Steve McQueen The Last Mile

Product Description

This is a Signed - Limited Edition book which comes with a 45 minute CD of Steve McQueen reviewing his scripts for the movie Tom Horn. This book covers Steve McQueen's final 3 1/2 years up to and including his untimely death from Cancer. Includes around 400 Color and Black & White Photos taken by Barbara McQueen.

Customer Reviews:

A Must for McQueen Fans.......2007-03-10

Wow, the photographs are beautiful and highly personal. It's like seeing a private photo album from this marriage. Plus the text is informative and revealing. I'm so glad this part of Steve's life is now so well documented.

It goes perfectly on my coffee table.

The Real Steve McQueen.......2007-03-10

Intimate, touching, insightful, sometimes hilarious passages into the life of The King of Cool, Steve McQueen. We live in such a visual, media oriented world that we tend to get preconceived notions of who movie stars are, based on what we see. The world saw Steve McQueen as the ultimate man- handsome, macho, cool, someone they could spend their hard-earned bucks on back in the day and get their money's worth at the theater. Barbara McQueen, his widow, saw the real Steve McQueen. She got to know Steve, the family man; Steve, the man who loved the great outdoors and his morning constitutional; Steve, the great mashed potato guru, airplane and motorcycle enthusiast. "The Last Mile" shows how little we all knew of his kindness and philanthropy; how little we knew of his yearning for happiness and how he ultimately found it. The photos in this book will enchant you, leave you wanting more. One of my favorites is one where Barbara embraces Steve from behind. That photo alone is worth the book to me. Beautiful model, handsome superstar, real people worn out from what life has dealt them. You can see it in their faces. It makes me sigh everytime I see it because there's not one person I know who hasn't been to that point and had nothing left but an embrace. You will love this book and you will want more. I guarantee you.

Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.......2007-03-10

This book takes you into the very intimate and private world of Steve McQueen between 1977 and 1980.

Consisting of approximately 150 color photos (most of which were taken by his wife Barbara McQueen) and accompanied by Barbara's recollections of their time together.

Unlike some other photobooks where you sense you are watching the star pose, this book shows you the absolutely unguarded and relaxed side of the man as he goes about his daily life, talking to friends, tinkering on his bikes, dozing in an armchair or washing down the pavement outside his airplane hanger.

These are the sort of photos you would usually never see of a movie star - Steve in the morning before he has showered, looking drowsily over a hot mug of coffee, househunting in Montana with Barbara, or lying asleep on the living room floor with his pet dog lying on top of him.

You really feel like you have stepped into Steve and Barbara's house, it is that personal.

The text accompaniment is also very entertaining and educational as Barbara shares her memories of how Steve wooed her, the initial problems he had to overcome in winning her parents approval of the relationship, his personal lessons to her on how to dismantle and rebuild a motorcycle (sadly unsuccessful) or a gun (successful), how he came to propose, and many other intimate and fun moments. Overall it takes you through their entire relationship and serves as something of an autobiography in itself.

All these photos are beautifully presented in a high gloss large coffee table book format.

Released with the first limited edition run of the book is a 45 minute audio CD of Steve verbally working through the script of the film "Tom Horn". It is fascinating to hear him talk about his vision of the film, rework the script and plan his character. You get a real sense of the epic film he wanted Tom Horn to be (but was denied due to the studio slashing the budget), and you realise just how insightful he was with film and acting. The amount of thought he puts into his role should forever dispel the notion that he just played himself on film.

Steve McQueen - The Last Mile is a very special book and no fans collection will be complete without it.

Fantastic!.......2007-03-10

A fantastic book on the last years of legend Steve McQueen! Great job by Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill! Touching moments! Great photos!

BITCH"EN.......2007-03-08

Just recieved "the Last Mile" in the mail. The photos and text are outstanding !! The book could have been twice as big. Great job Barbara and Marshall!!

Average customer rating:

McQueen Bio
An Interesting Life, but...
Not Bad For A Limey Hack
Excellent biography about the King of Cool
an icon captured.

McQueen: The Biography
Christopher Sandford
Manufacturer: Taylor Trade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 087833307X

Book Description

This is the definitive story of the complex man behind the icon of cool.

Customer Reviews:

McQueen Bio.......2007-03-08

Good in-depth biography of one of Hollywood's most misunderstood bad boys. McQueen broke the mold on action heroes being the forerunner of most of the gendre today. His influence on such stars as Chuck Norris, Arnold, and Slyvester Stallone is undeniable. He raised the bar when it came to acting, action and salary. Always demanding more of himself as well as others.

An Interesting Life, but..........2006-03-08

I found the first few chapters of this book really holdling my attention, but as his career became more solid it all seemed less interesting. I guess it's the early McQueen that is most enjoyable to read about - the way he establishd his "cool" and muscled his way through the film industry to become a major star. The aging of the actor and his diminishing roles and vigor caused me to lose interest and simply didn't feel like finishing it.

