Rating: 
Summary: If I could I would give this book no stars!
Review: What a waste of time, A book about Barry Manilow, by somone that seems to dislike him, by her own addmission, third hand story's and step mother I believe Barry never even met.
I can't even go on about how bad this book really is, you would be better off reading the Enquierer or the Globe to get more accurate information on a Brilliant man such as Mr. Manilow
Please skip this one! and save your money, buy"Sweet life adventures on the way to paradise" and hear Barrys life story told by the man himself!
Ruby
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Read
Review: While this isn't the best biography I have ever read, it is the best I have read on Barry Manilow. While this pales in comparison to _Sweet Life_, his autobiography, it does fill in where other biographies have dared not go. Unlike the other biographies I have read, Manilow is human in this one and does not appear to walk on water. My biggest problem with the book is that it is unbalanced. The author concentrates on his early years and breezes through his later years as if they were insignificant. The information that she does give us regarding his early years is interesting and we gain a valuable insight into Manilow, both through previously published interviews as well as interviews with people who were part of his life back then. I was particularly concerned about how the author would treat his sexuality, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how she treated this topic with respect and dignity. Since this is an unauthorized biography, one would expect most info to be culled from past interviews. This is ok, as she really digs deep to find the information from the interviews. The fan portion left much to be desired. It's unfortunate that the author did not get the fan support she needed in the writing of this book as she would have gotten a better cross section of fans. If for nothing else, buy the book for the pictures, as there are some I have never seen. This is a book for those Manilow fans who are not afraid to think "out of the box."
Rating:
Summary: Why did she bother?
Review: Why did she write this book? It's clear that she does not have an ounce of respect for her subject. Aside from a few never-before-seen photos, this book was a waste of time and money. I found it odd that for the most part, the book seemed to end in the early 80's, around the same time Manilow's own autobiography ended (coincidence?), with very little mentioned about his accomplishments over the last 20 years in the last chapter. The chapter on his fans was an embarrassment to read, focusing on a few fans who seem to have lost touch with the real world. The author's sources are old magazine articles and interviews from people who have not been associated with Manilow for many years. The constant "reminders" of his sexuality became tedious, popping up several times for no apparent reason. The book also seems to go out of its way to discredit things Barry himself said in his own book with "let me tell you what REALLY happened" third-party accounts and the author's own speculations. If you really want to read this book, wait until you find it at a yard sale.
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