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Biography & Autobiography. Business. Performing Arts. Nonfiction. HTML:"It's quite a life, Patterson's, and this fizzing, funny, often deeply moving memoir is a perfect way to understand the dizzying world of a best-selling writer." �??Daily Mail "Damn near addictive. I loved it . . . that Patterson guy can write!" �??Ron Howard THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER�??How did a kid whose dad lived in the poorhouse become the most successful storyteller in the world? On the morning he was born, he nearly died. Growing up, he didn't love to read. That changed. He worked at a mental hospital in Massachusetts, where he met the singer James Taylor and the poet Robert Lowell. While he toiled in advertising hell, James wrote the ad jingle line "I'm a Toys 'R' Us Kid." He once watched James Baldwin and Norman Mailer square off to trade punches at a party. He's only been in love twice. Both times are amazing. Dolly Parton once sang "Happy Birthday" to James over the phone. She calls him J.J., for Jimmy James. Three American presidents have invited him to golf with them.How did a boy from small-town New York become the world's most successful writer? How does he do it? He has always wanted to write the kind of novel that would be read and reread so many times that the binding breaks and the book literally falls apart. As he says, "I'm still working on that one." James Patterson by James Patterson is the most anticipated memoir of 2… (more)
User reviews
The book, like his novels, read quickly as they contain very short chapters, usually one to two pages, with loads of white space. Therefore the book can be read
Patterson comes across as a self-absorbed, egomaniac, name-dropping braggart. If he has done all the things he claims in the book and met all the people he claims to have met, it would take him ten lifetimes to accomplish. I’m not buying it. He does not shy away from name dropping. He’s met and played golf with 4 US Presidents, and met more famous people than seems possible. It seems wherever he goes, he just happens to run into some famous person. Patterson is so full of himself it is nauseating.
His politics shows through as well. I do not care what his political views are, but apparently he wants us to know what they are. He pushes an extreme left-wing agenda, right down to driving a Tesla. But he also hob nobs around in a jet flying first class. What a contradiction. His hatred of Trump shows through page after page. I do not care if he likes or hates Trump, why does he have to shove it down the reader’s throat? He also has a serious beef with Stephen King, which is a shame as King is a good writer.
If you think you must read this trashy fictional memoir, borrow it from the library so as not to waste your money. But your time would be better spent watching the grass grow.
This book is page after page
Amazingly he kind of transitioned into full time authorship from his executive position in advertising. He also is quite the collaborator writing with others, even Bill Clinton who he talks up through the book.
For those interested on how he got to be where he is and his thoughts and impressions in getting there this is a good read. I was left with a good impression of the man and may start even reading some fiction.