Not Bad For A Limey Hack.......2004-11-28

If I could give this biography four and a half stars, I would. It is full of facts and anecdotes, and it appears to be (almost) exhaustive. But it's like an over-stuffed fruitcake. It is sometimes hard to enjoy. Christopher Sandford, it must be said, is no prose stylist. He writes like a hack. But he is thorough and does his homework. While repetitive about his basic thesis, he is probably right.

Sanford pushes the line that Terence Steven McQueen's life-long obsession was to avoid being, and being seen as, a "candyass". Since acting is all but intrinsically a "candyass" profession (think: men in face-paint and tights), McQueen tried to make sure that what he did was authentic and gritty enough to rise above that. His point was that acting could be something that real men did. And I think we all have to agree that McQueen proved his point. He was brilliant at faking being real. Today, watching his films, the other actors often look like they are on stage. McQueen looks totally natural.

But all the while (because he had contempt for the movie business? because he had a nagging fear about what he did for a living?) he rode dirt-bikes, raced cars in competition, did his own stunt work (when they would let him), drank, smoked, did all sorts of drugs, and had sex with hundreds upon hundreds of actresses, extras, fans, hangers-on, hippies... anyone who was female and who had a "bubble-ass". While he was married, of course. He hated the studios and men in suits in general, and enjoyed squeezing as much money out of them as possible. Because, again, making "bread" was a man thing. His obsession was to be taken seriously by other real men. He valued his award from the Stuntmen's Association more than any acting award. He did weights all the time. He never cooked. He trained as a black-belt in karate. He sought the approval of mechanics and drivers and martial arts experts. Tough guys. And he was obsessed with making it big, like a real provider, alpha-male type.

Like any typical macho superstar, he beat his first wife Neile Adams when he discovered that she had eventually had an affair with Maximilian Schell. His second wife, Ali McGraw, whom he started sleeping with on the set of "The Getaway", while she was still married, became/was an "alcoholic/male dependent" (p. 451). His third wife, Barbara Minty, who could easily be mistaken for MacGraw, became little short of a hausfrau.

Everybody knows, I am sure, about the billing war over whose name went first -- McQueen's or Paul Newman's - in the publicity for "The Towering Inferno" in 1974. What this biography makes clear is that McQueen's first billing -- at a lower height -- was the culmination of a lifelong pissing match (entirely, it seems, one-sided) with Paul Newman to be top man. McQueen was obsessively competitive. I honestly cannot recall any passage in this book where he is quoted as complimenting another living actor's work, other than James Dean, who died young. Great stuntmen, yes. Car drivers, yes. Friends of his who acted in his films, yes. But other major actors? No. Not Newman, not Yul Brynner, not Brando (McQueen painted "The Mild One" on one of his Triumph motorcycles). No one.

In spite of his colossal egoism-cum-paranoia, or at least, in any case, the McQueen legend has only gone from strength to strength since his death in 1980, aged 50, from cancer. His major films are now considered classics -- are now cult -- and he is considered to be the best thing in them. I speak here of, at least, "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), "The Great Escape" (1963), "The Cinncinnati Kid" (1965), "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968), "Bullitt" (1968), and "The Getaway" (1972). Some of his other, more intimate films are also being rediscovered, especially "Junior Bonner" (1972) and "Tom Horn" (1980).

Perhaps because he is dead and we can go back to the screen legend, Steve McQueen has become the Ultimate Man's-Man -- an embodiment of cool toughness. He beats Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman in that department, and is an inspiration in some sense to contemporary bad-boy, wanna-be-authentic, f***-Hollywood types like Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn. I think McQueen would be happy about that. But this biography does provide us with a wealth of detail about the juvenile-delinquent-Marine-turned-multi-millionaire-tough-guy-actor that lies behind the Tag Heuer watch and Ford car advertisements.

If this biography is to be faulted in terms of content (apart from repetition), it is, in the end, for its account of the films. Sandford fares a bit better with "Bullitt" than with the rest. But this book never departs from being about McQueen to being about his films. For film analysis, consult other books. Also, and this is a much smaller point, perhaps even a matter of taste, there is little interest shown in McQueen's cars or motorcycles. Given how much McQueen himself was interested in them, and given how much interest his fans generally have in them, this is a bit of a let-down. Finally, and it is not clear at all if this is Sandford's fault, the book is remarkably thin on good photos. There is one single small pic, occupying a third of a page, from "Bullitt". And that's it. There isn't a single pic of him in or near a sportscar, for example. No pic of his beautiful green Jag XK-SS. It looks like, for pictures, and for cars, you will have to search elsewhere.

