Brad Pitt Books

Of all the books on American actor Brad Pitt, this is THE book for movie fans! It includes fantastic pictures of his ever-changing styles, as well as great articles on him and a detailed chronology of his films. Even die-hards who think they know all there is to know about Brad Pitt will be surprised to learn even more about him in this fantastic book. Highly recommended.

this film is the most fantasic film i have ever seen.Brad pitt is so hucky and gorgious i would love to kiss him.

This was a very good book. I enjoyed it. A must read for the Brad Pitt fan. Well written with great pictures and tons of info. Highly recommended.

I guess it's a small world, as I was also at the Blacker house on 6 October. (It was a Pasadena Heritage event. They play an important role in preserving the work of Greene and Greene and other outstanding architects in the Pasadena area.) While I agree that this is an excellent book on the Blacker House for those interested in Greene and Greene or in Craftsman architecture in general, I would recommend that anyone looking for an introduction to the work of Greene and Greene start either with one of Makinson's books on their work or with Edward R. Bosley's recent book. When you get hooked you can come back for this book.

I had the extreme pleasure of being part of the production of this masterpiece by Mr. Makinson. I can tell you from an insiders point of view that, much research, time and love went into this creation.
Mr. Makinson is a perfectionist extrordiaire. Trust me when I tell you, each and every texture,color,and tone is just as it is in the actual home. Not like many books or photos. I promise you this: This book will make you feel as if you are there walking through the history of this remarkable landmark.
During production I read this book countless times. Even now several years later, I will pick it up and find myself immersed in the splendor of a marvelous works.
Jeremy Michael Davis

it's hard to miss with a subject like greene & greene architecture, and the blacker house and its story are especially interesting. this book gives info and photos on the construction, furniture, and restoration, as well as the usual great photos, interior and exterior, of the house itself.
two gripes - 1. the size - it's one of those odd-size books [about a foot square] that doesn't "fit" with your other books on the shelf. 2. there's lots of filler - more history of mr. blacker and his family, stiltingly told, than i cared to know, and 14 pages of brad pitt photos that are interesting in their way, [artsy, silvery b&w's] but i'd have preferred more info on the house. [though it is nice to know that an actor has a keen interest in this kind of architecture.]
for greene & greene completists, buy! for others, pick from the other greene & greene books.

I must admit to being rather enamored with the work of Greene and Greene. I've visited a number of their homes in Pasadena, but have not yet had the opportunity to view the Blacker House (from the inside anyway). Over the last ten years, I have read about every book written on the brothers, and when I read the pre-release description of this book I was very excited. In particular, I was interested in learning in detail how this wonderful quality work was reproduced and restored by today's craftsmen. While this book does a great job covering the history and detail of the house, this is not new territory if you're familiar with the previous body of work. I really had my hopes up that the hammer and nails detail of this monumental restoration would be covered in such a fashion as to provide working information applicable to new design. The work of Greene and Greene carried residential detail design in wood and metal to it's zenith. With the structure exposed, this was really a magnificent chance to highlight the subtlties that set their work apart. This does not happen here. My comments may be a little unfair but this book ends up being another "architectural" reference. I was looking for something that broke new ground. This being said, I still love the book, and am glad to have it in my library.

A great deal has been written about the work of architects Charles and Henry Greene, but never before has such a detailed monograph been published about one of the homes that they designed. Randell Makinson's narrative provides a thorough historical background of the Blacker Family from their Ontario origin to their final home and its construction by the Greene brothers in the Oak Knoll subdivision of Pasadena. The story continues with the 1947 subdivision of the 5.1 acre estate into seven separate parcels and the eventual removal and sale of the original furniture, light fixtures and art-glass windows (all designed by the Greenes). The book concludes with a detailed description of the restoration process that began when the current owners purchased the home in 1993, and was basically completed in 1998.

Historical narratives, while full of useful and interesting information, are typically a little monotonous. That is not the case with this book. Mr. Makinson's obvious passion for the work of Greene and Greene, and for this house in particular, is evident. His description of the removal of 53 light fixtures from the house in 1985 left a lump in my throat. I could not put the book down until I read the happy ending about the house's restoration.

