Book Description
With the nation at war in the 1940s, twenty-two-year-old Jack Valenti flew fifty-one combat missions as the pilot of a B-25 attack bomber with the 12th Air Force based in Italy. In the 1960s, with the nation reeling from the assassination of a beloved president and becoming embroiled in a far different kind of war in Vietnam, he was in that fateful Dallas motorcade in 1963, flew back to Washington with the new president, and for three years worked in the inner circle of the White House as special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson. Then, for the next thirty-eight years, with American society and popular culture undergoing a revolutionary transformation, Valenti was the public face of Hollywood in his capacity as head of the Motion Picture Association of America.
Been there, done that, indeed. Texas-born and Harvard-educated, Valenti has led several lives, any one of which could have provided ample material for an unforgettable memoir. As it is, This Time, This Place is the gripping story of a man who saw the terrible face of war while fighting with skill and bravery for his country; who was in the room, listening, participating, and remembering, as political decisions were made that would benefit or devastate countless lives in this country and on the other side of the world; and who championed the interest of the vast and globally influential movie industry with tenacity and vision. The list of boldface names whom Valenti knew and with whom he worked is as varied as it is astonishing in number. Aside
from LBJ, there were Jack and Bobby Kennedy, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Robert McNamara, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Julia Roberts, Cary Grant, Lew Wasserman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Warren Beatty, and Bill Clinton, to begin a very long list.
The life of a man who earned both the Distinguished Flying Cross and his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is inherently intriguing, but Valenti’s warm, sometimes rueful, always engaging account gives this memoir a depth of humanity and a taste of life’s unpredictability that will linger long after you turn the final page. From growing up poor but largely oblivious to that fact in a hardscrabble neighborhood of Greek and Italian immigrants in Houston to rising to the highest summits both of national government and Hollywood, This Time, This Place is a candid and clear-eyed reflection of the joys and sorrows, ambitions and disappointments, of a life fully recognizable in its extraordinary variety. It is also a sweeping and important historical record, written by a brilliantly successful man who helped to shape politics and entertainment in the second half of the twentieth century, and who always found himself in the center of the current storm.
Customer Reviews:
I respect, don't necessarily agree with, his defense of LBJ .......2007-10-19
Yes, his descriptions of his childhood and family life as an Italian-American in Houston were interesting, especially after Valenti flashed back from Nov. 22, 1963 and shortly thereafter. Certainly, his remembrances of pilot service in Europe also were compelling. That said, and don't anyone take this wrong, neither of the above were particularly unique reading experiences. As much as I acknowlege our appreciation of our WWII veterans was long delayed and overdue, and I eat up those sort of memoirs, I had read similar recollections before. But as a backdrop and a context to his service with LBJ, it all was appropriate. That's the part I found fascinating, because as near as I can tell, Mr. Valenti's political leanings are the same as mine, and I tend to go along with the conensus -- that LBJ's unfortunate decisions to deepen our involvement in Vietnam outweighed all the good he did with the Great Society, because much of that involved ideas whose times were coming...sooner or later. LBJ deserves marks for courage and skill in pushing them through when he did, and we all should salute him. But it was going to happen at some point. I am open-eyed enough to take Mr. Valenti's defenses of LBJ's overall record with grains of salt, but I admire them. In describing the meetings in 1965, Valenti makes it clear, as others have, that Mike Mansfield and George Ball were the lone wolves in saying we should get out instead of get in deeper. Valenti runs down the roster of the LBJ advisers whose views turned out to be woefully off-target. Darn it, great leaders sense and see through misguided and bad advice, so I'm not letting LBJ off the hook, and Valenti did that a little too easily. I would have been interested, too, to know more about what he was thinking as he heard all these exchanges he describes. And he describes them in such depth -- virtual transcripts -- he either had a tape recorder, took great notes, or is taking some license in the reconstruction. But all that said, I did find that portion of the book fascinating. And if an obviously good man, such as Valenti, could be so passionately loyal to LBJ, who often has been treated unfairly (e.g., Caro), it gives me a bit of pause for thought. The rest of the book is interesting and as an overall work, I recommend it. It's funny, though, I got the sense he pulled the most punches in the movie portion.
And why do people quote from the book jacket here? I would rather read what people think of the book, and why.
Saint Jack.......2007-09-21
One must be a very dedicated movie or Jack Valenti watcher to plough all the way through this tome. Apart from the timing which cannot be faulted - he died shortly after the book was published: the book is more a diary than a literary work. Except for the opening chapter on the assassination of JFK, which is good and compelling writing, the remainder stretched incredulity a little too far.
If we are to believe what Mr Valenti tells us about himself, we should not be surprised that at the books completion, the Almighty whisked him off to heaven to be at his right hand. A more Saintly man never lived beyond the Vatican.
We learn that he started life very poor - not even any shoes. We also learn that his close relatives were very rich. That confused me. I thought these old Sicilian families stuck together. Or is that only in the Mafia? One of these relatives who did not feel able to buy little Jack any shoes, did give him a job however. The salary was not sufficient for the future $1.3 million a year boss of MPAA, so he lied to take the time off to solicit work at Humble Oil which was successful. Little Jack clearly had a talent for ingratiating himself into the affections of those who could help him. First it was the HR lady who gave him his first job at Humble. Then it was the head of the advertising department who put him to work there. Work: I use the word loosely as he seems to have spent his time travelling around the country keeping his boss from being lonely. He must have been a very seductive little chap.
Then the war intervened. Now I thought, this is where it gets interesting. He reminds us frequently that he was a war hero, so I was very keen to learn more. Unfortunately modesty prevented him from sharing with us any daring-do that he was involved in. Other than telling us that the Luftwaffe fighters held no terrors for him - indeed, he actually says that they were no problem to him. Well that's a first. I must have more than 30 books on WWII aerial combat, and I never read that before. Could it be that all the others were spoofing? We do learn at great length his mile by mile journey back to America from Italy. The war was over by this time, but low cloud and rain was more formidable than the Luftwaffe it seems.
Once back to civilian life, he takes advantage of the GI Bill and goes to Harvard. If he goes on about his time at Harvard to his everyday listeners as he does in his book, there can be few American who don't know that Jack Valenti went to Harvard. Upon completion of his course he goes back to Humble Oil. This is the second time they have him back. He learns as much as he can from them, sets up a company with a partner and promptly leaves Humble Oil. Using what he learnt from Humble he solicits business from Humble competitors. This is a life long habit of Jack's. He ingratiates himself with people until they are of no more value; then he drops them. He did that with President Johnson after he learnt that Johnson was not going to seek re-election. He would have done it to MPAA and gone to Columbia Pictures, but his devoted wife of God knows how many years wouldn't go to Los Angeles with him. Washington was more important than Jack it seems. She did offer to let him commute once a week from DC to LA.
