5 comments about Them: A Memoir of Parents.

1. Thank you, Mme. du Plessix Gray for this evocative, brilliant memoir. This was the last book my Mother read before she died in August 2006. She was 10 years older than you, and had the same history, a Russian girl who came to New York, and even dated the same man as you did. She knew all the names in the book and lived the young Russian emigree's life in New York City. Your beautiful writing made me think about the role of my life in that of my parents' lives -- it was just such a great book for me to read in this mourning year. I know this is a highly personal reaction but I am hoping you will read this review. Your book unleashed a dreamlike state for me to probe into the colorful lives of my mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles -- from whom I am descended. The dead have informed our lives and are always with us. It is a gift.



2. I was enchanted by Ms. Gray's beautifully written memoir. She has lived through some dramatic world events with vivid front-line experiences and yet was able to share them in such a personal and loving way. History, accurately recalled, yet presented so naturally, makes for very compelling reading. I loved this book!



3. 
   
   Her parents were indeed revolting.. and it is perhaps instructive to be assured again that all families were not invented by Norman Rockwell. But did she need to do her own revolting racist screed against gypsies to excuse her grandmother's behavior? Not the parents opinion, but her. Quite nasty.



4. One aspect of the book demonstrated how powerful a mother's aspirations for a child are. It appears Tatiana's grandmother and mother instilled a belief you had to be successful or renowned in whatever way you can. It is curious that Tatiana did not try to correspond with her mother in Russia after she moved to USA. Tatiana's daughter Francine got the same message and used her resources and great literary talent to be successful. Francine choose to succeed in literature an arena her mother "Tatiana" could not possibly compete in or understand due to her illiteracy in the English language.
   Alexander Liberman fulfilled his mother desires to be renowned and an artist. He seems to have the same proclivities of the Duke of Windsor but clearly was not a weak man.



5. I reluctantly read this as part of an adult ed. class on memoirs. I didn't think I would enjoy it. After all, I told myself, what do I care for the world of sophisticated New York fashion and art? Not much. But I found myself reading it compulsively because it depicted a world so different from my own. Ms. Gray skillfully records the complex history of a family made up of a wide variety of gifted people. She is not least among them. I found the sections on pre-WW2 Russia and Paris engrossing. Many inhabitants of that world, including Ms. Gray's mother and stepfather, came to America and enriched our culture. There are lots of familiar names in the last section of the book, making this an almost guilty pleasure to read.

4 comments about Anna Nicole Smith: Portrait of an Icon, Signature Edition.

1. More like a magazine than a book...double or triple spaced lines, shorter than a research paper. Gross pictures of cakes with "private parts" on them...YUCK. Glowing and flattering attitude toward Howard K. Stern , who may be behind this "book". It will not be seen in many/any libraries.



2. AGH! WHAT JUNK! Since when does some amateur designer & a model agent get to call themselves writers?! This book is not even written. Just a bunch of stupid captions. Poor Anna Nicole Amith- everybody is still trying to make a buck off her even in death. This book isn't worth the paper it's printed on! Anna Nicole was in the public eye for 15 years so what made these 2 characters think they were going to do anything different than all the others before them?! Who are these guys anyway? No one has ever heard of them. We've seen all the pictures in here EVERYWHERE before! DON"T waste your time.



3. No, this book is not meant to be a long story. It's Anna's life in pictures. I've seen a lot of pictures of Anna and this book actually had a few I had never seen before. I did like this book and it took me around an hour to look at it and read the captions and short stories. If you want a long read on Anna's life, choose something else. If you'd like a book of nice big pictures of Anna, Dannielynn and Daniel, this is the book for you. Why fuss over "gross" pictures? Did you completely miss who Anna was and what she did? Duh! Yeah!..she loved her some "manhood" and she let people know. If you don't like that sort of thing, best to stay away from anything Anna Nicole :) Hope this helps some people in their decision on this book. Rest in Peace Anna!



4. Nothing really new in this book. Fairly boring and disappointing. I do not recommend to anyone else.

5 comments about The Kennedys: An American Drama.

1. One of the first things you will see are family-trees at the beginning of every part, where you can see all the members of the family, their children and their birth- and deathdates. Unfortunately for the Kennedy family many died prematurely, as is well recognized.
   
   Most Kennedy books will be focused on John F and his brother Robert F who were both shot. But in this book they still play main parts, but not the only ones. The book starts when the Kennedy's, and Fitzgeralds, came to America and how they quickly rose in first Boston and later American society, even though they had one big disadvantage; they were Irish.
   
   JFK's grandfather Honey Fitz became mayor of Boston by using the Irish vote. Joe Kennedy Sr. started out selling newspapers but was soon a movie producer, even having an alleged affair with movie star Gloria Swanson, something his sons would later copy with Marylin Monroe of course.
   
   Then came the biggest move in Joe Kennedy's life; he became Ambassador in England under Roosevelt, with whom he had a somewhat strained relationship. He would ever since be referred to as the Ambassador, even in his own family.
   
   Collier and Horowitz make it clear that the Ambassador is the most important member of the Kennedy family and that every child's actions are in some way related to him. The story is sometimes a little TV-movie sentimental, but whould would you do if you lose 4 children when you are still alive. The oldest son Joe dies in a WWII plane crash, his oldest daughter marries but loses her noble husband soon and dies herself in a plane crash a few months later.
   
   And of course there are the deaths of JFK and RFK.
   
   It's certainly not a hagiography telling how great the Kennedy's were. Old Joe Kennedy is sometimes shown as a towering figure who completely dominated his family's life until his stroke. JFK got his last rites twice and was often very sick with pain in his back and Addisson's desease. His medication is mentioned in the book and also are his numorous flings with women in the White House, his own house, even Airforce One. RFK seems to have been the most moral person and I believe the authors feel that way too. They explain his religion, his fight against organized crime and Jimmy Hoffa and also his meetings with minorities all over the world. He seemed to have had the Kennedy promise even more than his brother Jack or later Ted.
   
   The last part of the book is devoted to the next generation who cannot seem to deal with their heritage and often get into trouble, it seems as if everyone in the family is doing drugs, the last Kennedy death in the old edition, even loses his life because of it.
   
   It's a gripping story that sometimes reads like a novel. I think it gave a balanced story of the family with the good but also the bad, which made them even more human. It's a lot clearer now why the family was so loved and hated at the same time.
   
   A must-read for Kennedy-admirer and Kennedy-hater alike.



2. Well written and engaging, the book surveys three generations of Kennedys over four sections, beginning with how Joseph Patrick Kennedy shaped his family and gave his sons a calling (Architect of Their Lives) then moves on to how his sons Jack and Bobby developed their public careers following Joe, Jr.'s death in WWII (The Stand In) then moving to the peak Kennedy years of Jack's Presidency and Bobby's campaign (Brothers Within). The drama ends as both a sad farce describing Teddy's troubles and as a tragedy invading the lives of the lost generation of Kennedy children (The Lost Boys).
   
   The book centers, as did the family, around the elder Joseph Kennedy and his wife, the queenly Rose Fitzgerald. JPK's generosity and his sincerity surprise the reader given his raw ambition, his selfishness, his manipulation of people, his womanizing, and his incompetence as a diplomat. All this was equaled only by his talent as a business man and in the end surpassed by his devotion as a father. On the other hand, Rose comes off rather dry and unappealing, which is a little difficult to believe given that she had nine children.
   
   A disturbing revelation of the book was how high on drugs (usually prescribed) Jack was during his presidency. His awful health mandated pain killers and other drug therapies to allow him to function, but at the same time must have affected his judgment and his ability to work. Given the confrontational character of the Kennedys, one shudders to think of how badly the Cuban crisis could have turned out.
   
   I have two strong criticism of the book. First, not enough space is given to JPK's most important contribution to the United States: he created and established the Securities and Exchange Commission, which gave the USA for decades a virtual monopoly on fair and transparent financial markets. (President Roosevelt apparently responded to critics of this appointment that "it takes a crook to catch a crook".)
   
   Second, in the interest of protecting privacy, the material on the last Kennedy generation should have been left out. The book was published in 1984 when the lost Kennedys were still in their teens and twenties. The authors needlessly (though with sympathy) sensationalized sad stories, at too early a time in those lives to pass any sort of critical judgment.
   
   The most interesting discovery for me was Lem Billings. He basically followed all three generations: best friend to Jack Kennedy, reassuring JPK that his son had someone supporting him outside the family, and surrogate father to some of the young Kennedys after Bobby's assassination until his death in the early 80s. A short book on Billings would be welcome.



3. I read this book in 1984 and found it quite relevant and enlightening at the time. I am glad that the third generation has gotten itself together and are doing good things.
   
