Entertainment Books

Having the hindsight of producing several movies, I wish I had read this book much earlier. ANY filmmaker would benefit from reading this book as early in their career as possible and then keeping it on their shelf as an invaluable reference tool to return to again and again.

I am an in-house attorney for a film production company. This book is a great resource to point you in the right direction in many respects: reminders of what terms various contracts/agreements should contain, the different types of agreements common to the film industry, copyright information ... just to name a few items. Money well spent for a very focused look at legal aspects to the film industry.

This review is specifically directed to aspiring professional screenwriters: GET THIS BOOK.

(Note I did not say "buy" this book, since, if you truly are an aspiring professional screenwriter, you're probably sucking your own body lint for food and live under a bush overlooking the Santa Monica pier.)

Yes, do whatever you have to do. Beg, borrow, steal...pawn...get this book. You've already read your Sun Tzu:

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt."

Hollywood was built on exploiting talent, and specifically exploiting writers. It's time we (YOU!) writers start preparing for the business side of things because gosh knows the other guys are plenty prepared already. Reading this book will make you realize three things.

1. Actually getting your great little/big screenplay made will be incredibly complicated, even if you're just selling it to someone who already knows what they're doing.

2. There are ways to make your script more attractive for producers/distributers and more lucrative for you.

3. Thom Crowell is an informative and entertaining scribe.

I had a friend of mine in negotiations with a major studio executive. True story. Wrote a little script called "Balls, No Balls II." Guy tried to get my buddy to sign a contract without an NDA. My buddy stood up, whipped out his Pocket Lawyer and KA-BLAW! Smacked that suit right in the mouth! "You want my high concept? I WILL be signing that NDA!"

Hmmm, actually this never happened. But at least I know what an NDA is now. Do you? Oh, you don't? GET THIS BOOK!

And yes, AMAZON, you do offer a very reasonable price. I suppose buying it isn't out of the question.

This is a really good book with much info, and at a really good price, too!

Mr. Crowell has done the art and legal worlds a great service by distilling so many critical issues of intellectual property into an enjoyable and widely informative format. The index and chapter systems make quick searching easy; and the humorous and humble prose let's you relax while learning. The demystification of legalese is not an easy task, but it's much needed, and Mr. Crowell has thrown a valuable contribution into the fray. Being a film and music artist, as well as a law student, Mr. Crowell's work is a must read for any with a similar background; and it goes a long way to supporting those artists who seem to underestimate themselves when it comes to the legal side of their creative endeavors. The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers empowered me, and I'm sure it will do the same for countless others.

Entering into the lucid and enthralling world of Lauren Lawrence is a magical journey into the hearts, minds and imaginations of the most fascinating and acclaimed people of our time. More significantly, it is a powerful mirror to our common experience of self-discovery and a guidebook for the adventure of life we all share. I simply cannot say enough great things about this profound book; Private Dreams of Public People is in a class by itself.

What particularly impressed me is how Lawrence gets right down to business answering some of the deepest, soul searching questions I'd had for years concerning dreams but didn't know whom to ask. She creates a tapestry based on her wealth of experience in the often puzzling and baffling inner world that dreamers visit when they are asleep.

In her own inimitable way Lawrence employs images, thoughts and emotions to help guide individuals to becoming fuller and more complete. I was totally captivated by her interpretations of the most personal dreams of people like Paul McCartney, Sophia Loren, Gore Vidal, Luciano Pavarotti, Madonna and a host of other luminaries we only know from their external presentations. The intimacy was so great I felt almost like an intruder in their innermost beings.



Larry Geller, author of "Leaves of Elvis' Garden"

Lawrence shows us the interior life of stars. This is a first. Usually stars hide behind personnas. Lawrence lifts these veils and gets at the inner core of the stars dream lives. Particularly liked Paris Hilton before she became Paris Hilton.

I was amazed at how well this book was put together. I loved the analysis on the different people. You learn so much from this book, like information you could never find out. When you buy this book you will rate this book 5 stars just like me, because you we'll see how good it was.

