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Reviews
Of Gods and Monsters: A Critical Guide to Universal Studios' Science Fiction, Horror and Mystery Films, 1929-1939
Published in Hardcover by McFarland & Company (2001-03)
Author: John T. Soister
List price: $65.00
Used price: $54.00

Average review score:

Interesting information and a fun time all in one book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-14
I have just recently become interested in the whole horror film genre and a friend recommended that I read Mr. Soister's book. I'm glad I did. I learned lots of interesting stuff about the whole Universal horror film business and had an easy time pouring through the chapters. It was fun reading and Mr. Soister's keen insights and humorous style kept me wanting more. I hope he has another book waiting in the wings! Congratulations on delivering a winner.

Mr. Soister has done it again! Look forward to his next book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-11
John Soister has been a contributor to various horror books in the past. His ability to capture the details of the horror films of the 20's & 30's truly entertaining. He expresses his opinions with humor yet based on fact.

A fresh look at some old classics!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-04-14
Mr. Soister has done a remarkable job here! Not only has he covered some of Universal's greatest horror films, he has given them a new, fresh perspective. All the greats are covered here, FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE MUMMY, etc., but he has also written about much lesser known and borderline horror films that I've NEVER seen written about, like the entire Crime Club series of the late 1930's. His book covers in great detail Universal's horror and mystery output from the 1930's, and wonderfully so! Here's hoping he does another volume for the 1940's films. Can't wait to see what he writes about JUNGLE WOMAN!! A 'must have' for any horror film fan!

A Must-Have for the Movie Buff
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-08
Wonderfully written, full of intelligent, objective opinions, Soister's book is a breath of fresh air on a subject that I suspect most fans feel they already know thoroughly. "Of Gods and Monsters" opened my eyes to the many dozens of "forgotten" Universal films made in the 1930s, particularly their oddball mysteries (like the fascinating "Inner Sanctum" series). Sadly, few of these films are available on home video... yet. One hopes that perhaps NBC-Universal's execs will read this book and learn about their past history, and open up the vaults so that fans can enjoy these classics again, instead of having them gather dust.

If you have Soister's book, along with the Brunas/Brunas/Weaver "Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films" (also from McFarland), you've got a fairly well-rounded coverage of Hollywood's great horror classics. I only wish that the publishers would consider allowing the author to do a second volume covering the rest of Universal's classic mystery/SF/horror films from 1940-1959. That would tell the rest of the story, particularly for the 1940s, which was a very rich period for the studio.

A Must Read!!!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1999-09-04
Usually I skip long, detailed plot synopses in movie books, but with Soister I look forward to them. Like most critics, Soister is even more entertaining when discussing a bad film -- I laughed out loud through his description of several stinkers in this entertaining book -- but this teacher from Pensylvania is never less than authoritative. Soister covers all the Universal horror, sci-fi, and related films 1929-1939 in this handsome volume, which no fan of the genres should be without. It doesn't matter that "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" have been discussed at length in previous works -- do yourself a favor and "see" them once more through the eyes of John Soister!

Reviews
The Official All My Children Trivia Book
Published in Paperback by ABC (1998-05-01)
Author: Gerard J. Waggett
List price: $9.70
New price: $129.99
Used price: $0.98

Average review score:

The Official All My Children Trivia Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-25
I love this book The Official All My Children Trivia book from the hit abc television show and at the first of it had the horse. This book looks like Tuck Everlasting, Tuck Para Siempre a spanish book of Tuck Everlasting, Owls in the Family, Black Beauty, Rodeo Bloopers 1. the video, Toby Keith's album Pull My Chain & Clay Walker's album If I Could Make A Living. In 2000 I made videos of William's America's Funniest Home Videos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 which is the Tenth Year Anniversary, 11 which is the tenth year anniversary, Special Edition of Bareback Riding, Calf Roping & Steer Wrestling the three rodeo events on video & All My Children/Roping Funnies the graduation of William's Funniest Videos 13 and someday I will put them in the store so people will by mine and order them on the website ...and they will love them ...My favorite T. V. shows on abc are All My Children, General Hospital & Who Wants To Be A Millionaire my favorite T. V. shows on abc. This book also looks like Mary Kate and Ashley's videos How The West Was Fun & The Case of The Logical I Ranch. This is an amazing trivia book.A

Great for both AMC veterans and novices!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-06-25
This is an excellent book for ALL of us AMC fans: I'm pretty much a novice and it really gave me a good background and tidbits. It helped me learn the history and about characters who were gone before I started watching. It really helped put pieces of the puzzle together. My sister is a veteran and she was kept going "I remember that!" or "No way! Even I didn't know that!!!" And, it has great pictures. I recommend it for those of you who starting watching in the 1970's, and for AMC fans who were born in the 1970's.

