5 comments about Laetitia Casta.

1. I have had this book for years and I think it is a treasure. It has several pictures that span the career of Laetitia up to the publication date of 1999. The book mainly consists of fashion and glamour photos, but it has numerious covers as well as some personal photos. Laetitia also writes a brief intro to each section and she has some of her own art in the book. She has a very cheery and sunny personality! If you are a fan of Laetitia you will treasure this book as much as I do.



2. This book let all my dreams come true. The best Laetitia pictures, her views on life/career, and what the designers think of her. This is the best book I have of art and she is indeed the best model ever. Everyone should be able to adleast see this book once in their lives to see what perfection is.



3. A beautiful woman is God's ultimate creation and gift to mankind. Laetitia Casta stands above as the most gorgeous female of her generation. Only Raquel Welch of the last generation or Sofia Loren of the generation before that can challenge Laetitia as the most gorgeous woman since the invention of the photograph. I am not interested in Laetitia's inner beauty or her mind. I admire her for the work of art that she is. With the help of make-up artists and photographers, this book presents to us the ultimate beauty. Laetitia's physical beauty surpasses the art of a Rembrant, the music of Wagner, the poetry of Dante, or the sculpture of Michael Angelo.



4. Laetitia has such a beautiful heart, I am so pleased to see that she hasnt changed such a positive oulook on life. Brilliant book, I almost love her body as much as she does.



5. Laetitia Casta is an amazing model and this book, I feel, is a great representation of her career and life. The photography and layout is simply incredible and it exposes Laetitia's personality, which so few have seen. A wonderful album for a wonderful woman!

   Word Ninja

4 comments about Chanel: The Couturiere at Work.

1. The writing is not very good - more like a stream of advertorials. There is overwhelming praise of Chanel's work - flattery more like it - without any criticism or analysis. However the pictures are good if you are collecting photos of Chanel's clothing designs over time. "Chanel and Her World" is a better book - it was put together with more thought. "Chanel: The Couturiere At Work" is just a thin book - more like a magazine, with insubstantial prose. Get it used.



2. Chanel: The Couturiere At Work is a lovely survey of fashion icon Coco Chanel and her innovative fashion ideas, and belongs in any collection boasting a focus on fashion. Her style is examined in depth; from her first early creations in the early 20th century through her design changes over the decades and her creations through the House of Chanel. Loaded with black and white and color examples from all the periods, Chanel The Couturiere At Work is a 'must' for any serious fashion collection.



3. Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel is adequately profiled in this book; from her very humble beginnings to her rise and fall -- and rise again -- this is an insightful biography of the woman and her work, which were for all intents and purposes inseparable. The authors capture not just the drive and determination which propelled Coco to the heights, but shrewdly illustrate how startlingly ahead of her time the designer was, and how much her work and ideas permeate fashion, even to the present day. Don't let the absurdities and excess of so much Chanel on the runway today fool you -- this woman was a visionary in her time, and the quintessence of her designs was paradoxically American; sporty, practical, possessed of a spare elegance, though she was in every way a Frenchwoman through and through. The early drawings of her first dresses are included here and are fascinating. Precious few exist, because -- as they book tells -- Coco Chanel preferred to design on the body, using live models. She was a perfectionist par excellence who introduced trends that transcended their time, and this modest book is a worthy addition to your library if you have any interest at all in the foundations of twentieth century fashion. There are many books on Chanel; I haven't read them all, so this isn't a comparative review, just the opinions of a fan of the couturiere as artist.



4. (nermin8@yahoo.com) How to recall sectet life of the most influencal fashion Mademmoiselle of all times? For the first Chanel-biographyst it was a nightmare...So we should give a huge respect to evry new Chanel biography, and not just for this reason... Also this biography deserves great respect. Though, some questions aren't yet answered (they may never be), this colourful book, introduces us to some new detailes about the "Chanel cut" as well as Coco herself. Must read to any haute couture lover or dreamer...

5 comments about Lord of the Dance: My Story.

1. This film will have you getting out of your chair and dancing along. It is truly a remarkable film with the great dancers like Michael Flatley and Gillian Norris and all the other dancers who were truly remarkabe. You have to purchase this film, you and your family will watch this film over and over. I have had the film for about 9 years and I still watch it like I just purchased the film. It is worth the money.



