As an actor, he seduces us with his tough-guy charm. As a director and producer, he amazes us with his artistry and technical savvy. As a Hollywood...
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reviews
Mar 09, 2011
Sean
rated it: 
This is a breezy, shallow biography with little in the way of insight or original research.
Discussion of Eastwood's films is virtually non-existent -- Eliot gives a small plot synopsis and a rundown of pre-production, followed by a summary of critical reviews that seems to be gleaned from Rotten Tomatoes. There's hardly any discussion of filming, unless you count rumors about which co-star Eastwood was boffing, and he doesn't seem to've interviewed Eastwood's co-stars, even though m More...
Discussion of Eastwood's films is virtually non-existent -- Eliot gives a small plot synopsis and a rundown of pre-production, followed by a summary of critical reviews that seems to be gleaned from Rotten Tomatoes. There's hardly any discussion of filming, unless you count rumors about which co-star Eastwood was boffing, and he doesn't seem to've interviewed Eastwood's co-stars, even though m More...
Nov 06, 2010
Art
rated it: 
Reading this book, I realized I've seen most of the movies Clint Eastwood has starred in over the years. My father loved Dirty Harry and was exceptionally proud when he found out that the first handgun I purchased (many years ago) was a S&W Model 29. In case you are unfamiliar with Dirty Harry, he carries a S&W Model 29.
This new biography does a very good job of covering Eastwood's movie career and his private life. Untangling Eastwood from the characters he has played on the More...
This new biography does a very good job of covering Eastwood's movie career and his private life. Untangling Eastwood from the characters he has played on the More...
May 25, 2010
Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com
rated it: 
As a big Eastwood fan I was looking forward to reading this book.
The book is divided into three parts:
Part 1 - From Aimless to Actor - which follows Eastwood from birth until 1979
Part 2 - From Actor to Auteur - which takes place from 1979 to 1990
Part 3 - From Auteur to Oscar - which takes place from 1990 to 2009
The Good:
This book was a fascinating read and reminded me of Mr. Eastwood's body of work in-front and behind the camera. I knew that More...
The book is divided into three parts:
Part 1 - From Aimless to Actor - which follows Eastwood from birth until 1979
Part 2 - From Actor to Auteur - which takes place from 1979 to 1990
Part 3 - From Auteur to Oscar - which takes place from 1990 to 2009
The Good:
This book was a fascinating read and reminded me of Mr. Eastwood's body of work in-front and behind the camera. I knew that More...
Mar 04, 2010
Karla (Mossy Love Grotto)
rated it:
Unbelievably fast read, and at the end I had to wonder what the point of it was. The author, as far as I could tell, didn't do any original research like interviews with co-stars and acquaintances. All the sources were previously published, so it had a slapdash magazine article feel to the whole thing. It's a stark contrast to Susan Compo's bio of Warren Oates which, despite its flaws, had a hefty chunk of new material and revelations (such as the first, forgotten, Mrs. Oates and many interviews
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Dec 30, 2009
Diane
rated it: 
Clint Eastwood has long been a favorite actor of mine, so when I heard about the new biography, I was anxious to read more about this amazing man. Boy did I learn a lot too! Despite the fact that Clint Eastwood was a womanizer, probably a lousy husband and a not very involved father, no one could say that the man did not have talent and that he worked hard to accomplish what he did in his 50 years on screen. Probably one of the most iconic stars in Hollywood, he starred in westerns, thrillers,
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May 25, 2010
This book is a fraud. Riddled with so many errors on simple easy-to-check details ---- like which actor played which part, what the main character's job is, who dies, the nominations/awards list is incomplete, although the book claims to be the "only complete" bio of its subject. But it also has 2 major errors: the well-known catchphrase "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya?" is given as "Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya? which makes no sense; also, text has Eastwood losing a best
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Jan 21, 2010
Bill
rated it:
I enjoyed Eliot's Cary Grant book as well as his book on Reagan's years in Hollywood, but I felt this book was a little superficial. It does tell the basic biography of Clint, where he was from, who he married, who was sleeping with, what movies he made; but it is very lacking in analysis and detail. And we learn very little about his filmmaking process other than he works quickly, does few takes, and brings the films in on time. Eastwood deserves a book on the order of Christopher Frayling's
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Mar 13, 2010
Kay
rated it:
Clint Eastwood comes across as so many of his film characters: cold, aloof, ruthless, egotistical, and a man of few words. I remember when his affair with Sandra Locke was made public I was so disgusted with her for breaking up his marriage. What a joke!! He was born a Tomcat and had bedded almost every woman he came across. When she sued him I really thought she was a money grubbing woman trying to use him to further her career. This book certainly proved me wrong! Eastwood has talent,
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Feb 08, 2012
James
rated it:
Everybody familiar with western culture, whether they live in it or not, knows Clint Eastwood. As a result, it would be difficult for a biographer to provide any surprises, and Marc Eliot does not. What he does provide is a clear, entertaining, well-written portrait of one of the icons of modern Hollywood. From the early beginnings of Eastwood's career as the cattle driver Rowdy Yates on television's Rawhide, through his days in the spaghetti westerns that opened the cinematic doors in Hollywood
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Feb 04, 2010
Joan
rated it:
A very sexist book if you ask me, but good reading if you must understand Hollywood. Definitely a man's book, but good research for this female mind as it chronicles the journey of an actor who got by in Hollywood by essentially playing himself and learned what Hollywood wanted from him the hard way. I like Clint Eastwood now I must say because I like him better as a director than an actor (plus I don't like westerns). He really does get better with age...
