Amy Irving Books

If you are a fan of biographies but are intimidated by 1,000-page tomes, Life Stories is a great choice. Some say the New Yorker invented the "profile," and though it does seem the magazine was the first to call its biographical pieces by that name (amazing, considering how ubiquitous the term is today), editor David Remnick is quick to assert that they hardly invented the style. What they have done for decades is find the most interesting people and have the best writers provide illumination. Nearly every profile here is profound and nearly every one of them is short enough to read in a single (long) sitting. And while it's a treat to learn intimate details of some of the most famous people of the 20th century, it's the profiles of the lesser-known people that shine: from Joseph Mitchell's encounter with an aging churchman with a penchant for baking to the story of the Chudnovsky brothers, Russian emigres who built a supercomputer in their apartment from salvaged parts. Fantastic reading from start to finish.

The writing is beautiful. The story telling is beautiful. The stories are amazing. Five Stars.

This is a collection of prime examples of the long gone "profile" piece in The New Yorker magazine. They just don't write 'em like this anymore!

Choose Truman Capote's profile of Marlon Brando, or Lillian Ross' profile of Ernest Hemingway, or any of the 20-some other profiles in this book. You will read some of the best writing about some of the most exciting people in 20th Century history.

Is there a second volume in the works? I hope so!

This is a compilation of some of the best Profiles to appear in the New Yorker over the last 80 years. Sometimes you will be familiar with the person being profiled, sometimes not, but in all cases you will find the stories entertaining and the writing, superb.

My favorite Profile happens to be of one of the non-famous persons, George H. Hunter ("Mr. Hunter's Grave," by Joseph Mitchell). It is a story not so much about a person but of a long-forgotten community, and a way of life. Despite being the longest entry in the audio collection, I rewound the tape three or four times to listen to it again and again - it was that good.

Some of the celebrity stories are just as compelling, although, being celebrities, many aspects of their lives are already well known. But this sometimes opened a window into foreshadowing that could not have been appreciated by the reader (or even the writer) at the time the piece was done. One example of this concerns Ernest Hemingway ("How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen?", by Lillian Ross). Hidden somewhere in the middle of the Profile, Ross mentions the fact that Hemingway's father had committed suicide. This had no major relation to the story in general, and was probably forgotten by most readers at the time, but we have the perspective of history. And it becomes more than just a tidbit when we realize that Hemingway, too, committed suicide 10 years later, in 1961.

Another eyebrow-raising instance came when hearing about Marlon Brando ("The Duke In His Domain," by Truman Capote). Capote was on location with Brando in Japan as Brando was taking part in the filming of "Sayonara." Brando at one point confesses to Capote that he had to lose weight for the part, and that he wasn't there yet. He still had 10-15 pounds to go. Despite this, the dinners delivered to Brando's hotel room are not those of one looking to cut down; to the contrary, Brando could only gain weight eating the food being sent up to him! Hearing Brando fuss about what he should and should not eat and Capote take note of the rich foods on the tray, it almost seems fake, as if Capote knew how Brando was going to end up. But, of course, he didn't. The story was written in 1957!

But what makes this collection great, though, is the quality of the writing itself. It matters not the subject: actor, comedian, dancer, writer, boxer, even a dog! The common thread running through all the Profiles is the way in which each story is told. Always lucid, always interesting, the stories are less stories and more like works of art.

If you enjoy exceptional writing, this collection is for you. Highly recommended. Five stars.

Hemingway, Baryishnikov, and Henry Luce are the subjects of some of my favorite celebrity profiles in this wonderful book. But topping my list is "Man Goes to See a Doctor", the awesome Adam Gopnik's sweet and funny rendering of his shrink. Here's a snippet: "Your problems remind me of" - and here he named one of the heroes of the New York School. "Fortunately, you suffer from neither impotence nor alcoholism. This is in your favor." Highly recommended!

Excellent recording quality, an interesting listen.

