Memories Are Made of This:
Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes
Deana Martin
"I loved being called Deana Martin. Even when I was very small. Dad was such a positive influence on people’s lives that to be so closely associated with him was always a blessing. People can’t help buts mile when they think of my father, which has to be the greatest legacy of all...."
So begins Deana Martin’s captivating and heartfelt memoir of her father, the son of an Italian immigrant from modest beginnings who worked his way to the top of the Hollywood firmament to become one of the greatest stars of all time.
Charming, debonair, and impeccably attired in a black tuxedo, Dean Martin was coolness incarnate. His music provided the soundtrack of romance, and his image captivated movie and television audiences for more than fifty years. His daughter Deana was among his most devoted fans, but she also knew a side of him that few others ever glimpsed.
In page-turning prose, Deana recalls her early childhood, when she and her siblings were left in the erratic care of Deana’s loving but alcoholic first wife. She chronicles the constantly changing blended family that marked her youth, along with the unexpected moments of silliness and tenderness that this unusual Hollywood family shared.
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I loved being called Deana Martin. Even when I was very small. Dad was such a positive influence on people’s lives that to be so closely associated with him was always a blessing. People can’t help but smile when they think of my father, which has to be the greatest legacy of all.
When people hear my name for the first time, they usually ask the same question: ‘Any relation?’
‘Yes,’ I reply proudly, ‘he’s my father.’
They smile and cry, ‘Oh, I love your father! I’ve loved him all my life.’
Sometimes, just sometimes, they ask me the most important question of all: ‘Was he a good father?’
To their surprise, I shake my head and smile. ‘No,’ I reply. ‘He wasn’t a good father, but he was a good man.
Where Dad came from, that meant a great deal more….
What the Critics Say
“What makes her book terrific is that she is terrific – terrific in her ability to get on paper what is in her heart…I felt my spirit soar from the get-go, and it kept me riveted…it is courageous, up-front, tenacious and totally forthright. I read it with tremendous pride and love, and I know other readers will feel the same emotions I felt.” Jerry Lewis
“A charming memoir….wry and tender.” Sunday Times
“An even handed biography….and a heartfelt and honest portrait of a mysterious father.” Publishers Weekly
“With Holden’s help, the daughter of one of the most successful mid-twentieth century entertainers makes quite a treat of her account of growing up…. This book breezes along on a stream of happy anecdotes.” Booklist
“A searingly honest memoir.” Barnes & Noble
“Deana writes poignantly of her beautiful vibrant mother who never got past losing Dean.” Washington Post
“Given Deana’s insight and candor, the quality of her writing, and Dean Martin’s status as one of the major American pop culture icons of the 20th century, this fascinating book is highly recommended.” Library Journal
“Martin, who could have been embittered by her sometimes rocky relations with her father, instead displays remarkable understanding of his complex temperament….. Warts and all, but noted with love.” Kirkus
“A poignant account of what it was like to grow up as the child of a major Hollywood celebrity.” Mail on Sunday
