5 comments about Howard Hughes: The Untold Story.

1. I first read this book to see what Howard Hughes was all about. I was not disappointed in the writing or information. It was well written and a page turner.
   
   I read bio books to learn more about the personal side of people - their lives & feelings/views on matters, how they handled personal situations more than just facts of their accomplishments. So therefore, this book was a great fit for me.
   
   A few reviews have said the book should have focused more on the specifics of how he handled his business affairs. This to me would be much more boring. There is just enough details of how and why he came up with his inventions, mechanics of flying, and drive to make profits without putting us to sleep.
   
   Enjoy a great read and learn about a fascinating person at the same time!



2. I watched Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" and was immediately interested in learning about the "real" Howard Hughes. This book more than satisfied my curiosity. I wasn't aware of the non-aviation contributions made by Hughes; satellites, seek and destroy missles. All very important to our national security. I had never heard of Hughes' connection to the Watergate scandal until I read this book.
   
   This publication was a page turner about a man that we'll most likely never learn the full truth about. A great read!



3. I had read an earlier book on Hughes, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes, and remembered it as a fascinating book. I purchased recently this newer book on Hughes, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story.
   
   It, too, was fascinating in its own National Inquirer kind of way! This particular book dealt more with Hughes' womanizing more than with his business empire. We are treated with endless stories of Hughes' conquest of Hollywood actress beginning in the early 20's up until his final pursuit of women in the late 1950s.
   
   The stories are truly fascinating to read and Brown's and Broeske's writing style certaining kept me engaged. One just has to wonder how one would have acted in Howard's place as he pursued women on a daily basis while in Hollywood. Simply amazing!
   
   The one drawback about this book that I was not anticipating was what made it so interesting: its dedication to his lothario lifestyle. In other words, by the time the story of Jean Peters (his last wife) rolls around, along with his last attempted affair with the starlet Yvonne Shubert, one starts to tire of reading exclusively about his sexual conquests.
   
   I found myself wondering how all of this tied in with his businesses. The authors did throw in just enough about his businesses for it all to make sense, but I don't think there was enough. In other words, this book dealt almost entirely with his sex life than anything else. There were enough tidbits about his paranoia, his germophobia, his Hollywood movie making, and his aviation exploits to keep the book moving.
   
   I recommend this book to read about the personable side of Howard and the book, Empire, to read about the business side of Howard. Both are excellent.



4. After a while I got really tired of all of these starlets stories. I couldn't stop thinking " what a jerk" and how stupid all of these girls, and worse yet, their parents were.



5. After finally watching the Aviator, I wanted to know more about Howard Hughes' life but wasn't sure which book to get since there were so many out there to choose from. The Untold Story turned out to be one of the most moving books I've read. I previously only knew him according to the reputation he had in his final years: bizarre recluse, deranged, weirdo, bilionnaire.
   
   Howard Hughes was an ace pilot. The 200 ton Spruce Goose was his personal triumph. This books brings to light his outlandish reality and his extraordinary and adventurous personal life: the many movies he produced, and his amazing influence on Hollywood censorship, purchasing the most Las Vegas resorts owned by one person, the McCarthy era, even Watergate and the fall of Nixon. It covers the many famous actresses he discovered, his womanizing and dating nearly every leading glamor queen. Jean Harlow, Ava Gardner, Giner Rogers, and Katharine Hepburn all dated this handsome playboy. It explains his passion of aviation, perilous record breaking flights as well as his three plane crashes, and his development of commercial flights (TWA). Howard Hughes was a genius inventor and head of a giant corporation which produced oil drill tools (which he inherited from his father). The book reveals his emotionally incestuous ties to his mother. his addictions, breakdowns and recoveries, disappearing acts such as when he locked himself in a studio room, didn't bathe for months, and watched the same movies 30 times in a row, eating only Hershey bars. His now-famous but then unknown obsessive-compulsive disorder produced full blown food fetishes such as counting chocolate chips in each germ-free cookie and eating his peas with a small rake. Who knows what might have happened, and how history might have changed, if doctors knew about Prozac in those days?
   
   The circumstances of his death remain mysterious and puzzling - to this day, no one is sure about how he died. Like his life, it was covered in a wall of secrecy. A compelling, sympathetic, and well-researched story (nearly 400,000 pages of court documents, 2,000 pages of FBI reports, and 600 interviews were used) about one of the most controversial, intriguing and extraordinary people.

