Rat Pack Confidential: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey and the Last Great Show Biz Party

Amazon.com

If you're not inclined to read individual biographies of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., Shawn Levy's Rat Pack Confidential is a perfect one-stop resource. Less a group biography than a series of impressionistic snapshots, the book is loaded with can't-miss material--the dirt on the making of Ocean's Eleven, information about Sinatra's wild stint as a casino owner, deep background on Peter Lawford's habit of introducing Jack Kennedy to glamorous starlets, wiretap transcripts of mobsters Sam Giancana and Johnny Formosa discussiong Dean Martin's lack of respect.

Levy, whose previous book, King of Comedy, is a serious consideration of Jerry Lewis's life and career, offers similarly well considered insights into the members of the Rat Pack. He covers Davis's lifelong struggle against racism and the complicated intertwinings of the Kennedy political machine and "the Clan," as the performers preferred to be called (they often denied anything like the Rat Pack even existed and resisted collective references).

The book's debts to its predecessors are often apparent; much of the material on Sinatra's friendship with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, for example, appears to have been gleaned from recent Bogart biographies. The writing style, which tries to capture the ring-a-ding-ding feel of the era, also owes serious debts to Nick Tosches by way of James Ellroy, while only intermittently reaching their level of mastery. But these are minor quibbles. As a synthesis of thirty years worth of journalism and celebrity biography, Rat Pack Confidential succeeds in portraying the supernova blowout of old-school showbiz in all its dazzling glory.

Book Description

For the first time, the full story of what happened when Frank brought his best pals to party in a land called Vegas

January 1960. Las Vegas is at its smooth, cool peak. The Strip is a jet-age theme park, and the greatest singer in the history of American popular music summons a group of friends there to make a movie. One is an insouciant singer of Italian songs, ex-partner to the most popular film comedian of the day. One is a short, black, Jewish, one-eyed, singing, dancing wonder. One is an upper-crust British pretty boy turned degenerate B-movie star actor, brother-in-law to an ascendant politician. And one is a stiff-shouldered comic with the quintessential Borscht Belt emcee’s knack for needling one-liners. The architectonically sleek marquee of the Sands Hotel announces their presence simply by listing their names: FRANK SINATRA. DEAN MARTIN. SAMMY DAVIS, JR. PETER LAWFORD. JOEY BISHOP. Around them an entire cast gathers: actors, comics, singers, songwriters, gangsters, politicians, and women, as well as thousands of starstruck everyday folks who fork over pocketfuls of money for the privilege of basking in their presence. They call themselves The Clan. But to an awed world, they are known as The Rat Pack.

They had it all. Fame. Gorgeous women. A fabulouse playground of a city and all the money in the world. The backing of fearsome crime lords and the blessing of the President of the United States. But the dark side–over the thin line between pleasure and debauchery, between swinging self-confidence and brutal arrogance–took its toll. In four years, their great ride was over, and showbiz was never the same.

Acclaimed Jerry Lewis biographer Shawn Levy has written a dazzling portrait of a time when neon brightness cast sordid shadows. It was Frank’s World, and we just lived in it.

Customer Reviews:

Quick read.......2007-07-24

Not a lot of new knowledge in this book. Most of it has been written about before but it was interesting to see how the author linked the lives of these men together to show how their relationships evolved over time. I enjoyed reading this book.

Light fun and then the dark fall of the Rat Pack.......2007-04-29

Rat Pack Confidential gives a 101 level course of the group, highlighting the fun they had together makes movies and showing off at the Vegas clubs. It then chronicles the toubles they had together (Why did Sammy alientate himself from Frank?) and then their downfalls as indvidiuals (Dean's descent into alcoholism). Longer books could (and have been) written about each of them indivdiually, but this succinctly captures their spirit in both the glamour and their squalor. It accomplishes what it sets out to do.

Rat Pack Confidential.......2007-03-31

I found this book to be enlightening and enjoyable, filling in some gaps in my knowledge of the Rat Pack. It did, however, suffer from something that happens fairly often in popular histories, and that is a shading of facts to fit the premise of the book. In this case, the premise is that "It's Frank Sinatra's world, we're just living in it". Author Shawn Levy makes that point over and over again at every turn, sometimes making bold statements about Frank's superior style or entertainment abilities, which really was unnecessary and took away from the book, in my opinion.

All-in-all, a good and informative read for Rat Pack fans.

A Curiosity.......2006-07-10

The author sets the scene well in the prologue. He paints the conductor of this orchestra of self-absorption, Frank Sinatra, as a revered singer and actor, who somehow decided to set up a situation where people he was curious about would be set up around him, so he could watch them, contrast them and influence them.

