Paul Newman: A Life
by Shawn Levy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Shawn LevyEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Deckle Edge
Published: 2009-05-05
ISBN: 0307353753
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Product features:
- Brown boards
Book Reviews of Paul Newman: A Life
Book Review: Tasteful Biography of a Class Act!
Summary: 5 Stars
As revealed in Shawn Levy's delightful biography, Paul Newman was many things. An actor, producer, director, race car driver and humanitarian, he was a fascinating human being - talented, analytical, grounded, private, compassionate, involved. Though his stunning, blue-eyed looks set him apart, it was, in fact, his humility, intelligence and humanity that ultimately made him the class act so many people knew and loved. Shawn Levy examines this singular man in this well-written 2009 biography from Harmony Books.
Having recently slogged through biographies of Anthony Hopkins, George C. Scott and Jack Nicholson, Levy's book was a breath of fresh air...for several reasons. First, unlike those three "tortured geniuses," Paul Newman was a likeable human being. He had his faults and failings, as related in the book, but he did a fairly good job of keeping his demons under control. An atypical movie star, he had no use for Hollywood glitz and glamor. Most importantly, he never lost his innate humanity, setting the bar for Hollywood in terms of charity work.
Secondly, it is so refreshing to read a well-crafted biography that never sinks to the trash tabloid level nor does it bury you with reams of needless details. PAUL NEWMAN, A LIFE is a comprehensive, critical yet affectionate and well-done account of one man who made a difference...on many levels. Levy is a wordsmith, a craftsman with a first-rate command of the English language and a perceptive eye to boot. The book runs to 445 pages yet I never had the "enough already" feeling.
In short, PAUL NEWMAN, A LIFE provides a full and fascinating look at what was an intensely private man. Finishing it, there's a touch of sadness that such a talented, vital and productive individual is gone. A reporter once asked the actor what he owed his public. Newman paused for a moment and then simply said: "Thank you." Actually, Mr. Newman, it's the rest of us who should be saying "Thank you."
******
#800
Summary of Paul Newman: A Life
Paul Newman, the Oscar-winning actor with the legendary blue eyes, achieved superstar status by playing charismatic renegades, broken heroes, and winsome antiheroes in such revered films as The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Verdict, The Color of Money, and Nobody?s Fool. But Newman was also an oddity in Hollywood: the rare box-office titan who cared about the craft of acting, the sexy leading man known for the staying power of his marriage, and the humble celebrity who made philanthropy his calling card long before it was cool.The son of a successful entrepreneur, Newman grew up in a prosperous Cleveland suburb. Despite fears that he would fail to live up to his father?s expectations, Newman bypassed the family sporting goods business to pursue an acting career. After struggling as a theater and television actor, Newman saw his star rise in a tragic twist of fate, landing the role of boxer Rocky Graziano in Somebody Up There Likes Me when James Dean was killed in a car accident. Though he would joke about instances of ?Newman?s luck? throughout his career, he refused to coast on his stunning boyish looks and impish charm. Part of the original Actors Studio generation, Newman demanded a high level of rigor and clarity from every project. The artistic battles that nearly derailed his early movie career would pay off handsomely at the box office and earn him critical acclaim.
He applied that tenacity to every endeavor both on and off the set. The outspoken Newman used his celebrity to call attention to political causes dear to his heart, including civil rights and nuclear proliferation. Taking up auto racing in midlife, Newman became the oldest driver to ever win a major professional auto race. A food enthusiast who would dress his own salads in restaurants, he launched the Newman?s Own brand dedicated to fresh ingredients, a nonprofit juggernaut that has generated more than $250 million for charity.
In Paul Newman: A Life, film critic and pop culture historian Shawn Levy gives readers the ultimate behind-the-scenes examination of the actor?s life, from his merry pranks on the set to his lasting romance with Joanne Woodward to the devastating impact of his son?s death from a drug overdose. This definitive biography is a fascinating portrait of an extraordinarily gifted man who gave back as much as he got out of life and just happened to be one of the most celebrated movie stars of the twentieth century.
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