Book Description

Here is the quintessential Crosby tribute book at the dawn of his centenary May 3, 2003. The book documents the story of Bing's colorful life, family, recordings, radio and television shows, and films- a wondrous career that pioneered the art of popular crooning and of a man who kept America in perfect tune for many generations. His recording of White Christmas alone would have immortalized him. A must read book for Crosby fans everywhere who still cherish the music and anecdotes of the players involved in the Golden Age of popular music written by the author of The Spirit of Bob Hope and Jerry Vale-A Singer's Life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A "must-read" for the lingering legions of Bing Crosby fans
Richard Grudens' Bing Crosby: Crooner Of The Century is an impressive presented and informatively written tribute to the famous singer Bing Crosby, his varied and sometimes difficult life, his family, the success story of his singing and acting career, and the lasting cultural reflections of his work. Featuring an introduction by Bing Crosby's wife Kathryn Grant Crosby, Bing Crosby: Crooner Of The Century is a "must-read" for the lingering legions of Bing Crosby fans.

Great Buy
Richard Gruden's heartwarming tale of Bing Crosby's life story is one that will remain in my personal library of well-written biographies for a long time. From birth to death, Bing Crosby's life is passionately displayed through words and pictures alike. Crosby fans and those new to his world of musical talent will instantly be entranced by the smooth flow of the story. Finally! A biography about one of the world's most influential musicians that doesn't read like a textbook but rather like a tale that makes me want to read it again and again!

I applaud Grudens for a job well done. "Bing Crosby--Crooner of the Century" will surely be a favorite of those who know Bing Crosby and wish to know more. The story comes with my highest recommendation. ... Read more

Book Description

Relive the thrill of 24 years in the career of the fabled "Georgia Peach"--one of the greatest, most colorful, and simply larger-than-life baseball players who ever lived. Arranged in a visually exciting scrapbook format, packed with pictures and memorabilia that illustrate every significant date and more than 800 games, it takes you from April 26, 1904, when the 17-year-old Tyrus Raymond Cobb stepped up to the plate for the first time professionally, till his final turn on the field in 1928. The focus is on his playing, rather than on his oft-discussed personality and private life, with commentary culled from contemporary accounts that reveal how Cobb's swift throwing arm and fine batting skills contributed to every game. A generous sampling of photographs, cartoons, and ads from the period--many not seen since their original publication--provides a rare and enlightening vision of this ever-intriguing hero of baseball.
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Reviews (1)

Ty Cobb's Scrapbook
It was a refreshing look from a contemporary view of this fasinating era of baseball. Crammed full of interesting pictures. The Author certainly portrays Cobb as a baseball player extroadinaire. This book adornes my coffee table and is great for sneaking in a quick look from the "Deadball area." ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Cobb the legend
Was Tyrus Cobb as good as you imagined? Better.

Did Tyrus Cobb innovate the game? Absolutely.

Did a worse human being play the game? Maybe not.

Al Stump focused on the first and especially the third question above. Being a sports writer, Stump knows that a healthy legend and juicy scandel sells books. In this book Stump gives excellent descriptions of some of the most famous incidents in baseball- mostly from the mouth of Cobb with whom Stump spent parts of a year interviewing. Perhaps that time tainted Stump. For example, Stump repeatedly mentions the 'extreme cruelty' Charlotte Cobb used as grounds for divorce. He fails to mention that Mrs. Cobb stressed that it was mental and never physical abuse. Why? Perhaps Stump intended to paint Cobb as completly vile. Perhaps Cobb deserved it. But this important information for a book of nearly 500 pages to fail to mention. Stump keeps a highly negative focus on Cobb the man while building up Cobb the player.

I finished this book disliking Cobb the man, convinced Cobb the player would have dominated ANY era, and wanting to know more- so I read Alexander's book. Charles Alexander's "Ty Cobb" provides a more complete, less biased view of Cobb in about half the pages. The Stump book is more colorful however.

Amazingly eye-opening
This book is a quick read for baseball fans, and an interesting look at the psychosis of an American icon for non-baseball fans. Al Stump went through a living hell while writing Ty Cobb's ghost-written autobiography and thirty years later he tells Cobb's true story. The story of Cobb's obnoxious, cruel behavior is told in detail, with Stump's vicious pen tearing at the soul of the legend. It is rare in biographies to see a writer tear at the subject, but Stump does it as a reconciliation with his soul. In between the lines, Stump comes to terms with his own demons, and it brings the book to life. Every one of Cobb's misgivings and psychotic rampages is shown, and his one truly great asset, that of being the greatest baseball player of all time, is also given full credit. An amazing work for its balance between the two worlds of writing the truth and writing what our legends want us to see is covered. Al Stump wrote the story of an American legend in everyday life in Cobb, and leaves the reader one possible conclusion, Cobb isn't the man we want our children to emulate.

A not-so-sweet Peach
A "natural" with a Napoleonic complex ("He knew how to win against the odds"), Tyrus R Cobb was, in the words of his biographer Al Stump, "the most chilling, the eeriest of all American sport figures". In fact, Mr Stump's impressed if sometimes impatient "Cobb" (1994) is subtitled "The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball"; and Mr Stump, who has contributed to Esquire and Sports Illustrated, has the anecdotes to prove it -- some from the Georgia Peach himself. Mr Stump helped Cobb write his memoirs in 1960, and it seems their collaboration was wary, to put it mildly. One thing Mr Stump never had any doubt about: Cobb was a great player. With a career batting average of .367 (compared to Honus Wagner's .329, for instance) and 6,294 put-outs, he was formidable both at bat or in the outfield. Then there was the draconian side: the bullying of team mates (even worse when he became player/manager of the Detroit Tigers) and using his spikes as stilettoes against opponents. Cobb had a reputation as a virulent racist, his hatred of Negroes causing him on one occasion to even beat up a black woman. During his rivalry with Babe Ruth Cobb's ethnic prejudice went so haywire he accused Ruth of being the product of miscegenation and applied all the common slurs. He also attacked fans (as did Ruth), sending at least one to the hospital. Of course, the "cranks" often asked for it, the stands filled with a rudeness and disrespect mainly confined today to a stadium which shall remain unnamed. Cobb's personal life and the reasons for his problems are sketchy. The razzing he received as a rookie, added to a bizarre family tragedy, caused him to have a nervous breakdown at the age of twenty. Some of Cobb's contemporaries thought he was truly insane, but the explanation for his behavior could be less drastic. Emotionally selfish (though financially generous) and subject to tantrums, it could be he simply never grew up; but Mr Stump doesn't explore the complexities that thoroughly. Of the 20 photographic illustrations in the book only one shows one of his five children. The wives are not pictured at all. Cobb was married twice and divorced twice. The second wife is barely mentioned; the first wife was strictly kinder Kirche Küche. As Cobb grew older, the Game grew away from him. His despotic attitude (Mr Stump calls him "the Torquemada of the ballpark") became unacceptable to a new breed of better-educated ballplayer, and his rejection of the Ruthian home run meant that many of his tactics didn't work anymore. He died in 1961, an alcoholic alienated millionaire, admired by Mr Stump though he felt distanced from Cobb. (Just three of Cobb's fellow players attended his funeral.) The fact that Mr Stump wrote this lengthy biography is proof that he thought Ty Cobb was an athlete worthy of respect and remembrance for his professional intelligence. As Connie Mack said: "His secret is that he thinks two plays ahead of everybody else."

