5 comments about Jackie: A Life In Pictures.

1. This is clearly the best photo book to ever be published about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, no other book so far, offers such an amazing collection of not so seen photographs of the former First Lady, later Mrs. Onassis and Jacqueline as a private person.I just love it, definitely worth buying.



2. I'm a big fan of any book on the Kennedy's but I found this book to be a let down. Other than a handful of photos of her as a child, there's nothing in this book that hasn't already been published. The only good thing about it is that all of the photos are in one book. I really liked JFK: A life in pictures, which is wonderful but I was disappointed by this book.



3. A beautiful hardcover book with beautiful photos, which nicely compliments, 'John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Life in Pictures.'



4. This book is sumptuous. The paper quality, the binding, the little touches that show it's a quality keepsake, not just another book thrown together to cash in on the Kennedys. I agree with previous reviewers who commented that many of the pix have appeared elsewhere. There are a few new shots and I would have enjoyed seeing more of them. That's why I subtracted a star. But still, I'm enjoying this book and recommend it.



5. I agree with the reviewer below whose expectations were raised by the excellent "John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Life In Pictures," then somewhat disappointed by this book. It's well done but really doesn't evoke the era or the excitement of its subject beyond the level of a Biography Channel documentary. The photos are great but not especially arresting or telling. You actually get more of a feeling for JBK and the period from the book on her husband, which I strongly recommend. It should be noted that the JFK book was produced by Phaidon and this by another company, despite the title and dustjacket design similarities.

5 comments about Trust No One: The Glamorous Life and Bizarre Death of Doris Duke.

1. Anything interesting in the content of this book is offset by how poorly written (and edited) it is. It repeats the same well-worn Doris Duke anecdotes included in any Duke biography, but it is riddled with so many typos and grammatical errors that I began to suspect I had been conned into buying a self-published book by a semi-literate Duke afficianado! I tried not to be put off by such errors, but after that tenth time I read the possessive "Doris Duke'ss&quot. On the plus side, some of the errors make for the occassional unintentional laugh, such as when the reader learns that Duke's butler (who was with Duke when she died in 1993) died in "1966"! Spend your money on a real book...



2. After touring Doris Duke's summer home in Newport, RI, I became increasing intrigued with Ms. Duke. So I sought a book about her life and I came across Trust No One. At first, I felt the initial chapters were plodding and dry, but I realized after reading a few chapters this foundation was needed to understand the woman Doris Duke became. The first chapters did a thorough background on Doris' father and mother, Buck and Nanaline Duke. Doris' father was the love of her life and he taught her how to become an astute business woman before he died when she was 13 years old. Doris Duke was a very complex woman. She was a philanthropist, and a very saavy businesswoman who multiplied her fortune by billions. She was also an avid art collector, a self-taught botanist and, last but not least, a fine jazz musician. Doris was also very flawed: she was an alcoholic; a drug abuser; and, was anorexic. All of this is explained in great detail in the book. It was factual, but yet there was a human side to the story, and I found it to be a great read. In the end, money cannot buy happiness or love - not even for Doris Duke. (Written by Kathee Duncan)



3. I did not find the book particularly written well. It does not keep your interest going. There are no photos. But even more than this, is the subject matter--Doris Duke. I find her to be a very bad example of a human being. Who cares who much money she gave out. She was self absorbed and has made no significant contribution to this world.



4. The only reason I gave this one a '2' was that it's a very interesting look into Doris Duke's life with alot of insider perspective(one of the co-writers was her chef). However, this book looks entirely unedited and had atrocious spelling, grammer, mistakes ALL OVER and it was unacceptable.
   
   BIGGEST EXAMPLE: The author's name is spelled differently on the front cover and side binding. Was there ANYONE proofreading this book?
   
   Doris' was constantly spelled Doris'ss or Doris's and words didn't have spaces in between them.



5. It was very informative and much different than any movies I've seen on her life. I really enjoyed it.

5 comments about The Dark Side of Camelot.

