No comments about Edith Bouvier Beale Of Grey Gardens: A Life in Pictures (Powerhouse Books).

5 comments about Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley.

1. I first read the Guralnick books on Elvis about four years ago (2004) when I was just ready to explore the Elvis World. I'm second-generation (about Lisa Marie's age) but missed all the hoopla, and my parents didn't say much. So when I decided to "research" Elvis for myself, I searched the Amazon.com reviews for guidance.
   
   I have to agree with the heavy, authoritative (but not authoritarian) reviews of other Elvis fans who felt Guralnick's work was "comprehensive and accurate." Once I read the Guralnick books, I felt -- not disillusioned -- but bludgeoned with information. Reading Guralnick's book, the reader almost has no choice but to come out not liking Elvis, not only personally but musically or artistically. It was a bitter pill; I had really liked Elvis before reading Guralnick's work.
   
   Four years later, while I'm still "researching" Elvis, what I have found is most of Guralnick's work is actually a compendium, a "Reader's Digest" if you will (a Brittanica), of nearly all major Elvis publications up to that time. In short, Guralnick's work wasn't so much the decisive definitor of Elvis' composite work, but rather the encyclopedia of combined published information. I hasten to point out that Guralnick was not deceptive in any way, but fans and interested persons may have made the mistake of thinking because Guralnick had the "most" to say about Elvis (in two large books) he may have been the most accurate or comprehensive, and that simply isn't true.
   
   As a fan, and someone who has since come to truly appreciate Elvis in all his humanity, my advice for those who want to know Elvis is to BEGIN with Guralnick, as a map, then read the books Guralnick quoted from (and attributed) and then read the little offbeat books written by people claiming to know Elvis. (Use your discernment to know which may have merit and which are entirely fictitious.) Elvis wouldn't want one author to be the judge of his life.
   
   Guralnick did a great service by collecting and basically annotating the collected written works regarding Elvis up to that point, but I think if you really read between the lines, Guralnick himself does not claim to be an expert, nor does he really draw a conclusion. Guralnick's great service is he opened a door, but he does not claim to define the beginning or end of Elvis Presley. That choice -- like the music -- is up to the individual to decide for him or herself. In short, start with Guralnick, but do not end with him. I think he himself would agree.



2. Extremely revealing portrait that makes clear that Elvis became a drug addict even before he went into the Army in 1958. This bio leaves out nothing, including all the dreary and the tawdry as well as the musical genius. While Jerry Lee Lewis lost his career for dallying with his 13-year-old cousin, Elvis got clean away with dating a 14-year-old Priscilla. All the bizarre details are here. Guralnick does it again. A must read for anyone who wants to know the story of Elvis.



3. This second volume, along with the first -- Last Train to Memphis -- are riviting. One of the absolute best biographies I have ever read. A journey through the life, from beginning to end, of one of the world's great entertainers and personalities. Highly recommend.



4. This book is a detailed account of the second half of Elvis Presley's life. Peter Guralnick has painted a vivid portrait of the man whose life should have been magnificent, but instead was so terribly sad.
   
   After reading Guralnick's first volume (Last Train To Memphis), I ran out immediately to buy this one. While I did devour it, it's a bitter pill to swallow. Many nights, I closed the book and then lay awake, thinking, or trying to stop thinking about Elvis. Why did a life with such promise turn out this way? Why did a man who should have been on top of the world, end up so low? Enormous fame and the death of his mother were major contributing factors. Drugs, prescription and otherwise, killed his spirit, his talent, his health and his relationships. And he was exploited by many, especially Col. Tom Parker who trotted him out on tour, when he should have been hospitalized and certainly long-retired.
   
   When I finished the book, I thought, "Did I really want to know all this about him?" Do you? It's your call. I do now understand many things I never did before. And I will not be so quick to idolize, judge or envy anyone unless I've walked a mile in their shoes.



5. From cover to cover, this book was absorbing. The quotes were intertwined with the fast-paced narrative. I felt as if I were living life alongside Elvis as a "fly on the wall" so to speak. This is a book every Elvis fan must own. His human flaws only make you love him more and wish we still had him with us. What a dear person he was: An original.

