5 comments about Hayek's Challenge: An Intellectual Biography of F.A. Hayek.

1. On the plane to and from the Southern Economic Association meetings in San Antonio (including a 3 hour delay in Dallas on the way home) in November I had the opportunity to read the best book written in Austrian economics in a generation -- Bruce Caldwell's Hayek's Challenge (University of Chicago Press, 2003). Caldwell, as to be expected, is a master historian of thought and constructs a narrative of Hayek's evolution of as a thinker that is simply better than any alternative account. And, in the process, Caldwell tells the story of the development of Austrian economics from Menger to today better than I have ever seen. This is a phenomenal work of scholarship and a beautifully written book. The book represents the history of economics as it should be written --- a subtle treatment of economic doctrine, contextualization of the evolution of argument within its broader history of philosophical, political and economic debates, and engagingly written. As far as economics goes, this book is a page turner. It is nothing short of a brilliant. Bruce Caldwell has written, in my opinion, the best book in economics for 2003.



2. Tasked with the need to understand a contemporary, conservative thinker in a doctoral course on social justice, I was enriched by the professor's suggestion that I focus on Hayek. In due course I came upon this book by Caldwell. I wish to echo the earlier reviewers praise - this book is everything an intellectual history should be. The reader will become intimately familiar with the historical antecedents to Hayek, the academic, cultural, and historical milieu in which he worked, and the likely future his ideas will have.

   I approached this book as a complete novice. I had never heard of Hayek, and frankly, reading this book stretched my 18 hours of undergraduate economics about as far as they could be stretched, but I was left with an astonishing respect for this economist turned political theorist. How is it possible that Hayek could have escaped my notice for 50 years?

   One hundred and thirty pages are devoted, not to Hayek, but to Austrian school economics (i.e. - subjective value, marginalism, entrepreneurship) and its founder Carl Menger. Caldwell introduces key figures in the Austrian school at length (Bohm-Bawerk, Wieser, and Mises) as well as the chief protagonists of the school (German historical, socialism).

   Into this fray comes Hayek, an ambitious but not a particularly aggressive academic. Any attempt at summarizing Hayek's thought is easily criticized, but from my personal perspective, Hayek seems to have been a master at synthesis. He linked what today would be called cognitive psychology with philosophy to produce an epistemology that is foundational to all his subsequent work. Further, he linked this epistemology with social evolution to explain social advance, social stability, and social institutions and values.

   Epistemologically, Hayek understood human beings to possess a subjective ignorance. He denounced the "rational economic man" as a fiction, but asserted the importance of the free market supply/demand pricing mechanism. Without this pricing mechanism, economic planning was doomed to inefficiency and competitive disadvantage while the individual was cast adrift without any objective anchors with which to make decisions. Without the freedom to pursue subjective goals, however ignorant, there was no individual liberty.

   It was from the random and chaotic subjectively ignorant decisions of the individual that social institutions evolved (i.e. - order out of chaos). The fittest of these social constructs prevail over time and form the framework of stability essential for the maintenance of a free marketplace and for the subjective projection of future value.

   Hayek was awarded a Nobel Prize for economics in 1974 and the American Medal of Freedom in 1992 by then president George Bush, Sr. After spending a semester reading about this man and his ideas, I have become convinced that Hayek is a foundational thinker undergirding the conservative resurgence in America during the past 40 years. It is unlikely that there will ever be a finer intellectual biography than that provided by Caldwell. Everyone interested in social policy, social justice, and contemporary trends should become familiar with this book.

   One last warning, Caldwell writes as an academic for academics. Footnotes abound, and there are four appendices directed at specialists. A lay reader will frequently realize that he cannot appreciate all of the subtle points that Caldwell is making. Despite these facts, this is a readable book worth the effort.




3. First off, I want to echo the other reviewers in my praise for the book. The background in economic history was valuable to me and helps put the work that Hayek did into perspective. Though it may be "academic" (any look at the philosophy behind economics is probably not for the same audience as more instrumental books -- like "How to be successful" or whatever). That being said the book is well written and if anyone is interested in the influence of positivism on economics, the division of psychology and economics into separate disciplines, the roots of socialism and other foundational material, this book presents that information in a logical, clear way.
   
