My Heart Belongs

Mary Martin is best known today for her portrayal of Peter Pan, a role she felt destined to play. She also appeared in such shows as South Pacific and Hello Dolly!. She made several films too, but her real love was the stage. She discusses her early life, beginning with her childhood as a tomboy and a showoff, two things that served her well in her career. She began her own dance studio in Texas and moved on to bigger and better things. Mary discusses her marriages, her children, her career, and the famous faces that she knew including Richard Rogers, Noel Coward, Janet Gaynor, and others. She writes with gusto and excitement. This book makes you feel that you are a friend of Mary's who is listening to her stories about the past. Sometimes the stories are sad and sometimes they're downright funny. Mary is always honest and forthright; she'll tell you if something didn't turn out so well and completely take the blame. She doesn't try to make herself out to be a huge important star, but she doesn't constantly demean herself either. The best thing is, just like everything she did, she seems to be having fun telling her story. That makes it easy and enjoyable to read. The only thing I would have liked to hear more about is her film career, which recieves only a few pages total. Martin was a stage star at heart and never really cared for the movies she made (although they're quite good).

This is a lovely book-warm, endearing, breezy, just like the lady herself. Filled with charming and hilarious anecdotes ("Mary Martin slapped here") and oodles of Broadway lore. She is also frank about how her career sometimes upstaged her family and the price she paid for that. Although I suspect there are truths she chose not to reveal (which one expects in any autobiography), this book is altogether delightful and just what you'd expect from Mary Martin.

I thought this was a terrifc book from cover to cover. From her childhood memories to her Broadway hits, there was the simple truth. She told it like it was. Reading it, I felt as if she were sitting across from me, telling me the story herself. I loved her before the I read the book and after, I loved her more.