Television Books

Ordered this book and it was received within a few days. Lots of very useful information but as this is the first volume of 3, some prices are are out of date. You should use the web site for each trip or call the phone number for up to date pricing. A very well written book that that describes interesting places to visit the year around.

Superbly illustrated with black/white photography and "user friendly" maps, One Tank Trips With Bill Murphy showcases 52 Florida-based adventures that can, quite literally, be taken with one tank of gas in the car, van, truck, or motorhome. From the Pioneer Florida Museum in Dade City to the Mote Marine Aquarium in Sarasota, a wealth of relevant information and "how to" advice make One Tank Trips With Bill Murphy a strongly recommended planning aid for anyone seeking fun in the Florida sun! Also very highly recommended is the new sequel, More One Tank Trips With Bill Murphy (0942084276, ...) which follows the same superbly presented composition of the first book and offers the vacationer with 52 additional fun-filled Florida excursions based on the "one tank of gas to get there and back) that ranges from the San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine to the Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum in Parrish. If you are planning an outing anywhere in Florida, begin by browsing through these two excellent travel idea guidebooks by Bill Murphy.

I got this book because I was new to the area - Am I glad I did! It has lots of wonderful places to visit including nature parks that locals didn't even know existed. I have given a copy of this book to all my overseas & out of state guests and they have enjoyed exploring the wonderful area we live in. Does not contain the big theme parks - we all know where they are - but all the hidden and interesting places that are suitable for all ages. A great book!!!!

I like Bill Murphy's choices for downhome, uniquely Floridian trips to a variety of sights. But if you would like more of the same painted on a bigger canvas, give Real Florida: A Travel Guide for the Passionate Yet Practical (The Budget Romance Traveler series) a try. This friendly book has a great "budget-romance" attitude and spans the state from Apalachicola to the upper Keys. (The author is a Tampa native, too.)

THIS GREAT TRAVEL BOOKS BY WELL KNOWN TV ANCHOR BILL MURPHY HAS SOLD 75,000 COPIES SINCE November. It is well written with 52 great trips to take on just one tank of gas. You will be surprised how many other interesting places has besides Walt Disneyworld!!!!

This is a multi-layered book that gives the reader a great feel for the many facets of movie-making. Its structure, with is juxtaposition of Mr. Damon's dreams, goals, feelings, and fears as a young actor with the more cured and wizened insights of a Hollywood producer and innovator allows the reader a real and intriguing (and somewhat titillating) experience of a world for which we joes-public seem to have so much, at once, fascination and ignorance. Mr. Damon blends his first (and first-hand) experience with method acting (for which Marlon Brando was so well-known) and his palpable sensibility and angst regarding the friction between west coast "movie actors" and east coast "stage actors" with first-person accounts of the wars he fought while inventing the international film sales business model (and, by the way, this latter point regarding international sales really seems to be a major contribution that Mr. Damon seems to have made in the "movie industry"). He gives accounts of the politics and subterfuge that accompany an up-and-coming actor as backdrop for the politics and subterfuge that accompany Hollywood business. I would think that this would be important history for anyone interested in entering the Hollywood realm. For me, as a casual observer, Mr. Damon provides this history with humor, candor, and an openness that proved very accessible and certainly eye-opening. (Besides all this, you'll get the fascinating story of how Das Boot was translated into English, widely considered to be the best movie translation of all time.)

Mark Damon's life story gives the reader a peek into a world that most of us outside the film industry could never imagine. His many careers within a career intricately describe a man who was never satisfied with being good at what he does - he had a compelling need to be the best, as an actor, independent film salesman and producer. Mark continuously plays a high stakes game with his professional lives and has won way more than he lost along the way. In his continuing quest for success, Mark almost single handedly brought the independent film industry to be a force to reckon with in the entertainment business. And the format of the book, moving forward and backward in time, keeps the reader riveted to it, anxiously awaiting the next episode. You won't find another story about a man and his industry as unique as this one.

Mark Damon's excellent biography is a testament to determination and talent. Damon's amazing resilience to overcoming defeat and achieving success shines through again and again. The book resonates with the truth of a man who has looked at himself, warts and all, and has put it all out there for the reader. Having broken new ground in developing a new way of marketing motion pictures thoughout the world he has assured himself an important place in the history of the movie business. His book is a must read, not only for show business people, but as an inspirational statement about "picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and starting all over again." Mark Damon's multi faceted career, from a star of "spaghetti westerns" to a producer of major motion picures, with many acomplishments along the way, makes for a facinating read. I recommend the book without reservation.

I couldn't put it down. A real Hollywood page-turner. Very well written bio that flips back and forth between the childhood genius puzzle inventor and early age money maker to the high flying Hollywood film distributor/producer. Fast paced and inspiring, the book took me to Hollywood, via Chicago, Italy, and Cannes. I loved reading about this man who not only brought us some very important movies, like Das Boot, and Monster, but was also at the top of his game in at least three career areas, most wouldn't even attempt. I strongly suggest you try it--a great summer, or anytime read.

From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster is a well written, outstanding autobiography. It's a true "American Success" story which mostly covers the last half of the twentieth century. Mark Damon has led a remarkable life which most people would envy. He truly invented the international film sales business. The story of his life is entertaining reading and the book will grab your attention and not let go. I would highly recommend it to anyone with any interest in the entertainment business (particularly film). A must read!.

First off, I'm a big fan of Smith, nevermind all the scandal. I watched his show religiously when I was a kid, and his were the first cookbooks I ever really read. He got me into cooking, for sure. This is one of his better books. Interesting lessons, great recipes, both unique and familiar. Some of my best versions of things, like chicken and dumplings, jambalya, barbeque, biscuits, and chili come directly from this book. Like all his recipes, they're straightforward, and always turn out well. I love his writing "voice", he always made me feel welcome in his world, and I view this book as a comfort, these days. It's like slipping into a favorite sweater. Even if you don't cook from it, it's worth reading just to read.

It's unfortunate that when talking about Jeff Smith, there's always the issue of what did or didn't happen in his personal life, but for those of us who were fans of the show we will always remember him for what he was, one of the top voices in food television long before anyone ever even thought of the Food Network. He had intelligence, humor, and a warmth of personality that only a handful of people could ever communicate through cathode rays, and those same traits are to be found here in these pages.
The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American is hands down my favorite of his cookbooks, and one of my absolute favorite cookbooks ever. It's a wonderful lesson in American cuisine and full of wonderful recipes. I frequently find it sitting on my coffee table, and it gets read, even when I'm not looking to cook anything.

The Frugal Gourmet' Jeff Smith shows us some great American standards with interesting historic information to boot with this authentic American cook book! This is an excellent cook book for everyone. Jeff Smith has another winner here! It's full of great recipes and stories by a very talented cook and writer. This one focuses on American cooking. I have used many of these recipes and found them to be very good. Being a home grown cook myself and having a mother who is a fantastic cook, I found this book to be very helpful in expanding my culinary taste buds.

Jeff Smith entertained us for years on his PBS program 'The Frugal Gourmet'. Not only did he teach us many savory dishes, he also educated us. Not satisfied with just cooking delicious meals for his viewers, he would give detailed history lessons about the origins of the dish and made it all a lot of fun!

This may be Mr. Smiths best cook book and it is a worthy edition to everyone's cook book library. I own and have read many, if not all of his cook books, not only for the man's knowledge of cooking, but his incredible wit! This guy was funny and I would have loved to have hung out and throw a few beers down with him.

Unfortunately, this man had some very seriously bad press released about his personal life and well..... I am not one to spread rumors.....he seemed like a great guy and sadly he died before he was able to clear his name.

R.I.P. Frugs!

This is a great book, not only in the recipies (which are all wonderful), but in the stories BEHIND the recipies: where it all came from. I used this book quite a bit in the States, and now that I live in Germany I don't know what I would do without it. Our friends are always asking me for TRUE American dishes (not just the hamburgers everyone associates with the States.)

I really love all thoseHistory stories about GeorgeWashington, Thomas JeffersonThe Pilgrims Etc. that went along with the recipes.I hope that Jeff Smith will return to Television very,very soon.

Vishnevskaya's reputation for forthrightness AND the sub-title she chooses here --A Russian Story-- indicate strong intentions for this book. Not 'MY Russian Story', but 'A Russian Story', because Galina Vishnevskaya tells an epic Russian story, honoring with a severe truth the Russia of sorrows of which her story forms but a unique part. This is no prima donna's idle tableau of a curtained career. Vishnevskaya's art comes of suffering, & she doesn't head down that road. She divulges her art generously, but her attitude never self serves. Her aim is always higher - she's interested to say not only what HAPPENED in Soviet life, but what WAS. and WHO!--- Vishnevskaya regularly excoriates with galvinizing abandon the soviet lackeys with whom she had to deal! She names names and motives, because it's the damned truth! The West in general and artists in particular owe a huge debt to Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya for the willing sacrifice of themselves in exile for the simple truth. Rostropovich garners the commentary in the West with the cello & conducting, but Galina is the heart of genius, and THAT seems the telling component in this book. Her depiction of Solzhenitsyn is heartrending, and stands as the book's axis; everything leads to it, and derives from it. Her friendship with Shostakovich, her brilliant feelings toward him-- an almost daughterly reverence informed by the highest artistic aesthetic. It's also through the part Shostakovich played in her life that we meet a musically learned Galina as well. She was a musician FIRST, singer second. How rare and wonderful - no wonder Slava fell in love! Galina dances with the shadows of Shostakovich throughout, & it's one of the book's endearing aspects. There are wonderful stories too of Britten and his music, & a surprisingly frank exposition of Furtseva, soviet Minister of Culture, whose enigmatic machinations both helped and ill-served Galina more than once. Vishnevskaya can sing AND write! The book ends when you don't want it to, leaving Russia... it's ultimately a love story -- Galina and Russia. Maybe she'll yet write her American story.

"...We were actors in real life and human beings on the stage."

Thus spake Galina Vishnevskaya, in interviews she and her husband, Mstislav ("Slava") Rostropovich, gave in Paris in 1983, captured in a companion book ("Russia, Music, and Liberty: Conversations with Claude Samuel.") to this one. The quotation barely begins to suggest the Kafkaesque world in which they lived, when they were musical artists of the highest order in the Soviet Union.

Vishnevskaya was a "prima donna assoluta" at the Bolshoi Opera during her prime, arguably the finest Russian soprano of all time. And, as her prime overlapped those of Maria Callas and Renata Tebaldi, one can only wonder what her international reputation might have been had her career been entirely in the west; the first two-thirds (and best) part of it was largely away from the gaze of the international music community.

This is, as she subtitles it, her "Russian story" covering her life up to the final hours in 1976 when she left the Soviet Union, eventually (two years later) as an exile. And it almost ended before it ever started.

Born in poverty to parents who abandoned her to her grandmother, she possessed an incredible voice as a child. Largely self-taught, and then - at age sixteen - improperly taught - she didn't learn proper voice technique until after she had established a beginning career in operetta. Then she contracted TB, and the doctor caring for her offered that the only cure - which she refused - was to collapse the infected lung. It was only by mortgaging her future singing fees for black-market purchase of scarce antibiotics that she recovered.

In 1952, in her mid-twenties, she auditioned for the youth group of the Bolshoi Opera Theater, was instantly accepted, underwent a meteoric rise through the Bolshoi ranks on her voice and talent, and soon became the prima diva of the troupe. In 1955, she met Rostropovich, whose courting of her is one of the few lighthearted sections of an otherwise chilling tale of intrigue, deception and lies in the intelligentsia circles in which the pair of them existed and performed.

The next two decades (1955 - 1975) of this journal focus largely on one person, and the special relationship that they had with him: Dmitri Shostakovich. As artists, it was only natural that their paths would cross and thereafter, for the rest of Shostakovich's life, intertwine. But this was more than acquaintanceship; it was friendship based on trust during Shostakovich's years when it was virtually impossible for him to trust anyone. And Vishnevskaya defended that trust with the ferocity of a tiger. One anecdote of her ferocity will suffice as an example.

In the early 1960's, the poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko was well-published in "accepted" Soviet literature journals despite his "rebelliousness." His famous poem, "Babi Yar" (1961) about the German slaughter of Ukranian Jews during WW II, gained overnight success, and Shostakovich, moved by the poem's message, placed it at the core of his Thirteenth Symphony with Yevtushenko's warm agreement. The work received its Russian premiere "as is" on December 18, 1962, and was tumultuously received by the audience but not by officials of the state, who read into it a message of Russian complicity in the matter of anti-Semitism, a subtext of Yevtushenko's that was undoubtedly accurate, as he revised the text shortly after the premiere without consulting Shostakovich. Some years later, in London where Vishnevskaya and Rostropovich met up with Yevtushenko, Vishnevskaya gave Yevtushenko a tongue-lashing over his "revisionism" that runs several pages.

In an act of supreme political courage involving another Russian writer, Rostropovich provided refuge, for four years in the early '70's, to Alexander Solzhenitsyn, whose writings on conditions in the Soviet Union were officially banned. Solzhenitsyn subsequently went into political exile, but this act of courage was to have its effect on the careers of Vishnevskaya and Rostropovich, particularly the latter, who for all intents and purposes had his abilities to perform and conduct stripped away from him. Only by "pulling in markers" were the two of them able to secure permission from Brezhnev to go abroad on a two-year "artistic leave."

"Galina" ends on a note of uncertainty and apprehension, as Vishnevskaya, in 1976, boards a plane with her two daughters to join Rostropovich in the West, eventually (1978) in exile when their citizenship was revoked for the Solzhenitsyn matter. But this is merely the end of her "first" Russian life and the beginning of another, more international, one. Her own career as a diva continued for nearly another decade; Rostropovich went on to become an internationally-known conductor while continuing his career as a preeminent cellist; with "perestroika," they made an historic return to Moscow in 1990 (after Gorbachev restored their citizenship), at which Rostropovich conducted what is to me the finest performance of Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" Symphony (immortalized on a Sony CD that also included Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" and William Schuman's orchestral arrangement of Charles Ives's "Variations on America").

Nowadays Vishnevskaya loves to brag about her six thoroughly-Americanized grandchildren. They oversee the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation, a charity for immunizing Russian children against disease. She recently founded the Galina Vishnevskaya School of Opera in Moscow, for providing master classes to promising young artists. All in all, a rather remarkable "follow-up" for this peripatetic pair of seemingly perpetually-young 75-year-olds.

But the clock cannot be turned back. "Galina" serves as a gripping reminder of how things were over the fifty years that the two of them spent in the Soviet Union. And, at least as important for me, it serves as one of the most honest and accurate appraisals of Dmitri Shostakovich the person as one is likely to find, from one who knew and loved him as a true friend.

Even in a totalitarian society, supreme artistry can sometimes carry clout. For Vishnevskaya (and Rostropovich), there was enough clout - barely - to get out and "live to tell about it." Thankfully.

Bob Zeidler

Of all the singer's biographies I've read (which is plenty!) this remains at the top of the heap. It is a journey that could have only come from the pen of Vishnevskaya and, unlike so many autobiographies which eventually turn into a "And then I sang _____, and then I sang at the White House, and then I . . . " Galina reads almost like a novel. Her description of the Soviet Union during the war years is positively chilling. The road she took to success, punctuated by hardships followed by tragedies is never less than enthralling. How many biographies can truly be called "page turners?" Well, this is one!

The insights she gives into the Soviet system, the role and treatment of artists by the government, her personal views on politicians, singers, composers all come off with rare candor that almost caused me to blush.

Feeling mezzo soprano Elena Obratzsova had been been a betrayer, she humiliated the young singer in public shouting out "Judas" writing of Obratzsova's exit, "Like a snake with a broken spine, she crawled past the amazed Americans, who stood aside to let her pass." Ouch!

My favorite passage from the book succinctly, and pointedly paints the most vivid picture of the Soviet system:


In this vast, monstrous theater, with our faces twisted by
underground jargon, we Soviets wriggle and squirm for one
another. We are actors by compulsion, not by calling, in an
amateur theater run by no one. And all our lives we perform our
endless, pathetic comedy. There are no spectators, only
participants. Nor is there a script, only improvisation. And
knowing neither plot nor denoument, we act.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Whether or not one is a fan of opera, this will prove to be an enlightening, fascinating read.

[Taken from my review of the hardcover edition - same comments nevertheless apply.]

As one reads this book, where Gospozhá (Mme.) Vishñévskaja is throughout blunt about everything she turns her pen to, one really gets not only great entertainment generally (it is most excellently written!!); it is a superb window into the Russian soul at its best in addition to being an outstanding analysis of the conditions of artistry, artistic life and life generally under the Soviets!! It also serves as an excellent guide into the great composer Dmítriy Dmitrjévich Shostakóvich's life and artistry as well as that of her husband Mstíslav Ljeopóljdovich Rostropóvich; furthermore, its recounting some of the scandals forced by the Communist leadership when they couldn't accept the fame and worthiness of such books as "Doktor Zhivágo", "The First Circle" and "The GULag Archipelago" as well as such pieces of music as "Lady Macbeth of Mcjénsk District", the 13th Symphony and enough other works of Shostakóvich is positively juicy even in the midst of the disgust and revolt caused by reading how intolerant Communism really is!!!

