De Niro by Shawn Levy

When you go into a candle shop, there are glasses of coffee beans sitting around. Those beans are there to clear the smells out of the nasal cavity so that all of the scents don't run together. It's why ginger is placed on a plate of sushi. It helps you enjoy the individual flavors by cleansing the palette. In a sense, that's what made me select this book to review. I read so many nice Christian books that they all start to run together. I needed something to break that up so I could enjoy each one for what is. 

On another note, I just wanted someone to tell me a story about someone. I wanted to see them just as they are. In Christian literature, we often try to make every thing into a moral tale or a how to (or how not to). Sometimes it is nice to just hear something unfold without any sort of spin on it. I truly appreciated seeing a raw, untainted portrait of a man.

I like De Niro, but as a mom I can't watch most of them due to content. Of course, I saw many of them growing up. Who doesn't quote him in the Godfather sequel or Meet the Parents? I thought his life was fascinating. You can really see his drive and tenacity in the book. The man was known to truly conform into a character. 

If you wanted to write a moral diatribe about his personal life, you definitely could. He was ever the topic of tabloid scandal like most actors. I thought the book kind of brought a peace to it at the end. Being diagnosed with prostrate cancer took Bob to a place of loving and letting himself be loved. 

At 555 pages, it was definitely a commitment to read. Somehow, I connected to him through the loneliness of childhood. I learned that both of his parents were artists and could understand much of what he was exposed to in life. It was fascinating, sad, and beautiful all the same Shawn Levy did a great job putting it together. 

This book was graciously provided for review by the publisher.