Book Description
In spite of remarkable differences, Eric and Tommy are as close as brothers. Eric, a Nordic Adonis, is graced by a seemingly endless supply of good fortune. Tommy is a lame black boy, cursed with health problems, yet he remains optimistic and strong. After tragedy rips their makeshift family apart, the lives of these boys diverge astonishingly: Eric, the golden youth, is given everything but trusts nothing; Tommy, motherless and impoverished, has nothing, but feels lucky every day of his life. In a riveting story of modern-day resilience and redemption, the two confront separate challenges, and when circumstances reunite them years later, they draw on their extraordinary natures to confront a common enemy and, ultimately, save their lives. Fortunate Son has the same brilliant observations of the hidden currents of modern life that won great praise for The Man in My Basement. It is a gripping literary novel that puts complex ideas and forces in play with irresistible drama.
Customer Reviews:
Like Easy More........2007-10-22
I love Walter Mosley. I think he's a gifted and brilliant writer. But for those coming to him for the first time, this wouldn't be the book I'd recommend.I remember reading early publisher reviews of this book and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. This modern day fable takes two boys: a charmed perfect blonde Adonis, and his African American 'brother' whose luck runs from bad to worse. Yet together their karma creates a perfect Ying and Yang that harmonizes both their lives. It's beautifully written, with Mosley writing the kind of searing and insightful passages I'm sure many writers can only aspire to. That said,for some reason I was left cold by the end, which is ironic because everything leading up to it said I should've been completely invested. If you've never read him before, I'd suggest cracking open the first Easy Rawlings mystery, 'Devil In A Blue Dress' which in my mind redefines the mystery genre.
Just recycled this awful book!.......2007-08-31
First ever Amazon review here, written to spare people the thoroughly unsatisfying experience of trying to finish this unbelievably bad novel. Despite the glowing praise which persuaded me to purchase the book, it's poorly written, completely flat and one-dimensional, alternately sickly sweet and falsely gritty. It gets one star for a well-written public relations campaign that claims "a modern-day parable" -- driving the eye-ball-rolling reader to persist to the end in a desperate (and unfulfilled) need to know why this book was ever allowed to be published in the first place. Some editor failed to do his/her job!!
The best yet.......2007-08-26
I have read all of Mosley's books. This one is by far the best. I read the whole book in one day and called my daughter for her to read it also. Such a sad but uplifting story about family. Poor Thomas, but Eric has his problems too. He was afraid to let go and love. Parents should consider the future of their childern's lifes. If Thomas's mother had married Eric's father, his(Thomas)fate would have been different. But in life, what doesn't kill or destory us will make us stronger. Book ended like there could be a part two, hope so.
My First, but not last, Mosley........2007-07-26
I listen to a lot of books as I commute from home to work and back again, and for some reason, I had missed Mr. Mosley's writings, but I won't make that mistake again. If Fortunate Son is any indication of Mr. Mosley's abilities as an author, then he is a great one. This book had me crying, laughing and at one point even wishing that poor Thomas would just go on and die. That poor, poor boy. I know it is fiction, but this book could be as real as the drive I make everyday. This life holds no promises and being able to deal with what it dishes out can be a testament to anyone's character, and what character Thomas had. Wonderful, wonderful book.
Mosley gets better and better.......2007-06-02
I have read Walter Mosley's books from the start, even before president Clinton named him as his favorite author. This book, Fortunate Son proves his staying power as an author. Each book Walter Mosley writes improves over the last. I recomend this book to the old readers of his works, and also to the new readers. You won't be let down.
Wonderful
Amazon.com
Let's cut to the chase: yes, J.H. Hatfield alleges that, in 1972, George W. Bush was arrested for possession of cocaine and, with the help of his father, got the charges erased in exchange for performing community service. Other than that, however, Fortunate Son is a standard quickie biography of the Texas governor and frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential race--and useful primarily because few people outside of Texas (for that matter, few people within Texas) know much about Bush's history and political record. It's all about connections, Hatfield says: if he'd had a different father, Bush "could be just another Texan who failed in the oil business and now operates a shrimp boat in the Gulf of Mexico." The bombshell doesn't even come until a short afterword, tacked onto the already completed manuscript at the last minute, complete with a "Deep Throat" within Bush's inner circle. (Said informant throws in an almost too perfectly worded attack on the governor's hypocrisy in vigorously fighting the war on drugs: "I've known George for several years and he has never accepted youth and irresponsibility as legitimate excuses for illegal behavior--except when it comes to himself.")
