Television Books

They should've gotten Ron Jones to do First Contact instead of Goldsmith. This is the kind of score you need for an epic battle with the Borg. Wonderful action sequences with stirring strings and threatening brass. And the Borg theme is just marvelous. Ron Jones or Dennis McCarthy or even Jay Chattaway should do all future Star Trek motion picture scores.

I consider the two-parter The Best Of Both Worlds© to be Star Trek™'s most pivotal & influential episodes, and the soundtrack does a beautiful job in adding to the feel and suspense. Although Ron Jones' compositions on this CD aren't quite as ambitious as the tunes one would hear in the Star Trek™ movies, his efforts did help make these two watermark NextGen episodes seem truly grand and larger than life. The military style of some of the tunes also gives a warlike tone to the show, as the Enterprise™ and the Federation™ fight desperately to stop the Borg™ invasion.

Each track complements the scene it plays in almost perfectly. One good example is Hansen's Message©, which plays through the end of the scene in Part One when the crew sees the Borg™ ship for the first time. The moment itself is chilling, but with the music, along with the crescendo at the climax, it becomes even more suspenseful! Another great tune to complement the moment is Intervention©, heard in Part Two when Worf™ and Data™ sneak into the Borg™ ship to rescue Picard™ (now changed into the Borg™ Locutus™) and get him back to the Enterprise.

Thanks to the synergy between the music and the scenes, The Best of Both Worlds© becomes a whole lot more than the sum of its visual & musical parts!

'Late

I LOVE it it is so very relaxing to listen to on occations when you need a dose of Star Trek.

Without comparing this TV score to that of a film, I would consider this an excellent TV score. Hearing the Alexander Courage's version of Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek theme really opens the album up. It is really a shame that it appears only once or twice in minor situations because then it would mean this score has some trace of thematic development like film scores do. The Borg theme, played by a synthesized chorus, sounds very mysterious yet somewhat hostile and threatening. You have to have seen the show to know what's happening because there's barely any thematic music to base what's happening on. The strings and celeste playing on the tracks before the borg encounter adds the sense of mysterious but foreshadowed danger. The battle tracks between the borg and Enterprise aren't upbeat like scores from John Williams or Horner but sound much more suspenseful and average-paced like on Crimson Tide. Ron Jones seems to back off on fast-paced string and brass parts and prefers edgy brass and percussion coupled with electronics. Away Team Ready is a haunting, military-like cue as some people prepare to board the borg ship. An unused cue for the exploration of the borg ship sounds very far and dissonant like on The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi, and Aliens. Both are very original sounding. Let me admit that the music on the second and final fight between the Enterprise and Borg ship heats up but leaves more to be desired. Of course, this is a TV score scored under a period of a week so forget what I just said for any film score fan. After a bittersweet ending stopping with an afterthought, the brilliant Star Theme comes up for the credits and draws this score to a close. I recommend this original score for anyone who has seen the borg episode of TNG but don't expect a Star Wars score here for any film score collectors.

Fans of the syndicated television show "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may remember the two-part episode "The Best of Both Worlds" as a high point for the series, and for science fiction television in general. This cliffhanger and its resolution constituted the third season finale and fourth season premiere. In the story, the United Federation of Planets faces an invasion by the Borg, a seemingly unstoppable cybernetic race that "assimilates" whole civilizations into its insect-like "collective." Captain Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise represent the Federation's only hope against this relentless enemy.

Such an epic tale calls for an epic musical score, and composer Ron Jones delivers. His music pounds with excitement during the thrilling space battle sequences. He makes brilliant use of eerie musical effects to capture the alien nature of the Borg Collective and its dispassionate "drones." He also brings out all of the emotion of the heroic struggle of the Enterprise crew to save the Federation from conquest and assimilation. But it's not all big, bombastic space opera music; Jones also pays attention to more intimate moments between the crew.

Yes, "The Best of Both Worlds" was a landmark in the ongoing, multigenerational "Star Trek" saga, and Ron Jones' superb score is an integral part of the story. This is an essential disc for fans of science fiction soundtracks.

well written synopsis of each episode will bring
you up to speed if you have missed episodes.
excellent show shots and behind the scene looks.
the personal thoughts of the actors explain much
as to how their chactors have grown and adapted.

good reading for all.

