Gus Bailey, journalist to high society, knows the sordid secrets of the very rich. Now he turns his penetrating gaze to a courtroom in Los Angeles,...
read full description
reviews
Oct 19, 2008
Tara
rated it: 
I was not impressed by this book at all wherein the fictional alter-ego of the author covers every sordid, over reported instant of the O.J. Simpson trial. His narrator's commentaray which is peppered with, "I would have him/her say this in my book" not only stretches the line between fact and fiction to it's limit, but is also an annoying device. I wish he had just wrote the book from the character's point of view and not his narrator's own. If you lived through the trial, don't wa
More...
Jul 17, 2011
I feel like some kind of dog reading this lurid and nosy parker book, and the subject matter done to death is the OJ Simpson trial. HOwever, Dunne has a way of endearing himself to his readers even when he is neglecting his family, especially when his own son goes missing in the middle of the OJ trial. Of course, being on the side of the angels in this one, helps his image, but he is obsesesed with the whole thing to an unhealthy extent..oh hdear I keep forgetting to say GUS BAILEY is obsessese
More...
Mar 15, 2011
christa
rated it: 
Dominick, Dominick, Dominick. (Shakes head and sighs). What a piece of work.
Here is the precise formula my new bestie used to write his late-1990s Anti-Ode to OJ Simpson, the novel-ish memoir Another City Not My Own:
Excerpt from "Vanity Fair" editorial on the trial.
Scene in which Dominick Dunne, wearing the name of journalist Gus Bailey for the purposes of this piece, is conversing with someone along the lines of Nancy Reagan or Heidi Fleiss at a fancy schma More...
Here is the precise formula my new bestie used to write his late-1990s Anti-Ode to OJ Simpson, the novel-ish memoir Another City Not My Own:
Excerpt from "Vanity Fair" editorial on the trial.
Scene in which Dominick Dunne, wearing the name of journalist Gus Bailey for the purposes of this piece, is conversing with someone along the lines of Nancy Reagan or Heidi Fleiss at a fancy schma More...
Nov 07, 2010
Lara
rated it: 
Written by Gus/Dominic Dunne about the social life around the OJ Simpson trial. Very guilty pleasure. Read in practically one-fell swoop. Gossip heaven. The narrator who I assume is actually Dunne lives by gossiping to the rich & famous, actually singing for his supper every night at a different dinner party. His son goes missing in the wilderness for 5 days thought dead, and when he is found Gus immediately goes back to his nightly celebrity dinners, saying to his son - we must talk about wh
More...
Oct 17, 2009
Loreen
rated it:
This book is a 360 page ad for the author's work. He is also a big name dropper. If I knew half of the people he references, I would maybe be more impressed. Then again, maybe not. Some pages are just lists of famous people he knows, insider gossip and society events surrounding the trial. The way he talks about himself in third person is a little disconcerting. I don't know if I'll learn anything more about this trial but I am having fun psyching out this author.
Jun 04, 2009
Lynda
rated it:
This was not the story of the O J Simpson trial. Rather it is the story of Dunne's covering the story, the interaction not only with the people involved in the trial, and his celebrated friends' reactions to the case. I liked it better than any of his other books.
Mar 19, 2010
Laurie
rated it: 
If you were enthralled by the trial of O.J. Simpson, read this book. It's a memoir of a fictional character, but it's hard to believe it's not mostly based on Dunne's real experiences during the trial.
Dec 28, 2011
Mary
rated it: 
Eh. I really liked several other Dominick Dunne books and adored his Court TV series, but this book just left me unimpressed and irritated with the ending. I suppose I should have done some research on this one, but I was in the bookstore and saw it on the shelf and had to have. THis was really hard to get through, what with all the name dropping. Also, the dialogue in this was just a little flimsy. I was really hoping for more. As other reviewers said, the "I will put this in my nove
More...
Dec 22, 2008
Linda
rated it:
I found this book interesting to read while also watching the progress of OJ's current trial and subsequent guilty verdict.
Apr 25, 2011
Joan
rated it:
This was not a novel. It was an attempt to include as many famous names as possible in some semblance of a story.
Sep 20, 2009
Liz
rated it:
Dominick Dunne at what he does best. A memoir which names names revolving around the O J Simpson Murder Trial.
Jul 30, 2010
Sue
rated it:
Really interesting novel about a name dropping, social climbing, but very likeable writer for Vanity Fair covering the O.J. Simpson trial.
