Humphrey Bogart Books

I have been a big fan of the movie for years but had never read the book. Well, I have to say that the book is even better than the movie, and I still love the movie. If you have seen the movie It will be hard not to imagine Bogie and walter Huston in the main roles. And this is not just because they are already planted in your mind, I think director John Huston did an excellent job of casting the movie. Anyway, I highly recommend this book!

This book is the basis for John Huston's film of the same name. Both author and director share a love of Mexico and it's people. Having seen the movie many times it was interesting to come to many familiar parts of the story knowing what was going to happen and enjoy on the page verbatim bits of dialogue. The story takes awhile to get going as Traven sets up his characters but it builds to a powerful ending proving once and for all that man's greed destroys his soul. There are some who have criticized Traven's socialistic leanings but I don't think they get in the way of the story at all...in fact, I think they prove his point that unregulated capitalism is the bane of western civilization. But enough of that - this is a timeless story that meanders a bit so it won't appeal to casual readers. If your reading tastes lean to anything recent, this book will probably be too slow; in that case, watch the movie - you will get the same point in less than 2 hours. However, if you like Literature you will appreciate Traven's insights to human nature and his excellent story-telling method. I myself couldn't read this without putting the movie out of my mind...if someone tells you not to think of pink elephants...well, you get the idea. All in all, this novel is well written but could've been a bit shorter.

If you have seen and enjoyed the John Huston film of the same name, and believe it to be one of the greatest films ever produced, then it is mandatory to procure and read this book.

This review is written from the perspective of someone who has seen the film at least a half dozen times before reading the novel for the first time. The film is mostly faithful to the novel, so no nasty surprises await those weaned on the film. While less dramatic in some ways, the book provides a better explanation for the motivations of the characters. This necessarily leads to significant, though not unpleasant, changes in some of their fates compared to the film (or perhaps, better said, vice-versa). Some of the more interesting scenes also are expanded, such as the encounter with the bandits at the camp, and more background is provided about the bandits themselves and the efficient and clever way that they are ultimately dealt with by the local people.

Though a little slow going at first, once accustomed to Traven's writing style and well into the meat of the story, the feeling of the realization that a very special experience is in store for you simply builds and builds and continues doing so until the satisfying conclusion of the book is reached. This is a masterpiece, a gourmet treat for the soul, a book to relish during a lazy morning spent in a soft bed, or sitting by a cozy fireplace.

As in many screen adaptations, seemingly ancillary elements were culled for the film. However, those elements, namely the description of the factors which led to the oppression of the native peoples of Mexico, provides a pervasive, unifying theme throughout the novel. This lends an enriching, interesting counterpoint to the story of the central characters.

There is a tiny bit of information given about the mysterious B. Traven, just enough to make you want to learn more. A speculative look at his identity is presented in the extras which are included with the newly-released reissue of the film on DVD.

The stirring and adventurous novel, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" was penned by enigmatic author B. Traven. Traven a political anarchist active in the 20's and 30's was thought to be of German descent and was purported to be the illegitimate son of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Nonetheless he lived for many years in Mexico and as seen by his most celebrated work, had an excellent working knowledge of Mexican culture and society.

His novel which served as the framework for the John Huston classic film starring Bogey and Walter Huston, greatly embellished the story seen on the screen. His tale of adventure, hardship and greed was admixed with political commentary as Mexico was emerging from years of colonial rule and subsequent exploitation by big industry. The oil business was seen ruling the economics of the region described in the book.

Traven's ingenious blending of the gripping tale of his main characters, Dobbs, Curtin and Howard braving the wilds of unexplored jungle regions of Mexico in quest for gold with social commentary was very effective. He was thereby able to expose his points concerning the Mexican social and political climate. He also didactically pointed out that life's riches are not solely based on precious metals but also on the fellowship, relationships and respect among mankind.

I bought the The Treasure of the Sierra Madre at a small used bookstore that was moving across town so that they marked all of their fiction half off (half off of used prices - awesome). So I left with about 20 books for about $20 - $25. I was grabbing things at random that looked at all interesting or at all slightly familiar. One of those books was The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

I had seen parts of the movie years ago on TV, but not enough to remember any plot points. My dad had a tendency to habitually switch channels between five movies all at once so for the longest time I thought John Wayne and the scene where they blow up the bridge during "Bridge over the River Kwai" were scenes in EVERY movie.

The book was slow going at first. The characters are introduced and they take their time to finally get to the part where they're prospecting. As I read it I thought, "yes. There's lots of social inference in here." But then continued to read on taking it all at face value instead of trying to over analyze everything. It's more fun to think about it for a month later and think, "Man, that's so true. We'll all turn against each other in an instant if money is involved. tsk."

I enjoyed the characters, I felt frustrated for them as they fell into paranoia and insanity. I kept thinking, "Which one is Bogart? Is that Bogart?" And when the one guy **spoiler** gets his head cut off, I was like 'Whaa? For real? That's pretty intense." I've been reading a lot of Beat writers a lot lately, and the Mexico that Traven describes is a lot different from Kerouac's or Burroughs' Mexico - they tend to romanticize the poverty, where the guys in this book are actually living the miner hardships. Mexico's a lot better when you have a trust fund, huh, Burroughs?

