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Book reviews for "Williams,_Lawrence" sorted by average review score:

The Rat Pack: Neon Nights with the Kings of Cool
Published in Paperback by Spike (03 August, 1999)
Authors: Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell
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Ratty
The blurb on the cover of THE RAT PACK says "They had fun" but there's precious little fun to be found here. This book is a tedious listing of (mostly negative) events. It lacks any sparkle and vigor, and if I believed half of it, I'd have to wonder just what the appeal of this group of overgrown adolescents could be. There had to be more.

The Chairman of The Board is the centerpiece as an egomaniacal bully who uses his star power to make the world feel indebted to him. His reported temper tantrums seem utterly absurd. Anyone who used his fists or threats of mob violence as much as the authors claim Sinatra did, should have and would have been locked up, "different era" or no. The Frank Sinatra in these pages wouldn't be a "King of Cool". He wouldn't be anything much.

The rest of the boys orbit around Frank like some kind of an inebriated solar system. The boozing and skirt-chasing is leaden, so where's the thrill? Where are the laughs? If this book is at all accurate (and it isn't, listing Dean Martin's date of death incorrectly), it means that this group of supremely talented entertainers valued nothing, not even themselves.

The bulk of the book is made up of mostly scathing summaries of the Rat Pack movies. Nary a word is said about either Frank or Dean's musical careers. Sammy Davis Jr. is dismissed as little more than the Rat Pack houseboy. Peter Lawford is depicted as a sexually confused drug addict craving the attention of the others. Joey Bishop is virtually forgotten. The Rat Pack Mascots (Shirley MacLaine and Angie Dickinson) get barely honorable mentions (MacLaine far more than Dickinson). One has to wonder why Shirley MacLaine would continue to associate with The Rat Pack after being assaulted by mobster Sam Giancana twice in their company. The book begs an answer. MacLaine is no slouch, so obviously more and better was happening with the "Clan" than this sordid book deigns to tell us. (...)

Save your money
This book is a waste of money. It is a collection of movie reviews starring Rat Packers strung together and pretending to be a book. Only the very most die hard movie fans should consider checking this out of the library but save your money.

CLIFF "RAT" NOTES
Here is the deal. If you are just starting to get into the Rat Pack or any of the players individually. Then this book is a good start. I would call it the Cliff notes of the individuals and their movies. If you have seen all the movies including the Matt Helm movies or if you have already read books on Dean, Frank, Sammy's biography then you are way ahead of this book and pass it by.

But if you have not seen the movies and want to learn the basics of each man and then from there search into each one of them seperatly then this is a good starter. There are some great books on all the guys but you will finded Sammy's Biography to be the most fun. Remember to check out deanmartinfancenter.com for more info on the Rat Pack. For the guys who wrote this you could have given us some fun facts or answered some questions, instead they read everyone else book and put together their own version.


Ancestors and descendants of William Henry Lawrence, 1850-1924, and his wife Martha Mary Ann Ham, 1848-1898
Published in Unknown Binding by R.D. Lawrence ()
Author: Robert Dean Lawrence
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Dithmarschen, a Medieval Peasant Republic (Mediaeval Studies, Vol 7)
Published in Hardcover by Edwin Mellen Press (1991)
Author: William Lawrence Urban
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Take Hold Upon the Future
Published in Hardcover by Scarecrow Press (1994)
Authors: William Everson, Lawrence Clark Powell, and William R. Eshelman
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1823 - before and after: a story of William Effingham Lawrence, Tasmanian pioneer, and his family
Published in Unknown Binding by National Press ()
Author: Effingham Frank Lawrence
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1985 Supplement to Federal Income Taxation
Published in Paperback by (1985)
Authors: Boris Bittker, Lawrence M. Stone, and William A. Klein
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1990 Defense Budget (Studies in Defense Policy)
Published in Paperback by The Brookings Institution (1989)
Authors: William W. Kaufmann and Lawrence J. Korb
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20th Century Journey
Published in Hardcover by Little Brown & Company (1984)
Author: William L. Shirer
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21st Report [session 1997-98]: Defining the "Schengen Acquis": [HL]: [1997-98]: House of Lords Papers: [1997-98]
Published in Paperback by The Stationery Office Books (1998)
Author: William John Lawrence Wallace Wallace of Saltaire
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27th Report [session 1997-98]: Student Mobility in the European Community: [HL]: [1997-98]: House of Lords Papers: [1997-98]
Published in Paperback by The Stationery Office Books (1998)
Authors: William John Lawrence Wallace Wallace of Saltaire and Thomas Edward Bridges
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