Kiss Me Like a Stranger

My Search for Love and Art

By: Gene Wilder

Narrated by: Gene Wilder

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Told in his own words, a very personal story from the star of many beloved and classic comedies, including Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Gene Wilder is one of the great comic actors who defined the 1970s and 1980s in movies. From his work with Woody Allen, to the rich group of movies he made with Mel Brooks, to his partnership on screen with Richard Pryor, Wilder's performances are still discussed and celebrated today. Kiss Me Like a Stranger is an intimate glimpse of the man behind the image on the screen.

In this book, Wilder talks about everything from his experiences in psychoanalysis to why he got into comedy - his first goal was to be a Shakespearean actor - to how a midwestern childhood with a sick mother changed him. He writes about the creative process on stage and on screen, and divulges moments from life on the sets of some of the most iconic movies of our time.

He also opens up about his search for love and his marriages, including his marriage to comedienne Gilda Radner. But the core of Kiss Me Like a Stranger is an actor's search for truth and a thoughtful analysis of why the choices he made - some of them so serendipitous they were practically accidental - changed the course of his life.

Listen to a Fresh Air interview with Gene Wilder.

And don't miss Gene Wilder in Conversation with Wendy Wasserstein at the 92nd Street Y.

©2005 Gene Wilder (P)2005 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

• Alex Award Winner, 2000

"A gracious, endearing book....[Wilder] writes with striking candor." (The New York Times)

"Pure Gene Wilder! Uproarishly funny and at times very moving. It made me want to go out and see every Gene Wilder movie again." (Mel Brooks)

Gene Wilder is a Genius!

Wonderful piece of work! Just like anything Mr. Wilder takes part in, I can never seem to drag myself away from it and am sad when it ends.

Sentimental

A very nice memoir of Mr. Wilder's life. Some good insights on acting and movie industry as well as some interesting Hollywood anecdotes. No dirt. This was more a story of a sensitive man's life rather than a big Hollywood biography.

Kiss Me Like a Stranger is Pretty Great

Kiss Me Like a Stranger is a very entertaining look of one of America's greatest actors. The fact that it's narrated by Wilder himself gave me the feels. Amazing performance and definitely worth the purchase!

A good read

He lead an interesting life and produced many good movies....although he had a difficult life.Tells you what it is like to be an actor/playwrite

He's one of the best

Loved it. So interesting to hear the origin stories and his progression through life and performance.

Gene Wilder's smooth story telling.

fascinating story of an actor I have always admired. Very interesting to hear about his internal struggles with love and family and faith. I feel I can very much relate. great oration. fantastic.

Amazing Story

have always loved Gene Wilder, this was a great in depth look into his life.

Amazing! What you would expect Gene to write.

Not only this book has Gene Wilder starts but he narrates it It’s almost like you’re sitting there having a conversation with The Man. It’s his thoughts is feeling his emotions it just comes right out of the book truly one of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read. If you’re a gene wilder fan at all if you enjoyed young Frankenstein at all if you were pissing your pants with laughter during any of his movies like Blazing saddles or Silver bullet then you would truly want to know the backstory to all these wonderful movies. For example the opening scene of Willy Wonka, the gates open Willie walks to the crowd stumbles over goes into a Forward flip and lands on his feet, Gene would not do the movie unless he added that scene. His thoughts were to prove right up front that Willie was a misleading manipulative person. And when you watch the movie in that little six seconds of footage sets the feeling for the rest of the movie. The whole book is like that in an ounce of his life, remarkable story by a remarkable person

Gene Wilder, a wonderful collection of stories

From Wilder comes and audiobook about his loves, acting and cancer. Listening to the book the year agter his death is bitter, but oh so sweet.

Thank You Mr.Wilder

I cannot overstate how deeply this memoir touched me. Tenderly, beautifully spoken by author.