And yes. I was so happy that the famous `badges' line is actually in the text. I pictured Micky Dolenz saying it from a skit in the Monkees TV show that I used to watch after school on Nickelodeon. I laughed and laughed.

Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a tribute to the novel by Dashiell Hammett featuring the hardboiled detective Sam Spade and his involvement in the doomed quest for a mysterious artifact, as well as the three film noir movies based from it including the classic that made Humphrey Bogart a star. Chapters tell of Hammett's days as a detective, his publication in pulps, the making of the classic novel, critical views of the movies, the reverberations of The Maltese Falcon in popular culture, and much more. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, selections of Hammett's pre-publication material, copies of news articles and other primary sources, and much more, Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a "must-read" for mystery movie trivia buffs and anyone else curious about the history behind a legendary 'hard boiled PI" adventure story.

DISCOVERING THE MALTESE FALCON AND SAM SPADE is the complete book for the fan of Sam Spade in both film and fiction. Fortunately, a very detailed index is provided which allows the reader to choose from among an array of tantalizing topics.The latter includes an account of Dashiell Hammett's days as a Pinkerton detective as well as his work for BLACK MASK. The author also gives us much information about THE MALTESE FALCON in the movies and on stage and radio.The book represents an admirable effort by Layman and it will be enjoyed by anyone captivated by the lure of this enduring tale.

I love the story of THE MALTESE FALCON, not only as it is told in Hammett's novel but also as it is portrayed in John Huston's movie. I can never read enough about Dashiell Hammett, Joseph Shaw, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Gladys George, Sydney Greenstreet, Elisha Cook Jr., Mary Astor, Barton MacLane, Robert and William Pinkerton, John Huston, Lillian Hellman, the Knights of Malta, BLACK MASK, San Francisco after World War I and Raymond Chandler.

This book has enough anecdotes and background material to satisfy even the most ardent enthusiast. My own favorite piece is an account by Mary Astor of her experiences while filming for her role as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the 1941 version of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Dashiel Hammett is one of my favorite authors, I have all of his stories, including a couple of biographies. I'm also a fan of Noir stories and movies. This is a great book to add to my collection.

"Discovering the Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade" is an amazing collection of materials related to Dashiell Hammett, his greatest novel "The Maltese Falcon", the film adaptations of the book, and other spin-offs assembled by Hammett biographer Richard Layman. Layman states in his introduction, "The purpose of this volume is to provide researchers basic materials useful in studying 'The Maltese Falcon'." Not everything ever written about "The Maltese Falcon" is here, but the contents of this book are remarkably varied. The collection is probably too dense for casual fans of "The Maltese Falcon", but it's indispensable for Hammett scholars and aficionados. The only fault I find is that reproductions of newspaper and other type-written materials are sometimes poor and would have benefited from enhancement.

The book is organized into five parts. The first part, "Detective Days", provides biographical information on Dashiell Hammett, a history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, an interview with a colleague of Hammett's at Pinkerton, excerpts from books on criminal investigation that Hammett studied, and some non-fiction pieces that Hammett wrote about his detective days. The second section, "The Pulps and the Making of the Novel", includes a history of "Black Mask" magazine, the historical basis for the Maltese Falcon statuette, comments by "Black Mask" editor Joseph T. Shaw, some reviews of Hammett's mystery fiction, and many excerpts from Hammett's stories that later inspired characters and events in "The Maltese Falcon".

"Magazine and Book Publication" begins with a copy of Hammett's book contract with Knopf and correspondence with publisher Harry Block. There are covers of "Black Mask" issues that serialized "The Maltese Falcon", examples of text that was revised between magazine publication and book publication, early book jackets, many favorable reviews of the book, Dorothy Parker's tepid review of "The Glass Key", articles about Cecil Henderson's plagiarism, and sales data for the novel. The forth section, "Critical Views of 'The Maltese Falcon'", is seven pieces of relatively recent literary criticism that explore American individualism, Sam Spade's vernacular, the novel as introverted romance, as allegory of international politics between the wars, and the pursuit of tangible wealth, among other themes.

The last section, "Movies, Stage, and Radio: Hammett's Novel in Popular Culture", follows Hammett's life after the publication of the novel, followed by discussions of the script, budget, and reviews for the first film adaptation at Warner Brothers in 1931. More letters from Warner Brothers, title suggestions, correspondence with the Breen Office, and reviews of the second movie adaptation, "Satan Met a Lady", in 1936. For John Huston's 1941 adaptation, there is a letter from Joseph Breen citing Production Code violations in the script, a budget, letters about filming, Mary Astor's recollections of the film, 3 movie reviews, and 4 critical analyses. There is a bit about an abortive stage play and the legal challenges over "The Adventures of Sam Spade" radio show. There is a list of selected publications of "The Maltese Falcon" in the back of the book as well as an index.

This book is just what it says-A Celebration of the Life Films of HB-the Stephen Bogart book on HB is more of the biography that I should have gotten-however, the Bogie book is great in its presentation of the films, the actors, and directors of those films

great book, if you want to know everything about humphrey bogart , buy this book
j .gomez

In addition to excellent photos covering Humphrey's life and career, this volume has a concise biography, an insightful appreciation of his acting, and details on all of his nearly 80 films and his dozen or so appearances on the Broadway stage. For casual fans, it is a must-read, and for fanatic fans a must-own. Good job from the creators and publishers, it would make a fine gift for any Bogie-lover one knows.

