I thought the author was a bit unfair to Day. He seems to have written the book to show that her life was miserable and she refused to admit it, which really ticks him off. Rather than descending into an alcoholic or drug addicted mess, becoming suicidal or losing her mind, she kept her chin up in the old fashioned style. Good for her.

If there is one thing that we can all be sure of in life this is it: no one who only wants to be a wife and mother ends up a major motion picture star. It takes a lot of ambition and guts to become a star. I don't think that it just happens when the person is not looking. Day seems to have been conflicted about her success. We're all conflicted about something, however. It does not necessarily lead to misery.

The author has an idea that the "girl next door" image is something bad. He does not seem to understand why so many millions liked this woman. She seems like someone you could know, there is something real and authentically American about her, which is why some don't like her. She is one of the few movie stars who seemed like someone you could encounter in real life who is terrifically likable, direct, good natured, humorous, and trustworthy, kind of like Jennifer Aniston is today, intelligent without being intellectual, honest. Day was believable as a "career girl" and as a mother and housewife. She is attractive in a normal real way, not enough to be stared at by strangers and seeming to be so "hot" every minute of the day, but lovely in a way someone can be that you know. At least this is the viewpoint of a woman. Men may differ.

This book is a sad waste of time and money. Unfortunately the reader leaves this book not knowing any more truth about Doris Day than what Ms. Day already made public to the world. Instead, the reader will leave with unsubstantiated opinions, which can not be proven to be fact. And taints the truth about an amazingly talented, and decent human being. If you want to read the hard, real facts of Doris Day's life, read her own autobiography. You can purchase it right here on Amazon for a minimal price. In her own book, Doris Day was extremely transparent about her life. Joys, mistakes and life lessons. It is all there in "Her Own Story", written with A.E. Hotchner.

A great book about a great actress and lady. Could not put it down.

I loath people that exploit others for the benefit of their own monetary gain. Mr. Kaufman has done just that in this "Enquire like" book. He writes about Doris as if he knew her personally. When in fact, all he has done is taken excerpts from liner notes, here say from so-called reliable sources, and bits and pieces from her own autobiography. He has used these findings to his own advantage in creating what he calls the untold story of the girl next door. Now in retirement, Doris deserves the right to her own privacy and need not be the subject of Mr. Kaufman's malicious exaggeration.

This book is alot of pages that goes nowhere. Though Mr. Kaufman tries hard to emphasize, in a long winded way, how respected Ms. Day was in the entertainment industry, he also brings her down about how she made poor choices in her personal life. He digs up dirt where he can with former employees, so he can attempt to sully her name.

Doris Day is a connivingt woman. She has taken over the Music Of Your Life and now The Best Music Ever recorded. She apparently lent financial support to Chuck and his son, Karl, as they think she is just marvelous. The listeners do not, and we'd like to have a break from her put-on sexy tone. It is so false. She is a parody and should have stayed in seclusion with her animals at Mt. Carmel. Then perhaps Chuck could get back to being a hospitable host. As it is now, you'd think she is running him and the network, so all we can believe is that (1) he either married her, or (2) she bought the networks and they have to play her stuff.

