(Five stars out of five)

By Ed Odeven

Hilarious, sentimental, smart and eclectic, Michael Richards’ new memoir, “Entrances and Exits,” is a vivid portrait of his memories, achievements, creativity, inner dialogue, intellectual pursuits and more. He also bares his soul along the way, doing so with brutal honesty about family issues and heartbreak, personal setbacks and mistakes and seminal and euphoric moments, too.

The reader gains a deep understanding of the energy and passion he brought to “Seinfeld” as Cosmo Kramer and the remarkable synergy between the cast, writers, directors and producers. There are great details about the show’s rise to stardom, individual episodes and his favorite scenes, and the four main characters and his relationships with them (and Larry David). In addition, you gain a great appreciation for the time he invested in the development of his character, including Kramer’s unique wardrobe.

Insights on his love of acting and physical comedy and the spoken language are interlinked with compelling tales about show business and its lively ensemble of characters.

This is an exceptional book.

***

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