This very powerful book had themes reminiscent of many others. In a way it reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, and Narcissus and Goldmund, in that is was a man's search for his place in the world. In this book, however, the main character, Evangelos Arness, is looking for liberation and being true to himself. At the beginning of the book, he is a a financially successful ad man who has a 'respectable' and 'comfortable' life, but he realizes, somewhere between women and unconcious suicide attempts, that he is nothing that he set out to be. So, he sets out on a journey to burn down what he had become and rebuild what he wanted to be. His trip to liberation is dark, often humorous, and sometimes sad, taking him through his past, his family, and insanity. This is the kind of book, much like the ones I named above, that becomes a part of you.

The main character in this book is in the middle of a " middle-life crisis ", he struggles between what he has, and what he has dreamed of. The characters are so real and you identify yourself easely with the main character. I am reading this book now, ... I have read it before with the same passion and books like this one make you think and you can't stop reading it. Sometimes the whole night ! read it send your comments to gabs_goldberg@hotmail.com

kazan's personal experience is related to the reader in a very funny novel form. Many insights into the absurd arrangements we humans make with our mates. highly recommended because of content and funny dialogue!

"America, America" is a rael E. Kazan's masterpiece. It's a story about hope and obsessive dreams, an evocation of the immigration experience in the late 19 th century. "America, America" is a real history of the Kazan's family life. And as he said, of his love and passion to it. For Starvos, a young Greek, America was a land of dreams. Land of great freedom and opportunities. Having suffered persecution in Turkey, he wanted to find his own Eldorado, a place of happiness. The way to it was very long and difficult, not without severe obstacles. It's amazing how much a man can endure to achive what he wants. Pain, poverty and humiliation. He suffered it all. But Starvos'es dream of living in America never died. He never gave up. On his arrival in America, he could say as Caesare had said "vei, vidi, vici". But was he a real winner? Exceeding his limits he has changed. He becam another man. John, as he was called in America, began a new life, a life without Starvos.

"Arrangement" is one of the best books by E.Kazan. It's a story about some sort of a system or arrangement, in which we live. A system where a man is only a small cog in the wheel. And one day he matures to change his life, to become individual. Kazan tries to compere things uncomparable, feelings to a person with the wholeness. Eddie has all that he wants. A good wife, beautiful house, car, plum job and all that jazz, wine and dine. Seemingly a wonderful life. One day he meets a woman. He falls in love. She shows him another side of life. Life full of emotions, passion, just utter madness for him. This romance changes his approach to life. Suddenly he can perceive everything from another perspective. He can relish his own life. Unfortunately the system never forgets its men. Eddie must choose between the wife with a comfortable life, and the mistress with freedom and love. His choice is simple - the freedom. But freedom on exile becouse the system doesn't like dissidents. He loses all but has love of his woman. Reading this book one wonders how deep the need for love is. How love can change our lifes. Why people sometimes decides to live against common sense. Maybe that's what it's all about - the power fo love.

This is a great book about 50's Broadway. I would highly recommend getting this book for your library. Kazan is a wonderful author who is able to paint amazing characters and amazing scenes into each page of his books. The Understudy is one of his best books along with Assassins; I would highly recommend this book.

Before I read this book, I knew a little about Elia Kazan. For example, I knew that he had been a successful Hollywood film director in the late forties and early fifties. Indeed, I had seen some of his films: East Of Eden, in particular, came to mind. I had also read somewhere that he had also been a prominent and successful theatre director on Broadway; that he had given the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean their first starts; that he was one of the influential people behind the advent of the Method Acting style; and finally, that he had been a 'friendly' witness-that means naming names, of course--at the HUAC hearings in the early fifties: what a snake, I thought!

But hey, I've now read the book, and I know the real story and the real Elia Kazan. The book is an 800+ page epic. And an epic in every sense of the word. Kazan's autobiography is a long, brooding, and fascinating recall of his eventful life. He has, as he acknowledges in the later pages, lived a variegated and full life, he has no regrets about any of it, and he realises that he has been fortunate to have led such an interesting life. And 'interesting' it certainly is. The book, though, is no glamorous odyssey of a life lived in Broadway and Hollywood; neither is it a chronicle of the great and the good of America's creative talent. Yes, there are valuable insights and vivid portraits of people like Harold Clurman, Lee Strasberg, Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando and John Steinbeck. You will also meet some of Hollywood's movie moguls, particularly Darryl Zanuck at Fox. Yes, those stories are told, but all in the context of the main enterprise: the laying down for posterity of the intimate detail of the life of one of America's most celebrated creative talents of the middle of the twentieth century. Kazan unashamedly reveals his inner thoughts, his recollections, reasons, reminiscences and experiences-whether they show him in a good, bad or indifferent light. The book is brutally frank and you can only admire the author's unstinting honesty-possibly a cathartic aspect to the work aided Kazan along the way.

