Review - Alan Alda, "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed"

I hope Alan Alda’s character is elected president on “The West Wing.”
Hawkeye Pierce in the White House. Bring in Loretta Swit to play the first lady.
Only, it wouldn’t be Hawkeye, of course.
Hawkeye Pierce is a character Alan Alda played for 11 years on “MASH”. Now, he plays a different character on “The West Wing,” someone named Arnold Vinnick.
Still, I hope Alan Alda is the next TV president.
I just finished reading his autobiography, “Never Have Your Dog Stuffed and Other Things I’ve learned.”
I learned that Alan Alda is a very pleasant person. Even more pleasant than Hawkeye Pierce (if Pierce were real).
I think I would enjoy sitting down to talk with Alan Alda even more than spending time with Hawkeye and B.J. in their “MASH” tent.
The book is entertaining on many levels.
There is the eternal truth about fathers and sons level.
It is interesting that Alan loved his father, Robert Alda, so much and yet felt it necessary to compete with him. But, that’s typical of fathers and sons.
I always thought it would have been great to have Robert play an older Hawkeye to Pernell Roberts’ older Trapper on “Trapper John, M.D.” I always thought I should write a letter to someone and suggest it, but never did.
It is interesting that Alan took so long to be the hit he was on “MASH.” I knew he acted, wrote and directed for the show, but somehow had the idea he was just enough of an egoist to force his way into all those roles. After reading his book, I don’t think so. I think Alan is the antithesis of Hawkeye in many ways. Who could picture Hawkeye Pierce married 40 years? Remember the show with Blythe Danner, playing Hawkeye’s former college sweetheart? He kept backing himself into a corner while trying to convince her they could make their relationship work. Classic TV scene! But Alan and Arlene have been married at least 40 years.
The book is encouraging. Not in the you-too-can-do-anything-you-set-your-mind-to way of the modern hucksters; but in the you-too-can-learn-to-live-and-treasure-each-moment way.
Celebrate life is the message I take from the book, the antithesis of having your dog stuffed to get a few extra miles of love from him.