...and this book is the best completion for this great show.
It's a complete and very detailed review for each episode and it's very useful for a SGA fan.
A must!!

This makes a wonderful addition to my Stargate Atlantis DVD collection. It pretty much explains all of season 1; the story lines, the characters, etc. I really like this book.

If your a fan of the series then you will want this book. I have all of the Stargate SG-1 series and found them very interesting to read and to having in my collection and you will to want this in your collection.The photographys and illustrations you can't get any where else.
As a fan of the series this book will help you learn some of the lingo.
I've enjoyed all of the SG-1 books and just started my collection with the Atlantis and I'm sure you will as well.

Great book. It fits in well with the Stargate SG-1 series. Lots of good insider information and pictues.

this was the best. it really tells you what its like to be in bording school. marykate and ashley have a dance and they have to ask the boys. they ask there boy cousin if he knows any good boys and he tricks them and marykate gets a dork and ashley gets the popular girl's boyfriend and if you want to know more read it!

That is like my favorite book. I read it over and over again. Even though I am only 8 I hope some day I own it. I also hope you like it too!!!

This one is a great. you realy should buy this book. It's a book were they go to boarding school.

This book is great. I collect Mary-Kate and Ashley books and I have 15 of their Two of a Kind and I think I liked this one the best! It is a great book. Even though i'm 13 years old, I love reading and they are awesome books! If you have never read their books before, I recommend you do so now!!

I have read almost all their books and this one was really great! I loved how it was in the form of their diaries while they're away at White Oaks Boarding School for Girls.

It all started when there dad got them a new telescope to learn about the stars.Instead of looking at the stars,they decided to SPY on there neighbors.Then things got out of control.They peered through Mrs.Baker's (there neighbors) window and saw something they shouldn't have. This is a great book.I had a lot of fun reading it.I hope you will too!

This is the most fantastic Two of a Kind book so far,and they are all great.This time Mary-Kate and Ashley have gotten themselves a little in trouble with their snooping.

A great book. Once again based on the show Two of a Kind. Whoever likes Two of a Kind or the Olsen Twins than this book is for you. Has black and white pictures in the back from the same episode the book is based on. Mary-Kate and Ashley are having Mrs.Baker babysit them, because Carry is busy with their dad. The girls think Mrs.Baker is a murderer. They think she murdered Mr.Filmor. They can't tell their dad about it or else they will get in trouble. Now they are out to investigate.

This book is about two girl's that are twins and they get a new telescope. There dad got it for them to study the stars. But Mary - Kate and Ashley have better ides they started to sie on there nubors and Mary - Kate thinks that she see a meder but I'm not telling you ho or if it's real but you can read the book to find out if it's ture or fase. So read to find out Two Of a Kind to Snoop or not to Snoop.

This book is about two twins named MaryKate and Ashley.They got this new telescope to look at stars,but they started to spy on people.They spied on an old lady.They thought that the old lady was going to kill her husband cause she had a knife in her hand.She was just cutting fruits.

As a producer/artist who is considering a move into the commercial production world, I wanted a book that explained, in a step-by-step fashion, the mundane work routines of a commercial director without glamorizing the business or condescending like an Idiot's guide. This book is exactly that. No frills, just the facts. It is so well-organized, informative, and concise--with tons of great advice that I know I will continue to reference for years to come. It will probably be some time before I can apply all the tools in this book to my professional career, but in the meantime, I feel so much more confident about my decision to move in this new direction. Thanks for writing this, Thomas. I would have been wondering for years if I should take the plunge or not.

Finally, a book about the process of making commercials! It's an easy, up to date read and has lots of funny examples. Really all aspects are there, even the politics of commercial business, how true. Enjoyable read on your flight to Cannes!

This was a superb book, one of the best I've read recently (I read hundreds).... because the author writes from a professional working director's standpoint, and his tips are carefully crafted and communicated.

The thought process behind the Ford/mountain spot, and revisions for example (pages 62-66) was superb, eg why not having the woman drive up, the visuals, framing etc.. very practical and well written.

The business end of it was extremely well put together as well, with advice for commercial directors and how to properly shop their spec reel and establish themselves.

As someone who primarily creates internet commercials for my company's products and seminars, I found a ton of solid content here, too - for all aspects of crafting the spot professionally. The author put a lot of work into writing this, it's extremely professional, hands-on, and should be considered a "seminar in book format" for commercial directors. It's just that powerful. Nice work - thanks!

Two thumbs up - this one's a winner.

- ken

What I liked about the book was the straightforward advice and insights into how things really get done in commercials. The author really gets into the nitty-gritty talking about his experiences so that you are left with an idea as to how these highly charged commercials are made. Do visit his website to see the actual commercial which was the main case study in the book.

Full disclosure: Thomas and I went to film school together.

I just bought this book to support Thomas. But after receiving it, I realized it is the book we all needed while in film school. I recommend this book for anyone that is thinking of working in commercials. Directors, Assistant Directors, Producers, Cinematographers, and anyone else that doesn't have a firm grasp of the way that commercials work.

I personally know some really creative directors that have given up on their dream, which might not have happened had they had some sort of guide like this book.

Congrats Thomas, it should be "REQUIRED READING" at Art Center.

THE ACTUAL REALITY OF JENNIFER JAMES is a hilarious novel reminiscent of the popular Georgia Nicholson series, only even better. It has more of a plot, and Jennifer is a lot smarter than Georgia. Both, however, are hilarious and very British!

Jennifer's school, London Road Comprehensive, despite being described as "bog-standard," has one exceptional thing going for it: It's about to be featured on a reality television show in which celebrities, teachers, and students will compete for top prizes in front of the entire country. Which would be exciting enough even if Jennifer wasn't a huge part of it, but she's one of the dozen student contestants competing for a scholarship to the prestigious St. Willibald's College, a boarding school with much higher academic standards than London Road Comprehensive--making it the perfect place for overachiever Jennifer James.

Of course, being on constantly camera is not as great as it sounds. Cameras are more than a little invasion of privacy. They make Jennifer's life--particularly her rather nonexistent love life--more difficult than it used to be. Is it really worth it, putting up with it all to go to St. Willibald's?

THE ACTUAL REALITY OF JENNIFER JAMES is laugh-out-loud hilarious, but at the same time a very intelligent and interesting novel. It's certainly an original story and very well-written. Add to this wonderfully funny novel a cast of fantastic characters, and you've got a brilliant book. I can't wait to read more by Gillian Shields!

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce
02/15/2007

When a new British reality TV series begins filming at London Road Comprehensive, Jennifer unwillingly becomes a contestant alongside her peers, her teachers, and eccentric celebrities. Two kids per grade (except for the highest year) are selected to participate, with the student prize being a scholarship to an elite school. Jennifer doesn't want to be on the show, but she has been selected to represent her grade. So has Tallulah, who is as cruel as she is pretty - and she knows it.

This book is written in diary format. Nearly four hundred pages in length, it is unlike many other stories about reality TV shows because Jennifer doesn't watch herself on TV. She can't. Her mother doesn't permit televisions in the house. This allows the book to be more about Jennifer and less about television. She is a reluctant participant in this crazy game, and readers will root for her.

It took me a few pages to get into this, but I absolutely LOVED it and couldn't put it down after the first chapter. It's hilarious, quick-witted, modern and smart. Great characters and all i could think is: I can't wait for the movie! (which i don't know if there will ever be one, but if any production company is smart, they'll buy the rights!)

Fantastic, hilarious, moving and compelling. I could put it down and it never once let me down. A must, must read.

What do you get when you take the idea for an in-school reality TV show and cross it with a character reminiscent of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson? One of the freshest and cutest novels around, THE ACTUAL REAL REALITY OF JENNIFER JAMES.

Jennifer James is not the most popular girl in her not-so-posh school, London Road Comprehensive. Boys may not necessarily notice her and her family may not come from money. But the one thing that may be working for Jennifer is when the newest reality TV show, Down the Bog, comes to her school and offers one lucky student a scholarship to St. Willibald's College. This could be the chance for Jennifer to finally go to a good school, and all she needs is to be entered into the competition--but it may not be that easy.

