Book: Paul and Me by A.E. Hotchner

An account of the friendship between Paul Newman and A.E.Hotchner. After Newman was wildly successful as an actor, he began his wildly successful food line, donating all the profits to charity and then founded The Hole in the Wall Gang camp for terminally ill kids. Hotchner was a partner in both of these ventures. Whether or not this is a true and fair portrait of Paul Newman, he is presented in the book as both an ordinary and extraordinary guy. Hotchner and Paul were drinking, traveling, fishing and boating buddies, along with being partners in the philanthropic enterprises and collaborating in various performing arts, with Hotchner writing scripts and Paul performing.

Paul was married to Joanna for over 50 years and she is mentioned only in passing as are his children, but I don't think Hotchner intends for this account to be more than it is: primarily stories of their friendship. Paul had 5 daughters and a son who committed suicide which was devastating to Paul. Yet, he admits he didn't reach out to his son in ways that might have made a difference, and his son was handicapped by having such a famous father with fame, fortune and another family.

Paul's love for life comes through in tales of his race-car driving, his practical jokes, his boats, his belief in his salad dressing that led to the Newman Own food products and his genuine joy in making the lives of compromised kids a little better.

While this book is limiting as far as who Paul Newman really was, it does not pretend to be anything more than a fond tribute to a friend.