Average customer rating:
- Moore does an excellent job engaging your hear and soul
- Great story - truely touching
- Highly recommend!
- a compelling true story, told with sincerity
- Ageless Story
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PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams
Gary Moore
Manufacturer: Savas Beatie
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1932714243 |
Book Description
Foreword by baseball legend Jim Morris, former Major League pitcher with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
It was true in the 1940s, and it is still true today: if you have talent, someone will notice. In Gene Moore's case, that someone was the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Gene Moore was a farm boy living with his family in Sesser, Illinois, a town so small even map makers ignored it. As a teenager, when he wasn't in school or helping his Pop on the farm, slopping the hogs and doing other chores with his older brother Ward and five sisters, Gene was playing baseball with the guys on the town team. Some were twice his age. The older fellows didn't mind having the Moore kid on their team because he could hit the ball farther than anyone else, he was the best catcher anyone had ever seen, he could throw men out from his knees, and not a ball ever got past him. Gene was 15 years old.
Word quickly spread across the United States about the country boy who could hit the ball a country mile. The Dodgers wanted to take a look at this farm kid, barely old enough to shave and still awaiting his first kiss, but brash enough to call the pitches from behind the plate and motion to the infielders and outfielders as to how they should position themselves for certain hitters.
Headed for baseball stardom with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Gene's destiny was interrupted by Pearl Harbor. After playing ball for the Navy in the Azores and North Africa, Gene and his team were sent to the States for a special-and top secret-mission: guarding German sailors captured from U-505. Unable to field a team, Gene convinced his commander to allow him to teach the enemy how to play baseball while he and his teammates waited for the war to end so they could be called up into the Major Leagues. But Gene's future changed irrevocably in Louisiana. His life . . . and maybe our national pastime . . . was forever altered.
Inspired by true events, Playing with the Enemy is the riveting story of a depression-era youth and his brush with destiny. Author Gary Moore, Gene's son, did not learn of his father's remarkable odyssey through World War II and the hardships of minor league baseball until the day before Gene's death. Confronted with evidence of a possible career in baseball, Gene finally broke his decades of silence and spent the next several hours relieving himself of the heavy burden he had been carrying. The stunning news sent the author on his own odyssey as he researched his father's life and interviewed dozens of people.
The astonishing story of Gene Moore's life in and out of baseball is an exciting and often heart-wrenching saga that will capture the heart of every red- blooded American who can still smell the fresh-cut summer grass or remember how it felt to tie on the cleats while dreaming of making it to the big leagues. Jammed with memorable characters from an extraordinary time in our country's history, Playing with the Enemy is a story that will be read and reread for generations to come. And it is one you will never forget.
About the Author: Gary W. Moore is the president and managing partner of Covenant Air and Water, LLC, a motivational speaker, and an accomplished musician. Gene Moore was his father. Gary lives in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
Customer Reviews:
Moore does an excellent job engaging your hear and soul .......2007-09-23
I am not much of a history buff... and I'm even less of a baseball fan, but I loved this book! Moore does an excellent job engaging your hear and soul with an amazing true 5 hour tale he heard from his father for the first time just hours before his death. The characters are truly rich with personality and heart in a way I didn't expect from a "baseball/war" book and Gary skillfully portrays full-bodied characters where he had only key information to build from. Our 'hero' Gene (Gary's Father), is such a charismatic and likable guy that your heart rises and falls with every triumph and disappointment causing you to keep the book in a tight grip. And a surprise twist in the end that left me quite pruny in my bath because I couldn't put it down! It was well worth trying to understand all those baseball numbers I have no clue about and war facts that were beyond me.
All in all `Playing with the Enemy' left me with not only a greater understanding of WWII heroics, the spirit of baseball and challenges born from passion, but the amazing capacity for such a deep passion to touch and alter so many lives across the globe and back again. I think it will be a fantastic movie and I am eager to see that they do justice to the characters I grew to love!
Great story - truely touching.......2007-09-10
This is one of the best stories I have ever read. The story will grip you immediately and is truely touching. As a history teacher and a baseball coach, it was special to see the two tied together. I can not wait for the movie version to come out. The author, while writing about his father, does not make the entire story just about his father. A must read.
Highly recommend!.......2007-08-16
I would recommend this book to anyone even if they weren't a baseball or history fan. This book is an easy read with a compelling story. A page turner that you will not want to put down. This book was obviously written with great heart and much research and not only brings to life a part of history that shouldn't be forgotten but also a heart rendering story of what might have been. This book will appeal to a wide range of audiences.
a compelling true story, told with sincerity.......2007-07-29
Perhaps my best testament to this book's appeal is that, of the dozen or so unfinished memoirs and other nonfiction titles stacked up on my table -- all selected by me -- for several days running this was the one I wanted to read. Consequently, I finished it first while the others lay waiting.
Why? Well, it's an easy read and a compelling story. Personally, I have little interest in pro sports; but baseball -- and even WWII -- are only the backdrop for a much more universal tale of what happens when one's plans and ambitions are frustrated. Everyone can identify with that. If you have unresolved issues about how fate has dealt with your own dreams, this story will speak to you.
I'm giving it four stars instead of five only because, as a professional editor, I found occasional passages where the writing could have been burnished somewhat. Actually, it's a rare book that does not send me groping for a red pen. But those few passages do not detract from the earnest sincerity with which the author presents this carefully and lovingly researched story. In a way, they may even enhance it.
Ageless Story.......2007-07-03
I am a 6th grade literature teacher and I had a student of mine bring Gary Moore's book "Playing with the Enemy" to me. My student really liked this book and had met Mr. Moore in Chicago around Christmas time. Mr. Moore had offered to speak to my student's class if he finished reading the book and contacted Mr. Moore.
Well, my student finished the book, passed it on to me and asked me to read it. I read the book in a weekend. It is a beautiful story that appeals to so many different interests: Baseball, of course, the ideal of small town life, American history, family and finally, most importantly, the life of a simple man who touched so many around him while pursuing his dream.
I loved this book! It is well written, the story flows with just enough details to create a movie in your mind, but not so many details that interest wanes. I was interested in Gene Moore's life and felt Gene Moore's excitement and despair. I genuinely cared for Gene Moore.
Gary Moore did respond to an email from me and my student. He did honor his word and came and spoke to our entire 6th grade --- well over 350 kids. He spoke with the same sincerity, enthus iasm and kindness that he wrote of when he described his father. All I can think, when I read his words, is "wouldn't his dad be proud".
My students and I are eagerly awaiting any more books Mr. Moore decides to write, regardless of the subject matter. I reccommend this book to anyone from age 12 to 102.
Book Description
Meeting Lori Bakker today-a young woman with a bright, outgoing personality, you could hardly imagine her as a teenager living a life of flagrant sexual promiscuity and drug abuse. Nor would you picture her as having had five abortions before she was twenty-one.
More Than I Could Ever Ask tugs at the heartstrings of women and men. Lori's story is one of forgiveness-finding forgiveness from God, learning to forgive the men who hurt her, and most of all, discovering inner peace. Her story also shows the power of love and faithfulness. After she was single and celibate for nearly nine years, Lori met and fell in love with a man she had known only by reputation-Jim Bakker. Today Lori and Jim-two broken lives brought together by God as one-have been restored and are busy helping restore others to spiritual and emotional wholeness.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational and moving.......2003-04-26
I originally bought this book only because of my infatuation with the whole Jim & Tammy/PTL/Heritage USA saga. Being a devoted supporter of the Bakkers, I was somewhat skeptical of "Jim's new wife". However, I must confess that I now have great respect for Lori. Her story is thoughtful and moving and really shows just how powerful the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ is. Her ministry to post-abortion sufferers is so deperately needed in today's society. She is a woman of great faith and courage and a true inspiration to all who love Christ above all else. This book should be read by all priests and ministers who will ultimately deal with this kind of emotional pain in their ministries.
A Must Read.......2001-02-28
Lori captures the essence of growing up (too fast) in Phoenix and living life in the fast lane. One chapter leaves you crying, another laughing and yet another pondering. I couldn't put it down!
Any Woman Who Has Struggled Needs This Book.......2001-02-07
This book is a must read for any woman who has suffered through a bad marriage, bad men, phyiscal abuse, or had an abortion. Lori offers a rare insight into the pain so many women live with --with some real answers. The book has it all -- it is at times funny, other times heart-breaking, inspiring, and down to earth. Its an easy read ...but leaves the reader with much to consider.
Greatest I ever read.......2001-01-30
This book makes you laugh and cry in the same chapters. It is a real story that will relate to many, many people. It is a must read for those who like to read about real life romance a fairy tale come true. A story of what happens behind the headlines even down to her wedding night with Jim Bakker. This book will give hope to the hopless.
