Book Description

"Here at last is the full, true, and mesmerizing story of Elvis Presley's last two decades, in the long-awaited second volume of Peter Guralnick's masterful two-part biography.Last Train to Memphis, the first part of Guralnick's two-volume life of Elvis Presley, was acclaimed by the New York Times as "a triumph of biographical art." This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time. Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It's a breathtaking, revelatory drama that for the first time places the events of a too-often mistold tale in a fresh, believable, and understandable context.Elvis' changes during these years form a tragic mystery that Careless Love unlocks for the first time. This is the quint essential American story, encompassing elements of race, class, wealth, sex, music, religion, and personal transformation. Written with grace, sensitivity, and passion, Careless Love is a unique contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the nature of success, giving us true insight at last into one of the most misunderstood public figures of our times. " ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Poignant and Sad, Never a Work of Caricature
We all think we know the post-Army Elvis. He's the gradually fattening lounge act on steroids (and other assorted chemicals) who cranked out awful movies with mechanical regularity. His talent rebounded in the late 60s with his NBC comeback special and some of his live performances to remind us what he meant when his first performances made a young Bob Dylan feel like he was breaking out of jail. Reading Guralnick's successor to "Last Train From Memphis," one is reminded of the old line that airplane pilots experience 98 percent sheer boredom and 2 percent sheer terror. This resembles Elvis's life, enclosed in a dual prison of Graceland's walls and the companionship of the "Memphis Mafia"--his cronies and pals whose lives consisted of serving the King's often bizarre whims, and awaiting his generous handouts. The predicament echoes China's last emperors in their Forbidden City, ruling a landscape they can no longer see and in which they no longer mattered.

This book oozes sadness, and I sensed that Guralnick, whose prose crackles with energy even describing Elvis at his most pathetic, felt personally disappointed with the great waste of talent Elvis's life became. In the preface and on the book's last page, Guralnick makes reference to the mythic Elvis we encountered in "Last Train." In between, a chronicle of pathos unfolds. Guralnick could have used the decline and fall to interrogate the American mythology Elvis once fulfilled, to show how ultimately false it proved. Instead, we get a touchingly human portrait of a man living in the chaos that celebrity creates. I wouldn't wish celebrity on my worst enemy. One is struck by Elvis's loneliness, by the sense of loss occasioned by his mother's death, and from which he clearly never recovered.

The mythic Elvis is still here, particularly in the burst of achievement from the '68 Comeback Special, through the American Recordings with Chips Moman, and the early stands in Vegas. But even when recounting the saddest days of his apotheosis in the mid-70s, Guralnick's tale suddenly shows Elvis explode out of his stupor with charisma and passion, leading his band through the occasional great session or show. Elvis's bizarre obsession with law enforcement and completely surreal desire to meet Richard Nixon and volunteer to serve the country as a Narcotics Agent has something of greatness about it. All that vitality had to go somewhere, and if it's not fed with healthy outlets, it manifests itself strangely.

When I visited Graceland as a tourist a few years ago, the walls still seethed with the boredom the place must have witnessed. Guralnick captures the pathos without descending to the pathetic, while still maintaining a perspetive on his subject that dilutes none of the passion.

A poingant, depressing, and insightful look at Elvis...
First and foremost, this is a depressing book. There is a warning in the author's note that the book is about a tragedy, and this is an understatement. Elvis Presely's "fall" was a hard and bitter one. This book outlines events starting in 1960 up to Presely's death in 1977. Things start out looking pretty good for Elvis as he leaves the army and begins his career almost anew, but as the 1970s emerge, things start to cloud over, and the book follows the downward spiraling vortex that Presley and his somewhat bizarre and almost constantly fluctuating entourage followed up to the end. Along the way, Guralnick allows readers to draw their own conclusions about Presley. Mostly the book outlines details of certain events - sometimes so detailed one wonders if Guralnick was there himself - interspersed with commentary from people who lived through these same events. It is not an uplifting read. One gets the impression that Presley's fame isolated him from pretty much the human race, made him untouchable (reprisals were feared by anyone is his immediate "gang", and it didn't help matters that most of them were on his payroll) and ultimately put him beyond the help of his own family and the people who he thought were his friends. Presely's fame turns horrendously destructive in the 1970s, and some of the stories and anecdotes may make the sensitive reader wince. Some of the stories are just downright strange: Presley's religious enlightenment from seeing an image in the clouds of the face of Stalin turn into the face of Jesus; Presley's determination to secure himself a position of Narcotics officer from President Nixon; the pranks Preseley and his retinue play on each other, on audiences, and on themselves; the fact that, as record sales declined, Presely's revenue actually increased. Other anecdotes have a more disturbing undertow: Presley's manipulation and abject objectification of the women in his life, and the fact that many of them kept coming back even after being brusquely brushed off; Presley's fascination with guns, and his sometime not so comforting habit of pointing them at people when angry; Presely's wild, erratic, and irresponsible spending; Presley's inability to take advice from his wife, girlfriends, business manager, and even his own father on dire personal matters (e.g., his finances, his marriage, his health). It is a tragedy to read about someone who both cared about people but also put himself above others in a way that put him beyond their help or aid.

The figure of "the Colonel" lurks behind the entire story. He has Presley's business needs in mind, and, due to his business acumen, makes Presley (and himself) multi-millionaires beyond imagination. It's amazing to read how the Colonel is able to make more and more money from Movie studios, even as movies starring Presley are on a sharp decline in revenue and popularity. The whole story is mind boggling. In the end, the Colonel thought he was taking care of Elvis in the best way he knew how, but insatiable greed and insular attention to the bottom line and almost nothing else probably hurt Presley more than it helped him in the long run. Guralnick does not say this anywhere in the book. Again, the reader must draw moral conclusions based on the evidence. Guralnick does not moralize apart from calling the story a tragedy, and this makes this biography doubly interesting, as different readers will likely draw different conclusions based on their own interpretations of the delineated events. Who is to blame in the end? Is it fair to blame one or a few people? Is it fair to blame Presley? These questions are not answered (as they shouldn't be) but much food for thought is presented. As usual in life, the answer is far more complicated than mere finger pointing can accommodate. Guralnick handles this subject with eloquence and a distance that pull the reader in and allow for reflection upon what happened. This is not the usual shoddy rock biography that typically clutters the "Music" section of bookstores. This is a story to sink one's cognitive teeth into and reflect upon. Warning: this book will make you think; it will make you moralize; it will make you angry and frustrated at what happened, and it will make you ask "Why?" Regardless if you are an Elvis Presley fan or not (I'm really not; I was very young when Presley passed on) this is a book worth reading. It is a thick book, but a quick read (keep your dictionary handy nonetheless). Once you're in fifty pages or so, you'll probably find yourself stuck on it.

Well Written and Researched Tale of the King
There is one way to describe this book - wow, what a story.

The writing is just flat out good. Once you start reading be prepared to finish, except for those pesky breaks to sleep and work.

