I grew up watching all of John Candy’s movies, so I was very excited for this! I was not disappointed in this book whatsoever. The interviews with his friends were a great touch

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the early copy!

This was an interesting nonfiction novel. I recommend checking it out.

This is essentially a fan's tribute biography of John Candy.

I've always loved John Candy. He was a comedy hero for the big guys. The kind of guy who was able to make you laugh, cry, and laugh again. Most bigger comedians (can we just say fat? I'm fat, I don't mind the term) entertain by making you laugh at them, John Candy always had you laughing with him. That is a rare skill.

This book is okay. It reads like a collective fan letter from various friends and co-workers. Many chose not to participate, understandable considering the author appears to be something of a novice when it comes to book writing, but those who did shared some wonderful memories.

There isn't really any "warts and all" aspect to the book. It shows a man who was not a saint by any means but was by all accounts a pretty good guy. And I believe that. I want to believe it. That's the audience for this book. Fans of John Candy who would like to know more about him without ruining their memories.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A intimate look at a larger than life guy. As a fan of John Candy, I adored this unauthorized biography.

4 out of 5 stars. A good read.

#SearchingForCandyJohnCandyABiography #NetGalley

I wasnt ready for this book at all, I loved it. Well written, informative and heartbreaking. Biography type books are touch and go with me but this one had me from the first chapter.

I loved learning about John Candy. I'm a HUGE fan of him as a person and his work, as though you could separate the two. While I loved all the little things the book taught me there was just too much wrong with the book to overlook.

I didn't like the way the book was written. It didn't pace together the way a book should. It left so much to be desired. At times I would find myself trying to understand what the author was trying to tell me.

Because it was written from a Brittish author it made it hard to know what she was talking about. Money was written in pounds and there was a lot of Brittish slang so it made it hard to know what was being written.

A lot of the times the author would be referencing someone but you'd have no idea who was saying what or where their part of the conversation ended. It would just jump from one person talking to her talking, and back to the other person talking all within the same paragraph, which made it confusing to follow what was being said. I loved hearing what people had to say but it would have been nice knowing who said what and what the author thought, without the two of them overlapping each other at times.

Overall an okay book.

If you are expecting either a traditionally researched scholarly biography or an acidic warts and all Hollywood hatchet job then you will be disappointed. Rather this is more of a work of love, even at times a devotional elegy from an authentic fan who despite never meeting him has developed an intense admiration for both Candy and his work.

This is an unauthorised biography so there is no direct access here to his family and I assume certain papers pertaining to his financial affairs. What the book does contain is first-hand original interviews with over 70 of Candy’s colleagues and friends together with a resume of his career. One does get a real sense of the man and there is uniform praise and genuine love from those either who knew him well or were beneficiaries from his numerous acts of kindness and generosity. In public and private he had the same personae as evidenced by a number of stories retold here..

It is sometimes overlooked how talented Candy was. Schooled in the world of improvisation even the sometimes cameo parts he played in films (some of which were not financially successful or critically acclaimed at the time) were masterclasses in comedic technique and application. I do not know how many times I have seen Planes Trains and Automobiles but on each viewing I spot something new.

There is due to his early demise at the age of just 43 a feeling of sadness when one thinks of Candy. And he always believed that due to his own father's early death of heart failure that his time would be short and therefore he needed to pack in as much work as possible. Tracey J. Morgan has produced a moving tribute which becomes quite heartbreaking and emotional at the end. Recommended for all Candy fans.

This was an interesting liltte book, but it wasn't very well written. The author should have had a ghost do the work. Otherwise, I would have rated it higher.

Oh, how I remember I loved most of the movies John Candy was in. His life and career was super interesting to read about. Any fan of his would love this book.

3.75 stars, but rounded to 4. A heartfelt tribute to a legend. Jordan amasses an impressive slew of people who interacted with Candy throughout his life, and the many anecdotes generate a sweeter story than what an everyday biography would otherwise provide. As is likely the author’s goal, it’s apparent that the man only became a more charitable and lovable human as time went by. So many of these celebrity stories really bring out the duality of man; he sure seems to have been an exception to that.

Jordan’s admiration and love is infectious—her prose isn’t going to knock your socks off, but this work has a grassroots/big-hearted aspect to it that makes it a speedy (as well as stupendously informative) read.

In terms of drawbacks, I have to assume that the version I read is some sort of draft, so certainly some of the editorial passes were still to come, which really leaves only one thing, and it’s a pet peeve in these books: I’m cool with the authors having their own feelings about films, but I’ve yet to see their opinions spruce up or improve their work. Mini-film reviews don’t really do anything but (a) turn off a reader to experiencing a certain film (and, if you’re writing a book in tribute, don’t you want the person do dive into that filmography as much as possible?) and/or (b) stop the book dead in its tracks. Ultimately, though, it’s up to the author, so whatever. I’d just include a chapter (or a section at the end of each chapter) with personal notes/thoughts on the movies.

That Ken Tipton story she includes is worth reading the whole book for. It will gut you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance review.

Legendary comedic actor, John Candy, is often described as one of the sweetest men in Hollywood. Police Academy legend, Tim Kazurinksy, once said that “John wasn’t just a one in a million guy - he was a one in a hundred million guy”. Incredibly talented, full of heart and extraordinarily hard working, with over forty movies under his belt, Candy was a screen icon during the 80s and early 90s. His starring roles in Uncle Buck, Cool Runnings, Spaceballs and Planes, Trains and Automobiles are testament to a rare and much loved talent. Candy could make you laugh and cry on the turn of a dime.

Searching for Candy is an extensive overview of his career. The book reveals his early years growing up in post-war Toronto, his breakthrough as part of the legendary Second City comedy group, Candy’s wonderful movie career and his stint as a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts Gridiron Team, right through to his tragic passing in 1994.

The book features first-hand original interviews with over 70 of Candy’s colleagues and friends, some speaking on record for the first time. Stars interviewed include Mel Brooks, Mariel Hemingway, Carl Reiner, Dave Thomas, Juul Haalmeyer, Valri Bromfield and others, building a vibrant and authentic portrait of the much-missed actor, comedian and humanist.

I grew up watching John Candy movies, my favorite movie is Uncle Buck. I loved reading this book and learning more about this great actor.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #SearchingForCandyJohnCandyABiography
Pub Date: 05 Mar 2019

A biography of the late actor written by a fan. It relies extensively on interviews from folks who knew and worked with him. There are also chapters on each of his movies, mostly about the making of the movie but some critiques of each.

It's very good that Morgan relies so heavily on the interviews, often quoting them at some length, because the book is not well-written. It's full of incorrectly spelled words, missing words, incorrect punctuation, and a host of other problems.

This unauthorized biography of the guy often called the sweetest man in Hollywood is as engaging as the actor himself, featuring interviews with more than 70 of his colleagues and friends. Includes an extensive review of his legendary career in comedy and film, from Second City to movies such as Cool Runnings and Spaceballs. It’s a compelling Candy tribute, capturing the charisma of the guy who especially won my heart in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which my husband and I saw just weeks ago. I remarked then how magnetic he was on screen, his intelligence and big-heartedness plainly evident. SEARCHING FOR CANDY reveals exactly why, and underscores our great loss with his too-early death at 43.

Pub Date 05 Mar 2019.

Thanks to the author, Xpresso Book Tours, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#SearchingForCandyJohnCandyABiography #NetGalley