Book Description

From the critically acclaimed, best-selling author of Holler if You Hear Me, a fresh reassessment of the remarkable life, art, struggles, and death of an American icon.

Twenty years after his murder at the hands of his own father, Marvin Gaye continues to define the hopes and shattered dreams of the Motown generation. A performer whose career spanned the history of rhythm and blues, from doo-wop to the sultriest of soul music, Gaye's artistry magnified the contradictions that defined America's coming of age in the tumultuous 1970s. In his most searching and ambitious work to date, acclaimed critic Michael Eric Dyson illuminates both Marvin Gaye's stellar achievements and stunning personal decline--and offers an unparalleled assessment of the cultural and political legacy of R&B on American culture.

Through interviews with those close to Gaye--from his musical beginnings in a black church in Washington, D.C., to his days as a "ladies' man" in Motown's stable of young singers, from the artistic heights of the landmark album What's Going On? to his struggles with addiction and domestic violence--Dyson draws an indelible portrait of the tensions that shaped contemporary urban America: economic adversity, the drug industry, racism, and the long legacy of hardship.

Published to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of Gaye's death in 1984, and infused with the soulful prose that has become Michael Eric Dyson's trademark, Mercy, Mercy Me is at once a celebration of an American icon whose work continues to inspire, and a revelatory and incisive look at how a lost generation's moods, music, and moral vision continue to resonate today. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good Review, but...
I've read most of the books that have been written about Marvin Gaye, this being my most recent. Although I found it to be a somewhat interesting read, I also found it to be a little too "clinically" written, for lack of a better term, much like an academic study of the man. The section on R. Kelley, and the author's conviction that he is very much like Marvin, was way off base for me. This book is one of those that you'll just have to read for yourself and form your own opinion.

A biography and social criticism combined
"In his guttural cries, his hectic moans, his elliptical ejaculations, and his plaintive whispers, Marvin explores the healing and redemptive dimensions of black romantic love."
- From page 132 of "Mercy, Mercy Me"

Man, does Dyson have a way with words!

I guess that I am one of those "public intellectuals" that finds Dyson's analyses of both Gaye's life and the social ills plaguing the black community so intriguing. Dyson, a minister himself, contrasts Gaye's life as a popular secular singer with his strict Pentacostal upbringing at the hands of his stern minister-father. The struggle that the singer endured played an important part in his music and the book dissects four of the artist's most challenging and enigmatic works: the classic and legendary "What's Going On", "Let's Get It On", "I Want You" and the controversial "Here, My Dear".

The author cuts down each album, layer by layer, revealing Gaye as a man in constant turmoil with the battle between his religious teachings and his desires as a man. Dyson also introduces the reader to many lost versions of Gaye's work, now coming to light in "deluxe editions" available for purchase.

Unlike most "men of the cloth", Dyson's approach is destined to draw criticism from traditional Christians for he suggests a greater openness in sexual matters, as well as less dependency on corporal punishment as a means of child-rearing. He implies that stiff and unbending Church doctrine may have contributed to Marvin's death at the hands of his preacher father.

The final chapter of the book compares Gaye's music and approach to life with the contemporary singer R. Kelly, an admirer of Gaye himself. This provides some interesting food for thought, as the two singers seem to share a bond transcending death and decades.

Dyson could've spent a little less time on social/culture commentary and more on the life of the singer at hand; however, the book is still a worthwhile read into the soul of a soul singer and the society that both uplifted and condemned him.

Detailed analysis of Gaye's musical history
I LOVED the first 5 chapters which breaks down Gaye's music on his popular What's Going On, Let's Get It On and I Want You. Dyson's interviews with those behind the scenes on those landmark classics and what went on very much was impressive to get their thoughts and them acknowledging the different takes Marvin did on songs. I actually wanted to go back and listen to What's Going On again after such a detailed breakdown of the songs and the feelings surrounding them. The book also goes into detail of Gaye's personal issues he was dealing with in the midst of the creation of those classic albums as well.

The final chapter in my view was a rehash of the final chapter of Divided Soul but Dyson brings in an analysis of Gaye Sr's disfunctional behavior and corporal punishment. Sadly that messed up influence leads his celebrated son into his own disfunctional drama and sadly his death by his own father (which 20 yrs ago as a kid and now 20 yrs later as an adult still saddens me and is still hard to understand why).

The afterword in which Dyson spoke to R. Kelly and how Gaye has influenced him was also very much amazing to me how similar both of these men are with conflicts they have of the spiritual and sexual. It makes me wonder if Gaye was alive today if he would do some kind of music collaboration with R. Kelly and (if he was able face his demons and win the war) if he could be of some mentor/father figure to him beyond the music scene.

I just only hope after reading R. Kelly's glowing praise of Gaye that Robert finds a positive way to face his own "Divided Soul" and get the help and seek positive guidance in the way his old school counterpart wasn't able to.

Most Intriguing, Profound Commentary on Marvin
Dyson explores the life and love and pain of one of the best musical geniuses of all times. He reveals little known facts and secrets such as his love affairs, some purposely blurred song lyrics, and his broad range of musical abilities including playing the piano and drums. This book deeply touched and inspired me. I have grown deeper in my fascination and admiration of Marvin. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dyson on a couple of occassions and he is very articulate, intelligent, charismatic, and also has a great sense of humor. This is a must read for any true Marvin fans!

Analyzing Marvin....
Upon fist glance, one would think this was another of many biographies on the legend that is, Marvin Gaye. This is not a biography however, but an analytical look at the life of Mr. Gaye; what made him do what he did, sing what he sang, and feel the way he felt. In an essence, Mr. Dyson disects events in Marvin's life to show what it was that made Marvin tick; what made him fall in love with the women that he fell in love with, and what made him rebel.

This book has surprises- one in particular that we all wondered about for some time. There is also an interesting parallel made between Marvin and another modern day singer, R. Kelly, that will surprise some readers. There are references to other Marvin Gaye biographies (Divided Soul by David Ritz; My Brother, Marvin Gaye by Frankie Gaye; and Trouble Man by Steve Turner, just to name a few), which are good for the readers who haven't read many books on Marvin, or want to know more about him outside of his music.

Michael Eric Dyson did a good job on bringing forth the "inner" Marvin, and revealing sides to him that weren't often documented prior to the release of this book.