   I have also notice that any books written after Jackie's death have a wealth of information! President Kennedy is a real person (not some far off statesman). Jackie's plus and minuses are explored and she becomes human too! The way she raised Caroline and John was amazing and they seemed to have avoided any of the pitfalls of their other cousins. Except the most devastating one of course and that was will always be a great tragedy of a young life unfinished.
   
   Another excellent book written at the same time is Doris Goodwin's: The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga. John B. Davis, Jackie's first cousin has written serveral books on Jackie, Kennedy's and the Mafia. You will not be disappointed.



4. Heard the taped version of THE KENNEDYS: AN AMERICAN
   DREAM by Peter Collier and David Horowitz.
   
   This was a controversial NEW YORK TIMES bestseller when
   it was published in 1984, and I can see why . . . it tells the
   story of a dysfunctional family over three generations, centering
   around the elder Joseph Kenney and his wife Rose Fitzgerald . . . it then
   moves on to tell how his sons Jack and Bobby moved into the
   limelight via their careers in elected politics . . . and the book
   concludes with an account of Teddy's troubles, as well as those
   of the younger Kennedy children.
   
   Along the way there was adultery, drug usage (particularly by
   Jack during his presidency), alcoholism, and a variety of characters
   who mostly come across as not very lovable . . . perhaps only Lem
   Billings, JFK's best friend and subsequent family advisor, comes
   across in any sort of favorable light.
   
   My main criticism of THE KENNEDYS had to do with the last
   part . . . many of the younger Kennedys were portrayed in a negative
   fashion and though they may have had their difficulties while in
   school, several settled down and went on to careers in public
   service . . . consequently, I could have done without some
   of the dirt that seems to have been found.
   
   Yet that is probably what gives this book its appeal, so I'd
   recommend it if you want both the good and the bad about the
   Kennedy family . . . in addition, the narration by Joseph
   Campanella was outstanding and added to my enjoyment
   of listening to this tale about a dynasty that had to face
   so much tragedy over the years.



5. I was pretty disappointed. I have read a lot on individual Kennedys, and was looking for something to tie them all together. This book is very surface level, and practically ignores the women in the family. I know it is more interesting to cover the successful politicians (all male at the time of first publishing in 1984) and the drug abusers (apparently also all male, but still not sure), but a word or two about some of the other Kennedys would have been nice. For example, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the special olympics, gets only passing mention. All in all an interesting read, but mostly because the family (faults and successes) is so compelling, not because of the writing.

5 comments about The Death of Manolete.

1. On Thursday, August 28, 1947, in the bull ring at the Spanish town of Linares, a thiry-year-old millionaire called Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez) and a Miura bull named Islero killed each other.
   Conrad recounts Manolete's extraoridinary life here for the first time in English. In combining pictures and text, the reader sees the breeding that made the Spanish boy, the tempering that made the young torero, the sacrifice that made the man, the girl who brought him love, the acclaim that brought him incredible success and finally its price...the undoing that began slowly and ended in one last great afternoon and in a death that if not untimely put out the brightest flame in Spain. Manolete had fired the Latin imagination as no one had done since the Cid. He had become a symbol of Latin pride, valor, and chivalry. But the crowds owned him and he did their bidding...and they had bid him to die.
   
   146 pages. Also includes pages of his performances from the year he became a matador until his death. (From 1939-1946). Oh, Lord, it even includes what the trophies were (1 ear, 2 ears and a tail, etc).
   
   This is for the 1958 edition, 3rd printing. Houghton Mifflin Co. Endpapers are red and white with matadors and bulls on them. Lots of pictures and even some of funeral.



2. On Thursday, August 28, 1947, in the bull ring at the Spanish town of Linares, a thiry-year-old millionaire called Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez) and a Miura bull named Islero killed each other.
   Conrad recounts Manolete's extraoridinary life here for the first time in English. In combining pictures and text, the reader sees the breeding that made the Spanish boy, the tempering that made the young torero, the sacrifice that made the man, the girl who brought him love, the acclaim that brought him incredible success and finally its price...the undoing that began slowly and ended in one last great afternoon and in a death that if not untimely put out the brightest flame in Spain. Manolete had fired the Latin imagination as no one had done since the Cid. He had become a symbol of Latin pride, valor, and chivalry. But the crowds owned him and he did their bidding...and they had bid him to die.
   
   146 pages. Also includes pages of his performances from the year he became a matador until his death. (From 1939-1946). Oh, Lord, it even includes what the trophies were (1 ear, 2 ears and a tail, etc).
   
