5 comments about Not That Man Anymore: (A Message From Michael).

1. Michael Zaslow was one of the finest actors on daytime or anywhere. He delivered a performance on par with the greatest actors today in regards to his role as the devlish Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light and the charming spy David Renaldi on One Life to Live. I was watching One Life to Live as a kid when he was on and he was just incredible despite the crazy storylines. When he returned to Guiding Light, I began watching the show on July 4, 1991 because my grandfather only had one television channel and it was CBS. Roger Thorpe and Alexandra Spaulding's marriage had come apart. More, Alexandra had fought back vigorously and humiliated him at the Springfield Country Club that night. Despite the fact that he was on crutches because of a surgery, Michael Zaslow delivered one of the most complex performances imaginable against Beverlee McKinsey. I was shocked and saddened to learn that they didn't get along or weren't friends since they had so much in common. Offscreen, Michael was devoted to his wife, writer, actress, and psychologist Susan Hufford Zaslow who just died. They adopted their daughters, Marika and Helena, from Korea. They split their time on New York's West Side apartment and a home in Roxbury, Connecticut. For Michael, life was not only good but great with a loving wife and two beautiful daughters. His illness disrupted Roger Thorpe's character on Guiding Light. He could no longer play the role because the soap couldn't have Roger Thorpe as a helpless character anymore. It saddened the cast and crew of his illness, the treatment by the soap powers, and his eventual death. During his time with Lou Gehrig's disease, Michael was never braver or couragous in showing how the disease had robbed him of his wonderful voice but not of his bravery and dignity. Michael was beloved by fans like myself who never got the opportunity to meet him in person and I deeply regret that because his performance as Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light got me through difficult personal circumstances. As Michael Zaslow, he was charming, brilliant, talented, and could have done anything. When I think of Michael Zaslow, I think he was on par with the greatest American actors of our generation like Pacino, DeNiro, and Nicholson. Yes, he's a soap actor but his role of Roger Thorpe and his performance still sends shivers down my spine. Roger's complicated relationship with Holly, his true love, was amazing tour de force performance level. They had such an intensity. Onscreen, they melted together when they were not arguing with each other. One critic described their arguments like rolls royces colliding with each other. Their onscreen performances as Roger and Holly was just amazing and the best love story on daytime. Forget Luke and Laura! Roger and Holly was complicated and sizzling to the viewers. With Roger also gone on the show, Guiding Light has not been the same without him. Despite the evil behavior of his character at times, Michael Zaslow was the Guiding Light. He was taken too soon from his fans and his family.



2. This book is so so sad. I was a fan of Michael Zaslow as Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light for years. He and Maureen Garrett (Holly) had one of the most complex, fascinating and fun relationships on daytime television. And then he got sick. I remember that Proctor & Gamble, the company which owns Guiding Light, treated him terribly when he first became ill with what was then his undiagnosed ALS. Their heartless behavior still infuriates me; if they could coldly kick to the curb a 25 year famous employee who made them LOTS of money, God help their anonymous everyday workers. From that time on, I've avoided P & G products, on that principle. In the book I came to feel like I knew his wife Susan, who was so very honest about how hard this illness was for the whole family. Learning that she died of cancer last year felt like a personal loss, and the death of the younger daughter Helena, at age 19 (in 2004) who was a cute and feisty 12 year old in the book is just heartwrenching. Yet, I couldn't stop reading about this brave and likable star-crossed family. I wish they'd had the happy ending they deserved. I also wish the only surviving member of the family, the oldest daughter Marika, all the luck and happiness in the world. I was deeply affected by this book and recommend it because ALS needs to be known and conquered. Michael Zaslow puts a human face on what it just an unimaginable horror but keeps his humanity. I'm heading to the website to make a contribution in the fight against ALS.



3. A required read for any "Roger" fans. A unique look into a horrible disease that could touch any of us and rob us of our bodies in a short amount of time.



4. I have wanted to read Michael's story for a long time. I loved his portrayal of Roger Thorpe on The Guiding Light for so many years. After reading this book I think the medical community should be ashamed that it participated in the disgrace of Michael's so called medical care. That being said, I found this book difficult to read. It's written by both Michael and Susan Huffard, his wife. Michael's words are in italics and Susan's in regular type. But this book really seems to be more about her anger and attitude about everything then it is about Michael. There were times I had to put it down because I found her anger was so pervasive. I do not blame her for it -- I would have been full of rage also at the frustration of their first finding a diagnosis and then finding a treatment. But I thought this book was about Michael but alas Susan seemed to play the bigger and in my opinion, the lesser role. Susan seemed to run out of time because Michael died before she had completed venting her rage. If you want to read a book about how incredibly frustrating their journey was (more Susan's then his) then you will enjoy this book. But I found by the end of the book I wanted to slap her. She needed therapy and I hope she got it.



