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Rating: 
Summary: Sinatra without the warts.
Review: First, you have to understand it's not a biography. Actually the book's premise is summed up very well by the Sinatra quote on the dust jacket. "I think my real amibition is to pass on to others what I know. It took me a long, long time to learn what I now know, and I don't want that to die with me." I think this book does that very well using a series of ancedotes culled from Mr. Sinatra himself as well as others. It covers things such as the Las Vegas "Rat Pack" years, his style of dress, his code of conduct, his loyalty to friends. The book succeeds in what it was meant to do, but to get a real feel for the total man I'd suggest reading one of the many fine biographies that are out there. Whether you love or hate Frank Sinatra you'll have to admit he was a very complex man who lived life on his own terms. This book will give you some insights into what drove him to be the way he was.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read
Review: I finished this book about a week before he died and loved it. No, there isn't a lot of dirt, but so what? This book portrays a passionate man who lived every moment with wit and style. A lesson most of us need to learn. It's exactly like the title says...The Lost Art of Livin'. The anecdotes are hilarious and make you feel that you're right there living it with him. A must read for anyone who loves Sinatra or 50's/60's retro.
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Summary: Live each day like it may be the final day...
Review: There have been a lot of books written on Sinatra;but this one is excellent.Where does one start and what does one say?Zehme has zeroed in on what made Sinatra an icon and a one of a kind.Sinatra had a great line for all occasions;and even when there was no occassion,he had a line for that too.
"Fear is the enemy of logic"
"Don't despair.You have to scrape bottom to appreciate life and start living again."
"the big lesson in life ,baby,is never be scared of anyone or anything."
The book is a quick,concise and intrest holding read. The pictures chosen were excellent in portraying Sinatra's personna.
You can't go wrong with this book if you ever liked anything Sinatra said or did.
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Summary: A great insight to the King of Cool's thoughts and beliefs
Review: What a great book! I have read this twice already and didn't put it down until the wee hours of the morning. To read this is to almost be talking to Mr. Sinatra one on one. The author did a great job to give the reader the essance of Sinatra and see what made him "Tick". His views on friends, enemies and lovers is blunt, honest to the point and quite refreshing in this day of political correctness. Alot of important details about how Sinatra looked and dressed are emphasized and are quite valuable to the overall picture. The heydays of the ratpack, relationship with Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe and his last love..his wife, are told with a tinge of regret and admiration, but lovingly honest as well. The man admitted his flaws but his style and personality made his admirers overlook them. I recommend this to anyone who wants to know what the late night swing life of the 1950's-early 60's were like. A fantastic read! Kudos to the author.
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Summary: Life Changing Material
Review: What can I say that hasn't already been said? About 3 or 4 years ago I wasn't doing so well. I was looking for some guidance, some help to define myself and create my own identity. I came across this book on a sales rack and picked it up. I had been a Sinatra fan for awhile, had a few books and some albums. But this, this was something special. You come away from it really knowing who Mr. Sinatra really was. You get to know the man behind the "legend." Immediatly I began to change the way I was. I began to relax, not worry so much. I changed my wardrobe (For years I had been kind of a bum, really not thinking about my dress) to more of a "classier" one. I became less of a cheapskate and helped any of my friends who needed help. Why? Because that's what Frank did! Not to mention I discovered "his way" to mixing drinks the way with women. One cannot talk about this book without mentioning the excellent writing of Bill Zehme. He really gets to the soul of the experiences. The writing has the same flair as Sinatra's speech, always hip, always to the point. It's no wonder he has written the liner notes for the live Rat Pack cds. He really "knows" Frank and the boys and shows it. So read this book. Who knows what could happen? You may come away from it with a new view on life.
Rating:
Summary: A way in Which A Hat Will Nevre Be Worn Again
Review: Zehme does a spectacular job in bring what Frank Sinatra really was to the people of the world. It has an easy reading short story flow that will make you not want to put it down. Reading this book has enspired me to read more about Frank Sinatra and others by Bill Zehme. The Chariman would be proud.
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Summary: You Brought a New Kind of Book to Us
Review: Zehme's book is a delight, a welcome change from the biotrash (Kitty Kelley) and a nice complement to the detailed music analyses (Will Friedwald and Charles Granata). For those of us who never met the man, you close the book feeling like you knew him. For those of us who live our lives by his music, it offers a great perspective on the man behind the songs. Even if the author writes for Esquire, this is less of style manual than a collection of anecdotes telling us how the Chairman did things with class. The world dressed better in the 1950s, and Sinatra STILL looks like the classiest guy around 50 years later (check out contemporary photos of his pals for a contrast!) You'll learn how to mix drinks, what color suit to wear at night (hint: forget about brown), how to manage your untold millions and how to date starlets. Many of the excellent Phil Stern photographs have appeared elsewhere, but it is nicely illustrated book with some new (to me) photos. Recommended as a fun read and the closest we'll ever come to spending an afternoon with the man.
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