For The Fans
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-31
This is just a fun trivia book for fans of ALL MY CHILDREN. It has a lot of facts, some you might know, some you might not. A lot of quizzes, even one for the famous Erica Kane! While its not as comprehensive as the 1994 ALL MY CHILDREN coffee table book, it still has loads of facts and fun for trivia and AMC fans alike. It's pretty cheap too so its worth it if you want to know more about AMC or just enjoy trivia books.

This is the greatest trivia book!!!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-06-25
This book is great. It is filled with so much information which the dedicated fan should know. It also has some great pictures. However, it is paperback and not hardcover like they say.

It's a great book, so pick it up because it's a low price for all that info.

Absolutely Fabulous!!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 1998-08-03
As a 20+ year fan of All My Children, this book not only brought back great memories of my years in Pine Valley, but let me in some stuff I did not get to see, because I was too young.This is a MUST HAVE for an All My Children fan, old or new!!

Reviews
Ophthalmology Review Manual
Published in Paperback by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (2000-06-15)
Authors: Kenneth C Chern, Michael E Zegans, Kenneth C. Chern, and Michael E. Zegans
List price: $99.00
Used price: $341.82

Average review score:

Solid review book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-27
I still have 3 chapters left to finish this book but so far it's been great and well worth my money. Almost every chapter starts with a review of some background information, then for each disease entity, he gives you a little paragraph summarizing important points before going into more detail discussing the pathology and special tests, etc. There are so many helpful diagrams, pictures, and tables and almost everything is in a list format (rather than big paragraphs of text). It's kinda like first aid for step 1 but not as comprehensive. I would have given this book 5 stars if it was more comprehensive and included some optics and other topics (as other reviewers have pointed out). Bottom line: not perfect, but great book/well worth your cash.

A must have for the Ophthalmology resident
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-11
Very high yield review book with logical organization and systematic approach to reviewing clinical ophthalmology. There is no section on optics or pathology, but despite this shotcoming I can give no less than 5 stars. Dr Chern has done more for resident education with his books than almost any other single person in the field of Ophthalmolgy. When coupled with the Chern question book you should do well on the OKAPs and boards.

Excellent Review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-28
This book is truly a wonderful review book. It is well organized, has excellent pictures and tables, and focuses very well on high yield information. There are few things not covered such as optics. Some of the newer treatments in retina such as PDT, IVK, macugen, avastin are obviously not included. But a few other things that could be improved are discussion of visual field interpretation, corneal topography interpretation, a little more on surgical techniques, particularly cataract, and coverage of refractive surgery as this is now included on the OKAPS and boards.

What I have done is written notes in the margins of additional facts and info from other texts such as kanski or the basic science series to make one source I can use for review.

Highly recommended. The Chern question book is excellent too.

excellent review for the boards!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-02
excellent review for the boards! a must read for all residents.

The best review book in ophthalmolgy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-22
This is the best review book in ophthalmology. (I have 3 other ophtho review books that were hardly ever used in favor of the Chern book.) A must-have for any ophthalmology resident.

Reviews
Paris Stories (New York Review Books Classics)
Published in Paperback by NYRB Classics (2002-10-31)
Author: Mavis Gallant
List price: $14.95
New price: $6.49
Used price: $2.20

Average review score:

A master class in short story writing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-28
I read this book based on an excellent review of it (a good primer for Mavis Gallant newbies, btw) in the April (or May?) Harper's (a great store room for hidden gems.) I had never heard of Ms. Galant before I read the review and her book, but after reading Paris Stories, all I gotta say is, Where the hell have I been since she's been writing for the past 30+ years? Actually I'm only 30, but still. Her writing is magical on so many levels that I'll only mention a couple of them: the consistency and the sublime richness of her prose - it's like really rich fudge, a phrase or two of one of the 15+ stories is often enough for one sitting; the hauntingly subtle rendering of European life; the authority and command of her voice - there is no doubt in my mind that Mavis Gallant was put on this earth to write fiction as her job, and she writes like she knows it. I love that.