The stage thus set is almost like an extended form of performance art. "T am so unique and so invulnerable that I can make this happen, and make people like it." Many "American Idols" have done this, but few did what Frank did: set up a group like the Rat Pack to bounce along with.

Two figures of great significance emerge outside the perimeter in this story: John Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. The former seems most similar to Sinatra himself: glad to have others feel that they are taking advantage of him, while constantly doing just the reverse. The latter is just awfully sad: a directionless icon who loses all sense of life purpose and whose end is almost a relief.

The part I liked the best was how Frank builds an extensive compound, including Secret Service and helicopter support, which Kennedy completely spurns. It was a comeuppance that Frank totally deserved.

You'll enjoy this book. And, as others have observed here, Nick Tosches' book, "Dino," is a natural companion.

Rat Pack Confidential Review.......2006-03-16

Several things to say about this book. It's a great anthology of the Rat Pack during their Vegas years. I'm a big fan of Sinatra et.al, and find this book to be very fascinating reading for anyone who is enamoured with these entertainers and their great era.

The Last-Minute Party Girl : Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining

Average customer rating:

Thoughtful
Party on!
fabulosity at it's most fabulous
Very Entertaining & Good recipes
Great Ideas

The Last-Minute Party Girl : Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining
Erika Lenkert
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071411925

Book Description

Hip tips for fabulous fetes on little money and even less time

When the budget is tight and the schedule even tighter, what's a party girl to do? How can she whip up a swanky soiree they'll be dishing about at the watercooler for weeks to come? With The Last-Minute Party Girl, how can she not? A quick dip into this savvy, sassy entertainment guide will inspire any harried, just-got-home-from-the-office hostess to new heights of fabulousness.

Whether an elegant sit-down dinner or a finger food feast, everything required for a party with panache is covered, including innovative invites, cool cocktail creations, and must-have munchies.

This ultimate guide to sensational, spontaneous entertaining includes:

More than 100 recipes for impressive but easily doable dishes
Decorating tricks
Emergency supplies for the party-girl pantry
Quick refreshers on hostess etiquette
Industry insiders' favorite cost- and time- cutting tips

Customer Reviews:

Thoughtful.......2007-09-13

This is the only book I've read that gives advice on how to prepare for your parties. Lighting, Music, Conversation, party favors, prepping the bathroom & where to get items for your party. (some of the links seem to be broken.) How to write invitations. Preparing a pantry of emergency items. A few Food items that can be frozen & revived quickly. She then goes on to give you situations like Cocktail parties, Elegant Dinner parties, buffets & gives menu suggestions based on how much time you have to prepare: Emergency, 2 hours, over the top & cheap.

I've looked as several other famous peoples party books & they don't cover quite a few of the details Erika covers. It's not a lengthy book. But just pointing out things to take care of like: put a candle in the bathroom & bathroom spray that's not out of a can reminds me, "Oh yeh, I gotta put that on my list!" Instead of realizing I forgot something after the party's started.

It is written like a 20 something. But that's part of the fun of it. Read it with humor. She tells some entertaining stories on herself.

Party on!.......2007-01-19

I ordered this for my daughter, who's in charge of sorority sisterhood events. She loves this book and it's helped her greatly in organizing things, knowing what to buy, cook, prepare and it's been of great use to her. It's a great book for any sort of gathering, whether it be college, work or just plain get togethers.

fabulosity at it's most fabulous.......2006-12-23

this little missive is a wonderful way to spice up your next party! filled with lots of good advice and ideas - everything you need to make your next bash a sweet sweet success!

Very Entertaining & Good recipes.......2005-10-31

I bought this book because my husband invited some work people over for dinner. I didn't realize that this is so entertaining (funny), and the recipes are just so delicious. Needless to say, my husband was very impressed with what I put together that night so we have now invited about 20 people over for Thanksgiving. I use the book all the time, and our children loves the appetizers. I also gave it to my single friend who is now engaged. Highly recommended for people who loves entertaining.

Great Ideas.......2005-10-12

I enjoyed the way the author added humor to the book. Overall, great book, but the recipes are not really something that can be prepared "Last Minute". Would have like to have seen more recipes that did not require so much prep. But, great tips on invites and decorations.

Average customer rating:

An exciting finish!
Who's the real killer?
DA BEST BOOKS ON EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Call (Party Room)
Morgan Burke
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0689872275

Book Description

the party room.

On Manhattan's Upper East Side. Everybody's fabulous. No one gets carded. Then someone dies.

