5 stars*****

You recognize it’s a gigantic creature when you pick up the book, all 728 pages.

I wouldn’t normally pick up a book so large for fear of wearing my hands out holding this object, but in this case, it was worth turning every page.

Some people live ordinary lives and others people live like Joe Eszterhas and what a life he’s lived. From his early years in a post world war refugee camp, to growing up a Hungarian in America to becoming the world’s top paid screenplay writer.

In between he nearly went down the life in jail route, but steered away just in time.

He appears to have a lot of time for his first wife even though he admits to treating her so poorly. He clearly has so much love for his second wife that he’s a changed man.

He pulls no punches telling us what growing up was like and the relationship with his father, while good in the younger years, became the barrier of his life.

He gives punches all over Hollywood as he realises that while he tries to stay outside of the Hollywood animal instincts, he becomes one of them. He joins in their games and explains why the rest of the world, outside of Hollywood, should stay where you are if you don’t want to get into a life of lies, untruths and bewilderment. In fullness of time it’s easy to see why Hollywood didn’t want Joe; he stood up to the suits.

Joe has given consistent proof of his ability to write and he was well paid for it. He took on the top studios and told them what he expected, and often got it. They stabbed him in the back when they could, but he expected it.

He has given us several first class screenplays which have been made into movies while several other gems remain hidden away in studio desks, never to see the light of day.

It’s good to see that Joe stood by his upbringing; if you treat him well, he treats you well, but if you cross him don’t ever expect to stay on his Christmas card list.

His book couldn’t be cut; I would guess there’s much more he didn’t tell us, like how so many struggling screenplay writers have to accept low thousands, even hundreds for their work, when he made millions. How they can’t fight back because they haven’t enough food in the fridge this week.

The book covers his life, fights, wins and problems in graphic detail, with bar room language to match. I can only guess it must all be the truth and cleared by his lawyers as he names the names, often without holding back telling us what occurred. Sharon Stone must still be a friend…

His life story will, surely, be made into a movie at some stage; but will he write the screenplay?