ePub With Or Without You by U2 in Arts-Photography

Review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. burnedBy stephanie meyerI usually dont believe reviews; to each there own; but I did feel in this case the other reviews were right. the book had a poor flow and whether or not it is accurate (I have not done any personal research) but I can say the book was twice as long as it should be.Half the book was plot summaries of Harlows movies. I will be looking for another biography.46 of 49 people found the following review helpful. Disturbing and Often Unbelievable Bio of Jean HarlowBy Valerie J. WoodI had such high hopes for this book. It actually started out pretty neutrally and seemed like a most promising biography of the beautiful star. Once it started getting into her early career; however; this book became more and more of an opinionated diatribe; usually disparaging; of Jean. While there is a bounty of information available about Miss Harlow; which generally follows along the same basic biographical lines; this book degenerates into a lambasting of Jean; her co-stars; her admittedly obnoxious family (Mama Jean and Mario Bello) taken to new heights--or lows--of distaste. So many things are stated as FACT with nothing to back it up--that one begins to take almost every statement with a decided grain of salt. Or; maybe a salt-shaker. It is stated as virtually a fact that Jean slept with her oily step-father. Nothing to back it up. Just the authors opinion. Also; the author made numerous distasteful references to Irving Thalbergs reaction to Paul Berns death--implying that Thalbergs grief was purely staged. Of the many bios I have read regarding Thalberg; and other MGM stars and studio personnel of the 1930s; this does not ring true at all. The author freely intersperses his own opinions; usually unkind; on virtually ever person mentioned in the book. He states as fact many rumors that have certainly not proven to be true--often; over and over again...By the time you are finished this book; should you take the authors opinions as truth; youll believe that every major leading man in Hollywood is at least bi-sexual; if not gay; and every major leading woman in Hollywood is lesbian.One thing particularly distasteful is that in every single recap of Harlows films; her character in the film is described as slutty; whore tramp or worse...for a biography of an actor or actress; one would expect a more neutral recap of their major motion pictures.Bret freely disparages and insults everyone mentioned equally--an equal opportunity insulter--whether its L.B. Mayer; Irving Thalberg; Joan Crawford; Clark Gable; Hedda Hopper; Howard Strickland; etc. ....All are accordingly disparaged and deprecated. The only cast member in this book who receives a halfway decent mention is William Powell.All in all--this book is like a giant train-wreck...You are appalled as you read it; but have to follow thru til the very end....Based on that it gets 1 star. What a hugely disappointing bio of Jean Harlow. Bombshell; by David Stenn; is by far a much better biography of this beautiful young woman.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Gerlinde Pflaumer-Yeatergood