Television Books

I bought this book originally in the early 1980s right after it was printed and I have re-read it every year and a half or so since and find new things every time. The writing is just fantastic; each episode in his life is constructed like a story. I have read where people think it is a whitewash, but actually he touches on everything discreetly and without rancor or salaciousness. When I first read it as a young film student he cataloged a string of movies I had barely heard of, mostly because they weren't easily available until now. A conscientious watching of the films he mentions makes for great companions to the book. From our vantage point in time, this book is also a window into a vanished world where the late 19th century was reluctantly becoming the 20th century, and Huston always was searching to find his place in it. Few people live lives now similar to his life then because we don't have the times from which great lives spring like they did back then. Those decades gave rise to Bogart and Hemingway and Picasso and Roosevelt and the countless others because there were no other choices. Dynamic times make dynamic people! Huston constantly improvised, both in life and art, using his unique background and fine literary sensibilities to surf the constantly changing tides of war and economic depression and modernism, and at the same time constantly indulging himself in every way he could possibly conceive. His movies emerged from this mix, at times wise, at others mischievous; some daring, others fantastic. They were always a little ahead of their time or form, and they never consciously talked down nor pandered to their audience. His innovations developed organically. His breakthrough preference for remote location shooting stemmed from his experiences making documentaries in the battlefield during WWII. His arrangements of characters and objects in the frame came from his love of painting and still composition. His unusual choices for stories grew from his voluminous reading habits. Huston's natural curiosity and striving for perfection filled-in the spaces left between.

Some of Huston's films, like "The Maltese Falcon", are models of perfection, while others are like Michelangelo's scores of unfinished sculptures, almost as if he were saying, "Well, you get the idea!" before moving on to the next object of his fascination. "We Were Strangers" is a good example of this, rendering almost hypnotically the feelings of oppressive paranoia living in a fascist state, while at the same time servicing a story that is a B+ at best.

The real story of Huston's life and films has yet to be written though. There is just too much!

I can't remember when I enjoyed reading a book so much. I wished that I could read it anew all over again. I've read half dozen Hollywood bios and autos the last 6 months or so and this was hands down the most enjoyable!

I'm really quite surprised to see only two reviews before this one. Afterall, in my mind Huston ranks up there with the very best of American directors and screen writers. His history in the film business dates back to the ''golden era'' of Hollywood. And he knew all the top heads of the studios as well as many of the most talented people in the their related fields.

He is of course my overall favorite director, based on the quality and sheer number of films on his side of the scale. High Sierra [Scrnply], Maltese Falcon, the Big Sleep, Treasure of Sierra Madre, Key Largo just to mention a few of the early ones. And of course his writing of screenplays of the late thirties that anyone will recognize as some of the best of the classics. And his continued writing of movies; with and without directing, far to many to start listing here!

His relating of his life stories as told here is so captivating and so 'dog gone' interesting and funny, that I felt I was listening to a grandfather tell his life story from the front porch of a family home on a Sunday afternoon!

Anyone that likes to read of a Hollywood long gone and about the people in the industry in those days would do just fine in getting a copy of this wonderfully entertaining book, told by one of Hollywoods finest raconteurs! If not the finest!

John Huston's autobiography 'An Open Book' was written while the author - a film director whose life spanned the period from the earliest days of Hollywood to his eventual death in 1987 - was living, in old age, as something of a recluse in Mexico.

From this quiet, remote, idyllic spot he tells - as he sees it - the story of his own life and the many experiences and fotuitous friendships and relationships which he believes had been important in making him the way he was.

It goes back as far as he can go into his own ancestry and the origin of his own name - Huston. It goes deep into the impressions of his own family that he formed as a child and refined as he grew up.

He shares with us his many mistakes, as well as the background to some of his greatest successes - which nominally, are his many great films.

But somehow more important than this is the way he approaches his life and how he tells his own story. At one point he is discussing what actually constitutes the 'style' of a writer and what makes it distinctive. He concludes that what is called a writer's style is straightforwardly a unique artefact of how that person thinks and feels about their life and experience.

