Julia Roberts

by James Spada

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Biography, Film, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

As a thirteen-year-old kid in Staten Island, James Spada started the first Marilyn Monroe Memorial Fan Club. He produced four bulletins and one yearbook a year for four years, when he had to disband the club due to lack of money.

In college he founded EMK: The Edward M. Kennedy Quarterly, and worked as an intern in Senator Kennedy’s Boston office in 1970.

At 23 his first book, Barbra: The First Decade (The Films and Career of Barbra Streisand), was published. He followed that up with the authorized book The Films of Robert Redford. He went on to write illustrated coffee-table books about Streisand, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Midler, Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty, and Jane Fonda.

In 1987 his first non-pictorial biography, Grace: The Secret Lives of a Princess, became a major international bestseller. He followed that up with intimate biographies of Peter Lawford, Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand, and Julia Roberts.

His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, People, Ladies Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, The New York Times Book Review, McCall’s, the Los Angeles Times, the London Sunday Express, and many other publications.

In 2010 his first work of fiction, Days When My Heart was Volcanic—A Novel of Edgar Allan Poe, was published.

In recent years he has become equally renowned as a photographer of the male nude. His first collection, Black & White Men, was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award as the Best Visual Arts Book of 2000.

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From "Black & White Men" published in 2000:
Over the past several years, Jim has also become known for his evocative black-and-white studies of the male nude. He has had three one-man exhibitions, most recently in January 2000 at the prestigious Gallery One at the New England School of Photography in Boston. "I've been taking pictures since I was a teenager," Jim says, "but it took a back seat to my celebrity books. Now I d like to be known as a hyphenate, a writer-photographer. Photographing people is very much like writing about them, except that I'm creating the portrait with light rather than words. Light is as much a subject for me as the model."

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into reading this wondering what she was like, but not being a big fan of her work either way. She had a rough childhood, but she sounds like the most self-obsessed greedy woman. The story ends with her 2nd marriage, but before she has children. The way she threw away her relationships and chased other men was kind of pathetic. The stuff I read in the book was pretty matter of fact so doubtfully made up and probably factual.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was cleaning my parents' house and found this book. I was so excited- I read it on my honeymoon. Julia is one of my favorite actresses- I think I own almost all of her movies. She is a cosummate professional, funny, and during interviews she appears down to earth and grateful for her celebrity. The book was well written and flowed well. I remember taking only 2 days to read all over 400 pages.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Julia Roberts, good read interesting!!

[Kattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was happy to learn more about Julia Roberts. It is very clear that she dis not participate in this book. Her childhood seemed more like it was written about her brother than her. he author relied on past interviews to include for Julia's perspective on many things that happened in her life. To me it seemed as though it focused too much on her romantic life.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to see Julia Robert's in a new light. Though I don't necessarily believe everything in this book, it was interesting to learn about her relationship with her brother and parents along with her "in-fighting" mentality.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable & informative.

[Gary Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good writing, but I skimmed many of the details covering her films, etc, as that was not of real interest to me.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a little difficult to read. There was too much in it about her life and her work and not enough about who Julia is.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underlying story is of course interesting -- estrangement from her actor big brother Eric, last-minute cancellation of wedding to Kiefer Sutherland, surprise wedding with Lyle Lovett, numerous affairs with her leading men, quick rise to superstardom followed by taking a lot of time off.......

..........but as a book, it isn't great. He's not a film critic, and the depth of commentary on her movies isn't much. Yes, she has a beautiful smile, but beyond that, what is she doing that made her a huge star? More importantly, she apparently didn't agree to be interviewed for this book, so it reads as a clip summary ("as she told a reporter for Rolling Stone,........").

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Does a good job of painting Julia Roberts in a realistic light, I think. There's a lot of unflattering stuff in here (especially with regards to her romantic life and her relationship with her now-estranged brother), but I think that helps to frame her as a person with flaws and not like a god-like celebrity. Man, what a life hers has been.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spada presents an objective look at the life of Julia Roberts from her early years to her rise to superstardom. It's an interesting book, and the reader will learn about the private life behind the glamorous public image.

[Peg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. I'm learning that the biographies of celebrities is boring to me because most of it is about the movies they've made. I'm more interested in their personal lives. It would be a really good read for someone interested in everything pertaining to their movies.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the background info about her brother and her relationship all her various romances

[Jeri Schille · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy biographies and this was available on audio books through my library to listen to while I quilted..... Not sure I would have finished it if I had to sit down and read it.

[Daisygirl825 · Rating 1 out of 5]

so boring, did not finish