5 comments about Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness.

1. After watching the movie AVIATOR about Howard Hughes' life, I had to know more. This book is extremely detailed as it goes through his many business deals in his life to his ultimate tragic end. I am fascinated by Hughes and this book gave me more than I could have expected. I wanted to know more about his personal life than his business dealings and his financial status and so I bought another one. He certainly was a poor soul who was tortured by his mental illness and having so much money it allowed him to create his own mental hopsital where he could go deeper into maddness and this book shows you exactly how that happened.



2. This is the only Howard Hughes biography that I have read, so I can only discuss in it absolute terms.
   I thought it was facinating, and that the level of technical and business transaction detail was right on the mark. The author also did a great job of presenting information, rather than going off on his own interpretation of the greater meaning in it all.
   The only reason that I docked it a star is that it need to have an Update written that fills in some of the gaps of what transpired after the book was written. When the book ends, there are still open questions around several lawsuits, investigations, business transactions, and the inheritance. I would think most, if not all, of these issues have been resolved in the 25 years since the book was published, but we are left wondering what the resolutions were.
   All in all, a great and gripping read.



3. Great book. Get's a little technical when taling about aircraft. But I consider it a must read for fans of biographies.



4. Howard Hughes is hot right now. Just like John Nash of "A Beautiful Mind"-fame was a few years ago. The movie "The Aviator" has been nominated for more Oscars than any other. And, after seeing the movie everyone wants to know more about Howard Hughes and attempt to crack the mystery that was his life.
   
   There is no question Hughes' character was mythical. He was part Chuck Yeager, Donald Trump, Hugh Heffner, Steven Spielberg, and a genuine madman all combined in a strikingly handsome 6 foot 4 inches body frame. After reading this book, however, you may find that Hughes was ultimately more successful at creating a myth than anything else. Looking at his private life and business ventures, you will conclude that he was a tragic failure.
   
   This book has to be the most detailed biography on Hughes. The authors conducted a Herculean research effort that entailed the examination of a quarter million pages of records and documents, and reproducing over 50,000 pages of them. They traveled to numerous cities in the U.S. and Japan to conduct this research. As a result of this unparalleled research, the authors wrote a tightly written 600 page book in extremely small font. Thus, it is not a quick read. But, it is incredibly informative and fascinating.
   
   The scope and the details on Howard Hughes business and legal dealings is extremely thorough. And, you get a real sense of who he was, the way he thought, the way he mismanaged every business enterprises he engaged in. Hughes was obsessive about so many things. In business, he developed a weird set of obsessions that included not paying any taxes, becoming a major airline owner at all costs, becoming an aircraft manufacturer and also a defense contractor at all costs. For him, manufacturing an aircraft for the Department of Defense became a lifelong obsession. Contrary to what the outside World may believe, Hughes was not a brilliant businessman. Much to the contrary, he was really a madman. For every dollar he did not pay or save in taxes, he actually lost a dollar fifty or so. Thus, his various tax schemes were disasters from an after tax return standpoint. He also did not have the organizational, and managerial talent to pull off any of his grandiose obsessions to economic fruition. Hughes would certainly have become much richer being just a regular Trust baby supported by the extraordinary capital generated by the company created by his father, the Hughes Tool Company. The latter made a fortune by developing the most advanced oil drilling head. It became so successful as to become nearly a monopoly throughout the entire worldwide oil industry. This invention created the fortune that financed all of Howard Hughes business fantasies and fiascos. However, if he had done so [just become a Trust baby] he would not have become Howard Hughes and offer us the spectacle of one of the most grandiose, grotesque, and tragic life of modern times.
   
   The authors also covers in detail Hughes social life, movie producing years, and his long and irreversible descent into madness. This part is easier reading than the legal business disputes. The psychological profile that emerges is almost unbelievable.
   
