Arts Books

Campbell, Bruce. "If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor". LA Weekly, 2002.

What a Book!

Amos Lassen

Bruce Campbell has written quite a book with "If Chins Could Kill". He writes as if we are having a conversation with him and he gives some very interesting and provocative information.
Campbell begins with his childhood in Michigan and how the Raimi brothers transformed his life when he was still in high school. He tells us of the various friends he had as a kid and about backstabbing and betrayals which probably are the reason as to why he never became a big star. Eventually he and the Raimis got together and began to produce "The Evil Dread" which quickly became a cult horror classic.
Campbell has no glamour whatsoever but he is a ham. He does his own stunts, has never studied acting yet he has had a job in the film industry for almost 30 years. He is a hard worker and few of us have any idea of who he is except for those that make "B" movies. In his book he shows us blue collar Hollywood. He is offbeat and he works cheap--but, he works. Campbell makes no pretense about being a god writer but he is honest.
In following Campbell's career, he tends to be a little private about his personal life but wide open about his career. I have the feeling that he is a very human and down to earth guy. His book is funny and satiric and I had a great time reading it.

I have been a long time fan of B.C. and FINALLY bought the book to give it a try. I was so disappointed in myself for waiting so long. If you like B.C. then you well like this fun, easy and entertaining book cover to cover! Bruce Campbell ROCKS! I can't wait to read his other book/books!

As a Bruce Campbell fan, I enjoyed this breezy, conversational autobiography, but wish it had included more material about Bruce's TV series work. I suppose most of his heavy-duty fans are most interested in all the details about making and promoting the "Evil Dead" movies, but I'm one of those who first latched onto the inimitable BC through "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." And hopefully, Bruce's career is far from over, so perhaps we'll get a sequel (or a further revised edition) someday!

Who doesn't love Bruce Campbell? You've seen him in the Evil Dead movies, in Hercules and Xena, in Jack of All Trades, in Spider-Man, in The Hudsucker Proxy, in Brisco Country Jr, in Bubba Hotep and, most recently, in USA's Burn Notice. No matter what he's in, you know it's going to be a good-old fashioned, fun, rip-roaring good time with a healthy dash of humor and slapstick. And for Campbell's fans, this book doesn't disappoint either.

If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor is a fun autobiography - Campbell tells his story in simple, matter-of-fact terms without pulling any punches or overly philosophizing. He gives us what we want - humorous anecdoes and career highlights, as well as great behind-the-scenes tales. Granted, most of this book focuses on his early career and the making of/hoopla over Evil Dead and Evil Dead II. However, you'll also get insight into a number of other elements of his career, including the roles that got away (for instance - did you know he lost out to Billy Zane for the role of The Phantom?). This is also a quick read - I got through it in less than 24 hours. If you're looking for a fun read about one of our favorite actors, you can't go wrong with this one. Check it out!

This was an excellent read!
Such a pleasant change from many auto biographies.
He is not afraid to be totally honest and take many stabs at his credibility.
Many laughs to be had

In this book, Lloyd Kaufman, president of the impossibly quirky Troma Studios, shares insights and practical advice about making low-budget (or no-budget) feature films. Lloyd's writing style is just as unusual as the movies he directs, as he meanders aimlessly from self-deprecating autobiography to detailed, spur-of-the-moment instructions on how to fake an onscreen head crushing or make actors appear to vomit green foam. There's also plenty of out-of-place crude and scatological humor peppered heavily throughout. I wouldn't have expected anything else from Kaufman, whose unfathomably eccentric (but amiable) personality and genuine love for the art of do-it-yourself filmmaking shine through on every page. Fans of Troma, young and old, owe it to themselves to read this book. It really is an inspiring read for all of us who have the filmmaking bug but often become too easily defeated by lack of funds or crew members. Long live Troma!

if your a fan of troma or just a fan of movies this is the book for you.it tells the story of how Lloyd started the greatest ( and longest running )independent movie studio in the world ( or any other world for that matter)not bad considering they started off in a broom closet.there movies rock Lloyd is the man just buy the book

[...]I got this book as a birthday present in Christmas of '05, back when I was entertaining ideas of becoming a filmmaker in addition to just being a critic. While the need for actually putting something up on the big (or little) screen has passed for the time being, I am forever grateful for the spell due to the fact that it put this book (and Lloyd's equally engaging MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE) in my possession. When I was done reading it, I knew two things: Lloyd is an amazing human being, and the only limits for success are those we put upon ourselves.

No matter what your passion is, Lloyd Kaufman gives you the inspiration to go out and damn well do it. Don't have the money to do it? Find a way to make it happen regardless. You'll never have all the money you want/need to do things the way you want to, unless you sell your soul to the godless corporations, so just kick that imagination of yours into high gear and get the job done. I recently edited a horror film reference book - a lifelong dream - and much of that inspiration came from meeting Mr. K on and off the page.

I have met Lloyd several times since at various conventions and am always impressed by his passion and his accessibility to his fans. He is constantly surrounded by adoring admirers, but he takes the time to acknowledge each one of them and everyone who comes in contact with him feels that they have had a "real" moment with Lloyd. That is a true gift. But if you want to spend some quality time with the great man himself, pick this book up. You'll have a new best friend and a new hero to look up to.

If you've ever watched a Troma film then you know what to expect from this book. Blood/gore, sex, nudity, head-crushings and more. Only in book form. What starts out as a how-to quickly breaks out into a great history of Troma films.
Lloyd Kaufman tells it like it is (in his mind that is.) But also comes across as genuinely passionate about what he does.
The only thing I can say is that if you've ever watched a Troma film and enjoyed it (even a tiny bit) then get this book.
Don't forget Lloyd's other book "Make Your Own Damn Movie!" and the Toxic Avenger Paperback.
Money spent on Troma is money spent on the things that make movies fun!

I BOUGHT THIS FROM LLOYD HIMSELF AT CRYPTICON AND I WENT HOME AND SAT ON THE CAN AND THATS WHERE I STAYED FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS I READ ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ IT WAS AWESOME TO FIND OUT THE DETAILS OF SUCH A AWESOME INDEPENDENT STUDIO I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN EVEN IF I WANTED TO LLOYD ATTACHED SOME SORT OF ADHESIVE SO I REALLY WAS FORCED TO READ IT SO CHECK IT OUT ITS A AWESOME BOOK

This book is truly a masterpiece! I read this book because I am a Clay Aiken fan, and I thought, 'Hey, a book by Clay Aiken, this should be cool.' I would recommend this book for anyone! Even if you aren't a fan of Clay, this is still an inspiring book. Let's just say: I laughed, I cried, it moved me!" I'm ordering the book and the audio cds. This is one of those books that you read front to back, then open it right back up and read it again!

Clay Aiken is one of the few celebrities I look up to. He has devoted fans because people see him as a friend or a brother. He is a very kind, humorous, and generous man. I am glad I read this book.

I don't really like to write reviews, but I couldn't resist this one. Let me just start by saying I wasn't a fan of Clay when he was on Idol. I guess I was a bit young to really appreciate his talent. Well I've rediscovered him and have become a HUGE FAN. I can call myself a claymate.

Anyway, this book is great. I finished it in a day. I couldn't put the book down, not even for a minute. From the very beginning Clay opened himself up and showed that he's vulnerable. He says that he wants people to realize what you see is what you get when it pertains to him. You can't help but cry when things are rough, and smile when he sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

This may be a spoiler, but one of the many things that really stood out for me was when he was talking about his stepdad. When his stepdad died, you can tell at that time, Clay felt incomplete, not knowing whether he was loved by him or not. Then he remembered a story his mom told him; his mom said, a friend of his dad had visited him and he was talking about his brother Brett and how he knew he would turn out to be a great man. Then his stepdad said, "my other son is going to be a famous singer one day because he has the most beautiful voice."

That part of the book really touched me bc I felt like he got his closure and he knows his stepdad really loved him.

Anyway, I don't mean to go on and on, but this is a great book and is a page turner. You can't help but love Clay more and I'm sure people who read this book can relate to him in so many levels.

This book taught me that searching for my own voice to be who I want to be is not only Okay, IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED!

Clay Aiken is not afraid to be who he is and this book is his story about what he did to become a man who is still learning, living and sharing with others.

This is a great book that actually is not about singing. It is about his life in NC and how he has made the hard times in his life into positive experiences. If you need a little inspiration or just want to know more about this amazing guy, read this book!

I purchased this book based on previous Amazon reviews and was expecting it to be good - but I didn't expect it to take over my life and my kitchen! I have bowls of sour dough seed starters, barms and pate fermente. I'm stretching my dough to see if it passes the "window pane" test and sticking my milk frothing thermometer into the risen dough to see if it is warm enough - there is so much to learn in this book and it is so much FUN!!! You can use a machine mixer if you like - the author is encouraging of a variety of methods of kneading and proofing - and so far I have had great results - the instructions are very detailed and easy to follow.
My only criticism is that I would want a few more pictures of the dough in its different stages particularly for the more complex recipes involving several different stages of wild yeast starter. I had no visual reference to see if my starter looked right on the final day. But a small point in an otherwise magnificent book!

Excellent bread book. The recipes are awesome. I have tried 4-5 of them and all of them turned out great. Now I bake better bread than most of the store-bought ones!

This is an excellent, comprehensive book to help you produce incredible breads. Every time a loaf comes from my oven, friends & family alike beg me to open a bakery.

Just can't say enough about Peter Rhinehart. I have bought 3 of his books so far. He IS a master at what he does. Even the beginner can make delicious bread, pizza......whatever, if they are dedicated to following his formulas. Be prepared though, these aren't recipes where you just throw some yeast in and have bread in a few hours. Most of his formulas take 2 or 3 days to complete. The taste will probably be the best you have ever eaten.....and you will have made it yourself!!

The printing of this book is totally lousy. The spine weakened within just a few weeks. This is my main complaint because I just don't think it will hold up to years of opening and closing. I can see this as coming apart.

this is the book the nice man on the cover gave to me after he touched me in a bad place.

If you are a fan of Jimmy Norton and would like to learn a little more about him and laugh a lot more, then buy this book. It is a good read and not for anyone that get offended easily.

This is a fun book to read for a man, but I wouldn't recommend it to a woman.

The book is pretty explicit. Coarse language is used, so definitely not recommended for kids.

I started reading the book but quit half way through. I did enjoy it at first, and did laugh out loud, but it just got too much at the end. I found the book too repetitious, sick at times and overly perverted. I did not like it when he talked of kids and sex. I know he is trying to be funny, but one should draw the line somewhere. There are some sick people out there who might just take him seriously. Words are mightier than the sword, so we should really be careful about what we say.

I would prefer seeing the book performed in a comedy club than actually reading it. I think the jokes and stories would sound better in a club with other people participating and laughing. Sometimes you find yourself laughing at mediocre jokes or stories when you hear others laugh. After all, that's why TV programs sometimes have a live audience or recorded laughter in the background.

You might also want to check out the audio version of this book, which is read by the author.

I bought the book based on a Norton interview that he gave to Maxim magazine. Based on the interview I expected more down in the dirt sex depravity out of this character and I found it sparse in that department. I expected more 'monster rain' events in his life but instead it was more random journals from his days on the comedy circuit junket. He tends to have the same problem a lot of comics do, which is their comedy doesn't translate well to the printed page... given how perverted he looks with his bug eyes, the physical comedy plays a lot better [especially on Lucky Louie in that stained bathrobe].

As far as shocks go, Dave Attell's new material is exactly what this book should have been.

I like Jimmy and O&A, but this book was a chore to finish. I was expecting a book of interesting stories of his sexual tastes, but instead it is mostly a bunch of random entries from an uninteresting diary. 3 chapters (if you can call them chapters) devoted to silly TV show ideas? Let's spread them out in the book so no one will notice they are essentially the same thing. When the book sticks to the the topic matter of hookers it wasn't bad, but the rest of the chapters should have been titled,"Who Cares", which is what I found myself repeatedly saying out loud.

I did laugh a few times, hence the 2 stars instead of 1.

I've got to admit, I was quite impressed with this book and I also found it to be very interesting reading... in fact, I find it so interesting that I end up reading it over and over again. Heck, I might even start reading it again tonight. This book has all interesting facts about Nick Carter (even if some of it is outdated). It has everything about from how his parents decided to name Nick as well as who they named him after, and where he stands in the music business today as a Backstreet Boy. Like I said, this book goes back to 1998 but that is ok, because I like books that go back in time (history, biographies, etc). Anyway, I highly recommend this book (who figure?). KTBSPA

If you thought you knew all there is to know about Nick Carter, think again! Jane Carter tells us some stuff about her son that only she and the rest of Nick's family know about. This is a very nice book, beautifully written by Jane. It is full of secrets and anecdotes about Nick's childhood and rise to superstardom. However, the information about Nick's career may seem kind of old, now, since this book was published in 1998. Perhaps Jane should have waited a couple of years before writing a book about her son, because God knows she would have plenty of things to say : she could give her opinion on Nick's arrest, his solo career, the trials and tribulations that the Backstreet Boys have been through, Nick's relationship with Willa Ford (yeah right, like Nick would let her write about that!!), etc. Nick's been through a lot of things since 1998, and I believe that if Jane decided to write another book about Nick, it would have a lot more substance and depth than this one. But don't get me wrong! It's a great read, as pleasant as a fairytale. Because, in many ways, that's what Nick's life is! And seeing it through his mother's eyes really gives it a whole new dimension.

You shouldn't buy it i've had it for four years and ive only read the first ten pages I'm selling it because it is pointless!

I have got the book and I like the writing style and to know the facts as a BSB fan. I kinda think it's wrong to get money out of someone else his succes, but on the other hand it ain't lies and Nick knew of and agreed with it, so as not such a big fan anymore (NO I didn't become a hater) I would suggest it, but not too much.

I'll be completely honest:

If I weren't such an obsessed Backstreet Boys fan, I would consider this book (bad).

It's not well-written, it wanders and meanders to the point it doesn't make sense, and it's very self-serving.

However, being an obsessed Backstreet Boys/Nick Carter fan, I love the book.

The first few chapters are the best, because they read more like a story than a biography. Plus, they told me the most about Nick that I didn't already know.

Near the end, however, it turns into a "How to Turn Your Kid Into a Star" how-to manual. BORING!

BOTTOM LINE: LOVE Nick Carter? Buy the book. LIKE Nick Carter? Borrow it from a friend or the library. COULDN'T CARE LESS about Nick Carter? Avoid this book like the plague.

I started this book while eatting lunch on a Thursday. I picked it back up on Sat. and did not put it down until I finished it. Being from Ft Worth TX myself, I could really connect with the 1st part of the book. I did not know much about the book (picked it up for book club), so I was not prepared for the 2nd half of the book. It really touched me. Warning: Have tissues ready!!! Being a Christian, it made me reflect on how God's plan for us may not be exactly what we had in mind, but we just have to trust HIM that "Father knows best." Christian or Not - Texan or Not, I think everyone can enjoy this book. There are so many subjects cleaverly intertwined into this book, that it is thought provoking - - - Racism, Prejudice, Poor, Rich, Infedelity, Grief, Self-Doubt, etc. That's what I thought of the book, now for a brief synopsis of the book itself...

You have Denver, who worked most of his life virtually as a slave in a cotton field, until he escaped only to find himself homeless and a slave within his own self doubt. He isolates everyone around him and set a boundry of fear around him as a survival technique. Then there's Ron who is very successful and enjoys being so. He travels with the "right" kind of people; enjoys fancy cars and doesn't have much use for those below him. Ron is married to Deborah-a loving Christian woman, who really does not care for the rich fancy lifestyle. She wants to be a good mother, wife, person and serve God. Ron has an affair. Deborah forgives him and their marriage becomes stronger, however to try to appease his wife, Ron reluctantly follows her to work in a homeless shelter. Through Deborah's persistence, Ron learns to let go of his prejudice and Denver learns how to escape from his self prison and they both learn to trust people again. But nothing comes without a price and Ron & Denver learn to work together and with the love of God to overcome a great tragedy. As a result they become best friends and even closer to God.

Second only to the Bible, Same Kind of Different As Me is the most outstanding book I have ever read. Thanks to Ron Hall and Denver Moore for sharing their beautiful story about the activity of God in all of our lives. Gentlemen, you are to be commended for putting on the printed page the mighty works of the great I AM. Proverbs 2:1-5 speaks to our search for understanding and that when we search for it as for treasure, we find it. You, gentlemen, have found it! Your book testifies to that fact. May God richly bless you and your families as you continue to follow Him.

I read this book in just a few days. It was unpredictable, inspiring an a great read.

Recommended by a friend, this book actually surprised me. I initially wondered whether the story would get "sappy" or "preachy," but my fears were unfounded. Instead, I found it to be a rather straighforward, personal chronicle of how authentic Christianity impacted the lives of an unlikely trio - a homeless black man who deeply distrusts Christian "charity," a Christian woman who persuades her reticent husband to volunteer with her at a homeless shelter, and her husband, a man who finds in the experiences that ensue much more than he ever expected. The writing is heartfelt and candid, and the story is compelling without being pontifical. The lives of all three are forever changed, and as a result, the lives of countless homeless persons continue to be changed as well. Buy it, read it, and I think you'll recommend it to your friends, too.

This is a great book! Probably in my all time top three favorites. I read this on a trip back from England then purchased this through Amazon for my father-in-law as a birthday gift. I couldn't put it down. I finished all but 12 pages on my trip. The order from Amazon was great. I put in an order and got it just a few days later. I've ordered several things through Amazon before and they are just so easy to work with.

This is the original story by Annie Proulx as well as the movie script. Great for fans of the film as a collector item.

I had to purchase this book for a college course, otherwise I probably would never have read it. I found it boring and realized that it's probably better suited for either men who like cowboy stories, or people who are into studying how to create a screenplay from a move. The screenplay stays very true to the short story. The best part about this book is the essay in the back by Proulx. I suggest you read it before you read the short story as it answered my main question, which is why a straight woman in her 60s would write a story about rough cowboys who were having trouble accepting their sexual orientation.

This item took you through the entire life of the book to the screenplay to the movie. It was great reading what the writers said about the project and how it was a labor of love for everyone involved. It was wonderful reading how devoted everyone was to the project. Much how the two main characters were devoted to each other.

In an effort to check out my approach to writing a book adaption to screenplay, I thought it would be a good exercise to experience how others have done it. After reading the Brokeback Mountain short story, then reading the shooting script, then watching the film, I knew I was right on target. It is invigorating to experience and understand the progression from story to screenplay to film. The book also includes backround information from the short story writer, Annie Proulx and the two screenwriters, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, which tops off the value of this book. Reading it is a great process, and once you've read the book, you'll appreciate the film even more.
-Catherine Busch-Johnston-

This is an excellent addition to anyone's book collection - not only do you receive Annie Proulx's wonderful story, but you can experience Larry McMurtry's and Diana Ossana's sweet, lilting and poignant screenplay. Ennis and Jack jump off the page, fictional characters who have somehow become real, as we are transported with them through the most beautiful twenty years of their star-crossed lives. No, it is not a story about gay cowboys....it is a story about two young men who find love and happiness in an unlikely relationship, and simply don't know how to handle it. The part of this story that always grabs me is that through a simple twist of fate, the entire ending could have been different.

I suggest this book couple with the movie - seeing the screenplay come to life through Heath Ledger's and Jake Gyllenhaal's performances is spell bounding.

It was a fascinating read to see the short story move from Annie's simple prose to screenplay. And the chapters at the end which discuss the story and the filming of this heart-wrenching story is worth the price. I highly recommend it. Thanks for listening.

Although Lewis was, of course, a renowned and devout Christian, this book will speak to anyone who's lost someone with whom they shared real love. All of the questions, angers, and doubts that fill the mind during the numbing time following great loss are shared in the first person, generously, by Lewis. This is, I think, a beautiful, powerful, and deeply healing work.

This small book is a blessing to those who have experienced a deep and pressing grief. It shows a bit of the journey C.S. Lewis made through his grief experience. It was a brief, beautiful read.

Lewis, a confirmed intellectual bachelor, almost comically stumbled into a deeply romantic and erotic marriage late in life. An American poet, Joy Davidman, while visiting him in England was stricken with breast cancer. Her visa expired and she faced a mindlessly bureaucratic forced expulsion which probably would have killed her. Lewis agreed to what he expected to be a marriage of convenience, giving her a right to stay in England long enough to die peaceably. Unaccountably, almost impishly, she recovered and they became man and wife in fact and not just pro forma. Lewis was delighted, swept away and overwhelmed; he became radiantly happy.

This brief moment of joy, was snatched from him, however, as the cancer reasserted itself. Lewis poured out his profound grief at the death of his wife on paper, sharing his thoughts, feelings, longings in a journal which became A Grief Observed. Unlike some of his other works, which are witty, philosophical, almost whimsical at times, this book is deeply personal and profoundly painful, almost raw in its emotional intensity. It is also a deep testament to Lewis's faith. Like all humanity, he faced loss and suffering and death. Lewis, like Job, transforms is somehow able to hand over all this darkness to the Lord in an act of sheer faith.

My own father recently died. I found Lewis's book to be a great comfort and a powerful guide through the grieving process. I strongly recommend this to anyone who has recently lost a loved one.

One note on the edition. This edition contains a foreword by Madeline L'Engle. The foreword enhanced the book, but earlier editions had a longer foreword (or possibly an afterword) by a male friend of Lewis which I found even more moving. I particularly remember a joke in the earlier edition about Lewis being surprised by Joy. If you've read the older edition, know that the supporting material is different.

Originally published under a pseudonym, this short book is a thoroughly reasoned but heart-felt analyzation of grief from the private writing journal of intellectual author and academia giant, C.S. Lewis. The object of his grief is the love of his life, his rare intellectual equal and friend whom he met later in life and fell deeply in love with, making her his wife.

Born Atheist, C.S. Lewis became a committed Christian, but spent part of his journalized pages in honest reflection of his anger at God and acknowledgement of fragile faith while in the throes of traumatic, life-altering grief. He boldly wonders and writes the thoughts and words most familiarly held at some point in the minds of others bereaved over their most beloved and cherished.

From page 23: "Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief. Apparently the faith - I thought it faith - which enables me to pray for the other dead has seemed strong only because I have never really cared, not desperately, whether they existed or not. Yet I thought I did."

After other thoughts about risks and beliefs, this is said, "And you will never discover how serious it was until the stakes are raised horribly high, until you find that you are playing not for counters or for sixpences but for every penny you have in the world. Nothing will shake a man - or at any rate a man like me - out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover himself."

On page 25, C.S. sees the human side of grieving when others try to console him with spiritual avenues of comfort: "Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."

The social leprosy of bereavement is also mentioned on a couple of pages, including this: "Perhaps the bereaved ought to be isolated in special settlements like lepers."

At the end, C.S. Lewis seems to reconcile himself to a conclusion about grieving: "For, as I have discovered, passionate grief does not link us with the dead but cuts us off from them," as he tries to go about cherishing his beloved's every memory with gladness, a smile and a laugh. Not for long, however, is this a workable plan as he writes the next day's journal entry more in line with the natural phases of grief: "An admirable programme. Unfortunately it can't be carried out. tonight al the hells of young grief have opened again; the mad words, the bitter resentment, the fluttering in the stomach, the nightmare unreality, the wallowed-in tears. For in grief nothing `stays put.' One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs. Round and round. Everything repeats. Am I going in circles, or dare I hope I am on a spiral?"

As do we all of bereavement ask ourselves when finding that as much as we try clawing our way up the spiral, we suddenly lose our grasp, totally at the mercy of our humanness and that quality that never dies - love.

I read on Wikipedia that Lewis had originally released this book under a pseudonym, N.W. Clerk. But, as it happened, so many of his friends recommended it to him as a way to deal with his own grief that he finally decided to publish it under his own name. I do not know if that was actually true, but it makes a great story. He wrote this book after his wife, Joy, died of cancer.

A Grief Observed is one of those books that get recommended in the aftermath of a death. In my case, I think of the books about loss as being divided into two categories: the dead baby books and the "oh god why" books. This is an "oh god why" book.

My flippancy does not do Lewis any real justice. It is recommended for many good reasons. I am sure that there will be a day when I find myself handing a copy to someone I love who is trying to make sense of what they are going through. But I still find myself wanting to be flippant in this review. It is a difficult book to read, and nearly as difficult to talk about in a public forum like this one. I had made the mistake of reading it during a long train ride-- wiping the tears away with the collar of my winter coat.

I would not call it a comfort to read, exactly. I guess that my own grief is still too raw. But he gets it right. He gets the physical arc of grief. He gets the ways in which it changes over time. He gets the way in which loss like this changes and illuminates the nature of the personal relationship that you have with the divine.

What I like most is that Lewis does not pull his punches. He does not find himself falling back on the kind of false homilies with which so many treat the death of a loved one. He is not easy on himself, nor is he easy on God. I recognize the bitter anger in so many of these pages. I also recognize the hopeless love for the dead-- the realization that you are lifting your hands to nothing except imagination and the unknown.

Our 19 month old grandson loves Cars, Trucks and Things That Go, so this book is perfect for him. It is not too old for him. He looks and looks at the pictures on the pages and says the name of the object over and over.
He has learned many new words from having this book.

The Pig family takes a road trip. On their way to the beach for a picnic, they encounter cars and trucks, vans and motorcycles, tractors and buses. What an exciting day!

My kids delighted in finding Goldbug. A very fun book for children who like cars.

After wearing out a couple of these books 30 years ago with our own kids, we still have fun giving copies to new parents so that their kids can enjoy the search for Gold Bug with them--over and over again. The detailed illustrations keep kids' attention for hours, and the fanciful vehicles and their drivers are great for feeding little imaginations. There is a whole host of R. Scarry books, but this is the one we like the most.

I remember this book from when I was a kid. Now my two year old has it and he loves looking at the great illustrations and learning new words. He even insist it goes to bed with him every night. A very good book for 2-year old boys who are curious about "things that go". A must have!

I recall reading this book to my younger sister many years ago.
I recently purchased this for a 6 year old. He squealed with delight.
It is his favorite R S book.

Richard Scarry books are classics - great for young & old.
Delightful pictures & so fun to look at!