Reviews (5)

Was he taking a nap on this one?
Any book Trump pens is a good investment, and in this his second offering, he tells stories, names names, and provides worthwhile insight. But compared to The Art of the Deal and his third book, The Art of the Comeback, he seems to have done this one lying down. There is significantly less material, fewer hot scoops, and less of the bottom-line rhetoric Trump has made his style.

Good insight
Who knows more about Trump than Trump himself? This is a good book if you want to know more about Trump. At times he is sincere; like when he tells of the various disadvantaged people he has helped. At times he sounds really fake; he mentions how he admires the courage of gamblers. That is alot of boloney. At times he is boastful; the Trump Princess is the best yacht ever built. But hate him or love him, he says it like it is. He seems very vindictive as evident with his numerous attacks on some very famous people throughout the book. But for those who are his friends, he has nothing but praise for them. He doesn't play politics, but what he does do is make deals and makes a whole bunch of them in this book. One of the recurring themes of the book is to wait for the right price even if it means giving it up and not to let emotions dictate the price. In many instances, the deal comes back to him and at an even better price than ever.

ALWAYS INTERESTING!
OK, so he is egotistical. That doesn't change the fact that his life makes for really interesting reading - in fact, he is an amazing man, whether you like him or not. This book is about "surviving at the top" and he should know! He wouldn't have gotten to where he is, if he did'nt know how to survive.
I love any books on Trump - they are always interesting and easy to read, because he just tells it like it is.

Trump: Surviving at the top
This was a great follow-up to a true story. When you've reached the pinnacle, everyone attacks.

yuck
Donald Trump is as shallow as a rain drop, with an ego the size of Half-Dome. It's not an admirable, mix, and it's a mix that comes across on every one of these pages. I was especially apalled at the way he dismissed Mick Jagger, and is snotty toward him, saying the Rolling Stones were jealous when the press paid more attention to Trump, when they played one of his casinos. Trust me, it's Trump who was feeling jealous of them. And Trump should remember that businessmen are not remembered through history. Artists (and military men) are, and the Stones music will be listened to, and Mick Jagger long remembered, long after Trump is long forgotten. ... Read more

Book Description

The meteoric rise of "Killer Diller"

Barry Diller has been a major player in the entertainment industry for more than thirty years. Always on the cutting edge, he revolutionized television with such groundbreaking concepts as the movie-of-the-week and the miniseries. He greenlighted the megahits Raiders of the Lost Ark, 48 Hours, and Terms of Endearment. Now, industry insider George Mair takes you behind the scenes for a perceptive, penetrating, and completely captivating look at both the public persona and the private life of a legendary media mogul. Learn the truth about:

• The critical acclaim—and the controversy—behind The Simpsons and Married . . . With Children
• The abortive CBS-QVC merger: what went wrong and why
• Hardball and heartbreak on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers
• Wheeling and dealing with Hollywood heavyhitters Rupert Murdoch, Sumner Redstone, Marvin Davis, Michael Eisner, and many, many more!

"He taught movie executives to put some passion into their jobs. The business is a better place because of Barry."—the late Dawn Steel studio head and onetime Barry Diller protégé at Paramount

"He really is the brightest of the bunch." —Julia Phillips Academy Award(r)-winning producer bestselling author of You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ok for a Business History
Ok, for a business history of mergers, deals, movies, cable channels and so forth. It does give some glimpse into Diller's Jewish background and childhood, as well as, the vulgar and occasionally violent way he assaults his employees. However, it barely mentions his co-leadership of the notorious Velvet Mafia. Biographers of David Geffen, the long-time "associate" of Diller, are more forthcoming. Stephen Singular in "The Rise and Rise of David Geffen" discusses the Velvet Mafia and its bisexual media mogul leaders including Diller and Geffen. Tom King's "The Operator" flatly states the gay preference of Barry Diller. George Mair's book is well worth reading as is his biography of Si Newhouse, "Newhouse." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I LOVED IT........
OPEN AND HONEST AND DEFINITELY UNCONVENTIONAL.I LOVED IT.HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Annabel:TRULY a lady!
An honest and interesting account of a
privileged life, including all of the
missteps and foibles.Lady Annabel is to
be admired and loved!
DEFINITELY recommend.You won't want to
put it down for a minute! ... Read more

Book Description

Did Patrizia Reggiani murder her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci, in 1995 because his spending was wildly out of control? Did she do it because her glamorous ex was preparing to marry his mistress, Paola Franchi? Or is there a possibility she didn't do it at all?

In this gripping account of the ascent, eventual collapse, and resurrection of the Gucci dynasty, Sara Gay Forden takes us behind the scenes of the trial and exposes the passions, the power, and the vulnerabilities of the greatest fashion family of our times.

Reviews (25)

Dishy, Yet Intelligent
This is an amazingly detailed, perceptive, and engrossing read! I read it on a cross-country plane trip, and the hours literally flew by. Forden traces the history of the Gucci empire from its earliest beginnings to the present day. This history provides a context for the drama, upheaval, and legal battles that plagued the family in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Forden weaves the personal, public, and legal aspects of these battles in a seamless, cogent, and intelligent discussion. While it is a sensational story, Forden does a great job of getting to the facts that underly the disputes and presents them without fanfare - they speak for themselves.

The photographs and family tree are great additions to this book. You'll need the family tree to keep track, and the photos make the story that much more real.

Watching the characters' lives unfold was better than any soap opera, precisely because they are/were real people whose choices led them on a path of destruction. Even so, Forden's prose avoids the talk-show and tabloid cliches that have ruined many a biography.

Finally, as an attorney, this book provided me with interesting insights into family legal battles and corporate organization.

"Dynasty", "Dallas"...."Gucci"?
Having worked in the fashion industry for the likes of Gianni Versace and Georgio Armani, I was naturally inclined to read this intriguing book based on the rise, fall and rise again of the house of "Gucci". I found the first half of the book to be the most facinating. The author does an excellent job in vividly decribing the humble beginnings of Guccio Gucci's small leather goods business to its eventual capitulation into a Billion dollar company...

The book reads right out of a script of "Dallas" or "Dynasty"...with the squablings, betrayals, greed and glamour associated with those t.v. shows....only this book's storyline is real. I was particularly impressed with the great amount of effort put into decribing each of the important characters associated with the Gucci saga. One really walks away with a true sense of the mindset behind people like Marizio Gucci and his power-hungry wife...