The Road to Mecca is a crucible for Miss Helen, the seemingly strange, eccentric widower holed up on her bizarre property in rural New Bethesda, South Africa. She is clearly different, as evidenced by her many sculptures and odd creations surrounding her house, which unto itself holds a myriad of eccentric charms.
She comes to odds when Elsa, a young woman committed to Helen surprisingly appears at her door and discovers Helen on the verge of giving up on life. Elsa's staunch commitment to Helen's unique beauty conflicts with Dominee Marius', a local preacher who stands on the side of the patronizing, yet caring Christian community.
The play is dynamic in it's a)exposure of isolated aging, b)Elsa's youthful/urban attitude vs. Helen's elderly/rural one, c)soul crushing Christian convalescence vs. a spirited iconoclastic artistic home, d)characteristics of artistic inspiration, e)creativity's essential place in daily life, f) the long journey of self discovery, among others.
A powerful conclusion as well demonstrates Fugard's unbound compassion and empathy for spirited life under South Africa's skies.

Home sweet home: a place of love, refuge, and memories. For Helen Martin's it was also her life, her work and her Mecca. In the play "The Road to Mecca" Athol Fugard explores the question: Should we leave our Mecca, our spiritual fountainhead, when we can no longer take care of ourselves? The conflict between the three strong willed characters Helen, Elsa and Pastor Marius explores the question in the light of different religions, cultures, genders, ages and environments. Fugard said the play was suggested by the life and work of Helen Martins of New Bathesda, South Africa. The real Helen from age 50 to 75 transformed her house into a personal universe that enters the realm of archetype, symbol and metaphor. The house, furniture, windows and walls became a kaleidoscope of colored glass. In her garden she constructed over 200 figures: owls, Biblical figures, Buddhas, and ancient gods and goddesses. One South African scholar described her work as one of the most stirring experiences of his life and another called her one of South Africa's artistic geniuses. Fugard in his play shows Helen's creations as a glorious, makeshift oasis of creativity and life force and Elsa, his character, sees Helen as an example of freedom and transcendence. One powerful scene is when Helen, seated in her Mecca with dozens of candles playing off glittered walls and mirrors, tells Pastor Marius "I can't reduce my world to a few ornaments in a small room in an old-age home." The effect is stunning. The play is thought provoking and gives few answers. Helen is alive when it ends. Sadly, in 1975, the real Helen committed suicide. She drank caustic soda and died after three days I solitary agony. Her will included complex instructions listing in detail the ritual disposal of each of her sculptures. But today her home, known as "The Owl House" has been proclaimed a national monument and is a mecca for artists and tourists.

A reclusive elderly widow (based on the late Helen Martins, whose South African home is now a museum) has created her own "Mecca" by decorating the inside of her home with candles and mirrors and by surrounding the house with an assortment of personally-sculpted mermaids, wisemen, peacocks and pyramids. Although her neighbors view Miss Helen as a crazy old woman, she has made friends with Elsa Barlow, a young teacher who has returned for a surprise visit. On that same day, clergyman Marius Byleveld has come to help Helen apply to a nursing home. Marius is fond of Helen and fears for her safety. Elsa is in opposition to a move as it would take Helen away from her art.

I was originally concerned that a drama focusing on an old woman's artwork would not translate well to a listening experience. How could I care as deeply about Miss Helen if I was not able to see the oddball sculptures she had created? Surely the vision of "a city of light and color more splendid than anything I had ever imagined" could not be adequately transmitted through the speakers of my tape player. I need not have worried. One of my favorite parts of the entirely wonderful listen remains the moment when Helen lights her room with candles -- music comes up and there is absolutely no problem seeing a room aglow in a growing light of imagination and art. Adding to the experience is a superb cast performing a well-written examination of what it means to be an artist, what it means to be older, and what it means to be shunned. Fabulous!

This is one of those books to keep in the car and, when you have to wait in a doctor's office, dine alone, or wait in line for something, this book will entertain you over and over again with its fascinating (and often amusing) facts. Yes, it is a book you can pick up and put down, but you'll always enjoy it when you open it and read. As an example that made me laugh out loud... one of the ten songs with outrageous titles that were actually published is one titled, "It's Hard To Say I Love You, When You're Sitting On My Face!" I'd have bought it for that one alone.

