Book Description

Timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition is this remarkable account of Alexander Mackenzie--the explorer who beat Lewis and Clark across the North American continent. Mackenzie accomplished this feat an astounding twelve years before the Corps of Discovery. Drawing extensively on the journals of Mackenzie and other turn-of-the-century explorers--and featuring historical and contemporary photographs, illustrations, and maps--Hayes presents a lively portrait of the explorer who both preceded Lewis and Clark and provided an impetus for their expedition. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Illustrated throughout with maps and photographs
First Crossing by historian Derek Hayes is the amazing story of Alexander Mackenzie, and his trailblazing journey across the North American continent before civilized society conquered the North American wilderness. Illustrated throughout with maps and photographs in black-and-white and color, the deftly researched and meticulously reported details of Mackenzie's voyage vividly reconstruct an 18th Century expedition of truly insurmountable bravery and pivotally important discovery.

Not much new!
OK, there is some new information here. Mostly it seems that Hayes has helped illustrate the travels of Mackenzie, something that was not available previously. Barry Gough's book is notoriously lacking in any illustration of Mackenzie's voyages and Mackenzie's own book is virtually without useful illustration. Maybe having read the previous two books makes me jaded but Mackenzie's voyages can only be retold so many times.
Hayes has presented us with a slightly new take on telling the story with pictures, maps and historical vignettes but I hunger for a more thorough job. Perhaps more in the nature of Moulton's "Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition". Finding someone willing to wade through Mackenzie's rather impenetrable prose may be a challenge.
Notwithstanding the above this is probably the best explanation of Mackenzie's voyages since the original journals. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another great book in this series
Author Mike Venezia does a great job explaining biographies to children in a way that is both understandable and interesting. The writing style is not dumbed down or patronizing in tone. This is book is one in a series, others are about other musical composers and artists.

The first few pages explain what the musical climate was like in Mozart's life and explains how people used music for entertainment purposes. This is brief and a very good opening to put Mozart's life in perspective. The rest of the book is a full span of Mozart's life. Unlike other books for children about Mozart, the fact that Mozart was a boy genius is not the main content of the book. Oddly, Mozart's children are never mentioned. Mozart's marriage is briefly mentioned as is Mozart's death.

I have mixed feelings about the illustrations. I appreciated that the illustrations documented the various time periods of Mozart's life. I loved the illustrations that were photographs, fine drawings, or copies of fine paintings of the places Mozart visited, of Mozart and his family, and scenes of his operas. I did not at all like the eight cartoons whose illustrations and accompanying text were sarcastic and silly. These eight cartoons were completely out of character with the text of the book and I didn't appreciate them at all. My children and I have enjoyed other books by this author that did not have dumb cartoons and jokes. My children, aged 4 and 6 haven't needed these silly and sometimes insulting jokes to make the subject matter enjoyable. The interesting biography's text and other illustrations are high quality and are better off without these cartoons. The cartoons downgrade my rating to a 4.

I recommend this book and others by Mike Venezia to teach young children about important people in history.

Mozart's life story told with Venezia's funny cartoons
When I discovered that Mike Venezia was following up his successful Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series with Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers, it was obviously going to be the volume on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that was going to be the one I would most be interested in reading. In terms of his cartoons illustrating in comic ways some of the key developments in Mozart's life from child prodigy performing with his older sister as their father toured them throughout Europe, Venezia certainly delivers. There are also historic paintings and other illustrations of Mozart from throughout his life. But while this volume is an adequate juvenile biography of the great musician, it is a less than satisfactory musical biography. Granted, this is an inherent disadvantage for the Composers series over the Artists series, given that at least in the latter you could reproduce the greatest paintings of the greatest composers, but Venezia refrains from mentioning specific works by Mozart until the final pages of the book. Given my inherent position that a young reader should read this volume while listening to a decent collection of Mozart's "hits," it would be useful not only if more works were specifically mentioned but if they were more specific than entire operas. The only way to appreciate great music is to listen to it and in all of these volumes telling of great composers from George Handel to George Gershwin I think that Venezia clearly has a great opportunity to direct his readers to some prime examples. This is what Venezia did in his volume in this series on Johann Sebastian Bach and it should be a standard part of every volume in the series. Still, young readers will get a much better sense for Mozart's entire life than they will from watching "Amadeus," but the film will do a better job of getting them to fall in love with his music. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Well-researched, well-written
Goddess is often the first book someone curious about MM's life will read. There is good reason for it: Summers does not assume that the reader is familiar with her story. He writes clearly and answers most of the questions that the newly curious about MM are asking. He also takes a close look at the circumstances surrounding her death, and documents his sources well. All in all, I recommend this book to anyone looking to start learning about MM....but I add that I don't think it should be the only bio you read! There are certainly other books out there that take a more sensitive approach to her story. Warning: Goddess contains a photo of MM after the autopsy. If you find this offensive you may want to avoid it.

A Biography on Marilyn that dares discover to the truth...
This is an "exelent" book by Anthony Summers, So well written from beginning to end, this is a book that every Marilyn Fan should have in their bookshelf. You can really appreciate all the time he has devoted in writing "GODDESS." Anthony Summers gives a detailed description of the life and death of Marilyn Monroe. He addresses many sensitive topics that many would not have dare write about, for example the reason why she was murdered, who did it and what was their motive, I love this book exactly for that reason, At last someone dared to discover the truth.