How the show works is that they choose two kids per grade and have a group of celebrities act as teachers at the school. The entire time, cameras will be showing all the action that is happening inside the school, and each week there will be a certain competition that the contestants and celebrities will have to compete in. And each week, viewers will call in and the one student and the one celebrity with the lowest number of votes will have to leave.

Fortunately, Jennifer is oddly enough chosen to be a contestant. But that may be the only good news. There seems to be many struggles that Jennifer is going to have to face, like the very popular and very rude Tallulah, bullying her way through the competition and practically causing Jennifer's life to be miserable. Then there's Marcus, the guy who Jennifer has a crush on but who also seems to be on Tallulah's radar. And then there is Jennifer's feminist mother Jocasta, who hates the idea of Jennifer being on a reality show. For now, trying to win the competition could be the hardest obstacle that Jennifer has ever faced.

THE ACTUAL REAL REALITY OF JENNIFER JAMES is witty, fun, and very compelling. Readers will get so attached to Jennifer that they will desperately root for her all the way, whether she wins or not. Gillian Shields captures the true essence of how it feels to want something very badly and to do the greatest thing to get it. The one thing that was on my mind during the reading was hoping for there to be a sequel to this fantastic book.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

I recently bought all the box sets of X-Files DVD's and have been watching them in order when I came across this book on Amazon. It was a valuable source of information and trivia for all the episodes for that season. I only wish I had gotten the earlier volumes of this series and that it had continued for seasons 8 and 9.

After a much anticipated wait, I was glad to have this book appear in my mailbox shortly after it delayed in publishing. Happy as a clam I thumbed through the pages, seeing each episode written in a "short story" style with dialougue taken from the scripts. I am also glad to see that they kept the title "all things" in lower case, as Gillian Anderson had when naming the episode she had written and directed. I have all season guides and I must say this is one of the best ones put out.

This Book would have to be my all time favorite that only adds to my collection of vol.3-6 now. If you want more x-files, and want to learn more about Season 7, I suggest buying this book. Of course, like the other volumes it has in-depth details of each episode as well as black & white pictures to accommodate them. There are eight pages of color pictures: X-Cops, Je Souhaite, Fight Club, FPS, and, Hollywood A.D.. Very Cool! I enjoy this book very much, despite the delay in publishing, but beleive me, it was worth the wait. There's also the back story of why the ending of Requiem was kept a secret, why Chris waited until the last day of shooting Requiem to write the finale, and why only 2 people knew of it's true ending. . . . All in All, an Excellent Book to add to your X-Files Paraphernalia!

This book has great photo, dialogue each show, the cast, interviews, and intersting facts about the show. This is a must have in any one x-files colection.:) :) :) :) :)

I had some apprehensions about this book before it even came out. First, the release date for this volume was pushed back, which is not typically a very good sign. And second, this volume was being drafted by Marc Shapiro and not Andy Meisler (who did such a wonderful job with the previous two volumes). But after having read through it, I can happily allay any apprehensions about this book not living up to its predecessors. Volume 6 in this series is just as good, if not better, than those volumes that came out before it.

Marc Shapiro does a great job in delivering the goods behind every episode. I was very impressed with this from Andy Meisler, and Marc Shapiro doesn't disappoint. There is interesting background information on all the episodes - things like the time-crunch in making "Requiem" and the fact that Gillian Anderson had to wear a wig in a car scene in "The Goldberg Variation" because it was shot after her hair stylist had sheared off her lovely locks.

Included in this book are eight full-color pages of images from the seventh season. Those images selected are fine enough, but they only focus on about four or five episodes, which doesn't do such a great season justice. It would have been nice to see more of a mix - some mythology episodes ("The Sixth Extinction" and "Sein Und Zeit") and stand-alone episodes ("En Ami" and "All Things"). But this is a minor detraction from an overall sharp-looking book.

Any fans of the series should have this volume sitting on their bookshelves. This is a must-have, and it is an enjoyable read. Well worth the wait in the time it took to get it published.

