5 comments about William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever.

1. As an American living in London, I am treated to Robert Jobson's Royal coverage in the Evening Standard. Now, after reading his book, I am really looking forward to his articles covering the surely soon to be royal marriage of William and Kate. I hope before long he will share with us his speculations on her engagement ring. Will it be an heirloom or a new design? The intrigue of a Royal Wedding!



2. WILLIAM'S PRINCESS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROMANCE THAT WILL CHANGE THE MONARCHY is a pick for any who love the British Royal Family and want to know the latest. Such an audience may already be aware of Prince William's love life; but WILLIAM'S PRINCESS delves deeper into the romance and what it will mean for the monarchy overall, and is a satisfying exclusive account of how it happened. Public libraries will find it a popular leisure lend.



3. I didn't think it was necessary to write this book until - and if - William and Kate are married. I enjoy reading about Diana, William and Harry, but it just wasn't as interesting as I expected.



4. Prince William and Kate Middleton had dated for many years and actually lived together for a while also, but considering the track record of the royal men up till now I think that the author should have waited to see if this relationship would lead to marriage (which it oviously did not) before writing a book with this title.



5. I am a big Fan of Princess Diana and collect anything and everything I can
   of her. Since her death, I have followed stories on her sons and I admire
   them alot and think Prince William is doing a great job of keeping his
   Mother's legend alive and with his new love interest, she is adorable and
   I know Princess Diana would love her as a daughter in law. I enjoyed this
   book so much and if anyone is a great Fan like me of the Royal family to
   learn so much about what Diana and the boys are like, you'll love this
   book! Tami

5 comments about Stanwyck.

1. No matter what Axel Madsen writes about Barbara Stanwyck, I find her to be someone I would love to have met and known. He tries to make her "toughness" sound like something negative; but, as a matter of fact, I admire that quality about Stanwyck. She was tough, she was strong, she was independent, she was sharp, and she was a brilliant actress. Her vulnerability, still visible beneath that tough facade, always goes straight to my heart, somehow. She couldn't help the facts of her early life, her being an orphan, poor, abandoned by her father...the woman's drive to succeed was phenomenal and she should be remembered for that, for her refusal to wallow in self-pity, and for her professionalism, both on and off the screen. I've always loved her and I always will. She was a private person; her personal life was her personal life, entirely her own business. Her refusal to "let it all hang out" should be copied by today's "actresses," as I loosely call them. The book is laced with mistakes about the facts of her life. But, as these books go, I'll have to admit it isn't as lurid or as vicious as some of them are. Madsen seems to own up to a grudging respect for Stanwyck; that's a step in the right direction.



2. What can you say about a "biography" that uses articles from the National Enquirer for some of his information? This book is badly written with tons of speculation but little solid information. The author clearly wants Stanwyck to come across as a fool. There's scarcely a word about how beloved the actress was on her film sets and at the studios but plenty of conjecture about her private life. Madsen is outrageously inconsisent. On one page he tries to paint Stanwyck as a closeted lesbian, on the next she is absolutely obsessed with her ex-husband Robert Taylor (how many lesbians do you know who won't let go of an ex-husband?) Similarly, he pushes an image of Stanwyck as a Bible thumping right-wing fanatic which again hardly seems to fit with his image of Stanwyck as a hardcore dyke. Lesbians will no doubt be as offended as everyone else for the negative spin he puts forth. I suspect Madsen is smart enough to know the gay rumors about both Stanwyck and Taylor are bogus but they are a strong starting point if one wants to write an salacious book. He barely acknowledges Stanwyck's talent and seems to not admire anything about her.



3. Biography can be a tricky thing. It's inherently gossipy, inherently exploitative. A biographer opens herself up to accusations of slander when she writes without cooperation from her subject, to accusations of pandering when she writes with it. Perhaps more importantly, a human life--any human life--is too nuanced and fickle a thing to be completely reduced to words. This is especially true when the biographer aims not just to plot a step-by-step map of the subject's life, but to expose his or her inner demons, as Axel Madsen endeavors to do in his biography of Barbara Stanwyck.
   
