Television Books

Any parent can relate on some level to the struggles and insecurities that Currey - Wilson weathers in order to give her son the best life she can. Especially for those of us who choose alternative parenting styles, the self-doubt that the author has as she tries to make her way in the world is easily understood - What if my family doesn't understand or support my decisions? Will my child be an outcast because he has nothing in common with his peers? Where can I find friends who, though they may not necessarily share my views, at least support my choices? How far is too far? Reading Currey - Wilson's brave disclosure of her most intimate thoughts and embarassing confessions will help any parent to be kinder to herself as she works to parent from the heart no matter what everyone thinks.

What a great memoir and social "experiment" she conducted. What makes the book so great is she is a nut-case, but a lovable one. I wish she'd been in MY playgroup, wish she'd shared with me her plan. My son has autism and while I do not believe tv caused his autism, I see how it made it worse. But it's never too late to do the right thing and her book was such a gift to me at this moment. I WAS lamenting that he could not "enjoy" all the disney movies my daughter and I enjoyed together. "Will he never be able to follow the plots?" I worried...well, now I can give them all away, gladly, knowing that I can teach him far better than television can. I had restricted their watching to just PBS and videos, but, just like Ellen points out, PBS is the one that gave us teletubbies baby talk, authur/D.W.'s sibling bickering, buster's excessive tv watching of bionic bunny, etc etc. I just feel she shed so much sunshine on our dirty little secret that we're making tv addicts of our kids just so we can get some respite. I'm even questioning my own tv watching habits, limited as they are to PBS Newshour, frontline, bill moyers...all educational, fantastic shows. But when I'm trying to watch pbs in kitchen as I multitask, i snap at my kids when the interrupt... now that I've seen the light, I know that kitchen tv has got to go... but like the author, I'll do my best, set a goal for myself and work toward a plan to get down to 2 hrs a week. I'm going to do the same for my daughter who learned about the disney channel last spring break on vacation at her cousins and has grown addicted. cold turkey isn't an option as my husband loves his cable tv downstairs. But I'm getting me/ my daughter on a plan today! What an inspiration this book is, without preaching! I love it, highly recommend all parents, pre-parents read it. It will change their lives and that of their kids for the better. I wish my daughter could play chess, yahtzee etc. with her son. Ellen if you're in DC area, you look me up, I'll show you and your kid all the sights (we DO go on lots of field trips and know best places to go) and thank you in person for sharing you "confessions"! You're just the sort of comic relief we all need, yet you point out important truths. Thank you. Thank you.
Sincerely, Susan Goewey Carey

Currey-Wilson writes with humor and the topic is very important. The books is a quick read. The style is easy and the content is interesting and insightful. I am not a parent, but I found this book highly entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone.

A clever title for a book generally grabs my attention. As curious as this one made me, I was also nervous to open it. Would it be another one of those preachy books by a zealous mother that seem to be flooding the library shelves these days? Not even close! I highly recommend this entertaining book, which almost resembles a memoir. It's so much more than the story of a mother determined to shield her child (even before he was born!) from the perils of television. Currey-Wilson frequently reflects on her own childhood where television became a surrogate parent. She struggles to forgive the mother who was too busy standing up for women's rights to properly take care of her own children's needs. She desperately tackles her own addiction to television while she worries about the effect it will have on her son. Then the opposite happens when he starts school - at times he's ostracized because he doesn't watch TV. Through all this, however, my sympathy for the author's various dilemmas never lasted long, because she writes about her experiences in such a humorous way. It really was a great, great book. I hope to see more of her writing in the future.

I picked up this book expecting it to be a lot like other books I've read about the evils of television---sort of fanatic and with lots of studies about brain waves and comparisons to drugs and so on. I wanted to read it regardless as I am really trying to reduce the screen time in my house (although it's more my husband than my kids who keep turning it on!). I was so thrilled to find this book was a great read as well as an inspiration! The author instantly made me feel at home. She is honest about herself, hilarious to read and really understands how it feels to be a new mother finding your way in the complicated social circles you have never before travelled. She comes from a family that is wacky, not always in a lovable way, but she loves them anyway. She is however determined to raise her son Casey differently, and she succeeds, to some extent even more than she wants to, as she then has the worries about him fitting in, and how she deals with that is great to read, too. In many ways, this is a book about accepting yourself and being honest with yourself and others. I can really relate to her reluctance to tell everyone at first about her TV views, and how she gradually is about to do so in a way that helps others.

I hope Currey-Wilson writes much more. I would love to read a memoir of her childhood, and perhaps a book about her educational journey with her son, and what it's like to raise a gifted child. I hope potential readers of this book will realize it's about more than watching TV or not, it's about parenting and doing so with humor and love.

