Mike Nichols: A Life
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- Author：Mark Harris
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Summary
A magnificent biography of one of the most protean creative forces in American entertainment history， a life of dazzling highs and vertiginous plunges--some of the worst largely unknown until now--by the acclaimed author of Pictures at a Revolution and Five Came Back
Mike Nichols burst onto the scene as a wunderkind: while still in his twenties， he was half of a hit improv duo with Elaine May that was the talk of the country。 Next he directed four consecutive hit plays， won back-to-back Tonys， ushered in a new era of Hollywood moviemaking with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf？， and followed it with The Graduate， which won him an Oscar and became the third-highest-grossing movie ever。 At thirty-five， he lived in a three-story Central Park West penthouse， drove a Rolls-Royce， collected Arabian horses， and counted Jacqueline Kennedy， Elizabeth Taylor， Leonard Bernstein， and Richard Avedon as friends。
Where he arrived is even more astonishing given where he had begun: born Igor Peschkowsky to a Jewish couple in Berlin in 1931， he and his younger brother were sent to America on a ship in 1939。 The young immigrant boy caught very few breaks。 He was bullied and ostracized--an allergic reaction had rendered him permanently hairless--and his father died when he was just twelve， leaving his mother alone and overwhelmed。
The gulf between these two sets of facts explains a great deal about Nichols's transformation from lonely outsider to the center of more than one cultural universe--the acute powers of observation that first made him famous; the nourishment he drew from his creative partnerships， most enduringly with May; his unquenchable drive; his hunger for security and status; and the depressions and self-medications that brought him to terrible lows。 It would take decades for him to come to grips with his demons。 In an incomparable portrait that follows Nichols from Berlin to New York to Chicago to Hollywood， Mark Harris explores， with brilliantly vivid detail and insight， the life， work， struggle， and passion of an artist and man in constant motion。 Among the 250 people Harris interviewed: Elaine May， Meryl Streep， Stephen Sondheim， Robert Redford， Glenn Close， Tom Hanks， Candice Bergen， Emma Thompson， Annette Bening， Natalie Portman， Julia Roberts， Lorne Michaels， and Gloria Steinem。
Mark Harris gives an intimate and evenhanded accounting of success and failure alike; the portrait is not always flattering， but its ultimate impact is to present the full story of one of the most richly interesting， complicated， and consequential figures the worlds of theater and motion pictures have ever seen。 It is a triumph of the biographer's art。
Mike Nichols burst onto the scene as a wunderkind: while still in his twenties， he was half of a hit improv duo with Elaine May that was the talk of the country。 Next he directed four consecutive hit plays， won back-to-back Tonys， ushered in a new era of Hollywood moviemaking with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf？， and followed it with The Graduate， which won him an Oscar and became the third-highest-grossing movie ever。 At thirty-five， he lived in a three-story Central Park West penthouse， drove a Rolls-Royce， collected Arabian horses， and counted Jacqueline Kennedy， Elizabeth Taylor， Leonard Bernstein， and Richard Avedon as friends。
Where he arrived is even more astonishing given where he had begun: born Igor Peschkowsky to a Jewish couple in Berlin in 1931， he and his younger brother were sent to America on a ship in 1939。 The young immigrant boy caught very few breaks。 He was bullied and ostracized--an allergic reaction had rendered him permanently hairless--and his father died when he was just twelve， leaving his mother alone and overwhelmed。
The gulf between these two sets of facts explains a great deal about Nichols's transformation from lonely outsider to the center of more than one cultural universe--the acute powers of observation that first made him famous; the nourishment he drew from his creative partnerships， most enduringly with May; his unquenchable drive; his hunger for security and status; and the depressions and self-medications that brought him to terrible lows。 It would take decades for him to come to grips with his demons。 In an incomparable portrait that follows Nichols from Berlin to New York to Chicago to Hollywood， Mark Harris explores， with brilliantly vivid detail and insight， the life， work， struggle， and passion of an artist and man in constant motion。 Among the 250 people Harris interviewed: Elaine May， Meryl Streep， Stephen Sondheim， Robert Redford， Glenn Close， Tom Hanks， Candice Bergen， Emma Thompson， Annette Bening， Natalie Portman， Julia Roberts， Lorne Michaels， and Gloria Steinem。
