Amazon.com
The Dirty Girls Social Club closely resembles Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale: a handful of young women seek real love and job satisfaction. Unlike McMillan, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez has completely thrown out any literary pretensions whatsoever, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Dirty Girls is a fun, easy, ultimately charming read, not least because the girls themselves are so appealing. Six Latina women become fast friends at Boston University and thereafter meet as a group every few months. Now in their late twenties, they're each on the cusp of the life they want. The novel is narrated in turn by each woman. Feisty Lauren has a column at the Boston Globe, but can't help falling for losers; ghetto-elegant Usnavys is trying to find a man to match her own earning power and expensive tastes; uptight Rebecca is a successful magazine publisher and an unsuccessful wife; beautiful TV anchor Elizabeth has a secret; Sara leads a Martha-Stewart-perfect life as a homemaker; and Amber is a hopeful rock musician in L.A.
The novel works because Valdes-Rodriguez has compassion for her characters; each is faulted, but none is culpable. She also has an eye for the telling detail, as when Rebecca tries to befriend her white husband's stuffy family: "His sister took step classes with me and we shopped for clothes together on Newbury Street and went to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum one afternoon with Au Bon Pain sandwiches in our handbags." Something about those sandwiches makes the whole enterprise seem more poignant. On the down side, Valdes-Rodriguez is so eager to make things work out for her ladies, her writing sometimes beggars belief. Men actually say things like "Swear to me you're happily married, and I'll stop pursuing you." Yes, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is, in fact, the Latina Terry McMillan. That is, if McMillan were a slighty guiltier pleasure. --Claire Dederer
Book Description
In this irrepressible, can't-put-it-down novel of six friends-each one an unforgettable woman in her late twenties-you'll meet:--Lauren, the "caliente" columnist for the local Boston paper whose love live has recently led her to her boyfriend's closet...to catch him in the act with someone else--Sara, the perfect wife and mother who's got it all but who is paying a high price--Amber, raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish but who is becoming a huge rock en espanol star--Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose TV anchor job conflicts with her intensely private personal life--Rebecca, hyper-in-command in the world of her glossy magazine, Ella, but totally at sea when it comes to men--Usnavys, fabulous and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolos almost prevents her finding true love
Customer Reviews:
Women's Fiction / Dirty Girls? Pigeons and Doves.......2007-09-21
This was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed entering the Latina world of the six Suisas and felt welcomed there--as though it were the author's intention to give the reader a group of girlfriends for the duration of the read. I use the term "read" rather than "story," because there wasn't much of one. A lot happens. There are dramatic events such as the outing of a gay news anchor, a severe wife beating and murder, a struggling performance artist hitting the big time, break-ups, marriages . . . pretty much anything and everything that can happen in a lifetime. But in spite of this, there wasn't a clear story I could sink my teeth into. It was fully character-driven, with Lauren the newspaper columnist heading each first-person, character-focused chapter, but the characters weren't entirely likeable. And in spite of their bi-annual meetings and history together at Boston College--even their professed love for one another--I didn't buy it. I didn't believe they liked one another all that much.
As for their men? One had to read very closely to find a likeable man. The individual relationships with men were focused upon more than the Suisas relationships with one another.
Luckily I read Spanish fairly well and many of the passages/communications/slang/flavor of the characters were not lost on me. (Translations don't accompany each sentence or phrase en Español.) Still, I don't think knowledge of Spanish is an absolute requirement to read or enjoy this book. It's a good effort and can certainly be dubbed a crossover book to attract women's fiction or chick-lit readers of all nationalities. Three-and-a-half stars.
From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.
very funny...couldn't put it down.......2007-02-09
El mejor libro que aya escrito la autora. Hacian falta libros haci que uno relaciona con su cultura. Bien por Alisa, estoy loca que escriba otro libro.
O K but not great. .......2007-01-29
I think the book was ok, but it wasn't a great read. Like many have said, something you can read on a rainy day, or a on a Sunday with some ice cream. I did notice that there were a few inconsistencies in the book, and all the Latina Spanglish jargon got to me. It was overboard, and unrealistic. My favorite character was Lauren, probably because she was more real, and not so composed. Amber was my second favorite.
Latina Waiting to Exhale...sort of.......2007-01-28
Lauren, Sara, Elizabeth, Usnavys, Amber, and Rebecca are six college friends that initially bonded because they are all of various Latina decent. Some are white, some black, and some in the middle of the color spectrum, and all have widely differing backgrounds and upbringing. But since college they have been the best of friends always making time for another suica - or dirty girl. Each also have their individual triumphs and failures that they share, either in whole or in part, as a part of their close friendship. These issues range from professional to romantic, each with their own highs and lows. This novel, with each chapter told from the perspective of one of the suicas, captures the emotions of the individuals that comprise this close group of friends.
Unfortunately, the story just did not flow in this book. Chapters with changing narrators can work extremely well to tell the same story in different ways, but here it seemed choppy and disjointed. The characters were believable in their perspectives on life, but were sometimes too whiny to be liked. Of course the story ends with happiness for everyone all wrapped up with a bow on top, but getting there was dull at times. Overall, it was a brainless beachy read or perfect for a rainy day indoors.
Perfect book for girls!.......2006-11-25
This book is amazing. You laugh and cry thoughtout the entire book. It helps if you are Hispanic and understand Spanish. This is by far one of the best books I have ever read.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Thomson Gale on May 18, 2003. The length of the article is 1542 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: A Dirty Girl hits the bestseller list: Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: getting a first novel published is increasingly difficult in today's crowded literary scene. Getting a first novel published with a half million dollar advance and landing a spot on the New York Times Best Seller list, all in one short year, is impossible. Impossible for everyone but Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez and her Dirty Girls Social Club, that is.(Entrevista)
Publication:
Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 18, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 9
Issue: 533
Page: S2(2)
Article Type: Entrevista
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
When being a susia is a good thing!.......2007-08-27
This book has all the great aspects of a superb novel. It has funny, serious, insightful parts, with excellent connections between characters and points of view. If I were a writer I wish I could write like this.
You've GOT TO READ THIS!
Book Description
Punch is a beautiful man in his forties, slowly dying from alcohol abuse and diabetes. Juliette is his adoring girlfriend, willing to do absolutely anything for him. Together they have made a twisted pact: to live a wild life in Key West, collecting material for the book Punch is compelled to write before they end it all a year later.
Punch and Juliette's craziness quickly accelerates. She flashes at strangers; he pretends to be blind in public; they break into Hemingway's house to have sex. But the games quickly turn dangerous when a guard at the house interrupts them and dies in the assault. Way out of her depth, Juliette has to decide whether she'll keep her part of the pact. The inventor of white-trash noir, Hendricks has updated Bonnie and Clyde for the 21st century.
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Vicki Hendicks is the author of Iguana Love, Miami Purity and Sky Blues. An extreme sports enthusiast, she lives in Hollywood, Florida
Also available by Vicki Hendricks
Iguana Love
TC $23.00, 1-85242-590-3
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Customer Reviews:
excellent.......2004-01-09
I have to admit I wasn't counting on much when I picked it up, but it is a great book. It pulls you through really quickly, and the ending is very satisfying. It is quirky and fun, and it seems to be very reflective of the real Key West. I recommend it highly.
One of Hendicks's best!.......2003-12-09
This novel has a relentless bleakness to it that reminds me of David Goodis's best work. It's a sort of Bonny and Clyde for the new millenium, with plenty of Hendricks' great ertoica sequences. Maybe it's because of the vivid restaurant scenes, but the book also reminded me of Choke by Chuck Palahniuk....Highly recommend this fast, highly entertaining read, as well as Hendricks' noir classic, Miami Purity.
Jason Starr, author of Twisted City, etc
An NC-17 Noir Classic.......2003-04-18
Voluntary Madness is a loosley updated and modern Bonnie and Clyde story taking place on the Florida Keys. This is a masterfully written novel, a noir erotica classic! The writing is tough, gritty, graphic, and leaves you disoriented. This is one of those books you can't put down, and it takes you on one hell of a ride. And if it's ever made into a movie (and it should be!) Brittany Murphy would be ideal to star in it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves either noir or crime fiction.
-Dave Zeltserman, author of In His Shadow
Us against the world, babycakes!.......2001-11-02
I couldn't believe I actually cried through the last 3 chapters of the book! Ah, the bitter sweetness of true love. The characters were so unapologetically dysfunctional that it made the story that much more real and that much more beautiful. Hendricks makes you feel like you're watching a homemade video of a real-life couple's tragic story.