This book is full of a polished but intimate candour that illuminates and compliments his long and successful career in film

Not only has he been one of my favorite directors over the years, he did some great acting spots, particularly in Chinatown. Then to have this book to read is truely a window into his life. He gives one bit of advice. Has to do with smoking, I won't spoil it for you. Witty guy. I think we tend to forget that films are visual/written/audio stories that several people have put together. A piece of art, typically. And the director is the eye of the hurricane, piecing it all together, in his (her) vision. This book gives us a look into both his private life, one which the citizen today likely has little idea about, as well as numerous stories about various Hollywood people he worked with over the decades. I could barely put this book down. He's got a writing style that's so comfortable, so enjoyable to read, well, maybe it was more fun for me because, in my mind I heard his resonate speaking voice reading the whole book like one on tape by the author. There's never been a director like him that I'm aware of, someone who did not have his own style so much as cull the story right out of the block of stone so to speak. Each of the great films he did has their own vision, their own look. A great accomplishment for a real director who mastered his craft. I think of him as a man's man and this book keeps that sense alive. Sure am glad he took the time to write it because it's a lot of fun to explore his life with him. Unique places, people and times in American cinematic history, and he was there, right in the midst of it all. chrisbct@hotmail.com

Here are some great annecdotes (Bogart, Hepburn, Lorrie, Connery, et al.) by one of Hollywood's greatest directors. Huston's private life rivals any script that he ever shot, and his skill and training as a scriptwriter makes this an interesting, articulate volume.

I've been having trouble keeping my daughter's interest in reading. She's liked spongebob for a while now and when I found this product, I figured why not try it! It worked!! She likes reading these books!! She even read them more than once!! Definitely Recommend!

This was a wonderful set. My son is seven and he has had trouble reading bt he has totally loved reading these. I recommend this to any parent with trouble reading. Even if they just like to read these are great reading.

My son(6) enjoyed this box set so much, and it really encouraged him to read. He could read most of it on his own and loved that it was Sponge Bob (much cooler than what they get in school).
Im going to look for more like this one!

I bought this book to for my younger one to learn. My older one picked up the books immediately and started reading them to the younger one because they both love the Backyardigans. Eventually I know the younger one will be learning the words since he is starting to pick up the connections. I like the layout of the each of the 12 books with the emphasis on each sound. (Long E, Short E, Long O, Short O etc.). Because the stories are pretty short, the story line can be a little abrupt, but the phonics are very clear in the books. I really like the books and would make great gifts too.

Months later I add to this review. My kids love the books. Younger one is reading more and more and amazes me. They love the pictures and stories from the show so these books are a HUGE hit!!!

My 3 year old loves this set of books, in addition to me. They are teaching her the correct way of speaking and reviewing this all important task for me. I also bought a set of these books for her daycare after having them for a few months at home, they love them now also.

if you even somewhat like this series you need to get this "art" book and I use the term "art" loosly. It has so much more than art. The best way to describe it would have to be a Statagy guide for the series. Do not get me wrong the art in this book is breath taking from one page to the next. it also gives a full rundown of each character, each episode and then on top of all of that it give a short story for each primary character giving us just that extra little information that we didnt need but it helps expand the world by inmesasureable amounts. Please pick this up it is worth the money. Enjoy!

First off this book is translated into English. The photos, bio's, and stories are all absolutely beautiful. It's a great read, but let's face it... you're probably not buying it for the text. It offers enough fan service, but nothing graphic or anything to worry about children finding.

If you are a fan of the series then this is definetly worth the price the artwork is supurb. The layout in the book is brilliant. Loads of art not seen in the series.

Although I am a fan of anime, I have never read the Onegai Teacher! manga. I had bought this item as a gift for a friend of mine who is a die-hard fan of the series. She was completely thrilled! After much cooing over the book I got a chance to look through it, and was very impressed. This fanbook has great pictures, detailed bios, and lots of extras for those who want to know everything about this anime. This item is a must for any Onegai Teacher! fan.

Do you have the anime and manga? Well, how about the Fanbook? It's just not an art book, it has everything. Tons of art from the anime, from pinups and magazines, as well as rough drafts. It also has character files, a story guide, original short stories, art from scenes that were never made, interviews, comments and so much more. Get it for yourself or a fan of the series. Only for age 13 and up.

The book begins with a heartfelt foreward by the late Lewis Griefer (writer of "The General" under the psudonym of Joshua Adam), an introduction by the author, and then a reproduction of the original ITC "Prisoner" writers guide created for the series' writers by Story Editor George Markstein which is a most interesting read! Then follow the original shooting scripts for the first 8 episodes of the series.

