5 comments about Marilyn: A Life in Pictures.

1. This book is one of the best books on Marilyn that I have ever seen! There are so many great photos of her from the beginning of her career until the untimely end of her life. Harvey not only includes many lovely photos of Monroe, but includes little tidbits of information about Marilyn and the photos. It is written in a very eay to read manner and since the writing is mainly centered around the photos you can easily read a little bit here and there without getting completely lost. I really enjoyed this book's content and would strongly recommend it to any Marilyn fan!



2. These are extremely high quality photos on very nice paper. It is like having a marilyn scrap book of photographs. I was very pleased.
   The paperback I have seen recently. It seems just as nice, but I bought the Hard back so nothing would get creased or bent. Favorite one so far. I am very picky.



3. Excellent! Loved it! Marilyn was and truly is beautiful. Every Marilyn fan should purchase this book. You won't be disappointed!



4. I love Marilyn Manroe and one of my friends knew how much I loved her so she got me this book. And I loved this book it had tons of grate pictures that a marilyn lover will love or just anyone that wants to remember her in some way or another. Or just someone that collects Marilyn stuff this would me amazing to add to your collection.



5. I have this book and it is by far one of the best. It has beautiful images of Marilyn. It also has a lot of information on events in Marilyn's life and things that happened during the filming of her movies. If you are a fan of Marilyn Monroe, this is a must-have!

5 comments about Elizabeth.

1. I was hesitant to buy this biography, because for some reason it gave me the feel of one of those biographies full of lies. But I ended up loving it! It's told as a complete story of Ms. Taylor's life, full of detail.
   I would recommend it to any of her fans, or anyone who wants to read a very entertaining story.



2. I didn't know much about Elizabeth Taylor before I read this book, but I am a fan now. Other reviewers have criticized this book for repeating information found in other Taylor sources, and I can't comment on that. As a read...this book is a little tedious. I purchased it from the bargain book rack at Borders. I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise, but I'm glad to know more about such a fascinating American icon.



3. Elizabeth "Don't Call Her Liz" Taylor has had such a crazy life, punctuated by frequent illnesses (at one point, the author provides a list of the health crises she'd suffered -- and it's a long one -- before she'd even turned thirty) and marriages and divorces and scandals and weight gains and weight losses and multiple trips to rehab, that it is easy to overlook what a great actress she was. Of course, many of her movies were lousy, but even in a turkey like "Butterfield 8" (which Taylor herself detested and only did because she was forced to), she gave a terrific performance.
   
   Oh, and she was beautiful too. Very beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that had she not already established herself as a fine actress from childhood, she may have been dismissed as purely ornamental. No one has had a face like Taylor's -- the sable hair, the flawless skin, the perfectly-formed lips, the incredible eyes (not violet, as legend has it, but a luminous blue, surrounded by, as is revealed in the book, a double set of eyelashes), and as if all that wasn't enough, she had a stunning hourglass figure.
   
   Yet, she has never been fixated on her own looks; her mother Sara is quoted as saying, "She has no idea how beautiful she is," and though that's commonly said about beautiful people, I'm inclined to believe that it is true in Taylor's case. This book doesn't shy away from showing Taylor's flaws -- basically, she's monstrously spoiled, selfish, childish, tantrum-prone, and sometimes downright nightmarish -- but vanity is not one of them.
   
   This biography has many surprisingly touching moments which help balance out some of the more appalling scenes. Sometimes she was such a pill that it's hard to fathom why anyone put up with her. But it's clear that she met her match in Richard Burton, who was just as much of a pill as she was. Burton was perhaps the only person who had no qualms whatsoever about insulting Taylor to her face, and he really could be cruel. Given the knock-down drag-out fights they had in public, it is more than a little scary to imagine what their private fights were like.
   
   In sum: this book doesn't contain any earthshattering revelations, although it does have some rare photographs, such as one of Taylor's mother Sara during her brief spate as an actress. However, it is written with great affection and respect, and it is a fascinating story.



4. A fascinating book! Very well researched and written by Taraborrelli with great respect for the "legend" Elizabeth Taylor.I bet Ms. Taylor would enjoy reading this book too,because it is honest and there is no bad gossip at all.



5. Frankly, I'm enjoying this bio of La Liz. After 60 years she is still considered a quintessential superstar. No matter how much you've read about her, there is still a tidbit or two for readers to enjoy. Elizabeth Taylor has continually fascinated the public with her multiple marriages, escapades, and addictions - and we never seem to get enough. And she has survived it all. Which is the stuff Hollywood legends are usually made of. A good read!

5 comments about The Onassis Women.

1. I rate this book as pretty good. The author, Moutsatsos thinks that the Onassises can do no wrong. Aristotle Onassis was a hot headed, power hungry, controlling, egocentric, unfaithful philanderer, as detailed in the book. Moutsatsos chooses to ignore all of this and portray him as this wonderful person.
   
   The book seems choppy to me. It was like the author had a checklist of past recollections that she wanted to mention in her book and she just lists them out paragraph by paragraph with their details. The writing just doesn't flow well.
   
   It is obvious that most of the information in the book comes from Aristotle's sister, whom the author was very close to, not 100% eye witness account.



2. 
   
   The cliche "Money can't buy happiness" and its waggish footnote "but there are plenty of other selections" are both proven true in The Onassis Women by Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos,
   former secretary to Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
   
   As reverential as it is revelatory, this chatty discourse begins in 1966. Thus, one misses much of the mogul's early years, such as his days hawking neckties on Buenos Aires streets.
   
   Nonetheless, the slice of life the author did share with Onassis and his women is juicy enough to sate the hungriest curiosity. Is there anyone extant who doesn't know that
   the aforementioned women included Jackie Kennedy Onassis and tempestuous diva Maria Callas? That these iconic ladies shared him makes the story even more intriguing. At center stage is, of course, Aristotle Onassis, "part god, part mortal" - a modern day Croesus, albeit a mercurial one, small in stature yet larger than life. Oft described as a cunning, predatory wheeler-dealer, he is presented here as an energetic, intelligent man whose craggy face could blacken with anger or soften with compassion.
   
   Equally adept at dictating and doting was his older sister, Artemis, who adored and feared the titan, as did his two half-sisters Merope and Kalliroi. However, it was 90-pound, fashionably dressed, vodka sipping Artemis who played a major role in this contemporary Greek tragedy. Although married to an eminent surgeon, she saw herself as an Onassis first, hosting celebrity studded dinners in her 100-year old villa, and becoming confidante/advisor to her brother's famous American bride.
   
   Tina Livanos, Onassis's first wife, whom he married when she was 17, receives scant attention. Blond, tall and beautiful, she gave him two children, Alexander and Christina. Of his marriage to Tina, Onassis said it was as if he'd had three children rather than two.
   
   A 3-week 1959 cruise on the Christina, Onassis's sumptuous yacht, with Tina, Sir Winston and Lady Churchill, Artemis, Maria Callas and their respective husbands made waves and headlines. Following that voyage Tina sued Onassis for divorce citing adultery, and Maria Callas left her husband declaring she loved Onassis.
   
   Disembarking the ship Maria wore a bracelet engraved TMWL (To Maria With Love). "Tina already owned a bracelet with the initials TTWL, and Jackie would receive her TJWL a few years later."
   
   The nine -year Callas/Onassis liaison was a vesuvian match notable for vitriolic quarrels followed by passionate reconciliations. Artemis disapproved of this pairing, deeming "the Tigress," as she called Maria, "of peasant stock." Apparently, Onassis also considered Maria unmarriageable. Refusing to let her rearrange furniture in her shipboard suite, he said, "Never forget, my darling, you are not the housewife here. You are only a guest."
   
   Despite his sometimes public disparagement, it is said that Maria truly loved Onassis, giving up her career and suffering two abortions to please him. In 1968, when Onassis left Maria for Jackie Kennedy, the bereft diva commented sadly, "I have lived the most beautiful years of my life next to Aristo, and I have lived the worst."
   
   Although Christina and Alexander disliked Jackie and violently opposed their father's remarriage, Onassis sealed his vows with a $1.25 million heart-shaped ruby ring, only one of many lavish gifts for Jackie. He delighted in hiding a diamond bracelet in her dinner napkin or wrapping her breakfast roll in a strand of priceless pearls.
   
   Yet, they had not been married a month before Onassis visited Maria in her Paris apartment. Whether or not the new Mrs. Onassis was aware that he had resumed his former affair is not known. One of the magnate's greatest coups may have been keeping the two women apart for over six years.
   
   It is in reference to the Kennedy/Onassis marriage that the author puts many persistent rumors to rest. Citing the eye-witness accounts of servants, Ms. Moutsatsos insists that the pair enjoyed each other sexually as well as intellectually, and were truly devoted.
   
   A life marked by luxuries that few of us can imagine was shattered by Alexander's untimely death. More than a father's pride and joy, Alexander was Onassis's raison d'etre. Heedless of his deteriorating health, the man whose hero was Odysseus turned into a pathetic shadow, scarcely existing until his death in 1975.
   
   This was a loss so debilitating to the fragile Christina "that she attempted suicide within minutes of her father's death."
   
   Of all the Onassis women, Christina's story is surely the most heartbreaking. Born into a life of ostentatious privilege, she ran second to Alexander in their father's eyes. Longing for friends yet unable to win them, she bought company with trips on her Learjet and extravagant house parties on Skorpios, the family's private island.
   
   Desperately afraid of being alone, she paid an Argentinean polo player $30,000 a month to be at her beck and call. He was her favorite paid companion, "Even though he was always accompanied by his young girlfriend, Clare." Violent mood swings tested those around her; an uncontrollable appetite for chocolate and Coca-Cola pushed her weight to over 200 pounds.
   
   Happiness in her fourth marriage was found with the birth of her daughter, Athina, whom she worshipped. When her husband, Thierry Roussel, asked for a divorce to marry his longtime mistress and the mother of two of his children, Christina offered him $10 million to impregnate her again. He refused.
   
   Christina died at the age of 38. Official cause? Pulmonary edema.
   
   The remaining Onassis woman, Athina, is now of age. In the year 2003 she inherited a $3 billion shipping fortune, the legatee of a grandfather she never knew and a mother she may not remember.



3. Although Kiki admired and grew to love her employers, I think she sugar coated many of her observations. She also made quite a few mistakes, so I wonder how much is true. The anecdotes she narrates are mostly known, she could have made up the whole thing. In all, a good account of a family who despite their wealth -or maybe on account of it- had many failures. But she does present them as human beings, with their good and bad qualities. Easy reading, but not much content.



4. Kiki Mousatsos has told a moving account of of lives that seemed to be like fairytales, but sadly ended in nightmares. It is so rare to be able to read chapter after chapter graced with such love, insite and devotion to these mysterious and real people that the author so obviously carries with her to this day. The fact that she knew and loved these people like family and was given permission to write this moving story gives this book a rare quality. Grab some tissues and enjoy your read.



5. I found this book provided a compassionate and insightful view about the lives of the Onassis family. Kiki, the author, was closely involved in the family's affairs and business matters, so her perception is close enough to dispell some of the gossip and rumors often associated with their tragedies. The descriptions of the Greek lifestyle and traditions are beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book while on vacation in the Greek isles portrayed by the author.

5 comments about Sharing the Wealth : My Story.

1. This was great inspiration, and reminded me to stay focused on only a few large goals rather than several small and unrelated ones. I would recommend it to anyone who with a mindset toward achieving a better life, career, or work ethic.



2. In one word - inspirational. Alex Spanos, an immigrant's son, lives the American dream. The 2004 Forbes 400 places Spanos at number 260 with an estimated net worth of $1,100,000,000. This book, written a few years ago, is the story of Spanos' life through August 2001.
   
   When Spanos describes his childhood and youth under his parents' roof, he is very respectful of his parents, but he does not pull any punches when describing his unsuccessful efforts to gain the respect of his father - both as a young man and later in life. In fact, Spanos is not shy about sharing any of his efforts that do not achieve the result he initially intended. He strives to make his "failures" in life learning experiences and thus not really failures.
   
   Spanos shares the story of his life, from his father's bakery to the owner's suite of the San Diego Chargers. Throughout the book Spanos sprinkles his understanding as to why he has been financially successful. Generously, the last chapter of the book is devoted to what Spanos believes are the fundamentals of success. It doesn't get any easier.
   
   Five stars and a bag of chips.



3. From poor baker to multi-millionaire--and all on his own merit--Alex Spanos lays out the blueprint for rags-to-riches success. He was a man who learned to seek out and seize the opportunities to make truly great things happen. Far from a 300 page brag-fest, Spanos comes off as humbled by his successes, and more than willing to share the lessons learned from his failures.
   
   I bought this book after hearing Mr. Spanos speak on the radio because he was so full of life and contageous energy. I decided I absolutely had to read about his life and find out what made this guy tick. I'm glad I did. His enthusiasm for business and life in general comes through on every page. This is a must-read for anyone who aspires to greatness but still feels intimidated by their present circumstanes.



4. If you ever feel that you life or career are not where you want them to be, then pick up a copy of "Sharing the Wealth" by Alex Spanos for inspiration! As the charismatic billionaire owner of the San Diego Chargers, Alex's life story reads like a how-to book for calculated risk and the pursuing of one's dreams.

   Alex's real story starts when he's 27-years-old. He's working as a baker for his father, making $40 a week, working 15 hours a day, and his wife is about to deliver their second child. He doesn't have the money to pay the hospital bills, so he asks his father for a raise. The answer is no. Without looking back, Alex Spanos quits his job with no prospects and no idea of how he's going to support his family.

   Within a week, he's got a great idea for a business - selling sandwiches to immigrant workers in the community's surrounding fields. He soon finds that overcoming his fear and making that initial step to quit his dead-end job was the hardest part of his journey. Six months later, his business is making $500,000 a year, and Alex is well on his way to financial freedom. In the coming decades, he would become the preeminent builder of apartments in America, the owner of a NFL franchise, and live a life most people only dare to dream.

   Along the way, Alex reveals many of his secrets to success: a wife that wholeheartedly supports him, the principle that cash is king, and the self-confidence that whatever has to be done, he'll do. Through every page, the infectious enthusiasm of Alex Spanos springs to life, uplifting those around him and those who celebrate his success and happiness. With this book, he passes on his life lessons for the benefit of posterity and creates a personal bond with his reader - leaving us wishing and hoping that someday soon the Chargers will win the Super Bowl...!

   Britt Gillette
   Author of "Conquest of Paradise: An End-Times Nano-Thriller"




5. If you ever feel that you life or career are not where you want them to be, then pick up a copy of "Sharing the Wealth" by Alex Spanos for inspiration! As the charismatic billionaire owner of the San Diego Chargers, Alex's life story reads like a how-to book for calculated risk and the pursuing of one's dreams.

   Alex's real story starts when he's 27-years-old. He's working as a baker for his father, making $40 a week, working 15 hours a day, and his wife is about to deliver their second child. He doesn't have the money to pay the hospital bills, so he asks his father for a raise. The answer is no. Without looking back, Alex Spanos quits his job with no prospects and no idea of how he's going to support his family.

   Within a week, he's got a great idea for a business - selling sandwiches to immigrant workers in the community's surrounding fields. He soon finds that overcoming his fear and making that initial step to quit his dead-end job was the hardest part of his journey. Six months later, his business is making $500,000 a year, and Alex is well on his way to financial freedom. In the coming decades, he would become the preeminent builder of apartments in America, the owner of a NFL franchise, and live a life most people only dare to dream.

   Along the way, Alex reveals many of his secrets to success: a wife that wholeheartedly supports him, the principle that cash is king, and the self-confidence that whatever has to be done, he'll do. Through every page, the infectious enthusiasm of Alex Spanos springs to life, uplifting those around him and those who celebrate his success and happiness. With this book, he passes on his life lessons for the benefit of posterity and creates a personal bond with his reader - leaving us wishing and hoping that someday soon the Chargers will win the Super Bowl...!

   Britt Gillette
   ...

5 comments about The Men We Became: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr..

1. I enjoyed the book and yes, much of what Littel writes would have been viewed as private by Mrs. Onassis, and such books, of which there are many about the Kennedys, she absolutely abhorred. Those reviewers who criticize the author for revealing certain things about JFK Jr. are hypocrits. What did they expect? What did they think the book was about? Come on, folks. It's a bit disengenuous to read this type of memoir and then take the author to task for writing it. Perhaps they feel guilty or voyeuristic and transfer those feelings to the author. Anyone interested in an intimate view of the Kennedys should read this. There are lots of stories not found in other books, which often just rehash events that are a part of the public record.



2. I bought this and am usually weary of so called friend books,but this was a good one.In some area's I had to Laugh because of some of the things they did but all in all its a memory a friend wanted to write about and Share.I Love the book.



3. It's funny how Rob had no hope upon hearing the news about John's plane missing. I can remember the sinking feeling myself and the word NO! bouncing around in my head. This story is nicely written and the author gave just enough and not too much. Although I was born in the late 60's I grew up knowing the Kennedy name immediately. In fact my father has not recovered since November of '63. We needed John whether or not he was to be President. This man, while living under the same moon as the rest of us made us feel better somehow...maybe that Camelot was not completely lost. The author speaks of John and Carolyn being "buried at sea" even though John was not a seaman...he was our first son and I think we owed that much to the Kennedy family and it seemed appropriate although like Rob said there is no visiting place to go and reflect on John. So, swim Rob.
   Thank you author for this good look inside. Get it enjoy it.



4. This is a great book written by a friend about a good friend. Easy reading, but with a lot of insight on the extended Kennedy family from an outsider's view. I highly recommend it.



5. This story made me laugh, brought back really exact memories of college life I'd forgotten and allowed me to travel to places the author and John went for fun. I think it is important the human side of John is written about and his friend did him a great honor by doing so in this book.

No comments about Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Governator (Biography).

5 comments about Cybill Disobedience.

1. I think Cybil Shepherd is a talented actress; I enjoyed "Moonlighting" and "Cybil" a lot, and there are parts of this book that are entertaining. However, it's also a good example of the typical self-serving "it's about me" Hollywood mentality. She'd have been wiser to focus more on her career than her bedroom escapades. If nothing else, she should have considered the example she has set for her children. Does she really want her daughters to sleep around and cheat in order to find self worth and then write a tell-all book later? Does she want her son to be the same sort of self-absorbed, insensitive, arrogant man that she (by her own admission) always seems to end up with? Admittedly that may not be applicable at this point, her children are grown, but I think it's sad that an attractive woman would feel it necessary to be promiscuous or to consistently choose to be in unhealthy, one-sided relationships to establish her identity, and it's sadder still that she seems to not regret or have learned anything from it, and in fact brags about it in some places.
   
   All in all it's well written, and I did enjoy the parts where she talks about what she learned about the movie industry from Peter Bogdonavich and the stories about Orson Welles. It would have been a better book if she'd stuck to that sort of information. I do agree with the idea that the movie industry (and business world in general) tends to be male-dominated, but it's hard for me not to believe that at least some of the difficulties she faced were the result of her own self-absorbed attitude. There is a price to pay for just doing whatever you want without considering the consequences.
   
   An okay read if you like gossipy material.



2. I wanted to read this book mainly to see what Cybill would say about Bruce Willis and Moonlighting, one of my all-time favorite shows, and although I was left wanting more, she does give a few interesting tidbits about them. But even if she hadn't this would still be a page turner.
   
   Most references to Cybill Shepherd by the media over the years have been negative. I just wanted to hear her side of her story for a change and I have no problem with this so-called 'B-list' actor making a few bucks in the process.
   
   While I don't approve of or agree with everything Cybill says she's done or believes in, this little book is a small interesting slice of history and a record of how things work behind the scenes of the modeling and acting professions. The message I got is 'proceed with extreme caution - or better yet choose another career.'
   
   Also, my belief that Hollywood culture is depraved in general remains unshaken after reading this. And you certainly can't blame it all on Cybill Shepherd.
   
   Even so, I appreciate what I believe is Cybill's candor about herself, the people she's met and her experiences which is written with a witty humor and a verbal style I appreciate.



3. I don't know what compelled me to check this out from the library since I didn't really know who Cybill Shepherd was, but she kept me reading with her honesty and `dang-it-it's-true' breed of self-flattery. In this autobiography, the star of the '80's TV hit Moonlighting (when she mentioned Moonlighting, I was finally like, "Oh, I know who she is...") candidly talks about the cut-throat world of Hollywood, tells about how Hef, of Playboy fame, stole images from her nude scene and improperly published them, talks about an affair with Elvis (who "charmed" her by telling her in one of his pill-popping hazes about the time a doctor gave him an injection directly into the pupil of his eye!!!!!) and throws caution to the wind and dodges claims of skankhood by talking about a seemingly unending series of affairs with scores of married and unmarried men, from her beauty queen teen years in Memphis, well into her fifties. Shepherd name-drops and that's the making of this book since it's most interesting when the focus is not on her. She tells about having Orson Welles as a long-term house guest, about how she introduced Elvis to certain amorous technique, tells of clashes with Bruce Willis, whose ego was a match for her own, and provides tell-all revelations about some of the biggest stars in the movie business during the 1970's. Shepherd is also doggedly committed to certain feminist causes and gives ink to her views on them. This book is definitely a celebrity stroking her ego, but it's not dull or preachy and since it can be read in about two hours, it's not a bad way to spend a free afternoon.



4. Truly the title sums up the whole of this autobiography. I wonder if Ms. Shepherd hadn't believed so deeply in her ephemeral outer beauty, maybe others wouldn't have assumed that that's all she had going for her.
   
   Conspicuously absent from her story were her relationships with her siblings, which were touched on ever-so-briefly toward the end, tellingly admitting that they had a tenuous connection at best, their sibling bonds having been sacrificed at the alter of Shepherd's career.
   
