5 comments about Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography Of Angela Lansbury: The Authorized Biography of Angela Lansbury.

1. Hello Ms. Lansbury:
   
   I just wanted to tell you how much enjoyment your performances have given my wife and I, over the years. Oh, and your decision to move to Ireland after your house in Malibu burned down: Brilliant! I grew up in Santa Monica, where there was too much money and too many drugs... So many kids my age (I was born in 1954, and graduated from Santa Monica High in 1972) had their lives destroyed by drugs. Los Angeles and Hollywood are terrible places to raise kids! You are so very lucky, to have raised a beautiful son and daughter, and to have had a husband who loved you, for so many decades. I only hope that my wife and I can enjoy over 50 years of marriage, as you and your spouse successfully did! Best wishes to you and your family. [...]



2. If you are an Angela Lansbury fan like I am, you will love this book. It tells of her family, her marriage, children, her days at MGM, her talks and encounters with movie stars, her movie career, Murder She Wrote and after. It is a well-written book not trashy like the Kitty Kelly biographies or sugar coated. I enjoyed reading this book. A GREAT READ.



3. This authorized biography of Angela Lansbury is interesting and well-written...but she was a part of the project, had final say over what was and wasn't included, and left SO MUCH out! Her personal life is covered much better in the other two unauthorized biographies of Angela Lansbury. But what really floored me in this one was her descriptions of "fan psychology" and the way she talks about teenagers who looked up to the character she portrayed in shows like "Mame." She describes the kids' adulation of her in terms of being "a tragedy." While one fan clearly became out of control in terms of following her around and pestering her, the rest of us - legions of us - didn't. Hello! What's so tragic about children looking up to, and being inspired by, a responsible celebrity?



4. With angela Lansbury's cooperation, the author was able to construct the life of the star and her dreams without being intrusive into episodes of her life. He truly respected the subject and the star rewarded him with candor. it is too often that authors choose biographies to sensationalize a life. In this case, the author told it straight but with humanity and dignity and affection for a woman of icnredible talent and character.



5. This is one of the finest celebrity biographies that I have ever read. Actress Angela Lansbury is profiled with candor and wit in Martin Gottfried's "Balancing Act". Gottfried conducted countless interviews with the star herself of whom he says, "No biographical subject could have been more cooperative.", and many, many of those who knew her and worked with her. The book details her early life in London, her arrival in America during WWII, and her first film, at MGM, where they promptly decided to change her name to "Angela Marlow". The book writes with candor about her first failed marriage and her Hollywood years into the late forties, when she married Peter Shaw (and the marriage is still going strong). In the early fifties, she gave birth to her son Anthony and daughter Deidre Shaw, and in the late sixties, with her Hollywood career in a slump, she bounced back on Broadway in her Tony-Award winning title role in the musical "Mame". The book is at its most exciting when detailing her Broadway career, and not just with "Mame", but with her three other Tony-Award winning roles in "Dear World", "Gypsy", and "Sweeney Todd". And after Broadway, Lansbury conquered television with her ever-popular "Murder, She Wrote" series. Since then, Lansbury has enjoyed steady acting and puttering in her rose garden. Many humorous anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories told by Lansbury concern stars like Ingrid Bergman, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Bea Arthur among them. She is a rueful raconteur and thrilled with her extraordinary professional and personal life. With the color and gusto of "Balancing Act", Angela Lansbury is profiled up close and personal and, as always, absolutely great!

2 comments about Madame De Stael.

1. As Christmas approaches nearer and nearer my mind strays to thoughts of Madame de Stael, who always kept a warm place for Christmas in her heart, even when persecuted by Emperors and forced to live in alien lands, or when reeling from the tragic loss in her life, the death (by duelling sabre) of one of her sons while still a very young man, and she, though heavy in mind, insisted on Christmas as normal so as not to disappoint the little ones, nor her pensioners whom she gathered around her like old, well-loved blankets.
   
