This book shows Frank Sinatra's warts and all. It does not pull punches about Frank's notorious womanizing, explosive temper, brawling, and arrogance. Frank entered the world with a bang; he was 13.5 lbs at birth. His 19-year-old mother had great difficulty delivering such a hefty specimen. Perhaps, that is why Frank was an only child.
The family dynamic is interesting. Dolly Sinatra was a schmoozer that worked with the local politicians. Dolly was able to get her husband a better-paying job. Marty Sinatra was a quiet, 'do-what-your-wife-says' man. His mother bailed Frank out of jail and scrapes when he got in trouble. She also got him jobs -- that he didn't like because they were manual labor. Probably because of his mother's support, Frank decided (early in his career) that his bandmates held him back, and he always had an eye out for a better job.
This book explains that Frank turned to movies because his star was being put into the shade by Elvis Presley. This story mentions the Rat Pack and Frank's film career (hits and misses). Before Frank got it right, he was married four times. He was married to Barbara Marx for 22+ years, and at his death.
I thought the book rushed through Frank's later life. However, it is interesting to note that during World War II, Frank got a deferment due to his perforated eardrum (at birth) and 'for psychiatric reasons.'
By the end of Sinatra's life, his foibles and problems were all old news. This book tends to skip his questionable ties with the Mafia, other than mentioning that Mafia figures owned various nightclubs to launder their other business cash.
The family dynamic is interesting. Dolly Sinatra was a schmoozer that worked with the local politicians. Dolly was able to get her husband a better-paying job. Marty Sinatra was a quiet, 'do-what-your-wife-says' man. His mother bailed Frank out of jail and scrapes when he got in trouble. She also got him jobs -- that he didn't like because they were manual labor. Probably because of his mother's support, Frank decided (early in his career) that his bandmates held him back, and he always had an eye out for a better job.
This book explains that Frank turned to movies because his star was being put into the shade by Elvis Presley. This story mentions the Rat Pack and Frank's film career (hits and misses). Before Frank got it right, he was married four times. He was married to Barbara Marx for 22+ years, and at his death.
I thought the book rushed through Frank's later life. However, it is interesting to note that during World War II, Frank got a deferment due to his perforated eardrum (at birth) and 'for psychiatric reasons.'
By the end of Sinatra's life, his foibles and problems were all old news. This book tends to skip his questionable ties with the Mafia, other than mentioning that Mafia figures owned various nightclubs to launder their other business cash.
