Movies Books

now that I have all the Last of the Jedi books, I can finally read them.

This is the eighth in a series of 10 that is actually one novel.
It is well written and moves well. I believe it is good reading for younger set and not bad for an adult. I have read every Star Wars novel with the exception of Invincible and this rank high on the list of all the stories.
While each story can stand alone it is better if read together book 1 to 10.
By the time you get to this book you want to get to the end that you don't want it to end.
Because of the period it is in there are a lot of threads that are left to be followed. Although a conclusion of a sorts is written it is not as satisfying as it could be.

I loved this series. Just sad to see it end. Jude Watson is a fantastic writer. I have her other 2 series . I hope she has another series of Star Wars soon. Marianne Shinmon Mshinmon@cox.net

These 10 novelettes could have been put together into one normal sized novel. Brilliant to sell them separately. They are all very well written and only get better as the series progressed, culminating with this volume (10). Wonderful story...EXTREMELY well written. I was honestly sad to see the series end. I came to like Ferris and the other Jedi immensely. This series could be made into a feature movie easily. hmmmmmm.

highly recommended.

Now . . . having read all 10 books of Last of the Jedi, I have come to the conclusion that THIS is the best work Jude Watson-san has ever done, really ! ( Um . . . my second favourite is Jedi Quest, by the way. )

Well . . . to be frank, I was already on the verge of tears when I was only half way through the story . . . and . . . I was really crying ( silently ) while I was reading the last 1/3 of it because I vaguely knew exactly what was coming which was inevitable ! *sniffles*

Hmm, I believe this "Reckoning" IS filled to the brim with unconditional love, friendship, hope, betrayal, sacrifice and TRULY unexpected turn of events ! *sobs, facedesky* And I couldn't help but read the very last chapter, playing Princess Leia's Theme in my head because they really do match.

Anyways, I really loved the ways Ferus chose to show his affection and love for Trever at the very end of the story and THAT made me cry some more and more until my nose got completely stuffy !! ; _ ;

Arigatoh SO MUCH for creating all these wonderful characters of LotJ, Watson-san !! *bows*

I bought this because I am a fan of Clay Aiken. He is so good at reading stories and does a great job of changing his voice to suit the various characters.

We gave this CD to our daughter for her birthday as she recently has started listening to audiobooks and has enjoyed Arthur for awhile. This has been very nice to listen to in the car, and we were pleased to see that some of the profits go to a good cause. The only glitch is that many of the Arthur stories rely on the talented artistry of Marc Brown to convey the scene. Without the book directly in front of the child, parents really may need to explain what was visually shown by Marc Brown. Ex: In Arthur's Tooth, Arthur loses his first tooth because he is shoved by Francine. This is shown in the book, but never said in the story. My daughter wondered why Arthur was grateful to be pushed roughly. Aside from this, it has been great fun.

This is a fantastic choice for children who love Arthur. The stories are so well read by the celebrities that they really capture my son's attention (he's almost 3), and mine too as I listened to some of my favorite stars (Kelly Ripa). I usually played this in his room when he was having quiet time/nap time. He would be able to play quietly because he was listening to the stories, which are his favorite anyway.

My kids love Arthur and this product is a nice treat! Each of the celebrities brought their own unique personality to the Arthur stories and make the entire Audiobook really enjoyable. It's also nice to see such wonderful celebrities take time out to record stories for charity.

Aside from the feel good factor, this is a really fun product that includes some of my favorite Arthur stories, pictures from his beloved books, the catchy Ziggy Marley theme song and a host of interactive games to keep the kids occupied. Don't be fooled! There's a lot on this little CD!

I highly recommend it.

I bought this for my cousin who is obsessed with Arthur. After listening to it with her -- I just had to go out and buy one for myself! It is so much fun hearing the celebrities read -- and who doesn't love Arthur??!!

I liked the episode, but the book was so much better there's almost no comparison. Steven Barnes' story of Benny Russell's struggle to preserve his dream of "Deep Space Nine" against racism blends a Christ-figure with the same restrained, tolling tone as Langston Hughes' poetry to show a man whose passion is such that it elevates his "fiction" to the level of prophecy (inside the Trek universe, anyway). Read this story and then consider its basic premise in general terms. Your life just might change in unexpected ways.

There are a number of aspects to this story that can be rated. It seems to be a fairly accurate, true-to-the-episode novelization; five stars there. It is a marvellous pure science fiction story, which leaves unsolved whether it's actually about an alternate-universe writer who is able to tap into the world of Deep Space Nine for his stories, or about Commander Sisko having temporary insanity that produces hallucinations. Again, five stars. It is a powerful, moving story about the effects of racism on a young black science fiction writer in 1953 Harlem. Once more, five stars. About the only way in which it is NOT a five-star effort is purely as a Star trek novel; ninety percent or more of this story has absolutely nothing to do with Star Trek, and another five percent is only tangentially related to Star Trek. Only the very beginning and the very end actually deal with the station and what's happening there; the plot for this tiny fraction of the story is virtually nonexistent except as a setup for the non-Star Trek part of the story. In that regard, it's barely worth two stars.

So if what you're interested in is a wonderfully told, powerfully moving story with some minor connection to Deep Space Nine, this is EXACTLY what you're looking for. If, on the other hand, you actually want a Star Trek novel, this may not be what you want.

I throughly enjoyed reading this novel which is a novelization of an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. The setting for most of this novel takes place in the 1950s in Harlem. Sisko (commander of Deep Space Nine) unexpectedly falls sick and is transported to Harlem, New York in the 1950s. He keeps his body but is a different person who is struggling to become a Science Fiction writer. By reading the novel we feel the main character's (Benny's) pain and wish him well, but everyone who has seen the episode knows what the outcome will be. Seeing how Benny overcame so much adversity and kept his dream alive in spite of all of the obstacles that confronted him was an emboldening story.

One of the things that I really liked about this book was how it went back to Benny's childhood and into the bodies of men from several generations back. We see Benny as a child growing up in Harlem and also as a slave in america tending the fields.

I think this story would be enjoyable for any reader, but I think those familiar with the characters on Star Trek Deep Space Nine will appreciate it much more. The story transposes the main characters from Deep Space Nine and puts them in a different setting along with Sisko giving them different names but having mostly the same personalities.

I was surprised to discover that the original episode on television was written by a white man, because it really brings out the feelings and frustrations of a black man living in a time when any black man other than a custodian, busboy or shoe shiner was seen as a threat to the majority community.

The author's note at the end of the book discusses the role of blacks in film and TV. The author makes some interesting and insightful observations on how far we've come and how Star Trek has been at the forefront in placing blacks in good parts.

Clearly "Far Beyond the Stars" was one of the best Deep Space Nine episodes in it's seven year run. Steven Barnes took that episode and, in a very short amount of time, turned the novelization into an amazing accoutrement to that episode. Even more so than the episode, you can feel for the characters in the book. It is at times gut wrenching and at other times totally enlightening. The author captured all of the character's with perfection. He also captured the 50's era with ease. A truly delightful book. If you've not read this, you need to whether or not you're a fan of trek fiction. It would be nice if the author would make another foray into the trek universe.

If you have not seen Far Beyond the Stars -- see it. It's simply one of the best Star Trek episodes ever, of all the series. You don't necessarily have to be a Deep Space Nine fan to enjoy it either -- just being a fan of great stories, or of science fiction, would be enough.

The book is a wonderful supplement to the TV episode, adding in many details and extra scenes. It perfectly captures the tone and mood of 1950s New York, as the episode did. Benny Russell is an unforgettable character.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because of a jarring line or two in there comparing the situtation of women vs. blacks in the '50s. It was totally unnecessary, IMHO, not to mention rather insensitive. A woman writer features in the story - like Benny, she's told to "call in sick" on the day the magazine staff is photographed for their next issue - how dare a woman be a sci-fi- writer? But the author says she has it better because "she can live where she wants, her kids can go to the best schools..." Hmm.

Other than that however, it's a wonderful read.

