1 comments about Kept Women.

1. This book was absolutely un-put-downable! It was a very sad book to read, at times very difficult to get through because you feel the writer's pain and also the pain of the women whose stories are shared in the book. What's helpful about the way the book is written is that the author gives the psychological reasons for the choices made by the women in the book. It's not a lot of psychological mumbo-jumbo; it's simplified yet very informative. I would highly recommed this book to anyone involved in a situation where your man controls you with money or any other power. Also to anyone who has passed judgement on kept women, there's more to their story than you think.

5 comments about Beautiful Bad Girl: The Vicki Morgan Story.

1. "I know one thing's for sure," Vicki declared. "I'm not staying here anymore. Alfred wants this and Bob wants that. Meanwhile I'm stuck in here (Mental Health Center) with no place to go. To hell with it! I'll check into the L'Ermitage. With what it costs for a suite there, somebody better do something."
   
   
   I finished reading The Vicki Morgan Story last night, and I can only say that I was disappointed. I thought that there would have been more substance and more excitement but no way. I guess having a love for Hollywood stories I cast my expectations a bit too high; no fault of the author of course.
   It is sad that poor Vicki lacked the proper guidance to pull her into adulthood, relying on the pockets of older men and as far as I could see anyone who would give her money,she never worked and counted on her looks to get her by. I cannot fault her if she knew no better but the older men whom she hung withand who desperately wanted her, should never have taken advantage of her for sexual favours and attention.
   May God rest her weary soul.
   Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 06/07/06)



2. Young Vicki Morgan wanted to escape from her working-class surroundings in the Valley. She was exceptionally pretty, shrewd, and had native intelligence. Her charms attracted rich and powerful men who catered to her desires. Yet she became another victim trapped by greed and exploitation. Beauty does not trump class distinctions (p.7). Vicki lived fast and died young. The author compares her to Dorothy Stratten, Colleen Applegate, and Edie Sedgewick. Vicki got close enough to corporate rulers and political leaders. Did she know too much and become a threat to the established order (p.8)? Did Vicki's absent father affect her interest in older men? This book lacks a table of contents and an index.
   
   After Vicki sued Alfred Bloomingdale, the tawdry sex life of this intimate adviser to Ronald Reagan was exposed. The author was introduced to Vicki by a movie producer, and began talks to produce a book. Vicki met Alfred Bloomingdale at 17 and became his kept mistress; she then learned the manners and morals of the upper class. Alfred Bloomingdale was a member of Ronald Reagan's kitchen cabinet. He was a co-founder of Diner's Club; personal information about the lives of the rich and famous were useful to intelligence services (p.41). Alfred Bloomingdale could have been a perfect case study for psychiatrists (pp.66-67). Alfred had the money and power to indulge his whims (p.60). Vicki stayed with him because she needed money to raise her son (p.63). But her spending habits suggest she considered it something to get rid of as fast as she got it (pp.81-82).
   
   Vicki tried living with other men, but always came back to Alfred Bloomingdale. After he died, Vicki was left with nothing but shame and despair (p.87). When Betsy saw Alfred and Vicki together, she ended the affair (pp.110-103). Alfred gave Vicki a settlement. The rest of the book tells of Vicki's continued used of drugs and the ensuing decadence. The last 100 pages are a sort of low-key horror story that lead to Vicki's death. President Reagan appointed Alfred Bloomingdale to the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board; what kind of pay-off was this? Vicki's suit against Betsy created a scandal, and her friends departed. Needing money, Vicki took in Marvin Pancoast to pay expenses. But she had been warned against him! One night Marvin turned on Vicki and killed her. This book could serve as a warning to teenagers, but those who could benefit probably won't read it.



3. This is absolutely one of the wildest biographies I have ever read. If it wasn't true it would make great fiction, right up there with the sexy potboilers and confessionals I so love to read. This is the story of Vicki Morgan, longtime mistress to Alfred Bloomingdale, and the loved they shared, a strange and crazy kind of love that would lead to their mutual destruction. Here he was, scion of Bloomingdales Department Store, industrial magnate and member of Ronald Reagan's kitchen cabinet; and here she was a naive but gorgeous small town girl come to the big city.

