Movies Books

The author has a website I believe at cozybooks dot com and anyone who has appreciated reading the book might leave the author a note there. The other reviews have captured the impact of reading this book. It's so vividly clear that I too can imagine a new film with the likes of our favorite actresses - Jodie Foster and cameos for Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, etc.

Janice Brooks Young's historical novel leads me to think, as many of us are today, about the meaning of war and peace in a climate of global conflict.* I'm reflecting on humankind's inability to live peacefully, not to mention equitably, within the limits of earth's resources.

This novel is based on substantial research into WW II Sumatran internment camps for women. I'm not a historian so I can't comment on how closely it portrays living there. But I do intend to take my own advice this Thanksgiving week; let me think not only about my comfy life in America 2007 compared to theirs. I continue to think of ways other than misguided war and accompanying atrocities that we can create a just world where generosity of spirit is valued and domination and cruelty are not.

* This book like the Iraq war is profoundly disturbing.

I read this book years ago, loved it and have for years wanted to read it again. However, I could not remember the title or the author. I searched every used book store I came across and finally found it again recently and was thrilled. It is a wonderful story of courageous women. It is a must read for any WW2 history buff. As someone else stated, I, too, wish Steven Spielburg would make it into a movie. This story comes alive and the characters are so real that I found myself forgetting that I was reading a novel. I was there, living this story with the characters. I could not put the book down. This is one of the best books I have ever read and I will guard my new copy closely. I do not want to ever lose it again!

This book gives an excellent "feel" of women under stress and in appalling conditions in an internment camp during WWII. The characters are very realistically portrayed, and the book contained a great deal of historical fact. I found this book hard to put down. My only regret is that I cannot find a copy of the movie, "Silent Cries", based on Ms. Brooks novel.If you can find the book, buy it. You won't be disappointed.
'

I read this book about 10 years ago and it was one of the few stories that would pop into my head over time. I always wondered what happened to this book----2 weeks ago, I found the book in an old box and reread it with just as much enjoyment as I did 10 years ago. I NEVER reread books! But this story was just so vivid in detail, I couldn't put it down. Now that I know it is out of print, I will make sure it goes with my treasured (small) collection of books I want to pass down to my daughter. If you can get a copy, worth the read and my copy is a worn, yellowed hand me down--wish I could have see the movie they made! As other reviewers wrote, this is a book that you really get attached to the characters. The ending just left you wanting to know more about woman who went through this experience!

A member of my book club loved this book so much that she took it upon herself to purchase several copies and require it to be the subject book the next time she hosted the club.

Well, I did not get one of the copies she had so I ordered my own through Amazon. I can't put this book down, it is fascinating! The characters are all unique, each with their own depth. The author has obviously done her research well in order to make the story seem factual. The only thing that I do not like is knowing that I will truly miss these characters after I finish the book!!!

I have never seen such a beautful and colorful calendar. When the day is over you dont want to get rid of it. The nicest day to daya calendar I have ever purchased.

If you love Harry Potter, you will love seeing a new scene every day of 2007.

This calendar is awesome because it has all four years in it, and the pictures are really cool. Sometimes the descriptions are a little off, but that's no big deal. I really like it.

I love the calendar i get excited every day when i go to work to see which picture it will show. I know I might be a dork, but I don't care. Everyone should own a Harry Potter Calendar.

I love this calendar!! With every new day comes a new picture from one of the four movies. Along with the picture is a description and the title of the movie it is from. It is the perfect size for your desk too!

Just read what everyone else has written...

She needs to climb out from those piles of ramie/cotton blends and update her book for us!

"If You Ask Me" collects 61 of Libby Gelman-Waxner's (aka Paul Rudnick) comedic movie columns from Premiere Magazine's first 5 years, 1988 until her 5th Anniversary column in 1993. Balancing roles as Assistant buyer in Junior's Activewear, East Side yenta, and "American's most beloved and irresponsible film critic", Libby lambasts movie cliches, aging movie stars, and directors who suffer from Auteur's Syndrome. She swoons over hunky actors and fixates on actresses' coiffures. She keeps us current on the movie-going adventures of her orthodontist husband Josh, perfect daughter Jennifer, tragically single friend Stacey Schiff, and cousin Andrew. Libby is laugh-out-loud funny.