Possibly the most complete that it can get
There will never be "the definitive" Marilyn Monroe biography without the intimate contributions of husbands No. 2 and 3, Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller. Even if the fabled playwright shares publicly his life with filmdom's eternal goddess, DiMaggio never did and, obviously, never will. Still, this contribution by Anthony Summers, first published in 1984, may be as close as it gets. In his acknowledgements, Summers claims a near-obsession that consumed almost two years of his life. Little wonder: he claims and minutely credits and cites more than 600 subjects who were interviewed in the course of his research. About the only criticism that can be lodged is the book's title. Implying we're about to read nothing more than the sexual conquests of the world's most famous woman of her time, we instead get a thoroughly comprehensive life history that begins even before her birth June 1, 1926, and continues well beyond her death that swelteringly hot August night in 1962. In between, thanks to Summers' prose and sources whose claims were checked and rechecked for confirmation, we get something that few other writers have achieved, much less attempted: a psycho-biograhy that explains the reasons for the legendary insecurity that Norma Jean Baker could never quite overcome even as the world's most desired woman. Even in his passages about the amazing but all-too-short film career, Summers manages to keep us focused on Norma Jean and her reality behind the facade that was Marilyn. Of course, Summers has to deal with his subject's still conroversial death, and "The Candle Burns Down," the segment of the book that centers on Monroe's final days, is so detailed that Summers' own explanation for Marilyn's death sounds as plausible as any theory posited. No, he doesn't buy into the theory that she was murdered by the mob or Kennedy operatives, but that her death was an accidental overdose of Seconals. But Summers does submit that Monroe was cruelly exploited sexually and passed sexually from one Kennedy brother to the other, one the president and the other the attorney general, and that it was Robert Kennedy who found the overdosed star in her home and arranged for the ambulance to the hospital and, after her death en route, covered up his involvement with the help of brother-in-law Peter Lawford. Summers' exhaustively researched finished product distinguishes itself from most other Monroe books in that he doesn't exploit his subject's insecurity and private demons or sexual prowess. Instead, Monroe is treated here with dignity and respect and, in the end, we are left with the feeling that we have read Norma Jean's life history, not that of a creation named Marilyn. And it is on Norma Jean's fears that prevented her alter-ego from recognizing her own worth as both a person and actress that accounts for the legend that is Marilyn Monroe. Summers' book is an important contribution to the literature that seeks to explain and understand the fragile psyche of this truly and tragically wounded soul.

Great book
Great book : reliable, serious, honest. That brilliant journalist succeeds in giving us a correct image of the Marilyn's life.
However he shouldn't have shown a photograh of her dead : she has the right to be respected in death.
Arnaud Curgy, from France

For hardcore Marilyn fans
I read this book back in high school when it first came out in hardcover (I'm really dating myself here). Back then I was a Marilyn Monroe fanatic. Every book, movie, poster, magazine, or collectable I could find, I bought.

I must say that I'm still a huge Marilyn fan and have well over 50 books written about her. To this day, Goddess is still the best written, most profound, well meant, and indepth attempt of portraying her story. If you call yourself a Marilyn fan, then there is no question about it. You must read this book.

Witnesses, documents, and photos (including her heartbreaking autopsy photo) will add to the text and leave you breathless. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

marilyn at her beautiful best
In the plethora of books out there written about and containing pictures of Marilyn Monroe, I feel that this collaboration between friend and photographer George Barris and Marilyn herself is truly special, and is as essential to own as _Legend_ by Guiles or the photography books of Bert Stern or Andre de Dienes. In some of the last pictures of her taken before her death, Marilyn is natural and luminescent, appearing happy, calm, and at home in her body.

The text is also highly interesting, containing the words of Marilyn herself as told to Barris. Like her ghost-written _My Story_, this book contains the fragments of Marilyn's life she saw fit to share at that time, and therefore captures her public mindset during the summer before her death more than anything I've read. For example: "When I was a small child, my fondest memories were being around my mother and her friends. It made me feel like we were one big happy family." And even sadder: "As far as I'm concerned, the happiest time of my life is now. There's a future, and I can't wait to get to it. It should be interesting." Barris' conclusion is that Monroe did not commit suicide, and reading her statements contained in this book, it's easy to see why. A beautiful representation of a beautiful woman (inside and out).

Getting to Know Marilyn Monroe
I read "Marilyn HER LIFE IN HER OWN WORDS" by George Barris. This book really made me feel as if I knew her myself. The book talks a lot about the struggles that she faced and how in the end she came out on top. It didn't just focus on her as an actress, model and well-known sex icon but on her as a normal person. George discussed how she was when she was at home, how she treated people and what she wanted in and out of life.

The thing that I like the most about this book would have to be the way it was written. It was so well written and thought out that anyone could understand, relate, and get hooked on it. I felt as if I knew her and what she was going through, as if I had gone through the same challenges she had. I never thought that to be in showbiz you would have to work so hard to be successful. I always looked at it as an easy and fun job. In reality, it is just as hard, maybe even harder than any other job. Showbiz is actual hard work and not just fun.

What I disliked the most about this book would have to be the fact that they didn't talk that much about her career when she was successful. Although there is a list of movie credits and appearances at the end of the book, they really didn't get as much into detail about her career as I would of liked to know. The book did talk about her making it and then not making it over again. And then the last time she made it and stayed and that's when she began staring in the movies instead of 60 second clips that she was known for before. Not only that but the book also talked a lot about her marriages. I personally didn't care to know as much about her marriages as they told and then so little about her career.

An astounding book on an astounding subject
Born Norma Jeane Mortensen on 1 June 1926 c.e. and died 4 August 1962 under conditions still not well known, the woman called Marilyn Monroe was the most famous individual in the world at the time of her death. She still well may be.

Any attempt to describe her career during her life, and the subsequent notoriety and attention to her image after her death, quickly becomes like describing the latest oil tanker, a study of superlatives. What is clear is that she was stunningly beautiful, quite intelligent, and rather troubled. However, much of the population of the United States is "rather troubled" and the vast majority do not commit suicide. Neither, believes Barris, did she, and nor do I.

This isn't a book on Marilyn Monroe's tragic death: it's a photo-essay centering on the last months of Monroe's life, a time when she was certainly in a state of change, but one in which she optimistically looked to the future. I suspect that is really Barris' motivation in publishing this collection, to establish that the memory of this woman, who he obviously had a great affinity with and affection for, should not be stigmatized as a suicide.

Although her life was taken from her at far too early an age, an age at which her best years were clearly ahead and which invites speculation on what she would have done in the decades to come-indeed,she might still be working, as Lauren Bacall still is and Tony Randall did up until December 2003-I think MM should be thought of as a success rather than a tragic victim.

These pictures are magnificent,a study in photographing people in general and women particularly, and technically astounding. The color images, almost certainly shot on the Kodachrome of the vintage, and thirty-some years old when the book was prepared for litho, have a lovely vintage tonality. A great model, a great photographer, great cameras and films, and some beautiful scenery in Southern California all add up to photos that would be worthwhile even if Marilyn had never been famous and were still alive baking cookies in Ohio.

Shortly, it will have been 42 years since Marilyn Monroe lost her life in her small house on Fifth Helena Drive. Nevertheless,she is still the most famous of all movie stars, and she will be remembered and recognized on film probably as long as our species exists. This book evokes her triumph and her loss-and ours-as well as a book can, and few readers will not be reduced to tears at some point while studying it. Ultimately, though, we all must visit the place where she so early went to, and few of us will have had her impact on the world. Thank you, Marilyn, and George Barris too, for letting us see this beautiful creature as, for so short a time, she was.

