Family Album

Rating:
Summary: A outstanding emotional drama......
Review: All right! I am speaking to all of y'all who are devoted D/S fans and have read several of her books. Have ANY of you noticed just how similar "Family Album" is to "Jewels?" The only differences are: *FA is set in Hollywood while J is in France* *The husband in FA is more of a jerk at times and never gets crippled* *No one in J was homosexual or in a cult* These are really the only things that keep FA and J from being the exact same story. The children are quite alike and good portions of the "epics" take place during the same time. Please tell me I am not the only once who noticed this.

Rating:
Summary: First and Favorite
Review: I have read almost every novel that Danielle Steel has written, but Family Album was my first and it remains my favorite! This is a truly touching story about a family which, like many families, was full of problems and imperfections, but was also full of love. It was very easy to become attached to this cast of characters, and to feel as if they were people you knew. Faye Thayer is a truly phenominal woman who commands respect and admiration as she juggles a family and a successful career with style and grace at a time when most women couldn't even conceive of doing both. Family Album was the book that got me hooked on Danielle Steel, and it remains at the top of my list of favorites by her.

Rating:
Summary: Do you think you have problems?
Review: If you think that you have problems with your family check this:

Five children, one homosexual, one likes drugs, one is dead in a war, one hate her mother because her mother is a winner in life and the last one more or less normal, but these are not all the problems...
The story of Faye is well written and the book is very easy to read, it has two or three thinks that I think couldn't be true but the story of this family will make you think of your family and if you really have problems with your children, this book will open your mind of what to do or how to do things with your children, husband or wife.

Rating:
Summary: A truly helpful book
Review: It was about time a mainstream author wrote a family story that included a realistic depiction of the coming out process of a gay son, and the parents and siblings' reactions to it. I'd only just met my first gay person when I read this book. I've since come to learn that the father's reaction is, unfortunately often typical. I've also learned that gay couples can be just as committed and loving as heterosexual ones, as this book depicts. Thank you Ms. Steel!

Rating:
Summary: One of her BEST!
Review: Only Daddy could beat this book! Although it's a long read, it's worth it. Faye is the woman we all want and strive to be and Ward is the man that we all want (although he DOES disappear at the most inopportune times) And poor little Anne! I felt like a part of their family in this novel...TRY IT!

Rating:
Summary: A truly helpful book
Review: The book has a basically good plot and the characters are really brought to life, but it's written in an extremely simple, poor, sometimes even boring style. Very black-and-white, superficial, and that's a pity because it could have been a far better book with some more care and time.

Rating:
Summary: One great book!
Review: This book was one wonderful book, really draws you in to almost feel as if you are one of the people in the book, she is one gifted writer!
Another great book that I would recommend to anyone and everyone is called, POETRY THAT HOLDS, STORIES UNTOLD, A must read for all!

Rating:
Summary: It is a book for women
Review: This is a book that shows women's strength. DS manages to do that in most of her books though. She takes you down a path & you feel as if you've lived it, even though it can be tough and sad. You are so happy when things go right...
Set aside some time to read this book. As several of her books do, they start out a little slow, but pick up after the first 50 pages, where she uses to describe the people & places.

Rating:
Summary: YUCK! of an otherwise fine story.....
Review: This story is simply about a typical family, with some extraordinarly lives and careers, but typical family problems. Each and every person in this family creates their own conflict, and bonds the family into something bigger and stronger. I loved the movie for this story, but I loved the book more... of course! Each member does something to test the love of the entire family unit, and the results are extraordinary! Anyone from a big family, will love this one!!

Rating:
Summary: YUCK! of an otherwise fine story.....
Review: This would be my last DS book I read. I admire the lady but somehow she always manage to cheapen her characters. The plot starts with the heroine Faye Price, fabulous movie star, climbing her success in Hollywood while meeting her future beau, Ward Thayer in Guadalcanal. He was a liutenant then, but he's heir to a shipyard tycoon. Until this part, I totally love the plot. They finally get married and have 5 beautiful children and start a journey as a rich family in Beverly Hills. Since the husband never has to work in his life and loves buying Faye baubles, they soon went bankrupt and the heroine has to work her way up again while the hubby paralyzes his fear of failure with girls and booze. The family manages to claw their way back to Beverly Hills, but the children start to lead different lives as they grow older. The oldest (Lionel) is gay, the second one (Greg) is a football jock, the next (Val and Van) are twins with totally different characters and the baby (Anne) is always depicted crying her eyes out. Poor Anne has the weakest character. She runs away with the "peace" crowd in SF at 14 and gets pregnant in a commune (it's just a nasty depiction of gang rape), and eventually gave up his son. Along the way she befriends a girl and her rich dad, and from there the plot goes Lolita. This I don't get, a flower child who ends up wearing Gucci and fur coats!
I love the part when DS shows how Faye struggles to bring her family together, but somehow when she gets back her stardom she is no longer a doting mother anymore. The family is very liberal in letting their children sleep around with anyone who crosses his/her path, morality is not a priority... I used to admire DS writing, but NOT her promiscuity, however noble she tries to describe it. The gay plotline of Faye's oldest son is supposed to be a tearjerker, although I cringed when reading all the promiscuity depicted in this book. However, it's really beyond gross for a 14 y.o falling in love with a 47 y.o man. I can imagine myself falling in love with Kevin Costner when I was 12, but that was when he had hair and Sean Young was hot. Add to that, this old man is portrayed as a doting father of Anne's best friend, but when his daughter is away for Christmas break, the 47 y.o manages to invite Anne for a "pajama party". How yucky can you get? DS, HOW COULD YOU!!!
Maybe in her lifetime, DS has met characters like these, or she herself has experienced it, but I think the intimate plot between an old man with an underage girl is tacky. It just encourages more pedophiles to do what they're not supposed to do.
Anyways, I have to say, DS always begin her storyline beautifully, and almost always manage to end it cheaply. Sorry guys, but please stay away from this book, or if you're really interested, read it and burn it...