It is at this point in the book that one loses the will to live. It becomes a page after page catalogue of the rich and famous who Jack loved deeply, and they him. Pick at random any Name from the A List, and they - and of course their gorgeous spouses, were close personal friends of the Valenti's. There is not an enemy in sight - he even had a good word for the Luftwaffe! But then this is a work more interesting for what it doesn't say than for what it does. He never mentions that he lead a crusade to prevent VCRs being introduced into America. He takes full credit for the `original' introduction of a film rating system. He expects the readers not to notice that the British Board of Film Censors has been rating movies since 1912. It is also interesting that Jack never ever mentions the British film industry. He mentions, and praises British actors and directors, but never identifies them as such. He does every other country that has a film industry. Perhaps under the overcast skies of grey old London lurk a few skeletons that Jack would prefer to keep in the cupboard.
After one has waded through pages and pages of Hollywood's `Who's Who', the book is completed with the unsurprising information that all of his three children are `...movie star beautiful, and they are all outstandingly successful.' No kidding. He even tells us that his grandchildren are perfect.
Jack Valent's life story could have been an enthralling read had it been an `unauthorised version' by Kitty Kelly or similar. Instead, it is a very boring exercise in self aggrandisement. It is said that before one writes a book, one should identify your audience. The only audience for this book is the Hollywood Hoorays who will enjoy what is written about themselves, and think kindly about Jack - and of course his children.
Well done Jack. Not so much a book, more an advertising brochure for the Valenti dynasty.
Good Read but Lacks Bite .......2007-07-15
In a sense this is two books in one. Valenti (apart from his war years) had two very different careers - as a valued aide to President Lyndon Johnson and latterly as President Motion Picture Association of America. He did sterling work in both roles.
Almost anything written about Johnson is fascinating and Valenti keeps that legend going. The author never fails to see good in people and like other Johnson aides such as Joe Califano, seemed to have a genuine love for the towering Texan.
Valenti's opening chapter on the dreadful events of November 22nd 1963 is compelling reading. The author also writes well on the meetings and decision processes that encouraged LBJ to enlarge the war in Vietnam. For those with rose tinted glasses who believe JFK would have taken the US out of Vietnam before it became a quagmire, Valenti makes it quite clear that the bulk of LBJ's Vietnam advisors were Kennedy people. Overall the section on Johnson and the White House years is enjoyable reading. The same can not be said for his MPAA memoir.
Part of the problem is that Valenti is so gushing in his praise of everyone. The number of "radiantly beautiful" or "dazzling" wives he met with adorable offspring is mind-blowing. This man would have something good to say about the devil! He alludes very gingerly to the excesses of and infatuation with Hollywood, but never provides any depth.
Valenti - who wrote a book on communication - is a wonderful writer with a flowing style that is a joy to read. It is a pity that he did not bring greater depth and I think honesty to his MPAA career.
A Truly American Story.......2007-07-05
Jack Valenti's memoir "This Time, This Place: My Life in War, The White House, and Hollywood" tells an authentically American story. Valenti, the grandson of a Sicilian immigrant, rises from his working class roots to:
* win the Distinguished Flying Cross (WWII)
* attend Harvard Business School (Veterans Bill)
* start his own successful business
* become the aide de camp to a US President (Lyndon Johnson)
* and, become the chief lobbyist and defender of the motion picture industry for four decades.
Valenti's book opens with a flashback to Dallas, Texas on November 23, 1963 as he rode in the fateful Presidential motorcade that passed the Texas Book Depository with Lee Oswald's rifle pointed at President John Kennedy. Before the day was over, he was THE confident and consigliore to a new US President, Lyndon Johnson, overseeing the president's speeches, decided whom he would see and where he would go to speak. His chronicle of his White House years reads like a fast-paced novel and has plenty of detail to satisfy historians.
"This Time, This Place" provides important events in Valenti's early formation which were the underpinnings of a remarkable life. As a working class kid from Houston, he watched his grocer grandfather practice local politics and made his own first speech at the age of 10, advocating the reelection of the Sheriff. He worked as movie usher during high school, and got himself elected class president as a night student at the University of Houston.
In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps, taking his first solo flight only after nine hours of instruction. He piloted 51 bombing missions over Europe in a B25 winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. His descriptions of these years are among the most vivid in this book. His prose throbs with memories of an experience that was simultaneously exhilarating, terrifying and "brutal."
The section on the Hollywood years is looser. Valenti's good-old-boy Texas story-telling comes out. He is more willing to tell tales, poking fun at some of the pompous behavior and trappings of the Motion Picture Industry's celebrities.
"This Time,This Place" is told straightforwardly, acknowledging debts, sketching people he knew and giving a not entirely flattering view of himself. His self-portrait is one of restlessness, and a strong commitment to advancement.
This is a man that senators, congressman and presidents readily took calls from. His formula was simple, "It is rooted in the ability to engage in courtship, to cosset talent, to understand the human condition and to make decisions fast." He exuded charm and was able to establish relationships by being everyone's pal but he never left empty-handed.
Jack Valenti died two years after his retirement from the Motion Picture Association of America in April, 2007.
Outstanding.......2007-07-04
Jack Valenti was both a witness to, and an instrument of, history and his autobiography presents the fascinating elements of his life and all those that he came across. Written in a very easy to read, yet eloquent, style (you can hear Valenti speaking these words)the book should be read by anyone interested in the Washington, the Great Society, and movie industry scenes.
Book Description
Meet Mike Greenberg, the popular host of ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning, the highest-rated drive-time sports talk show on the dial. To his three-million-plus listeners, Greeny is the guy who’s equally as comfortable dissecting zone defenses as he is discussing cashmere sweaters. He’s been to Super Bowls and World Series, All-Star Games and Final Fours. He’s interviewed Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, and Wayne Gretzky. He gets paid to enthuse about sports, which means he’s the envy of most men in America.
This is the hilarious, sometimes touching, and endlessly entertaining debut of one of America’s fastest-rising sportscasters, a wry and revealing look at one man’s good-hearted but mistake-prone attempt to grow up before his children do. Marriage, fatherhood, manhood, fame, athletes, crazed aunts with gambling problems, the true significance of sports, the worst possible thing to say in a room full of pregnant women–no topic is beyond his reach. But don’t take our word on it, read what Greeny has to say about:
• Dating: “People who reminisce fondly about dating are blocking out all the disasters and focusing only on the few great nights. If that is all you choose to remember, fine. But be aware that no experience is without good moments. I’m sure during the sacking of Rome there were a few decent nights; maybe they put on a play.”
