Book Description
Nathanael West was only thirty-seven when he died in 1940, but his depictions of the sometimes comic, sometimes horrifying aspects of the American scene rival those of William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor. A Cool Million, written in 1934, is a satiric Horatio Alger story set in the midst of the Depression. The Dream Life of Balso Snell (1931) was described by one critic as "a fantasy about some rather scatological adventures of the hero in the innards of the Trojan horse."
Customer Reviews:
"A Cool Million" is The Great American Political Satire.......2006-08-23
While "Balso Snell" is funny in a late-Mark Twain kind of way, the real reason to buy this book is "A Cool Million," the Great American Political Satire. Written in the 1930's (and if you know anything about the wacko American Right of that decade, you'll realize that West is not exaggerrating too much) "A Cool Million" still packs a satirical punch. This is probably because, unfortunately, the right-wing wackos West skewers have now taken over the American asylum...
Interesting Failures.......2002-06-17
Although he was little known during his short lifetime, Nathanael West's MISS LONELYHEARTS and THE DAY OF THE LOCUST are two of the most influential works of 20th Century American Literature. They are the best of West's work, and I recommend them very highly. But West's work was extremely hit or miss, and this edition of his two lesser novels demonstrate that fact in abundance.
THE DREAM LIFE OF BALSO SNELL is West's first novel, a surrealistic fantasy about a man who stumbles upon the Trojan Horse, climbs into the rectum, and meanders through the horse's lower intestines. Along the way he meets an aesthetically argumentative guide, a biographer who is writing a biography of a biographer, a mystic who is attempting to crucify himself with thumbtacks, and sundry others. There is an abundance of ideas here, some of them quite amusing and entertaining, but ultimately this parody of bad-taste pseudo-intellectualism becomes as bad-taste pseudo-intellectual as its subjects.
Written between MISS LONELYHEARTS and LOCUST, A COOL MILLION satirizes the American dream via an extended parody of the Horatio Alger myth, and presents us with the story of a young man who goes out into the world to seek his fortune--and begins his adventures with his lady love sold into white slavery and he himself cast wrongfully into prison. This is an extremely bitter, often funny novel, and it is considerably more readable than BALSO SNELL, but its dryness quickly becomes tedious and the work lags far, far behind either MISS LONELYHEARTS or LOCUST.
These novels are interesting failures at best, and while West fans will enjoy seeing how the writer developed but both THE DREAM LIFE OF BALSO SNELL and A COOL MILLION have more academic interest than anything else. Recommended for hardcore fans, but all others should pass them by.
"A Cool Million": A Stomach Churning Satire.......2001-11-10
Former President of the United States Nathan "Shagpoke" Whipple, now C.E.O. of the Rat River National Bank of the town of Ottsville, Vermont, tells young Lemuel Pitkin, "The story of (John D.) Rockefeller and of (Henry) Ford is the story of every great American...Like them, you were born poor and on a farm. Like them, by honesty and industry, you cannot fail to succeed."
With this advice in hand thus begins Lem's journey to secure his fortune and to prevent the foreclosure on his mother's house. The only collateral Lem can put up for the tiny loan he obtains from Whipple's bank is the family cow. After all, according to the ex-President, you must have some money in order to make money.
"A Cool Million" is Nathanael West's mordantly witty and deeply bitter satire of a decent, but profoundly naive young man's attempts to achieve the American Dream during the darkest days of the Great Depression. West effectively lampoons the false promise of the old maxim that hard work and diligence equals success in America. For all his determination, Lem suffers one horrible indignity after another and is ripped to shreds in the process. A pawn in a facist plot to take over New York City, his final achievement is an unintended martyrdom.
The only thing that prevents me from giving this small gem a 5 star review is the constant feeling of dread that I felt in the pit of my stomach while reading this extraordinarily disturbing novella.
For the West completist only.......2001-01-03
[NOTE: This review refers only to A Cool Million.]