   And her lovers, for she was a lover all her life. The poet George Stanley recommended this book to me, telling me that it seemed to him I knew nothing of de Stael and it was high time I learned. Immediately I ordered a copy of the recommended biography, but it looked a little dense, so I put it to one side, then wound up months later packing it hastily on my last minute trip to Basel this past summer. Well there I was in my single bed on top of a Basel garret, high summer and you could almost see the tops of the Jungfrau, and I opened the pages of the book and found out, to my utter surprise, that Madame De Stael was, in fact, from Basel! I swallowed this unbelievable coincidence with a twist of bottled water, and from there on in, I could see why George Stanley, whose own writing is filled with a boiling hunger for the human, and a restless quest for the divine, why a writer like Stanley would be so taken with the peripatetic Madame de Stael. She was everywhere and did everything, and she never stopped her love life. Maybe money helped. She was born Germaine Necker, the lively, bluestocking daughter of Jacques Necker, the man they called the Croesus of Switzerland, and in thinking about her life I would have to say that she was usually able to summon up vast amounts of money and yet still, she had sympathies with all sides of the French Revolution in which she played a key part. She was friends with Marie Antoinette, sort of, and with Talleyrand (and with Napoleon Bonaparte until he took an uninformed dislike to her and to her novels and agitprop).
   
   She wasn't the most beautiful woman in the world, not even in the top fifty per cent, but she had something, didn't she, an intelligence that Coleridge said matched his own, and a joie ve vivre that made men, women, children and animals stop in the street and turn around and stare, drawn to her ebullience like honey. Maria Fairweather has a telling anecdote about Madame de Stael attending the first French circus ever shown in snowy Moscow, in the company of famous Russians of all sorts, and the clowns and circus animl;s were all gazing in rapture at Madame de Stael chatting in the royal box, trying to make out scraps of her witty comversation. Even the acrobats on their trapezes gradually stopped swinging, hoping for that perfect moment of silence in which one might hear her speak.
   
   She was in love with many men, and many loved her; among them, Narbonne, the aristocratic white dandy whose plantation, "Limonade," in Haiti was seized by his agnry slaves and burnt to the ground in one of those famous anticolonialist demonstrations in 1792. Another problematic friend was the novelist Fanny (EVELINA) Burney, who seemed simultaneously to admire and to despise her, like Mary Astor and Bette Davis in THE GREAT LIE or OLD ACQUAINTANCE. All of her life Germaine de Stael suffered from the feeling that her mother hadn't much cared for her, while her true passion was for her father, the former Croesus of Switzerland, the man who saved France. The saddest day of her life was the day Jacques Necker expired in his chalet. Meanwhile she met and enchanted the weird, Crispin Glover like Benjamin Constant, and wound up travelling around Europe with him for what seemed like forever. Goethe translated her works into German, and years later, Jean Genet had them distributed to the Palestinian radicals he befriended in his later years. She was the "empress of the mind," Fairweather reminds us, but what makes her so interesting was perhaps her eternal curiosity--she was mad for knowledge and hardly ever minded changing her mind once the facts were in. People laughed at her rustic peasant way of dressing, for it was a bit silly, as if Barbara Hutton dressed in the costume of Minnie Pearl, but she took the criticism with good grace and continued to cut her blouses down to here. She battled Bonaparte over his domineering methods and his forced alliance of church and state, using the public's fondness for ritual to shore up his own control. "Society cannot exist without inequality of wealth, and inequality of wealth cannot exist without religion," he argued, to which Germaine de Stael forthrightly replied, Very well then, let us do without society! But never, she would say, clutching her harlequin-patterned satin blouses to her breast, never let us give up Christmas, the season in which we remind ourselves, we are both animals and angels! So Joyeux Noel to all who read these words, and who go on to imitate Madame de Stael in virtue and in vice.



2. Probably the most interesting transition in European history is from absolute monarchy to democracy, with the noticeable eddy of Napoleon's dictatorship. In literary history, the movement from pastoral romance to sturm und drang ROMANTICISM ranks among the most exciting: marivaudage and bucolic love à la Rousseau can only take you so far. In philosophy, you likewise have the jump from rationalism to Kantian metaphysics and empiricism. How can it be that one person stood at all these crossroads, cultural and political, and wrote thoroughly of them? But she was no mere observer, but a participant as well, probably the only person Napoleon ever feared.

3 comments about Tom Landry: An Autobiography.

1. There are some great lessons on leadership and character in this book. Landry's strong faith and belief system helped shape the morality of many that came in contact with him. His vision on life is based on a high value system. He is a perfectionist and a great strategist who believes that preparation is always the key, which I also agree. After reading this book you will walk away with a new layer of tenacity, an increased will to be challenged, and a new resolution to embrace patience more.



2. America is a sports-crazy nation. Tom Landry's career is worth reading about because it parallels the rise of professional football in the U.S. His rise from the tiny town of Mission, Texas to building a football dynasty is inspirational because through years of losing he had the determination and faith to stick with his plan for winning. A major factor in this was his faith.
   
