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Paul Scott's following is small, but Loyal. He is a fantastic writer. The Raj Quartet by far, is my favourite favourite series of books by him because of its complexity and such extraordinary characters. His charactres are so indepth, so well played out that the reader feels that he or she knows them thouroughly. Its a historical epic, very well written, and its absolutely a must read.

About 25 years ago I got a list of the best 100 books of all time, and found "The Raj Quartet" by Paul Scott listed. I started at the beginning with "The Jewel in the Crown" and got bogged down. Coincidentally, PBS started its Masterpiece Theatre version. I watched a few of the episodes (actually all of them, eventually) and got back to reading. What I discovered was the best set of novels I've ever read, and each one an individual "jewel" as well. A pebble thrown, the towers of silence, and many other images stay with me, as well as the memory of Scott's beautiful writing and well-developed, complex characters, and the scope and importance of the story. If there wasn't so much else to read, I'd reread the whole set--sounds like a good retirement project some day.

My yardstick for excellent writing about a foreign culture is probably Paul Scott's "The Raj Quartet", which was the basis for the BBC TV series "The Jewel in the Crown". I think these four books are a real tour de force - he writes in several different voices throughout, but remains - I think - completely sensitive to the political and social complexities and subtleties of the situation in India towards the end of the British occupation. Very nuanced, extraordinarily sensitive writing.

It's not just the writing: the stories that unfold in this masterpiece will draw you in, grip you, and break your heart.

This book (or series of books) is so sprawling and intricate, like India itself, one might say, that it is impossible to "pin down", as it were, in a review like this. The thing to do, I think, is to cover the most salient aspects of the work separately. Otherwise, one will become lost, as many of the characters herein do. So, salient aspect numbers:

1.) History - This is the novelistic equivalent of Gibbon concerning the British Empire. It might even be called "The Decline and Fall of The British Empire." As a reviewer for the Sunday Times puts it, "A history student years from now should be able to say to his professor, `Yes, but what was it REALLY like in India in the last days of the Raj?' and be told, `Read these four books and you'll not only know, you'll understand...' " The "understand" part is especially significant in that these books will have you totally spellbound by Scott's deft character portrayal and psychological insight. It is no exaggeration to say that one feels one has lived in India from 1939-1947 after having emerged from the nearly two-thousand pages that comprise this work. But the deft character portrayal leads me to a more troublesome, salient point:

2.) Ronald Merrick-A host of characters populate this work, portrayed with deep sympathy herein. And yet, one can't help but feel, upon closing the pages, that the work might also be called, "Ronald Merrick: An in-depth Portrait of a Psychotic in India". It is a tribute to Paul Scott that we do not discover the depths of the....evil (Sorry, I can't think of another word that fully encompasses the character.) of Merrick until the tag end of the work. Yes, Hari Kumar is the other major character who, to a certain extent, offsets Merrick. But he fades into the background after his interrogation by Nigel Rowan with Lady Manners looking on in the second book, The Day of the Scorpion. Merrick, so to speak, stays on until the very bitter end. Not only does he stay on, but he lingers in the mind. What is he? What does he represent? The British Raj itself, as some would have it? Partly, I would say, but there is something about Scott's obsession with this fellow that refuses to be pigeonholed. It's all very eerie. By the end of the book, you won't be able to hear the word "Merrick" without a troubling frisson running through you. - He is not mad like, say, Susan Layton, who rather resembles a character from one of the Bronte novels. - His nature and the nature of his evil are complex. They defy reduction. So, I shan't venture on a futile quest to do so but rather come to salient point:

3.) The brooding fatalism that overhangs everything here. Of course, one knows before one picks the book up that the Brits in India are doomed. But, well, I'll just let Daphne Manners' quote from the first book, The Jewel in the Crown, give the reader notice of the feeling that permeates this work:

"We were sitting on the verandah. Oh, everything was there - the wicker chairs, the table with the tea tray on it, the scent of the flowers, the scent of India, the air of certainty, of perpetuity; but, as well, the odd sense of none of it happening at all because it had begun wrong and continued wrong, and so was already ended, and was wrong even in its ending, because its ending, for me, was unreal and remote, and yet total in its envelopment, as if it had already turned itself into a beginning. Such constant hope we suffer from!"

Salient points covered...except that the reader might do worse than to do as Perron does at the end and look up Philoctetes, not a futile quest by any means.

It has been too long since I read this book [probably 15 years ago] for me to offer an erudite and detailed analysis. But I do remember vividly that when I read it that the word "masterpiece" came repeatedly to my mind. In a league with Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" and Naipaul's "A House for Mr. Biswas". Find the time to read it; you won't regret it.

