Rating: 
Summary: Can't act, can't dance, some sing.
Review: Just like the famous critique of Fred Astaire! (Although it wasn't true of Fred!) I never thought Sinatra was a great singer and Kitty Kelley unravels how and why he unfairly got to the top. His Mafia ties, shocking behavior, and egomania are just a few of the truths laid bare. No wonder all of his jaded fanatic followers are screaming foul! The truth usually hurts and never is pretty. 5 stars to KK for her tireless research and courage to publish her findings.
Rating: 
Summary: Angel or Thug.
Review: Kelley is a great gossip,and there are parts of this that one wants to relish,she is the only writer ive ever read that hauls out the thug in sinatra , and oh boy what a "thug" he could be, having said that she is no deep thinker, and this is the downfall of this book. In my opinion sinatra was a strange combination,the angel,and oh boy what an "angel" he could be, and the thug,that is a very rare combition indeed,and he had both,in that skinny little frame of his.She never gets deeper on what made or motivated him except to describe events.Am i alone in thinking that a book on moma sinatra would have been more fun!
Rating:
Summary: Gives a good different view
Review: Kitty Kelley made headlines when she released her book on the life of Frank Sinatra. "His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra" created a controversy where Frank Sinatra fans were claiming the biography was one sided. Before Sinatra passed away, he went to court trying to prevent books such as this. He didn't want his many secrets of affairs, bar fights and mob ties to be public knowledge. Kelley did a great job of explaining these instances. But that is just what made this book just mediocre, and not great. She explained the many negative aspects of his life with great detail but left out all of the positive; his love for his family, influence on the music industry and most of all his great talent.
If you want to learn of the dark side of Frank Sinatra, this book is perfect. But, if you want to learn of his great musical impacts and his musical history, this book should be steered away from. When Kelley released it, controversy arose about the one-sidedness of the biography. I feel that even though I don't like Sinatra's dark side exploited, it is still a good book. Kelley includes great detail of his life and includes very interesting facts that were previously not known to the public.
When choosing a book to read about the life of Frank Sinatra, you must first decide what part of him you would like to read about. There are some well-rounded books out there outlining his life, both good and bad parts, but they do not go into as much depth of Kelley's. Over all this a well-written and interesting book that shows a side of Sinatra the public has heard about briefly but never knew the real stories behind the rumors.
Rating: 
Summary: A mixed bag
Review: Kitty Kelley's book about Frank Sinatra made countless headlines when it was released and shot to the top of the best seller list. Unfortunately, the book is very tabloidy. If you read this book without knowing anything about Sinatra, you will come away with the impression that he was a monster. True, he did have his share of fights and problems with the press, but Kelley makes it sound as if all he did his life was yell at people. The few times she mentions all of the charity work he did, its in passing and never very respectful.
There is no doubt that the book is readable. I found myself not wanting to put it down, but at the same time wishing Kelley was more unbiased.
It is one of the longer Sinatra bios, but I feel that the definitive biography of the man as a human being with both good points and bad points has yet to be written. Read this book with an open mind and don't take everything as fact. I suggest that to get "the other side of the story", you read Nancy Sinatra's "An American Legend" as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Kelly's Dream
Review: Kitty Kelly takes already legendary personalities and tries to wreck them so that we, the public, feel happier being nobodies. Thank you Kitty. What is in it for Ms Kelly? Well for a short while she comes out sqeaky clean, the angel and saint who delivered us from the evil of becoming star struck, from holding Liz,Frank and the rest in such high regard that we buy their image from the Franklin Mint and nail them to the walls in our kitchens, dens and bedrooms. But, my dear Public, it is Kitty who dreams the dream that she one day reach the status of being marketable on a plate or honored by her peers in such a way and with such esteem that eclipses Sinatra. Afterall, she didn't get to sleep with her idol but so many others did and had a fantastic time. Afterall, they have the stories to tell, Kitty only has the typewriter. They had the fun, she only has a "book", she's been "published"but that's it. Her claim to fame is nothing more than writing on the coat tails of the giants. Now if you LOVE Sinatra as I ADORE him, then such a book is interesting myth at best. I took what I liked and forgot what was vulgar. Her voice. Sinatra did not have vulgarity in his voice when he sang. His children were never caught in the middle of any sex scandals,drug scandals etc...such a thing is often associated with bad parenting and role models, having OJ Simpson for a father , for example. Sintara did not have to be an angel, a hero, a king because he was Sinatra and nothing can bring him down from that position. This book did not, when it was printed, and I doubt it will in the future make Sinatra less of a legend. In fact, when the book came out it was certain that he was a legend. I wish she would not do Bush for this very reason. I'd rather he be forgotten and the Kitten's book would just be flagging Bush for ....but I digress. However, Sinatra was sincere, this is also heard in his voice and music and sincere people have no sense of humor when it comes to integrity and reputations and this is why he took her to court. When Kitty passes on........who will care? Nobody Cares. Kitten's book only mean you are up there...So please, Kitten, why Bush? You are slipping in your old age.