• Life on the road:
“Wife + television = no sleep.”
“No wife + no television = no sleep.”
“Wife + no television = sleep.”
“No wife + television = porn.”
• Keeping things in perspective: “Never assume you know more than the guy in the camouflage tux.”
• And, of course, marriage: “All of us are married to women who think we’re idiots.”
Whether he’s talking trash on the radio or talking dirty diapers over a fancy dinner, Greeny’s determined to reconcile two halves of a whole. So if your enthusiasm has ever been curbed, or you’re feeling remote without the remote, or you’re just wondering what exactly goes on in a guy’s brain, Why My Wife Thinks I’m an Idiot will be a source of comfort and unadulterated laughter.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book even for non sports fans!.......2007-07-23
I bought this book for my nonreader husband. He loved it and quoted from it so much that I had to read it for myself. Mike is fun, lighthearted, and says everything that everyone else is thinking, but never say. He is refreshingly honest. We couldn't put the book down. This is a must read for newly weds, new parents, sports fans, or any woman who thinks her husband is an idiot!
Awesome book, can't wait to see him milk the cow.......2007-05-04
This book was excellent. I acctually bought it on kind of an impulse buy, but when I got it I couldn't put it down. Finished it in about 2 days. Never gets boring. Inspirational for someone like me who wants to go into sports broadcasting. The stories where he talks about meeting starts such as Michael Jordan will leave you in awe and you can acctually relate to his everyday stories with his family(just funny as hell). One of the best books I've read in a while. His personality on his radio show matches exactly to what is in the book and if you love sports and lots of stories, you'll love this book.
Quick read, faily interesting.......2007-04-26
I've listened to Mike and Mike a lot over the past few years and very much enjoy their program. This book is a quick little insight into the life of Greeny and the format make the book a very quick read (I completed the whole thing on a round trip flight from Hartford, CT to Washington, D.C.). I think the overriding theme of dealing with being a minor celebrity and what it took to get to that point made it quite interesting and in the end I would recommend it for anyone looking for a pseudo-sports book without getting into a lot of technical aspects.
Work Versus Family.......2007-04-12
This humorous autobiography tells about one sportscaster's quest to balance work with his family life. If you don't mind foul language, this book will entertain you.
Reads Like Paul Reiser's Books.......2007-03-19
Mike Greenberg mines the same material as Paul Reiser did back in the "Mad About You" heyday. Greenberg might be a sportscaster, but this book is really about the battle of the sexes, and the difficulty in combining work and family. What makes it a little hard to believe is that Greenberg and his wife are both loaded financially, and actually have a live-in nanny.
Still, the writing is crisp, and Greenberg's voice comes through loud and clear. You won't find as many sports anecdotes as you might be hoping for, but the book is entertaining.
Book Description
The music of Frank Sinatra, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and many other artists provides the score to the reflections of a musician on the road in this memoir of Neil Peart's travels from Los Angeles to Big Bend National Park. The emotional associations and stories behind each album Peart plays guide his recollections of his childhood on Lake Ontario, the first bands that he performed with, and his travels with the band Rush. The evocative and resonant writing vividly captures the meanderings of a musical mind, leading rock enthusiasts to discover inside information about Rush and the musical inspirations of a rock legend.
Customer Reviews:
Indispensible for the Rush Fan or Musician.......2007-08-13
After having read all of Neil Peart's drumming and travel-related books, I have to say that this is my favorite. The book is divided into two main (but interspersed) sections. One deals with a particular car trip Peart took in 2002-03 and his thoughts on the music he chose to provide the soundtrack to this journey. It quickly became clear that Neil's tastes are a lot more diverse than my own (his include Madonna, Sinatra, and Linkin Park), and I had a tough time relating to this portion of the book -- although Peart's reflections on the industry were quite engaging.
The other half of the book details the influence of music on Peart's life from childhood, right up through shortly after he joined Rush. It is almost a partial autobiography, and if you are interested in a previously-undetailed account of the drummer's early career, you will find this portion of the book priceless.
If you are a Rush fan who found himself partly put off by the tone of some of Peart's other books (specifically "Roadshow"), I would still recommend giving this book a try. This is one of the industry's best sticking to two subjects he knows better than most -- music and drumming.
Disguised As a "Travel Book".......2007-08-04
This book is by far the best book Neil Peart has written. This book is more biographical, in a very musical sense, than a travel book. What I mean by this is that Neil writes about his travels to the Big Bend area in South West Texas, several excursions he took while on that trip, such as a bird watching tour, and a hike up Emory Peak, etc. But the bulk of the content in this work is about his life and how certain songs, musicians, and bands have affected his life.
Neil details his early childhood, how his father's music was something he ignored as a child but embraced it as his own later in life. Moreover, he describes how he eventually took up drumming, his earliest bands in his own hometown, and how he progressed as a drummer from childhood to the last current tour, Vapor Trails, at the time this book was published. He describes certain details from various bands he "passed through" for a certain time, his experiences in London, England as a young adult, and how touring with Rush and playing a typical 76 or so show stopping tour affected him; all these details are great, and make the book that much more interesting.
However, the underlining greatness of this work, I think anyway, is Neil's descriptions of the music he is listening to throughout all these other details mentioned above. The way Neil describes how his "radar music" or his play list that is contained in the back of his mind resurfaces on occasion is the most interesting aspect of this work, since this is where Neil gets more personal opening himself up more than merely describing events. He details songs like they are personal parts of his life, exposing these parts with a serious vulnerability that is quite opposite to his personality, which is introverted and a bit hidden.
What happens when you read Neil's descriptions of bands and their songs, is that you will find yourself searching for these bands, if you have not listened to them before, and sampling them for possible purchases. At least I found myself doing this. He should get paid for promoting these bands, since several of them gained a new listener and buyer of their music. All this being said, this is an excellent book, especially if you are a music lover, it is well worth the price, and if you are a Rush fan, then this book is a must to take a peak inside the life, mind, musical taste and musical influences of one of the greatest drummers in rock and roll history, I highly recommend this book.
So anyway...........2007-01-25
I find it particularly amusing that - not having read ANY of Neil Peart's works - that I would have such a strong opinion on something he wrote. I have been INTO Rush since Fly By Night, an album I bought new and nearly wore off the turntable. I was 14 at the time. No band, before or since had the effect on me that Rush had. I just HAD to learn to play bass BETTER than before. The bar was put THAT HIGH...