A wonderful read for the die hard Marvin fan- such as myself- and those who want to know more about the spirit behind the music. ... Read more

Book Description

From the world's most controversial rock star comes his shocking, confessional and revealing life story. In The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, Marilyn Manson candidly and vividly recounts his metamorphosis from a frightened Christian schoolboy into the most feared and revered celebrity in America. ... Read more

Reviews (359)

Anti- People, you've gone Too Far.....
This book is definitive proof that the Hypocrisy of our Society, "teachers" and religious leaders (major and minor) is scarring humanity. Fundamentalists hate Marylin Manson....well, They Created him. I have struggled to understand the Warped view of religion that I have seen, throughout my life...leading me to read voraciously in areas of Spirituality, Anthropology, etc.--and I have always been fascinated with Musicians. Marylin Manson has proven, conclusively, that the "morals" we are taught are not remotely Humanitarian in nature. Society is based on how we present ourselves to others....not how we Truly are, or believe. This book shows the Obsessive, Demented way in which we are instructed to live our lives....leading to Repression, Psychosis and all manner of weirdness. Marylin Manson simply tells it like it really IS, instead-of lying abuot the Reality of how messed-up our Culture has become. He does not paint a pretty picture, with white picket fences...he informs you what goes-on in the basement, behind closed doors. This man sees that few people are raising their children in a manner that is conducive to creating intelligent, enlightenend human beings.... So, he is giving the confused masses a forum to vent their frustration. I love Anthropology and attended the Louisville, Ky concert that the locals fought against, radically....until the camera crews left the streets. Thousands of "religious" people shouted that this man would kill us, or turn us into satanists....but, not ONE person waited to see if we survived. I guess the camera crews didn't stay long-enough..... This book may inspire you to study Psychology and pursue Positive Methods of raising children and teaching children in schools, religious groups, etc. Fanatical adherence to Dogma can create a monster.... You hate in others, what you despise in yourself---Food for thought.

Still a great read
I first read this book about 4 years ago, I remember loving it then and reading it about 3 times back to back, feeling satisfied. I don't support all his opinions, but that's not what this review is about. About 3 months ago, I bought one of my friends who is a Marilyn Manson fan this book, and I ended up borrowing it from her and reading it again, to see if I still felt the same way after the initial "manson craze," had died off. It was still an excellent read and I read it in the same 2 day period as before, laughing at his childhood antics, sense of humor, and various inner thoughts. This is still one of the best books I've ever read. (Not because I don't read either!) I would recommend this to anyone, who isn't afraid to let go of their tight grip on a supposed reality, relax, and enjoy a unique book. It's a good one.

Manson
I dont read at all but I read this book and it is one of the best I have ever read and after reading it I wanted to read it again....Because Manson is the only person who makes scense anymore....Check this one out

Great Book ~ A Fun Read !!!
Who knew (besides Manson fans) Manson was so insightful. The book is an easy and fun read filled with well written/detailed accounts of Manson's childhood until the day he wrote the book. Also, great photography is laced into the book. Every chapter/section begins with a cool old quote from Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche and other great philosophers. The best part of the book is when Manson talks about his time with Anton Szandor LA Vey (founder of 'The Church of Satan' ~ someone I've always been interested in) you get a better understanding of just how cool La Vey is from how Manson profiles him. =)

If you want a well written, fun to read, visually stunning, fascinating look into this artists' personality...then buy this book! Later, you can sell it on eBay. =)

absolutely amazing
This was one of the most intriguing books I've read in a really long time. I was so interested in everything Manson had to say and had a hard time putting the book down. Whether you're a fan or just interested to find out what he's really all about, this is definitely a book to pick up and read. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Metaphors of Horror
Wiesel commands the heart and soul of his readers in The Night Trilogy. There are a certain number of books that reach a person at the most elemental level and show them light and also unforgettable darkness. The Night Trilogy does this without pretense, without effort and without excuse.

Many people have read Wiesel's account of Auschwitz and Buchenwald through his short novel, Night. If anyone is going to read Holocaust literature they should not limit themselves to a concise focus on the camps, but also what happens to the survivors after the events.

When you combine Night, Dawn, and The Accident together, you as the reader can assemble a true and purer understanding of what Holocaust survivors went through and more importantly what they continue to go through.

The collection is a must read for anyone who considers themselves socially aware. The Night Trilogy is a work that you will go back to time and again. Readers will lend this out to friends not simply to be nice, but because they will feel a yearning for all those in their lives to know what happened and is still happening to Holocaust survivors.

Read this collection until your heart bleeds and pass it on to a friend so that compassion and understanding will bloom.

Symbolic suffering
Elie Wiesel gives you a wide range view of the Holocaust and the continuing lives of the survivors. The story Night was the best of the three stories in the book. Night was the best because Wiesel wrote the story with more passion and emotion. The horrific incidents described in the book were so real that reader could connect with the author's pain. "I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people." These words were spoken by Wiesel because he feels that God abandoned him. Incidents such as the Holocaust lead Wiesel to speak these words and loose his faith in religion. Any book that can capture this emotion should be indulged.

Both Dawn and the Accident showed a great deal of symbolic meaning. They both made refrences to Night a number of times. This showed that even though the Holocaust ended, Wiesel still continued to suffer. An example of symbolism in the book is Wiesel's transformation from the death in Night and the rebirth in Dawn. If there is to be a book required to read in school The Night Trilogy should be it.

The Accident
The Accident
I recently read the first person narrative biography, The Accident, by Eli Wiesel. This novel is very real which leads it to be depressing. I am not real sure I liked the book. It was interesting, but it was never very happy. The main character, Eliezer, comes from a concentration camp to New York and tries to start his life over. He is soon afterwards hit by a taxicab and severely hospitalized in a body cast. He then reflects on his life up to that point as he lies in the hospital all day talking with his doctor about death, pain, and love. His doctor meanwhile tries to figure out if the accident really was an accident.

People interested in relationships or a person's psyche may be interested in this novel. The reader is invited into every thought that Eliezer has. It is very personal, and Eliezer is very depressed from a tormented past from concentration camps and the catastrophe that happens to his people. He contemplates all aspects of living after being so near death. I am not really sure anyone will enjoy this book. This book is more of an eye opener. This is a good book for people who enjoy realism and pessimistic symbolism.

An Outstanding Trilogy
This is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its' parts. Although all three books are very good to excellent, the way they fit together creates an excellent story from beginning to end. We start with "Night" which creates the understanding of the Holocaust through the perceptive eyes and ears of the youthful story teller. We then move to the book "Dawn" in which we find the main character as a young man who is involved in a moral dilemna. How he resolves the dilemna makes him realize that there is evil in all of us. His attempt to rationalize his actions are not sufficient to redeem himself in his own mind. We finish up with "The Accident" where we find the main character as a middle-aged man whose anger at the world makes him incapable of love. Certainly all that has preceded in his life helps us to understand his feelings but his anger is uncompromising and a dead end in and of itself. The problem resolves itself in a solution that brings an impressive closure to essentially all three books.

As a matter of clarification, each novel is a seperate story in itself. There is no "common Character" to all the novels. However, we get a sense that this all happens to one person. This is how well these stories fit together. Essentially, these works would appear to be autobiographical which adds to their meaning. Although Wiesel writes extensively about the Holocaust, there is certainly a special common thread to these stories. Read all three and make sure you read them in their proper order. Despite their brevity, it is as good an overall explantion, evaluation and summation of the Holocaust as you will find.