Mr. Kaufman, who apparently spent years doing his research on Ms.Day, has absolutely no clue of the woman he wrote about. Since he was not privileged to speak with Ms. Day on a one on one basis, I do not see where he thinks he knows who she really is. He gets most of his information from hearsay, and from some people who have had personal agendas, so the real truth gets tainted or changed. All it would take is one visit with her for him to have seen the person who is really behind the "star image." Having had that pleasure on several occasions through the years, I found Ms. Day to be one of the most candid and open individuals I have ever met.
This is not, as Mr. Kaufman would have it, a woman who is hiding from the rest of the world due to the bad treatment she received from people that came in and out of her life. Known to be a woman with a very forgiving heart and one who consistently has shown strength through adversity, she has been thrown a lot of life's surprises along the way. The fact that she is forgiving and moves on, does not make her someone who is afraid to look at the past, nor is she someone who is trying to get over an abandonment issue and so has devoted her life to the animals....his whole thought process through his book just makes me ill.
Ms. Day has always had a love for animals. This is a part of her nature. Now, that she has retired and has the time away from the silver screen, she is doing what she loves to do, and so for all the great humanitarian contributions she has made across this nation, we have people like Mr. Kaufman who have their own theories and then put them in print for their own self gain.
I did find alot of his information gathered as Doris' career took off to be enlightening at best, but he paints a picture of a woman who was thrown into a career she did not want by the manipulations of her mother, and then later, her agent husband Martin Melcher. Regardless of whether Marty was or was not the best person to guide Doris' career, the fact remains that it was Doris' innate talent that got her through the achievements she accomplished in both films and music. Everyone makes choices in their lives, some for the good and some not so good. I am sure there could have been more to her career if handled differently, but at this stage of the game, didn't she work enough? I think she did and am happy that we have so much of her talent to enjoy. Her music is such that she will live forever in the hearts of fans, because there is no one who can come across with a song like she does. Her film career made her the Box Office Queen for many years...because of this legacy she has and will leave behind, we have several authors now who find this is a good time to exploit her and mutilate what is real about her to make their books sell.
Ms. Day is not in hiding and she is not a recluse. She does what makes her happy and she has earned the right to do that. As someone who has seen the heart of this woman, it amazes me to see statements about her, in this book and in its publicity, that are so erroneous just to gain attention. Doris Day, who has always done and wanted to do rescue work for animals, has managed to change how an entire nation views their pets. Laws have now been adapted to eliminate animal cruelty from the grass roots and up to Washington's front door. Her organization rescued thousands of pets from their demise when Katrina hit New Orleans a couple of years ago. And most of all, due to her diligent efforts and her organization, many towns across our country have adapted a mandatory spay and neuter program to lower the overpopulation of unwanted pets. Does all this sound like a woman who hides behind another name known as "Clara," because she has disassociated herself with her persona? On the contrary, Ms. Day has used her persona to accomplish a lot of good in the world and to educate us all on the responsibilities we have as pet owners.
I differ with Mr. Kaufman's beliefs and find his book to be no authority on Doris Day, the person. I believe his ego overshadowed his judgement in his writings and theories. If he had seen and visited with the essence of this remarkable woman he would have found her to be a most sincere and caring individual, who has always known exactly who she is, where she is going, and what she wants out of life. No book has ever captured that essence and I doubt anyone ever will...because as the song goes, "It's Magic" and that is why she is still loved by millions of fans across the world.
Am I one of those fans? You better believe it!!!

A very, very detailed account of Doris Day's career and personal life. I tend to doubt some of the information such as the Maury Wills mention and even maybe the Mickey Mantle. Maybe or maybe not, no one really knows. There was nothing to document these rumors. It does not change what I think about this lovely woman. Appreciated all of the background information the author retrieved from archives. A rather large book, but not as tedious a read as one might imagine. I recommend this to any Doris Day fan. I applaud the author for his research as it is certainly worth taking a look.

I just finished reading a plethora of Doris Day biographies. I started with the book written by her former secretary, Dorothy, called DAY AT A TIME. I found it charming...to a point. The fact that Dorothy betrayed confidences in Doris that led to her being fired makes me wonder how much of the negativism is not just "getting back".
After that, I read the new David Kaufman book, UNTOLD STORY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. Actually, I liked it a lot (and I am a dyed in the wool Doris Day fan...have been since the age of 7, and I am now 71). What is compelling about this book is that the reader can tell how much the author likes Doris Day because it shines through on every page...even when he is reporting something not so savory, as "the best lay Mickey Mantle ever had!" (Frankly,,I hope she was!)
Then came the new book (with exactly the same cover) just published in the UK called RELUCTANT STAR. (I waited to read any of the books until I had all of them on hand). I HATED THIS BOOK. The guy who wrote this book was just looking for a way to keep kicking Doris throughout...and frankly, she has been kicked, aligned, ignored, mistreated, underrated far too much in her life...we certainly don't need to read about it. Those of us who love her already know some important things:
1. SHE IS THE TOP FEMALE ENTERTAINER OF ALL TIME
2. SHE IS THE TOP BOX OFFICE ATTRACTION OF ALL TIME
3. SHE HAS THE BEST SINGING VOICE OF ANY ONE WHO HAS EVER RECORDED AND IS SECOND TO NONE! (Ella and Barbra can take a back seat and listen to the very very best)
4. SHE TURNED HER BACK ON HOLLYWOOD for many good reasons..and why not? What did Hollywood ever do for her? Did they honor her with an Academy Award DURING HER CAREER? Did they honor her with a grammy during her career. (They did STREISAND, and she can't hold a tea light to Doris)
Did they give her an Emmy? NO..BUT SHE DESERVED THEM ALL. So..now she is doing a service to the whole world with her animals, and we love her for that too.
AT ANY RATE, after reading all these books, I went back and picked up DORIS DAY-HER OWN STORY (WRITTEN with A.E. Hotchner) and re-read it. Funny....almost everything the new books called "revealing" was already mentioned by Doris in her own book from 1976. So much for any new slants!
(except...we did not need to know that Patrick O'Neal was her love for a solid year...her own damned business, and no one else's!!!)

