Product Description
A beautifully written memoir, candid and definitive, that tells the story of Bast's five year relationship with the charismatic actor and American legend--James Dean. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

weak writer
Best may be a successful screen writer, but that doesn't translate to good book writing.This is mostly a biography of the author, and you will learn little of James Dean that you don't know already.The book is mostly about Best, and it is pretty vapid, superficial, gay guy reading.There are homosexuals, and there are flamboyant gays, and Best is the latter.James Dean, who may or may not have been homosexual, was definitely not gay.There is not a lot to write about a life that was cut so short and that lived so little.The young man was a giant, but you will find little insight to that mystic in this book.

book
i havent finished reading the book yet, but it is well written and it portraits an image of James Dean never seen before. highly recommended

WONDERFUL 28 - COURSE MEAL
`Surviving James Dean' is a must-read for any Dean fan who might appreciate the book's deft writing, its sometimes controversial perspective, and its fascinating storyline. As a longtime devotee who has watched Jimmy's films more times than I can recall - and who has read more than a few biographies - nothing (in my opinion) approaches the scope and breadth of this true account by Dean's best friend and lover, author William Bast. From Bast's first meeting with Jimmy at UCLA, to their final encounter before that infamous day in September, the author allows the reader to play voyeur to the unfolding of an amazing journey where dreams of meteoric fame and requited love are finally realized, and then snatched away suddenly.

While savoring this book's 28 chapters, I would have enjoyed some more prurient details of Dean's and Bast's intimacy...although by the final page, I had grown to appreciate the author's gentlemanly manner in disclosing what happened between them. I was also taken by Bast's colorful accounts of a Hollywood long past, as well as of the New York one only sees in vintage films.But what I loved most about this book was how Mr. Bast gave me the chance to peer behind Jimmy's eternally beautiful mask, at the remarkable and very real human being who dreamed, and worried, and worked hard, and made mistakes.

To me, `Surviving James Dean' is a work of true love from a man who was forced by Hollywood for much of his life to hold his cards too closely to his chest; I thank you, Bill, for finally laying those cards on the table. And I'm sure that Jimmy, wherever he is, still considers you his `King of Hearts.'

Very good book......
I like this book; it's a bit boring, but I got through it. I wouldn't trade this book for anything in the world.

Bast's memory after 53 years
Unfortunately this biography often irritated me immensely. I cannot even remember what I had for dinner yesterday, yet Mr Bast after 53 years seems to have an astounding memory of exactly what happened, just quoting a few examples from this book:

As Jimmy wiped his plate clean of egg yolk with bread ... (page 116)

I was still trying to sort this all out, when a stocky, older guy with nervous sweat dotting his upper lip sidled up ... (page 136)

Jimmy sat on a bench in the shade of the station and stared over the vast expanse of shimmering sands, his expression serious, his mind obviously churning. (page 180)

What a memory!

... Read more

Product Description
Like a restless ghost, James Dean (1921-1955) continues to haunt us. Though he died nearly 50 years ago, the enigmatic star of East of Eden, Rebel without a Cause, and Giant still symbolizes the mystery and torment of adolescence-an image that his sudden, violent death fixed forever in the public mind.

Magnum photographer Dennis Stock met Dean in Hollywood in 1954 and began to capture him on camera. Shot over a three-month period just as the young actor's star began to rise, these iconic photographs are the greatest pictures ever taken of Dean. Together with Stock's text and an introduction by Dean biographer Joe Hyams, the images provide an extraordinarily intimate view of the cult legend whose brooding good looks captivated fans by illuminating the troubled depths of his character. Published on the 50th anniversary of his death, this is the definitive photographic portrait of James Dean in both his professional and his private worlds-the real man behind the lingering legend.AUTHOR BIO: Dennis Stock has been associated with Magnum Photos since 1951, and his photographs are in the collections of many major museums. Stock is the author of 16 books, including California Trip, on the surrealistic landscape of that state. He lives in Connecticut. Joe Hyams is the noted author of 28 books, among them James Dean: Little Boy Lost, the definitive Dean biography. Immediately after Dean's death, he was the first authorized by the actor's family to write about him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Beautiful black and white photos!!!Jimmy at his best!! :)
This book isn't big on text but it is what it's supposed to be, a hauntingly beautiful black and white photo journal of James Dean in NYC and back at home, on the farm, in Fairmount, Indiana (a few "Rebel Without a Cause" shots, too, in the back).

For James Dean fans this book is a treat.Buy it!!

James Dean is the coolest
i will say that this book show you how he star from the small town to the big city and then california
this is a clasic book that is going to be for generation , specially if you like James Dean

BLACK AND WHITE AND COOL

My good friend, Carole, sent me a copy of an official publication from a JAMES DEAN fan club. Inside was a lengthy story she had written recounting the 1988 trip that she and six other "die-hard Dean fans" (including Jimmy's boyhood friend, Bob Pulley) made to California, during which I escorted the group to several of the prominent Dean-related sites in Los Angeles.Happily reliving those days through Carole's recollections, I was inspired to lose myself in my copy of Dennis Stock's JAMES DEAN REVISITED.His JAMES DEAN: FIFTY YEARS AGO is essentially a special, retitled hardcover reissue with the photographs beautifully enlarged, and a few splendid ones previously unpublished now included.

My copy - a gift from my employer in 1993 - is inscribed, "To a fellow alien who straddles two worlds...the art is in the living."My magazine-publishing boss bought me the book, but being a major fan, naturally, this essential book for Dean fans was already in my bookcase.I subsequently gave away my older copy and kept his gift.

As a wannabe actor fresh out of high school in 1977 (Santa Monica High, coincidentally also known as Dawson High in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE), I discovered Dean at a Fox Venice Theater showing of what I consider Dean's greatest film, EAST OF EDEN.This was before movies were available for purchase and home viewing.I was mesmerized then knocked out of my boots; everything struck a chord of harmony within me:the sense of youthful alienation; the brooding intensity; the moodiness; the frustration; the quest for meaning.I was hooked, and James Dean became my idol.

In September of 1980, I took my first extensive solo trip, flying into Indianapolis and then driving to Dean's hometown, Fairmount, for the festival honoring the 25th anniversary of his death.Through happenstance (?), I met Carole and her friend Russ (both would remain my very good friends).I'd heard that Martin Sheen was to attend the festival, and when Russ asked if I wanted to accompany them to the Indianapolis airport to pick up "Martin", I said, "Sure" - assuming that the "first name only" implied that this Martin was famous and a last name was unnecessary.It turned out to be Martin, hard-core fan flying in from England.(I'm still in touch with this non-Sheen "Martin", too.)Well, in the days that followed, my disappointment from the "Martin Mix-up" turned to elation when I discovered how well-connected my new friends were, and I found myself meeting Adeline Nall, Jimmy's high school drama teacher, and then getting a private tour of his boyhood farmhouse conducted by the aunt who raised him, Ortense Dean Winslow.I saw his motorcycle and leather motorcycle jacket, his bongo drum sitting quietly in the corner, and his childhood artwork hanging on his old bedroom walls.Very heady stuff for a young fan!(I've experienced so many strange "coincidences" in my 47 years that I'm not at all convinced this life is "real.")

Well, as the years wore on, I surprisingly lost interest in acting, and a series of spiritual episodes completely changed me and my world-view.I no longer idolize human beings, but I still recognize that James Dean was (and remains) the most imaginative, most innately gifted American actor.The direction hinted at in GIANT gives an indication of where he was pointed as an artist, and ultimately he would have emerged as a "giant" of a film director.He may have started life as a hayseed, ending it with a Turnupseed and with Life's promising highway left unexplored before him, but JAMES DEAN LIVES, both in his three films, and in these beautiful black and white photographs by the fine lensman, Dennis Stock.

Do you wish to see why the name James Dean turns up in the songs of Rock stars?(David Essex, Lou Reed, John Mellencamp, Ian Hunter, and The Eagles, to name but five.)Want to see why all the boys wanted to BE him, and all the girls wanted to BE WITH him?(As a female friend recently wrote regarding his performance in East Of Eden: "I think Dean also aroused a lot of maternal feelings with that performance.You're attracted to him, but you also want to mother him.What's a girl to do?")Well, it's all in these pages:

The Offbeat Humor: Encircled by calves and pigs, Jim sits with his bongo drum on a patch of ground on the family's farm and bangs out a "rhythm to moo and oink to."

The Bizarre Morbidity: Jimmy posing in a coffin at a Fairmount funeral home just 7 months before his corpse would be taken there.

