Product Description
As the title suggests, this is a vivid collection of stories, poems, dreams, wishes and wild imaginings about an unforgettable actor who lived fast, died young and left a beautiful corpse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Pretty good
I bought this book because I'm a huge James Dean fan...I really enjoyed them.Reading this book is worthwhile,even more so if you are a fan of Jimmy's. ... Read more

Product Description
A portrait of the legendary movie star who tragically died at age twenty-four features interviews with those who knew him best, details about his boyhood, and the truth about his bisexuality. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

entertaining, easy read
just finished this book and i must say mr. hyams is a great storyteller. it was very hard to put down, it's definitely an easy and fast read (english is not my mother tongue). it's full of anecdotes and interesting info. also bought the book by spoto and finished the first 50 pages but i know already it won't be half as good as mr. hyams' book. spoto gives facts, mr. tells a story. spoto's is too theoretical, you clearly notice he's an outsider while mr. hyams was not. "little boy lost" is a great read but urgently needs a reprint! the photopages are falling out of the edition i bought through a marketplace seller. are they sleeping at random house publishers? get the reprint out.

One of the best biographies about James Dean
Joe Hyams is a real respectful and informative author who really wanted to write about James Dean what I know James Dean would have written about himself if he were alive today and decided to write about his personal life, which is something James Dean did not like to talk about with the media.Yes, Jimmy did love Pier Angeli whose real name is Anna Maria Pierangeli whom he lovingly called Annarella.This was a name her father called her before he died in 1950.James Dean found a true love in Anna and she in him.There are countless interviews and documentaries that can attest to Jimmy stating that Pier Angeli was the love of his life.Actress Julie Harris, James Dean's co-star in East of Eden mentions in one documentary that Jimmy was always talking about how much in love he was with Pier and how beautiful her soul was.Larry King interviewed co-stars of his who spoke about this very emphatic relationship in James Dean's life.They had many interests and one very important life change in common that is they both lost a parent.Neither one ever forgot about the other and author Joe Hyams wanted to make that known.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.James Dean would be delighted that this part of his life, the joyful part, was written about.

the best one by far
There is no way this gives alot of sexual content as i've read from another reviewer. I didn't feel that at all when reading it. For a change, there was no suggestion of him being gay, and more insight into Jimmy himself than his sexual life in New York. It gives a whole chapter on his tragic love affair with Pier Angeli and gives a more accurate account of it. Its a shame how some biographers put this relationship down when the friends who knew him personally would say the contrary. A definite read for any fan, He was searching for something and he found it in Pier, but obviously her mother didn't think so. very sad story of a little boy who tried to find his way and didn't quite get there.

The real issue is what it doesn't say...
Hyams knew Dean, possibly as well as anyone, but with all the sexual discussion, the one real revelation at the heart of this biography seems to be overlooked for its real importance:that Dean was molested as a young boy by his own minister, the often-fabled Reverend DeWeerd.DeWeerd attempted to paint their relationship in a way that any other pedophilic minister might do so:as a relationship and not as a serial molestation of a young boy by an older authority figure who singled him out for all the usual reasons pedophiles choose their prey.

Dean was certainly bisexual, but the extent to which that was thrust on Dean is something we should be able to discuss in a modern biography, even while we're (hopefully) careful to not become homophobic in the process.

If this book dealt with a female celebrity's childhood sexual use by her minister, there would have been outrage when it was released.Why no righteous outrage for Jimmy?

James Dean Surprisingly Human
James Dean little boy lost is an intimate and detailed biography on the life of Jimmy "James" Dean. From beginning to end, February 8th 1931 to September 30th 1955, his life was full of excitement, and ups and downs. Until one day it all came to a tragic end on September 30th, 1955 when he got into a car accident.He died at the age of 24.

Joe Hyams, the author, did a great job of making the reader feel like they knew James Dean personally.I liked how intimate and deep he went with his stories, and interviews of those who knew Dean personally.By the end of the book, I felt that James Dean was one of my personal good friends. When I read about his death, I was sad.Its really cool when you can read a biography and feel like you grasped a part of a person

Also I liked that James Dean did not seem like one of those cocky actors who would forget his past and live for the future. He knew better than that, he would'nt forget his past. He was just a down to earth guy, which made the novel an enjoyable read. ... Read more

Product Description
A fact-filled, extensively illustrated study of the life and work of James Dean provides an exhaustive compendium of information on Dean's films, screen tests, censored scenes, personal life, bisexuality, and much more, all in an encyclopedic, A-to-Z format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Complete Picture of Dean
I throughly recomend The Unabridged James Dean By Randall Riese!! It is an exhaustively researched and well compiled reference on Dean's short but facinating life. I was particularly impressed with the inclusion of many rare and interesting photographs as well as Riese's research into JD's television appearances. Often people forget or don't even realise that James Dean has left us with not only three remarkable film performances but also some excellent Television ones. A must have for fans! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

terrific book, great photos, nicely writte4n
great book!!! fun read, lots of terrific unique BIG pictures....several two page shots....can make a fan out of anybody.

The ultimate James Dean book.
Beautiful picturs, 45-year-old articles, and movie logo's are the highlight of this quentissential James Dean book. By far it is one of the best I have ever read, while it's not really a biography, it tells of Deans childhood, the relation and impact made by the characters Dean played and the legacy he left to us. If there was only one book on Jimmy I could have, this would be it. After all this time this book shows that James dean has not lost his appeal. And I'm pretty sure, Jimmy will be even bigger in 2005 when he receaves the honerary academy award, this book will occupy me until then.

lots of great pics
This James Dean book is Awesome, it has sooo many great photos to look at I looked at this book for hours! james Dean is the best actor ever!!!!! this book gives all the information and pictures for his whole life's story, its great, you should buy it right away if you want to know and see James Dean!

Great if you're looking for pictures!
This is perhaps the best Dean book out there for those of us that are interested in the photographs.Some hard to find and exclusive pics are inthis one.Keep in mind it's not a biography if that is what you're lookingfor, but in terms of photos, this one can not be beat!

Good book but lacks
This book was good, had alot of pics. But at some parts of the book they had news paper clippings that were not compleat. I.E. One part is an interview with Passenger of the Fatel Crash. Half way into the interview,it cuts off. All and all a pretty good book if you like pics. ... Read more

Product Description
Prepare to be thrilled as you've never been before.

Featuring North America's foremost thriller authors, Thriller is the first collection of pure thriller stories ever published. Offering up heart-pumping tales of suspense in all its guises are thirty-two of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning names in the business. From the signature characters that made such authors as David Morrell and John Lescroart famous, to four of the hottest new voices in the genre, this blockbuster will tantalize and terrify.

Lock the doors, draw the shades, pull up the covers and be prepared for Thriller to keep you up all night. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Ho Hum...
After reading many of the rave reviews I thought I'd give this book a shot. In my opinion the stories are missing substance.They never really get to the meat and potatoes, or if they do you haven't built any type of report with the characters to actually care.
Two or three of the short stories hold a bit of water, but the rest are filler. I bought the book because of the James Patterson name as well as some of the authors that contributed.
None of the short stories are scary, chilling, or terrifying, and this book is definitely not a 'thriller' to keep you up at night.