When I was in the 5th grade (way back in 1976-77), our teacher used to read to us after recess each day. He turned us onto several great books with fun and compelling stories. Of these, three books (Freaky Friday, A Billion For Boris and The Phantom Tollbooth)have become some of my all time favorite books. Books that I've read and re-read several times.

A Billion For Boris is by far the best and my personal favorite from the entire 'Andrews Family' series. I loved Freaky Friday and love A Billion For Boris even more. I couldn't get through Summer Switch. It just seemed like a complete retread of Freaky Friday but not nearly as engaging.

Who can forget when Anabell made her catastrophic, cataclismic boo-boo? Great line.

The story is just as described. Ape Face fixes an old TV of Boris's and then suddenly it shows programs from one day in the future. Anabell wants to use it to help mankind. Boris just wants to make money to improve his and his mother's life. So, they compromise. Then things start to get out of hand. The ending is charming, funny and quite sweet.

All in all, a really great book with lots of hilarious moments. I highly recomend it to everyone who loves just a good story.

This is a book that everyone ages 9-99 will enjoy. Its exploration of what happens when a couple of kids get ahold of a TV that plays tommorow's news is hillarious. Its a book that can be read over and over again and not lose its appeal. This is deffinitely a book that will stay on your shelf for the whole family to read. A winner!

A Billion for Boris' attention-span is good. It's a page-turner for ages 8-88. Ape Face tinkers with an old TV set so it shows tomorrow's news. Boris manages to get it back, and he and Ape Face's sister, Annabel, decide to us etheir new knowledge to help Boris' writer-mother get more money and refinish Boris' apartment. How? By betting on horses. A book which kept me reading until the last page. The sequel to Freaky Friday and the book before Summer Switch, it is ultimately one of Mary Rodgers' masterpieces.

I agree w/ the review below--this book is better than Freaky Friday. I've never forgotten how I wanted my own TV set that broadcast tomorrow's news today. This story has such charm, magic, and realism in it. Every child should read this book.

Since that Freaky Friday when Annabel Andrews switched bodies with her Mother, things have gotten much better. At least, in her opinion. I mean, at least she's not a kid in an adult's body anymore. But, now something new is going on. Annabel is still in love with Boris, and her younger brother, Ape Face, is still being a pest, but who planned for this? When Ape Face fixes a broken TV that Boris sells to him, something VERY strange happens. Suddenly, Ape Face is watching tomorrow's TV shows, today. Not only that, he's watching the news a day early. Annabel wants to use the TV for good, to help humanity, and Ape Face just wants to watch tomorrow's movies today, but Boris has some different plans of his own.

This is the sequel to the book FREAKY FRIDAY. In my opinion, I found this book to be even better than the previous. Rodgers has come up with a brilliant and entertaining plot, that all kids will enjoy reading about. Boris is a funny, and mischevious character, as is Ape Face, and Annabel is a fun, and kind character, who has matured greatly since FREAKY FRIDAY. A must-have book for all fans of the weird and unexpected.

Erika Sorocco

Great book! This book, Blues for Bird, is worth all the other biographies of Charlie Parker combined. A concise and direct evocation of the jazzman's life, it tells the tragic story of his rise and fall, and the tragic decline of his later years--it censors nothing, it tells the story better than a more detailed biographical volume, And does it with a poet's ear and eye! Alright! Be-bop!

How can you write an epic today when the world is no longer 'story-shaped'? You can go back and translate 'Beowulf', as Seamus Heaney has done, or you can be like Martin Gray and write an epic life in quantum bursts of three-stress energy.

Somebody ought to make a bunch of CDs, with an actor reading these highly accessible poems against a backdrop of Charlie Parker's music. They'd be a wow!

Great book! This book, Blues for Bird, is worth all the other biographies of Charlie Parker combined. A concise and direct evocation of the jazzman's life, it tells the tragic story of his rise and fall, and the tragic decline of his later years--it censors nothing, it tells the story better than a more detailed biographical volume, And does it with a poet's ear and eye! Alright! Be-bop!

How can you write an epic today when the world is no longer 'story-shaped'? You can go back and translate 'Beowulf', as Seamus Heaney, has done, or you can be like Martin Gray and write an epic life in quantum bursts of three-stress energy.

Like so many other deceased musicians, there are way too many "insider" books about the person. This is the only authorized book by the Bob Marley Foundation and it is a superb picture book. Filled with an abundance of color and black and white photographs this book brings the man to life. The pictures are rare as some are private family photos that are being released for the first time. This is a book that you want nearby so you can look at the photos periodically and remember the man as you listen to his music. The introduction by his wife Rita Marley is heartfelt and lays the foundation for intimate views of Bob Marley. His passions, his friends, his children, and even his music is here for all fans of Bob Marley. One of the cool features of this book is the format and how the narrative is given using some of the titles of his albums as a backdrop. Just a great book about a great man who passed this world much too quickly but left his mark for all to listen to the whisperings of a mystic. "Bob will come again. Like Christ he shall come in a new name"-Rita Marley.

