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Writing this book has been, obviously, a labor of love for William Mann, whose earlier books convinced me that henceforward, everything he writes is to be treated as the work of an immensely serious, politically committed and ethical scholar. And yet when all is said and done, and a hell of a lot gets said in this book, I remained singularly unconvinced. Unconvinced as to Schlesinger's talent--sure, he made some great movies, but he'd have to have made CITIZEN KANE for the scales of justice to swing back to normal in light of MADAME SOUZATCHKA or THE BELIEVERS. Unconvinced about the frame story, for it seems so pathetic to dwell and dwell and dwell on the miseries of Schlesinger's life after his debilitating stroke when he could hardly speak and seemed miserable in every encounter. Unconvinced even about the title, which seems to have been chosen to echo Schelsinger's greatest success, MIDNIGHT COWBOY, but in that acse why not just call it MIDNIGHT COWBOY? And then in the long run he seemed like a miserable man in every respect of life, looking back, he was never very happy nor does he seem capable of radiating either good will or basic charity. Added to this the contemptible misogyny which, in a Balzacian scene, Mann summons up by asking Schlesinger for his final, considered opinion of the late Penelope Gilliatt. It's unprintable here, and unpleasant even in context of whatever crime she was supposed to have committed.

Are authorized biographies ever a good thing? What's the point of advertising them in that way?

And yet taken as a whole the book is a splendid piece of work, and in giving us the extremely varied picture of a lot of filmmaking atmospheres, from the Angry Young Men scene of the late 1950s in England, to the New American Cinema that MIDNIGHT COWBOY may be fairly said to have begun, to a later day when stars and producers and test audiences made movie making difficult for directors, Mann excels. It's panoramic in sweep, extremely detailed. And maybe the "authorized" label encouraged many in Schlesinger's circle to speak with Mann, including--well, it seems just about everyone. A great story about Madonna's affectations begins the book, which I won't spoil here but it involves her belief that she had a shot in securing the lead role in MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Enough said, go for it!

Two lapses in sense made me doubt my hero Mann for a moment. In discussing the Austin Powers phenomenon, he pronounces that "We've come so far that rebels now go BACK in time rather than forward, when the youth culture borrows relics of the past and jumbles them together into a pastiche of expression and attitude." Surely this has been an attribute of youth culture at least since WWII? Blue jeans weren't invented in the 1960s, they were retrieved from a workingman's past in the 19th century.

And look at this sentence, which touches on the critical reception of MIDNIGHT COWBOY. "Stanley Kauffman in THE NEW REPUBLIC adored the film, using adjectives like 'dexterity,' 'intelligence' and 'perception' to describe John's direction." Okay, maybe I'm missing the forest for the trees, but on the other hand maybe "adjective" has a new definition: "noun"?

Edge Of Midnight: The Life Of John Schlesinger is the authorized biography of the filmmaker whose most famous works include "Midnight Cowboy", "Bloody Sunday", "Marathon Man", and "Day of the Locust". Written with the full cooperation of Schlesinger, his family, and his companion of 36 years Michael Childers, as well as with complete access to tapes, diaries, production notes, and correspondence, not to mention interviews with the actors, crew members, friends and colleagues who knew Schlesinger, Edge Of Midnight accurately traces the singularly amazing career of a dedicated and visionary man. Highly recommended for professional cinema researchers and intrigued lay readers alike.

Poor John Schlesinger. This gifted filmmaker never seemed happy, gave off more than a whiff of bitterness, and even seemed jealous of some of the people with whom he worked.

Most especially, the late Penelope Gilliatt, who authored his finest work, "Sunday Blody Sunday." There has been much misinformation regarding this film. Gilliatt was a brilliant film and theatre critic and a writer of fiction. She was orginally part of the greatly influential team of Kenneth Tynan and Gilliatt at the Observer (London). Schlesinger asked Gilliatt to write the sceenplay of Sunday Bloody Sunday. He thought she was the "right writer." Subsequently, the film was made and received rapturous reviews; it stands today as Schlesinger's finest work, along with his T.V. film, "An Englishman Abroad." The trouble started when Gilliatt received the vast majority of the praise for the film, back in 1971 -- I remember. Pauline Kael went so far as to say that Schlesinger had been inspired by the "delicate substance" of Gilliatt's script, which led him to do his finest work. (And Kael and Gilliatt were NOT friends.)
Perhaps, in addition to Gilliatt's brilliance as a fiction writer, Schlesinger chose the heterosexual Gilliatt to write the script because she had been a champion of civil rights for gays and lesbians in Great Britain in the 1950s, when she was only in her 20s, long before, say, Stonewall in the U.S.A., and fought so that GLBTs could have a place at the theatre and film tables of England under the repressive and homophobic Lord Chamberlain. At any rate, her much-honored script is what the film is remembered for. (Also, Sunday Bloody Sunday didn't get a Best Picture Oscar nod, whatever that silly thing is worth, not because of the subject matter, but because a major English studio was about to go bankrupt owing to the dreadful and dreadfully expensive movie bomb "Nicholas and Alexanda," so the Academy members rushed in to help, or at least tried to, with a Best Picture nomination for it to get the studio afloat.) On its release, SBS was not a commerical success.
Anyway, SBS was a major criticial success. The attention focused immediately on Gilliatt and her original screenplay. Schlesinger charged in one interview that Gilliatt had wanted him to film the scene in which Peter Finch and Murray Head kiss, in long-shot, with the two of them running toward each other in slo-mo and shot side-on. Gilliatt was a film critic of what has been described as sky-rocketing intelligence (at the Observer and at The New Yorker), who received threats for her theatre criticism in support of breakthrough playrights in England. I cannot believe that she ever, even once, suggested, as Schlesinger claimed, that she wanted Finch and Head to run toward each other in slow-mo longshot for their kiss. Read her dazzling reviews of Ingmar Bergman's The Passion of Anna and Face to Face to know that she was simply incapable of that sort of sentimentality. To my knowledge, Schlesinger never offered any proof of the charge, either. The problem was, as I remember the events, he and Gilliatt didn't get along and he simply seemed terribly jealous of the acclaim heaped on her. He called her an intellectual snob, apparently because she was largely self-educated and a genius. She had, according to her friends, a near-photographic memory, was the youngest person ever to pass the entrance exams to Oxford, spoke six or so languages, was a serious writer of fiction and criticism, and had a colossal knowledge of theatre and film. Schlesinger must have felt deeply intimidated. How could he hold his own with her?
The playwright Joe Orton, also gay, apparently had no problem with her erudition, as they were beloved friends, and Gilliatt had many, many loyal and faithful friends in the GLBT community. Anybody who has read her fiction will know the script is hers in its entirety, and she made changes only to repair some structural problems and to accomodate the line readings of the actors, with whom she worked closely throughout the film, especially Glenda Jackson. Peter Finch said her script was the most beautiful he had ever read. How all this must have galled Schlesinger, already a sometimes trying presence to those who knew him. At the end, he made one dreadful film after another, often blaming the result on the actors' interference, etc. In truth, Hollywood had become so infantilized that the work of serious filmmakers was largely abandoned long before Schlesinger's death. All the same, he made two magnificent works, Sunday Bloody Sunday and An Englishman Abroad, and one deeply flawed but beautifully acted film Midnight Cowboy. It's doubtful the rest of his work will survive. As for Gilliatt, her vast body of criticism (film and theatre) is used in university film and theatre classes around the world, many of her short stories will survive as masterworks of the form, her brilliant profiles of Bunuel, Godard, Renoir, etc., are among the best of their kind and will be read long after all of us are gone. And Schlesinger, apparently jealous to the end, will forever be indebted to Penelope Gilliatt for her contributions, and she made many, many more contributions to the film than her screenplay, for as long as he or his film is remembered.

