Crystal's 700 SUNDAYS is the crowning achievement of an amazing career. A poignant, hilarious, and personal portrayal of his youth, Crystal's play broke Broadway box office records and failed to leave a dry eye in the house A memoir based on the actor's Broadway play describes his experiences of growing up in a family headed by a father who worked two jobs to support the family before succumbing to heart failure when Crystal was fifteen-years-old