An ABSOLUTE MUST for any intelligent person to read and have in his library - especially if he is into the arts and/or politics in any way whatsoever!!!! This is one of those relatively rare books which both entertains AND edifies - and does it all superbly (what a life experience on her part!)!!!!

[POSTSCRIPT: This very book (which I've enjoyed rereading MANY, many times!!!) also was critically influential in preparing me to go hear - and fall in love with!!!! - Shostakóvich's operatic 'magnum opus' "Lady Macbeth of Mcjénsk District" when it was given its Canadian première by the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto in 1988.]

Galina, né Pavlova, has many interesting stories to tell about her remarkable life: as a baby abandoned by her parents, an army officier and a polish/gypsy mother, she was raised by her paternal grandmother. Galina overcame so many difficulties in her life, surviving the blockade of Leningrad during the war and so many hardships such as tuberculosis and starvation. Unlike so many singers' biographies, this intelligent artist shares more than anecdotes about the opera world and her many successes in the theatre. She speaks of her personal friendships with people such as composer Shostakovich her neighbor, scientist Andrei Sakarov, also a neighbor, and writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a live-in guest in her dacha. There is much commentary written with not a little bitterness about the Soviet authorities who so often thwarted her career and blocked free expression in the arts within the Soviet country and in other countries where she was invited to perform. She writes very well and with much insight into philosophy, human relations, personalities, etc. I found the book very absorbing and hard to put down. Her close friendship with British composer Benjamin Britten also yields many stories of their memorable times together both at Aldeburgh and on vacation in Armenia and Russia. Her remarkable and at times stormy marriage to cellist/conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, her third husband, brought about big changes in her life, and their mutual courage and boldness to stand up for freedom against the Soviet regime cost them their citizenship.

Got it, enjoyed it.....ordered it with another book that I never got, but that's okay!

This book is a must have for anyone who is an Earl Hamner or Walton fan. Mr. Hamner's rawest emotions exude from each page as he so eloquently shares his thoughts and experiences about the women of his latest book.

This book was very well written. The ladies written about were interesting people.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (2/07)

"Each of our lives is the result of a myriad of encounters with an astonishing variety of our fellow human beings." Earl Hamner celebrates the lives of 29 remarkable women that touched his life.

Where else would Mr. Hamner start than with his mother, Doris Giannini Hamner? "My mother and father had a good marriage. They genuinely loved each other. Some evidence that they got along reasonably well is that eight children were the result of their love." His series "The Walton's" was based on memories of his childhood growing up in Virginia.

Ellen Corby played the part of Grandma Walton in the TV series. Ellen brought tartness to a show filled with sweet characters. While Ellen and Earl did not always see eye to eye they developed a strong friendship over the years. Ellen's life defines tenacity. After suffering a stroke she returned to her role as Grandma uttering the words, "Need Me!"

Patricia Neal played the role of Olivia in the special "The Homecoming." She was beautiful and elegant. She later stated that the reason she didn't play Olivia in the series was because she "wasn't asked."

Olivia was my favorite character in the series. Michael Learned "was then and remains today, a radiant actress, an exciting and loyal friend." The stress of a long running series took its toll on both Earl and Michael but their friendship persevered.

Famed author Earl Hamner celebrates the lives and offers thanks to the women who generously gave to his life. He includes his mother, wife, daughter and various other people, some famous and some not so famous. As I read this book, I kept hearing that famous voice echo from the past. It was as though I could hear "John Boy" reading to me. Earl is an excellent writer and I truly enjoyed his perspective on these wonderful women. We should all take time to thank the people that contribute to our lives. I highly recommend "Generous Women" to everyone.

In his introduction to Generous Women, Earl Hamner quotes from one of his favorite books, Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward Angel. He says "...it prompted me to count some of the influences on my life and how they led me to become the man I am today." In his latest book, Hamner counts those influences in the form of short vignettes, some poignant, some funny, and some surprising, about the women he has known throughout his life.

For Hamner fans, the joy of reading his books is that, with each one, we learn a little more about him. In Generous Women we glean more about his college and army days, and his early career, in the context of the helpful and giving women he encounters at each stage. As his biographer, Jim Person, says in Earl Hamner: From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow, "...there are pervasive themes that run throughout Hamner's work, which shows a man forever taking a backward glance to his roots for direction in the way of what makes life worthwhile, [and] who allows that vision to direct his steps forward..."