Bush has denied the allegations, however, and it seems that Hatfield has a few dark secrets in his past. Shortly after the publication of Fortunate Son, The Dallas Morning News reported that Hatfield was a paroled felon who had attempted to hire a hit man to kill his boss. The online magazine Salon went on to add that he may have lied about his history as a freelance journalist and invented a fictitious award for a previous book. Throw in the skepticism of many journalists at the afterword's heavy reliance on anonymous sources, and Hatfield's credibility is in serious jeopardy. For his part, the author maintains that the paroled felon is a different James H. Hatfield, born the same month and year and living in the same part of the country, and if public records say otherwise, he argues: "Doesn't it sound a little bit weird to you that all of a sudden, the guy that's accusing potentially the next president of the United States of having his record expunged, all of a sudden miraculously has a record himself in the state of Texas?" It should perhaps be noted that among Hatfield's previous books is an unauthorized guide to The X-Files.
Book Description
This new edition of the candid and controversial biography of George W. Bush offers an incisive look at Bush's questionable military history, disastrous business ventures, and the issues surrounding the 2000 presidential election. New essays and illustrations add to this book on the deeds and misdeeds of President of George W. Bush.
Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly fair.......2007-06-06
I was impressed with the fact that this book reported positives as well as negatives. Although the forward was over the top, the actual book is pretty balanced and believable. A documentary about the author (who later committed suicide)quoted him as saying that Karl Rove was his major source. The fact that they managed to get this book not just taken off the market, but burned (!) shows the power of the machine that originally got Bush elected. Long may they stew.
Read it but don't buy it.......2007-04-11
This book caused a big controversey when it was released. Neo-cons said it was a smear job, but strangely enough mainstream type liberals didn't over do it with their enthusiasm and Bush bashing when this came out. The original publisher ended up balking at releasing it. The author was smeared, attacked and after a while turned up dead under very shady circumstances. Knowing what I know about the Bush families history I expected a lot more because after reading this I was shocked at how LITTLE dirt there was on Bush in this. You really get nothing more than Bush was a mediocre student, he had a drinking problem for several years, he MIGHT have went awol from the National Guard and he MIGHT have done a lot coke. There was so much that was left out of this that I don't even know where to begin.
Overall this book is worth checking out from the library and reading but I wouldn't buy it. Webster Tarpleys book about Poppy Bush and American Dynasty by Kevin Phillips would be better choices if your researching the Bush crime family.
Fantastic Read .......2007-03-04
This Book is great, I am very much into politics and I find that this book kept me on the edge of my seat. The Amount of coruption that this family has is astonishing. To think that someone of George W. Bush's stature can be our leader leaves hope to just about anyone. In the book it explains that President Bush's Grandfather had connections to Nazi camps and I find that to be awful. The book is well written and contains some valuable information about President Bush. Read it for yourself You won't be disappointed.
The Bare-knuckled Truth about Privilege.......2006-12-10
To my great surprise, this was not at all the "Bush bashing book" I expected and had been forewarned it would be. Hatfield is (was) a very mature professional, who carefully backed up all of his facts, and appeared to have no personal animus towards GW (as say a Molly Ivins does). He lets the facts fall where they may, and when they fell, we see a rather unflattering picture of our 43rd President.
I for one do not care whether the President used cocaine or abused alcohol at some point in his life. Nor do I care that Mr. Hatfield was an ex-con and drug addict. I do care whether the law treats him and the President the same as anyone else who commits a crime, and whether or not he (or the President) is a solid respectable human being willing to carry his weight as a private citizen and as a patriot.
As best we can tell, the evidence is that the jury is still out on this question about our President. There is a consensus among writers that the young Bush was headed down a path to self-destruction, one that would have undoubtedly consumed a less "fortunate son" -- especially if he had been one of color.
Now, it seems that GW is trying to "live down" his past, as we all have to do to some extent. But he squandered so much of his own personal and intellectual development during his hell raising years, that he has no resources left to draw on as President and thus has had to fall back heavily on his staff to rescue him. So now, he is "winging it," and it is excruciatingly painful to watch; and our nation is paying a heavy price for his "youthful indiscretions."
