john burke

Nice Actress, Poor Writer

Revisado: 04-09-25

I've always enjoyed Illeana Douglas in shows and movies but always got a sense she was playing herself. I think she skips over difficult material that would cause her discomfort to write and perform or even to reveal. Trouble is memoirs are meant to be revealing. The Scorsese and De Niro bits are the most interesting mostly due to her access. She seems to be a quasi committed actress eventually doing her own productions? The last part of the book really falls apart as a story. I actually really enjoyed her in Ghost World and she doesn't mention it at all. I don't think she took this book seriously and you can hear it unravel in realtime.

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Excellent Narrator

Revisado: 07-24-24

Pinchot couldn't have done a better job somehow mocking, playful, and dangerous. He captured the comical menace that pervades O'Connors work.

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Genius missing in action.

Revisado: 06-25-24

I hate to ask the question because by all accounts Elaine May was truly fascinating, intelligent and supremely complicated. I do think genius is thrown around way too often. Even with the most difficult of geniuses we can still point to a work that is their own, not only their own but some consistent output. The screenplay that she appears to have written almost entirely herself would be The Birdcage and that was an adaptation already. I love the film but I would definitely never call it a work of genius. There's of course the many projects she kept her name off of but those were her coming in and changing what was already there. In the instances where she created her own plays those relied heavily on improv and the plays seem to have gone nowhere or referred to as sketches. With this book i get a sense that Elaine May is a genius missing in action....more of a spectre of it than the embodiment. Either way great listen.

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It's Okay

Revisado: 04-21-24

Definitely worth a lesson....maybe it's because she wrote this so young but there's actually a lack of candor I find woven into this book. I think when folks are 60s and beyond where things are less of a risk to say it allows us to view ourselves more critically and within a much broader context but at 40 y/o Rebel just doesn't have this. There's a lot of self help peppered throughout the book that's sickly sweet and even a bit vapid. While listening I was wondering if she had gone to therapist but the more I listened it seems more likely she adopted a life coach....or at least the language of one. Life coaches exude a kind of 2nd rate wisdom and introspection (imo) compared to a pychologist for example....someone with an advanced degree from an esteemed university....not some online quiz. But there is a bit of that cheapness that courses through the writing. Most of all I'm baffled how little personality and the overall oddness of RW came through this book. I understand this started off a book about her weight and I can see that but I wonder if the old Rebel would have read this book and been impressed.

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Practically Perfect In Everyway

Revisado: 01-16-24

I believe the print book is 999 pages but aside from the ability to re-read or meditate over a scene or sentence Barbra reading her own book is amazing. She really does perform this book....she does this trailing off kind of thing which I'm unsure is actually present in the book....but it's so odd, distracted and charming.....But maybe that's what Babs is? I'm not a big fan but due to unfamiliarity. I also love the audio incorporation from her various productions, it really makes for a rich experience.

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Repeats?

Revisado: 05-30-23

I know I've heard a number of these stories already so I'm unsure why they're in here. But like other reviews Sedaris seems to be going a bit dry on material. I also don't understand the taped performances of chapters from his shows. I really don't like to hear an audience react to ever quip he throws out there. It's distracting and honestly doesn't give me a great impression of the people who show up for his shows. Just not as funny as he was but it's a bit of a Sheryl Crow career arc imo

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Better Books on Picasso Available

Revisado: 08-17-22

But this is more about the privileged and entitled art collectors, then the dealers, then artists, primarily Picasso. The artists come last in this book. I wonder why Eakin identifies and is so fascinated with this milieu. These are people who are arbiters of taste and brokers of power and influence. I have another 5 hours left but find this unbearably dry and almost sad in how little it seems to understand or appreciate art. The narrator, through various voices and intonations, implies a drawling, distant and taste/status consumed individuals. Appropriate for the book but like the text hard to listen to.

Honestly, I find this writer uses Picasso as a misdirection to discuss these wheelers and dealers. In other words he leverages the image and career of an important, complicated artist to focus on what Picasso was not. It's a deceptive tactic that i find ironic and sad. The picture on the cover seems kinda grimy considering Picasso had a very low opinion for these sorts who only show up when theres a profit to be made (social, cultural profit included). Many of these people are referenced in the books below....with far more dimension, if not the over abundance of dry, sleepy details.

The people admired in this book are forgotten because they stepped into a life of influence and wielded it as they wanted. Picasso, however many issues you may have with him, lived a life of danger, risk and constant search with genuine urgency. This can not be said for the figures Eakin glorifies.

A FEW BOOKS ACTUALLY ABOUT PICASSO, HIS WORLD AND HIS PEOPLE

First hand accounts:

PICASSO AND DORA, James Lord

LIFE WITH PICASSO, Francoise Gilot (former wife, mother of 2 children)

Thorough telling of his life: PICASSO: CREATOR AND DESTROYER, Arianna Huffington.

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Well Researched, Insightful with Integrity

Revisado: 07-23-22

At first I was unsure of Anna Fields narration but for this length her solid and authoritative style of speech is perfect. Furthermore as the author slides into various quotes or differing voices Ms Fields provides just enough nuance, distinction and emphasis to shape the characters without pushing them upon us. Spoto's writing strikes me as thoroughly researched and refuses to sensationalize or delve into conspiracy theories. The truth of her death is simpler, sadder and clear reflection of how society, the movie industry and insecure power hungry men will exploit and destroy a distinctly talented, incredibly intelligent young woman.

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Poorly Written, Fairly Disingenuous, Irritating

Revisado: 07-12-22

I'm convinced Jennifer Grey wrote this herself partially based on the poor writing. Why does she need to refer to the old shirts of her father's she wore as "diaphanous"? Less than an hour or two into the book she's mentioned Triple Creme Brie, Gucci, Dior and a number of fluffy stories, fluffy words all seem more inclined to fill up space in the book than reveal anything.

The presumption at the beginning she wasn't getting work because of her nose is pretty hard to swallow....She really only played one part as the Jewish american princess in her 20s. She played it well because she was this character. Her career sliding away at 30 when the princess role is so clearly gone surpises her....but of course she's surpised because she was born into the world of fame. I find it creepy the way she co-opts her fathers fame at a young age.

I was expecting to like this book....thinking oh Jeannie from FBDO....but she still seems to be trapped at the age she became famous.

Lastly if there's any othere nail in the coffin of her acting career is the performance she gives in reading her own book. The tone of her voice is very smug and approaches the material as if she knows some secret that we should only be so glad to hear. The fact is her father is the talent in the family. She leveraged it for all it's worth and can't seem to come to terms with her lack of acting ability or depth.

She dispenses advice at the end of this book. And all I can think is.....this is the last person I would take advice from. Her self insight is shallow and smug. Seriously epigenetics? The dancing chapter was decent and humanizing otherwhise she's pretty insufferable.

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Poorly Researched, Irresponsible Assumptions

Revisado: 07-08-22

Marc Eliot is just terrible writer and belongs at US Weekly. I'm a gay man and have no issues with Cary Grant being gay but NONE OF THIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO ANY PERSON SPEAKING ON THE RECORD OR EVEN ON BACKGROUND. Writer's like this are beyond sleazy. I wonder why Eliot so desperately needs to fixate on this man's sex life as if that's all he's got. My suspicion is Eliot isn't dealing with his own homosexuality. I'm returning this title. PLEASE WATCH "BECOMING CARY GRANT" The documentary is well researched with any number of REAL PEOPLE SPEAKING ON THE RECORD.

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