   It cautions at the beginning that Hayek's work was complex and interdependent. There is a tendancy to take a paragraph by Hayek from one place and use it as a representation of the whole, like the blind men and the elephant. I would suggest strongly that to call him foundational in the current US conversativism is probably wrong. One clue is that as an extra to the "Constitution of Liberty" there is an essay by Hayek called "Why I am not a conservative."
   
   Hayek was fascinated with "knowledge" in the sense that somehow humans manage to coordiante activity and believe that we share knowledge, but in reality it is not possible. Each of sees what we see and we do not see what others see. Somehow, unconsciously, we have evolved a way of being able to use the knowledge of others as well as our own.
   
   His argument against socialism was basically that it breaks some of the ways of knowing what others are doing. A standard definition of Economics is that it is about how people make decisions in conditions of scarcity. In other words, there is an assumption that there is never enough to go around. If you think about it, even people with virtually unlimited amounts of money still compete with each other for status and other such things. We are all often in a position that if we choose X, then we cannot have Y.
   
   Hayek thinks that that decision should be left up to the individual. He says that the mistake that people who believe that scientific central planning make is that they believe there is more of a consensus that there is. Someone's choices wind up overriding other's choices. There is more to it than this, but this is the basis of the argument. It is simple and not really one that falls easily on a liberal/conservative spectrum.
   
   It is, however, probably the source of the claim that he is "conservative." Maggie Thatcher was a fan of Hayek as was, apparently, Ronald Reagan. It can be construed that the opposite of governments actively trying manage economies is lazie fare, hands off, anything goes conservativism. But that would be a misreading of Hayek and simply because a conservative likes Hayek's arguments about one topic does not make Hayek a conservative.
   
   There is another point where Hayek would probably diverge widely from current "conservatives." By popular demand the borders in the US are getting tighter. For instance, it is now difficult to come back and forth from Canada, foreign graduate students are looking elsewhere, the "conservative" governor of California (himself an Austrian and alledgedly a fan of Hayek) is supporting vigilanties to prevent border crossings from Mexico. It does not seem that this is condusive to "knowledge" in the sense that Hayek uses it, as something that is distributed throughout humanity.
   
   Hayek's greatest interest was in how we each take our little snapshot of the world and interact with others to build stable social structures without any direction. It is not that someone decides that we should have a structure like such and such, we find that these structures are there and we can all recognize them. In a way, he is talking about the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith. Somehow we coordinate activity so that I can be writing this right now on a computer I got somewhere, a DSL connection and so on and I have not talked to the people involved with making it happen, they have not talked to each other and no one directed them to do it.
   
   Hayek is interested in the rules that make that happen. Now we talk of complex adaptive systems and the idea of "spontaneous order" is widely studied to day. Current work on "connectionist networks" now mention Hayek. He was way ahead of his time.
   
   I also want to point out that even though some call him "the father of libertarianism" he was not against governments making rules that cause markets to function better, for instance, regulation against monopoly. Libertarians were up in arms against the threatened breakup of Microsoft, something Hayek would not have been against in principle.
   
   I hope more people will read this book. It is remarkable how many ideas we think are brand new have been around for a while. This book helped me understand how they got sidelined. It is really a lively book, filled with people as well as ideas, which is important, because sometimes politics trumps insight. Hayek's remarkable ideas are just beginning to be widely noticed and recognizing what is happening is an exciting benefit of this book.



4. I do not know who the target audience was here, but it certainly was not me, and I am a big Hayek fan. This book is way over my head. Perhaps a doctorate in economics or philosophy would make this work easier to read, but I don't think the average intelligent, interested reader will want to struggle though this material. It never comes up for air.



5. This is one of the best non-fiction books I have read in a long time. I have no idea how I came to buy this - I rarely read biographies, consider myself left-wing, am a computer programmer who was educated as a physicist (so have no background in economics), and only vaguely recognise his name - so must assume someone recommended it to me. Whoever that person was: Thank-you!
   