The Prep School Killer is dead. Finally Kirsten can go on and leave the nightmare of her best friend Sam's murder behind her. Kirsten's at NYU now, but she still slips back to the Party Room on the Upper East Side of Manhattan--where the horror all began. But it's quiet now. Just Kirsten and her old friends and a mojito or three.

Then the killer strikes again. And again. The killer wasn't Kyle after all. Someone's looking to settle the tab.

Don't be the last one when the bar closes.

Customer Reviews:

An exciting finish!.......2007-03-31

I completely LOVED reading this trilogy. Getting to the last few pages of the third book I had to stop myself from reading ahead. My friends and I read this series together and had our own theories of who the killer might be and when it was finally revealed we were shocked. Reading these books is a complete thrill ride. Now knowing the outcome I am so going to read it again. I say everyone should add this trilogy to their collection.

Who's the real killer?.......2006-12-20

Who's The Real Killer!?
The Party Room "Last Call" is the third book in the party room series. This book is about a girl named Kirsten, who than recently had a friend die at the party room. There has been many murders at the party room, but she still drops in for a visit every now and than, when she's not in school. This is a good book because it always has you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next and when you think it all is over, the killer strikes again. If you don't like long books, that take quite a bit of patience, than I would suggest not reading this book. If you are a person who likes very mysterious books, The Party Room is the book for you. This is a book you should add to you library or collection.

DA BEST BOOKS ON EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-11-28

My sista borrowed the first book and then i read it.
it was really good when u read u really want to read the other 2 books.I have finished the second book and am waiting till christmas to get the third.
The book is really interesting i like how they make u think that it is Paul Stone that killed sam and then they turn it around completely and it is not the person u thought it was. Then a whole new character comes into the book.
I can't wait to sink my teeth into the nxt one. thanks so much this is the best book i have eva read in my whole life n i aint kiddin either.
I strongly advise u 2 read dis book
cya all!!!

Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-11-24

OMG I LUVVVV THIS SERIS>> AWSOME BOOKS. My friend recomneded it to me and i read them all and loved them. In the 3rd installment Kristin is trying to recover and move on, since the prep school killer is dead. But was he rly the killer? or was it someone eles? Kristin leaves home to NYU universtity, but still slips back to her favortite place, the party room, with Julie. Kristin feels that she is getting better, until the killer strikes again, and again. She is slowly getting closer to finding out who the killer is, which is putting her in more danger than she could imagine. Can she mangage to find the killer and make sure he is in jail, before he gets her??
read it and ull find out!!

U WONT BE DISAPOINTED>> U WILL BE ESTATIC!! AWSOME BOOOOKK>> READ IT!!! LOVED ITTT

Boarding Party: The Last Action of the Calcutta Light Horse (Bluejacket Books)

Average customer rating:

Amatuer soldiers destroy four Axis ships in neutral Goa.
Book and Movie too
Irregular commandos destroy Axis ships in neutral Goa, 1943.

Boarding Party: The Last Action of the Calcutta Light Horse (Bluejacket Books)
James Leasor
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1557505128

Customer Reviews:

Amatuer soldiers destroy four Axis ships in neutral Goa........2004-01-31

As a previous reviewer has also stated, I was introduced to this book by the movie Sea Wolves. The book is better than the movie. The movie starred David Niven and Roger Moore, and the producers gave Roger a woman to pursue in romance. The reality of the situation was three German and one Italian ship were interned in Portuguese Goa for the duration of the war. The largest and newest of the German ships had a radio transmitter sending signals to several U-Boats in the Indian Ocean. These U-Boats sank thousands of tons of Allied shipping due to the Germans breaking the neutrality of Goa. Some amatuer middle aged British businessmen set out to capture these vessels under the guidance of British authorities. When they board one vessel, the crews of all four think they are about to be captured and scuttle their own ships. The radio transmitter is silenced and the U-Boats are left to find their own victims.

The book reads like a novel, which it isn't. It is a great read for someone interested in some of the lesser sideshows of World War II.

Book and Movie too.......2000-03-13

I was introduced to this book I'm sad to say by a movie based on it ("The Sea Wolves"). I much preferred the book as usual when comparing novels with their movie counterparts.

Irregular commandos destroy Axis ships in neutral Goa, 1943........1998-11-22

This story centers around the destruction of an Axis radio located on a German merchant ship interned in neutral Goa during 1943. The raiders were auxillary force (part-time) members of the Calcutta Light Horse and Calcutta Scottish. With few exceptions they were British businessmen that volunteered to conduct this mission without recognition. The German radio was being used to direct U-Boats operating in the Indian Ocean. The raider traveled across India by rail joining their ship, a dredging barge, at Calicut. The traveled north to Goa overnight and in the early morning attacked the German ship. Three other Axis merchant ships also interned were scuttled by their crews. The raiders continued to Bombay and returned home to Calcutta. Officially the ships were destroyed by their crews which had mutinied.

The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House

Average customer rating:

What politicians will do to cling onto power
A book about two topics: pardon and donation.
FAILING TO CROSSOVER
Excellent and bloody right!
A Catalogue of Iniquities.

The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House
Barbara Olson
Manufacturer: Books on Tape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0736685499

Book Description

Olson turns her razor sharp vision on the Clintons' shocking excesses in their final days of office: the outrageous pardons to political cronies and friends, the looting of the White House, the executive orders that were sheer abuses of presidential power, the presidential library that is becoming a massive boondoogle of vanity more appropriate for a Third World dictator, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

What politicians will do to cling onto power.......2006-12-10

Conservative commentator Barbara Olson, who perished when the hijacked Flight 77 dove into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, reminds us with "The Final Days" precisely what sort of leeching parasites politicians can be. This is not a strict "Republican" or "Democrat" kind of thing, nor is it an issue pertaining to just "conservatives" or just "liberals." The book is not biased just because it reports only the Clinton wrongdoings, even though the author is a self-proclaimed conservative. In fact, the flip side to Olson's coin is the recently released "State of Denial" by Bob Woodward, who similarly documents the slime coursing through the current Bush administration and the ongoing war in Iraq. No, "The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House" merely reiterates a well-worn fact of life dominant in today's world: Power corrupts.

Olson's final account about the closing of doors in the Clinton administration should send alarm bells screeching through the minds of the American electorate, especially in a time where a Hillary Clinton run for the presidency seems almost inevitable. Olson reveals with painstaking accuracy the core tenets of Clintonism: Deny the accusations, play the helpless victim, and attack the enemy with relentless savagery. And, of course, it is permissible to lie whenever the chance arrives. When many liberal Democrats pressured him truthfully to explain everything behind the pardon of Marc Rich and his associates, President Clinton acknowledged that those he pardoned, who evaded millions in taxes and maintained connections with the Castro and Gaddafi regimes, simply had been wrongfully persecuted by the Justice Department. It is a classic example of the `victim hood' phenomenon so popularly paraded by the Clintons. Everyone seems to be a poor, pitiable victim, especially if their names end with "Clinton" and the persecutor is that dang "right-wing conspiracy." I'm afraid the term you're looking for, Mr. and Mrs. President, is "vast critical-thinking conspiracy." Or perhaps the "concerned American citizen conspiracy."

Like "State of Denial," "The Final Days" wields sharp facts to counter the myths surrounding popular politicians. Clinton may have presided over the largest economic expansion in U.S. history, but the shameless "For Sale" sign dangling around his neck during the closing days of his administration calls into question his serious character and moral flaws. Similarly, Bush may have stated "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq, but the fact that we are still there waging a failing campaign at the expense of American and Iraqi blood does not make his acts justifiable. I highly recommend both books to spark in your head the idea that maybe we need to rethink seriously the decision of putting these kinds of people in power.

A book about two topics: pardon and donation........2006-05-26

I listened to the audio version of this book. While most of the things said in this book may be true, it appears a bit biased. In addition to facts, the author uses some adjectives which show her personal dislike of the famous couple.

In the end, I had an impression that this book grew out of author's frustration upon Mark Rich pardon. Many chapters are dedicated to that case.

A disproportionately large portion of the book is devoted to two topics: pardon and donations. At one point the audio book spends a large amount of time only listing names of who donated what item. It goes on and on and on with names that make no sense and contribute nothing much to the story. That could have been moved to the appendix to keep the flow going.

I was hoping to find details about mischievious behavior by Clinton staff during the last days. There was no mention of that.

FAILING TO CROSSOVER.......2006-04-15

"The much talked about Marc Rich pardon has become an appropriate symbol of the entire eight years, but Mrs. Olson does a commendable service by clearly detailing the effrontery of his (Rich's) misdeeds, and an even more skillful demonstration of the President's specious and insulting attempt to justify this shocking act. To add fuel to her raging fire, she quotes former President Jimmy Carter who openly stated "I don't think there is any doubt that some of the factors in his pardon were attributable to his large gifts. In my opinion that was disgraceful."

Naturally, given her neo-con bent, Ms. Olsen failed to mention the extremely salient point that the attorney representing Marc Rich's pardon application was none other than Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's aide.

