In 1994 celebrity photographer Len Prince began an ambitious project of photographing contemporary stars in costumes and settings that evoked the "golden" era of Hollywood. Using a Deardorff 8x10 and lighting techniques that pay homage to George Hurrell, he produced a magnificent collection of images which include Drew Barrymore, Jack Lemmon, Patrick Stewart and Martin Sheen. To say Prince's images are breathtaking would be nothing short of an understatement.

Not to be missed is Prince's comments on some of the sittings. My favorite being his sitting with "Miss Piggy," which includes the incident with the "buffet" and how he had to sustain himself through the afternoon shooting on a single grape.

The book introduction is by writer Dominick Dunne and is alone worth the price of the volume. In presenting Prince's work he recounts a time long gone when style was in vogue and Hollywood was the home of STARS.

Truly beautiful pictures. It's almost a puzzle trying to figure out who they are. He takes people like Drew Barrymore and Jack Lemmon and turns them into glamourous, untouchable stars to be worshipped of the 30s and 40s. He has put stars back in the time when they were STARS. The intro by Dunne is heart warming and sad as he remembers the big movie era.

These facsimile pages from the twelve issues of Flair are a celebration of Fleur Cowles zest for creativity in the arts. The 338 pages must have been a challenge for the Hong Kong printers, they had to cope with various foldout pages, die-cut holes, different paper stock and bind in several short pages, two concertina foldouts and five sixteen page booklets.

Sumptuous though the book is I feel that Flair is resting in its reputation. To my mind, having worked as a publication art director, the photos, typography and layouts are very conservative and do not show any particular innovative design. Other magazines and designers were much more creative in the fifties, 'Fortune' with Will Burtin, 'Glamour' with Cipe Pineless, 'Harper's Bazaar' with Alexey Brodovitch and 'Vogue' with Alexander Liberman. Certainly the covers with their die-cut holes (sadly only six of the twelve are included) and the bound in booklets were unique to consumer magazines at the time but I think that Flair should be remembered as a magazine concept rather than a magazine full of creativity.

Fleur Cowles writes a short piece about the origins of Flair (handwritten in gold on dark blue paper) but does not give enough detail (I believe each issue involved several printers and binders) and as there were only twelve issues a list of all the articles should have been included. Another reviewer has commented that the high price (reassuringly expensive?) and the cloth covered box the book comes in reflects snob appeal, I agree but I'm still pleased to have a copy.

I first became acquainted with Fleur Cowles' revolutionary 'Flair' magazine during my childhood in the fifties. At that time the publication impressed me with its cultured blend of cosmopolitan sophistication and innovative design, although it didn't escape me that its pages also included a great deal of elitism, snobbery and self-congratulatory arrogance. Although I wasn't fortunate to keep any of the original issues, the magazine became a significant influence in the development of my literary and artistic tastes and in my life-long quest for beauty and elegance. For that I was grateful. So it was a joy to learn that a best-of compilation put together by Fleur Cowles herself had finally appeared. The original 1996 printing sold out before I could manage to acquire a copy and when Rizzoli recently published a second run I quickly got one. This edition has a foreword by writer-socialite Dominick Dunne. Now, is it really worth the rather steep price of [price]? Well... I think that for that kind of money the publishers could have managed to provide us with something much more substantial, for example: a slipcased set containing facsimile editions of all twelve original issues, rather than this comprehensive but ultimately limited look. A complete reprint would have given us the full impression of the range and period feel of a unique magazine, and at this price I think that they could have well afforded to do it. I understand that part of the reason for this expensive price tag is the snob appeal that has always been a part of the Flair mystique and that perhaps this offering is to be regarded as literary caviar for the more discerning (and well-off) among us. On the plus side I must say that the large-format book is lavishly printed, that the articles are indeed very well selected - containing not quite all but much of the best of the short-lived magazine - and that the presentation is very handsome indeed. Several of the covers are reproduced with their distinctive die-cuts and embossing and the book is housed in an elegant cloth-covered box. I still think it could have been more reasonably priced but there it is. Caviar lovers, enjoy it before it disappears again!

