Television Books

David Robinson has written the definitive biography of Charlie Chaplin. It is largely the basis for the movie "Chaplin" because it was authorized by the legend himself and thoroughly explores his life to a greater extent than his autobiography. It is truly a moving and informative work.

Robinson begins his chronology of Chaplin's life in his childhood. He was largely orphaned by his alcoholic father and was only allowed to spend time with his mother while she was mentally healthy. It was through a failed performance of his mother than he got his first taste of acting as a child. From this point, he would devote almost all of the rest of his 87 years to entertainment. In his youth, he specialized in the stage productions which entertained England. He got his first taste of America on one of these traveling tours. On a later tour, he was offered a contract by an American film company. Chaplin agreed to honor his stage contract before beginning his film career.

The book documents with reasonably precise details the process of each film he released in addition to one the public never saw and the final project he never started. Through this filmography, we see the development of "the tramp" character. With each film, the character moves closer to the final product we know.

Chaplin's personal life is well documented. Unlike the autobiography all four wives are addressed, even the one Chaplin was not very fond of discussing. The fact that his first two wives were young is not avoided. However, it must be put in perspective that people did marry and have babies a lot sooner in those days. It is only unique in Chaplin's case because the husband/father is famous and much older. Despite his work for America during war time and a professed love for the country, the slanderous allegations of McCarthyism, also known as the 1950's witch hunt for communists, forced him to finish his life away from the country he loved. Truly the red scare is made to be a more terrible embarrassment to America by this result.

Today's cinematic audience has little appreciation for the roots of the art form. Charlie Chaplin was a revolutionary and founding father in the film industry. Reading about his life is only a step in appreciating his brilliant work.

Robinson is the premier researcher on the life of Charles Chaplin, and this book is the result - a fact filled, balanced book that allows equal focus on Chaplins films and personal life. Most books tend to focus on WAY too much personal life and innuendo, but Robinson avoids this problem, and makes a good book that truly encompasses the entire life of Chaplin.

Robinson's book includes a well detailed filmography, scripts from several early Keystone films, excellent appendices, and many rare pictures. My only complaint is that many of the pictures could be printed much better, and larger too.

Superb reading!

David Robinson's book is the finest biography extant of this indispensable genius of movies. I first read this monumental book 22 years ago and it has remained an indelible part of my understanding of movies and of the life and work of this complex, infuriating, somewhat naive but always questing and humanistic comedian, whose movies are finally being issued on DVD in luminous copies of his own carefully preserved originals.

At the time of Robinson's book, and for a number of years after, Buster Keaton was the preferred choice in silent comics. To take nothing away from Keaton, whom I regard as sui generis ("The General" is a masterpiece, and "The Navigator" is the funniest movie I've ever seen) this may have been more a reflection of the then-current attitudes of "cool," reacting against Chaplin's perceived sentimentality, than an argument for Keaton as the greater artist. Chaplin has recently become of greater interest, and at present his star seems much more firmly fixed, due in large part I think to the recent availability of his work on DVD. Robinson himself, in tandem with the silent cinema scholar Kevin Brownlow, is partly responsible through his access to Chaplin's mint copies of his own movies, which resulted in the superb Thames documentary "The Unknown Chaplin." In any case, it's much easier now to see and to recognize Chaplin's innate (yet painstakingly arrived-at) genius for mixing uproarious physical comedy and subtle pathos; if there is a more moving finale in all of American movies than the last moments of "City Lights," I'm not aware of it.

Robinson's approach is both scholarly and eminently accessible. And he dispels a great many erroneous "facts" that have accrued to Chaplin over the decades, many of them directly attributable to Charlie's own myth-making. The author also refutes some aspects Chaplin's late (and appallingly egocentric) memoir "My Autobiography," whose appearance in the 1960s shocked and saddened many of his former creative collaborators, who found themselves conspicuously absent from Chaplin's over-stuffed tome. If this book is not definitive -- and who can say what future writers may produce in the fullness of time? -- it is at the very least the one fixed starting point for all serious Chaplin research.