   Ultimately Stanwyck proves too elusive and complicated a subject to present a clear picture, but that's no reflection on Madsen. Instead, it's a reflection on Stanwyck. There may never have been a movie star more protective of her privacy or more prickly when it came to talking about her feelings and foibles. Stanwyck would have despised Madsen's biography, not necessarily because what it says isn't true, but because she hated being talked about, hated being stared at and prodded like a laboratory specimen. Some of this probably goes back to her childhood, which was by all accounts one of the most miserable a future Hollywood star ever had.
   
   Stanwyck's reticence may account for some of the seeming structural problems with Madsen's book. For one thing, the book is frustratingly short on direct quotes and named human sources. This might be due to laxness on Madsen's part--or it might signal that he received no cooperation from Stanwyck's friends--but it seems equally likely that many of his sources simply refused to be quoted or named, perhaps not wanting to be thought to have betrayed Stanwyck. In any case, the lack of quotes adds more uncertainty to an already uncertain subject: we are never sure whether Madsen is reporting what he was told or his own conclusions drawn from what he was told.
   
   Some would accuse Madsen of outright fabrication--especially in his page-and-a-half treatment of Stanwyck's possible bisexuality, which has somehow dominated all discussion of his 400+ page book. Indeed, for whatever reason, there's never been a star whose putative heterosexuality has been more hotly championed than Stanwyck's. Not Cary Grant, not Errol Flynn, not even Kate Hepburn--Kate Hepburn, for pity's sake!!!--has been "defended" so vigorously against similar charges. You'd think Madsen had questioned Mom and Apple Pie, or accused John Wayne of wearing girl's panties under his chaps.
   
   In fact, however, Madsen neither fabricated the rumors about Stanwyck's bisexuality nor lifted them from tabloids. Stanwyck's own press agent has been quoted as saying that she had "no doubt" that Stanwyck was "intimate" with Joan Crawford on "more than one occasion." (Lawrence J. Quirk, Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography). Tallulah Bankhead reportedly claimed to have had an affair with Stanwyck. (David Bret, Tallulah Bankhead: A Scandalous Life). So, incidentally, have men, including Robert Wagner, who is more than 20 years Stanwyck's junior.
   
   Of course, any or all of these claims might be false, but that doesn't mean a biographer has to ignore them. Unproven statements are all the evidence there is ever likely to be about a person's sexuality. Moreover, sexuality is no less a part of a person's life simply it might make other people--or even the subject himself--uncomfortable. Bisexuality is not a disease, but even if it were, a biographer would still be entitled to explore evidence of it after her subject's death. If a life story is to have any value at all, it must be allowed to track the full range of life experiences. Anything else isn't life, but someone's sham idea of what life "should" be.
   
   That said, Madsen struggles and ultimately fails to describe Stanwyck's life below the surface: what drove her, how she thought, what feelings she had about whom. Madsen suggests that Stanwyck said virtually nothing publicly that wasn't scripted, nothing privately that might have left her vulnerable. He implies, moreover, that she couldn't have begun to open up if she'd wanted to, that she simply didn't know how. That seems believable enough: Stanwyck had virtually no formal education, virtually no stable family relationships, especially in early childhood. The hurts from her early life may have simply been too deep; maybe the reason we can't know Stanwyck from her biographies is that no ever quite knew her, because she couldn't let them.
   
   If this is true, it isn't fair to besmirch Madsen's book because of it. His book has flaws, but he's given us the best psychological study of Stanwyck to date, and very likely the best we'll ever get.



4. Flat, passionless, lazy, pointless...I don't think there are enough words in the English language to communicate that this is a completely crap biography. Why did Axel Madsen even bother? He doesn't seem to have any enthusiasm for his subject. He gets so lazy in points that he gets concrete facts wrong. (Barbara DID share a scene with Ava Gardner in "East Side, West Side" - did he not even bother to watch Miss Stanwyck's movies?) It's like he wanted the money, researched which actress hadn't had a biography written on her in awhile and decided he would pound out some boring pages on this one. Just look at the title - "Stanwyck" - it just screams passion project!
   