I am lying in the sun in Hollywood and I have just devoured this splendid John Schlesinger biography. I recommend it to every movie fan the world over. It is a lovely book and worthy of its subject.

Being north of forty, it would be impossible to underestimate the importance of John Schlesinger's influence on my life as a gay man. Midnight Cowboy and Sunday Bloody Sunday were seismic movie going moments for me. Truly great movies in their own right, both have fully-dimensional gay characters as well as homo-erotic moments that lodged in my young brain and stayed. Jon Voight is a luscious Ken Doll in Midnight Cowboy. And Murray Head could be the poster boy for sexy 70's male in Sunday Bloody Sunday. Glenda Jackson watching Murray's perfect physique as he showered was thunderous for me because every day in Catholic high school I stood next to beautiful boys in showers and I couldn't stop staring and also could not forget none of them would ever be mine.

And thank you John Schlesinger for Julie Christie! The movie-going public will be forever in John's gratitude for giving us Julie.

They say that the music one listens to in our teenage years becomes "our" passion music-wise for our entire lives. Certainly, my life-long allegiance to Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin attests to that.

I feel the same way about Julie Christie. I was too young for Billy Liar and Darling when they came out. But both movies mean a great deal to me now. As do McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Shampoo and Return of the Soldier and Afterglow. I love watching this creature on screen. Julie is sexy to me even though I have no desire for her. And I am as much a fan now as I ever was when I first laid eyes on her. More of a fan probably.

Bravo to William J. Mann for painting a vivid portrait of one of our greatest film directors. And bravo John for your illustrious career!

William J Mann is interviewing famed movie director John Schlesinger at his home in Palm Springs. John has just had triple bypass operation followed by a stroke which has left him paralyzed on one side, confined to a wheelchair, and almost voiceless. Although his brain is far from crippled and he can nod, shake his head, and sometimes answer questions in a brief, unexpectedly pointed whisper.

They spend their days together looking out at the mountains which edge the city, and William sometimes talks with Michael Childers, John's lover and partner for many years. Friends of John's occasionally pop in for a visit - Julie Christie, and Brenda Vaccaro, all tearful and upset at John's seemingly hopeless condition.

Mann uses this sense of immediacy to great effect in Edge of Midnight: The Life of John Schlesinger. Each chapter begins with a sense of how John is declining and how the author is racing against time to find out as much as he can. By interweaving the present with the past, Mann traces richly varied accounts of John's early struggles and glory days.

The end result is of man who has led a creative, and artistically fuelled life, with Mann offering a poignant contrast between the figure who sits staring at the mountains beyond the window, adrift in silent internal exile, with the sound of his laughter on recorded tapes. John's creative energy and intuition, his penchant for mischievousness and naughtiness, and his willingness to take risks and really push the cinematic envelope for more than twenty years, are highlighted with a candid and sincere accuracy.

And John Schlesinger also gave us Julie Christie, whom Schlesinger chose for the character of Liz in Billy Liar. The world of cinema would indeed by dull without the gorgeous Julie. Much of the narrative talks about the tremendous international success of Darling, and how the movie, not only cemented Christie's stardom, but also allowed John to go on to make even riskier movies.

Mann talks about why Darling was so historically significant and the part it played in the cinematic sexual revolution, which in turn greatly affected the changing sexual habits and attitudes in much of the West. John was determined to raise the bar with onscreen frankness, and he often found himself stymied by the Hollywood old guard who were determined to promise their audiences "real stars looking glamorous in beautiful gowns in beautiful sets, no kitchen sinks, no violence, no messages."