Marilyn at her vibrant, beautiful best
George Barris, a very wonderful man and wonderful friend to Marilyn, had collaborated with Marilyn to make this book, which they had discussed for some time prior to her death. So here is Marilyn, at her very best, in one of the best settings for Marilyn to be photographed - the beach. Very early on in her career, many photos were taken of Marilyn at the very same beach by Andre deDienes, and they, too are fabulous photos. Something about Marilyn and the beach bring out the very best in her. She appears at ease, belonging to the ocean as her vibrance shines through. At this point in Marilyn's life, only a few weeks prior to her death, Marilyn appeared very fit, happy, healthy and ready to move on in her career. Sadly, that was not to be. But here with this book, we are shown the true Marilyn, young Norma Jeane still there, posing not only for Barris, but for us. This is a beautiful book with pictures that have quite affectionately been named "The Last Photo Shoot," as it was. And the very last picture of Marilyn, wrapped tightly in her Mexican sweater, blowing us a kiss goodbye is a wonderful reminder of her beauty and sensuality.

Fantastic book!
I think It's a great book with spectacular photos. Every MM fan have to buy it! Ciao ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Sensitive & Enlightening
This is an excellent follow-up to the author's first paperback edition. I enjoyed this handsome, hardcover version and its wealth of new photos and illustrations. The artist's depictions looked like actual photos. This edition fleshed out more details of Marilyn's last weeks without dwelling on murder-theories.

Well-researched with new information, this book avoids re-hashing what has already been written. It is a page-turner and must-have for any Marilyn fan. Now I feel as though I really know Marilyn, and I've read nearly every biography written on her in the last fifteen years.

Using Marilyn's last days in the house as a context for a biography is a novel approach to understanding this icon. Vitacco-Robles wove together Marilyn's past as it related to the events during her last year. Marilyn's last year always fascinated me, and I was really interested in learning more about her months in the home in Brentwood. The book is the end-all for anyone who ever secretly wished to visit the home and see inside. It is now hidden by a huge gate to deter fans like me!

The last chapter focused on Frank Lloyd Wright designing a home for Marilyn & Arthur Miller. I was not aware of this. Marilyn wanted a large nursery for the children she never had and a study for the husbanc whom she later divorced. I was amazed that the home was eventually built in Hawaii as a golfing resort.

Vitacco-Robles is a therapist who works with abused children. He knows his subject well and is sensitive to Marilyn's emotional troubles created by her horrendous childhood. As a male biographer, I think Vitacco-Robles does Marilyn justice with his sensitive writing and fresh perspective.

Yes, it's the latest in a long line of biographies about this remarkable woman, but one of the best!

Clarification on this second edition version
I've been confused about the second edition of this book and the sales information on this site. Having spoken with the publisher, Iuniverse, I learned that the hardcover edition offered here is actually a "second edition" released in October 2003, although the release date printed is still listed as 2000. This is because it is a "re-do" under the same title previously released by the publisher. The new second edition cover for the paperback and hardcover depicts Marilyn standing beside the gates of her home and sell respectively for $20.95 and $30.95. The first edition was only published in paperback with a different cover for $11.95. I understand that vendors would continue to sell the first edition paperbacks until supplies depleted. I have both the first edition and second. The second edition contains new images, new chapters, re-worked chapters and information not included in the first. The quality of photo and illustration reproduction in this new version are far superior than in the first. All around, it is a better product and a great, new look at a lasting legend!

A MUST- HAVE FOR ANY MARILYN ENTHUSIAST!!
When I first received my copy of Cursum Perficio: Marilyn's Brentwood Hacienda, I wasn't sure what to expect. Much to my surprise, I was enthralled and fascinated by the details of Marilyn's final months, so eloquently chronicled by Gary Vitacco-Robles. Void of any media hype and speculation about the cause of her death, Vitacco-Robles explores how Marilyn searched and found the perfect place to call home...a respite from the choatic life she led in the media spotlight.
You will journey with her as she went on shopping sprees for furnishings and ornaments in a quest to make the only home she ever owned a reflection of herself.
The book contains a vast collection of actual photographs, as well as impressive photo-recreations of the home's interior as it looked in 1962 and now.
I applaud Vitacco-Robles for a superb testamant to the woman so many longed to know. This book reveals a whole other side of Marilyn that has never been revealed.
A MUST HAVE for any Marilyn enthusiast!

Clarification on this second edition version
There has been some confusion about the second edition of this book and the sales information on this site. According to the publisher, Iuniverse, the hardcover edition offered here is actually a "second edition" released in October 2003, although the release date printed is still listed as 2000. This is because it is a "re-do" under the same title previously released by the publisher. The new second edition cover for the paperback and hardcover depicts Marilyn standing beside the gates of her home and sell respectively for $20.95 and $30.95. The first edition was only published in paperback with a different cover for $11.95. The publisher says that vendors will continue to sell the first edition paperbacks until supplies depleted. The second edition contains new images, new chapters, re-worked chapters and information not included in the first. Having seen this book, the quality of photo reproduction in this new version are far superior than in the first. It also includes professional, "photorealistic-style" illustrations by artist Brandon Heidrick depicting the interior and exterior of Marilyn's home and furnishings. The images serve as a "virtual tour" of Marilyn's last home similar to the author's website.

A must for Norma Jeane lovers
I bought this book, and I really like and enjoyed it. The author is also such a nice man, he offered to sign my copy for me if I sent it to him.

The production quality of the photos in the previous paperback edition were not great (not Gary's fault, he's as upset as anyone) but I managed to download great color ones from the net so that's a non-issue. The new edition has fixed all that and added more. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Marilyn.

If you love Marilyn, you have to have this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Much has been written about Thurgood Marshall, but this is the first book to collect his own words. Here are briefs he filed as a lawyer, oral arguments for the landmark school desegregation cases, investigative reports on race riots and racism in the Army, speeches and articles outlining the history of civil rights and criticizing the actions of more conservative jurists, Supreme Court opinions now widely cited in Constitutional law, a long and complete oral autobiography, and much more. Marshall's impact on American race relations was greater than that of anyone else this century, for it was he who ended legal segregation in the United States. His victories as a lawyer for the NAACP broke the color line in housing, transportation, voting, and schools by overturning the long-established "separate-but-equal" doctrine. But Marshall was attentive to all social inequalities: no Supreme Court justice has ever been more consistent in support of freedom of expression, affirmative action, women's rights, abortion rights, and the right to consensual sex among adults; no justice has ever fought so hard against economic inequality, police brutality, and capital punishment. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Helpful One Volume Source of Writings of True American Hero
Thurgood Marshall is an authentic American hero: "Mr. Civil Rights;" point person for the NAACP's dismantling of segregation; Judge of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (from 1961-1965); Solicitor General (1965-1967); and Justice of the Supreme Court (1967-1991). Mark Tushnet's Thurgood Marshall: His Speeches, Writings, Arguments, Opinions and Reminiscences is a welcome anthology of Marshall's professional writings as lawyer, judge, and storyteller.

Tushnet, Professor of Constitutional Law at Georgetown University Law Center, was Marshall's law clerk during the 1972-1973 term and has written authoritatively about the civil rights movement. He knows the man and material, and has selected the entries with care.

The book contains five parts. Part I contains two of Marshall's appeal briefs, including Brown v. Board of Education, and selected transcripts of oral arguments before the Supreme Court. The briefs substantiate Marshall's "sure instinct for the facts that mattered and an ability to present his case in the way his audience . . . would understand." The oral arguments demonstrate his tenacity in urging his positions despite hard questioning. Marshall the lawyer was clearly a product of his mentor Charlie Houston, Dean of Howard Law School, who taught: "Men, you've got to be social engineers. We've got to turn this whole thing around. And the black man has got to do it; nobody's going to do it for you. . . . You've got to get out there and compete with the other man, and you've got to be better than he is. You might never get what you deserve, but you'll certainly not get what you don't deserve."

Marshall the lawyer was painstakingly thorough. One of his many anecdotes (it was said he could tell a story every day for twenty years and never repeat himself) reflects the pride he took in his legal craftsmanship: a Louisiana judge, not favorably disposed to Marshall or his case, still had to admit, "If Mr. Marshall puts his signature on it, you don't have to check [the citations]."

Part II contains speeches and articles by Marshall while he was a lawyer, for the NAACP's magazine and other periodicals. These are interesting glimpses into the fellowship and frustrations of the civil rights effort, as well as Marshall's methods of advocacy. In his testimonial remarks for Philadelphia lawyer Raymond Pace Alexander, Marshall defines true advocacy as "to put your client above everything else . . . in such a fashion as to get the respect of everyone else."

Part III, contains speeches by Marshall when he was a judge. The section includes Marshall's cautionary remarks during the 1987 bicentennial of the Constitution. Only a Constitution "defective from the start" would permit the Supreme Court to assert in 1857 that it provided blacks with "no rights which the white man was bound to respect." It took "several amendments, a civil war, and momentous social transformation to attain the system of constitutional government, and its respect for the individual freedoms and human rights, that we hold as fundamental today." Also included are Marshall's annual talks at the Second Circuit Judicial Conference. Marshall speaks with great affection for the Second Circuit, with which he was closely affiliated for over a quarter-century, and candidly admits his disagreement with the direction of the Burger and Rehnquist courts.

Part IV, contains a sampling, edited for a general audience, of Justice Marshall's "322 majority opinions, 83 concurrences, and 363 dissents" during his twenty-four years on the Supreme Court. (An appendix catalogs the most significant opinions). The number of dissents is striking. "Maybe I am just a voice crying in the wilderness," Marshall said in 1988, "but as long as I have breath in me I am going to cry."

Randall Kennedy's lucid foreword acknowledges that Marshall's career as an attorney outshone his career as a judge, but only because Marshall's career as a lawyer was so extraordinary that what followed had to be anticlimactic. Another reason for Marshall's limited impact as a judge, at least to-date, is that the court turned rightward just as he became a part of it, and he spent the last part of his career decrying the diminution of principles he had struggled so hard to establish. Sometimes the Court seemed to him to be turning these principles upside down, as in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), in which Marshall commented: "[I]t must be remembered that, during most of the past 200 years, the Constitution as interpreted by this Court did not prohibit the most ingenious and pervasive forms of discrimination against the Negro. Now, when a State acts to remedy the effects of that legacy of discrimination, I cannot believe that this same Constitution stands as a barrier." The supreme irony is that Marshall's final years on the Court were under Chief Justice Rehnquist, who wrote a memo to Justice Jackson concerning Brown arguing that the "separate but equal" doctrine was perfectly constitutional.

The final section, Reminiscences, is the Columbia Oral History Project interview of Marshall. It is a delightful collection of practiced anecdotes, reflecting Marshall's immense charm and humor. Marshall relates even the most harrowing of episodes, his near lynching, with humor. Arrested on pretext of driving while drunk, he narrowly escaped the lynch mob when a tee-totaling magistrate ordered his release. He called Attorney General Clark (later maneuvered by LBJ to resign his Supreme Court seat to Marshall), who asked, "Where you drunk?" Marshall replied, "Well, Mr. Attorney General, about five minutes after I hang up this phone, I'm going to be drunk." ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Haydn left on a concert tour to London in December 1790, Mozart said farewell forever, and most people assumed it was Haydn's health that he was worried about. As we know now, the elder composer was to live for almost two decades more; Mozart, a single year. It was to be a year in which he wrote The Magic Flute, La Clemenza di Tito, and the Clarinet Concerto, as well as most of the Requiem; it was also a year of mounting disappointment in his career as part of the Viennese musical establishment, and a year of growing debt. Robbins Landon is keen to debunk the myths: Mozart was not poisoned ,but died of progressive kidney failure, and Salieri was innocent of his death, though not of promoting his own career at Mozart's expense. Landon defends Mozart's wife, Constanze, against the libels of biographers, though at times his portrait of comfortable bourgeois monogamy sounds like special pleading and overlaps with hints of conscientious bohemian racketiness. This is a wonderful portrait of a great artist and the city where he lived; in passing, Landon tells us everything we need to know about musical life, Masonry, and the truth about that pauper's grave. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Demonstrates considerable knowledge and research
1791, Mozart's Last Year is a fairly short (199 pages plus appendices, notes, and index) book about the last year of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous composer. Among the things discussed are the possibility of Mozart's receiving a good paying position in the Vienna cathedral, his involvement with the Masons, and the circumstances surrounding the composition of La Clemenza di Tito, Die Zauberfloete (The Magic Flute), and the Requiem. Chapters also provide more general background about life in Vienna at the time. One chapter is devoted to the facts about Mozart's last illness, and other explores various myths and theories about it. A final chapter refutes some criticisms of Mozart's wife Constanze. The book is very well written, and appears to be the product of considerable knowledge and research. Included are some photographs and illustrations.