Nathanael West, A Cool Million (Berkeley, 1934)
Despite having published less than six hundred pages of material in his short and rather unhappy life, Nathanael West is revered in critical circles for two groundbreaking American novels, Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day of the Locust. West published three other novels during his lifetime, and while Lonelyhearts and Locust are constantly in print, the others-- The Dream Life of Balso Snell, A Cool Million, and Good Hunting-- are considerably harder to get hold of. (There is a hardcover edition of four of the novels, excluding Good Hunting, in print from the library of America.) Reading A Cool Million, it's not hard to see why it might not be as popular as his two better-known works.
A Cool Million is a vicious satire of the Horatio Alger stereotypes popular during the Depression, the endless stories of how anyone with enough gumption could succeed in America. West takes an Alger-like hero, Lemuel Pitkin, and sends him on his way to the big city to make his fortune (actually, he's after $1500, but we'll put that aside). By the time he reaches the big city, he's been robbed and arrested. And things only get worse from there. The supporting cast contains not a single likable character (by design) save Pitkin, who's more pathetic than likable, and his childhood sweetheart, whom we first meet as she's being abducted by white slavers to work in a Chinese brothel. Everyone's out for something, and most of them seem to wact to extract it from poor Pitkin.
It is satire that, by turns, treads the edge and hops over it into that fuzzy area where one can't be sure whether West is still being satirical, or whether he's letting a nasty streak of his own show. This far removed from the book's timeliness and publication date, only scholars can be sure, and thus the book doesn't hold up as well as it otherwise might. But if you're not a fan of the Horatio Alger mythology, this should be right up your alley. **
"A Cool Million" is great!.......1999-12-05
Having read all four of West's novels, I feel that "A Cool Million" is easily the greatest of his works. It presents a sarcastic and cynical view of life in America during the 1930's. The novel is, by the way, a modernization of "Candide," by Voltaire, and it is still fresh after sixty-five years. West is second only to Mark Twain in identifying and attacking society's corruption and vices. The book only gets four stars, however, because it also includes West's worst novel, "The Dream Life of Balso Snell," which is a complete waste of his talents. "Balso Snell" is completely disjointed and unorganized. The main character wanders around inside of a wooden horse and meets various allegorical losers. Now you do not have to read "Balso Snell", because I have just told you the entire story. That the author could produce two works which are such polar opposites in quality and readability is surprising. Buy this book for "Cool Million" - you will not regret it!
Product Description
1978 Farrar, Straus & Company. First Edition /Twelfth Printing. Paperback, 179 pages. Two Novels: The Dream Life of Balso Snell & A Cool Million
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Sara Pezzini's life as a New York detective, and wearer of the very strange Witchblade just gets weirder, as she stumbless across Jackie Estacado. He is a gangster, but like her, he has some very strange things riding around with him, in the form of the Darkness. In this crossover Sara and Jackie are sometimes at cross purposes, sometimes working together, and breaking lots of things.
Good Stuff!.......2005-12-31
Witchblade 2: Revelations, collects Witchblade issues #9-19, and Darkness issues #9,10. Has an excellent cover gallery with some variant issue covers.
Artist Tony Daniel takes the reins for Witchblade issue #9.
Artists Michael Turner & Marc Silvestri join together on Witchblade issue #10 (Enter Jackie Estacado, a character from The Darkness comic series).
Artist Michael Turner does Witchblade issues #11-19.
Artists Marc Silvestri, Joe Benitez, Clarence lansang & Brian Ching work together for Darkness issues #9,10.
The Darkness issues fall in between Witchblade #18 and Witchblade #19 for the crossover Witchblade/Darkness: Family Ties Parts 1-3
Witchblade #18 = Witchblade/Darkness: Family Ties Part 1
Darkness #9 = Witchblade/Darkness: Family Ties Part 2
Darkness #10 = Witchblade/Darkness: Family Ties Part 3
This is a great find for anyone that has joined the club a little later in the story, and doesn't want to pay twice as much for these hard to find issues. Also great for those that just want to read the story without breaking out their Mint Condition issues.
This is the 2005 reprint!!!!.......2005-09-19
I seriously wish that these sites would get all the information out to the customers. Anyways, Image/Top Cow made Witchblade: Volume 2 with two covers back in 2000. If you have that, don't get this.... you'll be wasting your money.
This book was made in 2005 and contains:
- Witchblade: #9-19
- The Darkness: #9,10
Basically, it includes all of the issues in the previous Witchblade Vol.2 (2000) plus the Witchblade/Darkness: Family Ties story arc (collected into trade format in 2001)
This book is convenient for those of us who didn't buy those earlier trades or issues. ^_^
Aside from my own personal issues with Michael Turner's artwork (he draws almost every appealing girl and guy with the same face... gets annoying...), this book is a MUST-HAVE for Witchblade fans or anyone even interested into getting into the series.
In Volume 1, we were introduced to the Witchblade and how Sarah came to possessing it. In Volume 2, we find out more about the mysterious weapon and see who controls whom as she begins to accept her role. I don't want to spoil too much.
Cover price of $19.99 for 13 issues isn't bad at all.
Average customer rating:
- Lightweight Fun
- Adequate SciFi Adventure
- Slippery Jim is what Mitnick wanted to be
- Not A Bad Book, But Not Terribly Great Either
- A So-So So-n-So
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STAINLESS STEEL RAT IS BORN, A (Stainless Steel Rat Books (Paperback))
Harry Harrison
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Harrison, Harry
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| Arthurian
| Contemporary
| Epic
| General
| Historical
| History & Criticism
| Magic & Wizards
| Series
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0553279424
Release Date: 1985-09-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Lightweight Fun.......2007-05-15
"A Stainless Steel Rat is Born" provides an interesting and entertaining starting point for the saga of "Slippery Jim" Digriz, The Stainless Steel Rat: Space Age Rogue and Crook Extraordinaire; Anti-Hero and Master Criminal.
While not the first, or best written, book in the series, there's something you just have to like about this unapologetic and extremely capable, irreverent, alcoholic thief.
In this episode, we learn how 17 year old Slippery Jim graduated from his roots as a small time and frustrated thief to the big leagues - learning how he found his mentor - the Bishop: learning the finer points of "the craft" from him, then leaving the planet with him for new horizons when the local scene gets a bit too hot for the pair.
Unfortunately, they are sold into slavery by the captain of the ship they had bribed to help them escape from their decidely un-heaven-like home planet, "Bit O'Heaven". As in all of the Stainless Steel Rat novels, Jim's efforts to extricate himself from this predicament has wide ranging consequences. And, as in many of the novels, he is again an unwitting tool of the Space League's efforts to bring sanity to yet another dysfunctional culture - all the while lampooning fast food and various human foibles, and outsmarting or outmanuevering all authority figures who attempt to keep Jim and The Bishop from horning-in on their own profitable scams.
Even though decidedly cut from the same cloth as previous books in the series with little innovation in terms of plotline or themes, the book is a pleasant read: lightweight fun for "rat" fans. It is not as rich as some of the "rat" novels in terms of inspired zaniness, outlandish technology, and the humorous juxtaposition of themes and cultural icons - all of which are hallmarks of the series. Even so, I feel it is a worthwhile contribution to "Rat Lore" for Harry Harrison Fans. Three Stars!
Adequate SciFi Adventure.......2004-11-12
A STAINLESS STEEL RAT IS BORN is my first Harry Harrison novel. I would be willing to try another, but this novel did not send me rushing to the nearest bookstore for the next installment.
A STAINLESS STEEL RAT IS BORN tells you how Jim DiGriz embarked on a life of crime. DiGriz is 17, and the novel does do a good job of giving him a believable smug, smart voice. I would have liked this novel a lot if I had read it when I was about 15, I think.