I had the privilege of visiting the Blacker House on October 6th, and viewing firsthand the results of the restoration effort. While nothing can quite compare to walking through this masterpiece and touching the magnificent woodwork, I can assure you that the marvelous photography of Thomas Heinz and Brad Pitt comes very close. The collection of photographs in this book is absolutely wonderful. The interplay of light and shadows, the warmth and depth that the colors bring to the images, and the visual compositions themselves cause me to rank these among the best architectural photographs ever published.

This is a must-have book for anyone interested in Arts and Crafts architecture. The contribution of Charles and Henry Greene to the American architectural vernacular can never be overstated, and this house is certainly one of their most important contributions to the art. Thank you Randell, Thomas and Brad for supplying a valuable addition to my library. I hope this is the first in a series of books about the "ultimate bungalows."

I think Shannon's work is funny and original and the premise drew me in from the start. I'd love to read more.

This really drew me in, left me longing to know what happens next. Carol is an inspired character, complex & disarming--don't know whether to love her or pity her, but in any event cannot look away. Imagining young Shelly Winters starring in the film adaptation, or in today's world, maybe Lisa Kudrow or Joan Cusack... I'd read anything this author wrote.

I laughed out loud at some of the passages in this excerpt, and I think the premise is hilarious. The protagonist is just so over the top she's kind of hard to take for very long. I didn't know whether to laugh at her or feel sorry for her, and I wanted to care about her. I couldn't really care because she's just so nuts. I think maybe writing it mostly from the point of view of Jane Austen would work better. I am curious about where the book is going next.

"Brad Pitt Won't Leave Me Alone" is alternately a funny and a sad excerpt. The main character, Carol Olenka, is a fascinating if unlikable creation. She has no idea of what people think about her and constantly creates a fantasy world, even going so far as to advertise herself as a therapist after reading one article about transference. She says whatever is on her mind without stopping to think about how her words affect other people.

The excerpt works best when it focuses solely on Carol and her interaction with people and her thoughts. It falters when it switches viewpoint to other characters like Carol's sister Becky and her neighbor Christian - I think it should have stayed with just Carol's viewpoint. While Carol is in general a repulsive character, some of her actions were a bit too repulsive. Also, while many of the conversations in the excerpt are nicely written, the conversation between Christian and Carol in the laundry room should have been shown instead of the author simply stating the conversation began to have sexual overtones.

"Brad Pitt Won't Leave Me Alone" had some good moments but could have been developed more.

This book is well illustrated and gives the available info on Brad's life in a readable format, and a decent size. Could benefit from an index. Some of the pictures I have not seen elsewhere. It is now a bit out of date, and some of the stuff mentioned as future projects has not in fact materialised (whatever happened to the idea of Brad playing General Custer for example? That would have been fun!) The best of the Brad Pitt books I have seen so far.

I'm not going to lie to you. Reading this book, I felt like a real ballerina boy, head stuffed with cream puffs and dandylions in my hair. I said I wasn't going to lie. If you have this book on your bookshelf, you may pursue the "Greek love." No lie. You may want to have sex with another man (unless you are a woman, in which case it is fine, not that it's not fine the other way, but you know what I mean).

This bildungsroman follows young Pitt (Pitt the Younger) from his carefree days in the corn fields of Iowa to desinger satin sheets and Jennifer Aniston's tang. I don't want to give too much away, but here are some of my favorite bits:

*Brad turning to acting after a boring two-years as Asst. Deputy State Comptroller of Iowa.

*Hard drinking, sweet loving.

*In Brad's debut (Thelma and Louise) he actually suggested they ride off the cliff at the end.

*Harrowing dance with heroin culimnates with near-fatal OD outside of the Viper Room.

*Really bald.

I got sent an issue with the wrong cover - Pitt is on it, Tutu not. Other than that the magazine is very interesting and has a lot of informing articles on Africa in it.