Generous Women is a beautiful read and a genuine tribute to a wide assemblage of women who have offered Hamner important gifts at impressionable moments. Would that more of us had Hamner's open-hearted capacity to overlook the negative and to offer similar expressions of gratitude for the positive interactions in our lives. I'm hoping a companion book, Generous Men, is to follow.

Once famous as "The First Gentleman of the Talking Screen" and winner of the Best Actor Oscar (1929/30) for "Disraeli", George Arliss returns to the limelight thanks to the (almost) single-handed efforts of Mr. Fells (Turner Classic Movies also occasionally shows Arliss films). More than a biography, this book places Arliss' personal story of defying conventional wisdom to become successful on stage and screen (silent and sound) in the larger context of Hollywood in the 1920s-30s. Thoroughly researched and elegantly written - in the Arliss tradition!

"George Arliss: The Man Who Played God" was not only an interesting portrait of the man, but also a snapshot of the entertainment industry in general during the 50 years Arliss appeared on stage and film. Although Arliss' career may be obscure to contemporary moviegoers, after reading Mr. Fells' well-researched biography, Arliss' legacy was apparent - both on and off screen - through both his artistic and financial successes. In my choice of reading material, I enjoy being entertained while I'm being educated, and this book certainly met that criteria - I highly recommend it!

While a major Hollywood luminary of the late 1920s and early 1930s, British-born stage/film star George Arliss (who won an Oscar for 1929's Disraeli) is too little known by modern generations. This detailed biography provides a rich study of Arliss's long life--both on and off camera--bringing the unusual (by Tinseltown standards) leading man into sharp focus.

A book well worth buying and reading!

George Arliss, in his day a top star, is today the least-remembered of any, which makes this book especially welcome. Too bad its style is a bit pedestrian, but it does whet the appetite for Arliss's largely-unavailable output (Amazon has, through its contract supliers, his Oscar-winning "Disrael" and "The Iron Duke" and "Dr. Syn", and Movies Unlimited has "The Guv'ner" and "East Meets West", but his reputed two best, "The House of Rothschild" and "The Man Who Played God" don't seem available anywhere). The book points out Arliss's dedication (he insisted on two weeks's reheasal before shooting, even if he had to pay the Cast himself), sterling character (never a hint of scandal, no marital infidelity, etc), and modesty (he had full charge of all films and often wrote or rewrote screenplays, but insisted on being billed solely as an actor). For further info, see his two autobiographies, "Up the Years from Bloomsbury" and "George Arliss".

Full Disclosure compels me to say that I am the author so you know already that you won't be getting an exactly impartial viewpoint. My purpose here is two fold: first, to thank the individuals who have taken the time and effort to comment on my Arliss biography/critique. Researching and writing the book was a labor of love and, besides, there's nothing worse than being ignored.

My second reason is to merely add a point of information. As has been stated, very few of George Arliss's films are available on video, either VHS or DVD. But thank heaven for cable stations Turner Classic Movies and the Fox Movie Channel. With a little bit of patience, you can see all 13 of Mr. Arliss's American films on these two stations. Fox has gotten quite generous by running The House of Rothschild (1934) and Cardinal Richelieu (1935) every month, although Fox seems to be stingy about running the finale scene in "Rothschild" in its original Technicolor brilliance. It did show it in color back in 2001, but in the last year or so, Black & White seems to be the rule. Perhaps if we all email Fox, they might change its corporate mind. And while we're at it, let's urge FMC to run Arliss's comedy, The Last Gentleman (1934).

Turner schedules the Warners films, The Man Who Played God, The Working Man, and Voltaire, a couple of times a year. Perhaps with a bit of encouragement, TCM will program Disraeli, Old English, The Green Goddess, The Millionaire, Alexander Hamilton, A Successful Calamity, and The King's Vacation more often than once every few years. Is it possible that George Arliss could be a TCM Star of the Month? We'll never know if we don't ask!

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get a Shot of Rhythm and Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

This is a great book that provides clear and concise insight into the life of Arthur Alexander. The story behind the singer, the songwriter and a true influence behind some of the greatest figures of rock and roll. This story should be made into a movie so everyone can learn about this unsung hero. Richard Younger has researched Arthur's life, the people he affected directly, and the soul of this talented man. READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN THE STORY OF A MAN WHO DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND REMEMBERED!!!

