Rating: 
Summary: The book was free - but I would have paid for it!
Review: I've been in the audience a number of times at American Idol tapings and I think Simon is great! I was in the audience of the Ellen Degeneres Show the day Simon was a guest, so the book was a free gift. The book kept me company through a up-all-night-with-a-new-puppy night. The book was refreshing and enjoyable. Refreshing because Simon is honest. One day I hope to see Simon with a talk show - for obvious reasons! Anyway, if you like gossip and behind-the-scenes stuff, you'll like Simon's book. There's some shockers in there! (Like rumors of a threesome between three very popular contestants, and which contestant the hair and makeup people wanted voted off.) It's a fun read!
Rating: 
Summary: You're going to...like it!
Review: Simon delievers plenty of backstage gossip to sate 'Idol' fans' curiosity and more importantly, a reality check for the thousands of aspiring musicians hoping to make it in the music biz.
Rating: 
Summary: LONG-LIVE THE RUDE BRITS!!!
Review: I didn't think that I would enjoy this book. Books written by anyone connected to pop music are, for the most part, dreadful. However, Simon's book, part biogrpahy, part expose, part advice, is one of the most fun and readable books i've encountered. Simon opinions are forceful(no surprise here)and the content is enjoyable to read. Good job, Simon.
Rating:
Summary: As an AI fanatic...
Review: I found this book good, but I expected there to be more about his AI expirence I really like the "I dont mean to be rude but..." segments and I just with there was more elaborations and on the show and maybe he could have gone over his feelings of more of the "now" stars. And I would have liked to see a where they will be on season one.
Rating:
Summary: As an American Idol 2 fan, I enjoyed it.
Review: If you don't like (or respect) Simon's opinion, don't bother reading it. However, if you have an open mind and want some good backstage AI gossip, this is the book for you. The first half of the book is about Simon's life in England, from a young boy with lots of celebrity contacts, to his life as a runner at a movie studio. It gives you a feel of what Simon really thought about all of the contestants, judges, and hosts. He tells which AI2 contestants were hated, loved, respected, and which one, when booted off, was cheered by the make up and wardrobe people because she was so unliked. It's also kinda short, which is good for a book such as this. I enjoyed it.
Rating: 
Summary: a Reality TV Star&critic
Review: He fits for the Fast-Fodd Mentality of Reality TV&Stars Created seemingly overnight.this Book is flat&just pushes out the same junk that He talks on TV.I don't mind someone knocking the lack of Legit acts out in different areas of Entertainment but this cat is closer to something you might find on WWF than talking purely about Entertainment that is Legit.
Rating: 
Summary: Has some entertainment value, but not worth a purchase
Review: This is a fairly small book (literally -- only 241 pages with each page containing about half the content of a typical hardcover). The first 91 pages are pre-American Idol, and not very relevant to anyone not from the UK. I was also disappointed to find out that Simon's career was primarily focused on "hit-and-run" records---producing WWF and cartoon character releases, painting him more an opportunist than a developer of lasting talent. I finally skipped about 25 pages to page 92, and the AI content is more compelling. There are numerous sidebars throughout critiquing big name talent, and these are vintage Simon, and many will make you laugh out loud.
Pages 209-241 contain information for aspiring talent. I did not read this section, but it is probably valuable is you are interested in the biz. So, that leaves pages 92-208 as the only interesting portion of the book for me. Again, given the small page size, this translates to about 60 pages of content in a standard-sized book. Overall the book could have had more depth. I get the feeling it was a rush project timed to leverage Christmas and the media hype of AI3. It's a long Vanity Fair-type mag article carried to an extreme. I'm giving it only 2 stars beacause I don't think it's worth more than the price of a paperback, and not likely to be read a second time by most people. Thus, I would recommend checking it out of the library as I did, and putting your $16.00 to better use.
Rating:
Summary: Beware the big bad wolf....
Review: It's important to understand that this information is coming from a record executive and that his view point (typical of most record execs) is to favor what will make him the most money at the moment. All of his advise is slanted that direction, don't misunderstand this is excellent advise if you want to be a flavor of the year pop-star, this is what his taste is for , disposable "artist" that he can control of. If you were to make it to the top with the help of Mr. Cowell or any other executive like him you'd find yourself his puppet, his special guest at the top with an short expiration date. Pop music dominates the Top40 charts but the career lifespan is four to five years at the top, then you're yesterday's news. Mr. Cowell wouldn't argue this fact, but he'd much rather avoid that subject altogether, after all the pop kings and queens he manufactures get a chance to be a star for a little while, they are paid well for their short stay (well depending on what you consider fiar) and during their entire stay they are tightly controlled by the executives and the managers under them who select the songs, select the art and style direction, you see it's more of a hobby for Cowell and fresh young talet are just his clay. Now if you want real advice to take your band to the top and to stay there a long time. If you are more than a pretty face with a voice and you actually write your own music and view yourself as an artist, then stay clear of this book, instead pick up a copy of Donald Passman's - All That You Need to know about the Music Business.
Rating:
Summary: Who really cares...
Review: About what this guy has to say about anyone? He judges on a show that looks for the next Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake(music really needs more soulless, manufactured garbage like that, right?) but dismisses a genius like Bob Dylan and calls him "depressing". And he's nasty to people who compete on his pointless show, but does he sing or play a musical instrument? No. So what would he know about talent? He worked for a big record company, the same companies that foist cookie cutter pop on us and shove it down our throats. So his opinion means squat.
Rating:
Summary: Zero Stars!
Review: There is nothing else this British moron has to say, really. Too bad America gets distracted easily by trash publications and personality of this ilk. Do not waste your time buying or reading this. He is merely capitalizing on his stupidity.
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