Amazon.com
The rodeo is in W.K. Stratton's blood. He attended his first one in utero just days before he was born (on Will Rogers birthday, naturally). He is also the son of a bull-riding cowboy that left him and his mother when Stratton was an infant. The search for this elusive "rodeo bum" father is an underlying theme of Chasing the Rodeo but its main focus is on the action in the ring. Stratton spent a year following the professional rodeo and bull-riding tours and he explores the circuit with a keen and sympathetic eye. He writes about the history of the sport and its place in the mythology of the West, cowboy legends, current stars, and classic rodeo towns, such as Prescott, Arizona, and Pecos, Texas--both of which claim the title as the true birthplace of rodeo. He also looks at the growing popularity of rodeo and bull-riding and what it means for its future now that major events have corporate sponsors and are held in Las Vegas casinos rather than fairgrounds. While acknowledging that the big money prizes are good for the athletes, Stratton worries that marketing considerations will force the sport away from the very traditions that make it interesting. As proof, he bemoans the fact that helmets and Nike shoes are starting to replace Western hats and boots at some rodeos. Still, he encounters plenty of true Western spirit and memorable characters during his journey to keep his love for the rodeo alive and his enthusiasm for his subject proves contagious. Even those who have never considered attending a rodeo will likely find themselves enthralled by this wild ride of a book. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
From its roots as the quintessential Western pastime, rodeo has grown to an international, prime-time television sport. Steeped in tradition and the independent spirit of the range, aspiring cowboys and cowgirls are called to its high-stakes, rough-and-tumble fame as they risk their lives for eight seconds of triumph.
In Chasing the Rodeo W. K. Stratton follows this quest for one season of the pro rodeo and bull-riding tours. He explores the history of the chutes -- from rodeo's disputed origins (Prescott, Arizona, or Pecos, Texas?) to its current skyrocketing popularity. But out on the trail Stratton finds more than calf-roping and unrideable bulls, uncovering a culture complete with myths, codes of honor, million-dollar purses, Cowboy Church, and the kinds of legends that make good stories unforgettable.
Just such a story emerges here as Stratton tells of his runaway "rodeo bum" father --Cowboy Don -- whose specter haunts his travels on the circuit. As he learns more about the life that proved too seductive for his father to abandon, Stratton fills in a portrait of the man he never knew but whose legacy he couldn't help but inherit.
Filled with cowboy longing and rodeo dreams, this is a tribute to the characters of the West -- Freckles Brown, Lucille Mulhall (the first cowgirl), Wild Bill Hickock, Lane Frost, and today's superstars like Jesse Bail. In the great tradition of Wallace Stegner and Ken Kesey, W. K. Stratton fashions an expansive tale out of the gritty reality of the life around us. Chasing the Rodeo is a bucking, riveting, glorious ride -- you'll want to hang on for the whole go-round.
Customer Reviews:
Call of the wild . . ........2007-08-21
While rodeo insiders may find fault with this book and quibble over details, it remains an excellent introduction to the history, the personalities, and the meaning of this sport as it's evolved over the past century. Stratton, a journalist based in Austin, TX, with roots in Oklahoma, comes by his "kicker" credentials fairly enough - his mother a cowgirl in her own right and his father a rodeo cowboy who went on down the road and never came back. Stratton's book is a personal journey, a search for an understanding of the romance of rodeo - the call of the wild in the soul, the appeal of risk-taking, the love of a past that can be recaptured for a moment in a beautifully executed ride on a bucking horse or bull. And he does much to reclaim the essentials of a pastoral ritual that has been compromised by commercialism, corporate sponsorships, and marketing that positions it as an extreme sport.
Stratton covers some familiar ground that will not be new for all readers, but many stories deserve retelling, such as that of George Fletcher at the 1911 Pendleton Roundup, the first bulldogger, Bill Pickett, and the death of champion bull rider Lane Frost. Then there is an account of the first rodeo "cowgirl," Lucille Mulhall and of Indian cowboy Will Sampson, who played Chief Bromden in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." In Prescott, AZ, he has occasion to recall at length the rodeo film "Junior Bonner" with Steve McQueen.
There is a wide array of other personalities who find their way into Stratton's book: Justin McBride, Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Willie Nelson, Jack Kerouac, Ben Johnson, Theodore Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill Cody, and evangelist Susie Luchsinger. He gets closest to the sport itself in conversations with all-around champion Jesse Bail and bullriding champion Freckles Brown. The first-chapter account of Brown's famous ride on Tornado at the National Finals in 1967 just takes your breath away. Finally there is the search for the story of Stratton's absent cowboy father, which rounds out the book with more than a little poignance. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone curious about rodeo, the fascination it holds for both fans and participants, and its place in American popular culture.
Exploring the history of chutes to its current popularity and uncovering myths and realities alike.......2005-11-04
Rodeo's roots may be in the primitive West of the past, but today it's prime-time TV material, even while steeped in tradition, filled with pros and tours. Journalist W.K. Stratton followed the pro rodeo circuit for one year, exploring the history of chutes to its current popularity and uncovering myths and realities alike. His findings about the people and politics of today's rodeo make for lively reading in Chasing The Rodeo: On Wild Rides And Big Dreams, Broken Hearts And Broken Bones, And One Man's Search For The West. A spirited account of today's wild riders.
