[.ca] Nelson Eddy America's Favorite Baritone: An Authorized ... (ISBN 0595138799)

Sad. Save your Money.:
1. If you are already a fan of Nelson Eddy, you can read everything in this biography elsewhere, or you've already heard it in a dozen places. This book says nothing about him that gives you any insights into HIS life, HIS work, HIS interests. It paints an obviously whitewashed portrait of a thrillingly unconventional man. Nelson was anything but bland, square, and conservative, but the author seems to want him to be so, and portrays him in this fashion to suit her taste. 2. If you are not already a fan of Nelson Eddy, and are ignorant about his life, you will not be able to read this at all. The writing is incoherent, to say the least, and laden with grievous errors of the worst kinds throughout. Basically, it reads like it was pieced together, mix 'n' match, from fan journals, news clippings, and the like. Nelson Eddy still needs a talented writer who really understands him, one with an analytical mind, to do justice to any discussion of his career and life achievements. 3. The pictures (many of which are more than a little obviously selected to portray Nelson's relationship with the Eddy side of his family in the most friendly, chummy light possible), are indeed very poorly reproduced here. Don't buy this edition for the pictures. (The first edition is expensive and hard to find, by the way, but those pictures are acceptable in reproduction quality) SO, to sum up, this book will neither give new insights to old fans, nor will it be readable or enjoyable to new fans. Sadly, it's not of much use at all.

SAVE YOUR MONEY...DON'T BUY THIS BOOK:
Anyone who claims to be a Nelson Eddy/Jeanette MacDonald fan, then writes a tepid 'sugar coated' biography deserves to have scathing reviews heaped upon the book. This is one of the worst biographies I have ever read. Almost everything in here has a false note to it. Any Eddy fan knows that the love of his life was Jeanette MacDonald and that Ann Eddy only used him for his name and stature. Aside from all the untruths in this book, the rest of it is all mish/mash and fodder. This book does a great injustice to a great singer and a fine actor. If you want to get the real Nelson Eddy story...read "Sweethearts" by Sharon Rich. There you will get the real truth and I wonder why biographers continually support the myth that both Eddy and MacDonald were happily married to others. Nothing could be further from the truth. Save your money folks....this book is not worth it, believe me!

Don't be so hard on this book:
Certainly Ms. Lulay isn't the best author ever, but one has to admire her for portraying Nelson as a more believeable person than another author has done. It's nice to read a book about someone by someone who isn't out to unearth the sins and scandals of a Hollywood person. It's nice to know that out there there are other people who agree with me on the point that Nelson was a gentleman who loved his wife - not some abusive, alcholic, obsessive person out to rape his leading lady. Nelson's reputation as a person while he was alive so contradicted this odd view that one has to believe Lulay is much closer to the truth. What's wrong with a man who likes to read and spends a quiet life at home, shut away from the world when not performing? Nothing. I think that's rather normal. It's certainly far more admirable and more refreshing to think about than illicit affairs and the like. This book is easy to read and I recommend it far above the other book out there that (sadly) most people run into first. I'm sure I'll receive flack from people for having said a good word for this book, but that's OK. It's my opinion, and I'm not going to force it on anyone.

Closer to the Truth:
While Ms. Lulay's book has been described by those who knew Mr. Eddy as being a superficial biography, I can't help but feel it is much closer to the truth of this talented man's life than the "Sweethearts" biography. I would recommend this book for anyone seriously interested in learning more about Nelson Eddy, his life and his career.