   Landry's narrative is also intertwined with larger historical events. His older brother Robert died during WWII when the B-17 bomber he was in disappeared over the Atlantic en route to England. At age 18, the younger Landry enlisted and eventually flew 30 B-17 missions over Europe. Another aspect of history--after President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, the Cowboys were booed at every game they played for the rest of the season, and into the next.
   
   There are some great lessons on leadership in the last chapter that are applicable in any context.
   
   For all he did, Landry certainly didn't deserve the kind of dismissal he got at the end of his career.



3. Having been a lifelong Cowboys fan I saw this book and had to read it. The first thing I found upon reading it was that total honesty of Coach Landry and the guts it took to wither all the storms life can throw at one person. I found that, even though it deals worth football, there are lessons that are applicable to everyday life. This would be a great book for all school children to be assigned to read. It shows what can happen when one person puts faith and families and principles ahead of instant gradification.

5 comments about Madison Avenue Maxi.

1. Having a dog is no easy task. They require a lot of work and personal interaction -- talking, walking, bathing, grooming, and just plain old loving -- dogs need their people as much as people need their dogs. I always considered myself a cat person. I grew up with Mittens, our family tabby who died at the old age of 12, and since then have adopted several cats that I watched get old and finally leave the mortal coil. When we moved to Turks & Caicos I brought three cats with me from the states.
   
   So when my husband, who moved a few months before me, started talking about this stray potcake who kept following him home smiling all the way, my first response was, "Please just don't feed it!" We had a disastrous dog adoption experience once and I did not want to repeat that ever again. Long story short, suffice it to say that Smiley's picture graces my Blackberry, we keep a supply of treats on the kitchen counter, and I now understand the "dog thing".
   
   Elke & Ben Gazzara happened into their lovely Maxi in a similar way. Elke's daughter adopted a dog and then couldn't keep her. Ben did not want a dog in the house, and as a working actor with much traveling a dog was not convenient. But that little dachsund Maxi wormed her way into their house and then into nearly every high end restaurant, hotel, boutique, party, hospital, and several film sets along the way.
   
   But Madison Avenue Maxi is not only about a dog, but about her people. We see Ben & Elke in good times and bad, going through health crises, career changes, unexpected travel, but always with Maxi by their sides (or under the table in a bag). It is a book that speaks to the common bonds and life experiences of pets and their humans, and while sappy at times appeals to the best in human (and canine) nature, a highly enjoyable read.



2. In Madison Avenue Maxi, the wife of a movie star provides an inherently fascinating and engagingly personal memoir of the life and times of the family dog, a miniature dachshund she and her husband adopted, and offers up whimsical, fun anecdotes on how to dog became a part of their fast-paced, globe-trotting lifestyle. Any general-interest library strong in books about pets and stars will find it a fun leisure choice indeed.



3. This book is a perfect gem! It is a warm, transformative story about how Maxi, a charming dog, captures the hearts and affection of a busy couple.
   
   This beautifully designed book would make a perfect gift for anyone and certainly for animal lovers.
   
   But readers of all kinds will love this book as it is also a fine piece of debut non-fiction writing.



4. For every parent who ends up raising their child's unwanted pet. Enjoy how Maxi the dog, captivates his grandparents and becomes an indispensable part of their home.



5. What a delight! In this already hectic holiday season, Maxi was a breath of fresh air. For all dog lovers and anyone who wants an escape that is both heart-warming and fun.

5 comments about Pulitzer: A Life.

1. The writing is clear and the narrative of his life is straightforward, if plodding at times (especially regarding his later life). The descriptions of Pulitzer's time in St. Louis and his earliest years in New York City are the most interesting parts of the book, with excellent anecdotes showing the rough and tumble world of newspapers in the mid 19th century. Once he becomes seriously debilitated from gradually losing his sight and an unexplained (psychosomatic?) illness in which even clinking silverware on teeth apparently caused unbearable headaches and pain, the book slows down in places.
   
   The latter part also increasingly shows the largely uncritical approach the author takes toward Pulitzer. Given his apparently tyrannical personality and the consequences for employees and family, it feels as if the repercussions of these bad traits are mostly glossed over. Pulitzer's extreme aversion to loud sounds apparently didn't extend to his own voice, for example, as he would go into frequent rages and tantrums at the slightest thing. Pulitzer's claims to stand up for the common man also go largely unquestioned, even when times are mentioned of him directing editorial content to help his wealthy friends. If he was so concerned about the common man, it seems he would have treated his employees better and paid them more, as Hearst made frequent raids on his staff and hired them away.
   