5 comments about Mine's Bigger: Tom Perkins and the Making of the Greatest Sailing Machine Ever Built.

1. I have been reading David Kaplan's books for over 20 years, and happily recommend his latest: "Mine's Bigger". It tells the story of the world's largest privately-owned sailing vessel and how it was conceived of and designed by its owner, Tom Perkins. Perkins is a legendary venture capitalist (known for his insight, power, and damn good luck in Silicon Valley), and Kaplan peeled a few layers of the SV onion back in "Silicon Boys". As a result, this book is much more than "here's how I built this big boat". Expect a few snarky stories (all in good fun) , helpful exposition on what exactly all those sails are called and why, and some wonderment over how much, er, stuff somebody with more money than God can acquire. Buy it. You will not regret it.



2. "Mine's Bigger" reacquaints us with Tom Perkins, to whom author David A. Kaplan had previously introduced us as one of the leading venture capitalists behind "The Silicon Boys". What follows is the story the "Maltese Falcon", the greatest sailing vessel ever built, a tale in which Perkins is no less driven (and, some might say, no more sane) than the seafaring protagonists of Melville and Hemingway. Along the way, readers will learn more about sailing and nautical engineering than they could ever have imagined caring to know. Although Kaplan literally fell down on the jibe in researching this book, his occupancy of one of the four guest staterooms on the Falcon's maiden voyage is testimony to his ability to go places that few of his readers ever will and come back with details, anecdotes and insight.



3. A great read about a fascinting and innovative yacht which merges old and new technology very gracefully. In addition, the author gives the reader great insight into Tom Perkins personality and how he earned his way into owning the Maltese Falcon.



4. Sadly, Mr. Perkins tries to compensate for his apparent 'shortcomings' in other areas by building an enormous ship. David Kaplan correctly characterizes him as narcissist who lacks the fundamental human trait of compassion for his fellow man (or woman). Like a eunuch, Mr. Perkins deserves more pity than scorn.



5. Hi Tom,
   
   It was a pleasure to work with you on the car book and I look forward to reading the boat book.
   
   Marshall

5 comments about What Jackie Taught Us: Lessons from the Remarkable Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

1. Whatever age you might be, whatever era you are from, you absolutely do not want to miss reading this book! Most of us recall the special "charm" that was Jackie, but few of us really knew or understood the details of this remarkable woman. What made her tick? What made her do what she did? Tina Sant Flaherty answers questions...looking into Jackie's childhood, young adulthood and her life as a daughter, wife and mother.
   Through this heart-felt book, we see Jackie, but can also see what we might do in her shoes. What we might like to immitate in some instances. What can we learn from her? There seems to be much.
   I loved the way she kept her "private life private and was an example of strength and grace, charm and sophistication.
   If you weren't a Jackie fan prior to reading this book, chances are you'll be one afterwards and probably one of the author as well.



2. Knowing nothing about Jackie Kennedy except what I knew about JFK from history courses, I was not as interested in her as I am after reading this book. Although not for those seeking a detailed biography of her life, it is inspiring and concise enough to prove that Jackie was truly a remarkable woman who lived a remarkable life. Perhaps the best parts of this book were the clear explanations of why Jackie might have responded to events as she did and the ending of each chapter with "What Jackie Taught Us" (which, although somewhat biased, gets the point across for those who get lost in the story rather than the lessons). After reading this, I had a basic understanding of Jackie's life and a clear understanding of who Jackie was: strong, determined, and resourceful while being a woman worried over her husband's infidelity, her mother's remarks, and the safety of her children. Flaherty is clearly a devoted fan of Jackie's - the book does come across as a bit biased; thus, if you're looking for the hardcore facts, don't read this just yet.
   
   If you're looking for an introduction to Jackie, an inspiring tale of an American woman, or insight into the life of someone truly influential in America during the early '60s, this is the book for you.



3. An enjoyable book - I looked forward to picking it up each day. And that is a compliment, because very rarely do I read anything other than murder mysteries!



4. I'm a 20 year old girl that read this book to hopefully pick up some wisdom on life and thats exactly what I got. I learned that everybody goes through hard times and it is how you handle it that matters. There are a lot of qualities that I admire in Jackie. SHe is an extraordinary person that really deserves more fame than she has (I didin't know about her until I read this book).



5. This book is not for serious readers, people who would hope to find an insighful and serious understanding of the subject. It merely touches the surface of a myriad of interesting questions. The language itself is shalow, repetitious and the few scatterd thoughts of the author are utterly unoriginal and mundane.

