River Phoenix: A Short Life

I would have given this book five stars except for the fact that most of the stuff in the book I was already aware of. I am a huge huge huge fan of River and love him to death. If you want to know more about River's short life, than read this book. Unlike some books about stars, this one was not full of mistakes.

This book talked about the life of one of the best actors of all time.River Phoenix.When I first heard that River Phoenix had died,I did not know who he was.So,I wasn't very disturbed by it.But,when I found out that he was the very talented individual who portrayed Chris Chambers in Stand By Me,it was a heartbreaker to find that out.Learning that the character he portrayed would die as an adult was bad enough without the actor himself being dead.This book is a very accurate summary of a good actor.I hope you will publish this review.I only wish that River Phoenix was still alive so I could possibly meet him and tell him what a superior actor he is.When he is around fans,he treats them like people.He doesn't act like he's a supreme being,so I'd say that makes him one.

A fairly thorough and complete book on the unuseual life and up bringing of River Phoenix, complete with an excellent collection of color and black & white photographs,sure to please everyone. the author chronicals Rivers life from his unorthadox birth in small house in Madras Oregon in 1970, to his untimely death on the cold streets of hollywood 23yrs. later. the book is factual,but sometimes lacks in, depth of information on certian subjects of his life.the author writes his story around Rivers 13 films and does a good job of developing Phoenix`s need of a father image,his conflicting values, lack of a formal education, and the continued building of his many secrets,(he smoked,used drugs,had candy bar binges, which he all denied) that seemed to catch up with him in the end, and most certinaly contrubited to his untimely death at so young an age, with his whole future ahead of him. Some of Robbs facts are slightly incorrect,like he says River was born in a log cabin, a myth perpuated by his mother, he was not. that he made 9 movies, when it was 13. and one out of context statement by one of phoenix` girlfriends ,Sue Solgot who Robb said; "When we first met , he seemed really sweet and gentle. At least he is getting some hair now. When I first met him he didn`t have any hair.".. leading the reader to beleve she ment body hair.Actually she met him when he was filming Dog fight, naturally his Marine character was closely shorn, so she ment he had no hair on his head. Other small inacuraces like this exist, but all in all it is a good book to read.