In this innovative biography of one of Hollywood's most recently crowned kings, Gabor H. Wylie gives Russell Crowe fans what they've been longing for - the stories that make up a lifetime, little anecdotal gems strung together like pearls on a necklace. The star of Gladiator, The Insider, and L.A. Confidential is revealed as never before. From Crowe's New Zealand roots to his emotional Oscar triumph, Wylie traces his journey to stardom with true stories that have textured his life along the way. Imagine Crowe's campy portrayal of transvestite Frank N. Furter in an Australian stage production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or the moment Crowe revealed to his shocked father that, since the family couldn't afford to send him to university to study history as he had planned, he intended to make his way as a performer. This is Russell Crowe - the dedicated musician, the acclaimed actor, the fascinating man - rendered in the most intimate medium we know: the stories of his life. "Crowe comes across as a complex persona here - half boozing, driven machismo; half tender, loyal, sentimental, and ethical. Older teenage readers will enjoy this fast read."Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2002