Reviews (14)

One of the best autobiographies I have ever read
I like autobiographies because I think that is the best way to get to know someone. Not that they are always honest and completely open although Kirk Douglas seems to be in this one. I suspect some things are prettied up particularly in the latter portions of this book. I read the hardcover and I don't know if the paperback covers the more recent years. The best part of the book is the early years, particularly his college days and early career

Shows one of the actor's other talents
I read "Ragman" many years ago and still find it to be one of the most entertaining star autobio's that I have ever read. Douglas is very straightforward in his retelling of his humble beginnings, his personal triumphs and tragedies, as well as his long and distinguished career. I recently found his follow-up "Climbing the Mountain." If it is half the book the former is, my financial investment on both would be worth it.

This is Actually a Good Book - But Its Genetic
Before writing this review I have of course read the book and then I read what the other reviewers said.

My take is a bit different. Okay he has too many girlfriends along the way, and he is is Jewish and he comes from a small town in New York - that town Amsterdam by the way is actually not such a bad place - and he did grow up poor.

But that misses the whole point of the story. The Douglas family this father and one famous son Michael, are just extremely likable people who are also very very talented. It is genetic!!

So it should be no surprise that once going to a local college and getting a break or two that he (Kirk) would rise to the top. Once the money and fame came his life like many other people got complicated and he made a few mistakes.

Now for the book, it is well written and moves along with the story. No slow spots. A nice read.

Jack in Toronto

An incredible American life story...
The autobiography of Kirk Douglas should be required reading for all American high school students. He proves that you can overcome any obstacle in America, no matter what circumstances you were born into, if you are willing to work hard, stay focused, and never stop following your dream. He overcame abject poverty, flagrant anti-Semitism, family dysfunction, and a society that all but guaranteed that he would never amount to anything. He was blessed with a passionate zest for living and learning, a voracious curiosity, and a fearlessness that allowed him to take risks that lead to great achievements in his life. He truly is bigger than life. He tells his story with brutal honesty. He has a great personal integrity that shines through the entire book. He is, like all the rest of us, imperfect. But he had the tenacity to tell his story, imperfections and all. He has worked hard for everything he has. He was NOT an overnight success. He is highly educated, and is a veteran of the U.S.Navy. And he remains his own man. His life is a great example of the kind of people who made this country the power that it is today.

Sometimes Movie Stars SHOULDN'T Tell All
I was born in the mid-forties and grew up with Kirk Douglas in his career prime. I thought I was a fan of his, having seen Spartacus and The Vikings many times.

However, in reading about his life story, the respect I had for him got less with each chapter of this book. Well-written and fast reading, he narrates a very interesting life, and his years-long struggle to become a movie actor should be read by every wanna-be actor who thinks he or she can march into Hollywood and "make it." It was his rampant promiscuity that really turned me off. He seemed to believe it was all right to pick up any woman for his needs and dump her while he was married or engaged to other women. But his bigger than life ego seemed to justify all this catting around.

I also disagree with his leftist politics, and fighting to get an avowed communist back into the arts (Dalton Trumbo) opened a Pandora's box...but I won't go there now.

Anyway I would recommend this book as a good fast read, but Mr.Douglas' morals may turn you off in the long run. ... Read more

Download Description

An internationally renowned ornithologist tells the extraordinary story of the parrot who took over her life, revealing fascinating parallels between humans and birds. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A touching, fascinating memoir -- read it!
"The Parrot Who Owns Me" is a delightful memoir that should appeal not only to bird lovers, but to the general public, as well. The author is a faculty member at Rutgers who has specialized in the study of gulls and parrots. As a scholar, she's written 14 books, but this one is different: It's a memoir, a story of the relationship between her and Tiko, who sounds like one great bird.

The memior follows her adoption of Tiko when he was in his 30s, after the two elderly ladies who owned him passed away. He became depressed and agressive, but slowly, Joanna and her husband brought him around. Ultimately, Tiko really bonded to her, quite literally falling in love with her and choosing her as his "partner."

The storytelling in this book is engaging. In between the long segments about Tiko's development, the author intersperses information about her worldwide scientific field research, some of which was inspired by Tiko, and this information sheds light on parrot behavior in general, as well as that of her beloved Tiko.

She also briefly discusses the parrots she'd owned prior to Tiko, and their stories are touching. I did, in fact, cry more than once as she reminisced about the birds who are no longer with her. That caught me off guard. It's a surprisingly touching story.

Note: I read the book in paperback form, but I imagine that it's just as enjoyable in downloaded form!My experiences with downloadable texts has been good thus far, and I likely would have downloaded this one had it been an option at the time.

In conclusion, then, I think this is an excellent book that has a strong appeal to it. I'm sure that's in part because I have two parrots, a cockatiel and a budgie, who own me -- but there's so much more to this story! I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

I believe it is time for America to meet the men of the 761st, common men who grew to become heroes, black men who fought for a country that often hated them, stalwart men who overcame social injustice to become men of colorblind valor. This first-of-its-kind book will…help them take their place as member of the greatest generation.
—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

With these brief, moving words, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sets forth the feelings and the goals that inspired him to recount the courageous story of the 761st in Brothers in Arms. Jabbar first learned the story from his high school mentor and friend, Leonard “Smitty” Smith, a veteran of the Battalion. Working with acclaimed writer Anthony Walton, they interviewed the seventy surviving members of the battalion as well as battalion members' descendants to weave together a page-turning narrative based on their memories and stories, from basic training through the horrors of the battlefield, to their post-war experiences in a racially divided America. By the end of the war, the 761st—which Patton initially spurned, claiming Blacks weren't quick enough to maneuver tanks in battlefield situations—liberated some thirty towns and villages, as well as a concentration camp.

Known as “The Black Panthers,” the 761st Battalion was the first all-black tank battalion to see combat in the war. While most American units fought on the front for one to two weeks before being rotated back, the courageous men of the 761st served for more than 183 consecutive days, fighting under Patton's Third Army at the Battle of the Bulge, helping to turn back the German offensive and cut off German supply lines. They were in the vanguard of the American troops that liberated the concentration camp at Mauthausen—an effort that eventually won them recognition from the State of Israel. All this was accomplished despite a casualty rate that approached 50 percent and an extreme shortage of replacement personnel and equipment.

The unconscionable racism that shadowed these intrepid fighters during the war (black combat units were sometimes referred to as “Mrs. Roosevelt’s Niggers” because of her efforts to persuade the military to allow them to serve in combat) and the prejudices they faced when they returned home is never far from the surface of Brothers in Arms. What shines through most of all, however, are the bonds that united them as soldiers and brothers, the bravery they exhibited on the battlefield, and the quiet dignity and patriotism that defined their lives.

Reviews (6)

Not quite there on either goal!
After finishing this book I found myself a bit disappointed. It seemed that the authors were trying to accomplish two goals; To chronicle the battle history of a distinguished unit in WWII and to tell the tale of the personal struggles of the men who made up the unit and fought for their country dispite the racism and bigotry of the times. Unfortunatly the book fell short on both goals.
As has been previously mentioned; How can you tell a tale of war and heroism without a single map or diagram. Details descriptions of tactial situations are fine, but a picture, (diagram, map) is worth a thousand words. And the same is true to recount the strategic situation as well!
As for the other goal, I got the feeling that at least half the story was missing. I want to hear what happened as these brave and honorable men returned to "Normal" life in their own country and had to fight for respect and acceptance all over again. But that story simply isn't here.
It is still a great story, and a book that should be read, especially by young men looking for guidance and role models. (white as well as black!) but I just get the feeling that it could have been much more.....