More Bizarre Morbidity: Jim examining the chicken head held by a small, joyful girl loitering on a New York sidewalk, while the girl's older sister holds onto the leash of their disinterested dog.

The Eerily Mysterious: He sits dressed in coat and tie, reading a book in the farm's hayloft while light filtering in reveals him to be surrounded by spider web-sealed old trunks.(A dynamite piece of photography!Absolutely first-rate.)

The Classic Cool: James Dean marches through the city streets, cigarette dangling, and shoulders hunched in his overcoat against a Times Square rain.

The Ultimate Rebellion: An edgy Dean holding a gun point-blank on future president Ronald Reagan on the Hollywood set of the television play, THE DARK, DARK HOUSE.

These and so many more stellar shots - some posed and some candid - await the James Dean fan on thse pages.The decades have whittled down my once massive Dean collection to just a few portrait reproduction post cards sent to me by the late artist, Kenneth Kendall, who sculpted the actor's bust on display at The Griffith Park Observatory in L.A., and to this book of 1955 photographs by Dennis Stock.This should tell you plenty about the quality of these photos.Come and "see" the original Voice of teen angst, the red-jacketed rebel in glorious black and white.

James Dean :Fifty Years Ago
Mr. James Dean who is featured in these pictures speaks for himself and what was lost when he was taken to his final resting place in Fairmount and what might have been.

James Dean lives on
Was about time this book came out. These are some of the most beautiful JD photos. It's all I've got to say ... Read more

Product Description
This is the book that restarted the James Dean cult by celebrating him as the cool, defiant visionary of pop culture who made adolescence seem heroic instead of awkward and who defined the style of rock 'n' roll's politics of delinquency. The only book to fully show how deliberately and carefully Dean crafted his own image and performances, and the product of still unequalled research, vivid writing, intimate photographs, and profound meditation, James Dean: The Mutant King has become almost as legendary as its subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Hound Dog was recorded by multiple artists - maybe Dean's friend just had a bad memory?
Maybe his friend remembered the artist wrong. "Hound Dog" was originally recorded in 1952 by Big Mamma Thornton (released in 1953 on Peacock Records.) Elvis covered it in 1956.

Several country versions exist as well, recorded 1953-1956.

My point being, eyewitness testimony or memories are unreliable. Most times due to our human brains being so psychologically prone to confabulation. However, it is all we have in the case of remembering people and events. It is hard to have someone so famous like Dean and not have people "invent" who they think he should've been - instead of who he was.I think we never truly know another human being anyways.We are all of us "touching from a distance" and only scratching the hazy surface of who we ourselves are. Most can only hope to achieve some measure of immortality in their lifetimes.How wonderful on film, how brightly did Dean shine. He shines for the ages.

good choice
This is a great James Dean biography. It seemed to stick to the facts and was very interesting. You should definitlely read this one!

Good!!!
the story is sooo sad but very interseding. the writing is kinda wired but it has a lot of interseding fakes about the town Dean lived in, and about Dean. its a good book.

The Best Dean Bio Starter
For the reviewer who gave a lengthy discussion on Elvis...enough already! So there may be a few factual errors...show me a bio that doesn't have a few and I'd be very surprised. This bio nails James Dean perfectly, and paints a picture that makes it easy to understand why he remains an icon over 50 years after his death. Well written it paints an indepth portrait of the person who represents so many different things to different people. Ignore the negative reviews on here.

Well done, Mr. Dalton
In the slew of Dean Biographies I've read, this came to me third. And I was in general, very privelaged to read it. It is concise, thorough, factual, and eloquent. Favorite parts in all Dean bios are his chilhood years, his 3 years before success, and experiences while making his 3 films- and this book does wonderful justice to those times. You'll learn about his sex, loves, and hot&cold personality. There were a few(only a few) moments where some details lagged and dragged slightly. Those thoughts, however, disapeared instantly with the next sentence I would come upon in the book. It's in my top three Dean bios list-probably #3. Please let yourself discover Jimmy. Buy this and several other of his bios and take them on a vacation(or some time and place where you can commit yourself to them)and devoure them."James Dean-Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and "Live Fast Die Young", are two other necessaries. This is a must read. Happy Readings! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

As intense as you can get!
I am a huge fan of James Dean. I've read almost everything there is on James Dean and then some. So about half of the information that is included in this book is nothing new to me. But as for the rest of this book....WOW! Beath DEFINITELY did his research and it shows in every single page. The only reason I did not give his book a 5-star rating was because the pictures in this book look like poor copies of the original pictures. Pictures of the accident, Dean's car, the bodies, exc are so dark you can barely make anything out. But as for the rest of the book, I was totally impressed. This book achieves a different angle than most James Dean biographers take. Not to mention many different accounts of the many different witnesses that were present during the life of James Dean. The pages describing the accident itself are so detailed and haunting as well as traumitizing it reduced me to tears. Beath makes damn sure you have no problem picturing the accident that raped the world of James Dean! It took me awhile before I coud continue with the book. In fact, in the book, Beath quotes how one of the first people on the scene after the accident saw James Dean in his car. He saw from a very short distance the damage the accident had done to Dean's body and would not look closer, it was that bad. He never went closer.

The book starts out with what the scene of accident looks like at the time of the writing(1986). The changes that were made over the years following Dean's death. Then slowly, it expands to Cholame itself, Blackwell's Corner and so on. Slowly the book moves to the morning of the last day of James Dean.

To Mr Beath, I want to say thank you and well done. You never missed a beat. And to the readers of this post considering buying this book... go for it! The only thing you "may" regret is reading the detailed descriptions of the accident itself.

Good read, but the death obsessors were creepy...
Beath wrote a heck of a great work on James Dean's death.I have to say it's almost heartbreakingly pathetic the characters he depicted who were so obsessed with researching Dean's death in the pre-internet era of the 1980s.I have a cursory interest in Dean and his death as a part of popular culture history, but the level of obsessiveness with some of the people depicted under pseudonyms was at times laughable in a "Oh, my gosh, that's so pathetic anyone is that wrapped up" sort of way.Mind you, it's the character depicted I found pathetic, not Beath's terrific portrayals.These characters (named Stan and Howard in the book) almost seemed to have a different variety of pathetic Trekkie personality traits.
This to me was illustrated by one of them, depicted as a young, married man with one kid and another on the way and he's off blowing money on inquest reports, movie memorabilia and other Dean related paraphenalia.
I think this element of the book was a good illustration of the level of sickness that obsession can be reach, regardless of subject matter.
Beath's book was a very well researched and thought-out volume, and I enjoyed reading it very much.

Very Concise!
I really enjoyed reading this book.I think I go over it 2 or 3 times.It has been very refreshing to see the different point Warren makes in it.I have bought 4 of these books for friends including CW and Kim.

I think that too many authors sometimes work too quickly and over reach their target.Warren has focused on The "Death" element of James Dean in a sensitive but critical approach.We are all grateful for this work of genius.It goes into great detail of what JD was doing the day he died, who he met and what he ate... Suffice it to say that if you are a James Dean compatriot, you will trully understand fact from fiction by reading this book.I don't like going into details because it spoils the "ride" but with the judgement of 4 good friends and 2 of whom knew James Dean, they are very satisfied with it.Thanx!

rj

Comprehensive, Objective and Fascinating
Warren's book continues to outshine most every other Dean book.Granted, this is my particular area of interest, but I would challenge anyone to read this and not be enthralled.Dean's last days are meticulously researched, rumors addressed...Warren doesn't try to pretty it up.This is the way things happened. I refer to this book often - it's a bible in my home.

A book that tells what the title says (for once!)
The focus of this book is the automobile crash that ended the life of actor James Dean. Dean only ever made three movies but those three had a huge impact on folks of that period.

In any case, the details given here will present you with a clearly defined account of why and how this youth noir-icon died.

He was on his way to a race, in a racecar, when a young man pulled out from an intersecting highway. So, the question arises, 'Was Dean's speed the cause of the spectacular crash or, was it carelessness on the young man's part who possibly failed to yield the right-of-way?' (HINT: Dean was just issued a speeding ticket about an hour or so before the crash!)

This book has plenty of nice illustrations and I found it a real page-turner of a mini-biography. ... Read more

Product Description
Nominated for the Edgar, Macavity, and Gumshoe Awards! Winner of the Shamus, Barry, and Anthony Awards! Still reeling from his wife's recent miscarriage, Moe Prager is bullied into taking the case of an up-and-coming politico whose career has stalled over the suspicious disappearance of a young woman. It's been almost two years since Moira Heaton, State Senator Steven Brightman's intern, vanished on Thanksgiving Eve 1981. In spite of Brightman's best efforts to clear his name, he has been tried and convicted in the press. As a reluctant Moe peels away the layers of the case, he discovers the tragic circumstances of Moira Heaton's disappearance are buried deep in the past and that there is another more heinous crime at the heart of it all. Will the ugly truth set Brightman free or will it bury all the players beneath the crumbling artiface of corruption, murder, and hate? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

An excellent story from a unique voice
With the tried and true formula of the PI novel, it's easy for authors to get bogged down in the genre's cliches. Ever since Chandler wrote The Big Sleep, a very large portion of PIs have been pastiches of Philip Marlowe. And for good reason, since Marlowe's unmistakable voice always makes for good reading, but at a certain point, the tradition of the hard drinking, cynical PI with no close friends and femme fatales clamoring over him gets a bit old.

Moe Prager, on the other hand, is quite the opposite of Marlowe, and The James Deans is all that much better for it. Looking at the mystery of Moira Heaton's disappearance and the events that transpire afterward is a treat from start to finish. As Prager investigates the mystery, we get to see little bits and pieces of his life outside the mystery, a life that's refreshingly void of dread and cynicism. Prager has plenty of old friends in the police department, he's happily married and has a young daughter, and his drinking habit is kept well under control. Seeing a well-adjusted, functional guy crack this case is fun and inviting the whole way through, and Coleman peppers Prager's thoughts with enough witty retorts and gives him plenty of prime quips that will have you chuckling as Prager puts his friends and enemies in their place.

The story itself is nice and twisty, though not overly complex to where it gets confusing. This isn't one of those dense mysteries where everything is a switchback and the mystery is constantly shifting before your eyes...you probably have a hunch as to where this is going to go from the beginning, but Coleman makes the ride enjoyable enough to make it worth sticking around with to the end.

I do have to deduct a small bit from the book's score, though, since the ending of the book relies on one of the most dreadful conventions of the PI novel or any mystery: The Last Minute Info Dump. This is where, when everything has been figured out, one of the characters in the book spends 2-10 pages describing the entire layout of the mystery from start to finish, listing every detail of exactly how things happened and how the cunning detective discovered the truth. While it's necessary for this information to be disseminated in the book, The James Deans falls into the trap and has Prager go on for a long, long while explaining things. It's not a dealbreaker in any sense of the word, since it's only a few pages in an otherwise excellent novel, but I just wish Coleman would have tried to do it in a different way

A Peeper With a Palate
Moe Prager, P. I. and wine shop owner, interesting, kind of like Sam Spade owning a gourmet cheese boutique or maybe Raymond Chandler a nice little French bakery.... But, Reed Coleman pulls it off and the James Deans won't disappoint even the most discriminating imbiber of classic P. I. Noir. Plus, I met Mr. Coleman on one of his tours and he's a nice guy. Buy this book!

A Thriller Out of the Headlines
When he is cornered at an employee's wedding in 1983 New York, the last thing wine shop owner and private investigator Moe Prager is to work for a politician.A former cop who was forced on disability by a piece of carbon paper on a waxed floor, Moe has had enough of being manipulated and holds a secret that could destroy his marriage.However, a carrot and stick approach by the bride's father forces Moe into working for State Senator Steven Brightman and investigating the disappearance of his female intern in Reed Farrel Coleman's The James Deans (Plume)..

Moe soon makes headway into the case, but after coming to a conclusion that leaves everyone satisfied niggling doubts begin to force Moe into looking a little closer at a case that has been tidily resolved.Now, Moe must decide whether to open a can of worms that would leave the powerful and his own friends particularly unhappy with his actions.From the Senator down to the neighborhood bar owner, all are invested in the nicely wrapped package Moe has presented to the city.To continue investigating means that Moe risks sacrificing his career, his family, and his friends.

Moe Prager is a wonderfully down-to-earth detective who, although bored with his mundane life, would rather avoid a fight than wield his muscle.His love for his family makes him engagingly human, especially when he knows that a secret he shares with his father-in-law will one day explode and shatter his marriage (Walking the Perfect Square, 2001).Not overly bright but always quick with a quip yet never annoyingly so, it's his ethics and sense of honor that make Moe shine.Taking a turn at writing his version of the Chandra Levy/Gary Condit scandal, Coleman does an original twist with the plot as halfway through, just when you think the mystery has been solved, he boomerangs the story and leads Moe into making a decision that forces him to look deep into his soul and his sense of justice.While Coleman does make a few obvious references meant to give a wink and a nod to the present (a poetic look at the sturdy World Trade Center and jokes about a going-nowhere Arkansas Senator), he writes a riveting plot and creates a vivid portrait of eighties New York City.Always entertaining with a character who is never disappoints, Coleman continues a series that improves and expands on a truly unique character.

EXCELLENT!
Moe is the refreshing antithesis of most characters being written today.He is a loving husband, father and brother, neither an alcoholic nor a drug user, but with secrets and burdens of his own.I still rave about "Walking the Perfect Square" as one of my favorite books. Coleman creates an environment that feels personal.But it's the writing that makes this book and series one I feel deserves attention and recognition.Highly recommended.

Complex new P.I. and terrific new writer

An ex-cop turned successful wine merchant and sometime PI. A golden-haired politico wanting to be another "comeback-kid." An office intern who turned out to be a deadly researcher. These are the intriguing main characters in Reed Farrel Coleman's third Moe Prager mystery, The James Deans.

If you've got politicians in a story, then you know what the other elements will be--greed, betrayal, misuse of power, dishonesty, and in the wake of Monicagate and GaryCondit/Chandra Levy, sexual dallying will play a big part too.

Or will it? That's what's so intriguing about this specific mystery and the skill that author Reed Farrel Coleman brings to his stories--you think it's going to follow the path lead by headlines, then it veers off into uncharted territory, with roots laid deep and long ago. His style is lean and mean on one of its threads and spiraling with imagery on another. The combination makes his writing exciting and hard to forget.

The James Deans is a terrific page-turner, complicated with plenty of twists and made rich with believable, flawed characters. It's only a matter of time before Coleman and emerges from the pack and shines in the spotlight.

... Read more

Product Description
Packed with historical information, this travel guide explores the sites where pop culture history was made. With hundreds of photographs, this encyclopedic resource covers approximately 600 sites of the most famous and infamous pop culture events. The greatest landmarks from Americana, movies, music, tragedy, crime, television, and sports are included, such as where George Washington crossed the Delaware River; the diner in the film Diner; the site of the Planet of the Apes finale; the Hindenburg crash site; the Brady Bunch house; and the location of the 1980 Olympic "Miracle on Ice" hockey team victory. This offbeat travelogue provides the armchair traveler or road warrior tourist with all the information needed to visit America's pop culture sites of significance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

cool stuff!
Chris Epting is a genius.What he's done is put together a listing of places where historical markers will be standing 100 years from now.(Well, maybe not - some of these are a lot more fun than historical).Here's a sampling:

- The garage where Apple began
- Max's Kansas City, of New York art world fame
- Where the Black Dahlia was found
- Morrison Hotel, from the Doors' album
- The Leave it to Beaver house
- Hotel where Janis Joplin overdosed
- Site of the Cocoanut Grove fire
- Where Bigfoot was sited in that famous video
- Schwab's drugstore, where Lana Turner was discovered

There's typically a little blurb, some notes on getting there, and maybe something about what's there today (plaque, parking lot, corn field, whatever).I think the real strength is in the number of sites.There's about 2.5 per page, over 300 pages.Major topics areas are:

- Weird and wonderful
- History and tragedy
- Crime, murder and assassination
- Deaths
- Movies
- Music
- TV
- Sports

So, why 4 stars?Well, first, I wish I could give it 4.5.Second, there were a couple of things:

- An awful lot of these are in Southern California.Yes, a lot of our pop culture occurred there, but still.As an example, the one reference to Annie Hall is a café in West Hollywood.Wasn't the whole rest of the movie set in NY?

- The sports stuff tends to be stadiums where famous events occurred - Aaron's 715th (Fulton County Stadium) the Immaculate Reception (Three Rivers Stadium), Maris's 61st (Yankee Stadium), Ruth's called shot (Wrigley Field).He does have some more interesting ones (where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points, where the first game of professional football was played, the airport where Thurman Munson died).Epting's Roadside Baseball: The Locations of America's Baseball Landmarks does a much better job of this.

- The history stuff tends to be rather obvious - Gettysburg, the Old North Bridge, the Golden Spike, Plymouth Rock ...Though once again, there are some much more interesting places - the Hindenburg crash, Manzanar, Chappaquidick, the last remnant of the Camino Real.

