Robert

If you love “Chinatown”…

Revisado: 10-02-24

As with the arc of Towne’s and Polanki’s screenplay, this historical overview of the people, places and productions that led to, and followed, the making of the film, gloriously rises and precipitously falls. I loved all of the disparate lives and details which tumble together to create a masterpiece (I believe it to be one of the 5 greatest films of all time). What seems to be a thoroughly researched and cleverly assembled timeline that stretches from the birth of Robert Evans through the mess of “The Two Jakes” takes the reader into the tunnels and mazes of Hollywood during the demise of the studio system into the era when Wall Street investors hijacked creativity and drive our nation into the cultural ditch fro which we

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Top-notch

Revisado: 08-24-23

A truly personal look at the air war over Europe during WWII. Well written, almost poetic, certainly literary.

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The climax of the WWII air war in Europe

Revisado: 08-24-23

As good as most of this ilk, totally satisfactory. Looks at both sides, Allies and Axis.

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Pulling the scabs off?

Revisado: 02-23-22

I really enjoyed hearing one member’s experience of the life in one of my favorite musical groups. Although I truly believe that Chris and Tina are telling things exactly as they lived them, I still take much of this rendering with a grain of salt. You know, blind men and elephants. Born in the early fifties, I could directly relate to Chris about his upbringing, societal happenings and the zeitgeist. I really didn’t know just how privileged that couple’s lives had been, but they really made the most of it and their creativity and ability to put up with David deserve high praise. This may just be the ultimate “name-dropping” story, but that’s the way it goes in showbiz. My one complaint is that Chris, at one point, talks about the Tower Records store in LA as “the only one”. In fact, Tower originated in Sacramento and had many other stores by the time of which he was writing. That comment made me unsure about whether many other claims he made were actually valid. Read it (listen) for yourself to see!

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Takes me back...

Revisado: 12-06-20

I’m 67 now and long ago decided the dangers of mountaineering needed to take a back seat to the responsibilities of marriage and family. Still, the vivid account of a dangerous, life-changing adventure, such as the one Roberts has recounted here, can bring alive emotions and circumstances encountered in similar circumstances. I share his philosophical examination of our actions and foibles as mountaineers and have also had many of the thoughts he describes having while on his climbs.

If someone is interested in the “whys” of people ascending high, remote, other-worldly peaks and mountain ranges, few have written more concisely and coherently about those endeavors than this.

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Wildlife, money, politics, corruption, greed, ego and lost opportunities

Revisado: 10-19-20

Well read, well-composed tale of Florida’s saga around their state animal, it’s survival and those who worked for and against that goal. Quirky, informative and detailed, it’s not exactly a page-turner, but it kept my attention and I’m glad I listened.

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Better for climbers than lay persons

Revisado: 09-20-20

I like Krakauer’s writings. This collection is climber-centric. I am a climber from prior to the period during and about which he was writing. I found his perspectives interesting and for the most part accurate. This gave the works a bit of a “memory lane” aspect for me.

My presumption is that non-climbers may find the details of various climbs and certain features and descriptions to be relatively meaningless. Be forewarned.

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Stranger than fiction

Revisado: 08-07-20

At times difficult to believe and listen to, it’s so dysfunctional. Ultimately satisfactory, but prepare to yell at the narrator as the protagonist makes the same mistakes over and over...

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Gunwale is pronounced “gunnel” !!!

Revisado: 07-29-20

Great book, well read in general and my only complaint is that there were some boating and other little-used words that were mis-pronounced by the reader. The word gunwale appears in the book hundreds of times and to hear it wrong over and over was a distraction from the story.

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Perry Mason meets Tom Sawyer

Revisado: 07-19-20

Very well done. As a boy who experienced some of the things written about here, I can say this rings true. Excellent narration! The characters really “pop”!

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