Tart Noir at its Best.......2000-12-11
Sexy, gritty and raw, yet at the same time intelligent and touching, VOLUNTARY MADNESS proves Vicki Hendricks is the queen of noir. The novel is the story of young Juliette and her relationships with the characters around her - especially her drunken, would-be novelist boyfriend Punch. Their plan is to defy the futility of the world by "living wild" in Key West, Florida for a year until their money runs out at which time they will unite in a spectacular, public double suicide. This is a hardboiled book, with vivid, tough prose and crime elements that build as the tale progresses, but the genius of the story is the novel's struggle to differentiate between art and life, and the conflict inherent when these terms become mutually exclusive. A quick and frank read with the ability to cull weak readers from literary herd.
Average customer rating:
- Classic American literature
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The Shadow and the Golden Master
Walter Brown Gibson
Manufacturer: Mysterious Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
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General
| Mystery & Thrillers
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General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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General
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| World Literature
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The Shadow: Jade Dragon & House of Ghosts
ASIN: 0892960736 |
Customer Reviews:
Classic American literature.......2004-07-29
This fantastic book is a compilation of two original 1939 Shadow novels! In the first story, The Golden Master, the Shadow finds himself locked in battle with the greatest threat that he has ever faced - Shiwan Khan, the last descendent of Genghis Khan, and possessor of powers greater than those of the Shadow! In the second story, the Shadow learns that Shiwan Khan is not dead, but has returned with an even more deadly scheme.
My father used to talk about listening to The Shadow on the radio when he was a kid, and I was thrilled to be able to hear it myself. Now, after some serious searching, I have been able to read some original Shadow pulp novels. Written when Walter Gibson was at his height, these stories are fascinating and well written. As an added bonus, this book contains some original illustrations and even advertisements from the stories original publication! If you are a fan of The Shadow, then you should read this book. I give it two thumbs up, WAY up!
By the way, if you recognize the name Shiwan Khan from the 1994 movie, The Shadow, don't worry, these novels are much better than the story of the movie, and will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Book Description
Better Training for Distance Runners provides a prescription for success for today's competitive distance runners and their coaches. The book combines cutting edge research, sound training principles, and proven program strategies to improve performance in events ranging from the 800-meters to the marathon.
In this comprehensive book on the art and science of distance running, Dr. David Martin and Peter Coe explain how to
• accurately assess running fitness, • gauge training intensity, • adjust training loads to achieve peak readiness for competition, • determine the most effective racing strategy for each event, and • stay healthy throughout a running career.
Better Training for Distance Runners translates today's science into a practical plan for top performance. It is an essential part of any serious distance runner's or coach's library.
Customer Reviews:
For the Serious Runner.......2007-04-21
If you are a serious runner, this book is for you. It is a very detailed and contains alot of great training ideas for the more serious endurance runner.
Masterful Presentation of Running as Science and Art.......2006-12-13
I have read dozens of books about training for the distance runner. This book and Jack Daniel's Running Formula are, by far, the two best books for the serious coach or distance runner. I believe they complement each other and reading BTDR after Daniel's Running Formula helped clarify some of the points made in the Daniel's book. After years of running at a highly competitive level and coaching, I really felt like I understood, for the first time, exactly how to design an individualized workout plan for an entire year or racing season with complete confidence.
While the first four chapters are not for the feint of heart (especially chapters 3 and 4), they are well worth the effort. Even if you choose not to read one or more of these chapters, the remaining chapters of BTDR can be read on a standalone basis. Chapters 5 - 8 are filled with clear, comprehensive and practical training advice. These chapters do an excellent job of bringing theory and practice together.
I also liked the way Martin and Coe drew on the training practices and running styles of various famous runners and coaches from Paavo Nurmi to Arthyr Llydiard to Haile Gebrselassie. (Of course, Seb Coe's training methods are discussed quite extensively since Peter Coe was both father and coach... and Seb was the best middle distance runner of his time.)
BTDR also deftly combines a discussion of the art and science of running. If you are a serious runner, this book will likely convince you to periodically take your runners or yourself to a human performance lab to receive periodic testing.
The only significant omission from BTDR was a more complete discussion of the effects of altitude training. They don't discuss the benefits of the "living high/training low" (sleeping or living in an hypoxic environment and training at or near sea level). Because the book was revised in 1991, I imagine most of the scientific data on this subject was not available at that time. This discussion would be helpful in their discussion of how to increase hemoglobin and hematocrit.
I wish they would update this book one more time to cover some of the scientific advances over the past 15 years.
Platitudes and Biology.......2004-08-30
I love running and I love books about running. I have degrees in the sciences and am a self-confessed nerd, having read about fifty books on training how to run. Of all of these, I found *Better Training for Distance Runners* to be the most frustrating.