Those who followed Libby's career until the demise of Premiere Magazine in spring 2007 can see how she became the critic we know and love and revisit some long-retired features like "The Libby Awards" and "Letters to Libby". It is amazing and hilarious how seriously some readers took her. Libby's first five years were more manic and plagued with run-on sentences than her later years. This book witnesses the point at which she hit her stride as a critic, about 2 ½ years in, with an article entitled "The Entertainment Factor". Before that, Libby was scattershot and not quite a reviewer.

Of course, Libby's foremost intention was always to entertain. But in those cases when more serious reviewers all got it wrong, which occur like clockwork twice a year, Libby set us straight. Those columns are among her best, and they earned her my respect as a critic. Libby's gossipy wit was also on hand to observe the cinematic transition from the 1980s to 1990s in her column "Making Nice". Her scrutiny of '80s Greed versus "'90s New Niceness", i.e. hypocrisy, is another example of incisive commentary in a deceptively shallow package.

"If You Ask Me" is a wonderfully entertaining volume that no movie buff should be without. Libby could get away with saying what other critics couldn't, because her comments were shrouded in humor. She got even better than this, so it's unfortunate that the other 14 years of Libby are not available as a book. The Introduction refers to this as "Volume 1", so I hope that Paul Rudnick has not completely forgotten about that implication and we can expect the rest of Libby soon. Although the movies are listed under the article titles in the table of contents, an index of movies would have been helpful, as would dates on the articles.

With the demise of Premiere magazine, the time has come to update this hysterical tome and bring every last one of Libby's incisive, razor-sharp observations together into one volume. Surely her devoted fanbase deserves that much...

If you ask me, Libby is the best thing - and sadly often the only thing - worth reading in Premiere. This book is a collection of some of her earlier columns.

I remember picking it up in a bookstore, and reading the part about "Rain Man" and laughing so much I was helplessly bent over and terrified that I would be thrown out or carted away by men in white coats. Luckily, I wasn't.

Hollywood badly needs someone to prick its enormous bubble of egotism, and Libby is always up to the job. Many movie stars are in desperate need of a reality check, a reminder that their hangnails aren't on the same level as say, world peace.

In addition to Libby, we meet her adorable children, Mitchell-Shawn and Jennifer, her friend the terminally single Stacy Schiff, her husband Josh (like Bill Clinton he can balance a budget, then jog over to pick up a bag of donuts), her mother, and her shrink - all of whom contribute columns.

Equally funny if not funnier than Dave Barry at his best, this book is a worthy addition to anyone with a slightly warped sense of humor's shelf.

You'll come for the hysterical observations, but you'll stay for the depth of thought. In reviewing Field of Dreams, for example, in between tart and hysterical observations about Kevin Costner's ambit, we get the incredible telling and onpoint observation that James Earl Jones' character seems oblivious to the fact that baseball was segregated in 1919. Whoa, Libby, you snuck that one in on us. Libby's humor is premised in her unabashed shallowness in movie tastes--she doesn't want to see Calcutta, she wants to see a cut up Patrick Swayze (one of the studs of her era)--and in her understanding of the Hollywood culture that movies reflect. In noting that the jobs women have in movies shift from art gallery director to caterers, she observes that these are great things for Hollywood wives of movie executives to do for "fulfillment" for a month or two, but not the way that the average woman in the real world will be pulling in the bread. Well, she makes that observation in a less heavy handed and much more hilarious way. Libby, forgive me, I lack your craft.

The most important thing about this book is that it is always fun and never self-important. Paul Rudnick, the man behind Libby, had fun with it, and so will you. In Libby fashion, I should note that my adorable mother, Mary Christine Motes, recommended this book to me. Thanks, Mum.

Very well thought out and insightful. As an independent filmmaker, and at a time when the industry is going through so much change, I found it to be a very stimulating and relevant read.

Just adding a bit to the other reviews here:

Today we are in the midst of the most profound upheaval to Hollywood traditions in 100 years, so to provide analogy, one of the most important chapters was the first one, where Kirsner should have described in some depth the primordial battle between live theater and any sort of filming. Instead, he focuses on the competition between Kinetiscope and projection, as if film had vanquished live theater on day one and all that was left to do was iron out the details. Otherwise, this book hits the mark.

"Inventing The Movies" is an incisive chronicle detailing the history of technology in filmmaking. It is filled with fascinating tidbits and facts about the struggles movie innovators faced when attempting to enhance how movies are made.