A very well written account of Elvis's life and actions in and out of the recording studio with lots of details, lots of hanky panky, road trips, recording sessions, flights, drugs, buying Cadillacs, the whole mess. Basically Elvis spent every cent he made. The colonel took each dollar and sent 50 cents to the IRS to keep Elvis out of trouble but Elvis and his "mafia" lived like kings where money was no object. If he was in the mood he would just pick up the phone and buy cars, trucks, land, food, whatever was his fancy. When he died Priscilla actually started to manage the finances and Graceland and then after he was dead, the money really increased.

With his love of music and his drive to create, he had hit after hit, a lull and then more hits, movies, hits, lulls, Las Vegas, and on and on. There were no limits until he came in collision with obesity and drugs. It all became very depressing and then it ended. Elvis came close to pulling back and recovering a few times but was unable or unwilling or not intelligent enough to see what was happening to himself. In that sense he was alone and in charge.

An enthralling and well written blockbuster that stays in your hands until the last page.

Jack in Toronto

Stirring...
I picked up the book Careless Love. At the time the title puzzled me. Who was guilty of Careless Love? Elvis? Umm. Go figure. But upon completion of the book, I now realize no other title would have suited. Elvis was guilty of careless love as was the people whom he surrounded himself with daily and most importantly the fans.
Now, I find no joy in his music and it is painful for me to look at smiling happy picture's of him when he was at the height of his career. Why? Because I know how it all ends. The man, who would burst on the scene and shred American culture, all the while rebuilding it, fascinates me. He was a pioneer, a rebel. Everyone knows the story. Poor boy makes good. But the trajectory his life took is painful to follow. How could a man whose vision changed the music world not have had enough foresight to see his own destructive and erratic behavior?
Paul Guralnick writes the only account of Elvis that I trust implicitly. Why? Because his regard for Elvis as an artist is woven between even the most heart wrenching accounts of his life. Mr. Guralnick does not try to persuade you to like or dislike Elvis. He merely gives Elvis life and places him in front of you saying, "Here he is...you make the decision on how you feel about him."
The book is a disturbing but respectful look at a man who was gifted beyond reason. Mr. Guralnick clearly demonstrates that the fame Elvis endured was even beyond him.

You want to know who Elvis really was? Read this book!
A wonderful achievement. Thoroughly researched, beautifully written. You'll learn everything about the King you always wanted to know - plus some facts of which you had rather remained ignorant. Careless Love is on par with the first volume of Guralnik's Elvis-biography, "Last Train to Memphis" (see also my review of that outstanding work). ... Read more

Book Description

"This is a story about how I was saved by love at a time when most people considered me beyond rescue," begins Victor Rivas Rivers in this powerful chronicle of how he escaped the war zone of domestic violence -- too often regarded as a "private family matter" -- and went on to become a good man, a film star, and a prominent activist.

The Cuban-born author begins by recalling when he was kidnapped, along with three of his siblings, by his own father, who abandoned Victor's pregnant mother and took the children on a cross-country hell-ride that nearly ended in a fatal collision. This journey of survival portrays with riveting detail how, instead of becoming a madman like his father, Victor was saved by a band of mortal angels. Miraculously, seven families stepped forward, along with teachers and coaches, to empower him on his road from gang member to class president, through harrowing and hilarious football adventures at Florida State and with the Miami Dolphins, to overcoming the Hollywood odds and becoming a champion for all those impacted by domestic violence.

Though at times Victor's odyssey is heartbreaking and disturbing, A Private Family Matter is ultimately a triumphant testament to humanity, courage, and love. Profound and poignant, it is a compelling memoir with a cause. Victor Rivers's way of thanking all the angels and advocates who made a difference in his life is by trying to make a difference in all of ours. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Monster And His Handsome, Talented, Nurturing Son
A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER takes up the story of one of Hollywood's leading actors, whom you have seen in so many TV shows and movies, and strips off the surface to reveal that behind the handsome mask he wears, a nightmare of terror and horror will forever haunt Victor Rivas, as the demons that have haunted him since childhood keep whistling through his mind like witches on broomsticks.He never has had a day without reliving the traumas of his difficult youth, particularly standing in the shadow of an abusive Dad, whose beatings he endured on a regular basis.Sometimes the father seems so wound up he's unreal, but through the eyes of a child, evil often wears a human face, and all too often, as Mr. Rivas demonstrates, that evil is in the father.

I liked all the Cuban stuff, an area I know little about.The family left Cuba when Castro came to power, because his father's family occupied important positions in the cabinet of the corrupt dictator Bautista (still fondly remembered, it seems, by many anti-Communist Cuban Americans).When you read A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER perhaps you, like I, flashed back to the great novel by Reinaldo Arenas, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, with its odd mixture of a longing for indigenous culture and a fleeing from its misogynist and anti-child aspects.The smells and sounds come out at you in waves of sensuous description.

Most of all, however, you feel the boy's pain.His father was truly a monster, and his mother was completely cowed by what amounts to the abuse he meted out to whoever got in the way of his anger and machismo.Beyond that, Victor reveals what it took to get him to become a productive adult.There had to be a lot of repair work done on this man.Next time you see him in the movies, think of how much his acting talent comes from the resources it took for him to find the light in a dark world of abuse.And now he helps others who have suffered some of the same syndromic abuse.Highly recommended.

Get This For Your Son
Victor Rivers displays such courage, both in escaping from the horrible violence his father inflicted on him, and in breaking the cycle with his own child.Every parent should buy this book for their sons; Victor's father is an extreme example, but any kind of emotional or physical abuse is WRONG, and our children need to be taught that being a real man means never, ever resorting to violence.

Amazing, powerful, inspiring story
This is one of the most powerful books I've ever read.At first you react with shock, then disbelief, tears, and finally joy as you ride with Victor on his incredible journey.The story is unbelievably compelling - I couldn't put the book down, though some events were so difficult to read about, I wanted to.Victor's father is more than a match for any terrible fathers in past books -- THE GREAT SANTINI, for instance.But what's really amazing, and really moving, is how Victor triumphed over the odds, with the help of his "angels," to become not only a good kid but the school's valedictorian and eventually a good father.

It's also great that there this is a lot of information at the end of the book in how to get help if you need it or how to become involved in the movement if you feel so inspired - and after reading this incredibly powerful book, you will.