5 comments about Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr..

1. 
   This book is the best biography I've read thus far.
   Ron Chernow has a deep understanding of
   economics and history. He uses this understanding to
   paint an accurate, balanced and complete picture of
   the Rockerfeller dynasty with J.D. Rockerfeller as the
   center of their powerful universe.
   
   
   To emphasise just how well this book was written,
   consider the fact that I spent my whole
   Christmas weekend reading it! I couldn't move from my
   library or sleep until it was done. Though the book
   weighs in at approximately seven hundred pages, it is
   reads like a novel, a trait which makes it both
   palatable and pithy.
   
   

   Synopsis

   
   Rockerfeller has all the traits of a classic self made hero. His
   antecedents are not amazing. He grew up in a poor
   family featuring a bigamist foot-lose father who was
   hardly ever around. His father taught John painful
   lessons in business and human behaviour. John's father
   would regularly tell John to jump from his high chair
   into his father's arms. Once, in order to teach John
   never to trust anyone, he told John to jump. He then
   walked away, leaving John to slam painfully into the ground.
   John's mother was the backbone of the family; quiet,
   anassuming and hardworking. He assumed the role of
   surrogate father and dedicated his life to ensuring his
   mother and the rest of his family were safe, secure
   and happy.
   
   
   When Rockerfeller got into the business world, he
   began as a book keeper. It was from these early
   beginnings that he showed the traits that would be the
   core of his success. He was meticulous and diligent
   when keeping financial records and accounts. He would
   manage his own funds as well as the company's money down to the
   decimal point! Like Warren Buffet after him,
   J.D. Rockerfeller would emphasis that "numbers are
   everything."
   
   
   J.D also proved that discipline is more important than
   intelligence. In school, he wasn't the sharpest blade
   in the set but his slow, diligent, determined and
   disciplined approach to study ensured his success. He
   emphasised this in his business dealings as well. With
   this method, he created the jaggernaut monopoly of
   Standard Oil. He began by consolidating the mass of oil
   refineries and wells in Cleveland under his umbrella.
   Later, after recruiting his alter ego, Henry Flagler,
   they would proceed to dominate the oil industry
   thoughout the world.
   
   
   Rockerfeller also exemplified a reticence that would
   inspire respect and fear in his enemies while planting
   admiration and loyalty in his friends. At board
   meetings, he was often known to lie back in a settee
   with his eyes closed as he let his leiutenants debate.
   Later, he would discuss these issues in great detail,
   as though he had absorbed and understood everything
   without skipping a beat. Within his company, he was a
   ghost. Employees would never see him arrive or watch
   him leave. However, they were made acutely aware of
   his presence when he popped up at some underlings desk
   and discussed their jobs and records in great detail. He
   knew everything and everyone.
   
   
   Later on, Standard Oil would become the focus of the
   anti-trust movement. The Spellman Act was passed in
   order to curb its power. In later years,
   Rockerfeller's juggernaut would be split up with
   unforseen results. Instead of destroying his wealth,
   as his detractors and politicians had hoped, his
   wealth and that of his shareholders trippled!
   Rockerfeller's success was enduring and could not be
   stopped or limited.
   
   
   Rockerfeller dedicated the first half his life to becoming the
   richest man on the planet. He then dedicated the
   remaining half to becoming the greatest philanthropist
   in the planet. His medical foundations brought
   back the disciplined approach he applied to business to
   the medical field that had erstwhile been dominated by
   quacks and homeopaths. Were it not for Rockerfeller's
   contributions to medicine, modern health might not be
   as advanced as it is now.
   
   
   After living to the ripe old age of ninety eight,
   Rockerfeller had achieved more than most people achive in a
   hundred lifetimes. He was one of those individuals so
   powerful that he forever changed the destiny of
   humanity forever.
   
   
   
   Something in the nature of J.D. Rockerfeller had to
   occur in America, and it is all to the good of the
   world that he was tight-lipped, consistent and
   amazingly free from vulgar vanity, sensuality and
   quarrelsomeness. His cold prsistence and ruthlessness
   may arouse something like horror, but for all that he
   was a forward-moving force, a constructive power.
   
   --H. G. Wells. The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind.
   
   
   

   Conclusion

   
   This book is mandatory reading for all students of
   success. It teaches the nature of the monopolist, the
   spirit of the leader, the hunger of the rich, the
   ambition of the visionary, the structure of a dynasty
   and the soul of the innovator.
   