Excellent biography about the King of Cool.......2004-01-24

McQueen: The Biography is an excellent read for fans trying to learn more about McQueen's life. One of the biggest movie stars of all time and loved by fans all over the world, this book tells everything you need to know about his life. It covers everything from his movie career, covering all 28 films he starred in, his role on Wanted: Dead or Alive, his troubled childhood, and also his struggle to survive everyday life. As a child, McQueen often had to fend for himself which impacted him greatly for the rest of his life.

I highly recommend this book for someone trying to learn more about Steve McQueen. Not many people know how much money he gave to charities over the course of his career, all of it anonymously too. The book also covers all three of his marriages which tends to show the darker side of his life. As well, fans of McQueen won't be disappointed since there is plenty here about all his movies, including The Great Escape, Bullitt, The Getaway, and Papillon and all his other classics. My only problem with the book, and this is nitpicking, is Sandford's writing style. The man does not know how to use a comma, and I often found myself reading sentences repeatedly to try and figure out what he meant. Either way, this is a great buy. For an excellent biography about Steve McQueen, check out McQueen: The Biography!

an icon captured........2003-07-14

Chris captures the essential myth behind steve mcqueen. He writes in parallel with Jung about 'soul-image', which is one of the archetypal images. For a man this is the 'anima; for a woman, the animus. Chris shows how both sides were present in Steve, thus giving his strength and appeal. The brilliance of the book is in the view of mcqueen from the "archetypes", how he fills many of the the simple american and suave european ideals. Energies both male and female, make mcqueen larger than us. A brilliant view into a great man.

Average customer rating:

I agree with the other review: "Leaves you begging for more".
McQueen fan
A Fitting Photo Tribute
Leaves you begging for more
Leaves you begging for more

Steve McQueen
William Claxton , and Steve Crist
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3822831174

Book Description

Steve McQueen is a handsome photographic art book featuring William Claxton's unique photographs-images that captured the young, controversial American actor in the beginning of his movie career during the 1960s. Claxton's photographs confirm that McQueen's all-American, off-beat good looks were every bit as stunning as his acting and his often-stormy off-screen personality. McQueen continues to be an icon for the youth of yesterday and today. Often labeled as a maverick, a rebel, a tough guy, a loner, and a daredevil, McQueen was, above all else, an American original. Claxton, a sometime buddy of McQueen's, has captured on film not only McQueen's talent and perfectionism, but also his less well-known sensitivity and sense of humor. Along with these photographs, most of which have never been published before, are Claxton's memories and recollections, including anecdotes creating a very personal vision of McQueen. Steve McQueen features action shots of McQueen with his motorcycle buddies, in his fast cars, with his leading ladies and fellow actors, including scenes from several of his early and best films.

Customer Reviews:

I agree with the other review: "Leaves you begging for more"........2007-04-15

A great book, considering it is of a short period in Steve McQueen's life. This is him in his prime captured by a great photographer.

McQueen fan.......2007-03-08

Very comprehensive. Show's a different side of the rough and tumble character known as Steve McQueen. Very entertaining.

A Fitting Photo Tribute.......2004-03-30

According to his foreward to this book, the photographer William Claxton met Steve McQueen in 1962 when McQueen was starring with Natalie Woods in LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER. The two men formed a friendship and apparently Mr. Claxton became Mr. McQueen's favorite and most requested photographer. This book of wonderful photographs, covering a couple of years in Mr. McQueen's life from 1962 to 1964, is a result of that brief friendship. Most of the pictures appear to be shot in available light and have a wonderful, informal spontaneity about them impossible to capture in formal portraiture. Both the photographer and subject are comnpletely without pretention.

Mr. Claxton caught Mr. McQueen smiling, clowning and pensive. There are photographs of McQueen in fast cars as well as on motorcycles. Many of the shots were done while Mr. McQueen was working on movies. There are also many pictures of him with family and friends. Most of the shots are in black and white with a few in color. Every time I look at them I find yet another photograph that I think is the best in the book. There is a haunting shot of McQueen with his young daughter where the child, sitting on the floor and resting on her arms, looks into Claxton's camera. We only see her father's legs and feet. (p. 79) Another great shot appears on page 73. McQueen is embracing the family cat. Finally, there's a shot of McQueen lying on a blanket in a large field. His profile is beautifully backlit. Both photographs selected for the front and back covers are fine, informal portraits as well.

This book made me remember how much I enjoyed Steve McQueen's movies and made me sad that he is no longer among us.

Leaves you begging for more.......2000-10-20

A wonderful work of art that captures what made Steve so charismatic and appealing. It leaves you wishing you could see more from other periods in his life. This is a book I will treasure all my life. Thank you Amazon, I would have paid ten times as much for this book. God Rest His Soul.

Leaves you begging for more.......2000-10-20

What an incredible set of images from a short time span in Steve's career. The only thing is, you really want more, from other parts of his life. Everything that Steve McQueen meant to his fans and his genre of movies in the 20th century is captured here, and then some. Do not miss this book. Amazon, I would have paid ten times as much for it. I will treasure it the rest of my life. God Rest His Soul.

Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel

Average customer rating:

good one
The life of the king of cool
Average account of the screen legend...
A very cool book about one of our coolest stars
The best book about the most real action hero in history

Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel
Marshall Terrill
Manufacturer: Plexus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0859653609

Book Description

This widely acclaimed biography — complete with 45 photos — chronicles the life and times of a man whose power both on- and off-camera is legendary. Drawing from extensive interviews with those who knew and worked with the actor, Marshall Terrill relates McQueen's delinquent childhood, his success in films like The Great Escape and Bullitt, his harrowing last days in a hospital in Juarez, Mexico, and more. New and old fans alike will feel they have met this small-town rebel who kept so many millions spellbound. Includes 45 black-and-white photos.

Customer Reviews:

good one.......2005-12-13

I like to read biographies and this is probably the best one I read. The research of the author is extraordinary. The language is simple and one gets the feeling the author avoids speculation at all costs. And, although he's obviously a fan, he doesn't portray McQueen the hero, he portrays a 3 dimensional man. He doesn't hold back. Other reviewers claim this is the definite McQueen bio and I agree.
The book is never boring, quite a feat since it's more than 400 pages long. The films get an extensive analysis, and it's fun to know what went on behind the cameras. Terrill writes like he's in a movie theatre, watching a McQueen film and telling what he found about that magnetic actor, just like a fan talking to another fan (the reader). This is very difficult to achieve and Terrill succeeds. It's not pretentious, and it gets to the core. It's not one of those bios set out to demolish the person's reputation but it's not a glorification either. An extremely difficult balance, and Terrill succeeds in spades. If you think McQueen is interesting this is worth your while.

The life of the king of cool.......2003-07-25

With the movie "Bullitt" ranking at the very top of my euphorometer (how I felt leaving the theater)Steve McQueen from that day forward was my ultimate hero. Marshall Terrill has done me, and all Steve's fans, a great favor in this detailed examination of Steve's life. Many interesting tidbits emerge about Steve's relationships with other actors and how films projects developed. From Wanted Dead or Alive to big screen triumph, to the economic catastrophe of Le Mans, and onto his utter domination in the Towering Inferno, one feels as though he is present at those creations. Some touching moments too as Mr. Terrill tells us of Steve's battle with cancer and inner conversion. I often go back and reread portions of this indispensible book.

Average account of the screen legend..........2002-03-30

Steve McQueen has been a favorite for biographers to tackle over the years. His infamous off-screen adventures and hard-edged demeanor have almost eclipsed his work in the years following his death (and before, for that matter). Women loved him and men wanted to be him.

Marshall Terrill adds a well-researched and entertaining - if somewhat bland - bio to the stack. Most of the interviews are with old McQueen cronies intermixed with quotes lifted from other books on McQueen and autobiographies of stars like ex-wife Ali MacGraw. While 419 pages seems like it would be enough to capture the essense of a man I never got the feeling that I was hearing more than a dry barebones account of his life.

When all's said and done McQueen was a hero to many and a jerk to others. His odd behavior and Joe Six-pack mentalities may have put off some but films like Bullitt, Tom Horn and The Great Escape are proof that he had screen presence and attitude to spare. This book didn't tell me much that I needed or wanted to know, but would serve as a fine introduction to Steve McQueen.

A very cool book about one of our coolest stars.......2001-10-02

Its an overused word that is often devoid of any real meaning, but Steve McQueen was just cool. Even though he was usually described as being a "limited" actor, Steve McQueen was still a great star -- a talented man who perfectly understood his limitations and therefore was able to craft each of his films to perfectly showcase his strengths. As Marshall Terrill's biography shows, McQueen was an actor who always gave the perfect performance for the films he starred in. Therefore, if McQueen wasn't a "great" actor in the style of Paul Newman, he was a far more dependable actor and, in a true rarity nowadays, his was a name that you could trust when saw it on a theater marquee. Terrill's biography also shows that McQueen, as an actor, never succumbed to the elitism that seems to possess so many other film stars. He never forgot his humble roots and, as a result, he never committed the cardinal sin of seeing himself as being somehow above his audience. McQueen was loyal to the idea of providing entertainment yet, within those confines set for himself, managed to help craft such classic films as Bullitt, the Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles, and the Magnificent Seven. As Terrill shows, even when McQueen went through a "classics" period, he still made a film that fit in with his own personal view of what his audience would enjoy -- an unlikely, unjustly obscure version of Ibsen's Enemy of the People. Terrill's recounting of the making of Enemy is one of the book's highlights and, to the best of my knowledge, contains anecdotes and information that can't be found anywhere else.

Also, a great deal of fun comes from the book's final section -- a listing of films that McQueen decided not to make. This listing of films famous and obscure is a trivia browser's delight and also invites one to imagine what might have been. While sometimes that mind boggles, others -- such as Steve McQueen playing Kurtz in Apocalypse Now (imagine the military madman personified by a cool killer like McQueen as opposed to a massively bloated, rambling Marlon Brando) leave one mourning the unrealizing possibilities.

Of course, since this is Steve McQueen, a great deal of the book is taken up with details of rampaging drug abuse and chronic womanizing. Terrill presents these facts in a very unsensationalistic, straight forward way. Surely, Steve McQueen would have appreciated the no-BS style to Terrill's recounting. One thing becomes perfectly clear -- even if McQueen did, quite often, the wrong thing, he did it with enough style to make the "correct" alternatives look all the more dull. Luckily for filmgoers, Steve McQueen was never dull and luckily for readers, neither is Terrill's biography.

The best book about the most real action hero in history.......2001-09-21

First consider how fine an actor Steve McQueen was:

From the 50s through the 70's, Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, and Paul Newman were in close competition for the best "blue-eyed-blonde" parts in Hollywood. Newman and Redford are intelligent, versatile actors. Steve had a little less brainpower and range.

But from a physical standpoint, Steve wiped the floor with Newman and Redford (who are no sissies), or anybody else for that matter.

From playing golf and polo (Thomas Crown Affair) to marshal arts (Great Escape, Sand Pebbles) to auto racing (Le Mans) to motorcycling (Great Escape, On Any Sunday) to handling firearms (many), to handling tools (Sand Pebbles), every move Steve made was quick, balanced, controlled, and deadly. Steve's athleticism was inherited - his father was a "dashing flyer." It was psychological - Jim Coburn said Steve was "the most competitive person I've ever met." And it was nurtured - he was a decorated Marine, a bona-fide auto and motorcycle racer, and a serious student of marshal arts. He studied for years with the great Pat Johnson, and with the greatest, Bruce Lee. And Steve loved working on motorcycles and cars. No other actor in history had Steve's physical credits.

In all his roles, Steve understood that films are much more visual than verbal, and exploited his phyical qualities to the limit. That's acting intelligence.

Perhaps most importantly, Steve was INTENSE. Would you hesitate to make Newman or Redford angry? I wouldn't. Would you hesitate to make McQueen angry? I would. Read the book and see why.

And for what it's worth: Newman and Redford are pretty. Steve was swarthy. How many blue-eyed-blondes are swarthy?

Next consider the book:

Mr. Terrill's account of Steve's personal life is clear, comprehensive, balanced, and filled with great photos. Terrill's direct access to many people who personally knew or worked with Steve is evident on every page.

Terrill builds up the story with a thorough account of Steve's extremely tough, fascinating early years. You get to know the forces behind Steve's failures and successes as an adult. Although you know all along that Steve eventually "makes it," Terrill makes you feel intensely how unlikely a candidate Steve was for acting stardom.

Terrill covers Steve's great romance and marriage with Neile Adams, the immensely painful breakup, the scandalous romance and marriage with Ali McGraw, and the twilight-marriage with model Barbara Minty.

Not least of all, Terrill makes you appreciate McQueen's extremely underestimated acting talent. Steve was not a "yes-sir" actor. He molded all his parts strongly. He was particularly good at understanding how to stay just on the "reality" side of things, even though he was primarily an action star. So he deserves a great deal of credit for his own success.

By the end, Terrill has taken you through the many lives of Steve McQueen.

Plus, Terrill includes a filmography and a great treat: a list of movies Steve ALMOST made. The list is long and often surprising.

Finally consider the combination, and buy this book.

I've read it three times and will end up reading it many more times.

Book Description

Bentley Publishers announces the publication and availability of ex-racer and acclaimed motor sports photographer and author Michael Keyser's "A French Kiss with Death: Steve McQueen and the Making of LeMans: The Man, The Race, The Cars, The Movie." This exciting new hardcover book from Bentley is part celebrity biography, part motor sports and part movie making.

This spine-tingling title and the "King of Cool's" intense headshot telegraph the excitement to be found under the book cover. Keyser's observant and engaging storytelling weaves together screen legend Steve McQueen's rugged, individualistic life, his love affairs with motorcycles, cars, racing, partying and women, along with a story of exceptional filmmaking, including the breakthrough, Oscar-winning cinematographic techniques used to capture the visceral essence of racing's most famous event for the silver screen.