If you like Bogie than this is the book for you. Great photos accompany a readable text spanning the film great's lifetime. Bogie had an aura around him and this comes out in this book in photos such as the two on pp 156-157 where the original tough guy has Bacall on one arm and Norma Jean on the other. With Bogie what you saw was what you got. If you liked what you saw then check out this book.

The three-disc special edition of the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon contains some very interesting bonus features: the two previous adaptations of Dashiell Hammett's novel, the first also called The Maltese Falcon (though it was renamed Dangerous Female for TV in the '50s to avoid confusion), and the second titled Satan Met a Lady.

Since the 1941 version (directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre) is the one considered "definitive," it's not surprising that relatively few viewers realize that was actually Hollywood's third adaptation of Hammett's classic detective novel.

Satan Met a Lady (directed by William Dieterle and starring Bette Davis and Warren William), is by all accounts a disaster (a very loose adaptation by screenwriter Brown Holmes, who co-wrote this version), but the first Maltese Falcon, filmed in 1931 by director Roy del Ruth, is a terrific alternative for viewers who love the story and would just like to watch a different take on it. (Both films are faithful to the source, with few changes.)

The main difference in tone comes from Ricardo Cortez's portrayal of Sam Spade. Cortez's Spade is much more of a ladies man than Bogart's. In fact, the opening scene of the movie shows a woman leaving Spade's office, adjusting her stockings (later, he is shown picking up sofa cushions from the floor). His roving eye (and hand) also includes his secretary, Effie. Una Merkel plays Effie as if she's not only a willing participant in these shenanigans, but is also quite aware of Spade's other dalliances -- including partner Miles Archer's wife Iva (Thelma Todd) -- and thinks it's funny.

That lightness extends to Cortez, as well. He goes throughout The Maltese Falcon with a huge smirk on his face, as if everything going on around him is endlessly entertaining. And I can imagine why. When Ruth Wonderly (Bebe Daniels) comes into his office, he probably already knows she'll end up naked in his bath, in his bed, and in his kitchen. Cortez displays just the right mix of sleaze and charm.

But the only other actor who gives anything close to as interesting a performance is Dudley Digges as Kasper Gutman. Digges gives the role real grease, making him a truly unlikeable antagonist (Greenstreet always charmed even in his most villainous roles, much like Claude Rains, his costar in Casablanca). And I was very pleasantly surprised to find that Dwight Frye (Renfield in the Lugosi Dracula) shows up briefly as Wilmer Cook. He doesn't say much, but just try to look away when he flashes those psychotic eyes.

This Maltese Falcon was made three years before the enforcement of the Production Code that would whitewash movies for the next thirty years. Thus, there are instances like those mentioned above that did not make it into the "cleaner" 1941 version. One major effect this had is when Mary Astor's Brigid O'Shaughnessy proclaims to Bogart's Spade, "I thought you loved me," it doesn't make a whole lot of sense based on what preceded. Here, when Wonderly (who never reveals herself to be O'Shaughnessy, a plot point I always thought was unnecessarily confusing anyway) says the same words, they hold real meaning.

Though quite entertaining in its own right, the 1931 Maltese Falcon is undoubtedly destined to remain forgotten in the shadow of its later remake. I recommend it, however, due to its lighter and sexier tone, handsomer leading man, and almost completely different approach to the same source material. Fans of pre-Code cinema will especially enjoy it, even if they generally prefer a little more noir in their detective stories.

Like a true classic should this movie seems to improve with each successive viewing. The acting is great and so is the directing leaving me unsurprised that it's ranked among the top quarter of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest American Films list. The only problem I have is with the quality of the DVD; the picture quality isn't very good and the sound quality although Dolby Digital is in Mono. Perhaps with the advent of Blu-Ray, a newer, better restored version will surface with good quality surround sound options perhaps DTS with THX for instance.

Overall, this a a great movie but I'd recommend waiting for a better quality DVD version to come out. Hope it's soon!

This movie is inimitable.

Terse, convoluted, gritty, and satirical. The scenes of this movie pack a visceral punch rarely matched in classic Hollywood movies.

The plot is confusing, if not incomprehensible at times. However, the basics are pretty straightforward. Sam Spade is a private eye working in San Fransisco with his partner. One afternoon a beautiful, malevolent women walks into Spade's office, paying him and his partner (Miles Archer) to find her sister. She claims her sister is in grave danger. She is, of course, lying. Her real goals are hidden, but slowly revealed as the movie progresses. Unfortunately her little ruse ends up getting Spade's partner killed. Thus is unleashed a complex series of events.
The plot focuses on Spade's attempt to keep up with the criminal elements around him. It seems every one is machiavellian, and the underworld Spade belongs to is byzantine in its betrayals, double-crossings, and machinations. The people he talks to are inveterate liars. One gets vertigo trying to make sense of it all. This makes us all the more amazed that Spade can keep his cool. Oddly, it turns out all the fuss in the movie has to do with the statue of a Maltese Falcon. An object worth killing and dying for.
Spade plays crooked, but deep down inside he is a Kantian. His ethical nature, stoic exterior, and masculine facade, make him irresistable as a protaganist. This is the movie that marked the rise of Bogart the superhuman-and rightfully so.