R

Great way to know "new" authors
I loved the book. Being a fan of the genre (thriller) I was glad to know the work of so many authors.

It's a good way to know their style, thru short stories, before buying one of their books.

I can tell you that after reading this collection I've added a couple of authors to my favorite list (I've bought all the books from James Grippando's Jack Swyteck Series.

good for action fans
I was actually looking for an anthology of mystery or horror/supernatural stories.But when this popped up I thought it looked interesting in spite of the fact that this genre (action thriller) is usually not my game.For my taste, the espionage themes became arduous instead of thrilling . However, the short story form is great for summer reading or if you need a break from longer endeavors. Also, I do think that if Pattersonesque intrigue, revenge and secret societies is your taste, then you will enjoy this book!!

Blah
I thought this was going to contain chilling short stories. I wanted goosebumps and a racing heart. My reaction instead was of disappointment and let down. Most of the writing itself is excellent and the stories are full of irony and twists, but I wouldn't classify them as thrillers. If you're looking for "scary stories" this book does not contain them.

Great sampler
I bought this because of Lee Child's inclusion, and discovered a whole new world of thriller authors. I had no idea there was such a thing as the International Thriller Writers, but now have a new wish list. There are some strange minds out there...great fun. ... Read more

Product Description
Container gardening is one of the hottest trends today. Why? Because the recent availability of plants with great genetics makes container gardening a sure thing for everyone. Then there's the market--it's full of containers that are low cost and low maintenance but have high visual appeal. And finally there are the container gardens themselves, which are easier to maintain than in-ground gardens, especially during drought years.

Window Boxes offers dozens of inventive, innovative ideas for window box gardens. Once thought possible during only the warm spring and summer months, the art of creating (and the pleasure of admiring) window boxes can now be enjoyed every month of the year. Moving season by season, Cramer and Johnson show you how to use interesting indoor and outdoor containers and bold plant mixes that will keep your home colorful and visually stimulating all year round. Every gardener will appreciate the authors' inspired ideas and hard-working advice, as well as the dazzling full-color photographs in these pages. Window Boxes is a one-of-a-kind handbook that combines container gardening with flower arranging so that you can create glorious mini-gardens for outside and inside your home.Amazon.com Review
Window boxes no longer must be the sister of the white picket fence.Calling such diverse receptacles as pumpkins, gourds, hats, a brokenearthen pot, and even eggshells to service, authors James Cramer and DeanJohnson, in Window Boxes: Indoors and Out, redefine the concept ofwindowbox, and generate a lot of beautiful ideas in the process.

Window boxes can serve many purposes, from homes for a kitchen herb gardento grand, overspilling fountains of trailing plants and flowers. And when there's a paucity of garden real estate, lack of time to tend a full-sizegarden plot, or an off-season hankering to simply grow something,window boxes provide creative outlets and solutions. Watching a forcedamaryllis gracefully bloom in an antique planter in January or startingseedlings in a copper box inside a sunny window in early spring can quellthe gardening jones of many a hibernating green thumb and help get a jumpon the growing season.

Along with ideas for window-box plantings for every season and manyholidays, from May Day boxes popping with pansies and lilies to Christmasboxes fragrant with tiny pine trees and demure snowdrops, Cramer andJohnson also detail how to make and decorate many boxes (although beginnersmay need more detailed instructions than the brief ones given here),including a copper box, a Victorian box, a terrarium box, harvest boxes,and many more. With this helpful, evocatively photographed handbook and anopen mind, creating window boxes will become part of the gardener's and theinterior designer's repertoire all year round. --Stefanie Durbin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

review by www.beachbrights.blogspot.com
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RW2QTT9BCFHPZ A note about my video review:

1. I decided to do a video review so that I could give others a glimpse inside the book. One of the things I hate about ordering books online, is not being able to flip through them. I hope this review helps!

2. I love the creativity in this book.

3. My one negative is on page 26. I love the potting table with greenhouse top and wish Dean (Author) would have included instruction on how to build this. I LOVE IT!!

Enjoy-

A Book For All Seasons
I own a number of books on container gardening, and this has become one of my favorites. This book gives container planting ideas for each of the four seasons. The pictures are coffee-table-quality, but what I really like about this book is that it gives clear instructions for the planting and care of container gardens, making it a great book for beginners. More experienced gardeners will also find some inspirational ideas. Ther are clever ideas for using containers,as well as instructions for building some of your own. The plant combinations are not only beautiful, but are well within reach of easily putting together, unlike other books that show over-the-top arrangements. It also gives some soil recipes as well as a recipe for making gardener's tea. Drawing from a number of years of experience, this book is a great guide to the world of container gardening. The authors have a number of other good books out, though sadly, Dean Johnson as since passed on.

Splendid- absolutely breathtaking
Mary Sears did a stunning job writing this quaint charmer about window boxes. A lover of window boxes myself for many years, I found this book both helpful and inspiring. Truly worth every cent.

Beautiful window boxes
I received this as a gift and plan to give it to friends. Not only are the writers, clear and concise, but the photographers captured the essence and beauty of every arrangement. Each window box was a delight and no seasonwas forgotten. This is truly a favored coffee table book. book. ... Read more

Product Description
The complete yet never told story of James Dean’s passion for professional racing, his cars and races, within the context of his life, the many celebrities he befriended and his stunning Hollywood success before his tragic death at 24. The book also details his fatal accident almost “frame-by-frame”, based on police reports, witness testimonies and the author’s own analysis. Published during the 50th year anniversary of his death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A wasted opportunity...
This book always makes me kind of sick. It has great pictures and a lavish presentation, but the text is a Swiss cheese of major and minor errors that should have been easily corrected in the years since he first declaimed them in his cartoon book years ago. We've seen all the pictures before. Lee Raskin's book James Dean at Speed has the pictures and nice research and writing.

