Vincent Price Books

Wow! Vincent Price, best known for his acting in horror films, does admirably with Shelley. A recommended recording.

Two chapters and so far its intellectually engaging, the only kind I read. It should see more sales.

As gripping as old school King. This one is right up there with It, The Stand, and Insomnia for quality, characterization, and readability. I read it in two days and would not have minded another hundred pages or two.

The only negative comment I can make is that it needs an ending. A prologue of some kind. We want to know what happens with Johnny and if the conversion of the Normies was complete before the showdown. If it wasn't does that mean the fate of the world is in the hands of one breeding couple and an otherwise all male entourage? Is the signal going to claim them the first time someone accidentally turns on a battery powered scanner or a f/m radio? Enquiring minds need to know. Drama be darned, man, feed the fans!

All in all, this was the single most enjoyable read I've had in a long time.

I have yet to not enjoy a King book, but must admit I've been spoiled by the Dark Tower series. There are very few King books I haven't read yet, so I understand his style now. Though I enjoyed this book, I think it might be more due to familiarity of King's style and sick sense of humor than anything. The story is a bit scary, (never have liked my cell-phone!) because it involves something so easy to connect with and familiar to so many people. Overall this is a classic King book, with the following (and very important ingredients) missing: Character development (this is huge for me, and generally a large part of King's books...to get to connect with the characters) There were many parts of these people's 'beings' that the reader is never clued in on, and it left me a little cold where their fates were concerned. There were new characters introduced very late in the story, as well, and that added to the general confusion when names were mentioned. The other issue was the ending. I'm not going to spoil it, but it left me unfulfilled. Tons of unanswered questions, lots of loose ends, and for some that might be fine...but it doesn't happen with most of King's books. I enjoy closure (even if it's open closure, ie; Dark Tower)
So those two items aside, the book was enjoyable. It was worth reading, but I forced it into my schedule and that was my mistake. I'm hoping there may be another part coming...but I'm not about to wait on hold for long. (hee)

It's a fast and gory read about the end of the world as we know it. It also veers a little into sci-fi territory--there's one section where a character references William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and even Greg Bear. I enjoyed it, but halfway through the book it started feeling more and more like an alternate universe version of "The Stand," where Randall Flagg is replaced by The Raggedy Man, and the nuclear bomb is replaced by... well, never mind. It's a good summer book but not a classic. If you *haven't* read "The Stand" and enjoy "Cell," you should definitely pick up the older, better-written title.

I don't want to go too far in depth as to possibly spoil the book for some, but as many others have pointed out, the ending is completely weak (actually there wasn't one). Aside from that, Cell is masterfully written which will make you keep reading bit after bit. Another part I liked is that the chapters are fairly short, so you have many, many convenient places to stop (when you finally decide that you must sleep). One of his other character's (Teddy Duchamp) quotes sums up Cell best, "Yeah, it's a great story Gordie, I just didn't like the ending."

The Master of Horror strikes again, proving he's not getting older, he's getting sicker! This is another chilling novel by the man who made the horror genre come alive.

Cell phones across the country start to ring, but it would be better to let the call go to voicemail. People answer their phones only to become vicious, mindless killers. Clay Riddell, an artist, is away on business. He's just signed a contract for his first comic book deal. He stops to buy his estranged wife a gift as a way of saying "thanks for your support all these years". He then stops at an ice cream truck for a cone and while waiting his turn, a young girl answers her phone and after listening for a few seconds, changes into a zombie-like killing machine. Clay has to use the paperweight he purchased for his wife to bash the demented girl's brains in. This starts the beginning of Clay's journey as he tries to make his way back home in hopes of finding his wife and son alive and intact.

One of the things I noticed right away was that King gets right to the story and doesn't waste a lot of paper describing things in pain-staking detail like he has in previous books. This is a vast improvement. There is no filler in this book, the reader reaches the top of the slide on page 6 and it's all downhill at break-neck speed from that point on, to the last page. Another thing King does is take time to breath life and soul into his characters, creating a feeling that you have known these people all your life.


Cell is a fantastic story of survival, love, compassion, humanity and hope, with a big dose of creepy thrown in for good measure. It's a book that is hard to put down. Oh, excuse me, I think your phone is ringing, aren't you gonna answer it?

What happened in 2000 was, in my humble opinion, a cause for civil disobedience on a national scale. Riots, demonstrations, surrounding buildings and keeping the occupants inside until they came to their senses, even more. Had we the bravery that, say, Lithuanians had in 1990, or that lone figure in Tienanmen Square showed so long ago, we might have spared ourselves the ignominy and disgrace of this petulant, recalcitrant, intellectually underemployed, ignorant, bigoted, mendacious, simple-minded moron (who, I might add, half the country identified with - says something). Don't know if we're either capable or willing to recover from the past 7 years of utter cynical evil. Perhaps now would be a good time for an extraterrestrial takeover. (I'm kidding, folks. About the ET, that is, not about the person referenced above.) Maybe we can convince the ETs to take the 5 "conservative" "justices" with them? Especially Scalia and Thomas? The ETs can put them in some kind of display case and label them "mentally underdeveloped semi-humans" or something like that? I can't help thinking that whenever someone identifies themselves as a republican that I feel there's a severe personal deficiency about them, like retardation, or autism.

Bugliosi turns a prosecutor's eye to Bush v. Gore and finds the decision not just lacking substance, but a criminal act.

First he deals with motive. All of the 5 justices who chose Bush as president came up through partisan Republican politics. While that's expected (since they come to their positions through the political process), integrity in upholding their oath to support the Consitition has been expected to take precedence. Beyond their partisan pasts and connections, 3 of the 5 had immediate and direct interest in a Bush presidency. Justice O'Connor publically said that if Gore won she'd have to postpone her retirement at least 4 years (so as not to have a Democratic President apppoint her successor.) Justice Thomas's wife, through her Heritage Foundation position was poised to serve on the Bush transition team and Justice Scalia's two sons work for a law firm that handles Bush's legal business.