The Maltese Falcon is a rich movie, with myriad meanings. One of the major themes is the quest for an unattainable object and the havoc such a quest can cause. After all, the dead bodies in this movie accumulated over nothing more than the silly statue of a bird! It is interesting to compare the Maltese Falcon with Don Quixote. Both works contain the mythological heroic quest. However, in Quixote, the quest is needed to sustain life. Without it, Quixote dies. In the Maltese Falcon the quest causes death. When the quest is over, sanity is restored. This is an interesting contrast, and one well worth pondering.

Is the quest worth while? Or, should we stay sane and firmly planted on the sinful streets of the world?

In the end, it is hard to find any flaws in this movie. There are no superfluous scenes, nor is there any hint of condescending directing. Just straight to the point, action and dialogue packed delivery.


Brilliant!

Famous 1941 film has lost its punch. Granted, one is assured of good acting with Bogart, Astor, Grreenstreet, Lorre, and Bond in the lineup. Likewise, Director Huston was never known for gaffes or poor quality. The casting is good. So, where's my problem? In a film dealing with dishonesty, there's not a single character that one can trust.This leads to a highly confusing tale that requires several viewings to set the audience straight. That's a definite no-no to me. Having seen this tale at least 6 times over my lifetime, I still couldn't begin to explain it to a non viewer with any sense of acumen. I'd rather try explaining baseball to a foreign novice. No, I think that this picture will continue on a downward spiral, based only on 70 year old reviews. Ted Williams is dead. Derek Jeter plays on.

I'm so tired of seeing weak new movies; thank god for strong old ones! Here's a masterpiece I've seen at least twenty times in the last three decades, and it never gets old.
What makes these classic studio pictures great (when they are great....most are not...Hollywood has always been about money before art...when art happens it seems accidental...)? I think it's that there were no special effects, no garish color, no visual tricks to pull out of a hat when things slow down. Dramatic craftsmanship was needed, and was sometimes delivered in spades [insert pun here].
Two things make the best black and white chestnuts great: a very strong story that's well-paced and develops intelligently, and strongly written characters played by actors who know that stories hinge on character development as much as on plot development. The two should go hand in hand. When they do, real art ensues.
I love the writing of both Hammett and Chandler; hard-boiled dialogue is hard to beat when it's done well, and they are the masters. Hammett may have invented the modern solipsistic detective with his Continental Op, a long cry from Holmes and Poirot. The Op turned into Sam Spade and the Falcon is all about Spade, and Bogie's innate understanding of this mostly good man stuck in a mostly bad world.
The dialogue is razor sharp, the direction gemlike in its precision. No wasted lines, no wasted camera movement, no wasted time. The movie starts fast and never lets up. We get some truly classic characters, and the actors make these good roles into masterpieces, especially Lorre and Greenstreet. There are some phenomenally fine shots here; chiaroscuro this sharp rarely comes from outside Europe.
There is far too much to list in terms of greatness in the Falcon. It is about as good as Hollywood ever got in telling a story and making it entertaining; we can thank mainly Hammett for that. The weltschmerz and hard-bitten cynicism on display here are far too intelligent for films these days.
Ain't it funny that the best old black and white movies show us so clearly that life is never black and white, while movies in dazzling color tend to make life seem one-dimensional, in a good guy vs. bad guy way? The Falcon has no good guy, just a bunch of people who are all good and bad.
When I get sick of crappy movies, I put this baby on and am reminded of why I love movies so much in the first place. Like good music and good literature, they take me somewhere new (even if I've been there before) and send me home knowing more about myself and the world than I did when I started. They also remind me that art and love are where you choose to find them, for they are everywhere. Even in the dark corners of life.
And in the end, shweetheart, only you can make you happy.

The definitive bio of one of Filmdom's Gods.

You will learn alot about the man as actor, and human being, and about Hollywood in the Golden Age here.

Fantastic!

Please note that since the English version of this book didn't appear on Amazon when I searched for it, I'm posting it here under the Spanish version.

It's surprising that it took forty years after his death for a definitive bio to appear on Bogart. The author did over 200 interviews, read his secret FBI file (which was now available under the Freedom of Information Act), and talked to many friends, coworkers, and relatives. The book by his son Stephen was more of a personal memoir growing up with Bogart rather than a true biography, and the earlier one by Hyams, although good, was brief.

Well written, well documented and researched, and very enjoyable to read, this is one of the best biographies I've read. It provides many insights into bogart both as the actor and as the man, and he comes off as quite different from his tough guy image. Bogart was actually a very educated, well read, and refined individual who liked Debussy and Bach, was generous with his money, and was helpful and encouraging to coworkers.

The section on the making of the The Maltese Falcon was typical of the fascinating things one learns from this book. The filming was chaotic, the main problem being the lack of a script. Key actors were delayed because of long contract negotiations, and the ones that were there (such as Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet), often sat around and had nothing to do for days. And Lorre and Greenstreet's contracts required that they get paid $3000 to $4000 a week whether they got used or not.