   Barbara Stanwyck was a fascinating mixture of brains, beauty, talent, humility and guts. She had a hell of a rough life but never outwardly felt sorry for herself. She gave intelligent, honest and layered performances in every movie she worked on, no matter the quality of the overall picture. Many of the great directors and leading men of her time site Barbara Stanwyck as the greatest actress they ever worked with. They don't say it in trite statements, they gush about her for paragraphs. She deserves something far better than this rubbish. Hopefully a more thoughtful biographer will come along some day and do her the justice she deserves. But Axel Madsen seems to think the world of himself and not much of anything for poor Missy. Well, in the words of Miss Stanwyck herself: "Egotism - usually just a case of mistaken nonentity." Go ahead and ignore this one.



5. This man seems so intent to defame Stanwyck's name is subtle, deragatory ways. His sources are unbelievable.....the tabloids?????? Come on, that should say something right there about his credibility as an author.
   
   Stanwyck was a legend and had to much class to be relegated to garbage like this from someone who obviously felt like he had to make some money off a great film star's life but failed to research his subject adequately and got most of his information from other biographies already published about her and of course...the tabloids..."The National Enquirer", "The Star" and "The Globe".
   
   Mr. Madsen ought to be ashamed of himself for taking a great subject and making a book about her life mediocre. If Stanwyck were alive she'd slap his face and spit on it too!

5 comments about King of Clubs: Grow Rich in More Than Money.

1. The lives of every person who reads this book will be enriched regardless of their age!!!!! The book is informative, interesting and entertaining! Great gift for anyone in your life! If flows as you read it and you won't want to put it down! Treat yourself to a wonderful experience!!!!!



2. This book is a wildly self-indulgent extension of every cliche in other people's books. It's truly banal. I agree, however, with the reviewer who said it could be worthwhile "for those who do not read a lot."



3. Miss DeLoach truly got into the head of a truly remarkable man! The book has everything, facts, figures, sad and happy times - all laced with humor. Couldn't put it down!



4. The book was bought for my son-in-law, but I couldn't resist reading it first. I am truly glad that I did as it is sure to improve my skills with dealing with people as it will yours when you read it!



5. Reading this captivating book was a pleasure!!!!! I feel as though I personally know this wonderful man now. SUCH AN AUTHOR to capture him!!!!!

5 comments about Remembering Walt.

1. The pictures were nice. I'm a big Dinsey fan so I pretty much enjoyed this book. It told what people who worked with him thought about him. I gave the book four stars because there were some bad words.



2. This is definately a winner! Great little gems from Walt Disney's family, closest friends and colleagues. The pictures are equally wonderful. Great candid shots and personal family photos. This man had more character than Mickey Mouse himself!



3. This lavishly illustrated tribute --- first published in 1999 and now released as an oversized trade paperback --- is a must for diehard Disneyites. (Dig the vintage, time-worn color
   cover photo of Uncle Walt, with Cousin Oscar clearly in view.) Amy Boothe Green and Howard Green's text is nothing more than quote after quote from Walt's pals, peers, co-stars, family and friends, all of whom (surprise!) praise The Man Who Would Be King. But it's the vast array of black-and-white and color photographs --- many rare and many never-before-seen, all of which are stuffed into the pages --- that make this a winner. Walt as a young boy. Walt as a young man. Walt at play. Walt at work. Walt with family. Walt with friends. Walt with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Walt with Hayley Mills. Walt with Shirley Temple. Walt with Annette Funicello, who provides the book's most poignant quote: "When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis ... I thought,. "If Mr. Disney were here, I could ask him what I should do. He would know." And, of course, Walt with the Mouse and the Mouseketeers. Noting goofy here. Except Goofy.



4. This book is exactly as one would expect by reading the title. It's just quote after quote from people who knew Walt Disney best. I liked that many of his former employees were interviewed. Since I was familiar with some of the animators, imagineers, and actors it made it a more personal thing for me when reading this book. There are also many pictures that show Walt during all the different periods of his life, though the majority of them are during his successful years heading the Disney corporation. I share the sympathy of another reviewer who said that after reading this book they wished they had known Walt Disney. I think a person who really admires the Disney empire will share the same sentiments about the man who dared to dream.



5. I was very happy while reading this book. I found all the things Walt's aquaintances had to say about him very interesting and credible. Very little seemed sugar coated (as Disney personel seem to be sometimes). I would make the assumption that Walt's personality was portrayed correctly by the many people that knew him. Throughout the course of reading this book I kept thinking about the quote that one amazon reviewer said that made me buy this book in the first place, "makes me wish I knew that man."

5 comments about Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia.