   I think there are two things that makes this such a good read. Most important is the subject matter - Hayek seems to have been a pretty smart chap who was interested by, and contributed to, a wide range of subjects, at a time (the latter 2/3s of the twentieth century) when a lot was happening. And because he kept shifting fields and, to some extent, revising his opinions, you get to watch the evolution of a wide range of disciplines.
   
   So this book touches on subjects like scientific methodology; emergent behaviours; how money acts as a way to signal information; the foundations of economics (do you have to assume everyone is "perfectly greedy", for example?); models of consciousness; evolutionary biology and group selection - interesting problems that are relevant today, presented in a historical context that is extremely helpful in understanding their peculiarities. Maybe it sounds crazy (or stupid), but until I read this book I had no idea how history could be so useful, relevant and informative.
   
   Much credit must also go (my "second reason") to the author - I think this is impressively well written. Caldwell is a very careful guide who takes pains not only to justify what he says, but also gently directs you through what could be a terribly confusing and complex journey by identifying common threads, summarizing discussions, and repeatedly placing everything within its proper context. Please write another book (how about Popper?)!

5 comments about Marilyn, Are You Sure You Can Cook? He Asked: A Memoir.

1. "Marilyn, are you sure you can cook?" is the best written memoir I've ever read. What a fascinating life...told with humor, candidness, and an ability to put words together that makes one think Charles Dickens was whispering in her ear.



2. I savored every page of this smart memoir. Marilyn Lewis' writing is as delicious as her recipes.



3. Anybody in the business world or on the inside track of Los Angeles life knows who Marilyn and Harry Lewis are; their building of the Hamburger Hamlet dynasty is legendary. What makes this truly fascinating book come to life though, is the "true Marilyn" who jumps from the page. With many autobios, you can read it cover to cover and not know a whit more about the real person behind that public visage when you're done.

   Not here. There's a lot more served up than some famous recipes and a few anecdotes; Lewis manages to capture the Zeitgeist of the time in which she and Harry lived and loved; a period of Show Business and Big Business colliding an L.A. full of fashion and film and some sad realities along the way.

   I'd love to give details but I'm not blowing any surprises. Suffice to say the book is a surprise a mix of personal and public life, and every darn thing that happens when you're a woman with boundless talent and the energy of a high school sprinter. For instance, did you know that under a completely different name,in a completely different world, Marilyn Lewis was also famous for something that had nothing to do with her culinary crown? Double-famous in two different worlds: that's not luck. This is an extraordinary woman.

   Marilyn Lewis's own peronal story is downright fascinating; from such humble beginnings she became the Grande Dame of Los Angeles's love for food, fashion, and passion. You can't put Lewis in a box.....her proven "wins" in evrything from film to filet mignon come with a story, a real story, about a real woman who was ahead of her time and made a lot of people plain catch up.

   Written with the class you'd expect from one of the shining stars of Los Angeles social life, Marilyn tosses class and candor like a salad, and the result is a can't-put-it-down page turner.

   I give this prize of a book my highest recommendation. The Marilyn Lewis you're going to meet in this book is probably not who you thought was on the menu. But I'd put her compelling voice and prolific humanity up against any creme brulee in town: Mrs. Lewis emerges like a creme brulee, in fact: a tough cookie and nobody's fool on the outside, and downright delicious, smooth and all class on the inside.

   Give this book a read; it'll show you a Los Angeles (and a world) that may not even be possible anymore.....unless another Marilyn and Harry Lewis show up in town. For now, I'll take the originals....and they're both right here in plaintive sight. Enjoy the meal, and boy, does she know some of the juciest tidbits of Los Angeles's golden age. Enjoy, and don't forget to tip well.




4. Anyone with any sense of the entertainment industry in Hollywood is familar with Hamburger Hamlet. An ancient haven for the Rat Pack and a current haunt for celebs like Matthew Perry and Elton John, it's great to finally have a book that tells us the ups and downs of this great eatery and the two talented people who started it.
   
