Close But No Cigar: A Look Back at 30 Wonderful Years with George Burns

Melissa Miller's account of her life with her "G.B." is right on. Her love for George leaps right off the page. As a friend of George, Miss Miller has the sweetness of the man down pat. Thank you Lisa for an honest account of a fine man and one of our centuries great entertainers. To parphrase George, "Love IT Kid!" So did I.Robert Howe Oakdale,CA [email protected]

I was a member of the group Lisa mentions, "The Kids Next Door", back in 1968; I think I may even see my teenaged face in the shadows in one photograph taken of she and George Burns at the Palmer House in Chicago. George had us on the floor laughing backstage, night after night, with his anecdotes about his friendship with Jack Benny and his practical jokes...Melissa Miller has contributed a warm, touching and delightful book to the Burns legacy; I recommend it to everyone who loved this legendary comic actor.

It's said that we lose celebrities in groups of three, and as we move from child to teenager to adult, we count the groups of "older folk" who spend their lives entertaining us, then retreat into a quiet existence for a few final years and make headlines as they pass on. "Were they still alive?" we wonder, "what a full and long life they lived, how sad to have died so alone." We rarely realize that celebrities are living, breathing people, with complex friendships and relationships greatly affected by their passing.Close But No Cigar revealed to me that the George Burns the public knew was very much the way he lived, spoke and brought joy in his private life. It's clear that both Ms. Miller and GB were both profoundly affected by each other, and I'm pleased to know that GB had someone who loved him so greatly at the end.Thank you, Ms. Miller, for making me think about strong, lasting relationships which resist convention, and illustrating for me an amazing love story I would never have otherwise believed. I've talked about this book to almost everyone I've encountered since I began reading it, and it's kept me up late at night, on the telephone with distant friends I don't see or communicate with enough. You've opened the door to some of your most special memories, and invited me right in... 'Kid, your the nicest woman I'll ever meet.'

I opened it to look at the pictures and wound up reading it for the story. It is witty, personal, and often quite moving. Maybe all those jokes about George Burns and younger women weren't that far off; and, in this case, he wasn't running with any bimbo, that's for sure.

Melissa Miller has written a glowing tribute to her G.B. sent with Love and affection over thirty years of Vegas shows, t.v. specials, late night dinners and lots of packing and un-packing But, most of all it's a Love story, about two alike yet un-alike people. Her Love for George leaps off the pages allowing us to share her Love right along with her. I Loved It. I dare you not to Laugh. I dare you not to cry. Robert Howe (Natty12096)