Entertainment Books

As an old-time radio fan who has just recently discovered the magic of Don McNeill's "Breakfast Club" program (and WHY aren't there more surviving recordings of this series currently in circulation among collectors?), I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Doolittle's new book. I found it to give fascinating and in-depth looks into the "behind-the-scenes" workings of the show, the network and sponsor difficulties with the TV version, and the careers and private lives of the McNeill family and the various cast members. I found the section regarding Kay McNeill's (Don's wife) mental and physical decline from Altzheimer's Disease to be particularly poignant and heartbreaking...especially considering what a vibrant person she seemed to be prior to her illness. In a previous review, Mr. Slobb criticizes the book for treating Don McNeill as if he were God...I respectfully disagree. The book deals with the two personas of Mr. McNeill....How he could seem outgoing on the program and be quite introverted, even sullen, in real life. However, after reading the book one gets the impression that Don McNeill was basically a fine person. After working with Mr. McNeill for a number of years and numerous broadcasts, Mr. Slobb's complaints are that Don McNeill never spoke to him, or that Don gave Mr. Slobb "cheap" Christmas presents....I don't think that those issues really put Don McNeill into the "ruthless S.O.B" category. Unlike fellow "morning man" Arthur Godfrey, who truly alienated his cast members and had some very ugly parting of the ways, most of Don McNeill's regulars stayed with him for YEARS. There were male and female singers who would leave the show to get married and raise families, tour on club dates, go into the service, etc. Don had a friendly "open-door" policy with these departed singers.....Most of them would return to fill in when their replacements would be out sick, on vacation, etc., and these "pinch-hitting" former regulars were always made to feel welcome. I'm sorry to digress from the book itself, but I felt that the preceding needed to be said. I found this book to be enlightening, interesting, inspiring and a LOT of fun...sort of like an actual "Breakfast Club" broadcast! I recommend it highly!

The Don McNeill Breakfast Club was a comfort of home, a memory of cherished moments sitting by the radio with my family. When I heard that a book had been written about the program I had high expectations. I was more impressed than I could have imagined. Not only did I feel a stronger sense of who Don McNeill was, I also gained perspective on American History through radio, which was so perfectly encompassed in The Breakfast Club. For anyone who remembers the lazy mornings by the radio, or for anyone who is interested in American culture and history, this book is a must!

Although I am old enough to have been able to remember Don McNeill's Breakfast Club I have only heard of him, and wanted to learn more about this popular radio show. Author John Doolittle has done an excellent job in bringing out the personality of Don McNeill. Don was a devoted family man who, despite an extroverted personality when interviewing people, was more of an introvert away from the show. Don was devoted to the midwest and chose to keep his show in Chicago from various downtown locations. I would say the primary reason for the success of the show was his sincere interest in people in addition to his willingness to pay the price in preparation time. Those who filled in for him found out there is more involved than chatting with members of the studio audience. The silent prayer and the march around the breakfast table were interesting staples of this show that I wasn't aware of. Don McNeill was a sincere man both on the show and in his private life. The CD that came with the book I bought provides interesting snippets on some of his shows and was especially interesting to listen to after having read the book. Don McNeill was a giant of radio who had a lot to contribute to other people and did.

This is a fascinating journey back through radio and american history.

The "Breakfast Club" was a morning radio program staple in hundreds of thousands of homes across America beginning in 1933 until its final broadcast in December of 1968. Don McNeill hosted this program which was completely unscripted and involved a lot of studio audience participation. Now John Doolittle has memorialized that unique and beloved radio show host and his program in Don McNeill And His Breakfast Club. Here is the history of a man and a program that developed an enormous and loyal listenership in an era when broadcast radio was the major daily mass media for information and culture in the country. Doolittle's informative, enthusiastically recommended history is enriched with the inclusion of an accompanying CD with sample clips from the show to give the reader an authentic flavor of what the program was like and why it became (and stayed) one of the most popular components of morning radio.

It was the best bio I have ever read.It made me feel like I was part of the Hamner family.When I watched the waltons as a kid I did not know it was based on a real family. Now when I watch the Waltons it has a whole new meaning

Mention 'Earl Hamner' and savvy book readers will instantly recognize his name as the creator of the beloved Waltons, which became a hit TV show - but there's more to his life than Walton's Mountain, as Earl Hamner: From Walton's Mountain To Tomorrow reveals. Hamner was raised in small town Virginia and discovered writing at a young age, becoming a published writer at the age of six. He did much more than just The Waltons: he produced eight scripts for The Twilight Zone, did the screenplay for Charlotte's Web, and was loved and respected for his talents. A fine account of his lively career and many literary contributions evolves.

Earl Hamner is genious, intelligent, heartfelt, honest man. He created the best show on t.v., "The Waltons." This books opens a lot of interesting history of his career and family. The author spends too much time indulging other writers works, and trying to compare them to Earl Hamner. I wish Earl was the author of his bio. You will discover his works from Charlotte's Web, Falcon Crest, Snowy River, Spencer's Mountain, The Homecoming,and of course, The Waltons.
Sections of the book gets very boring, and turns away from Earl's life. The rest of the book is well written. We need more writers & producers like Earl Hamner.
God Bless The Waltons!

Earl Hamner,Jr. is as familiar to some of us as our own father, or grandfather.He has been a part of our lives for as much as the last thirty or so years,since his book "The Homecoming" aired as a made for tv Christmas movie,and the long running series,"The Waltons" took over our living rooms every Thursday night.
The series was based on Mr. Hamner's life growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the depression,and the stories related to many of us,having touched on our families and their histories,stories that were told to us by our parents and grandparents,and some that lived through those times themselves.
Earl had a special gift in his ability to tie that world in with ours,reminding us even still today the meaning of family.He could even make those without a family feel like they were part of one.
Mr. Person's book not only presents a great tribute to a great man, but his writing also has the ability to make the reader feel as though they are reading about one of thier own family,but with some surprises along the way.If I had only one comment about the book it would be that I only wish there were more pages to read in it! Great job,Mr.Person!

This book provides excellant insight on Earl Hamner. My wife and I belong to the International Walton's Fan Club and have meet Earl several times at Walton Reunions. Mr. Hamner is a talented writter and a wonderful person.

It didnt take long to read this book..couldnt put it down. Totally surprised at what I read and I give Kudos to Mrs. EH! I liked the frankness about everything without all the details! Engelbert held nothing back he didnt want to and Im glad he is still with his family! He still has a beautiful gift and should thank God for watching over him and his family! I still say he can sing better than any other ever!!

I read Engelbert's Biography and I found it very interesting. Many events in the book were stated with the up most honesty. Most biography's are written with only the good things the person wants you to know. Engelbert and his wife tell you his story just as it was. I have never read a book in just 2days,but I couldn't put the book down. I am a great fan of Engelbert for over 30yrs and I'm sure anyone who reads this book will enjoy it.

What a tale Engelbert has to tell, and how entertaining is the way he tells it; it's been a life full of twists and turns, and he writes it all, with all the bumps and bruises along the way.
From his childhood in Madras, India, where he lived through the violence of pre-Independence terrorism, to the many hardships of trying to make it as a singer, which were made that much tougher by the ever-present "couch-casting" that went on, a form of getting ahead that he would not participate in...and its prevalence explains why many of the untalented seem to "make it", if only for a season, while some of the really gifted have a rough time getting noticed.
Engelbert's rise to stardom was meteoric, with the single song of "Release Me" in 1967, and he went from living in a sparsely furnished flat into the lap of luxury, and all the pitfalls that come with fame and fortune.

Through it all, he has had Patricia, or Popea, as he calls her, with him since the early days. Beautiful as well as intelligent and strong, she's been the one that has kept the family of 3 boys and one girl (the stunning and talented Louise Dorsey) together, and "stood by her man" through thick and thin. Popea writes a portion of Chapter Fifteen with gritty honesty, and explains how, and why, she withstood the many women, the paternity suits, and all the paparazzi that hounded them through those many years of notoriety.
The women, as Engelbert explains, were an "occupational hazard", certainly not helped by his years of lonely nights and hard drinking on the road, and the many females who would make themselves exceedingly available.

