Sam Kashner's Books

When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

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When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

First student of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, Sam Kashner tells with humor and grace his life with the Beats. But the best story is Kashner himself -- the coming-of-age of a young man in the chaotic world of the very idols he hoped to emulate. This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

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Page Count

368

Publisher

Harper Perennial

Published Date

ISBN 10

006000567X

ISBN 13

9780060005672

Sinatraland

A Novel

By: Sam Kashner

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Sinatraland

A Novel

By: Sam Kashner

Deftly combining the intelligent wit of David Sedaris with the allure of the Rat Pack, this scathingly funny debut novel tells the story of what can happen when a workaday salesman becomes obsessed with Frank Sinatra.

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Page Count

200

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

0684869071

ISBN 13

9780684869070

When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

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When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

As a restless kid on Long Island, Sam Kashner lapped up the beauty and madness of the Beats, living vicariously through the novels, poems, and stories of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs. Their words were revolutionary, and they turned their very lives into art. Kashner didn't want to just study the Beats, he wanted to be one of them. So when he heard that Ginsberg had founded an unconventional writing program in Boulder, Colorado, he convinced his parents that college could wait, and became the first certificate student of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. In one motion, Kashner stepped out of a sheltered suburban life and plunged into the chaotic world of his idols. What he discovered was both everything and not at all what he expected. The Beats were facing their twilight years and feeling it in their joints and in their minds. Some of them, like Ginsberg and Burroughs, had achieved international fame, while others, like Gregory Corso, had not, and were coming to the realization that they might never receive the recognition they deserved. In his new role as student, secretary, and psychiatrist, Sam Kashner was caught up in the hilarity of the hijinks and the cross fire of old arguments, finding himself in hot tubs with Ginsberg and on field trips to the marijuana ranch cultivated by Burroughs and his ill-fated son, Billy. Out of this rich material Kashner brings us a funny, touching, and irreverent portrait of the Beats never before seen: one that explodes the myths surrounding these American icons, but one that is also deeply felt and full of admiration. After reading this book, you'll never look at the Beats in quite the same way again. When I Was Cool is also a very personal journey of a young man coming of age on the Beat slope of Mount Parnassus ("the Lower East Side" of the Rockies), a kind of Holden Caulfield for the postmodern era.

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Page Count

336

Publisher

Harper

Published Date

ISBN 10

0060005661

ISBN 13

9780060005665

The Bad & the Beautiful

Hollywood in the Fifties

By: Sam Kashner,Jennifer MacNair

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The Bad & the Beautiful

Hollywood in the Fifties

By: Sam Kashner,Jennifer MacNair

Looks at the scandals, morals and sleaze of 1950's Hollywood.

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Page Count

388

Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

0393324362

ISBN 13

9780393324365

When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

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When I Was Cool

My Life at the Jack Kerouac School

By: Sam Kashner

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Page Count

358

Publisher

Zondervan

Published Date

ISBN 10

0061873039

ISBN 13

9780061873034

Sinatraland

A Novel

By: Sam Kashner

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Sinatraland

A Novel

By: Sam Kashner

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Page Count

200

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

0684869071

ISBN 13

9780684869070

Furious Love

Elizabeth Taylor * Richard Burton The Marriage of the Century

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

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Furious Love

Elizabeth Taylor * Richard Burton The Marriage of the Century

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

A tough Welshman, he was softened by the affections of a breathtakingly beautiful woman: she was a modern-day Cleopatra madly in love with her own Mark Antony. For quarter of a century, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were the king and queen of Hollywood. Yet their two marriages to each other represented much more than outlandish romance. Together, Elizabeth and Richard were a fascinating embodiment of the mores and transgressions of their time and even luminaries like Jacqueline Kennedy looked to them as a barometer of the culture. The enduring glamour, grandeur, drama and bravado embodied in the couple gave rise to the type of rabid gossip and wide-eyed adoration that are the staples of todayÕ s media. Using brand-new research and interviews Ð including unique access to Taylor herself, the Burton family, and TaylorÕ s extensive personal correspondence Ð this ultimate celebrity biography is the gripping real-life story of a fairy-tale couple whose lives were even grander and more outrageous than the epic films they made.

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Page Count

552

Publisher

JR Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1907532560

ISBN 13

9781907532566

Life isn't everything

Mike Nichols, as remembered by 150 of his closest friends.

By: Ash Carter,Sam Kashner

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Life isn't everything

Mike Nichols, as remembered by 150 of his closest friends.

