Television Books

Mr Hedges wrote a very detailed account of the band here, so much so, that one can feel that he was really connected with the bandmembers. There are many upon many quotes from the band in here that really give more depth than I have seen in recent documentaries. I can't believe I spent the amount of money I did for it, but I just couldn't find a copy and other Yes fans have praised it. I agree with the reviews. It's funny where the book finally ends up at and that is the departing of Rick and Jon from the band. The Drama album was actually very good in my opinion and fresh at the time. I still would like to see an updated version of this book, or a bandmember account of being in Yes.

I've read several books about Yes. But I've wanted to read this one (the first ever written about the band) since the early 80s. It took me until 2004 to find a copy I could afford.

The book was worth waiting for. I finally see why so many long-time Yes fans have always liked it.

The writing is excellent -- funny, opinionated, and packed with information. The photo selection is superb, and includes many pictures I hadn't seen before. The book is over 20 years old, so it only takes you up to the 'Drama' era. Unfortunately, it's officially out of print, so it's expensive.

But it's a magnificent read, indispensable for any Yes fan. Easily five stars. Maybe six.

Forget about the new books, this is the ONLY Yes bio that matters. Get it if you can!!!

Not only have I read this book over and over again, I have had the good fortune to have it signed by ALL the band members over the years. It is a complete history. I love it!

Dan Hedges was the publicist for YES during the 1970's. This book contains a detailed biography of the band from their start in 1968 through their 1980 release "Drama". The book is filled with hundreds of photographs and quotes from the band and would be a compelling addition for any serious fan.

Thanks to Nick for writing such a comprehensive book on Yma Sumac. If only I had it to read before I became a part of the story. Full of life lessons, I think everyone should read it no matter if you are a fan or not. enjoy

Finally, a definitive history of one of the world's most beloved musical treasures. Nicholas E Limansky has written a bold and fascinating book - an exhaustive study on Yma Sumac - the Queen of exotica.

-Jeff Chenault - Staff writer for Tiki Magazine and author of the forthcoming Book of Exotica

Nick Limansky's wonderful biography of Yma Sumac is finally available and I really enjoyed it. Begun in 1980, it is full of fascinating interviews with musicians and key players who have not been around for years. It is brimming with great pictures. It is of course a biography and documents her whole career and its backstory, but Limansky also documents the Yma of pop culture: Thomas Meehan's wonderful Yma Dream,5 years of the wild YmaRama festivals in Santa Cruz, etc. Yma had such a unique place in between a few music genres and in so many ways what made her famous also destroyed her credibility as a serious artist and talent. After 27 years of collecting info and writing, it all could not be contained in the book so there is an additional CD-ROM available that contains 120 more pages, 140 more photos and better reproductions of all the photos included in the book. On the CD, Linmansky gives a track by track critical discussion of all of Yma's recordings. Because the book is written by a singer, it adds a perspective and understanding of her talent and craft that makes it a particularly good read for a non-singer, but a fan like me. Did I mention the glorious cover?

"If anyone ever deserved the sobriquet "Legendary" it is Peruvian diva Yma Sumac. Her mysterious Andean background, ravishing beauty and thrilling voice of many octaves made her the absolute empress of the Exotica craze of the 1950s. Anyone seeking to understand her unique magic needs to look no further than this book. In a monumental undertaking of love, research, intuition, understanding and first-rate detective work, Nicholas Limansky has laid before the reader all the facts and all the fictions that continue to surround this remarkable artist. One of the singular careers in international show business is completely examined in a book so complete, thorough and well-written that it can only be called exhaustive. Limansky's deep knowledge of the technical and psychological components of singing - and his clear and incisive writing - enable him to explain the intricate details of her performances in a way that both reaches the experienced listener and is also completely comprehensible to the novice. In fact, to read his descriptions while listening to the referenced selection is to fast-forward one's total understanding of the mysteries of the singing voice. This is a remarkeable achievement and Ms. Sumac is one fortunate diva, indeed, to have such a sympathetic and accurate champion. Bravo!"

Freeman Gunter (former editor of Michael's Thing, Mandate, Soap Opera Weekly, and Classical Singer Magazines)

There have been countless stories published about Yma Sumac since she first burst upon the scene in the 1940s but nearly all have been filled with the hype and mistakes of her original marketing campaigns. However, Mr. Limansky has come up with this definitive tome after many years of extensive and thorough research that dispels most of the myths and provides the first true look at her life, music and vocal techniques.