With Grace And Courage
I have the utmost respect and love for Mr. Rivers and his family. It was traumatic to read this book, but I would not give back a moment shared. Sadly, many of us know the debilitating effects of both physical and verbal abuse. We spend a lifetime, with varying degrees of success, juxtaposing the violence of our youth, and the shaming of our souls by those who should unconditionally protect and love us, against the reclaiming of our lost innocence, determination and optimism. Our hearts and souls deserve so much more. To have endured such extreme abuse, and to have fought with so much heart to overcome the systemic indifference of the police, school administators and others who never asked why Victor was so reactive, to have endured long enough to let the angels over ride the evil and negligence, is a testament to Victor's courage, heart and spirit.
This book is amazing not only for it's vulnerability and pain, but also for it's willingness to reveal the depths of darkness so that others in need might have heroes and hope.
I don't think I ever cried so hard while reading a book, but I could not turn away. I was riveted to the page. Thank you to Victor, Mim and Eli for all of your courage and love. READ THIS BOOK! And while you are at it, read Mim Eichler Rivas' BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY. What a family. So much kindness, patience, talent and generosity of spirit. ... Read more

Book Description

During their marriage, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz filled over 100 scrapbooks with all manner of memorabilia. Now fans can take a rare peek at the details of the famous TV couple's lives with this fantastic replica composite. LUCY & DESI, our exclusive, real-life scrapbook of the couple's lives, contains 25 interactive, three-dimensional paper-engineered replicas of actual items--from Desi's report card to important telegrams--which have never been published before. Vintage snapshots of happy family moments, touching love letters, passports, and other precious minutiae, with more than 150 photographs, both black-and-white and color, fill this wonderful, engrossing look back at the golden years of television comedy, when Lucy and Desi charmed America with humor and song. This official scrapbook is a must-have for the millions of devoted fans. ... Read more

Book Description

Part inspirational cancer-survival story, part memoir-as-laugh-riot, CANCER SCHMANCER picks up where Fran's last book, Enter Whining, left off. After the publication of that book, Fran's life launched into a downward spiral. She separated from a long and complicated relationship, her TV series started to slip in the ratings, and her beloved dog Chester Drescher's health was in major decline. Then came the mysterious symptoms no doctor could adequately explain. With her trademark humor, Fran tells of her indefatigable search for answers and the cancer diagnosis that she ultimately beat. But not before a gold mine of humorous insights were revealed to her about what really matters most in life. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Fran Drescher: an impatient patient lives to tell the tale
If justice delayed is justice denied, the same can probably be said for health care. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of most diseases. In TV star Fran Drescher's case, an accurate diagnosis came just in time. Cancer Schmancer is Drescher's fascinating, first-person account of her two-year battle with uterine cancer.

If you are expecting a woe-is-me recitation of a celebrity's encounters with an uncaring and evil healthcare system, this is not the book for you. It is, instead, a medical case history told in a frank and wonderfully humorous style. And it is a call to arms to any woman or man who anticipates seeking medical care in the future.

Drescher describes her visits to a series of healthcare professionals in an attempt to deal with recurring gynecological symptoms. Good and competent doctors failed to screen her for uterine cancer because Drescher fell outside the statistical parameters for the disease ? she was too young and too slender to be at risk. Uterine cancer was finally identified after a relatively simple test.

Her encounter with cancer is placed in rich context, interwoven with stories about her close-knit family, her dissolving marriage, career challenges, a new romance, her beloved dog, and the comforts and importance of close friendships. This is important material. It's a reminder that context is important when dealing with disease. Anyone who has ever experienced the modern healthcare system knows that as patients, we are rarely viewed in context. Yet our life stories, our fears, our hunches and our observations are as important to effective diagnosis and care as the medications and surgical intervention we receive. Unless we learn all that we can about our bodies and advocate for ourselves, we may miss out on the genuine benefits that modern health technology has to offer.

In that sense, Cancer Schmancer is as much a book for health care providers as it is for patients and their families. It serves up a gentle but clear warning to medical professionals: pay attention to what your patients say; pay attention to what your patients know.

As writer of non-fiction, Drescher is no Joan Didion. But she is the ideal messenger for this sometimes-discomfiting subject. Over the past decade, she has managed to craft an accessible and self-deprecating image that belies her beauty and comic talent. With this book she has succeeded in producing an entertaining read from a traumatic and life-changing experience. Most important, Drescher has done some important homework for all of us. As future patients, we should all pay attention to what she has to say.

WHAT A BOOK!!!
I have been a big fan of the TV series "The Nanny" for many years. I recently picked up a copy of this book, "Cancer Schmancer" from Amazon.com's website -- and read the book in its entirety in 3 evenings. I could not put it down. This book is funny, moving, interesting, and even entertaining (to a point)! Fran Drescher is an excellent actress (not just with words but with facial expressions and body language) and I could just picture hell reciting the book as I was reading it. It never ceases to amaze me how so many healthcare professionals can be so stubbornly and blatantly wrong about diagnoses! You trust your lives with these people -- they should be thorough and meticulous, but many are not. It's hard to believe unless you've experienced it OR you read Fran Drescher's trials and travails as she details her extensive battle with the American healthcare system to find a cause, then a cure, for her medical problem. A great read for any fan of Fran Drescher's, "The Nanny", or anyone who has had or known someone who has had or has cancer.

I can't relate
I read the excerpt from this book and it's all I needed to see. I'm sorry, but this woman just doesn't speak to me. It seems to be one big brag about herself. She talks about her housekeepers, blah, blah, blah and her fancy schmancy house. Then she gets the call from her doctor. She claims this doctor assured her she did not have cancer. If a doctor told me this before he/she ran any tests, I'd leave. That is just downright irresponsible. Then, of course, the doctor had to backtrack after finding out that Fran did, indeed have cancer. She claims the doctor told her she could call if there was any problem--even if she just needed a hug. There were two possibilities here: 1) The doctor was trying to cover her backside by seeming to be sooo compassionate or 2) The doctor really did care about her patient. If the case was #1, Fran should've found a new doctor immediately. If the case was #2, then she should've thanked the doctor. She said she felt no need to thank the doctor (but she did anyway). Hmmmm...is she naive or is she just so caught up in herself she can't bring herself to be grateful? Sorry, but there is just too much narcissism in this book for me. Now, I will go prepare for my surgery without the help of servants. And I will certainly express my gratitude to my doctor for taking care of me.

Fantastic Insight, Answers, and Awareness. OUTSTANDING BOOK
Fran Drescher brings fantastic insight into the symptoms, proper treatment and diagnosis of cancer, as well as vital questions that you should ask your doctor if you are facing the challenge to overcome this physical one. A VITAL part of this book is how we MUST read, learn, and know as much as the doctor - so we can ask the most intelligent questions in order to receive the BEST treatment that is necessary for us individually. A LOT of it has to do with attitude, where NOTHING can stop you, and you CAN overcome the challenge before you. Written with truth, sincerity, dignity, and intelligence - exactly as I remember Fran to be when I worked with her on the set of 'The Nanny.' This book is just as fantastic as she is.
'Cancer Schmancer' is a tremendous inspiration, as well as a vital gift and contribution to all who need it.
Barbara Rose, author of 'Individual Power' and 'If God Was Like Man'

Sending a wrong message
I just briefly scanned through the book. I have to say I disagree with Fran that patients need to do their own research. It seems she is protecting the Doctors that should have known what diagnostic testing to do.

It seems there is no accountablity in the medical profession when physicans are not knowing what diagnostic test to perform.