Hatfield's rendition of Bush's lacksidasical approach to life as a young man, foretold what he would be like as a president. In my view, this is one of the most important benefits and the greatest value of the book. And if one thinks about it, its prescience is in fact the best evidence of its solidity and honesty.
The subtexts of this book are many. One is that taking the shortcut down the path of privilege is no panacea even if you are white and privileged in racist America. For sure, privilege has many advantages, but it has some very distinct disadvantages too. As is the case in nations with monarchies, if you walk down the path of royalty, then you carry the responsibilities and expectations that go with being a royal.
Unlike his father, GW's flaws are all on display for everyone to see. He has nowhere to hide and Hatfield called his life just as it is being played out. Sorry Hatfield had to be "committed to suicide" for being honest in democratic America.
Five stars.
A Must Read for Every American of Voting Age.......2006-07-18
This book is one of the most important books I have read in my life-time. It is well researched and should be a text book for highschool Political Science courses in every public school. The author presents a fair, well-written factual account of the buying of the U.S. Government by a very wealthy, very well connected, and very powerful family.
How can we force democracy down the throats of other nations under the sword when we are not a Democracy?
Amazon.com
Son of the famous World War II Marine commander "Chesty" Puller, Lewis Puller proudly followed in his father's footsteps. It was his misfortune, though, to serve in Vietnam in a war that brought not honor but contempt, and exacted a brutal personal price: Puller lost both legs, one hand, and most of his buttocks and stomach. Years later he was functional enough to run for Congress, bitterly denouncing the war. He lost, became an alcoholic, and almost died again. Then he climbed out of that circle of Hell to write this searingly graphic autobiography, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. One last poignant postscript: three years after the enormous success of this book, the author killed himself.
Book Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Lewis B. Puller, Jr.'s memoir is a moving story of a man born into a proud military legacy who struggles to rebuild his world after the Vietnam War has shattered his body and his ideals. Raised in the shadow of his father, Marine General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, a hero of five wars, young Lewis went to Southeast Asia at the height of the Vietnam War and served with distinction as an officer in his father's beloved Corps. But when he tripped a booby-trapped howitzer round, triggering an explosion that would cost him his legs, his career as a soldier ended, and the battle to reclaim his life began.
Customer Reviews:
A featureless plain.......2007-08-11
It is difficult to not be moved by the horrific series of incidents related by Puller here. As pointed out by other reviewers, the self-portrait he renders is of a person so unappealing that the reader must conclude that what he has written with an eye first to honest description, as well as he can render it.
That said, this book is not really worth reading as a book. The writing is stultifying flat and, for whatever reasons, the only thing Puller does here is whine, in an equally grating voice and with an equal intensity about whatever happens: the mortifying loss of his legs and much of both hands is treated with exactly the same weight as minor slights that occur in his run for office. Furthermore, a very great deal of the book is devoted to pointing out the obvious: for example, Puller insists on notifying the reader that his son learns to talk while his father (owing to a stroke) is losing the capability for speech. Should an editor have cut out this and the many similar needless explanations, the writing would have far greater impact than it does.
Should the story of Fuller have any lessons for us, those lessons will surely be better learned by reading a (much, much shorter) article about him rather than this tedious book.
A Timeless and Sadly Timely Pulitzer Prize-Winner.......2007-03-09
The recent scandal exposed by the WASHINGTON POST's coverage of conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center reminded me of the power of this book. One legacy of America's unfortunate invasion of Iraq will be untold numbers of young Americans--and Iraqi civilians--who will live the same sort of horrific nightmare that Lewis Puller describes so vividly in this harrowing autobiography.
My retired Marine father once served under Lew Puller's legendary father, and the two of us stood in line to get our copies of "Fortunate Son" autographed by Mr. Puller, an experience I still remember vividly all these years later. Puller's prose is equally memorable, and this book should be required reading at any American high school in 2007--and for any American who plans to vote in the next election. Lewis Puller's words are more important than ever.
Heatbreakingly fact.......2006-02-17
What can we say? If you lived it you know. The War, the Times, the Government. Our country was lead by falures and the grunts were the ones that took the bullet. I remember in 1968 I quit reading the newspapers as they made me sick and I wondered if our great country would survive. We did but patriots as Lewis didn't. In my heart and I hope in millions of others we will always remember him. The book is the most touching I have ever read.