I am confident anyone reading this book will find that it is hard to put down (and will encourage the reader to run to the latest "Gucci" boutique and pick up a crocodile handbag!)

reads like a history book
The story of Gucci was interesting. In fact, reality surpassses fiction in this case.
However, I was expecting more of a narrative feel; this reads like a collection of well researched facts. Some of the other reviews say it is like a novel - I think it is more like an interesting history book. Especially at the beginning -hard to get into the first few chapters it is written in such a factual, boring way.

Love it! Must-reading for those of you that own GUCCI
It's a great story that gives you amazing insight into the house of Gucci...loved it! Now I have countless anecdotes to go along with my handbags.

A Must-Have for Fashionistas
This book provides an insightful look into the history and development of the House of Gucci. I have learned everything about how the business started, the Gucci family turmoil, and the recent comeback and dominance of Gucci. This is a great read. ... Read more

Book Description

In a stunningly candid and courageous memoir, the notorious Hollywood Madam tells her own story for the first time. From a lucrative babysitting empire at the age of 13 to a global network of call girls and customers that stretched from Los Angeles to Kuwait, Heidi Fleiss built and ran the most glamorous and obscenely successful sex business in history. Her spectacular rise and fall captivated the country in the early 90’s, even as it terrified Hollywood’s power elite. Featuring original text, wiretap transcripts, court documents, news clippings, diary excerpts, interviews with hookers, and fantastic original artwork, Heidi tells her story with a fierce regard for the truth. At turns political, passionate, poignant, funny, sexy, angry, outrageous, and wise, Pandering is arguably the bravest and most provocative visual memoir ever published — a book that will make headlines all over again. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

If you thought you knew
If you thought you knew everything about Heidi Fleiss and you have't read this book, prepare to be enlightened. "Pandering" is a look at Heidi's personal and professional life. She details her struggles and triumphs. I really liked the book and the way it was set up, but it definetly wasn't the tell all that I was expecting it to be, but it was definetly worth reading.

Great Book
This is a great book. I enjoyed reading it very much. Heidi Fleiss is an incredible talent. Her ability to bring people together and to create such an exciting life style is an inspiration. She understands what we all know--sex sells.

BEAUTIFUL
This book shows an indepth look into a person most of us have heard about. It is an interesting book, the story is told by photos,art,court documents,news clippings, and personel items. Heidi is not so simple after all.

strong message
I bought this book because of the design, after going over it several times I really felt different. I cried at the end and hope other people can appreciate this work of art.

This Book Takes Work
To set your expectation, this is not a novel. Its a yearbook. If you are a fan of thesmokinggun.com and prefer to read 10 pages of telephone transcripts, rather than having a writer recreate the story for you, then you'll love this book. This is clip art and color copying at its best -- she includes copies of her own notes and address books, questionnaires from her girls and logs and logs of court documents and phone taps.

I would have preferred to hear the story as told to an author, rather than this peek into her photo album. ... Read more

Book Description

The Untold Story of the American Entrepreneur Who Helped Build the Atomic Bomb and Defeat the Nazis.

Legendary financier, philanthropist, and society figure Alfred Lee Loomis gathered the most visionary scientific minds of the twentieth century -- Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Enrico Fermi, and others -- at his state-of-the-art laboratory in Tuxedo Park, New York, in the late 1930s. He established a top-secret defense laboratory at MIT and personally bankrolled pioneering research into new, high-powered radar detection systems that helped defeat the German Air Force and U-boats. With Ernest Lawrence, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, he pushed Franklin Delano Roosevelt to fund research in nuclear fission, which led to the development of the atomic bomb.

Jennet Conant, the granddaughter of James Bryant Conant, one of the leading scientific advisers of World War II, enjoyed unprecedented access to Loomis' papers, as well as to people intimately involved in his life and work. She pierces through Loomis' obsessive secrecy and illuminates his role in assuring the Allied victory. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Fascinating portrait of a brilliant man of science &business
The subject of Tuxedo Park, Alfred Loomis, is an absolutely fascinating individual whose life story is so unique and so amazing that, were this book fiction, the reader would likely not believe it. Loomis, who undoubtedly was a brilliant left-brained rational thinker, was educated as a lawyer, rose through the ranks of a law firm, then quit to become one of the wealthiest bankers on Wall Street. He foresaw the 1929 stock market crash and cashed out beforehand, and then gave up his finance career to educate himself so that he could work on the very leading edge of scientific research in multiple fields, including biology, physics, astronomy, and (at the very end of his life), computer science. Because he possessed immense wealth, brains, and leadership qualities, as well as patriotism and a savvy understanding of geopolitics, he became a key individual who put together the multiple scientific labs and projects that helped the Allies win World War II.

Jennet Conant succeeds admirably in the primary objective of her book: to describe the many technical and leadership contributions Loomis made to the scientific efforts, especially the development of radar systems, that ultimately produced victory for the Allies in World War II. She makes a very strong case that without Loomis's leadership, the development of both radar and the atomic bomb would have been delayed, endangering the Allies' chances of success and resulting in many more lives lost. Loomis's World War II efforts and achievements occupy half the book; the remainder covers the rest of his biography.

Besides being a fascinating, engrossing story, Tuxedo Park has much to teach the reader. The common impression is that the development of the atomic bomb was the greatest scientific achievement in the Allies' victory; however, as one of the scientists says, "radar won the war, and the atomic bomb ended it". Radar was the weapon the Allies used to defeat the Germans' submarines, superior air force, and rocketry. Tuxedo Park also shows the interconnected web of relationships at the pinnacles of the worlds of science, academia, government, and business in the mid twentieth century. Rational thought alone does not produce results; all accomplishments involve humans, and Loomis was able to navigate these worlds and relationships with remarkable aplomb. The book also shows the negative side of Loomis and genius in general: the toll it exacts on family life, and the depression and suicide that plagues certain families.

I have only minor quibbles with Tuxedo Park. Loomis's pre-World War II achievements were so impressive and interesting that I would have enjoyed more detail about those years. When Conant describes the many inventions of Loomis and others, I often had difficulty visualizing them; some line drawings would have helped. And there are a few errors in the book, such as referring to the RAF when the author means the USAF.

I would recommend Tuxedo Park to anyone interested in biographies of scientific figures, as well as anyone who would appreciate a history lesson on the role science played in winning the last major world war.

Tuxedo Park is an impressive achievement
Tuxedo Park is a factual history lesson, in a vein similar to The Devil in the White City, only without the serial killer.

Tuxedo Park takes place a bit later, pre-World War II. It starts with the death of one of the scientists who used to visit Tuxedo Park, a veritable fortress of technology and leisure. The suicidal scientist posthumously published a fictionalized book about the goings on there and sold it as science fiction. It was so bizarre that of course, nobody suspected, although the primary subject of the novel, Alfred Loomis, knew better.

Alfred Loomis is the star of the story, a rich entrepreneur with an all-consuming, frightening intellect. He applies his own cold, nearly inhuman methodology to business and science and excels at both. Loomis is also charismatic and connects with people in a way that makes him irresistible. A veritable human whirlwind, he swept people up and sometimes left them broken and lost behind him, most notably his wife whom he tried to have committed and left for a younger woman.

Loomis invented electrocardiograms (those brainwave doohickeys that draw jagged lines as a patient sleeps) and radar and made fantastic leaps in refining the science of sonics and magnetics. If the book has a moral, it's that money brings freedom, and Loomis was the freest man on Earth. He developed what he wanted, hosted who he wanted, encouraged projects he felt had vision, and had enough influence to determine the course of events in World War II.

What's so striking is that the world needed Loomis. The author, Jennet Connant, makes striking connections that identify just how significant Loomis' contributions (and machinations) were in ensuring victory over the Axis powers. From the atom bomb to the British radar systems, Loomis' fingerprints are on them all. And it was through sheer force of will, coupled with his massive wealth that made things happen.

The book suffers from the same problems as Devil in the White City - some parts are more boring than others. It's entertaining to read about Loomis' inventions, but I had difficulty distinguishing between the various scientists. There are so many intellects that are hosted by Loomis that they start to run together; on the other hand, the book features a lot of familiar faces like Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and others. Still, the physics and complexities of the inventions, along with the internecine squabbling drag in some places.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the book is when one British physicist embarks on a journey to bring all the technological advances of Britain to America with just himself and a trunk full of highly classified documents and devices. The thought of what could happen to that trunk (and how it nearly gets lost a few times) is nerve wracking and the makings of an excellent short story or role-playing adventure. It's the kind of scenario that is usually considered to be bad form by a writer - but it really happened.

Fortunately for us, the trunk made its way safely to America. The book really picks up as the devices Loomis raced to invent are finally implemented in the war. And then, when the action finally gets going, the book is over. There is definitely a feeling of the passing of something great that people could only look at indirectly and never touch - just like the intentional destruction of the Chicago World's Fair, Loomis Tuxedo Park is abandoned, his "rad lab" of scientists disbanded, only to backstab each other during McCarthy's "Un-American" committees. Worse, Loomis' divorce left his family sharply divided - like all things, Loomis treated his relationships with an intellectual clarity that was less a romance and more calculated odds. When Loomis felt his wife was not measuring up, she was discarded along with his other failed experiments. It dims, but cannot diminish completely, Loomis' personality.

Tuxedo Park is an impressive achievement. It manages to record the origin of the American scientist, the belief that technology is inherently good, and sharply frames the slow, lumbering bureaucracies that run everything from medical achievements to military advancements. In comparison, Loomis and his teams are breathtakingly nimble at a time when the world needed speed and decisive action most. It is an important part of history and a sharp reminder that rich men, should they choose, could do great good or terrible harm. Loomis was that rare combination of brilliance and wealth that creates freedom - an aberration not likely to be seen again in my lifetime.

Life changing....what a life this man lived.
Never have I read something so exciting, meaty, romantic and adventurous. This is the life I can only imagine living. Loomis had it all, good looks, intelligence, but most of all...class and style. His way of life gives insight into what good breeding is all about. More than that, his ability to use common sense in dealing with business, and science and every aspect of his life and relationships gave me the confidence to venture out a little further and try and reach for the apple way up at the top of the tree. Reading this book forever changed my life and I tried to find a way to send the author, Jennet conant, a letter telling her that but I could not find her address on the website, so I guess this will have to do.

Jennet, even after death, Alfred Loomis continues to succeed, your story is worthy of his calibre. Beautiful.

Conant fails to tell the truth about Loomis: uncritical
Nowhere in the book does Conant talk about how Loomis used his regulated utility holdings to subsidize the unregulated holdings... and he charged regulated customers for the subsidiaries' huge profits. The Public Utilities Holding Companies Act (PUHCA) of the 1930's was enacted and made illegal the very things that Loomis made his fortune on. Check out the SEC for PUHCA. But there is no mention of this. Conant writes a biased and uncritical account of one of her relatives. Bad.
Also, many scholars attribute the Public Utility Holding Companies with causing the Stock Market Crash of '29. And Loomis was at the head of this. Nowhere does Conant mention this.
Also poorly written. Incoherent writing style that blends scientific writing with prose. makes for muddled and unnatural reading. Also fails to describe sufficiently, important scientific advances discussed in the book, namely the Cyclotron, which I had to go look up what it was. bad

THE LAST GREAT AMATEUR
Today with university and industrial labs conducting research using multi-million dollar grants and government contracts, it is amazing that in before the 1930s a brilliant banker had established, financed and staffed a private research lab that was superior at the time to university laboratories. This book by Jennet Conant is the story of Albert Lee Loomis who not only established his lab in Tuxedo Park, NY, he also personally conducted research there. Outstanding scientists such as Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, Neils Bohr, etc. visited his lab with Einstein describing the lab as a "place of science."

Loomis while interested in science at Yale nevertheless when to Harvard Law School and upon graduation entered the New York law firm of Winthrop & Stimson; Stimpson was a cousin of Loomis. During WWI, Loomis jointed the army, received a commission and was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground where he struck up a friendship with Robert Wood of Johns Hopkins University, considered America's most brilliant experimental physicist, who later became Loomis' mentor. One year after WWI Loomis went to work in the investment business and later with his brother-in-law as partner purchased their employer. Recognizing the approaching financial crisis of 1929, the partners took appropriate action, with Loomis making $50 million during the first years of the Depression.

Loomis had established his lab at Tuxedo Park in the 1920s leaving the day-to-day running of the lab to a lab manager. Loomis worked in the lab evenings and on weekends, working alongside accomplished scientists. In 1934 he quit Wall Street for good devoting fulltime to his lab. The text notes "He played a major role in the development of the electroencephalograph, which went on to become an extremely valuable diagnostic tool and is used routinely in hospitals to detect epilepsy as well as many other diseases."

Loomis and other scientists became concerned about reports of German advanced weaponry; and aided by MIT, Tuxedo Park, devoted its work to the development of secret war-related radar systems to detect airplanes. When the 1940 British technical mission came to America, they brought their magnetron oscillator; Loomis immediately recognized that a major breakthrough had occurred in radar development. Loomis lead the establishment of a secret radar lab at MIT, closed his lab and shipped his valuable equipment to MIT. "For the next four years, he would drive himself and his band of physicists almost without break to develop the all-important radar warning systems based on the magnetron." Also, Loomis conceived the basis for and directed the development of the Loran navigation system, a system critical for accurate aircraft navigation during bombing missions.

