So — last week Lucille Ball would have turned 100. I love Lucy. Seriously. Some of my early memories involve watching “I Love Lucy” in black and white on the television in my parents’ room while my dad watched the news on the color tv (the news used to scare me as a kid). I loved the crazy antics of Lucy and Ethel. I loved how they got into the most ridiculous scrapes. And I loved that I could always count on a happy ending.

After watching as much of the “I Love Lucy” marathon on tv last weekend that my family could stand, I remembered that I had a book somewhere about Lucille Ball: a hardcover, library book sale $1.00 find. I found it and started to read it. And what a find! “Love, Lucy” is an autobiography of Lucille Ball that was done many years before her death (mostly taped remembrances set down on paper by a writer), that had been tucked away in a drawer and found by her daughter, Lucie Arnaz, after Lucille Ball’s death. What I loved about this book is that it was truly in Lucy’s voice. As I read it, I felt like I was listening to her talking. I just loved it.

“Love, Lucy” traces Lucille Ball’s life from her earliest days to her marriage with Gary Morton. It has great pictures in it, too! I never knew the hardship that Lucille Ball came from. I never realized how much “luck” played in to her career. I didn’t even realize that Desi Arnaz was several years younger than her. Lucille’s telling of her story, never apologizing, never seeking sympathy, was just so intimate and honest, I felt that I was sitting down and learning new things about an old friend.

I haven’t read other biographies on Lucille Ball, but I would have to assume that having someone else analyze your life is different from when you analyze it yourself. Lucie Arnaz does write that Lucille Ball was careful to not write things that would “hurt” Desi.

I think Lucy fans would enjoy my book sale find!