Jim grew up on a planet called Bit O'Heaven. The fat, tame, insular, unimaginative adults that live on this "piggy planet" are most notable for their expertise at producing incredibly fattening fast food. Jim actually camps in an automated fast-food drive-though at one point. All of this lands as commentary on Americans, but there's no unpleasant bite to it. This is one of the funniest bits of the novel.
Our ambitious young hero decides that to become a Master Criminal, he needs a mentor. Master Criminals are hard to come by on Bit O'Heaven, but he does finally locate one. First, he has to notice that Master Criminlas would be the ones who don't get caught, and then figure out a way to connect. Once he does, he gets off planet. He is off on his first adventure, and things should heat up, but instead they slow down, as if Harrison had lost interest.
Overall, A STAINLESS STEEL RAT IS BORN comes across as lacking energy and inspiration. Probably the novels written earlier had more of that. I am willing to give the series another try, but I will find a fan and make sure I pick a really good one before I spend any more time on it.
Slippery Jim is what Mitnick wanted to be.......2003-06-24
I've read tons of Sci-Fi but somehow missed the Stainless Steel Rat series. Only read this one so far. It was a lot of fun. Made a guy want to take up a life of crime for fun and frolic! Bit 'O Heaven sure reminded me of Wisconsin or Iowa, complete with McSwiney's and big ornery farm critters to chase you around.
When he lands in that godforsaken warlord land, it made me wonder if Harry had ever been to Chechnya, Dagestan or Afghanistan. Except that if he had, I'd guess he'd have made the characters intervening with the warlords much less idealistic and a lot more clueless and idiotically bureacratic, as only the CIA can manage. In real life, nobody has a clue except the field ops guys and they can't make a decision.
I've met characters along the lines of Jimmy Digriz. They are alive and stealing millions from the World Bank in the Balkans and other places like that, arranging to have themselves kidnapped in the Caucasus, etcetera. Can't say as I like them - they do terrible damage, but Jimmy Digriz certainly makes it seem like the way to go.
Maybe ... :-)
Not A Bad Book, But Not Terribly Great Either.......2003-05-22
There is some information in this review which may be considered Spoiler information. You stand warned.
The book started off well, and I think that Harry Harrison had a good premise...for a short story. Attempting to turn this plot into a whole novel, let alone a series of them, is somewhat foolish. The material just isn' t there for a whole series of books about Slippery Jim. The first book alone seemed to stretch over one hundred pages past where it should have. I can't, offhand, think of any particular place that it should have stopped, but after Jim met the Bishop and he got turned down, or after the Bishop was captured and freed, or even after they left Bit O' Heaven would all have been good stopping places with a slight rewrite to give a conclusion. Even at the end of the book the way it is, though, there is relatively little conclusion, and the reader is left dissatisfied.
Not a bad book, but probably not one you should pay full price for, either.
Harkius
A So-So So-n-So.......1998-03-13
Not a great book, and not the best of the Rat pack. Harrison has a lot of fun making fun of modern foibles in the future, but the story is overly episodic, the technology of the future seems less advanced than our own (but for space travel), and the author's ideas about authority and responsibility come across as identical to those of a thirteen-year-old slacker. But the story is rapid, the cliffhangers well constructed, and the Bishop is a joy of a character.
Average customer rating:
- Super Reader
- The best Harry Harrison book ever
- Read it, Laughed and loved it
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A Stainless Steel Rat Is Born
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Adventure
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| General
| Graphic Novels
| High Tech
| History & Criticism
| Series
| Short Stories
| Space Opera
ASIN: 9994720120 |
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-26
The origin of the Stainless Steel Rat. Back in the day, a young Jim was not so clever, not so talented, and just a little on the naive side. He decides that to learn to be a super criminal, going to jail is a good idea, to pick up a few skills.
Errr, no. However, it sort of all turns out ok for him, it seems.
The best Harry Harrison book ever.......1999-04-12
This is the best book written by Harry Harrison. I loved it and Im sure that anyone who does will also .Read it!
Read it, Laughed and loved it.......1998-08-08
I found this book hilarious and exciting, and I recomend it for anyone at all
Customer Reviews:
One of the best.......2000-06-01
One of the books I'll remember for the rest of my life - and I've read many!
Book Description
This comprehensive travel guide examines North America's most sacred sites for spiritually attuned explorers. Important archaeological, geological, and historical destinations from coast to coast are exhaustively examined, from the weathered pueblos of the American Southwest and the medicine wheels of western Canada to Graceland and the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. Histories and cultural contexts are objectively surveyed, along with the latest academic theories and insightful metaphysical ruminations. Detailed maps, drawings, and travel directions are also included.
Customer Reviews:
Great travel guide to important and significant places.......2004-05-03
Divided into 10 geographical sections (Southwest, West Coast, Alaska and Hawai'i, Western Canada, Rocky Mountains, Central Plains, Great Lakes Region, Eastern Canada, New England, and The South), "Sacred Places North America" is the ultimate travel guide for anyone seeking out places of great historical or religious significance. The guide is thorough, covering things as diverse as Anasazi dwellings, Area 51, medicine wheels, Indian mounds, petroglyphs, Walden Pond, and even Graceland. Each entry has a basic history of the place plus a description of how to get there. A true travel guide for those interested in these places it is a real treasure trove of information. If you are planning to travel this summer, pick up a copy and make sure to visit some of the most interesting places in North America. "Sacred Places North America" is a highly recommended purchase.
more bang for your tourist buck!.......2003-10-07
Instead of just blandly heading off into picture postcard America, consider traveling with a purpose -- to experience the intense energy boosts of sacred sites, modern & ancient.
To that end Rebeccasreads recommends you take along Brad Olsen's SACRED PLACES NORTH AMERICA. While the writing is utilitarian, the maps busy & the b&w photos a bit shabby, the information offered will certainly get more bang out of your buck in the sites you visit -- such as Graceland, Crater Lake & 106 other more & less known places in the length & breath of this continent.
Great book and Great people!.......2003-04-30
This book is great. It is not only a source of information, but it is also a great place for inspiration. I have been using it in my travels. The places I have visited in the book have been amazing. Also, the people are great. I encourage you to look at the publishing website. They stand for great things and are very easy to work with.
A revealing, useful, and enthusiastically recommended guide.......2003-02-13
Compiled and written by Brad Olsen (Editor, World Explorer), Sacred Places: North America offers the reader 108 spiritual destinations throughout North America, ranging from the Salt Lake Temple of Utah, to the Ellis Medicine Wheel of Alberta in Canada, to the Garden of the Gods in Hawaii, to the birthplace of Martin Luther King. Black-and-white photographs, succinct descriptions, advice for traveling, combine to make Sacred Places: North America a revealing, useful, and enthusiastically recommended guide for the vacationer seeking to fulfill their spiritual as well as their recreational yearnings.
An unusual and useful guidebook!.......2003-01-10
Brad Olsen has come up with yet another special book. Sacred places covers a large number of sites and other attractions you won't read about elsewhere. Some (such as Elvis Presley's Graceland) are unexpected; others are natural areas such as Joshua Tree and Denali; still others are Native American religious landmarks such as Chaco Canyon. Even if you aren't the least bit "New Age" or "spiritual;" but just someone who appreciates nature and unusual places, you'll find Brad's book to be a great compendium. And directions are included!
Customer Reviews:
Take Your Tea with This Entertaining Guide.......2001-02-11
This book is pure pleasure from beginning to end. Like a good novel you just don't want to put it down. Starting with the history of tea we embark on a soothing international journey of tea traditions. The authors have filled this book with descriptive commentaries and color photographs depicting the countries, the people and appropriate table settings. Recipes reflect the characteristics of each region. I have especially enjoyed using the "Guide to Buying Tea" with its serving suggestions. This book is a lovely and must have addition to any tea library!
