Both of Us...My Life with Farrah by Ryan O`Neal

Written with two co-authors, this is a slender read, almost light weight and yet it does deal with some rather heavy issues as the O`Neal family would probably win the prize for Hollywood`s most dysfunctional family hands down! Their carry on and such like has been well documented in both the tabloid and more serious media and Tatum O`Neal, Ryan`s daughter has written two books about her life and the many tribulations to which she has been a party along with brothers Griffin and Redmond. Ryan`s other son, Patrick with actress Leigh Taylor-Young has stayed sane and clean and is a well respected sports broadcaster in the U.S.
The book documents the love affair between O`Neal and Fawcett, the 70`s Golden Girl and one of Charlie`s Original Angels, a love affair that was punctuated by domestic dramas, illness, jealousy, violence and insecurities that would knock the average person out of the ballpark in 10 seconds flat but with the loss of O`Neals first wife and Farrah and the terrible death of Francis Ford Coppola`s son in a boat incident with Griffin O`Neal at the helm, the survivors list is rather surprisingly long given the drink, drugs and violence that is spread amongst this books pages.
This book never loses it`s humour but boy was the path tortured and even the lovely Farrah was not immune from frailties and issues that one might think her looks and level of success could wipe away, one can`t help but feel that seeing her son Redmond go down the same path as Griffin must have done her head in and one is really left wondering why she didn`t up sticks and move far away from every temptation and take Redmond with her, of course the genetics may not have prevented the inevitable and really these wasted lives are sad.
 All the glitz and glamour are in this book and it is sprinkled fairly well with a dose of magic and a warmth that only Hollywood and Money can bring. The journal entries from Ryan O`Neal did stun me as who knew he would ever... and he is obviously a well read man. I didn`t really come away liking any of the characters in this book particularly much, too self serving and shallow for my likes, very little backbone and strength although one would be remiss in not acknowledging Farrah`s braveness in sharing her cancer battle.
All in all a good read if you are at all interested in Ryan, Farrah, and their mind numbingly dysfunctional family and Hollywood life at its best and worst, well worth a read.