Robert De Niro Books

Great book. Great detail.A must for anyone who has seen the film. Gives you a 100% more info and detail.

Turning dense, non fiction material such as Nick Pileggi's 1985 best seller "Wiseguy," into a cohesive screenplay is no easy task, but Pileggi and the brilliant Martin Scorsese pulled it off beautifully in 1990 with the script for "Goodfellas"

"Goodfellas" remains America's penultimate crime film; the "Godfather" is Hollywood's version of what wiseguys are like; "Goodfellas" depicts them as how they really are.

This Faber paperback edition of the screenplay, with a foreward by David Thompson ("Scorsese on Scorses") reproduces all of the dialouge verbatim (including the scenes that were improvised on the set such as the famous "what's so funnny about me" sequence between Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta).

The book serves as both as written testamint to what great movie making is all about and as a primer for budding screenwriters.

As a bonus, there is a listing of all the music Scorcese used on the soundtrack (no small part of what made the movie a classic),including those selections that were unfortunately deleted from the commercial issue on Atlantic records).

As Joe Pesci's character might say--"this is one great -------book!"

Though Nicholas Pileggi's source book, Wise Guy, gave this screenplay both its voice-over and its final conclusion, the screenplay to GoodFellas is an essential addition to any screenplay library. If not for the fact that Pileggi and Martin Scorsese have pulled off the mammoth task of interpreting the detailed-packed, wide-scoped vision of the book into cinema-speak, then for the writing itself. GoodFellas is a screenplay that can be read as entertainment -- fast-paced, crisp, clear, and exciting. The published version of this script is mostly in master-scene form, giving only the most evocative details, beautifully paced. This is one of the crowning entries in Faber and Faber's superb screenplay series, ranking right up there along Paul Schrader's Taxi Driver and Odets/Lehmann's for Sweet Smell of Success. To any upstart screenwriter or serious student of film, this series is invaluable.

Sure, if you're not into the film "Goodfellas" that much or if you don't care for screenplays, then chances are that this would be rather worthless to you. Might as well find something else to buy, because this isn't going to do anything for you.

But, if you DO love the film and would like to read the screenplay, then this is just the thing for you. Written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, "Goodfellas" is an amazing script that sucks you in right away.

Henry Hill has always wanted to be gangster, as he states in the very beginning of the film. This is his story of how he became one and everything he had witnessed and experienced. It's a tragic story of how good things always have to come to an end. It's also about how power and money can grab hold of your life until it's too late to turn back. A tale full of crime, murder, paranoia, and greed, "Goodfellas" is a trip down Mafia Lane that you will never forget. This is Mr. Hill's story.

The script is based on Nicholas Pileggi's novel, "Wise Guys," which is also based on a true story. The dialogue is sharp and very realistic and gives us a window into the lives of people in the Mafia. It is a very quick read, only about 130 pages. That's pretty short, considering that the movie was at least 2 and a half hours long. But, it's just dialogue, which is why it is very easy to read it quickly. I finished it in less than a day.

If you love the film "Goodfellas," and are interested in reading screenplays, then this is the perfect book for you. Here's your chance to relive some of your favorite moments, this time in writing. A very fine screenplay, it is.

Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" is, hands down, the best gangster film ever made. "The Godfather" created the mythical imagery of mob families that was forever buried by this gutty, bloody real life drama. Based upon the true story as told by the film's main character, Henry Hill, "Goodfellas is the best filmed example of the real life glamour and woekmanlike drudgery that goes with being a wiseguy. It is difficult to imagine a show like "The Sopranos," for example, had not "Goodfellas" reinvented the gangster film genre.

Ray Liotta is excellent as Henry, but the movie's real showcases are the performances of Joe Pesci and Robert DiNiro as his partners in crime. Pesci in particular gives a tour de force performance that is downright frightening. Other first rate performances come from Lorraine Bracco as Henry's Jewish wife and Paul Sorvino, whose performance as a real life Godfather could not be more different than Marlon Brando's.

This film is a must see for anyone who enjoys gangster movies. It also has to rank as THE best American movie of the 1990s.

Now that Hollywood has finally given Scorsese his due with what amounted to a career-Oscar, the time is ripe to read the revised edition of this superb book. The questions asked of the director are intelligent, not fawning, and his answer's are lengthy and fascinating. The generous space devoted to his childhood and early years help one better understand why Scorsese has been so attracted to a particular genre and how he executes it so well. This director is, of course, immensely knowledgeable about the history of film, and his comments on other directors' work are fascinating. A readable mine of information about one of the most important popular artists of our time.

