James Stewart: A Biography

This audio book would have gotten 5 Stars if not for the hour and a half that starts this story....holy smokes....it lends nothing to the story of Jimmy Stewart. I have read 4 of the Stewart Bios over the last 20 years and this is by far the most in depth and most interesting - save the 1st hour or so - of them all. I particularly enjoyed learning about his youth and discovering where his values came from. Highly recomend but skip the first hour or so.

This biography might be better if the author were not so critical of Stewart's values of work and discipline. Apparently, this author views the Scots-Irish as about a foot less intolerant than the Klan. The guy is also quite unfortunately anti-intellectual, taking gratuitous pot-shots at academic material that he obviously does not understand or where he has clearly missed the point. Most of the negativity is not necessary and produces a kind of ambivalent view even of Stewart himself.

James Stewart was and is one of the best loved movie stars of all time.A biography of this complex and very private man was a monumental task, but author Donald Dewey managed to create a portrait that not only reveals the real Stewart, but pays tribute to the man and his art.It is full of great insider tidbits to please any hollywood trivia buff, as well as many unknown facts about the young Stewart. Stewart's movies are summarized and analyzed, but Dewey is careful not to let the book become one long movie review.All in all,this is a well done and complete biography. An excellent book.

I am a big fan of Jimmy Stewart and I was looking forward to this book! What I was not prepaired for was the negative attitude the author had toward Jimmy Stewart. After the first hour and a half all I could think was 1) why did Donald Dewey even bother writting this book if he hates JS so much. and 2) I really hated myself for wasting my money on buying this book. But, after you get thru the 1.5 hour overview of his life and you get into the details of Jimmy's life the book becomes much more enjoyable. If you buy the book do yourself a favor and skip thru the first 1.5 hours and you will enjoy the details of his life much more. The details of his life are done in great detail.

Enjoyed this story about America's beloved actor. Loved reading about his youth and what brought him to films. Definitely a must read for film buffs and those who enjoy understanding the person behind the icon.