Engelbert comes off as an extremely complex individual, but very likeable. A perfectionist in his work, living life to the fullest, and discovering in his later years that he has the gift of healing; this assertion I believe, as I find that the sound of his voice can have curative effects.
There are portions that are laugh-out-loud funny (like the UFO story in Chapter Seventeen), and adding to the charm of his writing style is some of the "Brit-speak" slang, with expressions like the now rarely heard "grotty" (a favorite word of mine coined by George Harrison in the '60s).

The book has two sections of photographs, from the age of 17 on. Favorites of mine are the one with Muhammad Ali, and a lovely family shot taken by the pool in one of their USA homes, affectionately named "The Pink Palace".
The final 12 pages are devoted to a UK discography, and include chart positions.
This is fast reading, and riveting, so walk the dog, feed the cat, turn off the telephone, and make yourself a big cuppa, because once you open this book, its going to be very hard to put down.

I was sure this book would be interesting...but it went way beyond anything I could have imagined. It was poignant, honesty..incredibly honest..I can't believe there were were several chapters where I couldn't see beyond my tears. I am so glad I got this book..it is a very deep look...and I'd love to sit down with him and be his friend! Thank you, Englebert, for letting us inside your heart.

i truly enjoyed reading this book. I have been a fan for 26 years and it was enjoyable to read about his life.
The book was a quick read and as entertaining as going to his show. my favorite chapter was where his wife wrote her feelings. I took alot away from that. That is what love is about!!
read this book and enjoy!

I first met Adrian Brooks where this memoir begins -- in Inverness in the early 1970s. It was the early days of gay liberation, and San Francisco was alive with creativity and imagination. This memoir captures that time, looking at a cultural phenomenon called the Angels of Light. The Angels began with the break up of the Cockettes, and I attended many of the early Angel shows, before Adrian's involvement. Those were mad and wonderful and completely undisciplined. I also saw some of the later shows, and Adrian, a writer and artist, brought some sense of order to the madness, without diminishing its wonderful creativity.

Adrian casts an honest look at that time, noting both its glories and its roughness. He is as rigorous in viewing his own actions as he is in viewing others. He reminds us of some of the beautiful people who populated that world, such as Pristine Condition, who he describes accurately as a "human valentine" - although it is true that Prissy could act in ways that made people refer to "The Condition."

It was sex, drugs and rock and roll, for good and ill, and Adrian has given the story of at least part of the post-Summer of Love San Francisco that I don't think has been told before. A must read for everyone interested in the gay artistic community of the `70s. Thank you, Adrian.

This amazing and beautifully written memoir is by Adrian Brooks, best known as a first generation
gay liberation social activist, poet, performer, novelist and, most recently, non-fiction writer.

Illustrated with many historic photos by Dan Nicoletta, 'Flights' allows us direct insights into the era's
most radical underground subculture- the San Francisco 'Angels of Light'- in which Brooks starred
from 1974- 1980. During his tenure, the Angels experienced their greatest triumphs in the epic shows
he scripted, though he scrupulously disclaims sole artistic credit for this. True to the troupe's collective
nature, he attributes such successes to the communal harmony that prevailed, (although one can't help
seeing that this spirit of good will existed only when he was a guiding force and was absent when he was).

As the first 'insider' account of both the positive and negative aspects of that explosive age by someone
central to creating the culture, 'Flights' includes portraits of many complex, fascinating artists, the majority
of whom are celebrated and extolled for their often unrecognized or unappreciated gifts. But Brooks takes
another audacious step by candidly exposing his own faults and errors when he and his ilk were young and
too swept away by hard won (and new) self-confidence to imagine any backlash, or tragic consequences to
life in the punishing fast lane. In revealing this, his honesty is harrowing and his truth-telling, impeccable.

Brooks' poetry and journal entries from a era when he was, also, an Angel and celebrated poet, and before
he turned to novels, serious drama and non-fiction, permit us a unique glimpse into a vanished culture that
changed Society. When he bestrode that glittering circus world, it triumphed. After he withdrew in late 1980,
'the Angels of Light' caromed from failure to failure until their final disintegration in 1985. The rest is silence.

As a fellow "survivor" of the Drugs, Rock 'n Roll, and the San Francisco free-spirited Gay Sexual Revolution of the 70's....I feel we are very fortunate that Adrian Brooks has the insight, awareness, and writing talents to document the Beauty, Madness and Theatrics of the phenomenon called "The Angels of Light"! Not only was Adrian a keen-sighted observer...he was also an integral participant who had the first-hand opportunity to enter and exit the very vortex of this creative cyclone.
His book ""Flights of Angels" is a tell-all...good-bad...beautiful-horrific...that is a "must read" for any one truly interested in this "once-in-a-lifetime" exotic living theater troupe. Adrian's unflinching portrayal of those involved(including himself)shows his brutally honest approach to this entertaining and mystifying cast of characters. If he stepped on some HIGH-heeled toes...or ruffled some of the gaudy plumage..SO BE IT! His end result in this Book is both very entertaining and A JOB WELL DONE!!!

ps For some good laughs...read his book "Roulette". And...for an erotic book...read one of his earliest works "The Glass Arcade" (an intriguing creation of book that is highly erotic...yet devoid of blatant sex scenes).

First off I would like to state I am honored and criticized in "Flights of Angels". At first I was shocked and then flattered. The few years I had the experienced of working with the Angels of Light were some of the most exciting,fascinating and personal growth enlightening years of my life. There were so many wonderful,dedicated, and talented people who participated in the Angels of Light.
Flights of Angels is Adrian Brooks's personal memoir and his interrpetation of a series of events that occured in his experience between 1975-1980.
I found the book to be bitter sweet. I found the era of the 70's to also be just that.
The years I worked with Adrian collaberating in writing and performing in several memorable shows; I found him to be a man of integrity with a spirit of cooperation, but also human with his own faults.
My understanding of false claims of his years of writting shows prior to his participation have been edited.
I have enjoyed the book. I believe Adrian Brooks is a talented writer.

I am not only written about in "Flights of Angeles", having performed in "Holy Cow" and 2 minor cabaret shows, I am acquainted with many of those described in this amazing memoir. I have also known the author for thirty years so I can attest that, being a person of great honor and integrity, Adrian Brooks tells the whole truth and nothing but in non-fiction as honest and beautifully written as his poetry and novels. From what I know, during the six years when he was a central figure in the Angels, they triumphed, when he left the group, they devolved into vicious fighting, "wiped out" onstage in a series of embarrassing fiascos, and completely fell apart.

This book doesn't only celebrate the transcendent aspects of the cutting edge scene of this amazing era, it has the guts to reveal its darker elements too: substance abuse, mental dysfunction, overdoses, murders, physical abuse and psychotic behavior. Both the shining and the sordid were present in tremendous force;
both are documented, as are Adrian's own triumphs and self-described failures. In that regard, Adrian takes care to be harder on himself that on anyone else yet he goes well beyond all criticism to pay loving tribute to
many kind, brilliantly talented and wonderful artists in this fully dimensional portrait of a gorgeous and inspiring but tragically flawed evolutionary underground.

There are a few mistakes: in a public relations release announcing publication, Arsenal Pulp, the publisher of this book put the word out that, 'Adrian Brooks wrote most of the shows.....' and refused to correct this erroneous claim for many months, thus provoking legitimate complaints. The truth is that there were no written scripts before Adrian appeared and, as he finally got the publisher to correct the original distortion (as one can see on Google) this did provoke controversy. And there are a few minor errors that, somehow, escaped the editorial eye, non of which undermine the authority and veracity of this work.