Rodeo: Universality of the American West.......2005-09-19
Having grown up in Texas, I easily recognize many names and places and am quite familiar with rodeos. W.K. Stratton brilliantly blends the romantic lure of the rodeo as an expression of the American West with the univeral theme of the quest for identity. The book is a delightful mixture of colorful characters, amusing anecdotes, and sad stories. Mr. Stratton's personal quest mirrors that of all, not just those familiar with the sport or the region. His story's appeal lies in the universality of each human's struggles with issues of identity, values, and sense of place. I heartily recommend Chasing the Rodeo to anyone who appreciates a book that both transports one to another time and place and allows one the opportunity to be inspired by another's personal journey through life.
This book deserves a buckle........2005-05-18
**For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?** "Kip" Stratton has written a winner of a book, here. I felt it appropriate to begin this review with that familiar biblical quote, although "Chasing The Rodeo" is about the search for soul as well as about its diminution. What I mean by "soul" in this context is that which makes us part of society as well as unique individuals within it. Stratton's father, whom he never met, was a bull rider. Stratton's literal search for his father is overlaid onto his broader search for the soul of the rodeo and the American West.
As this book makes clear, the towns that hold rodeos provide an essential part of its unique character. Moving the National Finals Rodeo from Oklahoma, which is steeped in Rodeo tradition, to Las Vegas is symbolic of the sacrifce of soul for that most America of obsessions, making money. Character is also lost when things are made safe and sanitary, and when elements that are foreign are incorporated into a thing in order to make it "accessible" to a wider audience. Early in the book, Stratton frets about being "a generic, white bread American" but learns that the "Kicker Culture" is as much a part of him as it is of the Rodeo. I grew up in a small town in North Texas and will tell you that the "Kicker Culture" ain't pretty and it ain't sanitary or even safe, but it is genuine. There are parts of it that should be eschewed entirely, but never "prettied up."
Stratton obviously spent a great deal of time researching this book. It is chock-full of the people and places that make up this sport and their history. At the same time, he does not blink from calling racism what it is or identifying as bovine scat some of the aspects of recent Rodeo venues. He may offend some folks in doing so. But to be less than honest in his assessment of these things would certainly diminish the soul of the book.
A classic American tale.......2005-05-13
In these fractious times, it is a joy to come across a book that embraces something as distinctly American as the rodeo. W.K. Stratton has delivered a handsomely-rendered treasure for every man who ever wanted to be a cowboy and every woman who ever wanted to be a cowboy's sweetheart. He traces the origins of rodeoing, takes us to this wild sport's biggest events, and introduces us to the kind of outsized characters it is hard to believe still exist. So here's to Freckles Brown, the rodeo clown who rode the fiercest bull in captivity, and to Jesse Bail, the spiritual descendant of Larry Mahan and Ty Murray and all the great rodeo riders who preceded him. And here's to Stratton himself, the son of a rodeo bum, who weaves the search for traces of his father into the larger tale he is telling without ever getting thrown by it. He stayed in the saddle, and by doing so, he has given readers a chance for the ride of their lives.
Average customer rating:
- One of the few artists who can bring qualities of animation to the printed page
- Kings don't mean a thing on the boulevard of dreams...
- I smoked a cigarette while reading this book.
- Excellent read
- Wonderful
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The Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Kim Deitch
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0375421912
Release Date: 2002-09-24 |
Book Description
The newest addition to Pantheon's growing list of graphic novels: a visually beautiful, narratively intricate, and powerful book by one of the most original, and–until now–least recognized comic artists at work today.
The place is New York City in 1933. The setting: the Fontaine Talking Fables animation studio. Teddy Mishkin–definitely alcoholic, possibly insane–is hard at work on the latest cartoon short for Waldo the Cat, the "star" of Fontaine's stable of animated characters. But little does anyone (except Teddy) realize that Waldo is real–and that he is Teddy's insidiously helpful assistant.
Customer Reviews:
One of the few artists who can bring qualities of animation to the printed page.......2007-06-10
Kim Deitch is one of the great "underground" cartoonists, one of the artists whose groundbreaking work in the sixties and early seventies broke taboos against adult subject matter in comics. His work, though, always stood apart from that of contemporaries R. Crumb, Jack Jackson, Richard Corben and others. First, his visual style was never an attempt to mimic reality. It has always been, for lack of a better term, "cartoony". Second, though sex, drugs and rock `n' roll figure in his comics, they're usually in service of an actual story.
Deitch's best-known character is Waldo, a cat, and Waldo is a featured character in the graphic novel, Boulevard of Broken Dreams. The book is a thinly-disguised history of animation focusing on artist Ted Mishkin's slow decline as Disney comes to dominate the industry. Deitch's art is astounding. He's one of the few comics artists who can bring the qualities of animation to the printed page. At first his art appears crude and one-dimensional. But as you look at it you realize there's so much more going on than talking heads in front of a sparse background.
