Clea Newman Soderlund, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man

IN-PERSON EVENT; THE MJCCA IS CURRENTLY MASK OPTIONAL.

31st Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA Presents

Paul Newman, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man

Special Guest: Clea Newman Soderlund

Author Talk, Audience Q & A, Book Signing

Books will also be available for purchase on the evening of the event from the official bookseller of the book festival, A Cappella Books.

Join us for a very special evening featuring Paul Newman’s daughter, Clea Newman Soderlund. Clea will share stories about her father, the greatest movie star of the past 75 years, who covers everything in this posthumous memoir: his traumatic childhood, his career, his drinking, his thoughts on Marlon Brando, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, John Huston, his greatest roles, acting, his intimate life with Joanne Woodward, his innermost fears and passions and joys. With thoughts/comments throughout from Joanne Woodward, George Roy Hill, Tom Cruise, Elia Kazan and many others.

In 1986, Paul Newman and his closest friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, began an extraordinary project. Stuart was to compile an oral history, to have Newman’s family and friends and those who worked closely with him, talk about the actor’s life. And then Newman would work with Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The project lasted five years.

The result is an extraordinary memoir, culled from thousands of pages of transcripts. The book is insightful, revealing, and surprising. Newman’s voice is powerful, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, always meeting that high standard of searing honesty.  Newman’s often traumatic childhood is brilliantly detailed. He talks about his teenage insecurities, his early failures with women, his rise to stardom, his early rivals (Marlon Brando and James Dean), his first marriage, his drinking, his philanthropy, the death of his son Scott, his strong desire for his daughters to know and understand the truth about their father. Perhaps the most moving material in the book centers around his relationship with Joanne Woodward—their love for each other, his dependence on her, the way she shaped him intellectually, emotionally and sexually.

Please note: All sales are final. Please choose either print-at-home or e-tickets at checkout and bring either to the event for entry!