I Was Better Last Night is very quilt-like. Fierstein shares his life less in conventional chapters than in colorful patches: 59 of them, stitched together with photos and a plush index. The sum of this is warm and enveloping and indeed two-sided: One is a raw, cobwebby tale of anger, hurt, indignation and pain; flip it over and you get billowing ribbons of humor, gossip and fabulous, hot-pink success ... As with a treasured blankie, the frayed side is somehow more lovable ... Unsurprisingly, some of the snappiest parts of this book are bits of remembered dialogue ... I Was Better Last Night gets to be more of an extended, eye-rubbing Tony acceptance speech after Fierstein hits the big time ... Still, this man seems to roll around, constitutionally, in velvety darkness. Medical matters, including a suicide attempt in the mid-1990s, are handled with matter-of-fact frankness ... There are enough one-liners in I Was Better Last Night for a one-man show ... With a dramaturge’s expert timing, Fierstein saves the most difficult anecdote of his upbringing for near the end, like the classic 11 o’clock number in musical theater. A story about his mother’s reaction to his accidental coming-out, it’s a pin prick to the heart. Actually it makes the heart a pin cushion.
Heartfelt and dishy ... Fierstein’s musings about the deeper meanings of his work is generously peppered with gossip about his celebrity friends and acquaintances ... Fierstein has so many credits to his name, and so many wonderful stories to tell, that he cannot possibly fit them all into this highly readable, nearly 365-page book.
... scrumptious ... [Fierstein] delivers plenty of dish, some of which leaves a bitter aftertaste. But his writing is most alive in the early years, before he becomes a Broadway institution ... A natural storyteller with a yenta’s love of mischief, Fierstein paints a vivid portrait of his youth in Bensonhurst ... Fierstein’s dings are often dressed in self-flattery ... to his credit, he is often scathingly honest about himself. He writes courageously about his alcoholism ... could have used more of this kind of soul-searching. The Harvey Fierstein glimpsed here is tantalizingly, defiantly, irreducibly complex. It’s a pity Sondheim isn’t around to offer the contradictory protagonist of this memoir the musical he deserves.
Four-time Tony Award-winning playwright and actor Harvey Fierstein knows how to tell captivating stories that are hilarious and heartbreaking. I Was Better Last Night is filled with the same energy, quick wit, wise observations and big heart that are hallmarks of his plays and musicals. This is a theater memoir for the ages ... This is a joyous, life-affirming memoir written with charisma and a generous spirit.
... full of joy, humor, and vivid details of a figure that, like Puccini’s Tosca, lived for art ... There is indeed anger, self-pity, and tears: a suicide attempt, a battle against alcoholism, unfaithful lovers, homophobia, and the ravages of AIDS. But buoyancy keeps bubbling amid the gloom, and we end up responding with admiration—if not for every artistic move he has made, then for the man himself ... A wealth of photographs augment Fierstein’s career as a keen-eyed and compassionate witness to five decades of social and theatrical upheaval. We might regret that the cutting edge of his early work slowly dulled to a butter knife—and a man donning a dress just to entertain seems increasingly discomfiting in an age of increasing gender awareness. But Fierstein chose the path of pleasing a wide audience—and in so doing extended his message of diversity and empathy.
Fierstein traces his arc through a series of 50 short but emotionally packed interludes ... His wistful book is laced with understandable nostalgia ... The overall problem with Fierstein’s account will be a generational split. Younger gay people will not understand references such as Montserrat Caballé (the Spanish opera diva mentioned several times). His memoir will surely be enjoyed by Fierstein’s contemporary boomers ... Younger gay people don’t know this history and yet this book, for those willing to read it with an open mind, constitutes a blessed restorative.
Richly detailed ... His memoir is filled with evocative characters and scenes, and his wit and way with dialogue shine. Among the book’s most poignant moments is Fierstein’s memory of watching a 2017 revival of Torch Song Trilogy ... Written with verve and enthusiasm, Fierstein’s memoir will be a must-read for his fans and for theater lovers and anyone who appreciates pop culture.
Raucous ... Readers will appreciate his blunt takes on anti-gay discrimination in matters small...and large ... Defined by a campy yet bittersweet comic sensibility, Fierstein’s vivid writing about the pratfalls, exhilaration, and painstaking craft of a life in theater beguiles.
Not content to revel in the success of his most famous roles on Broadway, Fierstein also gives insightful, unflinching glimpses into his artistic development and creative process. Among the strongest sections are the author’s revelations about the evolution of his beloved Torch Song Trilogy ... Fierstein is a pleasant guide throughout ... The author is particularly strong when he writes about his feelings of abandonment during the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. In stark yet passionate sections, he evokes the fear as well as the deep kinship that arose in his community during this time, though he is unsparing in many of his assessments ... Despite Fierstein’s somberness when appropriate, he also excels at showcasing his quick wit. Interspersed with his creative and artistic journeys are hilarious stories of his encounters with celebrities ... A poignant, clever, and entertaining look at an impressive, unique career.
