2 comments about Halston.

1. WOW. A knock-out! Bluttal has cumulated a splendid chronicle of the career of America's definitive fashion star, Roy Frowick Halston.

   The book gathers and presents the photographic richness that you must have to know why Halston mattered and continues to. The sequence, arrangement, and ingenious categories all articulate the Halston passion for pure color, form and line that made him legend and attracted the star-studded clientele and the trademarking of his family name as a label still very much in evidence today, a decade after his death.

   Wistful nostalgia over the Studio 54 years and the innocence of New York in those years are the only drawback of paging through this tome.

   BRAVO BLUTTAL! Your fat fat fashion clutch should be on every gift list - the best fashion bargain of the year!!




2. The book is great if you are just looking for a collection of Halstons's fashion photos. There are really great shots of the clothes, and a lot of the glamorous people that wore them. The book, however, is a really strange size. It's really small, but really thick (6" by 4",and about 3 inches thick). I was anticipating a coffee table type book, but this is too odd of a size to display lying on a table. The text was a bit random and sparse, and the type identifying the photos was difficult to read on several pages. I liked it overall, but it will end up on shelf and I probably won't pick it up very often.

5 comments about Superstar in a Housedress: The Life and Legend of Jackie Curtis.

1. I finished: Superstar in a Housedress, as well as watching the DVD. Thank you Mr. Highberger for providing a most interesting and sincere look into Jackie Curtis.
   
   
   The format was so nice, to hear from so many people who were close to this incredible person really gave me a better idea of who Jackie was and how she lived. I have had the opportunity, as a transsexual entertainer, to travel the country and meet many transgendered performers. They obviously do not get the press or opportunity they deserve. This book is a fitting tribute to a person who helped shape todays theater and bring attention to gender expression.
   
   Jackie was obviously a genius who in many ways helped to shape the character of what we know Broadway play to be, and from the off off Broadway level. He/she lived the street life and was a very real person, on a real level facing the challenges life on that level brings regardless of the day to day persona she would take on.
   
   The book/CD focuses on commentary from her friends and aqauintences and whether from a gay/trans or straight perspective, Jackie Curtis was the epitome of living life as one's own self and creating from the most sincere inner feelings in the face of great odds. Many exerpts of her plays, notes and writings are included to give the reader a more intimate view of Jackie and the person within the personna, whether that be Jackie, James Dean or some other form of self expression.
   
   Obviously she can be an inspiration to those who strive for individuality and to leave a positive mark through their works regardless of her tragic finality.
   I would highly recommend viewing this documentary and reading the book as well for anyone interested in life, humor, love, tragedy and the very real Star that Jackie Curtis was.



2. Jackie Curtis was great - this book and DVD are a rich history of one of Warhols' Drag superstars - the smartest one of them all



3. If, like me, you ran across the book 'Superstar in a Housedress' while looking for the documentary of the same name, it may have taken you a few minutes to figure out that buying the book is, apparently, the only way to get the DVD.
   
   Yes, this is the full, ninety-plus minute release of the DVD available for rent from Netflix and other rental venues. How the choice was made to market the film as a "companion piece" to the book, without (as far as I can tell) releasing it as a stand-alone purchase, I dunno. I hope it will be released separately in the future, since the current marketing format, I'd think, would tend to lessen its circulation to a wider audience.
   
   Not that there's anything wrong with the book: it's a compendium of reminiscences by people who were close to Jackie. Some of the material repeats what's in the film, and some fills in gaps in backstory that 90 minutes can't provide, such as details on the life and death of the remarkable (and remarkably messed-up) Andrea Feldman. Still, a nice chunky paperback book of commentary in a boxed DVD set might have been a better way to sell the package, which is truly a good one. It's just that the DVD overrides the book in its excellence. There's no good reason why the book needed to be published in hardcover; it's really liner notes for the DVD.
   
   And then there's the strange, spooky, *sealed* envelope that the DVD itself comes in. Glued furtively into the back of the book, there's a lengthy disclaimer proclaiming in no uncertain terms that you MUST NOT OPEN THE PACKAGE ("Simply return the sealed package.") if you think that the DVD might in any number of (enumerated) ways ruin your life. Talk about user-friendly!
   
   But the good news is -- once you get over the fear, and open the potentially-deadly "package", you find that after all it's just an ordinary DVD, and a great one, at that. Densely packed with interviews, historical stills, film clips, and even a fair amount of very early videotape, this documentary is a detailed and very loving portrait of one of the most defiant gender-bending artists in the history of gender-bending and the stage itself.
   