A brilliant introduction by journalist Mark Thompson (whose credentials are indisputable and who witnessed the group's history) substantiates the text and bears witness to its veracity. In addition to Thompson's lucid endorsement of both author and content, the book is enriched by the dazzling and historic photos of Dan Nicoletta, a beautiful cover by iconic artist, Bill Bowers, and, lastly, the inclusion of Adrian's poetry after thirty years of choosing not to publish these treasures.

The combination of contributors and art forms, poetry, prose, journal entries, photos and Mark Thompson's
testimonial results in a historic work not to be missed by anyone curious to know what it was really like to be in the absolute revolutionary vanguard of gay lib culture............. There will never be another book like this one!

Constance West (formerly Connie)
The Queen Mother

I have always been a fan of autobiographies and this book certainly delivers. I was thinking it might not be as good as all that. I mean come on, yes I was a fan of the spice girls, but so was every pre teen girl.

But I was surprised to find out actually quite a lot. Geri is very open about her battles with anorexia and her trials with the paparazzi.

She is also an amazing person having done work for the UN, speaking about birth control and also performing for the troops.

It was a smart move for her to write this book and also a very honest one as well. She has been through a lot and you see her struggle through it all. It is very inspiring to know what she has been through and it makes you realize that celebrity is not always as perfect as it seems.

I read this book after reading her 1st auto-biography If Only and it is great! If only takes you up to when she left the band and Just for the Record takes you on her solo career.
This book really shows you who she is as a person. You see all sides of her and it made me like her all the more b/c you see how human she is. She shows you that all celebrities have their good an bad days like the rest of us. She gives you an insiders peak into a fun and sometimes not so fun world of celebrity.
Loved it!

I have to admit I only bought this book because the Spice Girls were getting back together and thought it would be cool. I'm not much of a reader but, this book kept me entertained, I read the whole book in one day, "If Only" should be read first but really it doesn't need to be, this book portrays even more in depth how and why Geri left the group when she did and she writes about her struggles with what she wanted to do after that decision, she also explaines her troubles with eating disorders and her passion for yoga, a great read, even if you aren't a fan!

This book pics up right where If Only left off. This book is an excellent read, which holds your interest and it has amazing full page pictures of Geri. I would recommend reading If Only first because "just for the record" is a continuation of it. These books are great reads even if you aren't a fan of Geri's music because she has gone through so much in her life, and it is a very inspirational book with a positive message. This book is also a ,must have for any Geri fan. Even if you don't like to read, the pictures are amazing and there are many of them.

Ok, I got this book, and I am in love with it. First of all,I loved "If Only", which was her first book. But, it was story that never got finished. She leaves the first one with you wondering if her solo career is gonna make it, and this one picks up where she left off, and shows her spunky greatness. This book, along with the great pictures is very good. Anything and everything is shown about her life. This is a book that really makes you wanna change and be a better person. Going from 1998 to 2002 shows all of her triumphs and struggles. Anorexia, singles not getting number one, and break ups take up a major part of the book. But also, it shows her awards, loves , and performances, that make you feel like you are right there. READ THIS BOOK. The reading itself is good, but also, there are hundreds of pictures of her in the book that show her from then to now. If you have any intrest in this woman,you'd better buy this book.

The collaborative work of Gary Stromberg & Jane Merrill, The Harder They Fall: Celebrities Tell Their Real-Life Stories Of Addiction And Recovery is a compendium of autobiographical accounts of self-help and recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction told by a range of readily recognized men and women who range from singer and songwriter Paul Williams, to comedian Richard Pryor, to actor Malcom McDowell, to musician Alice Cooper, to U.S. Congressman Jim Ramstad, and sixteen others. All of these stories are revealed with candor, insight, humor, humility, and hope. The Harder They Fall is a unique anthology and should be available to everyone (especially those struggling with their own addictions) in the community through their local public library.

It seems like you can't pick up a newspaper or turn on a television without hearing of some new celebrity being involved with drugs. Why with all of their success does it take drugs for them to get through their lives? And in the news you don't hear about followups. What happens to these people after they get out of their court ordered treatment (or jail)?

In this book the authors have managed to get an extraordinary collection of people to talk about their lives under drugs and how they were able to beat their habbit. In each case it was clearly a struggle, it was not easy, but they managed.