Gone with the wind is a novel packed with action, love, distress, hard times, and most of all, scarlet's strong sense of lofe. be it love of the land person, or thing scarlet is so emotional its almost unreal. it is an amazing book and i reccomend it for anyone with atleast a 9th grade reading lvl.
I think that the views expressed in this book about slavery and the civil war are more realistic than in any other book i've ever read. for instance, although uncle tom's cabin was another great book i believe that the viewpoint on slavery is too dramatic. i do not believe that all southern slave owners whipped their slaves.
i hope that reading this review has encouraged you to read this book. Gone With The Wind was deffinitely a book i can and will always remember, and i can't wait to read Scarlet, the sequel!

This is an excellent book that chronicles the making of the legendary screen classic "Gone With the Wind". The book moves in chronological order from it's start as a novel all the way through the pre-production, production and post-production stages of what was to be one of the greatest films of all time, if not the greatest. The book is filled with numerous photos, some of them in color, many of them rare and all of them crisp and clear. There are close-ups of all of its stars (Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia DeHavilland, Leslie Howard), the crew at work, movie posters and it's world premiere. This is a great book that will make an excellent addition to any library!

This book is packed with information and great photographs, both in color and black and white. The majority of the book deals with the filming an abundance of behind-the-scenes shots.

Also of particular interest is the post-production section dealing with the public's reaction to the movie and the section on the Premiere. This is a great book to add to your personal library.

Gorgeous pictures. Wonderful history of the novel to movie story. All GWTW fans should have this.

First I was impressed by the quality of photos - excellent. I come from Poland where, for a long time of communism, the good quality was a rare luxury. I could see every single element of fabulous clothes. Good taste, an unattainable world of really rich people - different from those starving and hungry after war in "Gone With the Wind". A lot of pictures, too little stories and anecdotes, but this is an illustrated story, so I shouldn't complain. Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Clarke Gable are warm and human as private persons. As actors they are shown as professionals.

The story Hot Plastic centers on a boy named Kevin, in the late 1980's. Kevin's father, Jerry, is a small-time con artist, ripping off department stores, and the occasional unsuspecting old lady. Kevin Helps him in this, playing major roles, but he strives for bigger things, and imagines that he is only stealing from people who don't deserve what they have.

Early in the story Jerry hires a girl named Colette from an associate of his to watch Kevin when he is very sick. Kevin secretly falls in love with Colette, and she becomes Jerry's young lover. She also shoves Kevin down a rung in their criminal troupe, taking Kevin's original spot.

The book really was a bit confusing at first, and I found myself setting it down often, taking breaks. Soon I got adjusted to Peter Craig's interesting writing style and couldn't put this book down. The confusing part, at first, was how the story jumped around at odd places to show different times in Kevin's life, I soon begun to rather enjoy this artsy structure.

I suggest this book to anyone that enjoys an immensely satisfying criminal suspense novel, and wants some tricks on how to survive underground. This is also a book you can judge by its gorgeous cover design by Allison J. Warner; she did a simply stunning job.

I'm a huge fan of classic noir novels, and a good friend of mine urged me to give this book a chance. I must admit to a great deal of skepticism, mostly because I'd heard that the author was the offspring of one America's best known actresses. But I must say, after finishing the book, that I'm extremely impressed with Craig's talent and his grasp of the genre. There is a slight self-consciousness to the book--an intentional one, a kind of acknowlegement that he's working in solid Jim Thompson territory; but the writing is far more extravagant. The end result feels partly like an homage to old hustler novels, and partly like a renewing of the genre, a mixture of pulp and literary sensibilities. For one thing, Craig's dialogue is a perfect contemporary version of the kind of quick, clipped banter in old James Cain and Jim Thompson books. The twists are surprising, but heavily rooted in this tradition as well. In the end, I was surprised by the weight of the book, considering how fast and shiny it all seemed on the surface: it was a book about lost kids, contemporary America, the ills of our system, commerce, love and loss, and it advanced all of these themes with an amazingly effortless quality, all the while serving mostly as a fun read about grifters. I'm very pleased that I read this book, and I'll continue to follow Craig's career.

Line by line, this book has some of the best writing I've seen in a while. This is an amazing thing, since it's still very fast-moving and not at all overwritten. The author just has an amazing eye for detail and a very crafty sense of humor. The book surprised me constantly with its insights, and these characters were so real to me by the end that I missed them for a week. I read Craig's first book, and it doesn't stand up to this at all. It's exciting to see how much the writer has improved, and I can't wait for the next one.