   Cybill Shepherd spent her life being promiscuous, including involvment with married men, and lays it all out for the record, no matter how it makes her look. It's amazing to me that she never came away from fling after short-term fling not feeling used or taken advantage of.
   
   The comment that rings the loudest to me, out of everything she crammed furiously into this book, was the fact that she tried to make '5 minutes feel like 5 hours' with her kids, as if that were possible. Although she does go on to admit that it is simply not possible to do it all.
   
   Contradictory to me is the fact that Ms. Shepherd found lurid tabloid stories to be embarassing and insulting to herself and her children, but she voluntarily lays bare all her personal laundry.
   
   I picked up this book because I fondly remember Moonlighting as must-see TV of my teenage years, Maddie Hayes and David Addison being the best on-screen couple of my generation. Although that was just one small part of Cybill's story, I did find the Hollywood insider stuff a fun guilty pleasure.
   
   One last criticism - the subtitle is far too long and completely unnecessary, bordering on downright silly.



5. Cybill Disobedience : How I Survived Beauty Pageants, Elvis, Sex, Bruce Willis, Lies, Marriage, Motherhood, Hollywood, and the Irrepressible Urge to Say What I Think
   by Cybill Shepherd
   
   This was an interesting read and useful as a resource since it is a first person description of the kind of life one can lead as a liberated (using the pill) female. Not only was Cybill successful, but as she says, she was "a very, very, bad girl." Cybill did what she wanted to do.
   
   Regardless of whether or not this sort of life should be recommended, it is certainly a resource that can be referred to as an example.

5 comments about John Jacob Astor: America's First Multimillionaire.

1. AN INTERESTING BOOK, BUT VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUGE AMOUNT OF WORTH GENERATED BY THE REAL ESTATE OWNED BY THE ASTOR FAMILY AND THE CRATION OF THE WALDORF ASTORIA ONE OF THE FAMILY MOST FAMOUS LANDMARKS. IT DID GIVE A LOT OF INSIGHT TO AMERICAN POLITICAL LIFE IN THE EARLY 1800'S WHEN JAMES MADISON AND JAMES MONROE WERE PRESIDENTS.



2. John Jacob Astor led the life most people do not even dare to dream about. He was a serial entrepreneur at a time when most of the world was composed of farmers. He was so successful at his businesses that when he died he controlled one-fifteenth of all personal wealth in the United States! Among many other things it is safe to say he was a very driven man.

   Born in relative poverty in Germany, he immigrated to the United States via England, arriving just after the Revolutionary War ended. Marrying the daughter of the woman who ran his boarding house in New York, his business career moves from the importing of musical instruments to the exporting of furs. So successful is he in the fur business that he is able to finance the establishment of the first American fort in Oregon and supports this effort with his own ships via Cape Horn. Returning east overland, his employees discover the route that subsequently becomes the Oregon Trail!

   This is a swashbuckler of a story which spans not just the North American Continent but the global economy as it existed in his day as well. Besides furs, he traded tea, seal skins, opium and assorted other commodities through global wars and economic recession on a scale to match the great trading houses of England, the British East India Company and the Hudson Bay Company. He was a man who took huge business risks. A key focus of the book is naturally the fur trade, the dominant wealth generator of its time. This was his first truly big score, one that he engaged in for over 20 years and the primary venture through which he amasses the fortune that provided the investment capital for all the endeavors which would follow.

   Alex Madsen does an excellent job of fitting Astor within the economic and political time period in which he lived. I have found information here on the fur trade I have found nowhere else. This is a very well researched book; one that not only reports on the biography of the life lived but the history of the time as well. There is a lot to appreciate here. It is a book well worth the time.




3. I bought this book to learn about Astor and how he made his fortunes. The book goes into almost too much depth in regards to the fortune made in fur trading and shipping. Out of the 25 chapters, 23 were discussing nearly every detail of Astor, his men, indians, and his competition in regards to trading and shipping. In chapter 23, the author finally gets to where he claims Astor made his largest fortune, real estate. Since that is where he made the bulk of his fortune, then why did the author only devote one chapter to this topic? Most people who buy this book will do so to learn how Astor made his fortune, that is not explained well enough. I have to give the author credit, though, he did uncover many details that the other Astor biographers failed to see.