There are only two books necessary for the true Chaplin fan; "My Autobiograpy", by Chaplin himself, and this book by Robinson. While there are scores of other books on the market concerning Chaplin's life, Robinson's is THE definitive work.

If Charlie had been around to read this work, he might have amended his famous phrase from "If you want to know me, see my movies," to "If you want to know me, see my movies and read this book".

This book, though thicker than brick, is a swift and fascinating read. You'll wish you'd known old Charlie, you really will. Robinson doesn't care for those who don't care for Chaplin, and that's a little too evident. It's hard to blame him. Overall, a stupendous piece of work.

Cheese Chronicles is a faced paced, funny, and event-driven journey through the life of a rock band. The story, on its own, pales in comparison with similar stories such as Rock Scully's 'Living With the Dead.' Womack doesn't show us Government Cheese as a hedonistic troupe by detailing sexual exploits or bragging about the volume of drugs ingested. In fact, no one even dies in the story. Therefore, unlike comparable books, the greatness of this one isn't attributed to the incredibility of the band's adventures. Instead, the book is a great read because of Womack's unique writing style, which allows us to feel the intensity of his experience.

Womack is always willing to sacrifice his ego for the sake of getting the story across accurately. He is brutally honest, self deprecating, and throughout, he's insistent on making the reader aware of the lousy state of the human condition. It is funny to read that Womack's apartment was broken into, but the burglars didn't take anything and in a sense that was insulting to him.

Also notable, is that Womack has a skill for being completely frank but yet still being a southern gentleman. In the book, most of the judgements he passes are on himself. If he has a beef with someone or something they did, he is quick to defend that person or try to offset his disclosures by mentioning something good about that person. He creates almost no villians in a book packed full of nights gone wrong.

At the time of this review, Womack's web site had a collection of songs on it in mp3 format available for download for free. Among those are some songs that are mentioned throughout the book and hearing them (while I was about half way through the book) enriched the stories.

I wish this book hadn't ended but that's part of the story's theme.

Tommy Womack is a great writer! I too was a Cheesefan back in the day, but this book would be amazing even if I hadn't heard of them. I laughed, I cried...I could not put it down! Facinating and definitely a must read for any young bands out there.

I used to go see this rock and roll band you've never heard of when they played my Middle Tennessee college town. Although none of them would ever remember me, I've actually met and spoken with them on a couple of different occasions. So, reading this book was like getting in on all the shows I missed. For me, it was a funny bit of nostalgia. For those of you who've never heard of Government Cheese or heard their music...well, that's a real shame.

Tommy Womack's excellent book, Cheese Chronicles, is an essential read for anyone interested in the music business. The book is hilarious and at the same time, it provides a gritty look at what it's really like to be in a rock band. I cannot say enough good things about this book. BUY IT AND READ IT!

This is the story representing the 1,000 bands who didn't make it for every one that did -- and I'd MUCH rather read about Government Cheese's failures than N'Sync's successes.

Tommy is a fabulous musician, a clever writer and funny as hell. I grew up near where he did and have never read a more accurate expression of wanting to be a rocker soooo badly in a place that has NO desire to be rocked, thank you very much. Tommy has never grown out of the pure fun of jumping on your bed playing your tennis racket to "Surrender" or air-drumming Peter Criss' "God of Thunder" solo on Alive II. (Try it, I don't care if you're a 42-year-old accountant with a minivan. It will keep you young.)

I once chased Tommy across a bar to praise his book with beer-induced enthusiasm. The next day I sent a letter apologizing and received a reply that still hangs on my wall: "I'll accept no apologies for drunken behavior. I heartily endorse it."

You could read this book 50 times and never tire of it.

I am a big Larry David fan. So I bought this book to hear what he had to say about creating Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The interview with Larry was really great. The book is very well done.

This book blew me away. It's the single best book on television writing I've ever encountered. This should be required reading for every college course on television. The interviews with television's A-List are insightful, humorous, and inspiring. Anybody interested in breaking into television writing would benefit highly from this book.

I am a television writer who has seen a lot change in this business over the years. Because of the rapid popularity of reality television, it is harder than ever to break into the TV writing game. There are a lot of books out there that claim to show you how to get a job as a sitcom or drama writer. However, in my opinion this book is the best ever written on the subject. You get to hear from the TV show creators themselves how to write a spec script, rewrite a script, get hired on a show, pitch a network, market a show, hire talent, and much more. The author did his homework and rounded up some of the top TV show creators in this business. I found the questions asked and the stories told to be very interesting as well as encouraging. I tip my hat to the author. This is a must buy!

I had an idea for a TV pilot brewing for quite a while. I spent a few months working on the concept. Then I spent another few months writing and rewriting it...trying to make the script the best I could. Then, when I was done I had the realization -- How Am I Going To Sell It? That question has troubled writers since the beginning of the fountain pen. So, I began to read script writing magazines and bought some books on the subject. None were hitting the core or practical enough for me to relate to. Well, that was until I opened Created By.

I have to say that this book showed me "the light at the end of the tunnel." I started reading advice from industry professionals that seemed real. I learned that many of the top TV show creators were once just like me -- a struggling writer with a script and a dream. I got some good solid and priceless advice on how to get my script read. I have just sent my pilot out to some agents!!!!

If you have a script just sitting in your hard drive with no idea how to sell it this book is your resource. Wish there were more books like this out in the marketplace.

Created By is NOT just another one of those "how to" books that show struggling writer's how to go from crashing on their friends couch in Hollywood, to magically landing into the writers room of a top-rated sitcom. This book offers a lot more than that. It has depth and substance. It is a journey into the minds of some of the greatest television writers of our time.

Don't get me wrong, it surely gives you some great insight on how to make it. But it offers much more. I felt I really connected with the showrunners interviewed. I showed me that no one is an overnight success story. It also demonstrated that everyone has their own journey and road to success. It also taught me about what happens when the business side of the entertainment industry interacts with the creative side. Some of the stories made me laugh and some made me reflect. What a positive book!

I was not sure what I would get out of this book when I originally bought it. But I was pleasantly suprised and very inspired.

There is no question about it: "The Devil, Me and Jerry Lee" is entertaining and fast reading. The author is the younger sister of Jerry Lee Lewis. It is for those of us that already appreciate the Killer. Folks who don't know who "The Killer" is should stop reading this review now. The faithful will be treated to a tale of life on the road and a little on the wild side of Jerry Lee. There are few surprises for those familiar with Lewis' past. His up and down career is covered form the mid -1950s at Sun Records in Memphis until the "present day". It's a bit foggy, perhaps intentionally so, as to what the Killer is doing right now. To quote the trailer in the movie "Great Balls of Fire" `he is probably playing his heart out-somewhere'. DMJL also tells the tale of the author's own strange career both on and off stage. The details of the latter are frank, earthy and mostly believable. (As to the former, it's a mystery: What "career" did Linda Gail have?Billboard credits her with 2 chart hits.) They are delivered in a take me or leave me fashion, just the way her big brother would want. The author has a definite manipulative charm to her, a trait she no doubt shares with her sibling. I am certain her 8 husbands could attest to that! The bottom line is that DMJL is recommended for Lewis fans only. The story won't win any new ones. Any serious country fan should possess at least one Killer CD. Amazon has several available! Jerry Lee is an entertainer one has to listen to, not merely read about. As for his little sister, she wore me down: 5 stars.

I found this book to be a very interesting look at the upbringing and early influences on Jerry Lee's life which was not detailed in earlier books on his life. It was sometimes shocking, but always interesting.

Reading this book is like having a conversation with Linda Gail Lewis over a cup of coffee. If you like knowing the inside scoop, this book is a must read. Sit down to and have a heart-to-heart talk!