5. Not that Man Anymore has been in my pile of "waiting-to-be-read" books since I met Susan recently in Studio City. I was feeling guilty that it hadn't risen to the top of my list earlier but the universe has a way of taking care of its inhabitants. My husband has been ill and this story--Michael and Susan's story--was just what I needed in this moment. Pure inspiration.
   
   My husband and I will be exploring ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) ourselves in the coming weeks.
   
   Carolyn Howard-Johnson
   Award-winning author of THIS IS THE PLACE, HARKENING, TRACINGS: A CHAPBOOK OF POETRY and BPSC's Irwin Award winner, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T

5 comments about Diana Mosley: A biography of the glamorous Mitford sister who became Hitler's friend and married the leader of Britain's fascists.

1. I disagree with the reviews that complain that the subject is not atacked for her political views. It is a obvious that anyone tied who can be directly tied to this view during this period and is established as an anti-semite is morally reprehensible. The author does not and should not even try to attack those views as that is not the purpose of the book. The purpose is to follow the journey of Mosley from aristocratic child to spouse of an anti-Semitic fascist leader and beyond. As to post-war discussions, of course, any normal person would be disgusted by much of Mosley's conduct. Still, that is part of the story.
   
   As is obvious, this is one of those biographies devoted to the life of someone who one might assume to be a secondary or even a minor, if any, influence on history. As the wife of the leader of the consolidated fascist union in the years proceeding world war two, one might view Diana Mosley as someone simply in the shadow of her husband. The author surprised me with an extremely well written insight into the significant role of this woman, not in relationship to others, but as to her conduct and accomplishments, for right or wrong, throughout her life. Instead of explaining her in the context of other people, the author discusses events and other people in the context of Mosley.
   
   As pointed out above, this book goes against the usual approach of biographies of "secondary" personalities on the world stage. I have frequently found such books give very little attention to the person's life before whatever significant event or events they are tied to. Here the author not only explores Mosley's childhood in depth, but also all the member of her immediate family. Far more impressively, the author somehow manages to seamlessly maintain the family backdrop throughout Mosley's life. To me, I greatly appreciate a book that has, for lack of a better term, an even approach throughout. I do not care for books, particularly biographies, that start almost abruptly with a short chapter on childhood, then devotes the huge majority on the primary issues of history involved, and finally again almost abruptly ends with a short chapter about death and/or retirement. The greatest strength of this book in my humble opinion is that common flaw is absent here.
   
   Finally, the author had took an unusual approach to her sources, both primary and secondary. She relied a great deal on books written by Mosley's sisters and other contemporaries. Likewise, she also relied a great deal on information she acquired directly from Mosley. An academic might have some problems with her approach, as she did not bury the manuscript in footnotes, but it is effective. Where relevant, the author simply cites the materials as the basis of the information in the text. This approach is perhaps a result of the author being a journalist and not an historian. However, that certainly should not be held against her, as William Shirer has demonstrated.
   
   Again, I do not hold myself out as an expert of the period. Still, I have read a number of books dealing with the extension of both the fascist and communist movements in a number of democracies including the United States, England, France and South Africa. Based on my previous readings, I had an almost myopic view of fascism in England embodied solely in the person of Oswald Mosley. Besides giving me an excellent insight into the British young aristocratic society in the pre-war years, this book also gave me a new view of the specific workings of the British fascist movement. If you are interested in such things, I would strongly suggest you give this book a read.



2. Though I had heard of the Mitford sisters, this was my first foray into a biography about one of them (to be followed by more!). They do have a way of sparking curiosity with their unconventionality and downright bizarreness!

   I echo some of the other readers' concerns: Dalley does not address how the Mosleys' despicable views were reacted to later on in life, nor how the unveiling of the true evils of the Third Reich after the war affected them and their thinking (from the question's absence, it appears not to have affected them at all, which is even more ghoulish than ever having those extremist views in the first place). Perhaps if these abhorrent opinions would have been placed in context within a panorama of the public at large at the time, it would have presented a more understandable portrait of why these people believed such nonsensical and evil things.

   While Dalley makes it clear that she was under considerable constraint because he subject is still alive (and while Diana Mosley `cooperated,' she would not permit quoting of previously unpublished letters or diaries, hamstringing attempts at insight), the timid minimal pursuit of the farther-reaching implications of their bigotry and racism makes the book appear two-dimensional and sycophantic. Ms. Dalley should have posed the hard (and most interesting) questions, and shown the faces of the Mitford children's virulent views for what they are: hateful-and all the ensuing questions of how? why? etc. Instead, she is charmed by the cosmetic trappings and glittering society. These aspects of Diana are interesting as well, but the underlying theme of how she and the others evolved into people who willingly embraced evil (and apparently never disavowed it or apologized for it) remains effectively untapped here. One feels one has read through Diana's daybook-whom she had lunch with, the litany of residences, where she traveled-but without truly touching the heart of who this woman really is and what she is all about. It gives the sense of reporting rather than biography. Again, perhaps that was the result of the subject's stonewalling, who knows?

