Life Could Be Verse: Reflections on Love, Loss, and What Really Matters

Description

Discover the life and lines of Spartacus. . . He is Spartacus. And a whole lot more. That rugged chin. Those broad shoulders. A swag epitomized in epic films such as Spartacus and The Bad and the Beautiful. Crowned one of greatest actors of all time, Kirk Douglas, whose son Michael continues to build on his Hollywood legacy, is more than legendary. He's a husband. A father. A philanthropist. A Renaissance man. At 97 years old, Kirk Douglas has embraced many roles. But poet? Playing on his Yiddish roots, Life Could Be Verse--not worse--gives readers the best seat in the house to the intimate world of an acclaimed actor who has turned the silver screen gold. But his poems transcend pentameters--they are nostalgic celebrations of old Hollywood, of timeless lessons in life and love, reflecting an era when people had few coins in their pockets but an abundance of hope in the promise of the American dream. Through poems, prose, and photographs, Douglas candidly shares it all as he chaperones us through the stages of his life, including the untimely death of his youngest son and the stroke that left him unable to speak. Still, Douglas doesn't dwell in the sadness. Instead, he tantalizes us with his words, his perspective on life, and some never-before-seen photographs and stories of Marlene Dietrich, Lauren Bacall, Brigitte Bardot and his most cherished leading lady of all, his wife of sixty years, Anne Buydens. Life Could Be Verse is uncomplicated yet revealing, poignant yet playful. It's the life and the lines of Spartacus--an uplifting reminder that many times the story of our lives is the most entertaining script of all. The following is an original poem Kirk wrote about his famous son Michael Douglas: Fathers and Sons "Am I a good father?'" I asked my son He took a pause, too long for me I waited and waited for him to answer And finally he said, "Ultimately." But the pause was all I heard The silence was so loud I was waiting for some kind word Something that would make me proud. How could I be so dumb? And I never heard the answer in the pause, When he spoke not a word. I became a "good father," It took me too long to see, When I needed him More than he needed me.

Kirk Douglas is an acclaimed actor, producer and writer best known for his roles in Lust for Life, Spartacus, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and The Bad and the Beautiful. He has three Academy Award nominations, an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, a SAG award for best actor, and the Medal of Freedom. Some of his most notable films were produced through his own production company, Bryna, including Lonely Are the Brave, The Vikings, Seven Days in May and Paths of Glory. Kirk has authored eleven books, one of the most notable being the memoir, The Ragman's Son (1988). His 1960 epic, Spartacus, is credited with helping to end the practice of blacklisting people in the film industry who had refused to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. During his illustrious career, Douglas appeared in ninety movies; the final being in 2004. In 2009 Kirk starred in his own one-man autobiographical show called Before I Forget at the Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles. Douglas lives in Beverly Hills and Montecito, California, with his beloved wife of 60 years, Anne.