But it was Midnight Cowboy and Sunday Bloody Sunday that really pushed the cinematic envelope: Sunday Bloody Sunday, with film's first same sex kiss, boldly rejects "moral" judgment in its account of the middle-class London doctor and the professional woman's feelings and presents both kinds of love as equally natural.

In Midnight Cowboy, Jon Voight's naive hustler from Texas foresees a future for himself in New York as a stud for affluent lonely ladies, but failure plummets him to the city's harsh and seamy underside instead. Midnight Cowboy proved that films, which overthrew convention, that dared embrace radical form and content, could also make money.

Schlesinger admits that he wanted to tell stories that dealt with the human condition, human difficulties, and even the illusions of love. His films were all about adult themes - the difficulties of maintaining relationships, abortion, extramarital affairs, and homosexuality. He wanted to make films about "people pushed on to an edge," and also people who were regarded as the underdog, the outsider in society.

He believed that films needed to be relevant, and that they needed to reflect the changing society. He also wanted his audiences to think, but more importantly, he wanted them to "feel," be it terror or revulsion or compassion or pity. In later years when he couldn't set up the films he wanted to make, Schlesinger damaged his reputation, then his heart and his arteries, by accepting too many potboilers in the desperate, unfulfilled hope of a box-office success that would enable him to work on his own terms again.

Glenda Jackson had a filthy sense of humor. John played a terrible joke on Julie Christie, which involved a feminine sex aid during the making of Far From the Madding Crowd. Sean Penn, although enormously talented, was a nightmare to work with. At the last minute, Brenda Vaccaro refused to show her nipples when doing the love scene in Midnight Cowboy.

The Hollywood brass turned their back on John after the colossal failure of Honky Tonk Freeway, Rupert Everett and Madonna gave the poor man hell on his final disastrous movie, The Next Best Thing - Madonna begging him to do for her what he had done for Julie Christie, while Everett was more concerned with rewriting the script as they were shooting.

William J. Mann has indeed written a formidable account of one director's life, a wonderful patchwork of tidbits including interviews with the people he helped make famous - Alan Bates, Julie Christie, Glenda Jackson. Martin Sheen, Ian McKellan, and Dustin Hoffman.

What evolves is a fascinating biography of a man who desired success, and ambition, and even lots of money. It's a portrait of a tormented man who had a quirky pessimism not withstanding and lived a life relatively free of personal demons. Comfortable with his homosexuality, and totally committed to making movies, "his art came not from discontentment with life, but rather from a love of it." Mike Leonard October 05.

AN EXCELLENT BOOK!!!
W. THOMAS SMITH JR. EXPLAINS THE CIA IN EASY TO UNDERSTAND TERMS.
I GIVE IT FIVE STARS BECAUSE AFTER SPENDING SOME TIME WITH THIS ENCYCLOPEDIA I NOW HAVE A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CIA AND HOW IT FITS IN THE OVERALL DEFENSE AND SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY.
THOUGH IT SEEMS BRIEF IN CERTAIN SECTIONS, IT IS WELL WRITTEN AND MUCH NEW LIGHT IS SHED ON THE SUBJECT OF THE CIA. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND OTHER INTELLIGENCE GROUPS!!!

Smith's book is the ultimate resource for those fascinated with history and our countries most conroversial governmental agency - the Central Intelligence Agency .....fascinating and long forgotten tales of intrique - finally there is a source, beautifully organized, with the answers to any questions you may have about the CIA....thanks W. Thomas Smith, Jr. your book is well done.

The ultimate resource for history buffs who want a quick and ready reference book that details the history of the CIA and allows for a quick look up for forgotten names and facts.....a random trip through this fascinating book brings up incredible historic information you may have forgotten.

Great resource book to have on hand. W.Thomas Smith, Jr. brings his experience and talent as a jounalist to this much needed reference book.

This is a very good reference book and helpful to those of us who want to understand our CIA and how it works.
I also found it interesting that Julia Child was in the CIA.
This book deserves five stars.

This is one of the best books on the CIA I've read even though its an encyclopdia form with entries. Particularly fascinating are the unknown operations which W. Thos. Smith Jr. has brought to the forefront of history. What makes this book so good is it's objectivity. CIA has its skeletons. But it also has it courageous heroes and patriots most of which we have never heard of.
Smith also does justice to the brave men and women of the OSS of second World War fame.
I highly recommend this to anyone who hopes to have a better understanding of the CIA and its roots. Smith is a journalist from the south, writing articles for USA Today and Wash. Post, proving once again that some of the best American writers continue to come from below Mason-Dixon.

This book was intended as a companion for the Bertolucci film Little Buddha, a sweet tale that verges on saccharine--but which offers a beautiful dramatization of the story of the Buddha and his enlightenment. Also: Keanu Reeves doing an Indian accent and trying to look enlightened--can't go wrong with that!

As an introduction to Buddhism, it is neither systematic nor comprehensive. What it does offer the reader is a chance to delve into the different strands of Buddhist spirituality and philosophy, which are represented pretty well here. It's a great book for somebody who only knows a little about the Buddha and Buddhism, and wants to know more without getting a biased or ax-grinding introduction from someone who definitely identifies with one school, tradition, or vehicle within Buddhism. It also contains enough gems--some really good essays and texts here--to satisfy readers who know about Buddhism and maybe even practice it, but are still seeking nourishment and knowledge.

All in all, a fine, well-stocked, somewhat eclectic book o' Buddhism.

This is an excellent introduction and intermediate level book on Buddhism. How can it be both? As an introduction, one would read each chapter through to gain an initial impression of the various key teachings and tenets of Buddhism. As one reads the book for the second or third time, one learns more and sees interconnectedness among topics, chapters, and ideas. Just as the teachers would have you do in their zendos, centers, and temples. If you are looking for a "what are the various types of Buddhism" book, then check out Nancy Wilson Ross' "Buddhism: A Way of Life and Thought." This book is more about the different teachings.