Here too, Bogart shows his true stripes, different from his devil may care, tough guy stereotype. Despite all the chaos during the shooting, when many people were becoming irritable and losing their tempers, Bogart never did, remaining professional and calm throughout the stressful shooting of the movie. A young actress was extremely nervous about her upcoming part, and Bogart noticed her distress and worked with her on her portion of the script until she felt confident she could do it.

Although the newspapers wanted to imply romantic affairs with his female leads, especially Ingrid Bergmann during the shooting of Casablanca; in fact Bogart was completely faithful and never engaged in such dalliances. When he finally did fall for a coworker, it was Bacall, and that marriage lasted the rest of his life.

There is also a lot of information on Bogart's interrogation by the early House Un-American activities director at the time, a man by the name of Dies, where Bogart successfully defended himself and the director left town, having gotten nothing useful from Bogart. There was nothing to get anyway, all the allegations having been false. Interestingly, the house committee was originally formed to investigate ultra-conservative elements, but its focus soon turned elsewhere.

Overall, this is an excellent biography of Bogart and one that should appeal to his many fans or anyone curious to learn more about this famous Hollywood legend who turns out to have been very different from his pandered image.

Several years ago, the American Film Institute, Entertainment Weekly, and Premiere magazine all named Humphrey Bogart the greatest film star of all time, a selection few film buffs would argue with. Like John Wayne and Cary Grant, Bogart was larger than life, yet, unlike them, he was also down in the dirt with the rest of us. An average guy in many ways, the characters he played beat the odds, but only after enormous effort and struggle.

A.M. Sperber's generally excellent biography shows that Bogart the icon and Bogart the man shared many similar traits. Though the son of a wealthy doctor and his artist wife, there was a dark side to Bogart's outwardly pampered life. His mother was distant, his father was addicted to morphine, and the young boy and his sisters, one of whom suffered from mental illness, were abused by the servants. Bogart was an academic failure with little hope for success until distinguishing himself on Broadway with his classic portrayal of Duke Mantee in "The Petrified Forest."

But even when Hollywood beckoned, life didn't get easier for the insecure actor. While James Cagney, George Raft, Paul Muni, and Edward G. Robinson were "stars" who got the best roles Warner Bros. had to offer, Bogart was taken for granted, a mere contract player who played supporting roles in the important projects, and spent years buried in a series of undistinguished B flicks churned out on the Hollywood assembly line. Well paid, especially by Depression era standards, he nonetheless struggled to support his ailing sisters and to pay off his late father's debts.

Today, it's hard to believe his employers took so long to recognize the charisma and talent that Bogart would bring to "High Sierra" and "The Maltese Falcon," both of which were intended for that great non-entity George Raft. "Casablanca," of course, made Bogart the biggest star on the Warner lot, and Sperber shoots down the myth that both Raft and Ronald Reagan were initially considered for the role of Hollywood's ultimate romantic hero. For once, a role was tailor-made for Bogart, and the legend was born.

Bogart's early life isn't covered as thoroughly as hoped, but that's not a surprise since most of those who could provide insight into the future superstar had died long before Sperber began her book. But the career is well documented, and the man behind the myth emerges as a flesh and blood figure, a fiercely intelligent and generally admirable one, on every page.

Brian W. Fairbanks

Bogart is the definitive biography of Humphrey Bogart. A. M. Sperber, who also wrote a marvelous book about Edward R. Murrow, has done painstaking research that included over 200 interviews. I have previously read the short biography of Bogart by Joe Hyams and Lauren Bacall's autobiography, which helped to gauge some of the information in this book. A. M. Sperber died before she could complete this book so it was completed by Eric Lax.

This is the kind of book that is difficult to put down; a well written book that moves along giving a non-judgmental view of its famous subject. What I came away with was a much broader portrait of Humphrey Bogart and the realization of how unhappy he was. An interesting revelation was that despite his success as an actor there was some regret that he not become a writer. An aspect of Bogart's life that I wish was better covered was his personal likes and dislikes. As in Lauren Bacall's autobiography, this book revealed that he was very fond of Bach and Debussy and the music of both composers was played at his funeral. This was certainly different from his tough guy image! So, although I learned a great deal about his battles with Jack Warner and Mayo and his passionate defense of the First Amendment, it is a portrait lacking a spark of life.

The book goes into detail about his childhood and his parents, who were both drug addicts and near alcoholics. As the book progresses, one can vividly see how his parents affected Humphrey Bogart's personality, making him introverted but also instilling in him the qualities of a gentleman and the Victorian ideal of doing what must be done. The book presents a balanced viewpoint of Bogart's good and bad traits, including his belligerent needling that he seems to make a change in this character during the 1950's.

One minor item that I found to be incorrect was the report in the book that the Bogart dog Harvey had to be put to sleep. Lauren Bacall said in her autobiography that Harvey died at the veterinarian's office shortly after she visited him of a heart attack. Otherwise, this is an impressive book that anyone who has an interest in Humphrey Bogart will want to read.

No question, by the time you finish this book, you are whirling with knowledge of Humphrey Bogart, whom no one can ever really know because he was so complex with a mixture of his shadow and light side that it seems he was the most confused of all about himself. One thing is certain: He had a great, great talent, and his films are as much loved today as when he was in his prime.