Reading the various dream iterpretations that Lauren Lawrence writes about introduced me to an entirely new level of personal understanding. While I enjoyed reading the dreams of "celebrities", what I really found enlightening is how I was able to relate to some of the fears, desires and hopes expressed by these dreams. Some of my dreams have been very similar to those she has written about. In addition to finding the interpretations interesting, I was able to learn about myself and see the similarites between us all. I really enjoyed this book.

Who would have thought Paris Hilton was sensitive enough to dream? This is the beauty of the book. It is filled with the dreams of celebrities from Madonna to Sophia Loren to Kurt Vonnegut, and yes, Paris Hilton! While the interpretations are terse and insightful it seems Lawrence is softer on the celebs than she is on stock traders in her column in Trader Monthly. She kills them ... but always with humor. All in all the book is a must read.

Being British myself and also someone who works in HOLLYWOOD'S Movie & TV industry, I have to say that this is one of the best autobiographies of someone in the same business I've ever read. Michael Caine lays out his rags to riches life with complete candor and in a very engaging narrative style.

His total honesty and recall, specially of his rise to fame in the 1960's, makes the reader really feel part of the scene. Caine's book is most revealing in the behind the scenes goings on in the making of his movies. I'll not spoil it for you by going into detail, but our cockney actor friend certainly got around to meeting just about all of the "in" people of the day and many before they were household names to the rest of us. He mentions the good, bad and the ugly and doesn't spare himself when looking back on the mistakes he has made.

For aspiring young actors, there are lessons to be learned here. Caine has a separate book for that, but still he offers up some informed pieces of guidance in this work. As an Englishman, he's probably the most famous and iconic actor to ever come of old blighty and blimey if ee' don't alf make it one ell' of a read!

Michael Caine is one of my favourite actors, and "What's it all about" is one one fascinating read. It has an excellent witty conversational style, which makes it very engaging, especially in the earlier parts. I always took Caine to be a dyed-in-the-wool Brit (he looks like one, and says so in the book himself) and so was surprised and amazed at the amazing life he's led... brought up in a poor family, survived the World War, went to war in Korea and almost got killed himself, struggled like hell, led a debauched lifestyle, and so on.

"What's it all about" is one of the best autobiographies I've read if you just count the first half, let's say before Caine settles with his family in LA; after this it seems to eschew those little tidbits of gossip, life and human nature for the mundane: what parties/restaurants/hotels/people/homes/flats they went to/ate in/stayed in/met/bought/rented, and so on. This part is quite dull, though it does have the occasional witticism. Also some things are missing... incredibly there's no reference to the one Caine quote which - let's just say - not a lot of people know. Also I'd have liked him not to be silent about his "conquests".

One thing that really got me though is the mistakes... I dont know whether these are just typos or Sir Michael fiddling with the truth a bit. For example, on page 5 (hardcover) he says at birth his weight was 8 lb 2. Later (page 348), this becomes 6 lb 2. Another instance: on page 35 he is 6 ft tall at age 15 having added a foot in two years, yet on page 25 he is 5 ft 11 at age 11. On page 330, he says "Since then I've only drunk wine" as a result of finding out about his excessive drinking. Yet we have many references later to the drinking of all kinds of spirits, including vodka. There are more such mistakes, which makes me think the book wasnt proofread at all.

But all in all, this is a very good read, even if you dont know Michael Caine. If nothing, it at least gives the message that dreams can be achieved if you try hard enough and never give up.

If Michael Caine's life resembles that one of the average actor, next time I request an autograph from Nicole Kidman or Kevin Spacey, I may be dwelling on their heroic background, rather than on their assumingly obscure and profligatious foreground. Maurice Micklewhite's biography is just a piece of inspiration for any quitter. It can outdo Anthony Robbins' tapes any day. A fighter in Korea, a victim of malaria, a reluctant B-movie castmember, a happy hedonist, a drunk, an opportunist, and aventually a model husband and father. He's had it all. Michael Caine carries enormous weight in his movies not just because of his acting guile, but mainly because of his charismatic persona. His diversification of characters portrayed, whether in "The Man Who Would Be King", "Funeral in Berlin", "The Eagle Has Landed" or "The Cider House Rules", offers the spectator the unusual challenge of discerning him from prior roles, a task traditionally reserved to a Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness or Ralph Richardon. Can't help but fall in love with the lad.

