James Garner

by Raymond Strait

This biography traces the popular star's life from his unhappy childhood with a cruel stepmother, through his youth in the Merchant Marines and the winning of two Purple Hearts, to his successful movie and TV career.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

388 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1985

Reviews

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of this writer. It wasn't a very pleasant read, and I only finished the book because I'm a James Garner fan.

[Andrew Pratley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay as far as it goes. It finishes in 1980's. After reading James Garner's memoir it was a bit of let down. It appears the author sadly didn't get to speak directly to the subject of the book. The insights in contained in it about James Garner are decent & it provide a good account especially of his ongoing battles with various studios & their executives, who were a rum lot. None of them were that creative. Their main obsession was for creating profit over the short term. This view of the industry accords with my own experience. Garner himself comes out of it as a very decent man with some faults but they were not great ones. He is human, after all. If Hollywood had been run more widely by men such as James Garner then it would have been a much better place to work in & more productive of output of quality.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

a biography up to 1984 when he was 56 - he lived and worked for 30 more years

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think you know everything about James Garner? Think again!

[Cws]

791.43

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the Rockford Files as a kid. I was saddened by James Garner's passing so I picked up this book. He seems like the decent guy I expected him to be.