No comments about A Man of Contradictions: A life of A. L. Rowse.

2 comments about Orson Welles.

1. Barbara Lemmings' biography on Orson Welles is one of the most gripping accounts of the late, famous radio, tv and screen personality. It delves deeply into his youth and life before he shocked the world with Citizen Kane. The most fascinating aspect of this book is that it was written with the assistance of Welles, therefore it is almost an autobiography with areas and events fleshed out by Welles' contemporaries, business associates and friends. Hearing Welles comment on events in his life puts a different spin on the legend and no doubt makes the reader rethink what ever opinions s/he had on Welles. One possible down side for film buffs is that production information on Welles' films is scantly touched on, but considering this book is about his life as whole, not just the brillinat films he intermitantly made, one shouldn't be too disappointed. One excellent point of the book is the production detail in which Welles' final film, The Other Side of the Wind, a possible masterpiece was put together, then unceremoniously taken away from him and lost (which is the story of his entire film directing career) to the world. After finishing the text, one will be left with a sense of wonder, sadness and disappointment in regards to Welles' life which turns out to be tragic in nature



2. Barbara Lemmings' biography on Orson Welles is one of the most gripping accounts of the late, famous radio, tv and screen personality. It delves deeply into his youth and life before he shocked the world with Citizen Kane. The most fascinating aspect of this book is that it was written with the assistance of Welles, therefore it is almost an autobiography with areas and events fleshed out by Welles' contemporaries, business associates and friends. Hearing Welles comment on events in his life puts a different spin on the legend and no doubt makes the reader rethink what ever opinions s/he had on Welles. One possible down side for film buffs is that production information on Welles' films is scantly touched on, but considering this book is about his life as whole, not just the brillinat films he intermitantly made, one shouldn't be too disappointed. One excellent point of the book is the production detail in which Welles' final film, The Other Side of the Wind, a possible masterpiece was put together, then unceremoniously taken away from him and lost (which is the story of his entire film directing career) to the world. After finishing the text, one will be left with a sense of wonder, sadness and disappointment in regards to Welles' life which turns out to be tragic in nature.

5 comments about Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House.

1. In this book Emmett Tyrrell and Mark Davis explain in great detail why a Hillary Clinton presidency would be so dangerous to the country.
   They expose her strategy,it's source,and her m.o. both as First Lady and Senator. It's a prophetic description of her as a presidential candidate also.
   You will discover the cast of often dubious characters who surround her fund raising and campaign team. Folks who won't be seen on camera.
   
   Her abuse of Barbara Feinman who ghostwrote "It Takes a Village" is an all too common character flaw in Hillary.
   
   "The problem is that after a decade of scandals and expose's,there is now so much evidence revealing her culpability that only a Clinton true believer will be satisfied by her protestations to innocence."-page 74.
   
   She has a curious habit of letting the skeltons tumble out of the closet and into public view to be debated again. A few prime examples are Roger Clinton's drug use which exposes Bill to possible scrutiny and the other is Bill Clinton's taking a pass on an offer by Sudan to deliver up bin Laden. The authors site a book "Losing bin Laden" written by Richard Miniter that tells how the Clinton administration downplayed terrorism as "criminal activity" in order to keep it on the back burner. He made an enormous error in judgment when he declined the oppurtunity to arrest and extradite a terrorist linked to attacks on the U.S. As a "copresident" this is part of Hillary's legacy too.
   
   It's almost comical to read about Hillary's paper written while she was on the House Judiciary Impeachment Inquiry during Watergate.She claims that she was correct about impeachment triggers in 1974,while she took the equally correct and yet opposite view during her husband's impeachment procedings. An example of her belief that she is always correct and those opposing her are part of a "vast right wing conspiracy" against her.
   
   A revisit for her health care debacle reveals the steep political price the Democratic party paid for it. They lost 52 seats and the Republicans got a Speaker in the House for the first time in 40 years.
   
   All the warts are exposed to the light of day here. Travelgate,Vince Foster,the cattle futures investment,corrupt campaign financing,theft of White House furniture.
   
