4 comments about Where the Bodies Are: Final Visits to the Rich, Famous, & Interesting.

1. Since I am an old movie star buff.this book was great



2. Visiting cemeteries is not only a lot of fun, but it is cheap entertainment when visiting a large city. Autor Patricia Brooks has divided the book into regions of the country and provided both pictures and interesting tidbits of the famous and infamous who are buried around the country. More photos in the book would have been desirable, but then the amount of text would have had to have been reduced. Following the information as to who is buried in each of the visited cemeteries, the address, visiting hours, and telephone number is provided for those who plan on a closer look of their own. Many interesting individuals had to be omitted due to the number of people buried in places such as New York and California. However, the book may be on an off-beat subject, but it is, nevertheless, an interesting book on an interesting subject. If you enjoy prowling through cemeteries looking for the graves of notables this book will not disappoint you.



3. I read this book from cover to cover last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will also add that I am already familiar with most of the information covered in this book and I still enjoyed it. I gravehunt for a hobby which is basically as good as saying I've never seen a cemetery I didn't like. Heck, I even waste entire vacations hopping from one cemetery to another. That having been said, here is the scoop on this book.
   This is not a guide for gravehunters per se. It does not provide precise instructions as to where all identified personalities are buried. It also does not contain comprehensive listings of all permanent residents of interest buried in the cemeteries included.
   What this book does do is highlight the best cemeteries in the continental United States. It provides the addresses for these cemeteries, their hours of operation, good information regarding the safety of the areas being visited, and a thumbnail history of each cemetery selected for inclusion. It also may contain a general list of celebrities interred within, as well as mini-biographies of some of the more prominent subjects as well as generalized instructions as to where specific graves are located.
   This information included is about 99+% correct. I did find a couple of errors which I believe were obtained from other sources which have been proven false but continue to be perpetuated in other books and/or publications.
   As for the overall appearance of the book, the publisher did a fantastic job of presenting an appealing package. The photos are very clear and the general layout of the book is not only user friendly but very attractive. Amazingly, this book is very clean in the sense that it was well-written and well-edited. I've seen a lot of really badly done books in the past 5 years or so. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THEM.
   Now for the big question......why buy this book? It is a lot of fun. There have been a lot of books published in recent years covering this subject (i.e., cemeteries). Some are very specific in terms of geographic location, the type of person buried within (movie stars, politicians, historical figures, etc). This book takes those elements and basically is a compilation of the very best of the best. It cuts through a lot of garbage and gives you the ones that tourists will like the best. Whether you want to visit a large number of the cemeteries included or visit a couple of them, this book will provide you with enough information to base your decision on. It is also a neat read.



4. Patricia Brooks brings to her role as food critic for "The New York Times" a sure palate, fluid style and voice of decorous authority. But she often garnishes her reviews with a wry and piquant humor and -- when some meal or dish fails to meet expectation -- can readily throw the pepper and spice.
   It hardly surprises then that the author brings the same sure style, wry humor and zestful approach to what some might regard as a ghoulish undertaking -- cemetery reviews. Making us first aware that -- much more than mere resting places -- they additionally serve as tourist attractions,parks,places to picnic,sit,read,meditate and even in my case,jog -- she guides us not only through final resting places but through American history, culture and sociology.
   It fascinated me to find that pugilistic hero of my Irish youth,Gene Tunney went down for the 'eternal count'in Greenwich -- not far from my own CT 'corner';that the full 40 inches of Tom Thumb lie beneath a "40-foot-high white marble tribute" in Bridgeport;that John Ford -- director of classic westerns like 'Stagecoach' that even in rainy Dublin caused me try to swagger like John Wayne on some cactus-dotted plain -- lies beneath the "grassy land and rolling hills" of a cemetery in Culver City and finally, that the headstone of James Dean, whose appeal -- since all the girls had already fallen for him -- made me feel so inadequate as a teen,is still covered with lipstick kisses, though he would be over 70 were he still alive.
   Pat Brooks has presented us with a thoroughly researched, beautifully written, rich-textured and fully-flavored book that everyone should savor.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



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. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream.