Tribute long overdue
If I were to name the five most important books I'd read on WWII this one would have to be near the top. The only criticism has already been mentioned, it would be great to have theater maps that would help you get a feel for the areas in which the 761st operated. Still what comes through most forcefully for me is the courage and humanity of these soldiers. It's hard to accept that their story has taken so long to tell and that so many are no longer here to accept our thank yous.

Great Men, Very Good Book
"Brothers in Arms" the under-appreciated story of the 761 Tank Battalion, an African American armored unit attached to Patton's Third Army in World War II. In this volume, the authors assemble the unit's story from the enlisted man's perspective, an approach not attempted in earlier, more obscure histories. We therefore get the story of Leonard Smith and his friends William McBurney and Preston McNeil. Equally important to the unit's history are "Pop" Gates, the non-com who shaped teenage boys into top-notch soldiers; "Iron Man" William Crecy, whose fearless heroism spanned both World War II and Korea; and even Lt. Jackie Robinson, whose stateside brush with Jim Crow justice cost him combat experience, but allowed him to make his mark on history in other ways.

This is the sad truth of a segregated army, run by frequently indifferent white officers, with troops conducting their training in the outright hostile environs of Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky. Men of the 761 endure the U.S. Army's last-class accommodations and treatment across the ocean to Europe, in the staging areas of England, and right up to the front line, where expediency forces them to join up with distrustful white units. Horrific combat during the winter of 1944-45 takes its toll not only in lives but also in attitudes. Proving themselves to be superlative as a fighting unit, the 761 Tank Battalion contributes to victory in Europe while paving the way for eventual desegregation of the U.S. armed forces.

What I like about this book is the thoughtful research that gives multiple dimensions to this story. The Jim Crow aspects, while well-told, are only a part of the narrative. You get an overview of the stages through which street kids are developed into troops, one camp at a time. The Sherman tank (the principle weapon of the 761) is described from the crew's standpoint. So too are battlefield artillery tactics and the role of terrain in maneuvering against an emplaced enemy. Attention is given to the lulls and pitch of battle. Passages describe foraging for food and trying to sleep in cold, steel vehicles during one of the coldest European winters of the century. A wonderful selection of photographs captures both stateside and European travels of 761. I was particularly touched by the photo of Sgt. Harvey Woodard, looking exhausted but resolute in the turret of his Sherman, apparently only hours away from his death.

What disappoints me is a lack of maps to give the reader some appreciation of the places and distances involved. Also, there is a sudden shift in narrative about two thirds of the way through. Up to that point, the reader rides along at the tank crews' perspective, particularly that of Leonard Smith. The reader is treated to the sights, sounds, fears, and humor that sustains these young men. But after the pivotal battle at Tillet, the tone shifts. The text from that point forward to the war's conclusion reads more like unit histories, where we no longer accompany the fighting men, but read the impersonal unit-level histories. Only at the very end do our heroes return, where the authors devote a paragraph to each describing their post-war lives.

"Brothers in Arms" adds to the "two fronts" battle legacy of African Americans in World War II U.S. military service who took on Jim Crow and the axis powers at the same time. I would suggest that the authors ignored a "third front," on which black officers and non-coms fought. This would be their struggle with the cynical, disaffected men in their own ranks who scoffed at black superiors as "Uncle Toms" for cooperating with "the Man." You can't tell me there weren't a few of these types in the ranks. The success of the black captains, lieutenants, and sergeants would take on even larger proportions if this truth were also told.

It is also interesting to note that an abridged version of Leonard Smith's story is included in "We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans," by Latty and Tarver. A comparison of the two volumes shows some inconsistency in the details. But the major themes remain in sync. This is not to take anything away from Leonard Smith (a hero in my book), who is finally, finally getting the recognition he is due. It is satisfying to see history made complete by filling in stories that were left untold for whatever reason. The authors are to be commended for that.

must read
i am not usually a fan of history books, but i could not put this book down. mr walton and abdul jabbar do an incredible job getting inside the head of the 761st battalion and bring us their struggle for fighting opportunities, supplies and ultimately respect. my only complaint is that the many battle sequences were hard to intepret for someone who is not a buff of history. a set of maps of timeline of the war could have been helpful.

A great book
I am a former Armor officer and was eagerly awaiting this book. The author has written a well balanced account of life as a black tanker during World War II. He goes into detail showing the differences in their training compared to white soldiers and the racism they encountered. For all the humiliation they suffered in the USA, they didn't let it get them down and soldiered on when called to fight. The battle accounts are detailed and the focus is in the soldiers and not the equipment. The only "flaw" in the book is it does not have any maps. It was kind of hard following the route of the 761st as they fought through Europe. Some of the towns I have heard of and others I didnt have a clue. Maps would have helped. But overall this book is an easy read and easy to understand and a well written account of the 761st Tank Battalion. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Great American, Yes; Great Book, No
RE: AUDIO TAPE VERSION READ BY POWELL. I am a Colin Powell admirer but a definitive biography would better be told by a skilled independent writer, and after more "chapters" in his life are complete. Powell may indeed be a man of few faults but we can't be sure of that from his own words. I disagree however with reviewers who postulate that Powell has puffed-up his own accomplishments, on the contrary he's excessively modest. Rising to the highest position in the most powerful military in world history (and now to US Sec. of State) without benefit of a West Point education & connections describes a truly extraordinary individual. And far from savaging his detractors and the many incompetants he must have encountered along the way, Powell offers only a few token, and generally mild, criticisms. This book displays insight into Powell's background, development and beliefs but sidesteps tough questions of who screwed up and when. In that sense it is highly Politic - burns no bridges - and gives one hope that Powell may yet consider an Eisenhower-like leap to the highest civilian office.

One of the most Educational Books I have ever Read
An American success story if there ever was one. Colin Powell vividly depicts his extraordinary life and career that could only take place in the setting of America. This autobiography wheels you through life in the poor neighborhoods in the Bronx to Washington Power broker. Colin Powell takes you though his life through his eyes, and into history, in some ways while reading it, I felt as though it was Forrest Gump on steroids, but the story is true.
Anyone interested in the policymaking process should read this book, as Powell describes his role as well as the role of other American leaders in making some of the most crucial decisions, the reader is swept into the pressures and challenges faced with America's leaders on a daily basis. The book delivers an account into the lives of Dick Cheney, George Bush, Ronald Reagan, and others, allowing you to take a more personal look at American leadership. It is so easy to criticize from the outside looking in, but usually criticism as well as praise, is done by the uninformed.
One aspect I found particularly educational was how Powell provided a small glimpse to me (A young white male) of an educated man, a commissioned officer of the United States Army, refused service in restaurants, and discriminated in others ways. It is a credit to Powell, how he rose above narrow-minded bigotry and focused on the positive; resisting the temptation of "victimization" to become one of the most powerful and respected men in the country. I recommend this book to anyone, black, white, Latino, male, female, liberal, or conservative.

Inspirational
Back in the early 90's, I didn't understand America's love affair with Colin Powell. It was only after he was named Secretary of State by George Bush that I read My American Journey, originally published in 1995. While the book obviously doesn't provide much insight into Powell's sudden about-face in early 2003 on whether to invade Iraq, it does provide a great deal of background and context to allow Americans to understand that Powell probably felt he exhausted his options and had no choice but to support Bush's policy or to resign. It also makes plain Powell's disdain for Dick Cheney. Clearly, Powell did not expect to be working again so closely with Cheney when he published My American Journey.

Powell's lessons are inspirational. There is a reason that Colin Powell is one of the most admired leaders in America, and his autobiography makes clear that he cares about his troops and his employees. Strange, then, that he would have forced his Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs to "retire" in 2002 rather than stand up to the pressure he must have been under from the press and other government colleagues, including, perhaps, his boss, in the wake of numerous visa scandals. That she was one of the most respected and successful Foreign Service Officers shows that even such bigger-than-life heroes as Powell are only human after all.

