Jet Set: Memoir of an International Playboy

by Massimo Gargia and Allan Starkie

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569801509
• ISBN13: 9781569801505
• Release Date: October 1999
• Publisher: Barricade Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Unflinchingly honest ,Quite entertaining!

I really enjoyed the author's tale.. Lighten up readers, and yeah, he is "just a gigilo" - he happens to excel at it and is able to describe it well ! Massimo starts the memoir by explaining what the Jet Set is and how it came to be. If for some reason you've lost your sense of humour or have a case of the "oh poor me , They're fabulous and I'm not" blues, then this isn't the book for you. I for one have not the slightest scintilla of jealousy of the lifestyles of the rich and social because the daily activities are a roaring bore from my perspective- Very heavy on the entertaining and social level- it's work to play. In any case, Massimo has figured his ticket to reaching the inner circle and staying there is simple; capitalize on his strengths: looks, a fairly pleasant demeanor, connections and his sexual aptitude. His crime? He's a man. (Does the average reader think that in all of the traditional May-December romances of the 'Jet Set' that the female isn't thinking about how to parlay her youth and appeal into some tangible assets?.C'mon- this writer tells it like it is.) Massimo does just that, although until he gets his bearings he is more of a pawn in the hands of the dowagers he has makes deals with. The Garbo chapters are a hoot- What a fabulous portrait of a character that kept herself shielded from prying eyes, very few people have been able to write about having any sort of intimacy with this legend. I've always suspected that there wasn't a great mystery underneath it all, and that's one of the truths that this lady kept to herself- quite cunning indeed. After the training wheels comeoff, Massimo cuts his teeth on a new woman, the eighty-something gazillionaire that seduces him , for a price... The "strings-attached" relationship is chronicled in full detail, I found it fascinating - grateful that the writers have decided to leave out none of the strategy and scheming of either party. The rest of the book's tales are revealing of this particular strata's social order- complex and inconsequential at the same time. Massimo seems surprised when he is spoken of highly at times by observers- In my opinion, he seems like a breath of fresh air amongst those snotty old windbags- I think he gave more that he took.

Outstanding!...

Excellent book written with honesty. Mr Gargia has the guts to tell what a lot of people in the world are hiding. Besides, all these stories are true which makes the book interesting and entertaining.Allan Starkie's style is intelligent and very enjoyable as in his previous book "Fergie".

Great stories!

A book filled with great stories of the life in the world of royals, celebrities and playboys as experienced by Massimo Gargia. Very entertaining and interesting. I love the Greta Garbo story...

Inside look at private lives of the would be rich and famous

An insider's account of the lives and styles of the people who made up the "jet set". Not a group that you could just join, no membership cards, just a style and the money to stay with the crowd during its moveable feasts. Massimo and Alan really lived in this rarified world. Celebrities, royals, politicians, writers, and more from Europe, the USA, Indonesia, and Latin America come alive. While filled with style and stars, the reality of the jet set was a lot more fragile. A great read that's actually true.

Fabulous Book!

Jet set captures a lost era of fabulous hedonistic sensual parties, celebrity scandals and wild sex, while maintaining a historical perspective, a fascinating story line, and a very funny and entertaining delivery. I learned more about the secret lives of my favorite stars than I ever imagined. The first hand revelations about Greta Garbo's sexual performance, the fantastic sex lives of the fashion stars like Versace and Gucci amazed me- as did the multitude of vignettes about superstars such as naomi campbell, Christopher Reeve, and Jack Nicholson- to name just a few from the Pantheon of celebrity stories. This book is impossible to put down- it is no wonder that Allan Starkie is an international Bestselling author.