In 1941 Loomis's involvement with the MIT Lab, called the Rad Lab, became increasingly sporadic as he was pressed into service on uranium research. One leading scientist noted "...it was a great stroke of luck for the country that Loomis was involved in the uranium project from the beginning, not as an originator of ideas as much as an individual who knew how to exploit them..." contributing to "the remarkable lack of roadblocks experienced by the Army's Manhattan District, the builders of the atomic bombs."

By June 1943 nearly 6000 radar set based on the MIT Rad Lab designs had been delivered with production climbing past 2000 sets per month. In the opinion of many of his peers, Loomis' greatest contribution lay in the brilliant manner he and the Secretary of War, his cousin Henry Stimson, had overcome military resistance to the flow of innovative ideas and applications.... and the military's acceptance of new weapons and systems. The author does an excellent job narrating Loomis' wartime work outlining his contributions in many areas.

In 1945 Loomis divorced his wife and married his mistress, the wife of his former Tuxedo Park lab manager. This produced strong reverberations in his elite financial and social circles. In 1947 he completed his administrative duties associated with radar and almost from the moment that the MIT Rad Lab ceased, Loomis began to disappear. In 1948 he was awarded the highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Merit. The book closes with an EPILOGUE which gives brief accounts of the post WWII lives of the key scientists and others with whom Loomis was associated during his active career. Loomis died in 1975 at age eighty-seven.

My main criticism is the account of Oppenheimer's opposition to the H-bomb in the EPILOGUE which concludes with the statement "Oppenheimer was ousted from power and publicly disgraced" leaving the impression Oppenheimer spent the rest of his life in disgrace. The text fails to tell that later the Atomic Energy Commission cleared Oppenheimer of all charges and in 1963 awarded him their highest honor the Enrico Fermi award. Oppenheimer served as director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton from 1947 to his retirement in 1966.

This was a difficult book to write, not only because of Loomis' countless activities, but because he destroyed his papers before his death. Consequently, the book does not always read smoothly. Nevertheless, the book provides valuable material not available from other sources. ... Read more

Book Description

From Pierre-Henri Verlhac and Yann-Brice Dherbier, the editors of the best-selling John F. Kennedy: A Life in Pictures, comes its companion, Jackie: A Life in Pictures-a visual voyage through the life of Jackie, also known as Jackie Bouvier, Jackie Kennedy, Jackie Onassis. This iconic volume features the most exquisite photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, ever taken of America's legendary First Lady, as well as a biography, personal notes, and handwritten correspondence. A sumptuous, oversized edition, this 272-page book includes over 400 glamorous, dramatic, and intimate images taken throughout her life.Bringing us into her exclusive and privileged world, Jackie: A Life in Pictures takes us from the early days of her upper class upbringing in the 30s and 40s to her courtship and marriage to J.F.K. in 1953 and her life as a politician's wife. From the Camelot years, when Jackie charmed the world with her classic style and effortless panache, we witness the public and private moments of the famed First Family. After J.F.K.'s tragic death, we follow Jackie as she finds consolation in the arms of Aristotle Onassis, and travel with her among the jet set. And lastly, we spend time with Jackie in her final years in New York City, as a book editor, proud mother, and honorary stateswoman. The book features Jackie's handwritten documents, provided by her daughter, Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, and photographs by Magnum photographers Cornell Capa, Raymond Depardon, Eve Arnold, Erich Hartmann, and Philip Jones Griffith; famed paparazzo and Jackie follower Ron Galella; J.F.K. White House photographers Abbie Rowe, Robert Knudsen, and Cecil Stoughton; and Mark Shaw, Stan Kislowski, and Toni Frissell; as well as Miss Porter's School class portraits. The ultimate volume for Jackie's admirers, Jackie: A Life in Pictures offers a rare opportunity to observe the complex and fascinating woman as her life unfolded before the world's eyes. ... Read more

Book Description

As products of the same urban landscape, Pete Hamill and Frank Sinatra have both been credited with giving the American city a voice. In this widely acclaimed and bestselling appreciation--now available in paperback for the first time--Hamill draws on his intimate experience of the man and the music to evoke the essence of Sinatra, illuminating the singer's art and his legend from the point of view of a confidant and a fan. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A wonderful read--like an old song
Pete Hamill, beyond a doubt, is an excellent writer. He does a wonderful job here. The book is part bio, part history of immigrants in America, and part memoir. It works on all levels. Hamill treats Frank with the respect he deserves. The book is not a gossipy memoir--Kitty Kelly fans should look elsewhere. Instead, he makes the important arguement that Sinatra gave voice to first, a generation, and then an entire country. His artisty is what matters. The myth of the man is fun and gets most the attention, but that is besides the point for Hamill. And he is right. We all talk about the "Sinatra in a hat" (as Hamill dubs him) and the Rat Pack--but the music endures. It is, argues Hamill, what matters in the Wee Small Hours of the Morning. It is what will stand the test of time and give voice to a thousand broken dreams, hearts, and help us--like Frank after the Fall--get back up and start all over again. Thanks, Pete Hamill for getting it right.

There will never be another...
I only saw my hero, Frank Sinatra, perform once. It was at the end of his career - and his life. It was a strange evening; he was obviously at the end - he couldn't remember the words to his songs or read the teleprompter. Few people left however - the evening soon became about us - his fans - letting him know that we still loved him. "I LOVE YOU FRANK!" a huge, middle-aged, rough-looking man yelled out during a pause. Sinatra, taken aback by the violence of the outburst, chuckled and replied, "I love you too, pal." As Pete Hamill once pointed out, "Seeing Sinatra in ruins is like seeing the Coliseum in ruins - it's still magnificent."

Why Sinatra Matters is a must-read for any Sinatra-phile. In the Overture, Hamill cites Sinatra's death as the impetus for writing this book. He saw all these young reporters from MTV and VH1 doing stories on Sinatra (obviously prepared in advance) telling the world Sinatra was important, without really understanding why. It certainly wasn't just because he did it "his way."

This is a very short book. As Hamill points out it is not a "definitive biography" - although once he was in talks with Sinatra to write just that. It is, as the title plainly states, an explanation of why Sinatra matters - artistically and culturally - and why he always will. In terms of Culture, Hamill reminds the reader of a time when America felt it was morally obligated to persecute Italians - Sinatra helped change all that. Musically, the reasons are more complex. To put it succinctly, no one ever sounded like Sinatra before.