However, (and now we come to the somber part...) I don't even have to read this (or any other) book by Neil Peart - nor anyone in Rush - to know that these guys have LOST IT..... I mean, actually having DISDAIN for the fans that admire and adore the music you make, and that has made you FAMOUS?? How absolutely WRETCHED a person must you be? And you can tell by the interviews I've heard them give that they totally DON'T GET IT.... They have actually put themselves so high on pedestals that they don't realize that their music S**KS. I am totally not surprised to hear that people like Neil Peart have nothing good to say to fans that want to praise him and pay homage. This is, after all ,the ultimate form of dishonor. It must suit him and the other guys to a "T".
Especially when you consider the absolutely LOUSY excuse for music it is that they spew today. Last album I nearly broke my eardrums listening to - "Vapor Trails". All you have to do is listen to a few seconds of the opening tracks and you go, "WHO IS THIS??" This is certainly not a band deserving of calling themselves "Rush". Not in my wildest imagination anyway.
One could imagine that losing a wife and daughter could make somoeone wanna jump off a bridge or something, but this is a man who has enough money and resources at his disposal to FIND A WAY to get some help. Sounds like, unfortunately, that the therapy didn't make him a better person. Still a complete lack of humility, according to these reviews. What a shame. Some people just never get it, do they?
Just think of how un-self indulgent Neil Peart would get to be if he weren't a "star" and no one would even know who he was....hmm.... No one - outside of Rush fans - would even know who he is nor care. Therefore, all this book-writing would be completely in vain.
Music is the Message.......2006-11-19
Many of the reviews I've read regarding Neil Peart's "Traveling Music" treatise seem to focus on either a) his seeming arrogance at not wanting to have regular interactions with fans, or b) a seeming lack of eloquence in this work. I think those reviews are missing a vital element here.
To be sure, Mr. Peart is not Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck or any of the countless other revered novelists in history. I'm also pretty sure that he doesn't want to be any of them. I also don't think that people should hold him in low regard because he is so shy. No, I think the focus here should be on the central message of his book: That, whatever the genre...rock, country, jazz, classical...music helps us to understand the textures and feelings that pervade us as we live and breathe in this world. No matter what your mood, there is a song out there to describe it. No matter how fond your memories, there is a song out there that can engage those memories as if they just happened.
Mr. Peart probably shares more than he needs to about his shyness with people. I will never be famous, but I know that many famous people are far more animated about having their space invaded. Note that he is also very uncomfortable lying about who he is when "outed" by someone. It's clearly a difficult thing for him, and I admire his honesty and courage in how he addresses it, so give him his space, and give him a break.
Focus on the notion that music is the message here. The wonderful diversity that it provides us, and the many emotions and themes it elicits, whenever we plug in and listen.
Top 500 Drummer of All-Time.......2006-10-17
Not the God, but a god ... lowercase g. I would have to say he is the god of drumming. He's easily in my top 500 list of all-time drummer. He's somewhere between the drummer from Dexy's Midnight Runners whose name I cannot recall and the original Chris on The Partridge Family ... a/k/a "The Ugly Chris."
If you like your books written by someone who has a hard time writing coherently, then you are going to LOVE this book. I have a theory that Mr. Peart typed this book by using his drumsticks on the typewriter. Which goes to show that he's not as coordinated as he would have us believe. Be careful, Mr. Peart or you're going to find yourself off of my top 500 drummers list and on my Bottom 500 Typists List! LOL.
Just kidding Neal, Rush is as vibrant and vital today as it as ever been and just because young people don;t listen to it and it's not on the radio anymore does not mean that the music isn't still not great.
Book Description
Jazz fans get the inside story of New York's legendary club. At age 83, Lorraine Gordon is a jazz icon who has lived more than a few lives: downtown bohemian, uptown grande dame, music business pioneer, wife, lover, mother, and finally - at a point when most women her age were just settling into grandmotherhood - owner of the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard. The trajectory of her journey has been remarkable. The details are a Jackson Pollock-like swirl of fierce colors shot through with larger-than-life creative figures: not just jazz figures but luminaries from every point on the political, social and entertainment spectrum: from Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Lenny Bruce, Norman Mailer and Barbra Streisand. - The legendary Village Vanguard has been an international jazz mecca since 1935. According to New York Magazine, "A musician hasn't truly arrived in the jazz world until he's played at the 'Carnegie Hall of Cool,' the Village Vanguard." - There have been over 100 "Live at the Village Vanguard" recordings by premier artists from John Coltrane to Wynton Marsalis.
Customer Reviews:
A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey........2007-02-06
Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time captures the life of jazz artist Lorraine Gordon, who knew virtually all the big names of jazz. She was not only a business woman and mother, but owned the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard: this is the story of the rise of that club, her encounters with Miles Davis, Monk, and more, and vignettes of their personalities and encounters. Black and white photos blend with music history and cultural insights to make for a lively survey of the Village scene and the artists who made up the jazz world. A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Alive at the Village Vanguard.......2007-02-01
Very interesting and informative. An honest woman, dedicated to jazz and jazz musicians.
Mildly interesting from a history of jazz/ philosophy of jazz point of view.......2007-01-25
Lorraine Gordon has led an interesting life and one well worth reporting. She does an admirable job in this autobiography. If, however, one seeks information about jazz events that occurred at her club in any sort of detail, one needs to look elsewhere.
Wonderful read.......2006-12-08
This book is a wonderful read for any jazz fan! It goes through the life of Larraine Gordon and has some wonderful insights as to why the Village Vanguard is what it is! It's an easy read and I highly recommend this book!
Book Description
"Some Pow'r did us the giftie grant/ To see oursels as others can't." With that play on Burns' famous line as a preface, Willard Van Orman Quine sets out to spin the yarn of his life so far. And it is a gift indeed to see one of the world's most famous philosophers as no one else has seen him before. To catch an intimate glimpse of his seminal and controversial theories of philosophy, logic, and language as they evolved, and to hear his warm and often amusing comments on famous contemporary philosophers.
From his beginnings in Akron, Ohio in the early 1900s, Quine takes us on a tour of over 100 countries over three-quarters of a century, including close observations of the Depression and two world wars. Far from a philosophical tract, it is an ebullient, folksy account of a richly varied and rounded life. When he does dip into philosophy, it is generally of the armchair sort, and laced with a gentle good humor: "There is that which one wants to do for the glory of having done it, and there is that which one wants to do for the joy of doing it. One can want to be a scientist because he wants to see himself as a Darwin or an Einstein, and one can want to be a scientist because he is curious about what makes things tick .... In normal cases the two kinds of motivation are in time brought to terms .... In me the glory motive lingered ......