Mark Harris gives an intimate and evenhanded accounting of success and failure alike; the portrait is not always flattering， but its ultimate impact is to present the full story of one of the most richly interesting， complicated， and consequential figures the worlds of theater and motion pictures have ever seen。 It is a triumph of the biographer's art。
Reviews
Sarala Dee
，
i adore Mike Nichols as a director and as a phenomenal actor。 This book reveals much about him that I was not aware of from interviews of people that were close to him though his life。 it reveals much about his relationship with Elaine May and his beginnings in Chicago。 Much is given to his history of relationships with women and his marriages。He was a very insecure man， with a tendency to both cruelty and absolute locality。 His career was filled with ups and downs， many of which he created hims i adore Mike Nichols as a director and as a phenomenal actor。 This book reveals much about him that I was not aware of from interviews of people that were close to him though his life。 it reveals much about his relationship with Elaine May and his beginnings in Chicago。 Much is given to his history of relationships with women and his marriages。He was a very insecure man， with a tendency to both cruelty and absolute locality。 His career was filled with ups and downs， many of which he created himself by his need for absolute control。 A totally absorbing book， about one of the most influential people in film and theatre of our century。 。。。more
Susan Long
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A fascinating story about struggle and acceptance woven with brilliance as well as flaws。 Mike’s many talents reflected in too many awards to keep track of but his loyalty and mentor ship truly stand out。 A definite must read as a guide to the theater and movie making。
Roger
，
MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE is a remarkably engaging book about a man who， himself， could be remarkably engaging， though often not。 Before reading this book I knew that Mike Nichols was married to Diane Sawyer and directed THE GRADUATE， a favorite movie during my college years when it appealed to my sense of entitled angst。 Dig a little deeper and I may have recollected that Mike Nichols directed THE BIRDCAGE， SILKWOOD， and some plays， and did some kind of comedy bit in the olden days。The truth as laid MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE is a remarkably engaging book about a man who， himself， could be remarkably engaging， though often not。 Before reading this book I knew that Mike Nichols was married to Diane Sawyer and directed THE GRADUATE， a favorite movie during my college years when it appealed to my sense of entitled angst。 Dig a little deeper and I may have recollected that Mike Nichols directed THE BIRDCAGE， SILKWOOD， and some plays， and did some kind of comedy bit in the olden days。The truth as laid out by author Mark Harris is much broader， deeper， and more interesting， abetted by the wealth of familiar names who contributed to the research behind this book。 Every few pages introduces， or rather re-introduces， familiary names。 Ed Asner shows up， as does Alan Alda， George Segal， Stockard Channing， and Swoozie Kurtz。 That's not even counting the superstars like Burton and Taylor， Nicholson， and Meryl Streep。 The figures who dominated （or even just showed up--Nichols knew them all it seems） the movies and the television shows I watched as a youth were all in Mike Nichols's world。 He knew the stars and the working stiff actors in Hollywood and especially on Broadway。 Even Buck Henry， the genius behind GET SMART， my favorite childhood show， was a friend and collaborator。 Make sure you read the acknowledgements。 The list of interviewees is a romp through the past 60 years of American entertainment。Nichols left a vast legacy for American theater and comedy， and his movies will stand the test of time as well。 But， the path to that legacy is bumpy， primarily because of Nichols's own personal burdens。 As a child he escaped Nazi Germany and he often wondered why his Russian Jewish family survived and so many others did not。 He carried that guilt。 To further complicate his life， as a child an adverse reaction to a whooping cough vaccine left him hairless。 When he came to New York as a young boy in the 1930s he not only was the immigrant Jewish outsider but the bald little boy。 