I wonder if she pursued more than just a book. ... Read more

Book Description

Memoir from television, stage and screen actor Jed Allan. Mr. Allan has starred on Broadway, in feature films, but is best known for his work in television. "Love of Life" "Secret Storm" "Days of our Lives" "Santa Barbara" and now "General Hospital" are all soap operas in which he has played a major role. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A simply fascinating personal memoir
Film and television actor Jed Allan is best known for the roles that he has played on day-time soap operas such as "Days of Our Lives", "Santa Barbara", "Port Charles", and "General Hospital" (where he currently plays Edward Quartermaine). Please, Spell The Name Right is a simply fascinating personal memoir by a veteran of the entertainment industry and a consummate actor who is much more than just another popular leading man in daytime TV. Readers will learn of his roles on programs ranging from Lassie, Walker: Texas Ranger; and Mod Squad; to Beverly Hills 90210, Love American Style, and Street of San Francisco. Here are to be found Jed Allan stories of fellow actors and entertainers Peter Falk, Milton Berle, Robert Redford, Buddy Hackett, Telly Savales, Michael Douglas, Chuck Norris, and Mary Tyler Moore. Please, Spell The Name Right is a considerable cut above the usual Hollywood memoir and a "must read" for Allan's legions of fans!

A Side of Jed Allan Never Seen Before
I concur with my fellow reviewers that say this book is a delight. As a Days fan, I -- like many -- first noticed Jed's work as Don Craig and I've followed him through the years to Port Charles and on GH today. I never knew of his earlier work in the theater and about his family life. I found his attention to detail captivating! One of the more interesting points was that he starred opposite Frances Reid (as Hecuba nonetheless!) in his early days. Thank you Jed for sharing this with us!

Terrific Insight into actor's career
Jed Allan's autobiography gives the reader a detailed insight into the trials and tribulations of a successful actor.He holds no punches when talking about the wonderful and not-so-wonderful people whose paths he has crossed throughout his acting career.It is well-written and very personal, a joy from opening page to its epilogue.A must-read for anyone who has watched daytime TV in the 80's and 90's.

Fun Read
This book was the perfect bio-short, sweet and fun to read.Buy this book.Have fun and learn the life of one of our favorite charactor faces.

A journey with famous showbiz stars
An extremely enjoyable read on the subject of showbusiness as told through the personal journey of the author's own real life
career in motion pictures and tv. ... Read more

Book Description

The only fully illustrated chronological biography authorized by the Dean family, James Dean is an amazing retrospective packed with images from his classic movies, family archives, and private collections. This candid portrait of one of the greatest stars of all time tells the story behind the making of an American icon, uncovering new details about the man behind the legend, with in-depth commentary from his closest friends and family, including his cousin and executor of his estate, Marcus Winslow, and his best friend and roommate, William Bast. Loaded with features that chronicle his life and times, this book is a must have for fans of the man, the movie star‹ the legend. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautiful and informative...
Over the years, there have been loads of biographies written about James Dean, some of which are significantly better than others.Today, 50 years after his death, Dean remains one of the most recognizable and captivating film and cultural icons. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for Dean's seeming immortality.During his life, Dean made only three major motion pictures and yet, he defined the Post-World War II generation of reckless youths feeling somewhat misplaced, displaced, or confused.

This book, officially endorsed by the James Dean estate, is somewhat of a combination biography and coffee table book.The book contains numerous black and white and color photographs of Dean in varying stages of his life and career -- many of which have never been published before.Particularly noteworthy is the abundance of photographs of James Dean as a child and teenager.While most biographies of Dean contain mostly portraits or somewhat staged pictures, this book offers many candid shots belonging to Dean's private estate and surviving family members.Novice fans of Dean's will find plenty to entertain and inform them within the book, while Dean's more devoted fans and experts will be blown away by the beauty of both the book's photographs and their general layout.The book concentrate's heavily on Dean's counter-culture attitude (particularly in how he dressed and acted), while also delving into his romantic life and his well-publicized passion for cars and racing.

This book is a true gem and a wonderful addition to the realm of James Dean memorabilia. ... Read more

Book Description

Peter Bogdanovich, known primarily as a director, film historian and critic, has been working with professional actors all his life. He started out as an actor (he debuted on the stage in his sixth-grade production of Finian's Rainbow); he watched actors work (he went to the theater every week from the age of thirteen and saw every important show on, or off, Broadway for the next decade); he studied acting, starting at sixteen, with Stella Adler (his work with her became the foundation for all he would ever do as an actor and a director).

Now, in his new book, Who the Hell's in It, Bogdanovich draws upon a lifetime of experience, observation and understanding of the art to write about the actors he came to know along the way; actors he admired from afar; actors he worked with, directed, befriended. Among them: Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, John Cassavetes, Charlie Chaplin, Montgomery Clift, Marlene Dietrich, Henry Fonda, Ben Gazzara, Audrey Hepburn, Boris Karloff, Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier, Frank Sinatra, and James Stewart.
Bogdanovich captures--in their words and his--their work, their individual styles, what made them who they were, what gave them their appeal and why they've continued to be America's iconic actors.

On Lillian Gish: "the first virgin hearth goddess of the screen . . . a valiant and courageous symbol of fortitude and love through all distress."

On Marlon Brando: "He challenged himself never to be the same from picture to picture, refusing to become the kind of film star the studio system had invented and thrived upon--the recognizable human commodity each new film was built around . . . The funny thing is that Brando's charismatic screen persona was vividly apparent despite the multiplicity of his guises . . . Brando always remains recognizable, a star-actor in spite of himself. "

Jerry Lewis to Bogdanovich on the first laugh Lewis ever got onstage: "I was five years old. My mom and dad had a tux made--I worked in the borscht circuit with them--and I came out and I sang, 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?' the big hit at the time . . . It was 1931, and I stopped the show--naturally--a five-year-old in a tuxedo is not going to stop the show? And I took a bow and my foot slipped and hit one of the floodlights and it exploded and the smoke and the sound scared me so I started to cry. The audience laughed--they were hysterical . . . So I knew I had to get the rest of my laughs the rest of my life, breaking, sitting, falling, spinning."

John Wayne to Bogdanovich, on the early years of Wayne's career when he was working as a prop man: "Well, I've naturally studied John Ford professionally as well as loving the man. Ever since the first time I walked down his set as a goose-herder in 1927. They needed somebody from the prop department to keep the geese from getting under a fake hill they had for Mother Machree at Fox. I'd been hired because Tom Mix wanted a box seat for the USC football games, and so they promised jobs to Don Williams and myself and a couple of the players. They buried us over in the properties department, and Mr. Ford's need for a goose-herder just seemed to fit my pistol."
These twenty-six portraits and conversations are unsurpassed in their evocation of a certain kind of great movie star that has vanished. Bogdanovich's book is a celebration and a farewell. ... Read more

Book Description

In this eagerly awaited autobiography, comedian and prime-time television star George Lopez tells the heartbreaking yet humorous story of his inspirational rise from dead-end kid in the Valley to giving a command performance before the president of the United States.