   
   I've idolized Rockerfeller my whole life. Reading this
   biography gave me an understanding of both his faults
   and his virtues. It humanised him. The fact that
   Rockerfeller is so much like a next door neighbour
   leads the reader to a very important conclusion:
   success is not about nature, it's about nurture. It
   is not about intelligence but of intent. It is not
   about destiny but of decision. It is not about magic,
   it is about method.
   
   Each of us can make the decision to be successful. All
   we have to do is practice the method by mimicking that
   of the giants who have come before us. That is the
   Billionaire Way.



2. Rockefeller is reported to have searched endlessly for golf balls lost in an attempt to recover them, yet could nearly buy the world - why?
   
   Objective biographies are important to show that it is rarely money or greed that inspires the mind of man; it is the pursuit of the solution to the particular problem that he has defined worthy of solution. Both great inventions and great works of art have been formed as a result of the tiny seeds of construction or of destruction that engage the human spirit.
   
   Without it, are we not all merely reduced to automated machine status, the robots of today for the future of tomorrow?
   
   Is the mind of man made for the pursuit of money, or for the pursuit of satisfaction of what he perceives is worthy of addressing, focusing his attention upon the manner and the object of his passion?
   
   What makes people tick is a source of inspiration often overlooked in the attempt to idolize or endow humanity, and far too often, misconstrued by mistaken others who aim to profit from that misinterpretation.
   
   Molded soles, like molded fingerprints, rarely sit anyone else. Why then do we not concentrate upon the perspective of what men aim for, and why, rather than what they accomplish, and its yield?



3. Hopefully it is good, Kinda Long but I am looking foward to having time to read the whole novel.



4. This is a really excellent book on Rockefeller. It made me laugh; it helped me to understand who he was as a person; it showed how he became who he was; and it gave me a true and complete understanding of Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Sr. in an unbiased way.
   
   I read the negative reviews on here, and I want to refute them. Some say the author clearly favored Rockefeller; I felt quite the opposite at some points and think a really objective depiction was achieved. Others say the editing was poor; I didn't find a single spelling or grammatical error during the read. In terms of its editing, it was fine.
   
   If you want to know who Mr. Rockefeller, Sr. was, this is the book for you.



5. John D. Rockefeller Sr. was probably the biggest, baddest robber baron in 19th century America, and also its leading philanthropist. Many writers scorned his ruthlessness, notably Ida Tarbell, who wrote two books on Rockefeller and his company, Standard Oil. Author Ron Chernow digs deeper, through masses of Rockefeller family documents, to present the founder of the Rockefeller dynasty as a "man of flesh and bone and soul." He covers Rockefeller's ugly, dramatic and even shameful aspects, while concurrently demonstrating his business acumen and his philanthropic leadership amid a remarkable generation of business barons, including William Randolph Hearst, Jay Gould, William Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan. An amazing portrait emerges of an almost invisible, rather megalomaniac ascetic who wanted to fulfill God's will. He became extremely wealthy, gave millions away, and believed that he brought the benefit of inexpensive oil products to all mankind. getAbstract highly recommends this multifaceted biography.

5 comments about Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood.

1. This is one of the very few biographies where i was left feeling i knew the subject intimately and deeply. I have always felt that Natalie Woods life was a highly fascinating and karmically complex one.
   The author certainly confirmed that and i didnt find the prose to be overly dramatic at all.
   She is a talented writer as well as a biographer and for me, that makes a huge difference.
   I like depth, insight, and good writing,
   a wonderful subject is of course important and this book had it all.



2. This book read more like fiction than fact.I was horrified at the things Natalie went through to become and remain a star. I was thrilled by her ability to overcome all and become one of the most respected actors of her time.I wanted to lash out at someone about the way she died and I wanted someone charged with a crime.With that said, I thought too much time was spent describing her early years and her background but that is a minor complaint.Natalie was a favorite of mine so I enjoyed the book.Natalie: A Memoir by Her Sister



