Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor

Customer Reviews:

Less than intimate.......2005-04-09

With her eight marriages, long-running drug problems and lingering medical ailments, Elizabeth Taylor is a perfect candidate for trashy tabloidy biographies. While C. David Heymann's "Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor" is not the worst of the bunch, his obvious disdain makes for sour reading.

For some time, Elizabeth Taylor was the image of the child star -- talented, gutsy and willing to do almost anything (even try to speed up physical growth) to get a part. But after a failed marriage to hotel heir Nicky Hilton and an increasingly sultry image, Elizabeth began to change radically. Suddenly she was the Cleopatra of the times.

She went through several marriages, to Michael Wilding, the tragic Mike Todd, a scandalous affair and marriage to Eddie Fisher (who was married), and finally spent many long years with the tempestuous Richard Burton (who was also married), whom she married twice. Her once red-hot career went into decline, as her last two forgettable marriages tanked. But Elizabeth Taylor remains a towering movie legend even today.

Since she was the J.Lo of her day -- bling, lots of husbands and opulence all around -- Taylor is a pretty juicy subject for a biographer... IF the biographer can repress his inner tabloid journalist. Heymann keeps himself restrained much of the time, focusing a lot of Elizabeth's career and the impact of the people around her.

It's death to a biography if the author has no respect, let alone liking, for his subject. And Heymann shows nothing but disdain not only for Elizabeth, but for her husbands and lovers. He emphasizes Taylor's yoyoing obesity, her sometimes immaturity, her gaudy dress/makeup/jewelry styles, and her lack of education. Her husbands are all caricatures. For example, Richard Burton is portrayed merely as a weak sot, and little mention is made of his intelligence, his eloquence, or his astounding acting ability.

Aside from the superficiality and occasional sexual anecdotes, Heymann does a pretty good job of chronicling not only Taylor's career, but that of the people around her such as her good friends Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift, as well as her tireless crusading for AIDS victims and her forays into the world of... perfume. Whatever. Nothing new is revealed, but it's a passable look at her life.

However, the obvious dislike Heymann has for Taylor and her assorted amours makes "Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor" a pain to read.

How much could he know?.......2003-09-20

If he did such great research, which it doesn't seem like, why did he call the book "Liz"? It is well known that she does not like to be called "Liz"

Great Pictures, Fascnating reading.......2003-07-29

The pictures of beautiful child-star Liz Taylor to the Liz of the 90's are fabulous. Beautifully written book of a Hollywood legend. Absorbing and juicy. Intimate look at her glamourous and turbulent life. Her many romances with famous men, her movie career, weight swings, battles with drug and alcohol dependence, humanitarian work. Really gives you the feeling of knowing her.

It's just a great story to read.......2000-01-20

I've not seen many Liz Taylor's movies before, but since I read the book, I became highly interested to see her films, just to be able to check what I read in this book with how she performs/appears in a particular movie as mentioned in the book. In the beginning of my reading, the book gives me a mix feeling towards Liz Taylor, more negative than positive. But after I finished reading I really felt for her. In short, the story reveals her complicated life in the most open manner. It tells everything you want to know about Liz Taylor, from birth up to the latest marriage (and divorce). It also exposes her severe addiction to drugs and alcohol which is very shocking. What a life story! I enjoy reading the book because it flows smoothly, it is insightful and it gives detail information for every occassion in the story. It is a great book to read.

Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor.......1999-12-29

Interesting reading, a bit superficial in the presentatio

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Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor
C. David (Taylor) Heymann
Manufacturer: Birch Lane Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PW1SSG

Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor/Cassettes

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Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor/Cassettes
David C. Heymann
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr (a)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1559273496

Book Description

One late autumn day in 1982, the fifty-eight-foot yacht TRASHMAN set sail on a routine trip from Annapolis to Florida, with Deborah Scaling and four others aboard. When the boat sailed into a seventy-knot gale, it went down quickly, leaving the crew adrift in the Atlantic in a rubber dinghy that was quickly surrounded by sharks. Five harrowing days and nights later, when a Russian freighter finally came to their rescue, only two crew members remained. Powerful, adrenaline-charged, utterly consuming, UNTAMED SEAS is a brave, unforgettable story that plunges to the depths of the human psyche and surfaces with the strength to survive.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book.......2007-06-17

A real hero and an inspiration. I would have given up. Courage and class!A great read, you will be gripped!

loved it.......2005-04-23

I read this book in two sittings, some parts I was almost too scared to keep reading. The part where they tip over the boat to rinse out all the crap from Meg's leg (bloody infection stuff) and they can't tip it back and the sharks are surely going to smell all that in the water...I almost died just reading it. After reading this I had some burning questions about a lot of things I went to her website and emailed her. She was sooo nice, answered all my questions.
Don't read this on the beach or even in the tub!

what happened to Meg Lukens Noonan?.......2004-02-18

who co-wrote the first book with Ms. Kiley? Why did Ms Kiley write the story over again when the first one was so good? It is a fascinating, if disturbing, story of survival.