My favorite Vietnam memoir.......2006-01-17
The only time I ever met Puller was on October 3, 1991, at the Pentagon where he had been working as a staff attorney. I was shocked when I first saw him. He appeared dimunitive in his wheelchair as compared to the book jacket photo. We ate lunch at the cafeteria and he autographed his book for me. It is one of my most-treasured signed copies.
I had picked up "Fortunate Son" in the summer of 1991 after I returned from the Gulf War. I remember lying on the hot sand in Laguna Beach, California, and being blown away by the brutally honest and wrenching narrative. Puller took me back to Camp Pendleton where he grew up as the only son of the most decorated Marine ever--Chesty Puller. From there, I learned of his tumultuous, alcohol-soaked college years at William & Mary during the 1960s, culminating in his entry into Marine OCS where he received no special treatment. Sadly, just after three months-in-country, Puller stepped on a land mine while retreating with his platoon from a VC ambush.
He returned home, raised a family, carried on a marriage, became a lawyer but was still burdened with alcohol. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress as a Democrat, losing to a man who dodged Vietnam but he temporarily beat the booze.
After his book came out and became a major sucess, Puller and I occasionally spoke via phone. Sadly, his marriage faltered and he succumbed to the bottle again. I last spoke to him via phone in 1994, just a week before he committed suicide.
Puller and Robert Olen Butler remain to be the only Vietnam veterans to win the Pulitzer Prize, the latter for fiction. He will always be on my mind when I think of the American veterans who fought and died for my freedom. Moreover, he was the first person to encourage me to write my story which was finally published in 2005. I wanted to write about meeting Puller but never received a reply from his ex wife who is an elected official in Virginia. Semper fi Marine!
Shall we ask from some - everything ?.......2004-09-24
If you have doubts about war and America's place in the world, check this one out. Mr. Puller left behind a story of sacrifice difficult to fully understand and perhaps we owe his memory some time and consideration. Is there some dirty work to be done against sinister, murdering enemies of the open society? Maybe we should consider the problem ( for a few seconds ) just as we drift off to sleep in safe, warm beds, protected by laws and courts and most of all by our valiant young warriors on battlefields.
Product Description
Explores the lived experience of Catholic parents who love their gay children and their Church. Includes illuminating stories, survey results, and a discussion of church documents.
Customer Reviews:
Consoling and informing Words.......2007-05-14
My daughter recently told us she thinks she is bi-sexual and has started a relationship with a woman. This has been devastating news to us because of so many reasons. What did we do wrong in raising her? It was very disappointing knowing we may never have grand children, etc. One major issue for me was that I was a woman who is very involved with our church. Could I still be involved now? It was especially hard when certain issues would come up in groups and many people spoke in the negative about gay people. I am not ready to begin talking about it to anyone but my family but this book helped me to know that I am not alone and that the church does support us and our children. This book needs to be (should be read) read by many more priests and heads of ministries in the church. People need to remember that no matter how important they are in the church that we are all less than perfect and that our God still loves us and will always love us. If you are Catholic and have a gay child read this book. It will give you a lot of wisdom and help you feel supported. Thanks.
A "Must Read" for parents and for catholics in general.......2003-12-25
Great Book! Mary Ellen captures the essence of the struggle of catholic parents of gay and/or lesbian sons and daughters. She approaches the subjuct faithfully, honestly, and hopefully. The book is not a "how to" or even an answer book. It is a help along the journey. I wish it was around when I came out to mom and dad!
Book Description
Days before his death, Elvis Presley saw a chance to earn the U.S. Marshal’s badge President Nixon had given him in the Oval Office back in 1970, where, in his bejeweled leisure suit, the drug-addicted Elvis had sworn himself to law and order. Spying a fight breaking out between two men and a gas station attendant, an overweight Elvis did his best to leap out of his limo and strike a karate pose. He was met with stunned disbelief and requests for autographs; when his police escort finally arrived, it was in hopes of a photo with the King.
In the 1950s Elvis was celebrity’s perfect storm. Gifted, charismatic, and telegenic, he was a rebel rooted in conservative Southern working-class morals. By the late 1960s, the storm had largely passed. A surging popular culture had upended those morals, and what had once seemed rebellious looked more and more reactionary. Far from daring and racy, Elvis’s moves seemed treacle; rather than trendsetting, his musical talent seemed grist for country ballads. Charles Ponce de Leon’s brilliant Fortunate Son succinctly places Elvis’s life within the larger shifts that redefined the cultural landscape during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, discovering in the mounting ironies of Elvis’s waning success the seeds of the mythology we live with today.
