I hate to jump on any bandwagon and the James Dean bandwagon is no exception. As a kid, I had posters of just two men up on my walls -- James Dean and Elvis Presley. Both of which died before I was a teenager and one died before I was even born. The whole thing creeped my mother out a little, but that's okay. I was a kid.

Now, I'm almost forty and I still love Elvis and James. I'm not too keen on all of the merchandising that happens with both men, so you won't find Elvis Teddy Bears or lifesize cutouts of James Dean in my home. I try not to purchase anything I find too insulting to their memories, but that's just me.

Anyway, I'm always skepical when I see a book that proclaims the author to be the best friend of Elvis or James. In this case, William Bast isn't lying. He probably knew James Dean better than anyone else ever did.

In "Surviving James Dean," Bast lets you view James way before he became the legend he now is. You see the struggling actor in a light that sometimes shines so brightly on his flaws that you almost don't like him. Bast brings James back to life in a way that reminds those who hero worship him that James Dean was just human.

If you're a James Dean fan, I totally recommend this book.

Happy Reading!

Labels: Book Review