Television Books

This book was a complete joy to read! I'm going to have to restrain myself from a writing a long, glowing review here. I'd rather you get the book and read it instead.
Author, David Van Deusen takes you from the inception of his brilliant idea to publish his newsletter, "The Walnut Times," dedicated to The Dick Van Dyke Show, to his eventual interviews and friendships with the cast and creative crew. This is no exaggeration. As you will see to your own envy (and certainly to mine), David has literally become friends with the people who brought us this classic TV show, earning nicknames from Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke! Ever dream about being in Rob and Laura's living room or kitchen? Me too. David's gone one better; he's actually been there - and they were home!
I very much enjoyed David's relaxed, unembellished writing style. You'll flow along effortlessly from one wonderful experience to another, sharing David's anxiety, trepidation, and exuberance all the way. David worked hard to bring about "The Walnut Times," and he shares it all with us in "To Twilo And Beyond! My Walnut Adventures With The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast." He lets us in on phone conversations, snail mailings, emails and all. The interviews are thoughtful and insightful.You won't want to put this book down until you've finished it.
Every true fan of The Dick Van Dyke Show should buy this book. It doesn't matter who your favorite character or star from the show is, they will be represented here, either by interview, a chat with their family members, or reminisced by those who loved or worked with them. If you love The Dick Van Dyke Show, you will love "To Twilo And Beyond."

David Van Deusen is the #1 fan and authority on the Dick Van Dyke Show. He not only writes about all the characters but also has worked to get to know each cast member and anyone associated with the show. Many "look back" books are just a compilation of the facts, but David has put his entire heart and soul into this project. He also publishes "The Walnut Times" which is not only the official but only newsletter on the Dick Van Dyke Show. We don't see TV like this anymore. And it is great to see a book like David's that helps us relive that past.

Take a very pleasant trip "To Twilo And Beyond" by opening up this 202-page book, written by David Van Deusen (the "other DVD"), who is one of the world's biggest fans of the everlastingly-entertaining 1960s television series, "The Dick Van Dyke Show".

I, myself, just might rank as one of the most-ardent admirers of that TV sitcom, too, having seen each episode many times (which is easier to accomplish now than ever before, what with the fact that all 158 episodes of the series have been made available on the DVD-Video format through the superb efforts of Image Entertainment Inc. and Paul Brownstein Productions).

Keeping this book right next to those DVD boxed sets is a wise thing to do. They complement each other nicely. In fact, Mr. Van Deusen even appears on camera within one of the Dick Van Dyke Show full-season DVD boxed sets (the Season-Two collection). David produced and hosts a bonus featurette located in that set, called "The Making Of 'It May Look Like A Walnut'", which includes interviews with cast members as they reminisce about creating that enduring and well-remembered 51st filmed episode of the Van Dyke Show.

In my opinion, it's very difficult to think of any other single television program in the history of that medium that is as downright satisfying and warm and "real" (and just flat-out good) as "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966; CBS-TV).

"Leave It To Beaver" (1957-1963) probably comes the closest to the Van Dyke Show in all of the above-mentioned regards, in my own personal opinion. "Beaver", like Mr. Van Dyke's series, is a TV show I never get tired of watching. And I doubt I ever shall.

The cast of the Van Dyke Show will forever remain one of the very best ensembles placed on a TV soundstage -- Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Carl Reiner, Richard Deacon, Jerry Paris, Ann Morgan-Guilbert, and Larry Mathews.

Mr. Van Deusen has developed friendships with all of the surviving cast members, which he warmly relates in this book. I envy David greatly. :)

Perhaps the best and most accurate reviews for this publication come from some of the actual members of the Dick Van Dyke Show cast. The two endorsements below sum things up pretty well:

"By doggedly going about contacting everyone ever connected with 'The Dick Van Dyke Show', David Van Deusen has unearthed information and anecdotes about those good old days and the good, young actors and directors who made it work. He has given me a second look at things that I was too busy to look at the first time around and I thank him and his book for affording me that rare and pleasant opportunity." -- Carl Reiner

"For any fan of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show', this book is a MUST read. David {Van Deusen} has captured the soul of each character to a 'T'. You will not be able to put this book down until you finish reading it. Enjoy all the wonderful memories!" -- Rose Marie

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Thank you, Mr. Van Deusen, for helping to keep the memory of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" alive as we proceed well into the 21st century. And I'd be willing to wager a closet-full of Kolac's and Lolac's walnuts that people in the 22nd century will still be watching (and enjoying) that TV series too. For, no matter how many years that go by, Mr. Van Dyke's program will never grow stale. After all, a truly fine wine only gets better with age.