Facinating view into the life of a con artist and family. Hot Plastic is an exciting, well written story with rich diverse characters. It's suspenseful and action packed with a few good love stories thrown in for good measure. It's easy to lose yourself in this book.

Loved it. Seems to me like where Mr. Craig may have been a little hesitant in Martini Shot, he's really hit his stride in this one. A great story. Great writing. Both books have palpable characters, but this one is truly a page-turner. Can't wait for the next one.

This book is the bomb! The art is amazing and facinates the imagination, the quality of the book is perfect, The cross-sections are the best and are getting bigger... and better than the last book and I can expect the next one to be the best of them all. Excellent job, Curtis J. Saxton. I am most pleased. Star Wars rules and may the force be with you!

P.S. This book is DEFINITLY WORTH The money! Bye!

Ep 2's turn to have it's spaceships and other craft pulled apart and exposed in all their glory. Once again the foldout format is still the best and great for childern and grownups alike.

This Star Wars Cross-sections book is a must-have for Star Wars fans. The detailed renderings of all the main vehicles in AOTC is as impressive as the companion for The Phantom Menace. The writer, Curtis Saxon, has obviously done a great deal of investigation for everything, with so many detailed drawings and fascinating notes. For curios of the inner workings of all the speeders and starships, this is indespensible. Great stuff.

I just recently received this book and all I can say is that it's the bomb! The pages are full of intricate details about both the vehicles and story of Episode II. The foldout of the Republic Dropship is definitely a highlight of the series. If you like Star Wars and want to know more than you can possibly imagine about Star Wars engineering, pick this book up right away.

really ignites a kid's imagination. i got this for my nephew and he loves it!

How different would Leni Riefenstahl's life have been had she not filmed Triumph of the Will? One can only speculate what films she would have directed and starred in after World War II were it not for Hitler insisting she do the film.

Riefenstahl has been referred to as a Renaissance woman, and she most certainly was. She was a creative being and expressed her creativity in dance, acting, directing, photography and ocean diving. These five areas, spanning her entire long life, are the subject of this sumptuous coffee table book.

Editor Taschen Angelica is to be commended on compiling this life-work on Riefenstahl while Leni was still alive to assist in the selection and arrangement of the photographs. The segment on the mountain films is worth the price of the book alone, but the color images of the Nuba are also amazing.

Riefenstahl's revenge against those who denied her her cinematic craft after World War II was being able to live to 101, and seeing her life-long accomplishments compliled into this book. Rumor has it Jody Foster is at work on a film project about Riefenstahl. One hopes Foster will get it right and cover her entire life, not just the years that caused so much controversy.

A biography in pictures of arguably the most influential female film-maker in the history of the medium...though all too many people in the industry are afraid to admit to it. Made the greatest propaganda film in history (unfortunate choice of subject matter) and the most important and influential sports documentary of all time (Olympia). Dancer, actress, director, producer, still photographer, underwater cinematographer...an astounding list of accomplishments driven by a desire to perceive and record the world around her has compelled Leni Riefenstahl since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Oversized, handsomely produced volume (typical Taschen quality) is packed with rare photographs and fascinating commentary. Note: sparkle in eyes of 19-year old dancer and 99-year old legend is exactly the same.

As gifted as she is controversial, Leni Riefenstahl's "five" lives are imminently fascinating as this impressive book will prove! Even to the uninformed or casual observer, this edition will entrance. A great addition to your library, especially if you are impressed by the 102 year old dynamo who continues to prove filmmaking and photography as an art form. A living testament to the fact that "bodies in motion, stay in motion!"

A biography in pictures of arguably the most influential female film-maker in the history of the medium...though all too many people in the industry are afraid to admit to it. Made the greatest propaganda film in history (unfortunate choice of subject matter) and the most important and influential sports documentary of all time (Olympia). Dancer, actress, director, producer, still photographer, underwater cinematographer...an astounding list of accomplishments driven by a desire to perceive and record the world around her has compelled Leni Riefenstahl since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Oversized, handsomely produced volume (typical Taschen quality) is packed with rare photographs and fascinating commentary. Note: sparkle in eyes of 19-year old dancer and 99-year old legend is exactly the same.

