I’ll Be Damned audiobook

200 I'll Be Damned, by Eric Braeden is a 2017 Dey Street publication. Here is an excerpt of my review posted on Night Owl Reviews:The book also includes some very nice glossy photographs of Victor and his lovely family and his famous Y&R co-stars.I have no idea what I was expecting, but I got a lot more than I bargained for. In fact, I think I just might start checking in on Victor on Y&R again to see what he’s up to these days.I highly recommend this book to everyone, but if you are a fan of this actor, you will really enjoy learning about his background and life story, which is surprising, refreshing, and makes a very compelling read.To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...

No matter what your job, title, or social status, I will regard you with respect, until and unless you fail to do the same for me, at which point, no matter what your job, title, or social status, we're likely to have a problem.I was born two years after Eric Braeden began his run as Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless. My mom was an obsessive watcher of the show, and so naturally, I became one, as well. As almost any fan of the show can tell you, of all the characters, Victor was The One. That stern face, that amazing rumbly voice. When Victor talked, you listened.I've loved him since childhood. After reading his memoir, I have respect for him as a person, as opposed to just as an incredible actor. And again, anyone who watches soap operas knows that more often than not, you're not getting Shakespearian quality acting on these shows where characters can be recast at the drop of a hat. I am pretty pleased to report that Eric Braeden is exactly who he has always appeared to be. A bold, no-nonsense man who takes no shit and fights for what he believes in. Born in 1941, in a hospital that would be destroyed by bombs just days later, he started out in a life of privilege, which was all pretty quickly and dramatically taken away. He worshipped his father, and it wasn't until long after he arrived in America that he realized the ramifications of his father, a good man, a smart, professional man, joining the Nazi party. Because that's what professional men did in Germany.He worked hard to get where he is today. He's appeared in shows that I've watched and possibly maybe saw him in (Mary Tyler Moore), and shows that I adored and absolutely loved him in (How I Met Your Mother). I hated when they replaced him on HIMYM, but seeing where the character of Robin Scherbatsky Senior went, it wasn't a good fit anymore. He was considered for the role of James Bond after Sean Connery stepped down. He repeatedly turned down the part in Titanic, until his wife and son talked him into it. He loved the role, and had the most harrowing experience filming his own death scene. That's an intense but wonderful read. He outright refused to continue playing German nazis, and he fought for decades, and continues to fight, for human rights, and to improve societal stereotypes about German citizens. He is political, and he's smart. And when he cares about something, when something matters, he fights for it. And there's not much more you can ask of anyone, let alone one with such a strong and diverse fanbase. His chapters about his time on Y&R are absolutely delicious for any fan, even one who stopped watching 15+ years ago, as I did. His first meeting with Jeanne Cooper, which I will not spoil here, is everything I ever wanted to know about these two actors. He does an amazing rapid history of the character of Victor Newman that truly reads like a lifelong fan explaining 40 years of history. And he follows it up by explaining that he definitely didn't pull that from memory. And lastly, everything you need to know about Eric Braeden in one anecdote. He's not a drug user, but the one time he smoked marijuana, he pontificated about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and felt everything he was saying was absolutely brilliant. How can you not want to read this?Received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.

My Mom loved The Young and the Restless, and she was a faithful viewer of "my story" until she passed away. I knew the characters, although not so much the storylines, but as a remembrance of my mom I decided to listen to this book, read by Eric Braeden. I came away with a tremendous respect for a man and actor who is way more than just Victor Newman (his character's name in Y & R). He survived World War II as a child in Germany, became quite a good athlete, had to endure the loss, when he was a boy, of his beloved father, came to this country as a young man, got started in acting on the stage, became a regular on a tv series, and after that ended made many guest appearances on other tv shows, married the woman to whom he is still married, and fathered a son who he loves more than life itself. He starred in movies, particularly Titanic, and of course, landed the role for which he is most well known, Victor Newman. This in and of itself makes for a great autobiography, but there is more. His hatred of the Nazis is made quite clear, but at the same time he is proud to be German. He is disgusted with racism and bullying and definitely is not shy about expressing his views on other societal matters. I really admire his beliefs and in sticking to his principles. His deep love for his family is a lovely thing to hear about. He speaks quite respectfully and at length about the actors and actresses he has worked with, with only a tiny number he didn't care to work with, and these are handled by not naming names. He is in awe of many people from all walks of life, which has served to enrich his own life. For the Y & R fans, he talks in depth about the show and those he works with. Having him read his book is a treat in and of itself. All in all, a very enjoyable book, and I couldn't help thinking how much my Mom would have enjoyed hearing it as well.