Sister to Jerry Lee Lewis, Linda Gail has written a blunt, fascinating warts-and-all showbiz book about her life and that of the rock and country legend. Linda Gail, who hit the Top 10 with her duet with Jerry Lee "DON'T LET ME CROSS OVER", toured with Jerry Lee for 15 years as a background singer , and her love and concern for her brother shines through this fast-paced 166 page book co-written with Les Pendleton. The family grew up in a shack in Ferriday, La. with no insulation, no bathroom and no lack of hardship. A drunk driver killed their 9-year-old brother, their father spent time in prison for bootlegging, and Jerry Lee, when 22, married his 13 year old cousin, Myra. Writes Linda Gail, "Myra looked like she was 20, and she was more than a little bit on the wild side herself. In Ferriday, I could have married a cousin and not even known it. It was no big deal." Despite his career ups and downs, Linda Gail notes, "Momma would remain in new Cadillacs and housekeepers until she died." If there were book ratings, this one would be PG. And, if there were ratings on the most interesting books - on a scale from 1 to 10, this would be an 11. Linda Gail, now happily married and living in Big Sandy, Tenn., has written a compelling, no-holds-barred, true-life story with a very appropriate title. Gerry Wood, Country Weekly - January 12, 1999

What a great story and well written. Coming from a religious family, I enjoyed reading all the interesting circumstances that Linda and her big family went through. I've never read a much more shocking story and laughed so hard!! Double Thumbs Up!!!!!

This book really is the definitive source of all things Disney by the keeper of its archives. It is fascinating and complete, containing information about theme parks, characters, movies, television shows, music, and more. It is the must-have reference for Disney fans like myself.

This is a must have for Disney fans. Everything from ABC's LOST to the Alice Comedies and from Steamboat Willy to Meet the Robinsons is covered here. Some articles are more detailed than others but everything is covered. Makes an interesting read just on its own. Film historians and students will find a wealth of connective material here to jump start them on research and fill in the dots on hard to find questions. A beautiful display of pictures is included with this volume. If you can't actually visit the archives (and I certainly would like to) then this is the next best thing.

"Disney A to Z" is an awesome book that a true Disney fan cannot live without. It is a great book that will help you find out about old Disney movies, that you might have not seen. "Disney A to Z" encyclopedia is also an essential source for those that love to play the "Disney Seen it" board game. It gives a short description of ALL Disney movies including the short ones that came out after the World War II. I LOVE IT!!!

This is a great gift for any Disney fan. Many listing bring back great memories and coll trivia.

This book is a great resource for all Disney fans. All the characters, all the movies (unfortunately, the Mephisto movie made in collaboration with Salvador Dali is not in the book) and all the attractions, parks, properties and influentials employees are mentioned. Maybe just not as exhaustive as I would like it; it is, however, a great resource.

This is- no way around the word- a lovely read. Bayer has a style of character developement that is elegant and fluid. Try his two books under the pen name "David Hunt".

Several decades have passed since a wealthy socialite and her young lover/teacher were gunned down in the Midwest: now forensic sketch artist David finds himself returning to the scene of their crime, investigating other murders and discovering a new circle of intrigue and danger. Bayer's is a strong suspense story which moves at a different pace and provides unexpected twists of plot and excellent tension.

I received "The Dream of the Broken Horses" as a birthday present. When I first started out I wasn't quite sure where it was going ... about 100 pages in I realized that it had crept up on me and I was "caught up" ... I mean I was enraptured ... I couldn't stop reading ... I read till 3AM. The next day I couldn't wait to get home ... the characters haunted me ... I was "in and in for the whole ride" and I rode that "horse" all night and enjoyed every minute of it. If there was one fault ... It was the fact that there is no city in the midwest this "cool" ... beleive me I know ... I'm from the midwest.

Typical of Mr. Bayer's books, it takes a dozen pages or so to really get into the story and then you are hooked. I have read every book that he has written, in both names, and I have never been disapointed, he is a master. The story just builds on itself and he has just the right amount of violence, sex and mystery. Not rauncy sex but a part of the story. To tell more would give plot away. Try it you love it.

Since his childhood, forensic artist David Weiss has been obsessed with a society double-murder that implicated his father and drove the man to suicide. Now, Weiss is back in his childhood home of Calista (a mythical midwestern town) and intends to use his time to discover the truth. The murder may be decades old but Weiss is certain that the easy explanations are wrong--that something more profound remains to be found.

Weiss's investigations lead him to stories of sexual obsession, child pornography, and blackmail. There are plenty of motives for murder--and even after all the years that have passed, some still living are willing to take action to stop the investigation and protect their secrets. With the help of a case writeup by his father and one of the victim's intimate diary, Weiss learns a great deal about the people who were killed, but nothing points a certain finger at the actual killer.

Author William Bayer's strong writing makes THE DREAM OF THE BROKEN HORSES something special and something far stronger than the story that underlies it. In some ways, the actual story is frustrating and important loose ends remain. Bayer's use of diary to develop character and reveal clues would normally be a cheat. Somehow, however, Bayer pulls it off. The powerful character of Barbara Fulraine (one of the victims) dominates the novel and the lives of many of the survivors. Her dream of broken horses may have been a psychiatrist's wish fulfilment, but it is also a sad reflection of the painful life Barbara endured.

THE DREAM OF THE BROKEN HORSES is a hard book to put down. Although most of the action takes place in back story, Bayer's writing is so compelling that I found myself reading on compulsively. Very fine.

... is the story of Jessica Savitch, who was certainly the Golden Girl of Philadelphia broadcast news at one point and whose name lives on in infamy in this city. I was the little girl who looked up to her; my father adored her; my mother felt her to be a good career example. Thus was the face that fooled everyone, including herself. This biographer's work is extremely thorough and very well written. Every paragraph is captivating. I couldn't put it down -- and I knew how it ended.

I could barely recall who Jessica Savitch was, but I love biographies so I read it. It was a breathtaking journey into a young girl turned celebrity's life. I read this book in one day and I couldn't get her out of my head for weeks afterward.

In high anticipation, I watched the movie "Up Close & Personal" which was supposedly based on this book. Even though the movie was good, it really had very few similarities to the book. I was dissapointed.

I strongly recommend this book.

Alanna Nash's biography of Jessica Savitch is a fine work, richly detailed and competently researched. In reading the story of this gifted, tragic woman one recalls the old Greek dictum, "Those whom the gods wish to destory they first make mad." I recall witnessing that now famous Sunday evening news broadcast, many years ago, when Jessica appeared in a foggy, bewildered state. I was busy with a young family at mealtime but stopped to watch as she seemed to self-destruct on the air.

Jessica Savitch led a charmed life, was blessed by the gods at first. Beautiful, intelligent, and charismatic, she found all doors opening to her. She entered television journalism with expectations on all sides of great success. She died at an early age after suffering through miserable relationships and becoming addicted to drugs. This modern-day morality tale makes somber reading, but is worth your time. Recommended.

I've kicked around a little bit - I know how easy it is to fall into the crapper, but this book- my heart was broken for Ms. Savitch. A person who wasn't what you would call whole to begin with goes into television and that television becomes her whole life, everything secondary to it. A little instable to begin with, maybe if she came across the right people early enough things might not have been so bad for her, but she didn't get the help she needed in time and ended up losing herself in drugs and promiscuity, her compartmentalized life finally seeming to collapse on her at the end.

I was very interested in the technical people and the description of the jobs they did and tried to look a few of them up, many of them spending their whole lives in camera, sound, film and videotape, but there is not much of a public record, which I think is a terrible shame; I think these people would have a lot of interesting things to say about recent developments in their prospective fields, the shape of the job market, etc. It is a shame these people don't get more attention - are you listening, union bosses, ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.? As important as Ron Kershaw was to the industry in his years in it, there is zero to Google about him, and I only came up with one piece of film of him as a reporter in his Houston days on the Vanderbilt web site - a double shame!

Get the book - very interesting for myriad reasons. And be thankful you are not Jessica.

It was impressive!
I could tell that Alanna had doneso many researches and interviews to write this book.

Jessica Savitch was one of the most well-known anchor in the
American broadcasting history. After reading this, I felt like she is still alive and watching the journalists today.

If you want to be a jouranalist, you should read this
and learn the other side of TV world.
It's a stressful world. Besides, you need efforts, patience,
lucks, and talents.

Even though Jessica ended up her life with tragedy,
I think she lived her life hard.

I can't wait to read Alanna's new book.
She has done a great job to let us know how important
Jessica was for anchor-women.

I really like this book, it goes way back to the radio programs...
I love seeing and reading about the people who played the parts years ago and have since passed away or left the show.
It is a great book for Guiding Light fans.
If you don't have it GET IT!

i have the hardback version of this book. This magnificent book came along in 1997 when "Guiding Light" was celebrating it's then 60th Anniversary. This month marks the show's 67th Anniversary {it having began on radio in January 1937 as a 15 minute sermon from various reverends from the Little Church in Five Points}. The radio show expanded to traditional serial melodrama by 1948 with the introduction of the German immigrant Bauer clan, a family that's STILL a part of the show to this very day, plus a host of other families. The book talks in-depth about each and every storyline that had a major impact or is at least memorable to fans. Admittedly, the first generation of fans who recall when the show was on radio are either no longer with us or are in their 80s or 90s by now. And so, this book, as i see it, was also designed to highlight the radio years for the contemporary fans of today who might've started watching in the mid '80s or the early '90s and afterward. The show moved to TV in June 1952 (continuing on radio until 1956). By now the Bauers were the focal point and the storylines were written to revolve around the Bauers and the conflicts they had with each other and the community. Bert was a social climber at first but she out-grew it by the early '60s after she had a pap smear, one of the first storylines in a soap opera to deal with such topics; Bill was a womanizer and an alchoholic; Papa Frederich was the German immigrant patriarch; and as the decade grew, Bill and Bert's son Ed became a doctor and an alcoholic while brother Mike became a womanizing lawyer. The book really gets "juicy" when the '70s section rolls around. 1971 was the debut of Michael Zazlow as Roger Thorpe, the scheming corporate ladder climber who was always being over-shadowed by nemesis Ed Bauer. And so, the '70s were dominated by the quadrangle of Roger Thorpe/Holly Norris/Ed Bauer/Peggy Fletcher. Storylines like that, plus the 1977 arrival of the wealthy yet sinister Spaulding clan would prove to be the show's success, causing ANOTHER very popular triangle of Alan Spaulding/Elizabeth Spaulding/Mike Bauer. The book gets vague in the mid '80s section because i recall things that the book leaves out: like 1986's return of Alan Spaulding. The book says Alan made his return with help from Baron von Halkein...which is true. But the book leaves out Alan's missing years (1984-1986) and never lets the reader know that Alan had been living life as 'Gregory Samuels' in San Rios after having been shot and presumed dead by the FBI, who were hot on his trail in early 1984. Alan had managed to seize control of several emerald mines and use an alias to avoid detection. If fans see this review they'll now know about Alan's missing years. Apart from that bit of history left out of the book, i have no complaints. The back pages of the book give histories of the families that were currently on the show: Bauer, Spaulding, Lewis, Reardon, Chamberlain, and Cooper. There are two tributes to the two most popular characters: Roger Thorpe and Reva Shane. Charita Bauer, the actress who played Bertha "Bert" Bauer from 1949-1984, is also given high praise. All of the awards from the industry to fan-voted are also shown. There's even a section where favorite couples are highlighted: Phillip and Beth; Mike and Elizabeth; Rick and Abigail; etc. Jerry ver Dorn gives the introduction and he holds the record for second longest running cast-member. He's played attorney Ross Marler since 1979. The record holder is Charita Bauer, of course, with 35 years as Bert. The other person with the most consecutive years behind Charita's 35 and Jerry's 25, is Tina Sloan...she's played Nurse Lillian Raines since 1983, this is her 21st year on the show. This book is dated, of course. A lot has happened on the show since late 1996/early 1997. seek out back issues of Soap Opera Digest for re-caps of action post 1996. This book is a must for all fans of the show both young and old. Until someone comes along with a potential 70th Anniversary book in 2007, this 60th Anniversary is an excellant introduction to the show.