Not without its flashes of brilliance
Dalton Watson specialize in publications on European, vintage & racing cars. This title is priced considerably lower than the rest of their output. I think it difficult to achieve perfection when your subject has been colored by myth & rumours for the past 50 years. I admire the way Defechereux adroitly weaves together James Dean & his films, 1950s motor racing & the sociological impact of the two. The creative use of visuals is outstanding & I think this is where Defechereux's background in advertising shines through, as does his shared passion for racing which is the essence of this book. Defechereux's book is a gem for those who like books with an emphasis on visuals (James Dean photographs are always evocative & often don't require words) & books in the same vein as TASCHEN'S superb art, art history, film & advertising books.

third rate coffee table book
This book on James Dean, or an aspect of Dean, was largely a disappointment based on the seriously uninformed text. Almost immediately I knew it was going to be a lame ride what with the inaccuracies and misinformation in the photo captions. I'm almost tempted to say it is a front cover,a back cover and a lot of wasted paper inbetween, but that would be unfair regarding the beautiful illustrations. Mr. Defechereux seems to have his heart in the right place, but his field of expertise is closer to the history of autoracing, particularly the California racing scene of the 1950's,than it is to the life of James Dean.I counted no less than twenty mistakes, most of them in the photo captions. There are basic facts about Dean's life which obviously slipped by the author; like his gaff about Dean's father, Winton, attending Mildred's funeral, which it is well known he did not.Also, the long standing traditionalists myth, that Winton's finances were in ruin due to the staggering costs of his wife's medical bills, is repeated here. Winton Dean was a dental technician employed by the Federal Government, the benefits of which would've included full medical coverage for himself and his family.In other words, his job paid Mildred's hospital and medical expenses; Winton was not as financially destitute as he would have the family believe.As for the books primary focus, Jimmy's racing exploits, the author doesn't even come close to the expertise and thoroughness of another new Dean book with the same focus, that being Lee Raskin's excellent James Dean:At Speed. Another old romantic myth on Dean's final days is the apocryphal assumption of him wearing the legendary red jacket in his personal life and even to his death. Actor and Dean friend, Frank Mazzola, debunks that old tale in Raskin's superior book, but it lives again in this frustrating effort by Defechereux. An example of the botched photo captions is Dean's bit player/stuntman friend, Bill Hickman, misidentified as another Dean pal, Lew Bracker. This in a very well known Sanford Roth photo of Jimmy, Wuetherich, and Hickman readying the Spyder at the dealer's garage on the final morning. Later on, after the fatal collision, another famous Roth photgraph, showing the wrecked Porsche on the side of the road, with the severely injured Wuetherich on the ground being approched by the ambulance men,a young man in jeans and dark t-shirt looks on. For years previous writers have depicted him as being Donald Turnupseed himself, and here, Defechereux continues the falsehood. The figure is actually crash witness Don Dooley, who had been following behind Turnupseed and witnessed the horrific collision. A little more research and attention to detail, not to mention occasionally questioning long held beliefs, could have produced a better product for the author. I'm not a racing enthusiast, nor an expert on the westcoast racing scene of the '50's, but i have to trust Raskin on those matters rather than Phillipe. I approached this 'Passion' book with excitement and anticipation. Friends had implied that it was not to be missed and would be the last word on all things pertaining to James Dean's racing career and machines. They must have decided that before seeing/reading Lee Raskin's book. Defechereux's earlier paperback, James Dean: The Untold Story of a Passion For Speed, is better than this because Phillipe sticks to what he knows best: the story of Dean's racing. He should have stopped with that comic book version. With this new one, he reveals that he simply isn't far enough along in his studies regarding all else Dean.Paul Waters ... Read more

Product Description
In this text, friend and lover John Gilmore reveals the truth about the real James Dean. Through letters, diaries, taped conversations and private remembrances by those closest to him, Gilmore constructs a never-before seen portrait of the star. Gilmore and Dean hung out in Times Square in the early days, and again around the time of "East of Eden", racing motorbikes, chasing the same women, experimenting with gay sex. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Sensationlistic GARBAGE!!!
I despise books like this.First, I don't know if there's a shred of truth in it (considering the "author" - I'm trying to be kind - ) ONLY writes sexual or violent "biographies" (still trying to be kind) it seems to me that he, if not out and out making this up, definitely exaggerated "the facts" and is a yellow journalistic "biographer."
Regardless, it's almost completely focused on James Dean's "supposed" sexual habits (and, gee, isn't it interesting that Mr. Gilmore makes a point of mentioning how Jimmy wants to have a sex with HIM!!)YUCK!!Just an out and out YUCKY/repulsive/disgusting book that, in my opinion, only a complete and utter voyeur would enjoy.Or a liar.

Very Great Book.........
I like the author and the book. I and the author share something in common; I was born in the same hospital as Mr. Gilmore. I wouldn't trade this book for anything in the world.

tragic life told by a great writer!!
I have read one other book by John Gilmore(Inside Marilyn Monroe), and fell in love with his writing during it.When I saw he had written about James Dean, another actor I really am quite intriuged by and admire, I knew eventually I would read it.I finished it.It was a quick read.I had never read any books about J.D. before, and to be introduced with Gilmore's writing was very interesting and entertaining.Both men seemed to have had quite a life and lifestyle!
Gilmore was an actor back in the early days, and knew J.D. before he was famous.To get inside someone's head before fame even entered their head makes for a good read.It's just very tragic that he died the way he did.

James Dean experimented with gay life to please the gay man
I have read countless biographies about James Dean and this one is the closest to a wet dream for a gay man who doesn't want to believe that James Dean really was not attracted to men.He was a people pleaser when it came down to relationships away from the both the stage and the screen.He had no problem letting his co-stars know he didn't like them by ignoring them or acting like a child around them to get them to leave him alone and his directors, especially George Stevens, whose direction in Giant he did not agree with, he would not show up to the set some days.With the guys he hung around with, the author included, he just really wanted to hang around.When they wanted something more, he just agreed to it.The restrictions were that he was not going to do the work.

This James Dean told to many friends who are still alive.He did mention to Dizzy that he let the producers do things to him just to get that part in a play or television show.Most of the time James Dean got those roles without any help from these producers.Elia Kazan saw Jimmy perform on stage in The Immoralist where he was cast as a gay man who tries to tempt the man of the house to whom he works for to engage in some homosexual activities.All the while in character, he knew firt-hand how to act this role because he told his New York friends that he knew how to get these fools attention just so he could get what he wanted and if Jimmy didn't get a role promised to him by some gay producer he was very upset and quick to tell his friends what he really thought about what these men.James Dean respected gay life in the sense that he was out to tell anyone how to live their lives which was unlike where he grew up in Indiana where they are very homophobic.He always experimented when drunk mind you.Did you notice that every time Jimmy experimented it was after he got drunk or stoned somewhere.Look, the writer may have experimented with James Dean but he wasn't really interested in what the author was selling.The fact that James asked the author once in the book to be sexual like a woman is a clear indicator that James Dean was a heterosexual who liked to play games with people.That is all.