Riveting
Al Stump was chosen to ghostwrite the memoirs of Ty Cobb in 1960. After almost a year of research and harrowing experiences, "My Life in Baseball: The True Record" was published. The final product, which bore the name of Ty Cobb, was, in the words of Stump, self-serving. So much of the Cobb story either remained untold or was sanitized that Stump decided to write a corrective article for True Magazine. This article brought accolades and eventually "Cobb" published some 30 years after the original Cobb autobiography.

Ty Cobb was the first player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and from a purely baseball perspective, he was most certainly deserving. Many of baseball's pioneers are given short shrift today and even devoted fans are ignorant of their accomplishments and the conditions under which they played. Low pay, abuse by owners, no helmets, beanballs, doctored balls and dim lighting were all circumstances that ball players from the early part of the 20th century had to endure. To then realize that some of the personages in the book (Cobb, Mathewson, etc.) excelled in this environment is staggering. I could list Cobb's accomplishments....homeplate steals, his lifetime batting average or any of the other statistics that imbue baseball with its unique charm, but suffice it to say that Tyrus Cobb is arguably the greatest player to ever don a cap. It is of course the case that this is not the whole story. If it were, Cobb would be remembered much more fondly; however, this biography may not have been necessary and even if it were written, it would likely be less interesting.

The dark side of Cobb make him a decidedly unsympathetic human being. Here was a man possessed of great intelligence, business acumen, persistence. A fierce competitor with a certain sense of honor who, for example, was instrumental in forming baseball's first union (the Baseball Players Fraternity) to protect the rights of all players. He also set up a charitable foundation (the Cobb Educational Fund) to aid bright but poor students from Georgia. This normally taciturn man was reported to have cried when some of the students helped by his endowment tearfully thanked him. Yet within this same man existed a person who was bigoted, foul-mouthed, humorless and prone to violent outbursts when he felt wronged.

In the preface, the author writes "During the long stretches of time we spent together, my feelings for Ty Cobb were often in flux." Every chapter in this page-turner of a book provoked the same sense of ambivalence in me. While some of his on-field antics, and especially his bigotry, are painful to read and well-nigh impossible to forgive, his talents and the tragedies which he experienced make him a figure not easy to dismiss or forget. The untimely death of his beloved father and the subsequent murder charges levied against his mother seem to have set the stage for an adulthood destined to be memorialized in print or perhaps even the silver screen.

At the time of his death, Cobb was estranged from his surviving children. The book concludes with Al Stump telling us "....the funeral of the most shrewd, inventive, lurid, detested, mysterious, and superb of all baseball players went unattended by any official representative of the game at which he excelled." Whether you are a baseball fan or not, this book is an informative and compelling read.

Perhaps Baseball's Most Disliked Player
This book documents the life and times of one of the most complex, violent, angry, and racist men to ever play the game of baseball. It takes the reader from his growing up in rural Georgia to going to Detroit to play for the Tigers and finally to his later years in California and his death of prostate cancer in 1959. But along with these personality defects, Cobb had incredible talent to go with his competitiveness----and he was competitive both on and off the field. Anyone interested in baseball's history would undoubtedly enjoy reading this biography of one of the game's most colorful characters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

" "
David Revill's book presents cage in a far more accessible manner than some previous biographies, not accessible in the aesthetic sense, but as ease of reading. Cage's work is frequently presented with lots of Cagean technical jargon. In other words, unless you've done a scholarly study and analysis of "Silence," they are difficult to understand. Revill brings Cage as a human being to the reader, without too much theory. Moreover, this book seems to show more intimately, Cage as a man-- not as name. I would highly recommend this book to both those seeking information for research, and understanding of Cage's complex aesthetic philosophy.

Read this to hear differently
An essential book for anyone interested in John Cage's music or post-war classical music. It gives a comprehensive view of Cage's entire life as well as his thoughts on music, covering his time both before and after discovering Zen. David Revill writes in a matter of fact, straightforward manner, without infusing the book with his personal opinions, although his percussion background comes through when he describes the rhythmic details of Cage's compositions. Overall a fine introduction to Cage's thought, but be sure to hear his music as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Passionate portrayals of the great Maria Callas have appeared in countless articles and books. Yet behind the unanimous enthusiasm for the soprano's talent remains the mystery of the woman herself--restless, ephemeral, elusive. No one but "la Maria" could tell the real story of Maria Callas. Here, a new figure emerges, cultivated from the letters, memoirs, photographs, and ephemera that the authors have collected from Callas's personal archives and those of her friends. The result, in essence, is a secret diary illuminating the central episodes of her life.

Approaching Callas's most intimate self, the authors listen to her heart to narrate the story of a life which was essentially simple, though no less fascinating than the fabled existence imagined by her fans. Revealing the mysteries of her incomparable art, the secrets of her troubled soul, the tales of her joyful triumphs and painful delusions, this stunning visual chronicle brings us closer to a great star who was, above all, human. With a refined graphic presentation that includes a wealth of previously unpublished photographs, this work is a colorful and resonant tribute to the woman Callas was and the legend she continues to be twenty years since her death.
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Reviews (4)

Lots of beautiful pictures!!!
I loved reading this book since Callas was clearing up a lot of the rumors in her own words. Very interesting!! The pictures were amazing!! It doesn't show a lot of pictures of her in operas but it has a lot of pictures of Maria the woman. The pictures are arranged in a very interesting format. Each page has at least two pictures on it. Very Cool!!