Kings don't mean a thing on the boulevard of dreams..........2005-10-11
Boulevard of Broken Dreams is a fascinating comic about the steady decline of an animator named Ted and the industry into which he breathed new life. An animation company of the '30s era creates "Waldo the Cat" shorts, but with the rise of Disney, the company tosses originality in favor of the cutesy watered-down style that has become so popular. New bosses, scandal, and tragedy rides the degradation of the cartoons all the way into the '90s. And all the while, Ted is tormented by hallucinations of the cartoon cat he created. This is the twisted story that Deitch has woven.
And it's a good one, to be sure. From Ted's mind springs a popping, psychedelic world brimming with confusion and madness. While Ted is engulfed by his delusions, the people around him, his shifty brother Al, his uncertain romantic interest Lillian, and the aging great Winsor Newton all face the harsh realities of a business that loses its heart. The story makes references to classic animators, so cartoon history buffs can enjoy a few in-jokes. Tension and mystery abound, and it's a wonderful story for those who understand alienation or like a bit of bizarro reading.
I smoked a cigarette while reading this book........2003-12-08
I don't smoke, but I felt compelled to smoke while reading this book JUST to add to the cool facade that reading this was creating.
you WILL look cool wherever you read this book. This is not lie. I repeat, you WILL look cool while reading this book.
It's a good book about cool things, and if someone doesn't think you look cool while reading this book, you can be really pretentious and say something like, "well, nobody would expect you to understand anyways..." and slightly brush your hand against the air in dismay. "And besides, my thrift-store-Bohemain style is way cooler than your Wal-Mart style..."
And the art and story are alright too.
Excellent read.......2003-11-05
One of the very best comic stories I've ever read. The art is amazing. The layouts from page to page are staggering in their creativity. The story itself is meshed so much with historical elements from early animation that you don't know where the fiction begins. The story is quite compelling, and very dark. Reads like non-fiction, if it were possible. This book will stay with you long after you put it down. Highest recommendation for anyone, comic fan or not.
Wonderful.......2002-10-22
This is a wonderful book by underground artist Kim Deitch. Deitch's b&w artwork is early-20th-century-cartoonish yet extremely inticate. I found myself first reading a couple of pages, then going back and visually deciphering everything that was going on in (and around and through) the panels. Not for kids, this is definitely an adult tale. If you are a fan of the works of Charles Burns, Art Spiegelman, Kaz, et al, then this book is for you!
Customer Reviews:
Terrible View of James Dean.......2007-06-20
I am a huge fan of James Dean and while I had time at my local bookstore, I was dying to have a book about him. I saw Boulevard of Broken Dreams: The Life, Times and Legend of James Dean and immediately, without thinking twice, I purchased it. I was excited about reading it but when I got home, I immediately became disgusted and disappointed about what I was reading, so disgusted that I returned it the next day. To me, it was purely porn, but in a different form. Although I only skimmed through pages and pictures and did not read the whole thing, the bits and pieces I did happen to read made me feel sick. It portrayed Dean as being a masochistic, sex-craving, selfish individual, opposite the descriptions of others he had been associated with (Julie Harris, Pier Angeli, Martin Landau, etc.), those who I believe, would have the advantage of actually knowing him. Of course, other books about James have touched up on his alleged bisexuality/homosexuality but this book by far has proven to be a flop. The picture of the nude man that the author claims to be Dean is truly wrong because extensive research has proven that the man in the photo is not James, but a mentally-disabled young man who had been exploited by his cousin. This book is disgusting filth and is in no way a tribute to the late actor, but a way to tarnish his image and the person he was best remembered to be. Don't waste your time or money on this like I did.
Judge for yourself and don't neccessarily believe all the negative reviews.......2007-03-15
It's quite frustrating to read all the negative reviews here. Paul Alexander has written other critically acclaimed biographies and from this background there is no reason to believe he was just some lousy reporter interested in writing a badly researched, scandalous tabloid biography, although this is just what some reviewers here wrongly claim.
There are two rather detailed (homo)sexual scenes, and that's all. Of course one wonders how Alexander recreated them (he doesn't list his sources in footnotes and just mentions how he tried to recreate dialogue and scenes through in-depth interviews) but they are in no way the common theme of the book.
Alexander's prose is elegantly clear, empathic and evocative. What seems to annoy some reviewers is that he tries to bring to light elements of Dean's life biographies back then (this book was originally published in 1995) - and maybe even today - tried to avoid or probably suppress. From this point of view this is still an informed and reasonably balanced piece of work and in no way the lurid scam it is depicted to be in some reviews here. Some "fans" probably hate their romantic myths about Dean shattered or are too uncomfortable with homosexuality to see it mentioned in a James Dean biography.