Very Disturbing Story.......2003-10-03

After reading this book, I was both very sad and very angry. If there is a God that is fair, then all 5 should have survived or all 5 died. There were no miracles here. It was survival of the fittest. Mark and John were just plain ole alcoholics, and could not deal with reality, let alone a disaster of this magnitude. Their alcohol soaked brains gave into drinking saltwater - Stupid. Meg was unfortunate to get caught in the rigging, so her wounds were too bad to allow her to survive long. Brad and Debbie were lucky that they were not injured or dependent on drugs or alcohol. Yep, it was plain old "survival of the fittest". No miracles. One thing that bothered me, was that none of the men offerred Meg any clothes. Instead they let her sit there for 4 days in nothing but a shirt. (she was not even wearing any underwear). Insensitive, pathetic and cruel!!! If there is a God that is fair, why didn't He perform a miracle to let Meg survive? She seemed the most innocent of the bunch. The reason I gave this book 5 stars is that it was well writen and detailed of the account, and has made me re-examine my own values. I am going to try to enjoy life to the fullest.

Kevin Daugherty

4 points for courage, -1 points for stupidity.......2003-06-19

This novel is unforgettable and absolutely terrifying.

Deborah is a young and vibrant woman, attracted to the sea and sailing. Trying to make it on her own, she elects to crew with four others on a 58 foot sailboat named the TRASHMAN from Annapolis to Florida. Somewhat experienced in sailing, she begins to recognize that this crew is not capable nor predictable. She overrides her doubts with alcohol and brief reassurances, yet she can not shake the impending doom and fear of those she is sailing with.

It is not easy. The crew argue amongst themselves, and the alcohol flows steadily. Procedures are cast aside, and boasting mates inflate their personal experience on board. Within hours of sail, it is quite obvious that she is sailing with not only incompetent sailors, but ones who are obviously psychologically and chemically impaired. There are crucial warning signs that Deborah notes prior to sail, yet fails to act on. Just as in destructive relationships, the symptoms are there before the disease is diagnosed.

ABORT!!! ESCAPE!!!! SWIM!! You scream to the innocents while reading this account.

But you know people do not behave this way. They wait, and they hope...for semblance of order...for personal responsibility....for someone to save them.

Personally, if I had to choose the method of my death, what happened to these poor people would come in last place.

There are underlying issues for Deborah. She suffered child abuse at the hands of her step father and had a difficult relationship with her mother. Coupled with her own personal demons, she was vulnerable, yet probably better prepared to handle the ultimate challenges before her. Her troubles made her strong and resilient, although later they became her psychological hurdles she had to cross over before she made peace with not only herself but the horror that occurred on sea.

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Sing: Bein' Green and Other Joe Raposo Classics

Manufacturer: Warner Bros Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 157623293X

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2000-01-07

This book is everything I hoped for and lots more. It is complete for Blue Stinger. I HIGHLY recommend it.

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Why Did I Pick Up This Book?

Every Networker Should Read This One

Would read when lacking better choices

Personal Development

Great Read

The Greatest Networker in the World: The Story That Has Changed the Lives of Millions Now It Can Change Yours!
John Milton Fogg
Manufacturer: booksod
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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General | Health, Mind & Body | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
Self Help | Health, Mind & Body | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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Release Date: 2006-12-23

Book Description

"The MLM Classic."--Richard Poe, author of Wave 3
Network marketing is a burgeoning field, and it can be a frustrating and difficult experience. There are many who have achieved minimal success, and many more who have made no money at all. With these discouraging figures, how can one become a member of the successful elite? Millions agree that the best way to do this is to spend some time with The Greatest Networker in the World.
John Milton Fogg’s extended parable is the story of a young man on the verge of quitting the multilevel marketing business. As he prepares to give his final opportunity meeting, he meets the individual everyone refers to as The Greatest Networker in the World. This warm and wise man takes in his young counterpart and shows him the trade secrets so he too can become a successful network marketer.
The young man soon learns that the trade secrets have very little to do with conventional marketing techniques. In fact, he has to unlearn everything he thought he knew about business. "The paradigm of network marketing is so fundamentally different and distinct from all other paradigms of business, that it requires a pretty complete shift from the way we normally view business to appreciate and understand it."
The new paradigm is built around one’s habits of thought and discovering that the secrets to network marketing success are within oneself. The values of responsibility, team building, and caring for one’s downline play a much more important role than competitive promotion and advertising.
A critical skill for all marketers is the ability to teach people to teach others. Once one has mastered the new paradigm of multilevel marketing, he needs to not only show his downline how to master it, but also how to teach those techniques to others. This leads to greater leadership within the organization, more stability, improved productivity, and as a result, long-lasting success.

Customer Reviews:

Why Did I Pick Up This Book?.......2007-08-07

I have no idea why I bought this book. I'm not in network marketing and I don't plan to be. Something inside me just said - get the book - so I did. I couldn't be more glad I listened to my inner monologue. This book is relevant to anyone working in any industry where they deal with people. Yes, that's most of us. I loved the simple take homes especially those about children's sport. Amazing, insightful and a breeze to read and absorb.

Every Networker Should Read This One.......2007-07-10

This book is great. I have been involved in network marketing on and off for about 20 years and this is the first time I have read a book that tells a story like this one does. Whether you are failing miserably and ready to give up or want to know a resource you can recommend to your team, this book is a great read. I couldn't put it down.

Would read when lacking better choices.......2007-05-13

Though the books intention is to lead the reader into considering one's mindset in marketing, it is too tedious when it could have been more directly to the point. If you like human interest stories, it is OK.

Personal Development.......2007-03-04

adhealthandwellness recommended this as one of the books that was essential for my personal development when I continued my quest for personal improvement in network marketing. I have found it very helpful, as it offers viable solutions. Fogg is deep.

Great Read.......2007-01-15

Whether you are looking to improve business thinking or personal improvement, this book will both entertain and change your outlook personally as well as professionally.

Book Description

The #1 national bestseller--an indispensable document for anyone interested in the Vietnam War. McNamara's controversial book tells the inside and personal story of America's descent into Vietnam from a unique point of view, and is one of the most enlightening books about government ever written. This new edition features a new Foreword by McNamara. of photos. (Military History)

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-10-11

I give this book five stars because the writing was good and the revelations of historical import and like they used to say on American Bandstand - It had a good beat and was easy to dance to.
In many ways I find Mr. McNamara's exposures rather unbelievable. Nothing that Mr. McNamara had to say brings me closer to democracy or my country. I believe that he is sincere - but that's the scary part.
Mr. McNamara in just speaking frankly, reveals the big problems with our executive class and it ruler ship of America. Some of his explanations (excuses) are scary. Not that there was something clandestine going on but that this is how our intelligentsia and ruling class actually think. I have always known as F. Scott Fitzgerald said that the wealthy aren't like the rest of us but wow! This is really something to read.
What Mark Twain could have done to this guy and his book. Oh brother!

Imperial Bureaucrat.......2007-10-06

We, my wife and I, listened to an abridged audio version discarded by our local public library. Vietnam seems to be ancient history.

We were relieved to learn from Mr. McNamara that killing and mutilating all those Americans and Vietnamese was due to shortcomings in the U.S. Imperial Standard Practice Handbook. That is, another memorandum with just the right distribution list or another meeting with the right agenda would have set everything straight.

We had become concerned over the last half century that our leaders had lost their ethical and moral compasses and had become two-bit chislers after reneging on elecions in Vietnam in the mid 1950s.

There are a couple of things that Mr. McNamara could help us understand. Where do we find a copy of the oil lease assignment maps for Vietnam's South China Sea coast of the early 1960s? The samizdat copies have become unusable. We would also like to know whether the flat earth conservatives gave warning before they struck John?

important.......2007-08-12

I gave this book 5 stars because I believe it is an important historical document. Robert McNamara explains some of his beliefs and reasoning that helped to shape our country's position in Vietnam in the 60's.
There is also information here that may be new to many people , for example, he gives convincing evidence that president Kennedy had decided to begin withdrawal of our personnel by the end of 1963, and have everyone out by 1965.
In chapter 11 , he gives a brief list of our failures in Vietnam and the lessons we can learn from them. I thought his advice in this chapter was excellent, but I fear it will fall on deaf ears. McNamara may well be considered a relic of a bygone age , with nothing to offer the decision makers of today. Too bad.
I also highly recommend the essays , reviews (pro and con) and excerpts in the substantial appendix to the Vintage edition. For example, a surprisingly plausible defense of our country's involvement in Vietnam is given in the article "The Case for War" by W.W. Rostow.
Anyone interested in the Vietnam war should own this book

A good lesson in decision making.......2006-12-04

This should be read by every person who has to make decisions, whether private decisions or those affecting the public.
McNamara illustrates how bad decisions were made, what questions were not asked and how consequences were not fully considered.
One can learn much from their mistakes.