Songs of Freedom truely gave me as a Bob Marley fan a better look at the life of a legend. Next to Bob's biography, Catch a Fire, this is the best acount of Bob Marley I have read. Songs of Freedom is filled with unseen photgraphs and quotes from Bob's loved ones, friends, and colleagues. An excellent story that has touched me deeply. I give this book a strong recomendation to life long Marley fans and those who have yet to discover the mystery, inspiration, and spirituality in this mans life.

A must for any Bob collection. I found a few new facts, but overall much of the same info elewhere. Get "Catch a Fire" for the story and "Songs of Freedom" for the pictures. It's proudly displayed in my office with the rest of my Bob, Reggae, and Jamaican souvenirs.

I loved this book. The pictures were very nice to look at. This book tends to focus more on Bob's music career then his personal life though. But otherwise this is a great book for all you Marley fans.

Being a huge roots & dancehall fan of almost 7 yrs, this book is essential for any reggae collector of Bob Marley. I first enjoyed the intro by Rita Marley and the rest of the book is great. I must say that it is well-worth the money

One love, Jah Schreiber

I just received this book after ordering it here on Amazon (super fast shipping, by the way) and I was immediately impressed with just how comprehensive the entire manual is, how easy the instructions within are implemented, and the way in which everything is explained so even an idiot such as myself can follow along without stumbling. This is the book which SHOULD HAVE come with the Camtasia Studio v4 software when I purchased it just a few months ago.

Of course, TechSmith has just released v5, but I've not seen enough reason to upgrade this time around (I previously owned v3). I highly recommend that you purchase this book.

I would also recommend purchasing Bill Myers' DVD video training on Camtasia which you can find here on Amazon or at his website www(dot)bmyers(dot)com.

Daryl Wilson
Founder, Aladdin Studios

Outstanding book.

The book was far more than expected. Delivery was prompt. Good Service.

Thank you.

A valuable book for those interested in getting the most out of Camtasia 4. The author culls from his extensive Camtasia experience as he walks the reader through various exercises, expertly weaving in tips and tricks along the way. While the book could do with a heavy copyedit (experienced writers will cringe at the author's frequent use of unnecessary words), the book's substance is well worth the cover price.

I have literally shelves full of computer books.
This is one of very few I've actually read cover-to-cover.

But the book is structured so that for the most part you can read any one chapter without missing out on information that depends on a previous chapter.

I've even wound up taking some of his hardware advice. Otherwise, I never would have thought to purchase a preamp with as dorky a name as "Audio Buddy"...LOL...

If you're using Camtasia Studio to produce instructional or sales videos - or considering using it - this is the book you need.

I fall into the newbie category and had to come up to speed very quickly, using Camtasia Studio 4 to record and produce several video podcasts of PowerPoint presentations for my company. I bought several books and read "how-to's" on the internet, but this book turned out to be my savior. If you buy only one book, this one should be the one.

Well-written, reseached and presented. This is the biography we'd hoped for and will be the standard for years to come. In depth yet fun to read. Just about perfect.

Quite recently, I had the privilege of reading a copy of this book that was the personal copy of a musician who had been involved, in a rather unique way, in the centennial observation of Charlie Ives's birthday back in 1974. For reasons of geography, then musical interest, he "got to know" Charlie quite well, even if only 20 years after Charlie's death. I immediately ordered my own copy, while continuing to read the heavily-annotated copy of my musician friend. (It was rather vicarious pleasure, "looking over the shoulder" of this musician, to see what it was about the music, life and times of Charlie that fascinated him.)

In his early years, Ives was a one-man dynamo. Learning much of his music theory and practice from his father George Ives, who had been a very young (perhaps the youngest) Civil War band leader, and then from Horatio Parker at Yale University, he had more than a "thorough grounding" in the basics. However, unlike most American composers, particularly those of his and the following generation, he did not go to Europe for a post-grad internship with any known European composer, but simply set out on his own after matriculating from Yale. He went to New York City, employed as an insurance clerk for one full-time job, wrote music constantly for another full-time job, and had yet another career, had he wanted it, as organist and choir director for the Central Presbyterian Church in New York. During this period - leading up to his marriage in 1908 - he literally burned the candle at both ends. (Swafford goes on, later in the book, to posit why Charlie had this incredible burst of energy for the first 15 or 20 years of his adult life, but it's best that his reasons for this - and for Ives's shortened composing career - be left to you, the potential reader.)