Have you ever tripped over an ottoman? Or a MOUNTAIN? Ever get an overwhelming urge for walnuts (and then found you had no thumbs to help get them into your mouth)? Ever have one of those days when you keep hearing "Uhny Uftz" while tripping the light fantastic in Herbie's Hiawatha Lodge at Lake Sissy Manunu?

No??? Well then obviously you haven't seen the greatest TV show in the HISTORY of TV shows!!! The DICK VAN DYKE SHOW! And maybe this book is not for you. But for the majority of us intelligent, classy, sophisticated connosseurs of fine entertainment, this book is a MUST!

The author takes you behind the scenes of the Dick Van Dyke Show via interviews with it's top stars and crew. But these are no flashy Entertainment Tonight interviews -- these come straight from the heart, from someone who is a long-time fan, with an exuberant awe and appreciation not only for the brilliance and genius of each individual's talent, but a genuine loving curiosity about the stars and crew as fascinating individuals in their own right.

You will travel vicariously, via your host David Van Deusen, to places most DVDS fans never get to go -- on the set of the Dick Van Dyke Show, backstage at the TV Land Awards, the Dick Van Dyke Show Reunion, and even to Rose Marie's house!

This book was written with a lot of love -- and it shows! You'll feel it with every word. Sit back, relax and dig in!

Oh, and watch out for that ottoman! . . . and mountain! . . . and those damn walnuts! . . . Still got your thumbs? Great, they'll be helpful in reading this book!

What a wonderful book David Van Deusen has written. He loves this show and has such great respect and admiration for the cast and creators of "The Dick Van Dyke Show". He has allowed us to catch a glimpse of what it's like to set up a publication, meet many favorite stars and the troubles that arise in trying to meet them and the great adventure of writing it all down. This is a great read for anyone who loves classic television and "The Dick Van Dyke Show". David Van Deusen has been aptly named the Head Walnut. Thumbs Up!!!

This is so packed with details that I am always searching for. It's awesome, it's so cool. It has everything that you need to know about the X-files, I have nothing but praise for the author. I love the fact that it told so much about all of the characters and stuff, and it's just so great that I recommend if you're as obsessed as I am about the show, to go and buy it. It's definitely worth the price. Again, really great book!!!

I thought that the book had alot to give and I realy liked it. If any one has a good X-files book tell me what it is called

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt the best and most complete reference book that has ever been published on THE X-FILES. This incredibly detailed and beautifully illustrated book covers everything you ever wanted to know about THE X-FILES but were afraid to ask! It is a massive undertaking that covers everything in easy to use A-Z alphabetical format. Every entry cites the episode it came from and every character has the actor's name. Say for example, in the letter (B): you will find lengthy entries for everything from Bear ("Ice") to Bay Area Carpeteers (the Chinese employer of Shuyang Hsin in "Hell Money") and Big Blue ("Quagmire"), from Babcock ("Gethsemane") to Bright White Place ("Nisei") and Biodiversity Project ("F. Emasculata") and tons of entries in between. It is also a very timely book as it covers all previous 4 seasons. I also love the classy look of the book, the good-grade paper and the typeset inside and, especially the price. Oh, how could I forget the illustrations! No more reused stock photos (that we've all seen in every magazine), but the coolest artwork enhances the book. Wait until you check out Flukeman, Mama Peacock and Dr. Zama! THE X-CYCLOPEDIA is a BIG book (with thousands of entries) and for only $15 it's a better deal than the 2 or 3 X-Files magazines I buy each month that total more than $15. If you call yourself an X-Phile, then you don't want to be without this DEFENITIVE reference book to the series! This is THE book of the X-FILES, and I highly recommend it.

This is definitely a 'must have' book for all X-Files fans! Every person, place, company name, historical reference or 'you name it' ever mentioned in seasons 1-4 is covered here! Also serves as an episode guide! Mine stays right next to me whenever I am watching the reruns! Get it...now!

This is the COMPLETE reference guide to my favorite TV show. Idon'tthink the authors missed a thing in this book...it is absolutely mind-boggling to see so many entries. From A to Z, The X-Files has never before been put under such focused, affectionate, and meticulous scrutiny. The X-CYCLOPEDIA is the ULTIMATE reference book on the series and if I only had $15 in my pocket and could only buy one book about THE X-FILES, then it would be this one. Hands down, this is THE best reference book on THE X-FILES ever written. I give it two thumbs up, four stars, or whatever critics use as a measuring stick. No X-Phile should be without it! The truth is no longer OUT there...it is IN the X-CYCLOPEDIA!

It seems everybody is doing an episode guide, but this book is different...it is all trivia, behind-the-scenes, and nitpicking. Loads of fun if THE X-FILES is your weekly fix. My son and I used it as a game to keep us occupied on a flight from NYC to San Diego as we tested each other's knowledge of our favorite TV show. I highly recommend this book...Must reading for X-Philes

If you think you know EVERYTHING about the best show on television, you're wrong. These guys pull up obscure info and quiz you on it, drawing not only from the episodes but from interviews, books, and magazines. This is a great book and a must for an X-Phile's library! My only complaint: after reading Phil Farrand's lighthearted Nitpicker's Guide, the authors of this book seem really critical. I mean, what's up with their review of "War of the Coprophages"? Lighten up! Other than that, of course, diehard fans will cherish this book.

Over 1,000 questions from the first three (3) seasons of my favorite TV show in a challenging format to test the gray cells of my brain. How would I describe this book: An X-Files version of JEOPARDY! More than just something to read...a book to play and damn well worth the $$$. I highly recommend it to any die-hard X-Phile

I've always considered myself an X-pert. None of my online friends (or real life for that matter) has ever been able to stump me on X-Files trivia. I'm completely addicted to the show and have 15 books.

This one is definately one of the best, pointing out many of the nitpicks and netpicks we've philes have already discovered in addition to new ones that sent me back to look for them. The trivia is extremely difficult and interesting.

I recommend this book to all philes who think they know it all. Take a few months to memorize this book and then you will know it all.

My brother got me this book for my birthday two years ago. It is my bible and my life (kind of sad, actually!) Anyways, it's really good and like that other guy said, if you take a few months to memorize it, you'll the X-Files Genius and you can impress your friends with little tidbits of knowledge. For example, what's Scully's home phone number? I'm not telling.. get it and look it up yourself! Note: good book for diehard fans!

Funny and fascinating. What an incredbile life!

I have not read the book as yet but I would like the opportunity to relate how Mr. England's reputation is in Oklahoma. I worked in the railroad industry for 15 years in Oklahoma which is greatly affected by weather extremes. Our supervisors used to tell us to watch Gary England for weather updates as his was the best in the state. Mr. England never failed us.

As a youngster growing up in Seiling, Oklahoma, Gary England had an idol in television meteorologist Harry Volkman. Flash forward 40 years. As a youngster growing up in Oklahoma City, I had an idol in Gary England. This is the first time I have known the entire story of what England has gone through in his 20+ years at KWTV. I have met with and talked to England on several occasions, and I will never know how he keeps his sanity while weathering 2 storms...the weather itself, and the world of television news.

It's obvious this guy is a weatherman, not a professional writer being paid to turn an ordinary life into something that sells books. The book isn't weighed down with lots of pretty words or meteorology lessons. It's simply written as a story of Gary England's life, and what a life that has been! As a young girl I was always fascinated by tornadoes, and at one point seriously considered being a meteorologist. After reading England's book I'm convinced I couldn't have handled the politics and pressure. I hated turning each page because it only brought me closer to the end of the book. I'm sure Gary has lots more stories to tell, and I hope he writes many more books to tell them! I'll gobble them all up.

One of the neatest things about reading this book is that now when I see Gary England on TV clips saying those now-famous words during the May 3, 1999 Oklahoma City Tornado, "You NEED to be underground to survive this one!" I look at him with a knowledge of his life story and how he got to be where he is, and I'm filled with such respect. Thank you, Gary, for suffering through petty politics to be able to save so many lives.

After reading this book, I felt that I was no longer alone in dealings with news directors. I have only been in television weather for 6 years and have had my fill of television business. My hats off to Gary for being able to stave off over a dozen new directors. This book is a must read for anyone wanting to venture into the "glamorous" life of television news, especially any aspiring meteorologist.

It is important to remember that there were four people in the Velvet Underground and only one of them was named Lou Reed. Though Lou has gone on to a waxing/waning career as homo heroin hipster in the thirty-odd years since their demise, the other three (Mo (best drummer on Earth) Tucker, Dr. Sterling Morrison (RIP), and John Cale) are just as relevant if not moreso. One might argue Lou hasn't done anything as great without them since the VU's demise.

Here we have the autobiography of uber producer (Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, The Stooges)/VU bassist/viola/singer John Cale written with NY scenester whore Victor Bockris (who wrote similar pieces on the VU with Gerard Malanga and on Patti Smith with Roberta Bayley). The time with the Velvets is here, as is his solo period, marriages and divorces, early childhood and history as a musician, in a book that runs the range of emotions not expected by someone approaching Cale with the reductionist mentality of "The dark other guy in the Velvets that wasn't Lou," which sadly, lots of people do approach him with.

This book screams for a "read by Cale" audio version as anyone who has listened to/seen footage of Cale interviews knows, the man has a hypnotic Welsh lilt to his voice.

Buy it, read it, find out more about one of the best bands of the latter part of the last century and one of the best musicians to come out of it. You won't be disappointed. The content as well as the graphic presentation are beautiful.

Signed,
epsteinsmutha

John Cale is one of my musical idols. I'm in the process of producing my own concert of his & my compositions. He has a great deal of range stylistic. I highly recommend you purchase this amazing life of an amazing artist! I actually bought the cardboard bonded first edition from the U.K. when it was first published. Very finely book. BUY IT & enjoy!

I devoured this book about my top music hero and pronounce it good! It's not perfect though, I would have liked more background on some of the albums (people involved in the recording, events etc) especially his work with e.g. Nick Drake, and the editing is really sloppy: in one place early in the text, the title of a newspaper has just been left out, and Cale's collaboration with Bob Neuwerth is called Last NIGHT On Earth (it is DAY). It provides valuable insights into his personal life and artistic development, and early reflections on Andy Warhol and The Factory. Great photographs and illustrations too make for a very pleasing design. Certainly worthy of the man and his achievements.

I just recently bought this book. I love it. Great stories, and nice pictures. Sometimes it is painfull honest. It is so nice to read about the start of the Velvet Underground.

Also the pictures are wonderful.

Bettina

After finishing this book in the wee hours of this morning I've come to the conclusion that Cale must be appreciated for his solitary genius in the fields of art and expression but also must be taken with a grain of salt. The entire book seems to be a thinly veiled attack at Lou Reed whom Cale seems overwhelmingly jealous of (thou others would tend to disgree) Plus it shows him as a very difficult individual to get along with (ie his many wives, his broken colaborative relationships with Reed and Brian Eno) I also found it amusing how he brought it other commentators only to attack Reed and make Cale out to be a saint. Overall this is a very well written book filled with sardonic wit and dry humor with an excellent view into the VU, The Factory days, and the progression of one man's struggles through himself and art. Cale is not blameless in his trangressions but I think he sees this...

Perfect for any trivia fan, whether they've ever seen Mad About You or not (if they haven't, the answers are in the back, they can memorize them and then impress their friends with their staggering Mad About You knowledge). With six hundred and one questions, that gives you, at the rate of one a day, six hundred and one days worth of daily questions to quiz your friends, coworkers, children, spouse, lover, servants, or cab driver with. You'll be the talk of the town with your copy of "What's Your Mad About You IQ?"

I loved this book! I loved how the author focused on details that the average fan might miss, like what Jamie's middle name is or what Paul yelled at Lisa. (Note - this is a question in the book and the answer is "Chicken a La King) I will warn fans that this book focuses on miniscule details instead of the main ones. You answer questions and see what your I.Q is. The awards range from the "Murray Good Boy" award to the "Jamie Buchman award"
Good luck to all who buy this book

This book is really only for people who love Mad About You. But if you do love it, then it's awesome! I also have the Jamie Buchman Award! And also, in the book summary it says their last name is "Buckman", but it's "Buchman".

Great book for any Mad About You fan.

This book is a lot of fun. Especially if you love trivia and/or if you are MAD about Mad About You. I am a big fan of this show and I thought I knew a lot about the characters... when I read this book I found out I did not know as much as I thought. The questions in this book are very detail oriented and to get them correct you really do need to know a lot about the show! I now know a lot more than I did previously! This is surely a book for Mad About You lovers and probably would be borrowing for most anyone else. Personally, I found the book completely entertaining and a lot of fun! I am thrilled with my purchase.

The four authors were at the pivot point of American news delivery changing from morning and afternoon newspapers to live television. Forty years later they look back, using contemporaneous recordings and transcripts to describe the events they lived and to reflect on how it changed America and the news. Their insights about Oswald, Ruby and the officials involved bring back a flood of memories; they also enlighten us on how much the media have changed since those dark days and why.

There are so very few books that convey a sense of "being there" when it comes to the Kennedy assassination. This outstanding book takes the reader back to that fateful weekend of November 22nd 1963 in Dallas, Texas and does so in an open, honest and compelling manner.

"When the News Went Live" is written by four journalists who were in Dallas on that day covering the presidential visit. Bob Huffaker and the other three newsmen share many interesting stories that you will not find elsewhere and that have been untold for many years no doubt to all but their personal friends. This is why the book is such a valuable contribution to the historical record. Such first hand observation regarding not just those few seconds in Dealey Plaza, the murder of Officer Tippet and the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby, but how in fact the entire story unfolded, makes fascinating reading.

As an aid to anyone interested in the assassination, this book is a must have. I would emphasize - rarely do you find first hand knowledge like this - much of what is written on this subject is written by people many steps removed from the event where fact and fiction merge into one. Not so here. A fabulous book which is refreshingly free of the conjecture and myth that is so common in the Himalayan pile of work on the Kennedy assassination and is highly recommended.

We have become accustomed (yea, verily, some would say desensitized)to horror unfolding before our eyes in our very own living rooms. Bob Huffaker's book brings us back to a time before the desensitization, when we could scarcely believe what our eyes were telling us. I recommend this book highly to those who were there, watching as I was, and even more so to those who were not there. The young, raised in an era of suicide bombers, need to understand that it was not always thus.

1963 nov 22 brought to life again but with more professionalism.some very interesting facts that confirmed my own thoughts .

"With three shots from a mail-order rifle, Lee Oswald set off a worldwide tragedy that developed too fast to print. .... Broadcast journalism came of age in that crisis of grief and uncertainty, and as it drew its mourning audience, it helped to hold the nation together." -- Bob Huffaker; From the Preface of "When The News Went Live: Dallas 1963"

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"When The News Went Live: Dallas 1963", published in 2004, paints a vivid word picture of many of the incredible events that surrounded President John F. Kennedy's assassination in November of 1963, as seen through the eyes of four journalists -- Bob Huffaker, Bill Mercer, George Phenix, and Wes Wise -- who covered those events as they happened for CBS affiliate KRLD-TV and Radio in Dallas.

President Kennedy's shocking and appalling assassination on November 22, 1963, was the very first really big "Watch It Unfold Live On TV" news event of the television era, with four full commercial-free days being devoted to nothing but exclusive assassination-related coverage by all three major TV networks (with KRLD's on-the-scene Dallas reporters frequently feeding CBS-TV headquarters in New York).

And the four reporters whose intriguing stories unfold within this 224-page hardcover volume were right smack in the thick of things during the rapidly-developing events -- from the initial sketchy bulletins that told of the President being shot in Dealey Plaza during a motorcade drive through the city of Dallas -- to the announcement of JFK's death at Parkland Hospital -- to the capture of the accused assassin (Lee Harvey Oswald) in a nearby movie theater -- to Oswald's very own murder on live TV (with Bob Huffaker reporting live from the basement of the Dallas Police Department, where the single gunshot from Jack Ruby's pistol added yet another hard-to-believe chapter to the weekend's nightmarish story).

It was a mesmerizing weekend in American (and television) history, to say the least. And those days are re-lived with clarity in this engaging book by way of the recollections of four men who lived through and reported on those events when they were occurring.

"When The News Went Live" contains several excellent black-and-white photographs, too (some of them I haven't seen published elsewhere).

On a personal level, I have had the pleasure of communicating (via e-mail) with Bob Huffaker several times. He has been very cordial and gracious whenever answering the questions that I had for him. His personal insights into the events revolving around JFK's death are fascinating glimpses into the past, and are insights that I have enjoyed reading immensely.

A sample e-mail excerpt from Mr. Huffaker:

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"David, you're right about the presidential visit and motorcade being the main attraction that all Dallas media were covering, of course. But all our stations had limited capabilities for doing mobile TV, which then demanded either cables or microwave dishes--as well as a receiving dish within line-of-sight beaming or bouncing.

Hence the pool TV arrangements, limited to three planned locations. The local TV stations did live TV from the FTW {Fort Worth} breakfast, Love Field, and the Trade Mart. But this was, indeed, the day the news went live on television, unplanned.

WBAP-TV in Fort Worth had a non-running TV van, which they had towed all the way from Cowtown to Dallas Police headquarters, and we sent both of our KRLD-TV vans into duty--the Bread Truck at DPD and the Blue Goose on the 24th to the county jail, etc.

This was the first time in TV history when on-the-spot news suddenly demanded to go live from the scene. Before that, radio news on-the-spot descriptions such as ours that day were common (like the Hindenburg broadcast--radio only), and live TV was usually reserved for major speeches, sports, etc.

Bob" -- E-mail to this writer; May 30, 2006

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Relating to the subject of "WHEN THE NEWS WENT LIVE", I'd like to offer up the following observations as an extension of this book review.....