2 recommendations: read Michael Ondaajte's intro (in it he mentions that he knows other writers who intentionally refrain from reading Mavis Gallant when they are writing themselves, so they don't lose confidence in themselves); read the afterward, written by the auther herself (in it she makes the wise suggestion to the reader NOT read the stories in the book back to back, but to take one's time and savor every morsal - I concur. Read this book very slowly pausing to read other stuff perhaps - you don't want to miss a word, it's that good.)

Lovers of sublime artwork in literature, read Mavis Gallant. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. I can't wait for Volume 2 to come out this fall!

Varieties of Exile
Helpful Votes: 21 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-20
I was delighted to see that Mavis Gallant is back in print. I have loved her work for many years, and always eager to buy the NYer when one of her stories was featured. The only drawback to much of her writing (not present in any of the stories in this collection, though) is that much of what she writes are satirical sketches of French intellectual or expatriate life (for example, the "Grippes and Poche" stories in Paris Stories) which would be totally lost on people who have not visited or lived there. The best of her stories are however profound meditations on loneliness and rootlessness. In this I believe she is an archtypal modern writer who can describe the almost universal experience of being an immigrant, refugee, or escapee from some previous stultifying existence. I think this is why so many people respond to her writing. She is, of course, also a master prose stylist. I urge any aspiring fiction writers to read Mavis Gallant. Contrary to what the above reviewer quoted, I think she can be very instructive and inspiring.

Perfection
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-05
"Paris Stories" is an amazing collection of short stories by Mavis Gallant, who is best known for her work in "The New Yorker." The 15 stories in this collection are all set in Europe, and they offer memorable characters, humorous observations, witty commentary, and brilliant prose. Gallant's writing style is very rich, unique, and beautiful. In the afterword of the book, Gallant herself recommends not reading this book entirely in one sitting, and I agree. This is such a fantastic collection that readers are much better off savoring every page. I usually prefer novels to short stories, but "Paris Stories" is amazing and flawless. I highly recommend it!

Lost in Europe
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-03
For better or worse, Mavis Gallant was one of a stable of writers who, for several decades under the editorship of William Shawn, wrote what came to be known as the "typical New Yorker story." Indeed, in a recent interview, the poet Michael Casey recalled a Benjamin Cheever character mocking "a New Yorker story" as "one that goes on and on and nothing much happens but you feel sad at the end of it." And, reading Gallant's stories in the magazine over the years, I likewise felt that they were consistently well written, occasionally interesting, often melancholy, but rather long-winded and ultimately unmemorable.

The fifteen stories collected here offer readers a chance to revisit their impressions of her stories. Behind the Jamesian tea-and-crumpet facade of Gallant's prose lurk human transplants: lost souls away from home, nomads and exiles trying to find a place in the world--Gallant has based virtually her entire career on this theme. The two exceptions are about "the French man of letters" Henri Grippes, Gallant's comic, curmudgeonly, aging alter ego. (Incidentally, the title of the collection, as Michael Ondaatje notes in the introduction, is misleading: not all the stories are set in Paris, nor are they about exiles living in Paris or from Paris; instead, Gallant wrote them all in Paris--which, since Gallant has written nearly all of her fiction there, makes the moniker rather meaningless.)

One of the stylistic quirks that transform many of Gallant's stories into wrestling matches with her readers is her blithe disregard for transitional devices within and between paragraphs. Ondaatje touts this as a virtue: "the next sentence can bring a complete shift of tone or content, while a quick aside can include whole lives--sometimes halfway through one person's thought you will get another's history." At first, the reader might understandably regard these "sudden swerves" as merely untidy--that's certainly the way I felt about them when I read her stories in The New Yorker. But, as often as not, there is some method hiding in the madness; the disorder echoes the jumble of her characters' lives and especially of their thinking.

Savoring these stories, one by one over a couple of months, I found that I truly began to enjoy Gallant's idiosyncratic style and her subtly wicked wit when I reached "Speck's Ideas"--the seventh story of the collection. (At some point, I should probably go back and read the first six.) In sum, I picked up this collection to revisit my judgment of her fiction and came away with a better opinion--but also with the understanding that Gallant will always suffer from that damnably faint praise: she is an acquired taste.