Most for-sale screenplays are just that -- screenplays. Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay for the delightful Jane Austen film "Sense and Sensibility," chose to include journal entries throughout the filming of the movie as well, in addition to the winning entry of a contest to see who could write the best letter from Fanny to Elinor.

There is wit in the descriptions and the photos, all well-captured. The journal entries are entertaining and a good look into the making of a movie. Although be forewarned -- because they dress like the characters of S&S, they do not talk like them. There is definitely some verbal crudeness in the book, men and women alike, but if you can overlook that (or are used to it) then this book will be a delightful read for any Jane Austen fan.

There are three separate parts to this fine volume; introduction, script and diaries. The producer of the film, Lindsay Doran, opens the door for us with her wonderful introduction. At age 13, she was determined that not only was "Jane Austen a very stupid writer," but also she would "never, never read one of her stupid books again."

Fortunately for the rest of the world, Ms. Doran changed her mind, and some twenty-five years after that first erroneous conclusion, has brought us this wonderfully witty, and extremely faithful film version of this first novel by Austen. As producer of the Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson film, DEAD AGAIN, she became acquainted with the woman who was not only a phenomenal actress, but also a gifted writer-one with a sense of humor and a strong romantic bent. These two qualities had proven to be the stumbling block over nearly ten years of searching for the right scriptwriter for Sense and Sensibility.

It took nearly seven years to come up with something close to a shooting script, sandwiched as it had to be between Thompson's many award-winning acting chores. Serendipity was obviously at work, however, and eventually, a budget was established, and casting accomplished.

Many of the actors Emma had envisioned in various roles had participated in a read-through the year prior to the filming; they were all in the film, in those same roles.

While the Dashwood ladies are all suitable beautiful, it is the men who are truly gorgeous. ("Repellently so," writes Ms. Thompson in the diary portion, referring to Hugh Grant. "He's much prettier than I am.") With his look-alike Richard Lumsden, they are the brothers Ferrar, Edward and Richard, with Greg Wise as the fickle Willoughby. Alan Rickman (be still my heart!) brings maturity and virility to the role of Colonel Brandon. The sets and costumes are sumptuous.

Interspersed with the actual shooting script and the diaries are some 50 photographs, 36 of them in luscious color. One script looks pretty much like another, but this one allows Ms. Thompson's wry wit to shine, especially in some of the non-spoken words. Of course, not every scene from the book could be included; the movie would have been more than six hours had they been. But the essentials are here, along with all the major characters. Providing testimony to just how perspicacious was the choice of writer is the number of awards garnered by Thompson for this, her first film script.

The diaries portion begin with a production meeting on January 15, 1995 and continue through July 9 of that year. A very small mention is made of Hugh Grant's visit to California, where he'd gone for his next film project after the completion of filming his scenes in England. A final two pages describes the 'location' houses chosen to represent those lived in by the families in the novel.

It may come as somewhat of a surprise to some readers to discover rather explicit language in the diaries. In addition to an apparent fascination with the alimentary process, our Emma has a bit of a potty-mouth, as do some of the gentleman involved, and their words are recorded, one presumes unhappily, all too accurately. They seem curiously jarring and out of place in a book otherwise devoted to the pristine words of Jane Austen.

Nevertheless, this is a lovely, hefty book; one which will bring the reader back to it time and again. There is always a new and enjoyable nugget to be mined from its various depths.

If you read Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" before or after seeing the 1996 film version then I think it is pretty easy to conclude that Emma Thompson's Oscar for Best Screenplay adaptation was richly deserved. After writing and performing a series of short skits for British television, Thompson was approached by producer Lindsay Doran to write the screenplay. Thompson began by dramatizing every scene in the novel, which resulted in 300 hand written pages to be followed by 14 drafts as the 1811 novel was crafted into the final script. The result was a script that manages to be not only romantic and funny, but also romantic and funny in the best Austen sense of both words.

Be aware that this is the Original Script, not to be confused with the Shooting Script. This should be clear as soon as you beginning reading, because originally Thompson had the scene shifting back and forth between Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor/John and Fanny Dashwood (credit for this revision must go, I believe, to Film Editor Tim Squyres, who recut the scene so that we get all of one side and then the other instead of alternating back and forth as in the original script). Overall the strengths of Thompson's script are in two main directions. First, she manages to convey the scope of the novel in a two-hour screenplay, no mean task. Second, the little details she adds to Austen's story are simply marvelous. For example, her use of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 ("Let me not the marriage of true minds"), which Marianne and Willoughby share to their great mutual delight and which Marianne repeats standing in the rain looking at Willoughby's new estate. In fact, Thompson revised the first scene to make it even better, having Willoughby misquote a key word in an elegant bit of foreshadowing. Thompson also makes one nice little change at the end. While Austen has Elinor bolt from the room to cry outside during the happy ending. Thompson creates a wonderful moment by having her stay in the room and having the rest of her family flee. There are not too many scenes where you are crying and laughing at the same time, but Thompson certainly created one (and has the added virtue of relying on herself as an actress to nail the performance as well). All of these are marvelous examples of playing to the strength of the cinema to bring Austen's novel to the screen.