   This book has an epic sweep as Vicki Morgan, in a vain attempt to escape the married Bloomingdale, encounters a series of adventures with some of the world's most wealthy and powerful men. And women. It is not a tale for the faint hearted, but there are strong moral lessons--mainly there is a steep price for the glamour and the money men give for sexual favors.

   The story is told from the author's point of view. He spent nine months with Vicki Morgan and was one of the last people to see her alive. The author, Gordon Basichis, gives us intimate insight into the making of a wordly rich girl who knows how to manipulate men for money, only to be trapped in the game she has profited by for so many years. Through the seventies and into the eighties she was getting at least a quarter millon dollars from these different lovers.

   It's rare that I find a book so compelling. I love how the story describes the high life of power and money while showing, also, how this glitzy path leads to destruction and, in this case, murder. This was truly one of a kind.




4. Power, Sex and Money
   I was totally caught up in this true tale of a naive and beautiful young woman, trapped in a world where power, sex and money reign. As the mistress to Alfred Bloomingdale, the department store heir and member of the kitchen cabinet, Vicki Morgan lived a life that few can imagine...a wild and ultimately tragic journey that ended in her brutal murder. What I loved about this book was its unwillingness to rely on predictable cliche. The author's insight sheds new light on a very old subject -- sex and power. The writing is personal, intimate, at times humorous and always engaging. If this book were published today, it would be a bestseller



5. this book was very moving. the story of a mistress, who never can seem to find her way, but found love in a married man. the author got to knew vicki before her murder and this gives us great insight into her thoughts and feelings. i highly recommend this book, a great read from beginning to end.

3 comments about Jack and Bobby.

1. the books is set up of photographies of the kennedy brothers, there is a lot of rares photos of the greetest men in the american history.
   I suggest to all the kennedy fans to buy it.



2. It is impossible to write about Robert Kennedy without including his brother, John Kennedy. Robert Kennedy was the brother who exemplified fraternal loyalty in his tireless efforts to promote Jack and to serve him during his tenure as president. Robert Kennedy was the man who, to some extent worked behind the scenes to promote his older brother. It has been said that a more devoted or more dedicated show of brotherly love in public office has yet to be found.

   The one down side to Robert Kennedy's efforts is that he often sublimated his own identity, interests and needs so as to promote his brother. It is only in the tragic aftermath of President Kennedy's death does Robert Kennedy fully emerge as his own person. The same hard work ethic he applied behind the scenes is shown to the public at large. Robert Kennedy does indeed find his voice and his forte, which is commanding the interest and attention of his public. The man who would be president in 1968 becomes a symbol of hope -- he is the voice representing the disenfranchised, the minorities and those living in poverty. He is the man who becomes personally involved with a large segment of the population that had, up until recent history been excluded from many public fora. It is to Robert Kennedy's credit that he makes himself aware of such issues. Indeed, this book treats the brothers with respect and as with any work about Robert Kennedy, one is always left with the question of what would have been had this man lived to be elected president in 1968.




3. Jack and Bobby by Tom Murphy (published by Metro Books), is a photographic portrait of two brothers who have left their indelible mark on history. Filled with pages of captioned black and white photographs, this book offers an insight into the lives of the Kennedys through Jack and Bobby's political lives, their families, and their pain. It covers the men from their childhood through the death of Robert F. Kennedy. I recommend this book to any reader interested in the Kennedy family and their standing in United States history.

2 comments about Big Girls Don't Cry: The Wild and Wicked World of Paula Yates' Mother.

1. Quite disturbing book, written very badly & with a total lack of insight. No wonder Paula had problems, with parents like these! One big self obsessed rant, & the explanation for not being aware who was Paula's father is ridiculous. Do not waste your money.



2. if helen says hughie is not paulas father and she thinks she was raped by him while being drugged by jess,why does she have his photo in her book next to jess yates and paula ????? never known anyone have a picture of their so called rapist on display.......................

5 comments about American Rhapsody.