   She is already using the same tactics and risks destroying the Democratic party with her egotistical,self aggrandised run for the presidency.
   This book is worth the read for anyone that wants to explore Hillary and the multitude of reasons why she should not be president!



2. They're posted by irrational, biased Clinton lovers. This author has not "made a career" of bashing the Clintons. I have read other books by him as well as articles from his magazine. They are thoroughly researched, the dozens and dozens of reliable sources are all cited, and only an IDIOT would contend it's fiction rather than fact. Mr. Tyrell does a public service in exposing the Clintons for the corrupt liars they are. Highly recommended.



3. R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr., and myself are on the same page regarding Hillary Clinton: we both consider her to be a very dangerous threat to America. The author does not make the mistake of ignoring the nefarious Saul Alinsky in her political development. His cynical amoralism underpins Senator Clinton's own political vision. She is indeed a dedicated, hard-core leftist who may be only slightly to the right of those radicals of the 1960s. She is definitely far more to the left than her husband. Hillary simply knows that her natural ideological inclinations must be hidden from the general public. The woman must fly under the radar if she is to have any chance of being elected president. In other words, Hillary Clinton must be willing to be careless with the truth if it is deemed necessary. Tyrrell, alas, provides ample evidence that the senator is more than willing to even outright lie---and slander anyone who threatens to derail to grab for power. Is the author a Clinton hater? Not in the least. Tyrell is prudent and dispassionately careful. He is very well aware that Clinton's folks will exploit any mistakes, however minor. And no, Madame Hillary is not outdated because it was released some three years ago. It is still relevant and extremely valuable in learning how to derail her plans to replace our Constitution government with a socialist and authoritarian one.
   
   You should also purchase a copy Whitewash: What the Media Won't Tell You About Hillary Clinton, but Conservatives Will. It is imperative that we keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. These two books will give you the critical ammunition to do your part. Please do not underestimate the damage Senator Clinton will do if given half a chance. Your children's future, if nothing else, depends on your taking her seriously.



4. I was hoping for some intelligent insight into Hillary Clinton when I bought this book. Clearly, much can be said on both sides of this subject. I am trying to listen carefully to both and then make up my mind about her.
   
   This is the equivalent to a rant from a right-wing Rosie O'Donnell. Don't waste your money on this rehash of old news.



5. It is quite an amazing co-incidence that at least in some ways this book presented as "fact" seems to mirror a book presented as "fiction" which is entitled The Empress Project. Both books tell of an American woman of boundless and unbridled ambition seeking ruthlessly to become president of the United States. Author Tyrrell calls Hillary "Madame Hillary", while Dr. Little, author of the other book, writes a story of political intrigue about a CHICOM plot to make an evil American woman Empress of America. Are the similarities of these two books merely coincidental ?The Empress Project

5 comments about Robert Kennedy: His Life.

1. The book is okay. It is that simple. The prose are incoherent and it is very hard to tell who or what the subject of the sentence is. He tries to be far too clever with his sentence structure which results in being forced to read a sentence several times, sometimes understanding what he's talking about the fifth time, sometimes still confused but forced to move on
   The most prominent of my complaints is that he is so repetitious. He will use the same adjectives to describe the same person over and over in almost identical sentences which begs the question: How long would this book be if he didn't repeat himself?
   My final complaint is that he will write ad nauseam about the most mundane events and details and will examine the motives and come to a verdict while repeating the evidence almost verbatim to what he just wrote the paragraph before.
   I haven't read another book on Bobby so I cannot compare it to other Bobby-books. However, since I was born in the eighties and did not live during all of this, it is new information and basically the only fact I can't give this a lower grade is because the information itself propels the book into mediocrity.



2. I was so looking forward to listening to this book and so frustrated with the outcome.
   
   That part that I did listen to was written well but read poorly. Attempting to mimick the voice of Kennedy (and others) grows so old so quickly one would have thought it would have captured the eye of an editor sooner rather than later. But never? Alas, apparently that was not in anyone's job description.
   
   If you must do anything buy the printed version.



