Jimmy & Me: A Personal Memoir Of A Great Friendship: JAMES DEAN & LEW BRACKER

this is a wonderful book if you're a dean fan and here's why.everyone who wrote a book they have a "unique perspective" of jimmy dean. all the books written about jimmy focus on his childhood and /or his young adulthood. in those books, he leaves the farm and goes to NYC and LA to practice his craft. he's exploring all the best of the 50's, a fascinating and over-looked time. he's driven, ambitious, passionate about what he's doing. he has his own wounds to heal. and he's YOUNG. so he does all kinds of wild things. wow. many of us did wild things in our early 20's. he played young, conflicted people in his films, questioning the world around him, a "rebel." a perfect fit for the american 50's and a perfect fit for being young.but that is not all there is to jimmy.mr lew bracker met jimmy just as he was maturing, having some success, thinking about his future. lew has a happy & secure, intelligent & open-minded extended family and jimmy sees this is something he needs, as place where he can be accepted and contribute, a place where can experience a stable hollywood life, beyond the midwestern farm. here he can feel saf,e and pick up crucial pick up some life skills.contrary to the "too fast to live, too young to die" images we are fed, james dean was maturing into a serious adult. yes, he liked race cars and going out. paul newman liked race cars and nobody called him too fast to live.this is the ONLY book where you see jimmy as the adult he is about to become. it really kind of quietly blew my mind. after reading about Dean for more than 4 decades, it was amazing to find this book and to see that yes, jimmy experimented and took risks. yes, dabbled in and studied many things as a young man. yes, he did what he had to do to survive as a young person alone and practicing his art in new york city and in hollywood. he navigated hollywood, lived and loved, tried new things as we should do when we're young. and he was maturing into a diverse and secure adult. with lew as a kind of brother- they talked about having a restaurant, they went to see films, they talked about women, they talked about insurance and real estate... ! and they shared their love of sports cars, specifically porshes.jimmy dean wasnt some crazy guy who burned out. he accomplished alot in a short time but he had so much more to give. to see him on the verge of some real stability, success and a thoughtful ADULTHOOD makes it all the more clear how his death was a tragedy for himself, his friends, for all of us, and for american film. i dont think there is another book that shows this.thank you, mr bracker, for this fine tome. i highly recommend this book if you love james dean.

Halleluiah! "Jimmy and Me" is the book Dean fans have been waiting for since 1955! Lew Bracker has written a terrific, straight-forward buddy tale with an added twist: the buddy was James Dean at the height of his career. Sincerely written, devoid of rumors and innuendo, and rich with details hitherto unknown; it is most of all a story about friendship. It just so happens that the friendship is between an up-and-coming insurance agent and one of the greatest legends Hollywood has ever known. "Jimmy and Me" is a must-have for true James Dean fans who are weary of reading sensationalized, self-serving accounts of the iconic actor that are filled with more fiction than reality . In an honest, credible, easy to read style, Lew has humanized James Dean, making this a book that ANYONE wanting to know more about James Dean, the man behind the legend, will relish. It is an accounting of the last 16 months of James Dean's life as he tooled around Hollywood and Santa Barbara with Lew Bracker, a self-described ordinary guy, who became his closest pal, confidant and source of comfort in a time in Dean's life that had all the elements of a perfect storm to cause it to spin wildly out of control. However, fate stepped in by way of Leonard Rosenman who introduced James Dean to Lew Bracker, enriching both of their lives in the process. Lew and his family kept James Dean grounded and their Santa Barbara beach-front home became a welcoming hideaway for Dean in times of stress. It was also a place where he could let down his guard and be himself. “Jimmy and Me” is an engaging story of two young men trying to make their way in life while pursuing their favorite interests: cars, girls, and movies. They shared their everyday joys, triumphs and sorrows -- all while James Dean, the actor, was taking Hollywood by storm. It is a book that will make you smile, laugh, and cheer for the good guys to win. Winding down, it will also break your heart as you pine for what could have been. “However, Jimmy and Me” will also warm your heart and touch your soul as you realize that, almost 58 years later, in Lew Bracker’s heart and soul, he and James Dean are still best friends.Pam Crawford, President of James Dean Remembered

There have been lots of books on Jimmy, most are just plain awful, full of lies, half truths and sensationalism to sell a few more copies. Problem is many people believe what they read that is why Jimmy today is distorted beyond recognition. I love this book, it speaks truth from every page throwing out and putting to rest so much of the rubbish that has been written. Lew Bracker knew Jimmy in his Hollywood days, he now had money, was a success and was looking forward, the New York struggles were over. Lew shared Jimmy's racing career and many of the questions I always had regarding his racing (most books barely mention it) are answered, he also gives very valuable information about the Spyder. I would highly recommend this book and would also recommend Dizzy and Jimmy by Liz Sheridan which covers in contrast Jim's life in New York. Both these books are written by people who loved Jimmy and care enough to put the record straight.

I sooooooo love this book, and have been waiting ages for it to come up for sale in the UK.Excellent book - a MUST for all Dean fans.I have loved him for over 38 years, and like him better and better with time!!I have been an avid collector of books and memorabilia on James dean, and this book is definitely up there with the best.It came very quickly, it was like a kid waiting for Christmas!!! I love it so much that I have almost finished it (sadly!!).Fabulous book, and excellent service from the sellers.

Great read. Fascinating and insightful, written by someone who knew him intimately for a very brief time, just shortly before his death.

I absolutely loved this account of Lew's friendship and times with Jimmy... What a lovely life and times they had together. Lew is straightforward,honest and sincere - and writes with so much detail and passion.I have no doubt that I've now read a book about James Dean without embellishment and rumours. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in knowing the real James Dean. I laughed along in the happy moments and cried at the end.I would heartily recommend this book. I hope finally writing helped Lew come to terms with his grief. I feel I know James much better and also Lew and that is the sign of an amazing book.

Great read for those who may be interested in the subject.