4. Madsen takes the reader through an interesting account of the early fur trade and the opening of the American West. There are interesting anecdotes from Astor's deaings with historical and political figures of the time. However, if you are looking for information on his later business dealings and the development of Astor into New York's largest property owner and landlord then you will be disappointed. Nine tenths of his book is devoted to the development of the American Fur Company and the travials of those who forged through the wild countryside on Astors behalf. There is nothing in this book about how he dealt with tenants, advertised properties, developed systems of management for properties, financing, leverage, nothing.
   So buy it for an interesting histort of the time but don't buy it if your looking for information on how one of the great Real Estate investors of his time developed and managed his system of success.



5. Perhaps I should not write a review of this book as I did not finish it. I found the subject--Astor, who he was, what he did, and how and why he did it--very interesting, but Madsen's treatment an example of biography at its worst. Why? Because we are presented with the data of Astor's life, but where is Astor? There is virtually nothing communicated as to what type of person he was, WHY he was so ambitious, what he felt and thought about the various activities he undertook, his successes, relative failures, etc. In many instances of course the available data of his life do not necessarily communicate the subjective life of the psyche, only the objective actions. But it is the very task of a biographer--in my view the most vital task--to artfully connect the various "dots" of data so as to reveal the subjective life within, the drama of the mind and heart reacting to events as the events unfold. You don't get that here.

5 comments about Day at a Time: An Indiana Girl's Sentimental Journey to Doris Day's Hollywood and Beyond.

1. I'm not sure why several readers, in various reviews, have chosen to be so mean-spirited about this book. For years, ex-employees of celebrities have written reams about their particular "stars," digging up a lot of dirt, but "Day At A Time" doesn't do that. I read it as an honest portrayal of a beloved actress, by a sincere admirer, and I was expecting some insight into Doris Day's behind-the-scenes life. That's what the book delivered. This isn't a fake story about Saint Doris, and the author doesn't try to gild the lily: like all of us, Doris Day isn't perfect. Ms. Barothy set down her memories - authenticated by a huge number of notes and documents - and her love for Doris shines through. I might have edited the book a little differently, as there are some parts that don't connect quite as well as others, but overall it was an enjoyable read and I loved the photos. And considering that I'm not a rabid Doris Day fan, I'd say Mary Anne Barothy accomplished what she set out to do - she wrote a book that appeals to readers on several different levels. Especially considering this is a first effort, I think she did a fine job.



2. I'm not sure why several readers chose to be so mean-spirited about this book. For years, ex-employees of celebrities have written reams about their particular "stars," digging up a lot of dirt, but "Day At A Time" doesn't do that. I read it as an honest portrayal of a beloved actress, by a sincere admirer, and I was expecting some insight into Doris Day's behind-the-scenes life. That's what the book delivered. This isn't a fake story about Saint Doris, and the author doesn't try to gild the lily: like all of us, Doris Day isn't perfect. Ms. Barothy set down her memories - backed by a lot of notes and documents - and her love for Doris shines through. I might have edited the book a little differently, as there are some parts that don't connect quite as well as others, but overall it was an enjoyable read and I loved the photos. And considering that I'm not a rabid Doris Day fan, I'd say Mary Anne Barothy accomplished what she set out to do - she wrote a book that appeals to readers on several different levels. Especially considering this is a first effort, I think she did a fine job.



3. "What kind of book could rouse such heated reviews?" was my thought as I happened upon this book on Amazon. Doris Day is an icon in American celebrity history, and as such, has prompted many to write books about her. Why would one more book solicit such venom from some, and praise from others? Upon reading the book, I didn't find any dirty little secrets about Doris, and it seemed that Ms. Barothy was simply giving us a peek into her world as she moved from being just a fan to becoming Doris' assistant. The writing seems to come from a love and admiration Barothy had for Doris, and not an attempt to disclose closeted information. It's always a pleasure to go down memory lane back to a time where we felt more innocent and safe, and that was the feeling I got as I read this book. It was a step back in time for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed Mary Anne taking me to that place in my mind. I thank those of you who gave such scathing reviews because I would not have read this book had you not stirred my curiosity.



4. The book gets two stars because of technical problems, as in poor editing, and very poor writing. The author was totally disorganized in her thought processes especially from the middle to the end.
   
   That being said, I wouldn't vilify the author for having written the book. There's a lesson to be learned here, which is, all fan clubs should be done away with. People are too prone to get obsessed with celebrities. Consequently, they bury their own self seeking to emulate what they perceive is the perfect life. This is what happened to the author. She got so enamoured of Ms Day, she completely lost her identity. She gave up a serious relationship, and dumped her family when she moved halfway across the country in search of a dream. A very unhealthy dream as it turned out.
   
   I think Ms Day finally realized the woman needed to get a life of her own, and fired her. Sort of a tough love move on her part, but it was the right thing to do in my opinion. On the other hand, I also think Ms Day took advantage of the author's kindness and infatuation with her to some degree. So, there were co-dependency issues going on there as well.
   
   Frankly, as much as I admire Ms Day, you will never find me in her house cleaning up after eleven dogs on a day to day basis. You couldn't pay me enough money to do that. And I love dogs.
   
   So if you buy this book, learn from it if you're inclined to overly obsess about a celebrity. They are no more important than you are in the grand scheme of things. And they are no less fallible in making decisions that impact their lives in a very negative way. In other words, the grass is not greener on the other side of the septic tank.
   
   At any rate, I do believe the author wrote without malice, and really wanted to convey the fact that Ms Day is at heart, a lovely, caring woman despite the adversity in her life. For me, the author succeeded in doing that.
   



5. 
   5.0 out of 5 stars A Remarkable Story, July 17, 2008
   By Margie Blumei (Atlantic City, NJ) - See all my reviews
   
   I just finished reading Day at a Time and thoroughly enjoyed it!
   
   While I've never had the privilege of meeting the beautiful and talented Doris Day, the next best thing was reading this fascinating memoir of someone who has! I found myself completely consumed in this compelling story of this young woman's dream to meet her idol.
   
   Day at a Time is filled with both cute antics and serious issues that the author experienced with Doris Day. A remarkable and loving bond developed between them and you will feel as though you were living this dream come true yourself!
   
   You will see how an earnest young woman makes her way to Hollywood and endears herself to her idol and how Doris reciprocates with admiration and seeks her assistance and ultimately her friendship. I was amazed how accessible Doris made herself to her fans. You will love it.

5 comments about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life.

1. The life of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis can be accurately told as one of wealth, power, struggle, and heartache. Born into a life of status, Jackie, in essence, never had the trouble of wandering far from it; she was well-educated, and intelligent; and for the most part knew both her role and place in society. Spoto paints the story of a strong woman, who despite her travails is able to keep on. True, this account does lean toward a more sympathetic view of Jackie; her faults are not as obvious. However unbalanced, this biography is still one of note for its fairly accurate portrayals and the insights of her life through her eyes. Her marriage to an American President and later the richest man in the world during her time, will forever establish and endear her as an American icon. Her story, indeed, is very remarkable.
   Reading this book made me realize that there was something beyond her image. Jackie was an intensely private person; so by catching a glimpse of her life and the way she might have thought, clarified somewhat her public persona. As for her legion of adoring fans, history is made up of more than one person. No matter, this books makes a highly interesting summer read.



2. She was a key public personality of the 1960's until she died in 1994. Worldly, cosmopolitan, intelligent, stylish, polished, and a woman with her own dark shadows ... Jackie Kennedy lead a life that was a living dream. From the White House to Park Avenue, Jackie left a trail of mystery and fascination. Her human side hidden from the public and a mind we came to know in her later years. It was sad to see her go at just 64 but she lived a grand life.



3. I had to read a biography for school, and I was very interested in Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The main reason I selected this book was that it gave a biography over her entire life, rather than other books that only gave a small portion in her life. But on the other hand it was extremely long, and had a lot of extra info. that wasn't needed.



4. It always makes me smile when I see reviews that praise Jackie as the ultimate mother. Look, as accounts from people who knew her will tell you she was an average mother; her kids went to boarding schools, and she had a great deal of help in the way of nannies and maids to assist her in being a "perfect" mother. jackie was an ordinary person; prone to selfisness, and keep in mind that she had a great oppurtunity to become a humanitarian (like A. Hepburn, and Diana). Did she though? No. I am fascinated by Jackie because of the private life she led and her extraordinary style and beauty. This book painted a laughably perfect image of her-she had no faults, and of course as we all know everyone has faults. For a more objective look at her life I would suggest "A woman named Jackie"



5. I had always wanted to find out more about the famous 'Mrs. Kennedy'. I picked this one and found it hard to put it down. From her chilhood to the time she died, Spoto writes in a delightful fashion that is easy to read and understand. After reading this touching and heartwarming portrayal of America's Royal, she became one of my favorite people. It includes quotes from her close friends and indulges you in her charity projects and her relationship with Caroline and John Jr. It tells of her deep love for JFK and the loyalty she had to her family. The only thing I disliked about the book was the beginning, which was like reading the beginning of the Bible. It told all about her ancestors history and was quite boring in my opinion. Aside from that though, this is a great book which helped spawn my interest in Jackie.