   The past several years have seen the release of the Paul Morrisey/Andy Warhol films on DVD, and that's brought these previously hard-to-get-at movies to a new audience. This in turn has increased curiosity about the Warhol scene in the 60's, 70's, and later; and that period is increasingly interesting, as civilization lurches inexorably (or so it seems) toward a dessicated, triple-filtered, don't-drink, don't-smoke cultural puritanism.
   
   What was going on in New York in the 50's, 60's, and 70's transformed the American culture. A whole lot of the sexual freedom that we have today, whether it's embraced or bemoaned by whatever faction, comes from the crazy explosion that was the 60's and 70's. There's no shortage of information on the cultural revolution that happened then, but there's also no end to what can be added to it. This story about Jackie Curtis is no small addition.
   
   As a smart kid escaping the wilds of Connecticut who started hustling the streets in NY at 16, I knew a number of the people in this film peripherally, and for the most part they were the people who informed my perception of what life was all about. There was a communality, and a total lack of hierarchy (but for a few bitchfests) and everyone was welcome; I think, in retrospect, that this was what the hippieness of the 60's led to: a kind of a hybrid of the rejection of popular culture with the co-opting of it. At the time, the most visible manifestation of pre-packaged pop culture that could be harvested was the Hollywood star system of the 30's and 40's. Jackie Curtis was hip to this, but also added a Dada-style twist to it. Warhol became the catalyst, but what 'Superstar in a Housedress' demonstrates is that he couldn't have done the things that he (or rather, Paul Morrisey, working under his aegis) did without girls like Jackie, Candy Darling, or Holly Woodlawn (whom, I have to say, is looking absolutely GREAT in this doc, and QUITE the polished lady.)
   
   This is an absolutely essential documentary for those interested in the period, its quirks, and its consequences. But moreso, it's a great tribute to the unbridled, mad creativity of Jackie Curtis, who should never be forgotten. Hopefully, this DVD (and its companion piece, the book) will help assure that.
   
   Also -- at the time of this writing, the book and DVD are pretty consistently available from housing_works_bookstore @ Amazon at a cheap price. Housing Works supports homeless people affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, so purchasing from them is a win-win thing. They got my order to me very quickly and in perfect condition, so what could I do? I ordered another one from them right away. Somebody's getting it for Christmas. Don't know who yet. Somebody who will have been REAL good this year!
   
   Seriously, though -- if you're interested in the history of the NY art scene in the period, this is very much worth buying.



4. Jackie Curtis was a close friend of the guy who ran the James Dean Gallery. It was through him and my interest in James Dean and the link to Jackie Curtis through the line in 'Walk On The Wild Side, that I decided to find out more about him and the lifestyle of those around him, Andy Warhol and the era. I wasn't disappointed. The five stars rating is based on me getting what I wanted. It is an easy read. A series of short anecdotal interviews with those who knew this person well. It is open and honest. The accompanying DVD is well-produced and brings to life the book itself. Fascinating.



5. That's a quote used in the movie. And now one of my top 3 favorite quotes to be used forever after.
   
   There was so much to like about this person and movie. Jackie was a phenomenal character. She/he was iconic in the strongest sense of the word. Total belief in herself and her plan (mad though it was at times) and such charisma that all around her believed in her and themselves as much as she did. She altered paradigms.
   
   This particular subculture fascinates me to no end and it is covered well in this DVD. It's classic David and Goliath except David's gotta push it by wearing a dress. I couldn't respect that in-your-faceness more if I tried. I wish I could better convey what I mean. And it's not a movie about sexual preferences. No agenda is forced on you in any way. It's just completely unique.
   
   The fact that this is a documentary and these things really happened and these people really did exist as they did, simply adds to the magic of this movie. Of course, many of those people are still with us and told their tales within. And most of them are extremely interesting as well. It covers more than just Jackie. The world Jackie became famous in is explored in depth as well.
   
   Just as a comparison, it is like the Grateful Dead shows. Nothing like this will ever happen in this way ever again - nothing this new, different, odd, and perfect just for what it was, and it's tragic if you think you may have wanted to be part of it in some way, witness it, but didn't. And if you did, you're breathing the rare air.

No comments about Confesiones de un chef/ Kitchen Confidential.

5 comments about Robert Maxwell, Israel's Superspy: The Life and Murder of a Media Mogul.