   The book does an excellent job of debunking several myths about Hughes. One of them is Hughes the world class philanthropist. Indeed, he is known has having given during his lifetime a fortune to medical research. Well during his lifetime, his creation of The Howard Hughes Medical Institute was nothing more than a leveraged lease tax avoidance mechanism. Most of his donations funding this nonprofit entity went back to him in the form of lease payments on properties rented from various Hughes corporations at above market rents by this institute. Nowadays, the IRS never would grant such a research institute any tax-exempt status. In the Appendices, the authors do an excellent job of documenting the cash flows associated with this tax avoidance scheme. Almost, zero % of the donation to this institute went to medical research.
   
   At the end of the book, the "Chronology" is an excellent timeline map to get an overview of Hughes life. I found myself referring to it constantly to get my bearings of where was I in this convoluted story. Did he incur his first major mental breakdown before or after his spectacular Congressional hearings where he outwitted and demolished his Congressional nemesis? Amazingly enough, a quick reference to the Chronology confirms that he incurred his mental breakdown before the hearings.
   
   Also, the Epilogue is brilliant. It fully captures the essence and drama of this life and provides a coherent thematic summary of this 600 page book.
   
   In any case, if you really want to find out more about Hughes this is the book.



5. Great book, with many great details.
   This book will tell you all you really need to know about this great man.
   The latest movie about Howard Hughes is nothing compared to this book. What was Hollywood thinking when they decided to make this movie? It did not say anything about his Vegas ventures, which was a crucial time in his life. If one knew about his time in the Flamingo hotel, it would have been easy to relate to his crazyness, mentality and thinking. Nothing also was mentioned in the movie about his voyages around the world, which started it all, and his life after his aviation follies. I know the movie was called "The Aviator", but if you did not know anything about Howard before you saw the movie, then all you would think was that he was some crazy aviator who wasted his time building a giant aircraft that was never used for military or commercial purposes, dated a movie star and was always concerned that the US government was out to distroy him. (Well, the government tried really hard!!)
   Who knows, maybe Airbus engineers had Howard Hughes in mind when they build their latest aircraft, the giant A380.
   Mr. Hughes will be forever the pioneer who started it all.
   In this book though,his life and his legacy are well preserved.
   It is very well written, it tells use about his dramatic life, his eratic lifestyle and behavior, his connections to everything that was going on in the US at the time, and his constant drive for perfection. Hero or not, he was sometimes crazy but also brilliant.
   If one really wants to know who Howard Hughes really was, all questions will be answered here. This book will tell you everything.
   Very long but really good read.

5 comments about Howard Hughes: The Untold Story.

1. After finally watching the Aviator, I wanted to know more about Howard Hughes' life but wasn't sure which book to get since there were so many out there to choose from. The Untold Story turned out to be one of the most moving books I've read. I previously only knew him according to the reputation he had in his final years: bizarre recluse, deranged, weirdo, bilionnaire.
   
   Howard Hughes was an ace pilot. The 200 ton Spruce Goose was his personal triumph. This books brings to light his outlandish reality and his extraordinary and adventurous personal life: the many movies he produced, and his amazing influence on Hollywood censorship, purchasing the most Las Vegas resorts owned by one person, the McCarthy era, even Watergate and the fall of Nixon. It covers the many famous actresses he discovered, his womanizing and dating nearly every leading glamor queen. Jean Harlow, Ava Gardner, Giner Rogers, and Katharine Hepburn all dated this handsome playboy. It explains his passion of aviation, perilous record breaking flights as well as his three plane crashes, and his development of commercial flights (TWA). Howard Hughes was a genius inventor and head of a giant corporation which produced oil drill tools (which he inherited from his father). The book reveals his emotionally incestuous ties to his mother. his addictions, breakdowns and recoveries, disappearing acts such as when he locked himself in a studio room, didn't bathe for months, and watched the same movies 30 times in a row, eating only Hershey bars. His now-famous but then unknown obsessive-compulsive disorder produced full blown food fetishes such as counting chocolate chips in each germ-free cookie and eating his peas with a small rake. Who knows what might have happened, and how history might have changed, if doctors knew about Prozac in those days?
   