After being a fan of Arthur Alexander in the early sixties he seemed to drop out of sight, occassional records but very little else seemed to appear, this book puts the record straight and fills in all those gaps. It also goes a long way to answering the reasons that he did not make it to the position in the music scene that his undoubted talent deserved. The book is very well written by Richard Younger who obviously felt very deeply about the subject, he deals with the problems that AA encountered in his music career and his private life. It was sad that at the very time that AA was begining to make a comeback and he was again showing the talent that was always there he was taken from us. He had become religious during the last few years and this seemed to have a calming effect on him and I am sure that he would have again had big selling records. Thank you Richard for an insight into the life of Arthur Alexander through the highs and lows.

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

Arthur Alexander was always a mystery man - till now! Richard Younger's biography of one of the most distinctive and influential black singers of the 60s sheds sympathetic illumination upon the life, the music - and the demons - of this woefully underrated singer/songwriter (the only writer to have songs cut by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan). AA's hugely-satisfying vocals married to his distinctive soul-country arrangements (his reputation was founded on just four 1962 Dot-label singles) emerged moments before the UK beat boom swept the globe and was crucial in its influence on the Beatles and the Stones. Younger's book explains how it all came about, taking us on a roller-coaster ride through AA's life of musical and personal extremes. With a series of revealing interviews he transports us to the heart of the Alabama music scene and charts Arthur's role in the foundation of the Muscle Shoals/Fame recording empires. Whether you're a long-term Alexander devotee, a soul music buff, or simply a Sixties survivor, then you'll find this unputdown-able tome a tonic that'll have you listening with a fresh ear to those perennial Alexander classics.

The book is a really good reference on Disney records. The color pictures are a really nice addition.

I enjoy this book alot - it's complete and chock-full of useful information concerning the collection of Disney Records. Of course the prices are something to behold too (I figure I have about $50,000 (hyperbole) in my collection). The guide is very well organized and the individual entries usually consist of a picture, record number, brief description (at least enough to identify a particular cover version) and price. The guide even goes so far as to identify non-Disney labels issuing Disney material.

I wish the guide went into deeper discussions of the various Disney labels and the inner sleeves. I have several examples of, say, a Buena Vista label, and between the two BV labels, they are different! Which one to collect? Sometimes the guide falls a little short, but not often enough to prevent me from recommending this book for the serious collector or even the curious weekender.

Overall, to me, it's a valuable reference and fun to ponder. Now it's always a thrill to find a Disney record and read about some of the history behind it.

Happy hunting...

This book is for hard core collectors of Walt Disney records on vinyl and in that respect it is indespensible. There is plenty of material for the Disney amateur historians too. The real treat for all the rest of us is 250 plus color photos of album covers and recordings. It's enough to give anyone the collecting bug. A very complete guide hat lists all of the Walt Disney record even on other labels. Lists picture discs, Little Golden Books, soundtracks to movies and TV shows, storybooks, and material from Disneyland. Includes EP's, 33 1/3 LPs, 45's, and 78's including alll records from 1933 to 1988. Functional table of contents and index help to locate items in the book. Very useful material on accurate grading the condition of records. A short history on the history of Disney records is in the book, an animated film filmography, and the music composers for all of Disney on film is very useful. Softbound covers, no dust jacket, 256 pages in length.

If you are also interested in the process, the how and why of the music of Disney, you also need to read the wonderful book, "The Musical World of Walt Disney" by David Tietyen.

This is an invaluable resource for Disney record collectors. Beautiful pictures and detailed discriptions of every record the Disney company ever released. The prices listed might seem high, unless you remember that they are only for records in near perfect condition. I have already bought 2 copies.

This softbound 256 page book is a handy 6 x 9" making it convenient to take with you as you antique. It contains more than 250 full color, sharp photos of album covers and recordings. This is the first comprehensive price guide and discography covering the complete output of Disney recorded music on both Disney and other labels. It covers the years 1933 to 1988 and is very complete. There is a useful table of contents and index making it easy to locate items. A history and condition guide is provided. Topics range from LPs, 45's, 78's to Little Golden Records. You can't collect items of this topic without this guide. Add it to your library.

Berg does a great job, and the subject is absolutely a fascinating one.