This hefty collection of sutras and essays by Buddhists from both East and West somehow seemed a bit leaden. Part of it are marvelous, including the famous illustrated "Ten Bulls" path to Buddhism, but other tortuous explanations of some of the schools of Buddhism (admittedly they don't deal with simple matters or distinctions) left me cold. In the end it felt like Bertolucci's film - a bit overblown.

This is an excellent collection of writings aimed at clearing up confusion one may have about basic buddhist doctorines and the different buddhist schools. It is not a good place to start for the total beginner, since this book seems to be aimed at those who have some knowledge of buddhism and wish to advance their understanding of it. It is not as cut and dry as some of the other buddhist primers available today. One gets a variety of writers with varied insights into the Buddha Dharma. Highly reccommended!!!

The publisher has reissued this book in the Shambhala Classics series under the title: THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS.

Larry Collins wrote "Is Paris Burning". At a dinner party a retired General told him he should research Operation Fortitude. From that research came his book "Fall from Grace." It is based upon the disinformation that was generated during Operation Overloard to make the Germans think that the Normandy Invasion would actually be 200 miles north at the Port of Calis.

The Nazis actually had enough tanks and army troops to Port of Calis to completely defeat the invading forces of the Allied armies. Because the Germans were so convinced that Normandy was only a diversion these tanks and troops were never committed to fighting the invading forces until it was too late. It is now thought that the English used double agents to let the Gestapo capture about 20 French resistance fighters who were in the Port of Calis area. These French were convinced that the invasion would take place in The Port of Calis. Under severe torture these agents finally broke and revealed the invasion plans that the British had fabricated. All of these agents were finally executed. The details of these betrayls were so repulsive to our Christian ideals that they were kept secret until 1980. The book that Mr. Collins made from this ordeal is absolutely spell binding. He has substituted a gorgeous and corageous American Girl of French ancestry to be the Spy who is broken by the Gestapo. The French spy is actually a double agent who, under British orders, has involved the Gestapo in his plans. When the British want to make the Germans believe that he is truly a Frenchman working for the Germans they order his execution. The best part is TF O'Neil who is the son of an Irish imigrant who is on the general staff of the USA. He has graduated from Yale and is told by General Marshall, before going to England, that America needs to fight with honor. So he is outraged when he learns that Catherine is sent into Occupied France not knowing that she is to be captured by the Gestapo and tortured to the brink of death. We are finally made aware of how Draconian our side was when she takes her Cyanide pill and then wakes up only to learn that it did not work.

FALL FROM GRACE es de esas novelas que te dejan el cuerpo hecho polvo... porque no puedes soltarlas hasta que acabes su lectura. Cuenta una historia dentro de otra. La que interesa es la primera,la de una mujer decidida, aventurera y con gran sentimiento patriótico a quien el destino fatal empuja a la caída en desgracia del título. En España fue traducido como Juego Mortal, título convencional aunque no deja de ser adecuado. La otra mujer con más peso en la novela actúa más de contrapunto. Otras relaciones interesantes son las que se establecen entre Paul y Stromelburg, el americano y Ridley y, naturalmente, Catherine y Paul. Muy recomendada.

Incredible. I couldn't put the book down. The flow of the story immerses you thoroughly. This book presents a fairly realistic background of France during the occupation and the struggles of so many against the Third Reich. The twist is unexpected and dark. The epitome of human scheming and deviousness, to deceive and obfuscate. Though at the end, you could understand why it was necessary but still I couldn't help wanting to get my hands around the throat of a particular British soldier in the story. A must read!

This extraordinary historical WWII thriller is the fictional account of a true story. "Plan Fortitude" actually existed. It's goal was to influence the decision making of the German High Command by supplying their agents and other Nazi information sources with disinformation. The men who conceived and executed the plan reported directly to Winston Churchill and few were privy to it, including the British and American Secret Services. The intelligence involved was and still remains one of the war's best kept secrets and without its successful implementation the Normandy invasion would have failed. Most of the men and women who gave their lives so that the plan, and thus the invasion, would succeed will never be recognized for their valor and patriotism. Without their sacrifices the world would be a very different place today.

Larry Collins, co-author of "Is Paris Burning?," another fictional factual account of the last days of the Nazi occupation of Paris, takes the reader deep into the world of espionage, deception and betrayal that paved the way for D-Day. The Allies knew that Hitler had enough tanks and troops placed strategically in France to overwhelm the Allies and prevent an invasion of the continent. Their best bet for success was to lead Hitler and his generals to believe that the invasion at Normandy was only a preliminary to the major event which would take place a few days later near Calais. Thus Hitler would keep the bulk of his forces in reserve for the shadowy Calais invasion, which was never to come.

To pull-off this deadly game, with the highest of stakes at risk, imaginary armies, barracks, vehicles and buildings were constructed - all resembling stage props from close-up, but not from the air. Cryptographers, spies, counter spies, double and triple agents were employed, and sometimes betrayed, tortured and killed by the Gestapo for the good of the Allied cause. Catherine Pradier, a highly intelligent and very beautiful woman of half French, half British parentage, wanted very much to do something to actively serve both her countries. Her godfather, a British peer, was able to pull the necessary strings to grant her wish. He would never have done so had Catherine not possessed tremendous strength of character and courage. Catherine was trained to be "dropped" into Occupied France and assist in the sabotage of France's German-run arms industry and cause as much chaos behind German lines as possible. At best, she could hope to do her job successfully. Worse case scenario, she would be captured, tortured and killed or deported to a German concentration camp. The British government's position was clear, "Women are entitled to join in the defense of our common beliefs as are men. The war is total, not restricted to men alone." And, in fact, women were better able to move around Occupied France than men. They were less suspect and they couldn't be swept off the streets and shipped to Germany for forced labor. Catherine's job was to function as radio operator and courier for a French resistance chief. The contact who first meets Catherine when her Lysander plane lands in a French field is an agent, code name Paul. His history of espionage and counter espionage is too complicated to do justice to here. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but clearly their professional duties and obligation to their country come before everything else.