1. This is an E-Ticket Ride; in other words, a read with a roller-coaster effect obsorbing the reader's full attention. The revelations of Maxwell's high treason against the United Kingdom is alarming. Yet, what is more alarmimg is the complicity of the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Senator Tower's treasonous activity against the U.S. Government and his apparent blackmailing of the White House... all orchestrated by Israels' Mossad via their willing agent, Maxwell. At the literal risk of their lifes, Dillon and Thomas have metciulously recorded the breathtaking facts we seldom, if ever, see in American media. This super-page-turner is THE hottest book on the market.



2. This is the story of the downfall of Robert Maxwell, a man who had almost everything that a simple mortal could dream with, a family, a billionary business, fame, important business and political contacts but with a huge megalomaniac complex that pushed him to play several dangerous games with the espionage of Israel, the industrial espionage and the underworld factions of the East mafias but his biggest mistake was when he try to play the blackmail game which put in jeopardy the security of the state of Israel and the Mossad agent around the world forcing then to "eliminate" this personage.
   Even though this is a wonderful work of investigation, I have some doubts about the sole responsability of Israel in this crime because of his several contacts within the Wall Street, the City of London moguls, the eastern mafias and the most important polititians of the world that he could put in danger with his downfall as a businessman or as a blackmailer, also it is very suspicious that many close collaborators died of sudden death or dissapeared.



3. What Carroll and Graf Publishers desperately need is 1. a fact checker and 2. a proof reader. Shameful display of factual errors. With sloppiness of this sort, why would I ever dream of believing the basic (and unbelievable) premise.
   Yvonne Adler



4. There are some good things and there are some very bad things about this book.
   
   First though, with the good. Although it's far from a literary masterpiece, it is interesting in its own way and it does keep one going. The writers follow Maxwell's life and by describing his modus vivendi & modus operandi, attempt to justify their version of how Maxwell met his untimely death.
   
   They portray him as a boisterous, pompous, bombastic megalomaniac, with an "unswerving belief in his own greatness, his total invincibility and readiness to bully and destroy anyone who dared to move against him". Extremely charismatic at charming into submission friends and foes alike, he's depicted as essentially inept at doing business. Born into extreme poverty, a Jew from Czechoslovakia, he always held Israel close to his heart, so mush so that he gladly agreed to become a spy for Mossad. In fact, he became one of Mossad's most valuable assets, that is before the truth about the shambolic state of his financial affairs started surfacing and his mental health further deteriorated. He then became a liability, and as with all liabilities he had to be gotten rid of.
   
   Although not watertight by any means, the case presented by Thomas and Dillon is plausible and, all things considered, does appear very likely. But...
   
   ...Let's get to the bad stuff now. Never have I seen clichés used in such abundance; stereotypes all over the place as if both writers were too bored to actually do some thinking and come up with appropriate characterizations; or the word "terrorist" used so liberally and carelessly and with such disregard to potential implications. What's more, the mistakes in historical details, the misspellings of names and places beggared belief. I mean, come on, proclaiming the jewishness of the Dome of the Rock can't be anything other than idiotic. Surely, Abd-ul-Malik, the 9th caliph who had the place built must be turning in his grave, poor soul. In any case, I still can't decide whether the writers had an agenda, were just ignorant, indifferent, downright stupid, or any combination of the above.
   
   Bottom line, if there were so many inaccuracies about things I did know and could easily double check, what about all those things I couldn't possibly know and couldn't possibly check? Judge for yourselves.



5. One of the best spy/Mossad books.
   you will not be able to put down this book once you start it.

5 comments about Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer.

1. Biographer Epstein does a straightforward, almost journalistic description of the life and times of Armand Hammer, considered by many to be a man of vision, humanity, and charity until details of his life began to seep out following his death. Even the New York Times gave this man a glowing obituary. But, thanks to the tremendous research done by Epstein, we see Hammer for what he was: an evil, self-serving, egomanic. And Epstein's non-sensational telling of the details of Hammer's life is appropriate; it is unnecessary to augment beyond the notoriousness of Hammer's own actions. What Hammer did speaks for itself, and Epstein catalogues his many sins. He was a traitor to his country, his family, his friends. He was such a lowlife that he allowed his father to go to prison for crime he, the son, committed. He was a perpetual adulterer. He laundered millions of dollars and had secret accounts everywhere. He drove what most believed to be a successful company to the brink of bankruptcy. But I could have done without the incessant mini-flashbacks that kept creeping into the narration. And I think it was a really bad choice to begin the book with the prologue describing Hammer's final days. It would work much better at the end, as this failure of a human being tops himself while he is dying with malicious, coniving, and deceitful steps to preserve his false characterization upon his passing. I would strongly recommend that you read the prologue at the end of the book. I would also suggest that as you finish each chapter, you turn to the source notes for that chapter and be amazed by the research Epstein did to compile his facts. He paints Hammer as such a dispicable character, that you will be astounded that this character got away with his ruse for his entire life. In this day of rotten corporate big-business, the book shows the rot has been going on for decades.