Get this book. Do anything you have to in order to own it. I paid $250 at the Art Institute of Chicago because I was afraid I would miss out...again. This is a collector's piece if you got the first edition. If not, don't hesitate. It is interesting, intriging, thought provoking, ahead of it's time....and not just for 'creative' types. Something good for everyone.

If you thought that you'd seen or heard everything you could imagine about Jackie Kennedy Onassis, think again...JACKIE THE CLOTHES OF CAMELOT revisits the American Icon with a fresh persepective, a loving eye, and a witty attitude that pays homage to the most intriguing of female residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

In addition to her gowns and dress up clothes, there's a chapter on the behind the scenes Jackie, in jeans, Pucci prints and cotton sundresses....even dressed down she was spectacular. The stories that go along with the photographs are alternately funny, bitchy in a nice way and illuminating about some of Jackie's real achievements - saving historic buildings, restoring and redecorating the White House, etc.

It's a great book, and at a price that's so affordable, it will make a great gift to those special people on my list...

Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

This book is WONDERFUL, a really in depth look at the "look" of Camelot and it's queen, Jacqueline Kennedy. An impressive array of photographs, so many of them I've never seen before, illustrating many different aspects of the former First Lady's tenure in the White House...

Plus, there are a lot of interesting stories about the clothes, where they came from, why she chose them and what was happening when she wore them. It's like you are transported back to those magic days and given an insider's pass to all the backstage stories.

It's a beautiful book, one I am proud to own, and one affordable enough for me to give as a gift too (my mother, a real Jackie fan, will LOVE it!).

JACKIE THE CLOTHES OF CAMELOT is a work of perfection from the very first page (when you open the book there are some gorgeous "extra" photos of Jackie to the very last page where there's a very touching picture of Jackie taken a few days before her death...looking peaceful, serene and beautiful.

I've read all three of the books that have recently come out on this subject and, while they all are good, this one is the BEST BY FAR. Jacqueline Kennedy the White House Years, the official catalogue, is just that, a catalogue, and not a book and it doesn't include MOST of the clothes that Jackie wore during her time in the White House. What's even more confusing is that the book doesn't include all of the interesting documentation about her work in the White House that is included in the exhibit at the Met. Why is that I wonder? And Jackie Style is a stylish book, but a little to flip for my taste and it barely skims the surface of Jackie's extraordinary life and has a sparse set of photographs, although some of them are rarely seen, it's because they frankly aren't that good...

But this book is wonderful...dozens and dozens of wonderful photographs, with vivid color and including her entire White House years, a look at her early years and the fashion influences that helped shape her style. It also includes a section on her post-Camelot years where we can see Jackie age so gracefully...

Then there are the stories of her life, and her remarkable contributions to American culture and history. These stories are so interesting, written with wit, insight and a lot of inside information.

This book is a WINNER!

Mr. Dunne is an oddly likeable writer. His authorial voice is friendly, reassuring, confident and confidential. I picked up this book out of curiosity, after reading JUSTICE in which Dominick Dunne goes over the Martha Moxley murder.

The story is, for the most part, narrated in the first person by Harrison Burns, in 1972 and 1993, although there is a middle section called "1989 New York," which is pointedly written in the third person. Harrison is a poor school chum of Constant Bradley the rich, spoiled son of Gerald Bradley a ruthless moneymaker and partriach of a large ostentatiously Catholic family, mothered by Grace, an ostenstatiously devout religious maniac obsessed with appearances and determined to become a papal countess (in fact, she is Dunne's most engaging character, along with Bridey the cook). It's all obviously based on Kennedy mythology and takes a tabloid-level view of their legendary behaviour. The murder of the high school girl is dutifully enunciated to resemble the Martha Moxley case with a smidgeon of red herring thrown in to make it fiction.