I say the collection of people is extraordinary because it contains far more than just the musicians that seem to get all the press. It includes sports figures, writers, comedians, and actors. The stories leave me with a feeling of both sadness and hope. That these people can not only accomplish what they did but that they are now will to share their experiences with the rest of us speaks great things about them.

Highly recommended.

Gary Stromberg really tells some very compelling stories of some of the biggest names in pop culture. This book offers hope, some laughs and great insights into an insidious disease that effects millions. I highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/06)

In "The Harder They Fall," publicist Gary Stromberg and author Jane Merrill write stories about twenty-one celebrities and their experiences with addictions. Stromberg begins with his own story about how he got addicted and how hard he had to hit bottom before he could climb up on top again.

What really made this book refreshing is that the stories are written about celebrities from a variety of walks of life. They are not just movie stars or musicians, they are also athletes, politicians, writers and even a cowboy. In spite of the difference in their backgrounds, a common thread runs through the lives of these people. The substance abuse usually began as they became famous. Some of these people even thought that they could use the drugs or alcohol as their muses. As they crashed and burned, they had to go into recovery. In most cases, there were relapses. Then the real healing began and as they healed their inner selves, they made peace with their demons and found a better way to live.

This book is really well written. The first thought that came to my mind as I was reading it, was that, "This is a really good book." That is a simple statement, and I know that the authors could have phrased it much better because they write so well, but the bottom line is, I really enjoyed this book.

People who are interested in stories about celebrities will enjoy it. But, I think that a person struggling with an addiction or a person who knows someone close to them that is struggling with an addiction will get the most out of these stories. The reason I feel this is because that the underlying theme is one of hope. These people hit bottom and in many cases they also had to deal with the humiliation of having the public involved in their private lives. But they manage to overcome their addictions and rise above them to become even better, stronger people than they were before.

The authors also mention celebrities that they would have liked to include in the book, but were unable to, because they are dead as a result of their substance abuse. The most famous one was Elvis. The chapter mentioning these people provides a sobering eye opener to what can happen if you do not go into recovery.

Mariette Hartley ends her story with a powerful quote from a woman that was her spiritual advisor, "One's deepest wounds, integrated, become one's greatest powers." This quote sums up the outcome of people that survive addiction and make it through recovery. I highly recommend this book.

You don't have to be interested in reading celebrity stories to enjoy this book. I highly recommend it. I found the book really hard to put down. Because there are so many great short stories, I was able to get a broad view of the disease's nature. Also, I am very impressed with the honesty and vulnerability of the people who shared their stories. They are very human, beautiful and courageous.

I have purchased 5 copies as gifts for friends and family. Unique book un-greeting card idea. Candid and well written. Give us more MM Garcia.

First of all, I can't believe this book is only $14.95. Second, I read it and reread it over the course of a three hour train trip, and am still giggling about the "flying coffee cup" opener in "Hell Hath no Fury." The antagonist in that story was truly a bi#@h, and I have someone in mind that I knew back in high school that is going to get this book tagged on that page anonymously in the mail.

Thank you! Very cool when a book can be dark and virtuous at the same time.

I respect this author for her candid view on situations that happened in her life. It's a fresh perspective of uncensored feeling. Not to mention it made me laugh from the depth of my being. It makes a great gift for that friend in your life that is hard to buy for.

Hate Mail is a collection of eight short stories which show honest to goodness real life, including your boyfriend's old relative who really, really is into you. I liked this collection of stories because it was not about the deeper meaning in life but instead just showed life without the gloss and facade and had fun doing it. This is for when you are fed up with pretending to be nice in stupid situations and want to say what you really feel. Hate Mail has a card for that.

For those who need a little prompting to toss the hate around, this is the book. I enjoyed the stories, and I've already sent three of the eight cards to those who truly deserved it. Thanks, m.m.!

"Hollywood Beauty" is a thoroughly well researched bio of the late actress, Linda Darnell. It definitely portrays a tough, life in the Tinseltown whirlwind. HB also offers a solid overview of life in the old studio system that wedded performers to one autocratic employer. We read how actors were assigned to a picture, then suddenly pulled or shuffled off to another job with no thought given to personal feelings or effects on careers. Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck and director Joseph l. Mankiewicz are portrayed as hedonistic cads. This reviewer is too young to remember but that system broke up in the early 1950s. TV was the culprit. Fewer Americans were going out to movies so fewer films were made. Linda was cut by Fox but such stars as Clark Gable, Betty Grable, Gene Tierney, and Jeanne Crain also received pink slips. This reviewer encountered one minor disappointment with HB: He would like to have learned more about the making of that classic, brooding western, "My Darling Clementine". How did LD like react to working with director John Ford? (Do we remember that scene where she tries to cheat Henry Fonda at cards?). That minor complaint aside, HB is highly recommended to movie fans of any age. One may be too young to remember LD but that is what VHS and DVDs are for! Some may believe that HB is a sad story but this reviewer disagrees. For all her troubles, LD never gave up. She hung in there through it all and was gainfully working as a stage actress right up to her untimely death in that fire. Readers should enjoy HB more if they approach with an optimistic mindset and a desire to learn of the old Hollywood studio system that is gone forever, for better or worse. Most likely the latter.

Linda Darnell has been a long favorite of mine, so to read "Hollywood Beauty: Linda Darnell and the American Dream," was a real treat. Well written, with a good insight to this lady as both an actress and woman.

Madam Shopper
http://www.marchars.com

This was the only bio I could find on Linda Darnell and I must say, it was worth the money. The author's honest depiction and narrative of this actress is wonderfully written. I highly recommend this insightful biography!

I always liked Linda Darnell. My mother had told me about her when I was in my early teens, saw some of her films, and was quite taken by her. She wasn't a great actress, but she certainly wasn't a bad one, either. But when you look like that, who cares? Linda, born Monetta Eloyse Darnell in Texas, was blessed, or cursed, with a strikingly beautiful face. Pushed by her volatile, ambitious mother, Linda was signed to a contract at 20th Century Fox at the age of 15. Touted as Fox's "Glory Girl", she was featured in several films as a decorative brunette. With her lovely "Latin" looks (her grandfather actually was part Cherokee) and voluptuous figure, she adorned the screen in films such as "The Mask of Zorro" and "Blood and Sand", playing "good girls". When her box-office appeal started to wane, she was still barely over 20 years old. Her personal problems began to mount, dealing with her overbearing mother, a mounting drinking problem that began when she was married to her first husband, (who was some twenty-odd years older), and the fact that she could not bear children. Ms. Darnell's career picked up, however, when she started playing gorgeous "bad girls" in films such as "Fallen Angel", "Hangover Square", and the overblown costume epic "Forever Amber", in which she played an upwardly mobile woman of ill repute. Her best role, as the golddigger with a tender heart in Joseph Mankiewicz's "A Letter to Three Wives", came in 1949, but from then on it was pretty much downhill. Ms. Darnell's personal life became a series of unhappy marriages, exploitative relationships, a spotty career, alcoholism, and ultimately ended in a spectacularly awful way: she was horribly burned in a house fire in 1965, with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 90% of her body,lingered for about 33 hours, and died, aged 41.
The book is a quick, albeit depressing read. Ronald Davis, also a native Texan, writes with compassion for his subject. Several interviews with her siblings, friends, and adopted daughter give a sympathetic portrayal of the "Fallen Angel". To put it in a nutshell, Ms. Darnell wasn't tough enough to handle the ups and downs of show business. Her tale isn't the first nor the last about the cruel world of showbiz, but it just seems even more depressing, when one thinks of the beauty with the face of a Madonna, going downhill at such a young age, and dying so horribly. I may add that there are eerie foreshadowings of her demise in three of her best known films. In "Hangover Square", she is strangled by Laird Cregar, who places her body on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day; in "Anna and the King of Siam", Linda, playing the runaway concubine Tuptim, is burned at the stake; and in "Forever Amber", she bears witness to the Great Fire of London. Creepy, isn't it?
Just a word of warning: Don't read this book if you're depressed!