Bugliosi doesn't say what would happen if we, the non-elite, helped out friends or worked things to our interest through service on a jury, but I'm sure something would.

Next Bugliosi deals with the legal issues. How could the court accept Bush's argument that Bush needed "equal protection" from Gore? That is... the court assumed that Bush won the election and that by counting the votes Gore could take it away from him. Votes, 60,000 in this case, the sacred element of our democracy... the very core of what people fight and die for... were negated as the Court ignored its own entrenched states right biases and regarded time frames as inflexible when complete past practice and case law showed recounts and seating delegates, (with disputes always decided by states and state courts), to be viewed as target dates and not rigid dealines.

On p. 155 Bugliosi has a hypothetical script. He suggests the dialog of the justices and how they came to "reason out" their unsigned opinion that allowed them to pick the president over 50 million voting Americans.

In the early part of the book (written in 2001) he likens this decision to the "preposterous" idea that Republican prosecutors would prosecute only Democrats and vice versa. It was strange that he would mention it, because it was this exact thing that piqued my current interest in this 2001 book.

This book packs a lot of information into very few pages. Bugliosi does a good job of supporting his suppositions with law. There are so many points made, most everyone will be unaware of some of them. The biggest drawback for me was that sometimes Bugliosi strays into name-calling which leads one to begin to doubt if some of the scholarship isn't slanted more than is obvious at first blush.

Bugliosi is one of a kind! He makes his points clearly and effectively. I wish he could take all these so called "justices" to court where he would run circles around them with his startlingly clear reasoning and thinking, ending with them all being dragged off to the nearest prison for treason. A great book to get the juices of freedom flowing again from a great man who truly cares about justice.

I voted for Al Gore in 2000 and wish that he were finishing his second term as President at this time. However, if you put partisan emotions aside and look at the full legal context of that election, it is clear that Bush was the legally elected President.

Article II of the Constitution gives state legislatures the authority to appoint electors to the electoral college, using whatever criteria each legislature establishes. In the early days of the Republic, most legislatures chose all electors themselves, by majority vote. Over time, other criteria were used, until now all 50 states award electors based on the results of the popular vote. With only one or two exceptions (I forget which states), the candidate with the highest popular vote in a given state gets ALL of that state's electoral votes.

For many decades, Florida has followed this procedure to award its electoral votes. But Florida election laws clearly state that the state legislature has the right to set aside the results of the popular vote totals; the legislature may then directly award, by majority vote of all legislators, the electoral votes to whichever candidate it chooses. In 2000, both Houses of the Florida legislature had solid Republican majorities. The Republican leaders of both bodies (and the Republican governor, Jeb Bush), clearly stated that, if necessary, they would call a special legislative session to award ALL Florida electors to George W. Bush.

Had that scenario occurred, here is what would likely have played out. On the day that Congress was scheduled to count the electoral votes, the Gore operatives would have challenged the Florida electoral count. Existing FEDERAL election laws would then have become operative. The Republican U.S. House majority would have awarded the electoral votes to Bush. The U.S. Senate would have voted 51-50 to award the electoral votes to Gore, with then Vice President Gore casting the tiebreaking vote in his favor. Federal law states that if the Senate and House award electors to different candidates, the governor of the state in question has the right to break the tie and award the electors to the candidate he so chooses. The Florida governor in 2000...Jeb Bush, George W.'s brother. In a last ditch effort to salvage the election for Gore, the Florida Supreme Court would probably have tried to use their powers of judicial review to thwart this scenario, by claiming that a state Supreme Court has authority to review all acts of its own legislature. However, the U.S. Supreme Court would certainly have ruled that the U.S. Constitution unequivocally gives the power to select electors (by whichever method it chooses) to state legislatures, outside the scope of state court judicial review - and by more than a 5-4 vote.

So there you have it, folks. Lament all you want over what federal election laws should be, bash the electoral college, lambaste the confusing "butterfly" ballots in south Florida, criticize the flimsy equal protection arguments of the 5 or 7 justices, etc. But all partisan feelings aside, George W. Bush was the legitimately, constitutionally elected winner of the 2000 Presidential election. All other legal reasonings in this book make for nice academic discussions, but are beside the point in any practical sense.

I considered myself a fan of Vincent Price since I was a small child. His voice, his height, his choices of roles, I was hooked. However, after having read Victoria's account of his life, I no longer consider myself a fan. Her views on his politics were not necessary. In my opinion, the comments bordered on hate. I wish I had selected a biography written by someone other than Victoria, then I would not have been so disappointed.

Although written in tiny type, it gives a great overview of what Dad Price was all about. I also got some insight into life in the 50s and what a Hollywood star does with his off-time. A bit too detailed at times, such as describing Art life in Hollywood -- I would have liked to have seen more written in other areas than his horror genre -- which was there, just not enough. Overall, good job, a good paced read.

Victoria Price's book was a big disappointment. Price's own autobiography covers his early years, and the films are throroughly and more acurately covered by Lucy Chase Williams' book. Victoria's book is long, but the only "new" information would have been better left unsaid. Much of it is republican bashing from both father and daughter, at times it's hard to tell which is actually speaking. To them, it's heroic to oppose fascism, but those who opposed communism as well are "villains". The conservative bashing extended to trying to prevent the John Wayne Cancer Center from getting money Coral Browne willed them!

Victoria Price has written a book that i feel is a double edged sword toward her father. i've read it many times and prior to buying the Lucy Chase Williams book on Vincent, i'd pull out Victoria's book as a reference for something obscure or whatever. well, those times are over. it is no secret that Vincent was a liberal politically. his interest in art, conservation, and theatre among other things are stereotypically liberal that we didn't need his daughter to hammer the point home because there's some fans out there, like me, who could care less about their favorite actor or singer's political views and i get offended when it comes across that Republicans like myself shouldn't be a fan of Vincent's because "we're bad and want to destroy public TV and arts programs", which is how i took it from reading this book. politics you might ask? it's true! Victoria at times brings up the liberalism that she and her parents lived and practiced but she intentionally or accidentally makes people who don't live that way or think as her friends do as being strange or abnormal...in addition, Victoria goes into detail about his successful career on the stage in playhouses all over the United States and abroad and to me this was informative because most people focus on his horror career only. but, here comes another problem, the lack of information on his horror career and his movies in general. what we're treated to are her accounts of what critics or her father had to say about the movies...she offers no first-hand knowledge and SHE IS HIS DAUGHTER so she should know things we don't already...and by the time this book arrived she had PLENTY of time to watch his horror films and get an opinion of them. but, Vincent's dramatic films are also given very little discussion. if we're to believe her, none of her father's films are worth watching unless they recieved high praise from a nationally known critic or were box office successes. she paints a picture that her father's films can't be open to anyone's viewpoint once a critic has stamped it a bomb or whatever. i've seen quite a few of his so-called flops and they were GREAT! near the end of the book we're told about his career on TV and in commercials. his 1981-1989 run as the host of the PBS classic show "Mystery!" is also touched upon but once again, Victoria showers the chapters with second and third-hand information that family should already know first-hand. the pictures in the book are great!! i love the one where he's with his peers: Karloff, Lorre, and Rathbone during a photo shoot in the early '60s. there is a segment in the book that details Vincent's artistic flamboyance, and she brings up the silly rumors that Vincent was bi-sexual. first off, Vincent's sexual behavior isn't interesting to me! when i'm watching him stare at someone with that menacing look or if he's laughing at some devious scheme he's cooked up, i'm certainly not thinking about who he's sleeping with or who he finds attractive off-screen and so i find this section of the book silly and uncalled for and a MAJOR distraction to what the book was suppose to be, a biography of her father through HER eyes and NOT through the eyes and opinions of critics and industry insiders, which is basically what it turns out to be as a whole!! the only time i see that she gets personal and really says how she feels is when she talks about Vincent and his life with Coral Browne {near the end of the book since the marriage came in 1974}. now, i don't expect Victoria to drop to her knees and kiss the ground her step-mother walked on because after all Coral wasn't Victoria's mother, but at the same time, Corale couldn't have been that awful or else Victoria would've said something DECADES ago to a tabloid paper!! i give this book 3 stars because Victoria doesn't seem to realize that her father's fans aren't interested in rumor, gossip, and alleged communist involvement that were never proven because the accusations were flimsy and had no weight, so it's baffling as to why she'd plant those kind of thoughts about her father to potential new fans who ONLY know of Vincent through Batman re-runs {Vincent played "Egghead" on a few episodes}.

The one thing you could always count on from Vincent Price was a good performance. Price always gave his all to whatever character he played, be it Brigham Young or Dr. Phibes, Mr. Manningham of Angel Street or Egghead of Batman. He was a professional, through and through.

This biography of Price by his lovely daughter Victoria would certainly have made Vincent proud, for it is also thoroughly professional. The author's prose is about as polished as it gets, which makes reading the book a joy. And the editing is nothing if not top notch.

The book starts with interesting information on Vincent Price's early life in St. Louis, then moves on to his college years (Price graduated from Yale), to his overseas travels, his work in London theatre, his eventual return to the United States and work on Broadway, his marriages to actress Edith Barrett (who bore him a son, Vincent Barrett Price), to designer Mary Grant (who bore him Victoria), to Vincent's work in Hollywood, to his eventual final marriage to actress Coral Browne, and much more.

We learn much about Price's great love for art and of his desire to make art affordable for everyone (which led to Price's work for Sears); of his contributions to various art galleries and his efforts to have a permanent gallery of his own (he had one, for a time, but had to close it); of his travels to exotic places around the world; of his gourmet cooking; of his love for animals; of his extensive work in film (Price made a number of horror films, but most of his work in film was not horror related), of his extensive television and stage work; of his incredible solo show as Oscar Wilde and of his many speeches; and of his relationships with many of the biggest stars of his day, many of whom became his close personal friends.

Some of the most interesting parts of the book were those in which the author wrote of Vincent's relationships with people in general. Although Price was a big star, he apparently treated everyone with the same genial kindness, be they celebrities like himself or mere street sweepers.

So as not to make him into too much of an angel, Victoria also tells of her father's occasional angry outbursts, of his affairs, and of his two divorces. She tells of his insecurities, and of his all-consuming desire to be liked.

Vincent Price has been gone for a few years now - gone but not forgotten. His work remains, as does his spirit in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.

I commute to Washington DC and I don't know what this author is talking about. DC hasn't seen high fasion or style since the Camelot years of Jackie Kennedy.

I'm 17 years old and rarely find beauty books that TALk to me. I love Mr. Roppatte's book and I tried almost everything (which worked, incidentally). I also loved hearing the little gossipy stuff about the stars he "does." This is a wonderful and original beauty book--now, when I travel, I'll know how to change my hair!!!!! What fun!

This book is a completely worthless waste of time.

If you are serious, check out Emily Cho.

Big City Look is somewhat limited in for those who don't live in or regularly visit any any of the big cities mentioned. However, it does give some interesting insights into social life here, there, and everywhere, making it a pleasant and informative read for someone who enjoys paging through fashion magazines.

Boy the reader from "fashionable Washington, D.C." hit the nail right on the head. This book is definitely for the over 60 crowd. Vincent's fawning prose over his "It Girls" of today were funny and puzzling. Kathie Lee Gifford? Claire Shipman? Liz Smith? These women often look like they need grooming tips and a good bath. Others like Julia Ormond, Adrienne Vittadini, Isabella Rossellini, or Nina Griscom do indeed have that extra something, but Vincent didn't really manage to define it. The tips on dressing were okay, but nothing that most mothers haven't already taught their daughters. The only real thing that elevates this book and makes it partially worthwhile, is that Vincent is donating his portion of the profits to charity. Next time either he or Sherry Suib Cohen write a book, they should also scan the pages for really glaring glamour discrepencies, like showing Diane Sawyer's or Phyllis George's fillings, either edit them out or have these women close their mouths. I also think that the women presented seemed like mindless sheep, and that their cities and fashion codes which they live by were stereotyped and parodied. While this book is an okay general guide to give the reader a feel for how a certain portion of the population looks and dresses, I'd recommend watching CNN Style, or Fashion File and simply paying attention.