What is strange, though, is the fact that the recently published book by Willam Bast, which probably deals more with Dean's (homo)sexuality than Alexander's book, doesn't get as many negative reviews as this book here. Maybe times have changed.
Anyway, I think there is no such thing as "the" James Dean biography. If you want to seriously know more about him you should read several biographies to get to know different points of view. But Paul Alexander's work should not be missed.
Incompetent.......2006-07-03
Yes, this biography is numbingly obsessed with James Dean's sexuality, but it's also terribly written and edited.
It's full of redundancies, horribly constructed sentences, narrative strands that are left hanging, and amateurish reporting. (Although the author tries to overcompensate with an excessively detailed, boring account of the days leading up to Dean's fatal car crash.)
Don't waste your money.
superb style, memorable quotes.......2006-03-25
I am surprised that no one has remarked upon this biography's excellent style. Here are a few memorable passages:
1. In Salt Lake City, [his mother's] coffin, covered with flowers, was removed from the train and placed on the station platform near Jimmy's window [he was a boy of nine] "Oh, my mother! That's my mother!" Jimmy was supposed to have said. "I'm going out there. I'm going to stand right beside her!" And with the train's nurse by his side, that's what he did, until the coffin was moved back on board.
2. For years, the people of Fairmount would gossip about what Jimmy was supposed to have said when [...] on his eighteenth birthday, he reported to the local draft board. Was there a reason why he should'nt be drafted? [...] Yes, there was. [...] "You can't draft me," he said. "I'm homosexual."
3. [Of his father's resistance to the idea of him becoming an actor] A father's pull on a son may be basic, but an art form's pull on an artist is hypnotic.
4. No true artist fits into the world in which he lives. If he did, he would cease to be the observer and become the observed.
It certainly seems plausible that much of Dean's rebellion proceeded from his homosexuality. After all, our inherited culture denies that men can ever really love each other, with the limited and highly qualified exception of father and son. In other cultures Dean would not have been such a rebel, perhaps. But Dean seems also to have had a certain heterosexual component to his nature. So he seems to have resembled pagan Greek men, bisexual, but with the emphasis on the homosexual side. This is what most of the people who knew him most intimately said about him. But he was promoted by an intensely homophobic culture as a heterosexual sex object of a somewhat new kind - rebellious, but safely hetero. Nevertheless there was just enough of the gay element lurking in the shadows (especially in Rebel Without a Cause) to add a certain wicked allurement.
All this must have made him personally very uncomfortable, to say the least. Montgomery Clift (see Leonard's bio) and Errol Flynn (see Bret's bio) were made so uncomfortable by this pretense that they indulged in very self-destructive behavior. It cannot be very rewarding to be idolized by strangers who, if they knew about one's most basic personality trait - who one falls in love with - would find one utterly hateful and contemptible. There certainly was a kind of death wish in driving a car at 100 or 120 mph on a highway.
The homophobes here seem to be most disturbed by the few sex scenes Alexander inserts. They are in fact rather prim, except for a sentence or two. But even these are more clinical than pornographic.
The famous nude photo of Dean as Greek faun is included.
Modern biographies are almost always written in a wooden, journalistic style that makes them more a duty than a pleasure to read. This bio does not entirely avoid the fault, but is nevertheless full of beautiful phrases and memorable lines. I enjoyed reading it.
Disgusting.......2005-08-26
This book focuses not on the life, influence or anything of meaning about James Dean, just his supposed sexual history. In detail. I have no idea where this information was obtained, but I seriously doubt it holds true. This was the worst book I have read on him. Maybe he was bisexual, maybe he wasn't. And while, yes, it is fine to discuss it briefly, this seemed to overtake the entire book. If you are obsessed with untrue and "juicy" information, then this book is for you, but if you want actual truth and information on the beauty of James Dean as a person, the DO NOT READ THIS. A much better book is "James Dean the Mutant King."
Average customer rating:
- very eye opening
- life changing
- spiritual awareness
- The Information in The Book Changed My Life.
- An excellent, clear, concise, readable book.
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Broken Toys Broken Dreams: Understanding and Healing Codependency, Compulsive Behaviors and Family
Terry Kellogg
Manufacturer: BRAT Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Claiming Your Self Esteem: A Guide Out of Codependency, Addiction, and Other Useless Habits
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For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Child-Rearing and the Roots of Violence
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Finding Balance: 12 Priorities for Interdependence and Joyful Living
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Facing Codependence: What It Is, Where It Comes from, How It Sabotages Our Lives
ASIN: 1560730013 |
Customer Reviews:
very eye opening.......2006-12-06
Although it may take time for the codependents eyes to adjust to the light, this book does a great job of illuminating the issues that many of us face in a way that changes the way you view everything, reading this book really made me face some things that until now I had not looked at. It pointed me in the direction of true healing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is experiencing feelings of emptiness or feeling like they are lost.
life changing.......2006-05-18
I read this book years ago and it was life changing. Terry Kellogg clearly explains family dysfunction in a personal way that really rang true for me. I have read a lot of these types of books but HIS was the best--gentle, sad, truth but with an offer of hope at the end. I had so many 'lightbulb' moments reading this--wish he had of written it when I was a teen. Ohwell--when the student is ready the teacher will come.
spiritual awareness.......2003-12-15
This book explains co-dependency more clearly than any other book I have read on the subject. Way more information than I ever expected. Want to get the sequel Broken Silence. Do you have it?