Michael Caine, one of film's most durable actors, tells his story through 1992 in the autobiography WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

How many film performers have done as much as well as Michael Caine? For more than forty years, the actor has delivered shining performances in dramas, thrillers and comedies. He's carried flicks as a leading man, shared the spotlight as a costar, contributed to emsemble casts and has even take small roles.

In WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT, Michael Caine vows this book is the only autobiography he will write. I hope he changes his mind. I am sure Mr. Caine had to leave a lot of good stories out of his first volume. And since its '92 publication, he has been knighted and won another Oscar. Why not another book?

The most noteworthy aspect of WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT is that Michael Caine, despite having done almost everything you could want to do, has had the same personal and professional ups and downs as you and me. He tells stories we've all been through, such as being nervous about meeting women and his strained relationships with friends. (Of course, you and I would not be pals with actor Terence Stamp.)

This Michael Caine fan wants more movie-making anecdotes. If Mr. Caine does publish a second autobiographical volume, I request a synopsis of the making of each of his ninety-something films. He barely mentions two of my favorites: WATER and especially the obscure comic gem WITHOUT A CLUE.

Bravo to Michael Caine for not kissing and telling. He alludes to the bedroom activity that made the 1960s what it was for the rich and famous but does not name names.

The night Michael Caine won the Best Supporting Actor for CIDER HOUSE RULES, ceremony host Billy Crystal had been making fun of Caine's role in a JAWS film. Yet Mr. Caine did not return the dig during his acceptance speech, despite notorious Crystal bombs such as MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, FORGET PARIS, and FATHER'S DAY.

Unless, of course, Michael Caine's saving those remarks for his next autobiography!

For now, read WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT.

This book is inspiring. Michael Caine knew at a very young age that he wanted to act, and through perseverance, he has become highly successful and one of the most respected actors of our time, with two Academy Awards to his credit. This should serve to encourage those with dreams but who tell themselves "I'll never make it."

This is the real thing. Caine starts at the beginning and tells it all without indiscreet name dropping. He mentions that he does not plan to write another autobiography and so does not want to leave anything out. That makes for a really great read.

But what's really special about this autobiography is how approachable Caine seems to be. He comes across as just a regular guy whom you could approach on the street and say hi. Considering that most of the other autobiographies I've read, however great they may be, still seem like stories told by a celebrity who has deigned to share his/her life story, that in itself is an amazing accomplishment.

This is one of the most realistic autobiographies I have ever read. George Lopez is human, funny, nostalgic, sad, and creative. The more I learn about his life and his success, the more I believe in the power of the human spirit. Spellbinding from the first to the last page, I learned to appreciate the long and winding road to success. More George Lopez, please!

I have to comment in regards to the reader who said that George Lopez is not Mexican...he is Mexican in the sense that I am Italian...it's in my blood. Is there anything wrong with his being a proud American? Why shouldn't he embrace that part of himself? As he said himself, it is Americans who buy his tickets and watch his program and 90% of them happen to be white. George Lopez is obviously very proud of his accomplishments, his Mexican heritage and his American citizenship that was his birthright. We love you George Lopez.....never change....never become leary of your loyal audience the way that so many comedians end up becoming...and always know that when we are not laughing WITH you, that we are crying WITH you! I know, huh!

I was moved by his difficult upbrings and how he fought back. I couldn't stop laughing when he talked about the mexican culture and their strange habits & sayings, because I could definitely relate being mexican myself.

I love this book. Not only did the book help me understand his comedy even more but I was was able to relate to him more now than before I read his book.

On top of him giving us a look into what his life was truly like he still made me laugh with his excerps.