2. You can't beat his talent...when the whole Riverdance fever took the world over a decade ago I tired of his stardom. However watching him in Lord if the Dance reminded me of his superb talent. It truly is an amazing show to watch and well worth every penny



3. My opinion of Michael Flatley is now less than zero. The vast majority of this book is just very descriptive accounts of Michael's extreme promiscuity and sexual addiction. It made me sick. He adds some emotion to it for effect, but I don't buy it. Most of the book is spent bragging about himself. I can't tell you how disappointed I was and I really wish I had quit reading the book when I realized it was all about his escapades with women-- many of whom were in his shows. Yes, he'd wake up some mornings with several of them in his bed!
   
   There is a little worth reading though. I got his side of what happened to Riverdance. But mostly, I felt sick to my stomach at his pervertedness and felt extreme sorrow for how he treated his first beautiful wife.
   
   This may be an updated version to what I've read, but he is married to a different girl than the one he was with and was engaged to in the book I read, and he now has a son. Poor kid.
   
   I wouldn't trust this man with MY daughter!



4. I am a recent Michael Flatley fan [within the last five years] and I was so pleased to read about his life. I had pictured him as a flawless, untouchable/unreachable star person, born to be great, and not at all like a real person. This is a real human being who has lived a real life, and who has an amazing story to tell. This reminded me of My Left Foot. I love real human-interest stories that tell of both struggles and triumphs. I don't think this is a book just for dancers or fans of dance. I think many people would enjoy reading about a life like this. Highly recommended!!



5. I love this dvd and have watched it several times. As a former dancer, I think this is one of the best staged dance-plays ever done. The leads are wonderful, but so are the supporting players. I love Riverdance too, but this is more like a dance musical that tells a continuous story, as opposed to a variety show with a constant theme. The tension is wonderful, the flute music is beautiful, and chemistry amongst the dancers really adds to the quality of this performance. Even my kids love watching this, and they actually cheer out loud when the star of the show, the hero, defends the young girl and mends her broken flute. The costuming and lighting of the performance is also very dramatic and beautiful. This is a fantastic and entertaining dvd.
   
   As an aside, I recently saw Michael Flatley's performance on Dancing With the Stars, and I don't think he has lost any of his talent or presence.

5 comments about William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever.

1. Prince William and Kate Middleton had dated for many years and actually lived together for a while also, but considering the track record of the royal men up till now I think that the author should have waited to see if this relationship would lead to marriage (which it oviously did not) before writing a book with this title.



2. I didn't think it was necessary to write this book until - and if - William and Kate are married. I enjoy reading about Diana, William and Harry, but it just wasn't as interesting as I expected.



3. WILLIAM'S PRINCESS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROMANCE THAT WILL CHANGE THE MONARCHY is a pick for any who love the British Royal Family and want to know the latest. Such an audience may already be aware of Prince William's love life; but WILLIAM'S PRINCESS delves deeper into the romance and what it will mean for the monarchy overall, and is a satisfying exclusive account of how it happened. Public libraries will find it a popular leisure lend.



4. As an American living in London, I am treated to Robert Jobson's Royal coverage in the Evening Standard. Now, after reading his book, I am really looking forward to his articles covering the surely soon to be royal marriage of William and Kate. I hope before long he will share with us his speculations on her engagement ring. Will it be an heirloom or a new design? The intrigue of a Royal Wedding!



5. At the time of writing this book, the author was taking a punt on an impending marriage between the subjects, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Seasoned royal watchers would know that a book of this kind is unusual in that there has been no engagement announcement. Regardless, the title is a misnomer since only around 10% of the books 250 odd pages relate to the relationship! The rest is a rehash of old ground. The author tops and tails each chapter with a Kate and William sum-up and then proceeds to write about Charles and Camilla or Charles and Diana. There are a few snippets in the book about the W & K relationship, but not enough to sustain a whole book. Only for the real British royal fanatics. Wait until there is a marriage before writing another book, Mr Jobson and then you may have some material to work with.

5 comments about The Way We Were: Remembering Diana.