   The book gives a good overall view of his life and leaves the reader with some memorable images of the man, but a more critical perspective on him and how his life, business, and personality affected the newspaper industry would have made this book much better.



2. It is only upon reaching the very last page of this 395 page biography that the reader comes to understand why this portrait of Pulitzer is so disappointing and, frankly, uncomfortable to read. There, the author cites as one of his sources, a PhD thesis from the 1940s which drew upon an interview with Mr. Pulitzer's aging valet. This interview. pursued at the urging of Pulitzer's son, revealed, apparently for the first time, Pulitzer's virtually disabling depression, the havoc it wreaked on the management of his papers and the misery it brought to his family. If one strips away the "eccentricities" catalogued in exhaustive detail by the author one is left with a narrative that is hardly insightful or illuminating. Like Mr. Pulitzer's beleaguered hirelings and pathetic and emotionally abused family members, the author seems to struggle to divine brilliance in every move of this isolated and miserable man. That Pulitzer and his "World" transformed and empowered the newspaper business at the turn of the last century is without question and the author provides a somewhat lively and entertaining picture of that business in those days. However, by asking the us to bear with Pulitzer through page after page of troubling and, often, psychotic behavior, the author imparts no more than the conventional appreciation of the proverbial "thin line between genius and madness." The reader comes to suspect that the key to the success of the "World" may actually have derived from the triumph of the genius of others over Pulitzer's madness; a test of this hypothesis requires more richly researched characterizations of the editors and reporters who labored beneath the Dome than the author has produced. In fact, the author rarely strays from Pulitzer's side such that what must have been a vibrant publishing world remains unidimensional and sketchy. By the end of this work, the nature of Pulitzer's genius remains obscure and relatively bereft of insight; it is his madness that is most appreciated as the reader emerges from an exhausting virtual immersion in the psychodrama that dominates this biography.



3. It is only upon reaching the very last page of this 395 page biography that the reader comes to understand why this portrait of Pulitzer is so disappointing and, frankly, uncomfortable to read. There, the author cites as one of his sources, a PhD thesis from the 1940s which drew upon an interview with Mr. Pulitzer's aging valet. This interview. pursued at the urging of Pulitzer's son, revealed, apparently for the first time, Pulitzer's virtually disabling depression, the havoc it wreaked on the management of his papers and the misery it brought to his family. If one strips away the "eccentricities" catalogued in exhaustive detail by the author one is left with a narrative that is hardly insightful or illuminating. Like Mr. Pulitzer's beleaguered hirelings and pathetic and emotionally abused family members, the author seems to struggle to divine brilliance in every move of this isolated and miserable man. That Pulitzer and his "World" transformed and empowered the newspaper business at the turn of the last century is without question and the author provides a somewhat lively and entertaining picture of that business in those days. Hpwever, by asking the us to bear with Pulitzer through page after page of troubling and, often, psychotic behavior, the author imparts no more than the conventional appreciation of the proverbial "thin line between genius and madness." The reader comes to suspect that the key to the success of the "World" may actually have derived from the triumph of the genius of others over Pulitzer's madness; a test of this hypothesis requires more richly researched characterizations of the editors and reporters who labored beneath the Dome than the author has produced. In fact, the author rarely strays from Pulitzer's side such that what must have been a vibrant publishing world remains unidimensional and sketchy. By the end of this work, the nature of Pulitzer's genius remains obscure and relatively bereft of insight; it is his madness that is most appreciated as the reader emerges from an exhausting virtual immersion in the psychodrama that dominates this biography.



4. Joseph Pulitzer was a fascinating man. His battles with Hearst and his role in the foundation of modern journalism are the stuff of legend. However, I never actually realized how much of an impact Pulitzer had on the 20th century until I read Brian's terrific bio. Well worth the read.



5. This well-written, detailed biography is fascinating. This book, on Joseph Pulitzer, gives the reader a complete view of his life, his work, and his rise to power. Filled with details on his pioneering thoughts and practices, you'll see why Pulitzer's influence is still felt today. For anyone interested in publishing history and journalism, you won't want to miss this book!

3 comments about Inside the Dream.