Very well, written, but the author couldn't decide the year of Linda's birth. On the copyright page, one year of birth was given, then in the book, another year. It made me question the other facts. Aside from that, the book was very interesting-- the strange homelife, the thyroid problem, the marriages, the films, the decline of her acting career and the section on her burning and death are just gripping. I recommend this one.

I am watching the I Love Lucy DVD sets right now. I loved to watch the TV show when I was a little kid right up through adulthood. This book is a great help while watching the DVDs. I can look up an episode that I really loved and read more about it. Memories can be stirred up or I can find out more about the show for the first time. My only regret is that the book isn't comprehensive. It deals with the best episodes and not all of them. I would love a book that deals with all the episodes but maybe it would be too big.

This is a really nice look at I Love Lucy. The pictures are great. I just wish they would have been able to include more episodes.

" I LOVE LUCY " WAS 1 OF THE BEST TV SHOWS IN THE 1950'S AND IS THE BEST SHOW EVER." I LOVE LUCY" CLASSIC MOMENTS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ANY "I LOVE LUCY" FAN. IT SHOWS YOU THE CLASSIC MOMENTS IN WHAT THE BEST TV SHOW THAT WAS EVER MADE.LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ MADE WHAT THE SHOW WAS,ALSO VIVIAN VANCE AND WILLIAM FRAWLEY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS FRED AND ETHEL MERTZ AT 323 E.68TH ST. I FINSHED THIS BOOK AND I TRULY ENJOYED IT.

This is a great book for behind the scenes pictures of the cast and the stage they worked on. I have owned this book for about a year, and come back to look at it all the time. Lucille Ball is my favorite actress, and I just love her to pieces! This book contains photos of their set and everyday life. It also conatains some stories of their lives, so if you are a Lucy fan like me, don't miss this book!

this book is a must have for every LUCY-DESI fan all over the world. it contains beautiful pictures and a lot of information about each episode. it is part of my collection and I see myself coming back to it everytime to look something up.is one of the most complete books I have ever encountered.

Anthony's book shows us, the reader, how interviews can be handled in a professional, smart way to engage the subject, triggering that person to open up and reveal the business of music and the creativity of his/her soul. My favorite interview is where Keith Richards talks about his daughters sneaking into bed with him while he is asleep and waking up to find them next to him.

Octaroons (people over 100 and baboons with eight legs) will find this book absolutely wonderful. I found out about this fine book from my good friends, Andy Breckman and Friedman, International Comedic Envoy for the UN. However, this show is pathetic, but just as hilarious as the Wikipedia one. Everyone should buy this book. Seven Second Delay Rocks.

I had the distinct pleasure of listening to Mr. DeCurtis speak to my History of Rock and Roll (taught by the best teacher ever) class at Indiana University in the Spring of 2004. This was definitely one of the highlights of my collegiate acamdemic career. Anthony's knowledge and experience in the music world is astonishing and his way with words in the recollection of his stories give his listeners a feeling that he not just a writer, but a true music fanatic. In fact, I was so enthralled by Mr. DeCurtis' stories, I attended every section of the classes he was scheduled to address that day. Although I have not read this particular book, I have read his others and would highly suggest them. Based on my readings of his other books, and seeing Anthony speak, I plan to buy this book as soon as I can, and I would bet that I will love it, and most other music lovers will as well.

Written by one of the most esoteric giants of rock n' roll writers, "In other words" is simply funny and fascinating. Anthony DeCurtis sure got around the music scene and it's all here. 7SD rocks!

Anthony DeCurtis is one of the best rock critics writing today and this book is full of fascinating interviews that show you a side of many stars you've never seen before. The dueling interviews with Paul McCartney and George Harrison and Keith Richards on Mick Jagger are worth the price of the book alone. The book also includes an interview with Martin Scorsese and a rare interview with Don Delillo that show that DeCurtis is just as knowledgable about film and literature.