Paris Stories
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-20
I was delighted to see that Mavis Gallant is back in print. I have loved her work for many years, and always eager to buy the NYer when one of her stories was featured. The only drawback to much of her writing (not present in any of the stories in this collection, though) is that much of what she writes are satirical sketches of French intellectual or expatriate life (for example, the "Grippes and Poche" stories) which would be totally lost on people who have not visited or lived there. The best of her stories are however profound meditations on loneliness and rootlessness. In this I believe she is an archtypal modern writer who can describe the almost universal experience of being an immigrant, refugee, or escapee from some previous stultifying existence. I think this is why so many people respond to her writing. She is, of course, also a master prose stylist. I urge any aspiring fiction writers to read Mavis Gallant. Contrary to what the above reviewer quoted, I think she can be very instructive and inspiring.

Reviews
Pitching Tents
Published in Paperback by Texas Review Press (2005-10-22)
Author: Gail Mount
List price: $16.95
New price: $1.87
Used price: $1.84
Collectible price: $16.95

Average review score:

Tenting on the Pains
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-30
Pitching Tents. By Gail Mount. Huntsville: Texas Review Press, 2005. Winner of the 2004 George Garrett Fiction Prize: Novel

Where is Aaron Spelling when you need him? This rollicking novel needs a sitcom venue. Gail Mount, a Fort Worth native, Rice graduate, UT teaching fellow, and experienced short story writer and playwright, tosses sedate novel-writing aside, and gives us Ezekiel and Vida, two seniors with a love of life and devil-may-care schemes.

To the small town of Burro, Texas, Vida returns and immediately Ezekiel falls in love with her a second time. Mount's fast-paced plot and the characters fast-paced plotting make the story fast reading, delightful reading. Ezekiel is a painterly artist who even derives an income there from; Vida is a burning individualist, now 80-years-old. The town's citizens have long categorized both as trouble makers. They start off caring for Mad Betty's dead, naked body, he prepares an art show, she organizes a school for rebels, he deals with his mother, she deals with philosophy, and they touch each other gently. It is one rollicking scene after another. They wander apart and re-unite.

Finally, after a year or so, they decide to really get wild. They marry and drive off into the sunset. If the concept of two creative oldsters making love and being in love with raucous language and civilly unacceptable behavior offends you, die young or sad. This couple does neither.

Current Day Hippies
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-06
I found Pitching Tents by Gail Mount to be very entertaining and easy to read. Having lived my whole life in Texas, I related to the surroundings and the people. The main characters show a lot of the 1960's spirit. They are very humorous and really seem real. When you think about the book, the people become real and the morals become real.

John Stuart Mill in Small-Town Texas
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-08
Gail Mount clearly and consistently portrays an elderly man and woman who do what they want to do without violating the right of others to do what they want to do. Against community standards in central Texas, the man is much younger than the woman; they ardently make love (in their own way); and they want no place to call home. Nevertheless, they contribute to the social good, wherever they pitch their tent, through their artistic talents and human decency. They are more than aged hippies; they are exemplars of Mill's "Essay on Liberty."

It's never too late to fall in love!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-31
I recently read and was thoroughly captivated by a fast moving and enjoyable story by Gail Mount, called PITCHING TENTS. It's about two hippies who become reacquainted and fall in love in their later years in small town Texas. Mr. Mount weaves a wonderful portrait of the two main characters, Vida Singer and Wayman (don't call me Ezekiel) Scott describing with clarity and humor how they meet life's continuing challenges, including getting to know each other, while maintaining their integrity. Each additional character introduced in this story is quite memorable. Some are likeable and some not very likeable, but all very real. The story has a nice ending. I was unable to put the book down until I had finished it. A second reading a few days later was just as rewarding as the first.

Joseph Erwin

laugh til you cry
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-17
I picked this book up on a Sunday evening and did not put it down until I was done. It was a page-turner. My husband had to leave our bedroom and seek silence elsewhere because of my laughter. By page 40, I had been laughing so much I was crying and my diaphragm ached. It was a real joy to read. Write more Gail Mount. Write more.

Reviews
Platinum Vignettes - Microbiology: Ultra-High Yield Clinical Case Scenarios For USMLE Step 1 (Platinum Vignettes)
Published in Paperback by Hanley & Belfus (2003-04-11)
Author: Adam Brochert
List price: $28.95
New price: $22.50
Used price: $19.99

Average review score:

Know these Vignettes
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-16
Know these Vignettes! Nothing more to say. They will be tested over. Period :)

Bugs review galore!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-15
Great review of all the high-yield bugs in case-based format. Really liked the book's style, presentation, and content. Also has good figures and answer explanations, which helped me understand several important concepts better. Definitely worth the money.