In this book, Quine approaches the details of his life the way he has always approached them with a sharp sense of interest, adventure and fun. And he has a skill for picking a word that is just off-center enough to pull an ordinary event out of the humdrum of daily life and evoke its personal meaning. The result is a book of memories that is utterly mesmerizing.
Willard Van Orman Quine is the author of numerous books, including Word and Object, published by The MIT Press in 1960.
A Bradford Book.
Amazon.com
Born in 1920, Helen Thomas was one of United Press International's very few female journalists for years. She promoted herself to UPI's White House Press Corps in 1960 ("I just started showing up every day") and has reported on eight administrations. Her episodic, old-fashioned autobiography contains anecdotes about each president, their first ladies, and their staff. Her stories are often funny, and she doesn't mind when the joke's on her: "Isn't there a war somewhere we can send her to?" Colin Powell inquired after being buttonholed at a party; President Carter's mother said the greatest lesson she learned in 80 years was, "Never to open my mouth around Helen Thomas." She's also fair: even the press secretaries get balanced treatment, though Thomas criticizes the White House's growing efforts to "manage" the news. (Her most affectionate political portrait is of the unmanageable Watergate wife Martha Mitchell.) Thomas pays loving tribute to her parents, hardworking, religious Syrian immigrants, and to her late husband, Associated Press reporter Doug Cornell, but she keeps the focus on the people and public events she covered. Scrupulously impartial when reporting the news, she feels free here to be bluntly opinionated, especially in her unrepentant advocacy of the media's responsibility to ask uncomfortable questions, even when the public condemns them as intrusive. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
"Thank You, Mr. President."
From the woman who has reported on every president from Kennedy to Clinton comes a privileged glimpse into the White House -- and a telling record of the ever-changing relationship between the presidency and the press.
Helen Thomas wanted to be a reporter from her earliest years. She turned a copy-aide job at the Washington Daily News into a powerful and successful career spanning thirty-seven years and eight U.S. presidents. Assigned to the White House press corps in 1961. Thomas was the first woman to close a press conference with "Thank you. Mr. President." She was also the first female president of the White House Correspondents Association and the first woman member, later president, of the Gridiron Club.
In this revealing memoir, which includes hundreds of anecdotes, observations, and personal details. Thomas looks back on a career spent with presidents at home and abroad, on the ground and in the air. Providing a unique view of the past four decades of presidential history. Front Row at the White House offers a seasoned study of the relationship between the chief executive officer and the press -- a relationship that is sometimes uneasy, sometimes playful, yet always integral to the democratic process.
Download Description
From the earliest age, Helen Thomas wanted to be a reporter. Raised in Depression-era Detroit, she worked her way to Washington after college and, unlike other women reporters who gave up their jobs to returning veterans, parlayed her copy aide job at the Washington Daily News into a twelve-year stint as a radio news writer for UPI, covering such beats as the Department of Justice and other federal agencies. Assigned to the White House press corps in 1961, Thomas was the first woman to close a press conference with "Thank you, Mr. President, " and has covered every administration since Kennedy's. Along the way, she broke down barriers against women in the national media, becoming the first female president of the White House Correspondents Association, the first female officer of the National Press Club, and the first woman member and later president of the Gridiron Club. In this revealing memoir which includes hundreds of anecdotes, Thomas evaluates the enormous changes that Watergate brought and how they have affected every president since Nixon. Providing a unique view of the Last four decades of presidential history, Front Row at the White House offers a seasoned study of the relationship between the chief executive officer and the press -- a relationship that is sometimes uneasy, sometimes playful, yet always integral to democracy.
Customer Reviews:
"Mr. President?".......2007-10-13
If you've ever wondered about the woman who for years asked the first question at presidential news conferences and also ended each one, then this memoir will be entertaining. Thomas had a long career and got to know every president since JFK pretty well, or so you'd think from this book which is chock full of interesting anecdotes and opinions. It is a bit repetitious and would have benefited mightily from tighter editing. One wonders if the publisher was a little too reverential to use the red pencil. Somewhere along the line, UPI, her employer, lost a lot of its power and impact, due to business turmoil. Still, Thomas soldiered on. She doesn't say much about UPI in the memoir, probably because she's still working, though for Hearst. If you follow the journalism biz, you'll want to read this one.
Great read!.......2007-01-09
The book is a true reflection of who Helen is and her commitment to the ideals and responsibility of being a "reporter". Whether or not you agree with Helen's political views; it is hard to argue with her views regardig the responsibility of the press corps.
Incredible life...........2006-07-16
It's one thing to be a history buff and read about events of our country and the world. It's another to live it. Thomas has been an active part of almost every major historical event our country has seen for decades. It's a life the rest of us could only dream about. I thank her for giving me the opportunity to read about the behind the scenes events that have made up our history. The writing is very newspaper-like ie short and to the point. It's perfect for the busy adult who wants to pick it up for short spans.
Everthing you didn't want to know about Helen and very little about anything else.......2006-02-18
I was looking forward to reading this book but was sadly very disappointed. Helen Thomas takes great pains not to rock the boat. She is in a position to make intelligent insider analysises, but she chooses instead to sit on the fence. She seems tickled pink that various presidents noticed her! And her birthday!!!! Sheesh!
white house years.......2005-01-25
I wanted to give this book at 5 star rating but the first two thirds of the book are written too much in the style of a quick note taking journalist and I found the writing needing of more narrative. The ' I was there and they thought I was a female tiger amongst men' message over and over again gets tired after a while. The photos of the author with the presidents are ok but Ms. Thomas should have included those moments in history that she was a part of, Nixon's resignation, Clinton intern scandal, Reagan--Iran-Contra, etc. Ms. Thomas' final third of the book is excellent. The writing changes. She elaborates and the book excels.
Book Description
Frederick Douglass, born a slave, educated himself, escaped, and made himself one of the greatest leaders in American history. His brilliant anti-slavery speeches were so fiercely intelligent, and so startlingly eloquent, that many people didn't believe he had been a slave. To prove them wrong, Douglass decided to write his own story. His autobiographical narratives stunned the world, and have shocked, moved, and inspired readers ever since. Here, complete for the first time in one authoritative volume, are the three powerful and gripping stories, now recognized as classics of American writing. Fascinating firsthand accounts of slavery and abolitionism, John Brown and Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, Reconstruction, and the emerging struggle for civil rights, they are above all the inspiring story of a self-made American: a slave who became adviser to the President, minister to Haiti, and the most influential black American of the nineteenth century.
