Dear Cary

By: Dyan Cannon

Narrated by: Dyan Cannon

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

He was the most charming, handsome, romantic, and famous leading man in the world....what could possibly go wrong?

With unparalleled honesty, Dyan Cannon shares the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of her magical romance and stormy marriage to screen legend Cary Grant.He was the ultimate star, defining Hollywood glamour as well as cinematic achievement. She was a bright new actress, beautiful and funny, who would one day prove her talent by being the first woman to receive Academy Award nominations for her work on-screen and behind the camera.

When he asked to meet Dyan, she assumed it was for an acting part, but he had a different role in mind for her... and so began a storybook romance that brought her to dizzying heights. On his arm, she found herself traveling in the inner circles of power and glamour in which Cary Grant was king, with friends such as Noel Coward, Jimmy Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, and so many others considered Hollywood royalty.

Behind closed doors, she discovered a Cary no one knew. A thoughtful, caring, and private person, with dark family secrets that weighed heavily on him. He was a man contending with the swan song of an astonishing film career while her career was just beginning. Despite the age difference, they fell in love, got married, and had a beautiful daughter together. Happily Ever After still proved elusive, and their relationship was beset with tragic twists and turns. It took a tremendous toll on Dyan as she struggled to keep her heart and mind intact.

With rare photos and never-before-seen letters and notes from Cary Grant, Dear Cary is told with poignancy and hard-won wisdom. For anyone who has ever loved and lost, Dyan Cannon’s memoir is an exploration of what love means, and an inspirational story of surviving life’s slings and arrows.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2011 Bonkers Entertainment, Inc. (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Fascinating story, more than an autobiography.

Before I read this I wasn't expecting more than a name dropping bio but this is something completely different. Excellently composed, the stories link together and the whole is a coherent study of 2 real people who just happened to be well known actors. The fact that Dyan Cannon reads this makes it very personal and there are times when it is clear that reading it brought back profound feelings for her.
Overall this is a really good book on many levels and the last chapter is an emotional high for both the narrator and listener.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

A Wasted 10 Hours

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

What I thought would be a fascinating story with insight into a May/December marriage turned out to be a whine fest from Dyan Cannon. She portrays herself as some kind of "free spirit" who "accidentally" married Cary Grant. You'd think she never heard of him, his previous marriages or lifestyle before marrying him. In fact, on the day they married, she was ready to back out, but apparently decided to ignore the three billion warning signs and go forward anyway. Grant is pictured as a controlling, meticulous persona - which very well could be true. He seemed to spend a good portion of his later years dropping LSD in an effort to come to terms with himself and a very miserable childhood. His possible bi-sexuality is glossed over, and it very well could have played a role in why he seemed like such an inattentive husband who wanted to be married to an object vs. a real person. The title of this book should have been "Wishful Thinking ... 101 Reasons Not to Marry Somebody Like Cary Grant". Most annoying was the "letter to Cary" at the very end which seemed like a rambling rant to me .... blah, blah, blah.

What could Dyan Cannon have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Been more truthful with herself.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Dyan Cannon?

No one.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment and disbelief that anyone was SO BLIND.

Any additional comments?

Thanks for the refund.

12 of 15 people found this review helpful

There are always more than one side to a story

It is possible that everything Dyan Cannon wrote is true. It is also possible it is HER truth and Cary isn't here to tell his side. I so wish hollywood authors would not narrate their books. She has dry mouth, it is so irritating. A trained narrator might have given this story more merit. Of course I purchased because I wanted a peek into Cary Grant. I am a fan. I didn't find alot of this believable, and I will delete most from my memory. I wonder what your daughter thinks about this?

8 of 15 people found this review helpful

I absolutely loved this book!

Dyan writes with humor and love about her relationship with Cary Grant. I’ve learned so much about the man behind the glamorous world he portrayed and his flawed life in England. I have always admired Dyan, but now she has inspired me to think as she does. Well done!

Romantic train wreck

I found this to be a wonderful love story, but at times it was like watching a train wreck that I couldn’t stop looking at. It was told in a way that I could totally picture in my head. I do wonder if Cary Grant would tell a similar story.

A new dawn

So much of this book is about Dyan's relationship with Cary Grant, and some of the behaviors of American wives in the 1960s as they continued to soothe the aftermath of their husbands foibles shocked me. But the resultant epiphanies turned an interesting story into a deep and unforgettable one

Couldn't stop listening to it Loved it Love Dyan

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes, very interesing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dear Cary?

When Cary Grant got rid of the dog. Left me hating him.

What about Dyan Cannon’s performance did you like?

Honesty.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The LSD and the dog.

Any additional comments?

I thought Dyan was great in the way she told all. I always liked her, love her now.

Wow. Thank you.

Well I'm crying. Amazing story. A book to help you find the love when you think all is lost.

Fiction ?

Some of information about Cary Grant was new. However the first part of how Cary pursued her and how she kept resisting and putting him off was Twilight Zone material to me. I still enjoyed reading it as I am such a huge fan. He was unique as an actor and a person.

Perspectives Aside

Ms. Cannon provides an engaging narration of her years with Mr. Grant. Sounds like a Domme and his submissive and I think she left out a lot such as I did read somewhere Cary Grant was given to administering spankings to discipline his wife. Still, it kept my attention from a psychological perspective as she signed on for this codependent dynamic until she was worn thin.

Disappointing

Interesting in parts but far too self pitying for my liking. Repetitive in places and feels disingenious and unbalanced. Far too woe is poor little naive me!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful