Television Books

I purchased this as a gift for my husband, but he has remarked at what a good collection of stories have been put together about John Wayne. This is coming from someone who has a pretty substantial collection of his movies.

Almost like a brief history of the era and new insights into how those movies were made. Enjoyed the ancedotes of fellow artists.

With John Wayne's 100th birth date coming up I started looking for books on him that I have not read. This book is very enjoyable reading. You learn alot about the man from his fellow co-workers and friends. I would recommend this one to any one.

One of the reasons Wayne was so popular was that he symbolized everything America wanted to be; strong ,brave,loyal,savvy and honest.His character was a fighter who never backed down when he knew he was right. He was a role model to millions, his screen actions were a roadmap to manhood. That was John Wayne,Icon.
But there was another side to Wayne. He was a real man,flesh and blood, and he had real thoughts and feelings,strengths and weaknesses. He was as brave as his larger-than-life screen persona in his real life,such as in the way he faced up to cancer, and very very human.This is John Wayne,the Man.
This book does an excellent job of showing both sides of the John Wayne coin,Man and Icon. It does it with stories told by people who really knew him. After reading this book you actually feel like you've had a bull session with Duke's friends and co-workers. It's got a very amiable feel to it.
The book also reminds me of Studs Terkel's books. Studs would just turn on a tape recorder and let his subjects pour their hearts out. The author here uses a similar approach. Each story is like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle and at the end of the book you can put all the pieces together to get a clear picture of the Duke.
After I finished reading, I wished I had known him too.

I am a huge fan and relative of Herb's writings. He has a true gift for the written word and I have enjoyed all of his books. Herb, my prayers and thoughts are with you during these very trying times. I am thinking of you incessantly and the entire family prays for you daily. Godspeed.

I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist and a parent. I came across this important book as I was researching my own.

If you care about how your kids live through their childhood and make their way forward through a world saturated with media and technology, you must read this wonderful and informative book. Many principles discussed here may be extrapolated to the Internet.

Don't miss it!

Eitan D. Schwarz, MD, DLFAPA, FAACAP

I picked this book up already convinced that t.v. is basically the worst thing that ever happened to society, so I was skeptical to say the least. However, as the authors state, their intent is to admit that t.v. is here to stay, and for the overwhelming majority, getting totally rid of it would not be an option, and offer guidance in how to make watching it as beneficial as possible.

What this amounts to, it seems, is telling readers that your children under 7 are basically confined to 'Sesame Street', 'Mister Rodger's Neighborhood', 'Blues Clues', and nature shows on Discovery channel. I found their assessment of Sesame Street a little over the top in their praise of its supposed benefits, though later on in the book they admit that merchandising has begun to compromise the integrity of the show and its imitators. The fact is, there are a number of major studies that have directly challenged the ability of shows like Sesame Street to produce real-life results in reading and mathematics, and much of the research the authors cite as supportive of the show was done or funded by the creators of the show themselves, a definite conflict of interest when funding is on the line.

The research on content in terms of sexuality, violence, and materialism that is dealt with is pretty accurate. My biggest disappointment was that the authors failed to spend any real time dealing with the long term effects of visual media on learning ability at the neurological level, a subject that in and of itself makes one quite wary of significant exposure to television. There was maybe a paragraph or two, but that's all.

Overall, the impression I got was that the authors have an underlying uneasiness with the whole idea of t.v., and if they thought enough of their readers would accept it, they'd recommend chucking the thing out the window. However, as stated in the beginning, they know this is impossible, so the book ends up sounding like a hesitant admission of the fact and an almost reluctant setting forth of strategies to overcome the inherent and perisistent flaws of the medium, punctuated here and there by brief offerings of lavish praise for the possibilities of t.v. to expand our horizons and foster meaningful conversation. In short, most chapters give all kinds of wonderful suggestions, but are interspersed with admissions that seem to contradict their earlier celebrations of the potential benefits of television.

Personally, I would still recommend the book since I know also the futility of asking people to abandon t.v. altogether. However, I would strongly urge the reader to also get a copy of 'The Plug-In Drug" by Mary Winn, a book written about ten years ago that comes to the same basic conclusions and recommendations, but is more forthright about the downside of television and the industries it propogates. I find it significant (and revealing), that it was never cited by the authors of this book, considering that it is seen by most who have followed this subject for some time (as the authors obviously have been) as a seminal work. Critics of Winn have labeled her a Luddite, but while she does come off as somewhat hostile toward t.v., she is also realistic and manages to stay objective. It is a necessary companion to this book.

Finally, there is a book I can recommend to help parents make informed choices about the television viewing in their homes. This well-referenced book is a comprehensive summary of the existing research about TV viewing and youth, yet it remains an accessible read, peppered with interesting personal vignettes. Rather than telling people to throw out the tube, this book offers practical tips to help parents get the most out of what's good on TV, and strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. Reading this book I found both the evidence and the solutions needed to control the role of TV in the lives of children.

TV has been around for over 50 years and has become for most, an unquestioned or unexamined part of life. It just IS. Is what? Good for you? Bad for you? How do we know? We should be critically examining many facets of our culture. But how? Pediatrician and scientist Christakis and Zimmerman give us ways to decide by presenting reasoned opinion backed up by studies in a very accessible way. The concepts are mostly intuitive but not easy for many of us to act upon to benefit our children. Much of what kids watch on TV isn't good for them, nor for society. They give good guidelines for how to use the beast. Ignore this book at your grandchildren's peril.

If you have a television and a child, you must read this book! Without being remotely preachy or judgmental, The Elephant in the Living Room lays out both the benefits and pitfalls of TV watching for children, and gives manageable solutions for minimizing the bad and maximizing the good. The anecdotes lay out the issues in a way that's clear and entertaining, and the advice is specific and realistic. Each chapter ends with a sort of action plan, which makes it easy to keep track of the important points and put them into practice. The book is also funny and entertaining, making it not just a painless way to get important information, but a pleasant one. There is nothing else like this out there--The Elephant in the Living Room really is a must-read for anyone raising children in today's media packed world.

the Presleys were poor. no -- they were POOR.

his father Vernon borrowed $180 from the landowner to build the house Elvis was born in. five years later in 1938 (when Elvis was 3), with the loan still not fully repaid, the landowner evicted the Presleys.

as Elvis himself said of their leaving Tupelo for Memphis in 1948, "We were broke man -- broke."

even in Memphis, where WWII had brought better times, the Presleys would often do odd jobs for neighboring black families, just to have enough to eat.

as can be seen from school photos taken at the time, though his classmates had regular clothes for that period, "Elvis's first 'jump suit' was a pair of overalls."

but, as his fifth grade teacher (a niece of the landowner who had evicted the Presleys) later said, "There is something nice about everyone. There is everything nice about Elvis."

Hill and Range was the music publishing company that Elvis did business with from age 20 until his death at age 42. its owner, Jean Aberbach, stated without qualification, "Elvis was the finest human being I've ever met."

the thrust of this excellent book by Elaine Dundy (who died last year) is that no matter how poor they were, Gladys was determined to raise Elvis to be the finest human being anyone who ever met him had ever met.

"Elvis never forgot his raisin'." (Cousin Annie Presley)

I grew up poor (though not as poor as the Presleys). There were 6 people living in a 2-bedroom home. That Elvis slept with his parents (it gets cold in northern Mississippi and Tennessee) doesn't really shock or surprise me.

What does surprise me is that someone like Dee Stanley, who put her own sons in foster care so she could pursue Vernon Presley, would condemn them.

I am also not surprised that Elvis was never able to form a long-lasting relationship with a woman. Most of the women I have read about seemed only interested in what they could get from him. not what they could give to him; a total contrast to his Mother.

I thought Elaine Dundy did a masterful research job. Too bad the history books kids use in school don't usually match this level of research and dedication to facts.

This book is not just about Elvis, it is about poverty and how it shapes people and stays with them throughout their lives.

Buy this book, you will treasure it.

Just loved this book it was fascinating about Gladys and Vernons background. How poor they were and the sadness of the birth of Jesse Garon and Elvis it's to much to tell every Elvis fan needs this book. You will be amazed on how much understanding of the Presley family you will have after reading this book. This is why Elvis had such a kind and gentle way about him and a giving heart it hurts me to know that the people he loved the most used him for there own fame and fortune. All i can say is buy this book you will not be disappointed and you will come to know Elvis a lot better than before it's a must for every Elvis fan.

I've read quite a few books about Elvis and this one is excellent. The author spent a lot of time with people who knew Elvis back then and uncovered some very interesting and heart-warming stories. I learned a lot about his childhood and school days that I hadn't heard before. I'd recommend it for any Elvis fan.

The author, Elaine Dundy, not only tells the story of Elvis and his mother, she traces back several generations into the history and psyche of Elvis' ancestors: the Scotch and Irish who settled the Southeast and tamed the Mississippi Delta. Although she is British, her extensive research and comments about post-Civil War Southern society, customs, lifestyle, and mindsets are dead-on. I grew up in the rural Deep South and many of the influences peculiar to the South that Dundy sites in this book were still a part of my mid-20th century experiences.

The reader closes the book with one thought about Gladys (and Vernon) and that is that these two parents loved their son more than life itself and that they simply did the best they could. They were handicapped from the beginning by poverty, ignorance, and also quite possibly genetic pre-dispositions towards depression, obsessive/compulsive disorders, and addictions. It was not uncommon throughout the 19th century and into the 20th that first cousins would marry and have children. The inter-marriages within the Smith and Presley families were pervasive and no doubt exacerbated genetic tendencies.

Gladys' relationship to Elvis was very close in that she put his needs above everything else in her life. She was the only person who could have ever "saved" Elvis from his excesses. But unfortunately, she succumbed to her own drinking habits early on. Once she was gone, his life spiraled out of control.

Elaine Dundy leaves the question unanswered: If Elvis had such a close relationship with Gladys, why wasn't he ever able to form an equally enduring and intimate relationship with a lover? The answer comes from the reader's personal conclusion that the mother-son relationship was close to the point of crippling to Elvis. Just as he reached young adulthood his fabulous success story began. He was stretching out for independence and Gladys figuartively and literally abandoned him -- through death. Elvis was always able to keep the "enduring" part of a relationship going (i.e. he could never let Priscilla go) but his love affairs seemed to mirror his relationship with Gladys in bizarreness, obsessions, and misery.

Many have made favorable comments on this, and I agree with the favorable ones. This is a good reference. Inspiring on another level to expand creativity. Recommend this.

As a working Hollywood director and published author (The Power Filmmaking Kit), I usually take many filmmaking books with a grain of salt. They are either overly simplistic, revealing the inexperience of the author or serving as blatant self-promotion. "Filming the Fantastic" is neither. Mark Sawicki's take on visual effects cinematography whipped me back to my childhood when I dreamed of creating the same in-camera special effects I grew up with in movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The one book I wish existed years ago, "Filming the Fantastic" is chock full of techniques, tips and advice to both novice and experienced filmmakers alike, focusing on the art of using lenses, practical set pieces, miniatures, forced perspective, and a variety of non-CGI approaches to making incredible effects. If you are interested in making movies or the filmmaking process, I highly recommend "Filming the Fantastic." It is a fascinating read, and a fresh look at an extraordinary art form.

If you are a filmmaker Mark Sawicki's book is a must for your arsenal. The book will give you much needed fundamentals of how visual effects shots are done. Dont try to "fix it in post". Do it right the first time in your camera.

Finally a book which analyzes FX effects non only in CG but in old fantastic and "Handy" method!!!

Mark Sawicki's book, is a wonderful resource for those interested or involved with the history and creation of visual effects for film and TV. This book would be a great addition to a visual art students library - teachers will also find the practical exercises excellent, while film industry professionals will find the advice and commonsense approach to making visual effects invaluable. I should stress that this beautifully illustrated book is different to the glossy (and all too common) "how we made the effects for such-and-such blockbuster", Filming the Fantastic is much more real and practical, always encouraging the reader to learn by trying things for themselves.

Filming the Fantastic is about creating visual effects - not just those made by computers. The use of miniatures, matte painting and clever planning demonstrate how time and money can be saved while producing outstanding results. Marks professional effects experience provides the framework for the book, backed up with interesting anecdotes and exercises for the reader make their own special effect shots. A really unique feature of this book is showing how to deal with the inevitable situations where there has been little or no planning prior to filming.

This substantial book is crammed with photographs and diagrams, illustrating the text and clearly explaining concepts for the reader. There is considerable depth to the theory sections on colour, perspective and lighting, making the book a fine reference work for any filmmaker. The exciting thing I found about this book was sections such as "So you don't have a million dollars" - which go into making effects with a low budget or if you are challenged for time. Effects are created using home video equipment with simple props - ideas on how to create you own blue screens, superimposed backgrounds, stop motion animation, people falling out of buildings, crowd replication and even a pan across an airplane crash scene, can all be created with a few dollars and a few hours. This may make the book sound too simplistic for a professional, however "in camera effects" (as they are called) are becoming more rather than less common in feature film production. These "tricks" are recognised as time savers in the professional industry.

In summary this well written book is very easy to read with clear thought out examples for students, teachers and professionals. Great illustrations and photos explain the key concepts thoroughly while the broad topic range make the book relevant for many people and situations.

A great gift for yourself or anyone interested in the magic of movie making. My advice is to dust off the camera and try the effects for yourself!

A nicely researched and insightful biography of Florence Lawrence, one of the most shadowy yet important figures of early cinema. Many things about Florence's life and career will perhaps always remain vague, but Kelly Brown gives a worthy account of America's "first movie star." It is refreshing to know that Flo is finally getting the recognition she deserves. This book is a must for the true film buff.

This slender volume is fascinating because it finally paints a well-researched picture of the long forgotten Florence Lawrence. I've always been fascinated by her after seeing publicity stills of her from the mid-1900s. She appeared to be warm, charismatic and fascinating. Her greatest tragedy is that none of her films have been shown in eighty years. I have one of her shorts, "Flo's Discipline" which only lasts about twelve minutes but it gives you a hint of how dazzling she was before the cameras. While her cohort, Mary Pickford, went onto a spectacular career that included mind-boggling salaries and a world-famous Hollywood castle, Pickfair, poor Lawrence was living in a small, hotel room, being paid a few dollars a week as an extra at MGM. Her life would make a wonderful movie--and a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of how fleeting fame is, and how fickle is the public when it comes to remaining faithful to the flavor of the month.

Florence Lawrence was "big" before there were movie stars. She was the original "Biograph Girl" before Mary Pickford was given that name by movie fans. After losing her job at Biograph, she was hired by Carl Laemmle's IMP company (later Universal). As a publicity stunt, Laemmle started a rumor that she was dead. Then she made a personal appearance in St. Louis and was mobbed by fans.

Unfortunately she was pretty much out of work in five years. Poor managemet by her husband Harry, as well as a painful injury forced her into bit parts. She was still acting in very small parts into 1938, when she gave up on life and committed suicide.

Kelly Brown has done an incredible research job. Using Florence's surviving correspondence, as well as trade magazine artices and advertisements, she has reconstructed Florence's life. The book has many footnotes noting sources, and there is a very detailed filmography. Instead of a book full of dry facts, Ms. Brown keeps Florence's story interesting. If you are interested in early cinema, or even important women actresses, you should definitely read this book.

Florence Lawrence was an enigma I had always wanted to know about, having been interested in silent films for many years. Information on her was scarce, save for some still photographs in silent movie history books. Kelly Brown really did her homework, in what must have been a difficult task, digging up information about a star whose heyday was almost 90 years ago! Congratulations, Kelly, on a job well done! I can't recommend this book highly enough!

I always enjoy a good biography, especially those of the nearly forgotten silent screen stars. This biography of Florence Lawrence was well researched and had many wonderful photos. The author did a good job with the resources available. Most of the films and people involved in silents are gone now, so the job is doubly difficult. Although pricey, this biography is well worth reading.

Here is Sinatra stripped of everything who leaves me knowing he has deserved my love and admiration all these years. With Sinatra, he drove himself through life going after whatever he wanted and risking the consequences. We get to look at his ups and downs and his prides and his falls. We see him suffer at love and sing about it. We see him finally, after all the aborted tries, finally sink himself into a relationship with his last wife that kept him happy until he died.

Life for Sinatra was all or nothing at all and he did life his way and fell into lots of tender traps and led some into his own tender traps, like one famous movie star I will let you discover on your own.

What so special about Nancy's book is that she is amazingly organized and objective in her account of her father's life. And the CD, well the CD is everything. You get to hear Sinatra on Sinatra, unabashed.

Everyone on the planet needs to buy and read this book to learn what life can be when you go for it all every day!

Kudos to Nancy for a biography well, well done.

This book has excellent pictures with the most vital information for a biography project. A great buy and great read for interested fans of Ol' Blue Eyes.

No wonder this book is so thick- it's filled with numerous photos of Frank Sinatra, his family, and friends over the years. I love looking at these pics, and so will any other Sinatra fan. There is detailed info throughout the book as well. This is one worth having in your collection.

This scrapbook is a real treat to any true SINATRA fan.It is full of pictures of everybody who was important in his life from his parents to collaborators like arrangers NELSON RIDDLE; all his wifes from NANCY to BARBARA;the legendary LOUIS B. MAYER etc.Better than most biographies because it is based on facts not rumours.The early pictures from his beginnings are alone worth the price.I was fortunate enough to get this book at the third of it's price and i went through it very fast because once you open it, you simply can't take your hands out of it.If FRANK became the singer of the past century, it's not by accident, he worked hard at it.I was particulary touched by his loyalty to his true friends.FRANK SINATRA is a mirror of his country. He was the son of immigrants who lived the AMERICAN dream to the fullest.Where is the AMERICAN dream today now that it's last legend is gone?Let's not complain too much ,because everything that FRANK SINATRA ever recorded is now available on cd.Nostalgia when you think of it is a very good thing.SATURDAY is not the loneliest night of the week anymore thanks to the chairman of the board.If you are not already a fan, this book should do the trick.

I had to get this book after seeing how low the price came down.The original price was 40 dollars. Nancy Sinatra's book on her Father has everything in here.I couldn't believe Frank weighted 13and a half pounds when he was born on December 12,1915.The Doctor ripped and scarred his ear,check,and neck,plus puncturing his eardrum.Frank wasn't breathing,so his grandmother Rose held the baby under cold running water until he gasped his first breath and cried.This book is like a Diary.It goes from year to year,sometimes month to month.All of Franks movies,records,concerts,TV shows,songs,and the name of the songwriters are in here,plus hundreds of pictures,starting with Frank's baby photo, ending with a touching family photo taken in 1996.There's a wonderfull picture of Marilyn Monroe taken with Dean Martin sitting ringside at the Sands..All of the stars are in here,and family pictures we've never seen before.If you are a Frank Sinatra fan,you have to get this Book.Its huge,and the pictures are fantastic.

This is a good FRIENDS book on series 1, although it needs more stuff about the actors of FRIENDS. It would be a lot better if we were given a behind the scenes look at the sets etc. However it's got loads of quotes, and in depth episode guides for series 1.

This book brought all the fun and laughter you remember from the episodes it covers, and more! With absolutely beautiful color pictures of the stars, as well as black and white pictures of some of the scenes from the episodes, and also candids of the stars themselves, a true Friends fan/addict can't go wrong with this one!! Every time I pick it up, it brings a smile to my face and heart! Fantastically written, I enjoy this book from first page to last no matter how many times I have read it. Just like the shows re-runs, I can't seem to get enough!! Thank you David Wild!! and the creator, director, and cast of Friends!

This book could not be more enjoyable, it is the perfect accompaniment to the best TV Show in the World of TV. If you think you know everything about Friends, well you dont know until you've Read this book.

I recently got a chance to read, Friends: The Official Companion and it was great. Everything you wanted to know about the first season of Friends was there. It was packed with all different pictures and side information that normally people wouldn't come across. This book was entertaining and was a lot of fun. I am really looking foward to reading the next one.

All friends fans will LOVE this book, It has a whole chapter "written" by Marcel the monkey, Quotes from season one episodes, a summery of season one episodes and a BIG friends quiz, chock-a-block with brain teasers.Not to mention interviews of all the cast-If you havent read this book you're missing out!

Rather than write another long review which would essentially just agree with all the other positive comments by other reviewers, I will make this brief. I am pleased with this book with one exception. The list of guest stars for the radio programs does not include the part played by the actor/actress. The television programs do. This was one of the principal reasons I bought the book. At least I know in advance the stars who will be in each broadcast. I would have liked to know who played what role. That is the only reason I gave it a rating of 4.

Even if my dog ate the cover off of the book (he only eats books that I love), this is a great reference for the true Gunsmoke fan. Too many folks don't realize that the first 11 years were the best, and they need some reference to those. This is a great history of all of Gunsmoke, not just the TVLAND "scrubbed" version.

This book is AWESOME. It is filled with the history of Gunsmoke from the radio days through the TWENTY YEARS it was on TV. Also a very interesting history of Dodge City, Kansas.

This was a very good, very well written and very informative book to buy and read.
Janet Nazer

I am a huge gunsmoke fan, since it first was shown in 1955. i thought it was interesting on how they auditioned and chose the main charcters, I enjoyed this more than the 50th year, due to the fact that Miss Kitty, was alive and others that were guest star were also. It was not a boring book and the layout was very good. They also had an interview of Roger Ewing (Thad) Which was informative. I highly recommned paying the price for it to all Gunsmoke fans. )

Let me make this brief, in the best style of broadcast journalism: Wayne Freedman is one of the finest storytellers in the field, masterfully weaving video, sound and just the right words to tell stories that no one else seems to find. More importantly, he has found a way to tell OTHERS how to do this. As a professor of broadcast journalism, I can tell you that that is no small accomplishment. If you are a serious student of television journalism (and no, that is NOT an oxymoron), you need to have this book. You also need to read it.

Wayne Freedman is a video storyteller and a television survivor. Those traits alone are worth the price of this book. I looked to his work for inspiration during my years as television reporter and now I use this book as a broadcast news professor to show students the possibilities of video journalism, either online or on TV.

Since he is a great storyteller, Freedman's book doesn't read like a textbook. It reads like a good book. The insights, lessons, and tips are all in there, but they are woven within funny, interesting, and unforgettable stories from the field.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about a career in video journalism, or those who are already working and want to know how to push to the next level.

Landing a TV reporting job is not tough. Make a tape, be persistent and someone somewhere will put you on the air.

Leaning the craft of television news reporting is a different ballgame. In, It Takes More than Good Looks to Succeed at TV News Reporting, Wayne Freedman shows what it takes to become one of the very best.

This book offers practical, easy to use tips to anyone in the business. The challenges and frustrations Wayne describes will happen to you, count on it. Just as important, he explains ways to overcome those obstacles. Regardless of your experience level, this book is crammed full of useful tips that can improve your work.

But this is not only a collection of "how to" tips.

It Takes More than Good Looks to Succeed at TV News Reporting, inspired me. Those of us lucky enough to make a career of TV news have the best, most interesting jobs around. Thanks to Wayne we now have a playbook to make ourselves, and our work, even better!

Don't read this book just once. Read it twice, and then maybe even once more. Make sure the principles and teachings of Mr. Freedman are so ingrained in your mind, you apply them in the field, and during the writing process, with ease, despite any pressures or deadlines. Why? Because it takes more than good looks to succeed at television news reporting.

Wayne Freedman is a rare gift in television news reporting, a polished gem of a reporter with an amazing eye and ear and professional aesthetic. He's a wonderul storyeller with what may be the largest collection of Emmy awards for television reporting on the planet...deservedly so, he's that good at what he does, they should just mail them to him every year.

I'm a former television producer and news director and I've always greatly admired Wayne's work, and his ability to sweep the Emmy awards every time. He's consistently brilliant and can turn the most mundane topic into a memorable visual story. His book is required reading for my television journalism students and should be read and re-read by every aspiring or novice television journalist, along with many veterans. This book makes teaching 'basic training' to up-and-coming video journalists MUCH easier. Not only is this book useful and a peek into a bright creative mind, it's just a good read...entertaining and hard to put down, with lots of great stories and insight! It's a keeper.

Recipes are simple and yet show stopping. Delicious recipes I have made are Flan a'la Vanille,Peking Style Chicken, Warm Chocolate Fondue Souffle, Chocolate Paris-Brest, Chocolate Walnut and Apricot Cookies, and Potato and Watercress Salad to name a few.

(Hardcover edition) A great cooking book, beautifully put together with ample pictures and large enough type to allow ease of use. I was disappointed that it *didn't* have more technique tips and guides on equipment- but I guess this is available in the paperback version. Can't wait to eat!

There are lots of simple, elegant and flavorful recipes in here from master chef Jacques Pepin. Remember, he is cooking with his ditzy daughter, Claudine, so things are never too complicated. This is great for folks who want to start down the gourmet path without too much fuss.

My personal favorite is the butternut squash puree. I make it about once a month.

This is a great addition to any collection. The Mango dish is the best

I was given this book as a gift; never saw the show. The recipes are excellent but don't allow for much improvisation (in my experience!)--the low-fat adjustments he makes really need to be followed to the letter in order for the dishes to come out as well as they should. That said, if you are a recipe-follower, he does amazing things with short ingredient lists, easy cooking techniques, and interesting combinations of ingredients. I especially like the potato-crusted fish recipe and the "spicy ginger chicken" (which is not at all spicy, but very tasty). There's also a great cole slaw recipe that uses curry powder--sounds weird, but it's delicious!