Customer Reviews:
The King Has No Clothes.......2007-01-31
Elvis Presley's story is so fairly well known that it has become part of the American Dream canon of rags to riches. A new biography by history professor, Charles L. Ponce de Leon, begs to ask the question: What can another Presley biography add to our understanding of the man? "Fortunate Son" would not satisfy the ardent fan of Presley, but would perhaps fit the bill for those who want to know more about Presley's life but do not want to invest the time in reading Peter Guralnick's expansive two-volume biography ("Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love"). In fact, "Fortunate Son" reads like a cliff notes version of Guralnick's Presley biography; this point is evident as one peruses the notes section. Ponce de Leon illuminates Presley's high (1956 television appearances) and low points (1960s movies) in a succinct manner without giving the impression of rushing the reader despite the biography being only 212 pages.
"Fortunate Son" does not add any new information on the King of Rock and Roll as much as compress and develop a taut, concise picture from various past biographies and historical resources. In Ponce de Leon's view, Presley is a casualty of fame. The author points out 1958 to be the crucial year where the slow unraveling of the King began (Presley is drafted into the U.S. Army and begins ingesting amphetamines to stay awake during his long rounds/drills; Presley's mother, Gladys, dies). Presley's lack of challenge and isolation grew as he was cranking out a "travelogue" (Presley's term for his movies) in as little as three weeks during the 1960s. And sadly, the King's health and appearance went into decline, especially in the late 1970s, but no one in Presley's circle was on par with the King to confront the ailing singer. Ponce de Leon writes, "This was the terrible, tragic downside of being the King. Elvis had no equal; with everyone close to him being in his service, no one close to him could give him the help he needed."
"Fortunate Son" not only tracks how someone born in a shotgun house in Tupelo, Mississippi can rock millions by the tender age of twenty-one, but also chronicles how this same Greek-god like singer becomes a parody of himself and ultimately dies prematurely at the age of forty-two. A riveting account told in a tightly drawn narrative.
Bohdan Kot
Average customer rating:
- Lame, not LAMF, but seriously LAME
- Not worthy of the format, but it has its own merits.
- ....What?
- The Worst of Batman Harbound Graphic Novels
- Incredible Batman story based on rock music
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Batman: Fortunate Son
Gerard Jones
Manufacturer: DC Comics
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ASIN: 1563895900 |
Book Description
When the Dark Knight suspects a modern-day rock-and-roll icon of masterminding a nationwide crime spree using teenaged fans as his henchmen, Batman runs into unexpected opposition from an unexpected source: his own ward, Robin. Certain that his idol is not guilty, Dick Grayson sets out to uncover a bizarre and elaborate frame-up in this dazzlingly illustrated graphic novel.
Customer Reviews:
Lame, not LAMF, but seriously LAME.......2007-01-21
This reads like the writer(s) took Greil Marcus and a VH-1 documentary, put them in a blender and then connected the dots into a lameass story. I found myself cringing at every page. Elvis is such a hackneyed reference (if Cher uses Elvis as a refernce point that should be a clue to leave it alone) that its hard to do right. Also irritating were the none-to-veiled references. Why the hell not just go ahead and quote? Its part of popular culture, and later on in the story names are named, so the Joycean (while creative) medeley of rock and roll patois/references feels unneccesary. It also goes way beyond suspension of disbelief to throw in Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungeon as 'motivating factors' for Batman. Why not the tragedy of the loss of innocents at Altamont, or at the Cincinati Who fiasco?
The major problems with are the writing and the time it was published. The references are so stereotyped, hackneyed, and lacking in insight that it suggests that the writer(s) may not have been in touch with rock and roll, and therefore makes poor subject material for a story. You can see this is in the omission of various figures of the canon (e.g., there are more punk icons than Mr. Vicious which would have made better characters, figures in the metal and Black Metal scene who would have made striking villianous characters, and even pop and contemporary figures, such as less-veiled references to Cobain, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi, Moon, Bonham, Barrett, etc (note that the list of dead rock and rollers is far from limited, yet it would appear that in Jones' world there were only 6). Even the way the people hold their guitars suggests someone unfamiliar with the art form. And the scene with all the kids singing along to the song in the woods? Very Broadway as opposed to Hammersmith.