Well written and informative plus a lot of extra details
This is a well-researched book by Robbins Landon not only giving a detailed glimpse of Mozart in 1791 but also the ongoing intrigues associated with life in late 18th century Vienna. Discussed in detail are the three main compositions that he completed during this final year: those being, The Magic Flute, La Clemenza di Tito and his Requiem. There is an interesting section on Mozart's death and the myths and suspicions associated with his final illness. The last chapter is devoted to Constanze and her struggles to survive after Mozart's death.

The book has extensive reference notes, a detailed bibliography and an index that list people who were part of Mozart's life during this period. Also included are some interesting sketches of Mozart's apartment and an area map of Vienna where he and Constanze live in during his last year.

What I personally found of interest, resulted from the extra measures that Robbins Landon goes to give added details on some topics (in particular the 3 works mentioned above). Insights as to the sequencing of construction, participation of other people and outside distractions that influenced Mozart's ability to work on and complete these projects. For example: the fact that 5 different types of sheet paper were used by Mozart during the writing of "La Clemenza di Tito" gives clues not only as to the actual chronological order that some of the scenes were composed, but also an idea as to the geographic locales where different parts this opera was conceived. i.e. Prague or Vienna

It seems hard to believe that retrieving accurate material on Mozart's life and music would be difficult, given his fame. You'd just assume that every note (musical or otherwise) that he wrote would have been recorded for the sake of posterity: sadly, such is not the case. Although Mozart was regarded as a brilliant musician during his time he was only recognized for his true genius, posthumously. So, although a lot of the musical scores, letters, writings and conversation have survived, many were lost or went missing over the past 200 years. What a pity!

Well written and informative. This is certainly a book of special interest, but one that goes beyond the superficial discussions of Mozart's life. Recommended!

Bravo!
After reading "Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life" by Robert Spaethling, this book was a nice transition. Both books are worth buying and reading. Mr. Robbins presented "Mozart's Last Year" logically and held my interest to the end.

The references to Haydn and his relationship with Mozart gave me some really new insight into how the two interacted and regarded the other. The research that was involved in this book lends credit to the contents, which were presented in a common sense way. Mr. Robbins has written a book that, I feel, is a "must read" for anyone interested to learn about Mozart's life and circumstance. A lot of rumors were put to rest. I learned a lot I did not know. I learned a lot about people who touched Mozart's life. I like the fact that he gave Constanze the respect she deserves as one who saved Mozart's works for us to enjoy! Great Job!

A terrific read--I devoured this book!
The author's affection and esteem for Mozart is apparent throughout, and his enthusiasm for his subject is infectious. This is obviously a work of careful scholarship, but the writing style is so fluid and the topic so engaging that this book can be appreciated by both serious musicians and Mozart-loving non-musicians alike. It addresses many of the subjects that the movie 'Amadeus' touched on--Salieri's jealousy, the writing of the Requiem, Mozart's final illness, etc. but, unlike the movie, it is content to let the unembellished facts tell the compelling story of the last year of the composer's life. A fascinating, well-written book.

For All Mozart Lovers!
This is a passionate look at the most prolific year of Mozart's life, and also the year he died. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but was saddened to think what he might have composed had he lived just a few years longer! ... Read more

Book Description

More than any other pinup girl or star of the silver screen, Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) has captivated the minds of an entire generation. With her come-hither stare and womanly figure, she continues to be one of Hollywood's sexiest women. While many photographers captured Monroe's obvious sexuality, Eve Arnold, the only woman to have photographed her extensively, captured some of the most tender images ever seen of the Hollywood starlet.

Following a 1952 photo shoot for Esquire magazine, Monroe and Arnold forged a wonderful friendship. Marilyn Monroe chronicles the six photography sessions that took place over the course of their 10-year bond, including a two-month-long session while Monroe was shooting The Misfits. With almost 100 photographs-this new edition includes 48 previously unseen photographs not published in the long-out-of-print first edition-combined with Arnold's revealing text, this poignant book gives great insight into the career and personality of one of the world's most beloved icons. Perfect for fans of Hollywood's golden era and anyone intrigued by Monroe's captivating image, this book shows a sensitive side to Marilyn Monroe that is rarely seen. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good only for historical purposes
This book has it's moments, such as "God's Judgement for White America" which speaks of divine revenge for the crimes against Black Americans, but too much of this reflects the period when Malcolm was parroting (his own admission) the cuckoo-patch teachings of Elijah Muhammad for the benefit of the ignorant. "The Black Man's History" is filled with utter madness about Blakc mad scientists creating White people, ad nauseum. Good only for historical purposes. Read the real, sensible stuff from when Malcolm had the sense to cut loose from Elijah's mess, such as "Malcolm X Speaks,' "By Any Means Necessary" etc.

This is the best book on Malcolm's ideology! Buy it!
I first started teaching myself about Malcolm X when I was only in 6th grade, but I was only really concerned with his life story and not his ideas. The books I had read up through high school never gave any extra insight either (and I owned 10 at the time). I first read this book in the fall of '95, finding it by accident when I was going through the books by Malcolm my freshman year at Montana State U. This book is terrific! I had always been an admirer of Malcolm, but without the insight and this book gave it. My favorite speech is "The Black Man's History", truly a masterpiece. There are some ideas that don't quite pan out, but these speeches came during the time he was still with the Nation of Islam and a follower of Elijah Muhammed. This book gives terrific insight into his ideas early on. It is well worth the money to buy this book! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A useful book, the product of much research exposing the FBI
Carson is a well-known Black scholar whose most important work has been organizing and opublishing from the Martin Luther King Papers.This book was an effort on his part to expose how the FBI followed Malcolm X from the time he wrote to a radical youth group for information, long before Malcolm X joined the Muslims until his death, a death Malcolm more and more expected would come from the FBI/CIA.Along the way the FBI has preserved speeches and letters and views of Malcolm as they evolved throughout his life.Anyone who treats Malcolm X as some sort of prefabricated god, and not a man whose views developed over time, over experience, and particularly after his exposure to the struggles of the civil rights movement, and the anti-imperialist struggles ongoing in Cuba, Africa, and Vietnam at the time, is in for a rude shock as this book shows how his ideas changed and grew.
I recommend Pathfinder Press's series of books by Malcolm X. Malcolm selected Pathfinder to publish his speeches before he died.The first book Malcolm X speaks was selected while Malcolm was living, though published after he was murdered.Every book has been published in cooperation and with royalties to Malcolm's family.Pathfinder has gone as far as the jungles of Guyana to find every speech or interview available with Malcolm particularly in the last years of his life.