There is a degree of scientific complexity matched only by Noakes book *Lore of Running.* Unlike Noakes' book, this one never delivers after slogging through the detailed account of running physiology. There are some isolated bits of information, but the book lacks an integrated perspective on training.
For example, Jack Daniels' book *Daniels' Running Formula* provides a step-by-step development of a training regiment that can be adapted for any competitive runner. In this book, after reading through detailed chapters on physiology I came to the chapter on putting together a training schedule. With great expectation I began to read--only to be severely disappointed. The chapter contained scattered accounts of different types of training, no direction about how much or when such training would be advised, and no guide to practical implementation. Coe's comments often seem to be platitudes or simply recalling what his son did in workouts. I'm not sure the authors really understand the cause and effect relationship between various aspects of training and the resultant changes in running performance.
I guess that this book might be helpful for experts who already know everything about training and can benefit from some of the biological insights. Not being one of those, I found the book both difficult and vague, resulting in a high cost of reading with very low payoff.
Incomprehensible.......2004-02-09
Gibberish disguised as science. Get Noakes' Lore of Running if you want sensible speculation based on science.
Excellent despite its flaws.......2003-11-17
This book is tailored toward a small group of people, namely very serious competitive runners who plan to manage a successful running career. It is not for the weekend warrior who runs to lose weight, someone trying to run their first marathon, or attention deficit high school students who get discouraged because of the vast scientific knowledge contained in this book. It is a thoroughly researched, brilliantly done, scientifically based work that is probably the most complete book on competitive running ever compiled. I especially loved the fact of the 800m race being included in the strategy section, as a serious 800/1600m athlete is often left without advice on how to run the half, one of the most challenging yet neglected distance events. If you are serious, OR if you are mainly a 800m and 1600m runner as I am, then buy this book, otherwise purchase the Daniels Running Formula, the other `best' running book ever written.
Average customer rating:
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Indian Cooking for Family and Friends
Meena Pathak
Manufacturer: New Holland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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ASIN: 1843308258 |
Book Description
Come home with Meena Pathak, the creative force behind Patak’s, the world’s most popular brand of Indian food. Her delicious and well-illustrated follow-up to Flavors of India features 100 recipes for authentic dishes she would prepare in her own kitchen, for family and friends. These simple, healthy, and delectable creations—made from readily available ingredients—dispel the myth that Indian cuisine is only about rich curries and complicated spices. With chapters on quick fixes, fast family meals, entertaining, and special occasions, Meena makes the cooking easy. The meals range from Spicy French Toast to Bombay Mixed Vegetable Sandwich to elaborate Smoked Lamb with Nutty Barfi. All the basics are covered, including storing and preparing spices, time-saving ideas, and cooking techniques.
Customer Reviews:
the gamble didn't pay off.......2007-07-25
i was hoping this would be a collection of wonderful photos and histories of interesting, historically or artistically impressive quilts.
it's not.
this is actually a catalogue of quilts sold by a major quilt organization in the 1980s. not surprisingly, there are a lot of 'new' quilts: many from the 80s.
only a small number of the quilts pictured are 19th century.
which brings up the pictures: not large (too many to a page), not detailed, not clear.
some out of print quilt books are worth buying. this isn't one of them.
Book Description
Even if your home’s decor hasn’t changed since 1976, you can refresh, revamp, and revitalize it at the holidays with just a few simple strokes. Unlike regular decorating – where you agonize over paint colors, upholstery choices, and furniture styles – holiday decorating is easy. Holidays provide a set theme; a color palette; and merchandise and motifs that are usually mass-manufactured, so you can purchase and decorate when you’re ready.
You may be feeling intimidated about decorating for the holidays, or you may be ready to dive right in. No matter what level of decorator you may be, Holiday Decorating For Dummies shows you tricks that you may not already know. This guide is for you if:
- You need easy, affordable ideas to fill your house with holiday cheer
- You have no idea where to start and just need some ideas to get you going.