1. I didn't know that the author was related to the subjects of the biography until half-way through the first chapter. This relationship allows him access to many never-before studied historical documents, mostly letter between the sisters; however, it also provides him with an unfortunate bias. Within the first chapter, it seemed to me that he was stumbling over himself to extoll the virtues of his grandmother and her family. According to Fox, each of the sisters seems just about perfect in chapter 1, with the exception of Nancy, who is introduced as both needy and powerful and, honestly, sounds like the most (I almost want to say only) interesting sister in the bunch.
   
   I might have read further to see if there was further character development, but I was completely put off by what I saw as the author's disregard of historical fact in order to agrandize his own family. For example, I would enjoy reading more about Nancy Astor, as long as it was free of attempts to surreptitiously convince me that the Langhorne family slaves were really part of the family and they loved their masters. While I'll agree that Nancy Astor reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara, I think it's important to remember that Mammy and Big Sam are ultimately literary conventions and that the image of southern gentility painted in novels like "Gone with the Wind" is just that - an image.
   
   Additionally, while I'm sure it is admirable that his grandfather, Bob Brand, realized that forcing the Germans to pay reparations would breed economic and social instability, he was certainly not "almost a lone voice in trying to persuade the Allies." In fact, one of Brand's colleagues and an influencial economist of the day, John Maynard Keynes, not only recognized this, but also wrote an essay on the subject published in, I think, 1920 or 1921. In doing a Google search for "Bob Brand" and "The Wisest Man in the Empire," it appears that the only record on the Internet of this pseudonym is in this very book. While I'm sure that Mr. Brand was intelligent and influencial in his career, I found the author's idolization of his grandfather to be extremely self-serving.
   
   If you're looking for a book about sisters or about women in history who had to juggle their national and familial obligations with their own desires, fears, and personal weaknesses, check out "Victoria's Daughters" by Jerrold M. Packard. It's set around the same time-period, and there are even five sisters. It's not perfect, but I felt the character development was much more carefully done and the book is not so historically fluffy.



2. I had more fun looking at the pictures.
   
   To say I struggled through this book would be the understatement of the year. The teaser is "Gone With The Wind meets Pride and Prejudice". Really? Where? The text begins strong, with a gripping narrative about a family destroyed by the Civil War fighting to restore themselves and their fortunes to their prior grandeur. After covering the marriages of the five daughters, however, the text diminishes into a muddled mess of historical details interspersed with personal correspondence between the main players. I found myself skipping pages, sometimes entire chapters, in the hopes of finding something intriguing. Every now and then I'd be rewarded - a page or two about Bobbie's homosexuality and the resulting consequences; Winkie's boozing and recklessness with his money; Lizzie living luxuriously and expecting her wealthier kin to foot the bill. But these wonderful nuggets were few and far between.
   
   The main source of my discontent with this book was its focus on Nancy (Langhorne) Astor. How about equal playing time for everyone? There were five sisters, so why devote so much time, energy, and space to the acid-tongued malcontent of the family? I understand her social importance, but at the same time her harshness and cruelty reverberated through the family with devastating effects. Personally I would have liked to see more of fun-loving, free spirit Nora and level-headed, sensible Irene. Seems they only appear when something's gone wrong.
   
   BTW, I never finished the book. Couldn't bring myself to do it.



3. If you love the Mitford's of England you will love the Langhornes of Virginia. When I traveled to Virginia as a very young woman I kept hearing about them and finally I discovered Nancy Lancaster. These women changed the world and are a role model for me. You will love these stories written by a nephew and son who lived it first hand. Another world......long gone.



4. The only reason I bought the book is because the sisters are/were (whatever) cousins of mine. So, for me personally, being able to read more about them all was very interesting. That said, even if someone is a history buff - and I am - I can't imagine the general population being that interested in this book. I'm not that sure that the Langhornes during that time period were at all typical.
   
   However, as for a good bit of the other criticisms, you really can not lift these characters out of their time and examine them under todays light. Think of all the things we here now could be judged for in 100 years from now. You must leave historical figures in their own context as we should be allowed to remain in ours.