I bought this book out of respect and deep admiration for Martin Scorsese. What I got was keen insight into a creative genius. The numerous interviews reveal a side to Scorsese that not many people see outside the camera. It's a lot more personal than that. When he talks about his movies, he ultimately parallels them to what his life was like at that time. So it's a fine blend of his personal life mixed with his professional life. There's also the obvious vibe that this man always was and always will be a student of film; his passion is infinite. Perhaps that's what makes him as influential and well-respected as he is.
You're the best there is, Marty!!

There are few filmmakers more brilliant than Martin Scorsese, and this book provides wonderful insight into the sources of his obsessions. Almost any book on Scorsese is worth reading, but this volume gives equal time to his less-appreciated, (but no less wonderful), films like The King of Comedy and After Hours. By far, the most informative book on Scorsese yet.

This reader felt almost privileged to read these interviews, lectures, and conversations with Martin Scorsese. He simply shares everything, and indeed he is, if nothing else, a true fan of movies!

The insightful words of Scorsese, arranged to parallel his filmography up through New York Stories, are annotated by the redoubtable editors Thompson and Christie. Scorsese is arguably the greatest postmodern artist, (and I would have to say the only postmodernist I unhesitatingly adore -with possible exception of Matt Groening), and the reader really gets to see how Scorsese constructs a film. His inspirations are as predictable as directors Pasolini and Powell, yet as diverse as Mahatma Ghandi and Little Richard. He loves all with equanimity and enthusiasm.

That's the joy of this book... the guy loves movies, loves making them, and all that energy just shines through.

Extremely valuable resource for the student of film, but good fun for the humble film buff, too. Bonus: interesting black and white photos you won't find elsewhere. Excellent (though naturally out-of-date) filmography appendix.

I absolutely devoured this book, essentially reading in two sittings a day apart. A rare and privledged look into the mind of Scorsese in his own words, followers of his work will be thrilled with the insights and anecdotes. Anyone half-aware of the man's work can recognize the thought that goes into it, but these interviews reveal the incredible depth and passion for film and its history that underlies his craft.

An essential read for anyone that considers her- or himself a film buff.

Sail along with Dan and Judi and the Lady in the second book of their life as they charter the best sailboat and motor yacht in the BVI. You can almost smell the briny sea and taste Judi's gourmet meals as page after page unfolds a story of life on the ocean and the people they encounter. After reading Judi's story, I felt a strong bond with her and now know why I admired her so much when chartering. Her books are a pure delight.

The Voyage of The Capricorn Lady is a voyage anyone can take without leaving your living room. From the moment I began reading, I understood that Judi was not only sharing with us a wonderful part of her life, but developing a bittersweet peace within herself as she wrote. She writes simply and beautifully as she takes us on a voyage of success, failure, and success, peppered with the determination and self doubt we all experience. As we come to know Judi and Dan, we can relate to their difficult choices, and we can rejoice in their happiness.

Throughout this journey, we are confident that Dan and Judi's business savvy, and devotion to family and each other will inspire them through their most difficult times.
These books are not only a tribute to a man by his wife, but a true to life experience of living a dream laced with laughter, danger,and above all love...

This is a true story of a man and a woman destined to meet and share a life of adventure, laughter, tragedy and love. From their first lunch together in 1964, to their last embrace in April 2003, Daniel Gilman and Judith Bauer epitomized the term "soul mates".
Book one takes us on their journey from the world of high level real estate, through an abrupt departure on their 40' sail boat Capricorn and finally to the Caribbean. The agony of leaving family and possessions behind is gradually softened by their new lives, new friends and a grand new world.
Through a tapestry of defeats and accomplishments, Judi takes us with her on a cruise through her most cherished years with her "Danny" by her side. We experience their hartache and their hard earned victories. As we sail with them on the Capricorn from island to island to the acquisition of their motor yacht, Capricorn Lady, we eat, swim, dive, and tour their stunningly beautiful yet at times unforgiving part of the world.

Judi's vivid and deeply personal account of their life together leaves the reader with an enticing anticipation for book two. These books are just not for those who shared the experience of a cruise with Dan and Judi. It is for the romantic, the gourmet, and the adventurer in all of us.

In Book 1, we meet Captain Dan and his "Capricorn Lady", Judi. Overcoming unbelievable personal challenges, they continue charting their course on the 71 foot luxury Trumpy Motor yacht. "Capricorn Lady" is a labor of love, and we live each moment with Dan and Judi. Charter guest stories are touching, funny and human nature at its best! Book 2 takes you on many trips around the British Virgins, and you feel like you are also escaping on the "Lady," savouring each adventure with the Gilmans and their guests. Book 2 is an intimate, loving tribute to Captain Dan. Judi has opened her heart and the diary of her life with her beloved husband. Readers will relate to her emotions and cheer her independance. Can hardly wait for Book 3!

The second book in this series is wonderful. It brings back memories of days living in the islands, when the challenges of living were overcome by the joy and energy of Caribbean life. Be sure to have a tissue close at hand when reading this book, as it is not all chuckles, as you read of entertaining charter guests and crew. The book deals with deeper subjects such as family, illness and death, and there is an undercurrent of regret for the things that might have been, but this is overcome by the sheer joy the author, my Mother, felt about her life with her captain. I shared the adventure with "The Capricorn Lady", and loved every minute of it.

You may think that Bobby D is the man, and you'd be right. But do you really understand WHY he is the man? Douglas Brode does, and in this project, he lays out all of the reasons De Niro has become one of the most prolific actors of his time. Informative and entertaining, The Films of Robert De Niro is a must read for fans of the actor and his movies.

This series of books is always outstanding for the bunch of pictures it contents. But the text equals the image, there's a lot of research for each movie De Niro's done -critic-guru Pauline Kael's comments among others-, and a few insights on the flaws of some of his movies, that may give you the right impression that this author knows some things about craftsmanship.

Robert De Niro is without a doubt one of the best actors of all time. This wonderful in-depth book covers his film career, from his early student films of the 60's with Brian De Palma through 1998's "Ronin". It briefly mentions his roles after "Ronin" and ends with "Meet the Parents" and "Men of Honor". As this fourth edition was published in 2001, an updated fifth edition is badly needed. But, even the most hardcore De Niro fans like me must admit that he hasn't had many memorable roles since "Ronin", although "Analyze This" was very funny.

When looking through this book I'm surprised at how many De Niro films haven't been released yet on dvd. With each of his movies, the author lists the cast, gives a plot summary, and tells how the critics and public reacted to each movie upon its initial release. There are hundreds of great photos from his movies (including a nice color section in the middle of the book) that fans will appreciate. I was already a major Robert De Niro fan before I bought this awesome book, but reading it helped me discover many more of his great movies. This book is an absolute must for any De Niro fan!

I have been eating periodically at the Tribeca Grill since it opened in 1990. It is a restaurant that continues to get better with age: hearty food, friendly, professional staff, a great wine list, and celebrity buzz. Now there's a book that really captures the spirit and excitement of Tribeca Grill and brings it to my home. The book is lavishly illustrated, the recipes are simple to follow, and the stories are interesting. Even if you've never been to Tribeca Grill, you'll enjoy this book.

I have visited the Tribeca Grill several times on trips to NYC and have always enjoyed it. I was intriguied to learn that they now had a cookbook, and purchased a copy. It's a thoroughly enjoyable book. The recipes are great and very accessible, and the annecdotes are interesting and capture the personality of the restaurant. If you can't get to New York, this is a nice alternative to experience the Tribeca Grill.

This is truly one of those exceptional cookbooks from a famous restaurant which is accessible for the home goumet.

The recipes are of exceptional creativity and taste and style, yet they are not of such ingredients that you have to scour the city or internet to find, nor learn exotic techniques.

For example, Lamb and Portabello Skewers with Mint Pesto, Goat Cheese and Oven-Dried Napleons, Crab-Crusted SeaBass with Briased Endive, Pine Nut Polenta, and RedWine Fumet, or my favorite so far from the collection: Molasses-Cured Pork Loin with Boston Baked Beans. And for finishers, you've got to try the Carmelized Banana Tart with Malted-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream.

This is outstanding collection of Italian, Mediterrean, and mixture and fusion of oriental and Middle-east dishes. Great stuff, not too difficult to prepare. Looks great, and the taste is sophisticated, but comfort food as well.

This is one of the best recent new ones out.

this is an exelent modern japanese cookbook, exelent basics tips, nobu really takes care for the products.