1. Legend and hero are the words most of us learn in school to apply to John F. Kennedy. We usually tend to see him only in his media and photographic image, but Seymour Hersh portrays him here as being a man with an abundant set of flaws and characteristics. Most likely, although I grant that not everything the author says can be definitively proven, Hersh's depiction of JFK is far closer to that of the real person than the one we see gazing down upon us in posters. Of course, The Dark Side of Camelot is about a whole lot more than the 35th President. We find out all manner of fact and rumor concerning his grandfather, Honey Fitz, his father, and the rest of his family; not to mention Richard Nixon and an array of women who are too numerous to name here. Kennedy was the quintessential high status male, and, intrinsic to his status, were a great many politically incorrect features that are fun to read about (while still being informative in regards to the leader and his times).



2. Mr. Hersh paints a convincing picture of JFK as an extremely hard working, ambitious man who was party to a myriad of addictions including painkillers and sex. I actually found the early sections of the book which deal primarily with his father Joe Kennedy to be insightful into the kind of environment he grew up in and undoubtably led to his immoral nature. Where Hersh is on weaker ground is when he tries to psychoanalyze JFK. He attempts to connect all of Kennedy's personal issues to decisions made about international politics, a hazardous course. I think Hersh was too close to Kennedy and his sense of profound disappointment as well as his breathy, rumormonger style of writing sometimes hurts his credibility which is unforunate because I think the author wrote a thought provoking, intelligent book



3. Normally I would not review an 11-year-old book, but as it presents a distorted view of JFK to say the least, and is still in print in 2008, here goes.
   
   Mr. Hersh has obliged his corporate and government sponsors with a double-barreled hit. First, he produced a best-seller, and second, he produced a JFK biography sure to please both the corporates and their government cronies.
   
   Mr. Hersh reveals JFK's sexual escapades in great length and detail. I estimate that at least 25% of the book is spent on this topic. This is fair enough, since JFK apparently spent the same percentage of his time pursuing sexual adventures. Mr. Hersh also presents much evidence backing claims of JFK's health problems, including frequent doses of various medications that kept him going. The early chapters tell some interesting stories about JFK's father, Joseph, and other family members including JFK's maternal grandfather, John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald.
   
   Mr. Hersh presents some interesting insights into crucial moments in JFK's presidency. The Bay of Pigs, the Berlin crisis, the Cuba missile crisis, plots to assassinate Fidel Castro, and the escalation of US involvement in Vietnam are dealt with in detail. Mr. Hersh contradicts accounts of these events written by close Kennedy associates, Ted Sorensen in particular. Mr. Hersh reveals a secretive, inexperienced, power-hungry and vindictive President who trusted only one man other than himself, his brother Robert. There does seem to be some truth to Hersh's contradictory accounts, but there also seems to be an underlying motivation behind this book, and this is the promotion of an official version of JFK and his presidency that focuses on JFK's personal weaknesses, presents CIA in a favorable light, and either lies about important events, or omits them entirely.
   
   Did you know, for example, that the Bay of Pigs fiasco was entirely JFK's fault? Did you know that JFK and RFK micro-managed plots involving the Mafia to kill Castro, and that the Vietnam War is JFK's legacy, not something he would have ended? With that knowledge, surely you should also learn about JFK's firing of Allan Dulles (later appointed to the Warren Commission), General Cabell and Richard Bissell? Sorry, that's not in the official story. Furthermore, since JFK was obviously so much at odds with CIA, surely you should read about JFK's threats to disband CIA? Sorry again.
   
   I quote from the "Author's Note" at the beginning of the book:
   
   "It [this book] tells of otherwise strong and self-reliant men and women
   who were awed and seduced by Kennedy's magnetism, and who competed with
   one another to please the most charismatic leader in our nation's history.
   Many are still blinded today.
   
   In writing this book, my hope is that I have been able to help the nation
   reclaim some of its history."
   
   Some very select and well chosen bits of its history, perhaps, but nothing that really matters, like who was responsible for JFK's assassination. Mr. Hersh is not one to talk about being "blinded", as he still professes to believe the official Lee Harvey Oswald "lone nut assassin" myth. Among the few remaining adherents to the myth are mainstream corporate media types like Mr. Hersh, anyone in government, and current and former intelligence agency employees who don't want to lose their security clearances or be sentenced to "dine alone". John Loftus and Tennent H. "Pete" Bagley are two examples of the latter.
   