Scott Kirsner has compiled a wealth of historical facts and he presents them in a wonderfully entertaining manner.

Truly an excellent and quick read. I highly recommend this book to any cinephile looking to understand the evolution of technology in film.

This book merges two topics in a compelling narrative - a fast-paced history of how technology has consistently changed the movie industry, with an emphasis on newer innovations such as digital production, and a case-study based examination of the dynamics of new technology adoption a la Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing the Chasm" or Clay Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma". Kirsner's engaging writing style should make the book accessible to anyone who is looking to understand the transformation of how Hollywood made / makes movies or who is being acutely affected by technology change in the media and entertainment industry and beyond.

This book is a great read on the repeated struggles between innovators and the motion picture industry, and the vitriolic nature of the clashes really comes through. What I found especially fascinating was that the innovators crashing the gates repeatedly turned into the heavies guarding the gates; it's behavior according to position rather than disposition.

What was also interesting was the recurring 'bursting dam' aspect, where resistance would hold out for years, and then the whole industry would suddenly transition. This falls in line with invention adoption patterns from 'The Innovator's Solution'; it's probably inherent in human nature.

A very perceptive work on an industry that is still undergoing shifts from the later inventions mentioned.

"The Making of the Wizard of Oz: Movie Magic and Studio Power in the Prime of MGM--And the Miracle of Production No 1060" is just downright enthralling. It is an expose' that breaks down the machinery and the machinations of what it took to get a major movie made in the days of the autocratic studio heads. The book offers an entertaining and totally engrossing look at the legendary film. Judy, Ray, Jack, Bert, Margaret, and Toto, too, are all analyzed in this brilliant work. The songwriters, the respective directors, the many other craftsmen, as well as the "little people," in more than the figurative sense, are all here. Vividly embellished with stills from the production, the book's text is just as captivating. The familiar as well as the unfamiliar stories about the production make for a most satisfying read for any "Oz" fan. It is also a good primer for anyone with an interest in pursuing film as a career.

It doesn't matter unduly if you didn't grow up watching MGM's 1939 color movie "The Wizard of Oz" in re-release or on TV. You might think that a "Munchkin" is what used to be called a "doughnut hole." You may think of Judy Garland only as Liza Minnelli's mother, and avoid prewar movies like the plague. Maybe you didn't feel that shock of recognition that "Cora the Coffee Lady" in Maxwell House TV commercials was none other than Margaret Hamilton, the green-faced Wicked Witch of the West.

Of course, if you love "The Wizard of Oz" you've love THE MAKING OF THE WIZARD OF OZ all the more. I just read this book for the second time (the first upon its initial publication), and was astonished and pleased by how well it has held up. Author Aljean Harmetz has crafted a book relevant not only in terms of one particular "prestige" movie off the Hollywood assembly line; but indeed her insight, research and friendly presentation make the book stand as a metaphor of all Hollywood filmmaking during the height of the Studio Era, ca. 1940. Perhaps the late Irving Thalberg was one of the few Hollywood insiders who could "keep the whole equation of pictures inside his head," but Ms. Harmetz opens up this world for us, and shows us both its realism and its wonder.

We return to an era in which studio moguls were as eccentric and powerful as today's software barons, when studio hands were nonunionized yet intensely loyal to their studios, when no movie studio even thought about a future containing broadcast TV, when movie stars were better known than Presidents or Kings, and when Technicolor would give you any color except the one you wanted. Nonetheless, solving the creative problems inherent in bringing L. Frank Baum's novel "The Wizard of Oz" to the screen was seen as an invigorating set of challenges to be met and conquered.

Back then, MGM had a real "can-do" attitude. So no one had
ever created a moving tornado for a film? After two tries the MGM tech people got it right, and the depiction of that horrendous twister so set the tintype for what a tornado ought to look like that it persists in our collective consciousness today, despite today's ubiquitous video cameras.

There were no tape recorders. How, then, to raise or lower voices artificially for dubbing? This book tells how. What happened when Buddy Ebsen almost died from an allergy to aluminum dust he had worn as the (originally intended) Tin Man? Why was Margaret Hamilton burned severely and ignored, yet Billie Burke turned an ankle and was whisked off the set in a white ambulance? Why did the film need four directors and half a dozen screenwriters, yet was fondly recalled as a labor of love by practically everyone except a prematurely embittered Judy Garland? Was the film the great commercial and critical success you might think it would be? And, by the way, what about those Munchkins' alleged sexual proclivities? Excellent answers provided by excellent research present a fully-formed world view, warts and all.

THE MAKING OF THE WIZARD OF OZ would be a wonderful companion to the new restored DVD version of the film, which is so crisp you can count the gingham checkers on Dorothy's blue dress (which was actually violet, to fool the Technicolor process). How were the ruby slippers made? What about that poppy field? Read on. Some critics have said that Harmetz's later work is not as excruciatingly well researched as THE MAKING OF THE WIZARD OF OZ, but I don't care. This book and the movie are not only as much fun as ever, but a great education in the good old/bad old days of the Hollywood "Dream Factory." Don't miss it!

MGM's movie,based on the book by L. Frank Baum,"The Wizard of Oz,"is nearly 70 years old. But its stars, Judy Garland, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton, still shine brightly as ever, and the movie continues to be a particular favorite of young and old.

Aljean Harmetz is the daughter of a woman who worked backstage at MGM. Harmetz's mother worked in the Wardrobe Department; she was able to estimate sewing costs on thousands of costumes, from 1937 to 1951 --including the nearly one thousand needed for "The Wizard of Oz,"alone.

So starting from this birds' eye view, Harmetz is well able to explain how "movie magic and studio power in the prime of MGM" resulted in "the miracle of Production #1060." To that end, she did hundreds of interviews, with actors, singers, songwriters, cameramen, screen writers, costumers, directors, and technicians. She succeeded in bringing the great glory days of MGM, under its sentimental czar L.B. Mayer, to technicolor life.

Harmetz explains how the Emerald City was designed and built; how the cyclone was created. She tells us how Judy Garland's immortal "Over the Rainbow" was nearly lost, as envious, nitpicking producers responded after the film's first screening: "Why does she sing in a barnyard? Take it out!"

The author gives us fine portraits of Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West--"she enjoyed every moment screaming about those slippers." Binnie Barnes, who played the Good Witch Glinda, retiring to her pink and blue dressing room to await her next call. Bert Lahr creating the endearing cowardly lion-- his costume weighed over 50 pounds. "It was like carrying a mattress around with you," he said. And he could only sip liquids once in full makeup. Ray Bolger, the dancer who created the Scarecrow, " I have no bones. I have nothing inside me. It's just the wind holding me up." And Jack Haley who inherited the Tin Woodman's part after an allergic reaction to the aluminum paste makeup, put Buddy Ebsen, first cast for the part, in hospital.

You should find you read these marvelously detailed pages with great enjoyment, and if you're as sentimental a fool as I can sometimes be, even with emotional involvement. If you love the movie, you might want to try to find this book.

The making of the Wizard of Oz is a wonderful book to anyone who has grown to love the Wizard of Oz. You don't even have to be an obsessive fan of the movie like myself to enjoy it. It is extremely well researched. If information is not known the author says it so and does not attempt to recreate history as some nonfiction works do.

Perhaphs what makes the 1939 movie so wonderful is learning all the behind the scenes things that went into making it. This book gives respect and a knew sense of understanding as to what movie making was like in the biggest studio of that time. It is written so that it doesn't need to be read front to back. You can start in the special effects section and finish in the chapter about the script, or the music, or the directors (did you know there were four?).

Did you know that the movie had the work of 10 writers or do you know how the surrender dorothy scene was done? Well, in this book you find out his and thousands more did you know facts to impress friends. I recommend this to anyone who has watched the Wizard of Oz. And if Oz didn't win an academy award for best picture in 1939 than that was because the academy didn't have this book to help choose.

If you're a die hard fan of this classic film then you'll want to read this well-researched "making of" tome. The book is filled with all sorts of wonderful trivia tidbits but most of all it gives an insightful review of those behind the camera in a way I've yet to find in other "OZ" related books. The one and only shortcoming of this book is to be found in the number of pictures, in my opinion there could have been more, otherwise it's a behind the scenes look that most OZ fans won't be disappointed with.

A book of challenging feeling between the lovely couple Maryann, a sensitive girl
and the-have-to-be-with-your-girl Logan are having to `' cool their relationship
for wail'' because Maryann thinks their spending TO MUCH time together. One of
another Ann Marten realistic fiction Baby Sitters Club series book.


by C. Koenig

Mary Anne Likes Logan, But Logan Is Taking Over Her Life. Finally Something Terrible Happens. I Reccomend Bringing Tissues When You Read This Book. But Read It!

It's sad mary anne and logan ended it here, but the book was beautifully written. As you read about the dates Mary Anne was on and how she was describing each environment, you feel like you're there with her. Especially the parts where she goes ice skating with Logan, and when he surprises her with a Valentine's Day dinner with presents after sometime of "cooling off" the relationship. They end up breaking up in the end because Mary Anne feels as though he is controlling and wants things his own way all the time. But will they ever get back together? You'll have to read the next Mary Anne book in the series to figure it out!

Looking back on my youth and teenage years, I used to read BSC religiously. I have all the books that were made from the time I was in 5th grade, up until I graduated high school a few years ago. When I first read Mary-ann vs. Logan, I was shocked because I really didn't think that they'd really do it. I was heartbroken, and happy at the same time. I found this book the other day in a box while I was moving, and in the front flap of the book I marked off each time I read it, and I had marked it a total of 15 times, so that's how good the book was! I recommend it to any BSC fan.

Mary anne wants to break up with Logan because he is taking over his life. For example, they will go out to a movie, the n Logan chooses the movie for them. There is also a part in which Logan becomes rude to Mary Anne.

I agree with Omni. When I first started reading I was determined to make it thought although the beginning seemed poorly written and confusing. By the time I got to book III, it was difficult to put the compendium down. The authors did an excellent job of referencing canon works in small ways here and there and they also do a very good job of making sure that the conversation is typical of the characters (for the most part). Aside from the occasional religious tirade by a random cast member and portraying the Captain as a slightly apprehensive leader (as opposed to his all-out persona in the show), it was one of the better Star Trek books I have read.

THIS BOOK IS THE BEST I HAVE READ IN A WHILE. I THINK I LIKE STAR TREK DS9 THE BEST. THE CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED MORE THAN ANY OTHER STAR TREK SHOW CHARACTERS. THE BOOK HAS A LOT OF GOOD DETAILS SUCH AS THE VARIOUS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE "UNFINISH INTERIOR" OF THE PHOENIX. THE STORY IS ONE OF A KIND. THE CONTINUAL JUMPS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE THE CARDASSIAN WITHDRAWL AND THEN JUMPING TO DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE TIME AFTER THE CARDASSIAN WITHDRAWL.

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ IN A WHILE. I AM A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAD EVER READ. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANY STAR TREK FAN OF ANY OTHER PERSON WHO WANTS TO READ A GOOD BOOK

This book is definatley worth reading. I read it 2 years ago, and I'm thinking of reading it again. I don't like multiple books bound into one...its just too bulky... so I'd suggest buying the 3 books seperatley, but this is the best DS9 book series, and best 3 Star Trek DS9 books, I've read to date. Unbelivable, it draws you in and won't let go, hard to put down. Definaltey worth reading if you're a Trek fan.

If you are a fan of any Trek series, this book is for you. If you especially like DS9, there is no frinxing (I hated the way Quark used that swear-word) way you should miss this trilogy.

To date, this trilogy combined in one book is my favorite Trek (not just DS9) novel! Time-travel, religion/philosophy/science, alternative timelines, the War of all Wars, the End of the Universe, the destruction of DS9, False and True Emissaries, THE Sisko... there is simply soo much to this book that it is amazing the authors didn't lose focus. In fact, all the plots are handled well and very few plot holes emerge.

The novel starts off investigating a simple murder and quite simply takes off from there. Once the Red Orbs are discovered I found I literally could not put down the books. I read the whole trilogy in just over a week, making this my fastest read trilogy ever (faster than the Lord of the Rings, which admittedly is slightly longer).

The characterizations in this book are spot on perfect. There is subtle foreshawdowing to events that occur in season 7 of DS9 and the last episode of Season 6. The events in this book take place after Sisko et al try to save the dying woman Captain from the planet but before the season 6 finale... which means we get to see Jadzia Dax in action! Some of the subtle hints to her death are quite sad, yet never do they or other allusions become overdone.

Also, Admiral Picard makes an important appearance in this trilogy... Yes, he is finally an admiral, with QUITE an important mission! Other characters, notably Voyager ones, make short appearances. In the alternate timeline we also get to hear what has happened to most of our beloved characters like Riker. And hey why not bring back Thomas Riker for some fun? Vic himself plays quite an important role and his philosophical inquiries are intriguing.