5. I can't agree enough with the articulate, erudite reviewers who rated this book highly. I came to read it simply because - as a interior-decoration fiend - I wanted the Nancy Lancaster angle. I never liked her Aunt Nancy, had never been impressed with Phyllis Brand or Irene Gibson, thought Lizzie was kinda pitiful, and knew little about Nora. But this book! OMG! The story of these women's lives is the whole 20th century in the flesh. I don't mind admitting that I teared up big-time at certain points of the story (the snowdrops!) and that I thought the end...Bobbie Shaw headed for Fort Augustus...was one of the most masterful, powerful, beautifully-written denouments I have ever experienced! I cannot rate this book highly enough!

No comments about Edith Head's Hollywood: 25 Anniversary Editon.

5 comments about The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst.

1. William Randolph Hearst was loved and hated by millions. He became one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. He ran for President, created one of the grandest homes ever built, and lived one of the most complex, fascinating lives of the 20th century. Loving and devoted to his wife, Millicent, and their five children on the East Coast, he lived openly with his mistress, Marion Davies, on the West Coast. An avid supporter of unions and the "common man," he was one of the most ruthless "barons" and fought unions, communism and Franklin Roosevelt ferociously. He was the first to "vertically integrate" his businesses, leveraging the same material in newspapers, magazines, newsreels and movies. What a life!
   
   If they know anything about Hearst at all, most people think they know him from Orson Welles' movie, "Citizen Kane." While "Kane" is, without doubt, one of the very best films ever made (if you haven't seen it, by all means rent the DVD! It's fantastic!) it is unfortunately a terribly shallow and vindictive caricature of the real man. Welles was associated with political movements that had labeled Hearst "public enemy number one" in the 1930's, and the film reflects his point of view.
   
   While Hearst was selfish and ego-manical, his rampant collecting also saved vast warehouses of art and antiques from destruction, creating his "Enchanted Hill" in San Simeon, California. In 1959, when his estate gave the property to California as a park, it was valued at $55 million, and it is by far the most extraordinary personal residence ever built in the United States. If you haven't seen in, put it on your life-list of things to see!
   
   But why read the book? Here's my short list of essential reasons: (1) He was a man of courage. It's easy to disagree, or even have contempt for, many of his opinions and actions but he stood by them. (2) He was a visionary and many of the positions he advocated were ahead of his time. Our world today looks remarkably similar to what he predicted, and we can learn from that. (3) He was extraordinarily resilient. When his personal foibles combined with the depression to drive him nearly bankrupt in the late 1930's, he fought back. He never gave up.
   
   Nasaw does a remarkable job of telling a complex story and I found the book highly readable. This is great history and an inspiring story. To understand the 20th century, and to be personally inspired, read this book. You'll be richer for it.



2. I loved this book. I find Hearst fascinating. Imagine being such an important, rich and busy man--and he just loved playing solitaire and buying beautiful furnishings and accessories for his great ranch. I think he contributed a lot to society and I really enjoyed reading most of it. The political and parts where he got involved with the war, etc., I kind of either read over or skipped past as those parts of books come to an easy conclusion without having to read all the gory details. I wanted to read about the substance of what made a guy like this tick. I think I got a good idea of him through Nasaw's book.



3. This book is much more than I thought it would be. I'm really enjoying all the detail and learning so much. Life was so different back then and it's fascinating to be "transported" back to another time and another class.



4. An excellent, well-written book chronicling the life and times of an individual who may well belong in the first-tier, and certainly at least in the second-tier, of the most influential Americans of the twentieth century. The writing is lively, vivid and engaging. The times in which he lived are carefully woven into the story Mr. Hearst's evolution of thought and action over his life, demonstrating what an inconsistent, cipher of a man he really was. Much attention is paid to the many different characters surrounding "The Chief", which only adds to the overall high-quality of the book. A must read before visiting San Simeon.



5. This book is a real winner! What a whirlwind of a life! I loved it!

5 comments about Mrs. Kennedy: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years.

1. Barbara Leaming is clearly a competent biographer. She quotes credible sources, has done extensive study of primary documents, and writes in an informed and objective way about her subjects.
   
   In "Mrs. Kennedy," these biography-writing skills sometimes result in fascinating reading. As an admirer of Jackie's persona, style, and intelligence, I loved learning little-known facts about her emotionally turbulent upbringing and the psychological reasons behind her univerally admired sense of style. The changing thoughts she had about politics, her masterful way of managing cultural and social elements of the White House, and the important diplomatic role she played in her husband's administration were also well-explored.
   