Most anyone who knows anything about Ives knows that he became comfortably wealthy in the insurance industry, that during his active composing days little of his music was played by anyone, and that he was - literally and figuratively - burned out by the time he was only 40. For the remaining half of his life, much of it was spent editing, publishing and promoting his music and the music of others, including many friends, using the proceeds from his insurance success to underwrite projects for many composers who would have gone unnoted had it not been for him. Musical success - unlike business success - came too late in life for him to truly enjoy at least its artistic, if not financial, rewards. He was in his last years when Leonard Bernstein premiered his Second Symphony, and never lived to hear his masterpiece - his Fourth Symphony - premiered by Leopold Stokowski in 1965. Despite this, he was far from an unhappy man in his later years; philosophically resigned yet optimistic that his day might yet come would be the more accurate description.

Swafford's writing is simply wonderful. It tells the story of a true American iconoclast; an "original." The narrative flows beautifully without omitting anything of significance in Ives's life or about his music. (The book contains nearly 80 pages of endnotes, in which the musical marginalia are explained in exhaustive, but emminently readable, detail, to preserve the flow of the main narrative.) In parts, it is incredibly moving. I particularly enjoyed the extended "mating dance" of his courting of Harmony Twichell, who was to become his life-long helpmate (and who did live long enough to attend the Stokowski premiere of his masterpiece, as the guest of honor). Ives, ever the Victorian man if something else as a composer, would always refer to her, to third parties, as "Mrs. Ives." Yet their fifty years together could be a model for today's dysfunctional families. A beautiful chapter; one of the best in the book.

There's a curiously cryptic endnote that suggests a "what might have been." It is a fact that very little of Ives's music saw public performance before the early 30's, when Nicholas Slonimsky championed Ives and other "moderns." Yet another two decades were to pass until Bernstein premiered the Second Symphony. Yet, in 1910, while shopping in a music store in preparation for his final return to Vienna, where he would die in less than a year's time, Gustav Mahler purchased a fair copy - one of only two or three in existence - of Ives's Third Symphony. Swafford doesn't make that big a deal about this, but I do. I've always thought that Ives and Mahler, aside from being near-contemporaries, had more in common than they did in opposition. It is just conjecture - but truly fascinating conjecture - to think what might have happened had Mahler premiered Ives's Third Symphony at a time in the life of Ives when it really might have made a difference.

Just what was Ives, as a composer? Bernstein did him no favors by calling him "a primitive; a Grandma Moses of music" while at the same time championing his music. Back in those days, there were no labels like "atonalist," "serialist," "avant-gardist," "post-modernist," what-have-you, that we tend to use today to compartmentalize a composer. To me, Ives was, well... an iconoclast, an "original," and, if a label must be applied, our first "pre-post-modern." He was never imitated, at least not successfully, not only because he didn't have his own students as did other composers, but because by the time his music enjoyed sufficient - if not plentiful - performances, composers' agendas were different.

Fortunately audiences think differently, and do enjoy Charlie's music. And you will enjoy this book.

Bob Zeidler

Charles Ives (1874-1954)was the first, and still probably the greatest, composer of a distinctly American art ("classical") music. His relationship to American music seems to me roughly parallel to Walt Whitman's relationship to American poetry and to Charles Peirce's relationship to American philosophy. Like Peirce, Ives was little-known during his lifetime. Furthermore, while many people may be aware of Peirce and of Ives, a much smaller number have much acquaintance with their works.

Ives was born in Danbury, Connecticut and remained throughout his life attached to his vision of the post-Civil War small-town New England of his childhood. His father, George Ives, was a bandmaster and the greatest influence on Ives's life. Ives was a musical prodigy who began composing at an early age, quickly picking up experimental styles. He showed great proficiency at the piano and organ. (Through young manhood, we worked Sundays as a church organist.) He studied music at Yale where his teacher was Horatio Parker, a then famous American who was trained in the music of German Romanticism. As a college student, Ives wrote music played for the inaugaration of President William McKinley.

After graduation from Yale, Ives became a millionare in the insurance industry where he pioneered many marketing techniques. He also became increasingly Progessive and politically active and actually proposed a constitutional amendment which would increase the power of the democracy in government decision-making. At the age of 32, he married Harmony Twitchell who, after his father, was the greatest influence on his life.

Ives wrote music in the midst of an extraordinarily busy life. Most people think of Ives as a trailblazer and iconoclast. He was indeed, but may of his earlier works, such as the Second and the Third Symphonies are easily accessible and have a feel of America about them similar to the feelings Aaron Copland evoked some three decades later.

Jan Swafford's biography movingly and eloquently describes the life of Charles Ives. This is a reflective, thoughtful discussion of Ives, his America, his music, and its reception. In addition to a thorough treatment of Ives' life and works, Swafford has three chapters which he titles "Entra'acets" which consist of broad-based reflections on Ives's music and its significance. Swafford's entire book is full of ideas which are intriguing in themselves. Of Ives's work, Swafford gives his most extended treatment to the Fourth Symphony (he sees Ives as essentially a symphonist) and to the Concord piano Sonata. But many works are discussed in detail which will be accessible to the non-musician. The book has copious and highly substantive footnotes and an extensive bibliography.

Ives's Americanness, humor, romanticism, modernism, optimism, and generosity ( Ives gave large amounts of money to his family and to musicians and music publications. He also paid for the publication of several of his important works when commercial publishers showed no interest in them.) come through well. Swafford sees Ives as the last American transcendentalist in the tradition of Emerson. At the conclusion of his book, Swafford writes of Ives (p. 434)

" [I]n his music and his life he embodied a genuine pluralism, a wholeness beneath diversity, that in itself is a beacon for democracy and its art. Aesthetically he is an alternative to Modernism, an exploratory road without the darkness and despair of the twentieth century. In spirit he handed us a baton and calls on us to carry it further. He suggests a way out of despair, but leaves it to us to find the route for ourselves. If we are alone with ourselves today, Ives speaks incomparably to that condition."

This book made me want to learn more about and to hear the music of Charles Ives. In its own right, it is a joy and an inspiration to read.

Well written and accessible, the book describes the life of America's preeminent composer in the European tradition. A man who successfully forged a truly personal musical vocabulary on strong and deep American musical rootstock. Yet his only commercial success came through his equally great (though far less consequential) business talents. A continuing cautionary parable about the creative arts in the United States. I wish there were more score excerpts included.

Charlie Ives was a visionary, an idealist, and apparently a manic-depressive. Swafford tells his story in a compulsively readable fashion, and wins you over to the side of the irascible composer. Ives never made any money from his music, in fact he subsidized it with the fortune he made in the insurance industry. But he was generous in supporting the work of other sympathetic composers as well, including Henry Cowell. Ives was rare in that he was a genius not only in music, but in business. Ives made a fortune in developing the modern, mass-market life insurance industry. He wrote a tremendously influential pamphlet in 1910, "The Amount to Carry," which pioneered estate planning. Ives was an idealist and an altruist even as he became wealthy -- he convinced himself that insurance was socially progressive, and motivated his sales staff with his lofty vision of cooperation. Later in life, he developed this into a plan for a People's World Union!

Ives' great successes all came together, early in life, following his marriage. He composed on the side as he built his company, burning the candle at both ends. Swafford speculates that Ives was literally manic during those heroic years of the Teens, and that he subsequently crashed, enduring more depression than mania for the rest of his life. Interestingly, the Great War was such a blow to his idealism, he reacted physically, compounding his collapse. Ives retired very young, but rather than turn to composing, he found that he was unable. The rest of his life was devoted to trying to find an audience for the works of his glory years. I found the book most interesting here, in situating Ives in relation to the more well-known Modernists of his time -- Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Varese and the others. The irony is that while Ives' music came about independently, it was "popularized," only through association with the European revolutionaries, and so he was widely perceived as an imitator. The world was only ready for Charlie's music after the ground had been broken! The story of Cowell, Slonimsky, Carter, Gilman and Bernstein, who championed Ives over many years until he was finally recognized, is fascinating.

This is supremely enjoyable reading. Jan Swafford clearly loves Ives, and I found his account irresistable.

Britt Lamond played in the first episodes of Disney's Zorro. He was Capitan Monastario. The book wonderfully chronicles those first 13 episodes. Mr. Lamond makes a fantastic presentation of what went on behind the scenes. I have always thought the sword fights were the best I'd ever seen and after reading the book I realize why. Guy and Britt were well trained in sword fighting before Zorro ever came along. If you love Guy Williams as Zorro you will love this book. Thank you "Capitan Monastario"!

Britt Lomond has treated us to a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most beloved TV series of all time (and still playing throughout the world today). "Chasing After Zorro" is a first-hand account of his experiences on-and-off the set, as well as the circumstances leading up the series' inception. It is written with the kind of insight, humor and love that only one of the actors who helped kick-off the series could offer. It is an endearing glimpse into a different (and long-gone) time in Hollywood and Disney.

With his long career in front and behind the camera - Mr. Lomond worked in production for years after acting - he presents a well-rounded view of the workings and politics that existed during those first 13 epissodes. He also sheds light on the friendships he had with the other people involved in the series, from Guy, Henry and Gene to the writers and directors, and even to Walt Disney himself. From the very first page with his dedication to his family, you know that you are in for a genuine and touching journey into the heart of those first Zorro episodes.

I highly recommend this one-of-a-kind book for any Zorro fans out there.

For those of us who remember the Zorro television series (the Walt Disney one, which is the only one for true Zorro fans), this book is a treasure. Britt Lomond gives us an interesting and informative tour of the first 13 episodes of the Zorro TV show, the ones in which he played the villian, Capitan Monastario. As many others have noted, he set the standard for villians in the series, and even though the succeeding bad guys (and gals) were exceptionally villianous in their own right, Capitan Monastario, as defined and played by Mr. Lomond, was never equaled and certainly never beaten.

The behind-the-scenes stories Mr. Lomond tells are fascinating, and he has uniformly kind words to say of his co-actors and the production personnel who did such a wonderful job of making the show so successful that it is still popular almost 50 years later.

That success was made possible by the contributions of artists like Mr. Lomond. He details each of the 13 episodes in which he appeared in the 13 chapters of his book, a fine way to present his material. In particular, he often notes the changes he himself made in the script. He would memorize the script, but then, where he thought his character would have said something different or would have said the same thing but in a different way, he would make the changes during the filming. Almost always, his changes were approved by the director. What this illustrates more than anything else is Mr. Lomond's professionalism. What he was doing was his very best to present his character as he thought the character actually was, or would have been had he been a real person. He was not satisfied with merely speaking his lines as written in the script; rather, he brought to the role an experience as an actor that was unique. Mr. Lomond even imagined the life of his character prior to the time depicted in the programs, in order to best know how his character would be motivated in various situations, and thus know how his character would act, react, and speak. By doing so, he depicted the personality of his character consistently in the best way.

Thus, he would study the script in the context of his own idea of what kind of man his character was, and he made changes which did not aggrandize his own role, but made the programs better because of his insistence on his character's acting and speaking the way he should. That kind of professionalism is, I think, rare in any line of work, including acting.

Mr. Lomond has nothing but praise for the others who worked so hard on the series, including unstinting praise for Guy Williams, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon, Than Wyenn, Tony Russo, and the other actors. The humorous stories he tells, such as tricks the actors played on one another, are fabulous, and he tells one story of a trip on the ocean in Guy Williams's sailboat that turned into a disaster and could very nearly have killed all on the boat. He has particular praise for Walt Disney himself as well as the directors, the production designer and art decorator, and others who made the programs look so good.

Mr. Lomond is a multi-talented artist, having acted in many stage, movie, and television roles, and also having worked in many different jobs behind the cameras. Look him up on [...] and you will see just how many different jobs he has done. Thus, he knows the filmaker's craft inside and out, and that makes his comments on the actors and production staff on the Zorro TV series that much more meaningful. He knows whereof he speaks, and he has done many of the jobs of the people about whom he writes in this book.

The substance of Mr. Lomond's writing is entertaining and full of information. The only criticism I have of the book is that he was not well served by the editors and proofreaders of his book; there are a great many typographical and other errors, not the fault of the author. The book is nonetheless deserving of 5 stars because of Mr. Lomond's writing.

If you are a Disney Zorro television series fan, this book is a must for you. If you are not, buy it and read it anyway; it will give you insights into the making of television programs that you would never know otherwise; and it will make you a Zorro fan if you are not one already.

What a pleasure it was to read this book. I enjoyed it immensely. Mr. Lomond had the right touch in writing about his experiences on the Zorro set. I especially enjoyed all the behind the camera material. It is very poignant to have read this book, shortly before Mr. Lomand died.

Britt Lomond gives us a lovely glimpse into the world of the Zorro phenomenon as it played out via Disney's magic in the late 1950's and early 60's. He treats us to a behind the scenes look at how the duels between Monastario and Zorro were choreographed... and how he still bears the Mark of Zorro to this very day from the sword tip of Guy Williams. Also revealed, perhaps inadvertently, is the wonderful nature of this man... who with gentlemanly grace accepted the role of Monastario rather than the coveted role of El Zorro... all for the good of the show and not his own ego. A recommended read...

Not being from Chicago didn't prove to be a stumbling block in enjoying this wonderfully written book. It is obvious that the author meticulously researched and compiled the information, and did so with a loving attention to detail. Even though this book focuses on Chicago television hosts, its content manages to serve as an examination of an extinct cultural happening, the children's horror movie host.

Let me start by saying I am from Chicago and I am a Chicago History buff.

As a child and into my teens watching Creature Features on Channel Nine (the opening as a six year old terrified me), and then the Son of Svengoolie on WFLD, I loved local tv. Why do I say this? Simply put - I had high expectations for this book. The good news is that Ted Okuda and Mark Yurkiw exceeded them.

Looking for Elvira - you won't find her - but "Dear" clearly was a feast for the eyes. Now I finally know what my dad was talking about.

"From Shock Theatre to Svengoolie" is a needed part of the history of Chicago TV and Lake Claremont Press respectfully published a book others might take a pass on and remains a respected leader in local publishing of Chicago history. Well edited, designed and expanded in part by a solid and varied reference section which includes a solid list of films shown (and reviews), a heartfelt "Collector's Corner" with additional reviews, and a resource guide on where to find your horror needs - that alone would stand to qualify the book as a great resource; but yes - there's more.

The book is factual and warm about the subjects themselves - with wonderful chapters on characters such as Marvin and the curvacious and faceless "Dear" of Shock Theatre to Jerry Bishops "Svengoolie" concluding with the story of how Rich Koz's "Son of Svengoolie" became "Svengoolie" in his own right.