1. If you love Celine or admire her or whatever, you'll enjoy her story. The idiot critic Solinas wants to trash Celine and Rene and nary gives a thought to maybe Celine is not obligated to share any of this personal info. with us... Celine bares all, lives under the scrutiny of the public and idiots like Solinas who insist they know better. I could also criticize Celine for not following her Catholic faith better, but you know I pray for her and I still enjoy her sharing so much of her intimate dreams and feelings and thank her for sharing and that's all - IT IS A GOOD READ, but if you don't like her then simply leave her alone- she doesn't ask for your approval -she is giving here, I for one appreciate that... THANKS CELINE AND THANKS RENEE - CELINE IS IN A CLASS BY HERSELF as far as I'm concerned.



2. From someone who is a huge fan of Celine's music - from her early work to her most recent, this book was not what I was expecting.
   It was a very easy read - almost like a fairytale. It was great thru the beginning of the book, but even her adult years were portrayed like they were thru the eyes of a small child. This doesn't bode well for my opinion of Celine as an adult, who spends half the book trying to assert her independence "because Rene wouldn't want me that way" if she didn't.
   
   As for the love story between her and Rene - again, I liked the early years. She admitted she didn't think much of him when she met him- hey, she was just a kid then. Talked about Anne Marie, etc. What this book is missing is things like how she dealt with breaking their relationship to his adult children, how she relates to them good and bad, and how she justifies such great lengths for a child with a man who has already raised two.
   
   Again, this story seems to brush over these kinds of topics in favor of defending Rene. We didn't read the book for Rene, we read it for her. She was real about her childhood. Not so real about her adult life.



3. I did find this book to be enjoyable at times and boring in parts as well:
   
   I found Celine's early years of family/homelife interesting and oh my did she and her mother (her siblings as well) worked their butts off (and her manager/now husband Rene) to get Celine to where she is today.
   
   I think the reader might take the "I'm rich and I deserve it" the wrong way (maybe the French translation into English). Yes, she admits she is rich and yes she does talk about decorating homes and her fairytale wedding and renewing her vows, but I she realizes that she grew up poor and to give back, etc (she gave her siblings $$, etc).
   
   I found Celine to be heartfelt and truthful. She admits she doesn't hide "things" from the press/friends (such as fertility problems), she admits that she was kind of spoiled growing up, and she did finally come out and tell the world she was in love with her manager Rene.
   
   Around the age of 17 or so (earlier maybe) Celine describes her "fantasies" and movies she made up in her head about her manager Rene. She realized she was in "love" with him. I think she went a little in detail,(this sometimes gets boring), etc. I don't know what to think of it. Rene maybe didn't realize or didn't want to realize her attraction to him and his to her (he goes away to fix his marriage which ends up in divorce, his 2nd wife was fed up with this workaholic/gambling ways). When she was 18 I think it offical came out between the two of them that they were "in love." Rene and her mother do question the 26 year age difference (and the twice divorce thing as well). What I took out of the "love" relationship is it is extremely power and important to her and age doesn't make a difference.
   
   Celine outlines that she indeed is strong and independent and Rene did guide her on the path of stardom but she is more than capible in making her own decisions.
   
   All in all an ok book. it seems unfinished, and rushed little, and it needs a sequel. It leaves off during her pregnancy. I think the real meaning could have gotten lost in translation from French to English as well.
   
   Anyway an ok read and I read it in a few days and I'm a die-hard Celine Fan!
   
   That's my review for celine Dion, My Story, My Dream.