- You already have a huge collection of your own holiday stash and need to get organized before acquiring more
- You love to celebrate very special occasions: an anniversary, a special birthday, a warm welcome home
A flair for decorating isn’t necessarily inherited. Armed with clear explanations of how you can achieve beautiful yet practical holiday decorating, planning tips and tricks, crafting basics, care and cleaning tips, storage solutions, and more, you can decorate like a pro. Holiday Decorating For Dummies helps you gain that skill with topics such as:
- Discovering tabletop decorating basics
- Budgeting time, money, and space
- Getting organized
- Caring for your decorations
- Knowing where to go for ideas and inspiration
- Celebrating Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving
- Decorating for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Jewish holidays
- Embellishing the exterior of your home
- Getting crafty with paper, florals, fabric, beads, and embossing
- Creating luminaries and etched-glass projects
Part decorating guide, part stylist guide, and part craft instruction book, Holiday Decorating For Dummies helps you access the knowledge you need to create beautiful homes and great gatherings that will provide a warm welcome for family and friends.
Average customer rating:
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Egon Schiele: Painting, Watercolors and Drawings
Manufacturer: Moyer Bell Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Schiele, Egon
| ( S-U )
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0918825024 |
Average customer rating:
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Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele: Zeichnungen und Aquarelle : 1. September bis 14. Oktober 1984, Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
Serge Sabarsky
Manufacturer: G. Mazzotta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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Kokoschka, Oskar
| ( J-L )
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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General
| Arts & Photography
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German
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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Arts & Photography
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
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Nonfiction
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
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All German Books
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 8820205866 |
Average customer rating:
- A fine primer for magazine writers
- Zehme is a writer for all readers!
- Not Very Intimate
- Great Collection
- Simply the best
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Intimate Strangers: Comic Profiles and Indiscretions of the Very Famous
Bill Zehme
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Humor
| Movies
| Music
| Performing Arts
| Pop Culture
| Puzzles & Games
| Radio
| Sheet Music & Scores
| Television
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
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ASIN: 0385333749
Release Date: 2002-11-26 |
Book Description
Schwarzenegger intimidates.
Sharon Stone strips.
Leno and Letterman duel.
In twenty years of raw and raucous celebrity profiles
Irreverently bold journalist Bill Zehme has long been celebrated for his ability to get under the skins of our most elusive icons, from the evasive Warren Beatty to the ever-unpredictable Madonna to the much misunderstood Barry Manilow. Now his most provocative work is collected for the first time, with over twenty-five landmark profiles, including Frank Sinatra, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, Liberace, Howard Stern, Eddie Murphy, and Woody Allen.
Zehme witnesses Hugh Hefner withstanding the single blow that never entered into an adolescent boy’s dreams--losing his fantasy woman. He gets a nude massage with Sharon Stone, and an earful about men, sex, and the shotgun she keeps under her bed. Included, too, is Zehme’s exclusive firsthand coverage of David Letterman and Jay Leno, before and throughout their late-night feud. Here is entertainment history through the eyes of a man the Chicago Tribune called “one of the most successful and prolific magazine writers in the country.”
Hilarious, endearing, and wickedly insightful,
Intimate Strangers captures the business of celebrity for what it is: a big, lusty, star-crossed love affair between our icons and ourselves.
Customer Reviews:
A fine primer for magazine writers.......2003-11-17
Bill Zehme, one of the premier magazine writers of this era, is at his best in this compilation of pieces from Esquire, Rolling Stone, Playboy and other publications.
The book gets off to an ideal start with a 1996 Esquire piece on Frank Sinatra. Zehme's portrait of The Chairman of the Board as a wise old man who wants to impart his knowledge to future generations is never pretentious for a second, as Zehme keeps us mindful of the man's swagger, and the validity of many of his insights.
A 1998 look at Hugh Hefner is nice, touching just enough on his vulnerability without trying to make us feel sorry for someone who has lived out the fantasies of most American men.
A Rolling Stone article on Arnold Schwarzenegger from 1991 might be the strongest in the book, taking note of the actor's impact on other males within the context of the "Iron John" movement that had gained so much notoriety at the time, but doing it in a way that makes fun of the basic absurdity of his image.
Another standout is a 1989 Rolling Stone profile of Eddie Murphy, which reads to some degree like an extension of Murphy's rants from his concert film "Raw." Most of the piece is done as a Q&A, as Zehme is aware that the candidness and charisma of his subject lend itself to that kind of treatment.
The material on the Jay Leno-David Letterman feud is, for all intents and purposes, the denouement of the collection, and it's welcome here as the definitive portrait of both men, and the issues involved in Letterman's defection to CBS, outside of Bill Carter's "The Late Shift."
For journalists, as Cameron Crowe points out in his foreword, the mere study of Zehme's leads is rewarding enough. To grab a reader's attention in that first graf without promising something you can't deliver, or failing to flag something the reader should be sure to look for, is most definitely an art, one that many journalists never master.