Several things are left out of the book, and I wonder why. One is the fact that Mr. Lax states that Bogart's sister was a great financial responsibility for him as she was in a private sanitarium for mental illness. In 1955 Frances Bogart Rose was a patient in the Metropolitan State Hospital (for the mentally ill) at Norwalk, California. She was allowed occasional visits to the Bogart home, but her return was always a concern because of the heavy drinking at Bogart's home and its effects on her. Perhaps it was at an earlier time that she was in a private sanitarium, but Mr. Lax gives the reader the impression it was for life. Since Bogart, who died in 1957, left her no bequest in his will (in spite of leaving small bequests to the household cook and his secretary), one can assume he knew she in some way would be cared for during her lifetime

Another issue not covered is Bogart's involvement with women during his mariage to Bacall, which even Bacall speaks of in her autobiography, stating she did not find out about some of the women until after Bogart's death (perhaps the best documented claim is about the young lady who cut his children's hair, a total opposite from Ms. Bacall). Yet the author points out Ms. Bacall's attractions (and in the case of Adlai Stevenson, she obviously had fallen in love). As Bacall states in her book, she did not have an actual affair because she knew that Bogart would leave her if she did. This is not to say they did not love each other deeply. Perhaps if she had not rejected another great love of his life, his yaught and sailing, and snooted the crew, preferring instead to attend Hollywood parties, the time and experiences they could have shared there would have resulted in a more close-knit bond. On the other hand, she was only twenty when she married him, and the fact that she lived with such a complex and difficult man until his death says something for her.

This book packs you with a wallop because it is so well written, very well researched and documented, the photos are great. Remember, he was an extremely heavy drinker and all his activities were lived under a cloud of alcohol or the affects of alcohol, even his greatest preformances. A gentleman and a boor. crude and erudite. kind and cruel. But talented, talented, talented!

Private detective Joe January is in his element fighting thugs on a dark street or accepting free favors from women of the night. Can he survive the alchemic changes of traveling from 1947 to 1992 and meeting a girl who means more to him than a quick lay? Will he lose his identity in the process?

This meta-noir novel has a little bit of everything. On the noir side of the street: Mystery, raw sex, betrayal, violence, and romance. Up the meta-fiction alley: Blurring the lines between writer and character, ingenious twists on free will versus destiny, lust versus love, the fragmentation of a man's psyche.

I had to wonder if the author, J. Conrad Guest, borrowed from the film Stranger Than Fiction, about a man who finds out he is a character in a book. But I checked, and Stranger Than Fiction was released in November 2006, while January's Paradigm has a copyright date of 2002. Guest is a clever storyteller. Although there were a couple of long-winded paragraphs in the first half of the book, you will be glad you kept reading. Soon enough, you will be too curious to stop until the conclusion.

Guest has crafted a very compelling tale in January's Paradigm; and I was fully engaged, page by page, in every character, until the clever end. Joe January's not always a likable sort, but he's well-developed and real; you probably know someone like him. The ingenious twist to this tale is that Joe January is but a displaced character, sprung to life from the pages of a successful novel. He's come to life to overcome unresolved emotions that his creator has suffered at the hands of an unfaithful wife. January is rightfully bitter and skeptical as he meets the characters who unfold the plan to bring January (and his alter-ego, novelist Robert Porter) home. Guest's first novel is vivid and visceral. That the supporting characters were developed to heal January's/Porter's heart demonstrates Guest's resourcefulness. I anxiously await the sequel by Mr. Guest, who I suspect has a bright future in the literary arena.

It is different, which is hard to find today. It keeps you guessing until the end. That's entertaining. It wraps up intelligently. That makes me want more. I don't know much about writing but I do know about reading. I read this twice and enjoyed it just as much the second time. I've purchaced three copies as gifts (I've never done that before). All three gifts were greatly enjoyed. All four of us want more Mr. Guest! How about it?

I have turned the last page of January's Paradigm... J. Conrad Guest is truly a gifted author who has a brilliance to his
writing that takes the reader away from the mundane stories... Guest has stepped beyond an average writer with a concept for a book like this one. Good job!

Film noir meets dreamscape meets sci-fi meets erotica meets... I'm a James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, Nelson DeMille, Dean Koontz, etc. sort of fan and found Guest' book matching up with all the positive attributes I like so much about these other authors.

January's Paradigm is written with a sardonic and sarcastic sort of wit that I found appealing. Character development is outstanding and the story is not predictable - a real plus for me since I usually figure out most stories well before the conclusions.

It's a great and fast read and offers heat in parallel with thought-provoking (and realistic) dialogue between interesting and off-beat characters.

Can't wait for the next installment.

I guess Jack Nicholson is the closest thing to him today. But if you're hoping that this book might serve as a how-to-be-Bogart book, you're mistaken. There's much more to Bogart than a cigarette and Fedora. I guess it's something you either have or don't have. It's what makes each of us unique. He wasn't exactly a handsome man, but he sure had presence. But if there was a how-to-be-Bogart book, this would be it. It's like the Bogart almanac. It has all the dates, the statistics, the quotes, the films, the radio programs, the plays, and the television appearances in glorious detail. If you're a Bogart fan, this book's for you. If you aren't a fan, this book will make you one. Oh, and you should also see Casablanca.