But we get much more than just the screenplay in this volume, because Thompson includes excerpts from her diaries kept during both the writing of the screenplay and the actual production of the film. It would be nice if there was more insight into what she was thinking when writing the screenplay as I am always interested in how decisions were made and where inspiration comes from, but Thompson makes up for that with her little tales of working with director Ang Lee and the rest of the cast in making the film. Finally, in the Appendices, there is a very choice little treat, namely Imogen Stubbs' Prize-Winning Letter, written to Elinor from Lucy. Do not worry; by the time you read it you will understand why it is so hysterical. There is also a list of the fine homes and estates where "Sense and Sensibility" was filmed if you happen to be roaming around England and are interested in looking for such things.

I truly enjoyed this work by Emma Thompson. Not only is the screenplay included, with pictures, but also there are diary entries by Thompson that give insights into the making of the movie. If you loved this movie, you should read this book. I really enjoyed it.

The screenplay itself is a must-read for anyone wanting an education in bringing a well-loved story to life. Emma Thompson does an ingenius job of crafting scenes that are faithful to Austen's original while inventing more that add character development and plot intrigue. I especially like her diary, though. For those who wonder what to include in a memoir of an experience, this journal is a rich model of self-disclosure and humor. I heartily recommend it!

When I was a child, I used to be a collector of the Star Wars action figures and even owned several vehicles. "Star Wars" was not just a film but it was part of my childhood. May it be the toys, the comic books and it was one of the few times I can remember going to watch a movie with my parents (a movie that I actually enjoyed with them).

As I got older, I have managed to collect several lines of the Star Wars universe and for many collectors, they have looked to hardcore Star Wars merchandise collector Stephen J. Sansweet for his wonderful book with the "Star Wars Action Figure Archive".

But Sansweet hit a homerun with his Star Wars coffee table book with "STAR WARS: FROM CONCEPT TO SCREEN TO COLLECTIBLE" featuring an well-written and informative book covering the Star Wars trilogy. From it's original concept, it's artwork to the plans of creating the vehicles and how the popular films eventually led to a comic book series and also one of the most popular toy lines in the world.

According to Sansweet, the book came from nearly 40 hours of taped interviews with two dozen people who worked for Lucas film, Industrial Light & Magic, Kenner Products and 20th Century Fox Film.

The interviews were also backed up with extensive research through files and archives at Skywalker Ranch includin the photo library and prop archives.

What I enjoyed about this book is the many pictures showing the various merchandise including cereal, yogurt and popsicle boxes to International posters, shoes, socks, backpacks, skates, watches, you name it...there is so much featured in this book that as a Star Wars fan, you can't help but not be happy to own such an informative and well-written book.

For those who are wondering if this book features a lot of conceptual art and if it would benefit the artists who enjoy the Star Wars universe, I will say that there are plenty of conceptual books available that focus primarily on the art. This book is more or less a smorgasbord of information and pictures and focuses on many areas of the idea and creation of Star Wars but also in the merchandise/collectability standpoint.

This book is excellent! You can't go wrong with it because it's so fully of information and photography. Sansweet went all out in doing extensive research for the book and getting access to photography that just makes this book, one of the must-own books for "Star Wars" fans.

With so many "Star Wars" related books in the market, this is one of the must-own ones. Also, you can find it online for a great price these days! Definitely recommended!

I have been a big Star Wars fan since the first film was released back in 1977. I used to own many of the old action figures and played with them all the time up until my grandmother gave them away to the Goodwill. I picked up this book in 1997 just as I was getting back into collecting Star Wars figures once again. This is a very detailed book with lots of great color photos. Seeing the pictures of all of the older toys brought back a lot of memories. And it makes you stop and think about how much your old collection would have been worth if you had saved it. I recommend this book to anyone who is a true Star Wars fan and collector. You will not be disappointed.

This is definetly the best book on Star Wars I've ever read...

The beautifully designed coffee-table book takes the reader through the process of creating the Star Wars galaxy and then turning it into one of the most successful toylines in history. There are tons of photos depicting vintage Kenner toys as well as other merchandise.

