Customer Reviews

When I Knew Al: The Untold Story of Al Pacino

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book gives a rare insider look at the life of Al Pacino. The journey this books takes you on shows how the choices people make influence their careers. If you want to see how two people starting off in the same spot can go in completely different directions while still remaining friends, this book is for you!

John Livesay

Author The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets

An engaging,tremendously written account of the lives of two actors. Ed DeLeo's journey through the acting world was full of mishaps and never reached the success level that he'd hoped for but it is fascinating nonetheless. Al Pacino should feel lucky to have known such a seasoned person as Ed DeLeo.

"As David Sheldon and Joan McCall point out in "When I Knew Al," Ed De Leo entered Al Pacino's life when Al was at an early crossroads bordering on success or failure. I studied acting with Ed. He took great pleasure in his student's successes in the industry, more so than his own. He was a natural born teacher. VEE GENTILE, former student of Ed De Leo and actor ("Two Bits," "Gettysburg").

A must read for both actors and non-actors!!! Pretty helpful for aspiring actors as well!

I am a HUGE Pacino fan. I was really looking forward to this book. I am actually writing an early review as I am only on page 109 today and this is after totally skipping all the "Me" parts and just reading the "Me and AL" or just "AL" parts.
This guy is delusional. He heard voices in his head telling him to help AL. "This voice was strong, beautiful & commanding, it sometimes came with waves of color, like a rainbow, and elated me. Other times it was soft and gentle, telling me I was its messenger"..... PLEASE!! It sounds like he is describing an acid trip here...... this voice also told him, "Forgive him (AL) if he should slight you. You have already fanned the spark in him and her is striving for fame and success....." you get the idea......really BAD.

Also, although I am hoping it will improve, he talks just as much if not more about his own self and life than he does about Al's, which is the only reason I bought the book in the 1st place: AL ! NOT HIM.
When I got to this particular section of this book, I felt as if I had been totally HAD. Read on and you will see why....

WHY he felt it was appropriate and necessary to tell his readers he was
"circumcised at age 4 and the operation was performed at my uncle Nick's house, around 102nd Street off Madison where he had a deli.....Uncle Nicky was called "Curly"....." is totally beyond my comprehension....

He does talk a bit about other now well known actors/actresses that were more unknown when he knew them, but all in all, this book SUCKS. A huge disappointment..... I wonder who the 3? other 5 star reviewers were???
Relatives of the author?? Do.Not.Buy. This is an embarrassment of a book.