4. I am ofcourse in love with Celine Dion, so I was a bit biased at first. Reading this book took me through her life from the very start, and through her stardom. Her love with Rene Angelil, her feelings for this man 26 years her senior, her view of the world, of popularity, of discipline most of all, and of her working hard and intense attitude, I fell in love with her all over again. I can't recommend the book enough, but then again, you have to love Celine the way I do to appreciate her book as much!! :)



5. When she finishes the book, she's finally become pregnant. She wishes it to be a little girl, because she feels that a little boy would be cold to her. She did end up having a little boy. I would like to see how this has worked with her career, her time at Caesar's Palace, and her fathers death. Many of the stories in her book are very touching, but she tends to be on the melodramatic side more times then not. I have to agree with the reviewer who wrote that it was disturbing to read about her ideas of seducing Rene Angelil when she was 14. Rene and Celine have a beautiful love story, but at 14 that would be wrong, and it feels invading to read it. She does come across as a diva in many points, but all of these shortcomings are minor compared to the wonderful story she writes.

5 comments about Swimming Across: A Memoir.

1. This is an inspiring story of Andy Grove's extraordinary life. As a contemoprary, I do not relish thinking about how well I would have fared against the dangers and adversities Grove faced, including Nazi invasion of his native city of Budapest, Soviet takeover, Communist Hungarian government, persecution as a Jew, physical illness. This book could be titled "Only the hard-headed, determined, and confident survive". On a small negative note, it is not realistic to think that he could remember many years later the degree of detail he includes in the book, although I have no doubt that the essential events happened as reported.



2. Andy is a wonderful person and a genius - but not a writer. This book is simply childish.Sorry Andy.



3. The reason we should read biographies, to my mind, is clear - to find out what drives other people towards success, towards failure, towards redemption, towards evil, even to find out how the Mansons, Stalins, Hitlers and Husseins grew up. The pursuit of a clue towards a person's later decisions is a delicious game, to find the key events in childhood that makes that person later go down in the history books.
   
   However, there is one problem in an autobiography: the person is himself writing it, therefore editting out consciously and unconsciously factors that may well have been much more critical, omitted due to personal embarassment or because the family members and friend are still alive.
   
   Reading the life of Andrew Grove, according to Andrew Grove (born Andras Grof), is to have a feeling that his whole childhood was drawn through a cheesecloth with small holes. If he did write it all himself, without outside editting, it reads in a very simplistic way, for a very complex man. It seems as if the "big words" were taken out, the more complex self-examination of his soul was either never set to paper, or deleted.
   
   Nevertheless, you will find this book a good read, like a suspense story, as young Andris, only child of a Jewish comfortable family in pre-WWII Budapest, grows up with a strong sense of separation from others.
   
   He has several marks against him from the start - he is Jewish, and all around him know it, and for the most part, in Europe, that was no plus. He rejects his own religion and remains fiercely secular, so he has no religious morality on which he hangs his decisions. He is a pudgy boy, whom others tease, whom girls reject. He turns to books, to study, to the English language, and finally to science, in his loneliness. His own father is taken away during the war, hence his mother loses her social life and is isolated along with her son. The situation is restored to prosperity and popularity after the war, when the father miraculously survives a dreadful work camp, returning home a filthy skeleton.
   
   When the father is in clover, getting top level positions in the post-war economy, by means unclear to readers, all seems well, and people come in a steady flow to the house. Later, the father is accused of illegal activity, and loses his position and 75% of his salary, along with the pretty secretary and the car. The sensitive son, Andris, notices how popularity depends on the income and position of the father. NO doubt that this is driven deep into his consciousness more than anything else.
   
   When a chance to leave Hungary arises in 1956 with the 17 days of fighting the Russian Communists, his parents do not hesitate to encourage him, for at least he has a fighting chance with relatives in New York City, and years of English lessons under his belt. These two factors hasten his journey by ship to America, where his relatives adopt him and support his way through college, until he has a degree in chemical engineering. His attachment to Hungary is weak to this day, and he has not returned since his mudcaked trudge over the border to Vienna. He never voices a strong hatred of Communists, perhaps because his own father must have been one to have been appointed an inspector in an area in which he was not qualified. Yet it is the Communist mentality which has hung over his country and threatened the Western world for decades. It is a strange omission in a man who celebrates America's open doors and willlingness to give immigrants a chance at great capitalistic success, something that could never have happened in a Russian-dominated nation.
   