Copyrights
One cannot copyright titles

A book without the old hackneyed information
I was somewhat perplexed by the earlier review as it had nothing whatsoever to do with the book. While Maria Callas was not an articulate spokesperson, we do, in the volume, have a rare glimpse of the inner woman as well as the outer persona. The photographs were particularly good, and surprisingly intact considering that they must have been rather old when incorporated into this volume. And, above all, they were not the 'usual old photos of Maria Callas'. For fans of hers and even if you are not, there's a lot of meat in this volume especially after most of what has been printed about her is of the coffee table variety without much substance.

title already copywrited by a very popular Colombian author
I don't think this book should be named this way. There is already a very good and classic romance novel by Jorge Isaac from Colombia South America by the same name. In fact his book was made in a beautiful motion picture called LA MARIA . Also this rea lovel story was done in a" telenovela" or daily episod of this novel on national television in Colombia . ... Read more

Book Description

When Christopher Columbus was young, he worked for his father, making cloth. But he did not want to be a cloth-maker all his life. He wanted to see new lands and have adventures. He wanted to be a sailor! By the time he was 25, Christopher had sailed to France, Africa, and Greece. He had seen strange cities and had had many adventures. But his greatest adventure would come when he set out for China and found a whole new world instead. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Read for Kids!
I discovered this book while browsing for quality literature to bring to my classroom. I read this book because it fits my third grade curriculum and has a low reading level. Meet Christopher Columbus is an excellent introduction to biographies and explorers. The format of the book allows for less experienced readers to read small parts of his life without being overwhelmed. The language is simple enough for children to comprehend the main idea and details presented without difficulty. The history is accurate and presented in a logical fashion. I recommend this to parents and teachers to help students learn about Columbus as well as improve their reading! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent
The best parts of this bio are the interviews with Callas: you get a feeling for her emotions about events as they unfolded in her life. This is especially true close to the end of her life where the grief from her failed relationship with Onassis is so evident in her voice. Generous samples of Callas's key performances are also woven into the bio. I had never heard Callas sing so these samples were welcome and helpful in understanding Callas. (Her antics on the stage and behind the curtain are how you get to know Callas best. Not to mention that the samples allow you to witness firsthand the fiery, brave voice that made her famous). Overall, this was a strong, unconventional bio on a tragic heroine of the stage. I enjoyed it in its entirety. ... Read more

Book Description

Former President Jimmy Carter has won the respect and affection of millions for his long and illustrious career as a humanitarian, a peacemaker, and an active promoter of human rights around the world. The Nobel Committee recognized President Carter’s remarkable achievements by awarding him the Peace Prize in October 2002 for his accomplishments fostering peace during his presidency and his tireless work after leaving office monitoring elections, promoting peaceful resolutions to conflict, and helping provide food, shelter, and healthcare to the world’s poor.

Now, in The Personal Beliefs of Jimmy Carter, readers have for the first time in one volume the complete text of his spiritual autobiography, Living Faith, in which President Carter shares the values and experiences that have shaped his life, and Sources of Strength, fifty-two of his favorite Bible lessons that he has taught at his hometown church in Plains, Georgia, over the decades. These radiant works beautifully capture how President Carter has transformed his deep religious faith into an enduring course of action that has brought life and hope to those most in need. Bestsellers when they first published, these two books are even more resonant today as we continue to search for the answers to life’s most meaningful questions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

He tried
During the Carter Administration, President Carter had to deal with the deaths of his mother, sister, and brother, and that was near the start of his four years of Presidency. Then there was the Hostage Crises in Iran. President Carter had to try anything, and everything to get the hostages. It cost the lives of several soldiers when thier helicopter crashed in the desert. Essentially, President Carter got a raw deal. He was not reckognized by those who came home from Iran, or anybody else in the United States, as the saviour. President Reagan got that glory. And, at president Reagan's Inaugural Ball/Dinner, he did not even mention President Carter. This may sound like a put down of both administrations, but it is not. Both men had their faults, as does today's President Bush. I have the ultimate respect for President Carter. For somebody who will be 80 October 1, it does not surprise me that he is still constructing houses, taking care of the other persons, etc.

The Truth About the "Prize"
Most people are unaware of how Nobel Peace prizes are awarded. Although most Nobel awards are Swedish in nature, Nobel gave control of his Peace award to the Norwegians. The Nobel Peace prize committee is made up of people who reflect the political makeup of Norway's Storting (the Norwegain parliament). As Norway is clearly a Socialist country, the "Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Storting to the Norwegian Nobel Committee" is dominated by Socialists. A member of the Committee even admitted that Carter's award was more a Socialist rebuke to Bush than an award to Carter, which was obvious since more than 20 years had elapsed between Camp David - Carter's only accomplishment which could even remotely be considered as Peace-prize worthy - and Carter's award.

I simply want people to realize just what a Nobel Peace prize is - and "who" makes the decision - rather than automatically genuflect to the recipients of this Socialist award.

Jimmy Carter the nicest, but worst president of our time...
"Former President Jimmy Carter has won the respect and affection of millions for his long and illustrious career as a humanitarian, a peacemaker, and an active promoter of human rights around the world."

What this book doesn't tell you: Jimmy Carter is one of the worst U.S. presidents by any measure. Remember the "Misery Index?" Carter. Remember double digit inflation? Carter. Remember 21% interest rates? Carter. Jimmy Carter has never won the respect of the American people...this is what matters. This book is yet another attempt at propping up a weak, failure of a presidency. Save your money.