   Despite this best-selling book and others written with the same intent, most of the public continue to admire JFK despite knowing that he was a highly flawed human being. Most people also disbelieve the official lone-nut assassin myths about JFK and RFK. To remove the spell of Mr. Hersh's quote above, I'll close with a quote from St. John Hunt (source: a Rolling Stone article you can easily find), author of "The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt":
   
   "Actually, there were probably dozens of plots to kill Kennedy, because everybody hated Kennedy but the public."
   
   Edit June 22, 2008: There is a new book that anyone with an interest in JFK should read: JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters. In particular, it puts paid to Hersh's contention that Vietnam must be considered as part of the Kennedy legacy.



4. Seymour Hersh, the man according to whom we have to thank for the Church Commission (which led to idiotic government intelligence "reforms" that, in turn, contributed to the intelligence failures that permitted 9-11), presents his best shot in this book at smearing the Kennedy clan. John especially, but also Joe and even to a certain extent Bobby. In most of the book, he succeeds in this task only to the extent we can trust mobsters, convicted felons, former madams, self-professed ex-lovers, hustlers, disgruntled employees and bankrupt, disbarred attorneys to tell us the truth.
   
   However, Mr. Hersh does present some very compelling testimonies from JFK's secret service agents, who describe JFK's White House adolescent hijinks in rhyparographic detail. Believe me, that section alone (pp 226-246) is enough to take the shine off Camelot -- permanently.
   
   Hersh is perplexing. He has impeccable anti-American and Democratic Party credentials, yet he savages JFK, a fellow Democrat, in a way that no one had done before, or in the eleven years since the book was published. Why? I can only conclude that Hersh's anger stems from his view that JFK was responsible for Vietnam. Hersh addresses Vietnam in the last two chapters of the book, and although these chapters are better sourced than some of the more salacious sections, the chapters seem disjointed, meandering, and tied together only by rage towards JFK.



5. Given the obvious falsehood of the Clinton era nonsense that personal morality is irrelevant to the public figure, we now need to start in on the fools who, with hubris and no qualms about bald-faced lying to the American public, we need to start revising our views of the men REALLY responsible for mutilating the constitution in favor of ego and a misguided sense that they knew better than the founding fathers, instead of just second tier types like JFK, academicians should start on the (attempted) court packing, congenital liar, and true war monger F.D.R (or the brain dead, subservient socialist mouthpiece Woodrow Wilson, and his Edgar Bergan, Col. House.) One chapter on what could have happened if F.D.R had died before replacing Socialist Henry Wallace during his last, fourth,ego-trip term-perhaps Henry Dexter White as Secretary of State and Alger Hiss as Secretary of Defense should make it obvious what a dangerous, naive fool F.D.R was. It COULD have been even worse than that, instead of "just" knowing every secret communication out of F.D.R's White House sieve, Stalin could have actually RUN the damn thing personally. Given what F.D.R gave Stalin at Yalta, what would Wallace have given him? All of Western Europe, too, or just Germany,France and England?

5 comments about The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family.

1. "For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. She had led such a decorous life, blocking out the untoward, the ugly, and the unacceptable, that her eyes no longer saw the darker colours of the spectrum. "Pat drank a bottle of wine in the morning," Rose was told. "That's impossible" Rose replied, Pat doesn't drink"