The book is great because it also sheds light on Sinatra the man, who is often lost in the obscurity of his own public image. He was not just some gruff tough guy - a kind of idiot savant who could churn out a great recording in one take. He was a fiercely intelligent, well-read, well-cultured, self-educated man who worked hard at his craft. The most enjoyable parts of the book are the conversations Hamill recounts between himself and Sinatra. Most shocking of all - to me at least - was to imagine Sinatra using the F-word!

Great book, horrible book-on-tape
Do not buy the book on tape! Get it in hardcover or paperback.

This is a fine little book, but it's the first book on tape I have had to turn off because the narrator's voice was too grating (and I've listened to tons of books on tape). Had it been read by the author himself, certainly allowances could be made. Instead, the publisher went out to find a professional reader and chose someone who speaks in an harsh, barking monotone, one part Howard Cosell, one part Rain Man, one part the guy who does the Moviephone listings. When the voice first came on, reading the copyright information and other technical details, I assumed that, well, that's just the preliminaries, surely someone else will narrate the rest of the tape. Nope. Amazing.
I have switched to the print version, which is excellent.

"It's a quarter to three and there' s no one in the place...
I've read several books on Sinatra;But this one is really different.Hamill is an excellent writer and shows us why Sinatra matters;this was not done in other books.He has also shown what made Sinatra so popular,what influenced the changes in his audiences and without coming right out and saying so;why there won't nor can't ever be another one like him.He also reveals the art form that Sinatra perfected in his voice.
As great as Sinatra's music was;it was Sinatra as a man,and all that he represented, as well as the use of the microphone like a painter uses a brush;that made him so great.
Read this book;it will give you a deeper appreciation of Sinatra.

Why Sinatra Matters is a fine book.
Pete Hamill is a fine reporter who knew Frank Sinatra as a friend. Sinatra was an enigmatic, charismatic and complex singer of the American soul. Perhaps no singer in 20th century America popular song could get inside a lyric and make it his own like the great "ole blue eyes."
Hamill's opening chapter in which we sit beside Sinatra and his cronies in a Brooklyn bar in 1970 is like something out of Hemingway in its description of a man, era and city.
Hamill points out that it was Sinatra in music, Laguardia in politics and Joe Dimaggio in sports who raised the immigrant Italian ethnic group to greatness in insular, xenophobic America of the 1940s.
Sinatrta could be obnoxious and cruel but he could also be
generous and kind,
This book reminds me of the Penguin Lives series as it is a good starting place for anyone who wants to learn more about Sinatra, his women, his era and most importantly his music. The music will live forever in the American soul.
Sinatra did it his way and Hamill does a fine job of writing in this interesting little book. A good read to take on vacation or a long flight. I recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

If there's anything I'll argue about, I'll either bet on it or shut up. And since it's not becoming for a cowboy to be arguing, I've made a few wagers in my day. But in my humble opinion, I'm no hustler. You see, neighbor, I never go looking for a sucker. I look for a champion and make a sucker out of him."

Amarillo Slim might be the greatest gambler who ever lived, but it's his down-home charm and folksy storytelling that have made him an American idol and media darling. Slim is a legend, as American as Paul Bunyan, Jesse James, and P.T. Barnum. In Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People, T.A. "Amarillo Slim" Preston will tell the tall tales of his fascinating life. Slim will describe some of his greatest gambling exploits -- from winning the World Series of Poker to creating extraordinary proposition bets to running the biggest black market in Europe during the war while giving pool exhibitions (read: hustling) on military bases for Uncle Sam. Among others, Slim beat Willie Nelson for $300,000 playing dominoes; Larry Flynt for $2 million playing poker. He has played poker with presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, and drug lords Pablo Escobar and Jimmy Chagra. He was also one of the pioneers of Las Vegas. Plain and simple, Amarillo Slim is America's greatest gambler of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

One of a kind
They don't make 'em like Slim anymore. I came to this with an interest in poker, but the book doesn't dwell on the intricacies of that game. Rather it allows the reader to spend a couple of hours in the company of a funny, colorful, slyly intelligent Texan with a lot of great stories and a hilarious way with words. Follow Slim through pool halls, golf courses and grand casinos as he makes his fortune betting (not really gambling if you know you're gonna win!). Slim is a natural storyteller and makes this book hard to put down. My only quibble is that the author portrays himself as a loving family man underneath it all, while looking down his nose at the Pablo Escobars and Larry Flynts he took money from.
Still, a great book and a fun read.

A lot of Fun
The most striking thing about Slim's life is his ability to win money gambling on so many different things. I wouldn't think a good pool hustler that could beat Minnesota Fats could also win the World Series of Poker. I'm surprised that Slim could win thousands playing dominoes with Willie Nelson and also beat Bobby Riggs playing Ping Pong. The one unifying factor is that Slim has had an amazing ability to figure out an edge against an opponent. Once he can find an angle he can beat people at their best game. The book provides numerous examples of how Slim has used that edge.

Brains have also kept Slim from harm. He was more than willing to risk a misdemeanor to run his Texas Bookmaking business, but when Federal Law made bookmaking a felony, Slim immediately quit the business whereas his friend Sailor was stubborn and eventually went to jail.

There's a good amount of material about run-ins with Slim's nemesis Jimmy the Greek. Slim didn't like the Greek. Some of it was due to the Greek's inflated ego and iffy character, and though some explanation is provided it seems that the reasons for the animosity go deeper than the basic descriptions. I bet a whole book could be written on their associations.

What Slim doesn't do in the book is explain big bets that he lost. There isn't any reflection on the times people have outsmarted him. I'm sure very few have, but it would have been interesting to hear Slim explain what he learned from those events.

The book flows nicely and I laughed I quite a bit at Slim's down home witticisms. If you like gambling or the people who do, this book will provide an entertaining afternoon at the beach.

great story of amarillo slim
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Moderately interesting bio of a Texas hustler
He's a superb athelete, a hard worker and highly intelligent. But he's slick as he can be and contemptously refers to "square Johns" by which I think he means non-hustlers. He spent his Army career fixing sports events and participated in other dubious activities. The book is candid and moderately interesting but I have to admit, I wouldn't like to meet this man in person. He seems incapable of making an honest deal. Seems like he's gotta hustle everybody.

