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A Memoir of My Early Years

By: Julie Andrews

Narrated by: Julie Andrews

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Since her first appearance on screen in Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews has played a series of memorable roles that have endeared her to generations. But she has never told the story of her life before fame. Until now.

In Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie takes her listeners on a warm, moving, and often humorous journey from a difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain to the brink of international stardom in America. Her memoir begins in 1935, when Julie was born to an aspiring vaudevillian mother and a teacher father, and takes listeners to 1962, when Walt Disney himself saw her on Broadway and cast her as the world's most famous nanny.

Along the way, she weathered the London Blitz of World War II; her parents' painful divorce; her mother's turbulent second marriage to Canadian tenor Ted Andrews; and a childhood spent on radio, in music halls, and giving concert performances all over England.

Julie's professional career began at the age of 12, and in 1948 she became the youngest solo performer ever to participate in a Royal Command Performance before the queen. When only 18, she left home for the United States to make her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend, and thus began her meteoric rise to stardom.

Home is filled with numerous anecdotes, including stories of performing in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison on Broadway and in the West End, and in Camelot with Richard Burton on Broadway; her first marriage to famed set and costume designer Tony Walton, culminating with the birth of their daughter, Emma; and the call from Hollywood and what lay beyond.

Julie Andrews' career has flourished over seven decades, and her influence spans generations. Today, she lives with her husband of 38 years, the acclaimed writer/director Blake Edwards; they have five children and seven grandchildren.

©2008 Greengage Productions, Inc. (P)2008 Hyperion

Simply wonderful!

I truly appreciated getting a look behind the scenes of Julie Andrews earlier years! And having her read it made it simply perfection!

As usual, Julie Andrews sparkles!!!

Many know Julie Andrews as a superb singer, actor, & general all-around performer, however did you know that Miss Andrews is also a published author?
Her memoir is autobiographical and very well written. You learn of her extreme poverty both during WWII and during Britain's lean years right after the war. As a young teen, she then began supporting her family and step-relatives on her own so no, she was not swimming in the £££.
The memoir takes the reader from her early childhood to right before her movie debut.
It is a joy to her her write & read her own memoir. While we all miss her tremendous singing voice (damaged during a botched operation), I sincerely believe you will enjoy her personal story. I know I did.

Loved this story

Julie was a joy to listen to.
Wonderful story of her life.
Easy to listen to

Such a treat!

A stunning read and story. To hear Julie share stories of her early life was more than a treat. The story was well rounded, I will fade finitely read the next one!

I LOVED this book!

I could have listened to Julie Andrews talk about her life forever. It was amazing to get a glimpse into what made her who she is. I have always loved Julie and now I love her even more.

Enchanting

Would you consider the audio edition of Home to be better than the print version?

Who wouldn't want to be read to by Julie Andrews?!?! Her voice brought such allure and enchantment to the tale.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No — not at all: Why? When I enjoy something, I want it to last. I plan on listening to this more than once.

Any additional comments?

How is it possible that she hasn't narrated more books for others, too, apart from her own! She is a born storyteller. She has such storytelling magic: oodles of it. She should do more more narrations: much, much, much more. She's one of the best narrators around.

Beautiful!

Listening to Julie's own narration about her early life is as great a treat as listening to her singing! It is a touching and fascinating memoir by one of the greatest performers that should not be missed!

What's not to like.

Julie recounts her life with honesty and openness and all in that marvelous speaking voice with crystal clear diction. I only hope that someday there will be a second book that continues where this one left off.

If you love Julie Andrews...

What a talented, gracious, and kind woman. I have always admired Julie Andrews. Listening as she tells her own story with such gratitude and humility, my admiration has reached new bounds. She shares her early life story with honesty and appreciation for the people and experiences that made her who she is today. Not all of those people and experiences were positive..yet she is able to matter-of-factly accept them as part of who she is today. We can all learn from her wonderful example. And to hear her read this in her own voice...the entire experience is delightful!

Just the Beginning

Fascinating book read by Julie. This is a very detailed account if the author's family linege and life prior to her birth up to1965, when she was told she got the part of Maria in The Sound of Music. I was disappointed it did not go into the making of that movie or her relationship with the kids and Christopher Plummer. Im anxiously waiting for part II, from 1965 to present day. Necessary for any Julie Fan. Her reading her book was like having an intimate conversation with an old friend.