Each is reproduced in full, along with cast lists, transmission dates, writers details, original TV Times "trailers", and music cues. The highlight of the reproductions, other than being able to witness the superb scriptwriting, are the endless footnotes supplied by the author. Every single subtle change from the original script to the finished programme are highlighted in these extensive notes, as are interesting snippets of information concerning the filming locations, shooting schedule, performers, crew, and much more. The amount of information Rob has managed to include is not far from astounding, and the mind boggles as to how many times he must have watched the episodes to include every otherwise unnoticeable word change. The above-mentioned footnotes are fascinating, and make this book the ultimate tome of "Prisoner" information.

Also included is "The Outsider", an unused script written by Morris Farhi (rejected by McGoohan), and two storyline ideas submitted by series Music Editor Eric Mival, as well as a biography of George Markstein. It could be argued that the scripts and footnotes would be enough to justify a positive review, but these rare "bonus items" are the icing on the cake and also make for fascinating reading.

Those familiar with the scenes of "The Prisoner" could be forgiven for thinking that reading such a book might be a dull experience, as they already have the episodes on DVD, but they couldn't be more wrong. Whilst much of the scripts remained unaltered for the finished product, there is much that is different. Small/subtle changes in some cases, large changes in others, each and every one is included. Two such interesting things include the inclusion of the "original" Rover device, complete with flashing blue light, and mentions of Number Two's residence as the "Georgian Cottage", rather than the more familiar "Green Dome".

To list all the interesting script changes here would be an impossible task, so I will close by advising that you go out and buy this book and see them all for yourself. At £19.99 (hardback) it is by no means cheap, but is well worth the price for the scripts alone, let alone all the "bonus items" and countless footnotes.

This volume has scripts to the first eight episodes of "The Prisoner", together with extras like a script to an unmade episode called "The Outsider". Also contains a number of b/w Prisoner-related photographs.

I'm old enough (sad to say) to remember when The Prisoner first aired on American television, as a Saturday night summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason show on CBS. No matter what comes out of all the debates about what the show "really" meant and what McGoohan's "real" intents were, it's definitely stood the test of time. Perhaps because it was as eccentric as it was in its own time. This book is to the series what Martin Gardner's "Annotated Alice" is to "Alice in Wonderland". Needless to say, if you are enough of a fan to want this book, you will also want Volume 2 (thanks, honey... :-), which covers those infamous last episodes (and one unproduced one).

To say that Robert Fairclough's book is a revelation is perhaps an understatement. Sure, its just the scripts. But, the evolution between concept to realization is what this book is really about. Whether or not you agree with McGoohan's decision to take an essentially simple idea (the spy-prison) and turn it into his own subconsious metaphor, if you are a fan of this brilliant show this book is the only one I know that will give you any kind of window into this process.

Can't wait for the second volume.

This really sheds new light onto the series, with deleted lines, scenes, and information not found elsewhere. If you really want insight into things, read the scripts, assuming that you can handle script format...

I bought this book for a production class, and thought "Yet another book to sell", but after reading it, I decided to keep it. Each chapter goes to the point, and lists all the important facts needed for TV and film production. The CD that comes with it is full of generic production forms that can be modified easily. Overall, it has value, and it's cheap too.

I loved the speedy service. I needed the textbook for class, and it came early the following week, just in time for lectures and homework. The condition stated by the company said used and even claimed there is a high chance of some damage. I could swear this book is brand new. Not a single thing about it shows that it is warn, even the CD that came with it is unopened. Love it.

This great book should be a staple in every classroom. It instructs with clarity and insight, and gives real, practical, working knowledge from inside the world of TV and video production. It's conversational style makes ingesting the material a pleasure. You'll easily want to read and re-read it; and no holes will remain in your understanding, as it seems that every question was anticipated and then answered.

The book is extremely well written and very comprehensive. It provides a great entry-level introduction to the world of TV and Video Production while also managing to deliver thought-provoking and educational perspectives via "interviews" with many long-term practitioners.

Cathrine delivers here a complete collections of issues for those looking to learn all the details about producing TV and for those who are also considering to take the "jump" and start their own company.
Her advice and simple style make this book a "must" for those trying to get as much information as possible in a single piece.
Also of interest is the second part of the book, with several interviews with real people/producers, dealing with the most vexing questions about producing TV in the 21st century.
I can't wait for the next edition.