- Lots and lots of typos.I wish some other publishing house would pick up this guy.He deserves much better editing.Heck, I'd offer to do it.Chris, are you out there?

Fun Fun book!!!!!
Fun fun book!!Also recommend his other books Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here: More Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks and Led Zeppelin Crashed Here: The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America.My family members ages 15-70 LOVED all his books!!!

An interesting idea for a book
This book brought back many memories of pop culture events from the past that I recall reading about at the time.The information about the locations is interesting as are the extra little details provided.

However, I was put off my the very large number of typos (Raiders of the Los (sic) Ark;the Louis/Schmeling fight was in 1938, not 1948 to name just 2).It makes you wonder how accurate the book is if simple details like this are wrong.

Still, it is a fun read.

Awesome.... but
This book is awesome, I'm excited to take a road trip with some friends and try to explore as much of these landmarks as I can. The author was able to keep his personal preferences aside to cater to everyone with different points of interest, and he does a good job. But I think it would have been even more better if he put a little bit more history about the places and the people. But I enjoyed it nonettheless and will be getting the rest of them.

Interesting to flip through at the library
This book has enough real "material" for about a third of its length, and then the rest in my opinion is "filler" - info regarding obscure happenings that no one is likely to be much interested in.I also felt that the entries were way too short (a mere paragraph for each).It would be nice to have a bit more background material on what happened there, what led up to it, etc.

There are good entries (such as the "garage" where Apple computers was born, the street where Mariyln Monroe did her "skirt blowing" scene, the location of the original Woodstock, or Buddy Holly's crash site and last gig), but I just wish there was more of the good and less of the ho-hum.

Definitely worth checking out from the library.(For another interesting book in this vein, I highly recommend "THE TOMBSTONE TOURIST" by Scott Stanton.) ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the personal struggles of the powerful actor and explains how Dean's sexual ambivalence and hidden homosexuality affected his life and made him such a believable on-film rebel. Reprint." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Clunky, Juvenile, Trashy, Tabloidish, Terrible
Alexander attempts to pass speculation off as fact, assumption off as research, and pages of garbage off as a book.The sole focal points of this wretched attempt at biography are to "out" Dean as gay, deify his mother, vilify his father, and that's pretty much it.Subtitling it, "The Life, Times and Legend of James Dean" is a joke, since I learned more about Alexander than the movie icon.It's one thing to be interested in the sexuality of others, and another to desperately twist and grasp at whatever is available to prove an unprovable point.Alexander is obsessed in a childish, amateur way.

Where were Penguin and its editors in the process of bringing this book to market?Alexander's writing style is torturous.Unsubstantiated stories are disguised as fact without any backup whatsoever.The word "seems" appears too many times to count.Comma abuse abounds, as do poor grammar and sentence structure.It is an excruciating, arduous read.

So sit down, grab a nice cup of coffee and a good book, and use this one as kindling.

Interesting book
This is the first book I've read about James Dean.It is very interesting and sometimes disturbingly erotic.If all accounts are accurate, then he led a whirlwind, albeit short, life.I would suggest it for anyone even mildly interested in this legendary actor.

Don't read
This is a horrible biography of James Dean. I didn't feel like I could believe half of the stuff that was written. I would not recommend that anyone read this. Especially if you are new to James Dean..do not start with this!!

More of the usual subjective perception and creative projection
Jimmy biographies often say as much about the writer as they do about their subject.Books by women with whom he had affairs often suggest he was primarily straight; books by gay men often suggest he was essentially gay.The fact of the matter is, he had an equal number of sexual relationships with men and women so if we're to be intellectually honest, we have to say he was bisexual.Anything beyond that is personal projection and that type of projection is in evidence a lot in this book.Unless you've read a LOT of biographies (as I have over thirty-five years of Dean fandom), it would be hard to know where Jimmy leaves off and the author's sexual fantasies begin. But it's not nearly as badly written as some other similar biographies are.

Paul Alexander Needs To Be Shot
It is incredibly dissappointing to always find this book in the biography section in any bookstore or library. I definately agree with everything the first 3 reviewers have said and i'm not going to say it all again but I would like to warn any Dean fan or interested reader to stear clear of this and ANY book written by John Gilmore (who the author claims he interviewed for hours in researching this book). Gilmore claims to have been the close confidant and sometimes bed partner of James Dean and just about every pop icon of the 60's. It is clear that Mr. Alexander had one objective and that was to instill in everyone's mind that this cultural icon was a homosexual. I couldn't care less what James Deans' sexual orientation was. Myself, I think Dean was bi-sexual. After reading many books and articles and seeing documentaries on JD, I think it is undeniable that he had an affair with at least Rogers Brackett (who helped him with his career) but one only has to hear Julie Harris speak of seeing James Dean and Pier Angeli together to realize that he indeed loved her. One should keep in mind that James Dean was not a porn star so his sexuality isn't important. The man starred in only 3 films yet has a profound effect on people born decades after his life. How did that happen? I doubt who the man slept with has anything to do with it. I'll give you a few titles of some good books on Dean that I have read. "Surviving James Dean" -written by Bill Bast, Dean's close friend and often roommate who could have invented stories and embellished others but instead wrote an honest and heartbreaking story. "Little Boy Lost" by Joe Hyaams -very informative and seemingly well researched. "Dizzy & Jimmy" by Elizabeth (Dizzy) Sheridan -very romantic and also heartbreaking. "James Dean" -written by George Perry but featuring never before seen photos from the family's private collection. "James Dean, American Icon" by David Dalton - the pictures make this a good coffee table book. "Live Fast, Die Young; The Wild Ride Of Making "Rebel Without A Cause" -Excellent, well researched and very informative. ... Read more

Product Description
They were the unlikeliest of pairs—a handsome crooner and a skinny monkey, an Italian from Steubenville, Ohio, and a Jew from Newark, N.J.. Before they teamed up, Dean Martin seemed destined for a mediocre career as a nightclub singer, and Jerry Lewis was dressing up as Carmen Miranda and miming records on stage. But the moment they got together, something clicked—something miraculous—and audiences saw it at once.

Before long, they were as big as Elvis or the Beatles would be after them, creating hysteria wherever they went and grabbing an unprecedented hold over every entertainment outlet of the era: radio, television, movies, stage shows, and nightclubs. Martin and Lewis were a national craze, an American institution. The millions (and the women) flowed in, seemingly without end—and then, on July 24, 1956, ten years from the day when the two men joined forces, it all ended.

After that traumatic day, the two wouldn’t speak again for twenty years. And while both went on to forge triumphant individual careers—Martin as a movie and television star, recording artist, and nightclub luminary (and charter member of the Rat Pack); Lewis as the groundbreaking writer, producer, director, and star of a series of hugely successful movie comedies—their parting left a hole in the national psyche, as well as in each man’s heart.

In a memoir by turns moving, tragic, and hilarious, Jerry Lewis recounts with crystal clarity every step of a fifty-year friendship, from the springtime, 1945 afternoon when the two vibrant young performers destined to conquer the world together met on Broadway and Fifty-fourth Street, to their tragic final encounter in the 1990s, when Lewis and his wife ran into Dean Martin, a broken and haunted old man.

In Dean & Me, Jerry Lewis makes a convincing case for Dean Martin as one of the great—and most underrated—comic talents of our era. But what comes across most powerfully in this definitive memoir is the depth of love Lewis felt, and still feels, for his partner, and which his partner felt for him: truly a love to last for all time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (110)

A Very Good Read
I think the book was a great read and well written.I found it interesting and had a hard time putting it down.Because of this book I wanted to learn even more about Dean.Maybe I also just didn't want the book to end.Although there are wonderful stories within the book, this book is rare in that it's really a Hollywood love story written about one man's love for another man and they are both straight. One would have to admit that this is rare for Hollywood.

Buy the book.I promise you will enjoy it and will learn things about both Dean and Jerry that I bet you never knew.

One of the best. A rollercoaster of emotions.. Plus some great pictures.
This is the story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. One of the highest paid comedy act's of the 50's. For a decade they charmed audiences all over the world with wild antics, live skits and some great songs. The duo starred in sixteen movies and several different radio and television spots during their time together. They were more than just a comedy team though, they were friends. Dean, nine years older than Jerryplayed the straight man and singer, while Jerry was the crazy man-child. The combination was a hit and they skyrocketed to fame and gained a fortune.

This is the tale of the two from Jerry Lewis' point of view. His account on what happened during their ten years and in this very emotional, revealing and wonderfully written memoir. He tells how they came to be and what broke them apart a decade later, but each chapter is chock full of details which are easy to imagine and see in your mind. It's a great story and should be read by fans of either Dean or Jerry, or any Martin and Lewis fan.. It's personal and very amusing, plus there are some fantastic pictures from Jerry's personal collection.

