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Sinatra: An unauthorized biography

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This remains actually one of the finest biographies ever written about Sinatra, and shamefully obscure. Acknowledgement of every important facet of Sinatra's life and career is rare enough, and in-depth understandings of them are virtually nonexistant. But Earl Wilson comes among the closest for a totally even perspective. Arnold Shaw's superbly-written but slightly overrated book,''Sinatra-Twentieth Century Romantic,'' was written eight years before this and obviously influenced Wilson - a lot of things from Shaw's book are repeated in this - but it's certainly not the bland and witless regurgitation of Kitty Kelly trash found in 99% percent of the biographies written since 1986. Earl Wilson had plenty of material on his own, having been friendly with Sinatra during the Dorsey days, interviewed Ava and he as the one of only non-Sinatra-allergic reporters from 1949 to 1953, and even been exiled by him unexpectedly (something Wilson doesn't seem too veangeful about - for once).

The book is affectionate and understanding, but not blind. A lot of the rather painful reviews that were in abundant supply in the early 70's are featured prominentely rather than ignored, the rumored temper tantrums are unflinchingly recounted, and all the faults and flops and weaknesses and torments that made Sinatra much more interesting as a man than the sugar-coated image floating about in Nancy Sinatra's books are gone into as well. This certainly has time-capsule value; it's always interesting to read the predictions made for Sinatra in the days long before they knew he'd perform until he was eighty and have the Empire State Building lit in blue on his birthday. In 1962 Sinatra ludicrously underestimated himself by saying his career would probably last only a few more years (try 40), and every year or so following that someone stubbornly repeated the sentiment. But overall this is an intelligent book, and the word ''genius'' in regard to Sinatra is tentatively put forth toward the end. Another trademark of the time is it's focus on some of the generally ignored events of the seventies - like several forgotten Sinatra-dates, a million-dollar ''gate'' at the Uris Theater, ect. Music - as in art - is basically not analyzed in this, but it has wonderful descriptions of his live performances. Wilson appears to be the only good biographer who truly understood the loveableness and charm of Frank Sinatra (something never mentioned in ''His Way'')- obviously because he was the only Sinatra-biographer who knew him. The ''warts'' of the singer's life are all covered, but the justifications and reasons for them are covered as well. Every bit of ''bad manners'' he was ever accused of can be so well-justified it becomes very debateable if ANY of the prosecution's accusations can hold water - an idea that horrifies Sinatra-haters but is just as possible as all the scandal sheets.

Wilson had that rare quality common sense, and this book, very interested in gossip - hey,what can you expect from a gossip columnist - is nonetheless sensible. It does not have the beautiful writing and in-depth perception of Arnold Shaw's book, but it is in many ways superior; while Shaw's book is dry, scholarly, and rather impersonal - Earl Wilson was there, and he makes you feel there. A revolting number of biographies out there would certainly turn any Sinatra-ignorant reader immediately against him if it were the first one they read, but this is not like that. The complexities and faults merely make the man interesting, and the reason for his appeal is made clear by first-hand observation. I read that Sinatra attempted to sue Wilson for three-million dollars on the book's release, - note the word ''unauthorized''- but he really didn't need to. As Earl Wilson says in the introduction, he was determined the biography would not be a hatchet-job, but still the blemishes not erased, and he succeeded. A grand book.

The best book ever written on Sinatra bar none, this unauthorized 70s edition hails from the good old days minus an Orwellian 4th estate and was penned by a fallen out reporter who knew Frank almost from the beginning. Other ones written by new age zeitgeist hit men are by non journalists who specialize in tabloid hatchet jobs. This is different. It is a fair bio study from a golden showbiz age scribe who knew his subject well.

Wilson's special insight comes from the fact that he knew Frank from dual angles, as a staunch friend and supporter amongst press literati and as a cast away. He admired him from up close and from afar. He basked in the heat of his heyday and profiled him biographically during his comeback. So from him we get the yin and yang of Sinatra truth and myth. Celeb bios don't get any better than this. This take is the real McCoy, folks.

The read is larger than life. It reveals the Bel Canto magic behind The Voice, our first American Idol---his saloon struggle to make it, tough guy persona, Hollywood affairs, royal and rogue connections, the 50s slump, Oscar comeback and award-winning humanitarianism. In effect, it is a well layered generational portrait of a legend...talent, warts and all. Not 350 plus pages of mob ties. Why? FAS left an immortal songbook legacy.

It's all here, the vocal and audio genius behind a man who was not a music linguist but had a better ear and pitch than some classical composers. This covers the mood and temperament attributed to the ups and downs of a melancholy master who lived through his art. It roasts and boasts a perfect showman and an imperfect human being who was said to party with music, movies, mobsters, Presidents, philanthropists & prostitutes.

The chapters in this well worn book flow as if they were written by a guardian angel/devil in a love/hate relationship with the Sinatra legend. The best excerpts tread a fine line between envy and scorn but don't cross or exploit it. The author admits and respects the truth yet reveals unknown and/or documented facts. Indeed, was the greatest singer who ever lived an actual wise guy or a friend out of fear of his safety?

One wonders whether if Frank had played goodie-two-shoes and dissed the "front men" who ran the nightclubs, he would have lived to become a showbiz icon whose voweled lyrical surname media critics stereotype. That's an impression we get here, as we're introduced to underworld power players with whom his contemporaries wouldn't have suffered the same ethnic guilt association if their last names were Smith or Jones.

In flashback and fast forward, the book begins and ends at or around his finest hour, after The Main Event 70s concert when Frank was still near the height of his performing powers. All in the same book we are shown a king of hearts and Jekyll/Hyde personality who liked to be rich and have money so that he could give it away. Like Elvis. That is the essence of this book. It plays good cop/bad cop but does not dwell on the fence for too long.

By a former friend who went afoul, it's a fickle, hard to get, passive-aggressive love letter. While exposing gossip, rumor and innuendo, it doesn't try to make the singer into an anti-hero, subcultural role model or feel good diplomat. The best that can be said is that it should be used as a screenplay outline for a missing epic biopic about the 20th century greatest generation's most musically immortal and vocally timeless leading man.

This book celebrates the power of the American Dream and where it took him, to places near and far, low and high, happy and sad. It reads like a combination trade paper/scandal sheet. Yet it is heartfelt and never drags. For great men are both loved and hated by human nature. And besides, those who expect only positive spin for a late old-timer millennials are still jealous of have not studied Astrology and don't know about the sign Sagittarius.