My American Journey includes some of Powell's setbacks as well as his achievements. His vignette about a poor efficiency report he received at a crucial stage in his career helped me deal with a similar run-in with my boss. I practically quoted Powell to my boss, but was a bit more active than Powell has himself come across. (Powell essentially resigned himself to finding a new job.) In the end, Powell's first rule prevailed: "It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning."

An Inspiration for All People!!!
Upon reading "My American Journey," I felt an enourmous sense of pride for the United States of America. Secretary Powell is an example of what people can be become through hard work and determination. In his autobiagraphy, Powell allows the reader to become aware of the challenges this country has endured and how he has over come obsticles that have been placed throughout his life.
Powell lets the reader become aware of where he stands on various important issues that have been part of both United States international and domestic policy. Even if one does not agree with him politically, we can all gain from his sense of respect and devotion to ones country. This is a must read for any one interested in the life of a great American hero.

A Hero For All Seasons
It seems everywhere you go these days, there is Secretary of State Colin Powell, "America's Promise." This book shows why. Secretary Powell's character shines through and will continue to do so despite his detractors, who are truly attacking President George W. Bush (who is distantly related) as well as anything the ultra-agenda-driven media, with their WMD (Words of Mind Destruction) 24-hour anti-Bush shark attack.

Secretary Powell's lessons on life, his devotion to his wife Alma, his service to his country and his fond recollections of being "Luther and Arie's Son" create a portrait of a multifaceted man who planted the seed, via Jamie Sepulveda-Bailey, of "The Valley's Promise," a remarkable youth organization in Palm Springs, Secretary Powell's family, including his cousin Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin, author of his own inspiring story, ORDINARY MIRACLES: My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific Journey, are undoubtedly as remarkable as he is. ... Read more

Book Description

For seven decades Katharine Hepburn played a leading role in the popular culture of the twentieth century - reigning as an admired actress, a beloved movie star, and a treasured icon of the modern American woman. She also remained one of the most private of all the public figures of her time.

In 1983 - at the age of seventy-five, her career cresting - the four-time Academy Award winner opened the door to biographer A. Scott Berg - then thirty-three - and began a special friendship, one that endured to the end of her illustrious life.

From the start, Scott Berg felt that Katharine Hepburn intended his role to be not just that of a friend but also of a chronicler, a confidant who might record for posterity her thoughts and feelings. Over the next twenty years, Kate used their many hours together to reveal all that came to mind, often reflecting on the people and episodes of her past, occasionally on the meaning of life.

Here are the stories from those countless intimate conversations, and much more. In addition to recording heretofore untold biographical details of her entire phenomenal career and her famous relationships with such men as Spencer Tracy and Howard Hughes, Kate Remembered also tells the amusing, often emotional story of one of the most touching friendships in her final years. Scott Berg provides his own memories of Katharine Hepburn offstage - quiet dinners in her town house in New York City, winter swims (she swam, he watched) in the Long Island Sound at Fenwick, her home in Connecticut, weekend visits with family members and dear friends...even some unusual appearances by the likes of Michael Jackson and Warren Beatty. Finally, Kate Remembered discusses the legendary actress's moving farewell, during which her mighty personality surrendered at last to her failing body - all the while remaining true to her courageous character.

Kate Remembered is a book about love and friendship, family and career, Hollywood and Broadway - all punctuated by unforgettable lessons from an extraordinary life. ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Fascinating glimpse into the life of an extraordinary woman
I admit that I did not know much about the life of Katharine Hepburn. I always admired her movies and found her to be an attractive woman who always remained out of the public's eye. A.Scott Berg was fortunate to give her fans and people who wanted to know more about her a glimpse into her "everyday" life, her thoughts, her memories, and her likes and dislikes. While reading this book, it made me feel like I was an unseen observer who watched the author and Miss Hepburn carry on conversations ranging from flowers to her unforgetable romance with Spencer Tracy.

Miss Hepburn felt quite comfortable talking with the author. I find it amusing how they first met each other and the conversation that ensued. I too would be quite nervous in meeting Miss Hepburn. She was quite intimidating and didn't suffer fools lightly (not that I am one mind you).

It seems like Mr. Berg found a connection with Miss Hepburn that most people would envy to have. She talked openly about her past relationships with the men in her life, such as Howard Hughes, Spencer Tracy, and other famous men. She also talked about her family, the power brokers in Hollywood (Louis B. Meyer, Samuel Goldwyn to name a few). Her thoughts about famous actors of the past and those famous today. All told, I found this very interesting and fascinating because not much is written about this private woman.

I got from the book that Miss Hepburn very much missed her friends from Hollywoods "Golden Age". She had genuine feelings for people who helped her career and she kept in touch with them throughout the years, but always at an "arms distance".

The most touching is the genuine friendship she had with her assistant Phylis. It stuck me that these two were "sisters" who really admired each other. Miss Hepburn also had a unique relationship with her brother Dick. She was quite exhaused with him but as she said "what can I do? He's my brother".

A. Scott Berg gives the reader what Miss Hepburns days were like at Fennwick, at her apartment in New York City. She enjoyed the routines in her daily life. I think it is because outside of these routines, her life could of been quite messy due to her popularity.

It is sad to see what happened to Miss Hepburn in her final years, however I don't believe the author was being mean spirited or obtrusive when describing the declining health of Miss Hepburn. He was simply telling what she looked like and what she was thinking. I don't believe Miss Hepburn would of minded what he wrote, because I think she wanted the author to share what her life was like to those of us who are her fans and those who are interested in her, since she remained out of the public eye for so long.

This is an outstanding read and I for one am glad that I read it. It makes me feel like I know more about Katharine Hepburn and what she was like outside the moviescreen. She was an outstanding actress, stubborn as a mule, gracious to her loved ones, opinionated to a fault, yet a survivor of tragedy, which made her shine even more, even if she didn't know or understand it. What a woman!

Highly Recommended!

Superb and surprisingly funny
Anyone who wants to believe that Katharine Hepburn was as fascinating in life as she was on the screen - and put me on that list - will love this book. A. Scott Berg's memoir, Kate Remembered - and please note that the author informs at the onset that this is a memoir, not an official biography - captures a Hepburn who is always on, always ready with a pithy one-liner, always capable of a grand gesture, but who never seems fake or dishonest. It was impossible for me to read this without hearing her distinctive voice every time Berg quoted her.

Although this does repeat some of the material in Miss Hepburn's own two forays into writing, and perhaps they have more of an authoritative voice since they came from her pen, it is worth reading for the gaps it fills and for Berg's tender treatment of his subject.

To be honest, it is worth the entire cover price just to read about the surreal dinner party the evening that Michael Jackson came to dinner. Hepburn's one-liners interspersed with Jackson's silence and the other guests' continually failing attempts to make conversation is laugh-out-loud funny. When it became obvious that Jackson had never even seen a Hepburn movie (but said how much he loved them), I was laughing so hard, I dropped the book.

Berg grabbed me on page one, and held my interest through the end.

Read it. By the time you reach the end, you will probably want to go out and rent several of Hepburn's movies, if you don't have them already.

My Favorite Aunt
On June 3, 2004, Sotheby's opened an exhibition of Kathryn Hepburn's property which will be auctioned off from her estate. Sotheby's had inquiries from all over from fans to advanced collectors to galleries. What is it about this star that has created such interest in owning a piece of this star?

Scott Berg, who had long personal friendship with Hepburn, does an excellent job in providing a behind the scenes glimpse into her life, what made her tick, and possibly, why she has been so attractive to so many. "Kate Remembered" is a well-written, fast-paced biography. This is a biography written with the reader in mind.

