Movies Books

If you're a libertarian -- or any liberty-loving person -- this book will delight you! Unique, original, very well written, overflowing with valuable information!

Jon Osborne is a wonderful reviewer and researcher. Each review is succinctly written, interesting and informative. I especially enjoy the actual quotes from the movies.

You'll enjoy seeing your opinion in print; you'll be reminded of special movies you may have forgotten about or might not have thought of in the same light as the author; AND you'll discover treasures that will surprise, intrigue and delight you.

Talk about entertainment: You'll have hours and hours of fun just reading about the movies, but then you'll have the movies themselves to look forward to!

A great reference that I refer to over and over.

No need to waste your time watching movies that end up just making you mad -- check out the movie first in this book. Don't head for the video store or switch on the TV without it!

I have just one question for the author: when's the sequel coming out?

I've been a subscriber to the Miss Liberty newsletter for three years. As a result of Osborne's reviews, I've discovered a number of difficult to find, but wonderful gems. For example, I loved the _The Man in the White Suit_ (1951), which stars a young Alec Guiness as a brilliant scientists who invents an indestructible fabric. It's a comedy that explores the obstacles innovators often face from entrenched interest groups. If it weren't for Osborne's reviews, I probably would not have found out about the movie.

Osborne writes well--dip into the book at random, and you will find insightful, witty commentary (even if the movie itself isn't particularly good.) I've already given copies to several of my libertarian/objectivist friends. Highly recommended!

When I was a young kid, somehow I always kept catching repeats of classic films on T.V. with my mom like "The Sea Hawk", "Casablanca", "The Man in the White Suit", "Johnny Tremain" and "Harvey" while reveling in catching films that I remember most and consider my favorites in the theaters, VHS or on cable like the "Star Wars" films, "Red Dawn", "Trading Places", "Moscow on the Hudson", "Ghostbusters", "1984" and "Total Recall". In some way or another, each of these films that I consider my favorites had a freedom/libertarian message to them and I guess its safe to say that their lasting impression was one of the things that contributed to my being a libertarian today. I find it interesting how Osborne is able to point out the libertarian themes of films like the ones I outlined above and have been able to go back and re-enjoy them again as well as see films I never thought of viewing. Its too bad that he didn't include films like "Independence Day" or "Braveheart" and this book was published prior to the release of other great, freedom-oriented movies like "Gladiator" as well as the "Lord of the Rings" or "Matrix" trilogies. Oh, well. There will be other editions I am sure. Until then, this book is well worth adding to anyone's library. Libertarian or otherwise.

I like the libertarian slant to this witty and inciteful guide, but really, that's just icing on the cake. The book is a great compendium of good films, fun films, and godawful films that anyone (even commies) would want to see. Each film gets a synopsis and commentary on its Libertarian content, but any guide that lists "Ghostbusters" next to "The Girl Who Spelled Freedom" has got to be good. If the Marxist Guide to the Movies were this fun, I'd buy it too. A must for any Cineaste.

If your child loves the Backyardigan's, and is interested in books at all, this is perfect for them. The flaps are so cute, and pretty durable. I would recommend this for your little one.

My daughter is 20 months old and she loves this book also. She is even learning the names of the other characters besides Pablo now by finding them under the flaps. It is a very good quality book. She usually tears the flaps off of books like this but this one is still in one piece and we've had it over a month now.

"Monster Halloween Party" is a "Backyardigans" flap book based on the TV episode "Scared of You." The main difference between this story and that on TV is that on the TV show, Austin was asked to gather three monsters, which took part in his surprise birthday party. In the book, however, it's a Halloween party. It still works, well, though.

Mad Scientist Tasha sends out her assistant Austin with envelopes for three different monsters. Austin does his best to deliver them, but has to contend with them not only being scared of him, but also with each other.

The main fun comes in the flaps and bright foil. There are a total of eighteen flaps and they're all reasonably easy to lift. (Parents with young kids, however, may want to consider lifting them beforehand. Oh, and if you have any trouble lifting, one trick is to push from the back of the page.)

"Monster Halloween Party" is good, not-too-scary Halloween fun for all Backyardigans fans. It comes with a decent story and the illustrations are top-notch.

both my 6 y/o daughter and my 4 y/o son love this book. they love that you have to lift the flaps and see what's hiding there. and I don't mind reading it to them over and over.

Excellent book for the western enthusiast. was a little disappointed that posters were not full page but guess I'm being a bit picky.No text apart from the introduction, many memories came flooding back of favourites such as Charles Starrett, Allan Lane, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry etc.
These books will end up collectors items so strike while the iron is hot.