Humphrey Bogart was my movie idol beginning when I was in my teens (about a dozen years after he died). I read what I could about him and, of course, did my best to see all of his movies. Over the years my interest in movies expanded to include other actors and subjects. At the same time, the late night TV movies showed fewer and fewer "old" movies so my Bogart movies seemed limited to "CasaBlanca" and "The African Queen". Not a bad couple of movies to watch but too limited to live out my Bogart mania. Thus I looked forward to reading "The Ultimate Bogart" when I saw it in the book store. I enjoyed how it brought back my enthusism for one of cinema's great actors. However, I felt that the book was overloaded with too much trivia; especially the unneccessary information about the expansion of Bogart's legend after his death. The author categorizes his chapters which has the unfortunate affect of repeating a lot of information that fits into more than one such category. What we come up short on is more information of a biographical nature. There is a great filmography and Bogarts fans will enjoy the trivia tests. There is also a very good bibliography. However, I can't recall the last time I got excited over a bibliography.

This is a book for Bogart fans but they will already know most of the information. At least they will have a guide now as to where to turn for more.

He is without a doubt one of the Coolest Cats to Ever be on the Big Screen.I have seen many of His Movies&He had a Edge to His Craft.this Book Explores His Rise&the way He went about things.some very Interesting things are mentioned.I enjoyed all the info.

A book that just goes on about herself and people she know's --if you are a Fan this is a must to own ..

I had read Miss Bacall's previous book, so thought to myself,for the price that Amazon was selling it at, so be it. I'm buying! What else could this great legend say however? A lot. The book was filled with many more personal stories and interests than I suspected it could be. It is an excllent book on one of the last of the great legends in Hollywood. I loved the book. Got her to sign it too, she was most gracious.

Follow Betty Bacal, the shy daughter of a Rumaniam immigrant, as she becomes stage struck, trains as a actress, has an overnight success modeling for Vogue, and is transformed by director Howard Hawkes into Lauren Bacall, the newcomer who sweeps Humphrey Bogart off his feet.

Bacall's tale is irresistible, and she tells it well. The story of her transformation at Howard Hawks's hands into the Slim of "To Have and Have Not" is all the more delicious because Bacall remains, while the cameras are not running, an inexperienced teen who misses her mother and her family in New York. Bacall's off-screen innocence contrasts strikingly and delightfully with her knowing on-screen persona.

Bacall's account of her romance and marriage to Humphrey Bogart is graceful and moving. Bacall quotes Bogart's letters to her during their courtship: these reveal his stunned incredulity at finally finding love after a lifetime of romantic failures. Their marriage is a sweet reward to Bogart after years of domestic strife, and his gratitude at finding happiness and fatherhood in midlife is tremendously affecting. Bogart's gallantry and courage in his final illness reduced me to tears, as did Bacall's despair at losing the love of her life.

By her own account, Bacall's second marriage to Jason Robards was not a success. She cares for her children (two by Bogart and one by Robards), but they do not appear central to her life. The great loves dominating Bacall's post-Bogart years remain her mother and the acting profession. Bacall's dedication to her craft is evident, both on stage and on screen, and she remains ever grateful for a good role-- a gratitude that grows more poignent as she ages.

Any weaknesses? A few. Then Some, penned 27 years after By Myself, doesn't live up to the magic of the first installment, although one must admire Bacall's spirit in producing it. And Bacall's rather cursory depiction of her children leaves the reader wondering about the status of her relationships with them. But these criticisms are minor ones when measured against the charm and drama of Bacall's story.

Lauren Bacall is now in her 80s. Her memoirs span over 60 years of cinema and stage history. Her story is well worth reading for those who appreciate American theater and film. Highly recommended, especially for those interested in the private side of the Bacall-Bogart saga.

I am someone who did not read the first book. As such, this was all new to me. I can honestly say that the beginning of this book was the BEST autobiography I have ever read. Never, have I gained such insight into the things I longed to know about a "star" and their associates.

When Lauren Bacall describes her growing up in New York I can see and feel all of those locations. I picture her handing out programs in the theater. I am in the room with her, and nervous, when she is meeting Bette Davis. I fall in love with Humphrey Bogart, just based on her descriptions of the early romance. She truly taps into my first love. As such, my spirit is crushed with her during his last days. I feel her upset, joy and bravery all through the book. This is outstanding, personal, and descriptive writing.

I do agree that the last chapters of the book bring the book to a terrible halt. Still, this book is unfairly rated by those who read the earlier book without the stale ending. 75% of this book is still the earlier book-- the 5 star book. The ridiculously low ratings are especically unfair, when most are based on the Bacall's statements about our current president and have nothing at all to do with her book!

I am giving 4 stars, and recommending the earlier (5 star) book simply because the ending of this one reads like an endless obituary. I will pass this one on and pick up the first one as I know I will want to read it again. It is wonderful!

In fact, I dare you to try and read it without revisiting a Lauren Bacall/Humphrey Bogart movie and feeling like you are there.

As others have mentioned, the "By myself" portion of this book was excellent. What a fascinating life, from her upbringing in New York City to her discovery and preparation for stardom by Howard Hawks, to life with Bogie and the years of work after his passing. She was very honest about herself, her frailties and insecurities. She's also very honest about the quality of some of the roles she has taken, which I appreciate. I must also note that she must have dug very deep to recount the last year, and particulary the last few months, of Bogie's life. This intimate account is crushing - it broke my heart.