Doris Day fans will remain fans of their beloved "Clara" even though there are way too many facts in the book. Still it is interesting reading, and
illustrates this is one tough lady we love to love for good reasons!

Liz Smith, on the book's back cover, says, "There's never been a truly great biography of Doris Day." Well, that statement is still true because this book is not a great biography. It's basically an updating of a 30-year-old autobiography that the star wrote, with very little new information. It certainly doesn't have many "untold stories" as the subtitle claims--it's mostly stuff that is told in Day's own book or a more recent book that analyzes her films.

Whether you like the book will depend on whether you have read other books about her, including her autobiography. If this is your first exposure to the star on paper, then you may enjoy it as it quickly glides through her life, starting at birth and going year-by-year through her career as singer and actress.

If you have read the other books about her, then this is a waste of time. It's almost 600 pages and still contains little that hasn't been stated before.

The author focuses mostly on her films, but makes unusual choices in spending more space on some of her worst films (Midnight Lace, Julie, That Touch of Mink, Jumbo) and short-changing her big hits (Man Who Knew Too Much, Pillow Talk). He just skims the surface and too often quotes her autobiography or Variety articles. He is very subjective in claiming what was her best work and he favors Rock Hudson while skewering Cary Grant. At times it almost feels like a biography of Rock & Doris since so much subjective passion is stated about Hudson. That would be fine if the author spent more time disecting why the relationship worked on screen and devoted more pages to the movies they made together. But as it is written, there is very little behind the scenes insight into her work with her co-stars.

The author does point out that she (like Hudson) was the opposite of her on-screen image. And that she had terrible husbands. But we knew all that before this book.

He also admits that he is unable to answer some of the conflicting information that comes when different people tell stories about the star. In a number of places he doesn't seem to have done enough research to come to solid conclusions, so instead he throws in all the perspectives and leaves it all up in the air.

So whether you like the book will be based on your expectation going into it--if you believe you'll hear some "untold stories" you will be disappointed. If you want a long, laborious map of the star's career with few inside stories, then you may enjoy it.

Doris Day was my very first movie star. I saw PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES in 1959--I was nine and it was love at first sight. Which is funny when you look at the picture now. The idea that any mother would put her child in a cage is appalling! Nevertheless, Day, along with Audrey Hepburn and Sohia Loren, became the movie stars I loved most in my youth. Even their least interesting films were an experience. These ladies were radiant screen presences. Hepburn and Loren were well respected. They got Oscars. Doris, equally talented and more because she could really sing, didn't get the respect of the aforementioned ladies, though her box office clout was undeniable. I've pretty much seen the entire Doris Day canon and it's got its classics: LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME, CALAMITY JANE, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, PILLOW TALK, LOVER COME BACK, THE THRILL OF IT ALL. Day is also wonderful in MIDNIGHT LACE, WITH SIX YOU GET EGGROLL, and my personal favorite, BILLY WILDER'S JUMBO.

At 86, it was long overdue for an objective bio of this star with the sunny image. I enjoyed her autobiography because A.E. Hotchner is a solid writer, and while Day revealed a less than sunny life, it's not all that searching. David Kaufman's detailed book is just what is needed to fill in a lot of blanks and to put the whole career in perspective. I recently finished reading Tom Santopietro's excellent CONSIDERING DORIS DAY and they make an excellent combination as a critical overview of one spectacular career, and a behind-the- scenes lok at the peaks and valleys of that career.

Several important things emerge about Day's family. Her mother Alma wasn't a very pleasant mother and once Doris becomes famous she keeps her mother at arm's length even as she calls on her to help with the many chores her stardom entails. In fact, Day pretty much exploited her family (however unconscious). She, like many female film and entertainment stars of the 50s and 60s, turned over way too much control of their careers and money to their husbands. Think Rosemary Clooney, Debbie Reynolds, Esther Williams, etc.). After reading her memoir, you walk away thinking that Marty Melcher, Day's third husband and the real architect of her superstardom, was responsible with their lawyer for stealing Day's fortune. And I can understand her thinking that. Jerome Rosenthal was a legal shark who fleeced Day and Melcher and other stars (Kirk Douglas among them) and got away with it for far too long before finally being disbarred (at 76). Melcher is portrayed her as a controlling, somewhat slick manipulator who protected Doris (as he alienates her co-stars and the crafts people on film sets) to the point of smothering her. But it looks like he was just as duped as Doris was, and while he probably knew it long before she did and was desperate enough to let Rosenthal continue to bilk them, believing that he could restore their lost nest egg, Melcher seems essentially innocent of being the thief Rosenthal so obviously was.

Day does need to atone for leaning so thoroughly on her troubled son, Terry Melcher. She neglected him as a mother as she was busy working from film to film at a grueling pace. One wonders why she worked so hard. What made her so ambitious and driven? Worse still, when Marty dies, Doris continues to lean on her son as he reluctantly takes over the reins of her career, steering her through her TV series (which she says in her memoir, Marty signed her up without telling her, and this book reveals that she more than knew the series), and taking on the onerous burden of unmasking Jerome Rosenthal's nefarious thievery, untangling her complicated finances, and overseeing the nearly 20-year legal battle with Rosenthal. And Rosenthal threw up every legal barrier he could to legally steal $millions from his client. Terry Melcher emerges as a wonderful and loyal sun. She should have been a far less careless or clueless mother.

This blindness to her support system doesn't flatter Day at all, and you get the idea that her fans often meant more to her than her family. There is very little self-reflection here by this enormously appealing movie star. It's like the reality of her life away from a movie set or a recording studio meant that there was no there, there! She's often careless or insensitive with friends and staff whom she often erroneously misjudges over issues of loyalty, discretion, etc. Her sense that Jacqueline Susann used her stardom to promote one of her bestseller when they travelled together to London in the early 70s, seems wildly insensitive. Susann was a huge bestselling author when they made that trip together, and it was Susann who reached out to Day as a friend. Day emerges as petty, selfish, despite her visiting Susann in the last days of her battle with cancer.

Days obsession with animals after a time, becomes annoying. Sure dogs and cats need a celebrity advocate, but Day too often shows that these creatures require more thought, more love, more sensitivity to their needs than to the needs of her family and friends and she ends up seeming to be monstrously selfish and using the animals to satisfy her self-absorption.

The trajectory of Day's career as an actress and top-flight recording artist is well captured here. Essentially Day peaked as an actress in LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME and THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. She reached superstardom with PILLOW TALK and all the sex comedies that followed. But no matter what the vehicle, she is a mesmirizing presence on the screen. Even in turkeys like TUNNEL OF LOVE or CAPRICE, or THE BALLAD OF JOSIE, Day is a glowing presence.

I suppose when you're that wrapped up in your career, you can't see see anything objectively, Doris Day's declining years as a movie actress make you scratch your head about what might have been. But I do see how she could turn down the part of Mrs. Robinson (and no matter, Anne Bancroft was astounding in the part). Day was a great singer, a fine actress, a crackerjack comedienne, and could do a million things. But she would never been mistaken as a character actor in the making as she aged. Yet to allow herself to calcify the way she did in those final films seems somehow wrong. Her fear of performing live robbed her of a lucrative late career. Instead of getting a boob job or a facelift (what for, she was essentially retired by then), she might have spent that money more profitably seeking the help of a shrink or a specialist who might have helped her get over her fear of performing live. Still, Doris Day worked like a dog for more than 25 years. I recently slogged through all five seasons of THE DORIS DAY SHOW, which I missed when they first aired, and oy, is it dated! Still, it restored her fortune, and I'm happy for her that she found some measure of peace in her retirement years in Carmel, California.

An earlier review was very nasty towards Kaufman's effort. I think he is wrong. It would have been nice to have more contemporary quotes from Cary Grant or Frank Sinatra or Jimmy Stewart. As it is, we have many quotes from a lot of people in the background who who generously offer their own perspectives.

Doris Day gets the bio she richly deserves here. Kaufman sets the record straight and she emerges as a fascinating, talented, lovely, flawed, and ironic woman and star. If she can't have an Oscar, or won't consent to going down to Hollywood on Oscar night to pick one up, DORIS DAY: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door leaves no doubt about her place as a durable and endearing legend.

This long overdue bio on Doris Day was worth waiting for. I've been a fan from my childhood and grew up on her 60's films. (and saw the rest on tv!) I, of course, loved her frank autobiography that came out in the 70's and was curious if this new biography could provide more information and insight. That it does! Although it does depend on a lot of already published sources, that cant be helped, as most of the people who worked with her (at least in her movie days) are long dead. He has interviewed a lot of people who worked with or knew Doris who are still living as well as some of her biggest fans who shared parts of her life. Doris emerges as a flawed, but human, very likeable performer who fell into stardom, and walked away from it once she felt her time had passed. Her biggest faults seem to be her inability to form close lasting friendships with people and letting others (particularly her 3rd husband, Marty Melcher) do her dirty work. She also was not the greatest mother as she was busy working all the time. Like many stars she wasnt the greatest employer either. Once a person lost their usefullness, despite making them feel part of her family, they were dispensed with. As anyone familiar with Doris Day knows her life wasnt a bed of roses: 4 failed marriages (one husband beat her; another squandered her fortune and left her almost penniless); her father left her mother at an early age; an early car accident ended her dancing career; her only child Terry died tragically a few years ago. There's plenty of drama and heartache. But Day always bounced back. She's a survivor. There isnt a lot new here, but enough for any fan (or anyone curious about this Garbolike former megastar) to be worth buying and reading. My only complaints of the book: it could've used some tighter editing (the details of the pressbooks of every film gets tiresome) and I wish there had been more details of her post-Carmel life. But considering how hard it is to get any information on this very private star and the fact she did not cooperate with the author, this is understandable. Terry Melcher, in particular, falls off the radar in the last 2 chapters. Suddenly he's remarried, then a page later he's married again. Then he's an alcoholic. Then he dies. Very little background information is provided. Doris' strained relationship with her grandson is not explained well either. WHY? He's an adult now. What's he doing with his life? The book feels rushed at the end. Overall, a very good book about a much underappreciated actress/ singer that never really got the respect she deserved. One can only hope The Academy will finally wake up before it's too late and award her an honorary Oscar. But I dont think Doris really cares (or would even show up to get the award). I do hope she realizes all the wonderful hours of happiness she's given to people who've enjoyed her movies and that wonderful voice!

This book sheds much more detail on Doris Day's life than CONSIDERING DORIS DAY. Like most standard Hollywood biographies the start of the career always builds excitement & interest but quickly becomes a movie-to-the-next-movie account of the subject's life.

However with that said; Kaufman does add much insight into the Melcher marriage & other details I wanted to learn more about in Day's life. I'd definitely recommend this book!

The publication of this book seemed to cause many Doris Day fans to have negative comments regarding this book. I assume that those Doris Day fans feared that the book would shed unfavorable light on Ms. Day, but I assure you that is not the case. Doris Day was and is a great lady and the author only reaffirms her positive image. It is obvious to the reader that the author spent imnumerable hours researching the subject. Much of the information came from Ms. Day's own autobiography, as well as from newspapers and magazines. I think the fan web sites jumped to unfair conclusions without first reading the book. If anyone wants to get the "dirty laundry" on Ms. Day, one will not find it contained in this bio. The author has written a lengthy book, in fact, when I purchased this book I thought it would be a daunting project to even begin to read. However, the reading process seemed to go very quickly. This is an interesting read and I would recommend any Doris Day fan or animal activist would find enjoyable. Ms. Day's love of the furry creatures should touch the heart of animal lovers everywhere. Kudos to Doris Day and David Kaufman for a job well done. A perfect read for a lazy day at the beach or to stay at home and read on a rainy Sunday.