The Information in The Book Changed My Life........2000-03-07
I recommend this book whole-heartedly for anyone who would like to change behaviors that they are unhappy with, be able to participate more fully, naturally, and wisely in life, or have any family or childhood-related issues they would like to resolve. Excellent book for those willing to look and willing to change.
An excellent, clear, concise, readable book........1999-05-26
This is the first book that really looks candidly at the problems that individuals face when they are codependent. Throughout the book, Terry Kellogg refuses to excuse or deny behaviours whilst connecting with the multifacets of this problem. Easy language but a difficult painful read.
Average customer rating:
- A Great Book If You've Read 'The Crow'
- It's worth your time if you like The Crow
- Wonderful and excellant
- loved it
- Vengeance has never been truly well written as it is here...
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The Crow: Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams
Ed Kramer
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
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Kramer, Edward
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The Crow
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ASIN: 0345417119
Release Date: 1998-12-01 |
Amazon.com
The Crow, a dark character created by James O'Barr, "warps together two of man's strongest emotions and desires--love and revenge," writes Ed Kramer in the preface to this anthology of theme stories and art. A black, nightmarish spirit with a harlequin mouth, the Crow was born to avenge the brutal slaying of his beloved. Incarnations of the Crow stalk time and space, bringing ruthless and horrible justice to rapists and murderers.
O'Barr and Kramer asked an incredible array of fantastic fiction writers to interpret this Goth phenomenon--from A.A. Attanasio to Gene Wolfe, Alan Dean Foster, Charles de Lint, Jack Dann, and Jane Yolen. Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams delivers chilling, graphic tales of mystic revenge, from some of the best modern fantasy authors. Poetry (from Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop, among others) and original art complete this ode to the Crow. Readers of the popular comic book series and fans of the movie starring Brandon Lee will find lots to chill and thrill them in this collection. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
"He avenges the innocent dead. He stalks the crimson road of the slain. He mourns lost love so ardently that desire and death become one. He is the dream-carrier of holy retribution. And in the name of love he delivers justice to the wicked."
--From the Introduction
With this chilling collection of stories and poems, J. O'Barr--the creator of The Crow--and Ed Kramer host an ominous array of interpretations of the gothic phenomenon by acclaimed writers well acquainted with the dark side, including Alan Dean Foster, Ramsey Campbell, Gene Wolfe, Storm Constantine, Nancy Collins, Andrew Vachss, Iggy Pop, and Henry Rollins.
Featuring original artwork by such top artists as Ron Walotsky, Rob Prior, Tom Canty, Tim Bradstreet, Don Maitz, and Bob Eggleton, The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams evokes a modern night-world and its tormented denizens ensnared by unspeakable evil, enslaved by unquenchable longing, engulfed by the thirst for revenge, and enfolded by the enigmatic, eternal wings of The Crow.
Here a resurrected gunslinger gets a final showdown with his archenemy. . . .
A murder victim and a dying boy mete out poetic justice to a sadistic criminal. . . . A serial killer turned government assassin takes three abused children under his savage wing. . . . A tormented rogue cop literally fights fire with fire. . . . A wise talking crow guides the vengeful hand of a murdered girl's lover. . . . and much more.
For both the confirmed fan and the curious newcomer, this spellbinding, shocking, darkly sensual collection offers passage to an extraordinary literary realm: a place of macabre morality tales and existential adventures, of terror and tenderness--from which no reader can hope to leave unchanged. For when you take flight with The Crow, there is no turning back.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Book If You've Read 'The Crow'.......2004-05-10
This is a good addition to 'The Crow'. However I did find some of the stories a little tedious and one or two just plain boring, and that is why it only gets 4 stars. Perhaps I found these less good because they weren't directly about The Crow, and more realted to the theme of revenge and death.
But a poem by Henry Rollins, and 'Spooky Codeine And he Dead Man' by O'Barr himself, and 'Twice By Fire' by Ramsey Campbell, this book gains its four stars, plus th great works by other writers, too many of which there are to mention.
I advise you buy 'The Crow' before this book, as a lot of the stories refer to things in 'The Crow'.
A good book for fans of The Crow and James O'Barr, as well as fans of dark fantasy/horror.