To those JFK conspiracy theorists who seem to favor the Oliver Stone-like or Robert Groden-promoted assassination scenarios (that feature a minimum of three gunmen and anywhere from 6 to 10 gunshots being fired at President Kennedy in Dallas' Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963) -- I always suggest to them that they ought to dig up some of the originally-aired "As It Is Happening" live TV or radio broadcasts from that dark Friday in American history.

After performing that exercise of watching a few hours of the November 22 television coverage of the assassination (in real time), or listening to some of the radio broadcasts in real time (which works just as well) -- I challenge anyone to then arrive at the same conclusion that was slapped up on the big theater screen in 1991 via Director Oliver Stone's blockbuster, conspiracy-laden motion picture "JFK".

Watching the day's events unfold "live" in front of you (or listening to them unfold on the radio as it was happening) should, in my opinion, provide everyone with a good general idea of how utterly impossible a task it would have been to have "faked" so much stuff that was being IMMEDIATELY reported to the world on live television and radio within minutes and hours of the President's assassination (and within a very short space of time following Police Officer J.D. Tippit's murder as well).

Via those original live TV/Radio broadcasts, you're not going to hear a SINGLE report that resembles anything close to the Oliver Stone/Jim Garrison-endorsed nonsense of:

"Three gunmen fired six shots at President Kennedy's motorcade today here in Dallas!!"

What you will hear, instead, is live coverage, as it happened, of a ONE-GUNMAN assassination taking place from where the majority of witnesses said it took place (the Texas School Book Depository Building), with no more than three shots having been fired by the SINGLE SHOOTER, which is a shot count that over 91% of the witnesses concur with -- including the small percentage of witnesses who heard only one or two shots, who are witnesses that certainly don't do Mr. Stone's "6-shot ambush" theory any favors.

Upon evaluating virtually all of the TV networks' live assassination footage from November 22nd, 1963, there is no possible way that a reasonable person could arrive at a conclusion that JFK was shot by three assassins, firing from both front and rear. Let alone arriving at an even more-cockeyed "8-to-10-shot" shooting scenario, as purported by Mr. Groden and some other CTers, which is an outlandish conspiracy-flavored scenario that has John Kennedy and John Connally being shot by way more than just the two Warren Commission-backed Mannlicher-Carcano bullets from Lee Harvey Oswald's rifle.*

* = And Mr. Groden's theory (that sports from 8 to 10 gunshots) also features an additional hunk of lunacy, in that Groden thinks it's very likely that NONE of these eight to ten shots came from the "Oswald window" in the Book Depository! (I'm not making this crazy stuff up here. I promise. Anyone who owns a copy of Robert Groden's 1993 book "The Killing Of A President" can check out Groden's preposterous theory for themselves, on pages 20-40.)

The bottom line is -- Very nearly all of the information being reported on TV and radio that November day favored a "Lone Assassin" shooting scenario (including the info concerning the Tippit murder in Oak Cliff), with very little evidence and information being broadcast that would support any type of a "conspiracy" whatsoever; and certainly no "conspiratorial" evidence that has ever panned out and "proved" that a multi-gun plot ended JFK's life in Dallas.

This is quite a telling "One Killer" fact. Because, in my view, if a vast conspiracy and subsequent "cover-up" had been in place on November 22nd (given the immense amount of TV and radio coverage, with reporters scrutinizing everything coming across their desks and digging hard for any type of case-solving clues during those first hours and days after JFK and J.D. Tippit were killed), I think that at least SOME pieces of the conspiracy would have leaked through to the sweeping television and radio coverage surrounding the two Dallas murders.

And I'm guessing that every reporter and newsman in the country (including Messrs. Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix, and Wise) would have loved to dig up some "conspiracy"-proving angle during that weekend in November of '63. Being the person who uncovered such a huge story would certainly be a feather in that reporter's cap, to be sure. But, as it turned out, nothing of that nature occurred....and has yet to occur all these many years later.

To think (as many theorists do) that these conspirators were so smart and so quick to have had the capabilities to immediately eliminate virtually every last scrap of information leading to a conspiracy plot of some kind, making sure that none of the "multi-gunmen shooting event" details seeped through to the media (multiplied by TWO separate murders as well, counting Tippit's!), is to think that any such evil-doers had powers similar to "Superman".

For example -- Almost every one of the initial reports concerning the number of gunshots heard by witnesses stated "3 shots". And while it's true that the very first report of the shooting from UPI's Merriman Smith (which was broadcast over all the television networks) stated "Three shots were fired...", it's also worth noting that Smith's initial bulletin was not the ONLY "three shots" account that was reported during those early hours just after the shooting.

