Notorious

Portraits of Stars from Hollywood, Culture, Fashion, and Tech

By: Maureen Dowd

Narrated by: Maureen Dowd

“Juicy. . . . Dowd has a knack for asking questions that go right up to the edge of intrusion but instead yield thoughtful, intimate insights.”—Los Angeles Times

“A pleasure. . . . Throughout, her experienced journalist’s knack for colorful quotes moves her subjects beyond their talking points. She seasons the pieces with additional reporting by those in her subjects’ orbits.”—Kirkus Reviews

A sly and chatty collection of the revered Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist’s most notorious celebrity profiles.

Shining a white-hot spotlight on America’s famous, from Hollywood legends to Broadway stars to media moguls, Notorious is a captivating assortment of Maureen Dowd’s most compelling style features and profiles. Using her signature wit and incisive commentary as a scalpel, Dowd dissects influential cultural elites, including:

• Leading Hollywood women from Uma Thurman to Jane Fonda to Greta Gerwig
• Silver screen foxes such as Paul Newman, Idris Elba, and Ralph Fiennes
• Funny people like Tina Fey, Mel Brooks, and Larry David
• Fashionistas from Andre Leon Talley to Ann Roth to Tom Ford
• And media and tech titans like Elon Musk, Bob Iger, and Peter Thiel

Notorious is the perfect antidote to our current political malaise and an intimate, gossipy romp through the culture of celebrity from a legend in American journalism.

Eye opening.

Amazed at what the celebrities were willing to divulge. Enjoyed it immensely. An audio I will listen to again.

The humor

Amusing, occasionally surprising, and impressive for how well Dowd handles the awkward moments as well as her efforts to provide background. Overall a fun book, so it was a great palate cleanser after some heavy-duty reading.

Loved the book, the reading not good..

I loved the intimate stories of the very famous as human. It would have been so much better with someone else reading it…

The honesty of the subjects

I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Her columns are usually stellar but I was afraid this would be a laudatory take on the rich and famous. It is so much more.

Order the hard copy not the audio…

While I admire & respect the author - it was difficult listening to the audio book. The content was interesting and enjoyable but her voice was very distracting. And, at times, it was confusing-not knowing if the interviewer or interviewer’s subject was speaking. This book is better read then listened.

I thought I loved Maureen Dowd!

These were not particularly interesting or insightful. Plus, Maureen as the narrator was unfortunate. Monotone.
Did herself a diservice.

Ms Dowd down and dirty?

Definitely not. complete with courtesy titles and dated material, listen closely to find headlines. Uma and Harvey first up, close as it got.

Great Book! So Many Interesting Stories!

I read the reviews before I purchased. Later, found myself disgusted with readers demanding voice actors for a reading. How lazy can listeners get? The narration is fine. The author is reading her stories not dramatizing in a theater. So many great stories to hear! I found the narration beautiful and soothing. Great stories! If you are a curious person you will love this book. She shares her interviews with the masters of industries. Valuable information.

Great Writing -Horrible Reading

Whoever had the idea to have the author read her book should be fired. This is a book of amazing fascinating people and stories written beautifully about them. But buy the book, and pass on this audible.

The reading makes even the most exciting people and stories sound dull and it should come with a warning --DO NOT LISTEN IN THE CAR AS IT MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS. Or put you to sleep.

I was so disappointed. I'll try to finish it but more likely, I'll buy the book.

The writing

I can’t love this book more than I do. It is so much fun. The insight, the wit, the revelations, the reveals the conversations, the writing, the brilliance, the personalities…… read this book or listen to it!!!!