Many of the large cast of characters are historical figures: Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Dwight D. Eisenhower, various generals, government officials, etc.. The research that Mr. Collins has done is phenomenal and makes the novel read like a journalistic account at times. The fictional characters are no less intriguing and some do take their point of departure, according to the author, from actual characters who did exist. The roles they played, the work they did, are similar to the work done by their real life counterparts in the war.

This is one of the best works of fiction I have read about WWII. I simply could not put this book down. The characters have depth and the events they were swept up in are thrilling, intense and terrifying. I was left with a feeling of disquiet when I finished the novel, thinking of the real men and women involved in the actual subterfuge, never knowing the critical importance of their jobs and efforts. Individually their stories are heartbreaking. However, without them the war could have easily been lost. Larry Collins brings all of this home in "Fall From Grace."
JANA

I could not stop reading it. The connection I felt with Catherine Pradier so strong, I wished I could help her in some way. If you have any interest in World War II, espionage, or just the appreciation of beautiful women, read this novel.

The book is rather thin,but if you're a real lotr music fan,then you won't mind.
All of The Prophecy is included which makes for an interesting experience.
Many Meetings gives you Elrond's theme and a little bit of the Shire.
The beautiful songs Aniron and May It Be are little more than chords which is still better than nothing.
In Dreams is satisfying due to its accuracy and is hard enough to make it pretty.
Lament For Gandalf is really useless.It's just the same two unapealing music phrases for about 5 minutes.
I was rather disappointed with the lack of music from the movie such as Concerning Hobbits,The Bridge of Kazad Dum,and The Breaking of the Fellowship which they should have included.But I have to give it 4 stars just because I love the soundtrack and anything from it is worth getting.

It's books like this that made me wish I had the natural talent for music, or had at least studied and practiced hard enough to develop talent. The motion picture score that Howard Shore composed for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is absolutely brilliant, and while nothing can match his magnificent orchestra, there is something unique and incredible about hearing the same music played on a simple piano -- coming from your very own fingers.

The music on the pages can be described as intermediate level. Beginners will have trouble, but intermediates can slowly pick their way through, depending on their experience, and get better with practice.

The front cover is the same design as the DVD poster, and the original movie promotional art. Inside, 26 pages, including four front-and-back pages containing pictures from the movie.

The tracks you can play are:

- In Dreams, the end-credits song featured in the CD track "The Breaking of the Fellowship".

- The Prophecy, the never-used track that was, I believe, intended for the movie's prologue. The sheet music includes the Elvish lyrics, with the translation following at the end of the song.

- Aníron, the theme for Aragorn and Arwen, as sung by Enya. Again, the Elvish is provided in the music, and the translation at the end.

- Lament for Gandalf, featured in the Lothlorien track. It has the haunting sound that is used for the Elves at that part in the movie, but, as the title suggests, is almost a funeral dirge for Gandalf after the Elves learn of his death. Again, Elvish in the music, translation at the end.

- Many Meetings, the cerebral and heavenly theme for the Elven haven of Rivendell. Probably one of my favorite in the book, and one that, once you learn to play it through, will be something you'll want to play over and over.

- May It Be, the other end-credits song (actually, May It Be is the end credits song, and In Dreams is the *other* one) performed once again by Enya. The lyrics don't make a whole lot of sense, but it's still another quiet one to play. Since Enya only uses a smattering of Elvish in her song, the translation is provided within the music.

I think most fans will agree there were better selections that could have been made for the Fellowship of the Ring sheet music...the Hobbit theme, Moria, and the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm to name a few. But for the Lord of the Rings fans, lovers of gorgeous music, and people who are both, this book makes an excellent gift, or a just-for-you purchase!

This collection of songs from the soundtrack of the movie 'The Fellowship of the Ring' is a definite gem. The songs, in order, are 'In Dreams' [words and music by Fran Walsh and Howard Shore], 'The Prophecy' [text by J.R.R. Tolkien], 'Aniron' [words by Roma Ryan, music by Enya and Nicky Ryan] 'A lament for Gandalf' [text by Philippa Boyens], 'Many Meetings' [music by Howard Shore], and 'May it Be' [words by Roma Ryan, Music by Enya and Nicky Ryan]. Inside, there are also lots of beautiful pictures from the movie. This is a beautiful accompaniment for the soundtrack. The music is for 'piano, vocal, or chords', but other instruments could play along. I would DEFINETELY rate this 10 stars, only the limit is 5. I recommend this music for anyone who loves music, Enya, or The Lord of the Rings.

This has to be one of the most amazing books of sheet music I've ever seen. It's thrilling to play the beautiful songs featured in the Fellowship of the Ring. With favorite songs like "May It Be" and "In Dreams", it can be used for piano, guitar, or vocals. I was really pleased that the melody is worked into the piano music, so it sounds great with or without accompaniment. I would recommed it to everyone, even those who don't like Lord of the Rings!

This is an absolutely wonderful book of music. I am very into the piano, having taken lessons since I was five, and love it. In short, if you play the piano, love LOTR, and the music from the movie - buy this book! I am also a huge fan of both the books and movie trilogy, and Peter Jackson has my highest respect for staying more true to the books than any Hollywood movie does. Or any movie, for that matter.