For instance, Jay Watson of ABC affiliate WFAA-TV in Dallas (who happened to be in Dealey Plaza during the shooting and nervously reported the first bulletins to the unaware Dallas TV audience) is heard multiple times on November 22nd saying he heard "3 shots" fired.

Plus, several other members of the media are also on record stating their own PERSONAL beliefs that exactly three shots were fired by the assassin, including Robert MacNeil, Jack Bell, Bob Clark, Jerry Haynes, and Pierce Allman, among still others.

Some of the other "Three Shot" witnesses who were riding right in the Presidential motorcade itself include -- Photographers Tom Dillard, Robert Jackson, Mal Couch, and James Underwood. Plus, both John and Nellie Connally, who were riding in the same car with President Kennedy.

In addition, Presidential aides Ken O'Donnell and David Powers, who were both riding in the Secret Service follow-up car directly behind JFK's limousine, can also be added to the lengthy list of witnesses who heard precisely three gunshots.

And then there's also amateur filmmaker Abraham Zapruder, who took the most famous 26-second home movie in history when he captured the entire assassination with his 8mm Bell & Howell movie camera -- Zapruder showed up on live TV about 90 minutes after the President's murder took place and gave a graphic account of the horrifying event that had taken place in front of his very eyes.

Mr. Zapruder told the WFAA-TV viewing audience that he had heard two or three shots (but definitely no more than three), and he also demonstrated on live television where on the President's head he had seen the effects of the fatal gunshot. Zapruder puts his hand over the right-frontal portion of his own head to demonstrate where he saw the blood coming from JFK's head.

That's pretty amazing "LIVE" stuff from Mr. Zapruder's own lips (within approx. an hour-and-a-half of the assassination). And it's especially incredible and amazing if there had actually been many more than just two or three shots fired at the President, and if the fatal shot had actually (as many CTers believe) caused a huge hole in the BACK of John Kennedy's head, instead of the location where Zapruder placed it on live television -- i.e., the RIGHT SIDE AND FRONT portion of the head.

How could the so-called "conspirators" have possibly gotten THAT lucky with respect to Abraham Zapruder's live "on-the-air" WFAA-TV statements and head-wound "demonstration"? How?

And -- Could these ultra-clever conspirators have somehow managed to "manipulate" several reporters who were relaying the news live to the world immediately after the event, and have them ALL report on hearing just "three shots" (or, in a few cases, hearing only TWO shots, which is a number that certainly does not favor a "Multi-Shooter Conspiracy Plot")?

Or did the plotters just happen to get really, really LUCKY (again) when virtually all of the news reports favored the "Three Shots Fired" conclusion? With this 3-shot scenario matching the precise number of bullet shells that were found on the 6th Floor of the Book Depository after the shooting; and also perfectly matching the exact number of shots heard by TSBD witness Harold Norman, and also perfectly matching the precise number of bullet shells (3) that Norman heard hitting the plywood floor directly above his 5th-Floor location within the Depository.

Which, per Oliver Stone's movie, would mean that a full 50% of the ACTUAL number of gunshots were somehow inaudible to the enormous majority (91%+) of the earwitnesses! And, remember, Oliver has NONE of the shots within his movie's six-shot assassination ambush being "synchronized" in order to merge together with the sound of some of the other shots.

And yet, per Mr. Stone, we're supposed to actually believe that approximately 9 out of every 10 witnesses somehow missed hearing HALF of the gunshots fired that day! A reasonable thing to believe....or not? I ask you.

Were these so-called conspiratorial shooters so good that they could make 4 to 10 shots sound like only three to the vast majority of witnesses scattered all throughout Dealey Plaza? Highly doubtful, to say the least.

Again -- I'd advise all conspiracy theorists to sit down and watch the live TV footage....or listen to some of the surviving 11/22/63 radio tapes....and then try to find a "Multi-Gunmen Conspiracy" lurking within ANY of those original broadcasts. If anybody finds proof of a conspiracy via those means, please let me know. And let the world know too.

David Von Pein
December 2006
January 2007

I bought this book on a trip and thought it might pass some time on the airplane...

It truly surprised me! The quizzes are fun...lot's of great television shows included. There's no cheating...hard to determine which characters match the question choices...

AND...the end reults are surprisingly accurate! VERY fun and addicitng book...I want to find more like it.

This book is so much fun. It's great for groups or alone. When one quiz is finished everyone wants more!! It truly is hard to put this book down. The questions are quite clever and intriguing. In the end, these questions lead to quite accurate personality identifications. I love this book and highly recommend it. It makes a great gift.