3. If you are over the age of 25 in America, you have heard of Natalie Wood. The tragically deceased movie star is akin to an icon in our nation's past. This thoroughly researched biography gives insight into her early life and behind the scenes information about her movies. With quotes from original sources, such as Wood's family members and staff, and second hand sources, such as magazine articles, the details of Natalie's life are spread before us.
   I was only semi-knowledgeable about this actress prior to reading the book. I had only ever seen her three most famous movies, Rebel Without a Cause, West Side Story, and Miracle on 34th Street. Since this book, I have been compelled to familiarize myself with more of her work.
   The author is, I believe, I first-time biographer, and although I haven't read terribly many biographies, I found her style somewhat heavy-handed. She also needs to familiarize herself better with the concepts of "foreshadowing" and "irony." One thing I found very annoying about the writing was that the author felt the need to remind us, over and over, of who people were. For example, she introduces us to Debbie Reynolds "who was originally considered for the part of Judy." Then, a paragraph later, she quotes Reynolds again, identifying her as "the actress who almost got [Natalie's] part." Scarcely a paragraph later, Reynolds "who almost played Judy" is quoted again. I did not need these reminders, as I (and I would imagine most other reasonably intelligent readers) can remember what was written from paragraph to paragraph. Also, I am quite unfamiliar with movie stars and directors from this period, so I would imagine people who were alive during this time or more well-versed on in this subject might be even more frustrated than I was.
   Finstad also kept pushing the idea that "Natalie Wood" was a "composite" of Natalie herself and her mother, Maria. I was willing to accept the assertion at first, as Maria pushed Natalie into stardom, but later, as Natalie grew up, it seemed Finstad was massaging the facts to support her claim.
   In conclusion, I learned a lot from Finstad's thorough research and interviews with close friends and family members of Ms. Wood, but I would not read a book by her again. I have wish-listed another biography of Natalie Wood, and would be interested to see whether this concept of the "composite" Natalie Wood is more pervasive.



4. Natasha: The biography of Natalie Wood was written by Suzanne Finstad. She claims to be a die-hard fan of Wood and that part is probably true but the way she writes about her favorite star is calculated and contrived. We know Natalie drowned, which was her biggest phobia and she married three times, twice to the same man. This book is a real page turner but you can't help but wonder what is fiction and what is real, even Wood's eldest daughter called this book trash, decide for yourself.



5. Too bad Wood's story-book career is overshadowed by the many unanswered questions surrounding her death. How ironic, I suppose, that the high-profile, high-pressure industry she so excelled at also had a lot to do with many of those questions going unanswered. The sorry fact is that LA's biggest industry has long influenced police investigation when scandal threatens the Hollywood image, all the way back to the murder of William Desmond Taylor.
   
   In fact, the book's best part is what I take to be the author's no-punches-pulled, eye-witness testimony surrounding that fateful November night. Two particularly damaging aspects of the investigation emerge-- no sheriff's effort at putting together a time-line surrounding Wood's sudden disappearance (p.441), and the sheriff's refusal to even contact credible witnesses overhearing cries for help during that time frame (pps. 431- 432). Couple that with Frank Sinatra's effort to get respected county coroner Thomas Noguchi removed from the case (p.435), and a classic instance of industry string-pulling takes shape.
   
   This is not to insinuate that criminal behavior was necessarily involved in the drowning. Neither the book nor I am implying that. However, there is a clear implication of botched procedures that remained remarkably incurious about conflicting accounts and details surrounding the death. Efforts to spare family feelings are understandable. But such factors should not impede justice from being done. Then too, I wonder if family feelings would be such a factor were the deceased from poverty-ridden East LA. In my view, this is another instance of investigation being boxed-in by big money, big reputations, and big industry. After all, as the fan mags liked to brag, Natalie and RJ were Hollywood "royalty". Nonetheless, the little girl many of us grew up with deserved better, royalty or not.
   
   Natalie Wood had what amounts to an amazing Hollywood career. Unlike the great majority of child stars, her career remained uninterrupted from childhood through mature adulthood. This was a testament both to her talent and her ability to stay employed through life's inevitable changes. Author Finstad pinpoints the central conflict in her life-- the tension between the person herself (Natasha) and her carefully crafted show-biz persona ("Natalie Wood"). After all, she was a professional actress from age six, so it's not surprising that the real person had little chance to develop and that what there was remained submerged under the movie star creation. Mom comes across as the real culprit behind this split and something of a dark Rasputin-like force in Wood's life.
   
   Curiously, little mention is made of the turbulent Vietnam period when old Hollywood was eclipsed by the new, so-called counter-culture. A glance at Wood's movie credits shows a sharp drop-off after 1966, the first big year of the war. Yet, there's not a single mention of Vietnam nor (I believe) of the war itself. This seems odd given the cultural and commercial impact on the movie industry of social and political forces then on the march. It would be interesting to know her reaction since the movement rejected the whole glamor factory concept. I don't know if the absence of material means Natalie and her circle simply floated above the national trauma or what. Anyway, I find this a curious silence in what is otherwise a pretty exhaustive text.
   