Throughout 464 highly charged pages, "A French Kiss with Death" dazzles the reader with the "King of Cool's" roller-coaster life of adventure and accomplishment. The book contains more than 725 photographs and illustrations, most seen for the first time and many shot during the actual "24 Hours of Le Mans." Providing an unforgettable ride, "A French Kiss with Death" pulls readers rapidly into the exotic, heady, cutthroat world of international sports car racing. Keyser's longtime friend and ex-racer Jonathan Williams also contributed to the book.

Customer Reviews:

Not enough McQueen.......2006-07-17

Upon reading the reviews for this book, I was prepared for the extensive information, history, and background of Le Mans. But, I purchased the book because I was a fan of Steve McQueen. I realized for me there was too much info about Le Mans, before it got to the actual parts of the shooting of the movie. I still haven't finished the book and will continue to plow through it.

Fantastic.......2005-02-15

One of my favorite automotive films of all times is Le Mans. Not only is the race itself an epic, but the making of the film Le Mans was also an epic in and of itself. Steve McQueen was responsible for it from start to finish. It was a labor of love for him. But the movie was not well received by the critics... they felt there was too little dialog and very little plot.

For automotive enthusiasts, it's a masterful and unique depiction of the famous event - you'll feel as though you were there because of the very well done in-car sequences. I consider this film as a must-see for all enthusiasts.

This books covers the life and filmography of Steve McQueen as background. The main focus, however, is on the film itself - and the book offers an incredibly detailed view of the making of the film. You'll rarely see this level of detail about any film, much less an automotive racing film! It's surprising that this level of memory even still exists.

And, of course, if you are ever going to go to the Le Mans race itself, this book would be excellent background reading.

It's just like being there!.......2004-11-12

This book is for anyone that likes Steve McQueen, vintage sports car racing, or the movie Le Mans. Of course there's everything there is to know about the movie itself, but there's also a Steve McQueen bio, a history of that era's race cars, AND a history of the Le Mans race too! It's a big book that takes a while to read and once you're done with it, you're gonna want to read it again.

Glad I bought it.......2002-02-03

I'm not a huge Steve McQueen fan but love his LeMans film. I've watched it loads of times and every time I'm more hooked. I've just finished reading the book and looking forward to watching the film again as I know the experience will be even better. The information about the filming and McQueen himself shows the passion and desire for realism with which it was made. It took me a while to get round to getting the book but as a huge fan of the film I'm really glad I bought it.

Three books in one, all superb!.......2001-08-08

OK, I was half way to enjoying this book before I opened the cover...

1) I'm a big motorsports and Le Mans fan, having been fortunate enough to attend the 1999 and 2001 races so far.

2) I loved the film Le Mans.

But the book certainly got me through the other 50%...

What you get in this book is a fabulous scene setting of the history and significance of '24 Heures Du Mans', which is critical to show the importance of the event to Steve McQueen when he was preparing for and making the film - this was definitely a labour of love.

Also there is a brief but by no means lightweight biography of the man himself, again helping to build up an image of the actual person who was making the movie.

Then, in meticulous detail, you get the story of the build up, preparation and filming of 'Le Mans', with plenty of interesting anecdotes and events, particularly on how the fantastic crash sequences were filmed.

In my opinion you will enjoy this book if any of the below apply:

You are a motorsport fan with an interest in the history of the sport.

You are a Steve McQueen fan.

You enjoyed the movie and want to know how it was made.

If you fit into two or all three categories you will definitely be on to a winner!

Average customer rating:

Painfully honest about a super cool man yet a horrible husband

Steve McQueen by Neile

My Husband, My Friend: A Memoir
Neile, McQueen Toffel
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Steve Mcqueen: The Last Mile

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Mcqueen (Taschen Movie Icon Series)

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ASIN: 1425918182

Book Description

MY HUSBAND, MY FRIEND THE REAL STEVE McQUEEN - FROM ABANDONED CHILD TO GLITTERING SUPERSTAR TO HAUNTED MAN.... Now his wife of 15 and a half years, Neile, who rode the dazzling Hollywood roller coaster with him, reveals A Steve McQueen no one knew - his good side, his crazy side, his dark side....

Customer Reviews:

Painfully honest about a super cool man yet a horrible husband.......2007-05-04

I have always been a fan of Steve Mcqueen ever since I can remember. I always had a certain image of my idols and unfourtunately once you read about them and how they were as parents and partners or as a human being then it shatters that image not that I only like bad boys. I am glad I read this book because it just shows you bad is cool and to be honest its probably more interesting reading about what they did, in Steve Mcqueen's case sleeping with whomever came to him while married telling his wife that he only loves her and just F**** the others, how understanding of her to stay with him as long as she did.
She writes very honestly and I enjoyed the book alot, I had heard things about this cool man but to read it first hand from his first wife and certain details it was a surprize.