   The circumstances of his death remain mysterious and puzzling - to this day, no one is sure about how he died. Like his life, it was covered in a wall of secrecy. A compelling, sympathetic, and well-researched story (nearly 400,000 pages of court documents, 2,000 pages of FBI reports, and 600 interviews were used) about one of the most controversial, intriguing and extraordinary people.



2. After a while I got really tired of all of these starlets stories. I couldn't stop thinking " what a jerk" and how stupid all of these girls, and worse yet, their parents were.



3. I had read an earlier book on Hughes, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes, and remembered it as a fascinating book. I purchased recently this newer book on Hughes, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story.
   
   It, too, was fascinating in its own National Inquirer kind of way! This particular book dealt more with Hughes' womanizing more than with his business empire. We are treated with endless stories of Hughes' conquest of Hollywood actress beginning in the early 20's up until his final pursuit of women in the late 1950s.
   
   The stories are truly fascinating to read and Brown's and Broeske's writing style certaining kept me engaged. One just has to wonder how one would have acted in Howard's place as he pursued women on a daily basis while in Hollywood. Simply amazing!
   
   The one drawback about this book that I was not anticipating was what made it so interesting: its dedication to his lothario lifestyle. In other words, by the time the story of Jean Peters (his last wife) rolls around, along with his last attempted affair with the starlet Yvonne Shubert, one starts to tire of reading exclusively about his sexual conquests.
   
   I found myself wondering how all of this tied in with his businesses. The authors did throw in just enough about his businesses for it all to make sense, but I don't think there was enough. In other words, this book dealt almost entirely with his sex life than anything else. There were enough tidbits about his paranoia, his germophobia, his Hollywood movie making, and his aviation exploits to keep the book moving.
   
   I recommend this book to read about the personable side of Howard and the book, Empire, to read about the business side of Howard. Both are excellent.



4. I watched Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" and was immediately interested in learning about the "real" Howard Hughes. This book more than satisfied my curiosity. I wasn't aware of the non-aviation contributions made by Hughes; satellites, seek and destroy missles. All very important to our national security. I had never heard of Hughes' connection to the Watergate scandal until I read this book.
   
   This publication was a page turner about a man that we'll most likely never learn the full truth about. A great read!



5. I first read this book to see what Howard Hughes was all about. I was not disappointed in the writing or information. It was well written and a page turner.
   
   I read bio books to learn more about the personal side of people - their lives & feelings/views on matters, how they handled personal situations more than just facts of their accomplishments. So therefore, this book was a great fit for me.
   
   A few reviews have said the book should have focused more on the specifics of how he handled his business affairs. This to me would be much more boring. There is just enough details of how and why he came up with his inventions, mechanics of flying, and drive to make profits without putting us to sleep.
   
   Enjoy a great read and learn about a fascinating person at the same time!

4 comments about As I See It: The Autobiography of J. Paul Getty.

1. I bought this book (for full price, should have saved $7 ordering through Amazon) at the Malibu Getty museum, initially to read after tiring before my wife of art-admiring. I read it the following week, and here are my impressions.
   
   The book is very readable, Getty is to-the-point and clear, he wanders a bit, no surprise for an 83-yr-old writer, but maintaining a good train of thought and addresses the topics one would want to hear. The pictures bring some personalities to life, and the large print helps the pages speed by.
   
   Some sections are fascinating, for example, the ways he dedicated himself to business at the cost of his five marriages, his hi-jinks as a youth, conversations with top leaders, Hollywood people and pesky hangers-on as the richest man in the world.
   
   Other sections can be tedious. He often argues that he is not a hermit, not miserly, and had great relations with his parents. Much of this comes across as protesting too much, in fact, I tried to find an unauthorized biography to contrast with his official version, as I suspect some facts don't align with his narrative, but have not yet succeeded. He also assumes a superior vision across the realm of art and humanity, which I do not value as highly as his views on business.
   