   I am impressed with this older man's willingness to write about his painful and persecuted youth, but any experienced reader can feel that there is a stiffness in the writing, especially in dealing with any of the women who did not mother him (i.e. his own mother and the aunt in NYC), as if the human elements in his life were not so critical for him. He seems to be a very tough nut, although he may have underneath some sentimentality, i.e. when the grandchildren were born, he wrote this book. He admits in the closing chapter that he himself is not sure why he does not return to the country of his youth, but I have my own suspicion - that he felt himself an outsider and a social failure throughout all those years, both as a Jew and a "nerd", and that his father's ups and downs with the economy and with the Communist affiliation made a much bigger impact than he will dare delve into. He perhaps underestimated the English-speaking world's understanding of this kind of dictatorship and decided not to go deeply into that part of everyday life.
   
   Most refugees from Communism and Nazism are willing to go on for chapters about the restrictions and mind control of their homeland's dictatorships, but you will find that these are only briefly touched upon. I see the young Andris a boy of self-conscious, sensitive and rationally intelligence, who refuses to let external factors push him down, what the Finns call SISU. Whether it is outside takeovers like the fall of Hungary to COmmunism, the rape of his mother by the Russians, the imprisonment of his father, and other extremely horrid life situations, he shut his emotions down and plowed ahead. Yes, he is very much like the Finns, especially their men.
   
   We can all admire Andrew Grove as a great leader of Intel, as a driven and highly intelligent man, but the person underneath, as revealed in this story, is a damaged and isolated person from his youth. No wonder that he did not want to write it down until so much later in life, when material success and a family of his own could prove that he was great.



4. Never would I have expected a man behind Intel could have such a childhood.I picked this book because it was written by Andrew Grove and mostly because it sets in the the times of World War II. Although I could not get much from a Jews perspective during the war time, however the book has captured some of the essence of tension during the period.
   
   I was intrigued by his childhood story and found it hard to put the book down one I started reading it (Yes, it is cliche to say that..) The title of the book "Swimming Across" could not have been more appropriate with his escape from Hungary to the United States - that made such an outstanding person in man's history!



5. When I finished this book, I was rather disappointed at its incompleteness. No doubt Andy Grove must be an extraordinary person after immigrating to America with almost nothing and then moving to become the CEO of Intel Corporation. His book gives some insight into his personality through his childhood experiences and his dedication to hard work can easily been seen through his striving for an education.
   
   The most disappointing aspect of "Swimming Across" is that it does not explain how he became such a successful person after moving to America. The story ends after his college education from City College in New York. It does not describe any part of his involvement in the development of Intel Corporation. Rather than a biography, it is more of a complication of his childhood reflections.
   
   A good portion of the story revolves around his childhood experiences as a Jew during the Holocaust, followed the Soviet occupation of Hungary. It is interesting to read from a historical perspective. Much of the book also deals with his interest in chemistry and his quests for girls during his gymnasium (high school) years.
   
   The writing is easy to read and not very intricate. While it offers an interesting tale of his personal experiences as an American immigrant, it does not have very much on how to climb the corporate ladder. It has a very good glimpse into the real Andy Grove's personality from a first person perspective, but not the details on what made him stand out as a successful individual among other Americans.

2 comments about How They Met: Famous Lovers, Partners, Competitors, and Other Legendary Duos.

1. For all those who have wondered how Antony & Cleopatra, Lucy & Desi, Sears & Roebuck, Liz & Dick, Smith & Wesson, Stanley & Livingstone, Napoleon & Josephine and countless other 'couples' first met, this book is just what the doctor ordered.
   
   Author Joel Green gives us the straight skinny on 80 famous couples - how they met and their subsequent fate. A few of the inclusions seem to run to "flavor of the month" - Brad & Jennifer, Ozzy Osbourne, etc. - or worse - does anyone really care how Roseanne and Tom Arnold got together?? - but it's all good, clean fun. And entertaining and informative!
   