   All in all, Finstad's biography is a close account of Wood's personal life. I wish there had been more on the business side, but probably sources there were hard to find since insiders play the business dealings pretty close to the vest. Also, the text could have used tighter editing since the detail at times gets somewhat repetitious. Nonetheless, the book is an insightful look into America's great game of celebrity worship and the ups and the downs of a fairy-tale life. I'm just sorry that if a body had to be pulled from the water, it wasn't Natasha's-- it was Natalie Wood's. And from that moment on the interests of the Hollywood glamor factory took over. Even in death, Natasha was suppressed.

5 comments about Infinite Variety: The Life & Legend of the Marchesa Casati, The Definitive Edition.

1. "'Infinite Variety: The Definitive Edition' provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the bizarre and spectacular life that Casati led...All you fashion-conscious history buffs will love the in-depth exploration the authors take into Casati's stylish life."-Denise Dandeneau (Zink Magazine)

   "This meticulously researched and completely updated biography vividly details Luisa Casati's extravagant life...Fashionistas, art history buffs, aficionados of Belle Époque and Jazz Age culture-and general readers-will be pleased."-Lorraine Thompson (Primo Magazine)




2. "Mesmerizing and revealing, 'Infinite Variety' is the definitive account of the Italian femme scandaleuse. A great glimpse, and more, into the life of a larger-than-life individual."-Mar Yvette (Clear Magazine)



3. "'Infinite Variety' is a thoroughly unbiased and well-researched biography. The 'Definitive Edition' includes a plethora of new information as well as artwork and photos. Thanks to the efforts of Ryersson and Yaccarino, the story of the Marchesa Casati, with all its splendor, will continue to astonish.--Jonathan Williams, Gothic Beauty Magazine



4. 'This book about the Marchesa Casati (1881-1957) is called "The Definitive Edition" about a lady of extravagant leisures. It is an excellent book reviving the roaring twenties in Europe and gives you a fairly good insight of the lifestyle of the truly rich and famous through to the 1940s. Part of this set was the Marchesa Casati, who is a source of inspiration to this very day for fashion designers, artists and wealthy heirs. So if you squander your vast inheritance, at least do it in style!' (review from Elegant Lifestyle)



5. "I loved 'Infinite Variety' for the way the authors brought the Marchesa Casati vividly to life."--Robert Fulford, author of 'The Triumph of Narrative: Storytelling in the Age of Mass Culture'

5 comments about The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band.

1. This book is great! I totally love the realistic tales. I love Motley Crue even more now.



2. Don't even waste any more time deciding if you should get this. It is well worth the coin. I didn't think there was much that I did not know about the band since I grew up on these guys. From page one, I was captivated by the story of the rise to fame for Motley Crue. Very personal and funny. Grab it!



3. In the 80's Motley Crue was my favorite band. I am now in my 40's and just had to read this book. It was an eye-opening look into the rock star lifestyle. Raunchy, raw and funny...I must admit I liked it and can not wait for the movie!



4. At least the title to this review sounds good. LOL
   
   Considering the book is over 400 pages long, I was surprised that I finished it in a day. It is a very interesting novel although sometimes NOT well written, but then again some of Crue's songs were NOT well written either. And yes this is coming from a long time fan of the band.
   
   I think what amazed me about this book was I finally figured out why I related to Motley Crue's music so well. I lived a similar live story to Nikki, Vince, & Mick. I went through alot of the same trials and faced many of the same demons these three members in particular faced. And what I did not face in my life, I actually knew someone who sufered similar fates, that almost drove them over the edge.
   
   In retrospect to the book, I could mostly relate to Mick and his years of hidden back problems and pain. His condition is actually worse than the reason that I gave up playing guitar (Well not entirely). THe swelling of the hands, stiffened fingers, and other problems makes playing guitar extremely hard, and for him to continue to play it so well, shows tat he truly wants to be remembered as a Guitar God.
   
   Other than similar fates i too went through (like Vinces loss of a young child) the majority of what iread reminded me of friends I had when I was younger. Nikki's story is mostly about his broken home, his drug addictions, and his marriages. He reminds me of a lost soul that just needed to find a way of fitting in.
   
   Vince reminds me of former friends who are now members of either the Hell's Angels or Bandido Motorcycle gangs. But the book laves you with the feeling he is NOT the angry grimy biker, but the one who joins just to see how much trouble he can get friends into.
   