He fought with teachers so that he could wear his cap indoors， he skipped school， and he found refuge in movie theaters。 His discomfort with his personal appearance led him to start wearing wigs in his teens; cheap ones because his family was poor。 As a young man， at night he used acetone to dissolve the adhesive that kept the wig in place。 The smell was so bad his friends would gag a bit when they entered his modest apartment。 Even as a successful man in later life he could be hurt by smirking asides， in print or behind his back， about his hairlessness。 It added to his sense of not belonging， of being lesser。 Later in life， these burdens led to drug abuse and mental health issues， and on a lesser level a sometime dilatory approach to projects that left colleagues hanging。But Nichols was too smart and too complicated to be defined by his burdens。 He was whip smart and knew it。 His wit could be a weapon and was his ticket to early stardom in the comedy team of Nichols and May。 They rejected the old vaudvillian comedy and brought insightful improv to the fore。 His intelligence and ambitions brought him opportunities that he grabbed。 After high school he was unsure of what to do for a bit， so he ended up applying to and enrolling in the University of Chicago。 Not community college， the University of Chicago。 When the chance arose， he made friends with the best and brightest。 Going to Hollywood in the early 1960s to start a career making movies， with no experience behind him， he had lunch with Billy Wilder， Otto Preminger， and Joseph L。 Mankiewicz to elicit their advice。 Why not the best？ Why not make friends with interesting people？ The bridge between his insecurities and his desires to grab the brass ring are exemplied when he befriends Elizabeth Taylor， and in return she tells him he needs better more expensive wigs。 She knew someone。Mike Nichols found success and he eventually found peace， but he was not without flaws that may make any reader wonder why he was so beloved。 He could be mean， as a host of people who fell prey to his withering tongue could attest; just look to his relationship with Garry Shandling。 Mark Harris knew Mike Nichols， but this relationship doesn't seem to shadow the author's work。 Harris lets the life tell the story。 There are warts， but mostly there is art， and at the end there is peace and love。 Not a bad story。 。。。more
Beth
，
What an absorbing book。 Don't get turned off by its length or the （wonderful） fact that it is so detailed in its research。 I could not put it down。 Made me so wish I had gone into the arts and maybe had had a chance to rub elbows with Nichols and some of the brilliant friends in his circles。 What an absorbing book。 Don't get turned off by its length or the （wonderful） fact that it is so detailed in its research。 I could not put it down。 Made me so wish I had gone into the arts and maybe had had a chance to rub elbows with Nichols and some of the brilliant friends in his circles。 。。。more
Slappy
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Deeply researched and thorough biography of the complex & talented director who was a star in more than one field。 A can't put down read Deeply researched and thorough biography of the complex & talented director who was a star in more than one field。 A can't put down read 。。。more
Deborah Underwood
，
Outstanding biography of Mike Nichols。 Mark Harris was given permission by Mike's wife， Diane Sawyer， and all of his children to write this with "no conditions attached。。。no subject or area of inquiry was off limits and they did not ask to see any part of the manuscript before publication。" The result is comprehensive and well-written。 Outstanding biography of Mike Nichols。 Mark Harris was given permission by Mike's wife， Diane Sawyer， and all of his children to write this with "no conditions attached。。。no subject or area of inquiry was off limits and they did not ask to see any part of the manuscript before publication。" The result is comprehensive and well-written。 。。。more
Hansel5
，
I think I picked this up after reading a review of it， or an article by the book's author in the New Yorker earlier this year。It read very fast， close to 60 years in 600 pages。 What I enjoyed most was the story of Nichols' early life and his early successes， as well as finding out about all the behind the scenes events of the plays he was involved in and the film he either produced or directed。What I found most puzzling （or inability to reconcile） was Nichols' shortcomings like insecurity， alcoh I think I picked this up after reading a review of it， or an article by the book's author in the New Yorker earlier this year。It read very fast， close to 60 years in 600 pages。 What I enjoyed most was the story of Nichols' early life and his early successes， as well as finding out about all the behind the scenes events of the plays he was involved in and the film he either produced or directed。What I found most puzzling （or inability to reconcile） was Nichols' shortcomings like insecurity， alcoholism， drug addiction， over spending， while being a high intellectual and good communicator。 。。。more