   This is for the 1958 edition, 3rd printing. Houghton Mifflin Co. Endpapers are red and white with matadors and bulls on them. Lots of pictures and even some of funeral.



3. I'm not really sure who this book is for: it's too short and superficial to appeal to devotees and others knowledgeable about bullfighter Manuel Laureano Rodriguez (aka Manolete) and it's also too short and superficial to capture the imagination of non-fans like me who just happened to come across the book and gave it a whirl.
   
   To be fair, I listened to the audiobook version of "The Death of Manolete" (two CD's, unabridged), so I'm not getting the benefit of the reference information (list of bullfights, lists of awards and honors bestowed, etc.) and many photographs that apparently grace the print version. These things are certainly not included with the audiobook. Also, author Barnaby Conrad's verbal narration of his book leaves a little to be desired. It's understandable, but little else, certainly not dramatic, enthusiastic, nor in any other way imparting a "hey, this is a great story, so listen up" quality.
   
   Again, I think the print version of this book is probably more passable, though I do hope that this apparently quite notable figure in Spanish history has- somewhere out there- a more comprehensive, passionate book or two written about him in addition to this one.



4. This is a difficult book to review, you have to have a passion for bullfighting, and after living in Spain for 14 years I definatly have a passion for bullfighting, this book is about one of the most talented matadors in the history of the bullfight, his artistry, and dedication were a true insperation to all who tried to follow in his shadow. I would recomend it to all who would like to know the person better, and have an open mind about bullfighting.



5. This book is a simple to read book that deals with a controversial subject( bullfighting), but more importantly the day of the death of one of the greatest bullfighters ever, known simply as, Manolete. The dramatic presentation by Barnaby Conrad is moving and includes his relationships and the reasons for his contemplation of retirement. The buildup to the day Islero(the bull) took Manolete's life as they performed the dance of death together, each succumbing to the passions of the crowd and each paying the ultimate price with their death. The story is well told, allbeit rather short. The photographs are intense, capturing the swirling cape and momentum of the approaching beast in frozen moments of black and white reality. Although the author covers some aspects of Manolete's rise to become Spain's hero, in truth , this is not a biography but rather as the title implies, the fateful day the resulted in "The Death of Manolete." Barnaby Conrad is a knowledgeable aficionado who has written several superb books on the subject of bullfighting, Matador,MY LIFE As A MATADOR. The Autobiography of Carlos Arruza. With Barnaby Conrad., and the essential Barnaby Conrad's Encyclopedia of Bull Fighting.That said, it goes without saying that he is well versed in the subject of tauromaqia. This day in the life of portrait is amazing in it's simple eloquence. The final part of the book , from the point of the mortal goring is not for the faint of heart. The photographs reveals the most intimate moments of death. Included is a photograph of the cartel(poster) announcing the corrida(bullfight) where he shared billing for the last time with the aging and soon to retire Gitanillo de Triana and the upcoming hotshot Luis Miguel Dominguin on that fateful August 28th day of 1947 when Islero and Manolete would become immortal in the annals of tauromaqia. There is also a complete list of the corridas Manolete participated in from 1939 to 1947, that includes the names of the other matadors on the cartel and the awards given to Manolete; his list of triumphs is very impressive. A great classic book for the aficionado of the corrida de toros(bullfight) that is not to be missed and included in your collection.

3 comments about Inside the Dream.

1. Walt Disney is well on his way to becoming the most written about creative talent in American film.
   This is the 100th anniversary of his birth and thankfully any examination of his life can still include careful interviews with people who knew him and worked with him. The book is less an in-depth biography and more like spending a long afternoon hearing how it was from those who knew him best and who can praise him at the same time they acknowledge his frailties. It's an earnest and heartfelt look at the heart and soul of the man, and the authors do their level best to take a frank and thoughtful approach while still being entertaining. Like everything else Disney, it's best to give in to the fact that you're about to be put under a spell. The sooner you give in, the more fun you'll have.
   Though some may find it less satisfying than a more critical analysis, this reader is tired of deconstructing American icons and welcomes this lovely look at a historical figure whose impact went well beyond his filmmaking. Disney is arguably the greatest influence on American popular culture and family entertainment in the past 100 years. Most admirable is the way the authors address some of the detractors who've criticized Walt Disney over the years for such things as anti-Semitism or racism. Albeit sentimental, the authors maintain fairly good objectivity. Walt Disney remains enigmatic even to those closest to him. Thankfully, the recollections by family and friends are edited into the layout without making the entire book seem like a posthumous testimonial dinner.
   Granted this Disney Editions publication doesn't come without its ulterior motives. With the kind of control Disney has always had over any thing profiling the company one doubts that a harsh light will ever shine on their founder in one of their own pubications. But dreams and dreamers always look better in a soft light, and who but a bitter DreamWorker would ever want to bother trying to detract from such happy success? (And if ever proof was needed that certain ex-studio head turned competitor NEVER was and NEVER WILL be the next Walt Disney, this delivers it!) Though you wish the current Disney brass would pay more attention to the underlying principals of what makes Disney 'Disney' that are spelled out in this book. Hey, we can dream, too, can't we?
   Still, this deliciously illustrated oversized scrapbook-styled remembrance of Walt more than makes up for its obvious propaganda focused origins. Imagine(eer) that!
   Even though the book serves primarily as a companion to the documentary film of the same title, it's a wonderful read. A gentle reflection with rich illustrations -- some seldom and never before seen photographs -- and a rich and handsome design. Endlessly entertaining. A lovely tribute worth adding to your library.



2. This book is not a complete and detailed biography, but is a nice tribute to Walt Disney. It has a lot of photos, and the most interesting parts of the book are "personal side" sections.



3. This is a must have for the Disney fan. This book gives in depth detail into the man who created the "happiest place on earth", from the people who knew hime best. His family, friends, and employees. I have read many books on Disney, and this ranks in the top 2(along with Imaganineering). It tells the stories of his triumphs as well as his tragedies. I highly recommend this book.

No comments about Bill Gates - Software Billionaire (Biography).

5 comments about Howard Hughes: Aviator.

1. Oh gosh, this is a good read. Buy it! Take it with you when you go to see Leonardo playing Howard on the big screen, so you can keep the airplanes straight and also remind yourself that, for all his genius, Howard Hughes was a rather shabby pilot. (A ***** stick, as they say in the Air Force.)
   
   To save money on aeronautical charts, he flew with the road maps handed out free by oil companies. He ignored air-traffic controllers, filed misleading flight plans, identified himself with the name of his co-pilot, flew under visual rules in bad weather, and cut off the pilot ahead of him in the pattern. Even as a passenger, George Marrett writes, Hughes could turn a routine flight into a debacle. His big ambition was to outshine Lindberg.
   
   Of course Howard Hughes was more than an aviator: he made movies, ran an airline, designed the half-cup bra, founded aerospace companies, made billions, and was the country's most famous hypochondriac. But those are incidentals as for a fellow pilot like George Marrett, who flew a rescue Skyraider in Vietnam and wrote about it in Cheating Death, and who afterward became a test pilot for Hughes Aircraft. By concentrating on the aviation side of his former boss, Marrett has written a short, readable, and fascinating biography. In his hands, Howard Hughes turns out to have been a lot more interesting than Charles Lindbergh, though he never came close to him as an aviator.
   
   -- Dan Ford



2. This is a good book and it reads pretty well. The story often deviates from Hughes (especially in the second half) to go into stories about many of the pilots and engineers that worked with Hughes. This isn't unreasonable because these are the people that the author had access too and they also have interesting lives. However, I feel that this distracts from the Hughes story and I suspect is done to fill in the many gaps when no one knew what Hughes was actually doing. If you are interested in the aviator side of Hughes I feel its worth the purchase.



3. This was the first Hughes book I've read, although I've chased down several more since. It's probably impossible to write a full bio of Howard Huges, given the extra large size of his life and all of his accomplishments... and the extra deep depths of his fall.
   
   George Marrett has probably realized that, and limits the bio to some of the larger events of Hughes life, centered around aviation. He does a great job there, with inside stories (from extensive interviews of Hughes contemporaries) that are fascionating, and inspiring (for Hughes accomplishments - which were many and unique).
   
   Don't buy this book expected to see the full story of Hughes life... or a more detailed view of The Aviator movie (which apparently took more than a few liberties). Buy it to more fully understand Hughes great aviation contributions... and the times in which he lived.
   
   Fortunately, the book stays classy to the end, and avoids the tabloid view of Hughes life (and his end). We can get that type of view elsewhere.. if we want to waste our time. For now lets focus on the great persona of Hughes, and the the fascinating times in which he made his greatest contributions.