   Tommy Lee; however, is the worst of the band. I really admired the guy until I read this novel. After seeing Motley Crue quite a few times, I really thought Tommy was a thunder God. However, after reading his story, I felt like he was more of the type of guy who would befriend you, then one night run out of the door with your wallet. And although a lot of people give him grief over Pamela Anderson (or as Nikki calls her Yoko Ono), I feel for him on that aspect. Pamela Anderson may be a blonde bombshell to some. But to me she reminds of a 2 bit prostitute (to keep it clean). Afterall Pamela wrecked the careers of Scott Baio, Tommy Lee, and almost wreck Kid Rock's career. I think she is the devil in disguise. But then again that would not stop most guys from sleeping with her.
   
   Overall the book is great, but Not complete (as mentioned in the finale)
   There a lot of stars mentioned in it (Like Mel Gibson, David Lee Roth, and a few others that are also either alcoholics, or drug addicts.) You will be surprised to here Dirt on several unsuspecting movie stars and rock stars who claim to have a squeaky clean image, but really do not.
   
   Well that is my quick review. and yes the book is worth everybit of the asking price.



5. this is a great read...you can really get a feel of how close to the edge that some rock bands get and then wonder how they were able to survive and still make good music.

4 comments about Bunker Spreckels: Surfing's Divine Prince of Decadence.

1. Big waves, beautiful girls, drugs and money. A fascinating glimpse into the insane life of Bunker Spreckels. At 21, he inherits fifty-million dollars, so like any other reasonable person, he arrives at the bank with an armored car and takes it in cash. This is just one episode in the short life of Bunker Spreckels. Art Brewer's photos perfectly capture the essence of Bunker's wild ride. I would be surprised if Hollywood isn't already in production.



2. I'm a big fan of Bunk's stepfather Clark Gable, so I was thrilled to see something about Bunk in print. It added another dimension to a more personal side of Gable. But my husband was a surfer, and he was thrilled with the photography and history regarding this sport. From a social history standpoint it is also quite interesting - the 60s and what money can do to people, etc. All around valuable book - kind of a "coffee table" book, actually. I liked it!



3. I was very interested in the person Bunker Spreckles. Here was a person who, before he had any money, dropped everything and lived on the North Shore, to just surf. He was said to surf as well an any touring pro, but did so only for passon. He rode and made his own boards and had his own style. To me, he represented what surfing should be, to a committed person, and not what it is, and has become. I was thrilled to see a book about him coming, but when I got it and read it, I was very disappointed. I would like to have seen it focus more on his surfing in California and in Hawaii in 69, and also, his lifestyle while in Kuai, and more pictures from the South Africa trip. All it was was a recap of the Surfer's journal article from 93, with a few more photos from when he was spinning out from all the money.



4. highly recommended in depth look at one of the 1970's most outrageous,larger than life,innovator & hedonist personalities that is sadly missing in todays couch potato,console playing,tv watching,'staying in,is the new going out'superfluous wasters.expand your mind....read a book!!!!

5 comments about 4 Inches.

1. When I recieved this book I was very pleased with the sheer size and over all look of the book. Then as I paged through it I found all but a few pictures to be absolutely beatuiful, I didn't care too much for the toilet photos and maybe one or two others. I love black and white photos, I also have an obsession with choo shoes and of course I love jewerly so this book brought them all together so beautifully and on beauitful women. I am begining a career in photoghraghy and found this book to be very tastful except the above mentioned which were more silly. Above all else proceeds go to a great cause AIDS in women.



2. I was very disappointed in the quality and compositions of the photographs in this book. This book was published for a good cause but one would think the "professional" photographers would be more creative in their props and lighting. Save your money. Don't buy this book.



3. Not only is this book for a good cause, It is also amazing. The photography is outstanding and I am a photographer. It is all in very good taste. Beautiful Work!!!



4. I have to say I agree with (most) of the other reviewers that the photos are of excellant quality, the women are beautiful and it's for a good cause. The only slightly disturbing thing is that the amount of skin shown seems to be related to the "accepted" beauty of the model. By that I mean the professional models were all fully naked and obviously quite comfortable being so; while some of the other ladies were photographed covered up (although obviously naked). It would be interesting to know if the model was ill at ease in being naked or the photographers were sub-conciously suggesting a more covered up shot. Either way it's a shame that the likes of Sarah Ferguson was hidden under some sort of blanket rather than uncovered in the true spirit of the book.
   
   All in all and excellent collection.



5. the cover with kate moss just about says it all. blatant advertising for jimmy choo's

5 comments about The Fortune Hunters: Dazzling Women and the Men They Married.

1. This book is a wonderful backgrounder on what a fortune hunter is truly made of. I'm surrounded by them--we all are, no matter which social class we live in. But this book is a fantastic backgrounder on how all of these women think and behave.
   
   Hays is not cutting or cruel about these women; she simply tells their stories. And the stories are really something. Interesting, though: The fortune hunters of yesteryear are cut from exactly the same cloth as those we hear and see so much about today.
   
   A fun read.



2. Did expect more of this book. The subject sure has enough substance... However, it is neither a gossip book nor a social anthropological study but a mish-mash of tidbits of information, some seems to come from a relatively close proximity other from far, far away from the objects studied. Not a book that really grabs you.



3. Very simply, THE FORTUNE HUNTERS should have been better. Author Charlotte Hays, presumably in concert with her editor and publisher, has cheated her readers.
   
   Most importantly, the book simply is too short. At less than 300 pages, it should have been at least 50% longer. Had it been longer, it might have included sufficient examples of fortune hunters -- and examples abound -- to do justice to the theme.
   
   The writing has a rushed quality, with some sentences so run-on that they could have been broken up into full paragraphs.
   
   Author Hays draws some conclusions that are just plain wrong. Diana, the late Princess of Wales, was not a fortune hunter. Coming from an old noble family, a rich family, she was a misguided teenager who thought that she was marrying her Prince Charming -- and who, at the same time, assumed that when he became king, she would be queen.
   
   Neither was socialite Nan Kempner a fortune hunter, though Hays opens AND closes the book with the EXACT SAME anecdote about her. Kempner married young and stayed married for about 50 years, to a boy of her own social class. The author is confusing making a "suitable" marriage with hunting for a rich husband.
   
   At the same time, the author never even mentions Princess Grace of Monaco. Admittedly, Grace was not a fortune hunter, being a member of a rich family and having made serious money on her own as a movie star. Yet she did marry a virtual stranger in her quest to become royal.
   
   As for those fortune hunters the author does include in her book, she omits most of the more compelling anecdotes about them. Anyone who was in New York during some of these ladies' heydays will find it difficult to understand how Hays could neglect to reference the details of the notorious party which caused the Steinbergs to retire from polite society, or how she could give only one example of Mrs. Gutfreund's hilarious social gaffes.
   
   As the expression goes, the omissions also are glaring. Pat Kluge is cited only in a single aside. The marriages of Mort Zuckerman and Henry Kravis and all of the later Mrs. Perelmans are not mentioned at all, nor is Brooke Astor. Denise Minelli Hale was so laser-focused on the man that she succeeded in wedding that her step-daughter wrote an entire book about their marriage; shouldn't Hays have included the last Mrs. Hale in her summation?
   
   THE FORTUNE HUNTERS is fascinating in concept, but the book is so short and so sloppy that it cheats its readers.



4. The Fortune Hunters has the unique qualaity of being both entertaining AND informative. If 'all is fair in love and war' then this book illustrates the strategies and characteristics of the greatest conquerors of the battle of the sexes. You learn how each of the 'generals' won the skirmishes, battles, and wars that made them famous while also learning the motivations that drove them into battle. Each of the women profiled could command a 400 page biography of their own but this book isn't about detailing their ENTIRE lives but, rather,their LOVE lives. Though these women are all one-of-a-kind personalities they share a specific cocktail of traits that makes for successful big-game hunting. Whether it is Wallis Simpson or Marla Maples Ms. Hays confirms that you can get more money during a 5 minute wedding ceremony than you could get from a lifetimes hard work. The text is witty and easy to read while the boil-plate approach to the fortune-huntress tactics provides high nutritional value. I have seen many 'fortune huntresses'(South Florida boasts a large population of 'old men with even older money') toiling away at their craft with dissapointing results but now that Ms. Hays has written this primer on marrying money their fortunes might just change for the better.
   I read this book the first night - couldn't put it down.



5. 
   the title is a kinder, glossier euphemism for 'the gold diggers' of course. it basically gives a little biographical backstory to the great gold diggers of our age, yawn, and the message remains the same - women who marry for money end up earning every penny, just not on a 9-5 basis and perhaps not standing upright...
   
   a travesty of feminism.