Television Books

Blue Monday is an interesting but not a compelling read. We never get inside Fat's head to understand the man, so we get an expanded discography. The dates, times and places seem to be well researched which begins to wear after a while. The matter of fact style just does not bring Fat's personal life into focus, although there are many descriptions of incedents about him. He remains a mystery in reference to his personal motivation, dual life style, and reclusive habits.
Russ H.

I guess if Antoine "Fats" Domino could keep the President and First Lady waiting, then he could keep us waiting for his first biography - this is a Natural Born book about a musical genius, intriquing personality, and unassuming cultural revolutionary.
The author tells his story and includes many entertaining anecdotes about life at home and on the road with several sets of support players - the greatest names of course being Dave Bartholomew, Herb Hardesty, and Lee Allen. We get a strong picture of the smiling, "safe" rock and roller, as the often defiant man's-man. And a complex artist/showman: he could sing The Rooster Song while flashing rings to make Freddie Blassie envious.
A great bunch of previously unpublished black and white photographs from Look magazine, among other handsome prints of lesser known shots really bolster the text.
A serious ommission for the audiophiles: not even a selected discography and no sessionography. [Though there are "Notes" in the back of the book on the mysterious Broadmoor recordings, including personnale and dates!]. Of course the '50s period sessions can be found as a booklet in the Bear Family 8-CD set, and in a European book, "Jazz Records"; also in a fairly recent issue of Goldmine magazine. But Fats Domino ABC-Paramount, Mercury, Broadmoor and Reprise FD session data has never, to my knowledge, appeared in print, and what a fabulous component that would have made.
Speaking of the ABC-Paramount tracks, the author did not mention in the text a very important 4-CD set, "The Paramount Years", which included the *incredibly* rare fourth l.p. for that label, plus the 1980 "If I Get Rich" from another record company!
The idea that "The Fat Man" is the first R & R record also doesn't agree with me. Yes, the elements are there, the upbeat shuffle and bright lead vocal, but that powerful sound (and many others by Fats in that '49 to '54 period) were not *primarily* for the youth. The first discs to be produced for teenage tastes came much later. I wouldn't even include "Tutti Frutti" in that category, as it too, lyrically and instrumentally echoed an earlier, "swingin'" sound. [It was "Ready Teddy" folks which screamed out...Rock and Roll!!!].
Still, this book should be "required reading" for those dedicated followers of those Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.

Boy ol Boy, Rick Coleman has written a great book on the TRUE story of Rock & Roll! I know as I was there and if you want to know what it was really like to be on the scene when true rock & roll was called race music on a juke box, Boogie Woogie and the down home blues was taking over the country then get this book and turn others on to it also. No one person was more responsible for the birth of R&R and R&B than the Fat Man! This was long before Elvis, Haley and the hand full of others came on the bandwagon. [...]

Rick Coleman's new book "Blue Monday" is the first full biography of Fats Domino. Many interesting things are therein.
- Fats was the first black rock & roll star. His records made the pop charts before r&r's dawn in 1955.
- Kids did not buy albums in the 50s, but Fats' albums sold, meaning he had an adult following like Louis Armstrong's.
- Fats concerts were often scenes of teenage riots. He may be known for `Blueberry Hill,' but his fierce rolling piano ignited his audience.
- "Blueberry Hill" was the product of a botched session. Engineer Bunny Robyn edited together the best parts of several incomplete takes and simply repeated the chorus.
- The string-laden "Walkin' To New Orleans" was a big breakthrough which traditionalists lamented. But it hit R&B (#2) even higher than pop (#6).
- Roy Brown once ditched a plan to have Fats open for him on tour. Fats never forgot it, and refused to have Brown open shows for him when the tables were turned.

Of the Big Five (EP, FD, CB, JLL, LR), Fats is the least lionized because he was not a "rebel." Historians normally embrace only people with bold lifestyles.