I have spent years of my life reading and watching news about Africa, and it never matched what I experienced being on site. This issue of Vanity Fair portrays it ALL: the Good, the Bad, The Ugly, the Amazing and the Truth. For a fashion addict that I am, I never bought an issue of Vanity Fair and that day in the Hudson News store, the "Africa" logo caught my attention. When I opened the magazine, this is what got me to buy it, I read the following lines: "The media often treat Africa's 53 countries as a vast hopeless mass. `That hurts' writes one of Kenya literary stars who has a deeply individual tale of his country stunning political change and the emergence of the "Equity Generation"".
A fundamental statement is made in that sentence: it's not Africa, it's about 53 Africans countries, with different cultures, different stories, different lives, different histories...
This issue depicts Africa in its True Light and opens doors to:
- the world to appreciate, to explore, to connect, to respect, to help Africa
- Africans to embrace their homeland and fight for it
Every article is worth reading and gives hope to true journalism. I will buy more of this issue I started to do, to offer to my loves ones. I should thank Vanity Fair, the editor and guest editor.

I found this book an effort to read. Confusing at the start, yet did grab me midway but I was ready to discard with about 1/3 left, but thought better of it and completed. Yes, his writing is very descriptive and captures the essence of every sense the reader needs to be placed within the story. However, it just seemed to skip and jumble along, the ending wasn't anything like the many my mind conjured up, it wasn't really anything special at all...Grady continued on rambling as did the book. I perhaps need to read another of his works to get a better grasp of the talent of this writer, as so many have applauded his style.

I have looked at some of the reviews here, and am a bit surprised as the number of people who hated this book. It is a challenge to read, but this is no "Ulysses." The main themes can be understood with a little careful attention. Some have compared McCarthy's style to Hemingway's but this is not a fair comparision. McCarthy's prose is far more complex. Hemingway wrote arresting prose, but at times his minimalist style was cartoonish. McCarthy is simple the way Picasso is simple -- that is to say, only if you do not look hard enough.

McCarthy's skill with language is unequalled among living American authors. It is the language that is the star of this book, and if you cannot appreciate the language itself the story will not bear the weight. Yes, I found myself re-reading passages and puzzling out the construction of some sentences, but I did it with the same pleasure a sports fan looks at a replay of a spectacular play. This is a book for the patient. Not every book pays off like a James Bond novel.

Cormac McCarthy seems to be everywhere right now--Oprah's book club, a recent Coen Brothers film adaptation, one of the top novels of the past quarter-century. I decided it was time to check out his work, since he's considered the modern Faulkner, and a great depicter of the violent and beautiful American southwest. All the Pretty Horses both lives up to my expectations and kind of frustrates them. The novel starts out gloomy with the funeral for the protagonist John Grady's grandfather, turns comedic when Grady and his friend cross the border into Mexico in search of adventure, then shifts into a semi-melodramatic romance, finally returning to a state of pitch-black gloom and despair. All throughout, McCarthy retains a distance from the world of the novel, coldly surveying the raw beauty of the Mexican landscape and stubbornly refusing to enter the heads of his equally stubborn characters. In some ways, this narrative distance works quite well, amplifying the frankness and simplicity that Hemingway is known for. But it also prevents the novel from striking home on any real emotional level.

The most problematic part of the novel is Grady's passionate love for a ranch owner's daughter, Alejandra. The two are a sort of Romeo and Juliet pair, deeply desiring one another, but knowing that their love can never be allowed to flower. The romance, however, is jarringly out of place with the events in the rest of the novel, and feels a little bit contrived. Especially irritating is the lack of insight into Alejandra's character; she is given no more than a handful of lines, and it is never really clear what she sees in run-down, dirt-poor Grady.

Minor criticisms aside, the icing to top off this striking novel, however, is McCarthy's metaphysical musing that underlies all the events of the novel. Most profound is his consideration of the workings of Fate in human activities. One of the best passages in the novel occurs when Grady confronts Alejandra's grand-aunt for the second time. She is determined to prevent him from stealing off with her protégé, but respects him enough to deliver a haunting and thorough account of her reasoning. She expresses her deep frustration with the randomness of life, describing a coin minter who arbitrarily decides which way to press each coin he makes, blindly affecting countless coin flips down the road. She laments the inability of mankind to ever know the alternative course that their actions could have taken; for a history that never sees the light of day, and can never be judged against what actually transpired. Building off this theme is Grady's fascination with the long-dead frontier of the American West. Early in the novel we see him wistfully imagining the hunting parties of the glorious and departed Native American tribes, disappearing in the red light of the setting sun. At the end of the novel, Grady likewise disappears, fading into history like so many movements whose splendor the world will never see.