By: Ash Carter,Sam Kashner

An up close and personal portrait of a legendary filmmaker, theater director, and comedian, drawing on candid conversations with his closest friends in show business and the arts—from Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep to Natalie Portman and Lorne Michaels. The work of Mike Nichols pervades American cultural consciousness—from The Graduate and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to Angels in America, The Birdcage, Working Girl, and Primary Colors, not to mention his string of hit plays, including Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple. If that weren’t enough, he was also one half of the timelessly funny duo Nichols & May, as well as a founding member of the original improv troupe. Over a career that spanned half a century, Mike Nichols changed Hollywood, Broadway, and comedy forever. Most fans, however, know very little of the person behind it all. Since he never wrote his memoirs, and seldom appeared on television, they have very little sense of his searching intellect or his devastating wit. They don't know that Nichols, the great American director, was born Mikail Igor Peschkowsky, in Berlin, and came to this country, speaking no English, to escape the Nazis. They don't know that Nichols was at one time a solitary psychology student, or that a childhood illness caused permanent, life-altering side effects. They don't know that he withdrew into a debilitating depression before he "finally got it right," in his words, by marrying Diane Sawyer. Here, for the first time, Ash Carter and Sam Kashner offer an intimate look behind the scenes of Nichols' life, as told by the stars, moguls, playwrights, producers, comics and crewmembers who stayed loyal to Nichols for years. Life Isn't Everything is a mosaic portrait of a brilliant and original director known for his uncommon charm, wit, vitality, and genius for friendship, this volume is also a snapshot of what it meant to be living, loving, and making art in the 20th century.

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Page Count

311

Publisher

Macmillan + ORM

Published Date

ISBN 10

1250112869

ISBN 13

9781250112866

The Bad & the Beautiful

Hollywood in the Fifties

By: Sam Kashner,Jennifer MacNair

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The Bad & the Beautiful

Hollywood in the Fifties

By: Sam Kashner,Jennifer MacNair

Looks at the scandals, morals and sleaze of 1950's Hollywood.

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Page Count

388

Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

0393324362

ISBN 13

9780393324365

Improv Nation

How We Made a Great American Art

By: Sam Wasson

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Improv Nation

How We Made a Great American Art

By: Sam Wasson

A sweeping yet intimate--and often hilarious--history of a uniquely American art form that has never been more popular

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Page Count

485

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published Date

ISBN 10

0544557204

ISBN 13

9780544557208

Brainstorm

An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood

By: Sam Perroni

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Brainstorm

An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood

By: Sam Perroni

Brainstorm is an amazing five-year probe into the mysterious death of beloved movie star Natalie Wood by a real-life criminal law authority who determinedly pursued the truth in the face of Los Angeles County officials hell-bent on keeping it buried forever. “After four decades, there is still more to learn about Natalie Wood’s tragic drowning. Brainstorm is one man’s passionate quest to unearth the truth.” —Beth Karas, Host of Oxygen’s Snapped: Notorious, former prosecutor, and investigative journalist “If you have any interest in deciding for yourself whether someone got away with the murder of Natalie Wood, this book is for you.” —Marilyn Wayne, eyewitness Brainstorm: An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood is the first-person account of Sam Perroni’s probing investigation of the actress’s death. Through lawsuits, freedom of information requests, and persistent digging, Perroni obtained unseen and confidential files, documents, photographs, and information from long-lost witnesses revealing the true circumstances surrounding Natalie Wood’s drowning.

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Page Count

353

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

1637583745

ISBN 13

9781637583746

Born to Be Hurt

The Untold Story of Imitation of Life

By: Sam Staggs

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Born to Be Hurt

The Untold Story of Imitation of Life

By: Sam Staggs

Sam Staggs traces the movie's arc from the original story in Fannie Hurst's novel right through the writing and casting to the filming, the promotion, the controversy over its themes, and the reception it received. He's unearthed new details about director Sirk, legendary producer Ross Hunter, and all the stars, and gives Imitation of Life its due as influential to several generations of film fans. In Born to Be Hurt, Staggs combines vast research, extensive interviews with surviving cast members, and superb storytelling to create a rich work about one of the twentieth century's most iconic movies."--BOOK JACKET.

