James Dean

Good but not as good as The Real James Dean. It's packed full of story's, letters and interviews by some of deans closest family and friends. The ones that knew dean best, the real James Dean. A must read.

book was sent as a gift & was recieved as a great book about James Dean

I have read many James Dean books, and the biographies have ranged from bland to overly philosophical to just obscene. George Perry's book has a lot of basic information given in a clean and clear format. Perry does give some more insight into Dean's life in unknown times. Perry's book should be taken as an official bio. It doesn't look at Dean's life in a sleazy way, but it does tackle questions about Dean's lifestyle in a fair & balanced method. The photos and layout are nice. There are extra informationa nd fact boxes relating to the chapter's material. There isn't enough material to make this book excellent, but it is the best book on James Dean available. If there is one book you must read on Hollywood's classic rebel, let this one be it.

As a lifelong James Dean fan and fellow Hoosier who attends the festival held in his memory each year, I like to acquire at least one new book about Jimmie yearly. This year, it was this book. It not only offers new photos, but also tackles the subject of the relationship between Jimmie and his father Winton Dean. There was more detail about the reason that Winton did not have Jimmie move back out to live with him in California after his remarriage. It also gives glimpses of how others who knew him perceived him, his tempermental nature, his playfulness, and the passion with which he pursued his dreams of becoming a successful actor. This book is a must read/own for any true James Dean fan and provides an insightful look into the life of a true American Icon.

Over the years, there have been loads of biographies written about James Dean, some of which are significantly better than others. Today, 50 years after his death, Dean remains one of the most recognizable and captivating film and cultural icons. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for Dean's seeming immortality. During his life, Dean made only three major motion pictures and yet, he defined the Post-World War II generation of reckless youths feeling somewhat misplaced, displaced, or confused. This book, officially endorsed by the James Dean estate, is somewhat of a combination biography and coffee table book. The book contains numerous black and white and color photographs of Dean in varying stages of his life and career -- many of which have never been published before. Particularly noteworthy is the abundance of photographs of James Dean as a child and teenager. While most biographies of Dean contain mostly portraits or somewhat staged pictures, this book offers many candid shots belonging to Dean's private estate and surviving family members. Novice fans of Dean's will find plenty to entertain and inform them within the book, while Dean's more devoted fans and experts will be blown away by the beauty of both the book's photographs and their general layout. The book concentrate's heavily on Dean's counter-culture attitude (particularly in how he dressed and acted), while also delving into his romantic life and his well-publicized passion for cars and racing. This book is a true gem and a wonderful addition to the realm of James Dean memorabilia.