Adventure, full-hearted love, revenge, the majestic wilderness, and of course horses: the western-movie staples are what moves this novel. Yet if All The Pretty Horses is a classic cowboy story, it is also that of a dying world, and all the more accessible to us that it is set in the post-war era.

John Grady Cole, a young man of 16 years, leaves the country for Mexico together with his friend Lacey Rawlins, both on horseback, in search of a life that has become inaccessible to them in Texas. A cruel but romantic saga of tests and tribulations awaits them - which I won't spoil by giving too much of it.

The dialogues are suitably laconic. The characters are frank and unambiguous, except for one key exception. Nature is reserved the richer, more complex, and admiring language. While the novel begins at a slow pace, making the reader wonder whether this is really a back-to-the-wild story, the action later quickens to a satisfyingly gripping climax. One warning: a good part of the dialogue is in Spanish, untranslated; though this won't throw you off the plot, if you don't understand Spanish, it may get annoying.

I can't believe I've waited this long to get into Cormac McCarthy. We Texans have always known him to be one of the great Texas western writers, right up there with Larry McMurtry, earning a place in our hearts. But Cormac is bigger than that. Bigger than Texas, you say? His craft has been compared to Faulkner and Conrad. We're talking about literature here.

After I saw the movie, "No Country For Old Men," I knew I should read this guy and I'd start somewhere near the beginning. I picked "All The Pretty Horses," the first in a series of novels called "The Border Trilogy." John Grady Cole, last of a long line of Texas ranchers is sixteen years old and from San Angelo, Texas, takes off with friend Lacey Rawlins, on an adventurous hero's journey by horseback across country, over the Rio Grande and south into Mexico.

Even though the time period is in the late 1940s and on the cusp of modern life, with cars, trucks and radios, the story is basically a western, with horses, cowboy coffee made over an open fire, guns, and hand rolled cigarettes. I like the sprinkling of Spanish throughout, even though I didn't comprehend it all. It was a nice touch.

I'm not sure if it's the lack of some punctuation such as quotations and apostrophes, or the ultra long sentences, or the full to the brim characters, but it puts this novel in a class of its own. The writing is beyond good, it's classic. For all us regular folks who can't take the high-literary of Faulkner, here's a true and gritty albeit well written western. I plan to read the next two books, and find I can't wait to get into volume two. "Pretty Horses" was haunting, it's emotion and realism hard to stop thinking about.

The author does a great job of previewing Brad Pitts' life and career. The book is informative and a fun read! For all the Brad Pitt fans out there, this book is for you! Enjoy!

This book provides exactly what you want - a list of addresses for basically every relevant celebrity in the world. Many books on this subject contain lots of pages filled with useless recommendations and sample letters, all of which are easily accessible on the internet.

If you are an autograph junkie, fundraiser or just a big fan of celebrities, this is the book for you. Get your letters ready because you will have more than enough addresses to start working with.

Many of the people listed in the pdf. are dead; a shocking number of the supposed celebrities can be contacted only through a medium. Unless you're interested in communing with the spirit world, skip this volume entirely. A complete waste of money, with incomplete addresses, typos galore, contact numbers through agencies rather than personal info; a complete waste of your time, and your money.

It is what is known as a poster calendar. This means that the pages are 11" by 14". The photos of Mr. Pitt fill the entire page with a very little listing of dates at the bottom. If you have ever gotten this kind of calendar before (like the kind Oliver Books has), you will know what I mean by typical photos. If you haven't, this is what to expect. There are some candid photos, a few photos from shoots done for magazines (like Us or Rolling Stone or Premiere), and photos taken for various movies. Some of these photos are old photos. There are a few recent ones, too. The pictures are of him only. No costars or any other people in them with him.