   My top gripe is the apocalyptic view of the world falling apart, mainly because there are fewer capitalistic businessman and more leftists than were dominant during his youth. The topic only comes up sporatically, although I thought of tossing the book midstream when his peculiar point of view went astray to the point of assaulting the concept of welfare and advocating capital punishment. He went so far as to claim (p. 172) that the US might well, probably before now, have to flush the unemployed out of the inner cities onto plots of countryside land to fend for themselves.
   
   Overall, however, the book was worth reading, both as an historical document and as an engaging personal history that took a very strong and astute personality to write.



2. I felt kind of lame after reading this book, Getty really lived a full life. Reading the book, you feel like you're having a conversation with him about his life and what's on his mind. He seems very down to earth.
   
   This isn't necessarily a quick read business how-to book though you learn a lot by reading it. You get his life story that includes details on his family, friends, business associates, charity work and art. You also get interesting stories about the famous people he knew, eg his friend the Duke of Windsor that met with Hitler trying to avert WWII. Also there are chapters lovingly discussing his parents, children, and even his 5 ex-wives. He also defends his reputation for being cheap, eg payphone in his mansion. You really get inside his head by reading this book. My favorite chapter is his random thoughts chapter he wrote on Thanksgiving day, less than a year before he died 1976.



3. This is Getty's autobiography, written in the 1970's not long before he died. One of the founders of Apple Computer advised me to read this book years ago, and so I did. I've studied many books on finance and business, but this was the first time I had read an account of a billionaire's life (and as I would later discover, the world's richest man).
   
   Getty wrote this book to give the public a glimpse into his very private life; seemingly knowing he was about to die, that he did not desire to die such a secretive/reclussive man. Inside this book, you'll read about how he developed a strong work ethic at a young age -- working hard-labor in the oil fields that he would later own; sneaking out his parents car in the middle of the night to take girls out on dates (hah!); accumulating wealth and looking out for employees; laying everything on the line for great opportunities; the tragedy of his grandson's kidnapping; and a very nice retort for all those people who called him a stingy old man -- that all of his wealth/money was invested in his business.
   
   Oh yeah, and you read about how he hung out with Hugh Heffner back in the day. His original books were published by Playboy Press, including my copy of his autobiography (an original 70's hardcopy). :-) Yeah, Getty lived the life I would like to be living now -- 'cept for all the divorces; poor guy just couldn't keep a lady around and it's depressing to read sometimes. And in a way, reading this book gives me inspiration for staying on track, aiming your sights on what's important in life and not letting go. Getty had a fun life and he was handsomely rewarded for it. Since reading Getty, I've seen the same drive in all the other Billionaires whose autobiographies I've read -- Branson, Dell, Schultz. And also Ray Kroc (although technically I don't think his stock was yet worth $1B when he died).
   
   You will love reading this account of Getty's life if your aim is to: have fun in life, be wealthy, learn from others, have a personal mentor from the grave, accomplish great things, and read autobiographies.
   
   Getty, thanks for sharing =)



4. Good book out of print Amazon copy received was in near mint condition. 351 pages,30 pages of photographs. Not as mean as he was portrayed yet it is evident the author was a bit vain. he is obviously an interesting read. You learn "what makes him tick". If you are looking for a guide to riches this is not for you but if you are interested in learning about the richest man of his time then read this.

   RANKING OVERALL 7/10 BIO INFO 8/10 USEFUL INFO 5/10

5 comments about Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons.

1. Philistines at the Hedgerow was one of those books that was the read of the summer when first released. It still an interesting read but in the nine years since it was written it has become very out of date. Maybe its time for the author to add some new chapters. If not a whole new book.



2. My husband & I wanted to read this book together. We couldn't get into it. Perhaps if you are more familiar with the Hamptons, all the detail would be interesting to you, but we weren't compelled to continue... We found the writing 'thick' and the story laborious.



