Book Reviews

[howard]

Mikeydv: The Kaufman book has just gone into it's third printing. It has been selling well.

[daybyday08]

I heard it has been doing well. I just checked the New York Times Best Sellers and it's not yet on the top 35 best sellers yet but maybe soon! Barbra Walters book is on the list though just wondering has anybody read that book? I heard it's very good also!

[mikeydv]

Barbara Walters book about whom?

[howard]

I read "Audition," the Barbara Walters memoir. I thought it was a very good read. She writes well.

[John M]

I heard it has been doing well. I just checked the New York Times Best Sellers and it's not yet on the top 35 best sellers yet but maybe soon!

Yes, it's doing very well, but I think it missed it's window for the NY Times list. It came within a hair's breadth when it placed on the "Also Selling" list at #27 on 8/3. That was the peak of momentum. It's now ranked at #8,357 at Amazon, which is a fairly standard indicator of sales across the board.

Of course, who really cares about making a list that's been dominated by Tori Spelling for weeks?

[webmaster]

Does all this fall into the 'size matters' category?

I get the feeling that lots of folk are reading it from almost daily online mentions. I think it will become, in time, a standard book for Doris researchers and will have it's supporters and detractors as it does at the moment. As good as it is, although not always accurate, I still remember feeling slightly disillusioned when I put it down. I think it was the sense that Hollywood is such a phony place and you are just being served up fantasy and 'spin' about all it produces and the feeling that the real people behind the star names are nothing like you think they are.

I hope, like the Eric Braun book (a good read if you haven't done so yet), it will be revised at some stage as Kaufman learns more about her and thinks again about some of his observations, such as 'Doris has never been intimate with anyone in her life and doesn't know how' - the truth is the opposite from everything I've heard and read. But I think he should be applauded for his deep desire to find out as much as possible about her - isn't that what we do? - and to share it with us.

But, at the end of the day, the books people write, just like the posts on here, also say a lot about the writer and we all bring our ignorance and prejudice to our endeavours so I doubt if there is really such a thing as a 'definative book' about anyone - it's just another person's take on it and only the object of the exercise knows the truth.

I'm supposed to be working - always get distracted by Doris - that's a good name for a book:
"Distracted by Doris" by Bryan James. The author spoke to 200 people (you don't say 'online') who either knew her intimately or wanted to, and all had a PHD in "Doris Day". Special thanks to Annie, Sheila, Karen, Marti, etc... Special thanks to Biggest and many other of her pets whom I contacted via a medium....

Must get on....

[Doris Martin]

Bryan, you are wondeful....unique. Marti

[webmaster]

Well, I'm going to believe that for a few short moments as you said it, Marti. I have a similar feelings about you.I think of one of those second-world-war 'espionage/behind enemy lines' film characters, Ingrid Bergman, Eva Bartok, Marlene Dietrich, etc - except you are part of the Doris Day resistance fighters! I don't know where that fantasy comes from but I like it!

[Laurie]

'm supposed to be working - always get distracted by Doris - that's a good name for a book:
"Distracted by Doris" by Bryan James. The author spoke to 200 people (you don't say 'online') who either knew her intimately or wanted to, and all had a PHD in "Doris Day". Special thanks to Annie, Sheila, Karen, Marti, etc... Special thanks to Biggest and many other of her pets whom I contacted via a medium....

So true, Bryan. Would make a great sitcom. What people do during the day while pretending to be involved at work. One of those off-beat "British" type comedies. Let see where that comment gets me.

[gerard]

I really think Bryan is onto something. I think everyone has been distracted by her, almost without exception.
From her first husband, who was distracted by her eating in his car, to .... Melcher who was distracted by her, and he apparently forgot his significant other... Doris must be a professional distractor!

[webmaster]

Gerard - you are also unique!

[Laurie]

Gerard, like Doris would say,"isn't that a kick in the pants." You are way too cool.