1. This is a must have for the Disney fan. This book gives in depth detail into the man who created the "happiest place on earth", from the people who knew hime best. His family, friends, and employees. I have read many books on Disney, and this ranks in the top 2(along with Imaganineering). It tells the stories of his triumphs as well as his tragedies. I highly recommend this book.



2. This book is not a complete and detailed biography, but is a nice tribute to Walt Disney. It has a lot of photos, and the most interesting parts of the book are "personal side" sections.



3. Walt Disney is well on his way to becoming the most written about creative talent in American film.
   This is the 100th anniversary of his birth and thankfully any examination of his life can still include careful interviews with people who knew him and worked with him. The book is less an in-depth biography and more like spending a long afternoon hearing how it was from those who knew him best and who can praise him at the same time they acknowledge his frailties. It's an earnest and heartfelt look at the heart and soul of the man, and the authors do their level best to take a frank and thoughtful approach while still being entertaining. Like everything else Disney, it's best to give in to the fact that you're about to be put under a spell. The sooner you give in, the more fun you'll have.
   Though some may find it less satisfying than a more critical analysis, this reader is tired of deconstructing American icons and welcomes this lovely look at a historical figure whose impact went well beyond his filmmaking. Disney is arguably the greatest influence on American popular culture and family entertainment in the past 100 years. Most admirable is the way the authors address some of the detractors who've criticized Walt Disney over the years for such things as anti-Semitism or racism. Albeit sentimental, the authors maintain fairly good objectivity. Walt Disney remains enigmatic even to those closest to him. Thankfully, the recollections by family and friends are edited into the layout without making the entire book seem like a posthumous testimonial dinner.
   Granted this Disney Editions publication doesn't come without its ulterior motives. With the kind of control Disney has always had over any thing profiling the company one doubts that a harsh light will ever shine on their founder in one of their own pubications. But dreams and dreamers always look better in a soft light, and who but a bitter DreamWorker would ever want to bother trying to detract from such happy success? (And if ever proof was needed that certain ex-studio head turned competitor NEVER was and NEVER WILL be the next Walt Disney, this delivers it!) Though you wish the current Disney brass would pay more attention to the underlying principals of what makes Disney 'Disney' that are spelled out in this book. Hey, we can dream, too, can't we?
   Still, this deliciously illustrated oversized scrapbook-styled remembrance of Walt more than makes up for its obvious propaganda focused origins. Imagine(eer) that!
   Even though the book serves primarily as a companion to the documentary film of the same title, it's a wonderful read. A gentle reflection with rich illustrations -- some seldom and never before seen photographs -- and a rich and handsome design. Endlessly entertaining. A lovely tribute worth adding to your library.

5 comments about The Death of Manolete.

1. This book is a simple to read book that deals with a controversial subject( bullfighting), but more importantly the day of the death of one of the greatest bullfighters ever, known simply as, Manolete. The dramatic presentation by Barnaby Conrad is moving and includes his relationships and the reasons for his contemplation of retirement. The buildup to the day Islero(the bull) took Manolete's life as they performed the dance of death together, each succumbing to the passions of the crowd and each paying the ultimate price with their death. The story is well told, allbeit rather short. The photographs are intense, capturing the swirling cape and momentum of the approaching beast in frozen moments of black and white reality. Although the author covers some aspects of Manolete's rise to become Spain's hero, in truth , this is not a biography but rather as the title implies, the fateful day the resulted in "The Death of Manolete." Barnaby Conrad is a knowledgeable aficionado who has written several superb books on the subject of bullfighting, Matador,MY LIFE As A MATADOR. The Autobiography of Carlos Arruza. With Barnaby Conrad., and the essential Barnaby Conrad's Encyclopedia of Bull Fighting.That said, it goes without saying that he is well versed in the subject of tauromaqia. This day in the life of portrait is amazing in it's simple eloquence. The final part of the book , from the point of the mortal goring is not for the faint of heart. The photographs reveals the most intimate moments of death. Included is a photograph of the cartel(poster) announcing the corrida(bullfight) where he shared billing for the last time with the aging and soon to retire Gitanillo de Triana and the upcoming hotshot Luis Miguel Dominguin on that fateful August 28th day of 1947 when Islero and Manolete would become immortal in the annals of tauromaqia. There is also a complete list of the corridas Manolete participated in from 1939 to 1947, that includes the names of the other matadors on the cartel and the awards given to Manolete; his list of triumphs is very impressive. A great classic book for the aficionado of the corrida de toros(bullfight) that is not to be missed and included in your collection.



