"Just One More Thing" by Peter Falk

"Just One More Thing" by Peter Falk is subtitled "Stories From My Life". If you were a fan of the television movie series, "Columbo", you know why he aptly choose, "Just One More Thing" to title his book of stories. Like the bumbling detective, Columbo, Falk is a character. A character actor or typecast in the roles he plays. Judging from the tales he tells in his book, he is indeed a character offstage as well as on stage or film..

Mr. Falk has mastered the art of brevity in writing. Reading the book is like participating in a good conversation. Some people will put you to sleep with long-winded tales of "Well, in my day..."; he does not. "Just One More Thing" is not a biography, but his stories give the reader a glimpse of Falk's history. The first story is a quick three pages about becoming an actor and being nominated for an Academy Award for his role in his first movie. The second story is titled: "you have you stories and I have eye stories". It is a funny look at eye cancer at age three and growing up with a glass eye. When I think of Peter Falk, I think of "Grumpy Old Men", not "Kings and Queens of Comedy". He is a bit of both; funny and crabby.

The stories from Peter Falk's life, paint a picture with words of a restless young man, hungry for adventure. No 9 to 5 job for him. His adventuresome nature is what got him turned down for a job with the CIA. What confused me in the book was the adventure in Yugoslavia with a lady friend named Sheila. There are a couple of photos labeled "Alyce and Peter in Yugoslavia". His romance with Sheila soured and in the next story he meets Alyce, who he later married. Prior to meeting these two ladies in his stories, we meet his wife Shera. The stories do not include any details as to what happened to Alyce.

"Just One More Thing" by Peter Falk is a fun book to read. Sprinkled throughout the pages are photographs and copies of his drawings. He tells us it took him 43 years to take up drawing and another 31 years to decide to do watercolors. Included is a picture of an old TV Guide cover is a caricature drawn by Al Hirschfeld. It did not take me long to find Mr. Hirschfeld's trademark "Nina" hidden in the drawing. I enjoyed reading how Mr. Falk became a part of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack" as much as I enjoyed his first movie with the guys: "Robin and the Seven Hoods". I have not seen all of Mr. Falk's movies, but enjoyed reading his stories and antidotes about his acting career.

"One More Thing: Stories From My Life" by Peter Falk is 366 pages. I read a Large Print edition published in 2007 "by arrangement with Carroll & Graf Publishers a division of Avalon Publishing Group Inc". If you like Peter Falk the actor, you will love this book. If you do not know Peter Falk you might like this book. The chapter "a message to the people of romania" will bring a smile, with the message about trusting your government. "Why? Because Columbo said so". The story titled: "getting arrested in genoa" would make an excellent scene in a movie. My rating: 4.5 stars for the confusion over the photographs.

Authors Note:Peter Falk's website clarifies he was divorced from Alice Mayo and married Shera Danese. Alice is spelled "Alyce" throughout the book. Some of Mr. Falk's drawings are available for purchase online.