   I was glad that I read this book because it has helped me to understand so much more about this so much talked about family. In Mr. Leaner's book we get to know about the Kennedy women's personal thoughts and the correct stories of the daughters and daughters-in-law. Mr.Leamer has given us indept portraits of these women and my favourite is Rose Kennedy the Matriarch of the family. For Rose was a woman so strong and who suffered great disloyalty by her husband which she took all gracefully all for the sake of her family and what she supposed the public expected of them. She was a stern Catholic and gain her strength through her prayer and trust in God.
   Also portrayed are Joan Kennedy; Ted wife who had a problem with alcohol. Jackie Kennedy Onnassis; the President's wife who remarried after the President's death to a Greek tycoon. Pat Lawford; married to a Hollywood star and spent most of her time in Los Angeles. Eunice Shriver, who was always working for the handicapped and underprivileged and was one of the Kennedys with great patience and common sense. Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow and Jean Smith.
   The Kennedys pushed their tragedies to the inner recesses of their minds.They refused to let others see the negative side of their lives, and carried their problems and burdens inwardly taking pains not to show their broken hearts. To some this might seem pretentious, but they honestly had their reasons. After all they were special in the eyes of America.
   Whenever tragedy struck it was not unusual for them to suddenly get physical by taking walks, riding, swimming and any form of exercise. Rosemary the eldest daughter who was mentally retarded was isolated from the public eye and sent to Wisconsin where she was looked after by those of the Sacred Order. This book has helped me to understand so much more about the choices they made and the reason they made them, though tragedy seem to follow them everywhere.

   Mr. Leamer has pulled out all the stops in the brilliantly written book, and I would not hesitate to read anything by him in the future. Bravo! Bravo! Heather Marshall 04/04/04




2. This book relates details of the lives of the many Kennedy women, from Bridget Murphy Kennedy, born in Ireland, through Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's daughter. Leamer describes the rise of the Kennedy family from the hard luck tales of newly-arrived Irish immigrants through the dynasty years in Hyannisport. While the book presents many of the historical events of the lives of political Kennedys, the viewpoint is always that of the women, and how these events affected their lives. We hear about the Kennedy women's efforts in John's political campaigns, or how the stress of campaigning contributed to Jacqueline's miscarriages. Leamer includes both women born as Kennedys and women who became Kennedys by marriage. Much of the book, however, focuses on two women who married into the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The book is also about the family structure of the Kennedy's and portrays some of the sinister aspects of Joseph Kennedy as well as the positive traits.
   
   Many times I've heard the Kennedy family referred to as a "dynasty". However, it has never been clear to me why an American family would be called a dynasty. In this book, Leamer describes why this group of people is more than simply a family. He describes the relations between Joseph Kennedy's children, and how Joseph and Rose's parenting style contributed both to their children's closeness and competitiveness, and how their own aspirations were realized in the accomplishments of their children. He also relates the difficulties that Jacqueline had as an outsider in establishing a position in the family. The book provides a unique viewpoint on the political events of the 1950s and 1960s whose legacy continues to permeate our society.



3. I found this book about the Kennedy family women a very interesting read. The only problem with it is that it is so long. At over 900 pages Mr. Leamer could have written three books and had them in instalments about one pericular Kennedy family women instead of tying to write so much about so many interesting people.



4. This book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner just like the seller promised! A++



5. I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.

5 comments about Fashion Babylon.

1. FASHION BABYLON: LOOKING UP THE SKIRTS OF THE WORLD'S MOST GLAMOROUS INDUSTRY questions the foundations of what is fashion and what is fashionable, from what makes a fashion trend - and changes it - to how supermodels evolve, how designers rise to fame, and who makes money. To achieve these insights, six months of a designer's life explore how a fashion concept is put together and tested, from idea into the shops and magazine covers. It's the behind-the-scenes insights of an industry and art libraries - as well as general-interest collections where fashion is of interest - must have this.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. I've been hooked on nearly all of Imogen Edwards-Jones & "Anonymous"'s books for a while now. First was Hotel & Air Babylon, but now she's starting to show that yes, she hit the nail on the head with a good thing, but she's lost it. After reading this and her most recent book, Beach Babylon, in quick succession, I found myself very disenchanted with the whole series. Beach Babylon I thought would have been ideal after coming back from a beach holiday, but she aimed too high, by setting it on an expensive island resort, which really, the book is not aimed at the kind of person who would go there.
   