Perfect companion book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-22
This book is small enough to fit in your white coat pocket for those down times on the ward. It is much more concise than Microbiology Made Ridiculously Easy and a much better study tool for Step 1 and Step 2. Microbiology is one of those very important areas of medicine that comes up again and again, regardless of what field you decide to go into. Mastering it is key and you'll get a good grip on it with this book. Very useful.

Great book, great series
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-03
If you want to do better than just pass step 1, you have to read more than First Aid for the Boards. I would recommend this series as a great complement to enhance your understanding and knowledge of important, high yield topics for the exam. This volume is a good representation of what the series is like - concise, high yield, and containing lots of good figures and photos. The case explanations are fantastic and pragmatic.

Worth more than platinum!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-04
Wonderful review series for USMLE Step 1 preparation. This volume in particular lives up to its name, with outstanding case presentations and explanations that make sure you understand the underlying pathophysiology concepts. Memorization was not as important as key concept understanding on my exam, and this book, as well as the rest of the series, contained the high-yield info that was on my exam (took 6 weeks ago).

My score ended up being higher than I had hoped for, and I give much of the credit to this book and the rest of the series. Strongly recommend for Step 1 review!

Reviews
Platinum Vignettes - Pathology I: Ultra-High Yield Clinical Case Scenarios For USMLE Step 1 (Platinum Vignettes)
Published in Paperback by Hanley & Belfus (2003-05-05)
Author: Adam Brochert
List price: $28.95
New price: $18.50
Used price: $13.24

Average review score:

Know these Vignettes
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-17
Know these Vignettes! Nothing more to say. They will be tested over. Period :)

This is awesome!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-14
This is the best way to prepare for the exam! This guy knows his stuff and explains it VERY well. All case-based reviews - there are no multiple choice questions in these books. All the series is excellent except the anatomy volume was low-yield for exam.

Very high-yield info
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-03
Great way to review right before your exam. Helped me prepare for the case-based questions that now make up the majority of the step 1 test. The two pathology volumes give the biggest bang for the buck if money is tight, but I think the whole series (5 books: pathology I & II, microbiology, behavioral science & biostatistics, and anatomy & embryology) is outstanding.

Can do much better than pass with this series
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-04
I scored in the 87th percentile on Step 1 and credit much of my above-average performance to this series. The author seems very in tune with what's important for the boards. Lots of great info presented in the way it was asked about on my exam. Strongly recommend every book in the series, but particularly the pathology volumes. Check these out!

Lives up to the hype!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-19
All my colleagues that recently took the Step 1 exam were raving about this series while I waited an extra two months to take the exam because I was so paranoid. I decided to buy the series after hearing all the hype and, for once, a book lived up to its reputation. This book in particular was extremely helpful to me in getting my mind ready for the types of questions that appeared on my exam. The format of the book has you guess/state the answer to various proposed questions at the end of each of 50 clinical vignettes, then you turn the page to get the answers and read a brief blurb of high-yield info related to the topic/condition. Great, concise, well-written explanations that give you confidence and understanding of important topics. Strongly recommend the whole series and this volume in particular.

Reviews
The Prisoner: The Original Scripts Volume 1
Published in Hardcover by Reynolds & Hearn (2005-05-01)
Author:
List price: $49.95
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Average review score:

The Prisoner Scripts 1 Review
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-13
The book begins with a heartfelt foreward by the late Lewis Griefer (writer of "The General" under the psudonym of Joshua Adam), an introduction by the author, and then a reproduction of the original ITC "Prisoner" writers guide created for the series' writers by Story Editor George Markstein which is a most interesting read! Then follow the original shooting scripts for the first 8 episodes of the series.

Each is reproduced in full, along with cast lists, transmission dates, writers details, original TV Times "trailers", and music cues. The highlight of the reproductions, other than being able to witness the superb scriptwriting, are the endless footnotes supplied by the author. Every single subtle change from the original script to the finished programme are highlighted in these extensive notes, as are interesting snippets of information concerning the filming locations, shooting schedule, performers, crew, and much more. The amount of information Rob has managed to include is not far from astounding, and the mind boggles as to how many times he must have watched the episodes to include every otherwise unnoticeable word change. The above-mentioned footnotes are fascinating, and make this book the ultimate tome of "Prisoner" information.