Steve McQueen by Neile.......2005-09-27

I just recently read this book for the first time. Its a very interesting book and I'm glad Neile wrote it. She married Steve McQueen before he was Steve McQueen movie star. Neile was actually more successful than Steve when they married. She was the breadwinner for a while after they married. No one can accuse her of marrying for money or fame. After they married, she basically became his supporter and helper to climb that ladder of success and fame. She did a great job too. Steve always trusted her judgment, even after they divorced.

Neile takes us from their humble beginnings to the heights of Steve's fame. She got to enjoy Steve's success for a few years with him before it really started to go to his head and poison their relationship, along with the drugs and women.

Anyone who is interested in the life of Steve McQueen and his career can't ignore this book. Neile was Steve's first wife and longest marriage (15.5 years together) and the mother of his two children. She shares so many interesting stories of their times together. She tells of a cross-country car drive she and Steve made early in their marriage. Steve wanted her to see the US. Once they arrived in New York from California, Neile told Steve she finally knew what America looked like - a blur. Steve loved speed - as in fast cars and motorcycles. Later he came to love another kind of speed.

There are so many interesting stories about so many interesting people - Frank Sinatra, Yul Brenner, Robert Vaughn, James Garner, Paul Newman. Also, Natalee Wood, Lee Remick, Faye Dunaway, Jacqueline Bisset, Suzanne Pleshette, all Steve's co-stars at one time or another. And of course, Ali MacGraw, his co-star in "The Getaway" who married Steve after his divorce from Neile. She was not the reason for the divorce and Neile always liked her and still does. She didn't know his third wife, Barbara Minty, very well, but thought Barbara looked like she could be Ali's daughter.

Neile covers Steve's life all the way to the end when he died of cancer at age 50. I remember when he died in 1980. I was 23 and thought he was getting on up there. Now I realize how many more years he should have had and that he died young.

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The Final Chapter - Steve Mc Queen
A homegrown yarn

Steve McQueen, the Final Chapter
Grady Ragsdale
Manufacturer: Vision House Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0884491056

Customer Reviews:

The Final Chapter - Steve Mc Queen.......2003-04-14

Just finished "Steve McQueen-the Final Chapter" by Grady Ragsdale. I couldn't put the book down, and will read it a second time in a week or so. A heart rendering story of a great movie star who was also a real human being most people would never guess lived behind the Hollywood glitter. Mr. Ragsdales book is a simple story, factual, and told from a very unique viewpoint. It's also a story about what happens when all the options run out on life, and you discover your days are really and truly numbered. Who do you turn to, where do you go? The story also illustrates that your own life may influence others by what you might consider inconspicuous actions. Actions you routinely do without thought, but someone may notice and take heart. I have no problem recommending this book to anyone interested in either this end time of Mr. Mc Queens life, or as a book of inspiration for those who may think "those who die with the most toys win" - that just isn't so. I'm happy to say that I believe Mr. Mc Queen won the last round after all.

A homegrown yarn.......2000-04-11

Grady Ragsdale passed away not long after this his first and last effort as an author. Although it is written very simply and from the perspective of a big fan, Grady was Steve's local caretaker, helper, and all around gopher and he is accurate in his cataloging of Steve's last year alive. There are stories in here you won't read anywhere else and stories as yet not told in the McQueen saga, but Grady was a simple man and he tells it simply, like it was. Anyone who is a McQueen fan should try to get a copy of this book because it will show you a McQueen that very few people knew but the spirit of a man you will recognize even at the end of his days, when he realized his days were numbered and as is documented, he never gave up. The book focusses on McQueen's love of flying, his search into the next world and his creation of the dream, his last home, the ranch in Santa Paula. This book and Nolans book are perhaps the best and most accurate documentation of a man who while he was alive held back more information than he gave, except to those who observed him while he wasn't looking. What is missing in Grady's story is the side of Steve that Grady, being a country boy wouldn't have understood...but that is exactly why Steve allowed him in so close.

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Life In The Fast Lane
Buy it for Elvis, Love it for Everything!
Revealing, but with class: a well-written story from one of the most beautiful women of all time!
A Secret Life
Sharing history with young romantics!

The King, McQueen and the Love Machine
Barbara Leigh , and Marshall Terrill
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401038840

Customer Reviews:

Life In The Fast Lane.......2007-05-17

If anyone ever lived a fast-paced and adventurous lifestyle it was Barbara Leigh during the 1970's. Her story is unique, one-of-a-kind and will never be duplicated. I wanted to read her book because I was always a big fan of Steve McQueen, and on that score, her chapters on Steve are informative, exciting and moving. Although these men are some of the most charismatic and powerful people of their time, it is Barbara Leigh who leaves the most lasting impression. Fame and fortune cannot compete with her kindess, inner-beauty and loving nature. Her story is well-told and is a real "page turner".