Don Pierson, Yma Sumac Homepage and Archives - SunVirgin dot com

You Watch Too Much TV is more than just a television trivia book. It's fun you can share with your whole family! Each chapter has a short intro with interesting facts and TV history, followed by questions that range from simple to very difficult. (Depending on how much you watch tv...)

This book spans shows from The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy to Everybody Loves Raymond and Friends. It also includes an entire chapter of trivia questions about cartoons so your kids can play along too.

Even if you're not a trivia buff, or you don't watch quite enough TV, this book is sure to bring back fond memories of television shows we all used to love.

I just recieved this book and it really looks like it was done well! It has 50 sections with about 20 questions in each section. You Watch Too Much TV covers everything from Animation to Horror Related shows. The questions range anywhere from easy to Very Hard (atleast for me). I Highly Recommend this TV Trivia Book!

I bought this book for my husband for Christmas. He absolutely loved it, it was the hit of Christmas Day. The trivia-quiz style is well organized - it is fun to quiz yourself on your favorite shows and to learn new facts about other shows. And the trivia is really cool and interesting. "What a cool book!" was repeated several times.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves TV, especially those of us who watch too much of it!!

What a fun book to read. Not only did it bring back memories, it prompted conversations with our children about all the old shows. It was a great conversation starter and made our family trip this Thanksgiving a lot of fun.

It will be my gift of choice to give family and friends this year.

So you think you know TV huh? Well don't be so sure of yourself until you read the fun new television trivia book "You Watch Too Much TV" by newcomer Ken Kessler. Within the pages you'll find 50 chapters of TV trivia that spans over multiple generations from the early black and white days to the the latest fad-Reality TV. It doesn't matter if you're a fan of American Idol or Love American Style. There's something in this book from everyone.

Sure TV trivia books may come and go but what makes this book unique is the way it is categorized. While lots of TV trivia books focus on certain eras, this book divides each chapter by categories such as TV theme songs, single parent-themed shows, and even cop shows. What character on Gilligan's Island is named in the theme song besides Gilligan? Who played Cagney in the pilot episode of Cagney and Lacey? What was Eddie's father's name on The Courtship of Eddie's Father? Don't know? It doesn't matter. You'll have fun learning.

The only flaw with this book is the fact that it expands across so many generations of television that some people may feel left out. After all, there are people who never even heard of My Favorite Martian, Bonanza, or even Fear Factor. Still with this minor distraction it will still be difficult to put this well researched book down. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the board game. Pick it up, gather the family around and just have fun with this book. This one is definitely a winner.

If you're a Trans-Oceanic aficionado like myself, you need this book! These sets command a mystique like no other and this book is an excellent tribute to these outstanding receivers.

As a collector of Trans-Oceanics, I found this to be the best book I have read in awhile. Couldn't put it down.

The book covers several areas: the history of the Trans-Oceanics, details of the various models, restoration and repair information, and accessories.

The history information is well worth reading, and told me a lot I didn't know about the radios.

The repair/restoration sections are excellent, whether you are experienced with electronics or not.

I would say this book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in Trans-Oceanics

This is easily the best written book for collectors that I've read. Not only are its 160 magazine-sized pages thorough and exhaustive in their presentation of history, key personalities, and technical data, but the book is thoughtfully structured to be as useful as a reference as it is an entertaining read. A wealth of pictures, many in color, come from ads, from Zenith archives, and from individual collections.

The book places the genesis and subsequent evolution of the TO clearly in historical context and explains the impact of the TO on the commercial development and acceptance of the portable radio. The authors provide practical advice for collectors, even citing restoration techniques and specific restoration products used by museums.

Especially gratifying is the use of endnotes that provide sources of historical information. More than just references, the endnotes contain enough interesting anecdotal data that you'll find yourself reading them in their entirety when you finish the main text.

If you are interested in the history of radio for any reason, you won't go wrong with this fascinating, authoritative work. I expect that it has already significantly increased interest in the collecting of Trans-Oceanics.