Also included is "The Outsider", an unused script written by Morris Farhi (rejected by McGoohan), and two storyline ideas submitted by series Music Editor Eric Mival, as well as a biography of George Markstein. It could be argued that the scripts and footnotes would be enough to justify a positive review, but these rare "bonus items" are the icing on the cake and also make for fascinating reading.

Those familiar with the scenes of "The Prisoner" could be forgiven for thinking that reading such a book might be a dull experience, as they already have the episodes on DVD, but they couldn't be more wrong. Whilst much of the scripts remained unaltered for the finished product, there is much that is different. Small/subtle changes in some cases, large changes in others, each and every one is included. Two such interesting things include the inclusion of the "original" Rover device, complete with flashing blue light, and mentions of Number Two's residence as the "Georgian Cottage", rather than the more familiar "Green Dome".

To list all the interesting script changes here would be an impossible task, so I will close by advising that you go out and buy this book and see them all for yourself. At £19.99 (hardback) it is by no means cheap, but is well worth the price for the scripts alone, let alone all the "bonus items" and countless footnotes.

a great "Prisoner" resource!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-11
This volume has scripts to the first eight episodes of "The Prisoner", together with extras like a script to an unmade episode called "The Outsider". Also contains a number of b/w Prisoner-related photographs.

An "annotated Alice" for the most eccentric TV series ever
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-16
I'm old enough (sad to say) to remember when The Prisoner first aired on American television, as a Saturday night summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason show on CBS. No matter what comes out of all the debates about what the show "really" meant and what McGoohan's "real" intents were, it's definitely stood the test of time. Perhaps because it was as eccentric as it was in its own time. This book is to the series what Martin Gardner's "Annotated Alice" is to "Alice in Wonderland". Needless to say, if you are enough of a fan to want this book, you will also want Volume 2 (thanks, honey... :-), which covers those infamous last episodes (and one unproduced one).

Evolution of a Masterpiece
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-11
To say that Robert Fairclough's book is a revelation is perhaps an understatement. Sure, its just the scripts. But, the evolution between concept to realization is what this book is really about. Whether or not you agree with McGoohan's decision to take an essentially simple idea (the spy-prison) and turn it into his own subconsious metaphor, if you are a fan of this brilliant show this book is the only one I know that will give you any kind of window into this process.

Can't wait for the second volume.

I'm born all over again!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-09
This really sheds new light onto the series, with deleted lines, scenes, and information not found elsewhere. If you really want insight into things, read the scripts, assuming that you can handle script format...

Reviews
A Reader's Delight
Published in Paperback by Dartmouth (1988-03-15)
Author: Noel Perrin
List price: $19.95
New price: $2.80
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Collectible price: $15.95

Average review score:

Break Through to the Other Side
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-15
I long suspected a hidden treasure, a list of books closely guarded by academia. This is the list. What a joy, delight. Inspiring. Like finding a private library. Just, don't tell Oprah. Something For Everyone, might be a suitable subtitle, for the list within could launch several genres of works. This is a thin antidote for writer's block and tepid literary challenges of your local lit club for sure. Overlooked gems.

"Rediscoveries" For Avid Readers
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-28
In the early 1980s, Dartmouth English Professor Perrin was asked by the Washington Post to write a book review column called "Rediscoveries," in which he could review and tout his favorite obscure books. His rules were that the book had to be at least 15 years old (so that nothing from after the mid-1960s qualifies) and that no more than three of his colleagues could have read it. These were to be books he loved and wanted to reintroduce to the world. This collects those reviews of forty works (38 books and 2 poems), and from what I can tell, the essays are largely unrevised from their original publication.

I love the concept behind this book, because it's easy to find lists of acclaimed authors and titles, but by sheer probability, one has to acknowledge that there are lots and lots of volumes of buried treasure out there awaiting rediscovery. Indeed, part of the appeal of the book is that some of his selections require a bit of effort to track down (although thanks to the internet, not nearly as much as when the book first appeared). I found myself dipping in and out of this book as I found books that appealed to me and skimmed those that didn't. Perrin does an excellent job of explaining what makes each of his selections special, although he does tend to offer a good deal too much plot summary for my taste.

Still, this is a book well worth checking out by any open-minded avid reader, as it is likely to send you looking for 3-4 books to add to your "to read" list. Of course, personal taste plays a large role in whether or not you find this book useful. And while I skimmed the entries concerning memoirs and collections of letters, there were plenty of other things for me to dig into, such as comedy, and even science fiction. On the whole, good fun for bibliophiles.