The illustrations come with quite an informative text by journalist and collector Stephen J. Sansweet -- truely an expert when it comes to Star Wars toys.

A must own for fans of the collectibles spawned from the greatest space fantasy of all time. Sansweet takes you through the entire process that brought about the Star Wars experience and gives details about little known information surrounding the film's creation, collectibles and magicians who brought it to life. A nostalgic trip into the past to relive three great films accompanied by crisp, clear photos. Check it out.

If I were to teach a class on the history Star Wars and Star Wars collectables, I would definitely use this as one of the textbooks. It is a very well written and interesting book. It contains lots of great pictures, including early drawings of movie characters made before the movies were ever created, as well as pictures of a variety of collectables (including both prototypes and finished products). Also contains lots of interesting factoids. This is not a price guide or a comprehensive guide to Star Wars collectables (so if that's what you are looking for, this is not the book for you). But if you want to learn about the Star Wars universe (literally from concept to screen to collectable), this will be a great addition to your library.

Wow, what a great book. I could not put it down. The information is really helpful. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about these speakers, motivational speaking or just wanting a great read.

Absolutely amazing! Far and away the most detailed and analytical explanation of superstar success in the field of motivation. Bring a pen and get ready to underline. This book is filled with great thoughts you will never want to forget. I can't recommend this book highly enough. The book is genius. Dr. Darryl Wheat, author of The Genius of Great Achievers

This book is a gem that is filled with ideas from many of THE BEST speakers in the world. What a great resource! It is my favorite book now for ideas on how to be more "impactful" in my message to the audience. This reminds me of one of my other classic favorites, Think and Grow Rich. I'm ordering another copy for a friend today!

I recently got back into the training field after a long absence and found that my skills were not only rusty, but perhaps had never been developed as much as they could have. I went searching for information and came across this book. It was the first of many books I purchased on the subject, and is by far the best. Other books had great detail on how to prepare a presentation, but were lacking on what it means to entertain and engage an audience. This book gives specific examples the types of things these speakers do to engage and entertain their audiences--and covers a wide range of styles, from Tony Robbins to Barbara DeAngelis, which I found especially useful because I can relate to some types more than others.

Michael Jefferys' style is easy to read, entertaining and well laid out. His range of speaker styles means that everyone will find someone they can relate to.

After finishing this book, I successfully applied what I learned to my training. In fact, I am now rereading much of it so that I can take this excellent information to a deeper level and further polish my skills.

I started speaking publicly when I was 16 but it wasn't until I purchased Success Secrets of The Motivational Superstars on March 18, 1997, that I increased my stakes as a speaker. This one book helped me develop a deeper appreciation and understanding for what speakers do.

THIS BOOK HAS IN DEPTH PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
Michael Jeffreys deserves a standing ovation for interviewing some of the speaking industries leading speakers. He covers in depth personal interviews with three of my mentors Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy and Les Brown. He could have stopped there but he also includes Leo Buscaglia, Art Linkletter, Jack Canfield, Patricia Fripp and many, many more.

JEFFREYS BOOK TEACHES YOU HOW TO LEVERAGE THEIR EXPERIENCE
If you want to learn how to overcome obstacles and see the specific step by step formulas that some of the speakers apply you need this book like a car needs a steering wheel. You will be guided through such things as what to do when you blow it, identifying your unique differentiating factors, how to give your audience ideas they can put to use within 24 hours, the Walt Disney philosophy, Les Brown's number one quality and a few hundred other techniques, ideas and things to avoid.

IF YOU WERE MY STUDENT THIS WOULD BE REQUIRED READING!
Failing to apply the lessons you learn in this book could be disastrous to your speaking career. All that I have shared above only gives you a birds eye view of this wonderful book.

Jeff Kitchen's book is truly a "find." There are tons of books on writing, but so few of them focus on the most critical element to successful fiction writing: having a solid story.

Although primarily intended for screenwriters, Jeff's book is useful for anyone who is trying to structure a story. His discussion of dilemma is enough to get any author of fiction headed down the right path. Further, his coverage of the 36 dramatic situations has proven critical to my ability to add depth to my stories. These two concepts, plus his presentation of "sequence, proposition, plot" will help anyone, beginner or published author, create compelling fiction.

As a novice I found this groundbreaking to my education in film creation. Screenwriting is an art of word to visualization, and can be extremely complex when dealing with the human condition. With Jeff Kitchen's in depth however symplistic utilization, of dramatist' ideals of the past, melted with his own teachings, provide a compelling set of tools from which to work. It's as essential to a screenwriter as a hammer and chissel is to a sculpter.