It's a joyful, sad tale with everything a reader could want or hope for and then some. I highly recommend this for any fan. You won't be disappointed!

excelent boock
this book is excelent told the history of two big persons, like all the clown they have their diferences....just amazing

Jerry 2005 vs. Jerry 1982?
If you've read both of the Jerry Lewis autobiographies you can't help comparing the 1982 autobiography (Jerry Lewis in Person) to this 2005 one. In both Jerry is honest, even very honest at some almost sub-textual level, but he's always a show biz, WWII-era, not so introspective kind of guy, basically: expect that kind of 'honesty'.

So, both auto-bios honest and straight as far as he was concerned, but he's just so much happier in the newer one! And, overall and for most of us, I think that's more true to the real Jerry, the absurdly successful stage and film comedian of the 40s to the early 60s. Strangely, the 1982 Jerry was a longer way away from the salad days than the 2005 one is, in part I think because in 1982 he was still suffering terribly from a lower back injury he'd suffered in 1965. And maybe in 1982 he was still not recovered from a very long but badly ended first marriage.

Anyway, this auto-bio focuses on the crazy good times, lots of the laughs and the pranks, of the Dean and Jerry years. The 2005 Jerry also, and unlike the 1982 Jerry, is honest about the girls girls girls of those good times. It's a crazy testament to his love for his now deceased buddy and 'big brother' Dean that it brings out Jerry's very best side. Or maybe it's a second marriage that is having a fine mellowing effect on him, but here we get a sweetheart, understanding Jerry in sharp contrast to the judgmental, defensive Jerry of 1982. But both of them, I strongly suspect, are the real Jerry, neither of whom provides us the real Dean.

Faaantaaastik!
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Hilarious! Definitely a book I will keep and read again. I'm going to let my daughters read the book, so they will know how comedic movies originated. I let my sister and my dad borrow the book, too. If you like Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis or just a good, funny story, you will love this book!
... Read more

Product Description
Five decades after the death of James Dean, he is still revered as a distant myth and remains an enigma to a generation that hardly knows him. Yet it is this generation that has made him the most idolized actor of all time. While his film career lasted only sixteen months, it produced three cinematic greats: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant.

John Howlett conducted extensive research and interviews with actors and directors who knew Dean, to produce a revealing portrait of a complex and tragic man — the perfect embodiment of an eternal struggle who was an inspiration to several generations of rebels without a cause. His anguish was exquisitely genuine on and off the screen, and his moments of joy are rare and precious. Here is James Dean from all sides: his talent for interpreting and expressing his role as an actor, his rebellious nature, his personal frankness, his ever-probing curiosity, his tenacious struggle for success, and his sadness and sensitivity. Includes color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good Photos, Fascinating Read.
This is the first biography I ever read on James Dean. The author does a great job working up from Dean's childhood to his eventual Hollywood days, and includes very interesting interviews and insights from various sources on Dean's personality. James Dean was certainly fascinating and immensely talented; what is clear is that he had a lot of passion for life, and wanted to live it to the fullest extent possible. I also like the fact that the book did not focus on Dean's sexuality for about 90% of the time, the part of Dean's life I find the least relevant; who the hell CARES who he slept with? Was he gay? Nope. Did he date only women? Probably not; the only person who knows is James Dean. Does it really matter? Not at all; he was still an actor with an extraordinary gift and the looks of an angel. I don't think it's right for any one "group" to claim him as their own; if there is one thing I've learned about James Dean, it's that he hated labels and most certainly would not want to be categorized into anything. What I do know is that he really loved Pier Angelli, and reading about their complex relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the book.

This book is a quick read, and I polished it off in about four or five days. I really enjoyed it, and will doubtless read it again and again.

Very Interesting.
This biography is packed with a lot of interesting information about James and a lot of information I didn't know about him. Most of all it gives you an insight into how he was, is behaviours and what he was really like without sugar coating anything. Excellent.

Solid.
As an owner of 8 Dean biographies, and numerous other celeb bios, I've witnessed almost every approach of examining a person's life. Some are utterly biassed and uninformed, others too objective and lacking direction, and every other angle in-between. Here we have an example of solid objectivity and direction. It's a quick read and I would say NOT for the first time Dean bio reader. This is simply because it does not delve as deeply into the recesses of the less known events and traits that are necessary to paint a well rounded portrait of an artist like Dean. At least not if you're serious. For basic facts and a well written and fluid approach-this is perfectly adequite. One of the nicest attributes is some rarer photos you won't find in most other bios. It's also nice as a second (or third or eighth) addition to a Dean collection. The perspective is legitimately supported by facts and the wording is pleasant to read. However, it brings nothing new to the table for a well-read Dean fan, and does skip some smaller events that are nice to know of. I read every Dean bio I find, and usually buy them (unless they prove to be fictionalized...written for fiction readers)-hence I'm Very discriminating of Dean bios. And here's my take on this one: Not a "must have", but a "nice to have"- and definitely good for those adding to their Dean library or those just dabbling in Dean-ology. Over all-pretty good.

A great read
James Dean: A biography is one of the most compelling biography's to date on the mysterious man that was James Dean. It is very clear that Mr. Howlett knows what he is talking about and is ver researched in the field. Unlike many books out now on dean his sexuality did not come into play often in the book. A must have for a Dean fan wishing to be more in touce with there dead legend.

Very Thorough Retrospect
This biography is very thorough on describing the life and history of James Dean.From his childhood to an in-depth look at what he was like on the set, this book is great.The great thing is that the author doesn'tconcentrate on his sexuality through the whole book.A great tribute to anicon that will never die. ... Read more

Product Description
A legend in his lifetime, James Dean became a cult hero after his death at age 24. Was he the monumental talent some claimed? Or a spoiled and petulant troublemaker? Ronald Martinetti interviewed hundreds of Dean's peers and family members for this no-punches-pulled biography revealing hitherto unknown facts about the actor. Illustrated with photos, some previously unpublished. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Disapointed
Having read other more insightful biographies of James Dean I thought this biography to be very dull and tedious.

You'll feel as if you've met the real man in this book!
Fans, film historians, and even other biographers owe a lot to Martinetti's ground-breaking book.He presents a rounded, candid view of the boy from Indiana who became an icon on September 30, 1955.Martinetti's sources are the best -- Dean's friends during his lean New York years, those who knew Dean socially in Hollywood, and those who worked with him.Dean certainly made an impression on everyone who met him -- and in this book he'll make an unforgettable impression on you.Martinetti was, by the way, the first to address the issue of Dean's complex sexuality. ... Read more

Product Description
James Dean’s short life and three-film career inspired countless actors and rebellious teenagers, but his untimely death in a 1955 car crash has been an inspiration of a different kind. The ensuing decades have seen a continuing fascination with Dean’s life, and have also fostered legions of devotees fascinated by his death. With the expected (death site pilgrims, alternative theorists, reports of Dean’s ghost hitchhiking along that fated highway), there are the odd, the unbelievable and the downright wacky: lingering love affairs with Dean’s ghost, visions of his disembodied head, and, of course, reports that he’s alive and well, raising chickens and drinking rum with buddies in South America. The ongoing, growing fascination, folklore and legend surrounding the life and death of James Dean is testament that the cult of celebrity death is alive and well. This encyclopedia of James Dean–related subjects includes entries on such topics as associates, locales, books, and ephemera associated with his life. It focuses intensely on the events and people linked to his fatal crash, and on the body of myth, mystery and folklore surrounding Dean’s tragic death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A must have!
Formated from A to Z. Bunches of info on places and times that touched the life of James Dean. I followed up on many places I didn't know about on Google Maps. Full of facts new to me and I've been a James Dean fan since 1955. I love this book. Great source of information. Its a James Dean encyciopedia! All around great reference book!

Bravo! Bravo!

Warren Beath has really outdone himself with this book.
The research that he and his co-writer conducted was through and impeccable.Its no wonder that he became and remains one of the most well known Dean authorities.
They at least touched on most of the subjects that people wonderabout or would like to know about Jimmy.
I consider myself to befairly well read about Jimmy but I learned many things I did not know by reading this book.
I always enjoy reading a Beath book because he has a real love for his subject Jimmy and I believe that shows.
I'm also thankful that many of the ghost sightings and occultic happenings and lore regarding James have finally been compiled in a book that is likely to reach a large audience. I know that many Deanfans and otherswill likely shake their heads and scoff when they read those parts, but for a true believer like myself in such things who has been researching details ofsightingsof Jimmy and people's contact with him for months, it was very welcome and important.
I also applaud the Authors of this book for writing about so many of the lingering mysteries about Jimmy and the crash that Dean fans have been pondering for the better part of 50 years.