1. in this book you get a better feel of diana's day to day life and the pictures of the interior of her private quarters at kensington palace were very interesting to see. i am surprised that he was able to publish the pictures in his book. and what is buried in the garden really shocked me, just wonder what the outcome of that will be. her relationship with dr. hasnat was rather sweet and sad, never resolved. if di had lived i believe there would have been more to come with that relationship.paul also lets us in on the love hasnat had for diana. in many reports i read he seemed rather distant, but that wasnt the case at all. OH THE WHAT IF'S. the pictures alone are worth the price of the book. good read and i learned things i did not know... even after reading many books on diana.



2. Just as in a Royal Duty, in The way we were Paul Burrell allows us to know a little more about his life serving Princess Diana, as a butler and as a friend (friendship that other peolple didn't accept and gave him lots of problems after she died). Here he also reveals some secrets that let us know how Diana really was and who she was really in love with when she died. That information was a shock to me because I guess we all try to believe what the media sells not knowing that sometimes that's not the truth.
   I loved this book!



3. This is an excellent heart warming book that to me, gives a more accurate review of Princess Diana's life. It shows that she was human, compassionate and like the rest of us in this world had her own problems. It also shows a girl marrying an older controlling man and gave up her life the day she said "I do". I am not sure such a young person knew what she was about to give up. This book only allows me to admire this young Princess more today than yesterday. It is a book that I could not put down until I was finished through the final account of Diana's life, in tears. Worth every penny I paid for it.



4. The author deserves to be knighted for his contribution to the public in writing this book.
   He is the only person who can be trusted to write truthfully and respectfully about Princess Diana. The book is poignant and I cried buckets of tears through every chapter. However, I found it to be emotionally healing and therapeutic too. If you loved Princess Diana and want to find some closure after the tragedy of her death, this book is a must.



5. No one knew the multi-faceted Diana, Princess of Wales like Paul Burrell did. Once again he evokes her memory and captures the majesty of the delicate chameleon we knew, simply and lovingly, as Diana. In a lifetime that was all too brief she accomplished what no other "Royal" has. Until the reign of Elizabeth II, no one really bothered about the monarchy. We came into the age of television and reached toward the age of technology as Elizabeth II was crowned and reached toward her reign as Queen in an age of enlightenment. I am quite certain she could never foresee the likelihood of a modern day Princess reaching out to the people in the way H.R.H. Diana extended herself and touched those she would never know or may never see again. The Monarchy seemed to be hidden behind palace doors, but not Diana...never Diana. The Queen has possession and guardianship of the crown jewels during her reign. The brightest of those was one she could never possess or pass on. The most brilliant and brightest star was Diana, the "Queen of Hearts" and the "People's Princess" who served her people by being out among them and giving of herself to them whenever and wherever she could. The charity in her heart was endless as she was tireless in her contribution to those who suffered. The Queen always thought she knew her people well. The death of Diana proved that to be a total misconception. It is my belief that since the British people had been exposed to another way of being and another way of doing things, they weren't going back to a time when things happened around them. It is also my belief that the next reign will take a lesson from Diana's ways and rule with true spirit, openess and generosity of heart. Thank you Paul, for another glimpse into your world with Diana!

5 comments about If I Only Knew Then...: Learning from Our Mistakes.

1. Everyone can look back on their life and describe a significant mistake they've made and the lesson they learned from it. But how many of you would be willing to write it down and have the world read about it?
   
   Charles Grodin found over eighty people to contribute to his collection of essays in If I Only Knew Then..., and the net profits from book sales go to HELP USA, a not-for-profit organization. HELP USA's mission is to empower the homeless and others in need to become self-reliant, an excellent cause in this reader's book.
   
   Many of the contributors are celebrities such as Alan Alda, Carol Burnett and Ben Stiller. Others are accomplished and well-known people in the industries of politics, business and Hollywood.
   
   Sally Kellerman (Hot Lips from the movie M*A*S*H) learned what happens when you play hard-to-get with Marlon Brando. Judge Judy got a lesson in how to gain respect as a woman. Senator Orrin Hatch regrets voting against the Martin Luther King holiday.
   
   Some of the essays are entertaining, the lessons poignant and universal. Others seemed to have missed the point, or were turned in like last-minute homework assignments, perhaps out of guilt or obligation to Grodin.
   
   One lost lesson in particular comes from Leonard Nimoy, who still bristles over the memory of inappropriately naming his book I Am Not Spock. He declares that he is still unconvinced he was wrong. He writes, "Live and learn," but did he?
   