   Despite these difficulties, I found the book to be well-written and immensely readable (I would have actually preferred more detail, especially toward the end where time is compressed and everyone's endings are tidied up much too summarily) and consider it, if you have an interest in the Mitfords, better read than unread.




3. Of the many new biographies that I have read recently, barring a few of Prince Charles, this is one of the most sycophantic and subjective. The views that Diana and Oswald Mosley spouted were deplorable then as any fascist/racist views now. The terror and horror fascism caused between 1933 and 1945 in Germany alone, Ms Dalley seems to feel was not realised by the Moseleys. They were not apparently aware of the sinister connotations of their beliefs! They were innocents, merely trying to find a better life for the British! While the Moseleys didn't institute such atrocities as Hitler did, Oswald did spread racial hatred, and caused persecution in England, although Jan Dalley seems to feel that this was a mere by-product, caused by a few unreasonable fanatics.

   I could go on and on. My other gripe about this book was Ms Dalley's blanket 'condemnation' of the autobiographical writings of Nancy and Jessica Mitford. While exaggeration may have occured it was no more that would occur in any family autobiography. . .who can look at their family objectively????? Indeed, this exaggeration was true of their general characters, and the manner in which they were brought up, and the conventions of their time and class. At least they didn't preach hatred and bigotry.

   I digress. The duty of a biographer, IMHO, is to provide an objective and informative view of the subject, so that the reader can make a decision for themselves.

   Ms Dalley professes to offer reasons, not excuses, and seems to think that it is reasonable to defend the deplorable views of this possible intelligent, possibly beautiful, possibly wronged woman with the reasoning that D. Mosely didn't know about the full horror of fascism pre 1945, and hers was an innocent form, as I have said. I feel myself being incoherent in my indignation, so I shall cease. My objective view of this book is that I can only suspect that Ms Dalley is herself a 'drawing room fascist'.




4. The Mitford sisters were power-groupies of various stripes. Nancy liked historical tyrants (Louis XIV and Frederick the Great); Jessica liked Stalin; Unity and Diana liked Hitler; and Debo liked the Duke of Devonshire (she was a piker).

   But at least Nancy and Jessica had some talent. Unity was a rabidly unstable anti-semite, who committed suicide in an extraordinarily florid way. Diana was a rabidly stable anti-semite. Period. So why should we care about this moon-faced woman in a succession of horridly unflattering hairstyles? The author hasn't a clue. She keeps telling us that Diana is gorgeous, but at least understands that it isn't obvious from the photos in the book. She keeps telling us that Diana was brilliant, but you sure couldn't tell from her behaviour. When she was twenty-three, she hooked up with Oswald Mosley, and he is far more interesting than Diana, mainly because he is almost rivetingly despicable. The behaviour of Diana and his sister-in-law toward him (and his behaviour towards them) beggars belief. That this ridiculous creature dominated Diana's life is all you need to say about her. It could be contained in a paragraph. The author appears mightily constrained by the fact that her subject is still alive. Without that fact, she might have had some pithy things to say; but still, Diana is an irrelevant footnote.




5. In the years preceding the second World War, Diana Mitford left her wealthy young husband, with whom she had two small children, to take up with Sir Oswald Mosley, the maximum leader of the British Fascist party. She found him and his cause far more exciting and engrossing than the regular upper-class art and society crowd she had previously ornamented, which was populated with dreary "parlour pinks". Now she split her time between a love nest in London and Berlin, where she and her sister Unity spent their days sucking up to Hitler and his inner circle. Diana tried to get Hitler to cough up money for Mosley. Mosley himself concentrated more successfully on Musselini, who did indeed secretly provide funds for the care and feeding of British brownshirts.

   At some point Mosley's wife (yes, he was married too, and on his second marriage) conveniently died. Mosley was faced with a dilemna. Should he marry Diana? Or his other lover, his dead wife's sister. I guess he procrastinated as long as he could, until finally sweeping Diana off her feet for the ultimate in romantic weddings. A small gathering in Nazi Germany: just the happy couple, the Goebbels and, of course, Adolf Hitler. Then they returned to England to continue the good fight at home.