   But after that, there's little left to admire about "Mrs. Kennedy." First of all, Jackie is not the main character that she is advertised to be in the book's title. It almost seemed like the author recounted JFK's actions, failures, and relentless womanizing during the presidency and only then talked about how Jackie reacted to these things.
   
   This was very disappointing, especially to a reader like me who is primarily interested the Kennedy women and not the male side of the family. The intense focus on JFK's life during this period also resulted in horrifically boring sections of the biography that delved far too deeply into events like the Cuban Missile Crisis...events that hardly involved Jackie.
   
   Finally, although JFK's callous womanizing would have definitely affected Jackie's life profoundly, Leaming's habit of constantly mentioning each of the "other" women and describing their affairs became aggravatingly redundant. It made it appear like Leaming had nothing more compelling to say about Jackie herself.
   
   Unless you have a penchant for dull textbooks or want to read everything published about JFK, skip the deceptively titled "Mrs. Kennedy."



2. I am surprised to see so many customer reviews complaining about this book's supposed over emphasis on Mr., rather than Mrs Kennedy. The discussion of Jack's politics, personality, and philandering provide crucial insights into the Kennedy marriage and the choices Jackie made, form her public role as First Lady to her private activities with the children, etc. The research that went into this book is so exhaustive. Using various primary sources, Leaming recreates the Kennedy White House in a second-by-second timeline, bringing the history and the people involved to life in a way that no biography (at least none that I've ever read) has. Far from boring, this account is riveting! I was especially enthralled by the section on the birth and death of Patrick, the Kennedys' third child. The level of detail on these several days' events is amazing. I couldn't put this book down. If you are interested in placing Jackie in a larger historical context, while still getting plenty of details about her personal life, vices, sex appeal and fashion sense, then this bio is a must.



3. While Barbara Leaming turned out a decent, albeit tabloidesque, book on Jackie here, there is some halfway decent info. on the Secret Service contained herein, courtesy of an agent I spoke to, as did Seymour Hersh: Larry Newman. Good for the collection (and Newman's remarks).
   Vince Palamara
   Secret Service expert, History Channel, author of 2 books, in over 32 other author's books, etc.



4. I have read dozens of books on the Kennedys, and I found this one to be different from most. Aside from the many fascinating details about the day to day lives of the Kennedys in the White House, the author includes her own psychological insights on the marriage, and on Jack and Jackie individually. I found her insights to be extremely perceptive and she explained a lot of things that, before now, have gone unexplained. For example, by all accounts, Jackie was extremely intelligent. Why then does she appear so docile and almost little-girlish when being interviewed? Why did Jackie tolerate her husband's infidelities, and were they in fact in love, or were the Kennedy's just a public act for the benefit of JFK's political career? The answers and insights into these questions, and the details backing them up were fascinating to me, and I think anyone interested in the subject of Jackie Kennedy would enjoy this book.



5. I have always admired Jackie and I found this book to be a sensitive work about her life. It does not cover up her struggles and highlights.
   I finished the book still being her admirer.

5 comments about Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream.

1. I am ofcourse in love with Celine Dion, so I was a bit biased at first. Reading this book took me through her life from the very start, and through her stardom. Her love with Rene Angelil, her feelings for this man 26 years her senior, her view of the world, of popularity, of discipline most of all, and of her working hard and intense attitude, I fell in love with her all over again. I can't recommend the book enough, but then again, you have to love Celine the way I do to appreciate her book as much!! :)



2. I did find this book to be enjoyable at times and boring in parts as well:
   
   I found Celine's early years of family/homelife interesting and oh my did she and her mother (her siblings as well) worked their butts off (and her manager/now husband Rene) to get Celine to where she is today.
   
   I think the reader might take the "I'm rich and I deserve it" the wrong way (maybe the French translation into English). Yes, she admits she is rich and yes she does talk about decorating homes and her fairytale wedding and renewing her vows, but I she realizes that she grew up poor and to give back, etc (she gave her siblings $$, etc).
   
   I found Celine to be heartfelt and truthful. She admits she doesn't hide "things" from the press/friends (such as fertility problems), she admits that she was kind of spoiled growing up, and she did finally come out and tell the world she was in love with her manager Rene.
   