Ronald Balzan
，
What a life！ What a book！ I can count the number of books that have moved me to tears on my fingers （without doubling up）， and this was one of them。 But the tears came only at the end， and I tend to cry when something great is lost。 Mike Nichols seems to have lived a life that I'm not sure it's possible for someone， however fortunate， to live anymore。 So， the loss in question is twofold: for Mike himself and for the time and place （including the values） in which he lived。 I encourage you to read What a life！ What a book！ I can count the number of books that have moved me to tears on my fingers （without doubling up）， and this was one of them。 But the tears came only at the end， and I tend to cry when something great is lost。 Mike Nichols seems to have lived a life that I'm not sure it's possible for someone， however fortunate， to live anymore。 So， the loss in question is twofold: for Mike himself and for the time and place （including the values） in which he lived。 I encourage you to read this book to better understand what I mean。 It will bring you great joy and describe times you will pine for too。 。。。more
Rachel
，
An exhaustive account of Nichol’s projects but not very much about his life。 It really read more like a history of his work and not a biography to me。 Aside from his childhood and some of his work with Elaine May， his personal life， habits， thoughts are a mystery。 I never got a sense of who he was as a person。 Oddly， I got a solid sense of what many actors he worked with were like but not Nichols。 I’ve never read a biography with such little insight or depth given to the subject’s personality。 An exhaustive account of Nichol’s projects but not very much about his life。 It really read more like a history of his work and not a biography to me。 Aside from his childhood and some of his work with Elaine May， his personal life， habits， thoughts are a mystery。 I never got a sense of who he was as a person。 Oddly， I got a solid sense of what many actors he worked with were like but not Nichols。 I’ve never read a biography with such little insight or depth given to the subject’s personality。 A lot of the book was just a recounting of the minutia of his various projects （not all projects got equal billing and some that you thought would be the most in-depth were not—and I’m still wondering how he got into television exactly） and then suddenly he was getting divorced or married or it was mentioned he was doing crack regularly or hadn’t seen his child for most of her childhood。 What？ No mention on how his interpersonal or professional life was affected by his apparent heavy substance abuse or what his personal relationship with pretty anyone was really like。 Very odd take on a biography， it would have been better if they had not pretended it was a biography and focused what it really was about， the work of Mike Nichols， not Mike Nichols the man。 。。。more
Darren
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The new bio of Mike Nichols by Mark Harris is 600 completely compelling pages of entertainment history that journeys across seven decades of theatre and film and television。 I loved this book so much。 All the accolades。
Jessie Juarez
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Did not want this book to end ever！ Truly one of my favorite biographies of all time。 Felt like reading a text book， filled with so much detail that was never boring。 Loved how the author really examined how Mike Nichols successes and failures affected him emotionally， mentally， and physically。 Nichols was so dearly loved and admired， but also had his faults and could be a jerk。 Last of his kind。
Linda
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I couldn’t put this book down， I loved it。。。。。。
Molly Rosen Marriner
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 absolutely ideal audiobook。 some jaw-dropping drugs， sondheim， and gossip， most notably the wisdom that jack nicholson treated his absolutely average-sized penis like a majestic magnum king。
Kerri M。