   Not surprisingly, when was broke out, Diana and her knight in shining armor were incarcerated. The Mosleys' regarded this as dreadfully unfair, since he had given lip service to patriotic concerns by announcing that his brownshirts should join up. The Mosleys' regarded their captors as foolish and dim. But it was clear to even the dullest mind that Mosley would be Hitler's man in England if the was started going poorly, and if Mosley had his way compromise with Hitler would be the next step in the war.

   After the war the Mosleys' returned to a much quieter lifestyle--raising some of the numerous children they had spawned in their various marriages (those that they were allowed custody of) to become good fascists. They eventually turned their energies to the Neo Nazi movement in England, and Diana used her keen mind to help these thugs, bigots and nuts try to mask their vicious, malignant motives with pseudo-intectual political sophistry.

   The book is very informative and interesting, but disturbing. The author points out how inconsistent and appalling some of the political philosophy Diana embraced was, most notably with respect to anti-semitism. But the author does not seem to challenge some of their more dreadful sophistries: such as the popular neo-nazi notion that the Jews would not actually have been GASSED if England hadn't come into the war. (with its corollary that England and those other mean countries wouldn't have picked on poor Germany if those nasty Jews hadn't made such a fuss about being persecuted, beated, robbed and murdered!)

   The author at times seems to be writing a standard Society bio, full of cameos of the rich and famous, and boasts of their devotion to Diana. The author also seems quite sympathetic to Diana's distaste for parlour pinks and "pinkos" (I'm quoting the author here), and to the notion that fascism and even collusion with Hitler is more acceptable than any truck with communism or the Labour Party.

   Nevertheless, I'd recommend reading it. It is definitely food for thought in a lot of ways.

5 comments about Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming-Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, & Their Families.

1. This is a good "double" book--a coming out guide and a biography of Chastity Bono in one. Written in a straight-forward, clear manner and peppered with interviews from other out gays and lesbians, "Family Outing" is ultimately eye-opening and supportive.

   However, I didn't give it five stars because it was often repetitive (i.e. a blurb about denying oneself, then a section of interviews from people who denied their true selves, then Bono's account of how she denied what she really was, and then a section reiterating why you shouldn't deny who you really are) and I would have liked to learn more about Bono's life in addition to her struggles coming out of the closet. (But I guess there's more of her life in her other book, The End of Innocence? I guess I'll have to check that one out).




2. It is a shame that this book, along with Betty DeGeneres' "Love, Ellen" book, weren't available 20-30 years ago. These books could have saved thousands of gays and lesbians and their parents much pain and anguish. Coming out is never easy, but this book and Betty's can help to serve as a great starting point. Chastity talks about her own coming-out process; most importantly, she includes coming-out testimonies from ordinary, every-day folks. Sensitively written, this book is a valuable tool. To those who cannot bring themselves to disclose, buy this book for help and guidance. To those who cannot bring themselves to accept, buy this book (and Betty's too), and become enlightened.



3. Family Outing is an exceptional book. Chastity Bono is real, honest, and upfront. Not only does she tell us what it was like to "come out" to her famous parents (Sonny and Cher), but tells the stories of many ordinary, down-to-earth people. Chastity comes across as the type of person you could curl up on the sofa and just shoot the breeze. Just a great person.

   Ms. Bono has written a book that isn't depressing, isn't frilly and foolish, yet is emotionally bound without all the goos and gaas.

   I recommend Family Outing highly. Some day it'll be compulsive reading in schools. Excellent job, Chastity.




4. I couldn't have had a better guide for my youth! I read this book before coming out to my family in high school. I have to admit, it was the most helpful of all the resources i looked into. It was so wonderful to know that there were others out there just like me. This book was also an inspiration for my mother after i came out. I suggest that anyone struggling with their family during this particularly difficult time in their lives read this book and pass it on!



5. The tears that rolled down my cheeks as I read through this book were a reminder to me that I was certainly not alone when it came to "outing" myself to friends and family. Because this comes straight from real life experiences, you take the ride with Chastity and those amazing people she spoke to throughout her book and read about their various experiences in "coming out". I know that many people of all ages who have or are going to "come out" should at least try to read this amazing book because believe me, it made me a lot wiser, stronger and confident and finally telling my family and friends that I was a lesbian not only became easier but gave me a real sence of freedom to finally be me.

No comments about The Tiffany Fortune, and Other Chronicles of a Connecticut Family: And Other Chronicles of a Connecticut Family.

5 comments about I Survived Swiss Boarding Schools.

1. A witty, poignant, and sensitive description of an era that is hard to imagine for most people. Profligate wealth combined with refinement, hedonism, and cold hearted detachment. Almost everyone will be interested in this perspective of a young boy who finds his unique voice in a rigorously structured environment.