Another nouveau riche has arrived in Palm Beach and wants to make a social splash. The only thing that's different is that this nouveau riche has a more scandalous background than usual. Archy finds himself invited to the opening of an amazing maze in the back yard of an Ocean Boulevard mansion. It's quite a show . . . which ends in the mysterious death of the host's wife. Before the police can even begin their investigation, the host has hired Archy to help him find the murderer. Archy dislikes his host, but agrees to take on the task in order to be sure that something bad happens to the host.

The story is notable for Binky developing some backbone . . . much to Archy's annoyance.

The mystery's solution is a clever variation on the old locked room problem. I enjoyed the twist at the end, which I did not expect. I had come up with another solution that was dismissed by the author. That's all right. I liked Mr. Lardo's solution better.

I would have graded the book a little higher but the dialogue and action were a little more vapid than is my taste. This book could have been edited down into a much stronger book. Have publishers started paying by the word again? I wonder.

If you have liked the other Vincent Lardo books based on Lawrence Sanders's character, Archy McNally, you will probably find this to be an average or slightly below average offering.

An ethereal quality which I quite enjoyed bled through into parts of this # 6 novel in Vincent Lardo's Archy collection (# 13 in the whole series). In certain luxuriously drawn scenes, I could almost sense light pouring holes through the pages, similarly to images which have been portrayed in movies like the Harry Potter series, and The Never Ending Story. In McNally's BLUFF, Lardo had honed his author skills so well, he seemed to be literally producing magic in how certain scenes lifted off the pages and danced before, around, and within me. One scene in particular, which was infused with this type of "living light," was of the short yacht excursion to which Archy and Georgy were invited by Carolyn Taylor, and which included her boy toy, Billy, and Connie and Alex.

While reading BLUFF I was able to conceptualize another of the core differences I've been sensing (on an edge of unconsciousness) between Sanders and Lardo. Lawrence Sander seemed to naturally view life through a philosophical perspective; Vincent Lardo seems to look at human machinations through a sociological lens. Each seasoned author etched those leanings, consciously or not, into their thematic content, plot structure, and designs of Archy's motivations, curiosities, and basic drives through life. Sanders was automatically focused on the meaning of life itself, and how to get the most out of the experience as an individual. Lardo seems to automatically center on the interconnections among human beings, especially as they're separated socially or politically into clusters, cliques, or classes.

I don't know if these two authors fully realized how they were driven by this type of targeted viewpoint, when they were in process with a plot. Probably few of us do. Yet, I believe we're each driven by unique needs to know, by unique curiosities, which we each possess at core, at the center, the target of our essence-of-being, and of moving forward.

In SECRET, Sanders had Archy state that we're all hedonists at heart, though few of us admit it. In essence, through his McNally series, Sanders uses Archy to dramatize that unique, individual desire to know what gives personal pleasure, what gives a sense of satisfaction, why it does so, and how to enhance that need to "suck the marrow out of life."

In BLUFF, Lardo's Archy seems to imply that we (as human beings) tend to compare ourselves to others at higher levels in social class structure, and that we need to belong, to be accepted within the cream of social strata. Yet, at the same time we've been liberally taught to revile luxury, opulence, privilege and class.

These contrasts bring to mind the thematic essence of Ayn Rand's novels, FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Are we naturally oriented, as a species, to self or to others; and which is the prime/ethical way of being.

In myself, I have felt the natural needs of both Archies. I am very much an individual, and have released some of the culturally induced taint of feeling evil in having chosen to allow myself to center in a personal focus. Yet, I also crave to connect with and relate to others, fairly, sometimes intimately in friendship (to mutual benefit), and rightly. I'm wondering if this might be why, along with many others, I've been so fascinated with this series, especially given the comparisons and contrasts of the dual authorship.

In an overall balance I'm more of a philosopher/psychologist, than a sociologist, and I know that's one of the reasons I enjoy the Spenser series. To me, Parker seems more like Sanders than Lardo, in his art, yet, like Lardo, Parker works with (and entertains through) sociological issues, too.

Seeing this perspective contrast between the Sanders and Lardo Archies, the fact begins to clarify for me, of the two personas' varied needs to control (or not) others and their environments. If a person's focus is based comfortably in oneself, there's less or no need to control others. Whereas, if one is based in needs for social interaction, and for acceptance and approval from outside oneself, the need to control becomes natural, sometimes vital for emotional (and physical) survival. Though Ayn Rand does so, I do not want to conclude yet that one or the other type of personality structure is ethically right or wrong, morally good or evil. Maybe the correct fact is that we're each naturally different in these types of slants, and in different phases of maturity. I will admit, though, that the less I feel a need to control, the better I like life and myself.

An angry face of a gorgeous tiger was featured on the book jacket design on the hardcover of McNally's BLUFF (# 13 in this series). At first the symbolism in that design had me puzzled, as I attempted to connect it to the plot. I had wondered why a maze hadn't been used as the graphic symbol... until I contrasted the appealingly brassy red-and-gold colors, and tiger in the bulls-eye on BLUFF's jacket, to the ritzy but somber black-and-gold book jacket on the hardback of McNally's SECRET (the pilot to the series). That cover design comparison gave me a double-bulls-eye "ah ha!" into the slightly different focus of Sanders and Lardo in their offerings in this series.

With McNally's BLUFF, which appears to be the final book in the series, the McNally family's carnival history "secret" is coming full circle...

I didn't want to see that circus circle closing, or stepping fully out of the closet in all its gore and glory. If I saw that too clearly, I might have to accept an underlying significance that # 13 is truly the end of this series. No!

If that is so, however, McNally's BLUFF accomplished that honor of closing this series with amazing grace and literary panache!

In view of this speculation, I needed to read BLUFF on one of my slowest savor speeds. As I did so, I gradually came to love the perfection of that jacket on the hardcover. Actually, the paperback design is appealingly interesting, too, given the above perspective.

When I was more than half-way through the book, I noticed that the most current paperback design was very different; it applied an ebony background with a maze hedge stylized with a target in its center. Possibly due to the brain's need to "connect dots" that center symbol flashed my focus to the target used for Susan Silverman's practice with a fire arm in CRIMSON ROSE, # 15 in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, which I reviewed recently. For some reason I continue seeing links between Spenser's world and Archy's, and what a stretch that is! I wrote about that brain spark in my review of McNally's SECRET.

Though this may be my last McNally novel to review, I can offset that loss by looking forward to the several Spenser novels I haven't yet read. That thought takes me to my novels; my first thought (actually it felt like a craving) after having finished writing each of them was, "I wish I could read this novel fresh, without having written it."

Thus, it is with added thanks that I have more Spenser novels to experience from that fresh first time of reading. And, that pleasant awareness brings to focus for me the contrast of the author paths involved in the creation and endurance of Spenser and Archy McNally. I believe both situations have brought "amazing" (a prominent word in BLUFF) cultural insights to the history of literature and the mysteries of life.

I love a good story, a good mystery, from almost any angle of approach.

What amazing gifts we have available in all of the above. Maybe that's the "bluff":

That it's all real and it's all a bluff. Long live the spiritual sanctuary of the novel. It almost, sometimes, seems to qualify as a church.

Linda Shelnutt

An ethereal quality which I quite enjoyed bled through into parts of this # 6 novel in Vincent Lardo's Archy collection (# 13 in the whole series). In certain luxuriously drawn scenes, I could almost sense light pouring holes through the pages, similarly to images which have been portrayed in movies like the Harry Potter series, and The Never Ending Story. In McNally's BLUFF, Lardo had honed his author skills so well, he seemed to be literally producing magic in how certain scenes lifted off the pages and danced before, around, and within me. One scene in particular, which was infused with this type of "living light," was of the short yacht excursion to which Archy and Georgy were invited by Carolyn Taylor, and which included her boy toy, Billy, and Connie and Alex.

While reading BLUFF I was able to conceptualize another of the core differences I've been sensing (on an edge of unconsciousness) between Sanders and Lardo. Lawrence Sander seemed to naturally view life through a philosophical perspective; Vincent Lardo seems to look at human machinations through a sociological lens. Each seasoned author etched those leanings, consciously or not, into their thematic content, plot structure, and designs of Archy's motivations, curiosities, and basic drives through life. Sanders was automatically focused on the meaning of life itself, and how to get the most out of the experience as an individual. Lardo seems to automatically center on the interconnections among human beings, especially as they're separated socially or politically into clusters, cliques, or classes.

I don't know if these two authors fully realized how they were driven by this type of targeted viewpoint, when they were in process with a plot. Probably few of us do. Yet, I believe we're each driven by unique needs to know, by unique curiosities, which we each possess at core, at the center, the target of our essence-of-being, and of moving forward.

In SECRET, Sanders had Archy state that we're all hedonists at heart, though few of us admit it. In essence, through his McNally series, Sanders uses Archy to dramatize that unique, individual desire to know what gives personal pleasure, what gives a sense of satisfaction, why it does so, and how to enhance that need to "suck the marrow out of life."

In BLUFF, Lardo's Archy seems to imply that we (as human beings) tend to compare ourselves to others at higher levels in social class structure, and that we need to belong, to be accepted within the cream of social strata. Yet, at the same time we've been liberally taught to revile luxury, opulence, privilege and class.

These contrasts bring to mind the thematic essence of Ayn Rand's novels, FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Are we naturally oriented, as a species, to self or to others; and which is the prime/ethical way of being.

In myself, I have felt the natural needs of both Archies. I am very much an individual, and have released some of the culturally induced taint of feeling evil in having chosen to allow myself to center in a personal focus. Yet, I also crave to connect with and relate to others, fairly, sometimes intimately in friendship (to mutual benefit), and rightly. I'm wondering if this might be why, along with many others, I've been so fascinated with this series, especially given the comparisons and contrasts of the dual authorship.

In an overall balance I'm more of a philosopher/psychologist, than a sociologist, and I know that's one of the reasons I enjoy the Spenser series. To me, Parker seems more like Sanders than Lardo, in his art, yet, like Lardo, Parker works with (and entertains through) sociological issues, too.

Seeing this perspective contrast between the Sanders and Lardo Archies, the fact begins to clarify for me, of the two personas' varied needs to control (or not) others and their environments. If a person's focus is based comfortably in oneself, there's less or no need to control others. Whereas, if one is based in needs for social interaction, and for acceptance and approval from outside oneself, the need to control becomes natural, sometimes vital for emotional (and physical) survival. Though Ayn Rand does so, I do not want to conclude yet that one or the other type of personality structure is ethically right or wrong, morally good or evil. Maybe the correct fact is that we're each naturally different in these types of slants, and in different phases of maturity. I will admit, though, that the less I feel a need to control, the better I like life and myself.

An angry face of a gorgeous tiger was featured on the book jacket design on the hardcover of McNally's BLUFF (# 13 in this series). At first the symbolism in that design had me puzzled, as I attempted to connect it to the plot. I had wondered why a maze hadn't been used as the graphic symbol... until I contrasted the appealingly brassy red-and-gold colors, and tiger in the bulls-eye on BLUFF's jacket, to the ritzy but somber black-and-gold book jacket on the hardback of McNally's SECRET (the pilot to the series). That cover design comparison gave me a double-bulls-eye "ah ha!" into the slightly different focus of Sanders and Lardo in their offerings in this series.

