Book Review: You Never Know: A Memoir By Tom Selleck with Ellis Henican (HarperCollins)

By: Jesse Striewski

It’s interesting going from a rock bio like Alex Van Halen’s, the last book I had reviewed prior to Tom Selleck’s recent memoir You Never Know, to essentially the polar opposite with the much more reserved actor Selleck’s life story.

I knew much of the Magnum P.I. actor’s work before diving into his book, but never put much thought into just how his (or many other actors for that matter) career had begun. From juggling time in the army reserves, a love of playing baseball, and more or less stumbling upon attending an entry-level acting program via a major film studio, there’s no shortage of intrigue or grace for the extremely fascinating and respectable journey he has taken and put into print here.

As a child of the ’80s, I’ll confess I always wanted to be one of the “good guys” I saw on TV and in film, and in full disclosure, in my adult life I may or may not have at one point actually worked as a licensed Private Investigator (well, an intern at least) thanks in part to Selleck’s previously mentioned-role as one. Surely that kind of influence on people has got to stand for something.

But I digress; there’s a good amount of actor’s around from my childhood today that I don’t necessarily maintain much respect for after all of these years. Selleck definitely does not fit in this category; read You Never Know and you’re sure to find out why for yourself.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Book Review: Brothers By Alex Van Halen (HarperCollins)

By: Jesse Striewski

The moment I heard that legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen would be releasing his memoir Brothers, chronicling both his life and that of his late brother/bandmate and legendary guitarist Edward Van Halen, I knew I’d be one of the first in line to read it.

From their early years as Dutch immigrants learning music through their father and musician Jan Van Halen, to ultimately achieving the American dream and rising to total rock stardom and carving out a lasting legacy their own, it gets harder and harder to put the book down with each new page.

The insight offered on the band’s formative years and first several tours with the classic lineup is nothing short of fascinating, and paint a vivid picture of what it was like to be there at that time. It is however disappointing that the story seems to end coinciding with the departure of original vocalist David Lee Roth from the band in the mid-’80s, leaving so much left to still be desired, particularly the Sammy Hagar and even Gary Cherone eras of the band.

On a personal note, I must admit there is some envy on my part in terms of the life Alex Van Halen was able to lead with his late brother, and not simply because of the obvious fame and fortunes they acquired in their lifetimes. Despite the one and only time I saw the band live back in 2008 being with one of my own siblings, I’ve never been able to truly say I know what it’s like to have that close relationship any of them (a notion I’ve always longed for, though don’t believe will ever come to fruition at this point). For that alone, the Van Halen’s were fortunate in every way.

Rating: 4/5 Stars