Rating: 
Summary: Today's Stars must have learned it all from Frank Sinatra
Review: I found this book to be totally riveting and interesting to the point that Frank hated the modernization of the entertainment business but is apparently guilty of everything he hated in today's entertainers with the exception of drugs. George Jacobs rats on Frank but in a loving way. It is clear that Jacobs loved the man and his style but hated what the 60's and future were and did do to his boss.I find the contents of the book to be open and honest. There's enough written here about the usual incidents, lots of confirmation of events but from a totally different perspective. It looks like Jacobs saw the world in a similar vain to Frank. And while I cannot imagine his children enjoying this book, at least the author is alligned with them on his feelings about Frank's 4th wife. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Frank Sinatra, the whole person. I am a true fan. This book made me revere him more, although the womanizing would have killed a mere mortal long before Frank passed on. What a life! If it all weren't so true, it would be a great fairytale.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you George
Review: I knew this book would be good and I was right. George Jacobs was Frank Sinatra's valet (cook, gofer, butler, girlfriend baby-sitter, you name it) from 1953 to 1968. If you can name famous people who Frank Sinatra knew or associated with, they are probably mentioned in this book. Jacobs grew to love Sinatra and he thought Sinatra cared about him too. Then he had the curtain dropped on him just like many others before him. Its obvious that Jacobs did have affection for his boss and was very loyal to him. I saw Mr. Jacobs on "Hannity & Cohms" a while back and I thought they were too hard on him. This is not a "trash Frank Sinatra" book. Its told with great affection but Jacobs is honest about what he saw and experienced. Lauren Bacall, Old Joe Kennedy, "Jack" Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Sam Giancana, Juliet Prowse, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, Ava Gardner, Mia Farrow and more, more, more. I felt sorry for George as he tells how lost he felt after Sinatra fired him and shut him out. He didn't deserve to be done that way.
Rating:
Summary: What a Life: Tending to the World's Biggest Rat
Review: I loved how this book really took the reader into the the crazy, mixed up world of Frank Sinatra. Unfortunely, even though Geogrge Jacobs made himself out as a devoted employee who did whatever and whenever Mr.S wanted. I felt personally that he placed himself into situations that he should have not had any business getting into and in the end it cost him his job. Either way, it was a groovy, swinging trip while it lasted and I really hope that Mr. Jacob found some wonderful memories that he could cheerish for the rest of his life.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing new here (except inaccuracies and embellishments)
Review: If you've read any other Frank Sinatra bios, you'll already be familiar with most of the stories in this book. Except, of course, the ones about an aging Greta Garbo and Marlena Deitrich making out (naked) like teenagers after swimming in Frank's pool and JFK snorting lines of coke (!). These are just two examples of stories that are so unbelievable they tended to make me take the entire book with a (large) grain of salt. Also strange is the author's consistent characterization of Dean Martin as a true "heavy drinker" and philanderer, when most other Sinatra/Martin/Rat Pack bios contend that Dean was the classic fmily man/homebody and that his "drunk act" was just that... an act. Is the book worth reading? Yeah, I guess so; it does give some insight as to the day-to-day domestcity (if such a word can be applied to Frank's ring-a-ding-ding lifestyle) in Sinatra's household. My advice is just to take everyting in the book with an (extra-large) grain of salt.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing new here (except inaccuracies and embellishments)
Review: If you've read any other Frank Sinatra bios, you'll already be familiar with most of the stories in this book. Except, of course, the ones about an aging Greta Garbo and Marlena Deitrich making out (naked) like teenagers after swimming in Frank's pool and JFK snorting lines of coke (!). These are just two examples of stories that are so unbelievable they tended to make me take the entire book with a (large) grain of salt. Also strange is the author's consistent characterization of Dean Martin as a true "heavy drinker" and philanderer, when most other Sinatra/Martin/Rat Pack bios contend that Dean was the classic fmily man/homebody and that his "drunk act" was just that... an act. Is the book worth reading? Yeah, I guess so; it does give some insight as to the day-to-day domestcity (if such a word can be applied to Frank's ring-a-ding-ding lifestyle) in Sinatra's household. My advice is just to take everyting in the book with an (extra-large) grain of salt.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining gossip
Review: Jacobs was Frank's valet from 1953 to 1968 (at which point he was summarily fired and cut out of the Chairman's life for, Jacobs says, chastely dancing with Mia Farrow whom Frank was divorcing at the time). Jacobs tells all, getting into (anatomical) detail about Frank's larger than life personality: hookers, wives, drinking, mob friends, gambling, rages and regrets. This is definitely a kiss-and-tell, gossip-heavy memoir, and Jacobs may or may not be the most reliable of raconteurs. For example, he claims that he watched Marlene Deitrich and Great Garbo in a poolside lesbian encounter when both were in their fifties. As someone once noted, you can't libel the dead. Jacobs also seems to have a higher opinion of his standing as Frank's valet than he really did, presenting himself as practically one of the Rat Pack themselves, when it's pretty clear he was an ever-present aide. Leaving aside Jacobs' veracity (could Frank have romanced a fifteen-year-old Natalie Wood? Probably. Did JFK do big lines of coke in front of Jacobs? Seems unlikely), what emerges is a flawed, human and yet affectionate portrait of the titular Mr. S. He could be a warm friend, but cut people out completely when they proved "disloyal;" he drank copiously, but hated drugs; he pushed the boundaries of song and entertainment, but couldn't fathom it when what was hip changed in turn around him; he respected women like Billie Holliday and helped black entertainers break down discriminatory boundaries, but was free with racist jokes and used women like tissues; he was arrogant and cold but insecure and craved love. I think that Jacobs at least captures the depths of Frank's tortured artist's soul, even if he wasn't as close a confidant as he thinks he was.
Rating: 
Summary: Needed a shower after reading this one
Review: My daughter bought the book in England last month. There it is entitled "Mr. S - The Last Word On Frank Sinatra" and I felt dirty after reading it. Kitty Kelley's book "My Way" didn't make me feel like that.
I couldn't make up my mind if George Jacobs is a disgruntled former employee still angry about being fired in 1968 (for THE stupidest of reasons) or a man with a major case of denial. He claims that his job was so "great" when his employer was a control freak with NO respect for women (and unable to accept any result that wasn't all "his way"). Jacobs' claims of being able to easily "pass" for white when every photo in that book indicates otherwise are downright delusional.
Like I said, I don't know how much of an axe George Jacobs had to grind but I was pretty disgusted with everyone in that book by the time I finished it.
Frank Sinatra was an icon, a great singer, but if you believe the book,he was NOT a nice person.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting!
Review: People magazine gave this book a weak review and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Mr. Jacob's book painted such a vivid picture of "Mr. S" I feel like I know him personally. Plus if anyone is enamored with old Hollywood, this book names people and places which makes it even more fascinating. I could not wait to get back to these pages each day. And as other reviewers said, its amazing how George Jacobs still speaks of Frank Sinantra with such affection, yet telling these stories as they were, whether it was flattering or not to the subjects. A lot of the information was already known (i.e. Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, and the stories about poor Marilyn Monroe), but its interesting to have these legendary tales confirmed by a "third party". Don't let any negative reviews keep you from this book, if you like this era in Hollywood or Frank Sinatra, I guarantee you will love this book. When it was over I wanted to write Mr. Jacobs and just tell him how much I loved his stories.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting!
Review: People magazine gave this book a weak review and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Mr. Jacob's book painted such a vivid picture of "Mr. S" I feel like I know him personally. Plus if anyone is enamored with old Hollywood, this book names people and places which makes it even more fascinating. I could not wait to get back to these pages each day. And as other reviewers said, its amazing how George Jacobs still speaks of Frank Sinantra with such affection, yet telling these stories as they were, whether it was flattering or not to the subjects. A lot of the information was already known (i.e. Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, and the stories about poor Marilyn Monroe), but its interesting to have these legendary tales confirmed by a "third party". Don't let any negative reviews keep you from this book, if you like this era in Hollywood or Frank Sinatra, I guarantee you will love this book. When it was over I wanted to write Mr. Jacobs and just tell him how much I loved his stories.
Rating:
Summary: Sinatra - Narcissistic Personality Disorder ?
Review: Reasonably interesting and entertaining but , sadly , the final portrait of Sinatra as painted by the author of this book is downright ugly and overwhelmingly negative . So , does that automatically mean that it's a bad book ? No , of course not . Certainly , a genuine attempt is made to provide an even handed remembrance of the man which includes a description of his better qualities . There's some amusing anecdotes and there are no obvious signs of malice in the text . But , if only half of the stories contained herein are true "The Chairman of the Board" was essentially a rather ignorant and boring man at heart . Frequently abusive , violent and irresponsible he displayed many symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder - a psychiatric condition . Despite his great talent and the enormous body of outstanding work which he left behind one gets the impression that you would have been reaching for the car keys after five minutes in his company . My only real criticism of the book is in regard to the amount of space which was devoted to Sinatra's bedroom hijinx. It started early in the piece and dragged on almost to the closing pages . It all became extremely tedious after a while and the editor should have been much more active with the red pen . Also , I'm just wondering if there MIGHT have been a bit more to Mr Jacobs eventual outsting from Sinatra's Palm Springs compound than he's telling us ? Hard line Sinatra fans won't like some elements of his book but one basic fact can not be denied - George Jacobs "Was There" . Is it a tabloid hatchet job ? No , definitely not . Is it worth rating ? Yes.
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