The striking front cover on this book is a publicity still as Junta, in the movie "The Blue Light" 1932. As impressive as the cover is, it gets better when you open it to reveal hundreds of artistically shot photos. Dr. Ruth says bigger is not necessarily better. However in this case it is; something about the size of the photographs add to their striking appearance. Most are in grainy black and white with some color sections. This book is just a wee to large to fit in my oversized bookshelf. So I am making a larger shelf to display the books front view.

Just as you assume that this is a great coffee table book you will find that there is more too it. Luckily the pictures are not cluttered or distracted by alpha pneumonics. All the descriptions are in a separate section. The title of the book is appropriate as it portray s the different vocations of Leni. (Dancer, Actress, Director, Photographer, Diver)

This book also enhances the viewing experience of Leni's films.

THE GERMAN CENTURY.

A very moving book. I knew Joel from a distance, all we would say is "Hi" to each other. Nothing more. Reading this book should be a school requirement. It does not get any better. What a fascinating man he was. He will be MISSED!

Who ever suspected Joel Siegel led such an interesting life? I couldn't believe all of the experiences he wrote about and the funny insights into his family. He included a chapter on Yiddish words which was informative and amusing. Of course throughout the book was the touching message to his son.

A man, approaching fatherhood late in life finds that he has cancer. What can he give his very young son that would impact the child's life. This book is Joel Siegel's legacy to his young son.

It could have been overly-sentimmental or morbid. Instead it is funny, profound, and deeply moving. Those of us who have faced the same eventuality that Joel Siegel has faced, will find great wisdom here, and solace.

The only quibble I have with the book, is that there are a few chapters that seem to have been added to flesh out the size of the book. A chapter on Yiddish phrases, for example, seems a bit "fluffy," though quite funny.

In all, a wonderful legacy for Dylan... and us all.

This book is a treasure in the fact that a man who has a young son (who should have been his grandson) at that age realizes that he may not be around to share all of these stories and this valuable insight to Dylan in person, and he put in print the things he would have told him (maybe) had he been a young father. The last twenty-five (27) years were a trial for him, as they were for me, as a divorced woman with a son the same age at the time of the divorce. You feel that you've just got to be there to see that son grown, then get on with your life.

He is funny. The Jewish jokes were okay, and the one he had Bobby Kennedy tell about the price of meat was okay, but this whole book is written in the joking way he thinks. Serious times about lowering the flag to half-mast on the UCLA campus the day JFK was assassinated. He was there when brother Bobby died and heard the shots. He and Dylan's mother lived in an area of New York where they were able to watch the Twin Towers burn on 9-11. This is history he passes down to his son in intimate terms.

He writes fondly "some of my best memories of my father are of him laughing while he and I watched TV. We didn't go to movies much; most families didn't in the early '50s." My sister Evelyn took me to my first movie about that time (before she ran off and eloped, ending up spending the rest of her life up North) and I marveled at the beauty and splendor of Tennessee Theater. I don't remember the movie, but I will never forget how I felt looking up at the mural on the interior dome. In the middle and later Fifties, I went to many movies there and even sang in a local talent show on that stage. It was no big deal.

As a film critic, he explains that movies are a fraud and goes into detail about how they are made. But, those he chose for viewing with Dylan were a varied and motlely group, not my choices at all. He tells how old he was when he saw them and how he felt. He dishes the dirt about some of the big movie stars. The index is full of big names. You think of one, he has met him or her and has a funny anecdote to share. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, I can understand why he would want to explain to his son what is happening and why. Since he is such a funny man, I guess he would choose the Marx brothers' films. I did enjoy Groucho on the t.v. game show!

Of course, he wants 'I Love Lucy' and 'The Honeymooners' to be available for Dylan to enjoy and share a few laughs. His remembrance of live t.v. in Los Angeles, 'Time for Beanie,' brought back memories of 'Your Startime' hosted by Bob Lobertini for me as I was one of his regulars, and later he had a 'Popeye' show in Nashville where I took my sons. He told them on the air that he and I had appeared on t.v. together in Knoxville; that was stretching it -- he was the star, I the adorer.