Book Description
In this book, America's foremost scholar of African-American folklife revolutionizes our understanding of Afro-American material culture. Bringing to the essays his extensive research into the written, oral, and material sources of Afro-American culture as well as his impressive scholarly knowledge of folklife, social history, anthropology, and art history, Vlach presents the evidence of African influence on black American folklife, both past and present.
Book Description
Startling in their capacity to embody aesthetic and social values, the woven arts from Japan suggest that culture's long history and rich tradition of producing textiles that can truly be considered an art form. Exquisitely quiet yet graphic communication, the fibers, color, weave, and style of these objects tell us both about their makers and the individuals for whom they were made - his or her place in society, including status, wealth, and associations.
This volume is authoritative guide to folk textiles of Japan from the 18th to 20th century based on one of America's most comprehensive collections at the Seattle Art Museum. Illustrated are Ainu textiles, sashiko, kogin and hishizashi, kasuri, shiborizome and koshi patterns, and textiles of Okinawa.
Customer Reviews:
Decorating Tips from Jesus.......2000-03-09
I was a bit surprised, when I started reading this book, to find several references to Christianity interspersed with interior-design advice. In a section about bartering for services, for instance, the authors describe barter as "the family of Christ working together." I happen to be Christian myself, but I found that a little peculiar!
Nonetheless, there are some great tips throughout. The authors demonstrate that with a little simple sewing or refinishing, or just "the Christian attribute of patience," you can have a comfortable, elegant house that's just your style without spending a lot. I learned quite a bit and would recommend the book to anyone who's not fazed by the religious references.
Book Description
In the second half of the 19th century a group of artists burst onto the British art scene and created a graphic revolution. Collectively, they became known as the Pre-Raphaelites. Their influence on the Victorian Age was uncalculable. In this unique work, the author sets out to survey almost 500 ilustrations created by the Pre-Raphaelites.
The first part introduces the character of Pre-Raphaelite art, and influences on the book arts. Part two is short biographies of this elite group. Part three is a complete catalog of every known illustration. This book is an excellent reference volume and introduction into the world of the Pre-Raphaelites' literary illustrations.
Co-published with The British Library.
Book Description
He's that regular guy from Astoria, Queens, who left his heart in San Francisco. He's the postwar heartthrob who inspired hundreds of young girls to wear black outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on his wedding day. He's the darling of the MTV generation who made music history when, at the age of 68, he won the coveted Grammy Award® for Album of the Year. He's the consummate artist known worldwide for his paintings. He's Tony Bennett, whose star shines brighter than ever as he enters his fifth decade of performing. Now, for the first time, this legend shares his amazing life story -- in a voice that's pure Tony Bennett: warm, resonant, and unforgettable.
"Tony Bennett has not just bridged the generation gap, he has demolished it," praised The New York Times. Since his appearance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers of the 1993 MTV Video Awards, and the addition of his seminal video, "Steppin' Out," to the MTV playlist, Bennett has become the hottest -- and coolest -- pop-culture icon for today's younger listeners, while remaining beloved by their parents and grandparents. An astonishing four generations have experienced the Tony Bennett magic -- the mesmerizing spell of a singer in love with singing, who embraces his audience with a soulful serenity communicated by both the man and his music.
Honored with countless awards, including eight Grammys, and with more than ninety albums to his credit (more than thirty million sold for the Columbia label alone), no other recording artist has attained Bennett's stature -- or garnered the half-century of memories shared in The Good Life. From Sinatra, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald, to k.d. lang and Elvis Costello, Bennett shares his unique takes on the most fascinating talents of our time. Here is the story of his lifelong love affair with art, music, and performing -- from his childhood in Depression-era Queens, where opera and Billie Holiday flowed freely; to his stint as a singing waiter; to soaking up the New York jazz scene in the 1940s. With crisp wit and firmly grounded emotion, Bennett captures the people and places that shaped his sublime performances. The dozens of hits he introduced to the great American songbook, including "Because of You," "Rags to Riches," "Cold, Cold Heart," and his signature song, "I Left My Heart in Son Francisco," remain a legacy of truth and beauty for the classic art of intimate singing.