3. An interesting and easy to read book that gives some basic early history on the area and towns known as the Hamptons, a wealthy waterfront area of Long Island in New York state, and profiles a number of notable residents and properties through the years. Initially settled because of it's natural beauty and fertile soil, the area became a haven for the wealthy who flaunt their wealth by trying not to appear that they're flaunting it. And over the years it attracted various groups such as artists, gays, Jews, and the newly-rich of the 80's stock markets, much to the chagrin of earlier residents who viewed such late-comers as outsiders lacking their good taste and refinement (Philistines). Several people are profiled such as artists Jackson Pollock and Alfonso Ossorio (and his partner Ted Dragon); successful businessmen Evan Frankel and Jerry Della Femina, and old-money Robert D. L. Gardiner. But the history is much more than just the people who lived there, it's the properties, too, and many homes and places and the changes that happened are covered.
   
   Many reviews here mention the gossipy feel of the book, and I'll agree with that. But with the nature of the Hamptons and the people it attracts it's probably natural. Some of it becomes downright comic, especially with the legal codes that are really only used by those with a bit of authority to enhance their own social standing or pay back some perceived slight. As it says in the book, in the Hamptons everybody is somebody and each more important than the rest. To call some of the people 'eccentric' is putting it very mildly, though, when 'weird' might be more accurate. But it's all very interesting and hard to put down sometimes, and you can't help but shake your head at some of the ridiculous stories and people. There are a number of good historical photos included, although no maps, which would have been nice for those of us who aren't familiar with the area. And to echo another common sentiment in other reviews, it's a fun summer read.



4. "BUY EVERYTHING in sight! Hock your gold teeth!" says Allan Schneider the then "it" realtor of the Hamptons. "Their money is so new, the ink is wet," - speaking about the influx of: master of the universe, corporate raiders, stockbrokers, lawyers, junk bond kings and financiers that were invading the Hamptons at an increasing rate in the 1980's.
   
   Not that the book stays in the 80's. It goes all the way back to the first few settlers and their dealings with the Indians in the mid 1600's. Especially interesting is the history of Gardiner Island and the Gardiner family, who have been the sole inhabitants for generations. Then in comes the Goelet family who came to America in 1676 and later founded Chemical Bank and manages a far reaching real estate empire from an unmarked townhouse on East 67th St. while remaining out of the business spotlight.
   
   Also interesting is the history of The Creeks, a 57 acre estate with 2,000 feet on Georgica Pond (a 290 acre tidal pond) with 6 guest houses that is the largest privately held estate in the Hamptons. It's owned by Ron Perelman, who paid $12.5 million in 1993 from an estate who bought it for $35,000 in 1951. When it was sold in 1894 for $10,500 it was called Sheeps Point and the East Hampton Star called the price, "a large advance from the original cost".
   
   The book gives you a good sense of how real estate in good locations can explode in value while sharing some intrigue regarding the who's who of the Northeast and how they jockey for prominence in the "social register".
   
   By Kevin Kingston, author of: A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate: A True Story About the Ups and Downs From Wall Street to Real Estate Leading to Phenomenal Returns
   
   Blog: bloglines.com/blog/KevinKingston



5. Philistines at the Hedgerow traces the roots of fabulosity in New York's most famous vacation spot, providing an insider's, gossip-filled look at the scandals and quirks of the area and its inhabitants. Gaines examines the relationships between property and personality that have developed over the years at the beachfront, from building castles to accumulating mass amounts of acreage where parties can be thrown and paparazzi shots can be taken. Philistines at the Hedgerow provides yet another glimpse into the celebrity backdrop of American life in an area that has radically altered itself over time from simple farmland to idyllic playground.

5 comments about The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family.

1. I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.



2. This book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner just like the seller promised! A++



3. I found this book about the Kennedy family women a very interesting read. The only problem with it is that it is so long. At over 900 pages Mr. Leamer could have written three books and had them in instalments about one pericular Kennedy family women instead of tying to write so much about so many interesting people.