The book was informative....
The book was informative however the foward by Spike Lee was out of place. It breaks my heart that so many people profit from the life and death of Malcolm X other than his family. Although this is a good book do your selfand Malcolm justice by getting this book from your public library! ... Read more

Book Description

No star in any genre has affected the world as deeply or has lasted as long without fading as Marilyn Monroe. This thought-provoking and wide-ranging collection of essays examines the undiminished incandescence of Marilyn Monroe -- the impact she has had on our culture, the evolution of her legend since her death, and what she tells us now about our lives and times -- and includes previously unpublished work from some of America's best writers, such as: Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Elliot Dark, Albert Mobilo, Marge Piercy, Lore Segal, Lisa Shea, and many more.

From her troubled family beginnings to the infamous $13 million auction held at Christie's in New York City, All the Available Light paints an unforgettable portrait of Marilyn as you've never seen her before.

This extremely rare cover photo was taken c. 1954, on the set of The Seven Year Itch. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fascinating
As a feminist, I was surprised that the the most insightful essay in the book is by that pre-feminist/male-centered-femme-fatale Clare Booth Luce. Most of the scholarly feminist writers seem way off the mark -- especially Steinem, who is such a boring, plodding, obtuse writer (sorry, but it's true!!!). Monroe's co-star in "Some Like It Hot," Jack Lemmon, reportedly always whispered to himself before the cameras rolled: "Magic time!", and the most interesting essays admit that Monroe's magic cannot be pinned down, dissected, & explained. As another Monroe-era actor, Rex Harrison, said, "Whatever it is that makes a person charming must remain a mystery."
MM had mystery & magic -- that's why we find her eternally fascinating, and that's why the most riveting essays collected here (for example, Sir Laurence Olivier's) admit that her onscreen magic is surprsing, dazzling, & inexplicable..

My review of "The Marilyn Monroe Reader"
This book was given to me as a gift. As a fan of MM, I used to buy a lot of books on her, which were all pretty redundant. This was a great diversion. It is a collection of writings from other publications and some strictly for the book itself and also the author, Yona Zeldis McDonough's, insights and thoughts on MM.

It is interesting to read what other people think, and some of these writers are quite well known -- Joyce Carol Oates, Gloria Steinhem, Marge Piercy,. These essays show Marilyn in a positive and worst possible light. -- Every little available, hence the title, "All the Available Light". I think this book needs to be read with an extreme open mind by the fans.
As a woman who truly loves and is a fan of Monroe, I got the feeling that woman writers here are not fans. They stepped up on their soapbox and tore Marilyn into pieces because of her overt sexuality and the fact that she appeared to be the dumb blonde. They seemed almost intimidated and resorted to stupid remarks about her intelligence. No one truly knew Marilyn, she was and still is an enigma. We can only form opinions, which is what this little blurb of writing really is. Every opinion you can think of is here. There are some facts thrown in for good measure, and the author ends it with a "Chronology" From this, we find out that the author thinks MM was murdered.

Even though Marilyn didn't particularly like Sir Lawrence Olivier, I thought his chapter was one of the best ones. He was her leading man in "The Prince and the Showgirl". After speaking rather bluntly about his sometimes frustrating experience working with her, he realizes in retrospect that in the finished product, she was brilliant and quite beautiful.
Which is my own opinion as well. So, I'm biased, I'll admit that.

A lot of this book was very boring and read like text book material with the contributors making up their own words like Monroeivitiy and Monroean. Please...
I don't highly recommend this book, but it is an interesting peek into other people's minds and how Marilyn affected them in both their personal and professional lives.

great book to fall asleep with ..
only an analyse of Marilyn with passages of other books about Marilyn in it .. I read some 70 books about Marilyn in the past years and this is realy one I'd like to lay aside; nothing new and boring! Great coverphoto though ..

