Television Books

I purchased and read 9 different books about voice-over before buying VO:Tales and Techniques of a Voice-Over Actor. All of those 9 books were well written and one of them WAS my favorite. VO is now by far my favorite book about voice-over. H2 does a wonderful job of mixing the technical with the personal. Great stories mixed with priceless info. He teaches while he entertains. You'll learn AND laugh. VO is a good book to have for reference and I am going to be reading it straight through again in the very near future.

I really enjoyed Harlan Hogan's book VO: Tales and Techniques of a Voice Actor. I read it early last year, and have gone back to it several times since for wisdom and tips in my own Voice Career!
The format of the book made it an easy read. Chapters from Harlans life and experiences mixed with Tips and Tricks of the Trade.
A book for any aspiring Voice Over Library!

This book is excellent. It's packed with information about what one should expect if he/she wants to work in the Voice Acting industry, and it also includes many tips & tricks that voice actors could follow in order to advance in their careers.

It's hilariously entertaining yet down-to-earth informative - a rare combination achievable in books.

On top of that, it's easy to read, so you don't see much of those long-worded-jargons-which-you-will-find-in-technical-books for instance. Instead, you get cute cartoons replacing the too-much-information type of thing.

As I've mentioned in the title, I'd give this book 100 stars if I could.

This book truly is one of the BEST purchases I've EVER made.



~ Jessie

I really enjoyed this book, it is really informative, entertaining and gives and inside look at voice over acting. This is one of the few books that I will re-read becouse of all the usefull information, a must read for anyone starting out or considering a career as a voice actor.

Harlan Hogan provides a lot of explanation of how things work in the VO world (or at least as they did in 2002, when this book was written). He gives great advice while lightly touching on subjects like running your business, jargon, union vs. "pre-union", etc. However, he also offers some insight that beginning voice actors aren't likely to find in a lot of other books. Harlan does this by recounting stories from his own experience that not only entertain, but relate to the major points of each section. He also lets the reader in on inside jokes of the trade like "Blooper's Soap" and the infamous Findus Foods session with Orson Welles. Sure, they're easily Google-able, but how are they woven into the fabric of the industry?

I've done radio for a dozen years, switched to the computer tech side
for another half-dozen and now I'm studying and working on figuring out
where I will best fit into the VO market. This book not only confirmed
a lot of things I felt instinctively, but it also helped me to not
listen so much to the "what if" voice that we all carry with us.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3NV609HFHDLR3 While this book was published in 2007, it's actually about the making and the history of the first Star Wars movie released in 1977. Considering how much time has passed, it's amazing the amount of material that has been collected for this book.

There are twelve chapters documenting the journey from the scripting stage, casting, set building, location shooting, all the way up to the movie release.

This book is written before anyone knew it was going to be a major hit. What that means is, they are writing it on the spot at that point in time -- in 1977. There's nothing closer to understanding what's going on during production and on their minds while the shooting the movie.

Included in the books are hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos, scanned scripts, sketches of sets and ships, several film stills and immensely valuable and insightful interviews. It's essentially a very well documented production diary.

There are lots of details included. Read about how George Lucas was a compulsive writer who doesn't and cannot stop working. Find out how they overcome crisis like when one of their robots caught fire. Share their euphoria when they first received reactions from movie goers. And I can go on and on.

This is the definitive volume. It's well worth the money for any Star Wars fan or movie maker.

There are two covers for this book, a hardcover and the paperback. It's highly recommended to get the hardcover, more expensive, version. This book is big and thick at 314 pages. The spine of the softcover will most definitely wear off in the future.

There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.

I read many books about special effects and films. I'm a huge fan of the Star Wars franchises (at least until the most recent cartoon).

THIS ONE IS PERFECT!!! So many detailed descriptions of the evolution from idea to story to script to shooting. An incredible level of detail. So many pictures, storyboards, illustrations, and documents. This is the first time I've picked up such a huge and detailed volume and devoured it from start to finish.

Even if you already own a lot of material about Lucas and Star Wars, this is a worthy addition to the library.

It truly is definitive - but also is beautiful and well written. BUY IT!!!