"Gambling,a hard way to make a living.."
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. It is very well written and without a doubt exceedingly well researched .Although I am not a gambler,I found it gave an excellent look at life in the world of high stakes gambling.As with any profession there are all sorts at the top.I like the comment by Oscar Wilde who said,"There are not good or bad people,only interesting or dull people."Amarillo Slim has to be one of the most interesting in the world of gambling which has always had some great characters.Slim is portrayed as a gentle giant but hard as steel.
This book is full of surprises.For instance;supposedly Minnsota Fats couldn't read or write--that's not to say he wasn't a super communicator.The most important ability that comes out as a fundamental requirement for a successful gambler is not knowing the ability of your opponent but knowing your own ,keeping an edge and living with the odds,win or lose.This is true in all walks of life.Here we see that even Slim breaks the rule at times,as in the episode with the alligator and shows even he is human.If there was any idea he always had to contend with it was :
"A guy like me ain't supposed to be scared of nobody.".
The book is full of good Texas talk and wisdom;for example;
"Straight pool was about as obsolete as washing clothes
on a rock in the river."
"You can bet whatever you can pay off."
"Texas Dolly is hotter than a widow woman's love."
"Stay close to your friends and even closer to your enemies."
"Don't p--- on my shoes and tell me it's raining."
"You can shear a sheep many a time,but you can skin it only
once."
And finally;
"Don't argue,if there's anything worth arguing about,either
bet on it or shut up."
Hope you like it,I sure did! ... Read more

Reviews (40)

An Amazing Journey
The most prolific evangelist in Christian history, a pastor to the Presidents, and a Christian man of integrity -- this is Billy Graham. Or, at least that is how most people see him. Here we have the story of his life, from his simple farm-boy beginnings, through his tent revival conversion, his college days and marriage to Ruth, his early fiery and outspoken preaching days, his years of global ministry and maturity, and ending today, as a respected man of God by virtually everyone in the world.

The story is told with an easy-going pace and reading it you have to smile at Graham's style, which is honest, humorous, and very... normal. It's really amazing to see how God took this average fellow and used him in such amazing ways. This book is also a treasury for any other pastor, evangelist, or other person who wishes to live a life of integrity. Graham relates a wealth of wisdom gained from experience that the church would be wise to remember. We would all do well to remember Billy, and to honor his legacy by remembering his life and everything that he stood for. Just As I Am is an autobiographical masterpiece from a man I deeply respect.

America's Preacher Finally Tells His Story
I've been a big fan of Dr. Billy Graham for many years. I used to love watching his crusades on t.v. back when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's. His preaching always fascinated me. It's funny though, I didn't get saved until 1992! But I certainly can't blame Dr. Graham for that. He planted the seed in my life, and did so repeatedly.
My mother gave me this book as a Christmas gift in December of 1998, during my last year in college. I finished reading it at work before my college went back to school for the spring semester. In fact, I was so fascinated by his story that I couldn't put it down. I had the entire book read in about 6 days! That's my personal record for a book this long! This book really is that great!
He covers his entire life, from growing up in western North Carolina up until this book was published. He leaves no stone unturned. You'll read about how he got saved, hearing God's call into the ministry, and his days in Bible college in Florida. You'll also read of his humble beginnings as a church pastor, his becoming the first Youth For Christ evangelist(yes, they used to have them), and how his ministry took off from there. He also tells of the many famous people he's met over the years, from popes and cardinals to presidents, actors, and others. And if you love autobiographies as much as I do, you might eventually feel as if you're walking in his shoes with them. His story is really that powerful.
At the time I read this, I had just accepted God's call into the ministry. This book help me cement that call and reafirm it, too. After I finished reading it, I knew for certain there was a call on my life. My regret is that I didn't answer God's call to the ministry when I first heard it, as Dr. Graham did.
If you're an evangelist, missionary, pastor, asst. pastor, youth pastor, elder, deacon, or anyone else involved in Christian leadership, you should read this book. If you think God calling you into full-time ministry or some other type of Christian leadership, this book is for you, too.
Dr. Billy Graham, thanks for your many years of faithful service to the Lord. You have been a good example to me and others Christians as well. God bless you, sir!

To God Be The Glory!
Billy Graham is an amazing man of God. He fulfilled God's calling, and finished the race marked out for him for over 50 years.
In this phenomenal autobiography, Just As I am; Billy Graham presents us with a detailed, introspective and humorous account of his life and his various encounters with people of high positions. Whether its Kim Il Sung, Muhammad Ali or the many others mentioned; it simply shows how great God is and the amount of influence that he can give to one man was chosen by God.
His ministeries/Crusades are not only inspiring, but mindblowing that leaves your jawdropping after you have read about all of it. I remember shaking my head and smiling in amazement as I read about the number of people who received Christ, and simply the massiveness of the audiences he preached to. I mean, come on. We all have to admit that it is simply God's divine will that one man could speak to 1 million Koreans at once,or to an eager 250 000 crowd in Central Park. In addition, Billy Graham's TV appearances, Newspaper interviews, and Evangilistical Association speaks volumes on his favor and access to the spheres of Media influence.
To onclude, this biography can only spur us on in our life for God. After reading this, I just have this passion to reach out to others and preach the gospel as much as I can. If you are a Christian who lacks that zeal and passion for Christ,then, I hope this would ultimately spur you on to reach greater heights for God.
God can use anyone, and that means that God can use you!

"The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Matthew 9:37-38

Where is the struggle?
First, let me say that I am an evangelical pastor who has the greatest respect for Billy Graham. I believe he has done more to further the gospel message in America than any single evangelist of our time. Second, it seems that my review will be in the minority as it seems to have been given 5 stars by everyone else who has read it.

With that said, I eagerly opened this book hoping for insight into his life. How he dealt with struggles. How he dealt with marriage and travel in the midst of his extensive ministry. What I got instead was an itenerary of his travels and very few insights into the difficult decisions that must have been made in his life. There is a great deal of humility within these pages, but very little vulnerability.

While I respect this man as much as any Christian that has lived in my lifetime, I found this book hollow.

Great. But there is one thing...
This book was a great account of a great man. Billy Graham is undoubtedly the most well known Christian of the 20th century. This fact alone gave me a reason to read the book. The book was well written, and follows Billy's life geographically rather than chronologically. This sometimes makes his life hard to follow, but overall the book flows nicely.

Let me just point out several observations I had from the book. FIRST, Billy Graham is truly a humble man. He is constantly giving the credit to God. SECOND- Billy Graham has had an incredible impact on the entire world. He has been a close friend to several US Presidents, and he has had conversations with dozens of world leaders. He has also held evangelistic meetings in many countries in the world. His life has not only impacted the world spiritually (which is the most important impact). But his life has also impacted the political and social realm of the globe. THIRD- Billy is very accepting when it comes to theology. On page 251 he writes, "If a man accepts the deity of Christ and is living for Christ to the best of his knowledge, I intend to have fellowship with him in Christ." Personally, I would not take such an accommodating stance. Based on Galatians 1, I believe that those who distort the GOSPEL are unworthy of true Christian Fellowship. I think that Billy has been too accepting of 'Christian' sects and religions because he has not adapted the attitude of Paul in Galatians 1.

