Bobby Darin: The Incredible Story of an Amazing Life

Despite the recent rush of books about Bobby Darin, none tell the tale more clearly or tersely as Al DiOrio's biography. Filled with photos, and candid biography, it's a quick and interesting read. Recommended.

This book is special and I have read & reread it. So informative no punches pulled but written with love & affection. Don't miss it.

I really appreciate this bio because it was written long ago, before the recent flurry of Darin bios, when there was little info out there on the subject. It was also the first (I think) to report on Darin's family secret about his mother and sister. Tho' it's written in a fairly dry style and has some errors, it's recommended to any Darin fan. Diorio have expertise on Darin; he appeared on both video bios - the A & E Songmasters bio and PBS's Beyond the Song.

Had he lived a normal lifespan, Bobby Darin had the talent and magneticism to have risen to the top of the heap as both a serious male vocalist and nightclub entertainer. What Darin did lack was a healthy heart. Sadly, as depicted in Al Di Orio's fine book, Bobby succombed to the degenerative heart condition at only 37 years of age.I agree with the reviwer from Philadelphia that Di Orio's book is an earnest and sincere attempt at writing the life story of a complicated and misunderstood performer. But Bobby Darin had so much talent, personal charm, and wit that a fuller appraisal of his body of work is still needed. After all, Darin really had only seven or right years of good health during his career, yet he still managed to be nominated for an Academy award and a half-dozen Grammies. He also had over a dozen Gold Records and was the recipient of the Golden Globe and French Film Critics' awards. Who knows how far he might have gone had he lived a normal life span?In an age when even Tony Bennett, replete with raspy-voice and a pseudo-cool demeanor, is winning over many young fans, Bobby Darin- who was genuinely cool and who could sing with original style and unmatched syncopation in every musical genre- would probably be the new Sinatra-esque icon of our generation. Too bad he did not live long enough to garner all the praise and popular following that he truly deserved. In short, while Al di Orio did a fine job, Bobby's superb acting, inimitable swing/jazz singing, and impeccable stage presence deserves a richer treatment. buy Di Orio's book, but hope that someone undertakes to write the definitive Bobby Darin biography-one which highlights and evaluates why everyone from George Burns, Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny, Henry Mancini, Sidney Potier, and Peggy Lee (among dozens of others) to Rod Stewart and Berry Gordy thought Bobby Darin was one of the graetest natural entertainers in the history of show business.

Al Di Orio's "Borrowed Time: The 37 Years of Bobby Darin" is a well-researched and heartfully written account of the life of the late multi-talented performer. Di Orio does a fine job at excavating the facts of Bobby's troubled early life, including the details of his illegitimate birth. Di Orio also covers in detail Darin's childhood bouts with Rheumatic Fever that irreparabley damaged his heart and ultimately led to his tragic, untimely death.While Di Orio's work breaks much ice in the uncovering of a very complex and often misunderstood entertainer's life, it does not do ample justice to Darin's talents. Bobby Darin was hailed by Sammy Davis, Jr. as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, cabaret performers in the business. Wayne Newton called Darin "the most connsummate performer I have ever known." Darin was also a fine actor, skilled songwriter, and natural musician. His legions of fans and admirers spanned the entire age spectrum and virtually all entertainment genres. His line of admirers stretched from Henry Mancini, George Burns, and Johnny Mercer to Neil Young, Felix Cavaliere, and Brian Setzer. Yet, after reading Di Orio's book, I came away feeling that the author barely touched on the universal admiration and critical acclaim that Darin achieved in his short life. For instance, Di Orio spends little time assessing the reasons why Darin was hailed by many as the only performer in the business who had the genuine talent, personal magneticism, and eclectic appeal to eventually assume the mantle held by Frank Sinatra as America's greatest male vocalist. As a cabaret and nightclub performer, it was acknowledged by many in the entertainment industry that Darin could do more things well than any other live entertainer. However, the book barely hints at the magnitude of Darin's greatness as a performer.In all fairness, Di Orio does a noble job, particularly in his treatment of the singer's troubled personal life. Consequently, I highly recommend this book to all fans of Bobby Darin. However, Darin's ecelectic body of work cries out for a richer critical assessment. Darin was a stylish vocalist who mastered standard ballads, jazz/swing, rhythm and blues, folk/rock, and country/western. Think about it. This one man sang such diverse material as "Beyond the Sea," "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey?" "Eighteen Yellow Roses," "Mack the Knife," "Me and Mr. Hohner," "Splish Splash," and "If I Were A Carpenter." No one, including Sinatra, covered such a wide span of musical genres and styles. If you are a Bobby Darin fan who wishes to learn more about Darin the man, Mr. Di Orio's biography is a great starting point. However, a fuller acknowledgement and critical assessment of Bobby Darin's enormous and wide-ranging talent is long overdue.