Robert Shaw: More Than a Life [Hardcover]

Karen Carmean (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1568330219 | ISBN-13: 978-1568330211 | Publication Date: June 21, 1994

A gripping biography of the actor best known for his role in Jaws.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 330 pages
• Publisher: Madison Books (June 21, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568330219
• ISBN-13: 978-1568330211
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,260,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Shaw - A truly great talent, February 28, 2001

By 

Taz (MASSACHUSETTS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Shaw: More Than a Life (Hardcover)

This book gives a fine recollection of the life of one of the most talented actors of our time. It is too bad that his talent was somewhat unappreciated during his lifetime. The books covers all aspects of Shaw's life, the good and the bad times. He was a tremendously talented, complex man but he was also a genuinely good man. He was lost to us much too soon and I will always miss him. For those who believe this book to be harsh on Shaw, I can only say "Read the John French book on Shaw". It is a terrible, nasty account of things through French's eyes. It also is an obvious attempt by Fench to make Shaw seem unstable in order to cover up his poor job as a manager of his career. French should be ashamed of himself. Do yourself a favor and appreciate the "..More Than a Life" book. It is the truth and you can get a real feel for all the talent we lost when Robert Shaw died. He was and is always remembered fondly by his fans.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than a Life - more than a Star, August 4, 2002

By 

Ten "adamsview" (Dorset , UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Shaw: More Than a Life (Hardcover)

This is an excellent and engrossing account of a complex, flawed, difficult, passionate, honest, immensely talented and hugely underrated actor, author and playwright.
The book provides a superb overview of his life, and provides a counter-balance to the only other completed (to date) biography, the rather more subjective view of his former manager John French.
Robert Shaw's brilliance as a performer and writer was underpinned by the early experience of his father's tragic suicide; the resultant fiery over-competitive will to succeed was best channelled in performances that displayed his talent for supreme intensity backed by intelligence. On this form Shaw commanded the camera; witness his scene-stealing in From Russia with Love and Jaws - then witness again in his other works; this is Gold standard British talent that is yet to be fully appreciated by his profession and public...this book helps redress the balance a bit and lets us know what we are now missing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Shaw : More Than A Life, August 4, 2004

By 

Bookfury "Bookfury" (GA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Shaw: More Than a Life (Hardcover)

I have just finished reading Robert Shaw : More Than a Life and found it an interesting read. I knew little of Shaw before this book and always wondered why he was not given more credit as an actor. The book, which is filled with recollections from family and friends gives great insight into a truly complicated man. He was constantly conflicted about acting versus writing. He excelled at both. When he was happy in his work, he was happy in his life. The suicide of his father, the death by drugs and alcohol of his second wife Mary Ure and the early death of Erroly Flynn at age 51 (same age as Shaw) all influenced his life and his work. It was also interesting to learn of the tax problems that plagued Shaw and others who worked in and out of Britain. If you like biographies, movies, and men who lived bigger than life, I highly recommend this book.