1. This book is as unique and entertaining as an 8 course meal served by a team of strippers in a library.
   
   I like Bill Clinton MORE after reading this book and suspect that he is privately a Joe Eszterhas fan. And why not? Joe Eszterhas has more closet fans than any modern American writer.
   
   No closet for me, thanks. Joe rules.
   
   And a P.S. to Bill... America didn't hold the knobber against you. It's just that after JFK and Marilyn, we have pretty high standards. No hoggin' in the oval office, bro. If it had been Charlize Theron we would all have high fived you. Even Hillary would have understood.
   
   :)



2. Eszterhas the book writer is more intriguing and ideosyncratic than Eszterhas the screen writer. Be prepared for a 60's counter culture apologia pro vita sua with interesting detours (such as a tribute to Barry Goldwater).
   
   The book is ultimately a tour of America the Horny across the life span of baby boomers. "Life span" is the proper term, since there is raunch enough for a lifetime. The organizing principle is that Bill Clinton is the avatar for the sexual acting out of the rock and roll lifestyle. Clinton is not particularly revered here, although Hilary is portrayed as so cold (and maybe gay) that Bill had little choice.
   
   There is a lot of malicious gossip here, but some is true. The challenge is distinguishing between gossip that is malicious and that which is false and malicious.
   
   For all the astoundingly diverse sexual activity described, there is a clinical detachment. Eszterhas uses few words (save when quoting others) that the New York Times would not print.
   
   Eszterhas narrates lots of the book and is not an especially skilled reader-- although the ring of authenticity he gives keeps it from being annoying. Ed Asner is a fine reader.
   
   Be prepared for Eszterhas's substantial ego.



3. I tend to vote Republican but refuse to align myself with the Right Wing or Moral Majority. I'm the guy in the middle that the candidates are really after. I say that as any review on this book should be tempered by the politics of the reader. JE is an avowed Democrat with socialist leanings. Read his most recent book "American Animal" to verify this. So it was surprising as I read the first third of this book that after an initial bow to Clinton as the Rock & Roll Prez, one of "us", he then seems to chastise him for his fatal flaws. This part of the book is interesting, engaging, but also somewhat repetitive. I still couldn't wait to read it my allotted hour a night.

   But there is only so much you can talk about this subject and JE rambles on and on until he finally manages to really offend me. How? Well, I just finished his most recent book, "American Animal" an autobiography which I immensely enjoyed. Full of Hollywood stories. But reading this, I see that JE has included many of the stories I enjoyed from his autobiography in this political commentary/fantasy. So is he a writer with a message or is he just repeating his few stories to make a buck?

   I don't know what to make of this book, thus my title. Did I enjoy some parts? Yes. Are there some interesting stories? Yes. But there is a lot of waste. It's like wandering thru a jungle with a machete looking for your trail. When you find it, it's worth the work. So maybe the only item I can add of interest came from reading this with some years of aging. JE takes on Arianna Huffington who he spends quite a bit of time describing her history to show what a bad person she is and how she climbed to the top while stepping on other people's faces. But would JE have included these chapters in this form if he had known that within a few years she would shift sides and now disavow her right wing leanings? I think not.

   This is not a great book. But if you enjoy reading, maybe you will enjoy it.




4. This is the truth! I never read any other of these exposes and during the majority of the media coverage of the episode that led to Clinton's impeachment- I switched to the animal planet. After reading some reviews on Amazon, I bought this book and I'm glad I did. "The Comeback Kid" takes plenty of flack from the author, but Eszterhas spares none. I like the names: The Big Kielbasa- Wilt Chamberlain, "The Bag Lady of Sleaze"- Lucienne Goldberg, the lady who got the story into the media,"Hilla the Hun," "The Night Creature"- Nixon- "The Manchurian Candidate"- McCain- "The Rat Woman,"- Linda Tripp, it goes on to the current president named, "The Crown Prince." The coarsest individual does have the funniest lines, i.e. LBJ- too much to repeat here. The few who seem to get off lightly, like Monica, and believe it or not- Barry Goldwater and Newsweek Magazine who had the story and never printed it.
   Perhaps the most effective and distressing part of the book is when Eszterhas does a mini retrospective of all the things we didn't want to know,but did over the years, here are a few: Sen. Harkin blowing his nose on CNN without a handkerchief, Bush Sr. throwing up in China, Buchanon saying "Congress is an Israeli occupied territory," Bob Dylan and Elizabeth T., LBJ turning to the side and taking a whizz at an outdoor press conference, Nixon and Kissinger kneeling together and praying, Spiro Agnew, "If you've seen one city slum you've seen them all," Michael Jackson and his chimp, David Bowie and Mick Jagger. (?)