Remarkable for a book of this size, there is never a hint of unevenness or flagging. It's an enthralling, engrossing book from start to finish. Much of life's rich tapestry, to use the euphemistic cliché, is explored here. Kazan is clearly an astute and perceptive observer of life. Life essentially means human beings, of course, and this brings us to the essence of the book, human nature, particularly the behaviour between man and woman. Manipulation, expediency, lust, deceit, hurt, love, the passion and the platonic: it's all here in a very stark black and white. Yet still the book continually sparkles, even when the reader faces some genuinely sad and pitiful moments, particularly relating to Kazan's fiercely supportive and loyal first wife, Molly. There is no cherry-picking of 'the good times' in this book: highs and lows, triumph and disaster, they all co-exist side by side. Kazan doesn't shirk from revealing his overwhelming determination at the time to have his cake and eat it ie. a loving wife at home and a passionate mistress outside.

Apart from the inherent problems that male/female relationships spawn, if you forgive the pun, Kazan also talks extensively about his rather frustrating and unfulfilling time at college; his less-than-perfect relationship with his father; reflections on the life of a Greek immigrant family trying to make their way in the 'new world', in this case, New York; more reflections on Greeks, this time those living in another 'foreign' country, Turkey (where Kazan's parents had emigrated from), and the altered behaviour necessary to survive amongst 'the enemy'; and, of course, he describes the whys and wherefores of his 'friendly' HUAC testimony, and the subsequent vitriol directed against him as a consequence from many quarters, including so-called 'friends'; we learn of the unsavoury modus operandi of both the Communist Party in America and the HUAC authorities in the late forties and early fifties; and Kazan's single-mindedness and determination as, post-HUAC, he persevered and produced his best work as a film director; also, an interesting account of how Kazan's second wife, Barbara, and her confused but brave struggle against cancer; and so on.

The book is a courageous and brutally honest self-expose, if you like, of a man who has remained largely silent over the years. He doesn't gloss over his extra-marital activities, and the hard-heartedness and guile required on his part to maintain his passionate love for his mistress and, at the same time, his more platonic love for his first wife. This reflects the 'insoluble' (Kazan's word) nature of man's relationship with the opposite sex.

The book is beautifully-written-quality throughout--and the prose intimate, inviting and lucid. The honesty and intimacy of Kazan's words, as he describes his thoughts, feelings and rationale at the time, ensure that you live his life with him, and by the end of the book, you also feel you've been through one hell of a life.

Over a year ago, I read an excellent book called A Child Of The Century, Ben Hecht's autobiography, published in the fifties. I never thought I'd read another autobiography to match or surpass it. I have, and it's called A Life, by Elia Kazan. Waste no more time and buy this book. Alternatively borrow it or steal it, but whatever you do, read it!!

This book is perhaps one of the greatest autobiographies of the modern Theatre. Kazan pulls no punches in depicting his epic journey from Greek immigrant to one of the greatest theatre and film directors of all time. His life parallels the crucial artistic movements and conflicts of the Twentieth Century: The Group Theatre, The HUAC hearings, The height and fall of the Hollywood Studio System, the founding of the Actor's Studio, and the development of the American Theatre. Kazan, along with Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams played a crucial role in creating a strong and vibrant American Theatre. All throughout this amazing journey are insights into the craft of acting as well as the trials and tribulations of a man struggling for personal identity. This book demands to be on the shelf of any student, practitioner or fan of the Theatre. Five out of five stars

I have read this book four times. I can't recall an autobiography of any century that is more candid, and is written with such extraordinary brio.

Elia Kazan was one of the most important film directors of the late forties to early fifties. Besides blazing a trail as one of Broadway's top theatre directors, Kazan also established himself as a top Hollywood director. His films helped blaze new ground covering social themes like anti-semitism (Gentleman's Agreement), racism (Pinky), corrupt unions (On the Waterfront), and the abuse of television (A Face in the Crowd). Films like "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Baby Doll" challenged the censorship of the day with their depiction of raw sexuality.

Kazan also pioneered the use of cinematic realism with his location shooting and the realistic performances of his cast through the use of "method" acting. Kazan would be responsible for launching the careers of Marlon Brando and James Dean.

However all these achievements have been overshadowed by Kazan's appearance before the House Un-American Activitees Committee in 1952. Unlike many other moviemakers and actors, Kazan cooperated with HUAC and named names. One of the most high profile entertainment figures to turn informer, Kazan helped to consolidate the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s. This has made Kazan arguably one of the most hated and controversial figures of the McCarthy era. As a result many people are uncertain of where to stand on Kazan.

In this book, reporter Jeff Young interviews Kazan extensively about each of his films. It's very interesting to hear a little about what it was like working with his actors and how he would coax great performances from them. Kazan was a very good actor's director in large part, I think, because he was good at empathizing with them and making them feel comfortable. Instead of telling them what to do as most directors would, he told them what to think and what to feel. It was touching hearing how when the neurotic James Dean came onto the "East of Eden" set, Kazan moved in to a trailer across from him to keep an eye on him.

It was also quite interesting hearing how Kazan got some of the ideas for his films. For instance, I didn't realize until I read it that much of the ideas for "On the Waterfront" were based on real cases and that the Terry Malloy character was based on a real person who worked on the docks. Nor did I realize that "East of Eden" was a semi-autobiographical film. "Wild River" (alas, to date never released on video), stemmed from some of Kazan's documentary work during the Depression, and "America, America" stemmed from the experiences of Kazan's Greek uncle's journey to the America.