I've read quite a few celebrity memoirs, and this is one of the best. Many times celebrity memoirs are very one dimensional and I can read them in what seems like just a few hours - this is a very robust, well thought out, and well written book.I had no idea that Braeden is German, his father was in the Nazi party, and that he has been such a huge advocate of German/Jewish and German/American relationships. It was fascinating to read about this part of his life.And Y&R fans, this book was not disappoint in terms of inside scoop on the show and the actors!

The short version first . . .There is one guilty pleasure I have adopted during my time away from the true calling in my life, teaching kids, and that is the 11:00 a.m. (U.S. Central Time Zone) airing of the “soap opera” entitled “The Young and the Restless.” My dear wife hooked me on the program when we would share our vacation times away from our respective professions, hers – nursing, and mine – working in public education. As luck would have it, medical reasons forced me into an early retirement so that I had a lot more time on my hands for doing the other guilty pleasure – reading, just about anything substantive and worthwhile, even including my latest guilty pleasures: reading either “hard science” fiction, impeccable, thoroughly researched and documented histories or biographies. An occasional thriller or mystery creeps in once in a while as well as an occasional funny piece of other fiction or two, usually related to fuzzy friends or other light reading about something really nice and soft, usually with four legs and a furry body, and the occasional meow, bark, whinny, or bray. . .The story here is all about an iconic day time drama, and its resident character that everyone either loves to hate or hates to love. His character, Victor Newman, is an entrepreneur and billionaire, with international business dealings and interests under the corporate identity known as Newman Enterprises. This character is portrayed by Eric Braeden and his memoir is I’ll Be Damned: How My Young and Restless Life Led Me to America’s # 1 Daytime Drama. No matter whether you know anything about day time television and its characters or not, I believe you will find something of interest about Mr. Braeden’s story. It is not just about “the soaps,” although most of his career in acting has been a part of the day time, dramatic genre. Eric Braeden’s story is even more remarkable that a successful career in television, During his early youth, he was a young child surrounded in dying throes of Germany during the final days of World War II. His family life was unremarkable other than being impoverished due to the incessant fighting, shelling, and bombing; and even more so in its aftermath of occupation, the trials for the criminals, and the suffering of those who survived the horrors and mass murders of the concentration camps. Mr. Braeden’s birthname was actually Hans Jörg Gudegast. His child, Christian, uses this paternal family name to this day, while maintaining his stage name since it was one of the facets that enabled him to survive in his new country, America. He changed his name to find success in the sets and sound stages of Southern California as he followed opportunities to become an actor. Mr. Braeden can also add author to his credentials with the work under review, I’ll Be Damned: How My Young and Restless Life Led Me to America’s # 1 Daytime Drama. His writing style is direct, erudite, lucid, and (at times) most humorous, at least to someone who has grown up with his characters during a long and successful career. I knew Mr. Braeden in his “The Rat Patrol” role as well as his title role as Dr. Forbin in “Colossus: The Forbin Project.” Sci-fi enthusiasts might find the minutiae behind the movie itself a bit strange such as a gamma-ray shield protecting the Colossus installation. High energy gamma rays are radiations that can cause as much if not more damage to electronic circuitry than they cause to humans. In fact, high energy radiation is something which can also exist in coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from stars like our Sun. Use a gamma ray “shield” might be overkill in all senses of that word, but then again “Colossus” and “Guardiaits counterpart in the then Soviet Union were a bit more fanciful and less well known when this particular film was in first release in theaters back in the 1960s.But, the world as shown daily to a large audience just about everywhere with a television receiver knows Mr. Braeden as Victor Newman on “The Young and The Restless.” His character is a no-nonsense type of man, who has the monetary and corporate power to make things happen in ways both good and bad, depending on what is best for his family and his company, in that order. The family ties that he learned and lived at a young age has provided him with a clear mission to always know that the family comes first. That is the way Victor is portrayed in the ”Y&R” scripting, and I am reasonably sure that is the same way he feels as expressed in his memoir. I believe it was the hardships of post-World War II Germany that are at the core of his being, and I am equally sure that his love of his family, whether real or imagined, is always going to be the first thing in his life.Mr. Braeden also has a great love of sports. His youth was spent in boxing gyms, track and field stadia, tennis courts and soccer fields. He is accomplished in many types of sports, and he still keeps in shape by training and participating in events as they can fit into his schedule. He won several awards for the teams on which he participated, and while he likes to play, his is always playing to win. He is probably going to find that he has won in the industry associated with the written word, as his memoir is one of the better pieces of literature in that genre that I have had the pleasure to read and review. It lived up to the billing and the accolades it has already garnered.Recommendations: This is clearly a five out of five stars on the Goodreads rating scale, upon which all of my reviews are written. This book is aimed at an adult audience, not so much for its content other than a bit of epithetical craftsmanship in various places. It does delve into those waters or bogs enough to encourage me to given a disclaimer on language, but the language is exactly what you want to here in Victor’s *Mr. Braeden) voice. It comes out when he addresses things that need to addressed in his estimation. In that score, I can fully well agree, and I would also say I might be tempted to go there myself, given enough provocation. Still and all, I believe an adult audience will find this read one of those you really can’t put down. I definitely know one thing for certain. I still contend that Mr. Braeden is a family-first gentleman, and his off-camera feelings match those of his on-camera persona. Bravo, Mr. Braeden, bravo indeed. You have lived an amazing life, and thank you so much for sharing it with all of us. I wish you continued success and excellence as they are your defining best qualities.All of you Y&R fans out there, this is one you have got to read. It is a must on your short list, believe me. You won’t be disappointed. Review of Eric Braeden's memoir, I'll Be Damned! How My Young and Restless Life Led Me to America’s # 1 Daytime Drama by Richard W. Buro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Based on a work at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31415573-i-ll-be-damned.Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://corporate.harpercollins.com/us/sales-and-rights/subsidiary-rights.