The authors know much about Trekdom and share that knowledge well, though they limit it so as not to make the book ridiculous like some other Trek books. They are also experts in nonlinear time and time travel. Real explanations for why I can or cannot kill my grandfather are given, something I immensely enjoyed.

How can a book that sees the return of Vash and Garak confronting himself (literally two Garaks!) fail to grab a reader's attention? It had mine continuously.

If you'd like to know what I thought about each individual book, please look to my individual reviews for books 1-3. It is best to read every book in this series, although the authors try to make it so one can pick up book 2 or 3 without having read the previous one(s). I strongly recommend reading all 3 because you'll get a more full and rich understanding not only of DS9 and the books, but of your own life.

Trilogy definitely deserves a hardcover release.

This is the most informative/coolest book, if your looking to get involved in the music business, the book is aweosme, but the guys are even cooler

This book is a great education in what a music supervisor does and needs to know. The spotlight interviews are informative and give the reader a practical application of the text. The technical aspects of the job were eye opening and extensive. A must read for anyone who thinks music supervision entails picking songs from an iPod and placing them to picture. I have a greater appreciation for good music supervisors after reading Music Supervision.

This book came to me out of nowhere and consequently turned into one of the most inspiring, captivating, and education texts that I have ever read. In this, the summer of 2006, I have currently been working as an intern for MTV On-Air Promos. There, I met David Hnatiuk and overlooked his profession as a music supervisor. Having interest and aspirations for his work (being a music industry and sound recording major), I decided to purchase "Music Supervision".
So, I got it- I read it- and loved it!

Reading "Music Supervision" flat out bridged the gap between everything I learned at the University of New Havem concerning the music industry and sound recording and everything that was coming as new to me from MTV about broadcast television and its promotion. The books facets including, but not limited to: Legal Issues, Sound Design, Licensing, DAW discussion, working with producers/directors, etc. are all topics that I learned and dealt with at school and at MTV.

This coincidence of reflection between these that I encovered was simply amazing and will prove to be beneficial to my success and education at MTV and as a music student.

Aside from teaching me about my loves and interests, the book also took my vision of my career and future life, twisted and distorted it, and showed me it as I have imagined before. Now, since the book educated me on the subject and how to succeed in it, being a music supervisor is now a career path that I am interested in pursuing. It entails the music industry. It entails sound recording. And hopefully, it'll someday entail me.

Congratulations to Ramsay Adams, David Hnatiuk, and David Weiss. They have succeeded in writing a book that is highly informative, useful, and very insightful. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career as a music supervisor, or would simply like to do research on the profession, this book will far exceed your expectations. It's an easy read that features random interviews from experienced music supervisors that candidly articulate what the primary considerations are in selecting music, and shines light on the process of "spotting" and "auditioning" songs for placement, in addition to offering helpful advice on how to deal with challenges that music supervisors face in their position such as difficulties in obtaining master, sync and mechanical licenses; working harmoniously with egotistical producers and directors; managing creative conflicts; preventing legal problems; dealing with financial constraints; and marketing their services. A great educational and reference resource.

I bought this book because I wanted to learn how I can get my songs into movies and tv. I heard that was the best way to make money and get exposure. This book gave me the answers and even the names of people who select music for films and tv. I already got one of my songs into a film that competed in Tribeca Film festival. Some of the writing is a little long handed but the information is really right on. If you are a songwriter who wants to get your tunes into the movies, this is the book for you.

As previously said, this is a very well and beautifully writen errr... memoir. The cover tells you the whole story of what to expect inside. At first glance Alec dancing appears as a comical figure almost, but as you look closer you can see he is in some sort of agony. And as the book moves on, it is hard for him to not show his melancholy.
Despite being a bit of a emotional downer, this is still a very worthwhile read for any of his fans.

The journal of an extraordinary gentleman, one of the greatest actors ever to grace stage or screen. His reflections on his career are moving and perceptive, totally lacking in self-aggrandisement. His thoughts on the whole "Star Wars" phenomenon are particularly witty but smack of the desperation of being hounded by that film's fans. It's tragic that this great man may only be remembered by modern generations for his appearance in that opus instead of for his work in the Ealing comedies, "The Bridge on the River Kwai", his lengthy stage career and his magnificent turn on TV as George Smiley.