How I the rate The Accident
The Accident is a book that really makes you think about your life and how well you have lived it. When he gets put in the hosipital by this accident, he starts to think how well he lived his life. I liked how it went back and forth between when he was in the hospital and back to things that happened before the accident. This book has a really good moral, well this is the moral i got out of it. You should put the bad things of the past out of your mind and only keep the good, and live life to the fullest because you never know when it is going to end. there are little saying and conversations in the book that i like very much. there is a part in the book where the guys friend paints a portrait of him while he is in the hospital and the day he gets out he doesnt end up takeing the portrait home, insted he friend that painted it does something with. but over all this is a good book, well if you like books that make you think about yourself. ... Read more

Book Description

On March 31st 1993, while "The Crow" was in its final days of filming, in a strange accident on the set, its 28 year old start, Brandon Lee, was shot and killed.

For the first time, The Making of "The Crow", in first-hand accounts, describes in detail the bizarre chain of circumstances which led to the tragic death of its talented lead actor. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Such a wonderful Book~!
I really enjoyed reading "The Crow -Story behind the film"...every chapter,every page,EVERY WORD was exciting to read on through this book.Perhaps because I am such a Brandon Lee fan and still 'til this day do I believe that The Crow was arguably his best work ever..and this book tells it ALL~!......from its origins as first starting out being a comic book,trying to make this gothic love story into a film,the struggles of making the movie,of course the hugest tragedy which took the life of the young star,the cause of his death and how the movie was finished without the late Brandon Lee......the best part about this book was how the author got so much information from different cast and crew members who were all once part of the film....this was the best part about the book since I was so curious to know how each and every person who was responsible in making this film felt about making it and how they reacted to that fateful nite of the shooting .....as well as how they or if they ever learned to cope with this difficult experience.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to every CROW/Brandon Lee fan or anyone who once saw this film and became interested in what exactly happened on the set to this promising actor who had such a promising future .......I have collected many Brandon Lee memorabilias in almost the past decade but I must say that this book is definitely the most treasured one I have since it closes the ending chapter to the person I admire so much.

Better than expected
I bought this book because I'm a big Crow (the first movie) fan. And since it not easy to get some real info on this movie where I live, this book gave me a really good look at the movie and the tragical accident of Brandon Lee. After all these years there were questions playing in my head, but by reading this book, most got answered. I really recommend this book to all people who want to know more about this film...

The Crow
I love the Crow.....It is the greatest movie of all time and this book lets you know even more about what really went on during the making of it. You must check it out!

The Crow: The Story Behind the Film
The Story behind the film was very sad the they were filming the movie, they though that he was acting, but he wasn't he was real hurt badly. That part was the saddest part. I think some one real wanted to killed him so they can have the part and get money. I think because of someone in the film was so jealous and put bullet in the gun and let the guy to shot it and so they won't get busted. So I think they should try to find that guy and put him into jail. And I heard no was put to jail, I was real mad be he wasn't white.

To Find Out What Really Happened . . . .
As a longtime Crow fan, I was interested in finding out exactly what happened behind the scenes during the production of the film. Baiss' book does an excellent job of providing this information, through the use of quotes taken from several crew and cast members. My only criticism is how poorly the book was written. I am not sure who the editor is, but the book is riddled with grammatical and typographical errors to the point where I don't understand how it made it to publication. Her flow is also a little difficult to follow in places, although this may simply be a result of Baiss being a first-time writer. Also, most of the major individuals involved in the production of this film, including the director, would not speak with Baiss, so the account is mainly from the view of several cast and technical crew members. I would, however, recommend it for those interested in what really happened during production of "The Crow." I came away knowing more than I had before, even if I had trouble wading through all the typos. ... Read more

Book Description

That voice, those eyes, that hair, the cars, the girls...Elvis Presley revolutionized American pop culture when, at the age of twenty-one, he became the world's first modern superstar. A Memphis Beau Brummel even before he found fame, Elvis had a personal style that, like his music, had such a direct impact on his audience that it continues to influence us to this day. Elvis Presley compellingly examines Elvis' life and style to reveal the generous, complex, spiritual man behind the fourteen-carat-gold sunglasses and answers the question, "Why does Elvis matter?"

"Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century," proclaimed Leonard Bernstein. By any measure, Presley's life was remarkable. From his modest beginnings in a two-room house to his meteoric rise to international fame, everything about his life -- his outsized talent to his car collection -- clamored for attention. And he got it; even today, Elvis continues to fascinate.

Written with the assistance of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Pamela Clarke Keogh's biography draws on extensive research and interviews with Presley friends and family, among them Priscilla Presley, Joe Esposito, Jerry Schilling, Larry Geller, Bernard Lansky, famed Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby, and designer Bill Belew. Offered access to the Graceland archives, the author considered thousands of images, selecting more than one hundred color and black-and-white photographs for this book, many of them rarely seen before.

Both a significant biography of the greatest entertainer of our time and a provocative celebration of what Presley means to America today, Elvis Presley introduces the man behind the myth, a very human superstar beloved by millions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Legend continues....
There is no doubt that the author comes across as a true-blue Elvis fan and there is some very interesting and poignant moments in the book that have not been delved into in other publications (Elvis' meeting with the Beatles and his afterthoughts, and Sophia Loren's encounter with the King). However many of the stories and words in the book have been read and heard elsewhere...de ja vu? Also, there are some inaccuracies in the book(albeit minor) where only die-hard elvis fans like myself would notice. Nevertheless, the book is a fast read that's entertaining with accompanying photos and is a good addition to every Elvis fan's collection.

As a side note, I highly recommend Peter Guralnick's "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love" - the best and most compelling books on Elvis ever written!

A book worthy of a King
Wonderful is all I can say. Ms. Keogh is a masterful orchestrator of the words and images that do Elvis Justice finally.
I Recomend this book to any who loves or loved the King or knows anyone who did... it will be a treasured gift...

A riveting and fresh take on The King
A brilliant literary tour de force, this book offers a fresh take on Elvis, explaining why he still matters today (and probably always will). Told in an energetic style, it has the crackling narrative drive of a great novel. Fans will adore it; it's a beautiful book, full of stunning black-and-white photos of the King, some seldom seen. And it will delight anyone interested in the style secrets of an icon, from his clothes to his Graceland furniture. The coolest book on Elvis ever. ... Read more

Book Description

When Bertensson and Leyda's 1956 biography appeared, it lifted the veil of secrecy from several areas of of the intensely private Sergei Rachmaninoff's (1873-1943) life, especially concerning the genesis of his compositions and how their critical reception affected him. David Cannata's new introduction summarizes what has happened in Rachmaninoff scholarship since the book was first published. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book is excellent
I found this book extremely helpful and a joy to read. I have used it as a resource for a Rachmaninoff class that i am creating and also for my own pleasure. It spans through Rachmaninoff's life, going in-depth to look at glimpses of Rachmaninoff's life with family, and then meticulously explores his music career.It looks into what inspired him, his meetings with other famous composers, his performances, and includes many letters about his personal life that he wrote to his family and friends. Overall, an excellent look into the life of a composer about whom we do not know much.