Berg describes the source of her fierce independence and her moves from stage to movies and later to TV. He also gives us a glimpse of some of the biggest names in Hollywood during her era, and the role Louis Mayer and Sam Goldwyn played in shaping their careers. He spares no details of her relationships with George Stevens, Cary Grant, Howard Hughes, Leland Hayward, and, of course, Spencer Tracy.

Learn about her views of Sir Laurence Olivier (a "small" man), John Wayne, Timothy Dalton, Peter O'Toole, and Bob Hope (a big egomaniac), Warren Beatty (vanity), Michael Jackson (a ten year old boy in 25 year old body), and her favorite movies.

While Hepburn stood alone with her fierce independence, beauty, and brains, Berg shows us that this hardly defined the feisty woman from Connecticut. She was a woman "with attitude" not caught up with Hollywood, a woman who was grounded, a woman who never developed a sense of entitlement, and, yet, a woman who had few friends as she got older.

Berg goes into great detail about why Tracy was the event in her life that taught her how to love rather than seeking to be loved; why Judd Harris tired to destroy her after she resurrected her career; why she felt she could never attend the Academy Awards; and how "The Philadelphia Story," which saved her career, was created and produced.

Some of the book's priceless quotes include:

Her response after Sean Penn punched out a photographer... "Why wouldn't someone who pays to see your picture in the movies, not want to take your picture?"

On her profession..."Actors and actresses are prostitutes selling themselves for our entertainment."

On having children... She never wanted to have to make the choice between giving a scheduled performance or staying home to care for a sick screaming child.

"Life, it is not easy. Life is tough for everyone, most become its victim."

She was the keeper of her own flame, and while she maintained a starry distance, she always seemed like our favorite aunt. And Berg's book tells us why, she was our favorite aunt!

We are fortunate for her enduring relationship with Scott Berg that made this book possible.

Just an idiot bragging about his relationsip with a star
A. Scott Berg's book KATE REMEMBERED, is well-written, but shows false facts used by other authors (such as Anne Edwards, who THINKS she knows how to write a Hepburn Biography, but can't seem to get her facts straight), and jsut tells what his experience was with Kate. If he were going to write a book on Kate, and keep it a huge secret (it's been said that even Heburn's survivors were surprised, and appalled by this novel), thne relase it that they should at least give fans what they expect of a novel like that- a tell all book. Like KH had some huge secret she NEEDED to share with fans after her death.

Enjoyable
I enjoyed this book, but then I'd enjoy anything remotely connected to Katharine Hepburn. Scott Berg has given us a memorable and sometimes unusual portrait of a remarkable woman and those who love her should not miss this. Other books I've read recently and have enjoyed are Robert Harris' POMPEII and Jackson McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD. Both of these, along with KATE are good summer reads. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fact more fascinating than fiction
I can only echo the words of the previous reviewers!Countess Aline's books (...Wore Red, ...Went Dancing - so far!) are compelling, and I was truly absorbed from beginning to end!When I finished the first, I couldn't wait to start the second - and now I'm impatient to get the third - "...Wore Silk" - from my sister!I had to keep reminding myself that she would NOT be killed, as she was alive to write these books!And her ability to manage the pertepual romantic current with no "smut" is impressive!Her description of "masculine hands," the brush of lips on her ear, or the mention of leg-to-leg contact during the tango says it all!But beyond that, she teaches so much about Spanish customs and culture, from the attraction of bull fighting to how on earth they manage the high combs and mantillas, to daily routine, meal times, siesta - she never stops.How can this remarkable strong female hero be of the same generation as my mother?

The Spy Went Dancing
Fascinating.My daughter is reading "The Spy Who Wore Red" and finds it fascinating as well.

An Amazing Mystery - And it Really Happened!
My mom first gave me this book to read back when I was in high school.I recently picked it up again at the library to take with me on vacation - and was once again drawn into this amazing - and real life - mystery.In fact, I enjoyed the book so much I almost didn't want to leave my hotel room until I finished it (which didn't make my brothers too happy)!Aline weaves mystery and international intrigue with a jet-setting lifestyle as she hob-nobs with the likes of Liz Taylor and Audrey Hepburn while trying to solve a mystery that's haunted her for 20 years!I'm just starting her next book, "The Spy Wore Silk" and reccommend that anyone who loves a good mystery (and don't we all?) should check out Aline's books.They're absolutely addictive, and, in this case, that's a good thing.

An Addictive Page-Turner!
If you are a fan of spy stories & stories about people in 'high society', this is the perfect book for you. I lost many hours of sleep over this one!

The book chronicles the author's double life as an undercover OSS agent in Spain who was to ultimately become the wife of a Spanish count.

I found it very interesting to read about how she lived & conducted herself as a young American lady who was sent to Spain, at the age of 21, to infiltrate high society. Her purpose being to help thwart various coups & assasinations, yet making sure that she never gave herself away.

All of the following words come to mind when reading this book: intrigue; cloak & dagger; gripping; thrilling; glamor; elegance; opulance.

This is a book you wouldn't be embarassed to give as a gift or to let a young person read: it's SMUT-FREE. A fantastic read that I especially enjoyed while lying on the beach in Mexico! ... Read more

Book Description

An odyssey of celebrity, extravagance, and genius, Mr. S provides the deepest understanding yet of one of our greatest entertainers

As the right hand of Frank Sinatra from 1953 to 1968, George Jacobs arguably had one of the coolest jobs in the world at the time when Sinatra was the undisputed master of the entertainment universe. Jacobs rose from his humble beginnings in New Orleans to join Sinatra in the mansions of Beverly Hills, the penthouses of Manhattan, the palaces of Europe, the pinnacles of world power. George Jacobs saw it all, did it all.

Sinatra took Jacobs with him on the ride of the century, from blacklist Hollywood to gangland Chicago to an emerging Vegas to Camelot, not to mention dolce vita Rome and swinging London. As a member of Sinatra's inner circle, Jacobs drank with Ava Gardner, danced with Marilyn Monroe, massaged John F. Kennedy, golfed with Sam Giancana, and played jazz with the Prince of Monaco while his boss secretly pursued Princess Grace. He also partied with Mia Farrow, but that one cost him his job of a lifetime.

Through the ring-a-ding-ding and the stars, royals, politicians, moguls, and mobsters emerged a warm and intimate relationship that reveals a complex Sinatra: vulnerable and arrogant, charismatic and violent, loving and disdainful, confident and painfully self-conscious. Jacobs is no sycophant, but rather a sharp-eyed observer of the highs and lows of his boss's turbulent life. And Mr. S is perhaps the most complete, honest, and intimate portrait of Sinatra ever written.

It is an unforgettable trip, and George Jacobs provides a front-and-center seat at the life of an American icon.

Reviews (39)

Come fly with him
Reading George Jacobs' memoir of his years as Frank Sinatra's right-hand man, I am struck by the star's sense of failure, despite having almost everything. He never got over second wife Ava Gardner. He sought but failed to get a Best Acting Oscar. His career declined while third wife Mia Farrow, barely out of her teens, hit it big with "Rosemary's Baby." Sinatra was rejected by the Kennedys, as well as gangster Sam Giancana, whose loss in some ways he appears to have taken harder. And he severed various friends - including Jacobs - ultimately doing more damage to himself.

Sinatra did not age gracefully. Lucky enough to get a second youth after his 1953 comeback, he underwent a second midlife crisis in the mid-1960s. How hard must it must have been to enter one's fifties, while popular culture overnight became about teenagers - their rebellions, music, fashions, and most of all contempt for Frank Sinatra's generation.

As Jacobs leaves in 1968, fired for generating tabloid headlines one night when Farrow drags him onto a dance floor, Sinatra at 52 is getting lonelier and meaner, with hardly any boon companions from his heyday still in sight. Jacobs focuses on those earlier, happier, peak years, where Sinatra's star quirks were leavened by kindness and consideration, and tarnished with fewer tantrums and less vindictiveness; and he shows how the decline began.

