Rating: 
Summary: What A Great Read!
Review: Oh, so Joe is human after all? What a surprize! And an alcoholic too! (explains most, if not all of the behavior he was so lambasted for through his years in Hollywood.)A great story of an immigrant's life, a life in Hollywood, true love, redemption, and the power of life-threatening illness to change someone's life completely around. He's a terrific writer and the book reads like a novel. Say what you want about his former enormous ego and over-the-top antics -- most alcoholics with money and power act the exact same way -- but the book is great and his humility at the end proves that people can change. A must-read for Hollywood fans, writers and pop-culture fans. It's an amazing inside look at the insanity that is Hollywood. Many blessings on your continued journey, Joszi!
Rating: 
Summary: Like going through his medicine cabinets...
Review: The business of writing is interesting, and his childhood memories/stories are fun; but it seems like he wrote his grown-up personal stuff in the confessional for God. It's a little much. Especially if you're a woman and sick of guys talking about carousing.
Rating: 
Summary: There is such a thing as bad press...
Review: Having worked for many years in both PR and marketing, I truly believe there is such a thing as bad press. Fifty pages into this book and I had to return it to the library where it will hopefully be buried! This book is a shining example that it doesn't always take talent to make tons of cash!
Rating:
Summary: Much More Than A Hollywood Tell All
Review: Love him or hate him, at the very least you have to tip your hat for such a raw and honest biography. I admit when I first bought this it was for the titilation factor; I wanted to read all the dirt on Sharon Stone and Michael Ovitz, and all the other Hollywood heavyweights he's worked with. What I didn't expect/didn't know is how much of the book would be about his young life, growing up a Hungarian immigrant in Ohio, and the struggles his family had. Nor did I expect the deep and complicated relationship with his father, or the heartbreaking recounting of the end of his first marriage. It's an epic biography. Frankly I'm surprised he's not dead after all that's happened to him. The stress alone would knock out most people.
Rating:
Summary: The Adventures of Joe's Pimpli
Review: If you haven't read the book, the pimpli (private part) is referred to often. All about Joe's pimpli from childhood on.....the confused, lonely pimpli of a young immigrant child. Getting him in trouble, getting no respect. Then the more confident teen pimpli--getting some recognition finally. In Hollywood, the pimpli is out of control!!! It's a real messed-up pimpli, but thinks it deserves the attention none the less. Then finally, in the long, boring drawn out ending--the pimpli finds some peace, love & redemption. A good read overall.
Rating:
Summary: Easy reading exciting from beginning to end
Review: Having been born in Hungary I escaped during the 1956 revolution with my family. We also ended up in a refugee camp first in Austria and then Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. I can relate to Joe's life experiences on a very personal level. He ended up in Cleveland, Ohio and I ended up in Newark, New Jersey. He writes honestly and details Hollywood deals and greed. Once I picked up the book I couldn't put it down. This is a good read!
Rating: 
Summary: Does so much more than "dish dirt"
Review: A terrific, involving read. I guiltily bought this for the Hollywood "dirt" stuff, but ended up getting so much more. And don't let the length scare you off... the 700-plus pages fly by. Funny, moving, mischievous, fascinating, "Hollywood Animal" delivers.
Rating:
Summary: No Recent Hits, Moved to Cleveland & Got Cancer
Review: It was very humorous. I don't think much is very true as far as his feelings go. The part about saving his Nazi father from deportation by hiring a Jewish lawyer is very suspect. He, of couse, feels the reason his Nazi dad wasn't deported is because he made such great films celebrating human rights. In reality people who drink 3 bottles of wine per day along with the glasses of gin and bourbon and joints (as he admits)don't have feelings, they have hangovers. According to him, it never bothered wife nbr 2 and she thought he was great in every way. He states he was still able to come six times per day when he was around 50. You can tell he really wants this biography made into a movie. He's now a non-drinking non-smoking Christian living in the Midwest.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but ...
Review: I loved the insight into his work and formulative years, extremely interesting and insightful on both counts. The one thing I will note, however, is that he completely leaves out the jump from high school to writing for newspapers in Cleveland and ultimately Rolling Stone. Nothing! How did he make it into the writing business, one scratches their head. Instead of the endless ending to the book about his bout with cancer (very interesting, but too long), tell us a little more about the middle part. Is it because he'd have to talk about his first wife? Also, found it interesting that he didn't explain away Showgirls, and doesn't mention that he left Hollywood because no one would pay his ridiculous asking price anymore ...
Rating:
Summary: A KILLER READ!!!
Review: THE VERDICT IS IN: ESZTERHAS IS BRILLIANT.
I came of age in Hollywood, lived in the Malibu Colony, Point Dume and Trancas and remain fascinated by the history of american cinema as well as its corruption and greed. Eszterhas brilliantly succeeds at exposing the beast -- not only in the industry but within. This is the blinding power of this read -- he played the game reluctantly, succeeded and got out -- just barely. His personal story is riveting because it gave him the courage to go against the biggest power players in the industry. courage he has. he deserved every dollar. Stylistically this book is like falling into a film. kudos for eszterhas. he deserves good health and happiness.
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