Though Billy and I might disagree on this one point- I do not doubt that God has used him tremendously. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in reading about the most influential Christian person in the 20th century. ... Read more

Book Description

--Starting at the bottom--over and over again
--Dealing with--and learning from--the Boss from Hell
--Giving up the Wedding Delusion, not to mention that one-way ticket to Happily Ever After
--Being asked to bend your principles--by your superiors
--Wanting to be a high-powered success and super parent
--Knowing that children will both exhaust and sustain you
--Facing that terrifying question: "What have I been put on this earth to do?"

You could call them notes from life's trenches. Maria Shriver's TEN THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN--BEFORE I WENT OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD gives us her reflections, confessions, advice, memories, and, most of all, hard-earned lessons...all the things we wish we knew before we started out, and that few people ever honestly discuss.

Here is the truth about: the price we pay for giving in to our fears, as well as the relief we feel when we finally face them; the humiliation of swallowing our ego so that we can learn from an abusive experience; the rewards of taking risks and the pain of failure; the joy of finding someone we can love and the limitations of every relationship; how it's never too late to tap the wisdom of others, even (especially!) our own parents; and the importance of taking what we do seriously without taking ourselves seriously.

Expanded from Maria's acclaimed College of the Holy Cross commencement address and written in the voice of a trusted and trusting best friend, TEN THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN--BEFORE I WENT OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD is a pithy, poignant, down-to-earth, and at times laugh-out-loud book that will help people of all ages and on all roads in life.

It's within you to carve out your own future, create your own destiny.

I wrote this book so that you might be spared. Not from having to learn the lessons I had to learn. No one can spare you that, because learning is experiential, and you have to do it yourself. As a wise person once told me: If I could spare you the pain you're experiencing, I wouldn't--because I wouldn't want to deprive you of the strength and wisdom you'll gain from having gone through it and come out the other side.

Each and every one of you is a powerful, resilient human being capable of living the life you design for yourself. I wish all of you the faith and the courage to pinpoint your passion. ... Read more

Reviews (99)

Ten Things I'm Glad I Know Now
Just when you thought you were all alone, Maria Shriver saves the day with her wise advice in her new book Ten Things I Wish I'd Known-Before I Went Out into the Real World. This book is not only helpful for students of all majors, but will continue to be a source of wisdom throughout the course of a person's life. I, being a senior about to face the real world, have hit the wall of shock and devastation. I no longer have a crutch to lean on and will be thrown out all alone into the worst job market seen in years. While this has been the most stressful and horrifying time in my life, Maria Shriver's book gives me a drop of hope by giving me a head start through her own personal experiences and the experiences of others.
Ten Things I Wish I'd Know-Before I Went Out into the Real World was inspired by a speech Shriver was asked to give to the graduating class of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. The speech was so successful because of her fearless wit and hard-hitting facts that it was developed into a book to help graduating students across the country.
This book has been extremely helpful because Maria Shriver gives the facts whether you like them or not. She does not sugar coat a thing. She does not tell the reader to "go out there and get em'" or "you can do it all if you put your mind to it." In fact, she tells the reader the complete opposite. She writes that one person cannot do it all and one must be willing to fail and start from the bottom if they look forward to achieving anything.
Shriver uses her own experiences as well as others experiences as her prime sources. She does not go into the psychology and rhetoric of each situation, yet teaches the reader from first hand experience the advice and lessons she has had to learn the hard way.
Not only does Shriver help a graduating student at the starting gate of their career, but she also serves as a mentor throughout their entire life. With topics beyond work and successful careers, she hands out her own wisdom about finances, marriage, and children. These topics each have their very own chapter because as Shriver notes, these are some of the hardest yet most endearing jobs a person will ever face.
Now that I am three months from heading out into the real world, I wish I had read this book sooner. I wish I had known that even someone as successful as Maria Shriver has received criticism and cried her eyes out in the seat of her car. I am still scared and unsure about the future, but I know that while I am sitting at my very own commencement address, I will already be equipped with some of the best advice and wisdom given from a successful person who wasn't afraid to start at the bottom. If you or anyone you know are about to face the uncertainties of the "real world," I strongly suggest this book as a teacher, guide, and mentor.

Wise Wisdom for the Real World
I admire Maria Shriver for what she has accomplished in life without the constant help of the silver spoon she was born with. She is an amazing woman in her own right and has worked hard to become a person of great integrity and wisdom. So who better to write a book on life lessons than someone who has learned a few along the way.

Ms. Shriver wrote this book after she received so much positive response from a little commencement address she had given. I only wish I had heard such a profound speech before I had set off into the world. After reading this book I realize I only do part of the necessary steps for life success and I am now inspired to work my way into all 10. She recommends: Finding your passion, take any job as a stepping stone, respect your coworkers, be responsible for your behaviors, fail without fear, discard the myth of Superwoman, pay attention to your family life, work on your marriage, make your own money and LAUGH!! It takes alot of energy to live life correctly so be prepared and reach for this little book of wisdom for inspiration.

Like Spending Time With A Friend
This is a charming, down-to-earth, honest little book, filled with important lessons about life. Written with humor and wisdom, it reflects the personality of a fiesty, spirited person determined to make her own mark in the world.
From the first chapter, in which she tells us to "pinpoint our passion" (hers was to be a broadcast journalist), to the second one where she tells us "no job is beneath you" and regales us with tales of learning every aspect of her job, and realizing there were some things she would never do well, and how important it is to be able to take criticism, and down through the others, which deal with such subjects as the necessity of mentors, the value of ethics, and achieving financial independence, we learn, along with Maria, that life is indeed a bumpy ride, with many lessons to teach us.
Particularly interesting were the chapters on husband and children, in which she tells us (as if we didn't know already!) that the Prince Charming and Happily Ever After myths are just that and that life is a compromise and we must make choices. Making the point that it is important to be your own person while at the same time maintaining these vital relationships, she combines the view of the modern woman with old-fashioned values.
By the time we reach the concluding chapter, on Laughter, which she says makes "all the other nine things doable," Maria has become a trusted and valued friend, with whom we have enjoyed spending a few hours.

I loved this book
Maria is a great example of a person who is "wired for success". She explains her life and how her definition of success has changed with each stage. I will buy this for my wife and the kids in my church Youth Group. Plus she is funny!