The book exceeds my expectations, tribute to William Stadiem's great ghostwriting and Jacobs' three-dimensional Sinatra portrait. What seems remarkable is his determination not to trash a man who, at the end, treated him poorly. Neither does he take easy shots at the Rat Packers for the ubiquitous ethnic jokes and slurs; he sees it in the context of the time, as banter rather than hate. Sinatra named his own plane "El Dago."

No one else saw Sinatra close up with so many of the key people in his life. Jacobs babysat Ava Gardner at Sinatra's Palm Springs house. Jacobs found her mesmerizing for not only her beauty but her unaffected charm, and fully understands why Sinatra never got over her. Jacobs' own apartment was next to Marilyn Monroe's. Sinatra put him there to keep an eye on the troubled actress whom the singer feared was an overdose waiting to happen. Jacobs drove home the countless starlets, paid the countless hookers, bought the flowers and chocolates and gifts for the countless girlfriends. He tended bar at Sinatra's recording sessions with Nelson Riddle. He gave backrubs to JFK and had lengthy conversations with him, mostly about "pussy." (JFK was fascinated by shaved ones, which he called "naked lunch." Women deeply offended by all this should regard this book as "Sex and the City" for guys.) Jacobs' own friendship with Sinatra's mother Dolly survived his firing, showing what an insider he really was.

Your prurient interest will be fed on virtually every page. The kiss-and-tell rings true. Detractors may fault Jacobs for dishing on dead principals unable to defend themselves, but it may also be seen as a measure of his regard for their privacy, waiting for decades until they were gone before finally cashing in on his recollections. A taste:

--Marilyn Monroe often went naked at home, regardless of who was watching. She endlessly regarded herself in her wall-to-wall mirrors to see who was the fairest one of all - or if she was too fat. She pined for Sinatra, but her slovenly habits and lack of hygiene were inimical to a man fastidious nearly to the point of obsessive-compulsiveness. Monroe's ex Joe DiMaggio, like Sinatra, swung, shall we say, a pretty big bat.

--Jacobs walked in on JFK snorting coke with Peter Lawford, on the sly from Sinatra who hated narcotics. Jacobs describes his shock at seeing the presidential candidate with a coke straw up his nose. Kennedy eased the tension with a quip: " `For my back, George,' Kennedy said to me, with his bad-boy wink."

--Jacobs loved Jack but loathed his father as a racist and gangster. Sinatra lusted for Kennedy's sister and Lawford's wife Pat. Jacobs believes Joe Kennedy used Pat as sexual bait to put Lawford in Sinatra's circle, and the Sinatra circle thus in the Kennedys', in the 1950s.

--Major stars like Monroe and Judy Garland constantly demanded sex from Frank to shore up their own egos on tearful nights, which he usually delivered out of mercy. His own nightly search for amour he called "Dialing For Pussy."

--Jacobs watched, fascinated, from a window, as Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo frolicked naked in Sinatra's pool at Palm Springs. And he kept Prince Rainier occupied, delivering fancy gifts and listening to jazz albums, while Frank dallied secretly with Princess Grace.

There's plenty that's less trashy, of course, like Jacobs' recollection of Humphrey Bogart, whom Sinatra idolized and aped. (Sinatra's mesalliance with Farrow seems an unsuccessful imitation of Bogart's marriage across the decades to Lauren Bacall.) Of more substance are the complex business and personal relationships between the Chairman, the Mob and the Kennedys. Jacobs shrewdly sees the money and power interests beneath the camaraderie, the spats, the feuds and the girl-chasing. The Rat Pack? A three-year commercial for liquor, in Jacobs' opinion, benefitting mob liquor and nightclub interests. "Ocean's 11"? Free advertising for the JFK campaign: Nixon was a square but Kennedy hung in Vegas with these cool guys. Mob influence in Hollywood? The Mob had the capital, the labor and the daring to invest in entertainment when Wall Street thought it too risky and too Jewish. Sinatra regarded Giancana, more than anything else, as a business genius.

This book is interesting on almost every page. Standard bios of Sinatra may serve better for putting his whole life in perspective. For your best second read, though, come fly with Jacobs.

My Life with an Obsessed Man
Yeah, on the one hand, it's sleazy.On the other, it's nevertheless interesting to look into the shiny life of Frank and the decadent world of entertainment.

George Jacobs was Sinatra's personal valet during Frank's most popular phase until he was fired for dancing with his wife one night (Mia Farrow, who the author had to babysit while Frank got up to more of his antics).

No doubt there's a little bitterness, but the tone of the book is not negative.Jacobs deserved better than to be written off with a lawyer's note, as was Frank's habit with getting rid of 'friends', but we can still get a dirty look inside the Chairman of the Board's lifestyle.

The focus is Frank, so we have to forgive George as he glosses over his marriages, his various kids here and there, and his supposed restraint in the face of temptation when he hung with Frank and his crew.

Sinatra comes off as an obsessed man, and while there is probably not much in the way of surprises here, we get some dirty details and some insight into Frank's 'way'.While Sinatra could be a great guy, he was also an obsessed man, a guy who just couldn't be alone, and a man who never got over Ava Gardner.Read with gusto about Frank's 'detailed' files on all the new starlets in Tinseltown, about Frank's anatomical gifts, about his appetite for Jack Daniel's and cigarettes, his gangster pals, and his raging temper.'One-take Frank' was also an accomplished actor who refused to do more than one take, making one wonder what a Sinatra/Kubrick film would look like.

Jacobs seems to love Frank, but he has a lot to tell, and I guess that means exposing some ugliness about his former boss.Of course, since Frank is dead, he can't sue, making the appearance of this book quite convenient.Still, it's an inside, if sleazy angle.And it serves as another reminder that Hollywood is a sleazy and amoral place where some of the lowest forms of life creep.

Everything from the childlike glee that Frank got from setting off cherry bombs in his friends' shoes (this is a 50 year old man, mind you) to his use of his personal valet as a babysitter for wives and girlfriends while Frank got up to, er, other assignments, is all here.

Jacobs should either be condemend or applauded or both.Either way, we get to pick through the sleaze of the great American vocalist in all his pinky ring glory.

Nobody did it like Sinatra!

Another real good book about Sinatra.Frank entertained us, and himself, for so many years and his music,movies and life continue to entertain us.This book is a unique look at what was possibly the most interesting 15 years of his 'reign" as the "Chairman of the Board".The whole persona of Sinatrawas not manufactured by some studio group or whatever-it was created by Frank himself.That is why nobody sang a song,played a role,wore a hat,loved a woman,had a friend, treated a fan,or dealt with someone pestering or whatever,the way Sinatra did.He gave everything he did 110% and left all competition in the dust.That is why he was against retakes.As far as he was concerned, he did it right the first time and he had only to satisfy himself.If his critics didn't like it;well,that was their problem,not his.
This book gives an intimate look at his loves,passions,hopes,attitude and accompained with with his own antics to give everything he did the "Sinatra Class"Even when things went wrong,as they often did,he carried himself with class.A good example was when the Kennedy's snubbed him after having made a major effort in helping them win the Presidental election.
I saw him several years ago in Toronto giving a show with Liza Minnelli at the newly opened Skydome.The acoustics were a mess and he was way past his prime years.He had every reason to walk off the stage ,saying "Both you and I deserve better than this." He didn't,in spite of it all,he gave a wonderful and memorable performance-and he did it with class.
Reading this book,you will realize that he came,he saw and he conquered;and there has been no equal since.Okay,if you don't agree,name just one.Even the superstars looked up to Sinatra.
Just a few quotes to entice you--

"Losers have the time to be nice."