First of all I can say that after reading this book I laughed and I cried. It was very touching and I think so many people can relate to George Lopez and his childhood. You have to give George alot of credit where credit is due. He has come along way, just look how far he has come.... That's got to count for something..... I have all his cd's and his dvd's. I can play them over and over again.... But nothing compares to seeing George Lopez live in concert. That was one of the best comedy concert I have ever been to... The book is well worth reading and I don't think if your a true George Lopez fan you won't be disappointed... You will laugh and maybe even cry...

Jean-Marie Potiez is, of course, from France. I knew him through ABBA fan clubs some years ago. He gives a good account of the ABBA phenomenon. Agnetha was born in Jonkoping, Sweden on April 5, 1950. Her father staged amateur reviews in the town, and Agnetha began singing in them at an early age. When she was 15, she left school to take a job as a telephone operator with a car firm. She was singing with a group called Bernt Enghardts. She left them when her composition, "Jag Var Sa Kar (I Was So In Love)" became a hit on the Swedish charts. Agnetha moved to Stockholm and recorded her first album.

Agnetha composed music. She did nine solo albums between 1968 and 1988. She recorded in Swedish, German, English, French and Spanish. Her label in the early days was Cupol. She went on to form Agnetha Faltskog Productions with Staffan Linde as her manager.

Benny Andersson is the only one of the four born in Stockholm, Benny came from a family of accordion players. It was natural for him to teach himself piano. From 1964 to 1969, his Hep Stars were Sweden's biggest group. They had a rougher image than Bjorn's Hootenanny Singers. When their career ended in bankruptcy, Benny came away with the idea that there would have to be greater economy in the future. It gave him incentive to become co-owner of Polar Music with Bjorn and Stig Anderson.

Bjorn Ulvaeus came from Gothenburg, Sweden's western port and second largest city, where he was born in 1945.

Bjorn was still in school when he formed the West Bay Singers, a folk group. Stig Anderson suggested the name, Hootenanny Singers. Stig was great at naming groups.

Bjorn is known for his business sense and studied corporate law for a term at the University of Stockholm. He meant to be a civil engineer. He was drafted into the Swedish military for the mandatory 10 months, a handy experience if you are going to write songs like Fernando.

Frida Lyngstad was raised by her grandmother in Eskilstuna. Her mother had died at age 21, and it was felt that little Frida would fare better in Sweden since her father had been part of the occupying army.

Frida started singing professionally when she was 13. She sang with a big band, and that is how she met her first husband, Ragnar Fredriksson. He played trombone. Frida had two children by him: a son, Hans, and a daughter, Lotta.

If you are an ABBA fan, then you will love this book. The book takes you into the lives for 4 very special musicans.

Abba remain hugely popular in Britain and many other countries more than twenty years after they disbanded. This book is not an in-depth study of the different personalities and their difficulties, but it gives plenty of information about the members of Abba and their manager, including their lives before and after Abba. And (at least in my hardcover edition) there are pictures - plenty of them.

Regarding the four members of Abba, three of them (Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha) were born and raised in Sweden, all apparently having fairly normal childhoods, only their musical talent setting them apart from others. All three became hugely successful in the Swedish pop charts, Agnetha as a solo singer, Benny and Bjorn as members of separate groups.

The odd one out was Anni-Frid, better known as Frida. She was born in Norway as the illegitimate child of a German father and Norwegian mother. Frida was mainly raised by her grandmother, who took her to Sweden, where her mother joined them but died of illness a few months later, aged just 21. Frida also found it much harder than the others to achieve success in music, but she did eventually have some big Swedish hits of her own.

The author presents the main years (1969 to 1982) on a year-by-year basis, explaining the different events that occurred in each year - records, tours, TV, their personal lives - in a semi-diary format.

As far as the music is concerned, the story is quite complicated and not always easy to follow, but that is no fault of the author. Before they became Abba, they were four separate acts, each with their own careers and signed to different record companies. Once they came together as Abba, different things were happening in Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden and elsewhere with different records - even before 1974. That was the year that Abba won Eurovision and charted for the first time in Britain and America.

There have been many books on Abba and will surely be many more. Despite being a huge Abba fan, this is the first I've read. If you're only going to have one book on Abba, it might as well be this one.