   Marylin Lewis, not daring to let humility get in the way, spins us through nearly 40 years of burgers, gossip, high fashion and lobster bisque. Her first hand accounts of her own struggles and transformation into the diva of the restaurant industry is nothing short of inspiring.
   
   Heck, this book is almost as good as the burgers and bisque. Thank goodness we still have a few of her old joints still preserved today. My advise? Grab the book, duck into a dark corner booth at the Sunset Strip location, and sink back into the days of legend when a "B" actor and an inspiring dress designer could become the darlings of Sinatra, martinis and a damn good burger.



5. Are you hungry for HAMBURGER HAMLET? Here is the book. The history of HAMBURGER HAMLET as created by Harry & Marilyn Lewis. I'm hungry and ready to drive to the closest one! Or maybe better yet, to a Kate Mantilini or the Gardens on Glendon still the home of the Lewis' cuisine.
   
   & yes her life as Cardinale is also well covered in this story
   
   a great read - now go get that HAMBURGER ( a #9 or a #11 ? which one?? it must be rare-yum)

5 comments about Confucius Lives Next Door: What Living in the East Teaches Us About Living in the West.

1. This book is a fabulous read for those of you that are hardcore Japanophiles or for people that enjoy taking things a cut deeper when learning about a culture.
   
   It's refreshing and a quick read. I'd say it would be important to make notes in the book and possibly highlight. There are great points to which you can refer later.
   
   Do yourself the favor and get this book.
   
   iKnow



2. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It taught me so much about the East Asian culture and how it differs from how I live in America. I would greatly recommend this book to anybody that simply loves to learn.



3. I haven't read the book yet, but it seems as though the author is making conclusions and assumptions about all East Asian countries based on living only in Japan. Yes, statistics will show that most Asian countries have low crime and divorce rates, etc. But, Confucian values haven't been as friendly in places such as South Korea. Sure, they have low crime rates, but strong conservative Confucian values there have cost people their freedom as well as their happiness. They do as they are told because they feel there is no other way. The schools are considered "great" because students do nothing but memorize to pass tests and get high scores. What they actually learn is a different story. Also, the education system in Korea is extremely controlled and they do not encourage free thinking. I know this is just a book that some guy wrote about his personal experience, and we're lucky to have the freedom to write as we choose in the West. But I believe if you are going to try to educate people about an entire area such as all of East Asia, I think one should be a little more "experienced" in each of the countries within that location.



4. Many books on Japan or Asia deal in the military or the schools or the business point of view when dealing with that region of the world. The author decided to deal with the ethics, the ideals and codes of behavior passed down from Confucius. The ideals of respect, group unity and just plain manners. He uses it to try to explain why, for example, when there are problems with the economy there are no links to crime or unemployment. Why? In America and Europe one is always linked to the other.
   This book is a must for anybody interested in Asian history, Japanese culture or how Confucius works on a daily level.



5. Refreshing! Like a cool summer breeze. It's not only fun to read but also informative. It's about Reid's journey to the East with his very western background and family. Be careful! One will experience bursts of laughter while reading this book. Its also about Confucius and its contagious - I could not stop reading it. So, grab a copy! And enjoy it with a cup of Coffee or Tea!

1 comments about "The Spiritual Journey of J. C. Penney".

1. I found this book to be very interesting and easily read. It describes the inner feelings and beliefs of J C Penney and how he applied this to his everyday life and management of his business. I would rate it excellent reading for everyone.

5 comments about Fuqua.

1. J. B. Fuqua is a very inspirational businessman. I enjoyed this book, but he gives very little detail. He mentions these big business deals but thats just it. He ONLY MENTIONS them!!! No doubt in my mind there could be a great book written about Mr. Fuqua, but in my opinion this is not it!



2. Words of wisdom from a man with the experience to back it up. Though not always deep into the intricate details, Fuqua writes enough to let you have an understanding of how he got where he is today. What I learned from this book is that in business almost anything is posible if you are open to suggestions and can think of innovative ideas. I did not expect a step by step how to book but more of an outline for success and that is what I got. I would recommend this book.