Personal Beliefs of an An Honest President
Nobel Peace Prize winner and humanitarian President Carter explains how events have shaped and influenced his life in this excellent autobiography. This inspiring book contains the words of a man that is not afraid to speak the truth. Unlike other presidents, he has not been bought off by corporate America. ... Read more

Book Description

Ty Cobb was one of the most famous baseball players who every lived. The author puts Cobb into the context of his times, describing the very different game on the field then, and successfully probes Cobb's complex personality. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

TY COBB BY CHARLES C. ALEXANDER (1984)
TY COBB BY CHARLES C. ALEXANDER (1984)

Audio book review

Charles C. Alexander's Ty Cobb is an illuminating review of the legendary early Twentieth Century baseball superstar. This audio book, read by Walter Zimmerman, is written more like historical biography than a baseball book
Alexander dispels many long-held Cobb myths. Cobb was mean and nasty, but not nearly the ogre of legend. In fact, Cobb was a devout Christian (Baptist), very well spoken, a man who cared about his public image, and engaged himself in many acts of on and off-field kindness. Caricatured as a savage racist by revisionist history, Cobb actually was kindly in his relations with the many black people he grew up with in Georgia, some of whom worked for his family. He had no patience for blacks he considered uppity. He was not Branch Rickey, but he was not the Grand Dragon of the K.K.K., either. Miserly? Sometimes, but without fanfare he took care of players who had hit the skids. A spikes-sharpened demon? You bet, but Ty also shook hands with his combatants after the dust settled, and performed various acts of dovish peacemaking for the benefit of hostile fans.
Alexander is not a psychiatrist, but it is obvious that the fact that Cobb's mother killed his father in what may not have been an accident, during an incident that occurred because Mr. Cobb suspected Mrs. Cobb of having an affair, shaped Ty's combative nature. What has been lost over the years is that Cobb became friendly with Babe Ruth (common legend holding that he always hated him). Cobb was a shrewd millionaire investor who never needed to work after baseball, therefore separating himself from regular contact with people while living in huge mansions that were too big for him, after his wife left. Most telling is the relationship Cobb had with his two male children. He raised them strictly, and because of baseball travel left much of the child rearing to his wife. When he retired, they were grown up and on their own, and Cobb had genuine regrets for "missing" their childhood's. He wished he had been a doctor, so he could have been home for his kids, and when one of his sons went into medicine, Cobb lamented that if he, too, were a doctor they would have something in common. With all that baggage in tow, Cobb had to endure the premature deaths of both of the boys from untimely illnesses, living the last 20-odd bitter years of his life blaming himself.
Cobb may have been hard to live with, but this book empathetically explains some of the demons that drove the man into becoming a brilliant stock manipulator, a taskmaster father, an unfeeling husband, a reviled teammate, a hated opponent, and in the opinion of those who saw him, perhaps the greatest baseball player who ever lived!

The true historical record of Cobb
Alexander approaches baseball history as a historian; not a mere storyteller. This book reflects that approach. Alexander reports the feats and faults of Cobb, but doesn't try to pass judgement. Cobb's career speaks for itself (men are still chasing some of his records). However, in our age of political correctness Cobb's misbehavior speaks louder.

Alexander details a complete Cobb. For all his faults Cobb was mannered and gracious in public (most of the time), a perfect host (if he liked you) and a generous philanthropist. This is the side most other Cobb bio's whitewash.

This book proves useful as a resource about Cobb. It details the facts about his life season by season. The only way to improve the book would be to add more detail and color to some of Cobb's exploits-- but then the book would have to be about 500 pages.

I consider this to be the primere biography of Ty Cobb. However, those looking mostly for anidotes, stories and that harsh personality brought to life might want to check out Al Stumps' "Cobb". I suggest reading both to develop the full image of the Greatest innovator baseball has ever seen.

A fascinating biograph about baseball's legend
Ty cobb was the most ideal hitter in baseball before "the Babe" opened its new era.

The author described well enough for me to understand 1900-1910's players, ballparks, other circumstances around baseball.

I sincerely recommend this book to all the baseball fans.

Excellent
Perfect companion to Al Stump's bio of Cobb. Alexander is more factual; Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality. (The Alexander and Stump biographies portray a man who is one part Bedford Forest, one part Patton, one part Perot and one part Michael Jordan). For instance, Alexander devotes little more than one paragraph to Cobb's nervous breakdown in August, 1906. On the other hand, Stump details the inhumane hazing Cobb received from his yankee teammates in 1906 due to southern upbringing which led to Cobb's breakdown and fed his massive paranoia. Stump does a much better job on detailing Cobb's rivalry with Babe Ruth. Alexander briefly mentions the rivalry; Stump details the intense hatred Cobb felt for Ruth. For example, as player-manager of the Tigers, Cobb would often scream at the thick-lipped Ruth from the dugout, "You Nigga', Nigga' etc., etc.." However, where Stump takes many of Cobb's stories and yarns at face value, Alexander sifts through the clouds and tells the reader what is definitely true and leaves out what might be lies. Ty Cobb is the most interesting baseball player of all time though not the most important (Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Roberto Clemente and, because of his role in free agency, Catfish Hunter were more important than Cobb). To get a real good feel of Ty Cobb, you need to read two books. Mr. Alexander's book is one of the two.

Well researched, entertaining
I have read several Cobb biographies-this is the best. Alexander is thorough, accurate and entertaining. If you're interested in Ty Cobb and are only going to read one biography, read this one. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Considering he has been and will remain to be one of the most studied personalities of the 20th century, relatively little has been written about the military service and war experiences of Winston Churchill - even his own writings give scant coverage of this important part of his life, despite his own admission of the impact it had upon him. Most biographies limit their coverage of his days in uniform but this learned and thorough volume gives a full understanding of how Churchill's military service molded his character, and how it served him in his political career.

His legendary qualities of leadership, personal drive and commitment to a cause were all very much honed in his early years when military life influenced his thinking and demeanor.

Did the Army make a man of the boy? Did it prepare him for spirited leadership? And what faults and failings did his military life identify to Churchill himself and his contemporaries?

This most comprehensive examination yet of his soldiering career is destined to become a core work in Churchillian studies ... Read more

Book Description

Clementine Churchill — shy, passionate, and high-strung — shunned publicity but was in the limelight throughout her adult life. As a young woman, her character, intelligence, and good looks won the attention of the impetuous Winston Churchill. Their courtship was swift, but their marriage proved immensely strong, spanning many of the major events of the twentieth century.Written with affection and candor by the Churchills" daughter Mary Soames, this revised and updated biography of a lionhearted couple"s life together is not only of historic interest but deeply moving. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Rhodes scholar with a healthy ego, the young idealist George Stephanopoulos thought he was ready for the obscure governor of Arkansas. But soon after he signed on as his presidential-campaign manager, the odds of Clinton's triumph soared, and so did the chance for calamity via Gennifer Flowers and other scandals. Stephanopoulos scrambled behind the scenes, squelching rumors, spinning major news organizations, artfully knifing Clinton rivals, and second-guessing public opinion--lessons that would serve him well when Clinton won.

