Eliot Weisman

This portrait of the artist as an old man is a fine book to read over a weekend or waiting at the dentist's. Weisman's story is about how he "took a man who was well past his prime and allowed him to live up to the potential that wouldn't go away." Fair enough, and while the book is wholly laudatory (not a speck of dirt anywhere), there are enough anecdotes to keep a reader interested. It's reminiscent of Henry Bushkin's book about Johnny Carson, but this is a little better. One irritating feature is that Weisman alludes repeatedly to the tensions and rifts between Barbara and Sinatra's kids, but never says anything about how the rifts began. Less irritating but odd is Weisman's tendency to include very general descriptions of Sinatra in the middle of stories. For example, if you read this alone--

He was loved, feared, and admired by people who knew him. He was hated by some as well. He was tempermental, unpredictable, generous, loving, passionate, and the best friend anyone could have.

--you'd think it came at the beginning or end of the book. But no, it's in the middle of a passage about the Ultimate Event.

These are small quibbles, however, and Weisman presents the older, faltering Sinatra with compassion. He also spends ten or so pages settling a score with Don Rickles, which really has no place in the book.… (más)

This book was very hard to put down. It covers the final touring years of Sinatra's career as well as the recording of the Duet's album. The author was Sinatra's manager for these final years as well as the manager of Steve Lawrence/Eydie Gorme, Liza Minnelli, Don Rickles, Sammy Davis Jr. and others. The author provides background on how he got into the entertainment business which I think is fitting for any autobiography. The book is not necessarily a biography of Sinatra but of the author's relationship with Sinatra. There are numerous stories that I have read before but it is nice to have them corroborated by someone who had a long-term relationship with Sinatra. Most sad was hearing that Sinatra was on an anti-depressant which affected his memory and despite being told by numerous doctors that he should get off of it, his wife (Barbara) insisted he stay on it. The story of his initial refusal to record the Duet's album was also sad as maybe she had to goad and verbally abuse him to get him to do it but the young Frank Sinatra would never have put up with that. It seems like between Barbara and the kids fighting over his money before he even passed away, the poor man had no peace. All in all, I found the book to be a real page turner and would recommend it to any fan of the Chairman of the Board.… (más)