This review can easily apply to any of the books in the Bruce Hershenson edited series of film poster history. Hershenson rightly treats film graphics not just as pop culture artifacts but true works of art. His books are filled with a curator's eye for superior choice and reproduction, each poster in striking color and with a clarity of printing that rivals most any coffee table art book. Somewhere between advertising and illustration, film posters, like book jackets and record covers, inhabit that imaginative and atmospheric zone where one art reflects another. It's not just the history of film or the history of film design, it's a history of twentieth century Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights. How often we would go into the dark theatre armed only with the ideas and ideals of the posters outside, and then return to them afterward, perhaps with nodding affirmation or smirking disillusionment, but still a vision of what could be. This series of books should be subtitiled: THE FINE ART OF ANTICIPATION,for no matter if expectation was filled or emptied by the films behind them, their posters kept on shining.

All the great heroes of Hollywood westerns are represented in a book that's a delight to flip through. It's packed with the colorful, dramatic, enticing art that made movie posters even more appealing than the movies, themselves.

More Cowboy Movie Posters is a fabulous art book and truly invaluable, offering the highest quality images from good and bad westerns. As someone who collects western posters, I have used this book as an important aid to purchasing posters illustrated within. Without such a quality reference I would have needed to peruse a stack of catalogs to find the same amount of images. For the non collector movie buff, the book is equally a delight and tremendous value at the low price.

This is a masterly and sympathetic account of the history of Mount Athos and as such it gives a vivid and fascinating insight into the eastern Mediterranean from the Byzantine to the modern period. It is very well illustrated and enriched by the fruit of many personal encounters with monks engaged in the current renewal of the Holy Mountain. The writer balances a spiritual understanding of what is now going on there with a critical historian's appreciation of the developments and disasters that have occurred on Mount Athos through many centuries. It is to be highly recommended for anyone interested in this important centre of Christian renewal today. It is also an excellent preparation for making a pilgrimage there. A first-rate book in every way.

MOUNT ATHOS: Renewal in Paradise is a history of this land of monasteries written by Graham Speake, a frequent visitor to the Holy Mountain and ultimately a convert to Orthodox Christianity. The first thing you will notice about the book is that it is lavishly illustrated, containing dozens of full-colour pictures that vividly portray the Athos' beauty. I certainly found myself enthralled by these pictures, and read the book with pleasure.

Before recounting the traditional founding of the monastery in the 10th century, Speake gives the various legends for early monastic settlement on the peninsula, doubtful though some may be. The political workings that regulated the monastery in its early days are clearly spelt out, Byzantine though they may be. The influence of non-Greek peoples on Athos, such as the Vlachs, Kyivan Rusians, and Serbs gets a large amount of space, and Speake dispassionately reports the ethnic conflicts that have led to Slavs and Romanians sometimes finding it difficult to visit the mountain today. Finally, as the subtitle of the book indicates, Speake gives readers an idea of how miraculous the Athos' contemporary flourishing is in comparison to the moribund state of monasticism there for much of the 20th century.

Beyond the history, though, Speake's guide is also a vivid portrayal of the timeless way of life on the Holy Mountain: the existing monasteries and their ways of functioning, the relation to the church calendar, initiation procedures, the preparation of meals, and so forth. Speake even describes the baptism of his godson, an adult convert, who profited from the Holy Mountain's remarkably rigorous and spiritually constructive cathechesis. Even though this comes from a university press, the book is very dedicated to Orthodox belief and appreciates the monastic way of life and what it can teach everyday Orthodox Christians.

This is a delightful book, it makes me wish I could buy my ticket now. And it certainly makes a good gift for friends and loved ones who for whatever reason cannot go themselves. Highly recommended.

This is a first class publication (slick paper/good photographs/excellent documentation) on the history of the monastic communities on Mt. Athos. This information includes both the physical history along with the spiritual history (a sort of metahistory, so to speak). The author includes information on the various spiritual movements (hesychasts, etc) that have originated on this peninsula that, while located in northern modern Greece, is actually a sort of autonomous republic. Especially interesting is the information on the unexpected, amazing renewal that is taking place there. 30 years ago, the end of Mt. Athos was in sight. Now, new monks come and the monasteries are again flourishing. Amazing. Also interesting is the information on Mt. Athos's place in the EU, and what that membership may mean to the monks. At any rate, this is a first rate book of interest to anyone who is interested in christian spirituality in general, and orthodox spirituality in particular.

This is a history not only of the Holy Mountain Athos, but also of the monks that inhabited it and those that dwell there to this very day. Speake has done a wonderfl job covering the world's influence on Athos as well as Athos' influence on the world.

It is incredibly refreshing to see a book about a monastic community published by a secular university press (Yale University) be free of the condescension and skepticism that one would expect to find. As a matter of fact, there's a general tone of reverence for the monks' traditions. It is, however, fair and balanced in the fact that he hasn't glossed over the rough patches of Athonite history.

Speake has produced a work of scholarship that is accessible to the academic and the average joe as well as to Orthodox and non-Orthodox. That is no small accomplishment.