For the next four years, Stephanopoulos was a few feet from the president, advising him on everything from Iraq and Waco to gays in the military and Paula Jones. More than any book yet--including Monica Lewinsky's--Stephanopoulos's memoir reveals what went on in the scary, occasionally hilarious world backstage at the White House. He casts stark light on characters from Yeltsin, "like a boiled potato slathered in sour cream," to the author's nemesis Dick Morris, whom he depicts bellowing for Clinton to bomb Bosnia. And nobody who's talking knows as well as Stephanopoulos the most passionate, mystifying affair of all, between Bill and Hillary.

But years of backroom scheming, screaming, and relentless political attacks took a toll. Stephanopoulos's face erupted in hives; he grew a beard. Slammed by clinical depression, he dangerously delayed medical attention, fearing the story might leak. This memoir could've been titled Prisoner of Spin. Written with the jittery cadence of a bookie, All Too Human is a lively look at the complex and motley cast of characters who rule the world. --Rebekah Warren ... Read more

Reviews (272)

Its the biography, stupid!
I've noted in a number of other reviews a common complaint with the book; where is the detail on Clinton, or Hilary, Gore or other aides? This is a biography of Stephanopoulos, not a story of Clinton. It's George's perspective about the whole experience, not just about Clinton. You will learn what George thought about Clinton, what impressed him, and what disappointed him about his boss. This book gives you a great feel for what George lived through during the 2 election campaigns and Clinton's first term. He is honest about his vying for position with the President against other advisors, about things he did well, and times that he blew it. You come away feeling what it might really be like to work on the inside of the greatest office in the world, the glamour, the ad hoc scrambling to push positions through Congress, the constant damage control sessions, the full-time job to spin facts into the desired public perception (George is the Rumplestiltskin of the White House in that regard).

It confirmed what I'd felt reading newspapers about the Clinton administration during the first term; the White House and Congress are not all working together in the best interests of the US. Rather, each faction, whether Repub, Demo, Special Interest, etc. is only trying to maximize their own interests at the expense of anyone else's. (Sounds like a good application for Nash's game theory). Sure, this account is not an objective overview of anything; this is what George saw, felt, did, how he failed and succeeded. Anyone wanting to work in politics will find it interesting. Anyone affected by politics (that's all of us citizens) will cringe at realizing it's all on the job training each time a new administration comes in to office. I really enjoyed the read.

A comfortable, conversational look at White House life.
I usually do not care for books about politics or politicians, but this one was an exception. I found the behind-the-scenes details to be fascinating and the easy-to-read, conversational style kept the book from getting bogged down in political jargon and detail. I felt as though I were walking along with George as he worked on Clinton's campaign and as he went to work each day in the White House. He did an excellent job of keeping the events in the White House in perspective. Admissions of his own failures and weaknesses kept the book from becoming a "tell-all" story about the Clintons. I also thought it was a decent protrayal of the growth, maturation and self-realization of a young man under extremely unusual career and personal circumstances. The book centers on George's experiences while working for Clinton and is definitely more about George than it is about Bill. "All Too Human" is a good read no matter what your opinion of Bill Clinton may be.

Insight into youth, ego, power, and the struggle of spinning
This is a fascinating book about George Stephanopoulous. Not Bill Clinton, George Stephanopoulous. If you've ever wondered how a 30-something law school graduate can become an influential person with the ear of the president, this is your primer.

Mr. Stephanopoulous is ruthlessly honest about his inexperience and the near disasters that resulted, and I found myself cheering for him to find his way as the memoir progressed. He covers his childhood to his resignation from the Clinton White House in 1996, with an epilouge about Monica & Impeachment, and the deterioration of his relationship with the President once Mr. Stephanopoulos became a member of the other side -- the media.

He talks about a life filled with minute-to-minute firefighting, and frustration at not being able to accomplish the political missions closest to his heart and the President's. Yes, he suffers from depression and anxiety, but that is not the focal point of the book. The focus is on his personal relationships with the President and others in the White House, struggling to maintain his position of power and close proximity to the President, and the political infighting that occurred between him and the (nefarious) Dick Morris.

He is very tough on himself, and more than willing to be honest even when his motives were not pure. After reading this book, I feel it was an act of bravery to write so candidly, and I have more respect for "Boy George".

A Great Inside Look
An intelligent yet accessible look at life inside the White House and on the Clinton campaign trail.

Excellent Book
Gives an open and extremely honest first-hand account of politics at the highest level. The book kept my interest throughout and gave me an appreciation for what political figures and their staffs must endure.

Came away with a new respect for Mr. Stephanopoulos and a better understanding of Mrs. (Senator) Clinton. I found the portrayal of President Clinton to be accurate - a man whose tremendous potential is offset by his self-destructive character. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (29)

Great read for Nirvana fans!
I recently read this book from beginning to end and in my opinion, it is a great read for anyone who has come to appreciate the extreme talent of Kurt Cobain and others of Nirvana. It offers excellent insight into the life of Kurt, starting young and continues on to the aftermath of his tragic death. It even offers a section of photographs of his Washington home and the tribute to him after his death. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to learn more about the icon known as Kurt Cobain.

repetitive and dull
As interesting as Kurt Cobain was, Dave Thompson somehow manages to dull his life. This book was repetitive as well as confusing. "Never Fade Away" was filled with hypocrisy: the author would state that Kurt was weak, and then a few pages later talk about how strong Kurt was, etc, etc. The conflicting messages did not blend well, and left my thoughts a mess.
While the book had some solid information, and very precise quotes, it was not written mellifluously and lacked any emotional depth. Furthermore, even if you WERE looking for a book with facts, this is not the one for you. Some information in "never fade away" was proven false. I also found that this book strayed from the topic (kurt cobain), and went into much unnecessary detail about record labels that bored me horribly.
If you want a good book on kurt cobain, that contains a great style of writing, wonderful organization ("never fade away" jumps from year to year and is difficult to follow), the truth about Kurt, interesting tidbits,and SO much more, I reccomend "Heavier than Heaven". I cannot put it down!

Kurt Cobain was Murdered
Isnt it amazing, that in this day and age, there are still organizations like the Seattle Police Department, that believe just because someone is an addict, that it doesnt really matter how they died?