"Five Stars" deserves five stars.

I read an early edition from Sutro Press, and "Five Stars" is truly a marvelous guide to making your dreams a reality, without any film school snobbery to weigh it down. The book surveys all the stuff you need to know to write credibly about movies, coaches you through the writing process, and even provides excellent tips on how to get your words published.

The author is a web entrepreneur, a seasoned magazine editor, and even a novelist, so he really knows what he's writing about, and that really comes through in the book. Whether you want to pursue film review as a career or even as an occasional hobby, or you just want to go see a lot of new movies and DVDs for free, this book is a fabulous way to start.

I love movies. I love to criticize movies. But I really just want to share my criticism with my friends, and I really don't care to be eloquent about it. Take the movie "Four Brothers" for instance. My review would run something like this: "WTF??? I gotta see that again!"

Now, if Christopher Null had written about how to become a food critic, I'd be all over that. I wonder if it would work to just replace words like "film" and "movie" with "food" and "eats", or "actor" and "actress" with "meat" and "potatoes". But then I would have to come up with all kinds of substitutes, and that would get complicated. Would I pick "flambe" or "brussel sprout" to replace "director", "chef" or "gourmet" for "producer", or "curry" or "whip cream" for "writer"? No I guess it wouldn't work.

Hopefully, Mr. Null has a food critic friend who will write a similarly great book entitled "Five Stars! How to Become a Food Critic, The Galaxy's Greatest Job." Let's face it, film critiquing may be great, but food critiquing, what could be better than eating for a living?

normally, i wouldn't want to be a film critic but christopher null makes you really think about it. a great critic...he's interesting and inventive--and has an appreciation for the out of the ordinary... just check out his wacky website. [...]

Other reviewers have gone into great detail about what's in this book so I won't repeat their efforts. Simply put, this book is written by a critic, Christopher Null, which knows movies and can put that knowledge on paper in an informative and still entertaining way. Each point he makes in this book includes at least one movie as an example and it's obvious by the movie titles he lists that he has watched thousands of them. This is a must buy for anyone that wants to be a film critic (or already believe they are one) and a highly recommended purchase for those of you, like me, that simply love watching movies.

If you're one of the millions who dream of turning your love of cinema into a lifelong vocation, you need to read Five Stars. This is the only book on the market today that tells you, step by step, exactly how to break into this business.

Without weighing you down with a bunch of worthless theory that means nothing in the real world, Five Stars quickly gets down to the nitty gritty. In this book, Christopher Null, one of the most widely published and respected movie critics on the internet, walks you through every phase of your personal development on the path to a successful career.

The tips in Five Stars clearly show you how to:
-Educate yourself about the larger world of cinema
-Become a smarter and more active movie goer
-Communicate your thoughts coherently
-Write lively, entertaining movie reviews
-Find outlets to publish your work

Even with the best guidance in the world, becoming a successful film critic isn't easy. But Five Stars will arm you with the knowledge you need to roll up your sleeves and put your talent to work. Whether you're a young upstart with a passion for movies or an established critic with years of experience, this book is a must-have for your personal library.

This was a great seiries to read. One of the best, but the truth is that this is the final conclusion to the series. That is all I can say because it is so good, you just cant stop reading it!!

I love this book it's so good. I can't wait to see SW2. Also I wonder if Jude Waston will come up with the young Obi-wan and Anni series. Hope so. That will be so cool if she does. Well back to the book. The book was exciting, it held you in suspence. The sith and everything. But it's so sad no more Obi-wna and Qui-gon books, I love them. Sob. Well sorry it's just a depressing thought.

While not the best in the series, this one was definitely "worthy". A different sort of plot than the usual, which was refreshing, and while the character developments were less than usual, I didn't really feel that this detracted from the story at all. This book begins with an eighteen (or thereabouts) year old Obi-Wan still apprenticed to Qui-Gon several years before Episode 1. The Jedi Council has recieved disturbing rumers of a possible Sith Holocron, floating around somewhere, and they immediately dispatch Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to find it at all costs. To avoid spoiling the story, I'll just say that almost nothing goes as planned, and the story abrubtly skips forward ten years; when a much older Obi-Wan now trains his own apprentice, thirteen year old Anakin Skywalker. To be honest, this was the first book I've read so far where I found myself liking and relating to Anakin's character at all. Most of the other books have portrayed him either as a whiny baby, or just your basic budding darksider. In this book, however, I could finally see him as a real person, much, much cooler as a teenager than a little kid. Anyway, if you've been following the series than this one is a must. Here's to the new Jedi Quest series being as good as Jedi Apprentice was!

W-O-W!! This book rocks!! Jude...being Jude...has created yet another incredibly written story.
Two generations of master and apprentice struggle for one of the most evil creations in the galaxy.
(And seeing obi-wan dependent on a madman for help is something else)
I never put it down. (Wait...untrue.I put it down once, to chase my cat away from trouble) Reading was acompanied by shreiks of pleasure as a new angle revealed itself (I kidd you not).
The entire jedi apprentice series has a vast legion of followers, of all different ages. But we all share one common trait. WE LOVE THIS SERIES!!!
Jude has walked us through the trials of Obi-Wan's life with a skill most of us can only dream of.
We have watched him grow from an impatient boy ruled by his emotions,to a steady young master destined for a life of greatness.
We have watched his relationship with Qui-Gon transformed from something small and fragile,into something vast and unbreakable. Even death couldn't truely seperate that perfect pair.
But,eventually,everything must someday come to an end...to make room for another new begining.
The Followers is the final book in this great series.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
But all is not lost. Obviously to prevent mass riotts in the streets =) , another series is on its way. One that can rival and perhaps even surpass Jedi Apprentice. Jedi Quest.
And so, we bid a very fond farwell to our beloved series, and a warm welcome to its successor.
Jude, thank you. Thank you for the years of pleasure you have given us. And for the years yet to come.
*APPLAUSE*