Great book for any Star Wars fan. Even if you're not, you'll find this an interesting look at all the trials and tribulations George Lucas went through to get his vision on the screen. Even when nobody else saw the potential in it.

Full of alot of great photos as well. Highly recommended to anyone that has even a remote interest in cinema history.

When I first saw Star Wars I was very young. At first I had a strong desire to know how all the cool things on the screen were accomplished. Over the years bits and pieces appeared in magazines and books, but nothing really felt complete. As I grew older I became interested in the ideas behind the movie, where they came from, how did they change over time, what was the history. Now, I've grown interested in the stories of the people who worked behind the scenes. What is their history, what did they bring to the production? Now here it is, all in one book, with a lot of behind the scenes photos and stories. It uses interviews from the time of the film's making, so it isn't colored by the amazing success of the movie. It's a quick read, too. The pages are full of photos (most I've never seen before), though the font size is a little small. It's a high quality book and should last a long time, which is good, because I think I'll be reading this one again and again.

This is a great book 4 every star wars fan about the origin of star wars and the first movie. Great pictures and great intervieuws with lots of people. With this price: buy buy buy!!!

The author changed a lot of what were supposed to be direct quotes and 'Briti-cised' them. I don't have examples off the top of my head, but I remember one quote being attributed to Brian that included very British phrasing. That's not a direct quote, that's paraphrased.

I don't even think I finished the book. I'd have expected the 'Official' Bio to be put together more like a lot of the UNofficial ones.

Also, a LOT of American fans are not going to understand British terms. Honestly, you're better off collecting the unauthorised bios...

I've read about 18 or so books on this group. And of all of them, if you're going to get one, get this one. It has good details of the boys' life before the group, and area which other books tend to lack in. It has pictures of them when they were kids that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. And it has info on the person who started the group, another thing I find hard to get good info on. This is definately one to buy if you're a major fan.

I think this is the best backstreet boy book ever written. I loved all of the stories. It was so much fun to read about how the backstreet boys first got together. If you have not read this book yet and you are a fan you must have it! Even if you just like to listen to their music you should read it. I think that anyone who wants to be a popstar should read this too. Well I could write 20 pages of this book. I'll leave now but before I do I'd like to thank AMAZON.COM and their customers. Because with out them I wouldn't of known about this book. THANKYOU EVERYONE!!

As a former BSB fan, whom owns the book, I still take a look at it from time to time, because it are honest and true facts of the boys their life before they became the Backstreet Boys and the beginning of it all. It has good pictures, but you can find them on almost every website and the biography must have been copied loads of times as well, so it's up to you!

Great Book!!!
It contains pics when they where baby's SOOO CUTE!!!
If your a true BSB fan you gotta have it!!!

Who wants to remember 35 years of people robbing, cheating on each other, stealing money, jumping in bed with someone else when they were already married, the search and holding on of power. These were not nice people they were all distrubed human beings who belonged in jail or the sick house.

When the series finally left the air, it was a sign of sanity.

This is now a great retrospective of a great show that is now defunct. It is one of the best types of this book (though it is not as well done as General Hospital's). It should be in every collector's bookshelf.

This book is a must-have for any fan of the much-missed soap opera Another World- hundreds of photos, detailed year-by-year recaps, and interviews with the actors all make for a great tribute to a wonderful show. If there are any complaints, it's that some of the plot synopsis have been condensed a little too much, and more information about spin-offs Texas and Somerset would have been welcome, as well as more behind the scenes information. Still, this is an incredible book that should appeal to any fan!

For the first 10 years of watching AW, I was a loyal, but hardly passionate fan. The last 5 years, leading up to the cancellation, I developed a passionate attachment. This book has made dealing with the loss of this 15 year old friend so much easier. I treasure this book in so many ways. If you are or were a fan, this really is a must have. No doubt.

Anyone who watched this soap will enjoy this book. Since this soap was taken from us on the 35th anniversary, this book has even more meaning. You will get to relive the highlights and story lines now missing from our daily lives. I get mine out about every 6 months - or whenever I need a Bay City fix. Looking through the book always manages to bring tears or laughter to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the making of the movie Pride and Prejudice. It was interesting to go behind the scenes and read about the actors and actresses who were in the movie and looking at the stage sets. When you watch the movie, it is almost like being there. You get really into the characters and the situations that are being displayed in both the book and on screen. I felt like I was back in time and had lived in that era. It is a very good read.