2. An excellent, well-balanced book. I was concerned, given the beginning of the book, that the remainder might be about someone wallowing in self pity. However, the author clearly did NOT take that path; rather, he decided to take charge of his life and free himself. References to wealthy and famous people are related as part of other facts and not with any self aggrandizement. The book is well written with "teasers" at the end of each chapter to urge one on to the next (which it did). A most interesting book, both about the setting and the author's "self-discovery". All in all, a very good read!



3. I Survived Swiss Boarding Schools is a fascinating, inspiring book. Rene Silvin, the author, recounts the seemingly insurmountable obstacles he overcomes in his truly Dickension experience as a very young child in boarding school. He also gives us a fascinating glimpse into life in that almost mythical Swiss boarding school, Le Rosey. Among the book's many powerful images, one of the most vivid is of the author's competitive rowing as an adolescent on beautiful Lake Geneva. And then there are the many extraordinary people Rene encounters among his classmates and their parents...This book was hard to put down!
   
   Mary Adams, New York City



4. I picked up this book last night intending to read only a few pages before falling into bed. Ended up staying up way too late thinking with the turn of each page, I'll just see what happens in this one incident and then I'll put it down. An intimate and powerful story told with great sensitivity.



5. I was riveted from page one. An amazing story of how the grass is not always greener. Wealth, privilege, celebrity,this book has it all. A wonderfully written true story that at times will tear your heart out, and at others makes you cheer. A book you will not forget.

1 comments about Lord Berners: The Last Eccentric (Pimlico).

1. Mark Amory's new biography, "Lord Berners: The Last Eccentric," traces the hedonistic and self-indulgent life of Gerald Tyrwhitt and his odd assortment of friends, who included some of the most supremely talented people of upper-class England, but which also comprised a collection of noted homosexuals, freeloaders, parasites, neurotics, and ambitious social climbers with whom he associated throughout his life. They are all here in Amory's biography - Gertrude Stein, the Sitwells, Picasso, Dali, Frederich Ashton, Siegfried Sassoon - and they all helping Gerald avoid boredom. Gerald Tyrwhitt became Lord Berners in 1918 and also became immensely rich. He sets up his estate at Farington, near Oxford, and for the next thirty years he hosts the beautiful and the rich, regaling them all with his eccentricity, practical jokes, and dark, sometimes cruel, humor. Robert Heber Percy, a man almost thirty years younger than Berners, becomes his companion, lives with Berners until the latter's death, and inherits almost everything from him, including the estate and over 214,000 pounds sterling. Of course, biographist Amory goes into the wild happenings at Farington: Berners' dying his pigeons different colors; Berners' inviting birds and his favorite horse into the dayroom for tea; Berners' inviting noted homosexuals like Cecil Beaton, Noel Coward, and Andre Gide for weekends; and Berners's designing a useless "folly" tower, one hundred feet high, partly to annoy the neighbors. During World War II, when Lord Berners became morbidly depressed (old age had closed in on him, his friends were leaving, his world was transformed beyond recognition) he confessed in a letter that for thirty years "I have given myself up to self-indulgence and hedonism." Lord Berners, however, was also a rather talented composer, an author of six novellas and stylish memoirs, and an artist of note. Stravinsky called him the most interesting composer in England, and he maintained close relationships with such creative artists as William Walton, Constance Lambert, Diaghilev, the Sitwells, and Frederich Ashton. Amory is particularly strong in describing Berners' musical career which included a number of ballets, including "The Triumph of Neptune," some light miniatures, and the film score to "Nickolas Nickleby." (His music is well documented on an excellent CD with the Royal Liverpool Orchestra, conducted by Barry Wordsworth.) Amory also examines Lord Berners' literary output. Berners' wrote a series of novellas throughout his life, but the ones he wrote during the 1940's when he was undergoing a nervous breakdown are the most fascinating. The story "Percy Wallingford" metaphorically describes this breakdown. He also includes in his stories characters that are based on his friends, sometimes mischievously, at other times cruelly. Lord Berners was apparently never a pleasant man - what would he have done for friends had he not inherited a fortune? - but his brutal teasing of such men as William Walton is unconscionable. So it is all there in Mark Amory's book, a biography that tells us about the eccentricities of Lord Berners, but never really involves us in his life or reveals who he really was. I thought the style of the writing to be mediocre, the analysis to be interesting but far from profound, and the details to be far from complete. For example, there is little discussion of Berners as a painter, despite his success in showing at galleries and selling his art for astronomical prices. It is, however, a thoroughly adequate portrayal of Berners' life until something better comes along. Since I had read almost all of Berners' fiction and memoirs, and since I am an enthusiast of 20th century British music of which Berners' is a small part, this biography served me well for putting pieces of Berners' life together and providing a chronological outline from which to work.

5 comments about The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire.

1. This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. It led me to appreciate and admire Donald Trump and his family.
   
