I'm not a big fan of autobiographies, but after seeing an interview with Ted Turner on TV, I was impressed enough to want to get his book. His forte' is business, not writing. It just came of to me like a PR piece. Maybe that's why I don't care for autobiographies, I'm too cynical. Additionally, there are vignettes in the book that are written by other people telling how great a guy he is. I just found that a bit hokie.

From a historic perspective, I did enjoy reading about his success especially in cable television. Having lived in Atlanta during the 90's, I got to see some of this growth in cable media, as well as the growth of the Braves.

Not a great book, but an entertaining read. ( )

Very interesting biography ( )

История человека, которого знает весь мир! Книга, первый тираж которой составил миллион экземпляров! Она стала такой же сенсацией, как репортажи журналистов CNN из "горячих точек".
Вся правда о жизни самого необычного медиамагната, рассказанная им самим и его друзьями и близкими - от Билла Гейтса до Джейн Фонды!
Тед Тернер изменил сам принцип подачи новостей на телевидении.
Сделки, которые он совершал, чтобы превратить свою маленькую компанию в медиаимперию, стали легендой.
Он всегда был склонен к авантюрам, не раз стоял на грани полного краха, но неизменно выигрывал. Его не сломил даже мировой финансовый кризис.
Перед вами хроника побед и поражений Теда Тернера - его трудного детства, далеко не всегда прямого и легкого пути на Олимп "четвертой власти" и непростых отношений с женщинами.
История, которая будет интересна каждому, кто не пасует перед трудностями, хочет стать хозяином собственной судьбы, изменить свою жизнь и добиться многого!

I finished this book feeling very sorry for Ted's various wives and children. He is obviously brilliant in business and magnanimous in his support of charities, but clearly selfish and egotistical. His personal relationships are substantially down the list in his priorities. I had the feeling that some days in the midst of a "deal", he may have had trouble remembering a child's name. Left me a little cold, I'm afraid. ( )

Call Me Ted by Ted Turner and Bill Burke on audio is an adventurous ride through Ted Turner's life from his childhood to his "retirement." This audio, which is 13 disks long, is read by the man himself. His southern accent and his passionate reading of this autobiography will make readers feel at home by his hearth as he recounts the biggest and smallest events in his life.

Not only is the audio read by Ted, but there are a number of side stories told by family members, an ex-wife, business colleagues, and others. From an early age Ted was shipped away from the family and his "abusive" father to military boarding schools where he learned self-reliance, discipline, and dedication.

In college, which he did not finish, he was known as two-beer Turner. He spent a great deal of time away from his own family and sailed in a variety of competitions. Turner is an exceptional, passionate, and accomplished man who is far from finished.

Some of the best stories in the book center on his creation of CNN--a 24-hour news channel on cable--which the broadcast stations, like CBS, NBC, and ABC, considered "chicken noodle news." Creating the Turner company, transforming it from a billboard selling firm to a cable giant, he spent more than two decades on the couch in his office.

Some of his proudest moments, however, have been in philanthropy and diplomacy during the Cold War and since. From the Goodwill Games, which never earned much revenue, to his work with the United Nations, Turner continued to inspire others to be better than themselves to make the world a better place. He continues this work today.

The best surprise of this audiobook is the final question-and-answer session with Turner, where he says CNN should remain dedicated to impartial news broadcasting and end its emphasis on opinion--like that of the Lou Dobbs show. Turner also notes that alternative energy is needed today, not tomorrow; population growth must be stabilized; land must be conserved; and nuclear weapons must be eliminated around the globe. Turner says he is eager to write a sequel and have Tom Hanks play him in a movie about his life.

If readers love autobiographies, Call Me Ted is one that will knock their cowboy boots off. Turner is witty, strong-willed, opinionated, and a no-nonsense kind of guy with a lot to offer entrepreneurs and others in the business world, as well as those simply in need of a boost. ( )