Going My Own Way

I just finished reading this book and was very disturbed how the infamous Bing treated his sons. A man who had everything and nothing. What a twisted parent. If anyone can recall watching Bing's son Gary on Emergency or on Adam-12 back in the 60's and 70's, you can literally see the pain in Gary's face. Going My Own Way

This is a great biography. Very well written and completely absorbing. Gary is hardest on himself-totally honest. I have a special contempt for the assistant coach who would not let him have the spot he earned on the Stanford team.

I read this book when it first came out and I thought it was fascinating. I enjoyed Crosby's description of Louis Armstrong's tour among many other things. Crosby talks about how out of control he was on alcohol and the famous people he would run with when he was drinking. Lots of things happen in this book. If you like biography, this is a great choice. By the way... I'm surprised that someone would write a scathing review without even having finished the book. Bing was awful to the Crosby boys. He refused to let Gary and his brothers enjoy life. Just one example is how he imprisoned them each summer on a working ranch where they had to do miserable labor which they hated. Too bad he couldn't have thought of what they wanted to do. Two of the brothers committed suicide and while it's impossible to lay this at Bing's doorstep, a better, kinder upbringing certainly couldn't have hurt.

I read this book over 20 years ago when I saw Gary on the Phil Donahue show talking about his upbringing. I just recently purchased a copy. The writing style of the book is highly reminiscent of the character Holden Caulfield in "The Catcher in the Rye", and just like that novel, there are laugh out loud parts in Gary's autobiography. I am disturbed that people who read the book would critisize his motives for writing it. Gary wrote it after Bing had died and without a doubt the writing of it was therapy. Clearly, Gary loved his dad. Most of us from that era who were abused by our parents still loved them. If Gary needed the money from book sales, so what? He did not receive an inheritance from his dad and his trust from his mother was modest. One reviewer said to read Bing's book if you want to know about Bing. That would only be one side of him. Read Gary's book if you want to know about Bing's family life and relationship with his 4 boys. I think "tell all" books are just fine after the person in question has died.

I was never a fan of Bing Crosby's regardless of the fact that he was way before my time, but I had been aware of son Gary Crosby's book and the controversy surrounding it's original release. I wanted to read for myself what Gary had to say about his famous father and upbringing, and what I found was a very enjoyable, wonderful read. In fact, after having read the book, I feel as if I have a friend in Gary. His book is very honest and straight forward. I am very saddened by the reminder that he has since passed on (1995).I feel as if both his famous father and mother, were to blame for Gary's attitude towards life, this heavily contributing to his personal problems and demons. From very early on about the age of six or seven, he realized thru classmates that his father was famous, and began to see himself as someone "special." But his mother quickly told him that he wasn't, and that he was no better than any of his classmates. This was the beginning of Gary's way of thinking, and all the rewards that later came his way, meant nothing to him. When he got on the cover of LIFE magazine later as a teen sensation, instead of being elated, he told a friend that he was nobody special and shrugged it off. If that breaks your heart as it did mine, you'll be moved by the many similar stories Gary writes about.For those unaware, two of Gary's three younger brothers have since committed suicide. While I did learn to like Bing Crosby as a person (he was very good to his public, which is rather rare folks), Bing is very much to blame for all the problems his four sons suffered in their adult life. It was Bing's strict upbringing and lack of love and affection that affected the four Crosby sons for the rest of their lives. This is an excellent book on a number of levels. I can't recommend reading this book enough. I've never read a book where I've come to know someone as much as I have about Gary. He's a really great guy.