I rate this book just a slight notch above the KQED AYBS book, simply because the creators of AYBS had input in this project. It also highlights the bit players who appeared on AYBS, otherwise the two books do a fine of episode, character, and actor bio's. But the before mentioned book does a slightly better job at reviewing 'Grace and Favour' and the Australian AYBS version..., so you have to buy both :-)

For those of you who have the Are You Being Served? book by Adrian Rigelsford--are you free? For those of you who don't, are you also free? Well, gather around everybody, and that also includes special Grace Brothers board members.

This 25th anniversary book by Richard Webber with the two co-creators of the show, Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, is basically an update of the previous book, but in a slightly different format. The story-by-story synopses are there, but instead of the * to **** ratings, there are memorable dialogue bits, that are always good for a laugh or two.

New material: familiar BBC performers who made guest appearances (mostly as hapless customers) on the show, with a short bio on each one. However, why was Gorden Kaye, who later starred in Lloyd and Croft's French Resistance comedy, 'Allo 'Allo, excluded from this section? Also, an episode-by-episode list of guest appearances.

What really perks me are younger photographs of the stars. They are recognizable but it's interesting to see how they looked before they joined Grace Brothers. And Lloyd and Croft's personal observations on the stars are filled with the fondest and highest respect.

There are bios on some of the minor but regular performers, such as Vivienne Johnson (Mr. Grace's nurse), Milo Sperber (Mr. Grossman) and Benny Lee (Mr. Klein), as well as those in Grace And Favour.

There are some updates. Inbetween books, Arthur English, who played Mr. Harman the packing department head, died in 1995, as did Billy Burden (Mr. Moulterd), in 1994.
However, the icing on the cake is the list of hot dolly bird secretaries who appeared throughout the season. My favorites: Penny Irving, the luscious redhead who appeared during the show's peak era, Louise Burton, and the Barbie Doll Candy Davis, who now got a Master's degree and is teaching. Wow, brain and beauty! How rare! Another hottie, Debbie Linden, sadly died in 1997.

My recommendation: get this AFTER the Adrian Rigelsford book to get the optimal enjoying effect. You'll be right as rain then.

This lovely and indeed comprehensive tribute book commences with an introduction by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft (co-writers of the series) and a foreword by Lloyd's ex-wife (and two-time guest), Joanna Lumley, and it is sure to be treasured by fans of this entertaining British comedy.

What makes this book so enjoyable is the amount of participation author Richard Webber has received from everyone involved in the production (from writers, directors, costume designers, etc., to the actors themselves), and the book is filled with their many anecdotes. In the case of deceased actors Harold Bennett (Young Mr. Grace) and Arthur Brough (Mr. Grainger), assistance has been provided by their son and daughter, respectively.

The book includes a detailed history of the series--how it came about, how the actors were chosen, why certain actors left the show, how certain effects were achieved, and so on. Also included are chapters on the stage show, the movie, the 90's sequel (Grace and Favour also known as Are You Being Served? Again!) and a look at the success of the show (and its US and Aussie spinoffs) abroad.

My favourite parts are the four-page bios of the original cast, which includes b/w and sepia photos of the actors at various ages and stages in their careers. (A priceless inclusion are the childhood photos of most of these actors). This is followed by one-half- to one-page bios of "other memorable characters"--the maintenance men, the replacements for Mr. Grainger and Mr. Lucas, Old Mr. Grace, the nurse, and the canteen manageress. There are separate chapters for the secretaries and the lift girls with brief quarter-page bios and tiny b/w photos of each. Finally, there is a chapter devoted to "familiar faces" which contains brief quarter-page bios & tiny b/w photos of every actor to have appeared as a guest on the show.

The book also includes a complete episode guide, often with a particularly memorable snippet of dialogue from the episode being summarized or a "memory" from one of the cast of crew. An episode guide and brief quarter-page bios are also provided for Grace and Favour. Finally, there is a detailed index.

The book is a 10" x 7 3/4" 176-page hardcover printed on thick, good-quality paper with a matte finish, and it contains many b/w and colour photos throughout.