   Fashion Babylon - where do I start? It's everything you already know about the fashion industry. The drugs, the stick thin models, the clothes that are "in" one month, and which you won't be seen dead in the next month. Skinny jeans seem to be sticking around for the moment, but for how long? Normally when I get into a fashion, they go out of fashion. And everything's "vintage". And then there's the celebrity name dropping. There's not a page that goes by without Kate Moss or someone else being dropped in there.
   
   Unlike Air & Hotel, which were set over 24 hours, and Beach, which was set over a week, Fashion Babylon was set over six months, and it's a very tedious six months. Imogen did well setting Air & Hotel over a period of 24 hours, as they're fast paced, and barely leave you any time to think. Fashion Babylon is set over six months because it's that amount of time that you need to get ideas for your next 'collection', to getting it onto the catwalk. Interlaced with everything you can possibly imagine, from frills to pink satin, it's confusing, and certainly not aimed at someone like me, but made out to look like it is.
   
   I have to say, as much as I like Imogen Edwards-Jones, I'm going to give her Babylon books a rest for now, and try some of her other books - which seem to be all about her fertility and babies. Funny that.



3. its was ok to read, good airplane book, bit mediocre, can make u smile if u know the stereo types



4. Fun, gossipy, entertaining and full of useful info regarding the fashion industry and behind the scenes action, that unless you are actually part of the industry, would be pretty much clueless how it all works. Really enjoyed this from a non-fashionista perspective.



5. Chances are you are reading this book because you are into fashion. The chances are, also, that you already heard or read most of the rumors in this book, this book just puts a story around them. A hodgepodge of random fashion and model facts. The interesting part of the novel, just seeing a designer's life and cycle of building a collection to runway.

5 comments about The Clarks of Cooperstown.

1. Debby Applegate in the May 20, 2007 NY Times describes this as a "flawed family biography" although she admits it is "fascinating." It is indeed a fascinating family saga which resulted in great legacies to the National Gallery in Washington, DC; the Clark museum in Williamstown, MA; the Modern and Metropolitan museums in NYC; and several cultural institutions in Cooperstown, NY; not to mention the "Dakota" apartment building in NYC. Don't be misled by Ms. Applegate's smart alecky review.



2. I read biographies all the time and this one had the potential to be superb: Singer Company fortune, amazing art collections, fascist plot against FDR (yes!), surprising sexual liaisons, family feuds of a rarified nature. However, it feels tedious to wade through, because the author is not a gifted writer, gushes too much when he should be more objective, and spends far too much time rhapsodizing over individual works of art to the point where we lose sight of the people collecting them. An editor could have pruned what feels like endless repetitions of Sterling's shopping trips and pushed the author to analyze, not emote. I understand from a New York Times article (not the review mentioned by the other reviewer) that the book was rushed. It certainly feels like it missed a stage in the editorial process.



3. An interesting topic but flawed book. It is mainly a history of how a family fortune was created (on the sewing machine invention of the wild Isaac Singer and the business shrewdness of Edward Clark) and then spent on art by generations of certain of the Clark family's men.
   
   The author is prone to exaggeration. The art purchased always seems to take great "bravery" to buy. "Why Stephen Carleton Clark fired Alfred Hamilton Barr Jr. is one of the most important questions of twentieth-century American cultural history." Really?
   
   Odd things are included, such as paragraphs spent on a cheap, obscure novel apparently about the Clarks, when almost nothing is said of one of the Clarks founding baseball's hall of fame. Much is made of an alleged plot by a Clark to overthrow the U.S. administration of FDR with little real evidence given to show any serious action by that Clark in furtherance of the "plot."
   
   After reading the book, I fail to have the same high enthusiasm and respect for this family of wealthy deadbeats as does the author.



4. Having attended school in Cooperstown in the Otesaga Hotel, I found the book fascinating as I had not known of the Clarks as other than the rich family in town. Seldom there but respected by the townsfolk.
   The book was well written and, while not, a bestseller it gives a vivid portait of art collecting in this country.
   A good read.



5. Enjoyed the book, it was educational for me, I am fan of biographys and history books and I was happy to have read it.

5 comments about Louis Vuitton: The Birth of Modern Luxury.