   Gwenda Blair spins a fascinating account of Trump's grandfather's exploits in the Gold Rush days, then details Trump's dad's rise to mogul status in New York real estate. Trump then builds on that heritage with grand achievements of his own.
   
   It's a remarkable story because the progeny of so many prominent families fail to match, and sometimes even disgrace, their forebears (Paris Hilton, for example). Donald could easily have chosen the life of a spoiled playboy, but that wasn't about to happen when you are a Trump. You see that in Trump's kids. As I recall the oldest ones, like his dad, graduated from the Wharton School of Business. You don't get into that school because your daddy is Donald Trump. You have to have the scholastic credentials.
   
   A lasting image is Fred Trump's Sunday visits to construction sites, with his boy Donald in tow, picking up discarded nails as they walk the project. Then there was Donald's dutiful attendance at a military academy. It was tough going at first, but he had a family obligation to fulfill. He later became a BMOC. Some sons have the spirit knocked out of them by Type A dads, but Fred Trump managed to instill even more drive and ambition in his son.
   
   The book recounts several of Trump's battles to get his projects off the ground. He faced obstacles that would have made quitters out of less persistent entrepreneurs. But The Donald kept plugging away. It wasn't just in pursuit of riches, but to realize his vision.
   
   The author openly lauds The Donald as one of the most positive people on the planet. Yes, Donald was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but we can all learn from his story. You have to hang in there, roll with the punches, and keep fighting.
   
   A biographer has a responsibility to paint a complete picture. Blair doesn't shrink from that. She details, but doesn't dwell on, Trump's womanizing and other scandalous exploits. Overall, the book is an inspiring tribute to the Trumps.



2. At first glance, you might say that "The Trumps" is another well-written biography of the highly successful Trump patriachs. And while
   some of the content is fair and accurate, it is quite obvious that for the most part, the book was written by a third-rate novelist with a
   first-rate agenda. The negative tone she sets of the Trumps, sometimes blaring, others not; and particularly of Donald, is proof that she
   can only envy the great success each has had. She takes every oppurtunity to spin that, without government subsidies, none of these
   would have ever achieved greatness. The book was indeed, an interesting read, but if you can't stand the envious musings of a not-so well
   known author who lives to bash those who have accomplished anything, steer clear. I was able to handle it because I enjoy controversy.
   Throughout the tome, the writer provides misrepresentations of various documented facts, including even mistitling well-known
   executives! Clearly, a segment of the American public does not like "The Donald"; typically because they are phonies who hate all
   successful people. However, unlike this book, Trump's three titles were all #1 bestsellers. There's a reason -- they're better written and
   more exciting! It's time that people like the author of this book realize that Donald Trump is nothing more than a savvy businessman
   playing to the interests of his special niche; the ultra wealthy, just as this book plays to its author's class -- those repulsed by anyone who
   could achieve success independently.



3. The first generation you will read about was never allowed to reach its conclusion, due to an unfortunate early death. The second and third generations of this grandfather, father, and son trio are much longer. The second generation too has recently come to a close after a very long and successful life, in excess of 93 years, and the verdict on the third is still evolving. There is no question where the business acumen was at its greatest, the talent rested with Mr. Fred Trump, the second of the three men, and his story is the one of substance. The grandfather never had a chance to play out what likely would have been a very successful life, but during the time he was a businessman he was creative, bold, and gutsy as any pioneer.

   Donald Trump is certainly the most well known, for marketing himself is a large part of whom he is and what he does. He is a man who can only speak in superlatives about anything he is involved in, even if some grand and prominent project bears his name and little else. The name on a building has very little to do with who owns it, who paid for it, or who made it happen. Donald Trump's primary business is Donald Trump. His flair for promotion and obsession with how he is perceived has become his career. There is no question he has had his successful projects, but the question of would they ever have happened without his father is a legitimate one. And he probably would have had much more success and a much larger fortune had he stuck to the business he knew, developing real estate. He got sidetracked with buying an airline, paying absurd prices for casinos that still are far from trophy properties, and while he may have benefited, the holders of stock and various bond issues have not.

   Fred Trump is the man you would have given your money to and slept soundly at night. He was an astute man of business, he was self-made, and he spent no time promoting who he was. In this manner he was like many other long time major developers in the NYC area that developed massive amounts of real estate and fortunes to match without having any interest in the world knowing what they were worth.

   Forbes Magazine often documents the calls they receive from Donald Trump complaining about where he is listed on their richest people list. This is not something his father or grandfather ever would have contemplated, nor would they brag to anyone listening how they increased their net worth by failing to honor financial commitments. In the end his charismatic style allowed him to get financial institutions so grossly over invested in his view of the world that he could never be allowed to go bankrupt, as the lenders could not afford it.

   His predecessors in the family rate much higher on substance, and the newest Mr. Trump rates highly on style. But for all of the perceived satisfaction he would have the public believes he enjoys, in the end the author portrays a man that craves publicity to the detriment of his personal life. Squiring around beautiful women makes for nice pictures, but he and it and getting a bit old.




4. At first glance, you might say that "The Trumps" is another well-written biography of the highly successful Trump patriachs. And while some of the content is fair and accurate, it is quite obvious that for the most part, the book was written by a third-rate novelist with a first-rate agenda. The negative tone she sets of the Trumps, sometimes blaring, others not; and particularly of Donald, is proof that she can only envy the great success each has had. She takes every oppurtunity to spin that, without government subsidies, none of these would have ever achieved greatness. The book was indeed, an interesting read, but if you can't stand the envious musings of a not-so well known author who lives to bash those who have accomplished anything, steer clear. I was able to handle it because I enjoy controversy. Throughout the tome, the writer provides misrepresentations of various documented facts, including even mistitling well-known executives! Clearly, a segment of the American public does not like "The Donald"; typically because they are phonies who hate all successful people. However, unlike this book, Trump's three titles were all #1 bestsellers. There's a reason -- they're better written and more exciting! It's time that people like the author of this book realize that Donald Trump is nothing more than a savvy businessman playing to the interests of his special niche; the ultra wealthy, just as this book plays to its author's class -- those repulsed by anyone who could achieve success independently.



5. Did you ever wonder how Donald Trump could have been so knowledgable and astute at so young an age. How did he do it? Who taught him? Family that's who. Unbelievably true. Ms Blair's research spans three generations. Friedrich who eventually earned a fortune in Alaska; his son Fred Jr. who made millions from U.S. government housing programs and his grandson, "the Donald" real estate developer and promoter. The book gives us an up close view of Donald Trump's ego, his wives and their role, his survival after near-bankruptcy, his eagerness for publicity and his "midas" touch. The man can close a deal. Well written and fascinating. Once upon a time there was the Rothchilds and the Rockefellers. This era it seems belongs to the Trump Dynasty.

5 comments about Camilla: Her True Story.

1. A woman who broke up the marrige of Princess Diana along with her husband Prince Charles.Who admitted to never loving Diana on a TV special.Charles & Camilla consorted to make Diana appear as Diana would say Looney.Diana dies a suspicious death in paris almost one year to the date of her divorce from charles.Diana sealed her fate when she went on Al Fayed's yacht.The establishment as Diana called the royals said she was a liability to the crown.Diana was & would never be free to live the life she allways wanted.The royals seen to that Diana came up removed by death.So Camilla the Horseface & Charles the Pig got married.Never in a million years would i buy anything from these two people.Give this book a -20 forever?????



2. In response to some who run to the defense of Diana, and regard any other view as gossipy, there are other sides to a story, and the fact was that there were many, many more than three in this marriage, Diana bringing into it an enormous amount of "lovers", starting early in her marriage with her own infidelities, and after reading about every book there is on this triangle, and Diana herself, it is nice to see some authors presenting Charles and Camilla's side to the story in a decent, mature way. Diana used the media to trash this woman for years, not considering what her actions would to do others, while the entire time she was dabbling in numerous adulterous affairs, so in all fairness, it is nice to read a study into the other side of the story, written with compassion to the other players in this scenario, compassion that Diana and her journalists never gave them, while covering her own indiscretions, which were to numerous to imagine. Diana was a master of using the media to put out the story that she wanted a naieve public to believe, and sadly there are too many followers of hers that still will not believe that there is another story to be told, and am glad to see authors that are willing to give us the other side to this story, and if they tend to put Camilla in a good light, perhaps the woman merits some of that, goodness knows she has been trashed enough by Diana and the journalists that she had eating out of her hand!!! Good for Ms. Graham.



3. They met when they were young; now some thirty years later, they are still together, and still very much in love. How long will it take for their love to be fully accepted by the public? This is a great love story, yet Prince Charles and Camilla still deal with slurs and scorn every day. Haven't they earned our respect? In my opinion, they have. How many people do you know who are still so much in love after thirty years? They deserve the fondest and best wishes from everyone. Even Diana, if she were still here, would have agreed, by now.



4. She will justify anything coming from Camilla and Charles, gossiping like Lady Campbell and attribute every single fault to Diana. Where is your moral? Camilla was pestering this couple for all these years, insincere in wanting their best. Why she didn't get a life ? Leave the poor couple to live peacefully? She really stole another woman's husband. I imagine how much Camilla is paying to this wretched author to write this sordid book. Diana should have sent or hire someone to eliminate this bothering woman in the first place. This will put her in her right place. But Diana was decent in just getting out of this sham marriage instead of persisting it despite all the privileges of royal life. She was being far more honest in wanting to terminate it than many women who will stay in this sordid marriage just for the food.



5. This is just an update of an earler Caroline Graham book, The King's Mistress. I dont beleive that the author was being very objective in her treatment of the subject matter. The late princess Diana is not portrayed in a good light, whilst Camilla is seen as just a woman in love. She comes across as so very caring, kind, giving and loving, its a wonder her own ex-husband didn't hold on to her. Overall though, the book is well written and does give some insight into the woman who may or may not be queen.

5 comments about Off the Record: A Reporter Unveils the Celebrity Worlds of Hollywood, Hip-hop, and Sports.

1. The ediors were right when they said the book was superficial but that doesn't me it's not enjoyable. I couldn't put it down.



2. Allison is an excellent writer! I like the way she shared information on the top stars. The information was mostly positive and she kept the audience interest. We all don't have to read negative information about stars to enjoy a great book. In fact, I was more fascinated about the author's early career. Allison wrote about the sentimental side of each star.



3. Enjoyed this book a great deal. It was very well written, and I learned some interesting things about interesting people. Allison you did a great job! E. Gossett



4. Written by Allison Samuels, Newsweek magazine's longtime entertainment reporter, OFF THE RECORD is a compilation of personality profiles of African-American celebrities, including musicians, athletes, actors and other icons. Recommended to anyone interested in pop culture, this book reads like a magazine. Most chapters are relatively short articles that focus on two or three similar personalities, though some chapters are much longer and are dedicated to the exploration of one major cultural icon.
   
   A fearless writer, unafraid to take a jab or two at the mighty and the dangerously sensitive, Samuels uses her 13 years of experience covering the entertainment industry to reveal the surprisingly contradictory personality traits of her subjects. Here you will read about
   
   ∑ How the late rapper Tupac Shakur was transformed from an ambitious, sweet, well-read, former ballet dancer to frightening thug, once he was recruited by record executive, Marion "Suge" Knight;
   
   ∑ How NBA all-star Kobe Bryant immaturely alienated himself from his Lakers teammates and in the process destroyed his own reputation and his relationship with Shaquille O'Neal by foolishly believing he did not need the guidance and advice of NBA veterans;
   
   ∑ How actress Halle Berry offended Whoopi Goldberg when she tearfully accepted her Oscar win for best actress without acknowledging the African-American women who had won before her, including Hattie McDaniel and Goldberg; and
   
   ∑ How Mike Tyson is extraordinarily generous, perhaps because as the author notes it is his way of coping "in a world that had not given him very much in the way of kindness or sympathy."
   
   Plus there are other fascinating profiles of Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington, Dr. Dre, Snopp Dogg, Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby, Ray Lewis, Allen Iverson, Tyra Banks, Lil' Kim, Suge Knight, Coretta Scott King and Malcolm Shabazz.
   
   - Regina McMenamin



5. some interesting tidbits here&there,nothing earth shattering but a good read to have on your book table or something to share some of the qoutes with folks here&there. it's entertaining&is a good read.this Book represents some of the biggest Names of Black Entertainment in various aspects.

5 comments about Becoming Mae West.

1. Way too much attention to "social history" and "cultural commentary" and not enough information on Mae West. It was if the author felt she had to use every bit of historical background she had found - little of which served to move the book forward. I did not feel I got to know Mae West nearly as well as I did the times she was living in - which was not what I wanted from a Mae West biography.



2. I love Mae West but this book bombed. It is informative but so much that it's boring. I never finished it. It has some great photos and if you're doing a term paper on her it's wonderful.



3. This book is one of the most well researched of any Mae West bios in recent years. GREAT photos, and fascinating reading, it uncovers things even the most die-hard fans of Mae West wouldn't know! It delves into the phyche and influences that went into creating Mae West as we came to know her. A highly recommended book.



4. This book gives a sketchy account of her childhood and dwells on the characters she played rather than who she was. I would have preferred more insight to her personal life since that is what made Mae West so interesting.

   An easy book to put down.




5. Emily Wortis Leider has written a biography of Mae West that is more than a rehash of her films and a retelling of her famous lines. Leider writes well and entertainingly and has researched her subject conscientiously. The result is a clearer picture of who Mae West was as a person and how she "became" the character that became her. Leider states her intention early and clearly. While her bio does cover West's entire life, her films and her efforts to remain an icon, Leider is more interested in how the little girl from Brooklyn became a musical soubrette, a vaudeville star, a playwright and stellar star of stage and screen. Along the way we get revealing glimpses into the show business of the early 20th century, America's social attitudes and the personal rebellions that would emerge into movements. Highly recommmeded.