During the 1958 Winter/Spring, one of my best friends was the young Jewish usher, Joe Feldman, at the Tennessee Theater. I had moved to the YWCA to finish high school and, that Easter, he took me to eat Easter dinner at the S&W Cafeteria on Gay Street. I still have his senior picture from Young High School.

Dylan is a darling child and so much like Ken Young when he was younger. I sincerely hope they will share many good times as he grows up -- and away. That time will come before you know it.

There are no athiests in foxholes or in an oncologist's office. Siegel, an entertainment critic for ABC's GMA, faced a terminal illness, and created this story of his first 58 years of life. (He passed away on June 29, 2007 at the age of 63).

At the age of 54, Siegel became a father for the first time and learned that he had cancer. In "Lessons for Dylan," Siegel shares all the things he wants his son to know, in case he is not around to tell him, things about his family history and Jewish heritage, life's pleasures and disappointments, the challenges of growing up (at any age), and, most important, who his father is and what Joel values. As Joel and Rabbi Larry Rafael discussed, Joel wants his son to be normal (but not average).

Siegel was born in East Los Angeles in 1943. His Romanian Jewish grandmother survived the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March 1911. (Her father banned her from going that day.) His father, a Levite, was an electrician, and he got the first African American and the first Mexican American into his local IBEW union. In 1965, Joel delivered a bag containing $800 in cash to a minister named Martin Luther King at a UCLA luncheon. ("Dr. King, I've come with dessert.") He ended up spending the Summer working for King. Siegel says he invented the names of several Baskin Robbins flavors, including German Chocolate Cake (my favorite) and Pralines and Cream. Siegel was nominated for a Tony Award for his work on a musical about Jackie Robinson. Siegel was a joke writer Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and witnessed Kennedy's assassination in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He is co-founder (with Gene Wilder) and president of Gilda's Club, a non-profit support facility for cancer patients.

Only Siegel can make the story of his chemo sessions and a colostomy funny. Siegel candidly writes about the end of his marriage (his third) to Dylan's mother and the experience of having cancer. The famous ad man and partier Jerry Della Femina bought pot for Siegel during his chemotherapy. Siegel also shares great stories from show biz (featuring Orson Welles, Marlene Dietrich, Paul Newman, Brad Pitt, Stevie Wonder, all four Beatles, and more); lays out the History of the Jewish People in Four Jokes ("Why make trouble?"); and offers fatherly advice on sex ("ask your mother"), work, what to cook for Rosh Hashanah (recipes included), and a list of movies he would like to see with his son.

One of his letters:
Dear Dylan,
One day you might remember--maybe triggered by a photograph, or a sense memory of a texture or a color--the soft, grey cashmere sweater I bought for you for your second birthday. As an adult you may wonder, "What kind of schmuck buys a cashmere sweater for a two year-old boy?"

The answer is: A schmuck who tempts fate.

The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start

Mr. Rogers was always a soothing voice on TV. My children watched and enjoyed his programs. Now I have the privilege of reading his books. You can almost hear his soothing, calm voice in each passage. I love the insights and candor of this man and recommend this book.

Just a great book to have to thumb through. Just neat thoughts from a great person.

I have been gripped recently, nearly 5 years after his death, with a wave of Mr. Rogers nostalgia. After reading Tim Madigan's wonderful "I'm Proud of You," about his friendship with Fred Rogers, I wanted more. It seems that this 1-CD tribute would do the trick, slaking my thirst for words of wisdom from this warm, sweet man, while perhaps not overdoing it. I was disappointed. The CD consists of a series of short snippets gathered from Fred's writings, read by Lily Tomlin and others. This sounds like a wonderful way to pay tribute to the man, but comes off wrong. Fred had a way of making even the most treacly saying seem profound. Then there was his stance of complete acceptance, non-judgment and kindness that made his words seem salving and utterly non-threatening. In the voices of others, these sayings lose their power and become simply "nice," and even trite.

The best parts of the CD were where Fred himself appeared, in recordings of music from his shows ("I'm Proud of You, "I'm Still Myself Inside") and in his words to the graduating class of his alma mater, Latrobe University. Here, in extended segments, Fred's warmth and humanity had time to take root.