From the Den of Literary Obscurity!
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-29
Even though I worked in a library for years and read dozens of books a month, I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't read any of Noel Perrin's recommendations outlined in "A Reader's Delight". I have now, though.

In essay after wonderful essay, Perrin uncovers gem after glorious gem. From Russian Sci-Fi ("Far Rainbow") to World War II memoirs ("When the Snow Comes, They Will Take You") , from lyrical fiction ("The Bottom of the Harbor") to the next-best-thing to Jane Austen ("The Semi-Attached Couple"), many of these books are out-of-print, some truly obscure, and all of them terrific.

Startling eclectic, Perrin discuses books from virtually every genre and he does so with grace and wit. There's tales of ancient China, old journals, satires, children's books and even a poem. This is guy who not only knows good books, but adores them, and he doesn't care where he finds them. In the introduction, Perrin tells about a professor he knew who cited the "Little House on the Prairie" books among his all time favorites, and Perrin makes it clear that true book-lovers know no snobbishness.

Some of these books will be a bit hard to track down, but most can be had by simply utilizing your local interlibrary loan program. In any case, "A Reader's Delight" is a must have for those who love a good read, not only for the recommendations but for Perrin's own stylish writing.

GRADE: B+

For booklovers..
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1997-02-01
An interesting collection of reviews of books you wish you could have read. I've always been interested in old books, and now, thanks to this book, I've got a couple I'm definitely keeping my eye out for

Not just a book, practically a good friend
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-01
I discovered this book when I was 14, and have reread it almost annually. Many of the books Perrin recommended have become favorites of mine also, and even when they haven't, this book is still worth it for Perrin's great writing and his deep affection and understanding of what the printed word can do. It's honest, refreshingly unpretentious, and compulsively readable. This book makes you happy to be alive and glad to be an inveterate reader. I highly, highly recommend it!

Reviews
Red Dwarf VIII: The Official Book
Published in Hardcover by (2000-02-29)
Author: Doug Naylor
List price: $19.95
New price: $50.26
Used price: $17.40

Average review score:

great edition to fans (and non fans) of the classic show
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-11
although under ground red dwarf groups put season 8 at the low end of the list the book is a hit since it is memorobila
some have come to like red dwarf because of season 8 others come to love season 8 because of this book
it is well worth the pounds or dollers you will pay

One classy book!
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-04
This gorgeous Red Dwarf companion may seem a bit pricey, but no smeghead should be without it. It contains LOTS of extra material from the smash hit series 8, and is full of beautiful cast and CGI pictures. Best of all, each script is introduced by the king of smeg himself- Doug Naylor! Some of the behind the scenes stories are utterly hilarious(anyone who's read 'Rubber Mask' will know what I'm talking about!). Mr Naylor also shares with us smeggies the troubles Red Dwarf went through in the three years between series 6 and 7. This man has my undying respect and gratitude- and Red Dwarf will never die!

The MUST BUY Red Dwarf Book
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-28
This book is THE Red Dwarf to buy. You may have seen several novels, quizbooks and other largish coffee table-type books concerning Red Dwarf at your local bookshop, but there is no other one quite so good as this: particularly for a fan who doesn't want to get bogged down in endless books.

The content is first rate. Each script contains many sections which were (unfortunately) obliterated from the final shows and almost every scene is accompanied by a full colour photo - there are literally hundreds of them. The comments and anecdotes by Doug only serve to improve an already damn fine book, and allow it to be classed not only as a scriptbook, but also as a series companion and a 'behind the scenes' book, too.

Every fan should have a copy - get one now!

Great for RD fans!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-03
Excellent coffee table-style book with some great pictures from series VIII and interesting behind-the-scenes stories from Doug Naylor. A great gift for the Red Dwarf-deprived U.S. fan!

The intro alone is worth the $17.
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-08
This is a large size hardcover book mostly consisting of the scripts to the 8 episodes in series 8. The scripts include original lines that were dropped from the show, many wonderful photos, and best of all, some introduction by Doug Naylor. If you are a fan of the show, this will probably make milk come out of your nose (if you happen to be drinking any.) If you are not a fan of the show and someone just reads a passage to you, you will probably still laugh out loud. Naylor explains why Red Dwarf 8 was almost never made, why Kochanski was introduced. (There WAS a reason! ) It is well worth the money, just for the beginning. A must own for fans, even if they aren't collectors, simply for the beginning.


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