2. ~Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer~ chronicles the life and despondent character of Armand Hammer. In his later life, Hammer invested great time and sizable resources to get a favorable authorized biography that portrayed himself as a generous, urbane and cultured philanthropist. Hammer no doubt would be dismayed by Epstein's account, though he never lived to see it. Epstein chronicles a different Armand Hammer. Epstein draws a picture of a power hungry man with an unscrupulous character. The real Armand Hammer led a life corrupted by avarice, adulterous sexual escapades and notoriously unscrupulous dealings with the Soviet Union and American politicians. Epstein by implication shows that Hammer may very well have been a Soviet agent. Hammer was in Bolshevik Russia while the revolutionary hadn't quite settled down. Hammer got a trade concession for a pencil factory that he operated in Moscow. While in the Soviet Union he moonlighted with Lenin and other Bolshevik revolutionaries. Hammer soon left Russia and supposedly almost went insolvent. His questionable business dealings in Europe perhaps as a launderer for Soviet enterprise to fund covert operations abroad would eventually gained the watchful eye of American authorities. Hammer got into art dealing and liquor distilling, but never lost his Soviet ties. He would eventually become the target of scrutiny by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI who took interest in his domestic and overseas machinations. While Hammer was the target of American counterintelligence, he ironically made use of his own intelligence clique especially later in life; he hired detectives, spies and former government agents to acquire information while manipulating business partners, competitors and politicians for personal gain. Hammer rose to fame as the Occidental Petroleum mogul and continued his shady dealings. Though, he tried to break into the market of the Seven Sisters oil cartel by getting an oil concession in Libya. His unscrupulous and devious dealings included bribery of foreign countries for trade concessions. Having lived a life of infamy, in his twilight years, the billionaire labored tediously to cultivate a favorable personal image. Hammer would have liked to have been remembered as a wealthy, cultured, humanitarian and religious Jew. Then Epstein came along to tell the real story.
   
   This secret history is a window into the world of Armand Hammer: Hammer was an unscrupulous man, disloyal to his country, who put greed and power above family and nation. Epstein's conclusion is almost irresistible, yet he is never so obvious enough to state it: Hammer was a selfish opportunist who should have spent a substantial part of his life in a federal penitentiary.



3. Mr. Epstein places a great work on to the life of Armand Hammer. Many individuals wonder how such a man, whom was red flagged by the CIA, could remain connected to each and every Presidential administration and Kremlin since the days of Lenin. I was hoping for more information on their dealings with Robert Maxwell but it was only mentioned in brief. Hammer, like is father, presented to the public as immensely wealthy and powerful individuals, yet reality had dictated the opposite. Hammer, a man in quest for power, could have taken the time to do good things but instead he worked to expand not only his own personal image/power but to keep the secret line open to advance the Communist movement. I'd also recommend "The Perestroika Deception" - A. Golitsyn.



4. This book is a biography about an american oil mogul:Armand Hammer.The author is a jew, as the biographed.
   If you read this book, you will see a true:marxism(leftism, eugenicism, environmentalism, feminism, etc.) is something for millionaries.
   Hammer got a fortune linking to former Soviet Union's interests.Then he went to oil business.Again he linked his oil business to Lybia, even to Khadafy money.
   Defects of this book are small.I don't believe ,that Al Gore had school's payment from Hammer.Another problem,of this book,is to forget that Hammer was a little linked to eugenics movement, at least until Hitler's time in 1933.These are small problems.This book is good.



5. There exists an unusually wide breadth of opinions about Armand Hammer -- he almost won the Nobel Peace Prize, and is revered by those who have benefited from his charitable endeavors, yet is excoriated by the political right. The latter group became particularly vocal in the United States around 2000, as Hammer's ties to Al Gore's father became fodder for talk-radio rumor mongering in that year's presidential election.
   
   Dossier is the only biography of Hammer to have had access to both the U.S. government's records on the man, made available under the Freedom of Information Act after he died, and Soviet records, made available after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. It is therefore the only book that comes close to explaining the nature of Hammer's ties to the Soviet Union. (In the early 1920s, he set up some companies that were used as channels by the Soviets for financing secret operations abroad).
   