Excellent and bloody right!.......2006-03-18

All of you Clinton lovers should actually learn to not turn the blind eye on many of these things Clinton did during his presidency. The last few minutes before he was impeached.
I can admit George Bush is a bad president himself but I can also admit what Bill clinton stood for. Corruption!
See the pardons such as the nationalistic terrorist group from Puerto Rico plus the tax cheat and a whole list of other losers that Clinton pardoned.

A Catalogue of Iniquities. .......2004-07-28

The last days of the Clintons were an occasion for the country to witness just how corrupt this two for the price of one team actually was. They took furniture and gifts that were not their's for the taking, and appeared to be granting pardons on the basis of what law breakers held the most influence within their circle of friends and family. From arsenic to Mark Rich, the whole squalid tale is recounted by the superlative Barbara Olso, who sadly is no longer with us.

Last Man Standing: The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt

Average customer rating:

can't completely review this item yet as I haven't finished reading it, but so far it's good.
Tragedy and Triumph
The Cure for Your Despair
Amazing book, Amazing man
One of the Best books I ever laid my hands on

Last Man Standing: The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt
Jack Olsen
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385493673
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Book Description

With the epic scope of A Civil Action, Last Man Standing is an unforgettable chronicle of the twenty-seven-year struggle to break a conspiratorial abuse of power and free one of America's most famous political prisoners.

In 1968, twenty-year-old Elmer Gerard "Geronimo" Pratt returned from Vietnam with a chest full of medals and a Purple Heart into the most heated racial climate in American history. Taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, Pratt enrolled at UCLA, where the Black Panther Party was busy recruiting. Propelled by a diverse group of African Americans, the Panther agenda was a volatile mix of black rage, black pride, altruism, idealism, and violence. Under the charismatic leadership of Eldridge Cleaver, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, and Bunchy Carter, Pratt rose to the rank of Deputy Minister of Defense and became leader of the Los Angeles Chapter. The Panthers did not go unnoticed by J. Edgar Hoover. In the era of enemies' lists, his FBI drew up its own list of Panthers to be "neutralized" and began a systematic counterintelligence program to undermine black solidarity. Geronimo Pratt headed Hoover's list. When an FBI informer within the Panther party agreed to testify that Pratt murdered a young woman at a Santa Monica tennis court, his days as a free citizen came to an end.

If not for the unlikely alliance of a brash African American defense attorney (Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.), a radical Irish Jewish law student (Stuart Hanlon), a Protestant minister (Rev. James McCloskey), and the indefatigable Pratt-his spirit unbroken by eight years in solitary confinement-a horrifying miscarriage of justice would never have been rectified. As riveting biography, courtroom drama, and just plain narrative nonfiction, Last Man Standing is certain to take its place among the finest works of American judicial history.

Customer Reviews:

can't completely review this item yet as I haven't finished reading it, but so far it's good........2007-02-22

I wanted to know the real scoop for years on the Geronimo Pratt case. Although I'm not yet finished reading the book, it is very obvious that Mt. Pratt got screwed, like so many others caught up in the "good old USA" system. Obviously this one is a case of racial prejudice, but it could have just as easily been some other kind of prejudice. It is clear that the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" is just a nice theory that should be strictly adhered to but rarely is. The presumed guilt is clear from the get go on the part of the police. It continues on to the top with lies and deception on the part of the police to get a conviction at any cost, especially with regard to the truth. It's frightening and a relief to know it's not me. But next time it could be me, or anyone who gets targeted by individuals in a position of power, who have no integrity, and don't give a hoot about the constitution of the US.

Tragedy and Triumph.......2006-04-20

This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read. Jack Olsen did an outstanding job of weaving together all the facts in a highly readable narrative of one of the most blatant chapters of injustice in 20th century legal history.

I already had considerable knowledge of the case before I read this book. In the early 1990s, the case was being publicized again. I was a reporter for Wave Newspapers in Los Angeles and journeyed with a co-worker to the state prison at Tehachapi where Pratt was then being held and we interviewed him. I then wrote several stories about his situation.

Pratt was imprisoned for 27 years for a crime he clearly did not commit. The prosecution was part of the FBI's notorious COINTELPRO operation-essentially a war against numerous dissenting groups in the 1960s including the Black Panther Party. As Olsen makes clear, in Pratt's case this also involved LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

Pratt was convicted of the December 1968 Santa Monica tennis-court murder of school teacher Caroline Olsen. There was considerable doubt about the credibility of key-witness Julius Butler, who had a previous falling out with Pratt, and was later proven to be an informant. (When I was a reporter, I actually contacted Butler. He yelled that he was "tired of this" and hung up on me.) Plus, numerous other Panthers could have confirmed he was at a meeting in Oakland the day of the murder but most wouldn't testify because of a severe split in the ranks.

Appeal after appeal was turned down despite more and more evidence being discovered pointing to Pratt's innocence. In all probability the crime was committed by two low-level Panther members to obtain money for drugs.

That ties in with the only complaint I would make about Olsen's book. He really glossed over the fact that the FBI and police campaign against the Panthers (which I am not defending) was not just because of their militant political rhetoric. They had a lot of criminal types within the group.

Regardless, this is an extraordinary book about another era and the governmental abuses of that time. Johnnie Cochran redeemed himself in my eyes by getting Pratt released. That was after he was involved in a travesty of justice, himself, by getting O.J. Simpson off. But that's another story.

The Cure for Your Despair.......2004-12-01

The courage and essential goodness of Geronimo Pratt, in spite of receiving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, is truly inspiring. This is a wonderful book.

Amazing book, Amazing man.......2003-06-15

Geronimo Pratt had one of the most honorable and incredible lives I have ever heard of. This book documents his entire life, from is Morgan City childhood to his unjust incarceration for the murder of Caroline Olsen. I literally had trouble putting this book down. It is a great read for anyone interested in the judicial system, the FBI's COINTELPRO, the Black Panther Party, and racism in general. READ THIS BOOK!!!

One of the Best books I ever laid my hands on.......2003-02-20

This book should be mandatory reading for every black person when they turn 15 years old. To read what the gov't put this man through was utterly shocking. After you read this book read "The Judas Factor - The Plot to Kill Malcolm X." You'll be numb after reading these two books back to back.

The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night

Average customer rating:

An Incredibley Boring Book
Excellent Book, But Not For All Studio 54 Fans
Too Bad I am only 19
Hard going!
A muddled work

The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night
Anthony Haden-Guest
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688160980

Amazon.com

British socialite and writer Anthony Haden-Guest has been a champion party-goer for more than 30 years. There are few people more qualified to lead a reader, as he does in The Last Party, past the velvet ropes and doorman and into the tornado of 1970s disco, drug excess, and excessive sex that was Studio 54. Unlike some of his contemporaries whose memories are dulled by years of hard living, Haden-Guest seems to actually recall many of his experiences at Studio. His book is therefore part personal memoir, part reportage.

The cast of characters includes Andy, Liza, Halston, and Bianca--no last names needed--and other luminaries etched into Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager's exclusive guest list. The anecdotes include lurid details of the revelry and stories like the one about that Halloween when two Lady Godivas were kept outside but their horse was allowed in. Haden-Guest resists the obvious urge to dish too much about the stars and instead examines the club as a social phenomenon. In his book, the front door of Studio 54 swings open just long enough to let escape the shadow of a scene that's long since seen the light of day.

Book Description

Studio 54 was the epicenter of disco culture and pre-AIDS debauchery. Now, journalist and nightworld denizen Anthony Haden-Guest takes us behind the velvet rope that separated the celebrities from the wanna-bes, into an all-night world of revelry, sensation, and decadence.

Going beyond the endless partying with Liza, Bianca, Halston, Andy, and Mick, Haden-Guest probes the seamy underside of Studio 54: the drugs, the deaths, and the corruption that eventually shuttered the club. It is the story of Studio 54's flamboyant owners, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, who achieved early success beyond their wildest imaginings, came within a hair's breadth of great power, and then crashed and burned.

Customer Reviews:

An Incredibley Boring Book.......2006-03-20

I got this for a 'fun' read on a trip. I figured how can you go wrong with this subject? Don't ask me how, but the author manages to write a book on Studio 54 about as interesting as reading a corporate annual report. I gave it two stars only for someone who needs to know who started what club when with who's money etc etc. How dull is it? I was waiting to have my muffler replaced and had this book with me. I found myself thumbing through a Muffler Dealers Magazine instead!

Excellent Book, But Not For All Studio 54 Fans.......2004-07-22

This book is an excellent in-depth analysis of the New York City Nightworld from the disco-elite 1970s into the Club-Kids of the 1990s. The title might mislead readers into thinking this is "The Studio 54 story." This book does not focus solely on the rise and fall of Studio 54. Anthony Haden-Guest focuses on the rise and fall of the entire NYC nightclub scene, with Studio 54's Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager taking center stage.