   
   ***
   A suggestion to the author: Think sequel. Consider the following: George & Martha Washington, Lunt & Fontaine, Winston & Clementine Churchill, George & Libby Custer.



2. This well done effort romps through many of the famous business and romantic pairings of history, and includes numerous photos too. The Roosevelts,Kennedys,Hitler and Eva,Romeo and Juliet,Sherlock & Dr. Watson, Proctor and Gamble, Bill and Hillary are among the high points. Most of the short essays are fine, but a few seem to cater to fly by night current partners who may not really make the grade! Where are Hewlett and Packard,Charles and Anne Lindbergh? Well, you cannot include everyone, one supposes!

5 comments about Remembering Walt.

1. I was very happy while reading this book. I found all the things Walt's aquaintances had to say about him very interesting and credible. Very little seemed sugar coated (as Disney personel seem to be sometimes). I would make the assumption that Walt's personality was portrayed correctly by the many people that knew him. Throughout the course of reading this book I kept thinking about the quote that one amazon reviewer said that made me buy this book in the first place, "makes me wish I knew that man."



2. This book is exactly as one would expect by reading the title. It's just quote after quote from people who knew Walt Disney best. I liked that many of his former employees were interviewed. Since I was familiar with some of the animators, imagineers, and actors it made it a more personal thing for me when reading this book. There are also many pictures that show Walt during all the different periods of his life, though the majority of them are during his successful years heading the Disney corporation. I share the sympathy of another reviewer who said that after reading this book they wished they had known Walt Disney. I think a person who really admires the Disney empire will share the same sentiments about the man who dared to dream.



3. This lavishly illustrated tribute --- first published in 1999 and now released as an oversized trade paperback --- is a must for diehard Disneyites. (Dig the vintage, time-worn color
   cover photo of Uncle Walt, with Cousin Oscar clearly in view.) Amy Boothe Green and Howard Green's text is nothing more than quote after quote from Walt's pals, peers, co-stars, family and friends, all of whom (surprise!) praise The Man Who Would Be King. But it's the vast array of black-and-white and color photographs --- many rare and many never-before-seen, all of which are stuffed into the pages --- that make this a winner. Walt as a young boy. Walt as a young man. Walt at play. Walt at work. Walt with family. Walt with friends. Walt with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Walt with Hayley Mills. Walt with Shirley Temple. Walt with Annette Funicello, who provides the book's most poignant quote: "When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis ... I thought,. "If Mr. Disney were here, I could ask him what I should do. He would know." And, of course, Walt with the Mouse and the Mouseketeers. Noting goofy here. Except Goofy.



4. This is definately a winner! Great little gems from Walt Disney's family, closest friends and colleagues. The pictures are equally wonderful. Great candid shots and personal family photos. This man had more character than Mickey Mouse himself!



5. The pictures were nice. I'm a big Dinsey fan so I pretty much enjoyed this book. It told what people who worked with him thought about him. I gave the book four stars because there were some bad words.

5 comments about Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me.

1. It's bucking the trend of beauty minded America. It proves that looks don't matter... just money and connections.



2. This as stated is more of a journal than a book, hence the title "YOUR heiress diary" It is fine for young girls and doesn't contribute to their delinquency as so many would have you believe. Teenage girls write in their diaries about boys, clothes and less meaningful aspects of life, it doesn't make this book bad nor does it make Paris vapid and useless. There are several pages devoted to careers, role models, family and inspirational quotes. My niece loved it!



3. This diary is so fun! It's awsome for someone who dreams of fame and fortune. It allows us to feel rich and famous, if only for a moment. Writing in this diary is so fun! It also cool that you have little questions on each page. If you love Paris Hilton, you WILL love this diary!!



4. i think that the book is very cute had alot of pics of paris i gave this as a present to my friend and bascailly it's a questinare book about yourself great as a present.