And like others, I was less impressed with "And then some". The sense that I got was that she was not necessarily name-dropping, but trying to impress upon the reader the importance of her friends in her life, and the void their passing has left. And as a mild liberal I may agree with some of her political viewpoints but would never consider hoisting my beliefs on others. I do not think that in she was skillful in conveying her point in this portion of the book.

Nonetheless, I am glad I read the book. I might have missed it altogether had the newer edition not come out. What a life!

The African Queen - C.S. Forrester. Weak. Good, but weak. The movie may have won an academy award but the book comes up short. More of a novella, or screenplay than a book. The author could have doubled the text and it may well have been a good book. I appreciate the drama of the two people pulled from separate worlds that are changed dramatically by unfolding events and raise themselves to previously unimagined feats of character and bravery. Still, it was a wasted effort, two little to hang it all on and a pointless ending.

I will not reveal the ending; I will say only that it does not end with the German captain of the Louisa marrying the protagonists just as the ship impales itself on the overturned African Queen's torpedoes. C. S. Forester's ending requires less suspension of disbelief, less "deus ex machina." Throughout the voyage of refugees Rose Sayer and Mr. Allnutt down the Ulanga and Bora Rivers in German Central Africa at the outbreak of war, the reader is treated to C. S. Forester's literal, high resolution realism. Forester would not have felt the need to depart from that realism to enhance the final drama. Forester reveals the characters of protagonists Rosie and Allnutt as successive adversities beset them on their voyage. Their steam launch, The African Queen, is their vessel in both senses of the word: if course it is their boat, but it also represents a container in which the protagonists' spirits are blended in a purposeful collaboration. it is a touching human drama, and the realism is such that the reader's ears ring unceasingly with the high-pitched whine of mosquitoes.

If I love a movie, I will often read the book with the expectation that it will be better.
In this case I think the movie is better than the book. Not that it is a bad book, I found it enjoyable enough. I just think that Bogey's and Hepburn's interpretation of the characters is what really brought this story to life.

Throughout most of the book, I found myself thinking, "This is one case where I like the movie better." Although the plot for the first 3/4 of the book is the same as the movie's, the characterization is a bit different. For example, the movie portrays Rose as a determind, principled, yet prim woman who slowly learns to love; in the book, she comes across as a bit immature, supposedly the result of being repressed by men her entire life, and is so thrilled with the freedom earned by her brother's recent death that she decides to kamikaze a German boat. Personally, I found the movie's Rose more realistic and likeable; the book's Rose felt too much like a poster child of feminist propoganda.

In general, most of the novel is a bit heavy-handed is describing the character's motives, characters, and thought processes, and leaves very little to the imagination. Subtlety, apparently, is not Forester's strong point.

The only thing keeping me from giving this book a lower rating is the ending. Forester truly redeems himself in my eyes with the ending, which is far darker and more realistic than the movie's. The ending calls into question everythng that you assumed that Forester was trying to tell you -- all the notions of heroism, patriotism, and true love. The last line is probably one of my favorite of all last lines,


(Spoiler space)



forcing you to ask yourself: Are Charlie and Rose truly soulmates, or has an extreme situation simply brought them together and instigated passion? While in the movie it is clear that Charlie and Rose truly love another, the book suggests that their "love" may simply be due to the arousal that arises during a near-death situation. For me, this very human, bittersweet ending enabled me to forgive Forester for his earlier heavy-handed treatment of the characters.

I was shocked to learn how bad this book really is. The title is so beloved by many as the Bogart/Hepburn classic, and one would expect the book to not only match the Hollywood translation but to dwarf it with typical literary superiority. Not so. The basic plot itself is brilliant enough in its simplicity: two unlikely characters (the archetypical Cockney grease monkey and the chaste maiden) have an adventurous float down an untamed river on a cocked-up mission to sink a German gunship. Ok so far. What Forester does with this promising seed is ridiculous and leaves the reader wondering whether this was all just a vehicle for Forester to deliver a little saucy "maiden-missionary-loses-her-virginity" stuff mixed in with his clearly evident views that missionaries are idiots. Forester's story is outrageous on all levels. From the timely and chance first meeting between Rose and Allnut, to the mere minutes that it took for Rose to hatch her ignorant plot to sink a German warship, to Allnut's agreement to participate, to the absurd success of the journey, to the ridiculous "Cockney ingenuity" with which Allnut fashions a propeller out of a coconut or some such stunt, Forester lays a number of eggs. The creme de la creme is Rose's glorious fall from grace. This whole angle of the book borders on soft porn, at least by 1930's standards. Are we to believe that this apparently devout missionary woman has maintained her purity for all these years just to give it all to this unbathed louse? Forester clearly delighted in this stuff: at one point, he actually describes Rose's 'chests' as literally levitating with her newfound vigor and energy - having replaced her former existence of Christian bondage with a new life of unbridled jungle boogie. Come on. Last criticism, with a SPOILER ALERT: the movie's ending is much better than the novel's. Whereas the movie made the boat (the very namesake of the book) into one of the main characters that ultimately sunk the German gunboat, Forester sinks the Afican Queen early and unceremoniously, and then takes the reader through an irrelevant account of Belgian naval manuevers and German military justice. Anyway, I've written enough: stick to the movie.