Before people had the Internet as a source of trivia, this book was the next best thing. The lists, a masterpiece of compilation, are still a delight: they include a summary of Creasy's Most Decisive Battles, the world's greatest libel suits, the biggest recipients of cold war military aid, and famous virgins. The sequel was somewhat racier than the original but just as good. This book - if you can get hold of it - still has the power to keep you happy during down-time in your summer hammock or your winter chalet.

This book is amazingly interesting, it shows the unbelievable origin of ordinary events and names through history. It is great to share with friends and for readings at parties. It's also very easy to read since you can pick any piece of the book without loosing meaning or context. I saw this book first when I was in high school, some 13 years ago. I liked it so much that I bought it for my dad then, though we lost it on a moving about 8 years ago. I've tried to find the Spanish edition ever since with no success, now I'm eager to find it whether in Spanish or English. It's a great gift for any kind of reader!

As a descendent of Chang Bunker, I found "the Two" a fascinating trip into my families past. The book chronicles their lives and the lives of their wives and children in a very thoughtful and honest way. A good read!

As a great great grandson of Eng I have heard all the stories that were passed down thru the years. This book captures the essence of the twins and the time in which they lived accurately and without exageration.

I first read this book approximately twenty-five years ago, when it was first published. I remember that I had very much enjoyed the glimpse that it offered into the fascinating lives of nineteenth century conjoined twins, Chang and Eng, the original "Siamese Twins". Having recently read the novel, "Chang and Eng", by Darin Strauss, my interest in these twins was piqued, and I decided to re-read this book.

Time has not diminished the capacity of this biography to captivate and hold the interest of the reader. Truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction. The authors provide the reader with a well-researched look at the interesting and unusual lives led by conjoined twins, Chang and Eng. Born in Siam, which is now known as Thailand, on a houseboat on the Mekong River in 1811, Chang and Eng were conjoined at the chest by a band of fleshy cartilage. It was this small band of flesh that would bind them in life, making the two as one.

Being forced to be together by their conjoinment, even in those most intimate of moments, did not prevent Chang and Eng from living full lives. Leaving Siam as eighteen year old adolescents, Chang and Eng were to travel to America under the care and guidance of a Captain Coffin, who saw the commercial possibilities inherent in Chang and Eng's conjoinment and fully intended to exploit them. In America, people clamored to view Chang and Eng, as they were considered curiosities. They would also travel abroad to Europe, where they were to cause a sensation. Chang and Eng were the international celebrities of their day.

When they reached majority, Chang and Eng disassociated themselves from Captain Coffin and his business partners and became their own men. They took charge of their own destinies and later became American citizens, adopted the surname of Bunker, married two sisters, Adelaide and Sarah Yates, collectively had twenty-one children, and settled down in North Carolina, where they became slave-owning, gentleman farmers. Still, they did not wholly give up touring and exhibiting themselves for profit. In later, leaner years, they would do so with some of their children in tow as part of the exhibit.

As they grew older, their togetherness seemed to cast a pall over their lives, as Chang was a more phlegmatic sort of personality, while Eng was much more contemplative in nature. Moreover, Chang took to heavy drinking, and though Eng abhorred it, there was little he could do about it. He was forced, therefore, to suffer the consequential effects and indignities of Chang's drinking. These personal differences would cause them both to mull over the possibility of separation. There was, however, little medical support for such, except in the event of life or death, as surgical procedures were still quite primitive in those days.

Chang and Eng would die in their early sixties. Chang died first, while Eng, who was otherwise healthy, would die within hours, possibly from fright and shock at being tethered to the lifeless body of his brother. As they were together in life, so were they together in death. They left behind two grieving widows, a multitude of children and grandchildren, and an unending, world-wide interest in their lives. Never before and never since, has a set of conjoined twins so captured the imagination of the general public more than Chang and Eng, the original Siamese twins.