It's worth your time if you like The Crow.......2003-10-25
This is worth your time if you like The Crow movies or the graphic novel. There are many good stories in this volume. There is also some good poetry and some good art throughout the book. There is even a good Eric Draven story somewhere in the volume.
You will really like this book if you like The Crow or dark poetry. It's worth your time.
Wonderful and excellant.......2001-02-10
I really loved this book and I think they should have movies on some of the stories. I would recommend this to fellow Crow fans and Dark Fantasty. :)
loved it.......2000-08-19
indeed another great addition to the crow name..
Vengeance has never been truly well written as it is here..........2000-03-26
A book comemorating death? Would one buy something as such and still be rendered a person of sanity? The answer is yes on both accounts. The book The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams is just that. Edited by the creator, the book takes you on numerous adventures scribed by different writers on the mythos of the crow. Most of the stories deal with the same contextual theme of wrongful death, sadness and a way of making things better where things have gone wrong. The book succeeds in a number of aspects and truly brings out the vengeful spirit that is the Crow. Though the character was created in the early 80s, it has grown to fame by the release of two successful movies, one in which was immortalized by the late Brandon Lee. One might ask what is the difference between The Crow and the Marvel comic character, the Ghost Rider, which also serves as a vengeful spirit. While the latter seeks vengeance for things gone wrong, the former has the special attribute that it can be anyone or even anything that can pick the mantle of the Crow. Anyone can become his or her own special spirit of retribution.
Most of the stories and poetry are well-written though some are just too far fetched to be taken seriously, a number of stories delve more into fantasy than your regular fiction. A number of stories, however, capture your mind and heart from the instance you read them. Stories that traverse the here and now. On how things should have been, but aren't. James O'Barr's piece, "Spooky, Codeine and the Dead Man" is a perfect example of such. Another story would be "Moving Toward the Light" by Rick R. Reed, a though-provoking piece about pain and hurt. The story is extremely graphical and can truly touch the reader and make him witness first hand the descriptive pungent exploitation the character experiences. The story makes you think and wonder, can this truly happen in a world of today, and the answer to that painful question is an excruciating yes.
The book is a must read for not only horror fans, but those who truly believe that there are outside forces controlling the paths each one of us takes, a power that can right where things have gone wrong, horribly wrong.
Customer Reviews:
Lila's Doughnuts.......2005-03-28
Jessica goes into a department store business,and Lila goes into a Doughnut business with Bruce,Isabella and Danny. Billie has lost the baby due to a miscarriage,but they want to marry,anyway.
A very realistic, creative, and interesting book!.......1999-08-09
I thought this was a good book. I want to get the next one. It is about Billie Winkler and her boy-friend Steven. Billie is pregnant but is considering other options besides having the baby. Steven wants the baby. Will this be the the end of their perfect lives? Meanwhile, Jessica is envolved in a fashion business with Val Tripler. Will their business go up in flames when Val and Jessica's ex- husband leave town with the money?
i could't even finish it, it was so dull!.......1998-07-17
This book was so boring. All it did was focus on Jess's new buisness ventures- like we even care. I mean, please gag me. Jessica is forever getting herself into scrapes that get old after a time. They happened in the sweet valley kids novels, the twins novels, the high school novels, and in SVU too. When is it going to be enough?
It was great!!.......1998-05-07
I mean, fransine pascal is a very good writer and I love her writing and this seems Great!!!well, i know that this was book was a very suspensful book and I loved it!!! I recommend this book to alot of people!!! By, the way ever heard of leonardo diCaprio?!! Fransine Pascal should write about him!!!
I really liked this book........1998-04-07
I think this book was very suspenseful and realistic but i also think it focused too much on Jessica, Mike and Val.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read For Anyone Who Cares About Justice in Palestine and Israel.......2007-04-15
If you are interested in understanding the stories of personal transformation of men and women who are fighting for justice in Israel and Palestine, this is the book for you. Dr. Rothchild shares her own personal journey as an American Jew who was raised to support Israel, but learned firsthand from working with peace activists in the US and in Palestine and Israel that the Palestinian narrative is powerful and transforming. Dr. Rothchild reports facts on the ground with insightful accuracy and in enlightening detail. If you keep an open mind, you too may find yourself challenging old assumptions and looking for new answers.
Books:
- Reflections On A Mountain Lake: Teachings on Practical Buddhism
- Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President
- Sammy Sosa: An Autobiography
- Saving Fish from Drowning: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
- Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945
- Seeing through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism (Philip E. Lilienthal Book in Asian Studies)
- Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball
- Terra: Struggle of the Landless
- The American Abraham: James Fenimore Cooper and the Frontier Patriarch (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture)
- The Analects (Penguin Classics)
Books Index
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