This book is highly contagious and very fun. My friends and I were testing ourselves on shows that we weren't even all that familiar with. ;)

A great purchase for anyone who's ever wondered about their television persona. Are you a Carrie or a Miranda? Mary Ann or Ginger? This book gave mostly surprisingly accurate answers.

My only problem with it was that I noticed some of the quizzes were missing one or two characters that I personally felt should've been included. No Lisa on the Saved by the Bell quiz, or Andrea on Beverly Hills 90201. So I do have to wonder if that would've effected my results any.

Oh well, still a great find nonetheless. I hope Noah is planning on a part II.

So have fun and learn about yourself as well.

So much fun. The personality tests are funny and amazingly accurate at the same time. Great to do with your friends or to pass time on your own.
With so many shows there is something in here for everyone. Its a great gift for someone you love - or for that secret santa person you have no idea what to get for them. Definite crowd pleaser.

My boyfriend and I couldn't stop taking these quizzes. We even did one for a little girl on the train. When's the next one? Huh, Noah, WHEN?

A comprehensive guide to anyone aspiring to become a TV writer. This book provides detailed informatin and indepth insight in all areas of the genre - from episodic to children's TV. This should be required reading for indiviuals seriously considering TV writing as a career.

Martie Cook should be commended. She has crafted a sterling volume of informative anecdotes. I fully enjoyed her on the money look at the television industry from a writer's standpoint. I highly recommend this book to any one with interest in the television industry, or anyone who wants to see what it takes to succeed in any field of endeavor. I plan to mention this book to all my friend's and relatives in the hopes that they get as much satisfaction out of reading it as I did.

"This book takes a "real world" approach to TV writing. If you want to be a TV writer, but don't know where to begin, Cook's book will take you through the whole process, and make it seem amazingly easy. She covers practical things like how to choose a spec script that's right for you, how to find the right story for your spec, and formatting. Additionally, there is a whole section on what to do with your script once you have written it - things like how to get an agent or land your first job in the business even if you don't know anybody. Also, throughout the book there are interviews with current TV writers who also give tips on how to get your script noticed."

I have read scores of books on screenwriting, but this one really stands out. With up-to-date savvy and down-to-earth clarity, Cook's book thoroughly covers all of the essentials you'd expect in a TV writing book: story, character, plot development, narrative structure, dialogue and formatting. What makes this book refreshingly different from the rest is that there is a wealth of advice and insight from TV writers on hugely successful shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives." So, you get lots of different viewpoints from creative pros at the top of their game. I also found Cook's guidance for breaking into the business, getting an agent, persevering, and eventually landing that first staff job to be immensely helpful, practical and encouraging. If you have any ambitions of writing for TV and doing it well, then the first step is to get this book now! One of the best investments I've ever made to put my TV writing career on a truly promising path.

This is one of the best books on TV writing I've seen. Cook walks us through an easy to follow step-by-step process of writing a professional television script. She also gives all kinds of tips on how to get your script into the hands of a producer and/or agent. I also found the advice from industry insiders like Jay Leno, Paul Haggis and writers from shows like The Simpsons and Grey's Anatomy extremely interesting and useful. If you want to be a television writer, this is one book you definitely want to read.

Marilyn Cummings
Member Director's Guild of America

This book is excellent, it is well written, and fun. It is great as a complement to classroom instruction or by itself as a starter/refresher course. I highly recommend it!

If you're trying to break into news on the AM/FM dial, this is a book that you must read and follow. It helps you format the way most of Radio Broadcasting does it today.

Ten years ago, I had the privilege of taking introductory radio writing from Mr. Block while earning my master's degree in journalism at Columbia University. If memory serves, Mr. Block also revisited my spring semester radio news course as a guest editor and instructor. He was a tough and fair instructor -- one of the many highlights of my year at 116th and Broadway.

Mr. Block's book has been indispensible to me ever since. Every so often, I reread a chapter to keep my writing fresh, and to jolt me out of the workaday rut so many reporters and anchors inhabit. Television news works on two levels, the words and the pictures, and it is a challenge and an art to make the two levels work together!

Whether you're a journalism 101 student or a seasoned professional, it never hurts to have this book on your desk (and occasionally at home!). Your viewers, producers, photographers, and managers will thank you!

This is the bible of broadcast news writing. Well organized. I'm a 25 year veteran of broadcast news and I still find information in this book that improves my writing and reporting.

To paraphrase Mr. Block, "if newswriting is easy, then you're doing something wrong." This book is for the lover of action verbs and simple words. You're taught to think and to see the beauty of simple writing. And if you want to be GOOD, you must learn to TELL a story. After you read this book, the news will likely not sound the same.