Kurt was a beautiful and caring artist--even if he was an addict. The people responsible for his MURDER need to be brought to justice.

Any book which doesnt relay the horrible inconsistencies surrounding the so-called police investigation of Kurt's death, is either very shoddy; or in league with the murderers.

Read the site cobaincase.com, if you want to know the details.

And this reviewer has NEVER found conspiracy theories seductive in and of themselves.

well,...
The story behind Kurt Cobain is extremely interesting, and I for one kept wanting to know more as I read. I would not say that the book is very well-written, though. I would definitely recommend something about Cobain for someone looking for an interesting biography, but not necesarily this particular book.

Try Heavier Than Heaven
I haven't read this book but I have read some of the author's previous work, "Some Great Reward," which documented Depeche Mode. That book is completely inaccurate. My favorite error is when it says Dave Gahan (lead singer of Depeche Mode) never did any drugs. I suppose the book was written before drug charges were filed against him and before he tried to slit his wrists. Gahan's drug problems were huge.

Instead try "Heavier than Heaven." This book is filled wth quotes from Kurt Cobain's family, friends and business associates. It seems to be a fairly accurate portrait. ... Read more

Book Description

Incorporating previously unpublished letters, journals, notebooks, songs, and other writings--a massive archive that Cohen himself has preserved--and hours of interviews with Cohen and his closest friends and colleagues, Ira Nadel gives readers an extraordinary rich and revealing life of one of the most fascinating and artists of our time. Photos. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Leonard Cohen-style biography of Leonard Cohen
This is a fascinating book. However, it is not a conventional biography, in that the author (Ira Nadel) does not fully succeed in weaving the events of Cohen's life into a flowing narrative. The story proceeds disjointedly, and the reader follows it with a feeling of uneven coverage and missing pieces. Ira Nadel is clearly in personal awe of Leonard Cohen (as any of us would be, I suppose), such that he shies away from offering much analysis (psychoanalysis?) of his work and conduct of his life, beyond what the work and facts of his life suggest readily. For example, Cohen's long, tortured relationship with his wife Suzanne is described by a series of vignettes, as cold as news reports, spiced only with relevant-seeming quotations from Cohen's work. Nadel doesn't do the interpretive work of suggesting was going on in Cohen's mind, and what was causing that, which is what biographers usually do for us (and we judge them on whether they do that well or badly). There are ocassional Freudian interpretations, as when Nadel compares Cohen's relationship with his lovers to that with his mother. But we don't get a feel for how the relationship developed and began to sour. In fact, we barely get any feel of "development" in Cohen's life at all, which makes it seem like disconnected reportage rather than a biographical narrative. This quality could be seen as a plus, as it gives the book a cryptic feel, rather like the work of Leonard Cohen itself. I learned a lot, and enjoyed the distant quality of Nadel's writing for what it was, but I was left wanting to know more. Perhaps Cohen, whose work often veers into playful impenetrability, perfers it that way.

no work of art
I much prefer autobiographies to other biographies. Biographies tend to be clumsily assembled or stitched or thrown together and filled out with plodding prose. And so this biography. Well, at least you get some kind of overview of Leonard Cohen's life and here and there some fragments of Leonard Cohen's incisive wit. Two samples:

Author: My publisher wants to know if this can be considered an authorized biography.

L.C.: It can be considered a tolerated biography, benignly tolerated.

Leonard Cohen is interviewing his famous actress girlfriend Rebecca De Mornay:

Rebecca: The great advantage to having you interview me is that I won't have to field questions about Leonard Cohen.

L.C.: Yes, let's talk about Leonard Cohen. What's he really like?

Recommended: PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

A detailed look at one of our greatest contemporary poets
While Leonard Cohen's music, writing, and intreaguing life are enough to satisfy any romantic, this book manages to give a clear and accurate depiction of Cohen's motivations, influences, and understanding of life. From his innovative novels to his influencial and engrossing music and poetry, Cohen's life is portrayed as a constant exploration into the soul and the true meaning of love, sacrifice, and isolation. However, it is impossible to convey the passion and emotion that Cohen transmits in albums such as "Death of a Lady's Man" and "Songs of Love and Hate." In only this aspect does "Various Positions: A Life of Leanord Cohen" fall short of possible expectations. But perhaps Cohen's emotion is something that prose writing simply cannot capture. Leonard Cohen's life is certainly something worth reading about. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A perfect amount of time has elapsed for beginning a proper historical understanding of Jimmy Carter--enough to allow the emotions of witnesses and participants to cool, but not enough to overly dim their recall. And this book is a solid effort in that direction. Bourne, a psychiatrist, had known Carter for years before his presidency and followed him to the White House. (Which he left after getting caught prescribing drugs under a false name for one of his staffers.) This book is full-scale: it starts with Carter ancestors in 1635 and proceeds to describe in some detail the hard times characteristic of a place like Sumter County, Georgia. In Bourne's view, Carter's meteoric rise is best understood as the successive mastery of the narrow cultures of local, state, and national politics by a proud, intelligent man who had seen and understood the wider world (at the Naval Academy and then in nuclear submarines) before coming back to take over the family farm after his father's death. How meteoric? Well, Bourne tells us, Carter was elected President less than four years after stumping the panel on What's My Line?. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Your Friendly Neighborhood Peanut Farmer...!
I walked through the isles of my public library looking for something to read. There was a large book with the words ' JIMMY CARTER' written on it that was sticking out of a shelf. I picked it up and decided to read it. This has been one of the best choices for reading I have ever made. Jimmy Carter is an extrodinary man, who's life is a lot more detailed and complex than I would have thought. This biography traces his life from birth, through the Navy, State Senatorial duties, Governorship and his Presidency. Jimmy Carter is shown as the admirable and honest man that he is. A real role model for all, Jimmy Carter is amazing, and so is this book. ... Read more

Book Description

A Tale of Brazen Politics that also Charts an Extraordinary Choice and a Journey of Personal Redemption

How a small-town Arkansas woman became a nationally known felon is one of the most fascinating and unexamined legacies of the Clinton presidency. Born to a U.S. Army sergeant and his Belgian bride, Susan Henley was one of seven children in a boisterous Arkansas family; in her teens, she regularly made patriotic speeches at her local American Legion hall. In 1976, she married Jim McDougal, a mercurial entrepreneur, who soon turned their life into a rolling sideshow of bank acquisitions and real estate deals, including one fatefully dubbed Whitewater.