Most of all though,I love this book because I walked away from it feeling keenly once again the incredible sense of grief and loss about Jimmy's tragic death that I think all fans feel even 50 years on about this rare man whose lifewas far too short.
Any JD book that can make me feel that is a great book .

I do have one objection however. In Pier Angeli's entry, it saysthather career was minor, especially compared to her sister's. I disagree.Pier might not have won anOscar like her Sister -Marisa Pavan, but she was a talented, gifted actress who left behind fine, sensitiveperformances in a variety of films.Even today Pier remains sadly underratedand does not get the recognition for her film work that she deserves.

Terrific!Library Journal Review ...
Library Journal:

"Beath (The Death of James Dean) and co-writer Wheeldon here explore the death of legendary screen actor James Dean (1931-55) and its aftermath, sharing stories that are both real and imagined. Thirty-five years in the making, the encyclopedia seems reasonably comprehensive, even including listings of memorabilia and fan clubs. The author examines from multiple perspectives the mysterious crash that killed Dean and lays out the debate as to exactly what happened that night. The entries cover a spectrum of topics, including "Cults," "Favorite Possessions," "Highway Patrol Investigation," and "The Phantom Hitchhiker." Though entries like "Death Drive," "Death Mask," and "Death Ride" contribute to the book's morbid tone, the deposition by Donald Turnupspeed, the man who nearly collided with Dean that night, is essential reading for any Dean aficionado. Bottom Line This is a terrific source for anyone wanting to know the most esoteric details of Dean's death. An unusual but important addition to Dean collections, it complements such recent Dean bios as Dennis Stock's James Dean: Fifty Years Ago and Wes D. Gehring's James Dean: Rebel with a Cause.-Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL"

Third time is the charm
Warren Beath has done it again! He's shown that his love for James Dean can cause an author--again-- to produce a wonderful "go to" product for readers & fellow devotes of Dean. Mr. Beath, who has already authored other books on Dean, delves more deeply than ever, in this, his 3rd effort. Considered by many to be the expert on the day of James's death, he's brought more to the plate than in his first book on Dean, which was mysource as a new fan. You'll find new pieces of interest here and rare photos of Jimmy Dean. Not a flashy book, this is more of a action packed writing, full of data on the "Rebel". You're paying for information here & you'll get it. Save your pennies. Mr. Beath teaches very well. Unlike some of the books out this Anniversary year that are visually good, this book contains a wealth of information, though more simple in format, it makes up for it all in content. It's clearly his best effort. Compact & lean, it's a well of information that Dean lovers, old & new alike, can draw much satisfaction from. The author has given us his best work in this time of greater attention and respect to the life & work of the Giant, Dean. Just in time, Mr. Beath!Bravo, Warren!

Wonderful crazy info
I'm a big James Dean fan and I try to get as much information on him as possible. This book was a lot of fun because I've read all the bios and stuff about him but there was info in this book I've never seen before. So it was a fun read, and it's one of those books you can pick up and open to any page and there's something interesting. Anybody who is interested in James Dean, Hollywood or wierd facts will LOVE this book!!! ... Read more

Product Description
The poetry and drawings of film legend James Dean.The first and only publication of the newly discovered poems of James Dean written in the 5 years preceding his tragic death. Revelatory of his personal demons, his fear, his obsessions, his sexual yearnings. Quite explicit in content and language. This is a work of fiction and any similarities to the actions of the writer, the editor, persons mentioned or characters to real people, places or events is unintended and coincidental. The original poems are in the possession of Carlton Hayes and were directly obtained and channeled through him from James Dean. Mr. Hayes makes no comment to what the relationship was and is between Mr. Dean and himself ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Even when you know what it is, it's not worth it...
Unlike others I sort of knew what I was getting when I bought this.Still, I'm a huge James Dean fan, so I try to read everything I find with his name on it.I had hoped that by putting his name on it that it would somehow at least feel inspired by him.Be a real attempt to honor him.Something...

Even though this is just the author claiming to "channel" him, it just fails. Save your money and buy an actual book on James Dean if you're into him or a print of one of the photos of him.Or even go buy poetry by someone who doesn't have to stoop to just throwing James Dean's name on their book because they can't sell their work any other way.If the people who own the rights to James Dean's name haven't sued, I'd be surprised.

Don't Be Duped!
Rebel With a Pen: The Poetry of James Dean is not a bad product.It contains mediocre poems written by someone who claims to be connected to James Dean, the renown actor of three films: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant.Although Dean died at 24 from an unfortunate car accident in 1955, the true author of this book, Carlton Hayes, claims (in the inside cover) that he has the "original" poems and that these poems were "directly obtained and channeled through him from James Dean."And perhaps, in some way, this is true.However, upon closer inspection, this little packet (44 pages, originally priced at [...]) is nothing more than someone else's profanity, explicit descriptions of homosexual and heterosexual sex acts, and hints that the young actor somehow knew he would find a place among Hollywood's elite.

I bought this product because I thought it was genuine.I had recently read a biography of James Dean and learned that he had done some writing or attempted at it, but that much of what he had done was lost, in some cases stolen, from his apartments in New York and Los Angeles.Soon after the twin events of his death and the releases of Rebel Without a Cause and Giant, fans began scouring the places he lived for souvenirs, for clues of the person he was.I was shocked when I read this.But now, after finding this product, purchasing it, and reviewing it (I've also attempted several internet searches for reviews of the book and I've found nothing in any major publication, despite that the book was published in 2008), I can't help feeling like I've participated in that same ransacking.I've given this product the lowest possible rating not because it contains awful poetry, but because it attempts to be something it is not.Let me reiterate: this is NOT the poetry of James Dean.Those poems, where ever they are, sheltered by which ever crazy fan who broke into a dead man's things, with total disregard for the life he led, or the person he was, are not in this book.Perhaps it is better that they are lost...or that this mysterious Carlton Hayes is holding them (let me guess, they're in the locked mini-vault behind a hinged frame on the wall above some mahogany desk?Oh boy, I bet they are!).I also tried searching for him too and, well, he didn't show up.If you don't believe me, try searching for the writers who lent their "praise" to the back cover of the product--you won't find them either, or try searching the ISBN at Dover Press.

And I know this is just a review, but I'd like to give a shout out to Mr. Carlton Hayes (by the way, what a swell 1950s-esque sounding name!).I am horrified and shocked that I have participated in your scam.This work is dubious and, furthermore, exploitative of the young actor who lived and died perhaps before his time.You have used him, and his legacy, to make money.You have preyed on people's curiosity in order to inflate your menial state of existence.And you, really, are pathetic.Even if you knew James Dean, how could you sell him out like this?I don't think anyone who would be so trusted to guard the poetry, writing, or whatever, of a friend, would also be so greedy and irresponsible.

This is NOT James Dean's ANYTHING
When I first saw this book, I thought, "oh, what a great idea!"Jimmy was a gifted poet, artist and filmmaker as well as being a brilliant actor so something such as this would be a great project. This book however is NOT the early work of James Dean.As the reader only finds out when scanning down the publicity information, this book represents putatively "channeled" information. None of the poetry or visual art or anything in THIS book suggests Dean's influence at all. For the author to use a very gifted dead man to front his own attempts at publication is disingenuous beyond comprehension.I don't know what the author was thinking of but I bet I can tell you who the one person is disagreeing with all the negative reviews.

Unauthorized endorsement on back of book
This is to let readers know there is an endorsement on the back of the book by John Cartwright, on behalf of Reader Views, that is unauthorized.Reader Views did not receive this book for review and did not give John Cartwright permission to endorse the book on our behalf.

Disappointed and a little confused.
I was a little wary about buying this book to begin with. Like another reviewer mentioned, they say the poetry was channeled to Hayes through Dean, which, again, though I was wary, I tried to convince myself could mean they were channeled physically when Dean was alive. But, just to let all of you know, in a introduction entitled "Author's Comments," Hayes says, "I look at the pillow where once you [James Dean] lay your head and see a shadow only on the wall above the bed and let you speak your sad lines to me that I might write them down for all to know that you still live deep within me."
I don't understand why they tried to pass this book off as authentic poetry by Dean. Being a big James Dean fan, I'd probably have bought this book anyway even if they'd told the truth. But I'd still be disappointed; the poetry is sort of lame and the little drawings are stupid. It was a waste of money when I could have bought better books like "Surviving James Dean" instead. ... Read more

Product Description

A long time ago, when I was a young dancer in
New York City, I fell in love with Jimmy Dean
and he fell in love with me.

So begins this beguiling memoir of Liz "Dizzy" Sheridan's passionate yet ill-fated romance with the young, magnetic, soon-to-be-supernova James Dean. The year was 1951. Dean had recently arrived in Manhattan in search of Broadway stardom. Sheridan was a tall, graceful aspiring dancer. They met one rainy afternoon in the parlor of the Rehearsal Club, a chaperoned boardinghouse for young actresses -- and before long Dizzy and Jimmy were inseparable. Together they hunted for jobs, haunted all-night bars and diners, and gloried in the innocent rebellion of early-'50s bohemian New York. Dizzy Sheridan and James Dean were lovers; they lived together; as even ardent Dean fans may be surprised to learn, they were engaged to be married. But when Dean began to find success on the Broadway stage and then was lured to Hollywood, the couple parted amid tears and broken dreams -- dreams that would be dashed forever when Dean died in a car crash in 1955, not long after seeing Dizzy for the last time.

Dizzy & Jimmy marks the first time Liz Sheridan has written about this joyous yet ill-starred romance. She brings us closer than we have ever been to the vibrant young actor before he became a Hollywood icon, capturing his unstudied charm, his complicated psyche, the spontaneous delight he took from the world around him, and the passion he invested in his work and life. It is a journey that takes in many locales, from Dean's boyhood home in Fairmount, Indiana, to Sheridan's recuperative travels through the Caribbean after their breakup. But at its heart Dizzy & Jimmy is the story of a love affair with Manhattan -- of nights spent stealing kisses in Times Square, sharing a walkup in the Hargrave Hotel, dancing after hours beneath the stars in Grand Central Station. And in Sheridan's bittersweet, embraceable telling, it becomes a story no reader, Dean fan or otherwise, will soon forget. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

wow!
This is my first James Dean read and I fell in love! I began my fascination (and crush lol) about a few weeks ago and this book just made him even more lovable . I know that some might think that Dean was more of a pessimist and dark, which no doubt he was, but this showed a side to him that I think many neglect to see. I even cried reading and I never do, so if you want a good read with interesting facts and some, this one is for you. Way to go Dizzy!

Half of Dizzy's recollections are fiction
I am not alone in believing Elizabeth Sheridan's version of her romance with James Dean is very exaggerated and there are NO pictures of her and Jimmy in the book..another disappointment. Dizzy is mentioned in other James Dean biographies but their relationship was more on a platonic level, as his was with Eartha Kitt. Jimmy liked dancers and respected those with a love for the arts but his real love was Pier Angeli. I have a hard time giving all of Elizabeth's quotations credibility since there is no way anyone would choose this style of s
writing without telling a fictional story. This book just didn't work for me and became hard to finish since I just can't help but think it's bogus. Do the research on JD, read "Rebel" and other books on JD and you'll see for yourself.

What a lovely book!!"A Love Story" is right!!
If I had been Liz Sheridan I would have hung on to him with all my might even with his "moods" and his moving forward in his career while she felt she was standing still!!But...hindsight, right?This is a MUST read for James Dean fans but more than that it's a beautifully written love story, and a paen to NYC in the 1950's.A time and place for all things exciting and a great time for the young to be young.And Jimmy, oh...Jimmy...how lovely it seemed you were even though definitely not perfect.And I loved both of them!!If this were a work of fiction it would make a beautiful novel, too.Liz Sheridan, whether you know it or not, YOU'RE A WRITER!!!I felt I was there, with both of you "locked out of the world."God bless you for such a joy!

A fun read, if a bit corny at times
Dizzy and Jimmy is a fun read with a compelling narrative, if just a bit corny at times.I won't review the story line in this review as so many others have already done so well.

Much of the dialog is just downright corny - I had to try hard to visualize Jimmy saying some of those things - but the irreverant and rebellious nature of his behavior comes through.Liz and Jimmy could play their wits against eachother and Jimmy obviously found her challenging and interesting, as well as very nice looking.After all, here is a 20 year old kid from Indiana with not much worldly wisdom who liked cars and bullfighting - had yet to have many life experiences and still quite naieve.Most 20 year old kids are not very deep really - even budding screen stars.

While Liz goes into lots of details about her life during this time, which was only somewhat interesting to me, I found myself wanting more information about Jimmy although what is there is nevertheless enlightening at times.

I found it interesting that Liz has the need to defend her own honor (how she lost her virginity) and yet is all too eager to discuss Jimmy's confession of his affair with Brackett.(She does not reveal anything untoward about Bast's and Jimmy's relationship, except that they were "friends".)However, its obvious that Jimmy was deceitful in their relationship and although he attempted to wrap things up nicely with Liz, he basically dropped her in a NY second when he made the big time.

Lastly - I found Liz's need to purge her experience with her drunken father who makes a feeble attempt to seduce her, distasteful.Why sully the reputation of your own father so many years after the fact?This scene did nothing to enhance the story.

A fun weekend read with some name dropping and 1950's NYC geography and lifestyle.This was also my own parent's era who spent some time in the city and from that standpoint I found it interesting.

Meh..a bit too fictional are we?
I had a great deal of expectations to this book and finished it within 24 hours. I have been a Dean fan for almost 10 years and have read a great deal of biographies on him. Im not going to give a resume`of what the book is about, obviously Liz Sheridans romance with James Dean. The thing that kinda lost my interest halfway through is the way Sheridan describes the romance, excuse me for not bealiving the mushy love they shared and the feely romance. Its too fictional for me, and I do bealive they shared a romance but that it was so defiant and heavy loaded with passion and love, sorry dont bealive it. ... Read more

Product Description
The only fully illustrated chronological biography authorized by the Dean family, James Dean is an amazing retrospective packed with images from his classic movies, family archives, and private collections. This candid portrait of one of the greatest stars of all time tells the story behind the making of an American icon, uncovering new details about the man behind the legend, with in-depth commentary from his closest friends and family, including his cousin and executor of his estate, Marcus Winslow, and his best friend and roommate, William Bast. Loaded with features that chronicle his life and times, this book is a must have for fans of the man, the movie star‹ the legend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Beautiful Photos, A Must-Have for James Dean Fans!
I've only very recently become attuned to the talent and legacy of James Dean; I have heard of him all my life, but never really "got" it until I was old enough to understand his movies (and finally saw them all at age 23). Needless to say, after viewing "East of Eden" and being moved to tears by his performance, I rushed to buy any biography I could lay my hands on, eager to learn more about this talented young man. This book by George Perry is a wonderful one; not only does it offer informative and interesting information on Dean's life and personality, from his earliest Indiana days to his eventual New York City life and all the way up to Hollywood, the book also features the best photos I've ever seen of Dean. There are intimate, large, glossy photos of James Dean clowning around with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, and other friends, and there are the more iconic photos of Dean strolling around New York City. James Dean had the looks of an angel fallen to Earth, and the beauty and personliaty that shine through some of these photos took my breath away. Of course, it's a bit difficult to see the pictures of Dean's crushed car and the scene of the accident that took his life, and even more difficult to read about the circumstances, and how it was error largely on the part of the other driver, who failed to notice Dean's oncoming car (who had the right of way), and stopped, lurched forward, stopped and then lurched forward again right into Dean's Porsche. It's horrifying. This book allowed me to learn so much more about James Dean, who was a young man who was immensely talented, deeply passionate, fun-loving and insightful; I also learned that people either loved him or hated him; he, doubtless, could be moody and difficult, but those who knew him the best such as Nick Adams, Dennis Hopper, Bill Bast, Liz Taylor, etc., loved him and cherished him not only as a talented actor, but as their friend. Fascinating Fact: you know the woman who plays Jerry Seinfeld's mom on "Senfield"? She was James Dean's first serious girlfriend in his NYC days!!! Can you believe it? Liz Sheridan dated James Dean!! You'll see her picture in this book, it's incredible, I never knew that. What a small world.

This biography allows you to form your own opinion of Jimmy Dean; I still don't know him, but I think I have an idea of him now, and that's what matters to me. The only sad aspect, is that now I have a true sense of what the world lost on September 30th, 1955, and I can't help the ache in my chest when I watch his work now; I wish he'd stayed around longer because I can honestly say, no other actor has ever touched me so deeply. Hell, I've never run out and purchased a biography on anybody before unless I had to for a book report; however, I've devoured three Dean biographies in about two weeks. What does that tell you?