If you are looking for a book that mainly emphasizes the celebrities, the glitz, and wild parties in Studio 54, this book may not be your cup of tea. These topics are covered, but the book emphasizes the chaotic, competitive ---and often cutthroat--- business nature of nightclubs. In doing so, Haden-Guest does a great and even job of illustrating Nightworld's sharp businessmen, the starry-eyed dreamers, the junkies, the megalomaniacs, the doormen, and the party-goers. You read the frightening ups & downs of the business players, and their mad scrambles to try and duplicate the success of Studio 54. And often, some of these key players are all the abovementioned items rolled up into one.

I was surprised to read just how unstable the nightclub business was during this "Boom" period. There was no club that matched Studio 54's once-in-a-century money making machine. But even its best competitors found numerous obstacles in running a successful night-scene, and very few lasted more than two years. You will read about the fickle Nightworld party-goers, how they tired quickly of even the hottest parties, eventually abandoning the hot club in hopes of a newer, hotter nightspot.

It is equally astounding to see how many would be entrepreneurs sought funding to duplicate Studio 54's achievements; some well equipped, others incompetent. There are the brief triumphs of Maurice Brahms, the drive of Arthur Weinstein, the mixed success of Scotty Taylor, and the sad story of Uva Hardin, the volatile dreamer that never even got a club off the ground.

You do meet the charismatic characters that inhabited Studio 54 and the surrounding clubs, including Bianca Jagger, drug runner Tom Sullivan, Mark Benecke (probably the only guy who became famous for being a club doorman), club goer Tinkerbelle, Carmen D'Alessio, legendary attorney Roy Cohn, Rudolf and His Club Kids, and Halston. The author does not merely tell you the cool stories about their doings, he illustrates how they shaped Nightworld and/or how Nightworld shaped (and sometime damaged) them.

Haden-Guest paces the story of Rubell and Schrager's unexpected success very well. Their financial boom was so intense and happened so fast that both men failed to see the potential fallout. Like many club owners, they skimmed money, only Rubell and Schrager skimmed mountains more than the average club owner, and practically egged on the IRS to investigate them. The out of control egos, the delusion of being untouchable, is all too evident in this tale. The author also illustrates the irony in Studio 54's downfall, how if Rubell and Schrager reeled in their egos just a little bit, there is a chance the Saga of Studio 54 would be an ongoing success story today.

If I could point to the one thing that I enjoyed most about The Last Party, it would be the treatment of Steve Rubell. I have seen numerous articles and documentaries of the nightclub phenomenon that paints Rubell as an eccentric visionary, a maverick, a madman? and not much else. Haden-Guest does show us the manic & drugging Rubell, but we get a keen look at the soul behind the "human perpetual-motion machine." Especially moving was that after numerous whirlwind career ups-&-downs and "Hello & G'bye" sexual encounters, Rubell, in the last years of his life, found love with Bill Hamilton.

If you are looking for a book on the glitz of Studio 54, a good source is the VH1 Behind the Music documentary aired around 1996-97. If you want an insightful look into the complex and unpredictable nature of the Nightworld phenomenon, this is the book for you.

Too Bad I am only 19.......2003-05-09

Summing up the quality of this book, and it contents, just can't be done. What I can do is shed a minute amount of light on this and the 1970's disco scene. Yes I am only 19, but from the information provided in "The Last Party," I feel like the the Elite 54, like Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager at Studio 54, twenty some years ago. Steve was so smart, he partied like no other and still managed to open up the most legendary club in history. Ian, was the quiet guy, the man who did the behind the scenes work. Only those two men could take a dungy old basement of a production studio and turn it into a commodity filled status room. If you lived during the 70's and thought '54' was just your Dad's age, then more than likely you were a pastor at the local First Church Of God. Studio 54 was about as holy and unholy as a place ever existed. It was the first stomping grounds for the strange; it was the trendy, the vogue, a melting pot like no other. As Steve referred to it as "Mixing The Salad." 54 was not just a disco; it was a place for everyone and everything. read this and you'll know what I mean! Bravo Anthony Haden-Guest!

Hard going!.......2003-03-17

I got partway through this book and started to wonder just WHAT the author was taking while he was writing it!
It is a disjointed history that darts around all over the place dropping names that appear to have little relevance to the main story. Whats more its poorly proofed - I started to spend more time trying to pick the spelling mistakes and incorrect words than read the content.Sorry a big yawn!
On the other hand the pictures are very interesting - thats what gives this tome 2 stars!

A muddled work.......2002-12-01

Readers hoping to understand Studio 54, the rise and fall of the disco phenomena, and the evolution of the New York club scene will be disappointed. The book lacks clarity, continuity between the players and clubs, and depth of analysis and explanations.