   This book feels like it was put together more for the sake of HELP USA than for the readers. If I Only Knew Then... hits and misses. The "hits" are moving and, at times, heartbreaking. If you do decide to purchase this book and read selectively, do not miss the stories by Barbara Feldon (from TV's Get Smart) or Sheldon Schultz. Their lessons anchor the book, providing meat and meaning.
   
   The misses, however, are a tad boring and blowhardy. It's like when you're mingling at a party and some clueless guy sidles up and chimes in within seconds as if he's with the program already and rather misses the point, contributing little, while you make excuses to escape what was, just a minute ago, a lively conversation.
   
   Maybe we're not meant to take anything substantive away from some of these stories. Or maybe, if the authors are neither famous nor literary pros, we aren't that interested. If the little boy next door is selling magazine subscriptions to buy uniforms for the school band, should you subscribe to three or four periodicals, including Tedious Times and Pointless Monthly in order to support a good cause because you also get Entertainment Weekly out of it? Well, that's up to you.
   
   
   Reviewed by Margaret Andrews for Curled Up With A Good Book



2. This was an enjoyable book and a quick read. It was interesting to read what notable people felt were learning experiences for them and why they thought so.



3. Charles Grodin has assembled eclectic information from many interesting people - much of which is valuable - and gives his proceeds to a very worthy cause. Great gift item.



4. Yawn. A few of the chapters were interesting, otherwise not a great read. Glad to hear proceeds go to charity.



5. If you can admit that you are not perfect (yet), and want an instruction book for life, this it it. Buy it. Read it. Learn from it.

5 comments about The Day John Died.

1. John Jr. was known as the "Master of Disaster" to his friends because of his willingness to accept physical challenges and daredevil nature.

   Chapter 1 focuses on the day John died giving his, his wife's and her sister's itineraries then proceeds to takeoff followed by a fictionalized account of what probably went wrong during their flight. Andersen interviewed other pilots who'd flown that day and some who knew John's abilities in order to put that part together. The scene is so gripping that I felt was flying with them!

   Chapters 2 opens in 1960 chronicling Jackie's first pregnancy, which ended in a miscarriage and goes through John's early life. Chapter 3 begins in 1963 with the assassination and gives a lot of background at what was happening to the children at this time. It's a very poignant chapter guaranteed to move the reader to tears. Chapter 4 deals with RFK's assassination and Jackie's fear for his children's safety. She always believed that they were primary targets.

   Chapter 5 discusses Jackie's marriage to Aristotle Onasis and the world's reaction to the destruction of the Camelot mystique. It seemed that people believed that the love between Jack and Jackie was perfect and they felt Jackie should remain America's dowager queen. Jackie was a compulsive shopper, which irritated Ari to the point where he cut her allowance. After his only son Alexander died in a plane crash, Ari made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the Kennedys. He referred to her as "The Widow"and his friends and family referred to her as "The Black Widow" blaming the Kennedy Curse for all Ari's misfortunes. When Onasis died, Jackie had to battle his daughter Christina to get her inheritance.

   Jackie overshadowed John controlling much of his life and tried to force him into politics to carry on his father's legacy. Consequently, John held a series of different positions before starting George Magazine. In an interview with Fidel Castro, Fidel disclosed that he admired John's father and apologized for not giving Lee Harvey Oswald an entry visa in October 1963.

   John's relationship with Carolyn was stormy but it would seem that there was true passion behind it. John was not forced to marry Carolyn, as his father had been to marry his mother purely for political expediency so he had the option to get a divorce but never sought one out. A lot of their troubles were caused by the constant intrusion into their private life by the media and the public. Carolyn simply was not used to this; but John took it in stride since he'd grown up with it.

   The text takes John's life from Chapter 2 onward right up to Chapter 9, which covers the search and recovery effort for his plane.

   A great companion book to this is by All Too Human The Love Story of Jack and Jackie by Edward Klein, which focuses on Jack and Jackie's relationship. I simply could not put either book down!




2. Christopher Andersen, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller "The Day Diana Died" tells the story of American's son, John F. Kennedy, Jr. It's the bittersweet tale of the American Icon and sadly the unfulfilled fate of his tragic death.
   