Finally, the time this was published, 1999, seems to be 10 years too late. the subtextual themes about the vanishing middle class, the blue-collar lip of the unemployment bubble was a more appropriate theme for the Grunge backdrop of late 80s early 90s. There would have been more fuel for Cobain tie-ins and more of a cultural support in the unifying power of rock and roll as a revolutionary enegery. By 1999 rock and roll was dead but only Marilyn Manson claimed the body (and promptly molested it). Rock had become a plastic boner band with all the revolutionary power of a jiggly dildo. The net result is that, in 1999 when this was published, the very ideas that form the core of the narrative were already passe, given way to posse and the exploitation of the other p that people were down with. The story was dead when it hit the water, and kept sinking.
Bottom line: even the most obsessive Batfans will be thankful to leave this out of the library, leave it on the subway, or better yet, under my wheels.
Not worthy of the format, but it has its own merits........2006-09-29
Batman: Fortunate Son is something of an odd animal. In a way, it's like that one cringe-inducing episode of your favorite TV show where they brought on the fictional TV-created "rock stars" (and it seems like every eighties or nineties 8PM TV action/adventure show eventually did this for some reason, from the A-Team to MacGyver). But in another, it provides a bit of much-needed plot diversity to the Batman mythos, which can get repetitive at times (murky streets of Gotham, crazed supervillains, gangsters, etc).
To begin, let's look at the creative team. Gerard Jones was a prolific DC (and Marvel) writer in the nineties, with notable runs on Wonder Man and various Green Lantern-related titles (Along with Green Lantern: Mosaic, Guy Gardner and Trinity, he was also the last pre-"Emerald Twilight" Green Lantern writer). Artist Gene Ha was a DC discovery during that period, doing spot fill-in work on the Green Lantern books written by Jones before handling main art chores on "Trinity" and then moving on to bigger projects like this one and some ABC stuff. This is sort of a transition project for Ha as he was just moving from "hot newcomer" to a status as a quality veteran who does good art, but without ever becoming prolific.
In terms of story, it's important to note that despite the title, Batman is a supporting character here. But while Robin takes centerstage over his mentor, neither of them are the "main" character. That's reserved for the "villain/pawn" of the piece, Isaak Crowe (a pretty decent fictional rocker name, I guess). This structure is very unusual for a Batman story, and that's where both the problems and the strengths begin. Throughout the book, many "Un-Batmanly" things take place. Our heroes infight over rock-and-roll (an idea which mostly worked), jaunt across the country in Ha's very cool version of the Batwing (an idea that was a nice change from Gotham only), and operate in full daylight among crowds of people (something that's almost a no-no in Batbooks because the character is considered an "urban legend" according to DC).
Then there's the "God of Rock", an ersatz Elvis who has a heavy presence over the story despite being dead. I found the "God" to be very entertaining because there was a lot of great satire surrounding him. It was a lot like the "Aaron Viva" character on "Brisco County, Jr." I guess. The only problem is that this humor did damage the dramatic sensibilities of the rest of the story, even though it's probably the most entertaining part of the book, especially for an Elvis fan.
At one point, there's a very funny tribute to Elvis related to Captain Marvel, Jr. It's well-known that Elvis was a comics fan who absolutely loved CM, Jr. and actively patterned some of his costumes and capes after that character. At one point in the fictional "Graceland" stand-in, there's an "Elvis jumpsuit" on display with a LOT of Marvel Family elements added in (more than Elvis ever used in reality).
And there's the ending, which I won't give away, but it's fairly cliched on several accounts. However, if you have any familiarity with Elvis conspiracy theories, then you may find it worth a chuckle.
In total, it's a mixed bag. This story is definitely NOT worth a twenty-five dollar hardcover, but had it been a $4.95 annual or something, it would have been considered pretty decent. Fortunately, by buying used here, that's about what I paid.