5. Oh me, bookworm me, was at Barnes and Nobles one day looking for a good dark fantasy novel and some good manga when I saw this on the table of new books that had arrived to the store. I saw a stack of this book on the table among other neatly piled new books, thinking, "Paris Hilton's diary! I'd like to read it, and see what she writes about in her diary."
   Well, to my disappointment, dear readers, and maybe even yours, this is NOT HER DIARY!!! Instead, this is a diary targeted for young and maybe even teenage girls to write in. I was filled with more and more disgust as I flipped through the pages. Oh my freakin goth, pink pages with Paris's "advice and tips" on writing, her stupid ideas on what to write about, photos that show her being oh-so-full of her ridiculously shallow self, and HIGHLY immature quotes that say things like, "People who don't like pink just aren't very colorful," or, "Why wear black when you can wear pink?" or "You can be a heiress!" What the heck...I really look down on this girl. She thinks EVERYTHING in her shallow life that the stupid Gossip Girls novels are modeled after is an accomplishment! First, she's born into a very wealthy family (well, I suppose it's nice to be wealthy, but just not too wealthy), but I guess I can't blame her for that, because she never chose that life. Then she's an actress. A model. A porn star. A singer. NOW SHE'S A WRITER???????????????? OMIGAWD, the only reason why she ever became a published author is because she's a celebrity, and when agents and publishers get submissions from a celebrity, they would be incredibly stupid to turn down the offer, and they think, "Hey, this is a manuscript sent in by a celeb! I can make BIG bucks off of this!" whereas, there are TRUE writers out there who are struggling their hearts out to get published, but they can't get accepted, because they're new to the world of publishing, and agents and publishers think they won't be much of a success, AND IT MAKES ME SO MAD TO SEE PARIS HILTON AS AN AUTHOR!!!!! AND A BEST-SELLING ONE TOO!!! Now she just HAS to make this stupid diary so that she can manipulate the minds of girls to be these shallow, mindless, material-obsessed girls like her! I suppose she can give some good advice, like being happy, and pretending to wear an imaginary tiara on your head to give you confidence, but that's it. Yes, I do write (I've filled approximately 25 diaries and notebooks since the age of 9, and my 14th birthday is in a couple of months), but you would never catch me writing in this stupid trashy journal Paris Hilton published unless if you paid me. I prefer BLANK journals, ones that don't give you any distraction, like this one would. What a waste of paper. Paris Hilton needs to quit being a writer wannabe and save the occupation of an author for the TRUE writers with depth in their souls out there.

5 comments about Diana and the Paparazzi.

1. For all intents and purposes, this IS "Dicing With Di", the book written by these same idiots a decade ago. My guess is that they're trying to ride the wave of publicity the 10 Year Anniversary of her death brings and tried to update their old, sorry book. Shame on them. The first one wasn't good . . . why they bothered with updating it is more than I can understand.



2. I was disappointed to find that this book, promoted as new, is basically an updated version of "Dicing with Di", written in the late '90s. As I was reading it I thought it sounded really familiar, so I sat down with the new book and "Dicing with Di" and found many of the same stories. Yes, there were a few different pictures, but nothing to be able to say Wow!! about. And adding a note written 10 years after the first book to the end of the new book doesn't constitute "new". Knowing the amount of time these guys spent chasing Diana, you'd think they'd have enough stories and pictures for a totally new book. Save your money and just re-read "Dicing with Di."



3. This book appears to be a different version of events than the book these two men wrote whilst the Princess was still alive. (Dicing with Di) Their first book was much better, and probably more honest. For somebody with thousands of unpublished photos of the Princess they should have just made a photo book - it would have been more interesting and sold more copies. I was disappointed.