"Dallas (assination of JFK) was way above a mob rubout."

"May you live a hundred years,and may the last voice you
hear be mine"

Sinatra's simple gravestone tells it all:

FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA
1915 - 1998
"The best is yet to come"

In spite of everything,the author still drops by the grave and leaves a desert rose.Nobody who ever interfaced with Frank could ever forget him;and that includes his fans,and even his enemies,if there really ever were any.
In the final analysis,he gave much and took little.
Thanks,George,for relating your personal experiences and insights.It seems you knew and loved him as much as anyone,and maybe the feeling was mutual,even if it had to be in Sinatra's own way.

Entertaining gossip
Jacobs was Frank's valet from 1953 to 1968 (at which point he was summarily fired and cut out of the Chairman's life for, Jacobs says, chastely dancing with Mia Farrow whom Frank was divorcing at the time).Jacobs tells all, getting into (anatomical) detail about Frank's larger than life personality: hookers, wives, drinking, mob friends, gambling, rages and regrets.This is definitely a kiss-and-tell, gossip-heavy memoir, and Jacobs may or may not be the most reliable of raconteurs.For example, he claims that he watched Marlene Deitrich and Great Garbo in a poolside lesbian encounter when both were in their fifties.As someone once noted, you can't libel the dead.Jacobs also seems to have a higher opinion of his standing as Frank's valet than he really did, presenting himself as practically one of the Rat Pack themselves, when it's pretty clear he was an ever-present aide.Leaving aside Jacobs' veracity (could Frank have romanced a fifteen-year-old Natalie Wood?Probably.Did JFK do big lines of coke in front of Jacobs?Seems unlikely), what emerges is a flawed, human and yet affectionate portrait of the titular Mr. S.He could be a warm friend, but cut people out completely when they proved "disloyal;" he drank copiously, but hated drugs; he pushed the boundaries of song and entertainment, but couldn't fathom it when what was hip changed in turn around him; he respected women like Billie Holliday and helped black entertainers break down discriminatory boundaries, but was free with racist jokes and used women like tissues; he was arrogant and cold but insecure and craved love.I think that Jacobs at least captures the depths of Frank's tortured artist's soul, even if he wasn't as close a confidant as he thinks he was.

Needed a shower after reading this one
My daughter bought the book in England last month.There it is entitled "Mr. S - The Last Word On Frank Sinatra" and I felt dirty after reading it.Kitty Kelley's book "My Way" didn't make me feel like that.

I couldn't make up my mind if George Jacobs is a disgruntled former employee still angry about being fired in 1968 (for THE stupidest of reasons) or a man with a major case of denial.He claims that his job was so "great" when his employer was a control freak with NO respect for women (and unable to accept any result that wasn't all "his way").Jacobs' claims of being able to easily "pass" for white when every photo in that book indicates otherwiseare downright delusional.

Like I said, I don't know how much of an axe George Jacobs had to grind but I was pretty disgusted with everyone in that book by the time I finished it.

Frank Sinatra was an icon, a great singer, but if you believe the book,he wasNOT a nice person. ... Read more

Book Description

Luciano Pavarotti, the world-famous tenor, tells his story. "I want to tell the people who are interested in me," says Pavarotti in his preface, "about all of the fun and excitement I have had. I have tried to explain how I feel about the things that are important to me and to pass on whatever wisdom I have gained as an artist and as a human being." Black-and-white photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

A WWII Naval Aviator's true account of ferocious combat, enduring love and miraculous survival in the south Pacific.This book is much more than a description of aerial combat in WWII and the author's miraculous survival after being forced to ditch at sea carrying a plane full of depth charges that would not release.It is much more than the account the Navy submitted to Ripley's Believe It Or Not.It is much more than the wonderful presentation of U.S Naval History that incited the U. S. Navy to invite the author to lecture at Annapolis following the release of this book.This is primarily the story of everything a young man and his new wife went through as he was transformed from a carefree college boy to a brave and well trained defender of his country.The book also includes eight chapters about other WWII aviators and a chapter written by Joan, the author's wife, who gives a sensitive description of how WWII effected the lives of the combatant's loved ones. ... Read more

Book Description

Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of her extraordinary journey. She writes with candor, humor and passion about her upbringing in suburban, middle-class America in the 1950s and her transformation from Goldwater Girl to student activist to controversial First Lady. Living History is her revealing memoir of life through the White House years. It is also her chronicle of living history with Bill Clinton, a thirty-year adventure in love and politics that survives personal betrayal, relentless partisan investigations and constant public scrutiny.

Hillary Rodham Clinton came of age during a time of tumultuous social and political change in America. Like many women of her generation, she grew up with choices and opportunities unknown to her mother or grandmother. She charted her own course through unexplored terrain -- responding to the changing times and her own internal compass -- and became an emblem for some and a lightning rod for others. Wife, mother, lawyer, advocate and international icon, she has lived through America's great political wars, from Watergate to Whitewater.

The only First Lady to play a major role in shaping domestic legislation, Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled tirelessly around the country to champion health care, expand economic and educational opportunity and promote the needs of children and families, and she crisscrossed the globe on behalf of women's rights, human rights and democracy. She redefined the position of First Lady and helped save the presidency from an unconstitutional, politically motivated impeachment. Intimate, powerful and inspiring, Living History captures the essence of one of the most remarkable women of our time and the challenging process by which she came to define herself and find her own voice -- as a woman and as a formidable figure in American politics. ... Read more

Reviews (651)

Pretty good book
I just love Hillary Clinton, but this is only after I read this book. I never really cared for her, but I decided to give this book a shot. Now that I've read it, I can see what an incredible woman she really is. I admire her greatly.

As for the book itself, it wasn't the best thing I had ever read. Some of it was a little boring, but overall I thought it was worth reading. I enjoyed reading about her childhood and I loved hearing about her getting involved in politics. I now see her relationship with Bill in a new light, and I am glad she didn't dwell on the Monica Lewinsky scandal. She had a much bigger story to tell, and I am glad she did it.

The reason some people may not like this book is because it reads more like a political manifesto rather than an out-and-out memoir. The times when she went into too much detail on foreign policies were things I could have done without. Still, I am glad I gave this book a shot because it really does make you see her in a new light. She is no longer the ice woman I once thought she was. Then again my family is predominantly Republican, so it's no wonder I thought that. It's hard for me to think I once thought so little of this incredible woman.

Another reason people may not like this is because they were expecting a juicy gossip rag about the Lewinsky scandal. Like I said earlier, Ms. Clinton does not dwell on this and I love her for that. That is a time in her life she has moved on from and we should all take a page from her book.

I have a newfound respect for Hillary Clinton. She has inspired me to become more involved in politics and I think she is just an amazing woman. Thanks to her, I have come to embrace my liberal views and am not afraid to be the only Democrat in a family full of Republicans. Go out and buy this book to get a glimpse into who this woman really is. She will get my vote if she ever decides to run for the presidency of the United States.

History Light
I must admit that this is the first memoir I have ever read that was by the First Lady and given this one is graded as one of the better ones, I think it may be my last. It was not that the book was badly written, it was just that the majority of what the First Lady does is not all that interesting to me. Reading about this fund raisers, good will trips or party planning are not my idea of thrilling political insider info. I am more interested in the hard fought, inside the beltway battles that make major decisions. I obviously new this book was about the First Lady, but given the Clinton Presidency, I assumed that it would cover more in depth the political battles the administration faced. Then again the book was about her.

The next compliant I would have about the book is that the author seamed to take the high road on all the areas you thought she would come out with both guns blazing on. Her comments were so bland that they almost acted to diminish or completely disregarded the very negative attacks the Clinton's faced during their terms. Sure she touched on the items of major interest, heath care reform, the full independent counsel investigation, Monica and the Senate race, but it seamed to be at such a high level that all the real nasty, dirty inside details were left out of the book. Ok I know that she has a new job now so that she did not what to lay waste the political landscape that she will be working in and one could make the argument that the First Lady needs to stay above the partisan attacks, but hey this is the edge of the seat reading I wanted.