   
   If anyone would hear the name of John Kennedy, Jr. knew he was destined for greatness. He once quoted of himself saying: "People keep telling me I can be a great man. I'd rather be a good one." On the day John died that July 16, 1999 it seemed known only to God of his father's assassination and the death of Princess Diana was the most distinct moment to affect our lives. The world would never be the same. On the day President John Kennedy died, I was a little girl of 5 years. On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, I walked into the living room. My mom sat on the couch motionless in front of the TV in tears. I asked her what was the matter. She said, "They assassinated President Kennedy." From that day, thirty some years later since little John, Jr. saluted his father's casket in that famous snapshot to the present time in 1999. It is something that we all live with for the rest of our lives. Where were you on July 16, 1999? When a nation's grief would be buried in the ocean along with John, Jr., his wife, Carolyn Bessette and her sister Lauren where they died and where they are at rest.
   

   
   Andersen writes in detailed form the beginnings of the Kennedy legacy and the legend that John, Jr. would live with. It was a time not far in the past that two lives paralleled between Britain's Princess Di and America's John Kennedy, Jr.. Both of their persona of power and elegance inspired the dreams of their generation. Whatever these two did in their lives whether it was weaknesses and failures they were more loved by the public. The public follows John's life as he failed his bar exam twice, his romances with Christina Haag, Madonna and long time love Daryl Hannah, dodging the paparazzi, the famous fight in the park with his future wife, his struggle to find his own career path in the shadow of his legendary parents and the unveiling of his magazine, GEORGE.
   

   
   In the coming few years up to the time of his fated future. John enjoyed time flying. It was the only chance he could get away from the demands of his busy life and the paparazzi. It was such a shame that on the day of his tragic end. It had to go so quickly. As one would put it 'Gone Too Soon.' The lives John, Jr. touched while he was here with his remarkable legacy of a family that endured both triumph and heartbreaking tragedy. His sister Caroline stands alone. The only sole survivor of America's American family. Everyone took solace along with her in her sorrow. In this life that John Kennedy, Jr. lived he never follow in the footsteps of his father's career. Never did he write a book, do any great heroics or discover anything. Just because simply he existed. Everyone knew him. He belonged to all of us. From that beginning John Kennedy, Jr. was America's son. You'll have to read the book to know what I mean.
   

   
   NOTE: The book includes photographs that chronographs his life from his youth to his death with sources, chapter notes and selected bibliography.




3. This book is not a detailed account of the plane crash that took JFK JR's life, the book is an attempt at a biography of his life. If you have looked at the book then you know that this is a bio that is going to fall more in the Kitty Kelly area then a deep historical work. I was looking for more of an account of the forces within his life pushing into politics and his thoughts that lead him away from politics. We did get a little of these types of details, but the main focus of the book was to get the more tabloid type facts to the front of the chapters - sell more books. The author does give us some of the highlights of the Kennedy family history, but he does not connect how the events may have affected JFK JR's thoughts on a public life.

   I was interested in some of the insight on Jackie relationship with him. It did seem like she held a bit of power over his life, but that could have been the author tying to sell more books. There are also lots of details about how many incidents he got into growing up that could have been physically dangerous. As I said we do get a broad overview of the Kennedy family over the past 100 years but it almost came off as filler, like there may not have been enough on JFK JR. for the full book.

   This is a light, gossipy book that touches the surface of his and his family's life. If that is what you are looking for then this book is a good one. The writing is good; easy to read and fast paced. Overall, I felt that this book was just too light.




4. Maybe I am not in enough awe of the son of a dead president, but then I don't understand where the glamor of being hired by the American people makes a person glamorous or even smart.

   JFK, Jr. died, and killed 2 women with him.

   It's worth maybe an hour's reading, since it's mostly invented dialogue and gossip, this is literally a page turner.




5. Christopher Andersen has written a book that is symbolic of taking a walk down memory lane. The title is misleading, as this writing is a recount highlighting the Kennedy family history.