One of my all-time favorite productions, I wanted to know more about the people and places involved in the making of Pride and Prejudice. This book definitely met my expectations and I am happily sharing it with others in my family who also love and appreciate it.

2003's "The Making of Pride and Prejudice" is a peek behind the scenes at the transformation of Jane Austen's classic romance novel into the 1995 BBC television production, a classic in its own right.

Sue Birwhistle and Susie Conklin walk the reader through the entire process, from selling the idea to a reluctant studio, to Andrew Davies' superb adaptation of the novel into six TV episodes, through casting, preproduction, shooting, and finally postproduction. The book is filled with comments from the workers on both sides of the camera, and illustrated with fascinating set photography.

Recreating the 19th Century required extensive research into such mundane matters as period costumes, hairstyles, drapery patterns, furniture, and music and dance. Months of pre-production paid off in an authentic look, at the cost of daily two-hour costume and make-up sessions for the actors and nightly refreshing of sets. Minor challenges included the delicate task of keeping food presentable for the three day shoot of the Netherfield supper party.

Location shooting, even in a country rich with old homes, required patient negotiation with owners over the restoration of house and grounds to a 19th century appearance. The expenses of production required shooting by location vice chronological order; Colin Firth notes his very first scene was Darcy's marriage proposal to Elizabeth.

Casting presented its own challenges for such a popular story. The book shares the concerns of the actors, along with some interesting before and after make-up portraits. A highlight is an extended interview with Colin Firth on the challenges of the role of Mr. Darcy. Jennifer Ehle adds her own comments on the grueling five month shooting schedule, which required her presence on set for all but five days.

"The Making of Pride and Prejudice" will be equally fascinating to dedicated fans of the BBC television version and those interested in the actual details of production. This book is very highly recommended to both audiences.

Loved the actors interviews, the photos and all the back story. To learn that Jennifer Ehle (Lizzy) is blonde and to see her as such without the Lizzy dark-hair wig, was worth the buy in itself!

This book is a must for those who love A&E's version of Pride and Prejudice. It's very informational and gives the reader even a greater appreciation for the work and detail put into this magnificent movie!!

I have to admit I was fascinated by this book soon after I picked it up. Everyone knows Marvin Gaye's often hypersexed music, but it's intriguing to hear the story behind all of that music. His internal struggles and unstable life are chronicled in surprising detail.

A serious downfall of many music biographies is their inability to adequately tie the events of the subject's life with the music being made at the time. This book does not fall into that trap, maybe because Gaye's music was such a personal endeavor, or maybe because the author was a friend of the artist.

This friendship between author and subject is the one problem I had with the book. Many times, Ritz fawns over the genius of Marvin Gaye, at times sounding as if God himself could not achieve such wonderful artistry. Don't get me wrong, Gaye was a uniquely talented, one-of-a-kind musician. It's just a little much at times. Nonetheless, Ritz does not shy away from the many negative influences in Gaye's life, and tells a story of the man that is both inspiring and tragic.

I would consider this book one of the finer examples of musician biographies. Ritz's closeness to Marvin Gaye allows him to tell first-source accounts of a troubled person, and concedes that at times Marvin was a man that even he could not figure out.

I'm like a lot of people in the world, I think when it comes to Soul Music although there are many great and talented artist Mr. Gaye was the creme de la creme. His music seemed cosmic and he sung with such conviction and passion it makes you wonder where did he have to go mentally and spiritually to summon those type of vocal performances. Well "Divided Soul" reveals those places of pain and torment in Mr. Gayes life that artistically helped him convey some of the most brilliant music ever recorded but sadly contributed to his tragic death. "Divided Soul" was written Passionately but honestly by David Ritz who I can easily tell was a huge Marvin admirer. That aspect really makes the book compelling, because you always get the sense that David is truley trying to reveal and understand what made Marvin one of the most intriguing artist of our time.

Remembering the day when I brought the news of Marvin Gaye's tragic death to my mother, I watched the tears after she uttered the words "You just couldn't shake your demons, baby." The next day, she went out and purchased all of his albums.