I think writing a biography of Doris Day is hopeless, even if she would consent to be interviewed. Her own official biography was extraordinarily reported and written with her full participation, and approached in an original way, but even it never told the full story or got deeper than a certain level. For any author to try to tell Day's story from the outside is highly limiting. First of all, what Day says of herself (she never wanted to be a star, she never wanted a movie career) and what her life shows are usually contradictory (she was in fact ambitious for stardom at a very young age and poured everything she had to give first into her big band career and then singing and film careers). Second of all, Day has always been in show business but never of show business. She rode her bike to the studios, she always lived in nice but hardly grandiose homes, her mother lived with her even after she married Marty Melcher, she honestly preferred ice cream sodas to liquor. Her scrubbed clean image was accurate to a point, but she did curse and she was nobody's fool. Her bright and shiny image also didn't reflect the fact in that in real life she was intelligent, savvy, discerning and strong. The real person is even more interesting than the star, but Day has always protected that star with great smarts. This book misses the mark but I don't see how, under the circumstances, it could hope to make the mark. Day says she didn't plan to read this book or a similar book in England (both books have the same cover shot, strangely). Makes sense to me.

i've loved doris day movies over the years and pajama game is one of my all-time favorite musicals. i was eager to read her "untold story", i wish i hadn't, it was soooo boring.

i don't think that's doris day's fault, i totally put the blame on the author. there are too many quotes from her die-hard fans describing what she was like rather than the stars she acted with. a lot of uninteresting details, such as what she once ate for lunch at a deli with one of her fans.

one of the most tedious biographies i've ever read.

Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door is a great, five star book for any new fans of Doris Day, who have never read her autobiograpy, other biographies or who have never seen her interviews. It covers everything that has ever been written about Doris and also anything that has ever been said about Doris by other associates. I own every book that I could find that has ever been written about Miss Day, and I have read them all. I have all her interviews, movies, television shows, records and countless movie star biographies that mention Miss Day, and I could not find one bit of information in this book that I did not already know from many other sources. For me, a huge Doris Day fan, who has read every book, article and other's information on Miss Day, I was very disappointed after reading this to find that I have already read all of this author's information in other sources. Now, for anyone who has never read any books or articles about Doris Day, this book will be wonderful to read, filled with all the information that has already been written from many sources over the years. The title is very inappropriate for me, a long time fan, as Untold Story it is definitely not. I knew every bit of information and was truly disappointed, that the book would be great only for a new Doris Day fan.

I absolutely hate when a new book comes out, and people cant wait to tear it apart! This book, was delivered on tuesday, and I finished it by friday, and its really a thick book! You name it, its in here! The author did a beautiful job with the facts, stories and presented it with love and adoration. THIS IS THE DEFINITIVE DORIS DAY BOOK! DONT WALK, RUN TO THE STORE AND GET IT!!!!

While I totally understand the zeal with which Mr. Brogan and Mr. Green embrace this book, since both are major contributors to it, I think a more objective critical analysis might be valuable as well.

There is a certain amount to like in Mr. Kaufman's "version" of Doris Day's life. It's a quick read, despite the length, and does touch on some interesting pop-culture of the 50's, 60's and 70's, and how Doris Day related to, and was related to by, that culture.

But too frequently, the negatives far out way the positives:

Too much of the book is lifted directly from Day's autobiography, as well as some other celebrity autobios, as opposed to new interviews. We're told many were conducted, but they didn't seem to yield much of anything that hadn't been told before. Many are also gleaned from DVD interviews and liner notes from the 1990's Bear Family boxed sets of Day's Columbia recordings.

There is much repeating of old movie fan magazine "interviews," the sort of which the authors seldom left their offices to compose, let alone always meet their subjects at all. They are frequently reported as fact, and often to discredit statements by Day and (frequently) her husband, Marty Melcher, made at other times.