In conclusion, this is an attractive, well-researched, well-written, comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable look back at one of Britain's most popular comedies and at the cast and crew who made it so memorable. Very highly recommended!

For those of you who have the Are You Being Served? book by Adrian Rigelsford--are you free? For those of you who don't, are you also free? Well, gather around everybody, and that also includes special Grace Brothers board members.

This 25th anniversary book by Richard Webber with the two co-creators of the show, Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, is basically an update of the previous book, but in a slightly different format. The story-by-story synopses are there, but instead of the * to **** ratings, there are memorable dialogue bits, that are always good for a laugh or two.

New material: familiar BBC performers who made guest appearances (mostly as hapless customers) on the show, with a short bio on each one. However, why was Gorden Kaye, who later starred in Lloyd and Croft's French Resistance comedy, 'Allo 'Allo, excluded from this section? Also, an episode-by-episode list of guest appearances.

What really perks me are younger photographs of the stars. They are recognizable but it's interesting to see how they looked before they joined Grace Brothers. And Lloyd and Croft's personal observations on the stars are filled with the fondest and highest respect.

There are bios on some of the minor but regular performers, such as Vivienne Johnson (Mr. Grace's nurse), Milo Sperber (Mr. Grossman) and Benny Lee (Mr. Klein), as well as those in Grace And Favour.

There are some updates. Inbetween books, Arthur English, who played Mr. Harman the packing department head, died in 1995, as did Billy Burden (Mr. Moulterd), in 1994.
However, the icing on the cake is the list of hot dolly bird secretaries who appeared throughout the season. My favorites: Penny Irving, the luscious redhead who appeared during the show's peak era, Louise Burton, and the Barbie Doll Candy Davis, who now got a Master's degree and is teaching. Wow, brain and beauty! How rare! Another hottie, Debbie Linden, sadly died in 1997.

My recommendation: get this AFTER the Adrian Rigelsford book to get the optimal enjoying effect. You'll be right as rain then.

I have watched this show for years and this is such a great book. There are episode details and bios, and even customer bios. Joanna Lumley from AbFab was in the show a couple of times.

If you like AYBS, get this!

My boyfriend bought this book for me 22 years ago and it has followed me around through seven changes of address. I can honestly say that but for this book, I don't think I would have read Crime and Punishment or The Grapes of Wrath. I wanted to be sure I was getting all the jokes. It was funny in 1984 and it is still funny.

To save the Cleavers from the network axe, past and contemporary literary giants pour forth their own "episodes" for the Beave and crew. Everyone's character --including Eddie Haskell--gets fleshed out in ways you'll never see on Nickelodeon. Personal favorites include Tennessee William's turn on Miss Landers and June. Brilliant and absurdly funny blend of high prose and Americana 50's schmaltz. Made me laugh out loud at every read.

When I first read the Dostoevsky episode ("Hey, Wally, do you think it's OK to kill an old lady?" "I don't know, Beav. We haven't gotten that far in civics."), I was in convulsions. This is the funniest book in the history of Western Civilization, even funnier than "The Lazlo Letters," and that's saying something. That it is out of print is some kind of culture crime.

In an attempt to save "Leave It To Beaver" from going off the air in 1963, famous authors submit scripts hoping their influence will persuade the network from dumping the show. Scripts include "Lady Cleaver's Beaver" by D. H. Lawrence, "Beavermorphosis" by Franz Kafka (where Theodore actually transforms into a giant beaver), and my personal favorite "And Thus Spake Beaver" by Nietzche ... "And Beaver descended alone from the house encountering no one, and all at once there stood before him Larry Mondello who bit into an apple. And thus spake Beaver unto Larry Mondello, 'Shared cookies make a friend, not getting in trouble together', and he punched Larry Mondello in the stomach." If you love the Beave and love Literary Parodies, you'll love this book.

Wow -- it's nice to see that there are other people out there who have read this book and loved it as much as I did. I bought the book when it first came out in 1985 and I was in college. I almost peed my pants reading it in the bookstore, so I figured I'd better buy it before they threw me out. I still have it on my shelf, and it's provided countless hours of amusement ever since. About the only books I would consider funnier than this one are George Ade's "Fables in Slang" and "More Fables in Slang", which are sadly almost unknown today. They should really reprint this, because it's as hilarious today as it was almost 15 years ago.