I'm sitting in a room with the only light coming from my laptop.
I've just run into the same roadblock I have crashed into throughout my ten years of writing. It is familiar, but no less frightening.
In the scriptwriting process, this would be equivalent with the green flag at the Indy 500. It is the beginning of the adventure.
It is both exciting and scary. However, I am now in a much better place. I've been given a map. Just keep taking a left and you'll end up at the finish line.

Until I read "Writing a Great Movie: Four Advanced Tools for the Dramatist" I only knew how to punch the gas and hope for the best. That fearful moment of the unknown, and lack of preparation at the beginning of screenwriting is gone. It is still exciting, but no longer terrifying.

Why? This book has given me very simple and straight-forward tools to pre-plan, organize, evaluate, modify, and lay out a map to the end goal -- a dramatic script.

I have studied numerous books. I've taken several classes. This is the ONLY course of study that has solved my specific problem.
I have an idea ... but how do a work it before I sit down to write. In some cases this methodical preparation will tell you that story isn't there. Even more so, it will help work out the problems in advance, while giving you the confidence in the project/idea before you sit down to write.

I've done preparations in the past, but none have given me the confidence to know I've done the work and the story is there.
There is something terrible in sitting down to write -- getting 60 pages in and realizing "I have no idea where I'm going OR what avenue I'm taking to get there".

I offer this book at a cure to those that share this problem.
For me, this book and these tools offer a variety of solutions.
I'm focusing on this "lack of guidance" issue, because I image there are many people who share this problem. And because I've never found another course of study that solves this specific problem.

While I focused on the lack of direction issue, I should note that this book helps in every aspect of dramatic writing. It has helped in building stronger characters, better drama, and more. I utilize these tools with EVERY script I'm writing. And most importantly, the tools have NEVER failed me. I still may write a crappy script in concept, but it is because of the decisions I made rather than a lack of dramatic structure.

The only reason I would not endorse this book, is that I fear it will create a lot more competition in the script writing world.
I'll set my self-centered fear aside and suggest this script for anyone that is interested in writing.

Scott Schlichter

This is the best book on dramatic screenwriting I've come across. I've read most of the major screenwriting books in print and, though they all have their good points, Jeff's "Writing a Great Movie... " gets to the heart of what story is all about: drama. He presents four amazing tools that will whip your idea into a structurally solid story, if you are willing to do the work. Nobody said it would be easy but if you have the discipline to apply these techniques you'll find your work is 'touching' its audience in all the right places. Excellent book.

Question: When is a plot not a plot? When is a sequence not a sequence?

Answer: When a playwright provides a book on screenwriting that exploits dramatalurgical theories developed by a lawyer over 100 years ago.

Confused? Not as half as confused as you will be after you've read this book.

In fairness, the author, a classically trained playwright, sets forth some useful tools for dramatic storytelling. The tools were originally developed by William Thompson Price, a lawyer turned playwriting teacher, who founded a playwriting school in New York back in 1901.

For example, the book provides useful tools for developing and maintaining a true character dilemma, i.e. a character forced to chose between two equally unacceptable alternatives. The book also sets forth a useful technique for outlining a story that involves working backward from the end to create a cause-and-effect chain of story beats. Though originally developed for use with theatrical plays, these tools are equally helpful in developing screenplays, novels, and any other form of dramatic storytelling.

Unfortunately, the explanation of the tools is hopelessly complicated. "Plot" (with a capital P) means something different from "plot" (with a little p). The same is true for "Sequence" and "sequence". (Where was the editor and/or Editor in all this?)

The main problem here is that the author chose to retain the original terminology developed by Price. So we get "logical propositions", "formal syllogisms", "conditions of the action", etc. (What a shock that playwriting terminology developed by a lawyer over a hundred years ago would be confusing and antiquated today when applied to modern screenwriting.)

Those with an abundance of patience can dig through this book and find some useful techniques. Others should probably skip it.

P.S. The author might consider preparing a second edition of the book, which clarifies and simplifies the terminology (and which, even more importantly, changes that atrocious cover design!)

Now THIS is what I'm talking about! I don't know how the movie will be, but this book was great. If you love vampire and/or zombie novels, you'll truly enjoy this. This is the first book I've read by author Tim Lebbon, but if he writes this well in all of his books, it won't be my last!

This is probably one of the best movie tie-in novelizations I have ever read. Usually books based on the movies are rather watered down and pale in comparison to the movie. Strangely enough, the power of the written word in this case wins out. The novel moved at a fast pace and was difficult to put down; the author did a fantastic job of fleshing out the main characers and I thoroughly enjoyed it reading it within two days.

The story revolves around the sleepy secluded town of Barrow, Alaska, battening down the hatches and preparing for the annual 30 days and nights of darkness. Sheriff Eben Oleson and his estanged wife, Deputy Stella Oleson are struggling to keep the threads of their marriage together but soon discover that their marriage is not the only thing they are soon fighting for, because this time, something is hiding under the cover of the Dark, which begins with the mysterious arrival of the Stranger and his portent of an impending evil, then suddenly the Olesons find they are cut off from civilization and the townsfolk are being hunted and savagely and swiftly slaughtered by an evil horde of vampires who have decided to make this their feasting ground....can the survivors last the remaining days til daylight??? Great storytelling and better than the movie! Tim Lebbon has outdone himself!

I just want to start off by saying do not start this book unless you have plenty of time to finish it! This is the first book in a long time that I have actually read all the way through. I am very easily distracted and most books just do not have enough story to them to keep me interested. With this book once I started reading I could not put it down. I ended up staying up all night reading it. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but it also was because I did not want it to end. A great read for any fan of a horror/suspense.

Wow, this book is truly spectacular. Although I haven't seen the film itself, Mr. Lebbon does a fantastic job bringing the people and the fear of being hunted to life. Though these aren't your classic vampires, they are terrifying nonetheless.

I would recommend the novel to readers of vampire novels and fans of books based on graphic novel.

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A well written novelization. Vampires were scary as all get out! Was a bit dissapointed in the end, but I guess it was the only way to end it! I recommend this book to vampire fans. I look forward to seeing the movie!

This play arrived practically brand new (even though I bought it "used") and was exactly what I needed at the time. I even got a great price for it. Yea!

Fellow play readers say that this is one of the best plays they ever read. It made them weep, it changed their lives, it is the only the play they've ever loved. You can't argue with that. I have read this play several times myself, but for me it is a play that works but it does not work wonders. I am a great admirer of the Mel Brooks, Wood Allen, Neil Simon school of comedy. There should be a plaque on the Cross Bronx Highway alerting people that they are approaching the stomping grounds of America's greatest comedic generation. Of course, we know that it was the depression that incubated this batch of comedic geniuses. Simon, more so than the others, has mined this era, tapping his memories of love without any trace of irony or insight. His is one big sloppy family kiss on the forehead. Still his memories clearly are those of millions, and what seems corny and undramatic to one reader clearly has the power to bring others to tears. All the power to you, Mr. Simon.

I remember watching the movie version of Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" years back and thought it was fantastic. Now, years later, I decided to pick up the play and read it.

As usual with the written version, there is quite a bit more detail in the play. Eugene is the story's main character, and while his family struggles with all sorts of family issues. His brother Stanley comes to him with his dilemma about possibly being fired from his job. His cousin Nora, her sister and her aunt Blanche all live with the Jerome family in their Brooklyn home. Eugene's main concern is dealing with the rigors of growing up--and winning the World Series for the Yankees. His character really comes out in the play; there is the sense of witty spirit that he has in dealing with his family and his own problems. Another great aspect of the play is the sense of family spirit it evokes, especially in troubled times, and you see that in the final act when Eugene's dad is able to talk some sense into his wife and her sister, but Stanley as well.

Neil Simon's ability to create funny and memorable characters and a story that is both insightful and humorous makes this a fantastic read. It is easy to see how this play got adapted into a full length film. This play is the first in a series of three plays covering the life of Eugene Jerome.

If you enjoyed this book, another great movie or book to check out is Biloxi Blues, which is the second installment of this series. If you watch the film, it stars Matthew Broderick as Eugene, and narrates his exploits as he goes into the military.

Easy reading, but also very meaningful for the family.

The first of his three semi-autobiographical plays about the "Jerome" family, Neil Simon's BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS takes place in Brooklyn, New York toward the end of the Great Depression. Fourteen-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome (Simon's alter ego) is the protagonist and narrator of the play. Struggling to find his niche among his large, extended family, Eugene writes his own witty observations about them in his journal, sharing them with us as he does so. Yet the focus of the conflict is on the older family members (including Eugene's parents, Kate and Jack; his brother, Stanley; his cousin Nora; and his widowed Aunt Blanche), all of whom struggle daily to make ends meet. Though a comedy, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS asks a serious question, one posed in earlier eras by playwrights like Clifford Odets and Arthur Miller: that is, how can one preserve one's morals and integrity in difficult economic times, when it is all one can do just to put food on the table? BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS is an affectionate though often painful family comedy; in it, Simon establishes characters for his two later "Jerome" plays, BILOXI BLUES and BROADWAY BOUND, while anticipating the impending WWII era, the setting for the former title.