Alec Guinness is undeniably one of the most gifted actors of our times, and now, with his offering of "A Positively Final Appearance," we get to know something of the man behind the mask. This journal, kept between the summer of `96, and 1998, is chock full of insightful musings, reminiscences and anecdotes that are a delight. He shares his love of the theater, discussing many of the plays he attended during this period, and gives comments on recent movies, as well. An avid reader, he talks enthusiastically of favorite authors and books; his love of literature is unmistakable. The stage is his first love, however, and he speaks fondly, and frankly, of many of the plays he's done, and of his experiences with many of the actors and directors with whom he has had the privilege of working. He invites you into his private life, discussing the love of his life, Merula, and discoursing on their life at home, as well as their many travels. You learn what the greatest regret of his life is, who some of the people are he admires most, and a few of whom he could do without. He explains his negative attitude toward the "Star Wars" phenomenon, and addresses many of the events, large and small, that have in some way affected his life, and helped mold his perspectives. His concern over world events and the human condition is poignantly evident. Guinness writes so fluently, you can almost hear that distinct, familiar voice; you seem to be listening, rather than reading. There is a dignity and charm to his words that reveal, to some degree, the man behind them. That he values his privacy is apparent, and it becomes very clear that he is not the most accessible person, yet without any rancor; he holds his fans in high esteem, but there is a sincere humility to the man, who simply doesn't feel worthy of all the fuss. In a world seemingly rife with crass sensationalism and indifference, "A Positively Final Appearance" is like a tonic to the soul; it is so refreshing to discover that somewhere elegance and refinement still exist. My positively, final word on this book is that it is a joy, and should not be missed.

I picked up this book because I like Alec Guinness' work in "Lawrence of Arabia" and his other David Lean films (not because of "Star Wars" which I can take or leave). To be honest, I was worried it might be kind of boring.

Well, it was not boring -- it was delightful. The man was full of many profound observations about life that he communicated by writing about everyday things such as the birds in his yard or the weather. His vivid memories of his stage career and the people he knew were vastly entertaining. I was surprised to find him to be a humble, not-too-well-off everyday kind of man, not some fabulously rich egomaniac as I had supposed him to be.

Even though I could not be more different from him politically, I still enjoyed reading his views on politics. It was like talking to a dapper, well-bred older gentleman you bumped into on the street. His writing was assertive, yet polite and genteel.

If you miss reading this book, you've missed a simple pleasure that will make you smile. It's worth buying!

The late Sir Alec Guinness was a lovely writer, and with this, his final memoir, he improved vastly over his previous gift to us, MY NAME ESCAPES ME. Whereas the latter was strictly a selection from his diary, with this Guinness moves beautifully from journalistic descriptions of day-to-day events (from eye surgery to walks with his wife, Merula, to the indignities of moving slowly in an ever fast-paced and impolite world) and wry reflections on current events to anecdotes spanning his entire career in theatre and film. Each chapter is arranged by a theme, mostly seasonal, but they meander charmingly.

Those interested in his encounter with the church and his beginnings as an artist should find his autobiography, BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE. Those who might want reflections on STAR WARS will be disappointed. When one gentleman asked Guinness for an autograph from Ben Kenobi immediately after mass, Guinness admonished him, "Not in front of the parishioners!" and disappeared as nimbly as a young Jedi.

I love this book! I simply couldn't put it down until I finished it

going into al's past was great...I loved this book! Read it

I just could not put this book down. If you are a fan of the Quantum Leap series on television then you will definitly enjoy this book.

This is by far the best of the Quantum Leap novels that I have been able to read. I couldn't put it down. (I recieved a detention for reading it while I should have been working in class) I have always wanted to hear more about Al, as he is never really the focus of attention, and this is just the book I was waiting for. I reccomend it to any Quantum Leap fan, especially those of you who think Al should get some more recognition. The plot is involved and very well written. One of my favorite books ever!

I just recently re-read this book for the 4th time and it brought my close to tears again at the depths of Al and Sam's friendship. While it is not necessary, I would reccommend seeing the folowing epsiodes before reading the book: Starcrossed, M.I.A, The Leap Home, and Vietnam. It will bring more enjoyment to the book. Storm was able to play off these episode emotions throughout the book and she did a great job of keeping the characters true to the Ql universe throughout the entire book. If you are not a QL fan now, you will be after reading this book.