The beauty of this book is that despite all the tales of excess and glitz and bad behaviour, you are never really left feeling like the Rat Pack are just a pack of assholes. Rather, that they are taking full advantage of their status and their popularity and forming a kind of club that sets the bar sky high for style and talent. Real singers singing real songs. Compared to the current chart dross, it made me nostalgic for a time I never knew.

Shawn Levy is an exceptional writer. The story behind the Rat Pack was fascinating, but Levy's writing was the real star here. Amazing.

My biggest complaint about this author is the vocabulary he used. I wanted to say so often—just use simple plain English instead of trying to impress me with your language skills. The writing style does not make me want to read anything else by this author. It was an interesting read and I learned a number of things. At times it was hard for me to believe, but I had read enough to know there was a strong possibility that these things were true. It certainly sheds a different light on these very talented men and I came away with a disappointed opinion of them. Too bad because I enjoyed their talents.

Good story. Terrible writing.

I am not sure how well this book was researched but it is a sad day when you find out the rumors might be true.The talent embodied in this group we may never see again. It is unfortunate that even with their fame and financial resources that societal prejudices, their egos, and personal demons eroded their talent and friendship.

3,5

Rat Pack Confidential is a well-researched, written book. Shawn Levy starts with the legend and sketches a show. He covers the early history of Frank hanging with Bogart, and then writes are solid biography of each of the members. Obviously, the biographies overlap, so we get multiple perspectives on some of the key events. This is a rich, well-developed portrait of an era and the people who came to embody its spirit.

I've read several biographies of Frank Sinatra. I liked this book because while Frank was only one of several people whose lives the author touched on, the details of Franks business is very clear. While others talk about his wealth and power, Levy gives dollar amounts in contrast to others. Also, Levy isn't shy about details of Frank's dealings with the mob and what becomes of the gangsters he knew.

It was delightful to get to know Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey, and others better. It is amazing the detail Levy gets into the relatively short book. I read a two-volume bio of Frank that covered triple the pages but wasn't as focused or direct. I enjoyed this one and recommend it.

Not much here for the Rat Pack aficionado to gnaw on.

A flashy look at a flashy time, but somehow comes off as trying a bit too hard.

Initially I thought Levy was over-doing it a little on the 'hip' punchy writing front, but it actually worked really well, though 'The horrible news arrived from Dallas just before 11:00. Jack Kennedy'd had his brains splashed all over his wife's over pink suit' was probably overdoing it a little in the irreverent stakes. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book x

This book gives an excellent history to the lives of the stars that are known as the “Rat Pack.” It is fascinating to experience the life lessons of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, and their other friends as they lived them.

This tell all explores and breaks down, praises, and criticizes all the same. It fills you in and how the Rat Pack organically developed with Bogart and dissolved over the years, with many hangers on. I learned a lot about these original swingers and kings of Old Vegas.

The author doesn’t pull punches, throwing in his beliefs alongside facts and testimonies. Frank is as much lauded as the author makes him pitiable as well.

There is a great amount of Kennedy and old Camelot in here too, and how Frank desperately wanted to be part of real ‘royalty’.

It turns out, he was royalty with all the trappings. But nobody could be as swanky, cool, clad in power, loved and adored as Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Sammy Davis Jr. Nobody.