Bruce

A Masterpiece on a Masterpiece

Revisado: 11-18-24

This engrossing book masterfully retells all that went into the creation of “The Godfather” both the book and film versions. The narrator is perfect! By the time I finished it, I realized more than ever what a miracle it is that this film came to us in its exquisite final form.

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The narration was THE BEST I’ve ever heard!

Revisado: 05-22-24

The Robert Wise produced and directed film version of this novel was my first introduction to this story. It is my favorite film and it would not exist without this novel. So often people proclaim the novel to be better than the movie. In this case, both versions complement the other. The movie is a powerful synopsis of the novel fueled by the strength of the cast, music, and adapted screenplay. Many times as I listened to the novel, dialogue and scenes found in the film were nearly identical but often with the twist of different characters or altered chronology. This story is an epic tragedy on the scale of Romeo and Juliet. It touches me like no other form of art ever has. If you’ve never encountered this story, don’t stop with the novel, include the film. Both versions are great storytelling at its finest!

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Not What I Hoped For

Revisado: 01-16-24

What I was hoping for was a well researched presentation of Cary Grant’s life and career. That would have included detailed anecdotes from movie sets and his leisure time. It would have included descriptions of the theatres he performed in and the homes he lived in. In short, it would have created a clearer image of the world Cary Grant inhabited. Instead, what I got was much less description and very brief anecdotes from some who knew him. As a consequence the telling seemed superficial and not satisfying ultimately. Given the years that have passed since the events, his contemporaries are now deceased too and therefore unable to be interviewed. Nevertheless I was hoping there would have been details from other’s memoirs and biographies that could have recounted their interactions with Cary Grant. Perhaps it is unreasonable for me to expect Robert Caro levels of research on Cary Grant but once one is exposed to thorough and descriptive non fiction it’s difficult to settle for less.

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Thought Provoking

Revisado: 12-10-23

Awareness of the native peoples perspective on westward expansion and relations with Europeans and Americans were glossed over when I was in school, not to mention the generally grossly superficial portrayals in cinema. It was a given that the Indians were the bad guys and we were the good guys in all cases. This autobiography and accounts similar to it are mandatory educational material if we are ever to rise above the mythology of manifest destiny.

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Timeless inhumanity

Revisado: 06-24-23

A blueprint for the wealthy and influential to unleash psychotic evil while manipulating their public image to feed their limitless avarice. The likes of Leopold II still exist among us.

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What was he thinking?

Revisado: 10-25-22

I really enjoyed this biography! So remarkable a life that were it fictional it would be beyond credibility. I know Grant quite well now thanks to Chernow, yet I still wonder about Grant’s inner turmoil from marriage into a slave owning family. It had to be a very significant element of his life alongside alcoholism and the Civil War. There was not enough analysis or speculation for me in regard to the acceptance of slavery by his wife and her family. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed this listen and may come back to it again one day.

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Completing the picture most leave unfinished

Revisado: 09-01-22

The Japanese surrender ceremony on the deck of the Battleship Missouri captured my imagination from an early age when I was just beginning a lifelong interest in military history. How I wondered was such an undertaking accomplished so soon after the dropping of the second atomic bomb? How could such a fearsome foe be forced into a submission where US leadership had the confidence to expose so many senior military officials to possible retaliation? The answer to these questions and much more is found in this book. The conclusion of the war with Japan is a captivating part of the overall history of WWII that is often glossed over if mentioned at all in the televised documentaries that we’ve seen through the decades. If you’re interested in more than just the superficialities, the detail found in this book will leave you satisfied.

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So good, I want more!

Revisado: 08-27-22

This is a superb biography, one of the best! William Manchester will likely never be equaled on the subject of Douglas MacArthur. I enjoyed every moment. If I were to have a criticism, the narrative did not include a description of MacArthur’s relationships with his extended family. Perhaps his life was so grand and consumed by his career that there was simply no space or time in it for them? But given the positive relationship depicted between him and his second wife and son, I presume he would have had relationships with extended family. But we have no sense of it in the book. Also, the fact that his son changed his name and has shunned any public presence makes me very curious as to what brought that about. These are questions with no answers because Douglas MacArthur is the focus of the book, not his supporting cast. Yet, the book was so well written and the characters so vivid that I cannot help to want the comprehensive details for all those who appeared in it. One of my all time Audible listens!

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Real, relatable and charming

Revisado: 02-03-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

This is the first romance story that I’ve ever read/listened to, so I am not qualified to compare it to other stories in the genre. That stated, I found it to be descriptive and well told. It was as if I were listening to a friend sharing aspects of their life experience with me. The story touched upon themes that connected me to my wedding vows (made over 30 years ago) when I made the commitment to my bride that I would love her for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do us part. Love and romance conquers all!

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Less is More

Revisado: 10-07-21

The movie (a masterpiece) is what brought me to this book. I thought a deep dive into the back story and depths of the characters through the book would make the movie even more enjoyable. I was wrong. Instead, the book is more like a draft script of some of what would later make it’s way into the film. Like an uncut gem, the book is rough. The movie is the finished product. In the book there are some great scenes along with some overly long scenes. Disappointingly the chronology found in the film is altered in the book. As a result, plot emphasis is changed and the overall story suffers and leads to a less satisfying conclusion from the story portrayed in the movie. The book is somewhat redeemed if viewed from the standpoint of listening to an unfinished work in progress and appreciating it for that alone. Worst of all, considering this was an audible experience, Jennifer Jason Leigh’s performance was an obstacle and not an enhancement to the work.

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