Sep 25, 2009
Jefferson
rated it:
Disappointing and dated. The book uses the trial as backdrop, assuming the reader is fully familiar with the participants and details. The conceit of disguising this as fiction is bewildering at times, and leads to a facile ending.
Aug 06, 2011
Bizarre first person/third person voice throughout. Name dropper's delight.
Jul 24, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
I LOVED This book! Being one of the people that followed the trial literally from start to finish, reading this unique take on it was really enjoyable.. Dominick Dunne is a fantastic writer! He was able to bend the very much true story that he told enough to make it fiction as well as being able to weave the story of his own daughter's murder into the plot making it even more captivating... The ending was jaw dropping! He's definitely a writer that I will be reading more of in the future.
May 11, 2010
Nicole
rated it:
I was quite blown away by this memoir-that's-not-a-memoir-but-really-actually-is. Dunne created for his readers a sense of the obsession he felt while covering the O.J. Simpson trial, and I felt that need to delve and to continue and to not stop obsessing. I couldn't put this book down.
Sep 02, 2010
Rebekah
rated it:
Cleverly written as a memoir, it was an engaging novel. With Dunne's "fiction," it's always so hard to know what is real and what he wishes was real. Because of the topic of this novel--the debacle of the OJ Simpson criminal trial for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman--and my personal feelings and expierences during the trial, I prefer to believe most of it this time. I only wish that Dunne would have lived long enough to see Simpson finally convicted of somethi
Feb 23, 2008
Kevin
rated it:
I read this because it was the only book I could find that week. It actually really sucks.
Just hundreds of pages of boring pretentious dialog about the OJ trial. Makes you want to puke.
The only quasi redeeming factor was his descriptions of Hollywood landmarks, which were too brief and too far between.
This book is better suited to going under the short leg of a dresser than being read.
Just hundreds of pages of boring pretentious dialog about the OJ trial. Makes you want to puke.
The only quasi redeeming factor was his descriptions of Hollywood landmarks, which were too brief and too far between.
This book is better suited to going under the short leg of a dresser than being read.
Nov 10, 2007
Sera
rated it:
Dunne wrote this book after the OJ trial in California. He provides an interesting look at life in Hollywood, murder and the justice system. It always amazes me how Dunne gets away with writing these books based on real life people and that people still talk to him and invite him to their parties. One never knows what he is going to disclose next, which is one reason why I really enjoy his books.
Jul 08, 2008
Kerry
rated it:
If you can call something as barbarian as being glued to the OJ Simpson Trial a guilty pleasure, well, that was me. Granted, I had a full time job so I wasn't glue-glued, but I surely read everything I could get my hands on about the trail and the personalities involved. Dominck Dunne is a shameless namedropper. I like this book very much. It definitely scratched an itch for me.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 14, 2008
Meaghan
rated it:
I got this from the library in a fit of "I'll take anything" and haven't been truly impressed yet. It's about the OJ Simpson trial in the 90's and I feel I might have enjoyed it more back then, but it is somewhat out-of-date now. I still pick it up from time to time, but it's not holding my iterest and definitely need something new to read!
Jul 01, 2010
Barbara
rated it:
Another example of Dunne's recurring theme of how the rich and famous live in a protected world. I found it interesting how easy it was for race to become the issue in Simpson's trial rather than the victims. The name dropping was annoying at first then I began to enjoy the gossip.
Jan 24, 2008
Kristin
rated it:
This is a facination book especially if you were followed the OJ Simpson Trial. Although a work of fiction much of the story is from the authors experiences in LA while attending the trial. It seems names were simply changed.
One of my top 10 books!
One of my top 10 books!
Oct 07, 2008
MJ
rated it:
Yes, it's a totally guilty pleasure, but it's irresistable to read a "fictionalized" account of the OJ Simpson trial, especially by someone who was sitting in the courtroom for the whole thing.
Apr 24, 2008
Pooch
rated it:
Heart- breaking. Gut-wrenching and maddening. A well written account of the OJ Simpson travesty by an author who has lived through a similar travesty of justice involving his own daughter.
Dec 16, 2009
Andrea
rated it:
This is a fictional take on the OJ Simpson trial- just amazing. Dunne covered the trial for Vanity Fair and puts himself in this story as a character. The ending shocked the hell out of me.
Aug 12, 2008
Dave
rated it:
Another book that I revisit yearly. The writing is smart and the way that the main character becomes part of the story is excellent. Best ending you will find.