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Mark Harris' storytelling is beautiful。 I felt so close to Nichols that I cried reading about his death。 Of course， readers know it is coming， but the book was so well written and researched that it felt like reading about someone I knew personally。 Mark Harris' storytelling is beautiful。 I felt so close to Nichols that I cried reading about his death。 Of course， readers know it is coming， but the book was so well written and researched that it felt like reading about someone I knew personally。 。。。more
Howard Christie
，
Firstly this is a 660 page book including 60 pages of notes and sources， but it doesn’t matter because I think you barely want it to stop。 Secondly it’s a terrific read as they say。 Mike Nichols knew everyone important in the theater and movie world and they are all included here in some form。 If you love entertainment， this book will grab you with its well detailed stories of movies and plays and actors。 Thirdly， behind every great man is a great woman。 No truer than in this case。 Elaine May wa Firstly this is a 660 page book including 60 pages of notes and sources， but it doesn’t matter because I think you barely want it to stop。 Secondly it’s a terrific read as they say。 Mike Nichols knew everyone important in the theater and movie world and they are all included here in some form。 If you love entertainment， this book will grab you with its well detailed stories of movies and plays and actors。 Thirdly， behind every great man is a great woman。 No truer than in this case。 Elaine May was the brains behind the humor and the writer of the words。 Though they broke the act up and in fact we’re less than friendly， it seems， for many years ， they worked steadily together in projects in later years。 May was the fixer when scripts or screenplays weren’t going in the right direction。 It did seem like they had a deep connection and each was there for the other one。 None of this is to say Nichols wasn’t skilled。 A young Jewish boy coming to America from Nazi germany with his brother， leaving his mother behind and meeting his father who had left earlier。 Not really knowing what he wanted to be， he was entranced by a stage production of On the Waterfront。 Meeting May was probably the key moment as that got him to comedy clubs in Chicago and eventually to fame and fortune as part of the top comedy act in the country。 Broadway was what enticed him however and by directing Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple and winning directing Tonys for both he was pulled into film with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf。 Nichols bounced between film and Broadway for the rest of his career， winning numerous awards but having his share of failures。 In fact， in going thru his films， I see The Graduate， Carnal Knowledge， Silkwood， Working Girl and The Birdcage。 He did Angels in America for HBO。 Not exactly an extensive A list of works。 Personally his movies never hit me。 I remember enjoying Working Girl and laughing at Birdcage， but if TCM did a full retrospective， “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf “ is likely the only one of interest to me。 I think his plays may be more interesting and his work with stage actors is described as quite meaningful。 You do come away from this admiring his skills with people。 But， I can’t say I cared for Mike Nichols after reading this。 He seemed arrogant， haughty， prone to excess and overly flamboyant。 He wasted money， did drugs， moped when things weren’t great and often didn’t seem like that nice a person。 But he had a life that’s for sure。 He did lots of great， fun stuff。 He met people and lots of folks loved him deeply （ Meryl Streep， Emma Thompson， Steven Sondheim， Richard Avedon and others） so I think there was more to him than I discerned。 It’s really a fascinating and enjoyable book however you might decide to feel about him。 。。。more
Alex Simons
，
Enthralling and worthy of its subject This is a very thoughtful and thorough biography of a singular man。 I have a much better understanding of not only Nichols， but also his place in the roots of modern theater， improv， and movies。 Harris has done a masterful job。
Tedsandi2000 Kinghorn
，
This is a well-written biography。 The author focuses primarily on Nichols' career， his directing style， and professional relationships。 It is unsparing in its look at his excesses and struggles。 It also shows a man who could be wonderfully generous and kind。 I wish there had been more about his private life: children， brother， wives， friends。 He evidently had a very eclectic group of friends， but we find that out at his memorial services。 When and how did he meet them？ When did he spend time wit This is a well-written biography。 The author focuses primarily on Nichols' career， his directing style， and professional relationships。 It is unsparing in its look at his excesses and struggles。 It also shows a man who could be wonderfully generous and kind。 I wish there had been more about his private life: children， brother， wives， friends。 He evidently had a very eclectic group of friends， but we find that out at his memorial services。 When and how did he meet them？ When did he spend time with his stable of horses？ According to the author， Nichols worked nonstop for most of his life。 I did enjoy learning more about his partnership with Elaine May。 I am old enough to remember seeing their skits。 They had a unique and enduring friendship。 。。。more
Andrea Eisem
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Great insight into genius， a complex genius at that。 Loved every minute of it， forgot how important he was to theater， film and 20th century culture
Jay Croft
，
Catnip for movie lovers and theater fans of the lat 50 years or so。 I resisted reading this at first because I've never been much of a fan of Nichols' movies， including （gasp！） "Virginia Woolf" and "The Graduate。" But then I realized。。。 the guy did EVERYTHING and knew EVERYONE and that -- since Mark Harris is a great reporter -- the book would be full of can't-miss anecdotes featuring the best and brightest actors， writers， etc。 Irresistible。 Harris should also be commended for presenting a "war Catnip for movie lovers and theater fans of the lat 50 years or so。 I resisted reading this at first because I've never been much of a fan of Nichols' movies， including （gasp！） "Virginia Woolf" and "The Graduate。" But then I realized。。。 the guy did EVERYTHING and knew EVERYONE and that -- since Mark Harris is a great reporter -- the book would be full of can't-miss anecdotes featuring the best and brightest actors， writers， etc。 Irresistible。 Harris should also be commended for presenting a "warts and all" depiction of a man who -- while loveable， brilliant， accomplished， etc。 -- could also be difficult。 You know: human。 。。。more
Michael
，
A triumph， from start to finish。 Essential reading， as a biography， as a document of theater， film， and late 20th century cultural history， as a portrait of the artist as a fallible， flesh-and-blood human being。 My goodness， this book is wonderful。 Read it。
Nan
，
For over sixty years， Mike Nichols drew on his intellect and insight to direct scores of legendary works from The Graduate to Silkwood to Angels in America。 This thoroughly researched， smartly written， and lengthy volume （673 pages including notes and index）， had the cooperation of virtually all of Nichols' family members， friends， and colleagues。 It's no surfacey celeb bio， but rather a portrait of an major creative force in American arts。 Actual rating: 4。75 For over sixty years， Mike Nichols drew on his intellect and insight to direct scores of legendary works from The Graduate to Silkwood to Angels in America。 This thoroughly researched， smartly written， and lengthy volume （673 pages including notes and index）， had the cooperation of virtually all of Nichols' family members， friends， and colleagues。 It's no surfacey celeb bio， but rather a portrait of an major creative force in American arts。 Actual rating: 4。75 。。。more
Groucho42
，
I rarely pick up a biography， but his career interested me。 The book is good， but not great。 It covers his career in great detail， with a number of very good anecdotes and excellent background。 The problem is that the detail is very repetitive and so the book becomes a bit dull。
Kate
，
An intriguing bio， definite treat for theater buffs and cinephiles。 A delicious collection of backstage events and celebrity quotes。 The author shows us Nichols in full-- sympathically， but not overlooking his sometime harsh directorial behavior。 If you'd ever actually met him， seems like you would have good reason to value his friendship as a trememdous gift-- or to be nursing the scars he inflicted on you。The really intriguing thing is that nearly all the people who reported scar-inflicting ep An intriguing bio， definite treat for theater buffs and cinephiles。 A delicious collection of backstage events and celebrity quotes。 The author shows us Nichols in full-- sympathically， but not overlooking his sometime harsh directorial behavior。 If you'd ever actually met him， seems like you would have good reason to value his friendship as a trememdous gift-- or to be nursing the scars he inflicted on you。The really intriguing thing is that nearly all the people who reported scar-inflicting episodes also had very very good things to say about him， in total。And though quite a few of them had heard him tell the same personal anecdotes over and over again in the course of direction various projects， none of them complained。All in all， it makes you wish you'd had a chance to know him。Also， some of the snarky things he said ARE laugh-aloud hilarious。 。。。more