   Around the age of 17 or so (earlier maybe) Celine describes her "fantasies" and movies she made up in her head about her manager Rene. She realized she was in "love" with him. I think she went a little in detail,(this sometimes gets boring), etc. I don't know what to think of it. Rene maybe didn't realize or didn't want to realize her attraction to him and his to her (he goes away to fix his marriage which ends up in divorce, his 2nd wife was fed up with this workaholic/gambling ways). When she was 18 I think it offical came out between the two of them that they were "in love." Rene and her mother do question the 26 year age difference (and the twice divorce thing as well). What I took out of the "love" relationship is it is extremely power and important to her and age doesn't make a difference.
   
   Celine outlines that she indeed is strong and independent and Rene did guide her on the path of stardom but she is more than capible in making her own decisions.
   
   All in all an ok book. it seems unfinished, and rushed little, and it needs a sequel. It leaves off during her pregnancy. I think the real meaning could have gotten lost in translation from French to English as well.
   
   Anyway an ok read and I read it in a few days and I'm a die-hard Celine Fan!
   
   That's my review for celine Dion, My Story, My Dream.



3. From someone who is a huge fan of Celine's music - from her early work to her most recent, this book was not what I was expecting.
   It was a very easy read - almost like a fairytale. It was great thru the beginning of the book, but even her adult years were portrayed like they were thru the eyes of a small child. This doesn't bode well for my opinion of Celine as an adult, who spends half the book trying to assert her independence "because Rene wouldn't want me that way" if she didn't.
   
   As for the love story between her and Rene - again, I liked the early years. She admitted she didn't think much of him when she met him- hey, she was just a kid then. Talked about Anne Marie, etc. What this book is missing is things like how she dealt with breaking their relationship to his adult children, how she relates to them good and bad, and how she justifies such great lengths for a child with a man who has already raised two.
   
   Again, this story seems to brush over these kinds of topics in favor of defending Rene. We didn't read the book for Rene, we read it for her. She was real about her childhood. Not so real about her adult life.



4. If you love Celine or admire her or whatever, you'll enjoy her story. The idiot critic Solinas wants to trash Celine and Rene and nary gives a thought to maybe Celine is not obligated to share any of this personal info. with us... Celine bares all, lives under the scrutiny of the public and idiots like Solinas who insist they know better. I could also criticize Celine for not following her Catholic faith better, but you know I pray for her and I still enjoy her sharing so much of her intimate dreams and feelings and thank her for sharing and that's all - IT IS A GOOD READ, but if you don't like her then simply leave her alone- she doesn't ask for your approval -she is giving here, I for one appreciate that... THANKS CELINE AND THANKS RENEE - CELINE IS IN A CLASS BY HERSELF as far as I'm concerned.



5. I loved this book. It is well written and an easy read. I read the book in one day. This may be the only book written about Celine that truly explores the romantic side of her relationship with her husband Rene Angelil. I would highly recommend it for Celine Dion fans.

5 comments about Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.

1. Desmond Tutu can beg for peace all day, and he's lucky if he gets a squib in the press. Let George Clooney stand next to him, and the whole world perks up. And you can say all you like that American culture is shallow and that our cult of celebrity makes it impossible for serious ideas to get a hearing --- but even as you say it, surely you realize what a total bore you've become.
   
   America is what it is. Celebrities rule.
   
   So Abigail Pogrebin set out to interview Jews whose names you know to discuss their religious beliefs and practices. Very clever. A theologian talks, we snore. But 62 Jews from Hollywood (Dustin Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, Kyra Sedgwick), the Supreme Court (Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer), television (Sarah Jessica Parker, William Shatner), journalism (Mike Wallace), fashion (Diane Von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole), and sports (Mark Spitz, Shawn Green)? Tell us more.
   
   For those who know celebrities, the punch line should not be surprising: The famous are very much like regular people. That is, it's all about them. On other topics, like their religion, they're a lot of talk and not a lot of action --- there are a great many "cultural Jews" in the celebrity class and very few who can be found in shul with any regularity.
   
   But there is, of course, one thing that celebrities do better than others. Talk. Smart celebs are fun to listen to, no matter the topic. They're provocative. Funny. Sometimes even wise. And because we feel we know them, we relate.
   