Obi-Wan and his Master, Qui-Gon, tackle a mysterious mission that revolves around the followers of the Sith -- and a search for the Holocron, a mystical object that enables its user to have great powers. The Holocron has been hidden under a planet's dangerous ocean for many years, and all who have gone after it failed. When Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are sent to retrieve it so that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, the mission is still left unsolved. Ten years later, when Qui-Gon has been killed and Obi-Wan has Anakin for his apprentice, once again the threat of the Dark Side arises. The followers of the Sith are apparently still waiting for the chance when they will have their hands on the Holocron. Obi-Wan and Anakin have to stop the Dark Side from winning. The future of all darkness in the galaxy rests in their mission now. Jedi Apprentice: Special Edition #2: The Followers is Jude Watson's final chapter in the Jedi Apprentice series, but thankfully the story continues into the new Jedi Quest books. It's a stunning and thrilling conclusion, and most memorable of all is the haunting last paragraph on the final page of this, the end of the Jedi Apprentice series.

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is a mesmerizing account of what it's like to be a movie producer. Besides sharing his own stories, Stephen Simon has written a thought provoking analogy of over 70 movies and the mystical messages he found in them.

Who will cherish this book? Movie lovers; people pursuing spiritual growth; anyone interested in any aspect of movie making... anyone...

I believe it was Mr. Simon's unquenchable love for humanity and the planet kept him going against all odds. The word "no" is unrecognizable in his consciousness. Oh - he's heard the word all right, more than most people. His heart has been shattered over and over, but love pieced it back together and motivated him on the relentless pursuit of his dreams. Did you know, for instance, that "What Dreams May Come" was 20 years in the making? Twenty years! And that "Somewhere In Time" bombed when it came out in theaters? Read the haunting and amazing story of how it resurrected itself and became one of the best loved
films of all times.

Stephen Simon is a visionary. The human race is evolving rapidly now and movies are one of the most profound tools we have to assist our evolution. Mr. Simon is forging a path for the genre of mystical movies (a genre Hollywood has not recognized). He discusses the industry and where he sees it heading.

Read this book. But be prepared to cry, to laugh, to be inspired and to grow in consciousness.

...

Stephen Simon's book is an inspiring read. Right from the beginning, you realize that this author, a producer and film executive with over twenty-five years experience in the Hollywood arena, is writing from the heart. He is passionate about awakening us to the spiritual cinema genre, movies that contain spiritual messages. Although this is a genre as yet not recognized by Hollywood, Simon maintains that these movies already exist, and indeed have done so for quite some time. He takes us on an entertaining, intimate, thought provoking and often humourous journey through a personal selection of seventy or so such films. Rest assured that this is not a book that critiques film, rather it illuminates. Perhaps Neale Donald Walsch says it best in his forward to the book: "If you love movies, you're going to love this book. If you love life, you're going to adore it. And if you love a good story, get set, because you're about to hear some great ones." I thoroughly loved reading "The Force is With You", and I think you will too.

Author Stephen Simon writes an excellent book about spiritualism and the messages in movies; movies that speak to the emotional context of a person's soul. I realized that the messages Mr. Simon writes about the very things that I found missing in most mainstream films. (Thank God I live in city where art houses exist, but I realize not everyone has that luxury) Finally someone was able to show that there is more going on up on the big screen than what meets the eye. Every movie that he writes about in his book is in some way or another a winner, regardless of what it did in box office receipts. Still this book is a lot more than just a much of plot synopsis and message of some really great movies. Mr. Simon writes about his life growing up in movie industry. His battle to get both "Somewhere in Time" and "What Dreams May Become" (both based on books by author Richard Matheson-a great writer himself) made into films. His elation of getting both films made and then watching as the critics ripped both of them both apart , only to become resurrected and warmly welcomed on cable, video and DVD by thousands of people years later. Plus, his very telling reasoning on why mainstream movies have to stay "commercial," he writes volumes in a few pages that will generate debate for years to come. Whatever your spiritual beliefs, I think there is something in this book for every movie lover.

This is new movement and a new way of thinking about movies and I'll gladly be in the front row watching as those beautiful, special images and messages flicker over me.

Hallelujah! We finally have a book that's dedicated to covering the newly emerging category of spiritual cinema! THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is written by Hollywood insider Stephen Simon, who writes straight from his heart about the significant messages in more than 70 movies. Spiritual Cinema is all about exploring the meaning of love, life, death, time, and space -- which are the topics I most enjoy seeing in the movies. Most of my favorite movies are included here: The Matrix, Sliding Doors, Somewhere in Time, The Kid, Frequency, Star Wars, Lost Horizon, The Sixth Sense, Ghost, What Dreams May Come, Defending Your Life, Groundhog Day, Contact, Phenomenon, Powder, Being There, The Truman Show, Sleepless in Seattle, Family Man, and It's A Wonderful Life.

What I love best about THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is the way it so clearly conveys a sense of hope, inspiration, and purposefulness about the way humanity learns about its worst fears and greatest hopes through stories. Yes, we love to vividly imagine the end of the world... but we also love to dream of ways we can find solutions to our biggest problems. We know that it's not easy being more spiritually and psychically evolved... but we love to imagine how those of us who are different can be accepted in mainstream society.

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is priceless for clarifying what the new genre of "Spiritual Cinema" is all about, and for providing an inspiring list of the most spiritual movies of all time. It is my deepest hope that this book will help establish awareness in film-makers everywhere of the importance of making spiritual movies, as it helps movie-goers better understand the significance of the movies they see.