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a play about a fourteen-year-old boy growing up in 1937. The boy's name is Eugene Jerome. The play is divided into two acts. The first act is one night in Eugene's house. The second act is a week later in his house. Eugene is growing up in a hectic and eventful household of seven family members. He writes memoirs in his journal about his family and different events occurring in his life. During the play, Eugene share's his own personal thoughts with the audience. This really gives the audience an inside look on Eugene's life. I reall liked having this inside view. It really kept me into the book. Brighton Beach Memoirs was a real page turner. I highly recommend it!

The book tells you a lot of the backround of each car. My 19 months old son loves the book on top of the movie. Even my husband and I read the book already without him.... if you are a CARS collector you need that book.

I got this for my [...] who loves "Cars" and his cousin the same age who also is obsessed with this movie. It's a good book, a little old for the [...] range. But it'll be one to keep on the shelf and in good condition for years to come. I would consider this one a collector's item. Just not one you would read to them at bedtime. It's not that type of book. More "factual" - based on the characters of the movie.

A very colorful and informative book that's a pleasure to read over and over. I just wished it has more information about the other characters in the movie. But clearly, this book is made for kids.

Still, I enjoy the great pictures and endeared the characters closer to me.

The book is very colorful and gives loads of information on all the characters. My son loves the book!

This is a big, bright book all about your favorite characters from Disney's Cars movie.

Each page highlights an individual character with a "CAR FACTS" circle with the mechanical info for the car. Also included are pictures from the movie with a caption underneath describing the picture. For example "Dedicated Driver" shows McQueen talking to Mack with a caption telling how he gets his boss to the next race as fast as possible and how he is McQueen's one true friend.
We also get a "Tractor Tipping" page with a full page spread of a rather angry looking Frank, with a smaller caption of a terrified McQueen escaping Frank's blades!
The highlight is the centerfold 4 page foldout of the Speedway! We get a blip's view of the Speedway at night pre-race. Along the outside are captions of McQueen, the Piston Cup, Chicks and McQueen's pit crew.

Overall a beautifully presented book with all your little (or big) Cars fan could wish for!

Fun! I did my top 10 choices and I think the results described me perfectly. This will by my top gift for friends this year. Would be fun for a party, a book club, any gathering - or just to read through on your own. Addictive -- you also find yourself trying to categorize people you know. Only thing I will say that the results are slightly more appropriate for a single vs. married individual as romantic pursuit plays a part in some of the descriptions, but don't let that stop you from buying the book.

Cinescopes is entertaining and can keep a party going for hours. This book is totally fun and allows you to really understand personality traits just based on what you enjoy watching. Movies are great because we relate to them, and Cinescopes is fun because it ties our movie trends to our personalities. You will definitely laugh a lot and learn a lot from this book.

I most certainly recommend this work and it is a fun read!

We bought this for a gift but ended up taking to every gathering over the holidays that went to. We brought along a chart that we made up to go with it. It was a fun conversation starter!

"Movies are the mythic tales of today. They can make us cry, scream, or laugh. They can cheer us up or bring us down. And just like those ancient stories of humans struggling for the favor of the gods, movies tend to focus on a hero undertaking some kind of journey, whether it be physical, intellectual or emotional." - From Cinescopes

Quick: list your ten favorite movies.

Did Michael Clayton or Forrest Gump make the cut? What about Napoleon Dynamite, Hotel Rwanda, The Da Vinci Code, or Batman Begins? Did Toy Story, It's a Wonderful Life, or What the Bleep Do We Know make your list or perhaps No Reservations, Somewhere In Time, or E.T. is more to your liking?

No matter what cinematic fare you prefer, it is possible that your favorite movies can reveal intriguing aspects of your personality. In the clever new book Cinescopes, authors Risa Williams and Ezra Werb outline sixteen distinct personality profiles based on psychology, cinematic theory and mythology. All you need to do to find your unique profile is list your favorite movies, look them up in the index, record the appropriate Cinescope codes and determine which profile crops up the most by adding them together.

Do you enjoy Wayne's World, The Simpson's Movie or Airplane? According to Cinescopes, you would be an Invincible Optimist (IO). Having On Golden Pond, Mommie Dearest and Crash among your favorite movies would make you a Determined Survivor (DS).

Maybe you're a Destined Hunter (DH) like me, anticipating the thrills and chills of movies like Joy Ride, Misery and Saw. If you're an Existential Savior (ES) like my husband, you'd probably count The Matrix, The Mothman Prophecies, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters of the Third Kind among your treasured films.

