What a story, and who knows what the real truth is, because a book like this is a Hollywood book, and like Hollywood accounting, guys like Weintraub re-invent themselves all the time. You dress the part, you look the part, you drive the big fancy car, and meanwhile, the repo man could be coming around the block. That's Hollywood, and the rest is whatever is in print. Now having said that, what a story and Weintraub tells it as only he can. There's a reason however why the book's cover has a giant picture of Weintraub walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. He's got something to sell each of us.
A young Jewish boy from the Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, he ultimately has the good fortune to realize, why work for a living if you don't have it, instead just go Hollywood. The early years are very interesting to me, because they set the tone of the life to follow. At a young age, Weintraub realizes he can create a whole new world for himself out of his sheer will. Now in his 70's, he is full of the wisdom that only a long and reflected life can impart to a human being. This book is truly worth reading. Here is just some of the wisdom and fabulous concepts of living that you are going to find in these pages just full of pearls of wisdom:
* Just ENJOY, whatever path you take means there's another path that you can't take. You make one choice, it eliminates another choice.
* His dad was in the jewelry business, and taught him that it's not the gem that the customer buys. It's always the story behind the gem. Customers want the romance; give them the romance by giving them a story.
* He learned early on that in the end, in business, and in life, the only thing that really mattered were RELATIONSHIPS.
* He goes to the Martha Graham's workshop in New York and studies acting. He takes two great lessons from this experience. One is that he learns what actors really need emotionally. This lesson would stay with him the rest of his life. The second is that he is requested to put on slippers and tights for one of the performance classes. He couldn't do it, but young actor James Caan (The Godfather movie) could, and therein lays the difference. Caan is the actor today, and Weintraub is the producer.
* If you want to understand the importance of the MENTOR in a person's life read this book. From Weintraub's wife Jane Morgan to Hollywood legend Lew Wasserman, there was always the presence of the MENTOR.
* He warns us to never get too attached to things because the world is always changing, and either you change with it, or you get left behind.
* Many people do not like starting at the bottom of an organization, but the author insists that if you start at the bottom, the worst jobs are the most instructive. Such a job allows you to observe, to learn and most importantly to float through an organization virtually unseen during the process.
* Always act like you're the guy in charge. If you do, no one will have the guts to stop you. I have seen this countless times, whether it is at night clubs, theaters, or the White House. Just walk right through. The mental midgets will get right out of your way.
This book is a page turner. It is one magnificent story after another. Every page presents you with wisdom that you can only obtain by living through the author's experiences. Weintraub knew everybody in show business, and he managed the legends. At one time or another he had Joey Bishop, Jack Paar, and the Four Seasons under contract. These contractual agreements led to him getting lucky. He gets a call from the VOICE one day, and it's Frank Sinatra. Weintraub would wind up doing business with Sinatra for years. The same thing would happen with Elvis Presley, and there is no question that the author invented John Denver from scratch. He creates a whole relationship out of thin air with former President George H W Bush. You have to read it to believe it.
CONCLUSION:
This is a book that you want to dig your teeth into. It's a book to give to a young person to teach him how to be successful. The author could have given it another name, and called it AN OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR SUCCESS. For in this book, you are truly taken into a world that very few people are ever exposed to, but if you take the time to master the lessons that Weintraub has to teach you, it could change your life. It did change his.
I promise you that if you begin to read this book, you will be taken on a transformative joyride. Whether you believe the stories, or just part of them, Weintraub's use of metaphor to explore, to change, and to enlighten you will achieve that goal. You will be better off for it, and you will enjoy the thrill of a first class read. Go ahead; take the chance, and thank you for reading this review.
Richard C. Stoyeck
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Du brauchst 10 Neins, um ein Ja zu bekommen
Reviewed in Germany on September 4, 2024