The book doesnt mince words. The Ghoul from Cleveland gets a chapter - and in that chapters lies the great story of the loyality of Chicago to it's city and to its broadcasters. That chapter alone made me smile - unfortuantely at an outsiders expense.

The book covers some obscure local attempts to compete against established programs as well - which goes to the detail the authors provided.

And then there was Sven.

While you can watch Jerry Bishop and Rich Koz on YouTube as Sven as a resource; the chapters on Svengoolie are detailed and worth the read.

I grew up and continue to watch Rich Koz as Svengoolie now in Chicago - and through this book you realize Sven's program not only entertains through horror but is also the last of the real local efforts to fight to keep local television creative, relevant and accessible. Koz is an important throwback to Garaway and other early Chicago broadcasters and deserves the praise and critical rsearch the book compiled.

In this book you can see why Koz is important as a local celebrity - and is up there with dare I say Studs Terkel and Oprah as important local personalities - even though Koz would likely deny this endorsement. WCIU should be credited for keeping a great program such as Sven on the air when others might just put an episode of "Night Court" on instead...yeech.

I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail; with photos of the old newspaper and TV Guide advertisements of the programs. If you loved those programs as a child - before there were so many options on cable; those ads were critical in promoting the programs and the movies we grew to love.

The book is lavishly illustrated and well written and referenced, footnoted and resourced. Time, effort and true affection for the material went into this tome.

In a book like this - there is room to be melancholy - and the authors avoid that trap. Lamenting on the fact local television is in most cases just the news; and all of TV's creativity is left to the networks would be an easy place to go - but the book is upbeat and most importantly a joy to read.

You want Creature Features? The book has it. Marvin and Dear - yep; its here too. Screaming Yellow Theatre and all of Sven? Yep - that too.

Clearly highly recommended.

I would write more - but my family is ready, the popcorn is popped and Svengoolie awaits .....

I grew up in Detroit, so I missed out on most of the programs covered here, except for the maniacal Ghoul (Ron Sweed, a Motor City favorite) and the wacky and still active Svengoolie, played by the talented Rich Koz. In spite of this, however, I loved reading this book because it captures the fun and the essence of what every monster movie fan of my generation experienced, from the happily demented horror hosts to staying up late to watch those glorious (sometimes gloriously awful) films we cherished so much. Remember, this was mostly before home video came along. The book is loaded with nostalgic advertisements for these movies, the kind of ads that made you drool in anticipation.

Some folks might question why there's an entire appendix devoted to a "100 Monster Movies" rating guide, but to me it's one of the most enjoyable sections of the book because it goes hand-in-hand with the overall history of this subject. How can you discuss monster movie programming without discussing the monster movies themselves? If anything, I wish they'd gone a step further and covered even MORE titles. A few of my favorite films were overlooked. Am I the only one who has fond memories of CREATION OF THE HUMANOIDS? (Maybe I am.)

The book is well researched, fun to read, and has lots of wonderful photos and graphics. It makes me sorry that I missed out on all the fun. But then again, I didn't. No matter where you grew up, watching monster movies on television was a universal experience. This book captures that experience beautifully.

I bought this book on a whim for my boyfriend who grew up watching Svengoolie on Saturday nights. He absolutely loved learning more about the show he adored as a child.

Growing up in Chicago in the late 70's I missed Bishop's Sven. I started out with the Ghoul and was hooked forever when Rich Koz opened his coffin on Ch 32. Since that time I've lost precious brain cells to the permanent memories of those classic parodies and skits. Mr. Robbers, 50 Ways to Blow Your Cover, and more.

So, I had to get this book. It is a quick read (nearly half is just a list of b-grade movies) and tells the tale of how Svengoolie came to be and where the whole thing started. If you are a fan of Svengoolie you owe it to yourself to take this fun trip down memory lane, or elm street...whichever.

i love, love, love this book and re-read it often. first of all, i'm a huge "chicago" fan - the movie, not the musical play (perhaps the original musical was awesome, but that was before my time and i've only seen the current day touring version of "chicago" and i was not very impressed). anyway, i am also a huge fan of anything 1920s, so this book was absolutely perfect for me.

it was great to hear about the stories behind the play and how two horrible murders were turned into entertainment and how the murderesses were turned into glamorous stars. it was also fascinating to see the pictures of the murderesses - the one of beulah annan is super creepy!

maurine dallas watkins' articles were incredibly entertaining and it was great to read them and then go onto the play. i love that when rob marshall made the movie "chicago", he used a bit more of the play than the muscial version did.

it's sad that watkins didn't go on to even greater things after these articles (although i do love the movie "libeled lady" - with jean harlow, myrna loy, william powell, and spencer tracy - that she collaborated on the screenplay for). but it's awesome that her legacy turned into such a popular musical and movie!

i would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in "chicago", the 1920s, crime writing, and media sensationalism.