It is a rare story that touches us so deeply with its humor, sadness, and powerful message that it transcends the walls of race, culture, and class that divide us.

Why You Crying? is just such a story.

Abandoned by his migrant-worker father at the tender age of two months, deserted by a wild, mixed-up mother at the age of ten years, Lopez grew up angry, alone, teased, and tormented in California's San Fernando Valley, raised by grandparents who viewed love as a four-letter word.

Inspired by his idols, Freddie Prinze Sr. and Richard Pryor, Lopez sets out on a tumultuous twenty-year journey into the manic world of stand-up comedy -- trying to learn a skill nobody can teach; scoring one night and bombing the next; fighting anger, alcohol, depression, and doubt allwhile battling the barriers built to keep Chicanos from breaking through, especially on network TV.

Today, the George Lopez show is a prime-time hit on ABC and his sold-out stand-up performances attract thousands of fans of all ages, each drawn to the sidesplitting riffs mined from a life so sad it had to be funny. Why You Crying? takes an outsider from the San Fernando Valley to Warner Bros. studios to inside the Emmys to plush Pebble Beach and all the way to the halls of Harvard.

Along the way it's pure G. Lo -- raw, real, and, ultimately, uplifting. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Why you crying?
I thought this was the funniest book I have read in along time...I laughed, I cryed...and I related to sooo much. I felt so sorry for him...but he conquered in the end..just like me!!..the book is well worth the price..I cant describe how hilarious alot of this book is..he is a great comedian and story teller!!.

Mary

He is STILL G-LO on the Block!
George calls himself, the other Lopez, G-LO, the one you are not tired of. George Lopez, with about 20 years scouring for his place among the great comedians, has arrived!

"Why You Crying" gives a taste of his life, from the sad pathetic upbringing, comedy bits, strong influences, the enduring struggle and of course, the successful TV show.

The title, "Why You Crying" is a phrase developed from his grandmother, a person who with a severe lack of parental knowledge, belittled and shamed him! It is almost incomprehensible that a child can go from the frying pan - unabandoned by parents, to the fire - negative grandparents who didn't know that an expression of love and devotion is critical to life.

With no father, and an extremely pathetic unstable mother, at ten he went to live with his grandparents. And it is this sad life that is the backdrop for the show, except that his TV mother is based on the mental cruelty received from his real-life grandmother.

There are some great funny moments and you don't have to be Hispanic to understand a dysfunctional crazy family. George shares some bits from the comedy show and he painfully recalls his grandmother's mentally abusive behavior.

The two comedic influences were Freddie Prinze, Sr., from the "Chico and the Man" series in the 70s and one of the greatest comedians who told us what life is really about, Richard Pryor. Lopez talks fondly about a Long Beach, CA performance, "Richard Pryor Live" and I agree that it is the funniest live show ever!!

Lopez, like other great comedians, shares the struggle to the top, the comedy clubs, the road, the bombs, the rejection, depression, etc., etc. Any great artist and comedian can tell you the struggle to success and some can just tell you the struggle.

George dutifully and proudly then toots his own horn! We get a clear understanding how the show evolved and what it takes to come into our homes. He also gives us an idea what hosting the Latin Awards is to him, his arrival and how proud he is to be a Hispanic who has succeeded and he is admirable by the respect he lends to the nationality. ....MzRizz

Wonderful memoir
Maggie Sanchez,Communications,

I thoroughly enjoy a great memoir. 'Why You Cry' is an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable read. It has a mixture of sadness and reality like that of 'Nightmares Echo' and yet it also is comparable to 'Running With Scissors' which adds a light humorous affect in with its details of a hard life. If you like George Lopez, you will love this remarkable book.

Fascinating, Hard-Knock Memoir
I'm a memoir junkie and a comedy junkie--normally the two don't mix, but I found Lopez's story funny, honest, shocking and hearfelt. I hardly knew Lopez's TV work, but know I'm a fan. Just finished Rodney Dangerfield's book (he's a living god), and the two make a weird bookend--most successful comedians have really terrible childhoods. Oddly, another great memoir is about being a great Dad--the opposite of Lopez's and Dangerfield's parents--in "I Sleep At Red Lights: A True Story of Life After Triplets," by Bruce Stockler, a funny and riveting look at marriage, kids and deciding if success is still important.

GLO is not only funny, but inspirational as well!
I was so excited when I heard this book was coming out that I pre-ordered it and received it early. I read it in one day. I couldn't put the book down.

Before I read this book I was a fan. . .now, I'm not only a GLO fan but I also admire the guy. This book is filled with a lot of George Lopez skits that many have heard time and time again and know by memory. But you'll also find the man behind the jokes and punch lines. You'll find the insecure boy who learned to make the best of what was given to him as a child.

This book will make you laugh, cry and then laugh all over again. If you are a GLO fan, then you will love this book. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Real Deal!
When was the last time you laughed out loud while reading a book? (unfortunately for me, this book made me laugh out loud on the NYC subway) It's a hilarious slice of life from one of the rarest finds: a truly funny and brutally honest female comedienne. Chelsea Handler says (and does) everything you've always wanted to but would probably get fired for...Chelsea's exploits are one-of-a-kind and make Sex & The City's antics look unadventurous by comparison. This book is an absolute must-read for the summer!

Great book
I don't really want to give anything away, so I'll just say this girl is sooo funny. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.

STILL LAUGHING OUT LOUD
Couldn't put the book down!!
Reading Chelsea's HORIZONTAL accounts made me feel like I was hearing stories from my best friend over several cocktails.It was witty, clever and fun for anyone who has some sort of sense of humour.I cant even compare the book to anything I have ever read, but it is definetly good fun for all!!

Only read when wearing Depends!
I loved, loved, loved this book...or at least I lusted after it a whole lot!I was drawn in by Handler's hysterical antics and lighthearted humor.Although her escapades on the Tonight Show and Girls Behaving Badly seem daring, they are nothing compared to this book.I laughed from beginning to end, and I quickly became addicted to the book.If you are looking for a guilty pleasure, Chelsea's book will have you in confession after each chapter.(Good thing there were no priest stories included.) I hope she writes another one, and maybe, just maybe, if I meet her, I will get my own chapter.One can only dream!Sweet, smart and sexy!I loved it!As mentioned in my heading, wearing Depends keeps you safe and dry during the reading of this book.I only wish I would have thought of that ahead of time! Oops!

hilarious
I saw Chelsea on Jay Leno.She was hilarious but her book pushes the envelope.She is undoubtedly going to be one of the best comedians around.
My friends and I went on a wine tasting trip in Southern California and we couldn't stop talking about it the whole way there.It is funny because somone always gets soo drunk that they start crying but talking about this book just made us laugh and laugh and laugh. ... Read more

Book Description

The Bennetts: An Acting Family is a chronicle of one of the royal families of stage and screen. The saga begins with Richard Bennett, a small-town Indiana roughneck who grew up to be one of the bright lights of the New York stage during the early twentieth century. In time, however, Richard’s fame was eclipsed by that of his daughters, Constance and Joan, who went to Hollywood in the 1920s and found major success there.