Many people outside of Eastern Europe and the Middle East are embracing Orthodoxy today. This is happening in Asia, Africa, Western Europe, Oceania and the Americas. An intelligent, well written and accessible history (both political and spiritual) of Mount Athos in English is essential and Speake has provided us with what will surely be the standard for years to come. Athos is the center of world Orthodox monasticism and could be called "The Conscience of Orthodoxy." This book is essential for those wishing to understand Orthodoxy and particularly Orthodox monasticism.

I have read several books on Mt Athos, a subject that has fascinated me for many years. This is the best English language book on the topic and one that I think would be difficult to be surpassed. It is scholarly without being "stuffy"; it is eminently readable without the simplistic approach of a tourist guide; it is almost encyclopedic but not fragmentary. And most importantly, coming from a person who apprently went through a spiritual journey, it is permeated by the deeper understanding that such experience brings.

I recommend it to anyone who plans to visit Athos or, for that matter, to everyone who already made the customary brief visit to the Holy Mountain as he will discover many things he probably missed, often the larger perspective of the place that is sadly lost in the brevity of an overnight stay.

A satire on the romance genre, Mounting Desire is hilarious. It's an obvious reversal of gender stereotypes, but it works. If you're looking for a bitingly funny read that isn't afraid to poke fun at America's biggest selling genre--whether you're a fan or not--Mounting Desire is a book to pick up.

This paraody of romance novels, romance writers and romance itself is a really fun romp! Simultaneously profound and silly, Mounting Desire is particularly appreciated at a time when the U.S. seems to be embracing its puritan past with reckless abandon. Jack, the born- again- virgin- romance- novel author, doesn't date. Instead, he says: "I fantasize about ideal women. I dress them up in whatever I want, the more corsets the better. I put them through excruciating psychological trauma before having fifteen-second sex with them , and then I delete them." Expect to laugh a lot with this one. So, don't balance your mohito on your tummy while you're poolside.

I read Nina Killham's first book, HOW TO COOK A TART and loved it. This second book, MOUNTING DESIRE, is hysterical. Killham creates characters that seem so real and puts them into situations that seem so absurd. Even though she introduces many characters throughout the book (actually caricatures in many cases, such as the male cover model) the reader is able to follow along easliy. That is until you start laughing so hard you drop the book and lose your place. I can't wait to read her next book and see what she sends up next.

I got into it straight away. I had to keep sneaking off so I could read in peace. The two main characters are believable, and I couldn't wait to find out if they finally got together. I also liked the amusing dramas that came their way, and the supporting characters rounded it out perfectly. A perfect beach read and a lot of fun!

Susan Herbert is in fine form as she shifts into the realm of motion pictures, punny titles and all. She proves adept at both movie stars and famous movie scenes. The focus here is on the classics, and sneak peeks on the Internet indicate there will eventually be a second edition going all the way up to The Lord of the Rings. Cat lovers, rejoice!

I adore Susan Herbet, who does an amazing job painting pictures of cats and incorporating them into famous stories and works of art. In "Movie Cats," Herbert recreates scenes from some of Hollywood's most famous motion pictures. My personal favorites include Mammy and Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind," James Bond and his "Pussies Galore" from "Goldfinger," characters from "The Wonderful Whiskers of Oz," and a portrait of "Charlie Catlin." If you're a cat lover and a movie buff, you have to have this book!

Susan Herbert's cats have appeared as characters in paintings, Victorian settings and now they are going to the movies. Another sublime book of cat paintings as characters from a dozen movies. The one of the Godfather is worth the price of the book. As usual Herbert has done a marvelous job and the characters have charm and wit and certainly are a reason to smile.

This is really the most enchanting book of cat illustrations I've seen in a very long time. Even people who don't love cats that much seem to be charmed by it. Anyone who loves movies will wish there were cat versions starring Susan Herbert's movie cats.

Saw a movie and what to know more? Planning to rent a video and what to know more? Look here. Not all movies are reviewed, but almost every important film, some sleepers, some low-budget gems, and some you may hate but are important within film history. Our 1995 edition is worn out, and I wish we had a 'cover' for this one; that's how often we refer to this. We have also use it to build our own film library, now numbering over 500. Directors, actors, Academy Awards, obscure information and the source - whether book, play or original screenplay are all included. Now, if they had only included "The Reivers" and "Sometimes a Great Notion!"

Many of the reviews in this book are actually from an earlier encyclopedia called the Motion Picture Guide, perhaps the most comprehensive and best written source for pre-1990's films ever published. TV Guide adopted the same database for their online film review database and updated editions of The Movie Guide have been published for years as The Virgin Film Guide (avail. from Amazon.uk) This guide favors quality over quantity and so you get long, detailed, informed reviews of Sunrise, Das Boot, Mala Noche, Drugstore Cowboy, Blue Velvet, The Bicycle Thief, La Dolce Vita, etc. instead of thousands of thumbnail sketches of mediocre films you will have no interest in ever seeing. This is, as a previous review noted, along with Katz' Film Encyclopedia one of the few, truly essential books that every film lover should own.