People looking for insight into Kazan's decision to name names may be disapointed. This is not really an in depth discussion of those events, but a loving look at Kazan's films. However, in case you think that Jeff Young has fallen too in love with Kazan, there is a probing question that Young asks Kazan near the end of the book. Kazan has always claimed that he named names because he thought that Communism was a threat to America, not because he was interested in personal gain. However, Kazan doesn't seem to have been prepared for the specific question that Young has to ask him. Kazan's emotional response is quite revealing and manages to take some of the gloss off the way he portrays himself.

For anyone interested in Kazan, this is a good place to start.

If you've read this far you may already know about Kazan's career as a filmmaker and Broadway director. But he is probably best known for his actions before the House Un-American Activities committee in the 1950s. Kazan named names. This had made him an enigma to the dominant Hollywood culture. Today, he is recognized as an important filmmaker in the history of movies, but his political views have made his life somewhat bumpy in his chosen profession.

Kazan proves to be erudite and witty and humorous and surprising. He openly hates some of his own movies, though reviewers consider them classics. He does love his version of a STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which he also directed on Broadway. He speaks with some regret that he didn't also direct the movie version of DEATH OF A SALESMAN (another Broadway play he debuted).

That is just a small bit, but I would recommend the book to anyone interested in the politics of communism in the 1950s and its aftermath, or any film fan that likes to dissect film directors and their work. I am interested in both subjects and found Kazan illuminating on both.

Illustrated with 72 photographs and 19 original movie posters, Kazan: The Master Director And His Films is based on hundreds of hours of interview during the 1970s with master film maker Elia Kazan by Jeff Young who also drew upon his considerable experience and expertise as a writer, producer, and director, and former studio head for three major film companies. This impressive professional biography and analysis features a summary of each of Kazan's film plots and a discussion of 18 of the director's films in his own words. Of special interest is Jeff Young's commentary on Kazan's final film "The Last Tycoon". Kazan: The Master Director And His Films is well commended and highly recommended reading for all students and fans of Elia Kazan films.

I don't believe I've seen more than two of Mazursky's films but I enjoyed his book, especially the juicy chapter on his adventures with the increasingly more bizarre Peter Sellers. This is not a biography, but rather a series of essays about his involvement with different Hollywood people and some chapters about his current life and childhood. Recommended.

An interesting, light and witty Summer read that gives you insight into Mazursky's career and tales of movie production. Mazursky, born in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn started out as an actor (Blackboard Jungle), moved on to be a comedy writer (Danny Kaye, I Love You Alice B Toklas) when acting parts were infrequent, and made his directorial debut with Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice. My favorite scenes in the book? When a young Mazursky catches his zade eating his bubbe's herring on the afternoon of Yom Kippur; when Eisner and Katzenberg ask Mazursky if he thinks that the I.B. Singer story (Enemies, A Love Story) is too Jewish... maybe it can be about the Cambodian Holocaust instead of the WWII one; when Richard Dreyfus pulls out of the Enemies project; and the creation of Down&Out in Beverly Hills.

I loved reading this book, both from the standpoint of appreciating Paul Mazursky the director of many of my favorite films and reveling in Paul Mazursky the no-holds-barred storyteller. But--and, I'm sorry, there is a 'but'---why devote one sentence to the great Art Carney, who Mazursky calls the most pure actor he'd ever worked with, and then not tell the reader WHY he feels that way about Carney? There are no anecdotes to share about Jill Clayburgh or Robin Williams? Come on, Paul, give! This lapse is mostly compensated for by Mazursky's tales of traveling in the "then" Soviet Union and South America, his memories of working for Danny Kaye and his sharing the bitter and the sweet about his family, his friends and the ups and downs of his life. The chapter about Mazursky's relationship with his mother is especially powerful and a reminder that much of the pathos within even his funniest films came honestly to him. So, five stars for what's here---just would've liked to have seen more!

It's difficult to express just how bad this book is. I knew it was bad on page 5 when the author describes a character as "finding the brown marks on everyone's underwears". Then, on page 8, the author places saguaro cactuses in northern New Mexico. And then it only gets worse.

I thought there was going to more action with this book based on the title. That was not the case; there is more of an overall story that takes the full length of the book to develop. The story is put together very well and the characters are great. It just did not move fast enough for me. If you like the pace and style of his movies, then you will like this book.

Exellent book on the generational conflict of the hippie-era. It's a story about the coldblooded killing of a hippie, a murder that confronts both sides of the community in an army-base-city in New Mexico: The so-called free-minded, well-drugged hippies opposing everything the old system has to offer, and the cynical conservative army-people. It's a hillarious, yet serious, story that perfectly describes the absurdities of an american period, the generational conflict - and, most of all, the very loss of true human feeling in a time full of systems and ideologies. If you like Heller and Vonnegut, read this book, if you don't, read it anyway....