In the mid-1990s, Susan McDougal unexpectedly found herself facing federal prosecutors who represented Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. They offered her a deal—relief from legal jeopardy that included Whitewater charges in exchange for damaging information on Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Initially willing to answer prosecutors’ questions, she soon realized that if she did testify truthfully, she’d be opening herself to a possible perjury trap by contradicting Starr’s chief witnesses: the felonious former judge, David Hale, who, it was later revealed, received financial support from the Clinton-hating right-wing millionaire, Richard Mellon Scaife; and Jim McDougal, by then her ex-husband, who had also cut a deal with Starr. Frightened, depressed, and facing financial ruin, in an extraordinary act of courage she simply refused to testify—and was immediately slapped with civil contempt and incarcerated. Though imprisonment was meant to coerce her cooperation, twenty-one months in seven jails—including a hellish seven-week stint in lockdown 23-hours per day in a Plexiglas-enclosed, soundproof cell—failed to extort from her the testimony Starr hoped for.

Now McDougal breaks her silence. In this long-awaited book, she examines the life choices she has made as she narrates her story in a candid and wry voice. She also offers fresh anecdotes about the Clintons’ early years in politics, a close-up view of Starr’s sinister investigation, and a moving portrait of what happens to women in American prisons. For millions of Americans who believe that Starr, appointed by Republicans dissatisfied with the first Whitewater prosecutor, pushed his investigation too far, Susan McDougal remains the very embodiment of the ordinary citizen whose liberty is usurped by a coercive government.

The Woman Who Wouldn’t Talk stands boldly as a cautionary tale for all Americans eager to hear a voice speak truths about our government louder and more fully than the media ever does, because they’ve been learned firsthand and at great personal sacrifice. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

This book should be compulsory reading
This book is one of the most important books I've read in years and I urge everyone to read it. What Susan McDougal tells us about the right wing zealots who threw her in jail because she refused to lie about Bill Clinton is truly a story that needs to be heard loud and clear throughout our land. Surely there is a special section of hell reserved for Ken Starr and his henchmen and women.

McDougal's voice rings true and clear, and she is laugh-out-loud funny. Clearly, her sense of strong humor was one of the many great character traits that helped her survive in the various prisons that the Office of the Independent Council dragged her through in their quest to make her tell lies to suit their own self interests. And the stories she shares of the women she met while encarcerated are truly heart-rending and equally deserving of your attention.

Most of all, this is the story of a woman who finds her own strength in the most harrowing of circumstances. Even if you're not interested in politics one way or the other, you should read this book

An Amazing and Courageous Woman
McDougal's story deserves to be read by every person in America who has ever wondered why they should do the right and painful thing in the face of powerful enemies and overwhelming temptation to save oneself at the expense of another. This is a tale of heroines and heroes, of good friends and false friends, of villains and the lowest scum to ever stride a courtroom. Ken Starr and his cronies, and those in various jails and federal prisons, who tried to assist him in breaking the spirit of this courageous and honest woman, have much to answer. She was an ordinary woman who faced a difficult challenge with rare courage. Her story is an inspiration and a source of encouragement in these difficult political times. The tale is fascinating and well written, and you will keep thinking about the book after you put it down. Susan McDougal took the hit for a lot of people when she went to prison for refusing to talk about Whitewater, and the Clinton land deal that went bad. In reading this book, you get a strong sense of McDougal's honesty and integrity, and how difficult it must have been, in the presence of so much insanity, to maintain that integrity.

A Woman Who Knows the Score
The most ridiculous complaint ever are those made by both men and women who fail to recognize the importance of gender discrimination in a world long acquainted with it, but who would self righteously ignore it, when it comes to the defense of other women and their vulnerable position in life. The fact that marriage exists in the first place is evidence of the fact that men seek control over all women in their lives, not just those who might threaten their authority and privacy. There has never been a time that women have had full control of their own lives so that they could either defend themselves, or that provides the opportunities that come standard on men. Women are always in defensive positions and that leads to bizarre results when women are placed in these awkward situations, neither able to defend principles of justice, nor to defend themselves in a world of overwhelming odds. That reality makes for the strangest of bedfellows, politically, or economically, and results in many women defending dumb and even cruel men for what the world would like to pronounce as no reason, but which, in fact, most know in their hearts. There has never been a time when women were as safe as men, regardless of their status, or position, public or private. For many women, it means a life of endurance as "sufferers," (a term long forgotten, but well applied to women with regard to public status), and often equally applicable in their private lives, for far too many. If the feminist movement or the women's suffrage movement means anything, its underlying basis reflects this desire of women to have the freedom to shed that yoke of compliance in order to be able to address the world as they see the men in their lives do, and with the gusto that is characteristic of those seductive commercials that claim that territory. That has never, and, in the foreseeable future, will never be the case for women, the crippled and handicapped creatures that God provided who so unwillingly fulfill that role to maintain male authority, and prominence. Since prominence and authority often project the territorial domain of males, it is not surprising that the author would willingly put herself in greater danger, intuitively, than she already feels in these high class power circles. Instead, she should be credited with knowing the substance of her situation, and having the courage to endure it, as most women have since time began. After all, boys will be boys, right? and we allow them that wide berth, at the expense of most women.

Political Prisoner Turns the Tables on Her Tormenters
Very bad things can happen to good people when the power of the U.S. government is arrayed against them in court. Ms. Susan McDougal (of "Whitewater" fame) tells a cautionary tale about what happened to her and others who found themselves at odds with overzealous prosecutors. Reading her story reminded me of the show trials in the U.S.S.R. during Stalin's reign in which prisoners were broken and used to implicate others who were in turn broken and used to implicate still others. If you want to get past the right and left wing propaganda concerning the Whitewater investigation, The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk is a great source.

Briefly, Ms. McDougal was brought up in a large family with strict rules . . . which she followed. At a strict college, she met an out-of-control professor who successfully persuaded him to become his wife . . . and found that he was soon off prowling for other young women. Jim McDougal was a manic-depressive who was usually in his manic phase. He was also obsessed with being in control, and made all decisions in their marriage and business activities. You'll be sure to believe that after you read the story about the "home" he bought and decorated for them. Along the way, he dreamed of making an area where political movers and shakers would fly into for weekends in Arkansas. He found a beautiful stretch of land, and recruited as his co-investors Bill and Hillary Clinton. The project failed. Later, McDougal founded and rapidly expanded a savings-and-loan to help pursue his land development deals. With little experience in the business and driven by his psychological problems, the business failed after a spectacular temporary rise. Shortly before the marriage collapsed, McDougal arrange for a loan to his wife to be used for a new investment project. She picked up the check, and he used the money for other purposes. She left for California, they divorced, and she started up a new life with former co-worker, Pat Harris (who assisted in the writing of this book).