1. If you are a Louis Vuitton collector as I am, or LV enthusiast, this tome will be a magnificent addition to your collection, or to your library. It is full of remarkable LV family history and full of the most beautiful photographs, some suitable for framing.
   
   It contains manyo of the LV Posters for example, that I've tried to collect, and now have them in this book. It could make a wonderful coffee table book this holiday season.
   
   One drawback: The center page is wonderful but terribly flawed by the center binding. It should have been a pull-out page instead.
   
   I also saw it on eBay for more dollars and listed as "rare". Hardly!
   
   Enjoy it.



2. This is a must have for all LV officianados. I have been collecting and using LV for over twenty-one years. This is an excellent literary and pictorial compilation of La Maison de Vuitton. Cudos! to the author, publisher, and of course La Maison de Vuitton for their continued commitment to perfection, elegance, and extrordinary products. Cudos, to the artisians for their pain-staking perfectionism in creating such works of art. This book is a tribute to over 150 years of leathercrafting, and now within the past 5 years pret-de-porte, couture, and precious metals. Vuitton continues to allow those of us loyal to the House to continue pushing the boundaries of style and fashion,and subtly encouraging admirer's of the House to indulge.
   
   Life is a journey, so why not travel with the best. Well done LV! Tres magnifique!



3. This book is filled with the history of the company from the person, Louis Vuitton's childhood, up through the generations that came after him. There are pictures of LV pieces scattered throughout the book. Not enough for those of us who love to look at LV bags and luggage. Overall a great addition to a collectors collection. The book retails in the boutique for $135.



4. Fantastic history and beautiful illustrations. It has almost everything you've wanted to know about Louis Vuitton.
   
   Plus great pictures so you can see what all the fuss is about!



5. WAY TOO EXPENSIVE...ILLUSTRATIONS ARE JUST AS GOOD AS WHAT YOU FIND ONLINE...EBAY EVEN. HISTORY IS HIGHLY INFORMATIVE, HOWEVER. THANKS.

5 comments about Jackie Ethel Joan : Women of Camelot.

1. I found this to be a very intrigueing read, but the reader should have a working knowledge of the history, events and relationships that shaped the Kennedy dynasty because they are not going to be detailed in this book. In fact, some will be glossed over or entirely omitted. What you will read about is the experiences of those intimately involved in the events and tragedies: their personal thoughts, conversations and feelings, wrapped up in fierce political ambition and family loyalty.
   Even though I'm sure the conversations and personal information, albeit based on substantial research, has been "developed", anyone who has experienced a family death or misfortune will easily relate to the Kennedys' amazing ordeals, struggles and fortitude.
   I thoroughly enjoyed it.



2. Heard the cassette version of JACKIE, ETHEL, JOAN: WOMEN OF
   CAMELOT by. J. Randy Taraborrelli and enjoyed it--in a guilty pleasure
   sort of way.
   
   It is a tell-it-all about the three Kenney wives and listening to it
   helped me relive some days of my younger days when John, Robert
   and Ted Kenney were alive and running for various political offices.
   
   For some reason, I never followed too closely the dirt behind
   their respective careers . . . yet this book more than made up for
   anything I may have missed.
   
   If everything in it is to be believed, I now know that Joe Kennedy
   offered Jackie $1 million not to divorce JFK and Jackie allegedly
   replied, "The price goes to $20 million if Jack brings home any
   venereal diseases." . . . also, that Bobby had an affair with
   actress Lee Remick who actually called Ethel to tell her that they
   were sleeping together--only to be told by Ethel that he was
   home in bed (when he was actually with Remick) . . . and that
   Ted once showed up for drunk with a prostitute for dinner with
   the king and queen of Belgium, whose priceless antique coach
   Ted's date ruined by wetting it.
   
   Overall, the book left me feeling sorry for the Kennedy women . . . although
   they appeared so glorious from afar, how they were forced to live
   their lives because of the constant spotlight made life anything
   but easy for them.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book because I am fascinated by that time in our history and with Jackie Kennedy. I found this book to have an interesting point-of-view on all three Kennedy women. Ethel seemed to be easily envious or jealous but loyal and loving of her family. Jackie seemed to be snobby with a mind of her own, but again a deep loyalty for her family especially her immediate family. Joan seemed to be sad and a 'door mat' until she grew much older. She seemed to put up with the most crap and lost the most in return. I have no idea if any of what I read was accurate or not, but I liked reading it regardless. It was fun and fast in a very tabloid sort of way. If you're interested in the Kennedy women, then you'll probably like this book. The movie that was made based on this book is also pretty good, but naturally the book is by far better with more details.



4. This book is well worth reading more than once! It has so much information that I could hardly put it down!! You feel so very bad for Joan and what Teddy did to her. He was a very poor specimen for a husband and it is amazing she has managed to hold onto life. I don't know what the quality of it is now, but what she endured was truly unfair. My heart really goes out to her and now that Jackie is gone I can't imagine how she is doing.



5. I Loved reading this book!! I recently saw the TV movie version, so I decided to read the book. I was SO impressed! I was 10 years old when Pres Kennedy was killed, so of curse I'm familiar with Camelot and all that goes along with it. Now that I'm in my 50's I thought I'd look for a book written in recent years about the Kennedy wives. I'm so glad I found this one! What these 4 women had to endure, Especially Joan, being married to a Kennedy is incredible! The last 66 pages! are devoted to "Acknowledgments and Source Notes", which I didn't read thoroughly, but now know this isn't just another made up Kennedy story, but Facts!

5 comments about The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr., and the Reign of American Taste (P.S.).

1. Elin McCoy's 'Emperor of Wine' is an absorbing account of the rise of wine critic Robert Parker and his influence on the international wine industry. McCoy's biography works on a number of levels:
   --as a Horatio Alger saga of a rise to fortune and prominence through passion and hard work;
   --as a business biography about the creation of influence and wealth by filling an emerging niche;
   --as an examination of the cultural and economic forces that have shaped wine consumption over the past 30 years.
   
   I enjoy wine, but am hardly an expert on the subject. I had a vague awareness of Robert Parker, but had no idea of the extent to which he has shaped consumer wine options in the past two decades. But even on the basis of my casual consumption of wine, it is clear that Parker's preference for big, fruity reds and oaky whites have consistently pushed certain wine-making styles to the head of the class in the American liquor store and on the American restaurant menu.
   
   Has Parker's influence been helpful or harmful? Probably both, in Elin McCoy's assessment. On the one hand, Parker has made wine more accessible to consumers, held producers accountable for their product, and conducted himself ethically in an industry often characterized by shadowy alliances and influence peddling. At the same time, Parker's ability to move markets in accordance with his palate has led to considerable reduction of local diversity in wine production, as producers in the U.S., France and Italy flock to develop wines that reflect his preferences.
   
   Any deficiencies in 'Emperor of Wine'? McCoy seems to take an uncommon interest in Parker's weight gain over a 30-year career. Granted, weight gain is probably an occupational hazard for someone who tastes thousands of wines annually, but McCoy's continuing preoccupation with the topic is eventually jarring, and makes one wonder if she is taking a covert jab at her subject.
   
   Overall, however, I found Elin McCoy's portrayal of Robert Parker and the international wine industry absorbing and even-handed. Despite his occasional arrogance (at least as depicted by McCoy), there is much to like about Parker, including his level-headedness, his generosity, his integrity, and his devotion to his wife and daughter. As well, this story of Coke-drinking lad from small-town Maryland making it big in the world of international wine is heartening to those of us who enjoy a story about a little guy who persists and wins.
   
   Whether you are an occasional wine drinker or serious oenophile, the 'Emperor of Wine' should make an absorbing read. Highly recommended.



2. Parker has almost made me a beleiver. But why does it take 100 points to tell him if it tastes good or not. I can do it in 20.



3. Good overview describing how robert parker became robert parker. No big nuggets, but well written and good insights and background since parker clearly cooperated with the writer, who is a wine critic in her own right and thus understands the business. Informative and a good story while also telling you how the wine industry works and how it evolved from the days of Almaden to today.