There is not as much reportage here as there is supposition in many instances. For instance he hypothesizes that Day may actually have never remembered her young son playing with water balloons, but instead may have "inspired the memory" after playing a similar scene in one of her movies. No proof or reason is offered. He also maintains that Doris' marriage to Marty Melcher was entirely a business relationship from the beginning, and presents as proof their smiling wedding and honeymoon pictures: proof that since the photographs exist, and since the parties are smiling, it was obviously all done for publicity. It's a nice trick, presenting potential proof that might disprove a supposition as the very proof that the supposition is accurate. But it's still a supposition, and not a fact. For all his direct quoting of the Melcher-haters from Day's own autobio, any Melcher-supporters are summarily ignored or dismissed.

While he is quick to analyze anything and everything that Doris or her husband Marty Melcher might say (and frequently tries to prove that they seldom were ever telling the truth publicly on almost any subject from benign to important), he gives others a pass with no editorial checking or further interviewing of others to confirm what he then reports as hard facts. An ex-employee maintains that Day turned on him when he claimed that his co-workers had "poisoned her mind against" him, and he had been reduced to "a nothing." His version is portrayed as gospel, with no corroborating or refuting interviews done with the co-workers or anyone else. No examination of the possibly paranoid or narcissistic elements of the employee's statements is undertaken either. (There may have actually been none in the statements, but the phrasing does cry out for analysis, which is solely reserved for Day's and Melcher's statements.)

He depends heavily on the views of four particular fans who got to know Doris later in life: two as friends and 2 as employees. While their stories are indeed interesting, and add a welcome and unique slant, the major dependence on them in the last 3rd of the book bespeaks either a lack of access to more major players in Day's life, or a lack of information from major players that could be played up as "controversy."

Much space is also devoted to film budgets, grosses and reviews, Very interesting if you love Hollywood, but again, it smacks of filler.

Similarly, Mr. Kaufman spends paragraphs describing the contents of the pressbooks of most of Doris' films. While they can be mildly amusing for an old-time Hollywood buff or Day fan, their excessive appearance again indicates a lack of more major information to impart on his titular subject.

Sadly, this book also dwells on all the old 1960's carping fodder: Doris' insecurity over her looks and photographic filters, etc. Just when these were being forgotten about and new generations were discovering Doris without any of those old preconceptions, this book seeks to make them a permanent and integral part of her legacy.

Unlike the earlier reviewers, I don't think the book is for everybody. It's not simply "dishy" enough to appeal to the Enquirer crowd, nor is it the journalistic examination of this Superstar and the culture that the author intended or that would appeal to the more thoughtful reader, especially if they weren't already a major Day fan.

While I totally understand the zeal with which Mr. Brogan and Mr. Green embrace this book, since both are major contributors to it, I think a more objective critical analysis might be valuable as well.

There is a certain amount to like in Mr. Kaufman's "version" of Doris Day's life. It's a quick read, despite the length, and does touch on some interesting pop-culture of the 50's, 60's and 70's, and how Doris Day related to, and was related to by, that culture.

But too frequently, the negatives far out way the positives:

Too much of the book is lifted directly from Day's autobiography, as well as some other celebrity autobios, as opposed to new interviews. We're told many were conducted, but they didn't seem to yield much of anything that hadn't been told before. Many are also gleaned from DVD interviews and liner notes from the 1990's Bear Family boxed sets of Day's Columbia recordings.

There is much repeating of old movie fan magazine "interviews," the sort of which the authors seldom left their offices to compose, let alone always meet their subjects at all. They are frequently reported as fact, and often to discredit statements by Day and (frequently) her husband, Marty Melcher, made at other times.

There is not as much reportage here as there is supposition in many instances. For instance he hypothesizes that Day may actually have never remembered her young son playing with water balloons, but instead may have "inspired the memory" after playing a similar scene in one of her movies. No proof or reason is offered. He also maintains that Doris' marriage to Marty Melcher was entirely a business relationship from the beginning, and presents as proof their smiling wedding and honeymoon pictures: proof that since the photographs exist, and since the parties are smiling, it was obviously all done for publicity. It's a nice trick, presenting potential proof that might disprove a supposition as the very proof that the supposition is accurate. But it's still a supposition, and not a fact. For all his direct quoting of the Melcher-haters from Day's own autobio, any Melcher-supporters are summarily ignored or dismissed.