The only true love of James Dean's life is Pier Angeli.This has been proven by first-hand accounts by his friends, most of whom are still alive.His co-star in the film East of Eden, actress Julie Harris has mentioned in a documentary about James Dean that James Dean told her over and over how he had never felt this kind of love before.James Dean wasn't in love with any man, Dizzy Sheridan, or any other actress he had been with.Actor Martin Landau, his friend in New York, has listened to James Dean talk about how much in love he was with Pier Angeli while he was away from her in New York filming a television movie.Another documented interview with actress Jane Withers, his co-star in Giant, to whom he confided his feelings for Pier Angeli and how devastated he really was when he saw her in her wedding gown outside the church with Vic Damone, is with Larry King.Larry King, at one time, interviewed James Dean's friends and former co-stars who remember details about his life and loves and not only did Jane Withers tell Larry King about how much Jimmy loved Pier but one of the actors who played one of the bad guys who chase Jimmy in Rebel Without a Cause has stated that he remembered hanging around Jimmy off the set of Rebel and he had told him that he really loves this woman and he couldn't believe that she married Vic Damone and was having his baby.He said he was torn up.The author of this book failed to do his research on this matter because he wished he could have been Pier Angeli in James Dean's eyes.

gut wrenching scorcher
I got this book back when it first came out in 1997 under its original title, 'Remembering the Short Life of James Dean, and have loved it ever since. Contrary to the views of the literary snobs and prudish nostalgia junkies, this is a bold and gut- wrenching scorcher of a biography. It comes to us from the memories and noir-stylings of John Gilmore, the former child actor, screen writer, director and Hollywood culture visionary.Being a hardcore Dean fan for 21 years, I've perused and collected all manner of Dean biographies and other memorabilia, but never have I come across any source that equals the strength and clarity of Gilmore's groundbreaking work. This powerful first-hand account of the enigmatic and elusive actor is hard to put down, even eight years later as I go through it again. From the sad and grim opening pages, as Gilmore takes us into the immediate aftermath of Dean's violent death and the pain his loss caused the author, to his unique approach and motivations for writing such a personal memoir, this tome never lets up. The vivid and gritty anecdotes, the naked psychological disections are staggering in this very original approach to James Dean the person. Taken with Val Holley's honest and penetrating 1995 effort, James Dean:The Biography, one comes as close to the flesh and blood young man as we will likely ever get. From the beginning it is obvious that the driving force behind Dean's infinite complexity and troubled nature was not only the early loss of his beloved mother, but the subsequent rejection and emotional abandonment of Jimmy by his father, Winton. Gilmore's painful honesty here brings Dean's sad childhood into focus like no other previous writer. Winton is revealed as having been an emotionally vacant and cold blooded man, forced into a marriage and fatherhood that he quickly found to be stale and filled with responsibilities he never anticipated. Gilmore exposes the father of James Dean as beingstilted, cruel and abusive-by-indifference.He wanted out from under the crushing entrapment of a sickly, frail wife and a "girlish weakling" of a son. Mildred Dean's death set the stage for Winton's new-found freedom, but it more ominously began the restless, lonely and confused life of his son. John Gilmore was a 17 year old struggling actor when he met Dean in New York around 1953. They were both from broken homes and had indifferent fathers. Most of their support, emotional and otherwise, came from an assortment of other family members, and for the most part, each had to find his own way in the world. Dean and Gilmore shared much in their brief and intense friendship, including an exploration of a sexual nature that Gilmore details in a way that reveals the adventurous and fearless curiousity of two 'bad boy' types. Including many previously unpublished photos taken by Dean of Gilmore,a rare shot of the controversial mentor of Dean, the Rev, James DeWeerd and many classic shots of Jimmy, Gilmore's memoir of his time with the mercurial rebel exposes thefraudulence and irresponsible prejudices of many previous works on Dean that pander to the conservative sensitivities of the right-wing nostalgia crowd.One who approaches this complex tale with hopes of confirming Dean's alleged homosexuality will be further confounded when they read between the lines. Gilmore eloquently addresses this issue and the result will surprise many while it increases the scope of this fascinating and multifaceted icon. Since its original publication, Live Fast, Die Young has created uproar and controversy, but perhaps not as much as it would have if Paul Alexander's Boulevard of Broken Dreams had not gone to the firing squad first. The lesson I got from this study on James Dean is that his short, restless life was about the search for emotional and artistic freedom. It also showed what can lie behind the glossy sheen of accepted myth and tradition: that being a genuine human being more interesting and vital than any movie magazine legend. There's been some question as to John Gilmore's taste in what he has revealed here. I think what other previous writers chose to ignore, when it was right in front of them ,is far more tasteless AND questionable.The final chapters deal with the painful struggle of Gilmore and other Dean friends to understand and cope with his sudden death. This includes a shocking detail which left this reader all the more saddened by Dean's fate. As if his story isn't sad and poignant enough, now comes this haunting capstone to an already powerful story. I cannot recommend this book enough for the progressive mind and the serious student of James Dean.Paul Waters ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
On September 30, 1955, a budding movie star who had just completed a rigorous schedule that included three films, set out on a trip to participate in a sports-car race in Salinas, California. James Dean never made it to his destination. Instead, Dean’s silver Porsche 550 Spyder was hit head-on by another motorist. Dean, the actor from Fairmount, Indiana, had died. Dean, the legend, was born. Even today, fans of the actor make annual pilgrimages to Dean’s Indiana grave site.

In this third volume of the Indiana Historical Society Press’s Indiana Biography Series, Wes D. Gehring, a noted authority on film, takes a fresh look at Dean’s life, exploring the actor’s early days growing up on his beloved aunt and uncle’s farm in Fairmount to his struggle for success as an actor in television and on Broadway to his meteoric rise to fame in Hollywood. The biography also features a foreword written by Conrad Lane, Ball State University professor emeriti and a longtime film essayist.

For too long, Gehring argues, Dean has been totally confused with the troubled teenager he played in the movies, most powerfully in the classic Rebel Without a Cause (1955). The real Dean was a hardworking actor equipped with a clear agenda for success. The biography examines how Dean consciously posed as an angst-ridden youth. "Indeed," notes Gehring, "it was easily his greatest and most sustained acting job."

In addition, the book highlights the key influence Indiana played on Dean’s life. Instead of a meaningless stop on his road to success, the state, especially the tight-knit community of Fairmount, offered the budding star sustained encouragement and support through good times and bad. Readers will also discover Dean’s comic ability among friends and family, including his always popular imitations of such fellow acting greats as Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