Great pictures, but dubious biography
The artwork of this huge tome is great and features many photos and documents from the familiy's archive. Having said that the text written by George Perry remains questionable. He seems to be a good writer and shares a lot of details and thoughts about Dean which make the biography lively, but one cannot overlook that he was obviously under pressure concerning certain aspects of Dean's live. First of all, Winton Dean's decision to not keep his son is called "brave" and Winton is throughout the book shown in a very positive way. Second of all every acquaintance with a woman is exaggerated into a (sexual) affair, while the men in his live are completely ignored (even Billy Bast gets hardly mentioned) and at the end Perry categorically denies that Dean was anything but heterosexual. And he didn't suffer from a mood disorder or death wishes, too, Perry says. This is not a real biography, but just a marketing ploy designed to attract die hard fans who for example cannot deal with bi- or homosexuality. (If you can ignore that, Perry still makes some thoughtful remarks for example about Dean's loneliness and how it gave him strength.) So my advise is to get this book cheap or second-hand, because it is clearly overhyped. Billy Bast's recent book for example is definitely a better buy.

James Dean
book was sent as a gift & was recieved as a great book about James Dean

The Best Chronicle on James Dean
I have read many James Dean books, and the biographies have ranged from bland to overly philosophical to just obscene.George Perry's book has a lot of basic information given in a clean and clear format.Perry does give some more insight into Dean's life in unknown times.Perry's book should be taken as an official bio.It doesn't look at Dean's life in a sleazy way, but it does tackle questions about Dean's lifestyle in a fair & balanced method.The photos and layout are nice.There are extra informationa nd fact boxes relating to the chapter's material.There isn't enough material to make this book excellent, but it is the best book on James Dean available.If there is one book you must read on Hollywood's classic rebel, let this one be it.

a Deeper Look Into the Making of an Icon
As a lifelong James Dean fan and fellow Hoosier who attends the festival held in his memory each year, I like to acquire at least one new book about Jimmie yearly.This year, it was this book.It not only offers new photos, but also tackles the subject of the relationship between Jimmie and his father Winton Dean.There was more detail about the reason that Winton did not have Jimmie move back out to live with him in California after his remarriage.It also gives glimpses of how others who knew him perceived him, his tempermental nature, his playfulness, and the passion with which he pursued his dreams of becoming a successful actor.This book is a must read/own for any true James Dean fan and provides an insightful look into the life of a true American Icon. ... Read more

Product Description
James Dean carved an indelible image into the American consciousness. In just over a year he starred in 3 films & became a representation of rebellious American youth of the mid-50's. Still personifies the mystery & restlessness of adolescence today ... Read more

Product Description
This authoritative biography of film icon James Dean offers a clear-eyed look at the actor who crossed America's cinematic landscape with the brilliance and brevity of a meteor.Amazon.com Review
The good news: James Dean probablywasn't a male hustler and he didn't act in pornographic films while he wasstill trying to make a go of it as an actor in New York. The bad news: JamesDean was pretty much of a jerk, with a penchant for urinating in public and asingular lack of personal hygiene. Donald Spoto, the biographer of, amongothers, AlfredHitchcock, Marlene Dietrich,and MarilynMonroe, takes a clear-eyed dispassionate look at the legend of James Deanand discovers that his untimely death was probably his greatest career moveof all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

some old books are just old
I first read this book for a school project when it was first published 14 or 15 years ago when I was in elementary school. As a child I enjoyed the book very much because it had huge print, lots and lots and lots of pictures (although they're all black and white) and a short, easy-to-follow story that was very basic and to-the-point. When I recently reread this book I couldn't believe how amateurish and juvenile Donald Spoto's overall writing is. For children wanting to read a celebrity biography "Rebel" is highly recommended as the language and writing is at best at a 6th grade level. However, for anyone else, though, I think there would be many other more engaging books, not to mention dozens and dozens on the life of the legendary actor, Mr. Dean (may he rest in peace).

Axe to grind
Of the many biographies of Dean that have been written, the range is as broad as one can imagine.There are the memoir bios (Sheridan & Bast); there are the fan-based (the two Dalton bios); plus the sensational and the shorter more factual-oriented ones written to capitalize on the Dean legend.

Spoto's bio is perhaps the most cynical of them all.To use the word deconstructing to describe this book is euphemistic.

He has little if anything good to say about Dean in this book and when he does say something positive, it almost seems he does it begrudgingly.

He skips over numerous facts and episodes in Dean's life and career and focuses primarily on negative aspects of Dean.

This is not to say that Spoto does not have anything to contribute as there are instances where his critical (if not hell-bent to destroy) attitude offers insight into Dean, but there is little, if anything, here that is new, which leads one to wonder as to why this book was written at all.

It seems to this reader, Spoto does not feel Dean deserves the status of a Hollywood star and has written this book to show why he doesn't belong in the pantheon of Hollywood greats.

One gets the feeling Spoto has an axe to grind (for whatever reason) and that is what he does here.

Accurate, well researched, and well written
Donald Spoto writes what you would expect from the noted author; a well-researched fact-based bio of culture/pop icon James Dean. The book starts out with a somewhat scathing account of the fans who make the pilgrimage to Dean's home town of Fairmount, Indiana to "celebrate" his death. Once Spoto puts some of these sycophantic fans in their place, he moves on to the meat and potatoes. He does a great job of pointing out that Dean was still finding himself at the time that he died; Spoto avoids putting him in a category as so many other authors have attempted to do. Donald's very dry humor makes it an easy and enjoyable read.

Engaging look at a Hollywood icon
Being an Elizabeth Taylor fan, I had seen James Dean in "Giant" - his final film and knew little of his life, save for his interest in fast cars, and his tragic death. I had recently become interested in Dean and his work and picked up the recent Warner box set of his three films on DVD. On a quest to learn more on Dean's life, I picked up Donald Spoto's biography "Rebel". I chose "Rebel" because from what I'd heard, it offered a respectable look into the young actor's short life and career, and tried to dispel many rumours that surround Jimmy's legend. I felt that it indeed did that, and I learned quite a bit of who James Dean was.

Dean's life and his relationships were forever altered because of the death of his mother, the only person he was ever close to (at the time). His father was always distant in Jimmy's life, even when his mother was alive. This was heightened when Jimmy was sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle in Fairmount, ID - the state where Jimmy had lived early life. This is paramount to understanding Dean, his motives, and his relationship with others. His fears of abandonment plagued all of his relationships, and stopped him from opening up to others. As quickly as he would make friendships with certain people, he would drop them and move on, without another word.

Donald Spoto's "Rebel" was an intriguing look into the life of a mythical Hollywood figure, James Dean, who as I quickly found out was a complex and tormented young man.

He Loved Fast Cars.
Coming from a small town in Indiana wo which people from the South had migrated with their attitudes of bigotry -- where the KKK chose as their state in the 1920s, he chose to be a Rebel. One of his three movies, appropriately named 'Rebel Without A Cause.'

By the age of twenty-two (1953), he was or had been on sixteen television programs and appeared in a multitude of plays on and off Broadway. What was the Dean 'mystique'?Race, creed, or sexual preference had no bearing with Dean's estimation of others; he judged them on the basis os what he could learn from them. In essence, he used people. At one time, he showed scorn to the playwright Tennessee Williams.
Two of his relationships he had with women were Barbara Glenn who was Jewish and Terry Moore who was a Mormon. He also liked men; it seems that being bi-sexual was an Indiana trait.

His director in the "Rebel" movie, Nicholas Ray said, "James Dean shied away from social convention, from manners, because they suggested disguise." When Terry Moore took him home to meet her parents, they were shocked when he unzipped hispants and let out a belch after dinner. He had no manners.

Some of his female co-stars came to the opinion that he acted strangely, brooding and incoherent as an "act" to get attention. But he played that part so long, maybe he became the act." His unmistakable mannerisms, movements, and behavior were premeditated, just to be different.

The director of his other movie, 'Giant,' described him as brilliant, sensitive young actor. And yet, in high school, he appeared dorky and played sports. He had a lack of discipline which made him unreliable and temperamental.

In Hollywood, he wanted no part of the social scene which included up-and-coming actors Jeff Chandler and Tab Hunter. Both books (this one and THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF JAMES DEAN by Donald Spoto) had lots of pictures of him from the early Fifties. In them, he aged twenty years in five. He burned out and that horrific accident on September 30, 1955, while speeding in his racy Porsche was probably his destiny.

His friend and agent Clayton arranged fro Dean to buy a sleek, red 1953 MG which he loved to drive at a terrific rate of speed and squeal the tires. He died at the age of 24. The photos show that he was not much different from Montgomery Cliff and Marlon Brando. Like Princess Diana, he burned his light out early.He was really not a man at all, still just a confused boy when he died.

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