Marvin was heaven and hell simultaneously, and David Ritz's candid account of this totrtured genius was tragic and beautiful all at once. With an insight like the gifted singer himself, he dissects each creation as if he were in the recording studio for every take. Flying high in those triumphant skies, I never wanted Marvin to leave his musical sanctuary. That he lived a life of continuous self-destruction brought tears to my eyes, and had me wondering how the leeches disguised as smiling faces that sold him toot could live with themselves. They were contributing conspirators to a tragic story. Like Caesar, he was surrounded with enemies.

But the pain he felt produced greatness in the recording studio, didn't it? The "What's Going On" CD is a Musical Sermon On The Mount, and the Let's Get It On and I Want You follow-ups are sexual masterpieces. After reading the biography. I now know why.

This is a must read for those who appreciate this talented yet troubled composer, yet serves as a cautionary tale to all who God had blessed with gifts.

William Fredrick Cooper
ESSENCE BESTSELLING AUTHOR of THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON

Divided Soul was a very fascinating book, though at times the author was editorializing a little much. I enjoyed the read.

It is obvious that Marvin was highly emotionally disturbed, yet gifted. I find myself disliking his weak willed mama as much as his vicious, lazy and disturbed father. Yeah, yeah I know making disparaging comments about somebody's mama is a no Mrs. Gaye is just as responsible for Marvin's death as the father. She did not protect her child. She allowed a nothing of a strange man to live off her and physically and mentally torture her child. A parent's job is to protect their child from those within the house and outside.

Must all extremely talented people be nut cases?! I can imagine being famous can cause some to go crazy to some degree. But what happens to a person who comes into the business already emotionally fragile.

I agree with some, I feel that he was tired of the struggle of living and he purposely provoked his father, knowing that death would ensue. This could have been avoided if his mama had kicked that lazy fool out of the house when he was a very young child. She was the was supporting the family. He was a leech, a parasite. So I feel that she too was emotionally disturbed to some degree.

Marvin's trauma followed him to the grave yard.

Good read.

A great history of american popular music and a portrait of a man whose life
is hard to understand, but this book manages to drive you through a difficult and fascinating journey.

I watched THE NANNY and I like her performance a lot then I read this I know that show is the real her.

Fran Drescher is obviously an extremely talented woman. Sharp and witty, she was not only the star and co-creator of the '90s show The Nanny, but also served as one of its producers, writers and directors. Her book Enter Whining is a funny, gossipy tale of her ascent to the stratosphere of Hollywood stardom, but we're not talking Kitty Kelley here. Readers who already love Drescher will adore this book, as it's full of sweet, happy stories and profiles about the author's adventures as a struggling actress and her eventual success.

Drescher comes across as being very down-to-earth, still the starstruck chick from Queens who probably still has to pinch herself now and then, unable to quite believe how far she's come. She writes pretty much the way she speaks, with her occasional Yiddishisms and the trademark, "Meanwhile..." She offers an especially moving chapter about the rape she suffered early in her career, and while she refrains from providing the details, it's a harrowing read all the same. It's the only time in the book where she moves away from the lighthearted tone she adopts elsewhere, but she manages to seamlessly integrate it into her story without indulging in self-pity.

There's a lot of backstory about the making and filming of The Nanny, but readers seeking lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes will be disappointed. This is Drescher's story -- and a good one at that -- so we'll have to wait for another book on The Nanny show itself, hopefully to be written by Drescher and Jacobson.

By the way, everyone knows that Drescher and Jacobson separated and then divorced in the late '90s, a few years after this book was published, so it does leave a somewhat bittersweet taste in one's mouth in the end. Drescher writes affectionately and lovingly about her husband, their long courtship and marriage; it's obvious they were devoted to each other and considered each other soulmates.

A great, quick read and a must for any Drescher fan.

This 1995 book tells the story of how Fran Drescher made it to the top of the TV sitcom business. Her humor and kindness come through very well in a writing style that evokes her very unique voice. Perhaps not as frank as her 2003 book about fighting uterine cancer, it still provides a lot of insight into what makes this woman tick. You feel that you would really enjoy knowing her.