4. This book relates details of the lives of the many Kennedy women, from Bridget Murphy Kennedy, born in Ireland, through Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's daughter. Leamer describes the rise of the Kennedy family from the hard luck tales of newly-arrived Irish immigrants through the dynasty years in Hyannisport. While the book presents many of the historical events of the lives of political Kennedys, the viewpoint is always that of the women, and how these events affected their lives. We hear about the Kennedy women's efforts in John's political campaigns, or how the stress of campaigning contributed to Jacqueline's miscarriages. Leamer includes both women born as Kennedys and women who became Kennedys by marriage. Much of the book, however, focuses on two women who married into the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The book is also about the family structure of the Kennedy's and portrays some of the sinister aspects of Joseph Kennedy as well as the positive traits.
   
   Many times I've heard the Kennedy family referred to as a "dynasty". However, it has never been clear to me why an American family would be called a dynasty. In this book, Leamer describes why this group of people is more than simply a family. He describes the relations between Joseph Kennedy's children, and how Joseph and Rose's parenting style contributed both to their children's closeness and competitiveness, and how their own aspirations were realized in the accomplishments of their children. He also relates the difficulties that Jacqueline had as an outsider in establishing a position in the family. The book provides a unique viewpoint on the political events of the 1950s and 1960s whose legacy continues to permeate our society.



5. "For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. She had led such a decorous life, blocking out the untoward, the ugly, and the unacceptable, that her eyes no longer saw the darker colours of the spectrum. "Pat drank a bottle of wine in the morning," Rose was told. "That's impossible" Rose replied, Pat doesn't drink"

   I was glad that I read this book because it has helped me to understand so much more about this so much talked about family. In Mr. Leaner's book we get to know about the Kennedy women's personal thoughts and the correct stories of the daughters and daughters-in-law. Mr.Leamer has given us indept portraits of these women and my favourite is Rose Kennedy the Matriarch of the family. For Rose was a woman so strong and who suffered great disloyalty by her husband which she took all gracefully all for the sake of her family and what she supposed the public expected of them. She was a stern Catholic and gain her strength through her prayer and trust in God.
   Also portrayed are Joan Kennedy; Ted wife who had a problem with alcohol. Jackie Kennedy Onnassis; the President's wife who remarried after the President's death to a Greek tycoon. Pat Lawford; married to a Hollywood star and spent most of her time in Los Angeles. Eunice Shriver, who was always working for the handicapped and underprivileged and was one of the Kennedys with great patience and common sense. Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow and Jean Smith.
   The Kennedys pushed their tragedies to the inner recesses of their minds.They refused to let others see the negative side of their lives, and carried their problems and burdens inwardly taking pains not to show their broken hearts. To some this might seem pretentious, but they honestly had their reasons. After all they were special in the eyes of America.
   Whenever tragedy struck it was not unusual for them to suddenly get physical by taking walks, riding, swimming and any form of exercise. Rosemary the eldest daughter who was mentally retarded was isolated from the public eye and sent to Wisconsin where she was looked after by those of the Sacred Order. This book has helped me to understand so much more about the choices they made and the reason they made them, though tragedy seem to follow them everywhere.

   Mr. Leamer has pulled out all the stops in the brilliantly written book, and I would not hesitate to read anything by him in the future. Bravo! Bravo! Heather Marshall 04/04/04

5 comments about Heaven: A Prison Diary Volume 3 (A Prison Diary).

1. Jeffrey Archer is one of my favourite authors and to read of his time behind bars has added a whole new dimension to his writing.He not only survived,but has gone on from where he left off,writing very readable books.
   Loryn Potroz



2. I haven't actually read Archer's first two prison diaries yet but have ordered them after stumbling across this fascinating insight into daily prison life. Volume III Heaven can definitely be read as a stand alone non fiction novel or before reading the other two as it doesn't really refer to anything before Archer's arrival at North Sea Camp. Arhcer's final stage of imprisonment is in one of Britain's cushy D-category prisons, the final chapter of prisoners' lives before they are released, where there are no fences keeping prisoners in, and they have a lot more freedom and luxuries than ever before.
   