Customer Reviews:
One of my relatives.......2005-04-07
- As an author myself, I recommend that you purchase this book for personal study. "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" is a fascinating book and video that helped me understand one of my relatives.
Author. "Knowledge For Tomorrow" Quinton Douglass Crawford
The Life of a Free Man.......2002-09-05
Frederick Douglass (1818?-1895) was the greatest African American leader of the Nineteenth Century. He was born a slave on the Eastern Shore in Maryland and grew up on plantations on the Eastern Shore with several years in Baltimore. He was a physically powerful, highly intelligent, and spirited youth and developed quickly a hatred of the slave system. As a slave, he taught himself to read and write, and learned the art of public speaking from the church and from a book of orations popular at the time that feel into his hands. He escaped from slavery at the age of 20 and moved to New Bedford,Massachusetts. He became part of the Abolitionist Movement and achieved fame as a public speaker. He became a newspaper editor and writer. During the Civil War, he assisted in the recuritment of black troops. He met President Lincoln on several occasions and became a great admirer. In later years, Douglass was aligned with the conservative "stalwart" wing of the Republican party and continued to speak out for the rights of African-Americans, to oppose (somewhat belatedly) the end of Reconstruction, and to work for the life of the spirit and the mind.
Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies which are given in this volume. The first, shortest, and best was written in 1845, seven years after Douglass had escaped from slavery. It tells in graphic and unforgettable terms the story of Douglass' life as a slave, the growth of the spirit of freedom in himself. and the early part of his life as a free man in New Bedford.
The second autobiography was written in 1855. It repeats much of the earlier story and describes Douglass's visit to Great Britain. A higlight of this volume is the Appendix in which Douglass gives the reader excerpts from several of his speeches, including his perhaps most famous speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July."
Douglass wrote his third autobiography in 1888 and edited it substantially in 1893. It describes Douglass's relationship with Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. I also enjoyed the section of the book in which Douglass describes his trip to England, Italy, and Egypt near the end of his life. It is highly intelligent, perceptive and reflective travel writing. There are also excerpts in this final autobiography from Douglass's speeches and letters.
The most striking incident in all three volumes is Douglass's story of how he stood up for himself and became in his own eyes a man of dignity and courage. Douglass had been sent for a year to live with a small farmer named Covey who had a reputation for breaking the sprit of strong-willed slaves. Covey whipped Douglass unmercifully for the first six months. Then, after a whipping which left Douglass scared and weak for several days (he ran back to his old master who ordered him back to Covey) Douglass fought back. Covey attempted to whip Douglass and Douglass resisted. The two men fought hand-to-hand for hours. Douglass could not assume the offensive in the fight (it was enough to resist at all) but more than held his ground and had the better of it. Covey at last walked off and never whipped Douglass again. This incident is strikingly told in each autobiography and marks the moment when Douglass showed he could stand up for himself and not have the spirit of a slave. It is inspiring and it grounded his actions for the rest of his life.
There is much in these books that transcends the resistance against American slavery, utterly important as that is. We have, as I have tried to explain, in this book the voice of personal freedom and self-determination which is something every person must learn and undestand for him or herself in deciding how to live. In addition,I get the impression that as Douglass aged he became increasingly committed to the life of the mind and the spirit. This is apparent from his writing and from his interest in travel, in European high culture, art, literature, and music. Douglass learned the meaning for freedom. He tried to devote himself to matters of the spirit in addition to his lifelong quest to improve the lot of the former slave. I think there is still a great deal to be learned here.
Douglass had much to say about the nature of American freedom and democracy. He loved and had faith in them, in spite of the horrible stain of slavery. Here is a wonderful observation from the third autobiography in which Douglass' describes his activities during the Presidential campaign of 1888.
"I left the discussion of the tariff to my young friend Morris, while I spoke for justice and humanity....I took it to be the vital and animating principle of the Republican party. I found the people more courageous than their party leaders. What the leaders were afraid to teach, the people were brave enough and glad enough to learn. I held that the soul of the nation was in this question, and that the gain of all the gold in the world would not compensate for the loss of the nation's soul. National honor is the soul of the nation, and when this is lost all is lost. ... As with an individual, so too with a nation, there is a time when it may properly be asked "What doth it profit to gain the whole world and therby lose one's soul?"
There is a spirit and a wisdom in Douglass that still has much to teach.
As a man of the Nineteenth Century, Douglass tells us little in his autobiographies of his personal life. Upon his escape from slavery, Douglass married a free, uneducated black woman. Upon her death, Douglass married a white woman, which (as we see briefly in the book) caused shock among American whites and blacks alike. We also see little of Douglass' relationship to his children. The reader who would like to learn more about Douglass' personal life needs to read a biography, such as William McFeeley's "Frederick Douglass" (1891)
Douglass' autobiographies are are precious work of American literature and a testimony to the free human spirit.
one of the founding American novels.......2000-05-30
Once you read Douglass's narrative, you will be surprised that Douglass learned enough to be able to write the first narrative written by an uneducated slave. This is one of the most moving narratives you can read -- I challenge any reader to read this and not understand the irony of the white people supressing black people's accomplishments for hundreds of years. The story of Fredrick Douglas in inspiring on many different levels. Once you read it, any reader will understand why this is mandatory reading in any American literature course. It is impossible to understand life after the Civil War without reading this moving, touching novel about how a slave learned how to read and write. Douglass's autobiography is a great literary achievement which should be savored by all who read it both as a historical and literary document.
Excellence in Achievement through the Human Spirit.......1997-09-17
This account of Frederick Douglass'
life and time by Henry Louis Gates
is the personifaction of Excellence
in Achievement through the Human Spirit.
In spite of the hardships of slavery, Frederick Douglass continued his fight for freedom. His dynamic oratory and leadership helped him to move barriers for all people. This self educated man rose to great prominence to serve as a testament to the world that if you have courage, persistence and faith in God, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. He knew the power of education and the spoken and written word, which is manifested in his creating the NorthStar newspaper to communicate to others. Of course you have to have mortal men who believe in you and your abilities.
I believe that Mr. Gates captures this strength, this conviction and the essence of Mr. Douglass' spirit and his commitment to make a better life for himself and others like him. His dynamic use of the language allows you to feel conviction and essence of Mr. Douglass' concern. It was like listening to Mr. Douglass speak to me through those pages.
I found this book very intriguing and educational. It has something for the world to learn from.