Missed Opportunities.......2006-06-11

McNamara never got to the point his role in the Vietnam disaster. Instead we get to feel that his introduction of stastical control in Pentagon was a triumpth. McNamara to his credit did acknowledge some of his errors in questioning the decisions made, but he was not critical enough on himself not to have put his foot down firmer afterall he did openly agreed in more than once that there was no military solutions to Vietnam. If that was agreed why did he continued to pursue the military strategy? However McNamara continued to push the blame to the hardliners (conservatives faction) within the LBJ administration and the Bumbling generals in Saigon.

However the book did paint a picture how our leaders made decisions, major decisions that have great impacts on our lives without due debate and clear analysis. Its really scary if that is how supposely clever people make decsions!

In Retrospect - The Tragedy And Lessons Of Vietnam

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In Retrospect - The Tragedy And Lessons Of Vietnam
Robert S. McNamara -
Manufacturer: Times Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPK5WK

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In Retrospect : The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam
Robert -- VanDe Mark, Brian McNamara
Manufacturer: Times Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6DVM4

IN RETROSPECT : The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam (Signed First Edition)

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IN RETROSPECT : The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam (Signed First Edition)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000CPZ1CA

Product Description

Limited, true, first edition, signed by the author.

In Retrospect: The Tragedy & Lessons of Vietnam

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy & Lessons of Vietnam
Robert S. McNamara
Manufacturer: Vintage Books USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lesson of Vietnam

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lesson of Vietnam
Robert S. McNamara with Brian VanDeMark
Manufacturer: Time Books/Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KA3DYK

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IN RETROSPECT: The Tragedy And Lessons Of Vietnam
Robert McNamara
Manufacturer: Times Books/Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam
Robert S. McNamara
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000IN8L1O

In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. (book reviews): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. (book reviews): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Deborah Shapley
Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on July 1, 1995. The length of the article is 2331 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. (book reviews)
Author: Deborah Shapley
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 1995
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: v51 Issue: n4 Page: p13(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and the Lessons of Vietnam.: An article from: Journal of Contemporary Asia

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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and the Lessons of Vietnam.: An article from: Journal of Contemporary Asia
Martin Coghlan
Manufacturer: Journal of Contemporary Asia Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Contemporary Asia, published by Journal of Contemporary Asia Publishers on October 1, 1997. The length of the article is 1068 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: In Retrospect: The Tragedy and the Lessons of Vietnam.
Author: Martin Coghlan
Publication: Journal of Contemporary Asia (Refereed)
Date: October 1, 1997
Publisher: Journal of Contemporary Asia Publishers
Volume: v27 Issue: n4 Page: p523(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Customer Reviews:

The Texas Rangers Military tranditions.......2000-03-30

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the early years of the Texas Rangers when they were a para military force and the beginning of their transition to the modern law enforcement agency. McCulloch played a critical role in these events>

Ben McCulloch and the Frontier Military Tradition

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Ben McCulloch and the Frontier Military Tradition
Thomas Cutrer
Manufacturer: U. of N.C.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P4854E

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Ben McCulloch And The Frontier Military Tradition -
Thomas W. Cutrer -
Manufacturer: University Of North Carolina Press -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PS2T9C

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Ben McCulloch and the Frontier Military Tradition.
Thomas W. CUTRER
Manufacturer: (McCULLOCH, BEN). CUTRER, Thomas W. Ben McCulloch and the Frontier Military Tradition. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, [1993]. 1st ed. Illus. Maps. 402pp. Fine in d/j.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S90PM6

Book Description

Bukharin's Philosophical Arabesques was written while he was imprisoned in the Lubyanka Prison in Moscow, facing trial on charges of treason, and later awaiting execution after he was found guilty. After the death of Lenin, Bukharin cooperated with Stalin for a time. Once Stalin's supremacy was assured he began eliminating all potential rivals. For Bukharin, the process was to end with his confession before the Soviet court, facing the threat that his young family would be killed along with him if he did not.

While awaiting his death, Bukharin wrote prolifically. He considered Philosophical Arabesques as the most important of his prison writings. In its pages, he covers the full range of issues in Marxist philosophy—the sources of knowledge, the nature of truth, freedom and necessity, the relationship of Hegelian and Marxist dialectic. The project constitutes a defense of the genuine legacy of Lenin's Marxism against the use of his memory to legitimate totalitarian power.

Consigned to the Kremlin archives for a half-century after Bukharin's execution, this work is now being published for the first time in English. It will be an essential reference work for scholars of Marxism and the Russian revolution and a landmark in the history of prison writing.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from California History, published by California Historical Society on March 22, 2002. The length of the article is 660 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: John Muir: A Naturalist in Southern California & Kindred and Related Spirits: The Letters of John Muir and Jeanne C. Carr.(Book Review)
Author: Dr. Roderick Nash
Publication: California History (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2002
Publisher: California Historical Society
Volume: 81 Issue: 2 Page: 160(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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