Lastly I wanted more detail. Now given that she had lead a rather full life, Governors wife, working on the Nixon impeachment, First Lady and now Senator, to get a real detailed account of all of these areas she would have needed a much larger if not multiple volume book. I guess I would have just liked her to focus on the First Lady section of her life and have gone into more detail. Just as the book seamed to be getting into a topic, the chapter was over and on to the next installment of Hilary on the move.

Even though I have focused on the areas I disliked with the book, overall I thought it was probably better then most books dealing with the Clinton years. I did think the writing was better then average and she did have an interesting story to tell. The details she did given about the life of the First Lady and some of the inside information about the Clinton Presidency were worth the purchase price, throw in some of the personal bit and the book was not bad at all. I also have a sympathetic spot for her, so the increased my enjoyment of the book. I guess I am just a bit disappointed that the book could have been so much better. It could have been a stinging and focused rebuttal of all the overly negative and harmful to the country attacks. Then again how could one book fight back the 8 year, over the top negative campaign focused against the Clinton's. I felt the book was interesting and enjoyable.

She's a good girl...
Hillary Clinton is an interesting woman, with tremendous drive and ambition, and this will often get a woman branded as the devil incarnate. The very polarized views of her are not surprising.

What was surprising was the tone and lack of depth in this book. It reads as if she had a list of items she wanted to tick off as having explained. 'I'm a good girl, really.' was the underlying theme. I can't believe she's as naive as she portrays herself. She does admit to a few mistakes, but her apologies are all for not doing a better job, like any good girl.

The healthcare chapter is a good example. She was unable to overcome hurdles around the complexity of the legislative process involved, and she makes 'apologies' for her failure along the lines of 'well, we tried really hard & it's a good cause'. But as she & Bill are both Yale lawyers, with experience in private practice (her) and as the Arkansas attorney general (him) and as they had easy access to many of the best legal minds in the country, it is hard to understand. It comes across more like professional negligence than the naivety it is painted as. I suspect ambition (the 100 day goal) was the real cause for failure, which is a shame given how important this issue is to our country and how badly we need healthcare reform. To put something this complex under a 100 day deadline is almost sophomoric - or ambition out of control.

She is also careful to mention every person and cause that might win over supporters. An extraordinary number of her enounters seemed to have resulted in 'lifelong' friendships. Many iconic figures like Jackie Kennedy and Nelson Mandela get a lot of airtime. It's a bit too good to be true. It reads almost as if she's running for something.

Maybe Sarah Bradford, who wrote that wonderful biography of Jackie Kennedy, will write the book about Hillary one day and we'll get a better picture of who she really is - from all angles. Personally, I would have found the intelligent, ambitious Hillary much more interesting and admirable than the girl scout we hear about in this book... it's a shame powerful women still feel they have to paint themselves as 'good girls' to be heard.

10 things to love about this book.
1. Candid revelations: "It was no surprise that Bill turned out to be a cheat. He used to hang out in the parking lot of Arby's to pick up Monica types, but it still hurts."

2. On the Sixties: "Bill really did inhale, as did we all."

3. On lesbianism rumors: "I am not a Lesbian, I only tried it those times to find that out."

4. On faith: "I am a deeply spiritual Church goer, I also dabble in Voodoo and my Wicken name is priestess Dominatrix."

5. On movies: "My favorite movie is that one by Tarintino, I forget the title, something Bill."

6. On her detractors: "They call me a cold angry lady. I am just aloof and have some hate issues."

7. On the vast right wing conspiricy: "They put a computer chip in Bill's head that makes him not very particular about the ladies."

8. On forgivness: "We all make mistakes, even I can recall waking up next to Monica after a night of drinking on a few occasions."

9. On Terrorists: "Let's find out why they are unhappy, maybe they need a hug."

10. On running for President: "I understand that France hates us for being powerful so I will reduce our power to an amount equal or less than that of other countries and stop all this helping people in forign lands stuff."

An intelligent account of history, (not gossip filled)
If you are looking for gossip, go read another book. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's book is as the title states: It is a Living History. It is well-written and filled with facts and stories of past generations. If you have children or grandchildren this is a book you should buy for them. It is a warm and compassionate way to learn history (as opposed to our education system that tends to teach history via war dates). Buy this book. You Won't Be Sorry!

(...) ... Read more

Amazon.com

"This is a small story in the stories of the world," announces authorPhillip Schreibman in his introduction to My Cat Saved My Life. "It'sabout a man and a cat and what the cat showed the man before it was toolate."

Schreibman was a composer for theater and television in Toronto when both of hisparents died, six years apart, after long illnesses. The losses hit him hard,and he plunged into despair. He found himself "confused among people, angry attrifles, depressed and distracted in all my endeavours." At 39 years old, hefelt that his life had "ground to a halt."

Enter Alice, a tiny, abandoned kitten in desperate need of rescue. Schreibman,whose own cat had been killed two weeks earlier in an act of monstrous cruelty,could see that if he didn't save the kitten, it would die. What he didn't yetknow was that the 6-week-old life he was saving would in turn revive his own.

As he and the cat began living together, Alice insisted that Schreibman payattention to her. She'd wake him up early, sometimes by knocking the alarm clockon the floor if he didn't respond to gentler urgings. "C'mon, let's havebreakfast," she was telling him. When he was stuck indoors fretting over billsat his desk, she would pull him away to show him something in her world."Usually it was a bird in a branch or a sudden summer downpour; maybe a burst ofmidwinter sunshine was flooding the yard. I had ceased paying attention to thesethings." And that may have been Alice's greatest gift to Schreibman (and to us):teaching him to notice and appreciate the small wonders of everyday life.

My Cat is a book of rare emotional candor. Its beauty lies in theauthor's willingness to expose his rawest nerve, describe his own pettiness andfears, and recognize the fallacy of human superiority over other life. "My catwoke me up," Schreibman concludes. If we're willing to pay respectful attention,perhaps our cats will do the same for us. --Charles Smyth ... Read more

Reviews (35)

From sadness comes realization of purpose
I was convalescing from a serious illness when I discovered this book (in 2001). Having come upon it during an Animal Planet television show, I had recently lost a pet cat of 7+years. Seeing this story about the relationship between a man and his cat and howit affected him really jolted me out of the mental coma I had been in. Although I have never really gotten over the death of my cat and been able to consider another pet, this book is one of the most meaningful and profound I have ever read. The writing is meaningful and laconic; it tells the emotional story of the events in life which sometimes wrench us out of the sick, banal reality of everyday existence and into a place where we finally can comprehend the significance of spirtuality and God. It really gave me the perspective I needed, and I still carry sentiments of that book with me everywhere I go. Sometimes it is good to have a reminder, however small, that someone is watching over us and that there is something out there which can provide comfort in times of need.

Sometimes Animals Are Our Best Friends
I have always been of the belief that animals can be enormously beneficial to the emotional well-being of humans, and have always loved animals, cats in particular. This book is small, but don't be fooled: it is a true emotional roller coaster that gets to the essence of the human-animal emotional bond better than any other book I have read.

Phillip Schreibman was grieving over the loss of both of his parents after long, tortuous illnesses. He had found himself inconsolable and depressed. Much to his surprise the one who finally led him out of his depression was a tiny little orphaned kitten he took in and named Alice. Over her lifetime she managed to teach him important lessons he had never understood before, and ultimately even prepared him for her own passing. There is no question that there is great sadness in this book, but it is ultimately uplifting, as the lessons Phillip learned from "Cat School", as he called it, let him regain a firm foothold on his own life.

