Part Swan, Part Goose

In a wise, warmhearted memoir that celebrates her extraordinary life and stellar career, Swoosie Kurtz shares just the right combination of personal misadventure and showbiz lore, candidly reflecting on the right choices that empowered her, the wrong choices that enlightened her, and the intimate journey of caring for an aging parent. Told with intelligence and Swoosie's hallmark comedic timing, Part Swan, Part Goosemakes a powerful statement about womanhood, work and...
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In a wise, warmhearted memoir that celebrates her extraordinary life and stellar career, Swoosie Kurtz shares just the right combination of personal misadventure and showbiz lore, candidly reflecting on the right choices that empowered her, the wrong choices that enlightened her, and the intimate journey of caring for an aging parent. Told with intelligence and Swoosie's hallmark comedic timing, Part Swan, Part Goosemakes a powerful statement about womanhood, work and family.

Animating this remarkable memoir is Swoosie's relationship with her equally remarkable parents. Her father, Frank, was an Olympic athlete and highly decorated World War II airman. He flew a record number of missions in a cobbled-together B-17D called the Swoose. Her mother, Margo, was the quintessential military wife but with the spunk and will to match her husband's. Her 1945 memoir, My Rival, the Sky,chronicled their lives up to the time of the birth of their daughter.

Today, Margo, who is fast approaching her hundredth birthday, lives with Swoosie. And Swoosie's life has become a precarious and precious balancing act as she struggles to stay ahead of her mother's increasing needs while navigating a showbiz career that keeps one foot in Hollywood and the other on Broadway.

Part Swan, Part Gooseis that rare Hollywood memoir that takes us behind the curtain but doesn't live there; its heart is solidly at home. Refreshing and candid, it doesn't pretend to tell all, but what it does tell will resonate for the legion of Swoosie's fans and for the millions caring for aging parents.

'Full of surprises . . . expressive . . . devastating . . . unforgettable.' Ben Brantley, The New York Times

'The inimitable Swoosie Kurtz . . . one of the best comic actors of our time.' USA Today

'Part Swan, Part Gooseis a brave and riveting book about family, fame, theatre and life. It is witty, wise and irresistible. I loved it.' Tom Brokaw

'I'm often asked, 'What's Swoosie Kurtz really like?' I say, warm, incredibly funny, grounded but spontaneous, irreverent but always kind, independent yet so deeply rooted to her family. Swoosie has put her heart and her humor into these pages. Now when people ask what's she like, I can say, 'Here, read this!''Melissa McCarthy

'Swoosie and her family have always been special to me. When you read this book, you will understand why.' Warren Buffett

'I laughed and cried (sometimes at the same time) reading this extraordinary story about Swoosie and her parents and her work and her loves. Swoosie has the beautiful gift of a seasoned storyteller. Her observations about love and loss had me dog-earing several pages to reread again and again. I feel blessed to know her.' Carol Burnett