There is nothing demanding about this book, nor is there anything surprising. It's an entertaining read in the lightest sense, like watching a made-for-TV movie after a hard day's work. Reading this was both relaxing and tedious. The main interest was in spotting where Dunne shamelessly imitates life such as when the defense attorney, based directly on the Menendez Brothers trial, faces the TV cameras with her raised middle-finger shouting, "This what you want?" or in weaving into the plot a case similar to that of Wayne Lonergan the devastatingly handsome (how easily one falls into this flat and florid style) bisexual social climber who murdered his socialite wife. (Both stories are reported in JUSTICE so that's how I know they're lifted and proves that Mr. Dunne is obsessed with the proceedings of justice, an admirable quality in itself.) That friendly and confidential voice of Mr. Dunne's gets there in the end and I was moved by the story of the victim's mother and that the murder of her daughter was never revenged. There's no denying that Mr. Dunne has his heart and intentions in the right place.

Perhaps my three-star opinion is based on my own moodiness since recently my dog had to be put to sleep and I finished this book while it was snowing outside. In this circumspect mood, I sprawled on the couch and read this while watching the television summary of the Australian tennis tournament at the same time, and with the same lack of personal interest since I don't much care for tennis. The book has a nice cover, showing a summery house with a tennis court. Enough said.

I can't agree with other reviewers that this is "vintage Dunne" or "quintessential Dunne" because this is my first Dominick Dunne book, but it certainly kept my attention for all of its 500-odd pages. The book was recommended to me by a friend who had seen the made-for-TV movie, and it did not disappoint.

Based "loosely" (read obviously) on the Martha Moxley murders, the book is about a friend of the Bradley family, Harrison Burns, who helps the family's favorite son, Constant Bradley, move the body of Winifred Utley, whom he's murdered. Gerald Bradley, who bears a striking resemblance to Joseph Kennedy, buys Harrison's silence, but the book is less about Harrison's struggle with his secret and more about how he got involved with the Bradleys and then later disentangled himself.

The book was written before Michael Skakel went to trial, and I read the trial portion of the book hoping that the book would mirror the real life outcome, justice for all, etc. Ultimately, this book is an indictment of people in power who hush up unsavory incidents to help themselves. Take it with you if you need to stay awake.... you won't want to put it down.

This novel is Dunne at his best. In this story Dunne fictionalizes the Martha Moxley murder and shows his strengths as a storyteller. Here Dunne shows he can balance plot as well as charcter development.

This story is told from the point of veiw of Harrison Burns. When Harrison was a teenager he saw his friend Constant Bradley murder the girl next door. Constant's family buys Harrison's silence through the years by paying his college tution and sending him abroad.

However as the years go on Harrison finds it harder to live with what he has seen. These feelings cause the demise of his marriage and general self loathing. Harrison is forced to face off with the Bradley's when they invite him to their home to ask Harrison to write a book about Constant's life.

Along with Harrison's dilema Dunne tells the story of the demise of a family. The skill with which Dunne tells both stories make this book well worth reading. The other to reason to read it is of course, affairs, family battles, and good gossip.

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles was anything but boring. Dominick Dunne's wonderful novel describes the life of Ann Arden, a little girl from Pittsburgh, KS, and her fight to be at the top of New York High Society. It begins by explaining the relationship between Ann and her mother, and then goes on to tell the reader how she moved to New York City and became a showgirl at the world-famous Copacabana. Miss Arden meets Billy Grenville at a naval party, and soon he is wrapped around her little finger. He courts her, and marries her, despite the fact that his mother, the ever-admired Mrs. Grenville, objects to no end. She clearly sees through Ann and knows that she was never in love with Billy. Claiming that her intentions were legit, and buttering up the women of the social scene, Ann eventually makes her way to the top. She throws the best parties, wears only the finest designer clothing, and puts up with no one. After a few years, the once blissful marriage between Ann and Billy begins to deteriorate. The fights become more constant, and the infidelities grow. The climax of their miserable marriage happens on one fateful and stormy night, a night that bonds the Two Mrs. Grenvilles together forever.
I suggest that everyone go out and read this book. It is honestly one of the best that I have ever read. The story moves on quickly, and there is a surprise around every corner. It really is a true page-turner.

A quasi-fictional book, this is a delicious story about the higher echelons of New York society in the 1940's and 50's. It was inspired by the real life of Ann and William Woodward, and William's murder in 1955 by his wife. She was acquitted of any wrongdoing. But the murder's way besides the point here. The fun of this book is the insider view of those high society circles. Dunne, a writer for Vanity Fair, dishes about these folks with a giggle and takes great pleasure at exposing them and their snobbish ways. The main focus is Ann Grenville (Woodward), social climber extraordinaire, who sets her sights on Billy and his money and his lifestyle. She's a showgirl and his family wants nothing to do with her. Once they marry, she schemes constantly as to how to get accepted in those tightknit circles that usually don't take kindly to outsiders. And she does get eventually get included, even if she's talked about behind her back. The parties and the hobnobbing and the backstabbing all escalate and get out of hand, of course, and lead to one fateful night. A fun, gossipy, mindless read -- I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it was.

Actually, to say that THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES is "Dunne at his best" almost is not fair, since Dunne always is at his best. This novel is a classic work by author Dunne, employing many of his trademark techniques.

He took the basic plot from a real-life story of great notoriety, the shooting of New York socialite William Woodward. Did William's wife kill him? And, if she did, was that shooting accidental? Why would she want him dead? These are questions which have been asked in New York for almost fifty years and, here, Dunne posits some fictionalized answers to them.

The title is a reference to William's mother, one of society's "grande dames," and to his wife, who had been a member of the lower classes. Their marriage had shocked society.

Dunne explores their saga in his usual lively fashion, providing the kind of detail about the lives of the rich and famous that only an insider could know. As with all of his novels, THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES makes for marvelous reading.

This was my first book by Dominick Dunne, so I didn't know what to expect when I ordered it from Amazon. I was totally thrilled with my choice! Once I started reading I didn't want to stop. (The dishes waited, so did eating).

I don't consider myself a literary expert, just a go to work, come home type of person, so I don't like books that take 10 years of english classes to understand. This one hits the mark. The book was easy to follow, not so many characters that you loose track of the scene or have to back track to remember who one was.

The story is about a very wealthy man, his wife, his mistress, and a murder. Sounds common, but each chapter leaves you wanting to start the next immediately. Dunne added excitement where I thought it needed it without alot of bad language and detailed sex sceens.

This book has it all - love & romance, mystery, happiness, saddness, etc. READ IT

An Inconvenient Woman became one of my favorite books as soon as I read the description of the characters attending an upscale LA funeral. The author, one of my favorites, knows these people back to front and he writes of them with insight as well as scorn. Complications in the lives of the rich and powerful have never been so keenly described but Dunne manages to make each character complete. He can write compassionately as well as comically of villains and whores and princes. The character upon whom the moral voice is attached, Phillip, is mult-dimensional and always truthful. The story reminds me of what I liked most about old Columbo episodes. Apart from that, the story holds the reader at a good pace. You definitely want to follow all of these characters, who are real enough that we can smell their Bev Hills scents and see their tucked chins. I am always impressed with D. Dunne, who has such such a gentle way with his down-and-outers. I hate to see overdrawn characters and Dunne never does this. He takes the reader between the gutters and the mansions of LA with finesse, never allowing one or the other to take the stage too long. I will read anything he writes and I hope he never stops because he is a sure voice for our times.

Author Dominick Dunne is more than reliable--he's an excellent writer. AN INCONVENIENT WOMAN is classic Dunne. This is a sad little history about a mistress--the "inconvenient woman" of the title--whom Dunne apparently based loosely on actress Marilyn Monroe, and about her affair with a very very rich, very very social lover. The lover, too, obviously was inspired by the saga of a famous real-life financier.

Like all of Dunne's books, AN INCONVENIENT WOMAN tells the tale of the rich and famous from the point of view of an observant insider; therefore, it is chock full of juicy details. This is a book which stays with its readers long after it has been read.

Hollywood has always stood for dreams. Vanity Fair's take has always
been to turn the tinsel used to depict those dreams into glamor. This
book is very much in keeping with the magazine's slant and Hollywood's
most inflated view of itself. The book faithfully reproduces a
cross-section of Vanity Fair's 86 year history.

Before you read
further, let me caution you that this book teems with suggestiveness.
If that sort of thing isn't your cup of tea, skip this book.

The
photographs are the best part of thebook. There are large numbers of
outstanding examples of work by Edward Steichen and Annie Leibovitz.

The pages are oversized, and many images are done as double
spreads. This makes for seeing very large features of the stars
portrayed, and this has high impact effects on the viewer -- evoking a
sense of the wide screen. The editing was wisely done to select many
images that can be reasonably faithfully reproduced that way.

Unfortunately, many fine photographs were reproduced with the
middle fold through an important part of the image. Some of the
images that were not so spoiled also were overinked in a way that make
the details hard to discern. Inexplicably, there were no credits
listed for many photographs. I graded the book down one star for
being insufficiently well designed, credited and printed to portray
all of the photographs to their best advantage.

Except for this
very regrettable and significant set of flaws on the photography side,
the book is very well done. The selection of photographs was
brilliantly done to not only highlight great ones, but to create
interplay among them . . . and among themes . . . and among
generations of Hollywood performers. I found it all quite exciting
and entertaining.

Some of my favorite photographs in the book
are:

Jack Nicholson; Annie Leibovitz, 1992

Robin Williams, Eddie
Murphy, and Jim Carrey; Annie Leibovitz, 1997

Doris Day; John
Florea, 1953

Spencer Tracy and Katherine Kapburn; n.c., 1949

Nancy and Ronald Reagan; Harry Benson, 1985

Pee-Wee Herman; Annie
Leibovitz, 1984

Walt Disney; Edward Steichen, 1933

Dustin
Hoffman; Herb Ritts, 1996

Rita Hayworth; n.c., 1946

Robert
Redford; George Gorman, 1984

Meryl Streep; Annie Leibovitz,
1982

Gloria Swanson; Edward Steichen, 1928

I also liked the
caricature of Greta Garbo by Miguel Covarrubias from 1932.

The
essays were more of a mixed lot. My favoite was D.H. Lawrence on sex
appeal. "Sex appeal is only a dirty name for a bit of life
flame." Other essays looked at Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo (by
Walter Winchell), the queens of gossip columnists, and agent Sue
Mengers.

After you have finished enjoying this close-up look at
Hollywood, ask yourself where your dreams come from. Then consider
where they should come from. Should Hollywood be the source of your
dreams, the reinforcement of your dreams, or simply be a source of
entertainment? You'll have to decide. But do so explicitly. Your
dreams are too important to turn over to others to create and
manipulate.

As the Everly Brothers used to sing: "Dream, Dream,
Dream . . ."

A wonderful book that portrays the glitz and glamour of Hollywood at its most glorious. Vanity Fair's best inspirational photos are presented from the distant and not-too-recent past. A perfect gift for that star follower in your world. Every page screams "Hooray for Hollywood", and the nostalgia of some will have you yearning for past times. It's possibly the most beautiful book ever made on the stars that captured our imagination and inspired us.

This book is a pure delight. It captures the glamour and shimmering romance that is Hollywood. David Friends' brilliant picture editing showcases the best of Vanity Fairs' evocation of the dream factory, past and present. Each turn of the page elicits a gleeful chuckle or nostaglic sigh. There's enough star power here to illuminate a small town. God bless Vanity Fair and David Friend for giving us this book just in time for the gift giving season.