I must start off by saying that I began watching Y&R 40 years ago at the ripe old age of 5, yes 5. TGVN is, was, and ALWAYS will be my favorite legacy character. Having said that, this is the absolute, hands down **best** memoir I have ever read (well listened to, because it’s Eric Braeden, so you have to hear these stories in THAT voice!!) This book was educational, honest, funny, thoughtful and just downright delightful. There is no badmouthing, no disrespect in the interest of having the last word or trying to one up anyone. If you want salacious drama, this isn’t the read for you, however, if you know some of the situations he speaks of you can definitely read between the lines without him having to even utter a single name. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys non-fiction, biography type books even if you aren’t familiar with him by trade. It was reflective, insightful and highly entertaining ♥️

Hans Jorg Goudegast was the third of four boys born to an upper middle class Germany family. His father was the mayor of a small town, dying early in Hans' life. Forced into poverty, his mother did what she could. Hans excelled in acting out and got himself into trouble a time or two. After graduating, he came to America and rarely looked back. Typecast in shows and movies, he'd been told that he was "too German" and chose to change his name professionally to Eric Braeden to honor his hometown. With that came more opportunities in film. Now married, when the guarantee of a steady income to support his family, he signed on as the now iconic character. And he doesn't take it for granted, working and supporting his cast mates and his audience. Braeden obviously loves what he does. He recounts stories around Young and the Restless, but also his respect for producing directing and performing outside of the walls of Genoa City. He has chosen and been connected with notable artists over his career. He waxes almost poetically around his friends and cast mates, especially the late Jeanne Cooper, who, in her own memoir did the same for him, and George Kennedy who in one of his last appearances guested as Victor's father. IF you have grown up with the Newmans and the Abbots, this is a MUST read. If you are a student of memoir, this is a fine example. All I know is it made me laugh, cry and understand why Eric Braeden is who and how he is.

All I Expected and MoreHave loved Eric Braeden since he appeared on Y&R. He has always been the OG for me. Loved finding out his story and what a ride it was. Love his tenacity and will to succeed. Well written and entertaining. Loved it.

Love, love this book.Have been a fan since before Victor came on the show. Had no idea he has led such a great life. Admire him so much.

(I voluntarily reviewed this library eBook)I am one of those people who can almost tell you where I was the day I saw the suave, cavalier Victor Newman on Young and the Restless over 40 years ago. And I also remember an exchange student from Germany telling a bunch of us that the last time she'd been back in Germany, that Eric Braeden, virtually unknown in his home country, had passed her sitting on the grass in front of her house. SHE knew who he was, and after a short conversation where she got his autograph, they parted company. I'll never forget her face...it mirrored the rest of ours....Victor Newman was supposed to be a three month stopgap gig for Braeden while he pursued other acting jobs. However, by his own admission, forty plus years have gone by and he still loves him, as do all of us Y+R diehards. He's the "guy you love to hate with the heart of gold". However, this memoir gives us a "backstory", much as he requests history on all the characters he's ever played.Hans Jorg Goudegast was the third of four boys born to an upper middle class Germany family. His father was the mayor of a small town, dying early in Hans' life. Forced into poverty, his mother did what she could. Hans excelled in acting out and got himself into trouble a time or two. After graduating, he came to America and rarely looked back.Typecast in shows and movies, he'd been told that he was "too German" and chose to change his name professionally to Eric Braeden to honor his hometown. With that came more opportunities in film. Now married, when the guarantee of a steady income to support his family, he signed on as the now iconic character. And he doesn't take it for granted, working and supporting his cast mates and his audience.Braeden obviously loves what he does. He recounts stories around Young and the Restless, but also his respect for producing directing and performing outside of the walls of Genoa City. He has chosen and been connected with notable artists over his career. He waxes almost poetically around his friends and cast mates, especially the late Jeanne Cooper, who, in her own memoir did the same for him, and George Kennedy who in one of his last appearances guested as Victor's father. IF you have grown up with the Newmans and the Abbots, this is a MUST read. If you are a student of memoir, this is a fine example. All I know is it made me laugh, cry and understand why Eric Braeden is who and how he is.