This is a very well-written, well-researched biographical treatment of the lives of Chang and Eng. Their lives were, indeed, fascinating, and those who enjoy biographies will find much to like about this book. It is also an intriguing look at nineteenth century life in the context of the lives of Chang and Eng. The book also has sixteen pages of wonderful black and white photographs and illustrations, which will add to the reader's enjoyment of this book.

I am in the play presently and I play the main part Catherine, a girl of many personalities. The painfully shy insecure one around her father, the lover with her doting admirer, Morris, and the friend with her dear, sweet and hopelessly romantic Aunt Penniman. The various emotions and hidden meanings create a fascinating play with little bit of everything skillfully arranged in a captivating story.

James' "Washington Square" provides the basis for this adaptation of his novella. The story of Catherine Sloper and her romance with Morris Townsend provides not only good drama and well-crafted theatricality, but also paints a picture of a romantic love that is virtually unattainable in reality. Such notable actresses as Wendy Hiller, Beatrice Straight, Jane Alexander, Olivia de Havilland, and Cherry Jones have all played the role of Catherine. This is a marvelous example of the type of well-made made play that graced the Broadway stage fifty years ago.

I loved this book! I just picked it off a shelf at my dad's to read and I loved the book!!!Although most of the info is completely and utterly usesless, most is very funny!!! VERY Highly recommended

or should I say 'complements'..? Compiles interesting, some little known, facts about: people, history, America, the law, war, language, inventions, transportation, sports, money and food..
Here are little known facts, curiosities, and amazing-but-true stories from the best of their weekly Significa column in Parade Magazine - over 400 entries in all. Significa: unusual or little known facts which have too much significance to qualify as mere trivia.

I read this book years ago at the home of a child for whom I was babysitting. Recently I remembered it and read it to my 9 year old granddaughter and my 7 year old grandson, and we all enjoyed it very much. Its message spans the generations.

I was very happy with the book. Although it was small it was a wonderful addition. I ordered for friends as well.

This copy was everything I hoped for. The illustrations are glossy and from the original edition I had as a child. The text is a little larger than normal, making it kid-friendly. The pages are tinted a light brown, which gives the book a nice "classic" feeling. I highly recommend it!

Having a seven year old niece, I realize just how pandering and how uninspired most children's books seem to be in light of the Velveteen Rabbit. Never saccharine or insipid; the Velveteen Rabbit is filled with love, humanity and such tenderness that it still grabs you as an adult as an enduringly wise tale that never loses its power. I gave this to my niece to read and felt like it challenged her to not only read something that hones her linguistic skills but entertains so truly and uniquely. The world could learn so much from this little book about what it means to be "real" and what it means to love unselfishly.

I give this book two stars for its excellent diction and a few amusing bits of description, but I find it painfully sentimental, like Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree." I have never understood why this story with its abstract "The Boy" protagonist is kept available while the same author's delightful masterpiece, "Poor Cecco," is long out of print and valued by book dealers mainly for its wonderful Arthur Rackham illustrations. In contrast to the sadness of the Velveteen Rabbit, the tale of Poor Cecco the wooden dog, his fellow residents of the nursery toy cupboard, and an amusing cast of human and animal supporting characters - all with distinctive personalities - and their droll adventures at home and on the road, is a treasure replete with mystery, surprises, and an elegantly natural style. I was lucky to be given it as a child and wish others could be so fortunate.

This 1968 play from Miller is one of the author's better works in a career full of 'better works'.

While 'The Price' is definitely one of Miller's lesser known plays, there is certainly no reason for it to be so. It stands tall and ranks up with there with Miller's best, probably only being surpassed by a sparse number of his other works.

Many a synopsis can be found elsewhere on this page, so I'll skip that.
I will say that this play is a slow-burner. Miller takes his time establishing the characters, their relationships to each other and the world that they all inhabit. The writing throughout is simple yet elegant (though the dialogue at times is a bit outdated).