In the new life, she eventually found herself living a claustrophobic existence as the 24/7 assistant and bookkeeper to Ms. Nancy Mehta, wife of conductor Zubin Mehta. The stories she tells make Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous seem modest by comparison. At the end of this experience, she is falsely accused of embezzling $150,000.

At the same time, Kenneth Starr took over the investigation into possible wrongdoing by President and Mrs. Clinton. The "investigation" turned into a witch hunt in which potential witnesses were offered blanket immunity if they could provide the "goods" on the Clintons. The prosecutors knew what story they wanted, and would settle for nothing else. After David Hale and Jim McDougal decided to play ball, their testimony veered into misstatements about Ms. McDougal. Soon, she found herself facing a two-year prison term. Immediately thereafter, she was subpoenaed to testify before the Grand Jury. She realized that if she told the truth, she would be contradicting Hale and McDougal, and would probably be prosecuted for perjury. So she refused to testify. Normally, such a witness would be kept in jail for a few weeks or months on such a refusal. Ms. McDougal served the full maximum of 18 months. Then, she began serving her two-year term. She was released early due to extreme problems with her spine that could not be properly treated while in jail. Kenneth Starr's minions then attempted to get a criminal contempt of court conviction by asking her again to testify to the same Grand Jury. She again refused. At the same time, she won her case in California. President Clinton then pardoned her for the original Federal conviction.

I was particularly impressed by her story of her experiences in jail. She took a lot with good humor and grace. I particularly enjoyed the ways she used to get her story out and to help the other women prisoners. Based on my knowledge of the criminal justice system, it looks like she was being persecuted for political reasons while in jail. She bore up well under it all, except that her health suffered. Anyone who wants this to be a free country owes her a debt of gratitude for what she did in standing up for the truth and herself.

I also enjoyed the many places in the book where she exposed false statements by special prosecutor Kenneth Starr. If anyone should suffer for perjury, he is a good candidate.

Fans of Diane Sawyer will probably be dismayed to read about the tawdry role that she played in rigging a misleading television interview involving Ms. McDougal.

She also does a good job of debunking the popular theories about why she didn't testify at the time. The logic of her arguments made sense to me. See what you think.

As I finished the book, I realized that our concern for good government can turn into a vice. Let's keep things in balance.

The part about the Mehta's was hysterical!
I never laughed so hard...especially about the Mehta's dog! This book was well written and actually very humorous! A must read! ... Read more

Book Description

At seventeen, Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos began a job at Olympic Airways that would change her life. She worked in the office of the most renowned man in Greece, and within a year she was Aristotle Onassis's personal secretary.For the next nine years, the last of his life, Moutsatsos was a key player in Onassis's professional and private worlds. She spent her days in his office, assisting him with important business matters, and her evenings at his sister Artemis's villa, mingling with his family and their world-famous guests. She was witness to his personal relationships with the most significant people in his life. She worked side by side with his children, Alexander and Christina, planned his travels with mistress Maria Callas, and even managed the details of his wedding to Jacqueline Kennedy in 1968. The Onassis Women is Moutsatsos's privileged insider's account of this larger-than-life figure and the grand objects of his love.Moutsatsos greatly admired Jackie, and the two women developed a close relationship, extending beyond their ties to the Onassis family. Moutsatsos visited Jackie in New York, staying in her Fifth Avenue apartment, and kept in touch with her throughout her life, even in the weeks before her death.Moutsatsos also became an intimate friend to Aristotle's daughter, Christina. Though often rebellious, Christina was always desperate for her father's love. Moutsatsos observed their volatile relationship as well as the push-pull element between Onassis and the women in his life. With the possible exception of Jackie, all these women--his mistress, his sisters, and his daughter--needed Aristotle's approval and suffered to gain it at almost any cost. It is through understanding the importance of these relationships, and their interconnectedness, that we begin to truly perceive the charmed and haunted lives of Jackie, Maria, Christina, and Aristotle Onassis. Index. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Jackie and Aristo, from the other side of the pond
It's about time we got a view of the whole Jackie/Aristo (not Ari, it turns out) thing from the other side of the Atlantic. This book is breezy and gossipy and so sycophantic I have to wonder how much of it it true. Kiki justifies and sugar-coats as much as she can (is she still getting Onassis money???? One has to wonder...), yet you can't help but see that the Onassis clan were an abusive, debauched, and addictive bunch. She rationalize EVERYTHING--physical and emotional abuse, drunkeness, profligate spending, ruthlessness, cheating...but after all, Aristio was really a very CHARISMATIC and RICH man who'd made it up from poverty. Other sources dispute many of Kiki's facts. If she gets even the most basic details wrong, what else is suspect (i.e., Jackie's governess/cook Marta Sgubin is ITALIAN, not Spanish, and her name is Marta, not Martha)? Everything. Does that make Onassis behavior any less reprehensible? It shouldn't. I have to say that this book makes me think the Onassis family did themselves in, no matter how much Kiki spins it.

Pleasant
I've read almost all the Jackie books on the market, and what I most appreciate about Moutasatsos's book is the way she acknowledges the rumors and innuendos of other authors while putting forth her perspective as exactly that -- nothing more. While her memory is generous, she also strikes me as honest; she really loved her employers, so she saw them as noble, honorably-intentioned people with understandable flaws. I would recommend this book to anyone who's tired of the unceasing merry-go-round of Onassis-related rumors who wants to hear about this family from someone near it but not of it. Also, Moutsatsos, with co-writer Phyllis Karas, tells her story in lyrical English I can only guess was translated from the native Greek... resulting in a particularly musical and poetic narrative, quite an exception for a translation.

This book got four stars from me, not five, merely because there IS a bit of fairy tale stardust sprinkled through it... Moutsatsos does come across as a bit of the Onassis groupie, her only failing.

Nothing new. Too much author's self-importance!
Although Kiki admired and grew to love her employers, I think she sugar coated many of her observ