Did you ever come across a favourite song and say, "I wonder whatever happened to....? Abba took the world by storm back in the 60's when a quarter bought you an afternoon matinee at the movies, and minimum wage in my home town was $1.00 per hour. If you earned $1.25 or more, you had it made!

Abba possessed a unique blend of charisma, talent, and originality. Who can forget the sentimental lyrics of ,"I Had A Dream", the gentle flow of "The Rivers of Babylon", the melancholy strains of "Fernando" or the upbeat dance-hit, "Dancing Queen"? The list of hits went on and on.

What I particularly liked about this book was the numerous photographs all depicting Abba at their finest. Many photographs are ones not often, if ever, published before, at least not on this continent. In addition, the book reveals a lot of factual, personal information about the individuals themselves. The road to fame and fortune is not an easy one as readers will discover through the pages of this book. Some facts have been printed before, but other aspects of their career are presented here in a more complete, in-depth light. Fans of Abba, will no longer need to wonder, "what ever happened to..." because the epilogue tells you just that. Of all the books on the group, this is one of the best in print.

Probably the best book you can get, if you want an ABBA photo book. In this case even better than "From ABBA To Mammma Mia", since there is pictures from a broader period . It is written in cronologic date-by-date, where each year, as well as "The Movie" and the concert tours got its own chapter. You don't have to be an ABBA fan to enjoy this book, everyone can enjoy this trip in text and pictures through the fantastic story of ABBA.

If you want to know first hand the inner-workings of New York's most famous parties and the people who make them happen (along with the clubgoers that help make them famous) go read "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" now. This raw telling weaves significant and interesting nightlife history, including interviews with the people who lived it, with tales of current scenes and connects them to give readers an untainted view of the underground world of NYC parties, fashion, social change and the fabulously outrageous characters that embody them. Along with colorful personal anecdotes and fun, sarcastic sidebars with topics like "Thomas's Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Ropes," Glenn Belverio with the help of personal commentary from famed doorman, Thomas Onorato, makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in NYC history, social scenes and celebrity gossip. Whether you're from NYC, just moved there or follow the scene with a curious eye from afar - you will not be able to put down "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" until you have devoured all the edgy and eccentric pages in their entirety. And you will be thirsty for more...

I was pulled into this book from the very first page. Not only does it paint the real life experience with every word but it is written in such a lively manner that the sizzling times in NYC just pour through you. I especially loved the Heatherette piece. Could not stop laughing. Looking forward to Glenn's next book. Five Stars from Paris.

The author of this book has a keen observational eye for the details of New York nightlife and its denizens. He takes what might first appear as a frivolous or superficial subject and manages to extract some real anthropological significance from it. But you can still read it at the beach.

I love to read NYC celebrity gossip columns mainly because I love to imagine all the excitement going on in the Big Apple. I've heard about nightclub line ups and doormen and the horror of rejection. This book not only made me feel like I was standing next to the doorman getting an insider's view, but by the end of the book, I felt like I really knew Thomas and that I really had been there. I can't think of another book that's been able to make me forget I was reading a book. I laughed out loud - this book made me laugh out loud. It made me see that anyone can feel like a star - the glamor is in the attitude not the pocketbook. Confessions of the Velvet Ropes is like a guidebook to cutting edge NYC nightlife complete with tips on how to pull off a look, to get into the club and how to have a wild time without getting hung up on being an outcast from NJ. It was a thoroughly fun book to read.

I really enjoyed reading about all the amusing people in this book. It's sort of like a better written, funnier, more detailed version of the Warhol Diaries... except the Warhol Diaries is packed with boring old farts like Liza Minnelli and Bob Colacello, whereas this book has mental cases like Courtney Love and that tacky thing who does the Baby Phat clothes -- you know, the former model who thinks she's Tyra Banks but is really just Jocelyne Wildenstein in Beyonce drag. Anyhow, you know that when you've got Kimora and Courtney in the same book, you're gonna laugh (and if you've got them in the same room, bring backup... as you'll see in Confessions.)