Quinlan has a unique way of portraying a movie start: a few enlightining words about his/her looks and performing capacities. And that goes for his "film stars" book as well as his "film directors" (where he has more room to go into details).
When I went to Britain last week, i looked for a new edition of his "film stars", as the last one I got (and the last one known here in Portugal) was from 5 years ago, the 2000 edition; unfortunately I was told that no new edition had been released.
The "film stars" is a complete and excellent work, though one can always come up with some name that is not included (the one that comes always to my mind is the talented late american actor J.T. Walsh)

David Quinlan has an uncanny knack for describing actors and actresses in four or five perfectly chosen words, or less. If you love movies, you need this book.

I watched the Oscars with this next to me, and it made them so much more fun! Look up fun, strange and important facts about your favorite stars and see some of the quirkiest, yet best descriptions of the actors you'll ever read!. The author describes everyone by their physical attributes - but it's like reading the cartoon page. This one is guaranteed to make you laugh!

If you want to know every movie that your favorite actor has made, this is the book for you!!! It is well organized, incredibly detailed and up to date!!! Keep a copy next to your TV!!!

This book has been an invaluable resource for quenching my film knowledge thirst since I got my hands on my father's 1st edition copy around '82 or so. Due to publisher's restraints, author Quinlan gradually, and unfortunately, weeded out entries for lesser known, or no longer relevant, stars over the years. But fret no more! This edition appears to include every entry he's ever created.
Whether you're looking for the complete filmography of the world's most well-known actors (Eastwood), the birthdate of you're favorite cult star (Marie Windsor anyone?), or the names of those long lost Lon Chaney titles, you'll find yourself immersed in this bible of film history.
Quinlan's research is thorough (and I do mean thorough! Before IMDB came around, I'd never seen anything like it), well-spoken, and virtually flawless in its accuracy. This edition is fairly up-to-date (through 2001 I think) & packs many surprises about the status of actors actors you might have already assumed dead, retired or out-of-work. Superb!

I bought the first edition 2 years ago and then the second edition to keep up with new changes because this book is a very good and complete introductory course on making real world video (i.e. starting from choosing DV camcorders to final production and delivery to the world depending on your budget).

It starts from current DV technology (like CCD and DV formats) and then introduces various DV camcorder types depending whether you are normal consumer or pro-sumer or professional users. (It even shows you the approximate price range for various camcorder class.)

It then introduces how scripts planning should be like for making different scenes of video (newscast or documentary or movie). It teaches different techniques of shooting pictures/video by cameras/comcorders (angles, views, lighting and audio control). I likes the book giving you various examples of lighting equipments and audio equipments required for making good video.

For movie pre-production process, it tells what kind of production crews and things you will need and do for different stages (including cost ranges). For movie post-production process, it shows how to edit all movie and audio footages into final movies and how to fix video/audio problems. It also describes what types of movie editing systems (computers, hardware equipments and software video applications) available in the market depending on high-end, mid-range, or low-end production and budgets. It also describes how the final process of movie copies are generated and delivered to the world.

I like the book because it gives me pretty good ideas how DV movies are made with real equipments that are availalbe in the current market. This book is highly recommended especially for serious beginning DV/movie producers.

This book should be required reading for anyone making a digital movie with more ambition than experience. This book will be worth its cost in just the first project by eliminating many of the learning mistakes we all make. I wish someone would have sat down with me and given me this advice when I started and yet, even with many projects behind me, this book offers me new ideas. Reading the book and the watching the DVD are like having real work experience - both in production and post-production. In one memorable section of the DVD, Pete Shaner sits down with you and gives you lots of advice on how to shoot and things to consider in shooting and editing.

Highly recommended reading...for the home hobbyist...the USC film student...the software geek... or AV professional.

The authors approach the Digital Video Universe in a real world, common sense and entertaining prose...allowing the reader to apply their level of interest, budget, technical background, project objectives and pace to a surprisingly current and comprehensively deep offering of digital video material.

The supportive DVD is awesome!

This book took me into a whole new World. I sure could have used it before I bought my used BetaCam! Now I can work quicker, cleaner, look like a pro and save $$$. The furture of film making is here. Thanks guys!