First, readers who want a Studio 54 story will be disappointed. Only about one-third of the book covers Studio 54. (For a much better explanation, see VH1's "Behind the Music" which did a 90-minute show on Studio 54.) While the story of this nightclub is told in disjointed segments with some interesting anecdotes, coverage of the celebrities and their stories is sparse, the role of the founders is incompletely explained, and the rise and fall of the club's fortune with Disco lacks analysis. The story is interesting, but incomplete. You will not have all of your questions answered.

Book Description

More crazy short stories chronicling the lives of comic writers and artists, and the characters they create.

Customer Reviews:

COSPLAY SAVES THE DAY.......2005-07-19

I liked this episodic volume, as the individual stories referenced all sorts on anime in-jokes. There's a lengthy cosplay adventure, as well as a few digs at the cosplayers themselves.

As with the previous book, you'll probably like some stories more than others, and that's part of the charm with an anthology title like this.

Average customer rating:

Complex, but worth it

The Last House-party
Peter Dickinson
Manufacturer: Vintage/Ebury (A Division of Random House Group)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Complex, but worth it.......2001-07-01

Here's what the back cover says: "In the glittering thirties, all the leaders of art and politics attended the galas of the Countess of Snailwood. And there, one of them committed a dark and savage crime. Now, forty years later, the sole survivor of those opulent days must take up the disturbing mystery again--this time for keeps."

A theme of Dickinson's in a number of his mystery novels is looking back at the past, putting together information that you may not have had then, and having the whole picture of what you thought was true change underneath you.

This is one of those books. The time goes back and forth from the present (which is the 1980s in the book) to the past (England during WWII). Everything fits together in a complicated but satisfying manner. There is a real sense of a now distant time and place during the WWII passages.

Be forewarned: in most mysteries, the creepy stuff happens at the beginning. In this one, you get to that at the end.

Amazon.com

Norman Mailer has often been a focal point of controversy for his novels--from his account of killer Gary Gilmore's troubled life in The Executioner's Song to his more recent The Gospel According to the Son, told in Jesus' own words. But in 1960 it was Mailer's personal life that earned him notoriety. After an evening of heavy drinking, Mailer assaulted his then-wife, Adele, with a knife, putting her in intensive care and abruptly ending their marriage. More than 30 years later, Adele Mailer serves up her revenge cold in The Last Party, a memoir of her life before, during, and after Norman Mailer.

Alcohol figures prominently in Mailer's book; in her prologue she mentions her membership in Alcoholics Anonymous. Starting with her first marriage to Village Voice cofounder Ed Fancher, Mailer drank her way through the high-rolling, hard-partying New York avante-garde. Her book is a veritable grab bag of celebrity name-dropping and gossip about some of the glitterati's brightest stars. There's plenty of sex and violence and maybe more than you'd ever want to know about Adele Mailer herself. The stories Mailer dishes are 30 years old, but there's a certain voyeuristic appeal in reading about the rather sordid lives of the rich and infamous, and The Last Party certainly fits the bill.

Book Description

A full account of Adele Mailer's volatile marriage to Noramn Mailer a marriage that spanned drug binges, sexual license, and wild parties.

Customer Reviews:

Surprisngly engaging, unexpectedly redeeming , yes, sordid........2006-05-28

So insightful; I thought that only today do we live in the apex of worship of all things celebrity driven. Sycophantic ego fueled hangers-on confuse notoriety with "brilliance". It seems that on a smaller scale- and somehow more refined because literary celebrities then needed a certain caliber of intellectualism - the same thing was true in the late fifties and early sixties.I must confess not ever having read a Norman Mailer novel- really why would I ? However at the time, in a small and rarified media universe, this man was a big big star back in the era of the rebels and beatniks- Greenwich Village ,Jimmy Dean, Marlon Brando, Jack Kerouac .Because of the glamour and allure of these romantic characters we don't want to admit what desolute junkies and losers these characters ultimately were.
I believe that the snide reviews from the critics reveal a theme commonly seen- DONT TELL US WHAT WE DONT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OUR HEROES- especially the men! Just because Adele Mailer was never on a talk show and isn't a household name her story isn't valid ?( Oh yeah- she was a housewife- shave off 75 points) I struggled through the first part of the book simply because I couldn't relate to the carnal appeal of the beginnings of the union- maybe that's what turns some people off ; but the second half of the book redeems this as we see the decline of a marriage amidst some shimmering backdrops peppered with the sodden glitteratai.The writer of all these tales is booze, competitive posturing,and a lust for drama , and it does get tiring and predictable- just like in real life.

this was agreat book.......2000-03-31

wow....this book was very good. cool, yo!

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