Television Books

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

A book well worth buying and reading!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy hunting...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I love, love, LOVE this play.

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

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

Fabulous.

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

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

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

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

Few writers are adept at recording colloquial dialogue (ordinary speech for a place), but GREEN MILE screenwriter and director Frank Darabont is not one of those writers. He's good at this. Real good. These examples illustrate my point:

· "Billy the Kid," scourge of the earth, says, "Niggers oughtta have they own 'lectric chair. White men oughtn't havta sit in no nigger 'lectric chair, nossir...

· Eduard Delacroix, Cajun, says, "Yeah, you take 'em, John. Take him til' dis foolishment done -- bien! After, you take him down to Florida? To dat Mouseville?"

· John Coffey, gentle, African American, says, "He kill 'em with they love. They love for each other. You see how it is? That's how it is ever' day. That's how it is all over the worl'."

Every character in Darabont's screenplay is defined through his/her speech, although not as obviously as these three. I suggest writers study his techniques and apply them to their own writing.

Note: Reading this screenplay is like experiencing the movie from the inside out, an adventure, fo' sure.

I bought this book after I saw the movie. The main reason is because this film touched me deeply. Secondly I collect screen plays. This is a true gem! The film's beauty is printed as an unforgettable story. Screen play is based on Novel series by Stephen King. Excellent screen play!!

I am amazed at the genius of Frank Darabont. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is the type of film that many directors spend their entire lives trying to make. That film alone is worthy of placing Darabont in the top echelon of modern directors. However, with THE GREEN MILE, Darabont has triumphed again. This screenplay is not as in depth as the SHAWSHANK shooting script. Nevertheless, it is still quite informative and is a useful resource for aspiring filmmakers. Transcribing an already successful published work into a successful movie is extremely difficult and rarely happens. However, Darabont has done it twice. A person can learn a great deal about writing just by reading this book. There's no better way to learn than to learn from a master.

With "The Green Mile: The Screenplay", writer-director Frank Darabont provides would-be screenwriters with an unprecedented look at how a perfect screen adaptation is written. Stephen King, author of the novel on which the film is based, has called Darabont's screenplay "hands-down, the best film adaptation I've ever read." Tom Hanks, the film's star, said of the screenplay, "It's that rarest thing, that thing you're always looking for, this piece of work that shows up on your desk, ready to shoot, and you look at it and say, 'Wow! We just have to show up and make this thing!'" In most situations, directors come to actors hat in hand, begging actors to work on a film. With "The Green Mile", Darabont had actors lining up to work in the film. Even actors of the stature of Gary Sinise were willing to take virtual cameos to appear in the film. The book contains Darabont's final shooting script, which even in that form, contains minor differences from the finished film. It also features introductions by Stephen King and Darabont, as well as a selection of stills and storyboards which give readers added insight into the production of what is easily this year's best film. Although lacking the in-depth analysis of changes in the screenplay which were present in Darabont's last book, "The Shawshank Redemption: The Shooting Script", this book is well worth reading, and, in copanionship with the forthcoming "The Making of 'The Green Mile'", will give readers a guided tour of the production of a modern film classic.

