Knock Wood
by Candice Bergen
1984
Linden Press
3.0 / 5.0

Candace Bergen was raised in the 1950's to feel special and unique. A Beverly Hills address and celebrity parents certainly helped that feeling. Her own celebrity and wealth seem to be guiding forces in her life, and her sense of entitlement is repeated often, but she also mocks these things that will always be her life. These stories of her life are witty, well written and revealing. She doesn't take it to seriously.

Candace spent her adolescence in a Swiss boarding school. At 19, she was a hit in theater productions, performing in many shows; and was accepted into the profession of photojournalism easily, and quickly. Almost unheard of at that time.

An insightful look into a life of privilege from an actress, model, and the daughter of Edgar Bergen. It had to be hard growing up with so much expectation and always being in the spotlight, but Candace seems to have found the humor and joy in her work and her life. She has been successful and an inspiration, as well as an excellent friend, to many. Well worth the read. ( )

Well written with great humor. Bergen spends time talking about growing up as the "sister" of Charlie McCarthy. As an only child, she longed for approval from her father and had a somewhat distant relationship with her mother. The book covers her childhood and high school years and includes her dropping out (being asked to leave) University of Pennsylvania. That was a disappointment to me as there are so many who would have loved to have had that opportunity and she just threw it away. Bergen tries to address her life of privilege and how things seem to just be handed to her. ( )

Ms. Bergen can write and tell a story, that's for sure. In start contrast to Angelica Huston's first autobiography, Bergen's book is full of coherent narratives. Entitled though she may have been, it was an eye opening look at her coming of age in Hollywood. Reading how matter of factly she describes her famous neighbours and friends [almost as if they were - gasp - normal people] was almost as surprising as discovering her insecurities. An engaging read. ( )

What an enjoyable book! I have always loved her. Just ordered her new memoir, A Fine Romance. ( )

Sons and daughters of famous celebrities sometimes become stars in their own right. At other times they seem to achieve success just because they are the famous person's son or daughter. In Candice Bergen's case, it was no doubt some of both. It is my sense that landing staring roles on the silver screen would have come harder had her dad not been radio ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. Yet Candice possessed a star quality that still would have probably made her a box office draw.

The Bergen memoir Knock Wood includes a synopsis of her father's rise in the entertainment world, and progresses to when the book was first published in 1984. A normal childhood might be difficult if your only sibling was a dummy. Candice seems to have survived the experience pretty well. She struck out on her own and achieved a considerable success as an actress. She also did pretty well as a photographer until deciding to give up that pursuit to give more focus to doing well on the screen.

When I sat down to read this, I was anticipating the author's account of something that made big news. Because of the date of the book, there is no mention of the famous flap over the TV show Murphy Brown. That happened later in the 80s with a vice presidential calling out of Bergen by Dan Quayle over the story line. That's OK though. There is an abundance of other events in her life which are worth reading about. If you wish to know about the Murphy Brown incident, you will find a lot of information by doing an online search.

The recollections about the time leading up to the death of her father are quite heartfelt. She was there in Las Vegas on the opening night of what was to be his farewell engagement on stage. He was in failing health at the time, but despite concerns over whether he would do well it was a flawless performance. She cried that night. Three nights later, he died in his sleep.

I am not a big reader of stories by or about Hollywood celebrities, but this one was not a disappointment. I am happy about the fact that this book was reissued. ( )