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The Elephant to Hollywood

On sale

22nd February 2018

Price: £12.99

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Selected: Paperback / ISBN-13: 9781444700039

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‘Uproarious and unflinching’
Mail on Sunday



‘A truly incredible life story’
The Sun

‘Most memorable . . . told in a voice as distinctive as his spoken one’
Independent

‘Brims with his gift for genial anecdote’
The Sunday Times

One of ‘the top 25 most compelling Hollywood autobiographies’ –Guardian

* * *

From the author of the bestselling Blowing the Bloody Doors Off, the original, definitive autobiography of British screen icon and legend Sir Michael Caine.

It’s been a long journey for Maurice Micklewhite – born with rickets in London’s poverty-stricken Elephant & Castle – to the bright lights of Hollywood. With a glittering career spanning more than five decades and starring roles which have earned him two Oscars, a knighthood, and an iconic place in the Hollywood pantheon, the man now known to us as Michael Caine looks back over it all. Funny, warm, honest, Caine brings us his insider’s view of Hollywood (where there’s neither holly nor woods). He recalls the films, the legendary stars, the off-screen moments with a gift for story-telling only equalled by David Niven.

Hollywood has been his home and his playground. But England is where his heart lies. And where he blames the French for the abundance of snails in his garden. A plaque now celebrates him at the Elephant in London. His handprint is one of only 200 since 1927 to decorate the hallowed pavement outside that mecca of Hollywood stars, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. A very British star, The Elephant to Hollywood is the remarkable full circle of Michael Caine’s life.

Reviews

<i>Mail on Sunday</i>
uproarious and unflinching
<i>The Times</i>
a gold standard celebrity who makes the modern sort look cheap
<i>Daily Mail</i>, John Preston
To read Caine is to be in the company of an amiable, sentimental man who has achieved great success - and happiness - without appearing to be in the least smug.
<i>The Sun</i>
A truly incredible life story.
<i>Choice</i>
you can hear his distinctive voice throughout, his fans will enjoy the ride.
<i>Independent</i>
most memorable... This follow-up might have seemed over-indulgent were it not for his self-deprecating vignettes, told in a voice as distinctive as his spoken one, that led to critical comparisons with David Niven's classic, The Moon's a Balloon.
<i>Fabulous</i>
Michael Caine fans will love his 'blow the bloody doors off' autobiography.
<i>Sunday Times</i>
Michael Caine's second work of memoir brims with his gift for genial anecdote, but this time there's a hint of sadness as he looks back
<i>Saturdays Times</i>, Christmas Round-Up
A jolly amble from the Elephant & Castle to international stardom...there's plenty of satisfying name-dropping from a gold-standard celebrity who makes the modern sort look cheap.
<i>New Statesman</i>
the peeks behind the silver screen make the book light up
<i>RTE Guide, Ireland</i>
Most compelling autobiography since David Niven's The Moon's A Balloon... he has brought this fascinating story up to date.
<i>Sunday Express</i>
warm-hearted and well written autobiography. Despite his fame this celebrity has always kept his feet firmly on the ground and this enjoyable book shows how he did it.
<i>The Times</i>
a gold standard celebrity who makes the modern sort look cheap
<i>Daily Mail</i>, John Preston
To read Caine is to be in the company of an amiable, sentimental man who has achieved great success - and happiness - without appearing to be in the least smug.
<i>The Sun</i>
A truly incredible life story.
<i>The Times</i>
Not much mileage in discussing warm receptions then, unless it's to wonder if a literary festival crowd has ever sounded more fulfilled than when Michael Caine finally said "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" and "not a lot of people know that" halfway through his appearance in Cheltenham last weekend.
<i>New York Times</i>
Mr Caine is a charming raconteur....he writes with a quality that has grown rare among memoirists: good cheer
Seven, <i>Sunday Telegraph</i>
He's a natural storyteller as well as the Oscar winning actor we admire, and we bowl along happily...How one longs to have met him, which is the best thing one can say about any autobiography
Mail on Sunday
uproarious and unflinching
New York Times
Mr Caine is a charming raconteur....he writes with a quality that has grown rare among memoirists: good cheer
Sunday Times
Michael Caine's second work of memoir brims with his gift for genial anecdote, but this time there's a hint of sadness as he looks back
Daily Mail, John Preston
To read Caine is to be in the company of an amiable, sentimental man who has achieved great success - and happiness - without appearing to be in the least smug.
The Sun
A truly incredible life story.
The Times
Not much mileage in discussing warm receptions then, unless it's to wonder if a literary festival crowd has ever sounded more fulfilled than when Michael Caine finally said "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" and "not a lot of people know that" halfway through his appearance in Cheltenham last weekend.
Choice
you can hear his distinctive voice throughout, his fans will enjoy the ride.
The Times
a gold standard celebrity who makes the modern sort look cheap
Independent
most memorable... This follow-up might have seemed over-indulgent were it not for his self-deprecating vignettes, told in a voice as distinctive as his spoken one, that led to critical comparisons with David Niven's classic, The Moon's a Balloon.
Fabulous
Michael Caine fans will love his 'blow the bloody doors off' autobiography.
Mail on Sunday
uproarious and unflinching
New York Times
Mr Caine is a charming raconteur....he writes with a quality that has grown rare among memoirists: good cheer
Sunday Times
Michael Caine's second work of memoir brims with his gift for genial anecdote, but this time there's a hint of sadness as he looks back
Daily Mail, John Preston
To read Caine is to be in the company of an amiable, sentimental man who has achieved great success - and happiness - without appearing to be in the least smug.
The Sun
A truly incredible life story.
The Times
Not much mileage in discussing warm receptions then, unless it's to wonder if a literary festival crowd has ever sounded more fulfilled than when Michael Caine finally said "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" and "not a lot of people know that" halfway through his appearance in Cheltenham last weekend.
Choice
you can hear his distinctive voice throughout, his fans will enjoy the ride.
The Times
a gold standard celebrity who makes the modern sort look cheap
Independent
most memorable... This follow-up might have seemed over-indulgent were it not for his self-deprecating vignettes, told in a voice as distinctive as his spoken one, that led to critical comparisons with David Niven's classic, The Moon's a Balloon.
Fabulous
Michael Caine fans will love his 'blow the bloody doors off' autobiography.