Constance became the highest-paid actress of the early 1930s, earning as much as $30,000 a week in melodramas. Later she reinvented herself as a comedienne in the classic comedy Topper, with Cary Grant.. After a slow start as a blonde ingenue, Joan dyed her hair black and became one of the screen’s great temptresses in films such as Scarlet Street. She also starred in such lighter fare as Father of the Bride. In the 1960s, Joan gained a new generation of fans when she appeared in the gothic daytime television serial Dark Shadows.

The Bennetts is also the story of another Bennett sister, Barbara, whose promising beginnings as a dancer gave way to a turbulent marriage to singer Morton Downey and a steady decline into alcoholism.

Constance and Joan were among Hollywood’s biggest stars, but their personal lives were anything but serene. In 1943, Constance became entangled in a highly publicized court battle with the family of her millionaire ex-husband, and in 1951, Joan’s husband, producer Walter Wanger, shot her lover in broad daylight, sparking one of the biggest Hollywood scandals of the 1950s. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Informative and Quite Interesting
I have finished reading a copy of Mr Bogle's latest book, and as always, I find it entertaining yet very interesting; For years, we have gotten via piecemeal, the efforts that African Americans have made in the cinema; This book brings it all together as well as telling us about L.A.'s famous Central Avenue, the various prominent black Los Angelenos such as architect Paul Williams, Dr John Sommerville, who built the hotel that eventually became the Dunbar; The only thing with this book is that the fifties spoke more about Nat King Cole, who although had a home in a predominately white neighborhood which was noteworthy for it's time, overshadowed it; despite it, I found it very informative of various people who worked in the industry including Madame Sul Te Wan, Noble Johnson, Stephin Fetchit, Eddie Anderson, Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers etc to name a very few; Please come and learn more; ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Excellent auto, Eli!
This book is enjoyable, informative quick read. I especially loved the pages devoted to his time on the spaghetti western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I have watched Mr. Wallach's films for years and never realized he was a method actor. But a good, sensible one. Marlon Brando, Mr. Wallach relates, was crazy with the method and treated Eli with strange verbal and physical cruelty on stage due to it. That was Brando for you, Eli. Just one tiny point. Charlton Heston, by Mr. Wallach, is said to be 6 feet tall. I think Chucky's closer to 6'3 or 6"4. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is the complete story of the great martial artist/actor Bruce Lee, told with great personal insight by Linda Lee with hundreds of photos from Lee’s personal albums. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Totally changed my perception of the Dragon
Not factual? How can someone say that! It was written by Linda Lee, Bruce's wife! How can it not be factual? I personally found this book very good. It is an easy read, and it is very informative. This book changed my perception of Bruce. Where I once saw a wonderful martial artist, which I still saw, I now see someone who was of profound mind and good heart. His intentions were great, his mind and philosophies greater, and his legacy shall live on forever. If you are a Bruce Lee fan, three words for you: READ THIS BOOK!

A touching insite into an amazing family
As a UK housewife with young children I have virtually no martial arts knowledge and read the book out of curiosity. I found a truly real book about an amazing marriage and an amazing couple. I think Linda Lee is as extraodinary as her husband. I am left feeling inspired about my own life and shall pass on little nuggets of knowledge to my own kids. This book is for people interested in fellow human beings and not just martial arts followers. It is testimony in itself that nearly 30 years after his death Bruce Lee has inspired an ordinary British woman.

Very good an interesting book about an interesting man!
Bruce Lee. Some things the average reader will not know about this man: Bruce Lee only made four movies in his lifetime. Bruce Lee was an intellectual. Bruce Lee revolutionized the martial arts. Bruce Lee brought the martial arts to the masses.

This book is written by Bruce Lee's wife. It is a short and loving memory to an extraordianry man who is still famous. Why exactly is a mystery. Perhaps it is the outstanding artistry Bruce Lee brought to the martial arts.

Bruce Lee had been a child actor in Hong Kong before coming to the United States and studying at the University of Washington. Ironically, he was a philosophy major. However, Lee transformed himself into a tremendous human specimen through his physical discipline, and a intellectual regarding his sport. He introduced "the way of the moving fist," which was a new methodology in the training of martial arts. He also dared to tech the subject to non-Asians, a idea which was tremendously disturbing to many and resulted in a fistfight with a young challenger in Lee's studio in Oakland, California.

Linda Lee comes across as a traveler who feels luck in being able to travel (for a brief while) on the road with Bruce Lee. He was convinced to move to Hollywood, where he began training stars like James Coburn, and later Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Unfortunnately, Bruce Lee had to fight racism and stereotypes. At home, his wife's family rejected him because of his Asian heritage. Hollywood rejected him because he didn't want to play the 'chop-suey' roles Hollywood routinely put forth in portraying Asians in film and television. However, a searing performance in the late 1960's on a detective show cemented his star quality,and he made some appearences on "the Green Hornet."

Finally, he made some pictures in the Hollywood system such as "Enter the Dragon."

Unfortunately, his most interesting and allusionary work, "The Game of Death," which was supposed to be a representation of his philophy of his art was never completed. I believe an assembled film was cobbeld together after his death, but the film was never finished. Interestingly, Kareem Abdul Jabbar played the ultimate obstacle in the movie.

Linda Lee's book has many interesting pictures, and I think gives an interesting look at Bruce Lee's life and impact that will have even the most casual reader satisfied.

If you are looking for lurid details, conspiracies and the like this book is not for you. Understandably, Ms. Lee does not cover the topic of Bruce Lee's supposed drug use and the unusual circumstances of his death, but what would you expect, this is a loving portrait by a woman who obviously loved Bruce Lee very much. Cheers for her!

Interestingly, several weeks ago, I watched a Turkish film in which a charecter kept repeating the line, " I will chop them up like Bruce Lee." In a Turkish film for crying out loud.

Obviously, Bruce Lee ahd a great impact on the world for his incredible talent which was taken from us before Bruce Lee could intepret it for the rest of us. In this way, he reminds me of Jimi Hendrix; Bruce Lee was a shooting star across the heavens.

This is a good book, and I believe you will like it as well.