I recently acquired a 1956-57 model Y600 at a flea market. The Zenith Trans-Oceanic is clearly in a class by itself and I wanted to learn as much about the history of this model as possible. What a pleasant surprise when I received "The Zenith Trans-Oceanic, The Royalty of Radios" and found it to be extremely well documented, highly entertaining and it even includes a restoration guideline section. The print quality is first class with all the historical photographs of related personages and reproduction of Trans-Oceanic advertisements that a reader could want. The writing style is both scholarly and entertaining. In short this book has provided significant additional pleasure in owning, restoring and listening to a radio worthly of being known as a historical benchmark in radio history. Thanks to Amazon Books the finding and acquiring this book was made easy!

Whenever radio-guys assemble to swap tales of great radios one name stands above the rest - the Zenith Trans-Oceanic. Considered the radio for listening to the world, Trans-Oceanic portables were one of the finest engineered and designed products made in America. I learned of the magic of the Trans-Oceanic from my foster Dad, who carried one (the R520\URR military version) in Korea. He told me it was the most reliable radio he had ever seen. A few years later I bought a 600 series and discovered for myself the joys of short-wave listening. I carried that Zenith from the States to Europe where, two years later, I bought a Royal 3000-1 which went back to the States and then on to Southeast Asia. The Zenith Trans-Oceanic - The Royalty of Radios, is one of the finest collector books I have ever seen. The author's spent more than two years researching the Zenith archives to bring this book to life. Page after page of beautifully produced color, combined with black and white photographs show each model inside and out, along with original magazine ads presented in their original format. Information covering the origin of the Trans-Oceanic and model changes through the years make for interesting reading. Also included are repair hints, as well as collecting information. The section on original cost compared to 1996 dollars demonstrates how expensive these sets were when new. The original Trans-Oceanic sold for $75 in 1942, which translates to $695 today. The most astounding price was on the first transistorized model, the 1000-D, introduced in 1958 at a 1996 price of over $1400! This is a book for anyone interested in the history of one of the finest products ever produced in the United States - the Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio. The authors, publisher and printer deserve a thank you for producing this fine volume. by Bob Moore The Roving Editor

Brilliant. Easy and fast transaction. hope we can do business again.

Jim Heimann and H. Thomas Steele's definitive 1000 Clowns: More or Less: A Visual History of the American Clown (2004) offers abundant evidence that professional clowning may represent the ultimate in alternative lifestyles.

Though playful behavior is, of course, found in some higher animals, the human activity of professional clowning is always a highly artificial process enacted within a specifically structured framework, thus making the clown a legitimate, knowing, and complexly-organized insider who nonetheless often essays the role of eternal outsider.

Clowns are 'betwixt and between' liminal creations whose behavior simultaneously reflects experience and innocence, callousness and sensitivity, seductiveness and repulsion, sincerity and deception. Whether performing in the center spotlight or merely acting as a diversion for another act, the clown is always on stage and constantly negotiating the space between the objective world of his audience and his own very private channels of perception, spontaneity, insight, and response. The truly successful clown becomes an autonomous personage, a "demigod of the sawdust" who subtly persuades his audience to forget the unknown human factor beneath the facade.

The gorgeous visuals in 1000 Clowns--which are categorized under "Photography," "Film & Television," "Paintings," "Graphics," "America's Clowns," and "Clowns In Movies"--underscore the fact that those clowns that appear bizarre, repulsive, and grotesque, such as those that appear on pages 114-116, are typically those with badly designed or haphazardly applied makeup. The stronger the design, artifice, and illusion, the more attractive and desirable the clown; some historical examples presented here include Lou Jacobs, Harry Dann, Felix Adler, Emmett Kelley, "Chucko the Birthday Clown," and baby boomer favorite Bozo.

1000 Clowns wisely focuses on the classic high period of the American circus, which, uncoincidentally, also coincided with the high point of Twentieth Century American culture.

This book gives a very good sample of the clowns' wide appearance in America and art in general. The author writes one or two pages (in English, German, and French) about each of the topics of the book, including: Photography, Film & Television, Paintings, Graphics, America's Clowns, Clowns in Movies, and Clown Code of Ethics. The author's view is very interesting and unique, and the pieces chosen to appear in the book are wonderful. An excellent book on the subject. See below a quote from the introduction.