   Some snippets from the book will tell you all you need:
   
   Steven Spielberg: "I'd ask my dad, `Why can't we put lights up? We're the only house on the block that doesn't have lights.' And my dad would say, `We have a porch light.' I said, `Dad, you know what I mean.'"
   
   Natalie Portman: "My dad always makes this stupid joke with my new boyfriend, who is not Jewish. He says, 'It's just a simple operation.' "
   
   Mike Nichols: "I once said to Jerry Robbins, `I'm worried that all the great monsters of narcissism in show business are Jewish.' And I named some names. And there was a long silence, and he said, `Yes, well: Mickey Rooney.'"
   
   Jason Alexander: "It specifically says in the Torah that you can eat shrimp and bacon in a Chinese restaurant."
   
   Dustin Hoffman (on demanding a revision in the script of "Marathon Man"): "I won't play a Jew who cold-bloodedly kills another human being. I won't become a Nazi to kill a Nazi. I won't demean myself. I don't care what he did. Even though he tortured me, I won't do it.'
   
   Joan Rivers: "The Jews take care of everything, and everyone hates the Jews. The blacks hate the Jews. You fools. Who marched with you? Not the WASPS. Trust me; not the WASPS."
   
   Sarah Jessica Parker: "If I had straight hair and a perfect nose, my whole career would be different."
   
   Nora Ephron: "I am probably the only young woman who worked in the Kennedy White House whom the president did not make a pass at. Perhaps it's because I'm Jewish. Don't laugh, think about it --- think about that long, long list of women JFK slept with. Were any Jewish? I don't think so."
   
   It's not all amusing. There are overtly serious responses. And there is one that comes with fire and brimstone. It's from Leon Wieseltier, the literary editor of The New Republic. He walked away from Judaism; in his return, he's devout. And hypercritical of American Jews who aren't: "I can respect heresy, I can respect alienation, I can respect Karamazovian rebellion, even Oedipal rebellion. I don't mind renegades or apostates... My point is that American Jews aren't renegades; they are slackers."
   
   All those voices --- funny, profane, holy --- resonate with Pogrebin. "Being Jewish is powerful and, in a sense, unavoidable --- whether one embraces it or leaves it on the shelf, whether one lives a visible life or an anonymous one," she concludes. "And that, in the process of writing this book, it's become more vital to me than I ever expected."
   
   Indeed: At 40, Abigail Pogrebin was bat mitzvahed.



2. It was very enlightening to see that "famous" people struggle with the same issues of faith that the rest of us do. While most don't hold on to traditional Jewish customs, most are fiercly loyal to their heritage.
   
   A very interesting read.



3. I do feel alot of prominent Jews were left out & some of the people interviewed weren't really Jewish (ie: Sarah Jessica Parker). I can only assume that the author was able to get the people she got. As a Jew it made me want to be more Jewish. I also identified with many of the problems that other Jews felt was the reason that they didn't stay in touch with much of the religious customs but do cling & relish the traditions!



4. I grew up in a neighborhood completely devoid of Jews. It was even more confusing because my mom is Catholic, but it was my Jewish father that regularly attended services, and he would often take me along. I've always felt Jewish, but wasn't sure how or why my feelings about it were so strong. I never knew any other Jews when I was young except for my father, as all of his family had died before I was born (his parents having immigrated from Russia in the 1930s). My mom knew how strange I felt at times, and would point out to me celebrities she knew were Jewish. The idea that some of the people I admired so much were also part of this community that I so desperately wanted to know better somehow encouraged me, especially since some of the ones in this book are also half-Jewish. The stories retold in this book answered so many questions I'd had for Jewish celebrities, and were so interesting to read. The things these people tell would be interesting whether they were famous or not. I love it because we get to see a different, more personal side to them. We finally get to know their Jewishness! I couldn't put this book down. It was so well-done; the interviews are long enough to give you a good feeling for the interviewee, but short enough to make you want to keep reading. This is an entertaining book for everyone, but I think Jews will be the most interested in it; and with reason.



5. I purchased 10 of the books to be used in a short story study group. The women of the group love the book as it invites interesting and thoughtful discussion. We started with the prologue and will continue through each story. Everyone feels a connection to celebrities and each story will result in much conversation which is the object of the group.