3. Considering the era in which we live, when it is better to make money than be honest, a truly principled man is a rare and valuable thing. J. B. Fuqua is just the kind of man we need in these trying times. He is one of the best examples we have today of a man who came from meager means to become one of America's top business minds. His philanthropic work alone merits attention, from establishing the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University to The Atlanta Botanical Garden. A book about a true American original!



4. Yes, this is definitely a well written and informative biography of Mr. Fuqua. It is unfortunate though, that it has the word "how" in the title, as it does not tell you "how" he made his fortune, rather it tells you how HE made HIS fortune, (and that was by using other people's money). It is nevertheless a very good book, that has many smart ideas, as well as moves that he made in his life, which could be imitated, or expanded upon, by others, to fit their situation, and thereby they could possibly make their own fortune. (Case in point: living out in the sticks, nowhere near any library, he figured out a way to get knowledge about subjects otherwise closed to him -by borrowing books through the mail- and this was at a time when phones were almost a luxury!). It may not tell you just how to make a fortune, but it will probably give you a few ideas, or, pointers, to help you in that quest.



5. I was given a signed copy of this book that I promptly shelved for about a year. Such was fortunate, I believe, because when I finally picked it up, the timing could not have been better.

   Reading J.B. Fuqua's memoirs may not give you a "how to" guide to making money, but it most definitely gives you an idea of why Fuqua succeeded: drive. You learn in this book that Fuqua never read books for pleasure though he constantly read books for knowledge. Though I don't subscribe to this particular ideology 100% (maybe more of a 50% knowledge, 50% pleasure mentality), it's easy to see the underlying one-mindedness that such an attitude requires. Fuqua had a goal of being financially successful. I believe he accomplished that goal because he could not busy himself with any other ideas and his thirst was never quenched for success - this easily comes through in his book.

   Everything told, Fuqua's story is enchanting because it is the story of a poor Virgina boy becoming a "mover and shaker" who runs huge companies and befriends Presidents. Read it and feel the urge to find a similar passion that would drive you so far ...

3 comments about Growing Up Guggenheim: A Personal History of a Family Enterprise.

1. The author is a Guggenheim himself and the board president who saw the museum changed from a local New York institution to a world-wide art venture: his background lends an insider's eye and appreciation to GROWING UP GUGGENHEIM: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF A FAMILY ENTERPRISE. His accounts of his grandfather Solomon Guggenheim begins with the museum's founder's achievements and family interactions and tells stories of the institution's evolution within and outside the family. His memoirs of personalities over the decades, controversies which affected its efforts to expand, and the author's own career makes for a colorful series of vignettes which come packed with business financials, insights, and art history. A 'must' for any who would understand the Guggenheim enterprise.



2. This is a wonderful tell all story about one of the most prestigious families in the United States told by a Guggenheim descendant who has been at the helm of the family empire for several decades. It is a historical biography of his family. The chapters on the Guggenheim Museum provide tremendous insight into the creation of the world wide Guggenheim Museum franchise. I enjoyed the chapter on Peggy Guggenheim the most. One learns how she dropped out of the family mainstream to amass a priceless art fortune in Venice Italy which she ultimately bequeathed to the Guggenheim Foundation. I highly recommend this book.



3. PETER LAWSON-JOHNSON HAS CRAFTED A VERY MEMORABLE MEMOIR, WHICH CAN BE ENJOYED BY ART (AND NON-)PATRONS ALIKE WITH EXAMPLES OF SOME WONDERFUL GUGGENHEIM WORKS WITHIN ITS PAGES.....WHAT A TREAT!

No comments about Popcorn King: How Orville Redenbacher and His Popcorn Charmed America.

5 comments about Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordon Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic.

