Television Books

A very nice throughly researched book on the early days of live televised science fiction. Throughout the book the author compares Space Patrol with Star Trek although the series has much more in comon with Irwin Allen's Lost In Space tv series of the mid 1960s since Star Trek served little more than a political platform for Gene Roddenberry's extreme radical liberal views.

This is a very nice book for those of us who grew up watching Space Patrol. Well written - information on the show, its production, the cast as well as the products that you could get by sending in 'box tops', etc.

Wonderful photos of the cast, as well as models of the sets/rockets and props. A chronological listing of the TV shows as well as the Radio ones. Very nice addition to a collection of information on Science Fiction on the airwaves.

Bassior's book is an intimate slice of history. On the surface, it may seem trivial to examine the story of a hit TV show from half a century ago, but in her two decades of unrelenting research, the result of Jean-Noel Bassior's dilligence (while maintaining her career as a top-level journalist) is a book that set out to document an ephemeral pop culture phenomenon, and became a supremely positive inspiration to a generation who went on to live lives by a sincere code of ethics, and some of whom made Neil Armstrong's "small step" possible. Inside the story, the star of the show, Commander Corry turns out to be actor Ed Kemmer, a bona fide World War Two hero.

In short, this book is a unique, intimate look at a pop culture phenomenon, and the remarkable people who made it happen.

At first I thought that the price of the book was excessive, however, upon deciding to spend the money I feel it was well spent. If you, like me, grew up with early television this book will take you back to a time when the world was simplier and TV was a miracle.

The author of "Space Patrol: Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television" has taken a long and loving look at one of the best Sci Fi programs of the 1950's. The information gathered is informative, refresing, and above all (to my knowledge) never before put in print. The interviews with former cast members is a delight, and the behind the scenes look gives you and idea of how the then infact television industry operated.

I recommend spending the $49.00 and take a trip back in time and re-live your youth with Buzz Corey, Cadet Happy, Carol Carlyle, Major Robinson, and Tonga... its worth it.

Some might think it's a waste of time to read a book about a television show that one never saw. But, although I never saw an episode of "Space Patrol" (it had gone off the air before I was five years old), this is one of the best books I've read in years. A 20-year labor-of-love, it clearly reflects the author's interest and dedication to the subject. She managed to interview virtually all of the surviving cast and production crew members, and their anecdotes bring the story of this live-action television series from the early 1950s to life. It's packed with details about the characters, the performers, the production challenges, the sets, the special effects and the marketing of spin-off toys. Even better, it examines the positive effects that "Space Patrol" had on children of the time, some of whom, inspired by the show, grew up to be NASA engineers, "rocket scientists" and astronauts. Back in the days of clear-cut moral values and before political correctness reared its ugly head, the "Space Patrol" crew served as excellent role models for the first of the baby-boomers. Reading this book will transport anyone who grew up in that era back to a simpler time when the world was a more pleasant place to live and when there were well-defined good guys and bad guys. It's a great read about a fascinating subject--highly recommended.

If you are serious about becoming a screenwriter, this book will be a valuable addition to your professional library. Lucy goes into depth on subjects other authors ignore or treat lightly. Usually if you can learn one or two things from a screenwriting book, it's worth reading. This book clarifies subjects other authors fail to explain. Lucy not only explains all the loose ends, but ties them together. There are a lot of good books on screenwriting, and this is one of them. Cynthia Whitcomb has a couple of books on screenwriting that you might also want to read.

This book should be a mandatory read for writers of all types and all levels. Story Sense offers the tools to develop an entertaining, clever plot with emotionally and psychologically dimensional characters. It takes you step by step through idea, plot, and character formulation, as well as explains how to develop structure, dramatization, and everything else you need to write the perfect screenplay or fictional story. You will find yourself highlighting passages and constantly refering back to this "bible" throughout your writing journey. Keep this book close by, it has all the answers you need as a writer.

This should be required reading for any type of writer--novelist, screenwriter, playwright. The sections on plot and character development are worth double what this book costs.

Too many "how-to" books on writing perpetrate the image of a writer as a conduit for mysterious creative forces. While I'm not entirely discounting that image, there needs to be a balance between writing as an art and writing as a craft. This book falls firmly in the craft column. It demands you cast aside any artistic pretensions and get down to the plumbing of creating a story. And it doesn't stop with the obligatory pep talk--Lucey shows you how it's done. And he shows it better than any other writing how-to out there.

If I could give this ten stars I would. Highly recommended.

When ordering several books on screenwriting this book caught my eye because of the high ratings afforded it by others. After reading it I fully concur with what others had to say. I went out and purchased DVDs of the four main example films (The Verdict, Terminator, Sleepless in Seattle, and Witness) that Mr. Lucey focuses on and they allowed me to pick up the fine points described in the text. His vast experience in script writing shows through in each of the topics discussed. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. For a detail-oriented individual such as myself, this book met all my expectations. If you are interested in this topic, this book is a "must have" by all means.

I have read many screenwriting books and this is the most complete. It takes you by the hand through each step of the process. I would recommend it to anyone interested in screenwriting. The book even states that if you follow the steps in the 12 chapters it should take you 120 hours and would be equivelent to a college course. No need for any other training. This book is it!

Alex McNeill's "Total Television" is one of those reference works which is useful both for settling trivia arguments at parties and for helping those engaged in serious scholarly study of television programs and their impact upon popular culture. As of this review, "Total Television" is in its fourth edition.

The book is basically an alphabetical encyclopedia of thousands of television programs in every possible genre: dramas, sitcoms, game shows, cartoons, and more. Each entry lists the series' air dates, principal performers, and other relevant data.

In addition to the main body of encyclopedic entries, the book includes a wealth of supplemental features: lists of Emmy winners, a chronological gathering of one-shot specials, and more. Particularly interesting are the programming grids, which show the nightly lineups on each network for each night of the week. You can turn to a season (say, 1951-52) and see what choices the American TV viewer had each night! This feature is great for historians.

Although most of the entries on each series are brief, McNeill spends more time and space on certain series of outstanding impact. These extended articles on "All in the Family," "CBS Evening News," "Dallas," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and more are truly fascinating.

TV has been derided by many with such epithets as "the Boob Tube" and "The Idiot Box." On the other hand, it was praised in an episode of "The Simpsons" as "teacher, mother. . . secret lover." McNeill captures TV in all of its facets: from the depths of inanity to the heights of cultural significance. This book is a great achievement whose reputation, I believe, will increase with future editions.

This reference is superb in it's completeness. Anything you want to know about any program broadcast from 1948-1996 is in this 1251 page book. The 88 page index of names of performers appearing during those years is unbelievable. It includes specials, miniseries and the top 20 rated shows for each of those years. I use this reference at least 2 to 3 times a week.

Where this book is not as easy to use as Brooks and Marsh's "Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows"(see my review for this one), it offers more-as far as the addition of daytime shows and more explanation of the entries. I like the other guide mainly because it's a good quick reference for prime time. However, if I'm really interested in detail or, again, a daytime program-like some Saturday morning cartoon of my childhood-then this is the one to get. I have both books, actually-for reasons specified here.

First, we might note that "... To the Present," in the book's title, means through late 1995. So nothing in the last ten years is included. For years, I have enjoyed "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present" by Brooks and Marsh. I prefer the format of the Brooks and Marsh book to that of the NcNeil book--e.g., the cast is in list form, which makes for easier and quicker reading; the showing time is also included. The chief advantage of the McNeil book is that it includes daytime TV, which the Brooks and Marsh book does not.

Alex McNeil's "Total Television" is the Mother of all TV reference volumes. If you can't find it here, it ain't worth knowin' about. How he was able to compile all this information covering 50+ years of TV is beyond me. Crack open this book at any page and you will be reading for hours, probably days.

Wow!!!! Excellent book!!!! I am an avid reader and I picked this up never having heard of Carole Bellacera and am I ever glad I did!!!! This story of the lives of Robin Mulcahey and Amy Shiley, unlikely best friends and how a tragedy changed Amy's life forever, is so intense I really had one heck of a time putting the book down. Now that I have read this I want to snatch up everything Carole Bellacera has ever written!!!! Very Highly Recommended!!!!

It was so good. The plot and the "hot." On my list I gave it a 5 all the way. Happy reading.

Robin Mulcahey had the perfect life. She had won awards for her roles in plays and as a soap-opera star. She was married to Declan Blair, an Irish film actor. She had it all.

But everything about Robin became a lie back in 1996. Robin and her best friend, Amy Shiley, were in a horrible car accident. Robin died and Amy was mistaken for her. From then on, Amy pretended to be Robin and stepped neatly into her new life. Amy suddenly had more than she'd ever dreamed possible.

Amy, of course, feels guilty for assuming Robin's life, but who could it ever hurt? Then there is Paul, Robin's older brother ... the man she still loves.

***** An awesome novel that will capture your attention quickly and easily! I could not help but wonder how many of us would have grabbed the chance for a better life when it was offered to us on a silver platter, as it was for Amy. But the lives of the famous are not all that grand. In fact, author Carole Bellacera did a pretty good job showing how fake it could all be. (Personally, I would find fame to be a prison and not something to strive for.) The author also did an incredible job at showing the conflicts of emotion Amy goes through. Very well done! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

After reading EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON by Bellacera, I found every other book she'd written and read them all. And now she's actually topped herself with UNDERSTUDY! This is a great writer who pens can't-put-down books! You'll be hooked from the Prologue to the last page. There's one word for this book - WOW!

I feel this time around Carol Bellacera has dug deep to find something that every person who has felt they have lived an unhappy life can relate to. All through the entire book, you feel that the character Amy lives in a living hell. But we see that it's her best friend Robin who is living a dark secret. You will cheer for both characters and you are almost to the brink of tears once you read the epiloge.

The thing that struck me most about Chip Jacobs' fascinating biography of his "Hollywood Player" uncle was just how un-Hollywood it felt. Certainly there is the human interest aspect, involving the tragic, early childhood injury that left Gordon Zahler bound to a wheelchair for life. Yet Mr. Jacobs wisely avoids going overly maudlin upon his audience, choosing instead to offer up the portrait of a man, so driven by the desire to succeed, that a mere physical disability could not stand in his way. Throughout the course of reading this book, I never saw Gordon Zahler as an object of pity; there were in fact times when I found him an entirely unsympathetic character. But he always came across as a human being, with all the debilitating flaws, and ennobling traits that characterize our species. And that to me is what makes a great biography. I look forward to Mr. Jacobs' next work.

I loved this book! Wheeler-dealer reminds me of the classic American story. It is a story about an "underdog" fighting to overcome his own personal challenges and limitations to find success. What would you do if you woke up paralyzed? How could you support a family, marry and ultimately enjoy life when you had no use of any of your limbs? Gordon's story shows us how powerful our minds are and reminds us that nothing is beyond our reach. Wheeler-dealer is much more than a story about Hollywood, or about quadriplegia, it is a personal story, one that the author tells with raw honestly of his own journey to find himself and how these family members, especially those past relatives long since buried, effect his life. Anyone that has ever undergone a personal or family tradegy will relate to the circumstances that this family finds themselves in, but as a reader, you will want to cheer as they find succes through ingenuity, perserverence and hard work. The human quality in this book makes you want to keep turning the pages. This book provides amazing insight into the power of dreams and sheer willpower. Try it, you be glad you did!

There is something so gripping in Chip Jacobs' biography of his uncle, Gordon Zahler. The author never caricatures his relative, but enfleshes him with boundless objectivity, even when recording his personal distaste in his responses to his mother's brother. I find the ability to do that a rare gift in writing. And the prose, the turn of a phrase and the point in a paragraph, hold the reader's interest like glue. Perhaps that is because Jacobs brings to this work years of newspaper writing, where words cannot be wasted, but packed with punch. Personally I was touched because Chip describes the Southern California and Hollywood of my coming-of-age and young womanhood, and it was, oh, so accurately portayed. Bravo!

It is unusual to find an unlikely protagonist such as Gordon Zahler, Chip Jacobs didn't have far to dig for this character, Uncle Gordon was always a topic of conversation at family gatherings. Now Chip introduces Gordon to the rest of us. He was a complex and inspiring character. Go Chip!

I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turning book! The story is one that you will never forget. The author, Chip Jacobs, will touch the soul of everyone who reads this book. I can't recommend it enough. I have told all my friends and family that this is a must-read for everyone!

I passed on this book when it first appeared figuring a mere concert list wouldn't be very interesting, what a blunder! This book is far more than a concert chronology, it's an enthralling history of the band, bursting with photos and short essays on the people, places and events that make up Who history. This was clearly a labor of love for the authors, and if Who fanatics have been able to find a few errors scattered around, big deal, I'm just glad the book was reissued as a sub-compact paperback updated to the shows following the death of John Entwistle. As the surviving members of The Who have chosen to "Defiantly spit into the abyss" and continue to tour to critical and public acclaim, further editions of this fine book are entirely justifed. And boy was I thrilled to recently find I still have a ticket stub from a Who show thirty years ago documented in this book. There are maybe half a dozen essential books about The Who and this is one of them, if it's the only one you buy then you've made a good choice, it's outstanding whether you're a new Who fan or a grizzled Wholigan.

Seem to be reading and listening a lot to the Who, and this book was an impulse buy.

For the fan, this is a way to walk through history with the band, from the earliest beginnings as the Detours, and even before with Daltrey's founding of the group, and Townshend and Entwistle's affiliation with others.

A lot of stories, memorabilia, set lists, and very interesting stuff.

I really enjoyed this book. Especially the great photos included.
I bought my copy in London, so it was nice to travel parts of London and see a few places where they actually played! But it's really only for die hard fans of the band (like myself, I guess). Also interesting are the set lists to the shows they played.
I'm no good at writing reviews, but I'll highly recommend this one. It's worth the price. A thanks to Irish Jack and Joe McMichael for making it.

And of course The Who. The greatest band in the world.

First thing you should know is that while this is a thick book, it is also small; around 6" x 5", which is quaint, and not a flaw in anyway, just a surprise. There are lots of great pictures, reviews, accounts, and set lists provided.

The flaw, to my mind though, is that there are no references about circulating RECORDINGS of these shows. Most of the hardcore fans who would buy this book probably collect tapes, bootlegs, and cdrs. Most of the time a setlist or stage comments are provided for a show it's because a recording exists. I would have loved it if the authors could have aknowledged this with brief comments like, "A clear, but distant audience recording exists for the first 80 minutes of the concert" or "A mixed soundboard recording of this show has been bootlegged and rereleased many times." There are websites with this kind of information and other highly collected bands, such as Led Zeppelin, have entire books devoted to the collection of unreleased material.

If you're a fan you're guaranteed to enjoy this book regardless, so get it!

If you get an opportunity to see The Who (now on tour - summer/fall 2000) please do so. Other than Bruce Springsteen, they are without peer on stage.This book does a fine job of detailing Who gigs from the early 1960's (as the Detours)to the 1996-1997 Quadrophenia tour. The authors recap the songs, the stage "happenings" (smashed guitars, onstage feuds, etc.)and other "Odds & Sods". It's kind of like a baseball box score for Who fans! If you're already a Who fan (or are an aspiring one) this is THE book for you!

Winning with the News Media by Clarence Jones is, as he has properly subtitled: "A self-defense manual when you're the story." The book is for anyone who interacts with the media and for anyone who may deal with the media ... and let's face it, as law enforcement professionals if you haven't been thrust into the camera's unforgiving eye yet, you will be soon. The media and law enforcement have a long and storied history together - we need them, they need us, we don't trust them, they don't trust us, we avoid them, they chase us ... you get the idea.

You can make that relationship better (or at least less nerve-wracking for you) through preparation and knowledge. Jones offers knowledge of media relations from the insider's point of view - as a former newspaper and broadcast journalist, Jones offers insight on not only how things work, by why the media do the things they do. And then to tie it up with a pretty bow, he tells you how and why you should do an interview, a press release, a press conference, deal with a crisis, pick a PIO, do damage control, and make heads or tails of media law.

While the book covers many, many topics, Jones does a good job breaking it down simplistically and with bold-faced subheads generously placed throughout the book so it can truly be used as a manual on the fly. He divides Winning with the News Media into three sections: Strategy, Skills and Inside the Media. The Skills Section will be most valuable to chiefs, sheriffs and PIOs as it offers instruction on how to give good un-misquotable quotes in interviews as well as how to look and sounds one's best during an interview. He offers guidelines in the form of Ten Commandments and also addresses such hot topics as "off the record."

This book is used as a textbook in many media relations classes, ranging from government agencies to corporations. Therefore, it is broad-based. This is not a manual exclusive to law enforcement, although Jones does throw in some references and offers some examples using law enforcement agents. There are certain sections that you'll need to tweak-as-you-read, for example, crisis management. While the book suggests how a corporation would react and respond to certain crises, it's not too far off from how a chief or sheriff should handle such a situation. But because topics like evidence preservation and investigative integrity are not included in the sample plan, one should just mentally add those and like components in.

Jones also offers a section on privacy laws, briefly summarizing some cases that established the rights of journalists and their cameras. The topic is important, as undoubtedly at some point in your career a reporter will tell you that he or she is entitled to gain entry or to access some information based on such-and-such a case ruling. Be prepared and know what they have access to and what they don't have access to - again, you can use this book as a reference guide for quick look-up.

Winning with the News Media would be most beneficial to command staff level officers as well as those who deal frequently with the media, like persons crimes detectives. The ones to get the most use from this book would be PIOs and agency heads. One should definitely read this book prior to assuming a PIO position not only for the practical tips on dealing with the media but also for the insider's view on how the media work. Jones provides a sort of organizational chart of newsrooms which will make it so much easier to figure out not only who to talk to about what type of story, but also to figure out who has got the authority to deal with your complaints. Agency heads might also want to pick this book up so that when the time comes to deal with that inevitable crisis, you'll have the knowledge to know what you'll be up against. And then when you're facing the crisis (and the cameras), using the book as a reference manual will be that much easier.

One "keep an open mind warning": the writing structure is very basic and very simple which some seasoned PIOs and media-savvy chiefs might find a little condescending. However, if you look at it as a how-to manual then you will see why that simplicity is so important - the wording is clear and concise and the directions are easy to follow. Think of any complex piece of furniture or children's toy you've ever tried to put together - how many times have you wished for simple directions? This manual will help you get the job done and you won't have any of those "extra" pieces lying around.

Jones does a great job of teaching people how to "win" with the media as opposed to "surviving" or "defeating" the media. That mindset change is key for most people. I learned many new tricks of the trade from reading his book.

If I had to pick only one book of the hundreds written on how to deal with the media, this would be the one I'd recommend. In fact, when I reviewed an earlier edition of this book several years ago for my newsletter, The Publicity Hound, I said that this was the book I wish I had written. As a former newspaper editor who worked in the business 22 years, I thought I knew it all, and more. I didn't, particularly when it came to TV. I couldn't put the book down.

Clarence Jones, a former award-winning investigative reporter in both newspapers and TV, knows his stuff, including all the tricks reporters use to loosen your lips. The book is pithy, with easy-to-read chapters broken down into numerous sub-heads--making it easy to find exactly what you're looking for in a hurry.

Jones takes you inside the heads and brains of working journalists. He explains how they think, how they react, and what they have the power to do to you if you don't play by their rules.

I read an earlier edition from cover to cover and referred to it so often in my consulting practice that the book literally fell apart from use. When I scanned this 8th edition, I got lost in it AGAIN, long past my bedtime. Reading it will make you much smarter, much savvier and much better prepared to meet the media when bad news strikes. Even if all the stories about you are good (yeah, right), please don't do another interivew unless you read this book first.

Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
http://www.PublicityHound.com

If you deal with the media then you should have read this book already. I read Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR Wired, a brilliant book on PR, and then read Winning With The News Media. Both were influential in my career.

I must admit, as a Public Information professional I at first found Jones' writing style and key points for working with the media rather simplistic. But as I continued reading, I found myself marking and underlining passage after passage. As a spokeman and media relations officer within NATO, and having just returned as a spokesman for NATO operations in Macedonia during a major deployment of troops, I wished I had read this book before I went there. I was doing as many as 20 interviews per day ranging from live stand-ups with CNN and BBC, to radio call-ins and newspaper interviews representing media world-wide. This book reinforced everything I learned leading up to and during that experience, stating clearly what's important and why, as well as many tips and techiques that seem rather minor but are really quite important when push comes to shove and you find yourself face-to-face with a reporter. I will use many points from this book to further refine my own training program for senior leaders within NATO and to prepare them for interviews. A great resource that has found a prominent place among my professional books.

Now THIS is what I'm talking about! I don't know how the movie will be, but this book was great. If you love vampire and/or zombie novels, you'll truly enjoy this. This is the first book I've read by author Tim Lebbon, but if he writes this well in all of his books, it won't be my last!

This is probably one of the best movie tie-in novelizations I have ever read. Usually books based on the movies are rather watered down and pale in comparison to the movie. Strangely enough, the power of the written word in this case wins out. The novel moved at a fast pace and was difficult to put down; the author did a fantastic job of fleshing out the main characers and I thoroughly enjoyed it reading it within two days.

The story revolves around the sleepy secluded town of Barrow, Alaska, battening down the hatches and preparing for the annual 30 days and nights of darkness. Sheriff Eben Oleson and his estanged wife, Deputy Stella Oleson are struggling to keep the threads of their marriage together but soon discover that their marriage is not the only thing they are soon fighting for, because this time, something is hiding under the cover of the Dark, which begins with the mysterious arrival of the Stranger and his portent of an impending evil, then suddenly the Olesons find they are cut off from civilization and the townsfolk are being hunted and savagely and swiftly slaughtered by an evil horde of vampires who have decided to make this their feasting ground....can the survivors last the remaining days til daylight??? Great storytelling and better than the movie! Tim Lebbon has outdone himself!

I just want to start off by saying do not start this book unless you have plenty of time to finish it! This is the first book in a long time that I have actually read all the way through. I am very easily distracted and most books just do not have enough story to them to keep me interested. With this book once I started reading I could not put it down. I ended up staying up all night reading it. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but it also was because I did not want it to end. A great read for any fan of a horror/suspense.

Wow, this book is truly spectacular. Although I haven't seen the film itself, Mr. Lebbon does a fantastic job bringing the people and the fear of being hunted to life. Though these aren't your classic vampires, they are terrifying nonetheless.

I would recommend the novel to readers of vampire novels and fans of books based on graphic novel.

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A well written novelization. Vampires were scary as all get out! Was a bit dissapointed in the end, but I guess it was the only way to end it! I recommend this book to vampire fans. I look forward to seeing the movie!

Al-Jazeera is the all-Arabic TV news channel which burst on to the international scene in the wake of September 11 and the war in Afghanistan. Its unfettered access to that country during the war and its showing of the bin Laden tapes made it an automatic force on the world stage.Based in the Gulf state of Qatar, it came from the remnants of the BBC Arabic TV service. With the help of startup money from the Emir of Qatar, Al-Jazeera was to have complete editorial independence.In a part of the world where the press is usually government controlled, Al-Jazeera is not afraid to get specific and name names. At one time or another, it has been criticized or condemned by seemingly every government in the Arab world, for broadcasting things that the local government would prefer not be broadcast. Every local editorial of condemnation and every denial of press credentials to Al-Jazeera reporters just increases its audience all over the world by satellite.One of the things that Al-Jazeera is most known for is its talk shows, especially a nightly, two-hour show called The Opposite Direction. Two guests appear on the show, with totally opposite opinions on a certain issue, and with help from live phone calls, the sparks fly. Even by American TV standards, things get pretty loud and lively. Arab governments have noticed, and have begun imitating the format on their tame and boring government TV channels.Even though Al-Jazeera is an Arab TV channel, it has tried very hard to be impartial, hosting members of the Bush Administration, after September 11, and government officials from Israel.For those who want to decide for themselves if Al-Jazeera is a legitimate news broadcaster or a terrorist mouthpiece, this book is highly recommended. It's comprehensive, clearly written and is quite enlightening.

All the reviews I've read for this book have been unequivocally complimentary. One newspaper said it should be required reading for Bush's entire cabinet! Quite bold, but rightly so. After reading this book, I came to the realization that everything Al-Jazeera is courageous enough to air, my own country's media is petrified of. I wonder why our government is so afraid of a democratic Arab world? While the dozens of titles coming out on the Middle East are regurgitating the same history and concepts, this book is a refreshing new look at a MODERN Middle East, not a primitive and orientalized one.

This is a great book and I highly recommend it for everyone striving to know about the Arab media from an objective perspective. The book will inform you about the Arabs' struggle for freedom of speech through an unbiased Arab network that is not subject to the control of any government. The authors have succesfully portrayed the true picture of the Arab media scene through Arab eyes.

Collaboratively written by Egyptian born Middle East journalist Mohammed El-Nawawy and Middle East media expert Adel Iskandar, Al-Jazeera: How The Free Arab News Network Scooped The World And Changed The Middle East is a fascinating and informed history. This is a superbly presented account of Al-Jazeera, a modern, independent, entirely Arab television news network based in Qatar, which since the September 11 attacks, gained high profile prominence through daily exposure on CNN. This is also the compelling story of Al-Jazeera's struggle to keep its independence as an international news network, beholden to none. Overall, Al-Jazeera is an engaging, unique, detailed study of the origin of the Al-Jazeera network, its broadcasts, its effect on Arab viewers, and its struggle for a free press. Al-Jazeera is very highly recommended for Journalism Studies and Mideast Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Al Jazeera is giving us a vivid and moving picture of a New Arab World in the making. There is no way to go back in times. This media channel is succeeding to keep one step ahead of many others advancing, foreign or local, TVs.
Live transmissions are notably courageous in their way struggling so hard to persuade local (and influential) governments to let them work into the `heart' of the stories being anchored, against the background of petty local political bickering and futility.
It is not easy, but the beauty about it is that it is also challenging, and a source of pride to millions of Arabs

It is a great book for any actor who wants to do stage and film acting. Ever since I've read the book I've booked two films in a matter of weeks. My acting has improved dramatically! I'm not kidding. I learned to come out of myself and see what's around me. It sounds simple and it is simple! Comey gives us techniques to observe what's around us, hence we're less nervous, and we perform better. His technique makes acting more fun, less mind work, though I do feel you still need to do the homework, but then when you're there you just have to let it go and respond what's in front of you. Trust me, it works. I checked this book from the public library and now I'm going to have to buy it myself. Good luck and hope the best in every actor!

When something arouses passion in us, we are sometimes lucky enough to sleep with it. That is exactly what I have done with Jeremiah Comey's "The Art of Film Acting". The book rests on my nightstand, and I frequently turn to it for inspiration and knowledge. I have never found a more direct, simple and understandable explanation for this very complicated art known as acting. And if teaching art is so difficult, how does Mr. Comey make it seem so easy? I have a bachelor's degree in acting and more than 30 years in the business. It took me this long to find my "bible". This amazing book could also be titled "The Art of Teaching". Thank you, Maestro!

As an actor who is very comfortable on stage, I've always been surprised by my difficulties in front of the camera. This book not only identified what I was doing wrong but has given me very helpful and practical ideas about how to work in the medium of film. What a great find!

Loved this book! The author's writing style is easy to understand. A lot of the book is an actual script of what happened in his class - the students dialog and his (the teacher). The students read scripts with each other and he instructs/helps them improve their acting. Highly recommended for the beginning actor!

Jeremiah's ability to convey such a clean and concise approach to film acting is endlessly refreshing, especially to the working actor overhwhelmed by the endless masses of techniques and methods out there. He strips acting down to its very essence and truth through his emphasis on being in the moment and on developing ones skills of observation and listening. His simple wisdom reminds us of what we already know-- what we knew as children and chose to forget-- the endless wonder of a human face, the natural expression of unjudged emotion, how to live openly in the present without expectation, to trust unwaveringly in the given circumstances. Truly a great work and one every actor, director, artist or film enthusiast should have. I will read this book again and again and I do not doubt that one day it will be a staple in any serious actor's collection. Excellent.