"Those with curious minds seek to decipher the soul that inhabits the body of the clown behind the facade of grotesque face makeup and colorfully outlandish costume. In equal parts comedy and tragedy, joy and pathos, practical joker and devilish prankster, the clown has long been a fixture, both embraced and feared, in American entertainment."

This book came out of left field for me, usually I keep abreast with current clown and/or circus offerings. But the pictures, photo's and images relating to clowns in America is well worth the price.

The author has done a wonderful job gathering a vast number of clown images from circus, film,TV and advertising to create a collection ranging from well-know circus legends like lou Jacobs and Emmett Kelly to TV clowns like Milton Berle and Red Skelton to obscure and unknown clown performers. The sections on clowns in media contain great retro grafics and a diverse number of related clown imagery.

The only downside would be the lack of ID on some of the circus clowns, and the inclusion of the clown creed, which seems unrelated to the images or the art form.

I'm looking foward to a second volume.

This is a really neat book. I like the way it has been set up and the information included as well as the order in which it was laid out. Very nice. My only complaint is the darknest of some of the photos. I do believe the publisher surely could have done better than that.

You cannot classify this book as a real history book or even a work of non-fiction or a novel but it is about a novel and a little about the actual war and also about a movie and a TV series. I can say this much, it is a hoot to read. It was fun and entertaining. "12 O'clock High Logbook" has lots of insider information and background on the whole "history" of that beloved TV series and so much more.

This well researched book has many great posters, photos and tons of trivia about the whole 12 O'clock phenomenon. A true fan of the old TV show could not ask for anything better. I remember watching episodes of the old TV series while in Vietnam on the old Armed Forces TV station along with old reruns of "Combat." It was strange how enjoyable seeing these old shows where to those of us those were flying daily into our own combat missions.

If you are looking for something fun to read about WWII aviation exploits then this is your book! The author takes us through the whole history of 12 O'clock High from the original novel to the 1949 movie with Gregory Peck and eventually to the three year long TV series. This is good entertainment by any measurement--well worth buying and reading!

"Twelve O'Clock High" is that rara avis -a bestselling novel turned into a hit movie turned into a successful TV series. This exhaustively researched, comprehensive and well-written book is what every fan of the book/movie/series was waiting for!

Written by two 8th Air Force veterans, "Twelve O'Clock High" the novel followed the trials and tribulations of General Frank Savage, a tough-as-nails commander, as he labored to salvage a demoralized Bomb Group that has suffered heavy losses to the Luftwaffe. Savage is successful in his efforts but at a great personal cost. In 1949 the novel became an Academy Award winning box office hit starring Gregory Peck. Frankly I have always enjoyed the movie more than the novel because it sliced away anything not related to Savage's struggle, turning it into a lean, mean chronicle of men at war. Then, in 1964, ABC and Quinn Martin Productions created a one-hour series starring Robert Lansing as General Savage. I rate Lansing's portrayal of Savage as THE BEST on film. Make no mistake about it; Lansing was MAGNIFICENT! A gifted actor, he turned Savage into a multi-dimensional, living, breathing, fascinating human being. Like many others I was appalled when ABC/Quinn Martin replaced Lansing with Paul Burke in season two. Burke simply wasn't the actor Lansing was and the series went down in flames after season three.

Duffin and Matheis' book chronicles the whole history of the "Twelve O'Clock High" saga, from the real-life World War II events and personalities that Beirne Lay and Sy Bartlett used to create the novel to the final episode of the TV show and what happened to the principals afterwards.

The depth of research is truly impressive; the book's bibliography alone runs to 23 pages. It's just a shame that Peck, Dean Jagger, Lansing, Frank Overton and others weren't alive when Duffin began his research. The book is illustrated with dozens of rare photos and, again, it's a shame the publisher, BearManor Media, didn't use the better quality paper such a quality manuscript deserved.

Whether you enjoyed the novel, movie or TV series - or all three - if you are a "Twelve O'Clock High" fan, you will want to buy this book! It is the definitive work on the subject and a good read as well. Highly recommended!

An amazingly detailed analysis of EVERY version of 12 O'CLOCK HIGH. Whether or not you are a fan of the book, the movie or the TV series, this is a fascinating and informative look at how a single "property" was exploited across three different mediums. Just the section on the TV series is worth the purchase price for the inside glimpse at how the show was developed and produced, from pilot to cancellation. A must-read for students of television and the entertainment industry.

This lush book should do more than grace your coffee table. It is a magnificent companion to the PBS "reality" tv show. In a departure from the self-consciousness of the genre, this project was undertaken very seriously and turned out to be dynamic and enriching to all involved. The book supplements the program with a detailed history of the house and of turn-of-the-century society. More detail is given about the Bowler family's experiment in "time-travel", including "behind-the-scenes" tales and commentary that is by turns hilarious, moving, and sometimes, downright horrifying. (If you haven't seen the series, by all means buy the tapes)

The Bowler family is charming and intelligent -- a real family with flaws, but a lovable group of six who gamely and thoroughly threw themselves in this experiment. The book delves much more deeply into the gritty conditions lived, and the joyous lessons learned. (we also find how the "the shampoo dilemma" was resolved!). More is told of Joyce Bowler's ambivalence in being a "lady of the house" and how the emotional experience enlightened and edified her -- and affected her for life.

She wants to go back, and so will you -- and you can, through this hefty, glossy, handsome book.

It's been months since I've seen the program on PBS but I found this book to be very interesting and filled with detail. My complaint, minor, is that with the inevitable editing of material required by compressing three months of material into a small book or a few hours of video something is often lost. Some details in the program aren't even mentioned in the book and vice versa. I'm still waiting on my copy of the video, apparently it's on a long backorder, but I'd say get both because they make a fascinating combination.

I revisted this book very recently, it chronicles the tale of a 20th century British Family trying to live live life as it was lived a the end of 19th century. A good proportion of Britains housing stock hails from the Victorian to pre WW2 periods, so it was not difficult to find a house suitable to be transported back in time. The family had a real struggle with all aspects of daily life, cooking, cleaning, entertainment, peronal hygiene and worst of all for the females, the clothes (moreover the loathed and dreaded corset!). A marvellous historical resource for children, particularly if you can get hold of the TV documentry as well. It was originaly shown on Channel 4 in Britian to mark the the millenium. I am pretty sure Amazon uk has it on DVD, for the intersted.

Do you remember seeing this series on PBS earlier this year? This book is a conjuction to this series, but this series was orginally from England and the book too. The book embody a 1999 family, time traveling to the spring of 1900 to live three months as victorians. It's takes place in the south-east part of London, near the millenium dome. The book starts out with the history of late victorian britain and a timeline of 1900 in England. Then, you will read about how they started this project and etc. This book was a great read for me because I learned more than I learned watching this series or in history. This is a great read for anyone, I mean anyone.

I've been playing the piano for most of my life, though only in the past 3 or 4 years have I really started listening to jazz. This book is a revelation for anybody wanting to get an overview of the great players in jazz history, beyond a just a few paragraphs about when and where they were born, a discography etc.
The author is a jazz pianist himself and understands the genre well. He is insightful, and refreshingly candid about the performances turned in by the artists, and points out their flaws along with their strengths and unique contributions.
For the most part, it made made me appreciate even more all these giant talents that I already held in high regard.

A bonus 11-track cd comes with this portrait of eighty-eight pioneers and players of jazz piano, from Jelly Roll Morton to Benny Green. Here are insights on lives, techniques, and changing perspectives on jazz piano styles and artistry, enhanced by the author's personal experience as a jazz pianist and his original interviews with many of the players. Avid fans of the genre will find The Giants Of Jazz Piano positively absorbing.

With a chapter each and running to 324 pages, this is one of the best books you can buy on Jazz Piano. The author Robert L Doerschuk is a Jazz pianist himself and writes with authority on his subjects.

Starting with Jelly Roll Morton, though stride (James P Johnson, Fats Waller), Mainstream (Errol Garner Oscar Peterson) and finishing with contemporary artists such as Brad Mehldau and Geoff Keezer all the artists are given a fair analysis. All the main players are covered: Tatum, Powell, Monk, Evans, Brubeck, Tristano, Hancock, Tyner, Jarrett etc.

What I like about this book is that its not all praise. Yes he likes these guys as musicians, but its an honest appraisal, so when he listens to a recording and hears flaws we're told.