1. "Wheeling the Deal" is a wonderful and cavorting tale about Gordon Zahler, the most unlikely of Hollywood players. His boyhood foreshadowed the rip-roaring life this soon-to-be quadriplegic would live. Every stop sign said "go." Every warning sign signaled an opportunity for a fresh surge of adrenaline. Then a gymnastics accident broke his neck at age 14.
   
   The prognosis was death. But Zahler was both too stubborn to die and too stubborn to let the wheelchair that would become his life-long attachment keep him from living with the fullness he considered his birthright.
   
   Cut off from the sense and pleasure of the rest of his body, Gordon Zahler lived entirely within the confines of his head. With little to do but think, wheelchair-bound Zahler rolled into Hollywood on the strength of his father's considerable collection of musical compositions. After several fits and starts, he eventually broke into Tinseltown in earnest, parlaying his father's musical collection into business relationships with the likes of horror-movie director Ed Wood.
   
   Intoxicated by his success, Zahler wanted more influence, riches and notoriety. In time he built the most active post-production movie and TV house in Hollywood. He and wife Judy's traveled the world and hosted cocktail parties attended by the A-list likes of Sidney Sheldon, Jerry Lewis and Nat King Cole.
   
   He also dreamed up many harebrained schemes that belly-flopped or never got off the ground.
   
   Not all of these recollections are endearing. Zahler was a skinflint, paying his people miserly wages even as his own fortunes piled up. His parsimony ultimately drove away devoted longtime employees. Even those who handled Zahler's most basic human functions were subjected to his volcanic temper. That included his demanding and acidic treatment of his care-giving mother.
   
   "Wheeling the Deal" also deals with family bonds, broken loyalties, cold-blooded murders and lost fortunes, right up to its heartbreaking finish.
   
   Author Chip Jacobs, Gordon Zahler's nephew, bares his insecurities regarding his own membership in a chromosomal lineage that gave rise to his eccentric uncle and a retarded brother - even writing of his own accidental entry into the world.
   
   This is the book Jacobs vowed he was never going to write, despite his mother's exhortations. Uncle Gordon's dying days were a freak show to the young Jacobs, making him about the most unsavory character he could imagine chronicling. Then the 1993 fire that swept the Altadena hills above Los Angeles turned a key Zahler family heirloom to ashes. Three years later, Jacobs covered the Malibu Canyon fire for the Daily News of Los Angeles and had an epiphany in its aftermath. A confluence of timing and events set his own imagination ablaze with the recognition of just how improbable and amazing a life his Uncle Gordon had led. The family lore was captured in newspaper clipping, oral histories, police records and legal documents that attested to the stamp Gordon Zahler put on Hollywood and the people around him.
   
   First-time author Chip Jacobs tends to over-throttle the language in the first 25 pages, but the book quickly settles into solid storytelling with remarkable and engaging scenes, punctuated with endless bursts of energetic and artistic wordplay.
   
   I'm already looking forward to this author's next book, which will tackle the history of smog.
   
   There is a hot new pistol in the publishing industry, and its name is Chip Jacobs.



2. The thing that struck me most about
   Chip Jacobs' fascinating biography of his
   "Hollywood Player" uncle was just how
   un-Hollywood it felt. Certainly there is the
   human interest aspect, involving the tragic,
   early childhood injury that left Gordon
   Zahler bound to a wheelchair for life. Yet
   Mr. Jacobs wisely avoids going overly maudlin
   upon his audience, choosing instead to offer
   up the portrait of a man, so driven by the
   desire to succeed, that a mere physical
   disability could not stand in his way.
   Throughout the course of reading this book, I
   never saw Gordon Zahler as an object of pity;
   there were in fact times when I found him an
   entirely unsympathetic character. But he
   always came across as a human being, with all
   the debilitating flaws, and ennobling traits
   that characterize our species. And that to me
   is what makes a great biography. I look
   forward to Mr. Jacobs' next work.



3. It's one of the most inspirational things one can see in the world - a man who is paralyzed from the neck down deciding that invalidism isn't for him and making something of themselves. "Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordan Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic" is the story of Gordon Zahler, a man who turned himself into one of Hollywood's fast talking and successful idea men who traveled the world, married, and so much more, disregarding his condition and living life to the fullest he possibly could. "Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordon Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic" is a brilliant and uplifting true story and is highly recommended for anyone in a similar position or has a relative there - to open their eyes to the possibilities.



4. A Remarkable Tale!
   
   Wheeling the Deal is a tale of "paraplegic conquers adversity." At first blush this seems like a cliché. After all, we live in an ADA, blue-parking-space, curb-cut world where public policy offsets such handicaps with a cornucopia of government programs and grants. But, wait! This was in the 1940s, when people in that condition didn't even survive, let alone strive. Gordon Zahler should be dead, not the subject of a biography a half century later. And yet, against all odds, he clung to life after his sports field accident, and after a black period of depression and self-pity contrived a plan for economic survival which turned him into an entertainment industry icon. It really is a story worth the telling, and his story is told by a gifted Southern California journalist and kinsman, Chip Jacobs. Jacobs tells the story poignantly and eloquently in a book well worth a night stand berth.
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. This is one of those books that will take you a good week or so to read through (if you are an avid reader - if not, maybe a little longer). It's a big book, in more ways than one. You will want to sink your teeth into this one, savor it, roll it around in your head. I have so much I want to say about this book, but I don't want to give too much away, so I'll do the best I can...
   
   There are so many sides to Gordon in this book, to the free-living child with mischief on his mind, to the depressed man with little to no time to live, to the man who wants to live life to the fullest, and there and back again and every shade in between. I'm not sure I really liked any of the Gordons presented in this book. It wasn't about me liking him or not, it was more about who he was and a feeling of "wow, he really did all that" and "wow, he was supposed to be dead a couple of decades ago". Heh, reminds me of what we used to say about certain family members - "too mean to die". I usually have a hard time reading a book when I honestly don't like the main character, but the writing of this really made a big difference for me.
   
   I never could reconcile Judy for myself. The author speaks very low of her when she is introduced, but I found myself feeling sorry for her at times. Yes, I know, she didn't always have the best intentions, I'm sure, but I dunno... something about her still bugs me and I can't figure out what it is.
   
   I think I felt the worst for Muriel. I know, everything turns out like it should, but I felt like she was so... pushed aside. In some ways, perhaps the author felt the same way with his brother. It just seemed like Muriel's life got derailed more than it should have. Then again, this WAS the 1940s, so... it was what it was, right?
   
   I also wish there were more splashes of the author's side of the story in here. I felt like I was cheated a little bit because the common lines were very subtle. Probably on purpose, but I still wanted more of what was going on.
   
   Having said that... this author is one to watch. The writing is beautiful and grabbed me from the very start. But more than that, it felt honest. When he's at the fire with his family members, I was there with him. I felt that heat.
   
   Good book. Grab it, toss it on your bedside table and savor it.

4 comments about Sam Spiegel: The Incredible Life and Times of Hollywood's Most Iconoclastic Producer, the Miracle Worker Who Went from Penniless Refugee to Showbiz Legend, and Made Possible The African Queen, On the Waterfront, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and Lawrence of Arabia.

1. Astonishing mistake in the Editorial Review above. That Natasha Fraser could be called a "French journalist" boggles the mind, since her father was the British M.P. Hugh Fraser, her mother is Lady Antonia Fraser (herself daughter of the Earl and Countess of Longford), and her mother is married to Harold Pinter! Authors all.

   This woman comes from as distinguised a line of BRITISH authors as can be imagined.




2. I found this book difficult to read much less follow. I have a great interest in "old" Hollywood and have read many books on the subject. This book would be at the bottom of the list.



3. I have a deep interest for history, especially Hollywood history, and Sam Spiegel is a name that crops up all over the place and, until now, has really garnered very little attention in the way of biography relative to his peers. Natasha Fraser-Cassavoni had a personal relationship with Spiegel (he produced a film based on a play by her stepfather Harold Pinter) and is perhaps as qualified as anyone to write the life story of this great producer.

   The problem is, although his catalog of films can stand alongside that of anyone in the history of the industry, as a person he doesn't really have any particular standout characteristics that make you take any real interest in him beyond his work. Instead he seems to fit the bill as the stereotype of the Hollywood producer and maybe that alone is enough to make him interesting, but it doesn't come across. The best chapters focus on the films, not the man. There's no denying he was very good at what he did, but this book proved a supreme disappointment simply because I came away not knowing anything more than what I could have learned from a basic filmography. Three stars is a more than generous rating but I give it that because the films are worth the analysis.




4. I just finished reading the book two days ago. Sam Spiegel's story is, in many ways, as epic as his films. Narrow escapes from Germany and Austria, jailed an expelled from both the U.K. and U.S., he managed to be welcomed back to all places, as well as being welcomed as a Jewish movie producer in 1960s Jordan. At his best, he was one of the sharpest film minds ever for finding stories and talent on both sides of the camera. And that he spanned the late 30s to the 1980s makes him an important figure, let alone his four best known productions. Ms. Fraser tracked down and spoke with a lot of people to paint this portrait, and, even including his film work it isn't pretty. She does not hold back the punches regarding what could euphemistically be called Spiegel's sexual peccadilloes, let alone his two-faced, manipulative dealings with people. Yet few in the book profess other than to love and admire the fan, even knowing his faults. An earlier review said that he fit into the stereotype of the average Hollywood producer. I would disagree. Sam Spiegel was the mold for the stereotype. Others are pale imitations. He was bigger, brasher and bolder than Goldwyn, Mayer and Selznick combined. I hate to say that it is not a brilliant book, but it is a well researched, well written and important portrait of someone who was truly a one of a kind film maker.

5 comments about No Elbow Room.

1. Kenneth writes a detailed and fascinating read. What an experience. Having stayed in Japan myself for a while, I found No Elbow Room to confirm some things I had suspected about living in Japan. Great book!



2. Fun, Fun, Fun. A funny and informative documentary of first-hand experiences in Japan. A must if you are considering working for a few years for a company in Tokyo. Also a must if you want to get insight into the workings of a culture totally different from American and European cultures. The illustrations are hilarious. The book is precise with marvelous drawings. There are informative comments on improving the lot of women in Japan. Be prepared for a fun ride!



3. No Elbow Room is a quick and informative read into the Cultural mind set of Japanese relationships. It opens up for examination a world of contradicting correctness and sheds light on some of my own experiences in Japan. You will read it from cover to cover enjoying the wonderful illustrations and lighthearted humor.



4. Do you ever find yourself in a large bookstore overwhelmed by the sheer number of titles, and wonder how so many new ideas continue to emerge in such mass quantity? Well, this is one of those books that keep us returning to bookstores with faith in the fact that we will not always leave disappointed! This book is unique in its perspective on a subject I am interested in as a professor of international business (Zicklin School of Business; Baruch College, City University of New York) - cross cultural understanding. Written in a pen indicative of ample experience in Japan's corporate world, yet from an outside Western perspective, it reveals nuances of Japanese business culture that only an expatriate can easily discern. "No Elbow Room" is blunt to a pain yet carefully objective and fair in its exposé of little known tidbits of Japanese culture and business protocol outside of the Island nation itself. Yet while set in Japan, I found myself easily adapting lessons learned to virtually any cross-cultural setting, prompting me to list this book as required reading in my "Foreign Markets, Cultures, Regimes" class. This is a self-authored text, that no doubt a large publishing house will soon discover and market to the masses. The book is short (179 pages) and a quick yet informative read. I recommend it for not just international business scholars, but as an aid for sociology class discussions, gender-relations discussions, for anyone interested in international relations, and particularly for anyone wishing to travel to Japan, particularly from the West. And if you think you're well traveled and immune to culture shock, you must pick up this book!



5. I really enjoyed reading this book, it gives a good insight of the Japanese society from a foreigner's point of view, who lived and worked in Japan for several years.
   This only problem is that it's from the early 1990's and some things have changed since...