   Unfortunately, Epstein was not satisfied with these records, and turns to some really marginal sources to sex up the story. The book contains a number of particularly shocking accusations that, if you follow through the footnotes, all come from a woman who claims to have been Hammer's mistress, decades ago. Take for example Epstein's rendition of the well-known 1920 conviction of Hammer's father for manslaughter. Hammer's father had performed an abortion after which the woman had died. Among those who testified at the trial were the woman's maid, who had been present when the operation took place. Every other source on Hammer treats this as the start of Hammer's business career -- with his father incarcerated, Hammer had to take the reins of the family business.
   
   Epstein, on the other hand, writes that it was the 21-year-old *Hammer himself* who had committed the abortion, not his father, and that he had allowed his father to go to jail for the crime. Epstein bases this remarkable claim on the 1990s recollection of a woman who claimed to have been Hammer's mistress in the 1950s, and who said that Hammer confessed to this crime (along with a string of other appalling things) to her. He ignores the fact that much more credible contemporary witnesses testified to the contrary.
   
   Repeatedly in the book, Epstein takes credit for "discovering" things that have been widely known for decades, and which are discussed in detail in previous Hammer biographies. Meanwhile, his discussion of Hammer's 70-year-long business career is cursory.
   
   If you do read the book, be sure to check the footnotes on any novel claim; some of the sources are really weak. See Weinberg's biography of Hammer for a much better treatment of everything except the early Soviet material.

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 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 The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.

1. its a book of random letters that jrr tolkien wrote to people. nuff said



2. Do you want to understand J.R.R. Tolkien and his fantastic stories? I mean, really understand them? Then you must get this book. This book is a collection of letters from the great man, ranging from a World War I love letter to a note written to his daughter just before his death.
   
   But, do not think that these letters are irrelevant. In fact, he discusses many things about his books, the publishing of them, and much more. He discusses such mundane issues as the organization of the families in the Shire, and also discusses his "theology" of Middle Earth, and how religion intertwines about it.
   
   So, if you are a Tolkien fan, then you really should get this book. I guarantee that you will find it an interesting and enlightening read - I know I did!



3. I have bought this book some years ago in a bookstore and I really enjoyed reading it. One side it was interesting to discover how Middle Earth was created step by step, what was in Tolkien's mind during the work, how and why he had changed names or events, which were the parts where he had difficulties with the story etc., and a bit of inside look in his everyday life, difficulties and family life. On the other hand I really admired him to take seriously all the people who were writing to him and answering them with several page long letters! I am sure it was demanding for him to find time to write these letters and explain to Middle Earth fans the parts they didn't understand well and answer their questions but as a reader and Tolkien fan myshelf I really enjoyed to know Tolkien's personal opinion on different things.



4. I got this for my best friend b/c her whole family loves Tolkien so I thought after she was done reading it her whole family could read it too.
   She really loves it. And It wasnt damaged in the siltiest and came on time.



5. In many ways a better biography of Tolkien than most biographies. While short of actual biographical data, the insight it gives into the mind of this man through dialogue with his readers, reveals much about his creative decisions in writing The Lord of the Rings and his other works.

5 comments about Tiffany's Palm Beach.

1. For most people, this kind of lifestyle is only a dream, but wow, what colourful and beautiful dreams. This book is choc full of stunning photos that reflect the wealth some people luckily or unluckily have. Their houses (or should I say shrines) are treasures in their own rights, but the possesions inside are also gems. The Tiffany theme is reflected in here all the way through and there is some stunning pieces. This is a pricey 'coffee table' book, but it's so beautiful, you'll be glad you treated yourself or someone else.



2. Loved this book. I purchased it merely for inspiration photos for my own construction, but found myself reading each page!! Very interesting read!



3. This book shows that given enough money there is no limit to how young, thin and attractive your wife can be. And apparently there is no limit to the hubris of the rich--designer wine cellars on a hurricane prone barrier island.
   Last I checked there were over 260 homes for sale on Palm Beach with an asking price of $2 million up.
   A great coffee table book. And a pictorial guide to The Season by Ronald Kessler that is sitting on my book shelves awaiting a read.



4. To almost anyone, Tiffany and Co. and Palm Beach would go hand and hand, analagous like Lalique and Monte Carlo. The concept for this book is very interesting and the author fully realizes how to exploit the two to their most advantagious. The text is highly informative and the images are crisp and beautifully presented. I agree with one of the reviews that this is an expensive coffee table book, but frankly im sure those interested in this sort of thing, will not think twice about the price of admission. Really a wonderful book on a very interesting subject, well done indeed.



5. There isn't much substance to this book......
   Fun pictures, but nothing much more