A. Scott Berg does an excellent job in capturing the life of one of the American cinema's first industry moguls. From his tough beginning as an immigrant to his phenomenal success as an independent producer, this entertaining and fascinating biography delves deeply into the man with the "Goldwyn touch." Berg also effectively captures the spirit of early cinema and its rapid rise in American culture. Along the way, we also learn about many of Hollywood's colorful personalites, including Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. This book is a must for any fan of early American motion pictures.

What a story! A remarkably easy to read account of Sam Goldwyn's rags-to-riches life. Did you know "Goldwyn" was not his real name? Did you know he was thrown out of the MGM company after a few years?! Goldwyn worked at some stage or other with just about every famous name in the business, and also fell out with just about everybody he ever met. A cantankerous and perverse character who loved contradicting people. When people quit because he made their lives intolerable, he sometimes felt personally attacked and betrayed. The book is full of colourful characters, and Scott Berg has done a wonderful job of using quotations and dialogues to really bring these people alive: Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Lillian Hellman, William Wyler, Billy Wilder, and the remarkable Hilda Berl. It reads like a movie! By tracing Goldwyn's history, the book also covers the story of many of the other famous movie companies that are still famous today: United Artists, Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, RKO and of course MGM. Goldwyn also came across many young actors and actresses before they were stars: Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Marlon Brando, John Wayne, etc. And of course the famous Goldwyn malapropisms are here, though limited to the ones actually traceable (as far as possible) to Goldwyn himself: "Anyone who sees a psychiatrist should have their head examined! Include me out! A verbal agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on," to pick just a few.

A remarkably well-written and well-researched biography that brings this vigorous, infuriating, yet oddly attractive ugly duckling to vibrant life. This must rank amongst the best biographies, up there with Ron Chernow's book about the Morgans. Anyone at all interested in movies and movie history will enjoy this.

I picked this book up at the library not knowing what to expect and was amazed! Although it is indeed a biography of Sam Goldwyn, it is also a very well told piece about the studio system and Hollywood in the first half of the century (with an emphasis on the 20's) Not only insightful but entertaining; it makes for a read more gossipy than the trashiest celeb autobiography while maintaining class and style.

I recommend this book to anyone the least bit interested in the classic hollywood days. It is the best book I've read thus far on the era, and it will get you down to the video store hunting down old movies just to see the actors and actresses you've read about.

Great book! I enjoyed reading about a man who literally came from poverty to be on of Hollywood's pioneer filmmakers. He was a rough man to work with no doubt, but knew what worked and lasted in an industry that is hard to last in! A. Scott Berg did a wonderful job of writing a respectful book about this man!

I love, love, LOVE this play.

It is wrought with the same care and cleverness of the Bard Himself. It is a Cinderella story with a feminist twist, with oodles of authentic Shakespeare woven right in. It borrows from the best of Shakespeare's comedy, complete with a breeches role.

Every single character is absolutely hilarious and drawn with a deft hand.

Fabulous.

I love this play! I would love to have my students perform it, but alas there are one or two pages that are a little too suggestive for the innocents in our cohort.
I actually enjoyed this play more than I enjoyed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. It is witty and clever with just enough tongue-in-cheek.

Two reviewers from HS drama clubs, and one comparison to Japanese anime. Don't let that mislead you into thinking this is some lightweight juvenile fluff. It is more in the line of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. As someone who has loved reading and watching Shakespeare's plays for over 35 years, I am delighted to see Ann-Marie MacDonald not only play with Shakespeare but do it intelligently. Amidst the linguistic and theatric whimsey there are some true and serious observations and the best explanation yet of why some characters in Shakespeare's tragedys are such idiots. Who says learning can't be great fun?

Just finished a production of this at our school - absolutely halarious. Very, very much recommended for high school theater. Absolutely great

"Goodnight, Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet)" is the funniest play I have ever read or seen. I am currently playing Constance in a high school production of the play, and the more we go along, the more we discover about the play. Upon first reading, it is an absolutely hilarious twist of Shakespeare's "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet." But reading it a second, and even a third time will reveal subtle innuendos and wordings (warning: LOTS of sexual innuendos in this play!) that contain so much wit and humour that your respect for Anne-Marie MacDonald will grow with every scene. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you can familiarize yourself with the plots of both "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet" before reading or seeing the play, then your enjoyment will increase, because you will have a basic understanding of how the characters have been re-interpreted. OH MY GOODNESS -- READ THIS PLAY!