The book was in perfect shape, and it arrived promptly. This was a very good transaction, thank you

'nobu THE cookbook' by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is Nobu's first cookbook and as he has a new title on the bookstands now, I thought it was high time I got around to reviewing it.

For starters, I must say I rank photographic flash way down on my list of criteria for a good cookbook. I have very little use for cookbooks used to grace a coffee table, since I have no coffee table. So, If impressive looking cookbooks from famous chefs is your cup of tea, then this is an excellent book. Otherwise, it doesn't do a lot for me.

For starters, while the book deals almost exclusively with fish cookery and raw fish dishes, the introductory material on techniques, especially knife techniques is pretty thin. The story on sushi prep is that it takes years to learn everything you need to know about good knife techniques, and we are given but a half a page without even some pictures of the types of knives used in the three techniques described.

I will say that most of the recipes are relatively simple, as long as you have the right skills, but the ingredients for a lot of the dishes are somewhere between difficult and impossible to find. The poster boy for this state of affairs is abalone. Throughout my whole life, I have never seen fresh abalone available on the east coast fishmonger's counter. Now, I suspect this Pacific shellfish is endangered almost to the point of extinction. But, as Bob Kinkaid so eloquently says in his cookbook, high end restaurants can get things which are simply beyond the reach of the average shopper.

If this were a book on classic Japanese cookery, I would have a higher opinion of it, but it is a song to the virtues of Nobu Matsuhisa. It is a very pretty song, well graced with paeons from business partner Robert DeNiro, best bud, Martha Stewart, and about twenty testimonial blurbs from the culinary greats.

If your thing is good books on and about celebrity chefs, buy this book. But, if your interest is Japanese cooking in general, start with Shizuo Tsuji's 'Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art'.

The recipes in this cook book are truly exceptional. The photography is beautiful and they aid in designing the finished dishes so they look beautiful as well as apetizing. I had a dinner for my relatives and used about 5 recipes from this cook book in one night. You know you have a good cookbook when all the guests talk about is the food! The only caveat would be for folks who don't have access to a good asian grocery store to find the ingredients or those who don't have the patience to do detailed prep work. For the gourmet cook who loves to please thier guests with the best dining experience--this cookbook will rock your world.

Kodansha's corporate big wigs are Nobu fans so when he chose them to publish his first cook book, they decided to match the quality of the book to the quality of Nobu's ingredients. They used an eight colour separation process (absurdly expensive) for all the fish pictures, and try as you might you can't really see the dots that compose the image, at least not without a magnifying glass.

Nobu's aim is to proudly lay himself open to his public. He doesn't fear revealing his secrets because he's confident enough to know his style and character are unique to him. He wants to inspire amateur chefs.

Here are three of the simpler dishes that anyone could make.

1) Sea urchin in a shiitake mushroom cap, wrapped in steamed spinach, served on an egg sauce with a spoonful of salmon roe

2) Asparagus topped with salmon roe

3) Steamed monkfish liver with caviar

As the saying goes, the media is the message and the pictures actually help the amateur chef no end. With the superb pictures that accompany the recipes, you can execute these dishes almost from the name of the recipe alone. Without the pictures, you can't.

One caveat. Nobu is a name dropper. I've no doubt that Robert De Niro, Martha Stewart, Ken takakura, and Linda Evans really are his friends but he mentions famous names too often for my taste. On the other hand when I went to Nobu Tokyo during Nobu week, he was there and toured the dining room. He stopped by our table and signed a copy of his book for me. So he's not too proud to smile and have chat with us rabble; he really likes his customers.

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo

Very disappointed as the book is more like a movie script (i.e. "He enters the room, voice over") This makes it very dull and I couldn't get into the book altho I tried several times.

Book came in the time frame and in the condition specified.

It has been a long time since I fell on such a good book. Interesting characters intertwine in a decisive decade for Vegas. The story is based on the real life of Frank (Lefty) Rosenthal who left his mark in the gambling industry.

Money, power, greed, lust, and crime with flair intertwine in seventies' Sin City. Pileggi is a natural born story-teller who knows how to make it all work and keep you glued to the book with every turn of the page. The writing is style is spot on. It's so hard to find contemporary literature written with such a simple language, yet capable of conveying an intriguing story.