Jeanne
，
What a gifted and interesting man。 I enjoyed reading about his life。 I'd recommend this biography to anyone who loves movies and plays and wonders about how they were made。 What a gifted and interesting man。 I enjoyed reading about his life。 I'd recommend this biography to anyone who loves movies and plays and wonders about how they were made。 。。。more
Russell Ricard
，
Mike Nichols: A Life。 What a life， indeed。 And what a career。 Creative genius。 Complex soul。 Brilliantly written， including the narrative structure， by Mark Harris。 Many surprises。 An utterly fascinating window into how Nichols’ psychology figured into his professional craft， behind-the-scenes stories of his life’s work， his stage and film projects。 Bravo Mark Harris！
Joseph William
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Good coverage of Nichols' life; deserves more time and attention than I could give it。 Good coverage of Nichols' life; deserves more time and attention than I could give it。 。。。more
Lisa Grunwald
，
An exceptionally good biography about an exceptionally complicated and talented and funny and touching man。 The writing is crisp and descriptive， and like Nichols’s own best work， it never strays from the story。
Jesse L。 Young
，
I’m a big film buff and have admired Mike Nichols from when I first became aware of him around the time of Silkwood。 But it turns out I was completely ignorant of the man and his accomplishments in both film and theatre; accomplishments that go back to the 60’s。 This book was highly engaging and filled with tons of stories and anecdotes （and a little movie star gossip）。 And it shows that no matter how accomplished one might be， that uncertainty never goes away。
Jim Breslin
，
A comprehensive and fascinating biography of the famous director/actor Mike Nichols。 Biographer Mark Harris covers all Nichols's theater and film projects in detail with tons of quotes from those who worked on the projects and were often mentored by him。 A comprehensive and fascinating biography of the famous director/actor Mike Nichols。 Biographer Mark Harris covers all Nichols's theater and film projects in detail with tons of quotes from those who worked on the projects and were often mentored by him。 。。。more
Christine
，
Dishy （albeit lengthy） bio of Mike Nichols。 I know the name but knew very little about him。 Had no idea he immigrated to the US from Nazi Germany， changed his name to Mike Nichols and didn’t have great childhood （parents had tumultuous marriage where they each cheated and his dad died of leukemia when he was 12）。 Tested into university of Chicago where he met Susan Sontag on day 1 and Elaine May with whom he had a very prolific comedic relationship。 The book is divided chronologically， and I ten Dishy （albeit lengthy） bio of Mike Nichols。 I know the name but knew very little about him。 Had no idea he immigrated to the US from Nazi Germany， changed his name to Mike Nichols and didn’t have great childhood （parents had tumultuous marriage where they each cheated and his dad died of leukemia when he was 12）。 Tested into university of Chicago where he met Susan Sontag on day 1 and Elaine May with whom he had a very prolific comedic relationship。 The book is divided chronologically， and I tended to skim the earlier years when I was not familiar with his work and read more carefully what I knew i。e。 The Odd Couple （Walter Matthau an asshole）， Graduate （character was originally supposed to be a wasp; Redford wanted the part badly）， Silkwood （& professional relationship with Meryl Streep）， Heartburn （Nicholson replaced Mandy Pantikin）， meeting wife Diane Sawyer （on the Concorde）， Biloxi Blues （last collaboration with Neil Simon）， Working Girl （Melanie Griffith drug issues）， Regarding Henry， Remains of the Day （Streep was pregnant so he went with Emma Thompson resulting in only Nichols-Streep tiff） Broadway play Death and the Maiden （the lack of Latinx actors; Hackman thought he was going to get fired again; Nichols revamped （less comedy） after bad reviews）， mean drunk Geo C Scott， friendships with Jackie Kennedy and Lorne Michaels。 Having won the prized EGOT， he obviously knew everyone。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Mike Nichols: A Life
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Mike Nichols: A Life&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Mike Nichols: A Life&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0