2. This is a difficult book to review, you have to have a passion for bullfighting, and after living in Spain for 14 years I definatly have a passion for bullfighting, this book is about one of the most talented matadors in the history of the bullfight, his artistry, and dedication were a true insperation to all who tried to follow in his shadow. I would recomend it to all who would like to know the person better, and have an open mind about bullfighting.



3. I'm not really sure who this book is for: it's too short and superficial to appeal to devotees and others knowledgeable about bullfighter Manuel Laureano Rodriguez (aka Manolete) and it's also too short and superficial to capture the imagination of non-fans like me who just happened to come across the book and gave it a whirl.
   
   To be fair, I listened to the audiobook version of "The Death of Manolete" (two CD's, unabridged), so I'm not getting the benefit of the reference information (list of bullfights, lists of awards and honors bestowed, etc.) and many photographs that apparently grace the print version. These things are certainly not included with the audiobook. Also, author Barnaby Conrad's verbal narration of his book leaves a little to be desired. It's understandable, but little else, certainly not dramatic, enthusiastic, nor in any other way imparting a "hey, this is a great story, so listen up" quality.
   
   Again, I think the print version of this book is probably more passable, though I do hope that this apparently quite notable figure in Spanish history has- somewhere out there- a more comprehensive, passionate book or two written about him in addition to this one.



4. On Thursday, August 28, 1947, in the bull ring at the Spanish town of Linares, a thiry-year-old millionaire called Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez) and a Miura bull named Islero killed each other.
   Conrad recounts Manolete's extraoridinary life here for the first time in English. In combining pictures and text, the reader sees the breeding that made the Spanish boy, the tempering that made the young torero, the sacrifice that made the man, the girl who brought him love, the acclaim that brought him incredible success and finally its price...the undoing that began slowly and ended in one last great afternoon and in a death that if not untimely put out the brightest flame in Spain. Manolete had fired the Latin imagination as no one had done since the Cid. He had become a symbol of Latin pride, valor, and chivalry. But the crowds owned him and he did their bidding...and they had bid him to die.
   
   146 pages. Also includes pages of his performances from the year he became a matador until his death. (From 1939-1946). Oh, Lord, it even includes what the trophies were (1 ear, 2 ears and a tail, etc).
   
   This is for the 1958 edition, 3rd printing. Houghton Mifflin Co. Endpapers are red and white with matadors and bulls on them. Lots of pictures and even some of funeral.



5. On Thursday, August 28, 1947, in the bull ring at the Spanish town of Linares, a thiry-year-old millionaire called Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodriguez) and a Miura bull named Islero killed each other.
   Conrad recounts Manolete's extraoridinary life here for the first time in English. In combining pictures and text, the reader sees the breeding that made the Spanish boy, the tempering that made the young torero, the sacrifice that made the man, the girl who brought him love, the acclaim that brought him incredible success and finally its price...the undoing that began slowly and ended in one last great afternoon and in a death that if not untimely put out the brightest flame in Spain. Manolete had fired the Latin imagination as no one had done since the Cid. He had become a symbol of Latin pride, valor, and chivalry. But the crowds owned him and he did their bidding...and they had bid him to die.
   
   146 pages. Also includes pages of his performances from the year he became a matador until his death. (From 1939-1946). Oh, Lord, it even includes what the trophies were (1 ear, 2 ears and a tail, etc).
   
   This is for the 1958 edition, 3rd printing. Houghton Mifflin Co. Endpapers are red and white with matadors and bulls on them. Lots of pictures and even some of funeral.

5 comments about The Kennedys: An American Drama.

1. I was pretty disappointed. I have read a lot on individual Kennedys, and was looking for something to tie them all together. This book is very surface level, and practically ignores the women in the family. I know it is more interesting to cover the successful politicians (all male at the time of first publishing in 1984) and the drug abusers (apparently also all male, but still not sure), but a word or two about some of the other Kennedys would have been nice. For example, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the special olympics, gets only passing mention. All in all an interesting read, but mostly because the family (faults and successes) is so compelling, not because of the writing.



2. Heard the taped version of THE KENNEDYS: AN AMERICAN
   DREAM by Peter Collier and David Horowitz.
   
   This was a controversial NEW YORK TIMES bestseller when
   it was published in 1984, and I can see why . . . it tells the
   story of a dysfunctional family over three generations, centering
   around the elder Joseph Kenney and his wife Rose Fitzgerald . . . it then
   moves on to tell how his sons Jack and Bobby moved into the
   limelight via their careers in elected politics . . . and the book
   concludes with an account of Teddy's troubles, as well as those
   of the younger Kennedy children.
   