For writing this beautiful book. I've been a fan of Johns work pretty much as far back as i can remember. i was only 9 when John passed on so i never got to see him perform live or really enjoy his work when he was here on this earth. I found this book to be a true showing of what John was like and what a good man he really was and not always this train wreck like the press (and another certain author who shall remain nameless) perceived him to be. you can tell that he was loved by many and that his death had a profound affect on many and that his work will be loved for many more years. If you are a fan of John you need to read this book!

John Belushi, a man of laughs, a man who lived for an audience's
approval and cheers, John Belushi was an entirely respectable man and deserved to be remembered as a man of great worth among friends and colleagues, this book harrowingly displayed him as both, they did not write from a biased point of view, but rather from many perspectives, of friends and family. Every comedian should allow the utmost respect for such a spectacular man, John, may you rest in peace, knowing that all of your fans will remember you forever, we love you.

I was in the library a week before surgery looking for light fiction to tide me over a week of recuperation, when I saw "Belushi" sitting on a new non-fiction shelf and picked it up on a whim. I never got to the fiction.

Well-collected and organized first-person interview quotes, personal photographs, behind-the-scenes stories...this is a wonderful, yet cautionary, tale of the 1970's in America. I laughed out loud; tears came to my eyes. Thank you, authors.

Disclaimer: John Belushi was born in the same hospital (a few years later) as I was; one of his father's restaurants was two blocks from where I did some of my growing up; I was in Second City audiences while John was there; I've watched SNL faithfully since its first year; I saw even John's bad movies. Prejudiced I am-this is still an admirable, accurate, caring biography.

Most if not all of the facts of this book will not be new to John's fans. Especially those who have read the eight-or-so books already written about or by him and his friends and family.

And, title aside, it is not really a biography; it is an oral and pictorial history. But that is its strength. The voices of those friends & family come through, showing their love for the man.

But the interesting thing is, as awesome as some of the stories may be (especially to those who haven't read them before); the pictures do an even more excellent job.

Some of the photos were previously seen in SAMURAI WIDOW and WIRED, but most are never before published. And in them, you can see the buildup from Belushi's boyhood through the first three years of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Then the explosion when that show, ANIMAL HOUSE, and the Blues Brothers record all hit at the same time.

And then the fallout. Visually, I think you can mark the moment when the road turned hard for John; it's in a full-page picture, on page 172, of him in costume for 1941.

It's in his eyes. Look at most of the photos that precede this one, and there is a light in them, something that's growing, some kind of spark.

And though it's probably too simple to say that Hollywood stunted that growth and killed that spark, it's also, probably, accurate.

Because in most of the post-1941 photos, that spark is gone, with only a brief resurgence in the pictures taken during the filming of CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.

This was apparently a happy (if not always fun) time for John, and the pictures reflect that. Unfortunately, more so than the movie, which is enjoyable but instantly forgettable.

The key picture here for me is on page 222. It shows Belushi wrapped in a blanket, sitting on some cabin steps in his stocking feet. He's just sitting, and staring, and thinking of god knows what, but the image has an apparent vulnerability that the photogenic John rarely showed in pictures. He was a man who always seems to have known where the camera was and how to keep its eye on him. Not here.

But CONTINENTAL DIVIDE flopped, and in the photos that follow, he mostly looks wasted. I don't mean that with the drug connotation, I mean that spark was being denied again.

A note at the end proclaims, "This book is not objective," and it isn't, so bully for them for admitting it. It's an attempt to bring a loved one back to life by talking about him.

Beautifully done...and now I really know, right from the start, how wonderfully talented John was. If you lived his fast paced life with tremendous pressures and being the best he could possibly be, you'd probably be hitting some drugs, too. Lets focus on who the man really was and about all of his close friends who really loved him. Judy Belushi Pisano does an excellent job putting this book together. What a talent she is a fantastic achievement. I couldn't put this book down and I have the rings on my ass to prove it !!! Now John would have appreciated that comment !