In addition to learning more about yourself (not to mention getting some great ideas for movies you'd enjoy based on your personality!), Cinescopes also offers each type's deepest secret, strengths and weaknesses--as well as behavior in the workplace, with friends and in romance. The author's also provide Quintessential Statements (corresponding movie quotes), most (and least) compatible Cinescope types, greatest nemesis, words of advice and much more.

I found my second highest Cinescope profile (Existential Savior) the most startling accurate and thorough, but my highest profile also gave some canny observations. However, my husband's highest profile (Existential Savior) didn't sound like him at all. The compatibilities were hit and miss, too, but hey...this is movie profiling we're talking about. Not all of our favorite movies were included in the book (e.g. Mr. Brooks, Prime, Red Planet, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, The Magdalene Sisters, etc.), and I found a code error for the Ratatouille movie (DY and IS are listed. I assume they meant DI and YS?)

Engaging and accessible, this engaging 176-page book would make a perfect gift for movie buffs or personality junkies, as well as serving as an excellent icebreaker for groups. Cinescopes would also make fantastic entertainment for family reunions, parties and holiday get-togethers.

If you want to know what your favorite movies reveal about you--a Vivacious Romantic, Youthful Sage or Passionate Maverick at core, perhaps?--check out Cinescopes by Quirk Books. At the very least, it's fun and fresh--but you may also walk away discovering a heckuva lot about yourself in the process.

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

The authors of this book have combined their educational credentials and film industry experience to create a unique, fun, and not-so-scientific analysis of personality type based upon favorite movies. I participated on the Internet before I bought the book, and to validate my "Charismatic Performer" profile, I entered another ten movies and obtained the same result. It appears that in some instances, your profile may not portray what you are as much as what you wished you could be (your alter-ego, as it were). In the last few days, I have encouraged many people to find their Cinescope and have enjoyed the feedback and discussion.

CINESCOPES has the potential for being the 21st Century's answer to Trivial Pursuit and will probably stimulate us to watch movies that we haven't seen in a while and view some from others' Top Ten (I have spent a lot of time on IMDb lately). My only criticism is that the list of movies in the back of the book is very incomplete. No White Christmas? No Interlude? Last night on Turner Classic Movies, The Sterile Cuckoo with Liza Minelli (nominated for two Academy Awards) was on, and that wasn't listed either. Because this book is so different and has provided me with a winter diversion, I forgave the omissions and awarded it Five Stars for originality.

i've been a fan of kevin smith and his movies for about 6 years and i just got the book this year (2006). i'm not really a fan of comics but i have wanted to get ahold of the comics by him and see what they were all about. these comics are great. the lost scene is hillarious. i'd say that ALL of the comics by smith are a MUST for any fan. hillarious stuff.

These stories are unbelievable!! Kevin Smith has come through once again with these stories which are just as funny as the movies. There are jokes in here that will have you laughing out loud, and there are some moments in here that will fill you with the Christmas Spirit. There is even a scene that was actually emotional. Dante and Randal are the main focus in these stories, since it is about "Clerks". Other characters from the View Askewniverse are also in these stories, even the return of Caitlin Bree!! There is even a scene with everyone's favorite guy who just wants to see the sailboat, you know who I'm talking about. If you loved the movie, you will love these stories too. They are just as witty and funny, with a little true drama thrown in, as the movie you have come to love. As a fan, you owe it to yourself to pick this up, it is worth every penny!!

This is a SWEET book, i am a die hard Kevin Smith fan[God Bless All u other Kevin Smith Fans!] and this book is awesome. I really love how it is like the movie. This is a must have for all u Kevin Smith Fans............Oh yea....SNOOTCH TO THE NOOTCH!!!

For all of those people out there just like me, you cannot get enough Kev Smith material. This collection of comics spins off of the movie, Clerks. Randall does not dissappoint with crude behavior and his warped yet sensible logic. Find out what happened to Caitlin. How do you awaken a comotose female who had sex with a dead guy? Dante knows. Jay and Silent Bob naturally appear and even host the "Lost Episode" from the funeral in Clerks. Saying Kev Smith has milked this concept to death shows how little a VA fan someone is. Jay points out how the tubby one is cashing out, tongue in cheek of course. This book is not for the money it generates, it is for us die hard VA fans out there who cannot sit idley by and wait for the next flick.

This is so funny you may laugh yourself unconscious. You may want to check with your doctor first. Composed of several episodes from the Clerks comic book series, Kevin Smith authors some of the most laugh outloud comic adventures I've ever read. Reprising the characters from the Clerks movie and guest appearances from Smith favorites Jay & Silent Bob, Clerks: The Comic Books is a highly recommended good time.