A must-have for any Rachmaninoff lover.
This book is very thouroughly written, drawing on resources of Rachmaninoff's relatives, letters that Rachmaninoff himself wrote, and of personal interactions. It gives a glimpse into Rachmaninoff's private life, which very little is known about, and shows Rachmaninoff for the true musical genius that he is. ... Read more

Book Description

"One of the most influential lyricists of all time" --Rollingstone.com ... Read more

Reviews (8)

KRS-One book
I have never read the book but if it is on KRS-One it should be pretty good.KRS-One is the greatest

Hiphop Revolutionary
Ruminations is eye opening & consciousness expanding. He discusses some concepts that I've thought about before and some that I never would have. He lays out plans for a sovereign Hiphop Nation that would stand indepent of the United States. Talk about revolutionary thinking! As always he's not afraid to put forth ideas that may not be popular. I highly recommend this book, really for everybody, but especially for anyone who cares about Hiphop Kulture or even just Rap. The last chapter is The Science of Rap, apparently updated and reprinted from an earlier KRS book.
I couldn't put this book down. I often get bored with books before finishing them, but not this one.

Great Read!
This is a wonderful read! This will be a great text book for college classes interested in inner-city thought as well as social philosophy.

There's a reason KRS ONE has lectured at Harvard and Yale, and there's a reason this book is introduced by a famous philosopher. It's a good book with many insights.

It's no Plato's Republic, but if Plato grew up in the South Bronx and climbed the ladder from rags to riches, this book is something he may have written.

This book shows why KRS-One is one of the most brilliant
minds associated with Hip-Hop Today. KRS-One challenges people to think in most of his music. He is no different in his writing. The parts of the book that I found stimulating to read are his views on 9-11-01, the reparations movement, and the current state of hip-hop.

A great mind of today.
Kris Parker, better known as KRS-One,has written an outstanding autobiography entitled Ruminations.Kris Parker brilliantly tells us about his rise in Hip-Hop from beginning to present.His book also talks about many current issues,and his views on the state of society today.Kris also touches on the birth of Hip-Hop culture and his significant role in it.Kris is one of the most influential names in Hip-Hop music of all time.KRS-One is viewed by many as nothing less than a legend in the Hip-Hop community.I believe this book is excellent to read even if you aren't in any way interested in Hip-Hop.Kris has very interesting views on where he feels our world will be in years to come.For example,he spends a good amount of time discussing the serious reforms needed in order to improve the living status of African Americans today.The knowledge being displayed in this book is incredible.Just listening to Kris express his views and thoughts about the future makes me believe that KRS-One is prophet like.Ruminations is an excellent book that does nothing less than feed the mind. ... Read more

Book Description

The fascinating first-person account of the cross-dressing prince who poisoned Rasputin with rose cream cakes laced with cyanide and spiked Madeira is now back in print. Originally published in France in 1952, during the years of Prince Youssoupoff's exile from Russia, Lost Splendor has all the excitement of a thriller. Born to great riches, lord of vast feudal estates and many palaces, Felix Youssoupoff led the life of a grand seigneur in the days before the Russian Revolution. Married to the niece of Czar Nicholas II, he could observe at close range the rampant corruption and intrigues of the imperial court, which culminated in the rise to power of the sinister monk Rasputin. Finally, impelled by patriotism and his love for the Romanoff dynasty, which he felt was in danger of destroying itself and Russia, he killed Rasputin in 1916 with the help of the Grand Duke Dimitri and others. More than any other single event, this deed helped to bring about the cataclysmic upheaval that ended in the advent of the Soviet regime.~The author describes the luxury and glamour of his upbringing, fantastic episodes at nightclubs and with the gypsies in St. Petersburg, grand tours of Europe, dabbling in spiritualism and occultism, and an occasional conscience-stricken attempt to alleviate the lot of the poor.~Prince Youssoupoff was an aristocrat of character. When the moment for action came, when the monk's evil influence over the czar and czarina became unbearable, he and his friends decided that they must get rid of the monster. He tells how Rasputin courted him and tried to hypnotize him, and how finally they decoyed him to the basement of the prince's palace. Prince Youssoupoff...is perfectly objective, remarkably modern and as accurate as human fallibility allows. His book is therefore readable, of historical value and intimately tragic. It is as if Count Fersen had written a detailed account of the last years of Marie Antoinette.--Harold Nicholson, on the first English edition, 1955 By Prince Felix Youssoupoff. Hardcover, 5.25 x 8.25 in./300 pgs / 0 color 14 BW0 duotone 0 ~ Item D20143 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Glimpse Into A Vanished World
Prince Felix Yousssoupoff is best known as one of the murderers of Gregory Rasputin just before the Russian Revolution. He was a member of one of Russia's most aristocratic families, and in this memoir, originally published in the 1950s, he gives us a glimpse of life for a nobleman in pre-Revolutionary Russia.

Life was certainly rich, if not always good, for Prince Felix. As a younger son, he was given very little education and basically allowed to do as he pleased during his formative years. Most of the time what he was pleased to do was to get into trouble. I lost count of the number of servants, governesses, and other retainers who quit with nervous breakdowns after trying to look after Felix. Under the influence of his elder brother, whom he adored, Felix had an early initiation into sexual and other kinds of debauchery. He enjoyed dressing as a woman and living the high life in St. Petersburg, London, and Paris. Felix was reticent about his sexuality, claiming several affairs with women but speaking more warmly about his men friends, including Grand Duke Dmitri, who helped him murder Rasputin. When Felix's brother was killed in a duel Felix became the heir to a vast fortune. He married Tsar Nicholas' niece Irina, whom he claimed to adore but otherwise said little about.

The most interesting parts of this book deal with Rasputin, whom Felix met several times. Typically, Felix hints that there was a sexual nature to these encounters, but divulges few details. Felix describes the murder and his subsequent exile, which saved him from being in St. Petersburg during the February Revolution in 1917, and his internment in the Crimea with other members of the Imperial Family from 1917 through 1919, when he escaped on a British warship.

This book is interesting but highly reticent. Felix never loses a chance to glamorize himself and his activities, with the result that some undeniably brave actions, like his several trips to St. Petersburg to rescue treasures while the Bolshevik terror was at its height, tend to get less attention than they deserve. A more open and informative biography of Prince Felix, The Man Who Killed Rasputin, by Greg King, was published several years ago and will help fill in the gaps left by Felix's own work.