This book is all about Fran Drescher's extremely interesting and unique life up to 1996.In it, she writes in a humorous vein about almost everything that happened in her life, from the highs like meeting and later marrying her husband, creating and starring in the hit tv show "The Nanny" and later meeting "God's gift to all little Jewish girls in need of a leader", Babs herself, to the lows like discovering a growth in her body.But with the help of family and friends, she didn't let the negative things get her down.We should all be strong enough to follow her example. She also provides some interesting tidbits like how "The Nanny" was produced and about talk shows and their hosts.Sure, she goes on quite a bit on her worries about her weight and her looks, but she's just human like the rest of us and a lot of people have the same worries.The book has some nice black & white photos of her, her family and her friends in almost all the chapters.I enjoyed reading the book very much even though it's short.I can't recommend this book highly enough to not just the fans of her work, but to all fans of comedy.

The book Enter Whining, by Fran Drescher, is a biography. To me this book was very entertaining, it told all about her life and how she got from being a little child to where she is at today. The book also has many pictures in it so you can see and picture what she is talking about while you are reading. The way it is written is like she was writing to herself in her own diary, but towards the end she addresses it to her mother.
How the book starts out is when she was little and how she first got started being on television. Fran started when she was around ten, she was in commercials at first then she moved up to be in the background of some movies. When she got to be in the background for the movies she always thought that she was actually in the movie so she got really excited, but it ended up that she was just in the background.She was still happy to be in the background though, intill one day when she was the actual star of the movie and that changed her whole life because then she got to star in any movie that she got a chance to. Ever since that first time starring in a movie then she moved on to being in a television show called ''The Nanny''.
Throughout the biography she writes about this guy that she has been seeing for a while now and she doesn't really mention his name at all intill she starts getting into detail about him. His name is Dave which come to find out, is her husband. Fran has been with Dave for most of her life now, she states that it is hard for her to have a husband and be moving all of the time. To me Fran has a very fun filled life and is happy with what she does for a living.

I of course love Firefly and if you do you will like the details in Vol 1

In the spirit of Volume 1, this volume has extensive behind the scenes information and interviews. A MUST for any Firefly fan.

If you watched Firefly, then odds are you loved Firefly. And if that's the case, then you need the Firefly: The Official Companion books. When I first opened this book (on Valentine's Day night...it was a present from my wife), I couldn't stop turning pages. I flipped through the whole thing, oohing and aahhing over all the images an extras. This book is packed with bonus material any Firefly lover will adore. You get prop details, cast and crew reminiscing, insight on the making of the first half of the episodes on the Firefly DVDs, and enough shiny memories to make you want to pop in an episode or three. Needless to say, a chunk of my romantic Valentine's Day dinner was lost to this book. Don't make the same mistake; order your copy well before the next romantic holiday.

I loved this book. I was initially just expecting some behind the scenes photos, still photos, cast interviews, Joss talking about the show, etc. Then I find out that the book contains the shooting scripts for the first six episodes, and it almost brought a tear to my eye. I loved everything about it, and defiintely plan to pick up the second volume. Shiny!

If you're reading this review, then you must not own volume one of Firefly: The Official Companion. If you did, then you wouldn't need a review to sell you on this one. So I have a piece of advice for you: buy both books. If you have a place in your heart for Firefly, then make a place on your coffee table for these books. Each one is overflowing with behind-the-scenes information about every episode of Firefly. There's sure to be something to interest every fan. I particularly enjoy all the prop info. You get detailed views of props and weapons, along with insight from the prop team as to how they made or modified each item. Fascinating stuff, and indispensable if you're a gamer.
Treat yourself to these books. You won't regret it.

If you're into the space program and what happened during this era, then I can't think of one reason why this shouldn't be in your library. It's one of my all-time favorite books.

This well written book is a great time line of what really happened. I also enjoy the movie and this book fills in the gaps that were not covered in the movie. Also gives detailed accounts of nearly everyone involved in this mission.

This book was the basis for the movie Apollo 13. America had become complacent about our space shots by this time, which is something I still do not understand. But that may be because I worked so long at the Kennedy Space Center and always knew and still understand how dangerous each and every launch is. Apollo 13 was to have been the fifth mission to the moon. But two days into the trip, on April 13, 1970, the oxygen tank exploded in the command module, placing the three astronauts in grave danger. Lovell describes those terrifying days as astronauts, contractors, and Mission Controlled struggled to bring Apollo 13 safely back to earth. If you want to read what really happened by someone who was there...this is the book for you.