This volume, along with Katz's, The Film Encyclopedia, are the foundation of celluloid information. The two will be sufficient for most viewers. Saw a movie and what to know more? Planning to rent a video and what to know more? Look here. Not all movies are reviewed, but almost every important film, some sleepers, some low-budget gems, and some you may hate but are important within film history. Our 1995 edition is worn out, and I wish we had a 'cover' for this one; that's how often we refer to this. We have also use it to build our own film library, now numbering over 500. Directors, actors, Academy Awards, obscure information and the source - whether book, play or original screenplay are all included. Now, if they had only included "The Reivers" and "Sometimes a Great Notion!"

This is hands down the single best reference for films from the 1930s on. Detailed reviews of works that are deserving of them, with sharp analysis that puts films in their proper historical context.

Being an Insider myself, I've seen guides and addresses sold for years. Most of which are a joke. But not this one. E.J. Fleming never fails. He's one of the most prolific and talented writers of our time and this book is a must have for movie and star buffs! Thank you - thank you!

This is a terrific book to use to navigate the Hollywood area for anyone interested in the movies. We drive up and down streets with my husband calling out names and events and loved it. We are locals in the San Fernando Valley and for the LA person comenting that changes have occurred in the area and streets over the years, "duh!." Some of the addresses are 100 years old but in the odd case that a street is not there or has been moved, as far as we could tell there was a note included. We didn't check everything, but we didn't have any problem using the lists. THis is a great resource for movies and LA history and great fun for vacations. It's heavy though!

I envision E.J. Fleming huddled over a pc reviewing census information and entering data in a database and cross checking it against his formidable stacks of notebooks. E.J. is tired, tired, tired. He has worked day and night so I don't have to. Stop, I'm just kidding but this is an incredible collection of information. I am in total awe re: how someone could collect so much data, collate it, and present it in an easily accessible manner.
This directory is exactly what is implied. It is an enormous collection of addresses relating to celebrity homes, film locations, historical sites.......and here's the kicker.....the locations of scandals and crimes. That having been said, this is not a rolling narrative that relates a lot of juicy stories and histories. It presents the facts and it is up to the user to draw in the lines and reach his/her own conclusions.
So why did I drop $75 for this book. I was weary doing this type of research with only lukewarm results and a relatively miniscule database. This book has everything and I can let my fingers do the walking.
Now here is my warning. I reiterate don't buy this if you are expecting a lot of lurid stories as there really aren't any per se. However, buy this book if you want to know things like all the places Humphrey Bogart resided in LA, who cohabitated with Ramon Novarro, or where Laurel and Hardy filmed a lot of their classic shorts. Buy this book if you have a curious mind and the information provided has you asking other questions.
This is an impressive collection of information.

I am a tour guide in Hollywood - one of the very few that actually research our tours. I thought I knew a lot about Hollywood, but this book made my jaw hit the floor.

Mr. Fleming has published the BIBLE for Celebrity addresses. The most comprehensive book on stars homes I have ever poured through. I've even turned a few of my colleagues on to the book, who their own copies immediately.

You've made my job easier Mr. Fleming, and you have published a riveting and important document.

this is a great first bible for children that parents can read to their little ones. The stories are easy to understand for a child and easy to interpret for a parent. very cute

Book is easy to read with lots of colorful pictures. My 3 month old loves it when we read to him from this Bible. We as parents enjoy it as well for the "child-like" perspective it gives us as God's children. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking to introduce their child to God's Word at an early age.

This is a very child-friendly book that helps young children understand the story of the Bible.

I bought this book at Sam's Club for under $10. It's so short and sweet that it keeps even my 1-year-old's attention (unlike several other "first bible's" I've seen). My experience has been that other toddler bible stories are still too long for the very young, but these are not. One story is over in 2-3 minutes, usually. Also, nice big print for when the child starts reading on his/her own, and, of course, LOTS of pictures! I didn't know there was also a prayer book until I saw it on Amazon; I plan to order it.

WOW !!!!!!
This is the best nancy drew mystery I have ever read

I totally loved this book! It was sooooo cool to read it because I live 1 minute away from where this whole book is taking place. Also if you live in San Fransico I reccomend that you read STRANGE MEMORIES (nancy drew files) it is in Frisco.

I've read just about everyone of the Nancy Drew books and this is the best yet!

In this book Nancy, Bess, and George try to find out who's trying to get back at Nancy's dad's friend, Terry and his daughter. On the way there are dangerous dogs, destoring Terry's artwork, and then a FIRE!!!!!!!