easy read, but very biased
Wes Gehring's 'Rebel With a Cause' bio on James Dean is a tastefully designed little book which initially gives the impression of a serious, well-sourced and in-depth study of the actor's life.However, looks are decieving, and while it does have its good points and a very attractive package, many of Gehring's conclusions are heavily biased and woefully uninformed. I bought this dignified, intellectual- looking book at Fairmount, Indiana's Rebel, Rebel shop, but was not able to read the jacket flap notes due to it being shrink wrapped. Later, I was able to meet Gehring and his wife on the front lawn of the Fairmount Historical Museum as they were in the middle of a book signing session.A nice, soft-spoken man, Gehring graciously unwrapped my book, signed it and enthusiastically answered my query regarding how his bio is different from all previous books on Dean. His reply was the same as what I would later encounter at length in the book: that being his central thesis of James Dean being a highly calculating and ambitious actor who cleverly "posed as the angst- ridden adolescent and played it to the hilt". And that's only the beginning of Gehring's frantic, right- wing deluge of conservative rationalizing as he tries to systematically debunk all previous biographers who've written about Jimmy being a troubled and moody rebel. Gehring gets carried away with his use of phrases like "angst- ridden" and "troubled, tortured youth", his worst remark being the crowing Eureka- type declaration of what he believes is a much needed "moratorium on all things angst- ridden in future literature on Dean!" Generally, this treatment of Dean's life reads like a highly agendized and conservative take that shrinks in horror and indignation from all the realities of Jimmy's short, tumultuous life. The basic conclusion I had after reading this book was: ALL THESE PREVIOUS BOOKS ON DEAN CAN"T BE WRONG, and that, unfortunately, is what Gehring is asking us to believe. Although extememly well sourced and researched, it appears that this aspect only served to give the book crediblity and to flesh out the back pages with an appearance of dogged, fair research. Another terribly misinformed gaff in the text is Gehring's dismissal of a central thesis of Val Holley's excellent Dean bio, James Dean: The Biography; that being Holley falling back on "simple sentimentality" what with his conclusion that Dean's career accomplishments were brought about because of, not in spite of, his emotional and psychological disposition. Gehring could not be more wrong. The self destructive artist is a well documented phenomenon, and Dean was one. There is FAR too much evidence and solid, first hand anecdotes, across numerous reliable sources, that vividly illustrates that James Dean WAS, without question, an immensely wounded and reckless person with ALL manner of unrest inside. What is odd and perplexing about Gehring's take on Dean is how he tries to take some issues to the very edge of what is accurate, such as his condemnation of the callous Winton Dean, but then backs away with a polite "everybody has their reasons", regarding Winton's sending young Jimmy back to Indiana in the wake of his mother's untimely death. Far too much credence is given to Dizzy Sheridan's spurious "memoir" of her life with Dean, a historian's nightmare as to chronology and imagined conversations/scenarios. And how Gehring can know that Dean "savored" the humiliating setbacks at UCLA is beyond this reader. Again, there's too much evidence to the contrary that Dean was nowhere near that technically minded or somehow removed emotionally from the immediate day-to-day sufferings and deprivations of his early days. I don't know how any author with a clear view of the whole subject can actually structure a whole book around such flimsy theories; case in point would be Gehring's latching onto the anecdote pertaining to Dean's friend Karen Sharpe, which implies that Jimmy was a calculating poseur.
Gehring makes a mountain out of a mole hill with this single anecdote. That's to say nothing of the staggering amount of material found in his book that was clearly lifted from Holley's 'far superior '95 book; in some cases it is properly credited, but in others it's not. One of the few people that Dean was close to in Indiana was the elusive school teacher, Bette McPherson,but she is omitted from Gehring's white bread, conservative tale, while the close relationship with the Rev. James DeWeerd is neatly and annoyingly tidied up. Just because The Rev. lived with his aged mother and served on the school board doesn't mean he could not have been gay and sexually predatory with teenage boys in Fairmount, including Dean. Gehring rightfully dismisses Paul Alexander's outrageously sensationalized nonsense of a bio, but he does nothing to explain why the Jack Rupp quote about DeWeerd's homosexuality is a "misleading embellishment". However, Gehring IS right on target about Dean being essentially spoiled by his small town successes and by the big- hearted Winslows. He was, indeed, the 'big fish in a small pond'. Also, it cannot be questioned that Jimmy was better off returning to Indiana in the wake of his mother's death; with an indifferent, distant father like Winton, what choice did the rest of the family have? In the end, Gehring's strange, good-looking, biased tome is worth having, but ONLY for the serious Dean student who wants to take in the WHOLE picture and scope of James Dean literature. Beyond that Wes Gehring presents yet another 11th hour ploy by the family, (whether they were directly involved or not), and the conservative right of Dean circles, to clean up and "sanitize" Dean's story. If you're serious, approach with caution, because this is the other side of the coin from Alexander and Hyams. There is worthwhile stuff and worthLESS stuff between these covers.Paul Waters

James Dean
"James Dean: Rebel With A Cause" is about the life of James Dean. It starts off with the day he died in a car accident at the age of 24 and then rewinds back to the day he was born. It goes through his Indiana roots and his time in California, from his Broadway debut to his star-making role. We knew him as Cal Trask, a unloved son in "East of East", Jim Stark, an angst-ridden teen in "Rebel Without A Cause", and Jett Rink, the contemporary cowboy in "Giant". I liked the book becuase I like learning about new people. The only thing I didn't like was that there were a lot of words I didn't understand. But that didn't stop it from being a good book about an amazing actor.

Disappointing, not up to the author's usual work
Wes Gehring is capable of writing a good biography, as he did for Red Skelton, but this book adds nothing to the James Dean oeuvre.Most disappointing of all is the author's ill-conceived attempt to deny that James Dean was gay or bisexual.Gehring goes to frankly ridiculous lengths to deny the now-well-known fact that Dean was not heterosexual.When the author refuses to recognize such a central, basic fact of a person, how can he write a useful, believable biography of him?

Readers seeking a biography of James Dean would be better served by books such as "James Dean" by George Perry, which has been authorized by the Dean family.The definitive biography of Dean has yet to be written, I believe, but in the meantime, the George Perry book is fine."Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is also worth a look, though those who refuse to believe that anyone they like is gay will no doubt close their hearts and minds to that one.Some pointless, unfounded prejudices die hard in some people, it seems.

James Dean remains an important cultural icon worldwide, and it is my hope that a better biography will be written one day.Since he died so young, this is a difficult project. But you can definitely by-pass the Wes Gehring attempt.

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Customer Reviews (1)

James Dean (The Importance of)
The content and the photos are good, but the format is geared toward young people.Teenagers will love it.Not meaty enough for adults. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What a find
This book contains a great many photos of James Dean that I have never seen and I have been a collector for 50 years.I bought it used and it is in beautiful shape.I am very happy with my purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive biography of James Dean draws on more than one hundred interviews and covers such areas as Dean's early life and training on stage and television, as well as the self-destructive streak that culminated in his early death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

truthful and engrossing
Ten years after the original publication, Val Holley's stunningly candid portrait of James Dean is, for me, still the most important biography on the subject around. Holley successfully moved mountains in his dogged research on Dean's mysterious life and career, the result being a first-rate biography of what some might see as an impossible subject, as far as getting at the truth. Holley's use of fresh interviews and a penchant for not taking sides while presenting different perspectives are among the better qualities of this great bio.His attention to chronology and detail, especially in dealing with Dean's time at UCLA,and the early television years, was fascinating. And no one has ever so clearly detailed the nature and effect of Jimmy's relationship with producer,Rogers Brackett,as Holley does from the get-go.Another aspect i like a lot about this Dean book is the hardball, unsentimental approach which is maintained from beginning to end. No punches are pulled, no stone left unturned in revealing the oppressive, conformism of Fairmount, Indiana, and how Dean essentially became a contradictory and highly elusive figure who led two different lives; one being the wholesome, all-American farmboy and basketball player who did his chores on the Winslow farm,and the mercurial, reckless and moody bohemian who caroused New York and Hollywood. Without sensationalizing and creating steamy, scandalous dialogue between individuals, Holley presents the most vivid and convincing case yet for Dean's ambiguous and convoluted sexuality. It has been said that the book is dry and boring, with no sense of a narrative storyline, yet I had a hard time putting the thing down. Nothing could be further from the truth. Val Holley's treatment of James Dean's fascinating, tragic life brilliantly fills an enormous gap in Dean literature that was repeatedly left open by previous authors, many of whom chose to ignore the inticate truths and perpetuate myth instead.
Paul Waters

He Had Quite A Resume.
What was the Dean 'mystique'?Coming from a small town in Indiana wo which people from the South had migrated with their attitudes of bigotry -- where the KKK chose as their state in the 1920s, he chose to be a Rebel.One of his three movies, appropriately named 'Rebel Without A Cause.'

