As fascination with the Rat Pack thrives in films and on television, Dean Martin remains one of the group''s most enigmatic members. The Hollywood image of Dean Martin with a martini in one hand and a woman in the other continues to dominate public perception. Now, Dean''s son Ricci reveals the husband and father few people knew, a man who hated parties, adored his mother-in-law, and found utter contentment in a slice of buttered bread. In That''s Amore: A Son Remembers Dean Martin, Ricci Martin takes readers on a tour through his childhood, from the star-studded parties to the exploration of "three marriages, eight kids, one family," to the treasured one-on-one time he shared with his father. He also discusses Dean''s first meeting with Jerry Lewis and divulges his father''s version of the Martin and Lewis breakup. Ricci Martin addresses the key relationships in his father''s life, allowing readers to view the Rat Pack years, "The Dean Martin Show," and Dean''s divorce from Jeanne through a son''s eyes. That''s Amore reveals the triumphs, tragedies, and escapades that colored Ricci''s childhood, including his brother Dean Paul''s death. More than 100 photos from the private Martin family album enhance Ricci Martin''s portrait of his father, creating a complete, honest picture of the Rat Pack legend.
Industry Reviews
I love this book...First part choked me up. -- Regis Philbin
I cried, I laughed as I read the real story of Deano-the-Dad recorded so lovingly by his son Ricci; a heart-warming legend. -- Phyllis Diller
This book is too good. -- Tony Curtis
The book brought back wonderful memories of those magical happy times; well done. -- Janet Leigh
Martin sang, danced, and joked his way past the Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis routine into the Rat Pack and starring roles in a number of movies. His son reminisces about their home life and his father's career in this illustrated memoir. * Richmond Times-Dispatch *
Ricci Martin invites readers into his Beverly Hills childhood home... * Los Angeles Times *
...a warm, affectionate portrait of the popular performer... * The Orange County Register *
Ricci, an entertainer himself, chronicles life at home in That's Amore: A Son Remembers Dean Martin. The book reveals the true Martin: the Beverly Hills family man. * Tv Guide *
The son of the Rat Pack's most mysterious member creates a complete, honest protrait of his father, bringing to life his childhood and revealing the trials, tribulations, and exploits that colored the life of this legend. * The Lima News *
...proves that sometimes the image on the screen is a lot more colorful than the father who comes home and enjoys a slice of bread before dinner ... an intimate look at the performer at home. * Publishers Weekly *
"That's Amore" reveals the triumphs, tradgedies and escapades that colored Ricci's childhood. * Cedar City Daily News *