With McNally's BLUFF, which appears to be the final book in the series, the McNally family's carnival history "secret" is coming full circle...

I didn't want to see that circus circle closing, or stepping fully out of the closet in all its gore and glory. If I saw that too clearly, I might have to accept an underlying significance that # 13 is truly the end of this series. No!

If that is so, however, McNally's BLUFF accomplished that honor of closing this series with amazing grace and literary panache!

In view of this speculation, I needed to read BLUFF on one of my slowest savor speeds. As I did so, I gradually came to love the perfection of that jacket on the hardcover. Actually, the paperback design is appealingly interesting, too, given the above perspective.

When I was more than half-way through the book, I noticed that the most current paperback design was very different; it applied an ebony background with a maze hedge stylized with a target in its center. Possibly due to the brain's need to "connect dots" that center symbol flashed my focus to the target used for Susan Silverman's practice with a fire arm in CRIMSON ROSE, # 15 in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, which I reviewed recently. For some reason I continue seeing links between Spenser's world and Archy's, and what a stretch that is! I wrote about that brain spark in my review of McNally's SECRET.

McNally's Secret
Crimson Joy
The Godwulf Manuscript

Though this may be my last McNally novel to review, I can offset that loss by looking forward to the several Spenser novels I haven't yet read. That thought takes me to my novels; my first thought (actually it felt like a craving) after having finished writing each of them was, "I wish I could read this novel fresh, without having written it."

Thus, it is with added thanks that I have more Spenser novels to experience from that fresh first time of reading. And, that pleasant awareness brings to focus for me the contrast of the author paths involved in the creation and endurance of Spenser and Archy McNally. I believe both situations have brought "amazing" (a prominent word in BLUFF) cultural insights to the history of literature and the mysteries of life.

I love a good story, a good mystery, from almost any angle of approach.

What amazing gifts we have available in all of the above. Maybe that's the "bluff":

That it's all real and it's all a bluff. Long live the spiritual sanctuary of the novel. It almost, sometimes, seems to qualify as a church.

Linda Shelnutt

I finally finished McNally's Bluff by Laurence Sanders and Vincent Lardo. I say *finally* as this one took me about a week when generally it'd be a two day book...

Archy McNally is called to investigate a murder when a party he's attending turns into a crime scene. A carnival owner who has moved into town has a maze built on the property, and during a grand opening party his wife is murdered and found dead in the goal of the maze. It's nearly impossible that she was able to appear earlier as a performer at the party and then be found dead, but that's apparently what happened. There are a number of people who might be connected to the death in some way, but none appear to have a clear-cut motive. When one of these people shows up dead, the plot gets even more complicated. Archy is trying to solve the murder and unravel the mystery before anyone else dies in the process...

Normally I'm a big fan of the McNally series written by Lardo since Sanders passed away. And on the surface, this latest installment has the same witty writing and word play. But something just seems to be missing. Archie and Connie are no longer together, and the relationship between him and Georgia doesn't seem to advance anywhere here. His normal frustration with Binky is not there, as Binky seems to have a mind and life of his own in this book. Even Archie's dad, the head of the law firm, plays an extremely minor role here. The spark that normally propels me along with these books just wasn't there.

Everyone's entitled to an off-day. I just hope this isn't a precursor to the end of an excellent series...

We've enjoyed the entire Archy McNally series, including the seven by Sanders and the now six by Vincent Pardo writing for the estate. However, we have to agree with those feeling this is the lightest of the light. Most of these books have us hobnobbing with the rich (if not famous) in Palm Beach and the various happenings, sometimes including murder, that cause them to seek McNally's "discrete" private eye services. While solving a mystery that is usually not too violent and not too enigmatic, we get steady doses of Archy's love life, his lavish wardrobe, his gossip sessions at the family manse, his sparring with his father's secretary and the mailroom attendant (Binky) at work, and his sumptuous meals at the Pelican Club and other hangouts.

All of these elements resurface in "Bluff"; but the underlying mystery is so light, and its conclusion so direct, that the book seems little more than an assembly of past storylines and character interactions. While using now rich ex-carny entertainers as the principals wasn't a bad idea, the plot, centering on the murdered "Venus", Marlena Marvel, found in a literal maze of bushes, otherwise just generated little or no suspense to carry off the 300-page hunt for a close-at-hand killer.

Sometimes these continuing series novels run out of steam, especially after a dozen or so entries. We'd hope for a much better effort next outing, or else we'd recommend early retirement for our pal Archy.

It was worth hearing these players' words verbatim, but it did make it awkward to read. Passing this off as original is a stretch; Fay Vincent "might" have compiled this stuff, but he certainly didn't do any real work.
It would have been better if they had put the questions that were asked, so you could follow a bit easier.

One would think that a former commissioner of baseball and skilled attorney would be able to product a fascinating set of reminesces that served to educate the reader about baseball during the Depression. Sadly, that's not the case.

It's unclear whether Vincent had any interaction with the players. These unfocused streams of consciosness don't really show any thought regarding what types of information was being sought. It's as if someone sent a tape and said "talk about what you remember from playing baseball for three hours and return" and then pretty much typed what they said verbatim.

In short, I was very disappointed. There's a great book to be written on baseball during the Great Depression, but this isn't it.

THIS IS ABOUT HOW BASEBALL WAS PLAYED DURING THE 1930'3 AND 40'S ACCORDING TO 10 OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN THAT ERA. SOME OF THE PLAYERS INTERVIEWED ARE BOB FELLER, WARREN SPAHN, RALPH KINER AND BUCK O'NEIL. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB AND MAKES THESE INTERVIEWS BOTH ENTERTAINING AND INTERESTING. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS AND SUGGEST THIS FOR FANS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH OR WHO ARE INTERESTED DURING AN ERA WHEN BASEBALL WAS A GAME AND NOT A BUSINESS. WHEN PLAYERS PLAYED FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME SOMETHING TODAYS GREEDY AND SELF CENTERED PLAYERS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

An oral history that catches the ethos of an earlier time in a most wonderful and unspoiled manner. Vincent's editing never disrupts the beauty or the simplicity of memories that flow from the passions of the men who played in the 30's and 40's. This is a work that ranks with those of Honig and Ritter. Easy read. An essential for the baseball library. An absolute delight.

This is a book that any baseball fan needs to read. It makes us appreciate the game back when it was pure. When the game was truly the national pasttime, and the players such as Monte Irvin, Ralph Kiner, and so many others played a game they loved. Yes, it was a business, but it was also a game, which it's not anymore. It's a sport, no more, no less.

The stories of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Satchel Paige, Jimmie Foxx, Casey Stengel, and the ones we love reading about are there, along with Warren Spahn and Tommy Heinrich, Bob Feller, and Larry Doby. The discuss their lives, teammates, and what made baseball great.

I wish I could give this more than five stars.

I tend to stay away from autobiographies as some could better be cross marketed as fiction.

Vincent didn't care for Selig or Kuhn, as he states that Selig & Reinsdorf were the ring leaders in the 1987 collusion. He doesn't really have a whole lot to say about Uberroth, other than collusion. Selig wanted the job of commissioner all along. Okay, that was no surprise statement, as I think most astute fans surmised that during Bud's protracted interim commissioner period. George W. Bush called Fay (family friend) on at least two occasions to mention that Selig said that George could have the job if he wanted it. Fay told George that he thought that Selig really wanted the job for himself and that he should forget about becoming commissioner. Personally I think there's good chance that Bush may become commissioner come 2009.

Fay doesn't come out and say say it but other than for window dressing the hiring of Bill White as NL President was a mistake. Vincent does confess that the job of league president is little more than getting along with the umpires and keeping peace within the league with little policy making or management skills particularily needed, which qualified White for the job. Fay states that White admitted that he always has had a problem with authority figures. Vincent & Giamatti tried to get White to take the lead on improving minority issues in MLB, but White said that he had no interest in that as he was tired of beating his head against the wall.

I can think of worse league presidents than White (Gene Budig immediately comes to mind). Fay loved Len Coleman and thought he shouldn't have been dumped by MLB, when his position as NL president was no longer needed.

Vicent does give some interesting insight as to the hard core owners were who wanted to bust the MLB union (Selig, et al), and has some very innovative ideas on how a better relationship between the owners and players could be had. Fay had some interesting comments about Joe D & Mays. I found it amazing (but maybe I shouldn't have) how the owners gave Giamatti everything he wanted in the contract to be commissioner that Vincent negotiated for his friend Bart. The problem was that MLB really had no point person to negotiate the contract in their behalf, Giamatti was really ordained as commissioner before the terms were negotiated.

Most of this book consists of Vincent relaying very short and sweet stories about small incidents and moments in time. Particularly, he pays very much attention to retired players he met and coming to terms with the differences in public personas and actual personalities.

I expected a far heavier treatment given the first half of the title. However, the opinions and issues are very skant throughout the book. There moments he gives opinions are often not substantiated and the depth of material is actually suited best for younger readers.I expected the opportunity to be taken to rationalize the role of the commissioner and outline a concrete argument about Vincent's experiences and how things could improve. Instead, the minor essays give a taste of the subject that most hardcore baseball fans would already know before reading.

The anecdotes of old time baseball are worth the price off the book alone. Vincent's tales of meeting with Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio are priceless. The splitting of chapters into topics and lists were fun. Each chapter offered something new, a virtual learning experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to any real baseball fan. It shed a new light on his commissionership in my opinion and, in the true test of writing, actually changed my mind about Pete Rose and his inclusion into the Hall of Fame. I always thought Pete should be admitted, but after reading Vincent's words, I have changed my mind.

I was a fan of Fay Vincent during his tenure as commissioner. I did not always agree with his decisions, but I respected him. That respect has waned some over the years, particularly in light of his invoking 'the best interests of baseball' clause which was just a euphemism for 'what I want.'

Fay Vincent shone on the brightest stage for a brief period. His handling of the 1989 World Series' interruption by earthquake was a public relations ten strike as well as a needed healing element in the Bay Area. But Vincent was aloof and arrogant in interviews, and he simply did not bring the love or zest for the game that his predecessor, A. Bartlett Giammatti brought.

Vincent was also clearly pushed offstage by the owners for their ill-fated 1994-95 showdown with the players. Let's face it, replacing a commissioner with a fellow owner is a conflict of interest in any scenario much less one where there are billions of dollars at stake on both sides. So he has my sympathy for that.

The book shines in a couple of spots, particularly the stories of the 1989 World Series and his friendship with Giammati, who died in September 1989. It also tells - from Vincent's viewpoint anyway - the story of the man with whom Vincent's name along with Giammati's will be eternally connected, Pete Rose. Vincent seemingly plays the Emporer to Giammati's Darth Vader - and without blushing, arrogantly holds to Rose's punishment.

Pete Rose bet on baseball. This fact is not in doubt. Pete Rose deserved to be punished. Banned forever? Perhaps. Denied entry into the Hall of Fame? Not a chance. Vincent's attempt to distance himself from this is disgusting. Of all those involved with the Rose investigation, Vincent and prosecutor John Dowd have retained an arrogant posture towards Rose. Their view seems to be, "He bet on baseball, he's banned for life, tough." Fair enough. Except that these two conspired to keep the names of UMPIRES who were gambling secret during the exact same time frame!!!

On March 8, 2002, several news outlets reported that Vincent had 'secretly' placed umpires Rich Garcia and Frank Pulli on probation in 1989 (the same year as the Rose scandal) for gambling. Vincent's 'defense' is that 'there was no evidence the umpires bet on baseball.' That sounds good but it evades the bigger issue - gamblers and bookies. The fear is that an indebted gambler will throw a game or fix the outcome to pay off his debts. Does not a home plate umpire have a MUCH GREATER effect on the outcome of a game than a manager (none of Rose's gambling occurred when he was a player - at least from the investigation's standpoint)? Vincent's hypocrisy on this issue renders his verdict meaningless and indicates he clearly still has 'it' in for Rose.