Ultra-Feminist Psychobabble
Although there are a few interesting pieces contained within, the majority is a collection of ultra-feminist psychobabble. Since I assume that these feminist writers were paid for their efforts, they too profited from the one they claim to be objectified and victimized by the male-dominated, Hollywood machine. How much better is that? With their theorizing and analyzing, they all seek to reveal the 'real' woman beneath the mask of Marilyn. Most probably they are all off-the-mark. For a better understanding of Marilyn, you would be much better off watching and enjoying her films, and reading her interviews. The painful truth is, we will never fully know the woman behind the curtain. She is gone and not able to defend herself against this onslaught of ridiculous speculation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Readers who think of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) as the shrieking vulgarian depicted in Peter Shaffer's hit play (and movie) Amadeus will be astonished by the man they meet in this biography by music historian Robert Gutman: "affectionate and generous ... an austere moralist of vital force, incisiveness, and strength of purpose." Without scanting Mozart's often maladroit handling of his patrons or his earthy way with words ("Let the whole company of patricians lick my ass," he declared in a 1777 letter), Gutman portrays a musical genius who slowly and painfully achieved personal maturity as he emerged from the shadow of his domineering father. The rich cultural life of 18th-century Europe forms a vivid background for Mozart's professional and artistic evolution. And Gutman's descriptions of Mozart's work are models of music writing for the lay reader: they capture the brilliance and beauty of the great composer's art in easily accessible language, as in the analysis of The Marriage of Figaro's place in "a new aesthetic of surging movement ... the vocal and orchestral lines twine, separate, and reunite in confrontation, opposition, and accommodation, an ever-changing, effortless interlacing." The prose delineating Mozart's complex personality is just as full-bodied and perceptive. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A flesh-and-blood Mozart
Though I'm not much of a Mozart buff, and his music generally does little for me, it's impossible to deny his genius or to escape its fascination. So, after again having watched the entertaining nonsense of the movie Amadeus a while ago, I felt compelled to find out a bit more about the REAL story (I knew the gist of it only from Peter Gay's tiny book). What luck then, to find this beautifully produced, comprehensive tome lying around in the remainders corner of a book store. It was worth every cent of the modest price I paid for it. This is biography as it should be. It covers all details of Mozart's personal life, his family, and the troubled relation with his father; it covers many details of his works besides. It also shows his constant wavering on the brink between the dictates of protocol on the one hand and his sense of superiority through creative genius on the other. This delicate balance defined his dealings with Colloredo in Salzburg, with Joseph II in Vienna, and with the hosts of princes, dukes and bishops who governed the mind-boggling patchwork of states that constituted the Holy Roman Empire at that time. In dealing with these issues, Gutman never loses himself in speculation and is eminently sober. Where information is spread thin because of a lack of correspondence or interrupted work on a diary, he just tells us so and moves on. If you are looking for scurrilous anecdotes of the Amadeus kind, you will look in vain here. Mozart, no matter how convinced of his own qualities, would never have dreamt to bow low with his back turned to the ruler of Salzburg, showing him his behind. You will only find his insolence tucked away in a few defiant sentences in a letter, thickly covered by all the servile formulae that were expected of a courtier who ranked no higher than a footman. Neither will you find sycophantic ravings about Mozart's precocious talent. Though the works he produced at a young age were certainly exceptional, their flaws stand out clearly, and many of them also betray the hand of Leopold, as Gutman patiently points out. In fact, I noticed, the flow of great masterpieces only starts once your two-thirds through the book; before that lie the years of the child prodigy dragged all over Europe by his ambitious father, and those of the young composer struggling to find his voice and an audience. By the way, the description of Mozart's work strongly focuses on the opera's, and the sometimes over-extensive (psycho)analysis of the libretti struck me as the only weak aspect of this book. On the whole, however, this book is far more about the man and his world than about the music.
You will also look in vain for uncanny overtones in the visit of the masked messenger who ordered the Requiem, and neither is there the tragic end of the neglected genius dumped in a pauper's grave. Mozart had a standard third class funeral, Gutman tells us, as did most Viennese citizens, and the proceedings surrounding it were quite in keeping with those customary at the time. Nor was the composer a death-ridden derelict in his final year; on the contrary, he was in high spirits, and on the brink of the artistic recognition and ensuing financial success that allowed his widow to spend the many years she survived him in the greatest comfort.
So is this a boring book then? By no means! Gutman replaces the sensational but stale caricature with a flesh-and-blood human being, and a very likeable one at that, who almost jumps off the pages. His treatment of Mozart's psychology is highly refined and subtle. He was no divine spirit incarnate, he was a man like you and me, this book tells you.
But it tells you lots more. It delves deeply into the complicated politics of 18th century Europe, with all its competing rulers, many of them afflicted with strange personalities. Culture and customs are described in similar detail. The ample footnotes contain thumbnail-biographies, delightful anecdotes and musical details alike and almost form a book in themselves. The 800 pages are densely packed with information, not making for a relaxed bed-time read; this book demands your time and concentration, and deserves both! You will reap rich rewards from your investment.

Leopold's little boy
A definitive biography of history's greatest creative genius is of course an illusion. Nevertheless, two American writers have in recent years written large scholarly works which strive to achieve that distinction: Robert Gutman and Maynard Solomon. Gutman's book is greatly to be preferred.

Solomon's book should be read by any serious Mozartian for his interesting new material on and interpretations of issues such as the Mozart family finances and the complex varieties of late 18th century Freemasonry. But his biography is vitiated by his Freudianism and his relentless demonising of Leopold Mozart. In Gutman's book, by contrast, Leopold emerges as a much more interesting and complex character than Solomon's monster. Some of the best parts of the book are the extracts from Leopold's letters during his trips with the boy prodigy. Leopold was an intelligent, humane, tolerant and well-educated man, with shrewd powers of cultural and social observation. (His description of Naples in the 1760's is priceless.) But Gutman's Leopold is no saint either. Gutman convincingly portrays him as a man who was often socially out of his depth and whose maladroit plotting on his son's behalf did Wolfgang more harm than good. He also accuses Leopold of ultimately cheating his grown son out his boyhood earnings - a charge I felt Gutman did not quite prove.

In the early chapters of the book I also found it a bit tiresome how often Gutman felt he had register his disapproval of absolute monarchs. Personally, he prefers democracy. Thank you Mr Gutman, we get the point. For some Americans, it seems, it's always 1776.

Gutman's musical judgements do not quite accord with my own. I thought he was far too dismissive of the compositional skill of the young Mozart. But I must admit he did cast the famous Allegri Miserere and Padre Martini stories in very different light. Gutman also tended to damn with faint praise Mozart's great opera seria, La Clemenza di Tito. On the plus side, he showed an all-too-rare understanding of the aesthetic and religious seriousness of Mozart's church music.

As someone who has been reading Mozart biographies for over thirty years, I was constantly amazed at some new fact or anecdote Gutman had unearthed. Finally, his description of the young genius's death was almost unbearably moving.

If you only buy one Mozart biography (and I suppose there are such people) this should be the one.

excellent bio and history
This book is a much more pleasing read than Maynard's "Mozart: A Life" - unless you like endless psychological analysis.
Gutman describes in detail historical events which influenced the lives of the Mozarts: wars, experiencing freedom in England, interacting with other musicians and philosophers, new outlooks on life and new developments in music.
The fine historical detail embellishes the thorough presentation of Mozart's life: for example, knowing his hometown of Salzburg was not part of Austria during his lifetime makes his eventual move to Vienna seem even more dramatic than otherwise.
The two reasons I don't give it 5 stars are: 1) it paints a more sanitized picture of Mozart than other sources, and 2) many writers seem to think it enhances their works if they include phrases in foreign languages. Gutman is no exception. For example, Mozart's father's thinking at one point is described as "Aut Ceasar, aut nihil." This is apparently a somewhat well-known phrase meaning "To Ceasar all or nothing." but I shouldn't have had to take time out of otherwise enjoyable reading to look it up on the Internet.

Worth the money
A great book for Mozart fans. If you liked Amadeus you'll surely enjoy this book by Gutman.

Unless New Information Requires Revision
This twelve-year effort by Mr. Robert W. Gutman to create a cultural biography around the core that was Mozart, should meet the needs of those educated in music, or those like myself who are fascinated with this genius of History. This work is massive by any measure and even the Author suggested certain passages could be passed over by less sophisticated students of Mozart's work, and music in general.