The fact that I had only seen bits and pieces of the movie, also helped. I could place the faces of De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone behind the characters while still enjoying the novelty of getting acquainted with the story for the real time.

I would recommend this to anybody who is interested in recent history, the mob, and the gambling industry overall.

This book is really great.Hate to tell that jackass who wrote the olsen casino review but its a non fiction story and it was written long before the movie came out. Anyone interested in the mob or vegas will love this book!

Perhaps a little more well known for "Wiseguys", the book that became the movie "Goodfellas", Nicholas Pileggi is as good as they get when it comes to writing about the Mafia, its people and the drama of living the life. It is unfortunate that he doesn't work very fast - more books would be welcome.
"Casino" is the true story of Vegas in its heyday prior to the mega resort/casinos we see today, like Excalibur, New York New York, The Luxor, etc. Before large corporations turned Las Vegas into a theme park with casinos, the Chicago mob pretty much controlled the then famous casinos of the day, like the Stardust, where the movie "Casino" disguises it with the fictional name of The Tangier. Skimming the profits was the mob's business. Perhaps the greatest handicapper of all time, Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, ran three major casinos and ran them well. Chicago sent out the legendary Tony Spilotro to keep an eye on "Lefty" and protect him and the moolah. Spilotro, however, had ideas of his own and soon became mired in a horrendous mess, dragging Rosenthal and eventually all the mob controlled casinos to their demise with him. Rosenthal still lives, and even has a web site, but Spilotro at books' end learns the hard way that being insubordinate to the mob and skimming their skim has dire consequences.
Pileggi is a master at showing a picture of the lives of these people, the shady deals, the threats from every corner, from the state, other criminals and the Mob, and how difficult life is for those who choose the gambling scene as a way of life.
It's morbid but fascinating reading. A must for fans of organized crime books.

First, I must say that the writer must be British, because of his spelling. However, I personally believe that only a New Yorker can really accurately capture a man like Robert De Niro's life. I also believe that the author engages in speculation on more than one occasion and oftentimes his speculation is presented as fact. Granted, Robert De Niro is an "intensely private" individual, as the author says. So an author must engage in some speculation, however there is too much ambiguity, tenuous speculation in this biography, for my taste. But, Mr. Dougan's alleged reputation as "a respected film reviewer and broadcaster" became a matter of speculation itself, when Andy Dougan makes the impugnable offense of claiming that "De Niro, incidentally, is the only person in the Godfather films who utters the immortal phrase about non-refusable offers...When Al Pacino as Michael relates to Vito's negotiating ploy in the first film he says only, 'My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.'" (page 65, second to last paragraph) Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone tells his godson, Johnny Fontane, that it's too late for the Godfather to get him into an acting role, because the part has been cast,
Fontane: "It's too late, they start shooting in a week."
Don Corleone (Brando): "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."
I only realized after this review that other Amazon reviewers spotted the mistake, however when I read it, I almost fell out of my chair; I knew it was a mistake immediately. How can a "respected film reviewer" forget about one of the most famous lines, in perhaps the most famous film ever made? For me, a movie purist, this casts a shadow on the veracity of this biography, or any of this author's speculation and/or conclusions. This is not pedantry, I believe that when writing a biography of Robert De Niro, and proclaiming yourself as a respected film reviewer, one cannot make these mistakes. Also, the author does not make much reference to the friendship of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Personally, through some inside knowledge, I happen to know quite a bit of their relationship through a source who shared aquaintances with them during the early to mid 1980s in Jersey City, NJ and Manhattan. However, let me point to a positive note, I did in fact learn several trifles of knowledge and interesting facts about the legendary screen actor, director, and film-maker.

UNTOUCHABLE is a decent book. I agree with the others that state some obvious errors, such as the famous Godfather quote. Another is the Scorsese/Raging Bull quote. Scorsese actually greatly admired Buster Keaton's work in Battling Butler (and Keaton never hit anyone over the head with a chair in it). Dougan has it all wrong.

Having said that, this is about the only biography of Robert De Niro available and Dougan does a good job of covering his personal life which is not well known.