I discovered the first episodes of The Green Mile in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the last ones in France. I read them. I was moved by strong emotions, practically to tears, and yet I remained unsatisfied. I reread it when it came out in one volume, and I had the same sensation of frustration. The book, the story had two lines and the unity was not clear, the message was not obvious and it seemed to be that there is always a devil somewhere to torture, at times to death, the righteous and the innocent. The two time lines were not really reinforcing each other. The bad nurse of the old people's home was not a real continuation of Percy, and Percy did not have and could not have, does not have and cannot have a continuation. Evil in man is repetitive, but in no way continuing, developing, getting any kind of amplification with time. I have just been listening to a tape about the psychiatric hospitals of the old days (up to the mid 70s in France), and the doctors, the nurses, and even the patients, those who dedicated their whole life to get rid of that institution, compared these asylums to concentration camps and demonstrated how the inmates were reduced to animals, and yet resisting, how the rations (during World War II) where starvation rations meant to slowly kill the inmates by starving them. Doctor Lucien Bonnafé, MD, cannot be in any way stopped in his explanation of this alienation, of this reduction of men to vegetables, especially with the chemical straight jacket. Hitler did not invent concentration camps, and he did not invent eugenics, the cleansing of society of their misfits. He just systematised, industrialised it. But, But, BUT, I finally got to the screenplay of The Green Mile by Frank Darabont. He got that second time line out. He recentered the whole story on Paul, the only one Paul that crosses time. And then the light came out so strong that I was not moved any more, but literally blinded into ever stronger and never before experienced emotions, into unquenchable tears, tears that were a salvation, a redemption, an epiphany that would not ever satisfy and quench my thirst for optimistic humanism. This human world contains angels that can transform evil into good, and it is John Coffey, a black man. He has done that for a very long time, till the one day he gets trapped by his naivete and simplemindedness, because angels are naive, simpleminded and maybe slightly retarded, since then cannot conceive evil. When one does only good things and can only bring good news to the world, he is totally isolated, rejected, and thus he becomes the prey of all evil beings who will abuse him and trampled him down. And yet he is not completely trapped, because he comes to the point when he wants to go, to leave this world, where he can only love and be loved by fireflies. So he is happy when he gets trapped, relieved of this enormous responsibility of making the world better, of killing or repairing evil. Even if it means Death Row. But, before leaving, he gives his good nature to some other beings, even if he cannot give them his powers. Here it is a mouse, Mr Jingles, and a man, Paul. And his gift takes the form of a very long life. The very long life of telling the truth, the truth of God, the truth that killing is ugly, no matter whether it is criminal or judicial. Only life is beautiful, and the story of life has to be told forever and ever, to push death away, even if it is Death Row. This life story has to be told over and over again, just like a mouse will play with a spool forever. And thus, Darabont gets us to a universal lesson, to a unique and eternal metaphor. The writer, the storyteller is forever the one who will bring life to earth, real life, the life of justice, of beauty, of emotions, of truth, of entertainment, of happiness. The storyteller is God himself, or at least his angel, because he nourishes our souls with the desire to know a better world. When are we ever going to have the film, the video, so that we can be moved to frantic tears by the images that will demultiply the screenplay into a real piece of human paradise, in our dreams, in our night, in our daydream, in our sunshine of hope ?

This is a no-brainer. If you want to get a jump on video blogging and don't know where to start - buy this book. It's an easy read that is not that difficult to digest and understand.

Blog on!

Lionel Felix and Damien Stolarz take you step by step in their book Hands-On Guide to Video Blogging and Podcasting into the emerging new tools of a video blog or podcast.

[MORE INFO AT http:satisfyingsolutions.com]

Easy instructions make it simple to use and the book gives you the latest tools to quickly start video blogging and podcasting for your business.

Chapter one gives you an overlook on how to record and edit your video.

In chapter two the authors discuss the anatomy of a blog as well as a brief history of blogs.

As one reads on Chapter three discuss the main uses for video blogging and podcasting. In addition it also shows how mainstream media and corporate uses these two tools.

Chapters four,five, and six explain blogs and what kind of delivery should be given in this new technology.

Chapter seven incorporates the moblogging and podcasting and continues with chapter eight and one the go spaces and video.

Chapter nine fulfills the reader with essential tools for your computer as well as the software and hardware.

Chapter ten gives an insight on production and breaks down the recording, microphones, and editing.

Chapter eleven continues from the audio production and moves into video production.

Chapter twelve explains to the reader the pricing and hosting of band withs.

Chapter thirteen discusses how to go about assembling blog entries.

The next chapter discusses the important facts of licensing and copyrights.

Finally, chapter fifteen discusses case studies from websites such as ericrice and ryanedit.com.

