From Publishers Weekly
Celebrity-watchers keep tabloids in business hoping to catch a glimpse of the "real" side of favorite movie stars. This scattershot memoir by Dean Martin's youngest son 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. Martin's affectionate, innocuous and slightly dull book of memories will be a treat only for true Dino fans, affording them an intimate look at the performer at home. The anecdotes have an "I guess you had to be there" flavor ("One of Dad's favorite jokes, which he would pull when we went out to dinner, was to be having a conversation and absent-mindedly butter his big hands as if they were pieces of bread") that should appeal to those who enjoy the humor in Reader's Digest. The younger Martin's focus is strictly Dino-as-Dad, with very few peeks into his father's work on screen or in the recording studio. Life at 601 Mountain Drive was pretty idyllic, with parents who didn't mind their kids shooting guns inside the house and who were blas‚ when older son Dean Paul bought a tank. The latter part of the book is sparked to life by a too-close-for-comfort association with Charles Manson and the tragic fatal plane crash of Dean Paul, which precipitated Dino's health deterioration. More than 100 b&w photos. (Feb.)Forecast: Those looking for a companion to Nick Tosches's definitive Dino: High Living in the Dirty Business of Dreams (1992) won't find much juice here.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
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.

FROM OUR EDITORS

That's Amore is a touching, revealing biography of Dean Martin written by his son Ricci. From the breakup of Martin and Lewis to the star's love for his family and children, That's Amore paints a loving picture of the beloved Dino, one that offers some surprising insights into the life of this often misunderstood star.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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. But as Dean's youngest son, Ricci, explains, "While it was true that Dad drank, the drunky routines were an act. On stage, and later on the set of his TV show, Dad usually had a J&B scotch and soda... It was almost always a weak scotch and soda. Other times it was just apple juice. I never saw Dad drink a martini." The time has come to shed light on the uniquely honest, yet equally fascinating, private persona of Dean Martin.

In That's Amore: A Son Remembers Dean Martin, Ricci Martin 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. Ricci 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.

About the Author
Ricci Martin is the youngest son of Dean and Jeanne Martin. That's Amore is his first book. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly