I've been on a Rat Pack kick lately, rewatching the old films (the original "Ocean's 11" is so brilliant. So, so brilliant) and listening to my Frank Sinatra albums. I've already read a lot about Mr. Sinatra, so I thought I should learn more about Dean Martin, and read his daughter Deana's memoir. It was very loving, and she definitely wanted him to come across as a good guy, but jeez, he did some very terrible things to his kids. Deana makes excuses for him, since he was so incredibly busy and successful, his time was very precious and valuable, but come on. Don't have seven kids if you don't want to devote the time and energy into raising them. She tells a story of how she was so excited to have her Dad agree to go out to dinner with her and her husband on her birthday, only to have her dad's manager call a few days beforehand and cancel. Deana was so upset, in tears, and her husband called Dean's private line and basically told him to be a man and cancel himself, not get his lackey to do it. Dean protested ignorance, claiming the man must have gotten it wrong, he had no intention of canceling on Deana, and he did end up going out to dinner with them--but then he changed his private number and whenever Deana wanted to talk to her own father she had to go through his service. Very disappointing to hear.
Years ago, I bought (and read) volumes one and two of the Mickey Spillane collection. I hadn't read them in a very long time and was in the mood for something dark and gritty, so I reread "I, the Jury". I'd forgotten how good it was. Mike is angry when a good friend of his is brutally murdered and vows revenge. As he starts digging, he starts unraveling a complex syndicate of pimps and drug dealers operating in creative ways. More and more bodies pile up until Mike is finally able to get his revenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment