Entertainment Books

This biography of the generally forgotten acting dynasty, the Bennetts, is a tour de force. While father Richard Bennett is long forgotten, daughters Constance and Joan Bennett are still accessible through a number of classic films ("What Price Hollywood" and "Topper" for Constance and "Scarlet Street" and "The Woman in the Window" for Joan, among others).

The author has captured the personalities of each Bennett. So many biographers fall into the trap of providing superficial detail around a chronology of the subject's life, but not so Mr Kellow. He has managed to bring alive the autocratic Richard Bennett and his 3 daughters, the troubled alcoholic Barbara, the mercurial, opportunistic Constance and the refined but passionate Joan. The book moves between each of their lives and Kellow benefited from the co-operation of many surviving members of the family. He has also created a vivid sense of the period in which the story is evolving from the girls rebellious behaviour in the roaring twenties, through career highs for Constance in Hollywood in the thirties and Joan's emergence as a femme fatale in the forties to both actresses move to the stage in the fifties as film work dried up. They were much married and all the details about their stormy relationships are vividly recreated, not in a gossipy tone but creating portraits of intelligent woman who were not afraid to take risks, particularly Constance.

This is a very clever well written book.

At long last, someone has tackled the fascinating story of the Bennett family. The result was well worth the wait. Kellow's book is enthralling, nicely balanced, objective, and well-researched. Anyone interested in Joan or Constance Bennett or even in film history will enjoy this book.

For anyone interested in Hollywood's golden era, this book is a must! Far superior than The Bennett Playbill which was published in the 1970's with Joan and a ghost writer, this book is exhaustively researched and provides a much fuller picture of father Richard and daughters Constance, Joan and the ill fated Barbara. Fans of the tv show Dark Shadows will remember Joan, but probably a lot fewer remember Constance who was one of the top film stars in the early 30's only to be washed up in films by the end of the decade. Joan had a much longer film career, though it took awhile for hers to catch fire. All the marriages, scandals and career highs and lows are covered in depth and Kellow provides a critical evalution of their many film roles. The narrative does skip back and forth between family members, but Kellow does a good job keeping the narrative flowing and after a few chapters the reader will adjust to it. The Bennetts may not have ranked as high as the Barrymores, but they rank right up there with other Hollywood dynasties.

Brian Kellow has done a wonderful job in telling the personal and professional stories of the acting Bennett Sisters and their father theatrical legend Richard Bennett. This book really fills a gap and is so well done that it would be difficult to imagine a better book about the Bennetts unless there were individual books on Constance, Joan, Barbara, and Richard Bennett. I would have liked a listing of the various plays that particularly Constance Bennett starred in. This versatile and glamorous star appeared in the Cole Porter musical "Silk Stockings" and this was not discussed in the excellent text. This is a small complaint and I think this book is a must for fans of Joan and Constance Bennett and for great books about show business. There are also some wonderful photographs and that alone should induce the reader to buy this book!

This well researched and presented book is a fine addition to anyone's library of books about Classic Hollywood or about the Broadway stage. The Bennett family were hard-working and talented performers, extremely famous in their day, but not as well-remembered today as they deserve. Their stories are full of human drama and Brian Kellow tells them in detail, without any wiff of the snide, nasty edge far too many show business books have today. He's honest about the faults of his subjects, yet compassionate about their humanity.

i find that this audio was a good example about faith
and i find that everybody needs alot more faith for jesus is alive and well

Listening to this series inspired me and made me look at my life in a new Christian perspective. The characters are so real as are the emotions and settings. I listened to part one four times. I never knew about Dietrich Bonhoeffer until this broadcast I am very grateful for this series. I promise that who ever listens to this will be inspired. There are good people in the world who speak up when things are wrong.Unfortunately, they have to die because of other's sin. A good true story!

Dietrich Bonhöffer was a man who found that he had to choose between his conscience and convenience. That he is a true hero is proven by his choice.

At at time when most of the German church knuckled under Nazi threats and stayed silent or even acted in complicity with the Holocaust, he courageously joined the Confessing Church to oppose Nazism, and later pretended to cooperate with the Nazis so that he could help smuggle Jews to safety.

Bonhöffer's courageous struggle against a storm of religious intolerance and racial hatred maintains its relevance today.

This is an excellent audio dramatization of his life. Both exciting and inspiring, it captures the drama and conviction of this man's life.

It also won the prestigious Peabody Award in 1997. (This award recognizes distinguished achievement and meritorious public service by radio and television networks, stations, producing organizations, cable television organizations and individuals and is administered by the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.)

It's an excellent dramatization of the life of Bonhoeffer. I'd never heard of him until I heard this drama. It's historical, and masterfully done by the crew at Radio Theater and Focus on the Family. Definitely worth listening to.

For the parents: I'd definitely suggest you listen along with younger children...in the beginning as a precursor to the drama, and then in the end, in the actual drama, Bonhoeffer is led to the execution, read his sentence, and then, as you hear Dietrich's panicked breathing, the trapdoor falls, the rope goes taunt, and you can hear the weight of a body swinging back and forth from the gallows. An intense scene for youngsters. But history is history, and that's what happened.

Very dramatic, very worth listening to.

No doubt this outstanding drama has brought the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer at least as much attention as all of his books have combined. This excellent radio drama won the Peabody Award for good reason: it is an incredible radio play of the highest quality. From start to finish, this amazing work has all the essential elements of good fiction- - but it is historically true ! Drama, suspense, action, intrigue, romance, sacrifice, faith, and hope for the future all shine brightly in this stirring performance of a man who fought against the Nazi Machine. This unique and fresh look at the life of a German who plotted against Adolph Hitler "from the inside" needs to be heard by anyone with an interest in history. So many of the history books today tells us that Christians did nothing to help the Jews against the Nazi machine. This fine drama dispells this mistaken belief with a sincere dignity and open appeal that is both inspiring and enriching. Definitely a "must listen to" for any high school or college history student.

One of the most interesting parts of this book is Schwarz's examination of how Runyon created the special language of his 'Runyonese', of how he put together the language of vaudeville, of the radio, of the criminals slang, of New York City street talk, of Yiddish mamaloshen, to build an idiom all his own yet reflecting the energy and vibrancy of his special world of gamblers, sportspeople, Broadway characters , of all types.
Schwarz is also interested in examining how Runyon contributed to the shaping of our image of New York City, of urban life in general.
An outstanding study especially for those who know who Nicely- Nicely and Harry the Horse are.

"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints the true American Dream story of Damon Runyon, a man who used words--from his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his highly entertaining stories about humble men and women were suffused with a great deal of sympathy and sometimes even glorified shadowy and desperate lives. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.

"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints a true story of "the American dream," embodied in Damon Runyon, a self-made man who used words--through his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his wrote about humble men and women with a great deal of sympathy, sometimes even glorifying the lifestyles of the shadowy and desperate. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.

Schwarz has written a fine book that captures the energy and excitment of high life and low life in Manhattan in the first half of the twentieth century. He discusses Damon Runyon's many short stories--including those that were incorporated in the musical "Guys and Dolls"--setting them in their historical context and drawing our attention to Runyon's gift for conveying speech in writing. Schwarz also discusses Runyon's life and his work as a reporter who covered many of the major events of the day, especially showcase trials like the Lindberg trial. If you liked "Seabiscuit," you; will like this book: as with "Seabiscuit," you will come away from Schwarz's book feeling that you have vacationed in the twenties and thirties and have been enriched by the experience.

BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE situates Runyon's stories and reportage in their New York, circa 1929-1946, context and tells us why Runyon's work still matters. The seriousness and skill that Schwarz used in earlier books to examine the writings of High Modernism (Conrad, Joyce, Woolf, Wallace Stevens) he uses here to illuminate the "wiseguy" world of BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE. With insight and compassion Schwarz re-visits this world of gamblers, gangsters, swindlers, womanizers, and cheats and looks at America's ever present yearning to "take a walk on the wild side." The book should appeal to not only students and scholars in American Studies, 20th Century American History, Urban and Immigration History, Working-Class Studies, and American Literature, but also to anyone who simply loves New York.

The Brothers is a coherent and compelling series of autobiographical narratives, alternating among Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril. These perspectives are a valuable record of collective memory, as well as moving individual journeys. American culture from the late 1930s to the close of century informs and drives these voices: here is camaraderie and racism, love and alienation, spirituality and hedonism, cruelty and tenderness, peace and rage, cocky determination and chilling fear, triumph and despair--all related with a palpable frankness. Those of us born in the 30s and 40s will find parts of ourselves here; those born later will see how true it is that "past is present." Lovers of jazz, blues, early rock'roll, funk and r&b, and New Orleans rhythms will revel in the stories of contacts with the "greats." The street language may put off some readers. With all respect to those readers, I suggest their tolerance. It is no small thing that those who struggle with personal demons may find a light to their paths between the covers of this book. Over 300 pages, family photos, discographies, and an index.

This autobiography is actually a quartet of autobiographies as the essence of each of the four Neville brothers come alive in this book. The non-fiction focuses on the individual personalities, their personal take on music including their solo careers and group performances and recordings. It also Includes their evaluation of the last four decades of music especially in New Orleans and their personal trials and tribulations.

All this marks this non-fiction, as several cuts above the typical wave of rock and roll biographies that seem like perfect flavors of the month. Instead this tome provides a "Tell It Like It Is" feel that fans of the New Orleans sound will enjoy. Anyone who reads THE BROTHERS NEVILLE will seek other works by master music biographer David Ritz (see his works on Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin, etc.) as this reviewer plans to do.

Harriet Klausner

The Brothers is a extraordinary look at how music and culture nurture us and redeem us. The power of this book lies in the unashamed honesty of the Neville Brothers and the wisdom and confidence of the author to allow the brothers to tell their own story. Unencumbered by analysis or author's comments, the brothers simply present their stories while the author ties the threads together to show how the Neville brothers as individuals worked through their personal problems and came together as a family and a musical group. There is no other book that means more to me than The Brothers. Their story has helped me to make sense of my own journey as an American journalist and music critic living and working on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies.

David Ritz has helped many rhythm and blues musicians write their autobiographies, including Ray Charles, B. B. King, Marvin Gaye, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin. The characteristics that these books share is the sense that the subject is writing directly to you as you read, and that the bad times as well as the good times are revealed. If you are a fan of the musician, you feel like you have a better understanding of them once you've read the book Ritz helped them write.

The Neville Brothers' story must have been complicated to organize because there are 4 Neville Brothers, Art, Charles, Aaron and Cyrille. They tell their stories simultaneously, a paragraph or two by one brother and then a paragraph or two by another and so on. The story they tell is fascinating and often horrific! Violence, drug abuse, crazy characters, prison terms and danger fill virtually every page. These are fascinating lives to read about, but I wouldn't want to live them! Aaron and Charles seem to be the most forthcoming and the most sympathetic of the brothers. If you love Neville Brothers' music, you'll want to own this book!

THe Neville Brothers are a very solid unit.Great talents.this book takes them not only as a Group but also as People with feelings&outlooks.David Ritz does a Great job of doing books.always Interesting reads.this is a very complete book.long overdue on these greats.but better late than never.

There are no limitations , save those that we create for ourselves... Bruce Lee

This is a great book if you are looking for a compilation of rare photos and facts.. Unlike most books out there that beat around the bush , This book showcases the man as he wanted to project himself to the world .The perspectives are variable throughout the book , giving the reader a vast panoramic view of the life and times of the much hyped martial arts superstar..

Frankly, if you're looking for a detailed description of his persona , you will find exactly that and more.. Full of great photos that give a realistic insight on the master , this book is a good buy if you are interested in the glam..

If you are a martial artist however , I would strongly suggest that you do not buy this book . There are various other books that will serve your purpose, books like 'The Tao of JKD'.

This book is a great addition to my collection of Bruce Lee books of pictures, filmography, philosopy and techniques. It has one of the best picture collections of all the books I've seen. The content isn't bad either. Talking about the life of the Little Dragon and some of the deep thoughts he had in his short life in this world. My fan-ography of the Jeet Kune Do Sifu is just starting, even if I have been a follower for years. This book is not a dissapointment. It will be a great addition to any collection.

What an intimate look at the man behind the image! The book is highly visual--the text is very limited--but the photos are like none that I've ever seen in other books on Lee. I'm talking about the baby pictures of Bruce and Brandon, photos of Lee from behind the scenes in his movies (a kind of spooky one of him and Sharon Tate from what must have been just before she was killed), and pictures of he and his wife just sitting on the couch at home. It makes you realize that there's a man and father behind the superhero that appears in his films. I loved it.

Many of the documentaries and biographies out there about Bruce Lee were unauthorized and created by shysters trying to cash in on his sudden death. This book, based on the recent video documentary "Bruce Lee: In His Own Words" is not only superior because it really is based on the master's own words, but the book and video are also endorsed by Bruce's widow and daughter. Here we get plenty of great photographs from Bruce's films, training, and family life. Meanwhile, Bruce's thoughts on acting, family, and his martial arts style (or, according to him, its dismissal of style) are true revelations for any fan of Bruce's classic movies. His thoughts on being a serious actor, rather than a martial arts "superstar," are quite a surprise; while his personal philosophy and attitudes toward martial arts mastery are both fascinatingly Eastern but surprisingly down-to-Earth and accessible for Western enthusiasts. So instead of fighting your way through all the frauds and fakes out there, get it from the master himself. [~doomsdayer520~]

Bruce Lee was his own man.he had so much style&smoothness about him.this book highlights his world in front of the public&behind it.very detailed&very upfront.you get a very insightful look into his world&vision.a man who forever changed the world with his talent&craft.a man who was trying to make sense of his surroudings&the things that were in placed around him.He will never be forgotten.

"Bruja" is another excellent novel in the "Angel" series. It was a fast read, had a little insight into family, was action packed all the way. Taking place in the first half of season one of the TV show, Angel has been on the case for a local band of vampires who have human slaves they draw blood from and then sell; kind of like a pizza delivery service for other vampires. Meanwhile, Doyle has a vision of a young woman and a baby in trouble, and sets out to find out more information about that. And Cordilia is asked by a major TV producer to help find his missing wife. And while the gang is split on their different missions, a mysterious Woman in Black has apperared out of nowhere to terrorize children in the Latino community. If "Bruja" sounds like a busy book, it is. Three out of the four plot lines are actually connected, and it makes for a very long day for Angel and the Fang Gang (it all takes place in about 24 hours). All the characters are very true to their TV counterparts (well, maybe Cordilia is a little nicer than usual, but that isn't bad); and then they are expanded on. They are all lonely in their way, and the Woman finds ways of exploiting that as a major weakness. The theme of family comes up a lot. Angel feels guilty for murdering his whole family when he first became a vampire; Cordilia is angry at her father for losing all the money they once had; and Doyle misses his ex-wife. All of the new charaters are very convincing, and I must say I was especially proud of Adrian Heath, the TV producer. He could have been a slimy one dimentional character, but great care was taken to establish him as really nice guy; though not in a too good to be true, perfect man. I recomend this book, I really enjoyed it, and I think fans of the show will too.

Mel Odom presents the reader with an action packed Thriller. Angel: Bruja is an excellent addition to the Angel series. The plot is complex. A gang of vampires is running a 'Meals on Wheels' operation. Stolen game software leads Angel and Doyle to an underground dot.com company complete with demon telemarketers. Cordelia tracks a missing wife. Doyle has a brain draining vision of a young mother in trouble. Kate is searching for a weeping woman in black who is killing cops and children. Mr. Odom weaves them all together into an excellent story, which explores guilt and insecurities. Angel is reminded that while you cannot forget your past you should not live in it. It is not only the lesson he must learn but also teach another if he is to succeed. The book also has a strong sense of family.

I recommend this to all fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy good horror fantasy

A priest is attacked in the cellar of a church and suddenly a new horror walks the streets of Los Angeles. Appearing as a beautiful woman, weeping for her children, she is drawn to scenes of conflict. There, equipped with both incredible strength and magical power, she takes lives with impunity. Especially if those victims are children. On the other side of town, Angel is cleaning up a demonic Internet pornography site when he discovers that a group of L.A. vampires are running a fresh blood delivery service complete with people on tap.

Cordelia finds a paying case for Angel Investigations when she is approached by Adrian Heath, a well known TV producer. His wife has disappeared without a trace and he desperately wants help. And finally, Doyle is suddenly struck with a vision of great danger for a mother and her young son. As all these threads come together Angel finds himself constantly reminded of his own guilt over the murder of his family. To resolve this case he must learn how to make peace with himself.

It is characteristic of the writing of the Angel series and many of the Buffy stories that there be many layered plots. The challenge for the author is to keep all these threads moving without losing control of characterization. No doubt it helps that the main characters are well established, but even so the believability of the novel hinges on how well the other characters are developed as well as the successful management of the plot. "Bruja," benefiting from a very fine author, is a classic example of what a good Angel story should be.

Mel Odom, the author of 4 books in the Angel and Buffy series, several in the Shadowrun series and many others has established himself again as a respectable writer of science fiction and fantasy. He has a natural skill with his characters, an ear for dialog and builds his stories almost effortlessly. In "Brujah" as in many others he manages to sustain a complex plot and completely involve the reader. While the book does make reference to previous Buffy and Angel adventures, there is nothing here that would prevent a newcomer from thoroughly enjoying the tale.

I loved this book. So much that I read it in one day. These "Angel" novels keep getting better and better. The way all the separate cases came together in this novel was great. Can't wait to read the next. Highly recommend this novel, especially if you're a fan of "Angel".

After the funeral of a young boy a priest is attacked by a woman who confesses to having murdered her own son. Meanwhile, Angel Investigations is hired to look into the disappearance of the wife of a big-shot Hollywood producer, Doyle has a vision of a young mother and her son in danger, and Angel stumbles across some enterprising folk who delivery blood to your door (please specify type desired).

"Bruja" is one of those novels where most of the plot threads come together but not all of them are part of the fun filled climax so you are left guessing which one is going to end up being the only legitimate subplot. This works much better than you might think, because the way Mel Odom ends up putting all the pieces together is never obvious. Consequently, "Bruja" is one of the few Angel stories where Angel Investigations ends up doing some good old fashion investigating even if it means the laconic one has to speak in complete sentences for an extended period of time.

Plotting and pacing are two of Odom's main strengths as a writer, at least as revealed in his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" original novels. "Bruja" presents a fairly complex plot and the novel moves from scene to scene and plot thread to plot thread without losing momentum. This time around I especially liked how each of the scenes without the main trio (Angel, Cordelia and Doyle) were fleshed out. There are really no nameless corpses in this book, because vampires leave tiny dust mounds behind rather than corpses and Odom take pains to invest each human life lost along the way with some individuality and significance.

Odom also does a nice job with characterization and in this story he manages to work in some significant reflections from each of the main characters on their families without it becoming formulaic, mainly because the self-examinations come in the context of the developing story. However, some readers might consider the amount of dialogue in this novel to be too much given the main character.

There are some pretty horrific moments in this story and I can legitimately say that Odom pushes it as far as he is willing to go simply because there is a scene where he stops short of something that he clearly thinks would have been going over the line. Odom seems to have done some research on his titular villain, which is a way of saying that if he made all of this stuff up from scratch he sure has fooled me. "Bruja" is a solid "Angel" story and while it does not involve moments of epic significance for the soul laden vampire and his compadres, it does tell a tale that has some special meaning for all of the characters.

I'm glad they keep making the calendars despite the show not being on anymore. Keep it up!

I love getting the calander every year, because although life goes on after Buffy, this is one way to enjoy the memories again and again!

For the past few years I bought this calendar.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer was my favorite tv-show.
The pictures always are great.

Greetings,
ilja

I love this! i couldn't be happier than having tara (Amber Benson) gracing august (my birthday), fianlly i get what i want!

I love the 2008 Buffy Calendar! All of the pictures are very good. My favorite part is that Cordelia finally has a month of her own! I feel she's not recognized as much as she should be. I guess most people associate her with Angel, but thats no reason for her to be absent from so many Buffy products.

It's deffinetly worth buying.

This was the first scriptbook I bought and I was really excited to read it. Some of the dialouge was wrong but most of it was correct. The episodes were spectacular and immediatly I got my freinds togethar and we acted it out.

Its been about 3 months and my script book is starting to curl at the ends. :( But thats alright because its still in good condition .... I dont know why I'm telling you this ...

If you love to act this is for you!! This is ALL SCRIPT!! Unlike, Once More With Feeling -- this is a bit of a better buy. :)

This was the first Buffy script book I ever bought and I thought it was pretty good. I could now act it out with my friends (I was always Buffy he he ) and stuff. The only problem was that it was the original script and some of the dialouge wasn't right. (as you will see with all the other Buffy scripts) but I think its totally worth your money!! Its brilliant! Awesome! Amazing! You'll capture Buffy, Drusilla, Spike, Angel, Kendra, Willow, Xander and GILES' humor, peronsality and everything that makes Buffy great!! BUY IT BEFORE THE RUN OUT!! ITS THE BEST!!!

Although BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER had been a first rate show from its inception, it was during the shows based upon the scripts that it started moving towards something approaching genuine greatness. Before these shows, it had been a superb series, but after these it became something considerably more. The most unbelievable thing is that as great as these six episodes (well, five of them anyway) are, the ones following were even greater, so great as to place Buffy among the greatest shows in the history of the genre, and arguably the greatest. The two episodes following these six would be ?Surprise? and ?Innocence,? and from that moment on Buffy would exist on an artistic level unmatched on television.

?Lie to Me? was written by Joss Whedon, and as fine as many previous shows had been, it is one of the first truly great moments in the series. Billy Fordham, played by Jason Behr (who would shortly after this achieve television stardom playing an alien in ROSEWELL), an ex-boyfriend of Buffy?s from L.A., shows up unexpectedly in Sunnydale. Eventually we learn that he is, in fact, dying, and has cut a deal with Spike and his crew to turn the Slayer over to them in exchange for being made a vampire. The episode has many funny moments (such as when Angel, Xander, and Willow go to a faux vampire club, and Angel remarks that none of them know anything about vampires, including how they dress, when a wannabe walks by dressed exactly like Angel), but even more poignant moments, like when Ford explains to Buffy his reasons for betraying her.

?The Dark Age? was written by Dean Batali and Rob DesHotel, who co-wrote a number a number of episodes of Buffy during the first two seasons. This is the best script they produced. Ethan Rayne, to whom we were introduced in ?Halloween,? makes his second appearance in the series. By far the most interesting aspect of the show is the way that we manage to learn more about Giles background, all the way to learning that his former mates had called him ?Ripper.? I enjoyed the few episodes that featured Ethan Rayne, and was always perplexed that he appeared in only four shows??Halloween? and this episode in Season Two, ?Band Candy? in Season Three, and ?A New Man? in Season Four. There was talk on a couple of occasions of Anthony Stewart Head doing a show set in England based on ?Ripper,? and if he had, I?m sure Robin Sachs would have been his ?Lex Luthor.?

?What?s My Line?? is a phenomenal two parter, and is notable not merely for introducing Kendra, the second slayer, but for the writing debut of the great Marti Noxon, who would become one of the greatest writers in the run of the show as well as co-executive producer, eventually running things when Joss Whedon ceased the day-to-day overseeing of the show. She co-wrote the first half with Howard Gordon, and then wrote the second by herself. One of the major themes of Buffy during the first two seasons was her hesitancy to embrace her calling as slayer. Although she wouldn?t fully accept the role until the first show of the third season (?Anne?), these two episodes stress her reluctance to be the Slayer more than any other shows prior to them (and even after ?Anne,? although she has accepted who she is, she struggles against her fate). These are exceptionally well-written shows, and one can engage in endless discussion the Kendra/Buffy relationship. Kendra, unlike Buffy, has completely accepted her fate, and while Buffy can never be like Kendra, she does learn from her to accept her calling.

?Ted? (written by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon) is not as strong on paper as it ended up being onscreen. Although it is a first rate script, John Ritter absolutely nailed the part of the psychotic robot Ted, and turned in one of the most memorable guest appearances in the entire history of the show. This is the episode that contains Giles famous quote about subtext rapidly becoming text. No other show in the history of TV has ever contained lines as clever as that one.

?Bad Eggs? was Marti Noxon?s third contribution to the show, and unfortunately perhaps the weakest script she ever did. One of the most amazing thing about the Second Season is that while the strong episodes established it as one of the great shows in the history of television, it nonetheless had a surprising number of pretty rotten episodes. Also, some of the strongest shows are preceded by the weakest. Just as ?Becoming? would later be preceded by ?Go Fish,? so ?Surprise? is preceded by ?Bad Eggs.? This might be an accident, but I doubt it. I suspect they realized it was a weak script, and wrapped the season-long story arcs around it. After this season, each season had considerably fewer weak episodes.

These six scripts show Buffy, which was already a very good show, in the process of becoming a great one. The scripts that immediately follow the ones in this collection are arguably as strong a group of scripts as any show in the history of television.

This book is great for fans who haven't seen the first six episodes of the second season. It gives the lines and stage directions to them so you feel like you've seen the actual episode. It even includes scenes which may have been removed from the original episode.

This book chronicles the first arrival of Spike, whom is now an important character. It also has "Halloween" which includes some funny stage directions from Joss Whedon.

If you haven't seen the beginning of the second season of Buffy or if you want in-depth information on the episodes' scripts, you should definately buy this book.

I happen to like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and I love reading through the scripts when I'm bored with watching the same episodes over and over. Its just nice to be able to read.

For anyone that has ever heard Jerry Williams on the air and wondered what he was like off the air, this book will make you feel like you've followed Jerry around for forty years. It's an intimate and objective portrait of both the public persona and the private man. The authors clearly admire Jerry's radio skills, and their personal bond with him comes across in the writing, but they also pull no punches when it comes to Jerry's character flaws. The result is an interesting and candid portrait of the man. The book has the added benefit of giving one an inside view of the radio business. Even if you never heard of Jerry Williams, there's a breezy down to earth honesty in the writing that makes it a great read.

Okay, this was written by a buddy of mine, and I worked in Boston radio for a number of years, years ago. And so I'm biased. But for anyone into talk radio, Boston radio, business history (Westinghouse Group W) and of course Jerry Williams, this is a must read. Nicely put into historic and personal context, the stories illustrate the times and the people, not necessarily in a nostalgic way, but in a way that brings the times alive once again. Nice job Steve! and the other guy...
Vic Wheatman ex-WBUR, WNTN, WBZ-FM

What a great book... you captured the parts of Jerry that I knew, and illuminated the parts I didn't. Made it easy to love and respect a flawed man (and since I'm a flawed man... gave me hope).

I just finished a 40 year career... essentially on the road all over the US. Could never have made it without the company and education provided by Jerry Williams and those who followed him.

I heard Boortz when he was doing WRNG in Atlanta, and the whole WWDB gang in PHL. Bob Grant at WOR and WABC, and Rush Limbaugh before he was Rush Limbaugh.. You brought back so many fine memories.

Thank you for telling the story, and telling it so artfully. Literally could not put it down. You guys were him.

And thank you, and all the other guys behind the scenes who made it possible. My life has been made so much better by your work.

I reviewed this for the Sturbridge Times Magazine (also on the web at [...]). I started listening to Jerry Williams around 1957-58 as a kid. He was great fun and he lasted just into the new millenium. He has as much right as anyone to claim to have invented the genre of talk radio.

The Elman and Tolz book is as good a bio as you will find and it includes a lot of local history as well. You won't put it down.

I would also suggest going to the website and listening to the clips. He knew how to use his voice. I had never thought that he had some voice training until I read the book. Knowing his instrument did not hurt his success.

No doubt about it. Jerry Williams was the real deal. As a young broadcaster in the early 1950's Jerry Williams recognized the enormous potential of two-way talk radio. Rock & roll was great for young audiences but with the demise of network radio and the emergence of television what would radio have to offer adult listeners? Before just about anyone else, Jerry understood the fascinating dynamic at play between callers, the host and the audience. And for the better part of the next four decades Jerry Williams would play a major role in shaping and molding the format we now call talk radio. "Burning Up The Air" chronicles the life and times of this legendary radio icon.
My introduction to Jerry Williams came on July 29,1968 when the highly touted "Jerry Williams Show" debuted on WBZ-TV in Boston. I remember it like it was yesterday. Although that television show would be short-lived, the host sure made one hell of an impression on this 17 year old. Within a matter of weeks I found "The Spirit of New England" WBZ--1030 on my AM radio dial and I quickly became hooked on Jerry's nightly radio program. By this time, Jerry Williams had already spent more than 15 years in the business. He was a master at his craft. One of the co-authors of "Burning Up The Air" is Steve Elman. Steve had the distinct privilege of producing "The Jerry Williams Show" for a time during the programs eight year run on WBZ radio from 8:00 P.M. to midnight. This was appointment listening for sure. What made the "Jerry Williams Show" so compelling during those troubled times was that WBZ's booming 50000 watt signal reached 38 states at night. This was in effect a national issues-oriented radio talk show, most likely the first of its kind anywhere. "Burning Up The Air" recalls all of the hot-button issues that were being discussed on the program during those tumultuous years. From the Vietnam war and the anti-war activists to Dita Beard and the ITT scandal and on to Tricky Dicky and Watergate, Jerry Williams covered it all! In fact, he was even a proud member of Richard Nixon's "Enemy's List". More than three decades later I would have to point to those shows as the best talk radio I ever heard! Sadly, in 1976 WBZ chose not to renew Jerry's contract. For the next five years Jerry Williams was in radio limbo searching for just the right situation to get back on top. It was one of the most difficult periods of his life.
The worm would finally turn for Jerry in the summer of 1981. WRKO radio in Boston was dumping music in favor of a new all-talk format and they wanted to feature Jerry Williams in the afternoon drive slot from 2:00 to 6:00. This was a time slot that Jerry had always coveted. He jumped at the opportunity to return to the Hub and within a matter of months Jerry was on top of the heap once again. But in this incarnation of his program the focus was radically different. Jerry would primarily discuss local issues. In those days his primary targets were Boston mayor Kevin White and Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis. Of course when circumstances dictated Jerry was still quite capable of discussing topics of national concern. The other co-author of "Burning Up The Air" is Alan Tolz. Like Steve Elman before him, Alan would produce the "Jerry Williams Show" during a good portion of its highly successful run on WRKO. You will learn just what issues made the show tick during the 1980's. There was the attempt to make wearing seatbelts mandatory in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the proposal to build a maximum security prison facility in the rural community of New Braintree. Once again, this was compelling radio that reached a huge audience. The program would continue to be a ratings success until late in the 1980's when Jerry's increasingly acerbic style began to wear on listeners. Within a few years Jerry was consigned to weekends only on WRKO and his run on The Talk Station would finally come to an end in October 1998.
While most of the focus of "Burning Up The Air" is on Jerry's radio career, the authors chose to spend a fair amount of time discussing his personal life. I was quite surprised and extremely disappointed to learn that in many ways it was a mess. It would appear that Jerry always put his work and career ahead of the interests of his wife Teri and his three daughters. He was simply never there for them. Likewise, he seemed to have no qualms about cheating on his wife and even on his live-in girlfriend of many years. It was a side of him that I knew nothing about. It also appears that Jerry was very tight with a buck. But one must try to seperate the private life from the public persona. As a lifelong fan of the man I greatly appreciated the work that Steve Elman and Alan Tolz put into this book. For them, writing "Burning Up The Air" appears to have been a labor of love. For both of these men had the distinct honor of working with one of talk radio's true pioneers. Jerry Williams was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in the fall of 1996. There will never be another quite like him. I found this to be an extremely well written book that I enjoyed from cover to cover. It belongs on the shelves of every public library in the Bay State! Very highly recommended!

This book faithfully recreates the world of Frazier Robinson and the Negro Leagues. Outstanding and fascinating. It would make a perfect gift for any baseball fan. Paul Bauer inserts nothing between you and his subject. It is a must have book for any serious fan of the game.

This is a wonderful book that needed to be written. I had the opportunity to meet Frazier while living and I am so glad that his stories live on in this book. It brings back the memory of the time when players played the game for the love of the game and not for what they were being paid. And worrying about what deal they could acquire in the off season. Also in a time when color mattered over talent it should remind us that never again should we engage in human exclusion

This book tells how things realy were back then. When Mr.Robinson told his story, he did not sugar coat anything. You don't find this in alot of the other books that were written about the Nego Leagues. I highly recommend this to book to any baseball fan.

Being a baseball history buff (addict) for the past 42 years, I've read just about everything I could get my hands on. I cannot now think of an autobiographical book to which I could attach a higher recommendation that "Catching Dreams" by Frazier "Slow" Robinson. This true gentleman travelled the dusty roads that connected the sites of Negro League baseball during the 30's, 40,s and even the 50's. Although produced by the University of Syracuse press, there is no attempt to make the book erudite or complicate it with an assortment of exotic literary techniques and obscure words. Instead, the publisher and co-author, Paul Bauer have presented the story of Slow Robinson in language truly spoken by the man himself. When you read this book, you will feel that you are seated beside Mr. Robinson as he speaks with words, terms and expressions uniquely those of a man with little formal education, who gained his lessons in life on the fly and had to learn his own language. His ability to recall a voluminous list of names and anecdotal material from his experiences, and to relate them descriptively, suggest a man who would have had little trouble dealing with a formal post-secondary school education. His relationships with such Negro League stalwarts as Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Leon Day and Satchel Paige are detailed with humour, insight and compassion. He is forthright without offending his old friends, as in Ball Four by Jim Bouton. In his own words, his goal in life was to be remembered as a nice guy; he passed with flying colors. If you choose only one book to read on this subject, you simply cannot go wrong with Catching Dreams.

I consider myself a student of Negro League history, and I read virtually everything I can locate on the subject. I have also developed friendships with many of these players over the years, and many of them have written books/memoirs regarding their playing days. In speaking with these great pioneers of professional sport, one quickly surmises that certain "stars" spent a fair amount of time embellishing legends and perfecting the art of self-promotion once their playing days ended. A handful have even managed to parlay this ability into a modest supplement to their income via baseball memorabilia shows, and I sincerely hope this trend continues for all who have mastered it.

Truthfully however, this group comprises only a tiny percentage of the remaining Negro Leaguers (they're just the loudest, so they garner the most notoriety, I suppose). Should you attend any gathering of former players, you will notice that these "showmen" are generally shunned or otherwise discredited by their peers. That speaks louder than anything I could write here. While these spotlight-lovers' ability to spin a yarn surely brings furthered interest and financial benefit to personal appearances by ALL former players, it likely also speaks to the historical accuracy one can expect from their books.

A select few didn't go the Barnum route -- they were who they were, they did what they did, and, while proud of their accomplishments on the diamond with arguably the greatest ballplayers of ANY era, they continued to live as they always had after their baseball careers ended. I am thankful when any player publishes a book, but when one of these select players leaves a record of what they saw, heard, accomplished and/or overcame, free of hyperbole, that book takes on a "treasured" status on my bookshelf. More than just a treasure, CATCHING DREAMS is flat-out the best of the genre. Buy it, read it, and learn something. I wouldn't recommend it this highly if it wasn't this good. It is.

Kudos to Paul Bauer for his efforts in faithfully documenting what was said and getting it published. I was fortunate enough to know Mr. Robinson well, and this book is an accurate representation of his character and personality -- it's honest, accurate, and self-effacing. You could waste time and money on lesser efforts by better-known players, or you could read something that captures the feel of a private audience with the author (with the added bonus that it's all TRUE!). I knew him well enough to know. I find myself wishing everyone else could have, too. Trust me. Buy the book.

Please find and read books by these authors, too:

Wilmer Fields (another honest account), Monte Irvin (yet another honest account), Effa Manley (difficult to find, but remarkable), Kevin Keating/Michael Kolleth (guide to the Negro League autograph collecting hobby, exhaustively researched and thoroughly enlightening), Phil Dixon/Patrick J. Hannigan (also hard to find, but still the best collection of negro league photos ever, and also well-researched).