A historical treat
I first encountered this book as a teenager and was just enchanted with it, and I'm thrilled a new printing has come out. Of the many autobiographies of exiled Russian nobility, this one stood out. Perhaps because of the historical role he played. There are fascinating stories of eccentric personalities (how about getting a mountain for a birthday present, complete with sheep?). A complex personality, Felix was, admittedly, spoiled rotten, used to getting his way and yet, had admirable traits (it's not in this book but once in exile, he never turned down a request for help from another refugee). And then there is Rasputin and his part in that assasination. Of course, Felix leaves out some details about himself other historians have noted. However, the book is still an accurate picture of a lost world. If you enjoy this era, this book is worth having in your collection. ... Read more

Book Description

This bestseller covers a single momentous year during Nin’s life in Paris, when she met Henry Miller and his wife, June. “Closer to what many sexually adventuresome women experience than almost anything I’ve ever read....I found it a very erotic book and profoundly liberating” (Alice Walker). The source of a major motion picture from Universal. Preface by Rupert Pole; Index.
... Read more

Reviews (25)

shockingly fabulous!
I have never read a book quite like this one. After I read "Henry and June", I read "Fire" and I plan to read many more of Anais' books. This is a must read for any young woman -- Anais is not afraid of her sexuality -- this diary describes her promiscuous behavior that is traditionally only acceptable for men. It is a truly liberating book. She emphasizes the importance of experience, and living life fully in terms of sexuality, creation and emotion. She was a woman ahead of her time. I highly recommend this book -- I could not put it down -- it describes emotions and desires all women have, but try to repress because of society's rules. If anyone lived their life to it's limits, it was Anais Nin.

The sexual awakening of Anais Nin
Anais Nin is the author of over a dozen novels and a very famous diary that is now available in "expurgated" and "unexpurgated" form. All of her works concern one primary theme: women attempting to understand themselves and to make themselves complete human beings after having been psychologically and emotionally stunted in early life. An understanding of Anais Nin's life reveals why this theme preoccupied her: she had a very painful childhood. Her mother married a younger man of lower social pedigree, the parents were in constant conflict (" ... in the house there was always war: great explosions of anger, hatred, revolt. War." - WINTER OF ARTIFICE), her father frequently beat the children and allegedly molested Anais Nin, and her parents eventually separated. The mother took 11-year-old Anais and her two brothers, and the four moved from France to New York. It was on the ship that carried them to their new country that Anais began her diary.

Anais Nin did not keep a diary in the conventional sense, jotting down things that happened to her on a particular day and then offering a few reflections and interpretations. Rather, she portrayed her life in her diary as an unfolding story, positioning herself as the main character of course. The diary became not a mere reflection of her life, but an intense focus of her life. It was as if things had not really happened until she had written them down and read them back to herself. Nin explained that viewing her life as a story made bearable occurrences that would otherwise devastate her. The diary therefore gave her a sense of control over her life (remember, this was the 1930s when women had far less control over their lives than they do now). And as with the fiction, the search for self-understanding and completeness dominated the story she told the diary.

HENRY AND JUNE, based on the diaries 32 through 36, finds Anais Nin in her late 20s and early 30s living outside of Paris with her husband, banker Hugo Guiler. Anais is bored with life and feels unfulfilled, for while Hugo's substantial paycheck can afford a glamorous home, what she longs for is excitement and to be a part of the literary world, not an ornamental and silent companion to social functions. Luckily, she soon meets an unknown writer named Henry Miller. He is opposite to her husband in just about every way: he's older, penniless, irresponsible, and like Anais he is interested in literature, as well as that other Nin preoccupation: sex. (A perhaps revealing detail is that Hugo, though well endowed, occasionally struggled with impotence.) In fact, Miller has been working on a manuscript for about a year. The rest, as they say, is history ... a history revealed in HENRY AND JUNE that I do not want to spoil for the prospective reader. You'll have to get the book. But I must suggest that while reading HENRY AND JUNE it may be beneficial to view the story in the context of Anais Nin's prime preoccupation: the search for completion after having been emotionally stunted in early life. Indeed, on the very first page of the book, Anais tells her cousin, "I need an older man, a father...."

Andrew Parodi

And I'm not even done...
I was really excited about reading this book, hearing good things about it. I started to read it and couldn't put it down. I am not done with it yet, but I had to write a review before then. The desciptions Anais Nin puts into her journal are so heartfelt and real, you can't help but feel it's you. Her portrayals of the people she meets are so honest and so enlightening...the only thing I could complain about is her ranting about herself, but other than that it is a journey into a time where you wish you were around in.

Rewarding Read
One cannot read this excerpt from Anais Nin's lifelong diaries without a measure of admiration and envy. It describes her "belle vie" in the early thirties in Paris. She has a lovely home, a loving husband, and a circle of intellectual suitors. While undertaking huge liberties and deceptions in the name of literature (she uses her writing as an excuse), she yet does so with an almost childlike need for love and acceptance. In explanation, the reader learns that she was infatuated with her father, who later abandons her. The irony of her seducing and manipulating the psychoanalyst who is also treating her husband and incestuous lover is humorous. The insights into her torrid affair with Henry Miller are fascinating. As in her fiction, she displays a knack for tasteful eroticism. She disarmingly admits to her propensity for embellishing reality. Anais Nin is narcissistic, but who could not be fascinated by a woman of such candor, talent, and complexity?--Sophie Simonet, author of ACT OF LOVE, romantic suspense (Fictionwise)

Lie on your bed and swoon....
Here are the feverish and impossibly romantic convulsions of a schoolgirl mind - but I mean that in a good way. Nin is unlikeable yet enchanting - she is some dreamy, exotic species of narcissist, and her constant fawning over herself has the perverse affect of making YOU enthralled by her, too. Nin's reality hovers exquisitely above the pedestrian, grimy one the rest of us inhabit, and if you give yourself over to her absurdly beautiful view of things, she will transport you. You end up feeling like a kind of sighing, envious voyeur as you read through these pages and wish you, too, were an eccentric beauty drifting amid some bygone literary demi-monde.
Lie on your bed and swoon...This is a fantasy/romance novel for those with vague intellectual pretensions... ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the decades that have followed Sylvia Plath's suicide in February1963, much has been written and speculated about her life, most particularly about her marriage to fellow poet Ted Hughes and her last months spent writing the stark, confessional poems that were to become Ariel. And the myths surrounding Plath have only been intensified by the strong grip her estate--managed by Hughes and his sister, Olwyn--had over the release of her work. Yet Plath kept journals from the age of 11 until her death at 30. Previously only available in a severely bowdlerized edition, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath have now been scrupulously transcribed (with every spelling mistake and grammatical error left intact) and annotated by Karen V. Kukil, supervisor of the Plath collection at Smith College.