Great book! Lots of information about GL. I enjoyed reading what happened in the episodes before I was an avid watcher.

Hopefully, there will be future update editions of this wonderful missive on the history of daytime's oldest soap. Not just for fans, either!

I have been a huge fan of GL for a few yrs now..the only thing that sux about this book is that all the great gl stars have left.. wendy moniz as dinah marler and cynthia watros as annie dutton will greatly be missed..

it is a great show...but the WRITING DESPERATELY NEEDS to improve...but the memories from 1990-1997 were truly spectacular...finally we see THE LIGHT!

This is the one cookbook that has not gone on the shelf, but instead sits on the corner of the counter. So far I've made the beef burgundy, pan roasted chicken, smothered pork chops, lemon meringue pie, macaroni and cheese, nachos with salsa and guacamole, and more. I'd've done more in the past two weeks, but I do have a job to go to. These may not sound like extraordinary recipes - they're all in my Betty Crocker cookbook or Good Housekeeping cookbook - but this is the cookbook that tells you the how and why, what works and what doesn't work (based on their own testing, which is an interesting read in itself). One of the things I like most is that they make an honest effort and usually succeed at restricting themselves to ingredients found in nearly every supermarket. Serving sizes are extremely generous. I ate nachos for four days --- luckily, they were delicious.

I do wish they would include nutritional analyses. These recipes are all about taste and optimal preparation to ensure the best results; nothing particularly low cal or low carb and certainly not low fat here; and it doesn't purport to be a diet cookbook. That's okay, but it would still be nice to have the numbers. And it would be nice if they would test a few ways of cutting calories and/or carbs and/or fat while developing the best recipe.

As a novice, I also got tripped up in the pan roasted chicken because the recipe didn't give me even a clue as to how long the pieces would be in the oven; I guessed about 30 minutes but turned out to be 50 minutes to get to temperature, which threw off the timing on the side dishes...minor, novice issue.

Finally, I also subscribe to Cook's Illustrated published by the same people. In the Nov/Dec issue was an incredible recipe for pumpkin cheesecake (beg, borrow or steal it from someone). Their technique explanation ranted about the wonders of cooking a cheesecake in a waterbath. Indeed it made a great difference. But in this cookbook, there's a recipe for a New York Style Cheesecake with no mention of a waterbath. I'm not a pro, so maybe the different techniques deliver two distinct textures, but it was curious why both ways aren't discussed in the cookbook since they touted it in the magazine (or vice versa).

I've bought a couple pieces of their recommended equipment and believe they've been right on target there too.

It's an impressive book that has pursuaded me to buy both the Italian Classics Cookbook and the cookbook for the 2002 television series. Looking forward to receiving those soon.

As a beginner with cooking, this book has led me places I never thought I'd go. It has been a guide for the basics and an inspiration for the heights. And meanwhile it saves me money by steering me away from useless gadgets and fad techniques.

This is my third Amerca's Test Kitchen cookbook. In all of the meals that I have cooked using these books, I have never had a flop. As a male and a physician, I really appreciate the "clinical" approach to cooking that ATK applies. Want to make good, gooey chocolate cookies? Then try a dozen different methods and see what works best. They have used this method for all of their recipes, and the reaults are tremendous.

ATK avoids pretentious cuisine. They aim to make the best steak, best french-fries; things that my kids will eat. Yet, some of my favorite meals for guests come from the book as well. (Twice-coked potatoes with pesto...mmmm). Even though I live in a small town in a remote area, I have always been able to find the ingredients they suggest.