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Page Count

433

Publisher

Macmillan

Published Date

ISBN 10

0312373368

ISBN 13

9780312373368

Start Right Where You Are

How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists

By: Sam Bennett

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Start Right Where You Are

How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists

By: Sam Bennett

What Are You Waiting For? An overwhelmed procrastinator, frustrated overachiever, and recovering perfectionist herself, Sam Bennett knows all the ways we avoid pursuing our dreams and reaching our goals. She also knows how to “get it done.” Start Right Where You Are is an easy-to-read, easy-to-do guidebook for anyone who wants to change their life but doesn’t know where or how to begin. Of course, the process of getting out of your own way, raising your self-esteem, improving your relationships, and making better choices can be a bumpy road. But Bennett’s fun, original voice lets you know that you’ve got a friend along the way, a friend who offers a comforting cup of tea — or a bracing shot of whiskey, depending. Her gentle-kiss-on-the-cheek and loving-thwack-upside-the-head attitude gives us what we all need: inspiration, shortcuts, and breathing room.

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Page Count

258

Publisher

New World Library

Published Date

ISBN 10

1608684431

ISBN 13

9781608684434

Life isn't everything

Mike Nichols, as remembered by 150 of his closest friends.

By: Ash Carter,Sam Kashner

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Life isn't everything

Mike Nichols, as remembered by 150 of his closest friends.

By: Ash Carter,Sam Kashner

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Page Count

311

Publisher

Macmillan + ORM

Published Date

ISBN 10

1250112869

ISBN 13

9781250112866

Hollywood Kryptonite

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

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Hollywood Kryptonite

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

Investigates the death of television Superman George Reeves by a bullet in 1959, revealing his dangerous double life and the tale of jealousy and revenge that lie behind his alleged suicide in Los Angeles. Reprint.

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Page Count

320

Publisher

Saint Martin's Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0312964021

ISBN 13

9780312964023

The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters

The Tragic and Glamorous Lives of Jackie and Lee

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

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The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters

The Tragic and Glamorous Lives of Jackie and Lee

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

A poignant, evocative, and wonderfully gossipy account of the two sisters who represented style and class above all else—Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill—from the authors of Furious Love. When sixty-four-year-old Jackie Kennedy Onassis died in her Fifth Avenue apartment, her younger sister Lee wept inconsolably. Then Jackie’s thirty-eight-page will was read. Lee discovered that substantial cash bequests were left to family members, friends, and employees—but nothing to her. "I have made no provision in this my Will for my sister, Lee B. Radziwill, for whom I have great affection, because I have already done so during my lifetime," read Jackie’s final testament. Drawing on the authors’ candid interviews with Lee Radziwill, The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters explores their complicated relationship, placing them at the center of twentieth-century fashion, design, and style. In life, Jackie and Lee were alike in so many ways. Both women had a keen eye for beauty—in fashion, design, painting, music, dance, sculpture, poetry—and both were talented artists. Both loved pre-revolutionary Russian culture, and the blinding sunlight, calm seas, and ancient olive groves of Greece. Both loved the siren call of the Atlantic, sharing sweet, early memories of swimming with the rakish father they adored, Jack Vernou Bouvier, at his East Hampton retreat. But Jackie was her father’s favorite, and Lee, her mother’s. One would grow to become the most iconic woman of her time, while the other lived in her shadow. As they grew up, the two sisters developed an extremely close relationship threaded with rivalry, jealousy, and competition. Yet it was probably the most important relationship of their lives. For the first time, Vanity Fair contributing editor Sam Kashner and acclaimed biographer Nancy Schoenberger tell the complete story of these larger-than-life sisters. Drawing on new information and extensive interviews with Lee, now eighty-four, this dual biography sheds light on the public and private lives of two extraordinary women who lived through immense tragedy in enormous glamour.

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Page Count

386

Publisher

HarperCollins

Published Date

ISBN 10

0062365002

ISBN 13

9780062365002

Furious Love

Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

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Furious Love

Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

By: Sam Kashner,Nancy Schoenberger

From veteran entertainment reporter Sam Kashner and biographer Nancy Schoenberger comes the definitive account of the greatest Hollywood love story ever told—the romance of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Kashner has interviewed Elizabeth Taylor numerous times and is the only journalist given access to her extensive collection of personal letters and journals, and he and Schoenberger have also interviewed the Burton family at length, including Burton’s actress daughter Kate. This is truly an authorized and singularly informed biography of these two larger-than-life stars, and of their glamorous, volatile, and audacious relationship.

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Page Count

692

Publisher

Harper Collins

Published Date

ISBN 10

0061996971

ISBN 13

9780061996979

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