This book was particularly touching to me as it paralleled an encounter with a kitten, "Ghost Blimp" (a.k.a. "Gloovis") who I took in when she was a tiny ball of fur, and who graced my life for seven years, like Alice. Although those seven years were far too short, in that time her presence helped me recover from the loss of my father. My point here in telling you this is that the lessons Schreibman learns from Alice are universally applicable to other lives as well. I believe that whatever animal you choose to keep company with has lessons to teach you.

My only critique of the book would be a disagreement with a couple of the specific conclusions that Schreibman draws about "Creation" versus "Culture." Having said that, it is his book, and the conclusions he draws are important for him to tell. Everyone would have slightly different conclusions after going through events like those relayed here, but that does not diminish the power of this little book.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is grieving for any reason, particularly after the loss of a loved one, and also to any animal lover. Thank you Phillip, and thank you, Alice, even more for this beautiful book.

A Must-read For Anyone who is Lost and Grieving
Don't let the title or short length of this book fool you - it contains a huge amount of wisdom. You don't have to be a cat lover to appreciate what the author is going through and what he learns. He has put exactly into words what I have been thinking for a long time. He has done an amazing job.

beautifully written
The author, while ostensibly telling a story about his cat, very eloquently delves into the ultimate question of the mystery of being.This is a very spiritual book, written almost like a poem.A gem.A rare treat.

sob fest
if you like to cry, then read this book! of course, it's not heart - wrenchingly sad the entire way, but when you get to the part where ... well ... read the book & you'll see what i mean. i don't think i've ever sobbed so hard over a book in my entire life -- it even disturbed my cats! they thought something must be terribly wrong with me, because i was crying so hard, & so they came over to comfort me. here i was crying over a cat i had never met in my life & my cats came over to comfort ME. just like a cat! & that's why i love them so much ... so anyway, if you don't like to cry, or if you find yourself moved by very little in life, this might not be the book for you. the book is also tied together with schreibman's own brand of touchy - feely, new - agey spirituality -- if you can overlook that, or if you actually like that sort of thing, then reading this book might turn out to be a profoundly moving experience for you, as it was for me. ... Read more

Book Description

An offbeat Southern commentator takes a fresh look at the great Confederate hope, Civil War hero and nationally controversial figure

Iconic Virginian, brilliant general, and complex human being --- that last aspect of Robert E. Lee has daunted biographers and been disregarded by partisans.Now Roy Blount Jr. combines acute character insight with lively storytelling and full-hearted Southern directness to craft this unique portrait.

Fascinated by what made Lee such a charismatic, though reluctant, leader, Blount delves into the influences of Lee's illustrious but scandal-clouded ancestry, his hero-turned-scapegrace father, and his beloved, beautiful, husband-forsaken mother.In 1861 Lee was Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union troops, but his Virginia roots drew him, instead, to Confederate command.Blount vividly conveys Lee's audacity and uncanny successes in battle, and also his humility, his quirky humor (certain jokes in particular), his faults as a communicator, and his sorrowful sense of responsibility for his outnumbered, half-starved army.Robert E. Lee, the first brief biography of this American legend, will appeal to history and military buffs, students of Southern culture, and every reader curious about the makeup of a man born to be a myth. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Too quirky for me
I like the Penquin series of short biographies but this one was too much of a strange psychohistory. As other reviewers have pointed out, author Roy Blount seems to have a need to go into details 9at fairly great legnth) such as Lee's small feet and that he liked to play games with his children where they tickled his feet. First of all, I knew this because as a Civil way buff, I have read a lot about Lee so I come across such material. However, someone who knows less about Lee who is reading a very short biography would want to know more substance and less psycho nonsense in those few pages.

There is not a lot of military history but, then again, this is a short book. Still, military history is basic to an initial understanding of Lee, therefore, perhaps Blount should have been more carefully in allocating scarce page space in this short book. In general, I have enjoyed reading short biographies of historical figures I am familiar with. I have read several biographies of Grant, for example, and I found two short biographies to be worthwhile in that in the few pages, they added insights. I suppose this book is OK for someone who knows nothing about Lee but it would be better to include more of the military and political facts. However, I found that it didn't really add much to my personal understanding of Lee.

Nothing Great
I know little more about Robert E. Lee now than I did before reading this book. Unlike the other Penguin Lives I've read, this one does not fit much significant information into a compact book.

Ah, the history of Robert E. Lee, I think.
Well, Blount gives us the biography of Robert E. Lee and then some.Blount tries to give us the psychology of Lee and tends to put the focus off Lee when he does this.I am sure Blount is a real good cynic, but Robert E. Lee and the Civil War need better than this.When you do a biography of a great man like Lee, why spend excessive time talking of his tiny feet.For that matter, why talk about a joke called Pusyism and then spend ten or more pages reviewing this.(Pusyism was a movement in the Church of England, instilling more Roman Catholic traditions into the church, such as unmarried priests and the lead proponent was Father Pusy).Blount focuses on this an awful lot, when he should expand on Robert E. Lee.
Blount does an alright job reviewing the personal life of Robert E. Lee.However he does very poorly in analysis of his professional life and focuses a great deal on areas not relevant.I would have loved to have had Blount's opinion of the relationship between Lee and Davis, but sadly this is missing.What we get is jokes about feet and Pusyism.Jeepers, I could have done better with another book about Lee, by somebody more professional like Burke Davis.

Not bad but a little o rambling
this book was a basic biography of one of the greatest men in history. I learned a lot about Lee's non-war years in this book but I felt the author looked at some things and made them out to be more then they truely where. So what if Lee liked to have his feet tickled it doesn't make who he is I like to make my self sneeze does that change who I am no so some of he things looked into are kind of stupid and he talks about them for way to long.This is a good book though because you do learn about Lee also as another reviewer states the appendixes are kind of rambling and probably could do with out them all together.

Excellent short bio of a military enigma
Several generals of the American Civil war are enigmas, to various extents. Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, for instance, is very difficult to read, because he left so little in the way of letters or whatever that tell you anything of what he was thinking. Robert E. Lee was equally close-mouthed about this sort of thing, and amazingly stiff and standoffish with most male acquaintances and friends, to boot. The result is that we know very little of what he thought or felt about a variety of things, and must piece together opinions from various sources.

So it was with some trepidation that I approached the Penguin Lives version of Robert E. Lee. These are intended to be very short biographies: sketches rather than anything detailed. In addition to the fact that it's a short book, the series editor took a chance and commissioned Roy Blount Jr. to write the book. Blount is a Southerner (though he lives mostly in the North now) who writes newspaper columns and books, and is generally what's called a humorist. He also appears on the radio. This is (as far as I know) his first venture into real non-fiction (as opposed to funny stuff that's based on reality) and I'll admit I was some what curious and a bit apprehensive as to what he would do with the book. I needn't have worried.

Blount is an accomplished writer (obviously) and does a good job of outlining Lee's life and career. He's also a Southerner, and understands the mystic attachment people of the south have for their culture and society, and recreates what things must have been like for Lee in the mid-19th century. The military aspects of Lee's life are dealt with only in outline (as you would expect in a book with ca. 170 pages of text, but they're explained in enough detail that you get the gist of what's happening. There's a fair amount of information on Lee's life, little of it new, but much of interpreted in a fashion different at least in nuance from previous biographers.

Unusually, Blount relegates his speculation about Lee, his character, and such things as his sexuality, to an appendix labeled "Speculation." This is very unusual in a biography, and I would encourage other writers to use a similar device. While I didn't agree with every one of Blount's judgments, I could see how he came to the conclusions, anyway. On that note, I enjoyed the book a great deal, and think it valuable, in spite of its small size. ... Read more