Pieces of My Heart: A Life

I've been a fan of Robert Wagner's for long enough that I remember almost all the movies he's done, as well as every television series in which he's appeared. This book will be most appreciated by people like me, who have long memories for old (and some not so old) movies and the many older stars he discusses. [Would anyone under 40 even know who Barbara Stanwyck was?]
The most appealing aspect of the book is the casual way Wagner gives insights into Hollywood, the privileged lives of actors and the business of movie making. His tone is often ironic and wry, and he often manages to suggest much while saying little. For example, after a one-night stand with Anita Ekberg results in a ruined article of clothing, he notes that the time with her would have been worth ruining an entire wardrobe. Period. That's it - no smarmy descriptions, no details that would make the reader uncomfortable. Instead, this sets the reader's imagination free. By the way, he also provides offhand comments about males in Hollywood, dropping information casually about affairs, practical jokes and "OK Freddy" that are laugh out loud.

If you are looking for the inside scoop on his marriages, you are destined to be disappointed as RJ uses many positive adjectives but gives few details about his own feelings or those of his wives. Some stories about special birthday parties, conflicts with movie-making but no dissing here. It seemed to me that he didn't want to say anything about his children's mothers that would make them uncomfortable, showing that he is both a gentleman and a decent human being.

An enjoyable book and one hard to put down.

I have always been a fan of Robert Wagner. The way the book was written is how I expected it to be. The book flowed along really well. I enjoyed getting to know alot of famous celebrities (most of them are now deceased) through RJ's memories. There was a good combination of elements in the book from knowing the people he dated and who other people dated, etc.

This is an excellent book written from the heart and his love for Natalie. All the scandal as I remembered it back when Natalie died and I read all the "scandal sheets of that time period" was the "how did it really happen". He answers it as honestly as he can from his heart.

Natasha, Natalie's daughter looks so much like her its spooky.

I thoughly enjoyed the book and was sorry it ended.

To say that Robert Wagner's new memoir, PIECES OF MY HEART, is a perfect movie-star memoir is not giving it enough credit. PIECES is a perfect memoir by any standard.

I always have read lots of biographies and memoirs, and this book is singular. Just in the recent months, Tony Curtis has ended up sounding dislikeable in his own book, and George Hamilton came off as nice but rather eccentric.

In contrast, Robert Wagner has lived a true movie-star life, starting at the end of the studio system in Hollywood and continuing right up to the present moment.

As such, he has wonderful stories to share about all of the show business greats of the past half-century and he doesn't hesitate to drop names.

He is a man who treasures his friendships, proving that, even among movie-stars, one must be a friend to have a friend.

The book deals with complete candor about his love affairs. He goes into detail about his intense relationship with the late and exquisitely beautiful Natalie Wood, who was both his first and third wife, out of his four marriages. Wagner is frank about the tragedy of her accidental death and the pain he endured, and still endures, to this day because of it.

At the same time, he is grateful to Jill St. John, his fourth wife, to whom he gives some credit for rescuing him from his sorrow.

Most of all, Robert Wagner appears to have been forged by fire, much like steel, emerging from the flames stronger. As a result, strikingly, he seems to be an unusually kind person, emotionally aware, appreciative of his good fortune, generous to others. The fact that he could build and sustain a blended family with his stepsons from his second marriage and Natalie's daughter from her second marriage along with his own daughters is further proof of his decency and ability to love.

Despite his obvious glamour, Robert Wagner not a typical movie star and his life story makes for fascinating reading.

...a personal vision of Hollywood through the eyes of a third rate actor who is a legend in his own mind. Filled with the coarsest language this side of an old Jacqueline Susann novel. This poorly written mish mash of fact and fiction is nothing more than damage control for the years when Mr. Wagner and his present wife turned their backs on his late wife's (legendary actress, Natalie Wood) fans. It's a heterosexual kiss and tell from only Mr. Wagner's side as most of the ladies he alleges to have had affairs with are either dead or too old and rich to care anymore.
I expected better from him, much better!