3 Reasons Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty Makes Us Love Diane Keaton Even More
As if we needed more reasons to love her, Diane Keaton’s newest book Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty offers a thoroughly unconventional examination of her commitment to individual style and her participation in our culture’s obsession with beauty. Using her singular wit and self-deprecation, Keaton meditates on her earliest endeavors to acquire beautiful things (including the theft of a Madame Alexander doll at age 9), her lifelong quest to overcome her so-called physical defects, and her habit of misinterpreting beauty advice from parents, friends, mentors, and the media. Most touching, however, is Keaton’s sustained pleasure in simple moments—a favorite glass of wine with ice, watching her daughter swim, and recalling life-shaping experiences with lovers, friends, and her beloved parents; she continually acknowledges her gratitude for the opportunity to experience—and express—beauty in her life and work. With her lovable quirkiness in full bloom at 67, Keaton gives us 3 more compelling reasons NOT to put this book down:
1. She never takes herself too seriously. In an appearance-obsessed society, Keaton believes in a few peculiar things wholeheartedly: walking barefoot whenever possible, wide-brimmed hats to underplay a self-determined large forehead, and turtlenecks. “Buy one,” she dares readers. “Turtlenecks cushion, shield, and insulate a person from harm.” Keaton’s refreshing perspective is evident on every page, and she never fails to remind us that being true to ourselves, and, above all, laughing at ourselves, is our opportunity to “let go.” As she explains, “Smiling is lovely…laughing is beautiful.”
2. She believes that discovering flaws can lead to a profound appreciation of our life’s purpose. In a hilarious—and often painful—chapter entitled “Corrections,” Keaton recounts her earliest efforts to tame her tomboy features. Specifically, with expert guidance from her mother’s best friend, Willie, Diane introduced “eye exercises” to overcome droopy lids, and clothespins on the bridge of her nose to her daily and nighttime routines. While neither implement assuaged her facial woes, Keaton’s early fascination with beauty rituals, which is hilariously documented on the pages of her diaries from the early 60s, led to a deeper understanding of what exactly beauty and perfection really are. Keaton talks about her face in the abstract now, explaining, “I’m not complaining. I know from experience how lucky I am…The most thrilling aspect of my face is its ability to express feelings.”
3. She asserts that aging is a beautiful process. Without putting herself on a pedestal, Keaton explains that she hasn’t yet had any corrective plastic surgery, but she doesn’t believe that this makes her any more authentic than the next woman in her field. Additionally, Keaton contends that she knows now, in her late sixties, that both her mistakes and her accomplishments throughout life don’t amount to anything next to the experiences, friends, and loved ones she has in her life. According to Keaton, “Old is gold.” She concludes, “I guess I have to admit that I’m in preparation for the incomprehensible end zone of life. On the way I intend to deepen my laugh lines and enjoy the underrated beauty of humor.”
Are you a Diane Keaton fan?