Me and Bobby D. : A Memoir

Rating:
Summary: You like whining? You like jealousy? This book is for you!
Review: As much as Karmen tried to make Darin look mean and hateful, what he succeeded in doing was show that Darin knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it - add his extraordinary talent to the mix, and you have a star. Karmen had no guts, a thin skin, and couldn't believe that Darin wouldn't let him ride his coat tails to success.

This book, though, is mostly about the adventures leading up to Karmen's loss of virginity. At the end, he begrudgingly reunites with Darin prior to his death, and "feels better".

The book contains dialog you are supposed to believe is verbatim, and tries very hard to make Darin look like a mean spirited jerk that cast aside his friends on the way to stardom.

It didn't work. Instead, Darin looks smart, and Karmen is just another jealous guy whose claim to fame is that 'he was there'.

Karmen should have stuck to his very good jingles and left the past alone.

Rating:
Summary: I liked the book!
Review: I really like this book. Especially touching were the last few chapters.
Bobby Darin is a favorite of mine. He was so talented. His early death was such a loss to the music world.
Perhaps the author portrayed Bobby Darin too hard and cruel in his quest for stardom. It seemed at times like the author was feeling sorry for himself too much. He certainly portrayed himself as Bobby's "flunky".
But, all in all, I really liked the book

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST show business biography !
Review: This is THE BEST show business biography that I have EVER read !

Not withstanding that this is about Bobby Darin, this book gives the BEST account of how a Star is created...and yes, it isn't all just "Chance", it involves delicate construction, and LOTS of hard work.

For Bobby Darin fans, this is a treasure trove of information, that ONLY a Best Friend could share with us. The author's unvarnished account here is vividly written, so that the reader is "included", if you will, in this life-career, defining moment.

ATTENTION TO THOSE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DETAILED CONVERSATIONS and RECOLLECTIONS: We all have experienced personal, life defining "moments", where we had to make choices, that we have had to live with, the rest of our lives. They will be forever, etched into our consciousness, like a jackhammer into granite.

To intimate, that the author could not state each word of a conversation, that was held decades ago, is a cheap shot and totally made without any foundation of fact or reality.

The book is awesome ! It may change your life, too !

Mr. Karmen's recollections are deeply, and personally felt. It's our privilege to relive them, with him.

Rating:
Summary: You like whining? You like jealousy? This book is for you!
Review: When I purchased "Me and Bobby D.", I'm sure I was a bit biased to begin with as I am an avid fan of Bobby Darin and absorb as much of his musical and human contributions to life as possible. Therefore, Mr. Karmen's book was no exception.

As I read the opening two chapters, which I guess was supposed to capture my curiosity, I was saddened as I felt the overtones of the author painting a picture of Bobby Darin, not near as important as his gift to the entertainment world.

I felt the book went on chapter after chapter with a tale of two boyhood friends who set out on a venture to find out who they really were and where their dreams for life would take them.

I was hoping there would be an enormous emphasis on Bobby Darin as he emerged at this point in his his life from Robert Cassotto into the multi-talented Bobby Darin but instead it focused on Bobby's childish improprieties with only dribs and drabs of his growth into the mature performer he was to become. If you read carefully through wordy dialect and the language of city street kids you can see the inventive Bobby test the waters of his talents and begin to shape each of his performances to enhance his appearance and show the audience the gifts he had to offer.

I feel Mr. Karmen was using the opportunity of this book to address his own insecurities and his fear of life's challenges which awaited him in the world of music which he loved. I felt throughout this book a jealousy as he watched Bobby challenge his every move with confidence and determination.

The book was so filled with details of conversation that I felt it almost on the brink of fabrication. Page after page of this clutter and nonsense, I found distracting especially where the emphasis was on sexual escapades and everyday movement.

I fought my way to what I thought would be a bitter ending but still optimistically looking for resolution but resigned to what the conclusion might leave in my heart.

When I reached the final chapter I was pleasantly suprised as Mr. Karmen drew nicely together the niche in society he had successfully accomplished for himself and the love he deeply shared in his heart for his boyhood friend Bobby D.

I would recommend this book for Bobby Darin fans, if only for the most beautifully written last chapter. Personally, again I am interested in all I can know about Bobby and these memoirs are certainly an important part of his life.

Now a word for Mr. Karmen. I can see from this final chapter that you have the capability to write with clarity and emotion and would hope maybe someday you would write again on your life with Bobby and what you remember of him from his infancy at the Bronx Science High School to his emergence as a great performer.

Your musical success is to be commended as this is your forte in life and you have certainly met with great success. I feel you have more that you can offer we fans of Bobby Darin's in the future and I look forward to any further contribution you can make to his legacy.