Given that "Murder in Brentwood" was such an excellent book, I'm surprised and disappointed at the triteness of this book - it would have been better at half the length. Mr. Fuhrman makes a strong case for the book's conclusions; however, it is not well written. I believe the difference in the two books is that Mr. Furman was a passionate participant in the OJ case and only an observer in the Martha Moxley murder case. The offhand style of his new book makes me think that it was hurriedly written. It focuses more on the principles of how a murder case should be investigated rather than the facts of the Moxley case. He relentlessly rips the Greenwich police force to the point of being ridiculous. Although there is no doubt the Greenwich police mishandled the case, Mr. Fuhrman's overdone criticisms interrupt the flow of the book. I also thought the multipage presentations of the timeline and leads followed are distracting and pointless. Mr. Furhman was not well served by the book's editor. Yes, I was disappointed in the Moxley book but I would like to see Mark Fuhrman do more true crime writing. His excellent detective skills should be brought to bear on some other unsolved cases.

After reading Murder in Brentwood, I was very happy to see Mark Fuhrman write another novel. I am a true crime buff and found this to be right up my alley...not only is it a clear, consise presentation of the facts, Mr. Fuhrman clearly uncovers things that the police in Greenwich didn't see or chose to ignore (probably the later due to the Kennedy clan connection and the wealthy family standing behind the perpetrator) Mr. Fuhrman's excellent detective skills are so prominent in this book...you almost have to view him sympathetically after the miscarriage of justice he received as fallout from the O.J. trial

In my mind, his research and excellent presentation in this book fully redeem him as a person who knows police work!

In light of the events of the last few days, I think that more people will start to realize what really happened in this case...another rich person getting away with murder. I sincerely hope that this excellent novel played the part of a catalyst in bringing Martha's killer to justice!

I simply consume books, and if I like the book I can read a whole book in a short period of time. I had read the Simpson book prior to Murder in Greenwich, and simply could not put it down! It was even hard to go to work. I started this book one evening about 7:00pm, went to work the next day and finished it about midnight the next night. Mark Fuhrman has a style that will keep you mesmerized. Plus, I find him very compassionate. Our system has become so political, it's a wonder that we catch and prosecute anyone. What a shame! It seems that justice would be the main objective. Both the Simpson case and the Moxley case are just a reflection of each other. Money and politics come in ahead of justice. Mark, please give us a book on the Ramsey case! Let's get the true story.

I have searched the internet to send a fan letter to Mark Fuhrman. Hopefully, this review will reach him.

Virtually everyone in Upper East Side and Los Angeles society makes a lavish appearance in at least one of these trio of novels from America's favorite chronicler of the very, very rich. Dunne has a sharp eye and a sharper pen while he takes us by the hand into the salons of those most privileged. He writes from the truth dipped in fine fiction and the result is brilliant, easy reading. His enduring theme throughout these fine novels is that in the end even the rich die too and they can't do a damn thing about it. If you're a reader of the grand and famous, or infamous, then this convenient book of all three novels is a must-have.

Having not read any of Dunne's other books, I will comment only on this one. The opening pages provide the most interesting and gripping reading: the trial of the man who murdered Dunne's daughter. I also found the story of the Menendez brothers and that of the murder of Martha Moxley especially interesting. The parts that I found interesting, however, make up only about one-third of the book. Dunne devotes fully one-half of the book to the O.J. story. It goes on and on...and on. When the author noted several time how long and boring the trial became, I was having the same feelings about his treatment of the O.J. saga. I did enjoy learning about Dunne's perceptions of the cast of characters, including defendants, victims' families, attorneys, and reporters. Dunne reports what goes on when the cameras aren't rolling. For the most part, however, the author treats each person as either a "good guy" or a "bad guy." While I understand that his experiences as the father of a murder victim probably cause this rather simplistic perspective, this and other characteristics of the book resulted in my losing interest about half-way through it. I finished the book but would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the first 80 pages and the final 20 pages.