Thanks to Mr. Gates and others for bringing this great American (World) hero to the forefront. We need to know and share in the histor and spiriti of this great man. By the way I was named after Frederick Douglass. I strive to be like him as much as I can. I am still working on my oratory!
Hard work and a positive attitude prevail.......1997-03-09
Frederick Douglass is a role model for all mankind. He showed us how we can do anything we want in life if we are persistant and have the right attitude. Having nothing in life, not even a chance to become educated, he used every situation as an advantage for himself. He remained positive in adverse situations, had a good work ethic and is a person all races should take lessons from and succeed
Average customer rating:
- Amusing introduction to beloved wit
- A fun Thurber book for all his fans
- An old, old fashioned read.
- Still funny after all these years!
- Dated but funny still
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My Life and Hard Times (Perennial Classics)
James Thurber
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
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ASIN: 0060933089
Release Date: 1999-10-06 |
Book Description
Widely hailed as one of the finest humorist of the twentieth century, James Thurber looks back at his own life growing up in Columbus, Ohio, with the same humor and sharp wit that defined his famous sketches and writings. In My Life and Hard times, first published in 1933, he recounts the delightful chaos and frustrations of family, boyhood, youth odd dogs, recalcitrant machinery, and the foibles of human nature.
Customer Reviews:
Amusing introduction to beloved wit .......2007-09-23
Should be required reading for all folks of any age looking for an introduction to life in these United States, for those learning to overcome despair and disaster with humor and grace, for any and all learning the English language.
A fun Thurber book for all his fans.......2007-09-18
Thurber is a great favorite of mine, and this was another fun book to read.
An old, old fashioned read........2006-08-24
Take your mind back half a century and read these mildly amusing essays about life in the 1920s and 1930s. The style is so different from modern prose, but it is well worth the read.
Still funny after all these years!.......2006-08-17
I am 52 yrs. old. I read this book in High School and couldn't put it down. When I read it again as adult, I laughed even harder because somehow it made having the weirdest family in the whole world a joke instead of a hardship. It made Thurber's family, the Coneheads, the Simpsons, and the Osbornes seem like life is good as long as you can laugh once in a while, and even better if you can laugh at yourself.
Dated but funny still.......2006-06-14
In a kinder and gentler age (if ever there was one), MLHT was doubtless considered very funny. Indeed, the book has its moments even today. By and large, however, it is slim in every sense of the word. As a lighthearted bit of nostalgia reflecting upon an America and upon sensibilities that, alas, are no more, it is well-worth the read. And one can expect the occasional laugh, too. Thurber is fun. But judging from MLHT alone, he's no Twain.
Book Description
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Three days later, a young Navy pilot-in-training won his wings and found himself flying torpedo planes against enemy targets in the Pacific.
From his days as a Naval aviation cadet aboard the "Yellow Peril" biplane trainer, to his first bombing runs on Guadalcanal, to his life aboard an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific, Norman Berg offers a fast-paced narrative filled with humor and meticulous attention to detail. Much more than a simple WWII memoir, this story goes beyond the action of battle to explore the author's innermost conflicts and chronicles one young couple's wartime struggle to balance love, duty, and commitment.
Customer Reviews:
A Gripping Human Story of a Carrier Pilot.......2003-04-15
I just finished reading My Carrier War by Norman E.Berg. It is an absorbing and interesting page-turner. Mr. Berg's memories of his WW II experience offer a gripping picture of what it took to be a naval pilot in 1941 and beyond, as well as the human story of a young husband and father who faced combat as leader and participant.
This account offers an in-depth variety of information and illumination, regardless of the interest of any particular reader. It's about learning to fly, about learning to be a naval pilot, about the characteristics of warplanes, about flying from an aircraft carrier, about life at sea, about falling in love, about making a personal life in the midst of war, about separation from your loved ones, about dropping torpedos and divebombing, about comradship, about U.S. strategy in winning the south pacific, and about humanity in a time of war.
Beyond the details, this writer knits the story together in an engaging way. There is no tedium in this book, nor is it a superficial recitation of dry history. It offers a timeless lesson in facing personal challenges and prevailing. The book is interestingly illustrated with photographs and maps. It is a satisfying read.
Absorbing story of one man's coming of age in a time of war.......2002-08-29
This chronicle is a rich tapestry of war time action woven against a background of a boy's transformation into manhood through duty, love, and acceptance of personal limitations. Norman Berg brings his combat missions alive with gripping vividness of detail. But it is the comparatively economical passges on his subjective experiences that give this book its poignancy. Staying the course in war and sixty years of reflection have added the tincture of a profound sense of fate to this writer's ink. It makes this memoir shine.
A Must Read.......2002-08-22
I couldn't put it down. As someone who was born after WWII, I was able to appreciate better the time period where we all went through this difficult period. May we never have to do that again. Thank you Mr. Berg for a well written book and am looking forward to seeing it in movie form.
A patriots story.......2002-02-28
Capt. Berg tells the true story of patriotisms conflict with his new family life and how he conquered his fears to serve two long flying tours in the Pacific war during the early and darkest hours of the war that affected and changed not only America but the entire world. Berg is one of the "Greatest Generation" and we are lucky to hear his story in his own words spoken from the cockpit of his torpedo bomber . I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. A Great Story. Eugene A. Olsen, Capt. USMM (ret)
Transports the reader back to a time of war and danger.......2001-12-14
My Carrier War: The Life And Times Of A Naval Aviator In WW II is a gripping memoir of Norman E. Berg, who was a pilot-in-training and earned his wings three days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In addition to recounting harrowing battles, My Carrier War also explores the author's inner conflicts and chronicles a young couple's efforts to balance military duty with commitment and love. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the powerful, evocative text. A memoir so strong it transports the reader back to a time of war, danger, and uncertainty, when the fate of America and the world was at stake, My Carrier War is a very welcome contribution to the growing library of World War II memoirs and autobiographies.
Amazon.com
While The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game will not disappoint basketball purists longing for Oscar Robertson's play-by-play of favorite games, the attraction of this autobiography is Robertson's perspective on the evolution of the sport and on the racial struggles that were the context of his formative years. Called by many basketball experts the greatest all-around player ever, Robertson earned an astonishing array of honors including an Olympic gold medal, 12 NBA All-Star appearances, the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and the 1964 NBA MVP award. Most remarkably, Robertson remains the only player in basketball history with a triple-double season (double-digit averages for scoring, rebounds, and assists).