If there was going to be a Charmed movie, this is the story they should use.

I guess I'm just a huge fan no matter what, because I love ALL the Charmed books, and own them all! Each one has a great and unique story, I'm addicted to collecting AND reading them!

I watch the show every day, sometimes twice a day, every episode, haven't missed one yet, and don't plan on it, ever. I would love to get all the books on the series, especially shadow of the sphinx. That sounds so good. I give the series books 5 stars, cause its the best show on tv except for wwe raw and smackdown.

This book circles around the 3 new strangers who are close to each of the sisters, and each time they meet, something strange happens. Piper's emotions are unruly, Paige seems to be exhausted for nothing and Phoebe has short-term memory loss, and all 3 of their powers are getting weaker and weaker. Just like that. And the more times the sisters meet these "strangers", their sudden-weaknesses seem to be worsening (both magical and non-magical). At last, they discover that there is something sinister going on, and they have to pit against these strangers to defeat them AND get their powers back, as all the Ks (strangers) want in revenge, to what happened to their ancestors nearly 3000 years ago. Dark Vengeance indeed.

Find out what happens to this awesome story penned by Diana G. Gallagher. Definitely worth your money and your time to read it. Happy reading!!

this is my favourite charmed book!!! this is mainly because it gives each of the sisters an equal part bringing them all together at the end to kick but. although there are parts in this book that mirror the crimson spell this book has more levels plus a good twist at the end plus the charmed ones get a few good one liner jokes in. although the bad guys are pretty see through the ending is pretty solid.

overall this is a great book even if your not a mjor charmed fan and if you are it's better

This is such a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. It tells Buddy, Ritchie and J.P.'s story in a very interesting and easy to follow book. I would recommend this book to any Buddy fan. Five stars!

This is a great book. I have always been interested in "The day the music died" I had read several books and magazine articles about Buddy Holly's life but there was little in the way of the actual Winter Dance Party or the other musicians. I purchased this book and was shocked at how well and detailed the accounts of the musicians lives and the aftermath of the plane crash was. Larry Lehmer did an excelent job and should be commended on telling the truth not just what Buddy Holly's widow wanted or others who are wanting to cover the truth about what life was really like for all those involved. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in rock and roll, Buddy Holly or just 50's style music.

This book is great because it not only tells of the careers of those involved in the Winter Party Tour, but also tells details leading up the crash (including stops in many small towns along the way). It was quite informative.
Buddy Holly is the best known,yet most elusive and enigmatic of all Rock 'n' Roll legends.This man was a genius.The way he constructed his songs was sensational.

The initial first run of this great book was not around very long and people have been begging since for a reprint and here it is! This one is hard to put down, it is intriguing, informative and FACTUAL, which most Buddy book are not (avoid the Amburn book at all costs). What is particularily nice is that it features a great deal of updated info about the last tour & crash, info about Roger Peterson, and a good deal about Ritchie & The Bopper that usually doesn't get included. Lehmer talks to people that were at the shows, helped with the Tour, etc. No wild theories here, just the facts. Top notch in every regard. You see any bad reviews here? 'Nuff said!

Larry Lehmer has crafted one of the better journalistic books about a historical rock 'n' roll event. He brings a newspaperman's observations and senses to the project, which connects all the dots in the tragic last tour for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. "The Day the Music Died" is not only entertaining -- somber and occasionally macabre in appropriate moments, and humorous elsewhere -- but it describes the days and weeks leading up to the tragic crash in Clear Lake through the eyes of people who were there. In each case, he paints a vivid portrait of a fallen star, making their stories all the more tragic. To read this book is to understand how American rock 'n' roll evolved from its early, innocent roots toward the fragmented, even chaotic market it encompasses today. I highyl recommend this book.

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!!!!!