Zehme is also a wizard of context and perspective. Where is the celebrity in his or her career? What are the trends going on in the larger culture that this person is taking advantage of or becoming marginalized by? Is the subject playing a lot of games during the interview itself, putting on a performance that has someting to do with his or her essential appeal? These questions are always asked, and answered for us in a way that is never obvious or pedantic.
In summary, this is great magazine writing, easily worthy of study in graduate journalism programs -- and yet lots of fun for the casual reader.
Zehme is a writer for all readers!.......2003-06-07
In a profession that typically spends its time doing PR for the next "hit," Zehme has managed to create his own style filled with a simple candor and a wry humor that supercedes the typical celebrity drivel. Whether it be actors, musicians or talk show hosts, Zehme offers great insight into not only the characters themselves, but also into the ever-humbling plague of the writers who follow them. Unabashedly observant, always charming, this is a collection for anyone who reads, but especially those who think people, and celebrities in particular, are just plain funny.
Not Very Intimate.......2003-02-22
Was slightly disappointed in this collection of old magazine articles that try to delve in to the personal life of several famous celebrities. Most of the articles were written over 10 years ago! Also, the last 25% of the book consists of rehashed articles on the Letterman/Leno feud.
On the flip side, Zehme's writing is concise and the book zips along. covering 15-20 celebrities ranging from Howard Stern to Barry Manilow.
Still, Zehme seems to be holding back the good stuff for himself, perhaps that's why he seems so accessible to the stars.
Great Collection.......2003-01-08
This is one helluva package, journalistically speaking. Got it for Christmas from a pal and read it over the holidays. Showbiz writing usually eats it, but Zehme's work, much to my delight, doesn't eat it at all. Not even a tiny bit. In comedy slang, it kills. These pieces aren't simply written, they're meticulously crafted, surprisingly insightful and packed with intimate, often hilarious details. Sinatra, Beatty and Manilow are especially great. And Seinfeld, too. And Letterman. And Hef. Hell, they're all worth reading. Zehme even makes Heather Graham interesting, and that's nothing short of miraculous. Snap this one up right away!
Simply the best.......2002-12-20
Zehme is the kind of writer who inspires other writers to boldly break new ground in their own work -- or to simply give up, get jobs in the food service industry, and spend their lunch breaks puzzling over how he does it. Intimate Strangers (very clever title), is a primer's primer in both style and substance, not to mention as real as it gets when writing about cultural icons. Zehme takes his work seriously, his subjects not seriously at all, and manages to make each piece seriously funny because there is never a crack in his conceit that these people merit the serious treatment they would give themselves, if only they could write the stories as well as be the subjects. Zehme punctures and lacerates and shows you the cracks in their pancake makeup with a verbal dexterity that would, to mix metaphors, make a slight-of-hand magician jealous. And yet it's not all about bringing down his subjects a peg or two or ten. Zehme also manages to write most lovingly and authentically about those icons like Manilow, etc. who suffer in the media because -- despite huge popularity -- no one cool takes them seriously. Zehme gives these folks their due as the truly cool.
Intimate Strangers is entertaining and provocative from start to finish, with a point of view seen nowhere else, except perhaps in a celebrity's mirror in the morning when they come face to face with their inner faker and know the truth.
A wonderful book. And now, I have to go because lunch is over and I have to get back to flipping hamburgers.
Books:
- The Fifth Sacred Thing
- The Foreign Correspondent: A Novel
- The Forest Lover
- The Forty-Seven Ronin Story
- The Glass Palace: A Novel
- The Great American Bathroom Book, Volume 1: Single-Sitting Summaries of All Time Great Books
- The Harmony Silk Factory
- The Invisible Ring
- The Manolo Matrix
- The Morning Star 3-Volume Boxed Set
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Story of Spain: The Dramatic History of Europe's Most Fascinating Country
- The Horse Whisperer
- Paraoxonase
- Sacred Connections: Stories of Adoption
- The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker
- The Last Remaining Seats: Movie Palaces in Tinseltown
- The Moroccan Cookbook: 70 Delicious Easy-To-Make Dishes From An Exotic Cuisine, Shown Step-By-Step I
- Michele de Lucchi: From Here to There and Beyond
- The American House Styles of Architecture Coloring Book
- The O. Henry Prize Stories 2002
Playing with Boys
Make Him Look Good
Friday Night Chicas: Sexy Stories from La Noche
Haters
Hot Tamara