As the prices of digital data capture and storage have dropped, new avenues of artistic creation have opened up. One of these areas is in the realm of digital video, where it is possible to make movies using simple and relatively inexpensive digital equipment. However, the fact that the equipment is now cheap does not make it any easier to make movies that people would want to watch. There is an enormous amount of subtle technique involved in making a movie, and until I read this book, I had absolutely no idea how complex a simple shot can be. This is a book that will show you how to make a digitally recorded movie, and should be the first thing you read if that is your aspiration.
It all starts with planning, from the initial idea, on to budgeting, clearing all legal hurdles, organizing and shooting the scenes, editing and cleaning the stored scenes, and ending with publicizing and distributing the finished product. All are so complex, that you do not make a movie, you survive its' creation. The fact that the movie can now be stored on digital devices only significantly affects one of these steps.
Written primarily for those who are interested in making DV projects for entertainment, this is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. The number of detail hurdles that need to be cleared to make a movie are astounding, and kudos to the authors for explaining all of those hurdles in great detail.

although under ground red dwarf groups put season 8 at the low end of the list the book is a hit since it is memorobila
some have come to like red dwarf because of season 8 others come to love season 8 because of this book
it is well worth the pounds or dollers you will pay

This gorgeous Red Dwarf companion may seem a bit pricey, but no smeghead should be without it. It contains LOTS of extra material from the smash hit series 8, and is full of beautiful cast and CGI pictures. Best of all, each script is introduced by the king of smeg himself- Doug Naylor! Some of the behind the scenes stories are utterly hilarious(anyone who's read 'Rubber Mask' will know what I'm talking about!). Mr Naylor also shares with us smeggies the troubles Red Dwarf went through in the three years between series 6 and 7. This man has my undying respect and gratitude- and Red Dwarf will never die!

This book is THE Red Dwarf to buy. You may have seen several novels, quizbooks and other largish coffee table-type books concerning Red Dwarf at your local bookshop, but there is no other one quite so good as this: particularly for a fan who doesn't want to get bogged down in endless books.

The content is first rate. Each script contains many sections which were (unfortunately) obliterated from the final shows and almost every scene is accompanied by a full colour photo - there are literally hundreds of them. The comments and anecdotes by Doug only serve to improve an already damn fine book, and allow it to be classed not only as a scriptbook, but also as a series companion and a 'behind the scenes' book, too.

Every fan should have a copy - get one now!

Excellent coffee table-style book with some great pictures from series VIII and interesting behind-the-scenes stories from Doug Naylor. A great gift for the Red Dwarf-deprived U.S. fan!

This is a large size hardcover book mostly consisting of the scripts to the 8 episodes in series 8. The scripts include original lines that were dropped from the show, many wonderful photos, and best of all, some introduction by Doug Naylor. If you are a fan of the show, this will probably make milk come out of your nose (if you happen to be drinking any.) If you are not a fan of the show and someone just reads a passage to you, you will probably still laugh out loud. Naylor explains why Red Dwarf 8 was almost never made, why Kochanski was introduced. (There WAS a reason! ) It is well worth the money, just for the beginning. A must own for fans, even if they aren't collectors, simply for the beginning.

Some women might want to call "The Red Green Show" chauvinist because there's nothng but men on it. Have you ever noticed that? Actually, I can remember one episode that had a beautiful model pretending to be Bernice, Red's never-seen wife. But that was the one and only woman I have ever seen on the show. I said women COULD call it chauvinist, but if they watched it, they SHOULDN'T. It's a show that does nothing but make fun of men. And it is funny.

This book takes some of the best material from the show and kind of throws it together. You'll meet pretty much all of the Possum Lodge members; a wierd collection of some of the goofiest regular guys you'll ever meet. I'm a particular fan of Buzz Sherwood who alledgedly can fly his airplane around Possum Lake, but when you're that stoned all the time, how do you do it? You might be glad to learn O.L.D.M.A.N. Sedgwick's full name.

If you're a regular viewer of the TV show, then you don't need me to tell you to buy this book. If you haven't seen the show, find it somewhere on you local PBS station, or gripe to the station for not carrying it and get one of the videos. Then, maybe you'll appreciate this book and maybe you'll buy it, or something.

Well, Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati. (you'll need to read the book or watch the show carefully to figure that out.)

This book is all of the hilariousness of The Red Green Show laid out in book format. There's Red giving advice to middle age guys, Harold's advice to teens, Red's songs, Harold's for-sale and other announcements, and so forth. I recognized some of these from the show, but by no means all. (Then again, I have not been lucky enough to see every episode.) Then, there's piles of information on Possum Lodge: the pledge, the charter, the rules (yes, they have some), Lodge merit badges, a history of Possum Lake, the transcript of a Lodge meeting (complete with Old Man Sedgwick, Stinky Peterson, Moose Thompson, et al.), a Meet Your Member bio of many member, [pant, pant, pant] and so much more!