Furthermore, this is a great hands-on tool to take you step by step in the process of blogging. Paul Gillin gives you the motivation to start your own blog and Felix and Stolarz give you the tools to make it your own.

This book supports Paul Gillin's ideas and the book The New Influencers by reiterating the fact that blogging and podcasting is the resource to business communications in digital media. It is so easy to follow along and not only helps with business aspects but entertainment and educational institutions too.

A. J. Baltes

I work for Loyola Marymount University. We recently decided to make all lectures available via Podcasts. I went searching for books on the subject in order to find a solution for the school. This book was by far the best book on the subject. It even gave us some ideas for video blogging that we hadn't previously considered. Without the precise and coherent coverage given to Podcasting in this book I doubt we would have a solution even half as good. Thanks to the authors for their great book. It has been invaluable.

If you want to get into Video Blogging and Podcasting this is the best book on the market today. Covers every aspect in detail while still making it all seem easy.

This hands-on guide is great for nailing down the nitty gritty of podcasting. Sure, there's nothing to it; you can make a podcast in a night. But then, once it's launched, there are SO many things to consider and so many ways to expand it. This is what makes casting a blast!

His nitty gritty on bandwidth, pricing plans, and especially the case studies of existing vidcasts and podcasts helped me a lot with refining my New Civilization Podcast.

Good stuff!

Zack

Wow,Wow, I just finished reading this book and it is really an excellent book. First of all let me tell you a little about me, I am a senior who loves Jazz, The Harlem Renaissance, and history. This book brought all of the above subjects to light while telling the story of Hazel Scott. Like so many Americans, I knew of Ms. Scott, however; I was unaware of all of her contributions. Ms. Chilton does an excellent job of letting us know the real Hazel Scott.

This is the kind of book that can be used in an undergraduate or graduate class at any University. Ms. Chilton research is effective and it appears as if at times it is Ms. Scoot actually speaking.

This book has come on the scene at a real interesting time in our history. The fact that we have our first Black President is in real contrast with the kinds of experiences that Congressman Powell and Ms. Scott both experienced in their various careers. In fact, many students and average American citizens would really be shocked at what was going on in race relations 40 or 50 years ago. This book gives an illustrative account of race relations from the 40's up until Ms. Scott made her tranisiton in 1982.

This book will be gifts for my love ones who love to read.

Thank you,

Mrs. Beverly L. Jones

Hazel Scott's compelling story writtten by Karen Chilton captures you
immediately through adventure, extraordinary perseverance and
determination exhibited by the female characters. Karen has woven this
narrative of history, culture, gender and explicitly demonstrates how a
black woman was brave, courageous and determined to fight for her ideals
and beliefs. Hazel Scott endures pain and obstacles, yet remained
steadfast and purposeful exhibiting her talent as a child prodigy,
an unselfish wife, a devoted mother and a fierce civil rights fighter.
Karen Chilton weaves the threads that will conquer the attention,
applause and vicarious experiences with an anticipation that keeps you
reading and wishing for more as the story concludes. Book clubs will be able to have enlightening, meaningful chats after reading "Hazel Scott, The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC". A must read!

Just finished 'HAZEL' and I LOVED IT! Celebrity bios are my favorite literary genre and this is amongst the best I've ever read. Thanks to Karen's awesomely descriptive way with words, I feel like I've been on a fantastic journey through infinite possibilities and the pitfalls that come with them (especially during the time in which Hazel Scott reigned supreme). What HIGHs and LOWs - all at once. Sounds like my own life sometimes and yet I know the core to Hazel's essence is RESILLIENCE... and Karen tangibly outlined the depths of her FIERCENESS --- to perfection. This book should have a long-shelf-life to ensure that the millions who are into DIVAS know on whose shoulders they stand in large order. I've blogged about it a couple of times via "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RILEY: POP CULTURE & POSSIBILITIES":[...]