While he is quick to analyze anything and everything that Doris or her husband Marty Melcher might say (and frequently tries to prove that they seldom were ever telling the truth publicly on almost any subject from benign to important), he gives others a pass with no editorial checking or further interviewing of others to confirm what he then reports as hard facts. An ex-employee maintains that Day turned on him when he claimed that his co-workers had "poisoned her mind against" him, and he had been reduced to "a nothing." His version is portrayed as gospel, with no corroborating or refuting interviews done with the co-workers or anyone else. No examination of the paranoid or narcissistic elements of the employee's statements is undertaken either. (There may have actually been none in the statements, but the phrasing does cry out for analysis, which is solely reserved for Day's and Melcher's statements.)

He depends heavily on the views of four particular fans who got to know Doris later in life: two as friends and 2 as employees. While their stories are indeed interesting, and add a welcome and unique slant, the major dependence on them in the last 3rd of the book bespeaks either a lack of access to more major players in Day's life, or a lack of information from major players that could be played up as "controversy."

Much space is also devoted to film budgets, grosses and reviews, Very interesting if you love Hollywood, but again, it smacks of filler.

Similarly, Mr. Kaufman spends paragraphs describing the contents of the pressbooks of most of Doris' films. While they can be mildly amusing for an old-time Hollywood buff or Day fan, their excessive appearance again indicates a lack of more major information to impart on his titular subject.

Sadly, this book also dwells on all the old 1960's carping fodder: Doris' insecurity over looks and photographic filters, etc. Just when these were being forgotten about and new generations were discovering Doris without any of those old preconceptions, this book seeks to make them a permanent and integral part of her legacy.

Unlike the earlier reviewers, I don't think the book is for everybody. It's not simply "dishy" enough to appeal to the Inquirer crowd, nor is it the journalistic examination of this Superstar and the culture that the author intended or that would appeal to the more thoughtful reader, especially if they weren't already a major Day fan.

This book tells how Doris Day with all her fame and fortune remains as down to earth as the real girl next door. And thats a feat in itself for any performer. She makes fans feel like true friends, I think she feels her fans are like family. What will be, will be forever... Ray Lyons

Author David Kaufman has devoted eight years to researching this book, and has interviewed over 100 people, and it shows in spades! No detail is spared in this terrific biography of the great Doris Day, and it is sure to become the book fans have been waiting for, and film historians will refer to for future research. Ms Day, one of the great talents of the 20th Century, and the film world's number one female at the box office to this day, has gotten her due, at last. I believe this tome will position the singer/actress into her rightful place in the history of movies and music. The book, with its dramatic highs and lows, is riveting from start to finish. A must-read for film buffs and Day fans alike!

"Doris Day, The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door" is an amazing book written by an author who clearly knows his subject.

David Kaufman has crafted a book that is impossible to put down once you start reading it. While he has drawn a portion of his information from other sources including books, press releases, film reviews, etc. Mr. Kaufman has interviewed scores of individuals who knew Miss Day and here share, in many instances, their recollections for the first time.

It is never less than compelling and the reader will come away from this enormous 600 plus page read with a great deal of respect and admiration for the subject, Doris Day and probably a new viewpoint about this woman who remains to this "Day" the number one female box-office star of all-time.

Anyone whose opinion of Miss Day is based upon the song "Que Sera Sera" or the mistaken notion that she was a cardboard cut-out or Pollyanna-revisited will have those notions shaken and replaced by the reality that Doris Day is a courageous, sometimes insecure, very funny, sexy and quite determined lady. You'll discover why, after dozens of hugely popular movies, a television series that ran for years and hundreds of recordings, she walked away without a backward glance.

David Kaufman is a highly respected writer and his talents and skills clearly provide a balanced portrait of Doris Day. It's not, however, just a book for fans of Doris Day. It is, in fact, an eye-opening account of a woman's journey through life and through Hollywood. There is something that everyone can identify with in the journey and Kaufman has walked that fine line with being an admirer and a writer and delivered the goods.

This book is certain to top the best-seller lists and be one of the year's best reads. A fascinating story of a great star told with detail that never seems intrusive to the subject. Mr. Kaufman reveals the person behind the freckles and the Hollywood gloss and its a wonderful revelation.