   Archer tells the reader through his diary entries about the difference in the way he is treated at North Sea Camp in comparison to the places he was held previously. How he is being picked on by corrupt political opponents, how the media who are camped out on the doorstep for a photo of him is portraying a completely different scenario to what he endures daily. The drug problems of other prisoners and how the system works or doesn't for prisoners in North Sea Camp. Archer explains the different jobs within the prison and takes us through the daily tasks of his various job promotions including the one he refers to as heaven, hospital orderly. There are also a few pictures included in what is a fascinating insight into prison life. Obviously it is a diary by Archer so we have to assume he was well behaved inside or if he did anything wrong he certainly didn't include it. There are plenty of despicable or stupid actions from some other prisoners and the outcomes of those actions inside to keep the reader entertained though.



3. This is the final volume of three volumes about Jeffrey Archer's Prison experience following his conviction for perjury and perverting the course of justice in 2001.
   
   Archer gives the reader an excellent picture of what it is like to be in prison in the United Kingdom. He writes pithy descriptions of some of his colleagues, including two of them who were model prisoners only to reoffend shortly after they were released. His comments on the drug problem in prisons are almost certainly applicable to prisons here in the United States as well.
   
   This book is easy to read, hard to put down, and does not waste words or descriptions. There is also plenty of Archer's good humor. He expresses his unhappiness at the people who turned on him and testified against him, but does not indulge in self-pity. This book is well worth reading.



4. This makes more sense if you read the first two prior books. Interesting and well written and an easy read, come to mind when describing the book. It is what it is - an on going diary of prison time. The tone of the book gets a bit darker as the reins are tightned and he is forced back into a more secure population. His depression is evident as he eventually trails off in his writing and picks it up the day of his discharge. None of the books were gritty in the sense of true prison drama, but it is an interesting prospective.
   
   It is almost comical in some aspects as I have worked in the prison system. He is gleeful at the prospect of getting his very own coffee cup when most men spend their days trying not to get stabbed. He rails at people called Lady this or Lord that and loves to name drop. It's difficult to imagine that in a prison system and therefore the unsual prospective. Interesting.



5. The final book of Archers tales in the Prison System.
   
   I read this in 1 day... just wanted to get through it and again could not put the book down. A lot of the material and experience is the same as book 1 and 2. Though now in a Cat D prison (an open prison) he has more freedom, it does still show the drugs and money.
   
   And of course, the press continue to try and get the scoop on him, paying other inmates to get "archer with his clothes off"
   
   All in all, a good book. I am glad he did not do a 4th.
   
   If you read book 1 and 2, get this to wrap up the set.

No comments about Mi Hermano Pablo.

5 comments about 4 Inches.

1. the cover with kate moss just about says it all. blatant advertising for jimmy choo's



2. I have to say I agree with (most) of the other reviewers that the photos are of excellant quality, the women are beautiful and it's for a good cause. The only slightly disturbing thing is that the amount of skin shown seems to be related to the "accepted" beauty of the model. By that I mean the professional models were all fully naked and obviously quite comfortable being so; while some of the other ladies were photographed covered up (although obviously naked). It would be interesting to know if the model was ill at ease in being naked or the photographers were sub-conciously suggesting a more covered up shot. Either way it's a shame that the likes of Sarah Ferguson was hidden under some sort of blanket rather than uncovered in the true spirit of the book.
   
   All in all and excellent collection.



3. Not only is this book for a good cause, It is also amazing. The photography is outstanding and I am a photographer. It is all in very good taste. Beautiful Work!!!



4. I was very disappointed in the quality and compositions of the photographs in this book. This book was published for a good cause but one would think the "professional" photographers would be more creative in their props and lighting. Save your money. Don't buy this book.



5. When I recieved this book I was very pleased with the sheer size and over all look of the book. Then as I paged through it I found all but a few pictures to be absolutely beatuiful, I didn't care too much for the toilet photos and maybe one or two others. I love black and white photos, I also have an obsession with choo shoes and of course I love jewerly so this book brought them all together so beautifully and on beauitful women. I am begining a career in photoghraghy and found this book to be very tastful except the above mentioned which were more silly. Above all else proceeds go to a great cause AIDS in women.