Feb 09, 2011
Rick
rated it:
This continues the author's "revisionist study" of the American motion picture industry and examines the life of one of its most iconic members. Because he happened to be able to swim, he was assigned as a life guard at Ft. Ord, Calif., rather than being sent to fight in Korea. There he met up with other soon-to-be actors -- David Janssen, Martin Milner, John Saxon -- and despite having no great desire to be an actor, became the most successful and influential of them all.
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Jun 26, 2011
Beckie
rated it:
i read the nearly 700 page clint eastwood - american rebel - biography. i have been a fan of his for a very long time. i have never read a biography of anyone before because i just am not a big fan of history - no matter whose life story it is. but i made an exception for clint because i just love him so. i knew a lot about his life, and now i know way too much. some things were a hard pill to swallow, the biggest being that he was quite the womanizer, has 7 kids by 5 women (and has only be
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Oct 02, 2011
Benjamin
rated it:
A decent biography about Clint Eastwood,one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful actors,producers,and directors in the history of American motion pictures.I grew up watching his movies,from the Man With No Name" trilogy,to his latest.A man that kept alive the western genre all by himself for more than 20 years,winner of four Oscars,and multiples awards. In 1954,at age 24,Eastwood was married and working at an Oakland,CA,gas station when he was brought to Universal by
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Oct 14, 2009
Jan
rated it:
Seven children with five different women...that alone makes for good reading. Eliot, the biographer, loves details of deals, plots, etc. Some of the chat about the movie biz was boring to me but it was interesting to see what movies got made and when the got made. Clint appears to be a lot like some of his characters...man of few words, decisive, and a devil with the ladies.
Feb 05, 2012
McKenzie
rated it:
This is one of the more enjoyable biographies that I have read. I love Clint, and I loved reading about his early life and career (which I wasn't alive to enjoy) as well as his later works and life. Marc Eliot has put together a very well done biography that I recommend to anyone who has ever mentioned enjoying a Western!
Nov 03, 2009
Margy
rated it:
I so admire Clint Eastwood's growth and talent as a director that I wanted to learn all about him. I'm almost sorry i read the book because I learned things that I prefer not to know about his private life. The writing was not terrific, but neither was it distracting.
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Dec 08, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
This was an interesting book. AI t would have been better if the writer did not have such a tendancy to get pissy (about Eastwoods movies, who he slept with ect). Eastwood is an interesting person, but when you are none to bright and try to write about him your BS shows. Read Schankels (sp) book
Dec 20, 2009
Mary
rated it:
This book portrays Clint Eastwood as very egotistical and self-centered yet talented enough to have the public wanting to see him more. Don't know that I would recommend this to anyone. It was very hard to get through all of the pages. I skimmed a lot!
Dec 30, 2009
David
rated it:
An unauthorized biography, but neither "tell-all" nor adulatory. Eliot takes an even-handed look at one of Hollywood's icons, in a very reader-friendly style.
I liked most of Eastwood's films and I liked this insider's glimpse of the man.
I liked most of Eastwood's films and I liked this insider's glimpse of the man.
Mar 28, 2011
Carol
rated it:
I've loved the last 3 or 4 movies that Clint Eastwood has given us. The man's personal life leaves me a bit cold, however, which may temper some of my admiration for him.
Nov 24, 2011
Robert T.
rated it:
I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood for many years. Grew up loving his western movies and Dirty Harry movies. Later in my late teens while serving in the US Army, I discovered that the Dirty Harry character was novelized into a series. I had managed to read all that where published. Later I actually met Mr. Eastwood while working for Pebble Beach Company, he is co-owner of Pebble Beach resort/golf courses. Mr. Eastwood is a regular visitor and I would hand his week Pine Cone Newspaper for Carme
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Jul 21, 2011
Mark
rated it: 
Ugly. I guess the most delicate way I could put it is that this is an unremarkable, overrated book about an uninspiring life.
Jan 23, 2010
Chris
rated it:
Initially I thought that a biography of a living figure done without his cooperation would be different or interesting but lack meat. This is not the case. It's a very even-handed and compelling book about the man. It's not hagiography, it's not judgmental. It just tells it like it is. Now I don't think a book this good could have been written with the collaboration of the subject. Eastwood is more than a rebel, he's his own man.
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Oct 09, 2011
Nancy
rated it:
Surface coverage of Eastwood's life and films. No indepth interviews, just magazine quotes and film critic reviews.
Feb 26, 2011
Donna
rated it:
As a huge Clint Eastwood fan since the spaghetti westerns - I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Feb 04, 2012
Olga
rated it:
OK book. I like Clint as an actor, but was less impressed with his personality.
Mar 07, 2011
Joe
rated it:
Very good biography of an actor/director with a lot more 'depth' than you might think.
Sep 29, 2010
Stephanie
rated it:
Eastwood has led quite a life. This is an interesting read for any fan of his work.
Nov 12, 2010
Kevin
rated it:
Really good insight to the man, however, more biased than I would like in a biography.