By the age of twenty-two he was or had been on sixteen television programs and appeared in a multitude of plays on and off Broadway.Race, creed, or sexual preference had no bearing with Dean's estimation of others; he judged them on the basis os whathe could learn from them.In essence, he used people.At one time, he showed scorn to the playwright Tennessee Williams.
Two of his relationships he had with women were Barbara Glenn who was Jewish and Terry Moore who was a Mormon.He also liked men; it seems that being bi-sexual was an Indiana trait.

His director in the "Rebel" movie, Nicholas Ray said, "James Dean shied away from social convention, from manners, because they suggested disguise."When Terry Moore took him home to meet her parents, they were shocked when he unzipped hispants and let out a belch after dinner.He had no manners.

Some of his female co-stars came to the opinion that he acted strangely, brooding and incoherent as an "act" to get attention.But he played that part so long, maybe he became the act."His unmistakable mannerisms, movements, and behavior were premeditated, just to be different.

The director of his other movie, 'Giant,' described him as brilliant, sensitive young actor.And yet, in high school, he appeared dorky and played sports.He had a lack of discipline which made him unreliable and temperamental.

In Hollywood, he wanted no part of the social scene which included up-and-coming actors Jeff Chandler and Tab Hunter.Both books (this one and THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF JAMES DEAN by Donald Spoto) had lots of pictures of him from the early Fifties.In them, he aged twenty years in five. He burned out and that horrific accident on September 30, 1955, while speeding in his racy Porsche was probably his destiny.

His friend and agent Clayton arranged fro Dean to buy a sleek, red 1953 MG which he loved to drive at a terrific rate of speed and squeal the tires.He died at the age of 24.The photos show that he was not much different from Montgomery Cliff and Marlon Brando.It's too bad the unusual actors have to be so different from real people.They lived a lie.

An Enigma Explored
If you're looking for a biography of general stats about the legendary James Dean--DON'T START WITH THIS BOOK!Val Holley's "James Dean: The Biography" reads more like well-researched filler.Because this book is comprised mainly of interviews of friends, family, and lovers, what you're left with is more of the spackle to fill-in those gray areas of this extraordinary actor's life.It's a good book although it reads like a gossip column at times.What Holley does an exceptionally good job at is giving us a complete and comprehensive listing and study of every Dean performance in television, theater and film.I recommend this book as a follow-up to a more concrete biography, perhaps.An insightful book, but James Dean is more of enigma now than ever before!

Fantasic except for one thing
The one thing I took issue with in this book is the author's presentation of Jimmy and Pier's relationship.
It has been proven time & time again that Jimmy and Pier were the loves of each others lives.They were driven apart by the old-fashioned restraints of her family. I will never understand why so many biographers and Dean fans insist on tearing down the relationship and disputing its meaning.
Other than that it is a fascinating, detailed bio.

A Fascinating, Close-Up Account
I found Holley's "James Dean: The Biography" a fascinating book, or rather, books: it's simultaneously a thorough and original Hollywood biography; an intriguing New York theater and TV history; and a sophisticated contribution to gay studies.Holley's frame is close-up: drawing on extensive research, he skillfully narrates the daily and weekly events of Dean's life, and punctuates the story with testimony - derived principally from interviews, letters, and journalism -- from Dean's companions and co-workers.Moreover, Holley lets the sources speak in their own voices; they paint a varied, truly convincing, first-hand portrait of Dean.Reading the book gave me a powerfully authentic experience of Dean's life.By keeping the story-line close to daily events, Holley conveys the evolution of Dean's complex personality over time.By allowing a wide range of first-hand sources (gay and straight folks; women and men; lay persons and artists; friends, lovers, and colleagues) to speak for themselves, Holley creates a nuanced portrait of the enigmatic actor."James Dean: the Biography" seems to have something for every kind of reader: Dean's movie fans will relish the detailed accounts of Dean's Hollywood life;theater and TV history buffs will marvel at the vivid depiction of theatrical New York in the 40s and 50s, and will value the extensive TV and stage credits;gay studies scholars will find rich factual evidence of Dean's homosexual social life, and of the crucial role gay patrons like Rogers Brackett played in Dean's rise to stardom.I think Holley's book exemplifies one vital function of gay historical scholarship: letting rich oral history inform authoritative published accounts of gay life and culture."James Dean: The Biography" testifies with abundant evidence and great subtlety that Dean's homosexual life and relationships lay at the heart of his career and his extraordinary personality. ... Read more

Product Description
A death in the family reunites ex-con turned paparazza Nina Zero with her long-lost sister, who now touts herself as a successful real estate agent from Seattle. Who cares if the sister looks like she's lived a life as battered and fake as the designer-brand luggage she totes? With an abusive father and sweet but distant mother, Nina has been estranged from her family for so long she's happy to have a relative she can talk to.

And Nina is too busy to question her sister's tale, because an altercation with a has-been Hollywood action hero leaves her with a concussion, two broken cameras, and a hot lead in the grandmother of all tabloid stories- -- the mysterious thefts of celebrity bones from graveyards around the country.Are the bone robbers kids playing games with the devil? Cult scientists intent on cloning dead movie stars? Or members of the Church of Divine Thespians, a shadowy Hollywood sect that may be plotting some unholy ritual? In the world of tabloid reporting, the impossible is not only possible, it's required.

Not being famous is worse than being dead in Hollywood, where the bones of dead celebrities are literally worth killing for. Murder follows an unexpected betrayal, and Nina's quest for the grave robbers twists from the tabloid assignment to a grief-stricken vendetta that matches her camera against their guns, shot for shot.

With her sidekick Frank -- a slovenly assassin of celebrity reputations -- and her beloved toothless Rottweiler in tow, Nina returns to the page in an emotionally riveting tabloid thriller fit to please her own cultish following.Amazon.com Review
"You're a sucker for lost creatures, aren't you?" a colleague remarksto L.A. tabloid photographer Nina Zero, as she tries to steer a youngrunaway and actress-wannabe clear of trouble, in Robert Eversz'sDigging James Dean. What begins as an act of charity, though--achance for the tough-hided and perspicacious, but lonely ex-conpaparazza to aid another female at loose ends in the world--soon landsNina in the quirky company of space-alien worshippers, fugitiveteenage cultists, and grave robbers intent on plundering the mortalremains of immortal Hollywood icons.