Buy it for Elvis, Love it for Everything!.......2007-04-05

As a die-hard Elvis fan for the last 40 years, I bought Barbara's book solely to read about her relationship with him. But I was quickly captured with her entire life story, from her first recollections of her traumatic childhood, to the death of her beloved son, through her overcoming spirit of today.

I easily have 30+ books on Elvis and without a doubt, this is in the top two or three. I was riveted by her memories of Elvis and her relationship with him. Barbara was blessed to know him and she often speaks of what a good heart he had. She writes about Elvis with love, loyalty and admiration. At the same time, she does not sugar-coat the drug use, mood swings and other human frailties.

Beyond her physical beauty, one can readily see why Elvis was attracted to Barbara. One comes away with the clear sense that she is a loving, kind and nurturing person. The fact that Elvis kept in touch with her through the years is a testament to that fact. There are undoubtedly only a handful of women in his life who can make that statement.

As the title of my review states, I bought this book because of Elvis but ended up loving the entire story. I invite all Elvis fans to do likewise. Barbara writes with candor, emotion and detail, the good and the bad, the bitter and the sweet. But she is never bitter. I felt as if I were right there with her through her entire story.

Revealing, but with class: a well-written story from one of the most beautiful women of all time!.......2007-03-03

As the other reviewers noted, this book focuses on a few years in Barbara's life in the 1970's when she was a young Hollywood starlet making movies with actors such as Rock Hudson, Steve McQueen, and Tom Selleck. and modeling for all the big companies. She tells of her fast-paced work and romantic life involving some of the most powerful men in the entertainment business: Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and Jim Aubrey.

While she shared with the public a side of all three men that was unique to the public hungry for personal information about celebrities, she did so in a way that I found to be respectful and loving to these men, without intent to trash their memories. I came away with the feeling that she still cherishes each one and her time with them. I'd bet she's a classy lady.

I remembered watching Barbara in movies in the early '70's simply because of her stunning beauty. I was happy to read her book and learn more about her and her life. There were some beautiful photos of her in this book, and I'd love to see a book published of nothing but photos of her, in larger sizes. (For the record, don't take this wrong--I like men!!)

When I started reading this book I could hardly put it down. It was well-written, as well has having interesting subject material. I highly recommend it, even if you don't generally read books of this type.

A Secret Life.......2006-04-17

The book mostly focuses on an extremely brief period in Barbara Leigh's career, only a few months really, when she found herself caught up in a kind of young girl's dream of excess. She was pretty much going steady with the disgraced TV executive James Aubrey, father of a girl just about her own age. And she was being constantly wooed by a married man, Steve McQueen, who would tease her by telling her he was teetering on the edge of leaving Neile Adams for her. And then Aubrey took her to Las Vegas where she became the plaything of yet another married man, Elvis Presley, whose marriage to Prisicilla had a good two full years to go.

Barbara Leigh can certainly write up a storm! She shows us all the most intimate details of McQueen's life, and Elvis too, how for example he was so sexually modest she never saw him naked. She describes how McQueen had a thing for dark brunettes who looked exotic, like herself, or Natalie Wood, or like her nemesis, Ali MacGraw, and she describes the way that the blondes who constantly threw themselves in McQueen's way were barking up the wronmg tree. Sure, he would sleep with them, but he had no respect for blondes, calling them "chippies," a term Barbara had never heard before. I wonder how he got along with Candice Bergen when they made THE SAND PEBBLES together?

Anyhow despite everything that happens in this book, you have to gape when she discovers that, out of them all, she loves the "Smiling Cobra" the best! He's the one who calls her "Indian," another poignant detail. All the time she's acting like the supermodel, carefree playgirl of Hollywood, going to Sue Mengers' parties and buying outfits at Suzie Creemcheese on Elvis' credit cards, secretly she's nursing a deep sorrow that her beloved son can't be with her (she had him when she was very young). To his memory she dedicates this magnificent book for the ages.

Sharing history with young romantics!.......2006-03-19

While I am only 21, I am fascinated with the lives of the great pop/rock and roll/Hollywood icons. I picked up Barbara's book in an attempt to learn something new and was captivated by her story. I read it from cover to cover in 24 hours and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a wonderful story of love, romance, heartache and intrigue. Barbara Leigh is just fascinating and tells her story in a classy yet juicy manner. I loved it! It's an easy read that leaves you wanting more....

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Mcqueen (Taschen Movie Icon Series)
Alain Silver
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3822821195

Steve McQueen: The Pocket Essential (Pocket Essentials)

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Reference Bio

Steve McQueen: The Pocket Essential (Pocket Essentials)
Richard Luck
Manufacturer: Oldcastle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1903047234

Customer Reviews:

Reference Bio.......2007-03-09

Great overview of the great although misunderstood actor, Steve McQueen. A fast easy reading of all major points in his career. This is a good place to start exploring the enigma of the actor.

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