4. Well written and well documented book tells about Hughes life from the aviation perspective. Although it probably wasn't the author's primary intent, I was shocked to read how bad a pilot Hughes was with questionable flying ability and certainly flawed judgement. By 1948, Hughes had had 9 major head injuries with at least 5 of them in an aircraft (which may explain his erratic behavior in his later years). A must read for flying buffs.



5. Written from a test pilot's perspective, this is the real story of an unusual man who was a magician with lots of money. Hughes was a true pioneeer in aviation, constantly on the newsreels. He had a fascination with planes, even those which could float on water. There is a picture of the Hercules after it was brought of storage in 1980.
   
   The pictures of so many airplanes brought the story so much better than words could do and Hughes contribution to the war effort. He was truly the Aviator of all time, better then the celebrated Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh. I'm glad he had Bruce Burk at his side to aid in this quest.
   
   After he changed TWA to TransWorld Airlines, he ran into conflict with PanAm president who told him in the Coconut Grove, where a lot of the personal interaction took place, that no airline should have a monopoly on international travel.
   
   There were scandals with the women, though he appeared to enjoy touching planes more than women. He "interviewed" many young starlets under contract to him. He was clear at the end that aviation was the great love of his life. He was dubbed as capricious and eccentric, but mainly he was afraid of people -- paranoid, thinking there were spies in his midst to learn his secrets.
   
   If he loved any woman, it was Kate Hepburn who left him for Spencer Tracy, He visited her family in Conn. but felt alienated, and she tried to dominate him. He wanted to control Ava Gardner and asked her to marry him. Both women appeared in his delusion to prepare for the Senate hearing. He was alo involved with Rita Hayworth and Terry Moore, who claimed to be his wife when he died. The senator accused him of producing a dirty movie and making airplanes which don't fly.
   
   At the hearing, it was promoted that the whole world will see what he has become. The Hercules (later dubbed the Spruce Goose) became Howard's folly, the sixty-ton white elephant with a wing span the length of a football field. It was meant to fly 200 tons of army equipment. When he successfully got that plane out of the water, it proved his ability to overcome his tarnished reputation. The senator charged Hughes with defrauding the government for accepting millions of dollars for spy planes he never delivered.
   
   George Marrett wrote CHEATING DEATH: COMBAT AIR RESCUE IN VIETNAM AND LAOS in 2003. This is the real story of Howard Hughes contribution to aviation, his first and last love.

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

1 comments about Nudie the Rodeo Tailor.

1. Leave this on your coffee table and it will be picked up. Nudie's name gets their attention, but then his work keeps them looking. Some may label his work as kitsch. I contend Nudie was a great American artist.
   
   This book is worthy of the man. Nicely laid out. Die-cut on the front. A great gift or addition to your library.

5 comments about Lawyer: My Trials and Jubilations.

1. I found Joe's book entertaining and easy to read. His passion for his clients and job is a trait not held by most in the law profession.



2. Mr. Jamail's book is terrific. Yes he's a little full of himself but his results are real and he has accomplished a lot in his legal career. He's also had a few major financial scores that have put him in a very unique class of lawyer. This is a fun book with many stories about individual cases that made an impression on Joe and thus inspired him to fight for his client.



3. Law students who have just taken a course in professional repsonsibility may characterize Joe Jamail as a bad man, as unscrupulouas, as a jerk. That is probably true. But, argumentum ad hominem. Just because the man is bad, his work may not be. The facts are that Jamail is one of the most successful American lawyers of all time; that he fights a tremendous fight for his clients. Read this book for what it is, an account of an outstanding lawyer and his interesting cases; not as an intro to legal ethics.



4. I received this book (a signed copy) free from my law school upon graduation (within a year of publication). I suppose Joe had a few thousand lying around that he couldn't sell. I keep it in the bathroom in case my wife forgets to refill the toilet paper.
   
   All kidding aside, it's amusing and anecdotal, but he's largely full of himself, as would be expected from a billionaire lawyer's autobiography.



5. Having been in law practice for just over 15 years, I've always sought inspiration from my older, more experienced and [much more] wizened colleagues. I've often found such inspiration in the example of well known trial lawyers who seem "larger than life."
   I don't really compare myself to any of these great legal lions. However, I do draw from their gutsy manner and styles, their talent and inspiration. Joe Jamail is one fine example of a great trial lawyer -- whose enormous success almost speaks for itself. I for one am quite willing to overlook any personal flaws or quirks among such great colleagues, in favor of learning the wisdom of their experience and trememdous success.