River Phoenix: The Biography

by John Glatt

On 31 October 1993, River Phoenix, the gifted young star of Stand by Me, Mosquito Coast, My Own Private Idaho, Running on Empty, Dogfight and Sneakers, collapsed and died of a lethal speedball of drugs on a cold pavement outside a Hollywood nightclub. His death shocked millions of people worldwide.

This first serious biography of River Phoenix is based on a year's meticulous research and more than 65 interviews with members of his family, close friends, fellow actors and directors, members of the Children of God cult and fellow rock band members.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Film

284 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 1995

About the author

English-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt

Reviews

[Cláuꕤdia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book I read about River's life and still gets me every time.
When I reach the fateful date of October 31st, I am an emotional wreck. I will never be able to explain this connection I feel to River and to his story. He was more than life itself.
Reading this book was like watching his whole life passing me by and I was glad it gave me new information that I had not get from Last Night At The Viper Room.
River will continue to live in the hearts of those who keep remembering.

[Beate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good insight into River's unique life and work. I appreciate his movies and his art and always felt he had to leave the world too soon. A tragic death always seems to overshadow the whole life a person lived. This book concentrates on his life, his art, his music and him as a human being. I reccomend this book to everyone interested in River Phoenix as an actor, musician and artist.

[Richard Luck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, although you have to think that the definitive River Phoenix biography is still to be written.

[Ulla]

I HATE Glatt's discrediting writing. Very much detail but always focussing on the bad sides.
River Phoenix does not deserve this.

I wanted to send Mr. Glatt to the moon, but that wood be too much pollution there!

[Manda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad when he died 😭😭😭