The journals show the breathless adolescent obsessed with her burgeoning sexuality, the serious university student competing for the highest grades while engaging in the human merry-go-round of 1950s dating, the graduate year spent at Cambridge University where Plath encountered Ted Hughes. Her version of their relationship (dating is definitely not the appropriate term) is a necessary, and deeply painful, complement to Birthday Letters. On March 10, 1956, Plath writes:

Please let him come, and give me the resilience & guts to make him respect me, be interested, and not to throw myself at him with loudness or hysterical yelling; calmly, gently, easy baby easy. He is probably strutting the backs among crocuses now with seven Scandinavian mistresses. And I sit, spiderlike, waiting, here, home; Penelope weaving webs of Webster, turning spindles of Tourneur. Oh, he is here; my black marauder; oh hungry hungry. I am so hungry for a big smashing creative burgeoning burdened love: I am here; I wait; and he plays on the banks of the river Cam like a casual faun.

Fragments of diaries exist after 1959, which saw the couple's return to England and rural retreat in Devon, the birth of their two children, and their separation in late 1962. An extended piece on the illness and death of an elderly neighbor during this period is particularly affecting and was later turned into the poem "Berck-Plage." Much has been made of the "lost diaries" that Plath kept until her suicide--one simply appears to have vanished, the other Hughes burned after her death. It would seem rapacious to wish for more details of her despair in her final days, however. It is crystallized in the poems that became Ariel, and this is what the voice of her journals ultimately send the reader back to. Sylvia Plath's life has for too long been obfuscated by anecdote, distorting her major contribution to 20th-century literature. As she wrote in "Kindness": "The blood jet is poetry. There is no stopping it." --Catherine Taylor ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Profoundly Sad
As I read the morbid journals of Sylvia Plath, I find that all of them have a beautiful intensity. Her words, which have a beautiful movement, are an extended description of her inner life. Her mind, illuminated always by poetry and prose, is moved by slight moments to rapture and despair. Even as she describes the raptures of being seventeen, her prose displays a profound melancholy, as though the fires of her nature foreshadow her darkest tendencies.

Great book!
It's about time that we got the nearly full story of what she really thought and felt. Although we will probably never see those missing journals which were written months prior to her death, still what remains is riveting.

As for the person who mentioned how disturbing her entries are and how she comes across as a 'monster,' well, apparently some people have no appreciation for a) how complicated artistic people are; and b) how we ALL have these thoughts from time to time, whether we are artistic or not. We just don't take the time to write them down in journals for pedantic 'chicken soup' types to thoughtlessly analyze after we're dead.

I do however, agree with the intelligent comment about the Euripedean relationship with that mother. Good use of Greek mythology. I think it was Camille Paglia who pegged the real source of Plath's anger when she described the redoubtable Aurelia Plath as someone who could castrate you from fifty paces. Hilarious and true. Poor Sylvia. I would be [angry] too with a mother like that.

Thank you for these wonderful glimpses into the human condition. If Plath's a monster, then we all are.

BEAUTIFUL
Her writing is beautiful. She does show remarkable growth in thought after college, and as she reaches her suicide, her writing is unbelievably stunning.

mike

What? Nothing to say, Ted?
Oh, that's right, you're dead now, aren't you?

Here, untainted by the interference of her unworthy ex, Ted Hughes, is an intense and revealing series of insights into the mind of this most brilliant woman.

I came to these journals after reading five volumes of the diaries of Virginia Woolf, and some of the parallels are quite chilling.

Whether Plath articulates it or not, the legacy of the Inquisition hangs over her as it has over so many women who are still trying to make sense of a world that is yet to be cleansed of the darker residues of patriarchy.

At the time of her suicide in 1963, women had only had been able to vote, own property and inherit property from their fathers for a pitiful 45 years. Incredibly, the centennial of women suffrage will not be until 2018. But of course, that can't be an issue, can it?

As for people who desperately manipulate threads of her words to 'prove' that she secretly wanted dependence, hinting that all women secretly crave dependence; consider that if women were naturally dependent on men, the patriarchy would never have needed to set up such a vast number of mechanisms to suppress them.

Having read most of her poetry, including the final Ariel poems, and having worked through the journals - a draining experience at times - I still feel Plath's basic Life dilemma is captured in the following hybridized stanza (a merging of lines from two separate stanzas) from Lorelei:-

Worse even than your maddening
Song, your silence. At the source
Of your ice-hearted calling...

The siren's wail is something primal, something heart-stoppingly elemental. The carrier wave for the Great Song, the Oran Mor of the Celts. It even appears in a similar form in Siddhartha, in the river of a thousand voices, ultimately all converging to form Unity.

Like any tortured soul, such as Virginia Woolf - plug in a name - the basic alienation and fear of meaninglessness clearly were there in Plath as with most humans, but her Lorelei references also suggested a fear of her own innate primal power. She had a glimpse of something that simply overloaded her circuits, perhaps like the Kundalini experience that led to the poet Shelley's drowning.

Yes, there in those lines, we have the dilemma. Which is the more terrible, the Silence or the Song? The fear of nothingness or the crushing tidal wave of everydayness? The entire process of Life. She lived vicariously to some degree, placing far too much importance on her relationship with Ted Hughes. A roving, cheating husband, a man without honor, who was simply not worthy of her, or of any decent woman.

Perhaps in her final bleak despair, she forgot that she had existed before him as Sylvia Plath and could have existed after him as Sylvia Plath. She misinterpreted the siren call of her Sisters. They were not calling her down to Death, but to reunification. Ted who? I rather fancy she was the better poet of the two, by a long sea mile.

Moving
Everything which Plath wrote in her journals has proceeded to appear profoundly sad; even as she writes of the raptures of her youth, lurking beneath the surface is a profound melancholy.
The journals are a moving account of this tormented poet's life as well as the nearness of her encounters with death and madness. Not merely autobiographical, it is as well a study of the process of the written word. Readers can refer to these journals as a source of artistic inspiration and deep portrayal of psychological pain. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in paperback, Journals includes never-before-seen material that will keep everyone talking.

Kurt Cobain filled dozens of notebooks with lyrics, drawings, and writings about his plans for Nirvana and his thoughts about fame, the state of music, and the people who bought and sold him and his music. His journals reveal an artist who loved music, who knew the history of rock, and who was determined to define his place in that history. Here is a mesmerizing, incomparable portrait of the most influential musician of his time. ... Read more

Reviews (144)

You know you want to read it
Yes, there's the moral corundum of disrespecting a dead man's wishes and invading his privacy to make an easy buck off him, but Journals is an interesting read. I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but I did get a voyeuristic kick out of perusing his handwritten rants, unsent letters, drafted lyrics, rambling diary entries, and assorted scribbles and doodles.