   Eszterhas obviously knows more and remembers more than is probably good for him, but his prose is stunning as is the manner by which he weaves the book together- even with some fiction. The author was the screenwriter for Fatal Attraction and had a relationship with Sharon Stone- who also takes some upper cuts and was rumored to have been intimate with Clinton as well. I definitely recommend reading this- for the humor and frankly, The gossip is completely consuming.




5. What a memorable and highly rewarding read. This book is much more than the sum of it's salacious and often repugnant contents; it's also a lecture on morality and a history lesson as well. I don't see how someone who reads this book can be derisive regarding the interlacing of fiction or the sheer amount of sordid detail. Given Eszerhas' talent for script writing and keen interest for the underbelly of the American society, how his book is put together should be no surprise. It's certainly not a novel or a bucket of heresay poo.
   I am one who is generally both revolted and amused by the tabloids, and shows like Entertainment Television. But I could not put this book down. The book is informative and revealing, and I found myself lauging out loud and cringing, often while reading the same paragraph. I particularly enjoyed the moments where Eszterhas reflects on his own life; it's probably the most engaging aspect of the book. Expecting to find a smutty and over the top tell-all, I found something rich in intelligent, values-based writing.

No comments about Bombay to Bloomsbury: A Biography of the Strachey Family.

1 comments about My Golden Spoon: Memoirs of a Capital Lady.

1. Who would think a book of long-ago political figures could be so interesting. Chocked full of behind-the-scenes, in-depth portrayals of past presidents, ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, family and friends. Gives an excellent window on the political scene and how with "one hand washing the other", the work of government is accomplished. Well Done!

5 comments about The Celebrity Address Directory & Autograph Collector's Guide with 30,000 Entries.

1. I received my copy of the January issue of Autograph Collector Magazine and read the review on "The Address Directory & Autograph Collector's Guide" (which I own and use a lot). It received rave reviews as "refreshing, rich in data and this book will keep autograph collectors busy for a long time." Since I have used this book I have been getting better than average responses.



2. I live in a small town in North Dakota and writing to celebrities is the only way I have to contact them. I have used the "The Celebrity Address Directory" and I am getting fantastic results. I had a couple of return to sender and used the satisfaction guarantee form in the back of the book. I got answers to my requests right away. I contacted the publisher by e-mail and the publisher had the new addresses within minutes! I will stay with this book forever, it is the only one I will ever need.



3. I like the way this book gives background information on celebrities. I can always use some useful facts about celebrities when I write to them. I use the celebrity birthday list a lot. It is a good way to break the ice in writing to a celebrity. I usually write to all the celebrities that have the same birthday as me. Other times I just write to the celebrity wishing them a happy birthday. I have had good success this way. Some of the celebrities that have replied to me are Mohammed Ali, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton and Ron Howard.



4. When I received my copy of this book I was surprised. It has many top name celebrities and a lot more! I like the lists he has in this book - celebrity birthdays, celebrity charities, celebrity hobbies, top paid entertainers, Rock' Roll Hall of Famers, Nobel Prize winners, places to get in person autographs and via venues -places to send a request where a celebrity is performing. I haven't seen these features in any other celebrity book. Got to go, I have letters to write.



5. I just heard that this book received the No. 1 rating from Autograph Magazine, Congratulations!

5 comments about The Way We Were: Remembering Diana.

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Madison Avenue Maxi.

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



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



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



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



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