3. Although I was only 7 years old when he died I have talked to many people about the passion they felt for Bobby. Boy, could we use someone like that now. Although the book does not shy away from his sometime machiavellian tactics, it shows a person who was so affected by tragedy that he really cared. I see film clips of when he visited Buffalo, and the entire Niagara Square was packed with tens of thousands of people. I cannot think of anyone, short of the Bills after a super bowl win, that would garner that much enthusiasm. Evan Thomas captures that and draws the reader in. I actually felt empty when finishing the book and sad that I could think of no one today that could fill that void. Thomas also through thorough research seems to dispel the popular myth of Bobby as a womanizer. He was actually a devoted family man haunted by his brothers death but loyal to wife and children. Not so with Jack. When Bobby was in Indianapolis about to speak before a black audience it was announced that Martin Luther King had just been killed. He discarded his planned speech and relayed his own feelings of how he felt when his brother Jack was killed. It was totally ad-libbed and from the heart. Indianapolis was one of the few major cities not to erupt in violence. I wonder how different this country might be had he the opportunity to serve us.



4. Evan offers much insight into an unfinished life. He meets the mark of a good biographer; as a history this is a well-balanced read. But he fails to give us what we crave: perpective into how the world might have been different had Bobby survived.
   
   Bobby once famously said: "Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies". Mr. Thomas has done a commendable job of tracking that change, speaking to the better known facets of Bobby's personal as well as political evolution. Evan's book captures the antecedents: his awkwardness as a young Kennedy; the shadow, and then death of, his brother Jack; the opportunities to question the rigidity of his Catholic faith; his decision to align himself with McCarthy (Joe not Gene). These alternately help set the foundation for the evolution of Bobby from FDR politician to modern-day progressive. These help explain what caused a 1950's era government attorney concerned about Comintern penetration of the State Department to become a proponent of the United Farmworkers in its most radical years. Or those changes that caused the one-time skeptic of Martin Luther King to become one of his most ardent political champions.
   
   Evans provides the rationale for the enmity shared by various mobsters, LBJ, and even Roy Cohn. His rationale is this: Bobby cared. Evans touches us when he describes Bobby as a man who strived to live lives as others did. The description of Bobby's pain witnessing the utter poverty of rural blacks in the 1960's Mississippi delta is palpable and authentic. But Bobby was also a shrewd strategist, adapting to a time when the solid south was no longer the dependable, conservative counterweight of the Democratic Party fulcrum, and the campus was no longer the only forum in America for frank discussion of problems in America. Bobby was not an opportunist, but he was a political realist, and in the days leading up to the '68 convention Bobby reflected not simply the changes occurring within the antiwar movement or the modern-day Democratic Party, but also those changes occurring all across America at that time.
   
   Would Bobby have turned around a country that was heading down a path of "secret plans" to end the Vietnam War, Watergate, "Trickle Down" economics and South American puppeteering? Evan Thomas to his credit wrote a book about an unfinished life, and a good one at that. But for those interested in what might have been, we'll have to continue to wonder.



5. The life and times of Robert Kennedy beg for a coherent and in depth book .... unfortunately this is not it. Living in the shadow of his presidential brother, the shadow of his oldest brother killed in WWII and the all encompassing shadow of his father, RFK was able to chisel out an identity of his own in US history before his tragic death. Hoping to gain some understanding/insight of/into this man's character and evolution from a sullen child to presidential candidate and everything in between, and a chonology of such things as his involvement in the US civil rights movement, McCarthyism, Cuba (Bay of Pigs and The Missle Crisis) and his relationship in the White House with his brother JFK... I was greatly disappointed. A glaring hole in this book is any serious treatment of RFK and Vietnam. What the book does contain are snippets, quotes and anecdotes, some mildly interesting, (i.e. RFK's role in the release of Martin Luther King from prison), without any cohesiveness and very little context. And although many of the conclusions reached in this volume are valid they are simply not borne out here. The book's attempt to cover significant parallel events is at best confusing and there is also an alarming amount of armchair psychology. I hate to be so hard nosed but the subject deserves much better than this book.

No comments about Lawrence Olivier.

No comments about Laurence Olivier: A Biography, By Donald Sopto, B-O-T Library Edition, 12 Audio Cassettes, 18 Hours, Read By David Case.