   Along the way there was adultery, drug usage (particularly by
   Jack during his presidency), alcoholism, and a variety of characters
   who mostly come across as not very lovable . . . perhaps only Lem
   Billings, JFK's best friend and subsequent family advisor, comes
   across in any sort of favorable light.
   
   My main criticism of THE KENNEDYS had to do with the last
   part . . . many of the younger Kennedys were portrayed in a negative
   fashion and though they may have had their difficulties while in
   school, several settled down and went on to careers in public
   service . . . consequently, I could have done without some
   of the dirt that seems to have been found.
   
   Yet that is probably what gives this book its appeal, so I'd
   recommend it if you want both the good and the bad about the
   Kennedy family . . . in addition, the narration by Joseph
   Campanella was outstanding and added to my enjoyment
   of listening to this tale about a dynasty that had to face
   so much tragedy over the years.



3. I read this book in 1984 and found it quite relevant and enlightening at the time. I am glad that the third generation has gotten itself together and are doing good things.
   
   I have also notice that any books written after Jackie's death have a wealth of information! President Kennedy is a real person (not some far off statesman). Jackie's plus and minuses are explored and she becomes human too! The way she raised Caroline and John was amazing and they seemed to have avoided any of the pitfalls of their other cousins. Except the most devastating one of course and that was will always be a great tragedy of a young life unfinished.
   
   Another excellent book written at the same time is Doris Goodwin's: The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga. John B. Davis, Jackie's first cousin has written serveral books on Jackie, Kennedy's and the Mafia. You will not be disappointed.



4. Well written and engaging, the book surveys three generations of Kennedys over four sections, beginning with how Joseph Patrick Kennedy shaped his family and gave his sons a calling (Architect of Their Lives) then moves on to how his sons Jack and Bobby developed their public careers following Joe, Jr.'s death in WWII (The Stand In) then moving to the peak Kennedy years of Jack's Presidency and Bobby's campaign (Brothers Within). The drama ends as both a sad farce describing Teddy's troubles and as a tragedy invading the lives of the lost generation of Kennedy children (The Lost Boys).
   
   The book centers, as did the family, around the elder Joseph Kennedy and his wife, the queenly Rose Fitzgerald. JPK's generosity and his sincerity surprise the reader given his raw ambition, his selfishness, his manipulation of people, his womanizing, and his incompetence as a diplomat. All this was equaled only by his talent as a business man and in the end surpassed by his devotion as a father. On the other hand, Rose comes off rather dry and unappealing, which is a little difficult to believe given that she had nine children.
   
   A disturbing revelation of the book was how high on drugs (usually prescribed) Jack was during his presidency. His awful health mandated pain killers and other drug therapies to allow him to function, but at the same time must have affected his judgment and his ability to work. Given the confrontational character of the Kennedys, one shudders to think of how badly the Cuban crisis could have turned out.
   
   I have two strong criticism of the book. First, not enough space is given to JPK's most important contribution to the United States: he created and established the Securities and Exchange Commission, which gave the USA for decades a virtual monopoly on fair and transparent financial markets. (President Roosevelt apparently responded to critics of this appointment that "it takes a crook to catch a crook".)
   
   Second, in the interest of protecting privacy, the material on the last Kennedy generation should have been left out. The book was published in 1984 when the lost Kennedys were still in their teens and twenties. The authors needlessly (though with sympathy) sensationalized sad stories, at too early a time in those lives to pass any sort of critical judgment.
   
   The most interesting discovery for me was Lem Billings. He basically followed all three generations: best friend to Jack Kennedy, reassuring JPK that his son had someone supporting him outside the family, and surrogate father to some of the young Kennedys after Bobby's assassination until his death in the early 80s. A short book on Billings would be welcome.



5. One of the first things you will see are family-trees at the beginning of every part, where you can see all the members of the family, their children and their birth- and deathdates. Unfortunately for the Kennedy family many died prematurely, as is well recognized.
   
   Most Kennedy books will be focused on John F and his brother Robert F who were both shot. But in this book they still play main parts, but not the only ones. The book starts when the Kennedy's, and Fitzgeralds, came to America and how they quickly rose in first Boston and later American society, even though they had one big disadvantage; they were Irish.
   
