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Summary: Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace an
Review: A journalist and the popular biographer of such luminaries as Madonna, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson now turns his focus on a supremely glamorous couple, the late Grace Kelly and her princely husband.-Brad HooperAdult Books Young adult recommendations in this issue have been contributed by the Booklist staff and by reviewers Nancy Bent, John Charles, Tina Coleman, Deborah Donovan, Gordon Flagg, Carol Haggas, Roberta Johnson, Beth Leistensnider, Shelley Mosley, Regina Schroeder, and Mike Tribby. Titles recommended for teens are marked with the following symbols: YA, for books of general YA interest; YA/C, for books with particular curriculum value; YA/L, for books with a limited teenage audience; YA/M, for books best suited to mature teens.
Rating: 
Summary: JUST O.K.
Review: Although the book is well written and contains some interesting passages, it ultimately becomes tedious. The pre-marriage section is far more interesting (as was Ms. Kelly's life) and provides many inciteful details to her career and relationships. The post-marriage section became repetitive (a "poor little rich girl" / "bird in a gilded cage" kind of thing).Overall, I am not quite certain if it's the author's or the subject's fault for the lack of excitement the book contains.
Rating:
Summary: fun, not too deep
Review: Biography's, in general, are kind of odd- who knows how much truth you're actually getting? I didn't know much about Grace Kelly before reading this book, aside from the fact she died in a car crash & was luminous & charming in Hitchcock's 'Rear Window'. The book was interesting- I learned more than I had expected about what it means to be royal- and less than I had hoped about Grace Kelly. I wish there had been more about her life before Monaco. There was so much 'talk' throughout the book about how much Grace changed once she became part of the principality & I wanted to be able to contrast that more thoroughly with the earlier part of her life. I found myself becoming much more interested in the crazy lives of her daughters, than the formalities of the palace (which were gone into ad naseum). Overall, I'd say if you're a huge Grace Kelly fan you'll probably want to read this- although be warned, the overall tone is pretty depressing. If you're like me, and don't know much about her, the first 26 years of her life, which are skimmed over in this book- sound like they might be more fun to read about.
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Summary: Unhappily ever after...
Review: Fairy tales don't always end happily, as evidenced by the somewhat sad story of Grace Kelly's life post-Hollywood. I enjoyed the parts of this book dealing with Kelly's early life and movie career rather than her life as a princess. What is very clear is that Grace Kelly was no saint but who really wanted her or expected to be anyway? She was a real human being who evidently made a mistake in her choice of husbands. Taraborelli does a pretty decent job of telling her life story although there is a fair amount of gossip,although most of it seems to be factually based. Overall,this is apretty interesting book although it's not going to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Rating:
Summary: Loved This Book
Review: I couldn't wait to read this book and was not let down. What I loved is that the author didn't just copy every one else's information. If he didn't agree with what was written before, he wrote it his way. Therefore, to me, it was all fresh perspective. I loved the story of how Grace made the best of her life in Monaco, and became such a wonderful Princess even though the odds were against her. Who cares if the writer got the date of Diana's death wrong? Like that has anything to do with anything? That's a fact checker's error. This was such a good book, and so emotional. I would recommend it. If you want to know about Princess Diana and when she died there are lots of books out there that will give you all of that. But this one gives you Grace's and Rainier's story in a beautiful and wonderful way. Five stars from me, and I have read all the Grace books, too. This is the best one yet!
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Summary: SURPRISE!
Review: I didn't know what to expect of this book. I loved Taraborrelli's "Jackie, Ethel, Joan" book, but I thought it was because of the subject, not the writing. Can you go wrong with the Kennedys? Not to discredit the author, but the Kennedys story tells itself, I thought. But with this book you see the true talent of the author, who brought so much to the story. J. Randy Taraborelli seems to be a nice person, and you sense that in his telling of Grace's story with such empathy and emotion. I truly felt her highs and her lows. It was personal to me, and I raced through this book. I love the way the author breaks his chapters down into little pieces, instead of long drawn out essays. For me, it moves the pace along. At first, I thought this should have been a Grace Kelly biography and am perplexed as to why it is a Grace and Rainier book, but in the end I felt so bad for Rainier I figured, yes, give him his due and put the ol' boy on the cover. I loved this book. It was so good. Thanks Amazon for giving me a chance to write about it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: I have read every Grace biography available to me and own many of them. This one gave a very unique perspective, interviewing several of her "non-star" friends that I hadn't read about previously. The format of the book (short chapters) really was effective and relatively fast-paced. The treatment of her marriage was very deep and made you feel like you were inside her mind. I thought that the author was quite dignified, skimming over the early affairs instead of giving every gory detail. The only thing I did not like was, at times, it seemed like he was merely paraphrasing others' material, and he gave short shrift to some of Grace's girlfriends, referring to them only as "New York girlfriends" or "show business friends."
I am an English teacher, so I may be more picky than most. For example, I nearly screamed when I saw he placed Diana's death at 1996. THat's something that any fact checker should've found.
Rating: 
Summary: Hmmmm - Very Suspicious
Review: I just finished this very mediocre book and like the two other honest one-star reviewers can't believe the nine other rave critiques presented here. They seem so suspicious to me and just don't ring true - possibly they have some personal stake in promoting the book. They would be much more believable had they presented an unbiased and rational assessment of the book's strengths and weaknesses rather than a blank public relations praising of author and work. Anyway, what I really loved most about this ridiculous rehashing of old info on the princely Grimaldis was the flat-footed white-wash job of Prince Albert's sexuality. It was hilarious how the author dug up an old college classmate (female) who was willing to go on record to attest to the fact that she had sex with the prince = ergo he couldn't possibly be gay. Also, to explain himself why he is nearing his 46th birthday and still not married (when marriage and producing children is the paramount and vital duty of this extraordinarily conscientious prince for both the survival of his dynasty and his country), Albert demures that he is loath to bring any young woman into such a merciless spotlight where she would suffer so horribly from being compared to his incomparable mother. Believe it or not, that's why Albert says he has never chosen a bride - he just doesn't have the heart to put a girl in such a difficult spot! I think major Hollywood gay hearttrobs from Ramon Navaro to Rock Hudson always maintained similar albis, with variation. This simply illustrates how the author of this book has bought into the official palace propoganda hook, line and sinker. I wasn't expectng him to "out" Albert, but why this silly opposite extreme,especially given the circumstances?!
Rating:
Summary: Instant Classic!
Review: I read this in one day, couldn't put it down. I was really waiting for it, the followup from J. Randy on his lovely, "Jackie, Ethel Joan" book about the Kennedy women. (If you don't have that one, buy it on Amazon. It's worth it.) He has so captured Grace and Rainier here, I think, and in a way that has made me love them. I wept at the end, so that tells you something. Sat there and cried!!! I plan to buy copies of "Once upon a Time" for my friends. I can't think of a better gift. It's such a warm and heartfelt kind of book. This book, to me, is an instant classic.
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Summary: This one is for my Children
Review: I so loved Grace Kelly when I was young. She was the Princess Diana of my time. How wonderful to have this book to pass to my children so that they, too, can know and love Grace and Rainier. It's a touching memoir, one that I am reading now for the second time. I'm so happy that Grace seemed to come into her own at the end of her life, but it does go to show you that life is short and that we can't wait to make things work out for ourselves and our family. Thank goodness that Grace found happiness with Rainier, but the book does pose the question of what would her life had been like if she married the wonderful Oleg Cassini? I'll bet she would have made many more films, won more Oscars and would have lived, indeed, happily ever after. I would love for my children to read this book and plan to buy copies for my three daughters. Thank you.
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