4. I loved this book. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. If you are into wine and subscribe to Parker's website or newsletter this is a must read. A fasinating perspective on the world's most influencial wine critic.



5. Wine is enjoying a modern rebirth in the psyche of popular society. Yet for all the diversity, much of what we are drinking has been crafted to appeal to a "mass market modern taste".
   
   Robert Parker is to be praised and blamed. One of the greatest and most flawed wine critics, he helped to introduce the 100-point rating system and bring wine to North Americans attention. Sadly, despite touting himself a wine critic for the people, most of the wines he raves about and recommends in his "Wine Advocate" remain out of reach for the majority of everyday wine consumers. To be the Emperor of Wine is a dubious position.
   
   If you read this book and "The Judgment of Paris" by George Taber, you'll get a great and deep understanding of the modern wine industry. I also recommend "Noble Rot". The three most accessible and stimulating books on the social aspects of wine drinking and the politics behind the glamour of the grape.

5 comments about Tuxedo Park : A Wall Street Tycoon and the Secret Palace of Science That Changed the Course of World War II.

1. Alfred Loomis was a bona fide "Wall Street tycoon" who made his fortune in the 1920s by helping to organize the financing for the electrification of America and had the foresight to sell out before the stock market crash in 1929. Thereafter, he became an amateur scientist who cultivated the best and the brightest in the scientific world and maintained a laboratory complex in an enclave of the wealthy named Tuxedo Park.
   
   As the Second World War approached our shores, this activity became increasingly urgent - no longer the indulgence of a rich and brilliant man's fancy, but a matter of great national importance. The die was cast when Loomis's older cousin and long-time mentor, Henry Stimson, was appointed by President Roosevelt as Secretary of War.
   
   Loomis assumed responsibility for a newly created laboratory at MIT that developed sophisticated new radar systems (building on work that had been done in England) at breakneck speed that played a vital role in winning the war. He also supported the atomic bomb program, in this case acting as a collaborator with and expediter for the people directly responsible.
   
   It would be hard to imagine a more vivid account of the key people in this saga, the challenges they faced (including getting around bureaucratic budget rules and overcoming irrational objections), and their inestimable contribution to our country's victory. They weren't perfect human beings, and their accomplishments would leave the world with many new problems. Still, we can and should be proud and inspired by the things that they accomplished.
   
   Do our leaders today have the same knack for figuring out the things that need to be done and going after them? One wonders, given the long-term gridlock that has developed around many key technical issues such as building new refineries in the United States, developing untapped oil and gas reserves in Alaska and offshore areas, and even getting clearance to deepen the shipping channel in the Delaware River from 40 to 45 feet.
   
   Why are U.S., firms racing to "outsource" their manufacturing operations to China, India, etc.? The answer is not hard to figure out, and the long-term consequences will not be to our liking.



2. Chances are you have never heard of Alfred Loomis before this book but you will not forget him once you have read it. This man is truly one of the most influential people in US history. A modern day renaissance man who made millions in the stock market before 1929 and was a genius scientist who developed modern radar technology. He established a lab at Tuxedo Park where he hosted scientists who would work on a variety of projects. While he was not directly connected to the Manhattan project many of the things worked on at his lab were eventually essential for the project. He worked closely with Vannavear Bush to bring over radar technology that would be invaluable for both sub hunting and eventually air defense in World War 2. This scientist even left his mark in World War 1 helping to develop new ways to fire artillery. If you want an interesting story this is the book for you.



3. Having been a Radarman in the Vietnam War, I found the gensis of radar and the man responsible for it and many other things in life. Albert Loomis was a giant in the first half of the 20th Century and under the radar. He may have been bigger in the first half of the century than Bill Gates was in the second half. But, you won't know why until you read the book and understand the magnitude of his impact on America and the World then and now.



4. Being a very big history buff, I was shocked to find out about the little-known contribution of a single patriotic individual that totally changed the progress of the war. This book is a must read for all! Extremely well written to entice the reader and present the facts; personal as well as historical.



5. This book truly occupied my mind from an era that I lived through. I have recommended this book to a number of friends. Well done and a story that is truly amazing.