   JFK's grandfather Honey Fitz became mayor of Boston by using the Irish vote. Joe Kennedy Sr. started out selling newspapers but was soon a movie producer, even having an alleged affair with movie star Gloria Swanson, something his sons would later copy with Marylin Monroe of course.
   
   Then came the biggest move in Joe Kennedy's life; he became Ambassador in England under Roosevelt, with whom he had a somewhat strained relationship. He would ever since be referred to as the Ambassador, even in his own family.
   
   Collier and Horowitz make it clear that the Ambassador is the most important member of the Kennedy family and that every child's actions are in some way related to him. The story is sometimes a little TV-movie sentimental, but whould would you do if you lose 4 children when you are still alive. The oldest son Joe dies in a WWII plane crash, his oldest daughter marries but loses her noble husband soon and dies herself in a plane crash a few months later.
   
   And of course there are the deaths of JFK and RFK.
   
   It's certainly not a hagiography telling how great the Kennedy's were. Old Joe Kennedy is sometimes shown as a towering figure who completely dominated his family's life until his stroke. JFK got his last rites twice and was often very sick with pain in his back and Addisson's desease. His medication is mentioned in the book and also are his numorous flings with women in the White House, his own house, even Airforce One. RFK seems to have been the most moral person and I believe the authors feel that way too. They explain his religion, his fight against organized crime and Jimmy Hoffa and also his meetings with minorities all over the world. He seemed to have had the Kennedy promise even more than his brother Jack or later Ted.
   
   The last part of the book is devoted to the next generation who cannot seem to deal with their heritage and often get into trouble, it seems as if everyone in the family is doing drugs, the last Kennedy death in the old edition, even loses his life because of it.
   
   It's a gripping story that sometimes reads like a novel. I think it gave a balanced story of the family with the good but also the bad, which made them even more human. It's a lot clearer now why the family was so loved and hated at the same time.
   
   A must-read for Kennedy-admirer and Kennedy-hater alike.

5 comments about Them: A Memoir of Parents.

1. I reluctantly read this as part of an adult ed. class on memoirs. I didn't think I would enjoy it. After all, I told myself, what do I care for the world of sophisticated New York fashion and art? Not much. But I found myself reading it compulsively because it depicted a world so different from my own. Ms. Gray skillfully records the complex history of a family made up of a wide variety of gifted people. She is not least among them. I found the sections on pre-WW2 Russia and Paris engrossing. Many inhabitants of that world, including Ms. Gray's mother and stepfather, came to America and enriched our culture. There are lots of familiar names in the last section of the book, making this an almost guilty pleasure to read.



2. One aspect of the book demonstrated how powerful a mother's aspirations for a child are. It appears Tatiana's grandmother and mother instilled a belief you had to be successful or renowned in whatever way you can. It is curious that Tatiana did not try to correspond with her mother in Russia after she moved to USA. Tatiana's daughter Francine got the same message and used her resources and great literary talent to be successful. Francine choose to succeed in literature an arena her mother "Tatiana" could not possibly compete in or understand due to her illiteracy in the English language.
   Alexander Liberman fulfilled his mother desires to be renowned and an artist. He seems to have the same proclivities of the Duke of Windsor but clearly was not a weak man.



3. 
   
   Her parents were indeed revolting.. and it is perhaps instructive to be assured again that all families were not invented by Norman Rockwell. But did she need to do her own revolting racist screed against gypsies to excuse her grandmother's behavior? Not the parents opinion, but her. Quite nasty.



4. I was enchanted by Ms. Gray's beautifully written memoir. She has lived through some dramatic world events with vivid front-line experiences and yet was able to share them in such a personal and loving way. History, accurately recalled, yet presented so naturally, makes for very compelling reading. I loved this book!



5. Thank you, Mme. du Plessix Gray for this evocative, brilliant memoir. This was the last book my Mother read before she died in August 2006. She was 10 years older than you, and had the same history, a Russian girl who came to New York, and even dated the same man as you did. She knew all the names in the book and lived the young Russian emigree's life in New York City. Your beautiful writing made me think about the role of my life in that of my parents' lives -- it was just such a great book for me to read in this mourning year. I know this is a highly personal reaction but I am hoping you will read this review. Your book unleashed a dreamlike state for me to probe into the colorful lives of my mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles -- from whom I am descended. The dead have informed our lives and are always with us. It is a gift.

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.