For example when writing about Monty Alexander:
"then stumbles moments later with an awkard figuration that disrupts the momentum". Now in fairness to Monty Alexander most of this appraisal was as compared to Oscar Peterson at the height of his powers. But at least its honest and not just blind hero worshipping.

If you're buying this book it'll certainly help if you're a musician, but its not essential, and there is plenty of interesting material here for non-musicians as well. Most noteably a CD with 11 tracks including pianists such as Mary Lou Williams, Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines and Adam Makowicz.

Raised in a Communist country, listening or playing jazz was forbidden. It was considered decadent. Yet, we craved it. So we would listen on short wave radio and hear with whatever Radio Free Europe or Voice of America would regale us. I tried to copy the great piano players the best I could, but not having the talent to emulate them, I rejoiced at listening to them. So, I have heard the music of Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Dave Brubeck, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, etc., but until I read this book I never heard of James P. Johnson, Mary Lou Williams, Sir Roland Hanna, Roger Kellaway, or Lennie Tristano. Clearly my loss. Of the 88 masters (one for each of the piano keys) I knew of no more than half, at best. The writing is erudite without being pompous and certainly very informative. Mr. Doerschuk is a pianist himself and it shows, as he gives us the unique insights of someone who is not only a music journalist, but also "tickles the ivories." As a result of reading this book, I have started listening to jazz piano music in both historical and social contexts. I am also learning to associate styles with groups of artists in ways that I could not, before reading this book. I like Mr. Doerschuk's organization and his titles for the various chapters such as "Deep in the Mainstream," "Back to the Fountain," "Improvisation as Revelation," since they provide yet another means for organizing jazz piano in one's mind. One can use this book as a permanent reference or just for the pleasure of reading it. I, for one, don't even bother putting in back on the shelf since it feels at home right in my hands as I am discovering "new" and old masters of jazz piano. This book is timeless, just like the marvelous musicians to whom it clearly pays homage.

Another great book added to my collection.When I was reading this book,i kept thinking back to when I was watching the episodes and I laughed a lot.It all made a little bit more sense to me,(Im not all that good when it comes to understanding everything that they say)This book is a MUST HAVE for any AbFab fan!

Having seen most of the episodes that are in script form in the book, it was really hilarious to read them and think back on the episode. Five+stars for this one!!!!!!!!

Jennifer Saunders is one of the world's greatest comedy writers. If you are serious about comedy then you need to see Jennifer's show, "Absolutely Fabulous" on Comedy Central Cable TV. Airs on Saturday afternoon 4p.m. (Pacific time). This comedy was so succesful the American Networks rejected it for being "too funny!" Go figure. In any case, if you want to learn some great comedy buy this book, and watch the TV shows. You can also purchase Jennifer's movie, "The Last Shout" and her TV episodes. Jennifer Saunders is top notch professional comedy to the utmost. James Russell/California.

Buy this book-PLEASE! Do everything you can to get your little hands on it. You will not regret your purchase. J. Saunders is a comedic genius. She writes with the talent and craft that all comedians-turned-tv stars in the US dream they could posess. No comedian--not Jerry Seinfeld, Rosanne Barr, Jim Carrey--can write anything remotely as entertaining, funny, and completely fresh as Saunders. Not even Friends is this funny--and I enjoy that show.

No American sitcom can touch the level of orginality, spunk, finese, and energy of this British television show. In fact, 90% of the things done and said on this show are not permitted on American television (save the cable channel Comedy Central) because the show would be so funny (in comparison to all other US sitcoms) that it would expose the Grand Canyon-esque gap between it's sublime quality and the bloody mess that is American sitcoms.

(If you do not believe me, that US shows have become, well, redundant bird droppings, just watch any show starring a one-time-stand up-comic and see if they don't do the "I killed/lost your pet and bought a new one that looks exactly the same to fool you" number). Pure, uninspiring wishy-washy tv. I'm 24 and I swear that I have been watching the same show over and over again, no matter who they get to star in it or try hide this fact under a new series name. Sounds like you? Enter . . . Abosultely Fabulous.

Absolutely Fabulous 2 is truly beyond hilarious. My gosh! I do not know how J. Saunders and J. Lumley are able to transform mere words on a page to the masterfully acted characters of Edina and Pasty that they inhabit on screen.