The core relationship between the two brothers has a great deal of depth and never strays from being completely and utterly real. Each of the brothers is tremendously well-written and well thought out. Miller never cheats in his writing of either of these two characters; each stays true to himself at all times and never acts out of character.

"The Price" is always sure of itself, its footing is always true and Miller always knows exactly where the play is going. The entire last third of the play is an absolute knockout as the steady, methodical pace that Miller has spent the beginning of the play cultivating, suddenly blows its top and the brothers really dive into the hearts and minds of each other.

Even the character of the appraiser, Solomon, whom at first seems like a boring, comedic stereotype, quickly reveals himself to be something deeper.

My only complaint about the play is that its sole female character, Esther, doesn't really need to be present. It can be argued that Solomon and her balance each other out, but I just don't think the supportive evidence is there. Esther could be removed and the play would essentially be the same. Her character just isn't needed and on top of that, she's easily the weakest written character in the play. I'm sure a talented actress could make her worthwhile and even heartbreaking in a way, but on the page she's just lifeless.

The construction of the play is tight and terrific, the character of Solomon is terrific and quite wise and funny (even in 2007) and the core relationship between Victor and Walter is absolutely explosive. This play should be read.

An excellent production of Miller's classic. Ideal study aid for students and amateur groups wishing to put on the play.

This is an outstanding dramatic work that I think is underestimated. We often think of Death of A Salesman, The Crucible, or After the Fall when we think of Miller's plays. However, The Price is a surprizingly taunt, well written and penetrating work of art.

The plot is nicely situated in an old attic full of massive antiques from a once wealthy family - whose capital as well as the father's will to succeed are both destroyed in the depression. Two brothers meet after twenty years of silence of to finally settle the estate of the long deceased father. The elder, Walter, has become a nationally recognized medical specialist whereas his younger brother, Victor, has become a policeman, father, and the primary caretaker of their father. Sharp words are exchanged in an encounter that has been postponed for many years. The dialogue is superb, blunt, crisp, and powerful.

Two other figures in the play help move the drama forward. Victor's wife is willing to voice opinions that Victor suppresses. The elderly Gregory Solomon, the used furniture dealer, offers some dramatic relief.

In the end, the play is really not about the price of an attic full of used furniture. Rather, it is about the priorities that we all make in our lives. Sometimes the priorities are totally conscious and sometimes unconscious. These priorities then lead to choices. Sometimes the choices are active and sometimes they are the choices of passive default. Finally these priorities and the choices they engender lead to consequences. Again, some of these consequences are recognized and some remain hidden. In the final analysis, priorities that lead to choices that lead to consequences all have a price. This is a play about how two men reconcile the prices they have paid for the priorities they had in life. The term 'reconcile' may not be the best choice of words, for at then end of our adult life, who really feels reconciled with all their choices and the consequences?

In the final analysis, this is a beautiful exploration of those summative moments where we place meaning onto life and it all it entails or we fall into despair. It is time for a revival of this powerful play.

Arthur Miller's "The Price" is as excellent as his View From the Bridge, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman. And, I am quite positive it equals to what I have not read it yet, "The Crucible."

Estranged from his brother Walter for 16 years, 50 year old, policeman, Victor Franz is finally reunited because the need is to sell furnishings of their dead father. Victor is bitter over the choice he made in his youth to care for his father, who became one of millions of victims of the crash of 1929 and the Depression. Victor supported his father who was broke and shamed over the Depression. He became a policeman, instead of taking a career in science that he seemed primed for.

His brother Walter, however, made his choice in life to become a successful surgeon, and he has endured his share of life's problems, and some that only belong to the rich. The two brothers have kept away from each other because of their own guilt. Walter made his choice in life to be educated and knew that Victor was saddled with supporting the father thus, foregoing his career.

And very Milleresque, the plot thickens with an important twist.

The lengthy play could have been shortened, because the best dramatic dialogue doesn't happen until the end of the 2nd act. But to Arthur Miller, that's where his expertise comes in, engrossing you in small dialogue, building the character's past, ideals, morality, etc. and then, time to create those certain twists he is familiar for.