In this wonderfully revealing self-portrait, we get to know Tony Bennett as he really is: an unpretentious and thoughtful human being. His key to success is consistency: His constant dedication in his pursuit of excellence has never wavered, despite the trials and tribulations one can encounter when placing integrity above all else. Through all of his personal and artistic challenges, he has remained, in his own words, "a humanist" whose Zen-like philosophy of life is an inspiration for all ages. Like the fascinating story he shares in The Good Life, Tony Bennett is one of a kind, an American treasure, an enduring artist seasoned with experience and self-knowledge, and a true class act.
Customer Reviews:
It's As If We Were Having A Conversation.......2007-10-04
I received this book as a gift from a friend after see Tony Bennett live here in San Francisco. I decided to take a little time and thought I'd read a couple of paragraphs then go on with my day. Well, from the introduction on I found that I could not put the book down. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting which I normally do not do unless the book is of real interest.
The writing style was conversational and had me thinking to myself I feel as though he's right here sitting and talking with me. The book begins with accounts of his parents and family immigrating to the US from Italy. His stories of his early childhood with his Mother working so hard to make ends meet along with cherished memories of family get togethers etc... had me remembering and relating in so many ways to my Italian/Greek upbringing. The pictures he paints with words are vivid as are his real life paintings of which some are showcased within the pages of the book. I never knew he was also a painter and was pleasantly surprised.
His accounts of his time in World War II with all the racism and horrible treatment, specifically the "grave registration" incident, you'll have to read the book, I won't go into it here, was an eye opener and a learning process. Though my Father never spoke of his time in the war I now can understand how it affected his life and as a result gives me a better understanding of what he went through & why he was the person he turned out to be. It was somewhat of an awakening for me that I never would have known had I not read the accounts in this book.
Tony's stories of the entertainment world and his constant fight not wanting to comprimise his work is fascinating, entertaining and shows the reader exactly what a cut throat business the music industry can be. His struggles balancing the day to day life of his family against his work was very difficult and portrayed in hearfelt sentiment throughout the book. His struggles with drugs, money and near death are chilling and allows the reader to see inside the singer's life in an intimate way.
This living legend worked hard for every penny he made, without comprimise. This book is a wonderful read and whether a fan or not The Good Life makes for a great lesson on the ups and downs in life and how to overcome all the odds.
A surprisingly good read, in many ways . . ........2001-12-18
There's a Bennett anecdote I remember hearing reported on local (San Francisco) radio back in the early '60s: A local woman, gardening in her backyard one Saturday afternoon, was listening to Bennett's then-new "I Left My Heart In San Francisco;" suddenly, she realized, the singing had become somehow stereophonic. Looking up, she found Tony Bennett grinning at her over her backyard fence. In town for an appearance at the Fairmont Hotel, Bennett had been out for a walk; hearing her phonograph, he'd been unable to resist . . .
This is the Tony Bennett you get to meet in the pages of "The Good Life." If you're a fan, nothing in this book will change your mind. If you're not, well then, despite the fact that there does appear a certain sense of "glossiness" in his account of his life, loves, marriages, etc., you may well find yourself coming to nonetheless admire the man.
A word about that "glossiness": It may well arise from nothing more than a yearning towards fairness (and not only to himself). He discusses failed marriage, for example, as well as his work-induced absences as a parent, taking responsibility for his actions without -- on the one hand -- pointing out that it "takes two to tangle," or -- on the other -- seeking to overly justify his absences as the price of building a successful career. He also talks of his marijuana use (as first disclosed by his exwife, years after they'd split) in an explanatory tone, with regret, and without seeking to justify that use. Again, there is a sense of fairness about him, even as he talks of a fairly prevalent drug use among musicians of the era. In his desire to explain the musician's life and its pressures and demands, there is what some may (wrongfully)interpret as an impulse to self-expiate. This is wrong, as evidenced, not only by his own mea culpa approach, but by his account of a conversation with longtime friend -- and onetime collaborator -- Bill Evans, shortly before the latter's death.