I read this work over a lengthy period of time as the material is very dense, and the book is more like a collection than a single volume. This is a Biography of Mozart, and also biographies of those who were Family, his peers, and The Monarchs who ruled during his short life. It is a work of History as well. For Mozart the person, throughout the book is always placed within the context of the events surrounding him. Politics would influence where he could play, as would religion, all forms of civil disobedience, and war. In this sense the work has as an element Political Science as well. The Author includes detailed economic facts from the smallest of costs that were included for a concert tour, to the largesse that was or was not handed to Mozart by a variety of Royal Courts. These latter two issues were obsessions with his Father. Mozart Sr. not only micro-managed the lives of his children, but also was constantly vying for the good graces of the wealthy, The Nobility, as well as The Royalty, and dealing with all manner of court intrigue in hopes of his personal advancement.

For any who became interested in Mozart after seeing, "Amadeus", this book, as others do, portrays the composer as at times a colorful individual, but not the debauched character that was seen in the film. His writings at times are colorful in the extreme; his ego and his expressions of his self-importance do not always commend him. However his genius cannot be denied, and while not as raucous as the movie version, Mozart would never be accused of being a bore at gatherings.

I am glad that I read this book, and it will certainly serve as a reference source. I would not recommend this as the first book to read on Mozart unless Music is your field of study. To truly appreciate what the Author has created, and to gain all the knowledge the book contains, an individual must have much more than a passing interest in Mozart. Mr. Gutman has created a scholarly work that would seem to set a standard that will be hard to surpass. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A man for the times? The experience of defeat
This is one of the most useful and interesting of the Marx biographies and shows us another Marx, behind the man of fiction who was a later invention. Christopher Hill in _The Experience of Defeat_ details a host of figures in the English Civil War, from the Levellers to the Fifth Monarchists, who were written out of history, and who had to live with failed revolutionary lifetimes. We forget the actual experience of Marx, the experience of defeat after 1848, and his persistence nonetheless without illusions documenting the capitalism of his time and era. After the grotesquerie of the twentieth century Communists it is significant to remember this other Marx.
This is surely the experience of the current left, and one might expect it to end as forgotten as the defeated figures from Munzer onward--save that the right will not rest, and will reinvent slavery or worse if left to their devices, while the current left fantasies a series of leftist fictions, among them about Marx.
It might help to look at the failure of Marxist theory, the experience of defeat, behind the unique brilliance of Marx, and at least know the history, starting with Marx's challenge to Hegel's philosophy of right. This work shows the problems that Marx experienced in his theoretical struggles, and shows, for example, the inability of Marx to complete his life's project, Capital. This aspect of the book is compelling, and often quietly filtered out. Marxists have rarely known what they are talking about, but, like the Levellers, will always accompany the definition of modernism.
Very acute biography. ... Read more

Book Description

Malcolm X's cultural rebirth--his improbable second coming--brims with irony. The nineties are marked by intense and often angry debates about racial authenticity and "selling out," and the participants in these debates--from politicians to filmmakers to rap artists--often draw on Malcolm's scorching rebukes to such moves. Meanwhile, Malcolm's "X" is marketed in countless business endeavors and is stylishly branded on baseball hats and T-shirts sported by every age, race, and gender. But this rampant commercialization is only a small part of Malcolm's remarkable renaissance. One of the century's most complex black leaders, he is currently blazing a new path across contemporary popular culture, and has even seared the edges of an academy that once froze him out. Thirty years after his assassination, what is it about his life and words that speaks so powerfully to so many?

In Making Malcolm, Michael Eric Dyson probes the myths and meanings of Malcolm X for our time. From Spike Lee's film biography to Eugene Wolfenstein's psychobiographical study, from hip-hop culture to gender and racial politics, Dyson cuts a critical swathe through both the idolization and the vicious caricatures that have undermined appreciation of Malcolm's greatest accomplishments. The book's first section offers a boldly original and penetrating analysis of the major trends in interpreting Malcolm's legacy since his death, and the fiercely competing interests and ideologies that have shaped these trends. From mainstream books to writings published by the independent black press, Dyson identifies and examines the different "Malcolms" who haveemerged in popular and academic investigations of his life and career: Malcolm as hero and saint; Malcolm as a public moralist; Malcolm as victim and vehicle of psychohistorical forces; and Malcolm as revolutionary figure. With impassioned and compelling force, Dyson argues that Malcolm was too formidable a historic figure--the movements he led too variable and contradictory, the passion and intelligence he summoned too extraordinary and disconcerting--to be viewed through any narrow cultural prism.

The second half of the book offers a fascinating exploration of Malcolm's relationship to a resurgent black nationalism, his influence on contemporary black filmmakers and musicians, and his use in progressive black politics. From sexism and gangsta' rap to the painful predicament of black males, from the politics of black nationalism to the possibilities of race in the Age of Clinton, Dyson's trenchant and often inspiring analysis reveals how Malcolm's legacy continues to spur debate and action today.

A rare and important book, Making Malcolm casts new light not only on the life and career of a seminal black leader, but on the aspirations and passions of the growing numbers who have seized on his life for insight and inspiration. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Revealing book!
I really enjoyed reading this Book,Marilyn as seen from another's perspective, in this case a young Susan Strasberg.
It wasn't hard to understand how Susan could feel at once so jelous and insecure around marilyn, yet seek her approval and friendship. Ignored by her own parents in favor of her surrogate sister Marilyn, Susan recounts all her conflicting emotions during that time in her Life.
I found her recollection of her affair with Richard Burton equally interesting, as well as a closer Look at Paula Strasberg and her relationship with marilyn.
This is a good read for any Marilyn fan...a different Look at the Legend.

Better than most MM biographies
Why do I like this better than most MM biographies? Strasberg actually knew MM. So many authors, like Norman Mailer among many others, didn't even know her and that makes their biographies debatable in terms of accuracy. Sometimes Strasberg does go into too much depth about her complex feelings about MM, but there are antedotes that have never been published before. Now that Stasberg is sadly deceased, this book becomes even more valuable because this is her last words on MM. However, I do think "Conversations with Marilyn" by Weatherby is a much more revealing book; Weatherby also knew MM. (See my review of that book if this interests you.)

A Look at Marilyn and Me
This book contains many of the essential keys to understanding Marilyn Monroe. Although told through the eyes of another actress, it focuses more on Marilyn rather than Susan Strasberg. The best part of the book, to me, was how they first met. It also shows that Marilyn Monroe was in a way a normal woman with many insecurities and sometimes just as scared as all of us sometimes are. It was good that someone so close to her could write a book looking back at not only her as being a legend, but someone we could relate to. I have read many books on Marilyn Monroe, but I don't think any of the books I read so far actually helped me to understand her point of view as this book did. ... Read more