This book is great. As soon as I got it I immediately started reading it out loud to my wife (her gardening book couldn't possibly have been as good as this one!). Don't be fooled, the jokes start right at the beginning of the book (if you can find it). This is a great book, a must-have for all Red Green Fans. Hurry up and buy it!

Nobody should be without this book! It is a real piece of humour in writing!!! Great as a gift idea for anyone!!!

If you love the show you'll love this book!

I bought this book for my husband, because he loves the show. He has had to fight me to get hold of it to read. It is a must buy!

Well, this is definitely a page turner and a flip through and a go back and read again and share and tell people they just have to read it.

Imagine, so many wrote their last words poetically. Some wrote pages while others wrote short. "I demand a recount." "Mispronounced dead on arrival." And perhaps you'll guess who wrote one word "Imagine!"

My absolute favorite, laugh out loud epitath--

When my time on earth is done
And I have breathed my last
I want them to bury me upside down
So my critics can kiss my ass

This is definately one of the most entertaining reads all year.
The telling, moving, and sometimes hilarious reflections kept me turning the page. It was tough for me to put down! This book is a real treasure. Debbie Farmer, author of 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'

This book is built on an interesting idea. Larry King asks three- hundred people, most of them American celebrities from the worlds of sports, entertainment, business, journalism, music, comedy, writing ,acting, politics, science and education what message they would leave behind and wish to be remembered by.
Some take this lightly and answer in a quick one- liner or even a word- some seem overly burdened by their own importance, but many hit ' right notes' and quite a few have a real humor.
This is the kind of work which one skims, jumps back and forth in, looking for something interesting. Most are misses, but some are scores, and it is the scores that make the book worthwhile.
A few examples follow which I found of some value.

" For years I've been claiming ,"I'm only human. I'm only human." Maybe now you'll believe me." SHELLY BERMAN

" I hope I see you later." MAUREEN STAPLETON

"He did his best when no one was watching." BOB COUSY

"Jim who?' JIM BOUTON

" I want to be remember as a good guy one who always helped others in need. JOE FRAZIER


" The best is yet to come." BEVERLY SILLS

" He was never boring. He said out loud what others whispered. He challenged authority; the higher the authority, the stronger the challenge. He made the legal system more acceptable to the public He taught thousands of students and educated even more readers and viewers.He listened best with his mouth open. He was fun to be with. He was never boring.All this without knowing how to use a computer. ALAN DERSHOWITZ

I was among the saddest to hear of Larry King's passing in 1987. I had long been a fan of his nonsensical ramblings in USA Today and knew that I might miss those columns unless they replaced it with something superior like a Jumble or a Suduko puzzle. Imagine my surprise to see him on CNN almost 20 years later. Alive ... well sort of alive. Was he cryogenically thawed out? Let this be a warning to all of you in frozen states ... it does NOT always work out.

And this book is just fabulous, a collection of self-serving, inane babblings by the assistants of famous people. Because famous people most certainly do not have the time to write such heartfelt and sincere passages ... they're just not capable of it. It's outside their skill set. So don't be angry with them, just accept them for who they are ... famous friends of Larry King, columnist, talk show host, suspenders-wearer.

When you pass on from this life, what would you want people to say about you? Larry King asked that question of over 300 celebrities, and the result is "Remember Me When I'm Gone," a fascinating compendium of epitaphs and obituaries penned by the still living about themselves. The celebrities include actors, authors, business people, journalists, artists, musicians, politicians, and scientists. The contributions run the gamut: funny, spiritual, laudatory, biographical, comforting, witty, and philosphical. Appropriately enough, there are some song lyrics from songwriters, cartoons from cartoonists, comic epitaphs from comedians, and poetry from writers. Fred Rogers composed his contribution before his death, when he knew he was seriously ill. Larry King provided his own epitaph as well. It was tough for me to select a few examples from so many interesting contributions, but here goes:

Joanna Barnes: At Last - A Parking Space!
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I had fun.
Ted Turner: I have nothing more to say.
Beverly Sills: The best is yet to come.
Robin Leach: Hi, this is Robin Leach standing outside the pearly gates!
Jim Davis: I would like to be remembered as someone who was extremely old.
Dr. Laura Schlessinger: How arrogant to write your own epitaph.

This book displays a lot of wit and wisdom on a sobering topic, and I recommend it as an entertaining and enlightening read.

Eileen Rieback