Karen Chilton has masterfully written a book that has fused a genre of jazz and African American history. Moreover, Karen complements the story of her subject (Hazel Scott) by demonstrating scholarly prowess as writer. The book supplies the reader with necessary factual background to understand Scott's story, as well as supplying appropriate references to a variety of external primary and secondary sources. In sum, this is the kind of book that requires the reader to maintain several bookmarks at once for ready reference: one to keep one's place in the text, another to reminisce of a time of creativity, joy, and passion in the midst of racism, segregation, and upheaval, and a final one to mark the notes/bibliography. A must read for everyone, and gratefulness to Karen Chilton for resurrecting another African American icon.

Quite a pleasant surprise, could not put the book down. Historically accurate yet entertaining. Wonderfully written with abundant wit and humor. Compelling yet complicated story of this female Jazz Pianist.

Hillary Duff does rock and this book does so aswell rock, i am a huge fan of Hillary Duff, and this is the best book ever written about her. It's easy to read too.

There have been many biographies about Hilary Duff lately, and I must say that this one is very good. It doesn't exactly dive into the depths of her life too much (it does give you some basic autobiographical information, however), but there is a lot of great information about her movies, singing, album, and possible future. Plus, there are tons of great-looking glossy photographs that will satisfy any devoted Hilary Duff fan. The style is sophisticated and written well, but not in an annoying teenybopper-ish way. Whether you're a huge fan or just want to read more about Hilary with some good pictures, this is a fabulous book.

I am A HUGE-------- Hilary Fan and I love this book!!!!!It has great pictures and accuate facts and it is just great I Love it and trust me it makes a great gift for any Hil fan!!! :)

This book is absolutely rocks! The cover is the coolest picture I have ever seen of Hil! I wish there was a way to buy a print of the cover as a poster. I have Hilary Duff's 2005 calendar, which has some rad pictures, but this cover shot totally rules. Great book and lots of awesome photos.

this book is a must have for all hilary duff fans. it is really good and gives you loads of information. it is great for all ages and i love the front cover.

I remember Kaye Ballard from The Mothers In Law, in which she starred with Eve Arden, and from the Doris Day Show - however, she had a complete career before this that I was never aware of. It seems as if Kaye has known all of the big stars, and told about some of them - she also is a character that you walk away from admiring for following her own path, and not worrying excessively about 'her career" but just being happy to continue working, doing what she loved doing - I never got to meet Ann Sothern - I hope to meet Kaye Ballard someday - who is still active and having fun!

Loved it. Wish she had written more, could read her stories forever!!!! She is too funny...

Kaye Ballard's name is well known in show business: she's performed in burlesque, nightclubs, big bands, and stage and here provides a memoir packed with anecdotes from her career. Her upbeat memoir comes packed with anecdotes from her 50-year career and will prove a real treat for any familiar with either Kaye Ballard's career or the world of stage and TV.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I recently read Ms. Ballard's memoir in 10 days while I was staying with my parents as my mother recovered from knee replacement surgery. It was the perfect book to read during this time--very funny and light--but also an honest, heartfelt tale. If you don't know who Kaye Ballard is, well, you should. She's a wonderful comic actress who's starred in films (The Ritz), on TV (Cinderella, The Doris Day Show, The Mothers-in-Law) and on stage (The Golden Apple, Carnival, The Pirates of Penzance, Follies). I saw her perform back in the '90s in a small cabaret called Toulouse in Chicago (now sadly closed). It was a horrible snowy night--and my friends and I were the only ones who braved the elements to see her show. And so Ms. Ballard--being the classy, talented dame that she is--performed for us. We all LOVED her--and you will LOVE her book. The lady knows how to write an honest, entertaining account of her fascinating life. So sit back, relax and let Kaye tell you all about her legendary 60-year career. You'll have a wonderful time--I know I did.

I enjoyed reading this book very much - it gave real insight into the life of a single woman in show business. Kaye is a fantastic personality and very honest in this book about her career and friendshiips. She is a real lady with a great sense of humor. Nice photos too of some old favorites when they were younger. I would definitely buy this book again. A+