I apologize up front to those who can't stand anything negative, but hey, someone has to speak up and make all you positive types feel superior, right?

First let me say I enjoyed the book. If you love movies, you will also enjoy the book. It did need a good editor, though, as it had misspellings, repetition, bad grammar and even attributed FDR's famous "fear" quote to Churchill. Do you think I'm a bad person for pointing that out? Then you're a bad person for having thought that. Ha!

Lastly, its unrelenting positive tone drove me a little bananas. Why? It did not reflect life and so Stephen Simon did not feel authentic. I don't think life on Earth is ever going to be 100% positive. Why? Because life would die. One hand clapping produces nothing but silence. We humans happen to have two hands. For those of us who are not saints nor are aspiring to be, there is good and bad. Yeah, it's all relative, but hey, it's a structure that helps you keep your balance. Don't take it all so seriously. To read a book in which nothing but good things are said about everybody, with the usual (and constant) Hollywood adjectives: amazing, unbelievable, wonderful, fantastic, etc., is to find one's teeth suddenly coated up with sugar and gagging on it.

You can say that someone did a bad job without condemning them, can't you? You can point out that someone made a mistake without wanting to throw them away, right? This is Earth, folks. It's all about context. We have sunshine and rain. We also have drought and floods. To point out these latter conditions does not make you negative or unspiritual. But we are in the movie business so we don't want to offend anyone. Fine. Here's your heads up. With this book you'll find yourself in a rowboat with only one oar. You'll go in circles, but will still enjoy the ride.

This was probably one of the best Sabrina books I've read. I liked it a lot. If you can't figure out what to read, read this book!

This book is a good book,Because it's funny at times and it's a kind of book that you can just sit down and readwithout having to worry about what'sgoing to happen next!It has so much creativity in it thats why you don't have to worry.This book is about a teenage witch that is living with her two aunts,Zelda and Hilda.She is having a hard time these days especially being a teenager and a witch at the same time.it's hard for her to just get through the day without anyone figuring out that shes a witch.If i had to rate this book eith a 1to10 i would give it a 8.

A bucket on fruit punch in her head? An avalanche of Popcorn, in her locker? A cold banana pudding on her bed? A TOOTHPASTE ON A TOILET SEAT? Now that's a definite "eww!". All this happened to Sabrina the day the new exchange student from China named Mei Hua came in Westbridge. She, with her Mona Lisa smile looked like a nice shy girl but... yeah right! She has a big crush on Harvey Kinkle and she has Libby Chessler and her family as family guest in Westbridge. Doesn't mean she's mean like Libby, but she's a mischievious fox according to Grandmother Chu. Sabrina is on the pursuit to get the fox from Chinatown, New York City to the Great Wall of China. Two thumbs up great book filled with magic and laughter. Also recommend: Harvest Moon, I'll Zap Manatthan and Eight Spells A Week (Super Edition)

The best! I don't blame Sabrina for being jealous- Harvey's a HUNK!

This book is yet again another fabulous Sabrina. In this book Sabrina is hit by some bad luck and this all happened when a new exchange student comes to Westbridge. Mei seems pretty nice and she has an effect on Harvey. Sabrina knows something is up and she's going to find out!

I'd completed a Psy 101 class with a glossing over of Freud and I just wanted to cement in some concepts and possible inspire some additional readings. I was impressed that the language used was easy but not insulting. The glossary in the back was handy. The commical pictures helped to quickly illustrate the points being made. I read cover to cover and found myself laughing out loud a few times. While Freud certainly is interesting, I am now moving on to read some others written about in the series. A few of the pictures I thought would be nice to have as a fun note card; some illustrations were just overboard. I certainly would not want a child or teen to come across the pictures in this book. Definately served it's purpose and inspired me to read more.

promt delivery. recommended by one of my tutors at university. frank easy to read, some of the illustrations made me smile but i found them easy to remember.

The 'xxx for beginners' are marvellous not just because they give you a valuable grounding in forbidding subjects, allowing you to approach primary texts with more confidence, but because they are so entertaining, even in subjects you have little interest in. Though this book is a much-needed introduction to and exposition of Freud's basic theories, making you feel clever as you join the dots you always knew were there but for the intimidating jargon, the real joy is in the irreverent presentation, especially the illustrations. These are full of in-jokes about Freud's life and times which are not always treated explicitely in the text, as well as being technically expert, imaginative and, sometimes, bracingly shocking. So while it is pleasing, in these anti-Freudian times, to be reminded of the man's incalculable importance and influence, the illustrations offer an in-built critique that puts everything in perspective. Great fun.

This book is just a book, but a better book than its successor of the same title by Richard Osborne. Mostly because it does not hang onto the relationship between Jung and Freud as long and focuses more on the theories of Freud. In fact, what I really enjoyed about this book is that gave a good round about summary of most of Freuds theories inside each book. Certainly acts a good stepping stone for those who need to know Freud in a hurry and wants the gist of his work. Richard Appignanesi displays good understanding of Freuds work and summarizes it well and concise. Reccomended for the prodigal psychologist.

(See page 79 for explanation and a very funny illustration of the second stage of psychosexual development). This book, in addition to being very informative, is also incredibly funny. Very well written and drawn; though in the form of a comic book, it is nevertheless a splendid introduction to Freud's life and work. The author and illustrator are quite witty as well as knowledgeable, and in this book they have succeeded at what should be the goal of all beginners' book writers: piqued my interest in the subject and made me want to learn more. Would be a great supplementary text in a course on Freud or on psychology/psychoanalysis in general. Highly recommended!