This fairness carries over in his account of his early disputes with then-Columbia Records A&R head, Mitch Miller (best remembered today, probably, for his subsequent "Sing Along With Mitch" records and TV series of the late '50s). By all accounts, Miller was -- to say the least -- dictatorial and patriarchial in his belief that he knew what was best for the artists under his control. Bennett could have savaged the man in this account (and justifiably); after all, Miller's long gone from the scene, others have already reminisced about his iron-handed control; so what stops Bennett . . . save for a humanistic impulse toward fairness?
For me, one of the most telling portions of this autobiography occur in Bennett's recounting of his World War II experiences as a G.I. in the European theatre. Without self-aggrandizement, he talks -- movingly so -- of what he saw, and how those horrors turned him against war for all time; strikingly, it is this same absence of 'been-there-done-that' self-absorption that colors (and which underplays) the reminiscences of his considerable involvement in the early-60s civil rights movement down in Mississipi-Alabama. If he avoids the urge to expiate himself, he likewise eschews the temptation towards self-canonization.
From his August 3, 1926 birth (one day too late, by the way, to be my twenty-years-older "birthday twin"), through the intervening years including his "renaissance" for yet future generations via MTV, Bennett presents himself in this autobiography as a man who caught more than his share of lucky breaks (and who, inferentially, made a few more of his own, although you won't get him to admit it, at least in this book) on his way to (as in the title of one his best-known songs) "The Good Life."
Is there all that is?.......2001-08-22
Considering talents of both Tony Bennett and Will Friewald,I was very disapointed with such a feather-light collection of show-biz anecdotes.Bennett is a classy singer whom I really appreciate,with both taste and style,while Friewald already stunned me with his books about Jazz singers and Frank Sinatra.... its a little,tiny,short book that strangely lacks any personal comments and views - not different from Duke Ellington's famous autobiography in which he mostly lists his "dear friends and colleagues" with short anecdotes about how he met them,but no opinions whatsoever.Bennett goes into detailed count of every piano player in his long career,but some important points of his life (wife,children,divorce,drug addiction) are mentioned briefly and in one sentence.While counting backing musicians perhaps shows good nature and warm personality,both Ellington and Bennetts books are too breezy considering they are coming from music giants - just another proof that not every talented musician/singer/actor is capable of writting a interesting book.
Kudos To Tony.......1999-11-15
Thank you Tony - for your great story! Well written & well told, never a dull moment. What a warm, wonderful & multitalented man! I agree with the reviewer from NY, Tony's story would make an excellent movie. God Bless you, Tony, & keep those glorious albums coming.
Wish It Could Have Been Longer.......1999-03-24
Tony Bennett's story would make a great movie, and while this book tells alot about the man I really wish it was a longer story. Guess I hated to see it end so fast, but it did give insight on things I did not know about Tony. He was in the Army and saw action in Europe during WW2, even if only for about 4-5 months, he saw alot and came very close to becoming a statistic himself. Most enjoyable, though, was Tony recalling the days when he first started out professionally and how he fought to make records that were important to him, not what the pop charts dictated. The mutual admiration between Tony & Frank(no last name needed)is also mentioned quite a few times, making it clear there was great affection between these two superstars. Highly recommended for all Tony Bennett fans, and please, how about a movie version starring that kid on Happy Days(Eddie Mekka-who portrayed the Big Ragu)who sings just like Tony? Oh well, just a suggestion...
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The Good Life: The Autobiography Of Tony Bennett Uk Edition
Bennett
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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