This publication of the play that inspired the hit musical is amazing. Not only is it the original script, it gives wonderful newspaper articles of the time period and gives a real sense of time and place. As an artist, it was amazing to perform this piece. While the musical is a hit, it owes everything to this beautiful and strikingly funny but touching play. I highly recommend it and enjoy!

I read this book for my history fair project that I was doing on the true story behind the musical "Chicago." This book was so helpful to me because it gives every bit of information about the crimes and it even has all of Watkins' Tribune articles from the time. The script for the original play is an added bonus, and it is fun for me, as a "Chicago" and Fosse fan, to compare the original play to the musical and movie. This is well worth the price and a must-have for any "Chicago" fan.

This book is amazing if you are looking to find some history on the play. I have seen the non-musical produced in Ashland and will be directing it myself in the next couple of years. This book includes the full original script, which is amazing in itself, but also includes a fantastic introduction my Thomas H. Pauly. The articles are a joy to read because you really get a sense of Watkins' style of writing.

Watkins' days a court reporter inspired her to write the script for what was to become, itself, the inspiration for one of the best musicals of our time. The daily reports from the court trials of the real life muderessess in Chicago were certainly very telling. The fact that the women who escaped death row or life sentences were white women, society women, beautiful women, and most poignantly, women who killed their lovers - not their husbands.This reminded me of how people get caught up in the soap opera of life and love to glamorise all events. If you are a lover of the musical, this is an interesting book to read.

This volume assuredly would be a welcome addition to the libary of anyone who loves Charles Dickens and/or the history of film. The style of writing is quite engaging, yet it does not descend into sentimentality or nostalgia.

The opening chapters, which provide a relatively brief yet surprisingly insightful treatment of Dickens' Christmas writings and social conscience, are a concise picture of the setting in which Dickens brought his classic to life. For those unfamiliar with the period, I would find this to be an essential background, lest A Christmas Carol be reduced to a fairy tale, as it is in certain film treatments. Those who are acquainted with these matters undoubtedly would find the quotations from Dickens' more obscure Christmas writings, and references to such other Christmas scenes as those in The Pickwick Papers, to form a comprehensive image of the combination of commentary and imagination in these works, and underlying themes which influenced a Christmas Carol itself.

The treatment of film adaptations, including the earliest silents, is extremely well researched and comprehensive. Even the biggest fan of "Scrooge pictures" would find some in this collection which were unknown. The classic films (for example, Alastair Sims' version) are analysed with an insightfulness that would increase anyone's understanding and enjoyment of their content.

As a Dickens lover, and also as one who is a "Christmas nut" (for whom the insights in this volume were a welcome and lovely nutcracker), I would highly recommend this book on all counts.

Dickens dose a great job introducing this book. He has very high vocabulary and his words are sometimes very confusing. However, that should not cloud over the book because it is a great read. In my opinion it is a must read. I think if any Christmas hater reads this book they will love it. It certainly was interesting.

Everyone has a favorite film or television version of Dickens beloved "A Christmas Carol." But few of us have any idea how very many adaptations there have been. Mr. Guida's wonderful book examines first the written "Carol," then goes on to detail some of the hundreds of adaptations and variations, from the early stage versions and magic lantern slides to modern made-for-television Carols. Mr. Guida discusses the major Carols with wit and humor as well as rare discernment: his love for his subject is evident. Minor Carols and variations are also covered, albeit more briefly. If you cannot find your favorite version in the text, you are sure to find it in the superb and very thorough filmography. The filmography is worth browsing in and of itself; did you know that there have been Western, country-western, rock-and-roll, and even science-fiction variations on "A Christmas Carol"? Or that actors as disparate as Cicely Tyson, Basil Rathbone, and Mr. Magoo have played Scrooge? If you love "A Christmas Carol" or simply dote on film trivia, I promise you will enjoy this book.

Fred Guida has presented an incredibly well researched and beautifully written book that blends the literary history of this story along with the history of its various screen presentations. Thank you for this unique presentation.

I've been a fan of the 1953 version of a the Carol for as long as I remember. It was family tradition every Christmas eve to watch it. I've looked at as many possible versions and have yet to find it's match. This book is an amazing resource of all the various interpretations of the Dicken's classic has gone through from early lantern projected pictures, through the silent era, talking films, television, and animated specials. The early version were fascinating and I found it a special bonus that the author made note of various television shows which featured a special Christmas episode inspired by A Christmas Carol. Who could ever forget the "Six Million Dollar Man" Christmas special using the ideas from the novel. This brought back a lot of great television special memories. I was even able to track down two hard to find T.V. animated specials shown in the early 1970's but not seen since. (I found them on Amazon). All in all a great read, especially for fans. I did not agree with all of the criticisms, and the text is a rather dry read, maybe a little too academic. But still great stuff!!