The Operator: David Geffen Builds, Buys, and Sells the New Hollywood

If you are considering the entertainment business, as a path to riches then you must own a copy of Tom King's well-written book. It details page-by-page, David's quick rise to the top. If you are a believer that success is contagious then this book is for you!

This is one of the better biographies around, whether or not you end up liking David Geffen (aka "the prince of pain"). It is full of great inside stories about legendary artists of the music business...Phil Spector, Dylan, the Band, Cher, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, John Lennon, George Michael, Donna Summer etc., etc. King keeps the narrative flowing, and he provides plenty of authentic detail without ever falling into the biographer's trap of being too academic. Of course Geffen is a very interesting subject...having powered his way to the very top of the entertainment business through sheer drive and cunning...and without having the "golden ear" or creative judgement of his competitors. The stories about his interaction with(and abuse of)fellow moguls like Ovitz, Eisner, Ross, and Davis were jawdropping. I found myself shaking my head at the deals he cut, for example talking Steve Ross into giving him back his music label for free after Ross had bankrolled he whole thing! But don't get the impression that The Operator is all about The Dark Side of David....in fact King balances the book nicely by reporting on the many philanthropic and other positive projects in Geffen's life. All in all, a very entertaining read, and well worth having on your shelf, especially if you're fascinated by the entertainment industry.

Tremendously interesting story and perspective on the entertainment business. Geffen had a vision and achieved it many times over. It was sad to see the accounting for all the debris (people, careers, reputations, companies) he has apparently left in his wake as he's made his way down the path to earning his billions.An inspirational yet sad tale all in one.

When Dreamworks SKG was founded, the question that formed in mymind was "Who's this Geffen?" I had naturally heard ofSpielberg and Katzenberg, but this David Geffen fellow was new tome. A subsequent trip to Hollywood gave me some background on Mr. Geffen, but not until I picked this book up did I truly discover who this man is and what makes him tick. I found this biography fascinating. It reads easily, as if author King were a friend relating the Geffen story to you... many pages of footnotes and references included. A great read. END

Richly complex true story about the extremes in human behavior and money's influencial power to motivate. The author has painted a complete picture of a deeply complex and gifted starmaker who's human drives are wildly rewarded and severly penalized. Wow! What a story! I don't know David Geffen, but I feel like I've known him for a long time through music. For someone so materially successful and generous, I never fully realized the depths of loneliness and isolation suffered by David's sexual orientation. As a heterosexual male, I marvel at his busines success, yet feel sadness for his lack of personal connection to a significant other. Bravo David Geffen for a boundless, unique life and thanks Tom King for bringing it to print!