Our heroine (last seen in Burning Garbo) doesn't really have time to worry about 15-year-old Theresa, a celebrity-obsessed Midwesterner whose lukewarm tip about a has-been screen hunk results in Nina being roughed up, her cameras trashed; she already has her own problems. The prominently pierced photog is being evicted from her Venice Beach apartment; her long-abused mother has just perished from a stroke; and her elder sister, whom she hasn't seen in 24 years, has barely reappeared in her life, before she rips Nina off for $19,000--and is beaten to death during a raid on the crypt of silent-movie legend Rudolph Valentino. That last crime seems ideal fare for Scandal Times, the sensationalistic journal from which Nina draws her paychecks--especially since it follows an assault on the Indiana grave of actor James Dean, who died in a 1955 highway accident. But as Nina struggles to exorcise her grief and anger through decisive action, by exposing Hollywood's enigmatic Church of Divine Thespians, executing a Rockford-style desert car rescue, and fleeing a blaze meant to send her to her own last reward, she unearths a tale so outlandish as to amaze even jaded Scandal Times readers. And the fatally naïve Theresa sits at the center of it all.

Eversz hit a pell-mell storytelling pace with Burning Garbo, which he maintains in this clever sequel. He capitalizes nicely on the lore and landmarks of Los Angeles, and over the course of four hip mysteries (beginning with 1996's Shooting Elvis) has developed a punk protagonist intrepid enough to draw reader attention, and compassionate enough to hold onto it. Though the mastermind behind Digging James Dean's bloodshed boasts all the subtlety of a Bela Lugosi villain, Nina Zero's relentless pursuit of her sibling's slayer makes this wild ride worthwhile. It may even owe a debt to Dean himself, who said, "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." --J. Kingston Pierce ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Discovery for Me
A great read with great characters and story. Kind of a blend of Raymond Chandler and Kinky Friedman, but better characters than both. If you like good mysteries don't miss it.

I kicked him in the source of so much trouble in the world. . .
This is the fourth installment in the "Nina Zero" noir-punk series by Eversz.Eversz continues to produce a well-written thriller about Hollywood low-lifes and bottom feeders. In "Digging James Dean" our protagonist comes up against a ghoulish cult of desperate wanna-be actors.

Nina, who in the prior books was a violent anti-social loser, suffers major loss in this novel and somehow comes across as much milder and more in the role of rescuer.Also Nina reunites with her sister who is a con artist and much more anti-social than Nina.

Definitely fun and worth reading if a little less intense than prior novels.

A sucker for lost creatures
I had my doubts about this excellent series (of which this is the fourth installment) because I wasn't sure the author could keep it up. Too many branded series ("A Nina Zero Novel") begin to degenerate into dull routine after the first couple of volumes. But I have to applaud Eversz for maintaining a high narrative standard. For that matter, it's not uncommon for a female author to successfully write from the viewpoint of a male protagonist, but the vice is seldom versa. Nina Zero -- who used to be Mary Alice Baker -- is an exception, though. On parole for a justified manslaughter, working as a paparazza for an L.A. tabloid, she's a fascinating and generally believable character. This time, her mother has died of a heart attack, though Nina wonders if it wasn't caused indirectly by her abusive father, against whom Nina stills carries enormous rage. At the funeral home, she meets her sister, who ran away from home at sixteen and whom she hasn't seen in more than twenty years. But her sister also has secrets. All this personal history, which makes Nina the often violent person she is, is woven through a somewhat bizarre plot involving celebrity grave-robbing, black magic, and a secret society that (maybe) controls Hollywood. The immediate plot points are resolved, more or less, but Eversz leaves most of those larger questions unanswered -- or maybe he's saving them up for the next book. (I'd also like to know where Nina's going to live, now that her savings and her apartment are both gone and she has to have a permanent address to stay out on parole.) The author, as always, does a first-rate job with his characters, especially Frank the tabloid reporter and Theresa, the starlet-wannabe. And he doesn't let a happy ending survive contact with reality, as when Theresa is arrested. This is definitely a series I shall continue to follow.

A five star look at Hollywood
Hollywood paparazzi Nina Zero works for the tabloid Scandal Times fittingly out of a former sewage works warehouse in the San Fernando Valley.Her boss Frank informs Nina that the two of them are flying to Chicago and from there driving to a cemetery in Fairmount, Indiana where someone stole the remains of Rebel Without a Cause actor James Dean.Frank tells Nina that her parole officer gave the okay for her and her Frank to go on the assignment.

In Indiana, Nina and Frank wonder who would steal the bones of Dean and why.Could the culprits be kids on a lark, the Raelians who believe ET scientists planted humanity on earth and desire a cloning of Mr. Dean, or a the Church of the Divine Thespians, whom she "met" in Hollywood through a tip from a rough living sixteen year old recent Hoosier transplant.Anyway you look at it; Nina plans to rattle a bone or two even as the skeletons from her own past such as Mary Alice Baker (her family name) surface to shake her complacency.

The latest Nina Zero Hollywood (and in this case Indiana) tale is a wild journalistic investigative tale that is all over the place, but ultimately returns to classic American economics of supply and demand (everything has a price and is for sale).A subplot involving Mary Alice's sister whom she has not seen in decades adds knowledge to what readers know about the ex-con.Though the ending may put some readers off the series (this reviewer thought it apropos), Robert Eversz third tale may be a Zero, but is also a five star look at Hollywood.

Harriet Klausner

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Product Description
A NEW LOOK AT JAMES DEAN AND HIS IMPACT ON A GENERATION OF ACTORS!

Different from the standard idolatory books on James Dean, this new work examines the psychotic "mess" that the young actor truly was. Used and manipulated by his directors, James Dean was himself a control freak who reached beyond the grave to influence and to take revenge on dozens of actors who played their lives and their film roles in mock parallel to the Rebel Without a Cause.

Hard and humorous, The Next James Dean looks at the film star witha tone familiar with the old movie magazines like CONFIDENTIAL and MOVIE TATTLER. Here the hype of Hollywood is stripped away.

Scathing portraits of Dennis Hopper, Nick Adams, Rod Lauren, Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, and the anti-Dean clones: Brandon De Wilde, Richard Chamberlain, and Troy Donahue. Book also takes aim at Sal Mineo, Anthony Perkins, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson, Robert Blake, and others who emerged in Dean's shadow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Old Hollywood
If you like to know what happened to all those old TV stars and B-movie types who seemed to be called the next Jimmy Dean, then this book lets you know about them. Some became famous and most seem to be unknowns to me except what my dad talks about. Dean was cool and the others werent, and the book proves that once and for all.

Fun With Dean
The "Next James Dean" is a fun and informative look at the life and followers of James Dean. The book starts off covering deans life as a kinda intro just reminding us just who James Dean is and some of the rumors and stories that plaged his life and death.
The book also itroduces us to the new crop of Dean actors. In the wake of his death there was a void for a brooding pretty boy in holywood. In the late fiftys it seemd like Hollywood was over run with moody sexualy ambiguious idols all to eager to be the next James Dean.
This is all covered hilariously in "The Next James Dean", a book that mixes rumors with facts posers imposters, the talented and the cluless,all fighting for the title of being the Next James Dean.