Beautiful as the sentiment may have seemed to the participants, the essence of Fred Rogers cannot be removed from his slow, gentle delivery or his meek and inviting persona. I would NOT recommend this product for anyone who wants to experience the extraordinary person who was Fred Rogers. Madigan's book helps, but as for me, I am still seeking a relatively short volume or CD that lets me experience the affirming and healing grace of God that was Mr. Fred Rogers.

I was a bit apprehensive when I first picked this up at the library because I was afraid that Fred might concentrate more on the religious side of things.actually,he only mentioned god a few times in it and each of those times he mentioned god unforcefully,which was both smart and caring of him.I liked it so much I'm going to buy a copy!it was uncanny to see that his writing style(although compiled by others)in this book was very simmillar to that of david lynch in his "catching the big fish" book--short and to the point/abstract for a purpose:I love books which demand that the reader think things out themselves rather than have it served up american-style on a big silver platter!

Such joy in living simply. Mr. Rogers had a way of bringing people in with his ordinariness. His philosophy is one of love and positive thinking. He separates true happiness from temporary satisfactions. This is a must read.

This book is as beautiful as the background watercolors of the original movie The book takes a personal look at the stories behind the movie. Not necessarily linear in presentation, the chapters are broken into narrations by different creators of the film and either how they came to be involved or how they added to the film. The art that is scattered throughout each chapter is often beautiful.

I personally have two favorite images from the film, one a watercolor of a drainage in Hawaii, overgrown with native plants and the second is drawings of how the alien creature, experiment 626, would work showing his skeleton and structure.

This book is listed as for ages 4-8, total mistake. this is not a kids book but would be appropriate for early teens through adult. It is an excellent book for those interested in animation, or as myself, a fan of Lilo and Stitch.

I could not put this book down...I read it all in one sitting. If you're a fan of the movie this is the book for you...strong recommended!

this is a must have for any fan of the "art of" series books. it is as beautiful as the movie itself. it is splashed with all the beautiful rough drawings and amazing watercolor paintings that take your breath away. i wouldnt have asked for any more!!!!!!!!

A charming, lovely book, a great compliment to the movie, and the perfect gift for any fan of Lilo & Stitch. If you count this gem among your favorite films (as I do), this book is a must-have for you, as it's filled with gorgeous sketches and watercolors, showcasing the development of the characters and setting. (I'm gushing, yes, but I can't help it.) And it's filled with little stories from all the key members who worked behind the scenes, reminding you of how very human animated films are. Personally, I think this is the best of the Disney "Art of..." books, but I'm biased, as Lilo & Stitch is my favorite Disney film. It's not hardcover, but it hardly matters. The book is unique, just like the film.

"Lilo and Stitch" was the perfect summer family film. Lighthearted and heart warming, it contained all the elements of the best Disney has to offer. The great thing about this film is that it did this without all the fanfare and majesty that, as of recently, has been dragging down the Disney films. This pseudo-making-of book offers the same unpretentious vision. As most fans of Disney animation know, this type of book is released for every feature. While quite a few have been really nicely done, most have been bogged down in the technical aspects of animation. While it is an awe-inspiring and often misunderstood process, hearing and re-hearing about the animation process gets a bit stale. These publications began to feel like the same book with different pictures. Thank goodness the creators of this book have taken a refreshingly different approach to telling the story behind the story of Lilo and Stitch. Personal accounts and artistic insights prove to be just as entertaining and engaging as the sketches and watercolors that fill this slim addition to the Disney Making Of Library. Like the film, the book doesn't feel the need to show off the technical merrits of the production. Too often authors of animation books come across defensive about the medium, forcing comparrisons with other more respected mediums (film, fine art, literature) as if there is a need to defend animation. In a way they are preaching to the choir. Most people who purchase these books already respect the process, the amazing artists, and the mountains of work that goes into each production. Lilo and Stitch the book finally offers some insight into the creative minds and, more importantly, hearts of the creative forces behind the magic. Let's just hope that Disney, particularly their Florida unit, continues to produce animated features with this simple charm and storytelling. With more films and books like Lilo and Stitch it would make it easier to overlook the occasional "Atlantis" or "Treasure Planet".