Desperately Seeking Something
A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls
Susan Seidelman
St. Martin’s Press
A couple of years ago, I was contracted to co-author the autobiography of an infamous guitar god. Living up to his dubious reputation, the former arena rocker flaked out, posthaste. During that ill-fated project, I worked with a passionate, prominent L.A.-based publishing agent. Whenever she spoke of any well-written, high-quality literary works, she always referred to them as “beautiful books.”
Susan Seidelman’s just-released memoir, Desperately Seeking Something, defines that description.
From page one, Seidelman quarantines readers with appealing, Wonder Years-style stories of growing up during the 1950s and ’60s, back when “the world was perfect,” in the carefree, pre-seatbelt era of Brylcreem and Aqua Net, plastic couch slipcovers, That Girl flips, “The Loco-Motion,” and Days of the Week panties, all peppered with razor-sharp (and often self-deprecating) humor.
But, be sure, Seidelman does deliver exactly what the subtitle promises: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls.
Seemingly against all odds, the celebrated filmmaker first broke into the movie biz back when it was still very much a male-dominated industry. Brava! Her personal accounts of professional highs (and lows), along with her first-hand, behind-the-scenes experiences, make her memoir well worth the price of admission. However, with this matinee ticket, you also get a BIG box of FREE Raisinets.
Playing out primarily against an ever-changing N.Y.C. backdrop, Seidelman’s recollections of fighting to achieve her dreams while directing such show-biz heavyweights as Rosanna Arquette, Madonna, Meryl Streep, and Roseanne Barr are certainly fascinating. However, the book’s biggest, best, and brightest payoffs come when Seidelman reveals deeply personal relationships with the less famous people who have come in and out of her life: family and friends she’s loved and too often lost and people who were less than kind, yet helped direct her life path. I’ll show you all!
The book’s continual, pulsating “I Am Woman” drum track beats loud and clear, but, truth be told, both women AND men face struggles, personally and professionally. Trust me. We ALL have dreams, lead mundane lives, and desire an escape — we’re ALL desperately seeking something. Hence, from start to finish, Seidelman’s powerful story is a wonderful and entertaining source of inspiration and encouragement for all readers.
The bite-sized three-to-four-page chapters make the 350-page story easy to consume, allowing readers convenient quick breaks in which to take a pee, grab a smoke, or check Facebook messages. The clever tie-in of relevant song titles as chapter titles further enhances the fun factor. And placing related pics throughout, rather than relegating them to a separate section, also keeps the reader dialed in.
Seidelman begins her amazing story circa 1950-something as a “good girl”-turned rebellious teen with an untold future. Fast forward some 60+ years, and she finds herself older and wiser, reflecting on a life that would have been unimaginable for that “normal” kid from Philly.
A frequent comment I get from my own readers is that my books often feel like a cozy conversation with an old friend. Desperately Seeking Something feels like a captivating conversation with a new friend. Seidelman’s writing style is engaging, and she’s immediately likable. Although her personal experiences and professional achievements are remarkable, she’s not a pretentious Miss Smarty Pants. The book is a true blue labor of love, and Seidelman’s honest and pure passion drips from every page.
In sum, with Desperately Seeking Something, Susan Seidelman has indeed delivered a “beautiful book.”
