Book Reviews
For a master of the one-liner, Mr. Simon writes surprisingly flat prose, which sometimes wobbles between the cliched and ungrammatical.... Still, the virtues of Rewrites don't depend on good prose. In general, Mr. Simon comes across as ingenuous and likable, avid to master the difficult craft of putting a good play together. His portraits of the people he worked with are acute and winning; the director Mike Nichols, the choreographer Bob Fosse, the producer Saint Subber, the actor George C. Scott, among others, all take on substance in his pages
Christopher Lehmann-Haupt - New York Times
Ought to be required reading for everyone who aspires to a career in playwrighting, fiction, or poetry.
Jonathan Yardley - Washington Post
Simon has built his playwrighting career by creating funny, indelible characters. Who can forget Oscar Madison and Felix Unger? This illuminating memoir, which takes Simon into the 1970s, reveals his creative influences, as well as his personal triumphs and tragedies. He is brutally honest in describing his bouts with writer's block, and he's not afraid to admit that directors and actors have often helped him complete some of his most endearing plays. He confides, for instance, that the third act of The Odd Couple went through numerous rewrites and was salvaged only after director Mike Nichols suggested Simon not set the act in the middle of a poker game. Simon's forthright account of his work with Bob Fosse on Sweet Charity illustrates how two immensely talented individuals can work through their differences to create a highly successful show. Anecdotes about actors Simon has worked with make for particularly entertaining copy, and his description of George C. Scott's erratic behavior while he starred in The Gingerbread Lady shows how a playwright's success can hinge on the whims of a troubled actor. However, many digressions, though humorous, distract from the story at hand. Simon's account of his family and personal life beyond the theater lacks resonance, particularly when dealing with his experience with psychotherapy — the only section of the book written in the third person. While this memoir won't bring down the house, in general it's a well-told tale by a man whose talent, diligence and luck have made him Broadway's shining son.
Publishers Weekly
(Audio version.) Famed playwright Simon complained recently about this [audio] condensation, saying during a segment on C-Span, "They abridged the life out of" [the book]. Much is omitted, for sure, but what remains is vintage Simon and better than no recording at all. He describes quirky show folk and his willing but exhaustive efforts in revising his plays, which include Come Blow Your Horn, Barefoot in the Park, and The Odd Couple. Simon's own soft-spoken reading underplays his witticisms—he is not an actor, after all—but lends authenticity to the narrative, especially during the section wherein he talks about the tragic death of his beloved wife, Joan. We get highlights of his life and career from only 1957 to 1973, however. Playgoers and Simon enthusiasts will enjoy Rewrites. —Gordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY
Library Journal
The prolific master of Broadway fun hops over the footlights to recall much—but not all—of his personal history. This is an intelligent and diverting memoir, artfully constructed. The work of crafting Simon's first dozen or so plays, from Come Blow Your Horn and Little Me to The Sunshine Boys and The Good Doctor, is presented in the order of their creation. The periods of Simon's life that they recall do not fall so neatly in order, and yet the memories that eddy around the landmarks of the plays are somehow all the more effective without strict chronology. There is a funny set piece on young Neil's sexual initiation. His native wit is as abundant as ever, but he can easily write a simple declarative sentence without punctuating it with a gag. There are poignant glimpses of a childhood in a strangely inoperative family, of a sometimes loving, always complex relationship with gagwriter brother Danny. Simon hasn't much use for agents or their advice on business deals. (Following such advice, he "never saw a dime, a nickel, or a penny" from the TV series of The Odd Couple.) There are third-act problems, out-of-town rewrites, and missing stars. Though there are no lessons on how to be funny, the book is full of clues on the craft of playwriting. There are deft character sketches, but, by far, the most touching parts of Simon's story deal with his love for wife Joan. With her early passing some two decades ago Simon brings down the curtain. Not covered: military escapades, much of life as a TV gag writer, and later uxorial adventures. There are more plays, of course, so let's have the next installment soon, Mr. Simon. Neil Simon delivers, from the heart, a fine portrait of the artist.
Kirkus Reviews