That is not say Journals is essential in understanding Kurt - his music was just as effective in that regard. There's nothing in this book to shed any new light on his complicated personality, though time will tell if that's just a result of Courtney Love's selectivity.

Journals is put together nicely and works as a really morbid coffee table book. But to ease your guilt of exploiting Kurt's death to make Courtney's wallet thicker, while still satiating your curiosity, I would recommend simply borrowing it from a library.

review
Some of you people need to calm down and get a grip, dont be all like " well I dont think Kurt Cobain would like this, and its Courtneys scheme" so be it. If you despise it so much dont buy it.

I will admit i was to young to remember his suicide, but after reading a book on him I found he was a simple and amazing man who had a passion for what he did. I love every one of his songs. Im not saying im better at guitar than him, but he was a kinda crappy guitarist, but an amazing and inspiring song writer. I like to this man is my hero. BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS!

Grow up and read this book if you're so inclined to do so!
The problem with the people who give Journals a negative review is the fact they haven't read Journals. And the kicker is that these so-called "fans" are so terrified of reading it and somehow "desecrating" Kurt Cobain's soul in the process that they dare not read it. These tpes of people don't even belong here reviewing something they haven't even read let alone opened with their own hands. It's not like Kurt's going to come back from the dead to haunt any of you people; None of you are even worth it. Anyway, Journals is a good read for anyone interested in the documentation of an every-man's life because it's such a rare thing to see someone's letters of any profession, word-for-word (the airbrushing was a rumor... or not!), in their own handwriting. To the naysayers: Go naysay your heads off, and don't come back 'til you read Journals.

...
I HATE how people are saying it's "disgusting" reading Kurt's Journals...If you don't think it's right, then don't read it.Make a choice for yourself.Kurt's gone and his privacy should be respected, however, people are going to buy Journals no matter what you say. I only flipped through it in the book store the other day. Interesting to say the least. And I'm going to buy it. Despite all the bashing I've read about it. Despite the fact that it's repeating facts I already know [he was a druggie, suicidal, such and such]. Despite the fact that buying it will help Courtney more than anyone else. When I die, if I'm a recognized celebrity I would want my journals to be published. It's a way for fans to see more about the person they idolize.I'm not saying I idolize Kurt and thats why I'm buying. I'm just saying there is people like that.

These one-star reviewers haven't read Journals! Ignore them!
Kurt documented his drug abuse, suicide attempts, and other problems in this Journals compilation so that the entries could be read after he killed himself. That's the ONLY reason somebody like him would do that. His entries aren't even numbered or marked with dates because he just wanted to keep track of his daily rants, whines, and problems for future reading. Who they were meant for exactly is obviously a mystery, but he kept them for SOMEONE. The "fans" who say that selling Kurt's Journals is "disgusting" need to actually read the journal entries before making judgments, because there's isn't anything in there that Kurt hasn't mentioned in interviews or Azzerad's CAYA. I hate preachy fans of any band, but that stands double for supposed "morally-upright" Nirvana fans. They practically worship Kurt Cobain when he was the most self-absorbed, self-indulgent druggie ever to grace he music world. They're such hypocrites. He deserved the "tragic" ending to his life that he gave himself. Wanna talk about somebody's greediness? Then talk about Kurt's daily $400 a day heroin binges... and how he killed himself and took hemself out of his daughter's life forever. Kurt allowed Courtney to get her hands on his journal entries by killing himself, so it's his fault if he didn't want them released. All in all, Journals was an interesting read. Ignore the born-again Christian Nirvana reviewers who gave this book one star, and see for yourself if you like it. ... Read more

Book Description

The first biography of Jane's Addiction who became Godfathers of the Alternative Nation, originated the Lollapalooza festival, and captured the spirit of Los Angeles at its most decadent.

Jane's Addiction's 1988 breakthrough album, Nothing's Shocking, had a seismic impact on the music scene of the late 80s. With a bracing combination of metal, punk, and psychedelica, coupled with lead singer Perry Farrell's banshee-in-a-windtunnel vocals, the arrival of Jane's Addiction put what would soon be co-opted as"alternative" on the map. Rising from the depths of Venice Beach's junkie-surfer demonade, Jane's Addiction freely mixed the decadent with the innocent, and paved the way for the mainstream success of bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana. After Nothing's Shocking, Jane's Addiction released another classic album, Ritual de Lo Habitual (featuring the hit "Been Caught Stealing"), founded the Lollapalooza festival, and openly celebrated a bacchanalian lifestyle that blurred all lines of gender and sexuality.

Drawn from original interviews with the band (including Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro), their friends, and musical colleagues, Whores will take readers through the early days of the band to their drug-addled breakup and eventual triumphant reunion with the 2003 release of their album Strays. Along the way, providing a candid, sometimes disturbing glimpse into the dynamic alternative rock scene of Los Angeles in the '80s and '90s. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jane's Addiction....bread and spread in LA....
First of all, I really looked forward to this book. I read it in 3-4 hours in two sittings and it was very entertaining. Brendan Mullen wrote an extended article in SPIN Magazine on Jane's Addiction back when their Strays album came out a couple years ago. He states, at the beginning of this book, that band members more or less stopped giving interviews shortly after the albums release so he couldn't get additional information for the book. This forced him to search high and low for other key characters who surrounded Jane's Addiction, along with the band and management, in telling their complete story. It worked. This is a great book and gives an excellent perspective as to what Jane's achieved and what they were up against (primarily themselves). Anyone familiar with Jane's will notice a few familiar quotes and paragraphs from past interviews dating back more than 15 years. Mullen pulls from all sources and paints a good picture of band's impact on the LA music scene at that time and the argument that they created the alternative scene that Cobain and others were able to blow the doors open on a few years later. The development of Lollapalooza is very interesting as well. This book would receive a five star rating had the band done interviews more recently specifically for the book. Unfortunately, they didn't and you have to stick to their old interviews which in many ways is good for catching the moment but not as good for catching the band's perspective on their impact over time. Had they done interviews it may have turned out more like the Crue's DIRT. But Jane's was a much darker band, and you definitely get the feeling here. Actually it sounds like Porno For Pyros was more drug-addled than Jane's, if that's possible. This is a biography and almost gets 4.5 stars. The 5 Star books will be the complete autobiographies by Avery, Perkins, Navarro and Farrell. They'll come in time. Long live Jane's Addiction, one of the last truly great rock 'n roll bands...... ... Read more

Book Description

Led Zeppelin was the hottest, hardest, horniest, most hedonistic group in rock history. Their parties defined 60s and 70s excess, their concerts were long, loud and thrilling. Based on interviews and behind-the-scenes stories, here is the truth behind the genius of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and the late John Bonham.
... Read more

Reviews (53)

"Unauthorized" should be in big, bold letters on the cover.
I held off on purchasing this book for quite some time. I finally succumbed to the temptation and bought a copy despite the possibility of being disapointed (and nauseated). I have read most of the book, and have yet to decide whether to vomit and return the book to the store, or keep reading and then vomit some more. If you are looking to find the truth behind the debauchery stories of one of the greatest rock bands, I suggest that you look elsewhere. Deemed as the "definitive biography" of Led Zeppelin, this book only further perpetuates the mystery behind the stories. The author does a poor job of being convincing. Also, one wonders about the intelligence/developmental level of the some of the women who were interviewed which does not yield a reliable source of information. As a result, the reader is left wondering if these wonderful musicians were really as idiotic as the stories have suggested. The tales are a bit unnerving (to some they may be understandably humorous). But even worse is ever- present feeling that what you are reading may or may not be utter rubbish. If you are looking for some entertainment and do not give a hoot as to what the band did in their spare time, and you are not bothered by a rather large degree of uncertainty, then by all means, grab a copy, relax and perhaps keep a bottle of Pepto-Bimal handy.

An essential compilation of our heavy metal heroes!
Led Zeppelin....the pioneers of heavy metal and rock and roll. I thought I knew a lot about Zep before I read this book. Now on the flip side, I had no idea how much I was missing! Anyone who wants to gain some intelligent insight into Led Zeppelin's "backstage and post-concert antics" must read this book! Although I was not very pleased with some of Davis' comments concerning bands who are influenced by Led Zeppelin, my conscience won't let me give this book less than five stars. Even if Page didn't like the book, it's still worth your while. But, don't formulate your opinions on this band by just reading this book....Go get Led Zeppelin I (and all the other albums for that matter!) and figure out for yourself that Led Zeppelin is the greatest band that ever walked the Earth!

Hammer Of The Gods is a must read for any Led Zeppelin Fan
I have this book and its one that I can read again and again.
Some of it seems far fetched but you have to remember the times were alot different back then as well. Being up in my age I can recall the time period of the high flying Zeppelin and reading about them in the magazines that this book mentions.
If you get any book about Mr. Page and company this would have to be it.

Good Zep Read - even despite inaccuracies
Stephen Davis isn't a Zep expert, but this book was spot on in its release at a time when Zep didn't exist anymore back in the mid-80s. I remembered reading it and going wow! This is Led Zeppelin! It is a fun read, but take it with a pinch of salt...much of it is attributed to Richard Cole. The book has never been endorsed by the band, but it's the stuff of what legends are made of. Even Plant admitted in a Musician interview that he didn't much remember what went on in the seventies...if even a portion of what's written here is true - then it makes sense why!

This book did much to promote the legend and legacy of Zep - warts and all...

Don't expect too much from this fun read
This book is extremely well researched and contains an incredible amount of detail about the band and its members.

Its weakness, and it's a big one, is that the author gives the reader little sense of perspective or narrative comment. It reads like this: "This happened. Then this happened. And then this happened, then this..."

While it would be a mistake to try and tell readers what to think, this account goes so far in the opposite direction that despite all of the wild and often abusive exploits of these musicians, it reads in the bland way newspaper stories often do. So much more could have been done with the material and while the author occasionally dabbles in the style of Tom Wolfe, not much is holding the narrative together except the paper the words are printed on.

Oddly, the very end of the book contains some wondeful writing that surprisingly appears only there. ... Read more

Book Description

Popular cult author and show business insider James Parish exposes the scandals that rocked Tinseltown

Nothing intrigues the public more than a good, juicy scandal. Add a famous Hollywood star or two to the mix and the nation is hooked. The Hollywood Book of Scandals provides the full account of 32 big, provocative scandals—complete with all the sexy, scintillating, and often shocking details. Written by veteran show business chronicler James Robert Parish, this book dishes the full dirt on:

• Bob Crane’s mysterious death
• Elizabeth Taylor’s seduction of Eddie Fisher
• Robert Mitchum’s arrest for drug possession
• Judy Garland’s public meltdown
• Errol Flynn’s trial for statutory rape
• Winona Ryder’s shoplifting trial

More than 100 black-and-white celebrity photos offer readers a close-up look at the leading players in these sordid dramas.

Reviews (17)

A Good Time Had By All?
James Robert Parish, Hollywood historian extraordinaire, smartly tackles the biggest and best Hollywood scandals of the last century. From the sexual ignominies of Valentino and Fatty Arbuckle to the outrageous O.J. and Robert Blake murder cases, Parish shines an accurate journalistic light on the follies and foibles of those we call Stars. If you want the real lowdown on Liz and Dick, the SNL cast, Woody Allen, Marilyn, Natalie Wood, Winona Ryder, Heidi Fleiss and many many more, throw away the tabloids and pick up this book - it's the most fun Hollywood read this year!

Sensational stories -- without sensationalism
James Robert Parish comes up with another tome about Hollywood. Once again, Parish offers dishy stories within a framework of intelligent prose, careful historical analysis, and a keen eye for human behavior. There's something for everyone in "The Hollywood Book of Scandals." The book covers dozens of cases, from the more obscure (comedienne Thelma Todd's mysterious death in the early 1930s) to the fresh-from-the-presses tales involving Robert Blake and Winona Ryder. Among the other stars found in Parish's latest are Errol Flynn, Ingrid Bergman, Liberace, and Woody Allen. "The Hollywood Book of Scandals" is a must for film lovers. Gossipy? Sure. Informative and engrossing? Definitely. And as plus, there's always Parish's straightforward and insightful style.

Movie Lore Scandals
James Robert Parish has written a concise, thorough and well
researched volume on over 100 scandals which have plagued
Hollywood from its infancy to the present. Included are such
personalities as William Desmond Taylor (whose murder is still
unsolved), Wallace Reid, Jean Harlow and Paul Bern, Elizabeth
Taylor, Judy Garland, Errol Flynn and O.J. Simpson. The nice
thing about this well illustrated book is that the author presents the facts and then leaves it up to the reader to decide

innocence or guilt. Very readable and highly recommnended for
for lovers of scandal and movie lore.

Parish Does It Again
Jim Parish is one of the most prolific writers about Hollywood on the scene. There's a reason for that: he has a wealth of information. He leaves no stone unturned in his search to bring his readers absolutely the most honest version of Hollywood's most infamous events...events which shaped our culture. In this book, Parish has done it again, bringing new information where you would have thought the well was dry years ago. The guy is incredible.

A Real Page-Turner
This well-researched book of Hollywood scandals is a real page-turner. Entertaining, wittily-written, and informative, it provides all of the juicy details of scandals covering the whole history of Hollywood, from the silent days to the present. Touches on many well-known scandals, but the reader will also be surprised by some previously unknown (at least to me) stories of Hollywood misbeh