No comments about De Gaulle.

5 comments about Dirty Jokes and Beer.

1. Back in 1992, my first big gig as a comedian was emceeing in Chicago for a week. The headliner that week was Drew Carey, one of the best guys to know and meet in the biz. He is very friendly and honestly wants everyone to succeed; a rare attribute in the world of standup. His also one of the funniest.
   
   Drew's book provides a lot of insight into his steps up the comedy ladder. I wish he had cut the dirty joke chapter and instead included more road stories. The story about his wacky friend and Jim Brown makes the book worth reading alone. I don't want to give it away; trust me, it is absolutely hilarious.
   
   Congrats on all the success Drew; you earned it.



2. Drew Carey is a thuddingly dim star in the entertainment firmament, an anomaly for sheer inscrutability of talent even in that recondite sphere. While comic actors have at times been known to build their careers on measurable skills, Mr. Carey has successfully parlayed a "less is more" strategy into a career dragging along for an improbably interminable period. No less insipid a figure today than the fateful moment he began desultorily scuffing the boards, Carey lately brings his singular skills and love of soccer to a new show, "Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures," which promises to showcase all that is wonderful about this beloved figure while offering its Travel Channel audience fresh reasons to eschew a sport loved around the globe.
   
   Buster Keaton, Groucho Marx, S.J. Perlman, Dorothy Parker, P.G. Wodehouse, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, ... none of these shining lights of comedy will be called to mind by Mr. Carey's book, "Dirty Jokes and Beer," whose author bravely goes it alone in the comedic sphere, free from burdensome old bedfellows like perceptiveness, irony, intelligence, or humor.



3. my title here says it all. In this book Carey gives us tons of ammo to fire back at friends. If you're looking for a book to zip though and laugh out loud....get this book. Just don't expect Shakespere!



4. Drew Carey is a funny guy. As his Funny Bone commercials state, "funnier than you". The first half of the book is extremely funny then loses its momentum for the latter half. Drew lets you in to his human side, where a lot of other celebrities would shy away from such thinks making Drew even more likable knowing who he is and where he came from. I think his show was great and I think he knows that the joke and his star are not always going to be popular so enjoy it while you can. Drew, the every man's everyman. This book is not a laugh riot but a nice look a man that found his way to stardom by accident without any aspirations from childhood. It does make you laugh but it is not a jokebook. Remember that. I enjoyed this quite a bit while at home and at the beach, a very good beach companion. Give it a try!



5. Dirty Jokes is his section for ranting about stuff. Each chapter starts with a dirty joke and the follows with something close to his typical stand up routine. This is Drew as stand up comedian section. It's the most crass of all the book and in some regards the funniest.
   
   Beer is Drew's more serious autobiography with information on how his sitcom ran (interesting details), his run ins with the tabloids (funny), his childhood and some thoughts on how he ended up the person he is. Having friends who've been through similar childhoods, his recollections seem very plausible and I'm sorry he went through what he did. I'm glad he's come out of it a stronger person.
   
   Stories of the Unrefined was my least favorite section. The stories werer just too dull after his chattier sections. When writing fiction he tries too hard to sound refined. He should just relax and let the story flow in his natural voice.

5 comments about Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage.

1. This is a poignant tale of L'Engle's relationship with her husband. It shows what true, mature love is. If, however, you have read her "A Circle of Quiet" you will find some of the same vignettes here, albeit with a different perspective.



2. I enjoyed this book - it was an insightful look into L'Engle's life. I never knew that she had been an actress. I especially liked her stories about her theatre life. The fact that she was married to the actor that eventually played "Dr. Tyler" on All My Children was interesting too. She shares her views on things that matter to her, and tries to impart some wisdom upon the reader about living with an actor husband, doing what is best for her family, and ultimately doing what is best for her husband in his time of illness. I would recommend this book for anyone going through a difficult time with a gravely ill spouse, and anyone looking to find out more about L'Engle's life.



