21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Candle Burns At Both Ends, July 8, 2006
This review is from: Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin (Hardcover)
David Evanier's biography of Bobby Darin has many interesting sequences, telling of the singer/actor's struggle from the sidewalks of the Bronx to the big time in Hollywood. The heart condition that threatened to take his life before he reached thirty, propelled him to set out and achieve as much as he could in the limited time he had on earth, as well as the tortured, volatile relationship with his family, which is enough to move one to tears. Glowing reminices from friends elevates this biography. Despite his success, he never felt it was enough - he was constantly searching for other outlets through music, acting and politics.
But there are some negative aspects - namely, the writer's
description of Sandra Dee. He seems to paint her in a less that flattering light as a mentally disturbed, alcoholic starlet without any redeeming virtues or talent. As she was sexually abused as a child and prevented from having a normal childhood thanks to her controlling stage mother, she could hardly be expected to live a carefree, ideal life, much less while married to Darin. Evanier also downplays the intense love they shared, and doesn't seem to make any connection of the disentagration of the marriage to Darin's infedelities, grueling schedules that took him away from home from long periods of time, and Bobby's own demons, causing him to be restless and sometimes cruel. The blame falls on Dee, since she was suffering from alcoholism, anorexia, as well as a series of miscarriages, and as she was in very poor health in her last years, it seemed to have made her an ideal scapegoat. Very few people speak favorably about her, with the exception of the one person whom some would have thought would have slammed her - Bobby's close friend Steve Blauner. Although an arguement between Steve and Sandra is described, he rarely puts her down and shows some compassionate understanding. Dee sadly died not long after the book was published (she and son Dodd Darin did not particpate in it), and Blauner again spoke of her in very glowing terms. Also, the book erronously states her second film, "The Restless Years" as her debut, and of course, there is the annoying mistake of the reference to Bridget, rather than "Gidget" (attention, editing!). And there is a debate over Sandra's actual birthdate - was she 16 or 18 when she married Bobby?
Andrea Yeager, who would become Darin's second wife for a few brief months in 1973, is made out to be some kind of a flawless saint, when in fact, as soon as they got married, their relationship, which had been almost ideal, began to deteriorate. It also omits the fact that Bobby was in fact, unfaithful to her as well, getting Sandra pregnant again (resulting in her final miscarriage).
Bobby Darin wasn't perfect. Because of his medical condition, the painful revelation that the woman that he thought was his sister was actually his mother, and his own ruthless ambition, he could seem to be cold and cruel to those close to him - his family was often at the receiving end of that. But his touching love for his son Dodd, his passionate support of the Civil Rights movement, his devotion to his friends and the women that he loved and lost, not just his wives but also Connie Francis, and his unstoppable drive and talent endears him to our hearts. His indelible spirit and contributions to the world of music and film will never die, and will endure forever.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Portait of an enigma, March 16, 2005
This review is from: Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin (Hardcover)
I cannot imagine what it must be like to learn when you are very young that you are not expected to live beyond the age of 30. This was the reality of Bobby Darin's life. And it was this knowledge that drove him all of his adult life. Bobby Darin wanted it all. And for a time, one way or another, whatever Bobby wanted, Bobby got. "Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin" is the biography of a talented performer and a tortured soul. He was a man full of contradictions. Aside from his grave medical problems, which he kept largely to himself, Bobby Darin was also constantly at odds with his family. I think it would be fair to say that for most of his adult life Bobby's private life was a mess.
But happily, author David Evanier spends equal amounts of time focusing on Bobby Darin--legendary performer. Darin really was the last of a breed of all around entertainers. He was an accomplished musician and songwriter, a highly regarded actor and of course, a legendary singer and nightclub performer. But it seems it simply was not in his nature to stop and smell the roses. He was ever restless and always looking to explore new horizons. As a result, many of his fans and friends in show business would turn away from him. It was really quite sad. There was so much that I did not know about Bobby Darin. "Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin" certainly helped to fill that void in a very entertaining way. I would recommend it.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stellar Book Shines Light on Stellar Talent, December 16, 2004
This review is from: Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin (Hardcover)
David Evanier's new biography of Bobby Darin tells the sensational story of Darin's meteoric rise to stardom and the price he paid foir it. Unlike most celebrity biographies, however, this is not hagiography: Evanier tells the Darin story sympathetically but objectively; he doesn't fall for Bobby's line. He has interviewed everybody and done all the primary source research; he knows the facts and he tells them straight. The death sentence that made Bobby live so fast; the family secret that destroyed him; the rich talent; the burning intensity; the cruelty; it's all there, the whole fascinating spectrum, captured with musical appreciation, and without human judgment..
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