Alan Alda's insightful autobiography Never Have Your Dog Stuffed gives us a peek into the highs, lows, and adventures of an actor's life. Growing up among a family of burlesque performers, perhaps Alda was fated for acting, but his journey had its fair share of bumps. He laces candid humor throughout the telling of his trials and tribulations, from growing up with a schizophrenic mother to enduring emergency surgery in the remote Chilean mountains, but his successes are equally exciting. And yes, his father really did take his childhood dog to a taxidermist. I have a fond appreciation for Alda's work on M*A*S*H, and his memoir reveals how much of himself he brought to the character, Hawkeye Pierce, as well as some distinct differences between life and stage. I liked learning about the human side behind the screen, and listening to the audiobook read by the author was an extra treat. Easy to read, I think anyone with an interest in Alda, actors’ lives, or biographies in general will enjoy this book.