Truman Capote he's not, but with his insider status on the periphery of the worlds of the rich and/or famous, Dunne serves up his observations from the various murder trials involving people with last names like Bloomingdale, DuPont, and Simpson, and with ties to families with names like Kennedy, in a dishy and slightly catty style that makes you feel like you're gossiping with your best friend over brunch. It's a fun, revealing read, especially if you haven't read much of Dunne's trial diaries for "Vanity Fair" magazine. If you have, then these stories will not be new to you as they were previously printed in the magazine. Oh, the book contains about 10, yes 10, chapters on the OJ Simpson trial and aftermath, and Dunne doesn't have any pretensions of journalistic objectivity about the guilt or innocence of the people whose trials he covers.

Perhaps what makes Dunne's diaries most interesting is not just that they offer a glimpse into the lives of the very famous, or those whose wealth is almost beyond the average person's imagining, but that the glimpse offered is often a "warts and all" portrait that shows not just the fabulous wealth that many of these people enjoy, but also their faliure, bad decisions and unhappy love lives. While Dunne provides satisfaction to our voyeuristic tendencies (and in a manner that is perhaps a bit classier than any of the "reality shows" that pollute the airwaves and that more people watch than might be willing to admit it) he also serves to humanize people who are otherwise larger than life figures, whose lives have taken on such mythological proportions that we forget that they are people who eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, get sick, get old, fall in love, stuggle with mental and emotional problems (as well as alcoholism and drug addition) and experience faliure just like the rest of us.

The final portrait is one of the rich as like us and at the same time not like us. After all, they may suffer many of the same misfortunes as mere mortals and make the same bad decisions, but wealth often cushions the consuences, and sometimes cancels them altogether - even in the case of murder. After all, a DuPont whose a crack addict is, at the end of the day, still a DuPont, with a trust fund that will give him access to treatment that may elude not-so-wealthy addicts. And a murderer who has enough money to afford the best defense, and enough celebrity to generate some public sympathy, can get away with a murder that would inevitably send a poorer person to prison for a long, long time.

This book got me through Christmas in Malaysia on a hiking trip where I stayed in the mountains in a hotel resembling an English country cottage which manages to make the visitor feel claustrophobic. My brother in Singapore handed JUSTICE to me with the words "This is awful. Who cares about OJ anymore and he's wrong about the Safra case." He concluded by recommending I use the pages for toilet paper in the jungle, the kind of suggestion one brother will invariably make to another, to the amusement of each. Fortunately, I didn't find it awful. Even though I had read a number of these subjects in Vanity Fair, I was mesmorized once again by Dominick Dunne's unique perspective. He is both a shameless gossipmonger and a crime reporter of the highest integrity. He is obsessed in equal measure with justice and glamour.

I admit to having dreaded the chapters on the OJ case because of its notoriety and injustice of the final verdict. However, given the incomprehensible mess created during the trial, Mr. Dunne actually make some sense out of the senseless and propounds a level of social morality which made me feel outraged for the victims and their families, but also satisfied that the case has been regarded as clearly unjust and unquestionably misjudged. This is Mr. Dunne's greatest achievement, that he keeps reason at the fore and dismisses the madness for what it is. This clarity continues through all the cases. There is no boredom factor here: every story is both peculiar and bizarrely entertaining or, taking it one step further by paraphasing Miss Jean Brodie (or Murial Spark if you must), "for those of us who like that sort of thing, this is the sort of thing we like."

Mr. Dunne writes in a style which lends irony, bitterness and clarity to cases full of red herring and slander among the so-called rich and famous. I can think of no other crime reporter quite like him. He reflects a sense of social interaction and high-minded justice with an intensely alluring and entertaining voice.