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| Frank Sinatra born December 12th 1915 died May 14th 1998 |
Full Title: Lady Blue Eyes: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Barbara Sinatra
Despite the plethora of material written about this iconic singer-actor, Barbara Sinatra’s memoir is an essential part of his history. As his fourth and final wife, she became privy to aspects of his life he concealed from others. Though still in his late prime when they married, she observed the growing vulnerability of illness and age behind his determination to maintain his bravado.She does not deny he could be irascible-even a bit of a brute towards those who irked or frustrated him. Still, he was capable of extreme generosity, even when aiding comparative strangers.
Though pleased with being called “Old Blue Eyes”, Sinatra detested frequent references to him as “Chairman of the Board”. As he said, once one is chairman, how much higher could anyone go? We all, however eminent, have the need to retain the ability to aspire.
When Barbara became Mrs. Sinatra, she knew their marital privacy would be in constant jeopardy from the press and public. She was not prepared, however, for their merciless hounding. Its predatory nature was such that she feared they would try to shoot photos of him on his final journey to a hospital.
Now, years after his death, the moment she leaves his grave side, onlookers pounce upon flowers and tender notes she has left there. Still, in a positive sense, this prying mirrors the impact the quality of his music and reverberations of his “my way” lifestyle imprinted themselves both on his era and undoubtedly a generation unborn at the time of his passing.
