Rat Pack Confidential: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey and the Last Great Show Biz Party

I am 48 and really didn’t know anything about the rat pack. This gave me a quick enjoyable yet thorough overview of who they were and what was going on at the time. I thought it was a solid book and I was entertained.

This is the first book I've read about this group. It had some new insights on their dynamics and on their interactions with each other. As a child of the fifties I have some memories of watching the Rat Pack on TV. I thought they were cool but a little otherworldly and hard to figure out in my young mind. But most adults confused and mystified me back then. As time went on, the Rat Pack lost their relevance with the shift in people's tastes. That was inevitable, except for Frank Sinatra and that was due to his uncanny talent. All in all, it was an entertaining read.

In reading through this biography it reiterated what I really already knew. Frank Sinatra was a mean hearted, narcissist who thought he was better and above the rest!It left me feeling saddened for those who befriended him, those who relied on him and his wives and family. I'm left wondering if he truly cared about anyone or anything! He was just a punk. Skinny and homely with in my opinion, a so so talent as his ugliness always shined through to me.Now, Dean Martin, he's another story. A beautiful voice and style. So handsome with a great lackadaisical personality. I felt he was one of the pack who went along for the ride but stayed true to himself. As he aged, I felt he fell into a deep depression and was sad and lonely but really wanted nothing to do with Frank or that lifestyle any longer. He wanted to answer only to himself which I'm happy he could do.Sammy Davis, what cruelty was constantly bestowed upon him but what a fighter he was. Through all his heartache, work and tenacity, he paved the way for so many. He was ahead of his time and I must wonder would his life had been better or worse had he never crossed paths with Frank?Peter. I've read enough about Marilyn Monroe to wonder why more was not said about the death and Peters possible involvement in it? Her death just seemed to be a blip in this story. And I also must ask, why did Joe DiMaggio dislike or distrust the rat pack so much as to keep them all at bay during her funeral, that wasnt even mentioned in this book. I'd hoped that would have been talked about in more detail. Well, another book, another time.The book flowed nicely. I learned a few things I hadn't known before, like the fact that Jack Kennedy had been married and divorced prior to Jackie. It's a short paragraph at how the mob brushed that information under the rug.....can this be true as I've never heard this news before. And the Kennedys had such close relationships with the mob.....Interesting.All in all a good read. I recommend it for those who are interested in this era and these guys.

This was a book I almost didn't buy...and I am GLAD I did. I STRONGLY recommend it for anyone interested in the Rat Pack -- the male-bonded mega-and-not-so-mega entertainers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop -- who epitomized Eisenhower/Kennedy era adult "cool" and were atop the show biz heap. If you've read other books on these folks and their era this pulls them all together (with a writing style that is fun, although at times a bit forced and annoying).If you're a younger person and just want to learn about it, or in show biz and want to learn more, this is the perfect starting point. The reason: it's not just about entertainers but the sometimes insidious links between the entertainment, political, and organized crime worlds. A LOT has been written elsewhere about how Frank Sinatra used Peter Lawford for access to the Kennedys, and how he dropped him mercilessly when he was angered and was of no further use. The book also underlines the public images ("cool," talented, pretending to be drunk at times as part of an act that audiences lapped up) and the behind-the-scenes near-sleaziness of excess drink, sex and egotistical acting out. You also get to know the era's colorful cast of characters, including Marilyn Monroe.These segments are gripping enough, but major revelations include: 1)Their reign didn't really last more than four full years. 2)Being in or being forced out of the Rat Pack could make or break a career (Davis and Lawford found this out). 3)While Sinatra and others tried being "cool" and individualistic, they seemingly role played (Sinatra was influenced by Humphrey Bogart; some others by the Bogart-influenced Sinatra) but ONE member TRULY did it HIS WAY...and that was Dean Martin. He stayed himself, not allowing himself to be ordered around by either Sinatra or Mafia-tied figures. In the end, you walk away realizing the underrated Martin was the era's true "cool" hero --and Lawford and Monroe its true victims. A WONDERFUL READ!

I give it this rating because after I finished it, I was torn between liking it and hating it. I say that because there was always an illusion with the so called "Rat Pack" and I loved all the players in it. After I finished, I was almost sorry I read it because I realized how venerable they all were especially Sammy Davis, Jr., He always came off as a great entertainer, which he was, but his life left a lot to be desired. What with drugs and racial conflict he faced and how sad and lonely he really was. Frank Sinatra was an idol of mine since I was a child, I can say he was one of the great singers but his childish temper tantrums were more of the norm. Dean was a love of mine but I realized although he claimed drinking was an act, in reality it wasn't. I was surprised how he could not show genuine love for anyone. He was so aloof and although his act on stage was mostly funny, off stage he was quite a loner. So I guess a lot of illusions were shattered for me. The book was w ell written and on the whole I enjoyed the expereience.RoseMarie Antonucci

I am a great fan of Sinatra and his 'pals'. It was my era. I even saw Sinatra (perhaps his last concert in England) at the London Arena. I also saw his house in Palm Springs when I visited America a few years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the 'Rat Pack's' antics in my youth. This book brought all of that very much back to life. It was written in a brilliant style that very much captured the Las Vegas cum Sinatra cum Rat Pack atmosphere. It also is quite a serious book in so much as it describes not only the fun side of their lives, but also the darker side of all of them, and eventually the break-up of the Rat Pack. If you are a follower and reader of Sinatra, this will make a great addition to your collection.

Had paperback version originally so having lost that in a house move went for kindle version. My opinion has not changed. Reading the book you can see how much power Sinatra had and how he chose to use it. Great singer but horrible devious and manipulative deep down, affecting everyone in his orbit. Great book and essential reading.

This is a highly readable account of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford) and their entourage (various Mafia characters, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, et al.). It captures what made the period cool, evokes the atmosphere of Las Vegas at its peak, and goes a long way towards explaining the popularity of these entertainers and their work. It's the kind of book you wolf down in a few sittings, written in a lively, colloquial, funny style. Recommended.

Arrived on time in great condition.

I enjoyed this book although it was hard to find out what the group was like on a personal level i.e. What did the people who came into day to day contact with them think of them and what were their personal tastes say in food or leisure time and their homes.