They have a "Consumer Reports"-like approach to rating ingredients and equipment. What a delight when Morton's table salt out-performs...sea-salt in blinded taste-testing.

I can't wait for next year's book to come out!

As someone who consider's themselves an elite "home chef", I stopped using recipe books years ago and just built on the basics that I'd gleaned from reading what I considered the "essential" cookbooks. Then, one stormy Saturday afternoon when the husband was at work and the kids were away at Grandma's, I stumbled on America's Test Kitchen on PBS. Needless to say, I loved what I saw.

Now I am a Cook's Illustrated fan. I have not come across anything done by these folks that isn't absolute quality cooking instruction - no matter what your level of cooking expertise. That's because ATK doesn't just write the recipes - they write articles and background about every recipe that breaks down each element of the recipe and explains why certain ingredients, techniques and equipment work so much better than others in producing the best tasting recipe. Even if you never follow an America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Illustrated recipe step-by-step, the things you learn just by reading the recipe books can be carried over into all of your cooking. If, like me, you are a non-recipe cook, there is still much to be learned here.

"Here in America's Test Kitchen" carries on the standard of excellence that Cook's Illustrated has established for itself. Detailed recipes that are actually essays about what goes into creating each recipe and why certain ingredients and methods are used will elevate the level of every home cook - regardless of your current level of expertise.

This book contains some of the best recipes I've ever had. The BBQ Rib recipe prepared with a dry rub and slow cooked over a smoky grill is simply the best rib recipe I've ever made - spicy, smokey, fall of the bone tender with a wonderful crisp skin on the outside. At a recent 4th of July party, these ribs and the ATK buffalo wings were a huge hit. And the cookie jar favorites - chewy, flavorful double chocolate cookies and ginger cookies are family favorites. The recipes here aren't always the quickest, the cheapest or the lowest in fat and calories, but if you are looking for the best in flavor and texture, with America's Test Kitchen you can't go wrong.

I have been watching this series on PBS and the book is just a delightful. The receipes are pretty easy to follow, ingredients are available in most grocery or gourmet shops. Plus they have done all the testing and we get to prepare the perfect combinations! Highly recommend it, especially as a gift!

Biographical reviews tend to have a standardized format: several chapters on the linage of the subject, tales of early childhood, struggle and (usually)success.

Haberstadt's biography is much the same, except the author does a nice job of leading the reader thru the parts we have to endure by building a strong sense of the frustration and difficulties Doc Pomus faced throughout his life. The book isn't overbearing, and he paints an interesting enough picture of the determination this polio-stricken hall of famer had.

If there is a weakness, it's that you never get a real strong sense of what exactly it was that Doc did. I mean, I still haven't figured out if his contributions to some of the greatest songs were his lyrics, his sense of rhythm, his music, or a combination of all three. Certainly it is poignant to think that "Save the last dance for me" was written as he watched his new wife dance at her wedding, but there was too little addressing the mechanics of Doc's writing for my taste.

I thought it was a most interesting and useful book to have on one of the great contributors to rock and roll.... and long overdue.

During rock 'n' roll's early years Doc Pomus wrote some of the biggest hits from his Lonely Avenue to Save the Last Dance for Me and Hushabye. His works were picked up by Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Bob Dylan and more - and LONELY AVENUE documents his life, inspiration, achievement, and times in an outstanding blend of quotes from his journals and biographical examination. Music libraries will find it an excellent addition.

Great book. I got choked up reading about Doc writing Save the Last Dance for Me.

What a great book. You never think about songwriters when you listen to a song but after reading this book you will. It's the story about the man behind some of the biggest hits of the 50' and 60's but it's so much more. Doc's story is more then his music, it's the life that he led and the trials he overcame to get there. If you're into music or not this is one book that will make you laugh, cry and just revel in one man's life and times.

The writer did his homework, and I'd recomend this book to anyone, also visit the Brill Building, There's Always Magic In The Air.

Great reading!