It took me a while to decide whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. As you can see, I decided on the lower number. I have many reasons for this:
1. This is an interesting book, but only because it is about Robert De Niro. Not because the information is presented in an interesting fashion. In fact, my Calculus textbook presents its information more interestingly than this bio. Mr. Dougan either doesn't know how to write, or had his 9 year old write this book for him. The language of his writing is awful. The way he states things is bad (he also uses the word "keen" at least once every 2 pages-what's up with that?)You'll understand what I mean
if you have read this.
3. He doesn't do everything in chronological order. For example, he'll go on for a few pages about a movie De Niro was doing, than he'll suddenly go back five years and tell us about De Niro's relationship with one of his wives or something like that. He could definately have done this in a way so that it isn't so grating on the reader.
4. He uses quotes that are at times unrelated to what he's talking about.
5. He repeats the same information multiple times. For example, I think that he has John Belushi dying about 5 times in 2 chapters. In fact chapters 22 and 23 three begin with almost the exact same sentence ("The death of John Belushi was a devastating blow for De Niro." and "Since the death of John Belushi, De Niro had been taking stock of his life." Tell me that those two chapters don't sound like they are both about the same thing, De Niro dealing with Belushi's death.)
6. He uses unrelated things to make the book seem bigger. For example, a little over two chapters are devoted to John Belushi's life, his relatationship with De Niro, his death, and the investigation after his death.
7. He doesn't have enough actual information about De Niro preparing and making his movies. He tends to spend much more time quoting reviews that various critics gave of De Niro's performances. In fact, I'd say that the critic quotes outnumber actual facts about making the movies 3 to 1.
8. He has absolutely no interviews that he specifically did for this book with anyone who would know anything about De Niro's life, preparing for roles, making his movies, anything! Instead he relies on past interviews that other people have conducted with De Niro and people who know him.
So, overall this was an interesting book since it is the first bio of Robert De Niro that I read. However, that is the only thing it has going for it. Unless you can't find ANYTHING at all better, don't read this. If you have to read this because your library doesn't have any other bios on De Niro (the unfortunate situation that I fell into), then I guess this is okay.
Oh, I almost forgot one more thing:
9. He gets a lot of his facts wrong. For instance, he says that De Niro, playing Vito Corleone in Godfather II, was the only one to say the famous "offer he can't refuse" line. While in fact, Brando says it in the first one when telling Tom Hagen what to do about Woltz, the movie producer, AND Michael (Pacino) also says it in the first one when Fredo asks how he will convince Moe Greene to sell the casino. And those two are just off of my head (he does say that Pacino "alluded" to the famous line while telling Kay about Luca Brasi and the band leader during the wedding scene, but he says that that apparently doesn't count).

I'm a big fan of Robert DeNiro.This book help me to see him in different view.The way he's prepare for each role his endeless hard work and great performing.He's know as a private person and the book is not only talk about his great movies,but tell a lot of his private life.I learn so much and I recomended everybody who loves him.

It took me a long time and I mean a very long time about 6 mths. to actually get into this book but after I did I enjoyed it and found out alot of information that I never knew about Deniro. The one thing that bothered me about this book and took me so long to get into it was the grammar in this book I mean I am no English lit. teacher but at least proofread the book before publishing it. I mean come on there was alot of mispelling of words and missing words that you just kind of had to fill in for yourself along the way, and it was a little confusing the way the author went back and forth with certain events and movies you really had to follow along every single step of the way. Overall I liked it because it was a good book as far as info. was concerned. I really only bought the book because I love Deniro as an actor and think he is THE sexiest man alive!!!

DEE-Cleveland,OHIO

Bill Cosgrove's recounts his friendship with Robert DeNiro and the movie Backdraft in his first book, "Robert Deniro and the Fireman". Bill tells us about meeting the famous actor, and eventually he is hand picked to be DeNiro's technical advisor for the movie. We follow the pair around the streets of Chicago, to the different places Backdraft was filmed at. Bill tells us where many of the scenes were shot at, and what its like to be on a movie set. But most of all, it tells of a friendship- one that brought a regular firefighter together with one of Hollywood's famous actors, and a pair of socks.

Brother Bill Cosgrove did an excellent job when writing this book. What an experience he must have had.

Willaim Cosgrove is probably an excellent fireman, good husband and father, etvc. But he is not even a fair writer. Hired to be Robert De Niro's technical assitant for the making of the movie Backdraft, Cosgrove's prose resembles that of a love-sick tween describing a back-stage encounter with a pop music star. Other than knowing that De Niro is famous, and that movies are made, Cosgrove shows no deeper knowledge of his subjects than was presented to him during this experience. Thus, no analysis or depth - strictly a chronological narrative, without any insights.