Back in the 1990s, my wife and I watched The Young and the Restless very regularly. And of all the characters, I always liked Victor Newman the best. Alas, for the last 17 years, my work schedule no longer allows me to watch during the daytime, and even with On-Demand, life seems too busy to watch replays at other times. Still, when I saw this volume was available through our library, I had to check it out.Eric Braeden tells the twisting story of his life growing up as a young boy during the dark days of WW2 in Germany, and the plague that followed him for decades as he moved to the United States after the war. Being type-cast as a German soldier when it came to acting, but also some of the prejudice that came with it.I was not aware of Braeden's athletic prowess - he exceptional skills in soccer, and that he played at a semi-professional level for many years. Nor was I aware of his extensive acting career - on stage, in film and on TV - that occurred prior to his work on the Young and the Restless starting in the early 80s. He has worked side by side with many well known actors and stars; rightly, he has also earned his star on the Walk of Fame. Braeden is a very driven and competitive man, yet also very compassionate and honorable in his dealings with others.At age 75 Braeden is still going strong in his work with Y & R, with no signs of slowing down. For readers, whether you have seen Braeden on TV or on the screen, I think you will truly enjoy this book which reflects upon his life, career and perspective on life. I certainly did.

I also watch Y&R for many years.Victor is the Pater Familias, boss, business tycoon and villain of the pack. I was familiar with his acting from 'Rat Patrol' and having a European background I recognised his German-ness. This always shines through in his acting, no matter how hard he tries. Not a bad thing.In his role he often uses the term " I'll be damned !" and I always cringe at it. When Noticed the book in a store I said to another customer " The title sounds like Victor Newman. And by golly, it was.Got it from the library and although I did not expect to like it, I read it in day.Even with the superficially known facts of his life, it was an eye opener. Not always pleasant, often overbearing and egotistical Eric/Victor much the same. Too much name-dropping, on and on, too much emphasis on the , mostly good, characters of friends and co-workers. Has a nice flow in story line. In the end, and you may not like to hear this, as he says somewhere along the way " what's the upshot"? the upshot is that Germany and Germans and others with German heritage will not get over the need for atoning and ( Nazi/War) guilt until at least another two or three generations have passed. This is , pardon me for saying it, the 'leitmotif' in much of this bio. Not a bad thing and for probably 80% of North Americans an unknown quantity. It's time you all wake up to that.And after, or before, do read the Diary of Anne Frank (again)

I'll be damned! There's a whole other dimension to Victor Newman I didn't know about before! I enjoyed this book and learning of the parallel lives of Hans Gudegast a.k.a Eric Braeden and the infamous fictional Victor Newman. Beneath the "moustache" is a genuine, inspiring intellectual and sensitive individual who would have your back until you proved otherwise that it wasn't deserved! He is inspiring with his determination and dedication to all aspects of his life - work, sports and family, as well as educating others that not all German bred people are in fact Nazi's!I have an esteemed admiration for Eric Braeden after reading this book - he's the kind of guy you would love to have lunch with only to find hours later, owing to the scintillating conversation, that time has slipped by, you've missed dinner and the restaurant is about to close shop for the night, when he will suggest that you both take a walk down the street to grab a bite and a pint at the local pizzeria or pub! ...to which I would gladly acquiesce!!

Any The Young and the Restless fan will certainly enjoy this book. This is not however a biography of "Victor Newman." This is the autobiography of a serious actor very much engaged with the world. Eric Braeden shows that a Hollywood actor is able to maintain a serious and informed dialogue with the world beyond the sound stage. World War II enthusiasts will be drawn to his experience as a son of Germany, and his encounters with the legacy of that war. His place in our culture has led to encounters with world leaders. Of course there is always the role of Victor, and while that is not the primary focus here he does share his associations with fellow Y&R actors-encounters which were not always pleasant as he shares tensions with Peter Bergman (early on) and an unnamed actor-who many of us know-who sought to undercut Braeden's star at Y&R. Fans of Titanic will also enjoy Braeden's experience portraying John Jacob Astor in the epic movie. This is not a shallow story of Hollywood but the memoir of an informed and involved Renaissance man.