DEAR CARY Paperback – March 14, 2012

I don't often, in fact almost never, read about celebrities. I was, however, interested in the life of Cary Grant; a man continuously voted the greatest movie star of all time. I remember replays of some of those old movies: "Houseboat", "An Affair to Remember" (my mother's favorite film), and "That Touch of Mink". with Doris Day. Those movies were romantic, elegant humorous and unforgettable. There was a complete absence of vulgarity; and families could watch them with their children.I wondered what the person Cary Grant was like, and although Dyan Cannon's relationship lasted only six years, with three of those as his wife; it provided remarkable insight.I didn't know Cary Grant was an avid user of LSD (this is before it was illegal), or that his father, after putting his mother in an institution told a young Cary Grant, that she had died.. As a result he didn't see his mother for 20 years. His father apparently felt guilty and finally decided to let him know.Most of us realize that public personas are not to be fully believed; but it is quite remarkable that a kid from Bristol, England, from a modest background, created the character that many still think is the epitome of style and elegance. I'm pleased to hear from Ms. Cannon that he was, for the most part, every bit of that is real life.Cary Grant is, however, not really the star of this book. A young woman, in her early twenties, marries a man 35 years her senior. He's been married and divorced three times before. He's got a Rolls Royce, homes in Beverly Hills and Palm Springs. He's on a first name basis with Frank Sinatra, Alfred Hitchcock, Doris Day and Grace Kelley. He's rich, and the entire world knows, not just his face, but the sound of his voice. She has one child by this marriage.But Dyan Cannon, with the blessing of her parents, decides to get a divorce; because being Mrs. Cary Grant is just not worth the loss of self-esteem that she ultimately experienced. I admire that kind of independence. It was a tough decision, but one that had to be made. Wherever you are Dyan Cannon; I hope that you and Jennifer (Grant's only child) are doing well.It's a great read!

I purchased a Kindle version of this book.This is the heartbreaking story of a bright, young starlet being drawn in by an elderly movie star who possessed all the charm, wit, fame and wealth of movies behind him -- yet with all that Cary Grant possessed, he didn't not have the ability to actually love Dyan for who she was.It seemed to start out nicely. He came across as a genuinely nice man...but the years past and she became pregnant. After that he probably felt obliged to marry, but he didn't want to marry. It appears that the act of marriage caused him to become this possessive, controlling, critical Ogre that did not love Dyan at all. In trying to please him, she lost who she was as a person which caused her to have a nervous breakdown -- that and all the drugs he forced on her.What came out of the relationship was a beautiful daughter and in the end Dyan was the winner. She had full custody of her daughter and now has grandchildren.The odd part of the story for me was the part that seems left out.Years ago I saw Dyan Cannon on TBN, interviewed by Paul & Jan Crouch. She told us all that she follows Jesus. ...yet there is nothing in the book about her life with Christ (which was published in 2011) or how Christ helped her through her life. No mention of Jesus any where in this autobiography, except that her father became a devout Christian. She only talks about "the universe" (the same universe that Christ created.) Hence I'm not at all sure why she left out that chunk of pertinent information -- since she gives long explanation that she in fact changed, and yes, we all change as we grow older, but a relationship with Christ, is what makes for true change in anyone who follows Him.To end, this was a good read, worth buying and I am glad Dyan Cannon found salvation in the only ONE who could save her, which is Christ, our Lord.

Adore/d Cary Grant(Archiebald Leach). What a gentleman!!. Reading this book I kept hearing Carys accent coming through the words!!. Interesting book. I would if not been so polite as Dyan! I'm afraid one look and i would of pounced on him! (Sorry!). He was human with faults. But my gosh he was a God on screen!...just wonderful

I just love this book. I'm only 1/3 of the way through it but it makes me want to go watch all of the old movies that she talks about. I love the way she portrays the way she completely falls for an icon in American film and the way he falls for her. *swoon*

Dyan Cannon erzählt von ihrer Beziehung zu Cary Grant - sie damals 26, er 59 Jahre alt; er einer der grössten Stars der Filmgeschichte, sie gerade am Anfang einer Hollywoodkarriere. Das ist anfangs so sonnenblumig, so luftigleicht und rosarot, daß man sich fragt: Warum erzählt sie das eigentlich? Doch mit der Ehe zeigt sich die dunkle Seite des familientraumatisierten Mannes, der seine Dämonen nicht besiegen kann; der seine Frau kontrolliert, dominiert und schließlich zu Experimenten mit seinem geliebten LSD zwingt. Nach der Trennung bleibt Dyan Cannon als physisches und psychisches Wrack zurück, Körper und Geist von der Droge schwer in Mitleidenschaft gezogen, alkoholkrank, allein mit der gemeinsamen Tochter, arbeitslos und pleite. Nur mühsam gelingt ihr der Weg zurück ins Leben.Was so fröhlich beginnt, wird zunehmend zum tieftraurigen, schmerzhaft ehrlichen Psychogramm zweier Menschen. Mich hat's mitgenommen.

very informative book - interesting

I'm not a huge Grant fan, but I loved North by Northwest and I bought a copy of Maureen Donaldson's book about Cary in a charity shop years ago and was surprised by it's content (An Affair to Remember). I wasn't sure if it was honest or not, but it blew the debonair gentleman image out of the water, if true.Thought I'd get this book to see if Dyan Cannon's book would corroborate Donaldson's account and it does. I think both books are pretty accurate accounts of their relationship with him, although I found Donaldson's a bit more entertaining.I don't agree with another reviewer that Cannon's book is self serving, she seems to admit her own faults and foibles and I thought she was very brave to go into such detail about her breakdown. However, some of it I found a little boring. I'm not that interested in her career or her happy clappy philosophy - I want to hear about Cary Grant's antics. Unlike Donaldson, Dyan Cannon actually met Cary's Mother and she gives a bit more insight to his Mother's story, which is tragic.On the whole, worth a read if you've an interest in Cary Grant.