As someone who has been fascinated with space flight since childhood, and who well remembers the real Apollo 13 from his teenage years, I found this book a fascinating reminder of history. However, this book is about much more than the aborted flight of Apollo 13. It includes historical flashbacks that involved astronaut James Lovell. One chapter describes Lovell's teenage years as he launched homemade rockets. Another summarizes the early years of space exploration in the wake of Sputnik 1. Still another describes the selection of Lovell as an astronaut in late 1962. There is also a chapter on the Apollo 1 fire. Some of Lovell's closest friends perished in that needless tragedy. There is a fine description of the historical flight of Apollo 8, that Christmas lunar orbit in 1968. It included a reading from the Book of Genesis.

Now on to Apollo 13. In preparations for potential in-space emergencies, no one had imagined the simultaneous loss of both main oxygen tanks and all three fuel cells. This left the Odyssey itself with only a few hours of remaining oxygen, water, and electricity. Lovell and Kluge note that mission rules forbid a lunar landing if only one fuel cell becomes inoperable, even if nothing else is wrong. But the "Can the moon landing be saved?" quickly gave way to "Can the astronaut's lives be saved?"

The initial belief was that a meteoroid must have hit the ship. This later was discounted when the blown-open side of the service module became visible shortly after being jettisoned prior to re-entry. Clearly, the explosion must have originated from within the service module itself. Later investigation pointed to a confluence of factors, none decisive in and of themselves, that had combined to precipitate the near-tragedy. To begin with, the wrong-power fuses were being used within the oxygen tanks. When overloaded, they simply melted, allowing the overload of electricity to pass through. During assembly, the oxygen tank had been dropped, damaging an exit tube. During launch-pad exercises, the liquid oxygen was drained past the damaged exit tube by applying extra heat and driving the oxygen out another way. The sensor was not designed to warn of overheating above 80 F. Meanwhile, this procedure had unknowingly raised the temperatures to impossible levels, burning the insulation off much of the wire inside the oxygen tank. The first two times the stirring fan was turned on in space, there was no problem. But the third time, a spark must have flown and ignited the damaged insulation in the pure-oxygen environment, causing the explosion. The explosion itself damaged a tube connected to the second oxygen tank, thus draining it.

The book provides good detail about the dangers and challenges associated with the abort procedure itself. The decision was made not to attempt to fire the service module engine in order to reverse the flight direction in a deep-space abort, if only because the damaged service module might be unable to take the strain of the engine's thrust. The first critical burn of the lunar module's descent engine, done some six hours after the explosion and designed to change the hybrid trajectory back into a free-return trajectory, would have caused the Apollo 13 to crash into the far side of the moon if done incorrectly. Without the burn, however, Apollo 13 would be stuck in a 40,000 by 240,000 mile elliptical orbit around Earth. Thoughts were entertained about jettisoning the useless service module and using the lunar module's descent engine to accelerate the ship considerably--returning it from the vicinity of the moon to Earth in only some 36 hours. But this was not done out of fear that exposure of the command module's heat shield to the temperature extremes of space might damage it.

Everything on the ship had to be powered down--a strategy that worked, just barely. The severe cold aboard the ship, a secondary consequence of the powering down of all nonessential equipment, is described. The astronauts had a frosty breath. Some got urinary infections. They had a hard time getting comfortable enough to sleep.

The astronauts were slowly being poisoned by their own carbon dioxide. This was solved by the jury-rigging of the lithium hydroxide "scrubbers" of the command module to get them to fit into the circulation system of the lunar module. Just before re-entry, there were the challenges of successfully reviving the systems aboard the command module, and jettisoning both the service and lunar modules in a completely unconventional manner.

Jim Lovell's dreams of landing on the moon were literally blown away in April 1970, when an oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13's service module exploded less than a day away from lunar orbit, forcing the crew to limp home under perilous circumstances. More than two decades after surviving that mission, Lovell (with his co-author Jeffrey Kluger) has written an excellent account of that ill-fated moon flight.

LOST MOON is one of the best of the Apollo books I've read, especially one concerning a single mission. This is also one of the best books about the work of mission control, who were the key figures behind the successful return of the crew. It is as complete a description of this mission as we are ever likely to see. The attention to detail is on a very high level, and the amount of transcripted dialogue is plentiful, well presented, and from a myriad of sources. There are a number of slightly testy exchanges between Lovell's crew and mission control, highlighting the tension of the situation in an honest and unapologetic manner. The examination of exactly how the accident happened, as told in the epilogue, is covered exceptionally well.

An aspect of the book that bothered me was the decision to use a third-person narrative throughout (which is defended unconvincingly in the author's notes). I had never before read any autobiographical account in which the central figure is treated in the third person. Basically, I was looking forward to reading Lovell's descriptions of events using his own voice and experience, and that didn't quite happen. To read Lovell -- one of the most engaging personalities of all the early astronauts -- diminished by such an impersonal, veiled perspective was disappointing. It adds nothing to the writing, and ultimately I felt it was a disservice to the book, though a minor one. If the authors had their doubts about mixing third-person and first-person perspectives successfully, they could have taken some cues from Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who wrote two books in that style and who is regarded as perhaps the best writer among the former astronauts.

Despite its compromises in narrative style, LOST MOON (or APOLLO 13, depending on the format) is an outstanding biographical account of the failed 1970 moon flight. It is potentially a five-star book if the writing had been appropriately personal when it counted the most.

Irving Stone created a wondeful biography of Van Gogh, who is one of the definative "tortured" artists if for nothing more than his name is synonymous with the phrase to most people who are even casual fans of art.

In this book Stone captures the emotions of Van Gogh and the highs and lows of his life. This sheds even more meaning on his works of art. I was fortunate enough to see a Van Gogh Exhibition and hopefully will be able to do so again now that I read this.

I am sure it will add to viewing his works.

My boyfriend's father convinced me that, as an art history major, I needed to read this book. I was a little hesitant, but after the first chapter I was completely hooked.

This was a truly powerful book. No matter that it is not a true biography, it was beautifully written and moving. I would recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in art.

Amazing book and so very well written as all of Stone's other books are...I have always been mesmerised by Van Gogh's paintings, especially when I saw an exhibit of his in London.The colours were so wonderful that I just stood there infront of those pieces of art like a zombie ! I loved this book !

I loved this book. For someone like me, with just a passing knowledge of art and art history, it was pretty amazing to learn about Van Gogh's development as an artist and the Impressionist art movement. In addition, I think that its two major themes of expression and immortality are going to have a lasting effect on me.

By expression, I mean that Van Gogh put all his time and energy into expressing himself in a way that he felt was making the best use of his skills. For him, his calling was a new form of art, and he stuck with it despite receiving no recognition or profit for his work during his lifetime. By immortality, I mean that although Van Gogh was not successful in his lifetime, his work lives on and is hung in the most important museums in the world.

Highly recommended.

This is a beautiful novel about a beautiful human being. If you love Van Gogh's paintings (he is my personal favorite of all painters) then by all means, you need to read this wonderful book. In his prose, Stone is able to paint a vivid, vibrant, illuminating portrait of an amazing artist. I was truly blown away and completely consumed from the first chapter on. I actually read this fine story after visiting the Musee d'Orsay (Museum Orsay) in Paris and seeing first hand the magnificent works of this illustrious Impressionist. Of all the great many paintings presented at the Louvre and d'Orsay, it was the Van Gogh's that captivated me more than all the others (which is saying a lot, because the whole place is captivating!). I couldn't believe some of his self-portraits. What really fascinated me the most was the despondency in those steel blue eyes of his. This is what led me to read this story. I wanted to know where all that pain and suffering came from. Irving Stone answered all of my questions and then some. He is a brilliant and insightful writer and I will be looking forward to reading his novel "The Agony and the Ecstasy" which is based on the life of another favorite artist of mine - Michelangelo.

Anyone who is struggling to become an artist needs to read this! Talk about sacrifice and desire and heart and passion... this man Van Gogh was a true original. A man like no other before or since.

"...for by sadness the countenance of the heart is made better."

I can't recommend this one enough.