Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me

EGOT-winning actor Goldberg (née Caryn Jonson) reflects on her early life and career in this earnest tribute to her family. As a child, she counted on two people: her mother, Emma, and her older brother, Clyde. Emma worked diligently as a nurse while teaching her children to take time for the small things. Clyde doted on his little sister and allowed her to hang out with him and his friends. Years later, when Goldberg became famous, she brought Emma and Clyde to awards functions, fundraisers, and galas. The loving bond between the family never broke, even after Emma’s and Clyde’s deaths. Black-and-white photos in the book further demonstrate how much Goldberg cherishes them. Goldberg’s career is secondary to the family’s story, which in this memoir ends after her 1991 Oscar win. Instead of speaking directly about her career, she talks fondly about people she met along the way. That includes Mike Nichols, who facilitated her big break by directing her first and one-woman Broadway show.