American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood

First of all for full disclosure, I'm a big Eastwood fan. That being said I didn't love this book. Though it did go chronologically through the movies he made, I thought the writer dwelled too much on Eastwood's failures as a person and husband. While that's part of the story, it really seemed to me that the writer secretly did not like Eastwood and went out of his way to point out his alleged affairs. Most actors, like all of us, are flawed humans. I would have enjoyed it more if there were more stories and behind the scene movie facts...or even some insight into how he was/is with his children. It still was a quick read.

I got this book after I saw it on bookbub.com and because I like Clint Eastwood, although I didn't realize how few of his movies I'd actually seen and that he was well into his career by the time I graduated high school. The book offers fascinating insights into other actors, actresses, and movies beside's Clint's. Of course, it's the author's opinion, but he made his living writing and acting in that environment, so I suspect he knows what he's talking about. He also likes Clint and is open about Clint's life, warts and all.Like many actors, he seems to have bedded almost every woman he made a movie with and then discarded them when he was finished, pretty heartlessly, which doesn't make me like him any less. He is who he is.I found it interesting to learn what went on around the making of a movie, from how the idea originated from whomever, finally got made, and whether it was successful or not. If I understood correctly, he never got an Oscar for Best Actor, which was a real travesty, because he certainly deserved it as much or more as some of his competition.I liked the fact he opposed wordiness and one of the first things he did with a script was to cut down on the lines. He also was thrifty with the camera, seldom filming a scene in more than one take, two at the most. He usually brought in a film under budget and under deadline.An interesting read if you don't get too bogged down in the details.

I was not disappointed with this book I felt like the author personally knew Clint. Maybe his own study of the art of film making gave him more insight into Clint's methods of movie making. I like that every movie Clint was in or made was in this book. His personal life was of great interest too. I really had a hard time putting this book down but a person must get some sleep and get their work done.

If your a fan, you'll find out some facts you probably didn't know, I certainly did. Still like the Eastwood movies, and even agreed with some of the statements that are supposedly his, but not so sure I like him so much as an individual. Also, the book has lots of statistics and many, many names of people I don't know and really don't need to hear about--way too many footnotes and found myself flipping back and forth --footnotes are all at the end of each chapter. I finally began skipping over them.

I liked this, but there wasn't enough of the subject's views. he's not very talky except to his friends. guess that's why he's lasted this long. that and talent and knowhow. I was not disappointed in this book at all. enjoyed all the stories I hadn't heard before and found the author impressive with all the research he'd done. good book. i'll pass it on.

I am not sure why I started reading this book. I was interested in understanding what it takes to become a cinematic icon with a sense of how great stories should be told. I did not get that exactly, but I did get the sense of how a man's sense of self translates to his work. He was able to tell a story and make it very real on the screen., so he was perhaps the most interesting example ofthe actor/director combination.

it's a decent book. but parts of it are just completely fabricated. especially when the author focuses so much on the box office receipts of every film of clint's. it likes to point out failures that weren't failures at all. thunderbolt and lightfoot was expected to be bigger, but 9 million? do your research, it was 25 million. even worse is when any which way you can was called a flop because it was a sequel. the book says it made like 10 million. try 60 million. to this day it's one of clint's biggest hits. also the pictures. i'm not going to go into detail, but the pics are matched up with the wrong film more than once. these are just some of the obvious mistakes. so while it makes for interesting reading, take it with a grain of salt.

I don't know, nor do I care if the facts are correct or not. I found this book be just full of facts and figures and dates and money. I have always enjoyed Clint Eastwood - on television and in films. The first couple of chapters showed him ito have a really nasty persona.And then it got boring. I bought this book on Kindle. Waste of money and more important, time. I could not wait till it was over even though I was only half way through it.

At the time of review Clint Eastwood is nearly 80! I have been watching him since Rawhide days, and was blown away as a teenager with the Spaghetti trilogy.This biography is a great overview of a complex icon, and ensures that you are fully aware that Eastwood is by no means perfect. He is portrayed as a womanising philanderer with very little moral fibre, full of excuses as to why he had such an open relationship with his first wife.However, as with all types of unauthorised biagraphies, it slips too easily into 'OK/Hello' mode, and you will find the coverage of the making of certain films a bit too flimsy and quick. It also spends a lot of time on negativity - bad reviews, down side of his personality etc.However, It is interesting, and very readable, so long as you realise that there is plenty of heresay and speculation, and very few anecdotes.

Great read and good value.

Bought as a birthday gift the stories relate to his career rather than how he grew up but still good to read

The story of Mr Eastwood's life,I've enjoyed it unfolding for real, let's now see it written down.

There are many books written about Clint Eastwood. This is yet another one. However it is a pretty good read. There are errors in it but that seems to be the way with books about celebrities. having many books about Eastwood I feel this one is about the middle of the list. It is easy to read with a few good pictures.