Better Than You Think!
Like many Bruce Lee fans, I was dubious when picking up this book, suspecting it would be too sentimental and one-sided, glossing over the "true facts." However, don't be misled-- this book is GREAT. Easily among the two or three best Bruce Lee biographies, if not the best. Very well written, well organized, great rare photos. Linda does a fantastic job of giving us an idea of who Bruce Lee was, from the singular perspective of the person who truly knew him best. Sure, it glosses over the more controversial topics that have surfaced over the years (e.g., alleged drug use, personality problems, the circumstances surrounding his death). But you'll come away with a profound respect for the integrated depth of Bruce's genius, his commitment to his family, and his profound sense of integrity and character. And you'll notice that the qualities Linda chooses to highlight are in fact the ones that come out in his art as well as his screen persona. For example, here's a man who, feeling the weight of racial prejudice against himself, was nonetheless willing to physically fight a fellow Chinese for the right to teach Kung Fu to whites! That story is well-known, but the way Linda captures it illustrates Bruce's commitment to principles and his global perspective. Linda does a great job of balancing Bruce Lee as a profound philosopher as well as a uniquely gifted physical specimen. She makes you understand that it was more than simply his physical gifts that made him who he was. Perhaps Karate master Ed Parker said it best: Bruce was "one in two billion." In Linda's book, you'll be amazed at how disciplined, far-seeing, and erudite Bruce Lee was-- at such a young age. He was simply WAY ahead of his time. One could easily say that, through the medium of film, Bruce Lee singlehandedly effected a paradigm shift in the world's perception of martial arts, Asian males, eastern philosophy, and action films. This book is a very illuminating and satisfying read.

Basically informative, with some mythmaking thrown in
An OK book, as far as propaganda biographies go. But if you want to read one genuinely great book about Bruce Lee, make it THE TAO OF BRUCE LEE by Davis Miller, which I recommend over any other biography of Lee. Davis Miller's book is beautiful, funny, sad, a pageturner, and it's the only book to sort through all the hokum and myths to give us something real-world and true. ... Read more

Book Description

Three years ago, Carnie Wilson was 300 pounds, unemployed, depressed, and sitting in a doctor’s office being told that she probably wouldn’t live much longer. At night, she had terrible dreams of her mother getting a phone call from the police saying, "We’re very sorry, but someone found your daughter in bed, and she’s gone." Knowing she had to do something to save herself, Carnie opted to have gastric bypass surgery. She woke up the next day in the hospital determined that she wouldn’t just work on having a new body, but also a new life.

That’s the story we’ve already heard. In I’m Still Hungry, Wilson picks up where she left off in her 2001 book Gut Feelings. She takes readers step by step on her weight loss journey, which wasn’t just a road to reaching 125 pounds. It was a mental trip where she had to conquer all of her fears and insecurities, including issues with her father, Beach Boy Brian Wilson—which made her gain the weight in the first place.

This book offers a unique way of showing the progression of weight loss, with one section serving as a diary of sorts. It details Carnie’s weight at specific times so that readers can use this part of the book to find their own weight and see how Carnie’s life lessons got her head in the right place so the pounds could keep falling off.

Wilson also offers a humorous look at her own weight loss, asking: What’s better—sex or chocolate? (Answer: "Sex followed by chocolate.") She also discusses re-establishing her career as an actress and singer in Hollywood. It wasn’t easy when the National Enquirer was practically staking out her house to catch her on "a fat day," or when fans e-mailed her to chastise her for flashing "some arm flab" on Entertainment Tonight.

And, of course, the book includes Carnie’s minute-by-minute description of posing for the June 2003 issue of Playboy magazine, with the inevitable questions: Can I eat breakfast before posing nude? Why do I have my period this week of all weeks? and Do I look fat? Carnie also gives readers a glimpse of what spurred on the much awaited 2004 regrouping of the Wilson Phillips band and how she is in perfect harmony again with her partners, sister, Wendy Wilson; and bandmate, Chynna Phillips.

Finally, the last part of the book reveals the specific weight-loss plan that Carnie still uses to keep slim—and anyone can follow this plan to lose weight whether they’ve had weight-loss surgery or not. Carnie even includes a few of her favorite desserts.

Wilson is still hungry for knowledge, love, acceptance, and yes, a chocolate chip cookie or two. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Carnie does it again!
I just finished this book. Her first book was great but this one was awesome! I had gastric bypass surgery in Aug of 2001. Carnie truly is an inspiration! This book talks about how losing all the weight does not magically fix all our personal problems. She tells it like it is and doesn't hold back. I think it is awesome that she decided to accept Playboy's offer to pose. You go girl!

Mixed Views
As a nutritionist for a bariatric surgical program, I empathize with Carnie Wilson. She nicely depicts the personal struggle for self-identity in people who lose a great deal of weight through bariatric surgery. The style of writing is enjoyable and funny. She has a sense of humor that makes for lighter, enjoyable reading.

However, from a nutritional standpoint some of her diet information is completely inaccurate, and I'm wondering how false nutritional information is permitted to be printed. For example, on page 172, she describes diet sodas as having "tons on sodium." Diet sodas have approximately 25-50 mg of sodium per serving, amounts that fall under the category "very low sodium" as defined by the Food and Drug Administration. Also, fruit, as she described as being "loaded with sugar", has approximately 15 gms of carbohydrate per serving, and can easily fit into a meal plan designed for a patient who has had WLS.

Carnie does a great job of describing how she confronted the battle of weight loss; however, she should leave the nutritional recommendations up to a professional.

Is This Empowerment?
I was interested to read Ms. Wilson's story and I certainly appreciate her sharing at such a deep level. However, I think the whole substance of this book can be summed up in this quote from page 118 of the current edition: "...Maybe posing [for Playboy] was just what I needed to finally free and completedly liberated. Some women run marathons, some climb mountains, or kayak across the deep blue sea, some jump out of planes and live to tell the story...I was going to jump out of my fears and pose nude for Playboy..."

Um, there's a difference between the things Carnie listed and posing for Playboy...one is about your pushing yourself to achieve a physical feat, the other is about changing yourself to what the dominant culture wants. Based on what she says in this book, Carnie is happy because she is attractive in a Playboy kind of way. But no matter how much plastic surgery you have, you can't maintain this kind of body forever. If this is where Carnie is getting her happiness, no wonder she is STILL HUNGRY.

I also have had WLS and have lost over 150#...and I know it's a struggle to not be defined by externals. But I would NOT recommend this book to anyone considering WLS because it is much more about fitting yourself into a mold and much less about reestablishing physical and mental health .

She did it again!!!!!!!
I enjoyed reading this book, as I did the first. She is talented and funny. She has a way with words, pulling you right into her world and relating your world to her's. I just love her determination, she is an inspiration that lightens my future.
I have purchased several and given them to friends, so the inspiration will continue.

Humorous, Uplifiting, Exciting, Heartfelt....
Especially for someone who has gone through WLS, this book is a wonderful read. Carnie Wilson's writing style is down to earth, never too technical, and always heartfelt. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even for people who have merely struggled with weight and not had WLS, I highly suggest reading this book!! ... Read more

Book Description

I tell ya, nothin' goes right.Last week I found a guy's wallet ... Inside was a picture of my two kids.

Anybody can repeat a Rodney Dangerfield joke, but nobody can tell one like the man himself. That's because his humor, built on the premise that he "don't get no respect," is drawn from a life so hard that the only way to survive was to laugh at it -- though all the drugs and hookers certainly didn't hurt.