Rating: 
Summary: Tabloid book offers a lot of dirt, not much substance
Review: No doubt a lot of what Kelley says is true, but I found myself not caring about much of it. When I want perfect morality and ethics, I usually don't look to the entertainment industry, and by the end of the book I think I learned more about Kelley than about Sinatra.Not recommended. Check out Donald Clarke's less biased All or Nothing at All, or, for more music, Will Friedwald's book. I borrowed Kelley's book from the library out of respect to Mr. Sinatra -- I didn't want to spend five bucks on this kind of garbage.
Rating:
Summary: Book reveals much about our society, not only through music.
Review: One would not expect a Kitty Kelley book about Frank Sinatra to have any great profundity, but *His Way* stands as a major cultural and social document of our times. Sinatra is one of the most-worshipped gods of our age. His life story shows all over again how much misery goes into "lifestyles of the rich and famous," and how much corruption comes out. Sinatra's origins were unromantic. His mother was a neighborhood abortionist. This was an albatross around young Frank's neck. Symbolic of our age, he grew up to personify the "good life" -- the suave, wealthy, hyper-romantic, carefree, yet blues-ridden one -- in his art, while his life embodied many kinds of evil. His mafia connections are well known and, like other unpleasant details of his legend, the book removes all doubt as to their authenticity. The most remarkable thing about *His Way* is in fact the superb job Kelley does of writing and documenting it. She researches and writes like a seasoned college professor. Like most muckrakers Kelley's truthfulness has been called into question, but the book seems entirely trustworthy, especially at a time so many entertainment deities are revealing themselves as tragically flawed or worse. Sinatra, the king of musical romance, bullied, used, and abused women, including his gentle wife Mia Farrow. The worlds of entertainment, crime and politics came together when Frank and company helped get JFK elected President. Frank was supposedly king of the heap himself, but displayed a pitifully boyish awe toward his fellow rake Kennedy, even after he himself helped to "create" Kennedy as president. *His Way* is a chronicle of an egomaniac who knew no restraints. He cause endless harm to others, then wrote them a check to cover their suffering. The moral of the story (every good book still has one) is that we ought to be more careful in whom we elevate as our heroes and "role models." Even those not fond of Sinatra or his swank big-band genre of music will find the book hard to put down. People of discernment will learn much from it as to why life is the way it is in 1999.
Rating:
Summary: Ol' Red Eyes
Review: This book is very readable. Pick it up at any page and go. A lot of Sinatras wild exploits are written about. Many are of a negative nature (as many interesting wild exploits are), but there are many references supporting them. The long length of this book, combined with its interesting items, and its ease of reading, make this book great. Truth or not? Who knows to what degree. Certainly there have been enough well documented incidents with Sinatra that the content of this book is not unreasonable to believe. It does focus on his behavior, and life, more than his actual music activities. If that makes this book "tabloid" then fine, it also makes it interesting and readable. For in depth Sinatra music related biographical information, there must be a better book than this. This book is great if you are intersted in the wild exploits of his life. And oh they were wild. The book keeps moving. Its fast (though long). Nothing in the book is uninteresting.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: This book was interesting from beginning to end. Of particular interest to me was the section on Frank and Ava Gardner's stormy relationship and marriage. Frank met his match. Ava could give as well as she got.
Rating:
Summary: An Eye-Opening Biography
Review: This is one revealing book! It goes in great detail about the strong, permenant affect Ava Gardner had on Frank, plus what a strong advocate he was for civil rights. Plus, Kitty is not too afraid, or resentful, to reveal that Frank slept with ALL colors of women, which is something NO ONE else would dare to admit!
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