The successful four-character, two-act play first appeared on Broadway in 1968. Victor's wife, Esther, and the aging antique dealer, Solomon, have secondary roles. The setting is in the attic of a Manhattan brownstone in the present time, 1968. The building is to be demolished; therefore Victor called upon Solomon to give him a price for the furnishings. Victor repeatedly asks for a price, but the "price" metorphorically becomes the price you pay in life for choices you made. Excellent play!!.....MzRizz

I recommend highly Arthur Miller's:
All My Sons (Penguin Classics)
A View from the Bridge (Penguin Plays)

Victor Franz, who is negotiating the price of the contents of his family home with an appraiser, had no interest in claiming any of these objects when his father died sixteen years before, and his wife Esther has no interest in them now. Victor, however, has contacted his estranged brother Walter in a final effort to settle the estate. Though the appraiser drives a hard bargain, the reader realizes that the real price playwright Arthur Miller is discussing is not the value of the furnishings but the price each person must pay for not knowing or willfully ignoring the facts about issues affecting his life.

Victor and his brother Walter have been estranged for about twenty years, ever since Victor was forced to drop out of college, where he was a brilliant student studying science. It was the Depression, but Victor could have stayed in school if his brother Walter, already a doctor, had loaned him a mere five hundred dollars. Walter refused. Victor's college career ended, and he became a policeman, staying at home to care for his unemployed, ailing father for the rest of his life. Victor has never forgiven Walter for his betrayal of trust.

When Walter arrives to see Victor, the contrast between the brothers is obvious their in dress and attitude. Soon, however, the audience realizes that Victor does not have all the facts about Walter's refusal of the loan. Likewise, Walter does not realize the extremes to which Victor had to go--rummaging through the garbage to find food for the family--while Walter contributed only five dollars a month toward his father's support. The manipulations by the father also become obvious, and as Victor and Walter express their rage, the full picture of this pitifully dysfunctional and uncommunicative family is revealed.

The tensions and history between the brothers drive the action, with some comic relief coming from Gregory Solomon, the appraiser, who himself has had family issues resulting from lack of communication. Where this play is weak is in the crucial characterization of the two brothers. Walter, the successful doctor, is a stereotype who inspires no sympathy, and though the audience discovers mitigating information about Walter, it is not enough to make the audience change their minds about his essential character. Likewise, Victor, the policeman, is seen in new ways as a result of Walter's information, but that new information does not change the audience's opinion of Victor or lead us to see him in a different light. A fascinating study in family dynamics, with some surprises, this play lacks the dramatic personal changes and realizations by the main characters which we see in Miller's best plays. n Mary Whipple

This is the first of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels and the first one I have read, but it will not be the last. Ms. Reichs writing is wonderfully descriptive - you really can visualize each scene while reading. Her skill at conveying the specific scientific details while maintaining the twists and turns of her well designed plot makes for a book you won't want to put down.

So, pick up the book, settle in to your favorite reading spot and get ready to be pulled in to Tempe's world. Just make sure the doors and windows are locked - you don't want to have to get up to make sure during the really scary parts...

As a longtime reader of murder mysteries, I'm always on the lookout for a new author (or at least new to me). I've enjoyed the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell, and while waiting for my new Kindle to arrive, ran across reviews for the Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs. I decided to start with the beginning of the series, and found a copy at my local library. It was a very good read. I found myself picking up the book every chance I got to find out what happened next.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I think 'Death du Jour' (second in the series), may be my first purchase for my Kindle when it arrives tomorrow. I can't wait to see what case Temperance tackles next.

Though the book started out slow, it got much better with lots of effective, engaging twists and turns.

this first introduction to temperance brennan is a promise of things to come. fresh and exciting

This book i enjoyed reading very much. I wanted to read more after seeing the TV series Bones, but be warned; this is a very different story in it's setting and the main characters are different too. Of course Tempe is unchanged, but the TV is really totally different. However it is a good read for every one who likes detective-thrillers like the books by Patricia Cornwall.