3. I have finished Predlude, the first 70 pages. I'm done. This is a step-by-step and quote-by-quote retelling of her love-life, courtship, etc. There are too many great books out there waiting to be read for me to waste my time waiting for this to get better. I don't really care how many times some suitor proposed to her and what her response was, nor how many dog biscuits she ate after taking a bath. The sentences are boring and so is the story. Farandolae are much more interesting.



4. A great read on the complexities of marriage, life and facing death. Two of my favorite quotes of all time are in this book.



5. (Two Part Invention) I was touched by the way this woman thought as she entered marriage; how she considered the marriage before any other factor in life. As someone born in the last 40 years, I have honestly never heard a woman talk about her marriage in those terms. I was humbled and thought what a shame...we have lost something very special and gentle: honoring marriage. I never did, never knew anyone who did, marriage for myself and those in my circle was more of a nuisance. After two painful divorces I could finally hear Madeline's voice and everything she said made such beautiful and perfect sense. I long for that type of life and marriage and never realized all along it had to come from me. I also cried after putting the book down and a tear often comes when the book comes to mind. I always remember her thought about moving into the city - where she didn't particularly want to live - so that she could be the wife "hosting the slumber party" when they were snowed in, rather than being the wife getting the call when the husband wouldn't be coming home to the suburbs. And how she adjusted her whole sleep schedule to accomodate her husbands' late work nights. Sigh. Thank you Madeline, thank you for a voice that is not often heard.

5 comments about Confessions of a Spy: The Real Story of Aldrich Ames.

1. This gives the best account of Ames' CIA career, particularly prior to the time he began to work for the Soviet Union, and corrects errors in several earlier books such as Wise's.



2. This is the only text I have read that provides a compelling and nuanced explanation of why Ames betrayed his country. The short answer is that he needed the money because he was living beyond his means. As a result of his work recruiting and handling spies he no longer believed it was wrong for a person to betray their country. Earley's well-written book explains how he arrived at that point. It also provides the reader with a credible look at what it is like to work for the CIA, and what it is like to work as a spy.



3. I was reading "See No Evil" by Robert Baer and he briefly mentioned Aldrich Ames and decided to read a book on him. While looking for books, I was pleasantly surprised to find one written by Pete Earley. I had read "The Hot House" a couple of years ago and found Earley to be a very clear and detailed writer. I really could not wait to receive the book. My expectations were high and they were met and exceeded. The book details Ames' life from birth, it details his parents, his entry into the CIA, and ultimately his betrayal of the country. The thing I love about Earley is that he leaves no loose ends. You're never left saying, "but what ever happened to..." or "I wonder who that is...". He's a very clear writer who introduces every subject in the book. He explains the facts sharply and thoroughly, and the pacing is perfect. Earley not only gives you the details, but draws you in with a story line that adds suspense. Earley is similar to other great non-fiction writers such as Stephen Ambrose, Jon Krakauer, Simon Winchester, Mark Bowden, or Kurt Eichenwald in that he takes a real event and tells it gripping way.
   
   On the negatives, there was not an index in my book which made it difficult at times. Also, Earley was not able to get interviews with everyone involved, in particular Ames' first wife, but at the time I'm sure not everyone wanted to participate with the media.
   
   The most important aspect of the book is that Aldrich Ames cooperated with Earley with face to face interviews while awaiting trial and later through letters. But Earley did not take everything Ames told him at face value, he is not lazy or sloppy, he fact checked and questioned everything. He even fact checked with Russian KGB which demonstrates how dedicated he was to the subject. Is it definitive? Definitely not because it came out so quickly after Ames arrest (before revelations of Robert Hanssen) but it is an excellent book.



4. Step by step we are moving to the truth.
   The fiction is banal. Hence - one star for the book. The reality is amazing. Hence - 5 stars for the next book on the Ames-Colby case. The next book will be based on Dekov's memoirs.



5. Ames was unduly lucky to have not been "netted" much sooner. Mr. Earley gives us a very well written piece of work.Ames was certainly not Kim Philby or 007;but He did get away with His betrayal for some years,and that alone makes it worthy for any 20th Century Historian. The little tidbit of a quite 'hot potato'betrayal story on Henry Kissenger is worth the cost of the book alone.Earley is also fair to Ames'American employers at CIA who finally pinch "the mole".