   Andersen paints a believable story of John, and one that sees him in a much more human light than in most writings. It is refreshing to note that as a child, John did get into his fair share of mischievous adventures. As a young man, these adventures became more daring and life threatening. Andersen writes of accounts of John experimenting with drugs, and makes it clear that John did not have a drug problem. However, Andersen sketches Jack as one that became hungry for speed. Strangely, John is described here as scatterbrained, and unstudious, yet rather smart. John seemed to have the knack of keeping friends and family happy, and also maintaining happiness for him at the same time. For Jackie, John's escapades had to be unnerving and her power over her son wavered. Andersen's writing of Jackie, depicts a much stronger woman than the media portrayed in the 60's. Jackie protected John from the worst Kennedy family influences; squashed John's ideas of an acting career and was most powerful in decisions John had in the romance arena. Jackie and Caroline were opposed to relationships he had with several women, and John seemed to abide by his mother's and sister's wishes, to end less-than-suitable relationships. Even though John may have broken the hearts of many young women, his classy reputation stands untarnished, as all of his ex's still maintained friendships with America's son.

   John's marriage to Carolyn Bessette , and their happiness will always remain a mystery for us. We can speculate, but John tried to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, as he demonstrated with their secret wedding.

   Uncanny as it may seem, Jackie had premonitions of John's plane-crash death. She begged her son not to pursue his love of flying. But this time, John only postponed his lessons for a short while, then continued the lessons without Jackie's stamp of approval.
   
   At the end of this book, John is viewed as less of a celebrity figure and more of a friend, who touched the hearts of so many. He will be sorely missed.

5 comments about War of the Godfathers.

1. This is a book of fiction, a fact unknown by many readers (including myself) at the outset. It's a modest story with a ring of reality, but not in the same class as THE GODFATHER or other top mafia/mob fiction. It's the story of a mob struggle between the Bonanno family and the Chicago outfit to control Las Vegas in the 1980's. Yet the story fails to grab the reader as good fiction should. Perhaps that's because the real story is nicely described in CASINO (by Nicholas Pileggi), which details how Chicago and other Midwest syndicates received millions from casino skims before their scheme was uncovered in the 1980's.
   
   Author William Roemer (1926-1996) was an FBI agent assigned to the Chicago crime syndicate. He writes nicely readable prose, but Roemer does a better job with his non-fictional narratives on the Chicago outfit.



2. I used to wonder how a crack former FBI agent and organized crime specialist like Bill Roemer could write glowing reviews praising the accuracy of Jay Robert Nash's sensationalist works. Then I ran across War of the Godfathers. What a novel idea--to write a novel using real people as characters. If this is any example, however, the late Mr. Roemer displayed little talent in creative fiction and the plot, revolving around a fictional gang war over Las Vegas between the Bonanno Family and the Chicago Outfit, is totally absurd. War of the Godfathers is way over the top and the nearest thing to restraint is Roemer's untypically immodest disguise of himself as a pseudonymous character. It's not especially well written and on top of everything else, the publisher didn't make it abundantly clear that this was a work of fiction. A large number of folks have been taken in by it, with fictional events such as the murder of Moe Dalitz even being reported as fact in several so-called "true crime" books. I don't understand the point of it to this day.



3. While the way the book is attempted to be written is clever, as it is almost like a Hollywood script of real events, the book is farfetched and is downright untrue in several instances.One glaring falsehood is that Moe Dalitz was shot down an then was later poisoned in a hospital.Roemer a former FBI agent, should have known better,escpecially considering he wrote briefly about Dalitz real demise in another book.If one takes this book for what it is, a story , it is enjoyable.The one interesting factual aspect about this book is the details given to the famous "STRAWMAN" cases which largely crippled organized crime in the midwest.



4. you people who critzed this book are stupid and it was a great book , i have read severl books written by the auther and they are great get off his back like you could write any better



5. Have to agree with Lars: Accardo is by far the most powerful mob boss in the history of this country. Where the New York mob was split and disorganized and ran a relatively small part of the country, Accardo and the outfit ran practically every other area, not just Chicago, but LA to Vegas to Kansas City and most points in between. The fact Accardo never spent a night in prison is enough to show you how good he was at what he did. Of course, Bonanno was small potatoes compared to the other NY Godfathers, so we'll never be able to tell who would have won a "real" war.

2 comments about Kingdom: The Story of the Hunt Family of Texas.

1. A rags to riches story about one of the more powerful families in Texas. Arizona Slim was originally from Illinois. He hopped around the country trying his hand at various things (including college). One thing he was good at was gambling and speculation. He speculated in land and then oil leases. His gambling contributed and funded the speculations in land and oil leases. His spectatular success in the oil fields of Texas and Arkansas led to his becoming the richest man in the world. He was also married to two women at the same time. His political beliefs were far right and based on the amount of money a man owned (cashocracy). His son blew a large portion of his inheritance on trying to corner the silver market. Last I heard, he was in bankruptcy.
   