4. I rated this one star because zero wasn't an option. I'm not quite sure what exactly the authors were attempting to accomplish with this book. Well, apart from continuing to make money off the very person that to this day, try to blame for her own untimely death. These two Gentlemen, and I use the term Gentlemen loosely, do not acknowledge nor do they accept any personal responsibility for their contribution to the upset and ultimate death of Diana. The bottom line is, Diana Windsor and Dodi Fayed were victims. Victims of the media's need to take photos and make money off them, victims of our need to buy them and victims of a drunk driver. Was the driver of her car drunk? Yes. Should he have been driving? No. Would he have been if they had been left alone that evening? No. Would Dodi Fayed have allegedly told his driver to speed away from the Paparazzi? No. There wouldn't have been a reason to. No chase! No Crash! We are to blame. The media for chasing them to get pictures and us for buying them. One criticism that really bothered me in this book was the "How Dare She" attitude of the authors, that Diana thought she should be allowed to walk down the street or shop in a store without harassment from the media or public. Well, she should have been able to. Despite the fact that she was famous. She was always willing to oblige when on public display. That should have been enough. Any one of us would have reached the point of hysteria and began acting out if we were constantly hounded as she was. Anyone who says differently is a liar. The authors also state that the Diana "Paparazzi Years" had ended six months prior to her death. This is an obvious attempt to step away from blame. They ended the night the Paparazzi played a part in killing her by chasing her car at a high rate of speed until it crashed.
   This book reads as if to invoke sympathy from the public for the paparazzi who hounded Diana for her verbal attacks on them. They received none from me. Nothing really new to this book. Maybe some previously unpublished photos. They all look like photos I've seen before.



5. The book was ok, reads like the other books by people who either knew Diana, worked for Diana, or took pictures of Diana. I expected to see new photos in the book that was not seen before. There is a couple.
   
   Disappointed to say the least........

5 comments about Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life.

1. This biography is not great literature. It's centered in the most complex and violent regions of our times but rarely scratches the surface. Noor's diplomacy in describing people and events - always the high road, even in the midst of deceit and betrayal - is maddeningly constant and obscures rather than reveals. So what's to like about the book? It's an extraordinary story of a young western woman who embraces the east: it's people, culture, religion and thought. It's the story of her love for King Hussein, who in a world of the powerful, is largeless powerless but for his integrity in the struggle for peace. Her perspective, is that of the Palestinian Arab. Their voice needs to be heard. This book is a thoughtful start.



2. Unfortunately the autobiography is boring and somewhat distant and impersonal. Actually, overall the writing is uninspired and quite frankly, flat. Queen Noor, obviously a beautiful, intelligent, well-educated woman uses the book as a platform for spouting some pretty blatant untruths about the modern history of the Middle East. I guess I should have expected that, but it was disappointing nonetheless. I might have gritted my teeth and gotten past her politics if the love story was interesting. But it wasn't simply because the writing was so unemotional and disconnected. As I read the book, it was as if I could hear someone speaking in a monotone voice and it was almost sleep-inducing.



3. Leap of Faith is interesting from the young all American becomes Queen standpoint. It really is amazing that a fairly regular young American woman gains the attention of the King of Jordan and becomes Queen.
   
   It is too bad she was not willing to be more real in her telling of a great story.
   
   The book ends up preaching about Queen Noor's view of the political world and quickly becomes tiresome and boring.
   
   It could have been a very exciting story given her exciting life but she had to go preach to us instead.



4. Here is a glimpse into Middle East history from someone who was there! My own family members have enjoyed reading it as much as I have; I think shall too!



5. I must admit; I didn't get very far, but this book is a self serving pack of lies by an apologist for the intransigence of the Arab world. For example, she refers to the "forced migration" of 1948 without ever mentioning that the ones doing the forcing were Arabs who promised their people that if they would get out they would "push the Jews into the sea". Nor does she mention the origin of the name "Palestinian" (hint: it is a Hebrew name).
   
   The saddest thing about the Arab world is that 1000 years ago they had the most advanced civilization on earth, and entirely due to problems of their own making they now preside over one giant hell hole.
   
   But if she came out and admitted this the Hashemite family would be in danger of losing their position of privilege in Transjordan.
   
   I would recommend that anyone who reads this book should also read "Warrior" by Ariel Sharon. At least he knows the history of Israel, Syria, and Egypt.

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

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



2. 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.



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. 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)



5. 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...