If you don't know Phil and Kaja Foglio from -his- work in Dragon Mag's "What's New", from the MythAdventures series (book and/or comic), the Buck Godot stories, their (blush) XXXenophile series, or their work illustrating "Magic, The Gathering" cards (notably Urza's Science Fair Project), shame on you! Go back two spaces and loose a turn. Gas-lamp Fantasy is sort of like what Jules Verne, Mary Shelly and H.G. Wells were writing back in the day. Steam-powered wonders, cobbled-together reanimated monsters, and pneumatic nutcrackers. (who doesn't like nuts?) Add a bit more modern-times feel, fantasmagoric (tm) illustration and color, and more tongue in cheek humor than you can shake a bag of knezels at, and presto! Genius! And the Girl, DON'T forget the girl! Damsels-in-distress, damsels-outta-de-dress, damsels who would shemk me upsidy-like the head with a 3/17 occipital left-leaning heterodyne wrench if I continues! (Yowza!) So stop reading this and BUY it already! Buy the whole series! (Buy two! Gotta keep one set "Mint Condition", dontcha?)

I love the art and the airships definitely need to be looked at. The age of steam and invention captured here is great, but if you're looking for a 'steam punk' setting this is not it. The title is certainly worthy to own, but doesn't have the darker aspects that would go with a true 'steam punk' setting. Otherwise, if you're looking for a great work, look no further!

The art is really the best part of the series. All the bits and bobs and mechanically doodads make for a very pretty comic. (And they serve as good plot devices too!)

I zoomed through the first book too quickly and hadn't yet ordered the rest of the series, which I would say is the only bad part about the book.

The drama is top notch and the fantasy setting keeps it moving forward. You'll find that the plot reveals little secrets along the way that you would never expect. The best comic I've seen from the Foglios in a long time.

This is the first volume in Phil Foglio's ongoing series featuring Agatha Heterodyne and a cast of hundreds. The book collects the first few issues of what was originally a comic book series. The publishing schedule, though, seems to have been troubled for a variety of reasons, and "Girl Genius" now appears in webcomic form (with ensuing regular compilations in print form).

Kaja Foglio, wife and co-creator, describes this as "gaslamp fantasy": crypto-Victorian science and pre-pulp adventures in a world filled with mad scientists, giant steam-powered robots, weird technology, mysterious cults, and cackling villains. A great deal of which is played for laughs, simultaneously embracing and sending up the usual tropes of the genre. The humor throughout balances between sly drollery and slapstick.

One of the major attractions is Foglio's art, which many gamers will well know from his years of penning the "Phil & Dixie" feature in "Dragon" magazine. It's drenched in color and is highly detailed, to the point that you wonder how he ever completes a page. There's almost always 18 different things going on in the background, none of which is ever really relevant, but Foglio apparently really enjoys jamming in the sight gags.

I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, and the Foglios have done a great job in creating an internally consistent alterna-Earth with its own physical and magical laws and history and politics, and they've also introduced seemingly dozens of plot strands. This latter is both good and bad. In later issues, there is some loss of cohesiveness, and the story seems to wander off into side treks, and none of the storylines ever seem to get wrapped up. (It's sort of the "Lost" of the comics world.)

On the other hand, it's got enormous fleets of dirigibles! And scar-faced pseudo-Teutonic bad guys! And talking cats! And endangered heroines in corsets! So, you know, all of the good stuff. Check it out!

My wife and I play the Girl Genius card game, though up until recently I have known little of the background story. One day, curious, I looked it up and found this volume and ordered it. Before I was finished, I was already in love with Agatha. This volume gives little of the flavor of the full story that folds over the next 5+ volumes, but it does give insight into a richly imagined world.

In some ways, it is a very common story. There is a student who seems not particularly good at anything, though the reader is made aware early own that there is more than meets the eye. There is a university where she learns, that seems to be taking part in caring for her and hiding something of a secret. There is a mysterious set of events in her past, and her family's past. She has an "item of power" that is taken and sets gears into motion. She meets a guy she both despises and admires at the same time.

Somehow, though, the Foglios have found an excellent way to balance the "steam-punk", the cliche story line, and the relatively small beginnings of a comic that are meant to hint at things to come in a way to come up with something that feels fresh and, more importantly, fun.

If you are thinking about ordering this volume, by the way, I recommend getting the next couple as well. It reads fast and I assure you that you are going to want more.