In It's Not Easy Bein' Me, Dangerfield comes clean (even if he still works blue) about his brutal life and the unlikely triumph he made out of it. His father was in vaudeville, and his mother was from hell, which is why a young Jack Roy grabbed a mike and got up on a stage straight out of high school. He was looking for laughs, some approval ... and a few easy women. He struggled for years, getting by but never getting over, playing dives and opening for strippers, hypnotists, and snake charmers. Then at thirty, Dangerfield walked away from all that glamour. He quit show business, got a "real" job -- as an aluminum-siding salesman -- and started raising a family in Englewood, New Jersey. He was out of comedy for twelve unhappy years, but all the while he was writing jokes, scheming, and dreaming of his comeback.

Eventually, he changed his act, changed his name, and changed American comedy forever. He developed one of the most popular characters in all of show business -- the poor schnook who gets no respect. Not from his parents, his wife, his kids, not even from his physician, Dr. Vinnie Boombatz.

But his millions of fans not only respected him, they loved him, reciting dozens of his jokes from memory and quoting chapter and verse from Caddyshack, the movie that made Dangerfield into a comedic superstar. Today, Dangerfield stands as a true pillar of American comedy (though at eighty-two, he says, he's crumbling a little) and after the life he's led, it's amazing he's standing at all.

Wild, hip, and hilarious, It's Not Easy Being Me is like having a front-row seat to the ultimate Rodney Dangerfield performance, where the jokes come at a hundred miles an hour and the outrageous stories go on forever.

Reviews (9)

TONS OF JOKES MIXED INTO AN INTERESTING LIFE STORY!
I saw Rodney a couple of years ago in the Salt Lake City airport sitting in a chair waiting for his flight to LAX with his wife. He looked old and frail, but I gave him a wave and he gave me back a wink with his trademark okay sign. That was very cool.

So when I bought this book I was really looking forward to an interesting read....and I found it.

This book has a tons of jokes that are used to separate his stories (and he's got a lot of them) within the chapters. I now realize how hard he worked and really how little he received back in terms of material riches. (He only received $35,000 for Caddyshack with no residuals!)

There are so many funny stories about show business, struggling as a comedian, sex, women, drugs, his youth, his health, friends, marriage, and of course, not getting any respect.

I know that Rodney may not be with us very long as he is in his 80's and dealing with health issues, but I feel lucky to have seen him since the Ed Sullivan days, through the Johnny Carson years, the Miller Lite Beer commercials, the hilarious movies, and up to my incident at the Salt Lake City airport.

Here's a real success story in disguise from a kind man who has made us all laugh for decades.

This book adds so much to my appreciation of this humble and very human man. I'm going to watch "Back To School" and "Caddyshack" again soon.

Thanks Rodney. You have my respect.

A Collection of One-Liners
The exciting aspect of this book is that it was authored exclusively by Rodney Dangerfield. When you read this volume you cannot help but hear Rodney Dangerfield's voice telling his story. From Dangerfield's New York childhood to his surgeries in California, this book encompasses the life of a man who made a career commanding "No Respect." The book is lighthearted and very funny. There are some lessons on life as well. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the autobiography I also found it lacked detail -- or should I say it whetted my appetite for more. Reading the book it appeared that the chapters were directly transcribed from random notes or dictation recordings. It is difficult to follow Dangerfield's career progression as the story jumps back and forth in time more often than Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughter House Five." Many of Dangerfield's recollections are not dated and I was often left wondering exactly when an event occurred. More importantly, Dangerfield introduces subjects about his very interesting life that beg additional detail. For example, his reminiscences of movies such "Caddy Shack," "Easy Money," and "Back to School" easily deserved entire chapters, but were relegated to a handful of sentences. Likewise he discusses his decade-long show business hiatus in order to sell aluminum siding, but the home improvement segment of his life is only a scattered reference throughout the book. The bottom line is that in the future there is an opportunity for Rodney Dangerfield to reissue an "Author's Cut" of this book that would lengthen the work ten fold. Still, I found it humorous reading and look forward to the availability of the audio-CD, only if narrated by the author.

He's the King of Comedy, but the Book Leaves Me Wanting More
Rodney Dangerfield is one of the two funniest comedians I have ever seen (Sam Kinison, who Rodney essentially discovered, is the other). The schtick of "No Respect" has never, ever gotten old with me. So when I saw his autobiography, I grabbed a copy right away without so much as a skim.

Rodney tells his story with his usual "No Respect" fervor, but, he pretty much only grazes over his many experiences. He wrote enough to let me know that he cared less about his mother and wished he knew his father better, but his first marriage is pretty much covered in a couple of pages. No real explanation of what went wrong and why they got back together and got married again only to break up again. Not much is mentioned about his kids. Not much is mentioned about his take on other comedians (except Jim Carrey, who he takes much credit in keeping him from quitting the business in the early days). I wanted more.

There are many of his famous one-liners interspersed between his writings. I've heard most before, but they are still pretty funny.

All-in-all, I'm glad he wrote this book, but I suspect it would have been a lot better 10 to 15 years ago when he wasn't suffering from his many maladies of an 80+ year old man.

Rodney Gives Readers "One of These..."
Very dear Jacob, Jack, Rodney, 35-year friend,

You always had your audiences' respect. Now with the writing of IT'S NOT EASY BEIN' ME (Harper 2004), I return this dedication to you for your brilliant reasoning ability, deep sensitivity of the human condition, and schoolteacher jokes. You've kept this Chicago professor in performance speaking laughing and very happy for years. What a loving couple you and Joan make.

A Masterpiece
I think that last reviewer was either a jealous Jackie Mason or Jackie Martling. This book that Rodney wrote is pure genius! I hope it outsells all the other diatribe out there and that he writes many more books. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Insincere Balladeer: Tosches' Dino

Ornate, pretentious, entertaining and ultimately depressing, Nick Tosches' souped-up take on anti-legend Dean Martin (born Dino Crocetti) is an essential work on an underrated performer. Make no mistake, however: this is a thesis-bound book, and in no way qualifies as adoration, or even respect.

Tosches portrays Dino as a virtually schizoid burn-out waiting to happen, a man so distanced from his own humanity that casual sex, hard drinking, and a laissez-faire work ethic are the inevitable results. A frightening
image - but is it the "real" Dean Martin? Likely we'll never know, as Martin never revealed much of himself to his public (or, apparently, to his loved ones either). It's a forced choice, then: take Tosches' account as the closest thing there is to fact, or dismiss it entirely; in either case, still no Dean. As he'd have liked it, no doubt.

I'm a fan of Martin's music, film and television work; as such, it seems to me that Tosches invests so much time attempting to reveal the unknowable that he loses all sight of the performer. Perhaps he's right - that the entirety of Martin's life and career was an increasingly flimsy and facile put-on, that his status as an entertainer was rooted in a sinkhole soul and not in the desire to bring even fleeting joy to his fans. But he did anyway.