Embarrassingly Bad
This is surely the worst book about James Dean yet published. This book is wildly innaccurate, extremely trashy in its sloppy rehashing of tabloid rumours about Dean's supposedly unsavory personal life and habits and incompetently written to boot. A tip off to its abysmal quality is that the company that published it is one of the leading print on demand publishers who will publish anything without regard to quality provided that the author pay the publisher. In short, a vanity press for writers whose books could not attract a legitimate, paying publisher. It's sad, really.

James Dean *MELT*
Being a huge James Dean fan, i found this book to be a great look into his life. The way this book explains the many who have tried to walk in his footsteps brings a whole new appreciation to who James Dean really was.. Also I love the humorous twists here and there...

Fun Book!
This book on James Dean actually covers his life only in the first three chapters, but it is packed with little known info about the long dead star. The rest of the book is about all the actors who tried to follow in his footsteps, even Elvis and Jack Nicholson. It is chock full of stuff that I never knew and shows how great Dean was--even to those other actors in movies. If you want the dirt, this book has it. If you want to be entertained, this book has got it for you. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
PAY ONLY $12.99 for a BRAND-NEW, HOT OFF THE PRESS SIGNED COLLECTIBLE 1ST EDITION from AUTHOR'S PUBLISHER, READR BOOKS - VALUE: $30! LIST PRICE $19.95. On video (below), Author Timothy James Dean shows you the real man-eating monster that inspired this epic. "MOVE OVER MOBY-DICK, JAWS AND JURASSIC - HERE COMES THE FATHER!" TEETH is rip-roaring adventure set in the South Pacific. Johnny is a 20-year-old American soldier sent on assignment into New Guinea's heart of darkness. But there Johnny first confronts "the Father," a 30-foot, 4,000 pound, man-eating crocodile. The giant reptile is both feared and worshiped by the natives of the Big River. In their first face-off, the Father kills a man and Johnny wounds it. From that instant on, the Father hunts him relentlessly, until the heart-pounding final confrontation on the beaches of the South Pacific. With Johnny is Footy, a colorful Aussie, and their Japanese prisoner. Katsu has only one thing left - his family heirloom samurai sword. The three run directly for the Valley of the Cannibals - home to the most bloodthirsty headhunters on the entire island of New Guinea. The lovely Gwyn saved Johnny's life, but to have a chance with her, he must meet her challenge to rediscover his heart. Meet real people like Supreme Commander, General Douglas MacArthur and gunboat skipper (and future US President) Jack Kennedy. The story takes place as America is about to unleash a horrific new weapon of mass destruction against Japan. READER RAVES ... "A monster crocodile, soldiers, samurai, surfers, cannibals, headhunters, alluring women, mortal enemies and best of friends - TEETH has everything!" - David Williams ... "A Masterpiece of samurai spirit." - Yasuyuki Kasai, Samurai Novelist, Japan ... "A blockbuster!" - Sharon Noe ... "A love story!" J.P. Alexander ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

well worth the wait
I'm a reader who likes action right from the start. That is the only reason I am giving "Teeth" 4 stars instead of 5.
It starts a little slow for me but the history and build up to the characters kept me interested and is important to the story.
Once the action comes, you will want to stay up all night to see what happens next.
Well done, realistic and exciting.

More than action...
It would be tempting--given the title and stated premise of this book--to assume Teeth is just another mindless action title, a newcomer knockoff ofthe "man versus predator" books written by the likes of Steve Alten or Peter Benchley. But such an assumption would be very, very wrong. Teeth is fathoms deeper than any run-of-the-mill actioner.

Oh sure, there is action here aplenty: man versus giant crocodile, man versus man, man versus nature--and ultimately--man versus himself. Enough variety and episodes to make even Daniel Defoe (the author of Robinson Crusoe) proud.

But such dangerous exploits are not where Teeth shines brightest. Its strength is in the depth of its characterizations. By the end of the book you will know the characters like old friends. You will understand their outlook on life and their motivations, their flaws and their strengths. You will have lived history through their eyes, seen life as it might have been on New Guinea during the Second World War.

Which highlights another strength of the book for me:I loved the history and culture the author infused within its pages. Some of this undoubtedly came from personal experience, but I'm sure a colossal amount of research was involved, as well. As a reader, I greatly appreciated this effort. It gave the book a truly authentic feel. And I learned something!

I look forward to what Timothy James Dean has in store for us next. I hope he's busy writing.

"Step Aside Jaws! "Father" Crocodile Is Blood Curdling Scary"
WOW! WHAT A FANTASTIC, WELL CRAFTED, SUSPENSEFUL THRILLER!! I have a hard time fathoming that this is the author's debut novel. He writes like a veteran novelist. "Teeth" grabbed on tight and would not let go until the final page was read.

I am happy he heeded the advice of James Clavell to write and write some more. With a story that includes a ferocious 4,000 pound crocodile, New Guinea ( an unexplored frontier with many tribes), cannibalism and an excellent plot to weave all this expertly together.

Operation "Teeth" was a covert operation involving Johnny a crack sniper, Footy the pilot and Dingo a valuable guide who knew the dangerous jungles of New Guinea. The plan was to send them in to rescue some priests who feared for their lives and indeed in dire trouble.

When the cargo plan crashed the small group had to try to make it back to the coast to be rescued. They encountered many different tribes, a dangerous jungle and the "Father" who hunted them all the way. One would have to read the novel to see for themselves if any survived the many ambushed attacks from the human destroyer.

The novel more than surpassed the many endorsements. The author, Timothy Dean, grew up in New Guinea which first hand provided all the background information of this untamed land. I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL THE SECOND OF THE TRILOGY IS RELEASED. Recommended highly to any avid reader.

dont go into the water
Timothy James Dean does a wonderful job of putting the reader into his novel Teeth. Though the title and back cover description puts the reader into believing that the story is mainly about a gigantic crocodile hunting down a rescue party. It truly is about life and survival in New Guinea during those final weeks of World War 2. I found myself impressed with Timothy's style and genius, and gladly read deep into the night to see if the novel's heroes would be victorious in their mission or die at the hands of the headhunters that thrived across the New Guinea countryside.
Shawn Weaver - Author Sense of Honor

Brilliant Adventure!
This is a brilliant historical adventure story that has a slow build and a big bite! Johnny is a teenager at the start of WWII. Like countless other young men, he is tossed into the war and forced to grow up too quickly. A rescue mission takes him to the wild island of New Guinea, a jungle still inhabited by cannibal tribes and overrun with man-eating crocodiles.

Dean does a tremendous job bringing us back to the time of WWII. His seemingly effortless descriptions plant us on the island with the characters, giving us a panoramic view of life in an uncivilized jungle. His characters are unique and so real that at times you expect them to pop off the pages. This is a fascinating read, sure to make you think twice before jumping into the ocean! ... Read more

Product Description
This book systematically explains the characteristics and purposes of various types of research, including terminology, and the typical steps of each type of research design. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Doing Second Language Research
This book was in great shape and extremely useful for my grad class.I'm so glad that I didn't have to pay the full price that the bookstore would have charged me. ... Read more