While Robertson could have easily candy-coated this impressive record for his retrospective, he devotes large sections of his book to the racial battles he faced off court, and his final chapters recount his controversial efforts as an NBA union leader to create free agency, a pension plan, and disability protection for players. In telling his life story, he lays bare the racism and mistreatment he suffered at the hands of individuals and institutions throughout his career, from the Mayor of Indianapolis and Cincinnati University to the NBA and CBS Sports. At times, his critiques can seem excessive (e.g. his discussions of the distortions in the film Hoosiers, while interesting, are repeated a bit too often), and some sections (like his attempts to compare himself to contemporary players) border on self-indulgence. Yet, he seems justified in arguing that his achievements--largely accomplished on second-rate teams, against a back-drop of unprecedented racial strife, and before the modern era of sports-media saturation--are easily underrepresented. In the end, The Big O offers a complex, human portrait to complement a spectacular sports career. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
Oscar Robertson received every major award in basketball. In 13 years with the NBA, he set astonishing records; in his first 5 years of playing, he averaged double digits in points, rebounds, and assists, a feat no player before or after has matched. But Robertson attracted as much attention for his controversial stances and uncompromising personality as he did for his on-court magic. In The Big O, Robertson speaks out for the first time. He describes leading his team to the first state championship ever won by an all-black high school in Indiana. He broke the color line at the University of Kentucky and was recruited by the Cincinnati Royals, where he did nothing less than revolutionize the game: Quicker and stronger than any other backcourt player in the league, he created the style that would be imitated by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant. At the height of his career, he became president of the NBA Players Union and sued for the right to free agency. It was this action, along with what Robertson believes to have been endemic racism in sports, that cost him his career. Forced into retirement at 34, he was never offered the management or coaching positions routinely given to players of his caliber. Thoughtful, provocative, and unabashedly honest, Robertson has produced an extraordinary book.
Customer Reviews:
I loved the Big O's honesty and frankness.......2007-03-21
What a wonderful book. I don't have a lot of time to read sports books so I'm very picky when I read one. Being a man of 50+ the Big O has always been one of my favorite players and I'm constantly amazed by the lack of credit he has been given with regards to his greatness as both a player and a man. This is a book that the true basketball fan can really appreciate. Like Jordan, Bird, West and Magic the O would be a star in any era.
Using basketball as an agent of change!.......2005-12-13
Oscar Robertson tells it like it was as this book is as much about racism as it is about basketball. I played briefly against Oscar and we were both raised in the hot bed of Indiana basketball. Trying to become an accomplished player was one thing and dealing with discrimination back in the 1950s was quite another. Oscar tries to paint a picture for the reader showing what it was like to muster enough courage to play while being discriminated against. He performed brilliantly despite the bigotry, hatred and prejudice and , perhaps unknowingly to him at the time, used basketball as an instrument of change just as Jackie Robinson used baseball before him.
Oscar Robertson's book, The Big O should be looked upon not only as a sports book, but as a history book. If readers would like to add to their understanding of the trials and tribulations players went through in the Golden Era of Indiana basketball they might also enjoy my just published book titled Growing Up in Indiana: The Culture & Hoosier Hysteria Revisited.
Starts Good but too much Editorializing.......2005-09-27
As a younger person who was not alive during the era that Oscar Robertson was alive I thought this would give me a good idea of what things were like back in the 60s and 70s. Although I particularly enjoyed the information of his early years including what it was like growing up and playing at the Dust Bowl and winning the Indiana State Championship, I felt that his continued effort to slam his opinions down your throat got tiresome.
I think most people understand that he was a good basketball player and also that racism was a very real subject he had to (has to?) deal with everyday. However, hearing him tell you how all the players in the 60s were better than conterperary players just sounds like an old man trying to make you feel sorry for him. Also, throughout the book you feel as if he thinks everyone was out to get him and in turn he had never done anything wrong. He was a great player and had amazing statisitcs every game and so that must mean that the reason he didn't win in Cincinatti was always some other person's fault.
I enjoyed the book but would only recommend this to die hard Oscar Robertson fans and people who can handle being spoonfed (over and over again..) one person's opinions about things that do come across as very arrogent, bitter and perhaps one sided.
THE BIG O SCORES.......2004-11-19
THIS BOOK IS A GOOD READ. OSCAR DOES A GOOD JOB DESCRIBING HIS LIFE ON AND OFF THE COURT. HE GOES INTO DETAIL ABOUT FORMER COACHES, TEAMATES, AND OPPONENTS DESCRIBING HIS RELATIONSHIPS AND FEELINGS. I FOUND OSCAR TO BE VERY HONEST BUT SOMETIMES BITTER AND DEPRESSED. STILL I THINK HE IS A PRETTY GOOD GUY AND HAD A LOT OF CLASS. I REMEMBER HIM AS A COMMENTATOR FOR CBS AND JUST LOVING HIM GETTING EXCITED DURING A GAME BY YELLING "OH WHAT MOVE BY KAREEM". THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK FOR ALL FANS OF PRO BASKETBALL. ROLL ON BIG O.
BUT ONLY FOR BASKETBALL FANATICS - LIKE ME!.......2004-02-26
TO READ, MUCH LESS REVIEW, THE "BIG O" YOU HAVE TO BE, AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, A TRUE LOVER OF THE GAME. IT IS AN AUTOBIOGRAHY OF THE IDIVIDUAL I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED TO BE THE GREATEST OF ALL BASKETBALL PLAYERS - PAST & PRESENT. HIS EXPLOITS BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT ARE REMARKABLE. IT'S A BOOK FOR EVERY BASKETBALL JUNKY, AND FOR OTHERS WHO WANT TO LEARN A GOOD DEAL ABOUT WHAT'S REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN ANY FIELD OF ENDEAVOR.
SINCE I CAN'T FIND REFERENCE TO A "GHOST WRITER, OR ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN WRITING THIS BOOK, I WILL ASSUME THAT OSCAR WROTE IT HIMSELF. IT WOULD BE WRONG TO JUDGE THIS BOOK ENTIRELY ON "EDITORIAL" GROUNDS, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT BAD. OSCAR STYLE OF WRITING IS SIMILAR TO THE WAY HE PLAYED BASKETBALL - HE TAKES IT RIGHT TO YOU! "HERE IT IS, DEAL WITH IT IF YOU CAN." HE DOESN'T MINCE WORDS, TELLS IT LIKE IT IS, AND WAS, AND TO HIS CREDIT DOESN'T SEEM TO REALLY CARE, WHAT YOU OR I THINK ABOUT HIS OPINIONS - USUALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT COMING FROM HIM, AND GIVEN THE SUBJECT MATTER IT'S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
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