From his first record in 1949 until his harrowing escape from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Antoine "Fats" Domino has defined New Orleans and its culture. This book puts Fats, his city, and his music into perspective in amazing detail. In the process, Rick Coleman convincingly demonstrates that Fats and his collaborators--especially songwriter/arranger Dave Bartholomew and producer Cosimo Matassa--have as solid a claim as Elvis, Carl, and Jerry Lee with Sam Phillips in Memphis or Wolf, Muddy, and Chuck with the Chess brothers in Chicago as the prime architects of rock 'n' roll. The product of more than 20 years of exhaustive research, this is, surprisingly, the first biography of one of the greatest early rock stars. Coleman had his work cut out for him; Fats is notoriously reclusive. Nevertheless, you come away from this book admiring Fats's talent and drive, and Coleman's exhaustive research and evocative writing. All the other great Louisiana rockers are here--the bayou wild men, backwoods musical savants, and forgotten honkers, shouters, string-benders, and drum-thumpers who helped create the Crescent City sound. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand the real, complete history of rock 'n' roll instead of the revisionist pap that passes for such. -Mark Hoffman, co-author of "Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf"

This book is an excellent book and was received in perfect condition. I recommend it for anyone who loves the rustic feel of the content. I have it in a log cabin on a book stand and people who visit love it. A very cozy book and pictures are great.

A high quality collection of photos from the famous Lonesome Dove movie. A true depiction of Texas and the Old West. A grand authentic and historically accurate portrayal.

I've been in love with Gus since the Mini series and now have him in these wonderful photos. This book is awesome. You can almost hear "Laurie Darlin", and the smells of the trail. The book is dedicted to Pea Eye which was very nice. Thanks to the author.

Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the mini-series "Lonesome Dove" debuted on television. I remember sitting transfixed with my entire family before the TV screen for each night's new episode. I felt then, and still feel, that it was, if not the best western ever filmed, somewhere near the top. And what I loved so much about it, besides the authenticity of the costumes and sets, was that it stuck so closely to the novel, which I had read three years earlier. My admiration for that book was so great, I had stood in line for over an hour to have my copy signed when Larry McMurtry paid a visit to my hometown.

In commemoration of this anniversary, Bill Wittliff, who wrote the "Lonesome Dove" screenplay, has collected 112 sepia-toned photographs that he took during the filming of the mini-series. The opening photographs in the book are of Robert Duval standing on his mark, with camera equipment and reflectors poised, doing a costume check, except that Duval is already in character, his posture so clearly that of Gus McCrae. The next photo is of Tommy Lee Jones, likewise his costume check, and he, too, has already become the intense Woodrow Call.

"These are not just pictures from `Lonesome Dove,'" Harrigan writes in his Introduction, "they are documentary images of something that seems to have really happened." The passing of the mythical West perhaps, or a photographic journey through a hot and dusty bit of Texas History.

The book is well-made with high-quality glossy paper and an excellent binding. Several of the panoramic shots inside span across two pages, with some looking almost like Charles Russell paintings: a stolen horse stampede, cowboys riding herd, Indians on the prod. Others go beyond sheer moviemaking magic, like the ones with the great black thunderstorm roiling in the background.

"A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove" is not a book of movie stills or publicity shots. It isn't advertising for the novel or for the mini-series. Instead it is Wittliff's remarkable private photographic record showcasing the characters and the story, and if the faces weren't so familiar, the scenes would seem almost to have been pulled out of some photo history of a 19th-century cattle drive.

I checked this book out at the local library and had only read the introduction when I knew I had to buy it. Then I saw the photo of Augustus McCray's face that made me burst into tears and I ordered it on Amazon. It came quickly and didn't disappoint.

Upon rereading this recently, I discover many areas in which Niven's memory is faulty in recalling certain events. This isn't surprising, given the fact that he was writing his memoirs decades after said events took place.

Some are frantic to know who "Our Little Girl" could have been. It can only have been Vivien Leigh. No, she wasn't from Arizona, she wasn't a blonde, etc. This would have been Niven's way of protecting her identity by creating an entirely different look and background from Leigh's own. When Leigh had her famous breakdown, Niven stayed with her for two days until Laurence Olivier, who was still married to her at the time, could come from England. Niven writes about this very occurrence in "Our Little Girl", which helps to identify the actress as Leigh. He was good friends with both of them, which may be why he chose to hide her identity rather than to give it out straight - Leigh died years before the book was published, but Olivier was still very much alive.

Niven has a style that is very easy to read, very human, warm, and often hysterically funny. He shows us a Hollywood apart from the glamor, the opening nights of movies, the gorgeous people. His Hollywood is populated by real people with real faults. A widower himself (his first wife died as the result of a tragic accident), he treats the stories of Clark Gable and Fred Astaire, both widowers, with empathy and compassion.

Tricky memory notwithstanding, it's still a wonderful read.

David Niven is an often neglected actor from the Golden Age, but as a man, he was very likable. This book is proof that the talented actor was also a talented writer. He discusses many different people and scenerios in this book, the title of which is derived from an amusing incident on a film set. He writes with depth and clarity; it is obvious he has really analyzed the people he mentions. His respect for fellow stars and directors is admirable, especially the malligned ones.

Here we learn that the "Goldwynisms" that Samuel Goldwyn is so famous for might have all been made-up. We learn that Errol Flynn was indeed a womanizer, but no rapist. We hear an amusing story about Edward Goulding's funeral complete with the worst pallbearer casting in history.

The oddest thing in the book is a short story in the form of a chapter called "Our Little Girl." I still am not sure why it was included.

What a treat! So refreshing to have someone as talented and connected as Niven share his uncensored experiences. The stories of Errol were moving beyond anything I'd ever read about him before. Everyone has sung this book's merits, I want to concentrate on "Our Little Girl". WHO THE HECK WAS THAT???? People are saying Vivien Leigh (came from Arizona, left her mother behind, had a baby, married a camera man, married three times, grew up in the Hollywood system, a blonde known as the Erector set?????) Vivien Leigh doesn't even begin to fit this description. Lana Turner seems most viable but these details do not fit her story either. Same with Rita Hayworth. WHO WAS IT???

I read both books at school in the eighties. I well remember coming across them at the back of the room in my English teacher's large bookcase. I don't remember much, just that they were a great read. Well his first time sticks in my memory....

There is another book about David Niven, titled The Other Side of the Moon. Its author is Sheridan Morley. You might want to read Mr. Morley's recitation of David Niven's life in order to get a more balanced picture. Bring on the Empty Horses is much more about the famous people with whom David Niven hobnobbed during his Hollywood career, than it is about David Niven himself. As to himself, Mr. Niven plays it close to the vest in his autobiography. Mr. Niven makes only a passing reference to the multi-year affair he conducted with Merle Oberon. And a mystery that was not addressed in the autobiography, or in Mr. Morley's book, is exactly how Mr. Niven's wife died. The story from Mr. Niven is that his first wife died accidentally by taking a fall while playing "hide and go seek" at a party at a friend's house. Oh, please! No adult, let alone the sophisticated glitterati of Hollywood, played "hide and go seek." I get the impression that Mr. Niven's autobiography presents a very calculated and sanitized image of himself and his life. But his book does relate fascinating stories of his famous Hollywood friends. Despite my resentment over Niven's obvious lack of forthrightness relating to his life's story, his book remains one of the most entertaining books I have ever read.

I will never understand why June continues to rave about how she dated Elvis and still write books about him. That was way back in 1955!
Elvis married his soulmate Priscilla Presley.
June married and went on with her life to have two children. She has a 22 year old grandson.
She also has two precious granddaughters of whom she has nothing to do with and does not talk to, their ages are 16 and 11.
It's uncouth how June continues to use the Elvis name to make money.

I loved this book, although it broke my heart to think of what happened to the sweet, caring, fun-loving young boy later in life. June is so "real", I felt I would love to have been one of her friends. I also purchased the DVD "Elvis and June" and once again after seeing June on the DVD thought she was a really fun, strong woman. It was indeed a special time for Elvis and June and she shares her memories freely. The end of their love story was so sad, I wished there had been a way to "rewrite" history to make them both as happy as they had been that wonderful summer. Highly recommended.

This book was very enjoyable to read. It gives lots of insight to Elvis and what he was like when he was just starting out in the music business. Decisions that were made and promises broken but such a great story. Any Elvis fan would enjoy reading this story.

I did love this book. I only wish the book didn't end. At the end I was wanting more!

A very good experience. I received the product in a timely manner and did not incur any problems.

You gotta have this book if you're a Bruce fan. Great history and old photos. Great back stories and nostalgia. I was a bit dissapointed with the reproductions - both in terms of relevance and also the quantity of them, but all in all it is well worth the money. I mean, people actually paid $50 for the Madonna book a few years back. Puh-lease.... there is only one BOSS!

I recently took my 10 year old to a Springsteen concert and he is hooked. At his urging we went to the local library to see if they had a book on the Boss..we found this one and he loved it so much I ordered it..the great thing about it was that I loved it too !! Nothing better than something you can enjoy with your kids. I give this a thumbs up !!

My daughter got this book for me for X-Mas,
and it's the neatest thing !
Great chronological history of Bruce and his
various bands, along with the cool artifacts
placed throughout the book, including 2 great
posters !
Great bargain and must-have for any fan of the Boss !!

It's one of the greatest gifts you can give a Springsteen-fan. It holds the hole story from start til today and includes som replicas of tickets and posters

I bought this book not knowing what to expect. Talk about a labor of love. I highly recommend Greetings From E Street to any serious Bruce Springsteen fan. It's chock full of nifty things and some good information, as well. I was very pleased with this book. It has replicas of tickets, backstage passes, concert posters, and other memorabilia. The writing, which is fine, is secondary to the entire package. Just a real treat. If you have a die hard Springsteen fan in your house, he or she would love this book.

I thought this was a good book, and I do think John Walsh does great things for the missing. I prefer him in person, than reading his book. It was a little too intense for me.

John Walsh got across his feelings and made the reader feel them as well. The book was almost impossible to put down. It never lost my attention once. I wished there was more when I reached the last summary. I thought this book was even better than his first. I cannot wait for the third.

Apart from the traditional American emotional hype that John Walsh brings to this book, it is a good read.
it is good to see he used his anger in a positive way and he definately serves the community in a special way. We need more like him.

I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey where John List murdered his family. I remember clearly how these murders created fear in our town. He hid from authorities for nearly 20-years before America's Most Wanted aired a profile that led to his capture. This is just one of the stories in this book that would get 10-stars if ...(this website) gave out that many. John Walsh deserves a lot of credit for his great work, and this is a book everyone should read.

Be advised that the first story will haunt you for days. It is very disturbing. John Walsh is a modern day hero who sets out to put lowlifes where they belong....behind bars!! God Bless Mr. Walsh, and long may he reign!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RMCQBEGQDNYVJ Author and sound designer David Sonnenschein gives some examples of how sound design enhances the movie-going experience.

The book "Sound Design", the expressive power of music, voice, and sound effects in cinema, is one of my favorite in my collection. I always recommend it to colleagues and customer. During my technical seminars-workshop and product training sessions, I have often taken inspiration from the book, particularly the sections "TRY THIS" that the author has included in various parts inside it.

The book is written with great passion!

Sonnenschein effectively covers the theory behind shaping the soundtrack, and gives great examples of the ideas in action. I loved the candid quotes from masters like Ben Burtt, Gary Rydstrom, Walter Murch, Dane Davis, and others. I started noting down all of the films he mentions as examples of good sound design, until I noticed Sonnenschein was one step ahead and had already noted them all in the back. Only 4 stars 'cause I personally wanted more technique and a little less theory.

This eloquently written book describes the rhyme and reason behind all the sounds - music, effects, and dialogue - that are blended together to create the sophisticated soundtracks we're accustomed to. Sonnenschein, a director, musician, and award-winning sound designer, combines practical wisdom with sound theory and exercises to inspire and educate both new and experienced sound professionals. The book will appeal to non-professionals and other filmmakers as well because it's fun, entertaining, and enlightening. The author clearly loves and knows the world of sound and it's a joy to be brought into this world.

This was an interesting book, and it really gave me some new perspectives on sound design. Sonnenschein focuses on the organization and mindset of sound design, rather than the technicalities. I especially liked the excerpts from top sound designers such as Dane Davis (The Matrix, Drugstore Cowboy), Gary Rydstrom (Backdraft, Saving Private Ryan), and Ben Burtt (Star Wars, Indiana Jones).

My only knock on the book is that Sonnenschein was repetitive at times. The book would be about 30 pages shorter if he didn't repeat points that were made in previous chapters. Never the less, it was an interesting read, and I still think it is a great resource.

After graduating from film school, I had no idea how to start my career as a writer in the film industry. "The Writer Got Screwed" not only showed my how to start my career, but showed me the different kind of careers which exist for Writers in the Entertainment Industry. Most books don't explain what WRITERS working in the entertainment industry need to know: THIS BOOK DOES. If you want to work in the legal department of a studio, take classes in copyright and contracts. If you want to work as a writer in the entertainment industry, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

Very few books explain how to start your career, the different forms of representation (agents, managers, and attorneys), how to protect your work (copyright registration vs. registering with the WGA), how to protect yourself (contracts-what do they mean?) and give lists of available resources (scholarships, WGA approved agencies, production companies, legal resouces/attorneys) for writers working within the entertainment industry--"The Writer Got Screwed" delivers on all of these areas. Whether you are working in film, television, feature animation, soap operas, or interactive, "The Writer Got Screwed" provides interviews with writers who work in these areas and valuable, RARELY FOUND, information regarding how these started their careers. This book is a terrific, must-have book for anyone who wants to write for the entertainment industry, and now is joined by a companion website at [...].

This book is one of those needles in a hay stack. It's not out there like all the other books for writers. But if you find it... you have found gold. It is written so that it is easy to understand and has tons of great information in it. A must have.

There are a lot of books out there on writing for the entertainment industry, but this was the one book that got me started. A lot of writers tend to pass around gossip and poor information, but this book set me straight from the beginning, and is now joined by Wharton's website/blog: brookewharton.com(rated in top 10 for film blogs). This is the one book that anyone writing for film or television should START WITH. I'm mystified by a previous reviewer who said that Wharton doesn't talk about the WGA (there's a whole chapter on the guild), and also that she doesn't discuss acquisitions vs. development (it's called spec sales vs. assignments in the 1st 10 pages of the chapter on writing for film). Clearly this person couldn't have read the book. If you need real answers, buy the book.

Given all the 5 star ratings, I expected better. Not that this isn't a good book, but it depends on the reader's sophistication. If you don't know anything about some of the basic legal and business aspects of the publishing biz, this book is a good start. On the other hand, if you're a detail oriented person who really wants to dig in deep into this subject, you may find the content a bit light.

This coverage of the making and cast of the show Xena: Warrior Princess is downright hilarious. Granted, I have an odd sense of humor, but you can tell that the author went out of his way to make this as entertaining as possible. There are lots of spiffy pictures, and two sections of large, full-color photos. The cast bios are particularly interesting, in my opinion; many things you might not know about these crazy actors/actresses (ie. apparently, Ted Raimi is a fantastic swing dancer; who'd have guessed, oh, wait, I always have...never mind). There are little mini-interviews and comments scattered throughout the pages, along with amusing production anecdotes, and episode synopses in the back (paired with commentary by Lucy Lawless/Xena). My only complaint is that this book only covers the first couple seasons. Perhaps there's an upgrade version that I missed, and if not, there should be. I highly recommend this book for even the casual Xena: WP fan, and particularly the rabid ones, though if you're a rabid fan, you probably already own this...

....being a hardcore nutball Xena fan ranked for me - but only for a short while - among the highest!But then,now that I've embraced this pleasure wholehartedly, let's put things like this: if anyone wants to understand the ideological linings of postmodernity, understanding the Xena phenomenon provides one of the shortest roads, and if anyone wants to study XWP one has to begin gathering extra information here. I would recommend, however to order this book with Ariele Dorfman's & Armand Mattelart's _How to Read Donald Duck_, if the purpose is scholarly; if you just like Xena, order the two neverthless.

Robert Weisbrot's paperpback book `Xena: Warrior Princess, The Official Guide to the Xenaverse' is an entertaining and informative presentation which chronicles the first two seasons of the immensely popular television series that lasted six delightful seasons.

Making good use of the same format used in his episode companion for the Hercules series, he provides not only a synopsis of each show from season 1 and 2 but also loads of behind the camera information providing the reader with a thorough grasp of what is involved in bringing the Xenaverse into existence.

Definitely an enjoyable and informative read sure to be treasured by Xena fans everywhere. The only question I have for the author is "When are you going to complete what you've begun and release a follow-up covering seasons 3, 4, 5 and 6?"

What can I say? If you love Xena, you gotta have this!

This book is great. I have the Warrior Princess Costume all ready! Lucy Lawless Looks sharp on the front cover of this book and I got this with my staff at the Joyce Warner House... I really have to say is that it has great pictures! :) <3Cheeeeeyyyyaaa!Young Xena Warrior Princess

My four-year-old daughter was a Dora fan just based on the pictures of her she had seen. She loves answering Dora's questions, and has enjoyed learning a bit of Spanish, too! I was surprised at that, since we live in Japan, and my daughter speaks English and Japanese.

I bought this for my daughter who loves Dora books. This book has a bunch of great titles and was an awesome price ($5!). The only thing is that pages started to fall out within a week of getting it. I was able to tape them back in, but it was kind of disappointing.

My three years old daughter simply loves this book. I have been reading the book to her more than 20 times if it is not 30 times already. She has been bring the book almost every night for bedtime story since the book was came to my door (the binding of hardcover becomes wiggly already). I am enjoying her responses when I read questions in the middle of the stories, just like Dora asked questions in the animation series. The book is big and colorful and lines of story are just short enough to keep my girl's attention to the page. It is clearly my best book purchase I ever made for my girl.

These stories are VERY short, basic and not very interesting. BUT, it's Dora, so my daughters still ask to read them.

Bought this as a surprise gift for my 2.5yo dd for a long plane trip we were taking. She loved all the stories, and I felt there was a nice variety of stories included. Great for any Dora fan, as long as you don't already own many Dora stories (to keep from having duplicates).