No comments about Vanity Fair's Best of Dominick Dunne.

5 comments about Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments.

1. Excellent book written by a man who has traveled in the social circles of the guilty as well as the innocent. His status as the father of a murder victim entitles him to an insight that would be almost too much to bear. However, Dunne is objective in his reporting, generous with his knowledge as an "insider," and brave beyond reason in revealing facts about famous legal cases most of us know only through the newspapers. Dunne has put together an amazing collection of essays that will open one's eyes to the power that money can have to manipulate the American justice system. I recommend it.



2. Briefly interesting, but after awhile it begins to read like a syrupy tabloid. Also, as the narrative went through the murder account and trial of Dominick Dunne's daughter, I couldn't help but think, why didn't the author do more to keep his daughter away from this convicted criminal? Maybe I missed something, but he was in the know that his daughter was involved with a convicted abuser: why didn't he do everything in his power to bring his daughter back away from this creep?
   Anyhow, as for the rest of the book, I really couldn't care less about individuals like Claus von Bülow, so the text tended to drag.



3. Yes, he is gossipy but in many ways that raises him above others. Any one who likes true crime will love his work. I think that he has experienced such things he speaks with the a personal insight that only the person who has experienced the pain knows ho to convey that in written form



4. I've read most of Mr Dunne's books and he continues to hold my interest. I have the utmost of respect for this gentleman...his unbiased yet "in your face" take on the upper crust's trials and tribulations are bar none...right on the money, so to speak.
   I hope Mr Dunne keeps on doing what he does best...and that is TELLING THE TRUTH!~



5. If you liked this book, you will enjoy the true story of "Beautiful Bad Girl, The Vicki Morgan Story." Dunne used this story of Alfred Bloomingdales mistress and her headline grabbing murder as the basis for "An Inconvenient Woman." The real story is fascinating and compelling. Beautiful Bad Girl: The Vicki Morgan Story A must read for fans of true crime.

No comments about Too Much Money [Unabridged 8-CD Set] (AUDIO CD/AUDIO BOOK).

No comments about Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments.

5 comments about Too Much Money.

1. Dunne makes no pretense about writing fiction that is largely based on real people and events, and in this book it is quite an interesting game to figure out who is who. Several characters are rather easily distinguished but others are more difficult. One gets the feeling that he has an excellent memory for dialogue, a skill reminiscent of Truman Capote who claimed greater than ninety percent recall. Capote also wrote about the same strata of society and received a similar sort of backlash. Anyway from Gus Bailey the writer to the billionaire Elias Renthal in and out of a "facility" and his beautiful, shoot-straight-from-the-hip wife Ruby, the interactions between people keep you turning the pages whether you want to or not. Most of the action takes place in New York City. Sometimes I felt I shouldn't be so fascinated by these rich people frequently demonstrating snobby and superficial values but I was. Sex and gossip, social climbing and money rule in this book. It's a fun and quick read.



2. This is not a great book nor does it pretend to be, however, how many of us have fantasized about "setting things straight" as we live our lives or depart this earth? In this book, Dominick Dunne, adds another skewer to New York City society as he prepares to depart this earth ill with bladder cancer. No doubt he felt strongly that the death of Edmond Safra was suspicious beyond comprehension and that an innocent person was tried and convicted. In this book, he makes it clear who he believed caused the death to occur citing the numerous details that make even the ill informed believe as Dunne did. Just too many coincidences and/or strange occurrences such as staffing, locks being changed, two hours elapse before entry by fire brigade etc. Dunne created this novel to make certain Safra's widow will not rise to the pinnacle of society as she desperately desires.
   
   Along the way, Dunne skewers others as well as the facade that is NYC society and its quirks. Pretty clever to have the truth hiding in plain site. No doubt much of the fictional dialogue really happened and its up to you to decide which is true and which is fiction. For that reason it makes an interesting read.
   
   Dunne will be missed as he was not intimidated by anyone and created characters in most of his books that were rather transparent. He hated people he thought guilty getting off because of ace attorneys such as OJ. Perhaps its a result of the rather light sentence the killer of his real life daughter received for taking her life. In any case, it was a true turning point in his life because his career was revived and reached heights never seen before by Dunne.
   
   Don't expect too much from the book, read and enjoy (often our expectations lead us to disappointment and resentment).



3. I knew Dominick Dunne and admired him. This is a fitting last book for him to have written....gossip and juicy nonsense, but interesting, as well. Dominick Dunne was a very nice and kind person and he will be missed.



4. I am so disappointed in this book I have loved Mr Dunne's work for years but this book has so many sex scenes that it is disgusting and not what I expected!!



5. I found "Too Much Money" to be a great quick read with plenty of humor and irony. It is like walking with the dinosaurs reading about New York's high society matrons and hangers-on and characters. Everyone trying to elbow themselves up to society's elite pinnacle. To be invited to all the "right" parties and to get a preferred seat at the table. Yes Dominick you are right they have too much money for their own good. Dunne paints his characters with swift brushstrokes and they become as real as life. Because they are based on the high society people he has known over the last 50 years. I'm sure this book brought out some winces in high society; but for the non-high-society-reader it is all humor. Someone said there were too many sex scenes and I found very few sex scenes and all were brief and not detailed.
   
   The central character is Gus, a writer, who is actually Dunne who is suddenly having alot of problems coming at him from different directions. The magazine is of course Vanity Fair. This is a really quick read and is a revealing and humorous look at New York's high society and those clawing wannabes. Very few seem to have any character at all.
   
   SPOILER: There was something missing in this book. I have always found Dunne's writing to have more punch. I think maybe he was quite sick when writing this and even the ending was weak, a forlorn ending--but I knew Gus was gonna die anyway just like Dunne.