   This is a great story about a rich family. I was surprised at the story of this family. Tuccille writes his book as if it were a novel, but it is all true. This is a very nice read.



2. I had little knowledge of the Hunt Family, but I was able to relate to the times and events the book covered. It intermingled many events in our past and supported some theories about Kennedy's death. I felt it made me question the material goals we set for ourselves. I also realized no matter what we achieve materially the greatest needs or wishes in life cannot be corrected.

5 comments about Marilyn's Last Words: Her Secret Tapes and Mysterious Death.

1. Alot of things in this book corresponded with what I had previously read but I dont think it is all true. If you want to read a real biography of Monroe look elsewhere. One thing I can say about this book is it kept you interested in everyway and was not boring. At the time of reading it it was one of my favroites, now not so much but I still think it deserves 5 stars however it is not as good or accurate as many other Marilyn who-dun-it books.



2. After researching and reading many, many books attempting to explain the extremely complex and perplexing events surrounding the death of Marilyn, Matthew Smith's book presents a very detailed and well researched account weaving together the many threads in Marilyn's life with sobering logic. The book takes the reader on a journey through Marilyn's personal and business relationships, as well as the motives of those who sought to use her toward their own ends. It reads like a terrific mystery novel and like the pieces of a puzzle, comes to a unique and logical conclusion as to "who did it".
   
   The only piece missing is the newest evidence, which came after the publication of this book, of the release of the secret CIA file on Marilyn Monroe. This new information through, only strengthens Mr. Smith's case that rogue agents of the CIA had a hand in her murder, as to publically embarrass the Kennedy brothers and force their resignations from public office (many other authors place the Kennedys as the main orchestrators of her death - a claim that never factually made sense). When one looks at the convergence of political struggles during the early 1960's and the many players including J. Edgar Hoover, Sam Giancana, Jimmy Hoffa, the Kennedy's, the CIA, the military industrial complex, etc., Mr Smith's logical conclusion makes the most sense.
   
   Unfortunately, for Marilyn, she inadvertently got herself personally caught up the biggest political mess of the last 75 years and paid for it with her life. Because the perpetrators failed to nail the Kennedy's for her murder because of an amazing public relations campaign from 20th Century Fox studios buying the Kennedy's time to cover their behinds, it ultimately backfired on the Kennedy's and they all ended up dead as well. So if Marilyn had somehow lived, American history would be dramatically different.
   
   Bravo, Mr. Smith on your crusade to get to the truth of Marilyn's murder.



3. why do you and others continue to perpetuate the movie magazine stories and call them non fiction even da vinci code is fiction
   please guys do your research and find the marilyn monroe foundation and her daughter nancy miracle who wrote a great play which tells the heretofore untold real story ofthe person behind the image it's about time not the same old story not again please it's 2006



4. I have read many books about the life and the death of Marilyn Monroe, so when this "revealing" new book came out, I wanted to see what it had to say. What I found was trashy, questionable material. I was wary right away, after reading the Acknowledgements section, where the author gives a large amount of thanks and credit to two people who appear as sources in many Marilyn bios, both of whom have been completely discredited by other (more believable) biographers. They barely even knew the woman, and have spent the years since her death trying to cash in on her memory. The fact that the author relied on these people told me that the material in the book was going to be questionable at best. After reading the entire book, I was left feeling very sad that Marilyn has been exploited yet again. If you want to read a real biography of Marilyn Monroe, I recommend "Marilyn Monroe: The Biography" by Donald Spoto.



5. thank you thank you thank you
   
   I can't stress that enough. I have believed and it's so obvious that the Mob and Kennedy's were behind this the whole time. Anyone can do there own research and declare the same truth but, most decided it's preposterous to think some one like the "Kennedy's" could conjure such a horrible thing. WAKE up people and give me a break. Do your history research of Joseph Kennedy and the government alone. There's crap they get away with constantly don't be naive. There's has been so many facts about this I can't believe it took this long for the justice of Marilyn Monroe. I am a huge fan and now she CAN rest in peace.
   
   ashley mosely
   (...)