I will never grow tired of reading or watching these episodes. Although this collection lacks the episode "France" which is also another favorite, the book features the scripts for the best ABFAB episodes ever. I am talking "Poor" "Morocco" and "Hospital"--they are the series finest and showcase Eddie and Pats at their best.

Buy and read this book while watching the corresponding episodes to see what I am talking about. You will not be disappointed unless you were expecting God to appear--oh, wait, that happens, (in Absolutely Fabulous the Last Shout which is absolutely required watching). Bye, Sweetie Darlings.

The time and effort spent, and the attention to detail are represented on every page. Especially enjoyable where the essays featuring Parkins' own theories on some of Doctor Who's mysteries, and the section collecting all know references to the Doctor's own personal history. Whether you are a new fan looking for more info on the Doctor, or an old fan looking to put a little more order into his world, this book is for you.

One of the more interesting Dr. Who books, that catches everyone up to date at time of publication. Also covers material in Time Flight 1 and 2 (which are also worth picking up). This is good for Dr. Who fans, and just about anyone who bought their kid (or themselves) a cyberman talking helmet for Christmas. Along with sonic screw drivers, phone activated tardis, or the host of other doctor who memorabilia out there.

For those that missed most of the first, second and third doctors, this makes an interesting review into those characters and how they reacted, acted, and their part of the series.

Overall a very enjoyable book, and while there are debates on its true authenticity, it is still worth picking up and reading. I enjoyed it, but then I am also a rabid doctor who fan, and in relationship to the other books like Time Flight and others that came out in the last few years, it is an enjoyable book to read.

Ever wanted to know when the Cybermen were created? Or how about when the Daleks invaded Earth for the first time? Or perhaps how the universe began and how it will end? Well fans here's your chance with Ahistory (Second Edition). So is there a difference with the first edition? Oh yes and that difference is the reason enough to get this one.

This edition has been expanded to cover not just the books and Big Finish audios published after the first edition but the two series of the revived TV series featuring David Tennant plus Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Smith Adventures, and even the long running Doctor Who comic strip. Where has the first book contained 500 or so stories this one contains well over 800. It also presents interesting theories regarding continuity gaffs over the various stories.

One of the best things about the book is that it gives nice, neat little summaries of each story which is helpful when you're a fan seeking good stories. The summaries are usually filled with spoilers for the different stories so consider your-self officially warned.

While the spoilers aren't good for new fans, long-time fans should enjoy this. Full of theories and dates, this book should be helpful to any fan fiction writer looking for a good time to set a story at. Or if you're a die-hard Who fan seeking to know history according to the Doctor, it's just about as good as stepping into a real-life Tardis. Definitely recommended to Who fans.

"Ahistory" is the latest edition of Mr. Parkin's attempt at chronologizing Doctor Who. As such it is a humongous work with seemingly endless entries about every tiny nuance that ties individual episodes of Doctor Who together, along with the books and audio adventures of the same.

The trouble here is that everything is an enormous mess, because nobody really cared all that much about continuity in a show that was originally designed to be shown once and then taped over.

What makes it worse, according to "About Time" (which I recommend instead), Mr. Parkin seems to have actually written Doctor Who novels to cover plot holes in the continuity (such as Tegan not liking transmats when she'd never seen them before in the show -- surprise, there's a story he wrote where Tegan encounters transmats!)

There is much in this book. Far, far too much. Also it contradicts many things that are said in "The Discontinuity Guide" and "About Time". It even contradicts itself in places.

One gets the sense that it's all a bunch of fanboys arguing with one another, and not a respectable history (or even ahistory) that tries to be definitive.

So this is a terrible work for someone wanting an introduction to Who, but is great for those who want to write their own Who and would like to know what happens in the Somethingth Century so they can put their story there.

The major redeeming feature is that "The Discontinuity Guide" and "About Time" do not cover the books or audio adventures to any real extent, and "Ahistory" does. But even this can be seen as a handicap when there is still much debate over the canonicity of the books or audio adventures.

A purist will probably go for just the television series, as there is enough of that to last a lifetime (28 seasons so far), and will likely wish to pass on this book. But the rest of us; the completists, the people interested in what the novels are saying without wishing to actually read them, and the novelists and writers of fan fiction; these will want to have a crack at "Ahistory".