A SHRIVELED SHRIVER
The one thing I say now that I read this second book by Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Hasta la vista, baby. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

What was Littell waiting for!
What a fun read. I cried the last two chapters. Littell seems to have avoided John's public side for 20 years, and thank goodness, he's now come out to stand up for John and his wife. I only wish he had done it earlier. Where have the Kennedy's been? I wonder how come Carloine has never spoken out for he brother? regardless, she must be grateful that John's old friend has done as much in this hearfelt, humorous and beutifully written book.

A wonderful memoir of male bonding
I'm not exactly sure what the negative reviewers here are so bitter about compared to the really awful memoirs by people that barely knew John.

Above all else, this is a testament to a loving friendship. As a man the same age as these two friends I could completely relate to the overriding theme of Rob's writing. Friendship and a very close one at that. Which other family would consistently serve burned hamburgers (Rob's favorite) to a grown man because he's a picky eater?

Aside from tasteful and measured insights into the Kennedy family's homes and personal tastes and marriages, one is left
saddened by Rob's loss. The book is summed up in the line offered by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg after John's memorial service when Rob tells her how much John loved her, to which she replied "Thank you Rob. John loved you too."

Rob, you could not have written this book as easily as writing it. Thanks from "a guy" for writing it.

hilarious!
I read The Men We Became in two nights. What fun! And I must thank Rob Littell for defending his freind. It must have been hard to watch his reputation get dragged thorugh the mud for so long. Most of America loved John Jr., and I now feel that he loved us back. I laughed out loud and cried and felt like I knew the man I had always admired. I figured this book to be another tell all, but to my happy surprise it's not. It's a great story about a favorite American Son. One that I'm sure Carolyn Bessette's mother must be grateful for the effort.

sophomoric.....
despite the author's fascination with John's mother, "Mrs. O" he obviously chose to ignore the discretion she would have preferred....although i had met John twice, once at a party he threw and once at a club to which I belonged, I found him gracious and charming...I personally think the author has many unresolved issues of his own ...it was too bad he didnt write more about his own professional career because that would have shed even more light on his perspective....the book does however shed light on who john really was at least in the eyes of his peers...i feel badly for john's sister caroline that this book was written.

sophomoric.....
I am a contemporary of these men and I met John on two ocassions--once at a large party he hosted and once at club to which I belonged. He was everything one would expect as protrayed here...warm, gracious and charming...almost as sad as the tragic ending to his life, are some of the tidbits thrown out by the author about his close friend....although I don't doubt their friendship was accurately protrayed, ..despite Littell's rapport with Mrs. Onasis, he failed to learn discretion from her...and in my opinion he does a tremendous disservice to the memory of his late friend...I feel most badly for John's sister Caroline (who does not seem to be a fan of Littell)...to whom privacy is so important. The Men they became seem overly self indulgent and sophomoric and some things should have been left unsaid...i also wondered what the author was doing professionally when not on weekends at the vineyard, more should have been said of that because that would have provided another interesting dimension to the story... ... Read more

Book Description

The book takes readersbehind the locked gates and inside the bedrooms of more than 500 celebrity homes from Bob Hope, Elizabeth Taylor, and Frank Sinatra to Suzanne Somers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

PLAYGROUND FOR THE RICH AND FATUOUS
Howard Johns knows movie stars from A to Z, from Astaire to Zeppo. He not only knows all about them - trivia, triumphs, trash, but he tells all in "Palm Springs Confidential: Playground of the Stars."

As editor-at-large for Palm Springs Life from 1996-2002 he interviewed the hottest in Hollywood, and appeared on the major TV networks to chat about movie stars and their homes. Speaking of homes, this tasty volume comes complete with exact addresses of the stars and a map. If a girl wished she could sit in her car and troll the streets of this exclusive enclave.

In the beginning, the beginning being silent movies in Hollywood jargon, moviemakers were on the lookout for out of the way locations for stars such has Theda Bara and Rudolph Valentino. It wasn't too long before "the Springs" became a winter playground boasting 5000 clear as crystal private pools.

Tony lodges, especially the vaunted Racquet Club, appeared and the stars built expensive homes. Today, for over 75 years Palm Springs has been the place of privilege for those who have reached the op of the show business ladder. It is here that they not only relax but pull a few stunts that some live to regret.

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy came to the Racquet Club where "they had an apartment converted for them in the old servants' quarters, and no one ever saw them." Before they wed Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were also frequent visitors, checking in with suitcases "filled with her frilly nightgowns and his silk pajamas."

Kirk Douglas conducted a few extramarital affairs there with such stunners as Gene Tierney and Marlene Dietrich, while Ginger Rogers married her fourth husband there.

"Playground" is an apt description for Palm Springs, and nobody plays like the beautiful, rich, and famous. Readers will learn all about their games from a master teller of tales, Howard Johns.

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive biography of Jackie Kennedy Onassis from the bestselling author of Elizabeth

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has captivated the American public for more than five decades. From her introduction to the world as "debutante of the year"in 1947 to her untimely death in 1994, she has truly remained America's answer to royalty. In America's Queen, the acclaimed biographer of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Grace reveals the real Jackie in a sympathetic but frank portrait of an amazing woman who has dazzled us since her teenage years.

Using remarkable new sources--including in-depth interviews with Jackie's sister Lee Radziwell, lavish illustrations, and previously unseen photographs from family sources--Sarah Bradford has written a timely celebration of a life that was more private than commonly supposed. Jackie's privileged upbringing instilled rigid self-control while her expedient marriage into the overwhelming Kennedy clan consolidated her determination. Revealing new testimony from many of the couple's friends shows the profound complexities both of this apparently very public relationship and of her controversial marriage to Aristotle Onassis.Here is the private Jackie--neglected wife, vigilant mother, and working widow--whose contradictory and fascinating nature is illuminated by all that Bradford has discovered. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

the most wonderful book
This is my ultimate favorite book. I have read it a million times just because it's so fun and exciting to read.
What a glamorous life one had! She also led the most complex and interesting life with Jack Kennedy and Onassis. Sadly she had to face too many deaths of her loved ones during her life time, but she endured it with dignity and class.
I honestly think there is no one one can compare with Jackie Kennedy concerning elegance and feminism. She truely is a symbol of intelligence, wealth, fortune. That's one reason I like her so much- not only was she beautiful but also intelligent and smart.
Sarah Bradford is one of my favorite writers. Her writing is simply elegant and honest and so detailed. It's unlike any other book I have read. I often wonder how she gathered all this information and how she managed to get these rare interviews from all these people who were very close with Jackie. Sometimes I think it's more of her writing that interests me more than Jackie's actual life.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone. It's fast paced and simply too good not to read.