Vincent even engaged in some libelous hearsay in the book by claiming that USA Today writer Hal Bodley had told him Rose had gambled on baseball as a player back in the 70s. Hmm. Vincent, of course, didn't bother to mention that he had absolutely no evidence for that, however.

I think Vincent is worried about being famous. Face it, if Rose is ever elected to the HOF, the only long-lasting claim to fame that Vincent has is gone. He'll be remembered as the guy who went overboard - even to the point of denying the guy a place on the Hall ballot - to ensure his legacy. The first time I ever heard of Fay Vincent was the night after Rose was banned when I read that morning's USA Today. Vincent wanted NO NEGOTIATION on when the lifetime ban could be overturned. Here's a man who has shown hypocrisy in his dealings between gamblers and doesn't even offer a chance at redemption (never mind his inane view that drugs are somehow different - look at the steroid scandal and get back to me).

The book has its highs and its lows. I do recommend a read but check out many of Vincent's claims that do not withstand scrutiny.

Fay Vincent was a good head of Paramount and Coca-Cola; he was mediocre as a commissioner.

Fay Vincent calls his book his "valentine to baseball" and it's not too far off from the truth. He has divided each chapter into their own "half innings," the "top half" being about a particular topic, and the "bottom half" being various lists. In between, his stories and opinions I found to be quite entertaining and even in some cases thought-provoking. Whether it's relaying old baseball anecdotes involving Hall of Famers like Yogi Berra, Ted Williams & Joe DiMaggio, or old Negro League ballplayers he got to know during his stint as Commissioner, or stories about his friendship with both George Bush and his son (a one time Texas Rangers owner), or more serious topics like the suspension of Pete Rose, his time and friendship with Bart Giamatti (the commissioner he succeeded in office after Giamatti's death), or his experiences at the earthquake-marred 1989 World Series, the reader is certainly never bored. I especially found his story about this fascinating, as I was among the crowd at that game 3 some thirteen years ago now. I never realized how much Isaiah Nelson, a SF cop on duty at the game helped to orchestrate the orderly evacuation of the park.

After reading his thoughts on Rose, I as well as another reviewer have come to change my mind about whether Rose should be re admitted to the game (although as of this review, pressure to reinstate Rose in some capacity seems to be growing). I also agreed with him about Steve Howe, whose continued readmittance to baseball after several drug convictions in my humble opinion marred the game. When Vincent resigned as commissioner of baseball in 1992, I felt the game has been deprived of a leader, even if I sometimes disagreed with his decisions. I wouldn't call this book a "great masterpiece," but I'm glad I ignored a couple of negative reviews I've seen of it. This book is an enjoyable read and makes me wonder how different today's game might have been if Vincent had been allowed to at least finish out his term as commissioner, much less be commissioner today.

I am no expert at gi joe collecting but I did not find what I was looking for in this book. It has very nice color pictures but is extremely specific and repetitive. This may seem good for some people but not for me. It does not include the spec for the Deep diver, vehicles and some equipment. Also it does not include many boxes that you can easily see on the net. I do not know if I can rely in its price guide also. The book is mainly focused in showing one pic of single items and in describing the subtle differences between one series and another of the SAME figure in almost all cases. The format is in two column and you have to go reading from the top to bottom and to the top again so it becomes kind of confusing to read at first.
I will conclude that this is a nice book if you are looking for specific information and not if you are looking for a visual aid to see what item goes with what to complete your collection.
If you want it anyway try to find the lowest price.
But anyway do not forget to HAVE FUN!!!

A straight-forward catalogue of Joe figures and accessories from the beginning through the 4" era and on to today. Black & white pictures are plentiful. Not the book for blissful page-flipping and reminiscing, but definitely the place to turn for organizing your collection.

This book has some useful information on uniform and figure variations, but it is far from being a complete guide to G.I. Joe. For a more complete reference to every vintage boxed and carded figure and equipment set, check out this authors other book, The Complete Encyclopedia to G.I. Joe (1997 Krause Publications). Although it is primarily black and white, it is the most complete and comprehensive guide to in-package G.I. Joe stuff. When I first heard Vinnie was doing this book, I assumed it would be as complete and comprehensive as his previous book, only in full color, with a focus on individual and out of package stuff. While there are values for individual pieces of equipment, and many sets are photographed out of package, not every set and piece of equipment is covered, mentioned, or even listed in the book. This is obviously not due to a lack of knowledge on the authors part, but may be due to publishing considerations. I can only speculate. Perhaps Vinnie only had a limited number of pages to work with and realized he wouldn't be able to get it all in. If that's the case, perhaps he should have omitted the sections on 1980's and 1990's Joes and focused exclusively on the vintage 60's and 70's stuff. I like the format and the idea of the book, it just seems as if it's only about 1/4 complete. As a supplement to Vinnie's other book, this is okay, but don't expect to gain a comprehensive knowledge of Vintage G.I. Joe from it. This book was not licensed or approved by Hasbro, so the term "Official" in the title is somewhat bogus.

I would like to correct a statement made by reviewer Andrew Walls regarding the "official" status of GI Joe: An Official Identification and Price Guide (1964-1999). This book, like others written by Vincent Santelmo on GI Joe, was licensed and the manuscript was reviewed and approved by Hasbro Inc. As Acquisitions Editor at Krause Publications, I was involved in every step of this legal process. I can understand the reviewer's confusion since many publishers don't take the necessary steps nor commit the time and expense to create licensed or "official" books.

A very informative and concise detail presentation of the 'Singled Boxed' GI Joe's and the 'Packaged Sets' he was sold with . Wealth of detailling; Right down to the different type screws used on some fiqures. Well done. A 'must have' reference for any serious collector.