....What?.......2006-08-20
This really has to be the worst Batman book I've read. It's just plaing boring. The entire premise is ridiculous and there's a total lack of what makes Batman, Batman. The whole idea that Batman needs to learn about rock music to defeat evil is just plain stupid. Plus, Robin is going to leave Batman because they disagree on whether a rocker who blew up a music video studio did it of his own free will or not. The entire premise of the story is so unlike any Batman story that's come before it in a very bad way. The only intriguing part of this book is the artwork. Most of it is normal fair. What really caught my attention was the way the artist drew the eyes of the characters. The artwork on the masks of Batman and Robin really humanizes the characters as you can actually see their eyes, as opposed to the usual white slits. If you like pretty pictures get the book. If you're looking for a good story with a well thought out plot, character development, and a story that belongs in a Batman book, look somewhere else.
The Worst of Batman Harbound Graphic Novels.......2001-04-08
Everything about this book "says" magizine format, yet, DC rips the reader of with a hardbound. I keep it, and would buy it regardless, because I collect the hardbound graphic novels.
The story is for the 12-14 year old male who loves "rock" music and in some way wants to feel validated about his musical taste. It is mostly a generation gap story where both Batman and Robin understand eachother a little bit more at the end of the book.
The art work is average and the story better suited for a price of two bucks. If it sold at the magazine news stand price, it would be worth. But a hardbound book is like going to the movies after a matinee. You pay full price because it is worth it. This book is more liek the ABC movie of the week. Little investment for a little enjoyment.
If you are buying this book as a gift, get it for a boy 12-14, in to rock music and Batman. He will give it a big "thumbs up." But to everyone else, who is a Batman fan, get something else.
Incredible Batman story based on rock music.......2000-07-27
This graphic novel is a great example of what comics can be. Anyone with an interest in Batman or rock music will enjoy this book. The story concerns a young musician who some believe is destined to save the soul of rock. Others, including the Batman, dismiss him as a greedy servant of evil. Robin, however, is a fan. Debate rages in the Batcave as elsewhere, until the young star, driven by visions of the God of Rock (a blond-haired version of Elvis, dripping with verisimilitude) disappears and begins to lose his mind. The story shows some interesting aspects of the batman/robin relationship and manages to tell a compelling superhero story set against the backdrop of the turbulent music industry.
Average customer rating:
- Fortunate Son, a moving story...
- The book is the true meaning of Honor Courage and Commitment
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Fortunate Son
Lewis B. Puller
Manufacturer: Publishing Mills
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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ASIN: 1879371855 |
Customer Reviews:
Fortunate Son, a moving story..........1999-12-11
I had heard from a great many people about this book prior to reading it myself. The first time I heard about it was back in '94. Finally, I saw it for sale at a garage sale for cents on the dollar value and I bought it.
I was engrossed by the first page and it took me a little over 6 hours to finish. I like many others would have assumed that Jr. would have had a tough time stacking up to his father but the opposite was true. Both father and son had a bond that the books words conveyed perfectly. Junior has a knack for explaining things that is easy to understand and contextualize. The story is told easily with such candor that you actually find yourself feeling sorry for yourself and not just Junior's life. However, it does get a little stale with Junior's constant regard of anyone without "Vietmam" experience as less than himself. But, that in itself only enhances and clarifies what he experienced and what his generations conflicts were. The timultuous times of the 60's and early 70's are truly seen though the eyes of not a hippie or a burn out but of one who displayed wisdom beyond his years. Wisdom that could only be gained through combat experienc or more specifically the Vietmam experience. JUniors spirit and perserverence lent itself to mutual success and failure. Only when JUnior admitted his failures did he then start to experience success. As cliche as it may seem that is how the book is summed up. A good story told honestly and without prejudice.
Bill Smith -
The book is the true meaning of Honor Courage and Commitment.......1999-03-07
First, get your summary of this book correct! Louis B. Puller Jr. was son of a great WW I, II, and Korean War hero, {Chesty} Louis B. Puller Sr.. He had only served in Vietnam. This book depicts a very clear picture of a man who has been pushed to his limits in life and came back from the depths of hell from a war that tore at the seams of our country. From his life as a young child, college student, and Marine Corps Officer there is a vivid portrayal of a man who had given all of himself to follow in the footsteps of his father. Louis jr. comes close to giving the ulitmate sacrifce for his counrty. The healing process that he went under after tripping a booby trapped artillary shell in Vietnam was not only physical, but in a large part mental for him. This book shows the battles he had overcome not only in the war but in life in general. I admire this bravery and only hope to learn for this mans wisdom that he so eloquenty depicts is this book. May God protect your soul Louis B Puller Jr. Semper Fidelis
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