Reviews Books

I checked this book out of the library, and enjoyed it so much that I'm buying my own copy. Great pictures and really great stories. The mostly one-sided feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford is a great example. I love Bette Davis as an actor, her sharp mind and acid tongue, but, oh, what she was like to work with!

This book is not only beautiful to look at, it is so beautifully written! The text gives great insights into the genres of classic horror films and fills them with little-known details of how the films were made. Vieira understands that films are made by people and he explores the personalities behind some of the most indelible cinematic creations ever. For any fan of horror films, this is a must own, must read!

I read everything published on the horror movie genre, and a lot of it is repetitive (there is almost nothing new to be unearthed after so many decades), but Mark Vieira has written anecdotes and observations that are fresh and lively. With a slightly wicked delight in gossipy tales of professional jealousy and schadenfreud, he has also gotten access to the clearest most beautiful pictures I've seen on the subject. His interest and knowledge of photography is outstanding. Where did he get the juicy tidbits of personal knowledge he relates about the great figures of genre filmmaking?

It is one of the most familiar faces from Hollywood: huge, boxy forehead, heavy lidded eyes, railroad-track surgical scars, and bolt through the neck. Frankenstein (or more properly, Frankenstein's monster), in a gorgeous, detailed black and white photo (which for all the fussing over its production would have been called a glamour shot if the subject were someone else) stares from the cover of _Hollywood Horror: From Gothic to Cosmic_ (Harry N. Abrams) by Mark A. Vieira. In his Acknowledgements section, Vieira thanks his dad for letting him watch horror movies "on the Early Show, the Late, Late Show, and everything between." He also thanks him for making trips so he could buy _Famous Monsters_ magazines. One cannot doubt that he has a lifelong enthusiasm for his subject, and the format of his book makes this clear. It has large, glossy pages filled with black and white images of celluloid nightmares, and most of them are by the studio photographers (some of them famous, like Ernest Bachrach) who were responsible for the stills that would sell the film to the public. Although for many the pictures will be the show, Vieira's intelligent text and cataloguing of the films is worth reading on its own.

Vieira has chronologically divided the genre into the Gothic, Psychic, Atomic, and Cosmic. Boris Karloff's career stretches over them all, starting from his Frankenstein role, for which his costume weighed all of 48 pounds. Dracula and Frankenstein made lots of money, with violence and the sexuality (both of which seem wonderfully understated in our times) before the Production Code came out drew the "grandstanding censure of women's clubs, clergymen, and politicians." The Psychic section of the book is largely given to the films of Val Lewton, who refused to go along with any previous horror formula. Cutting in mere suggestions of horror into a love story about normal people was just what budget-conscious RKO went for. The Atomic years were a reaction to the atmosphere of the Cold War, and routine horror films "began to portray science as a tool more evil than Dr. Frankenstein had ever anticipated." The first of many films to show how nuclear devices could bring forth monsters was 1953's _The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms_, with a custom-designed dinosaur awakened by an atomic test. Vieira ends with the Cosmic films, paying most attention to a movie monster that is among the most realistic ever, and which has caused more serious analysis than even Frankenstein's monster: HAL the computer from _2001_. The years tick by and we have yet to make a machine nearly as smart (or fortunately, as diabolical) as HAL.

The final portion of the book also includes films that are quite dissimilar from the monster movies covered in other pages. In a book like this, one will always think of films that ought to have been included or excluded, but Vieira is calling the shots. He has included _Psycho_, which is not really a monster film but has plenty of terror. For real scares, read about how Alfred Hitchcock treated Tippi Hedren during the shooting of the filming of the climactic sequence of _The Birds_, or how Frank Sinatra treated Mia Farrow while she was making _Rosemary's Baby_. Also here are _Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?_ and _Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte_, in which the real monsters are the actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, aging grandes dames of cinema, who were at each other's throats onstage and off. There are some eccentric choices here, but Vieira's book is a fine-looking survey of a genre of films that, like so many of their monsters depicted, just does not die, and if it does, it comes back with surprising transformations.

The horror movie has evolved from its origins in German Expressionism to our current day of graphic gore.Mr.Vieira is both entertaining and informative as he guides us along this shadowy path.We are offered behind-the-scenes anecdotes of the actors,directors,writers,producers and even the composers of some of the film scores.Quite fittingly we are given a glimpse of Universal's make-up wizard Jack Pierce.His painstaking creations persist more than sixty years later(even though we are told they did not look good in color).
All of the major as well as the lesser known works are covered.They are arbitrarily grouped under the titles of"The Gothic","The Psychic","The Atomic",and "The Cosmic".These unifying headings help the author to correlate relevant social and historical events with metaphorical images(eg 1950's Aliens as Cold War invaders).The section devoted to Val Lewton was especially enjoyable.I was able to better appreciate these artfully done low budget horror movies when viewing the recently released DVD collection.
I would highly recommend this book to the enthusiast and to the casual fan.Mr.Vieira obviously has a passion for this genre and it is infectious.An added bonus is the sumptuous black and white photographs many of which are rare studio stills.This is a book I was sorry to finish but I know I will be referring to it often in the future.

This book is really awesome!!!!! Its a great guide for It Girls. I am a teenager and I love old movies and this book was a great guide for me! The book has 100 classic must see movies. The book is divide into sections for example, some are called Pure Romance, Marriage, the look, get the kleenex, getting the guy, royalty, weddings, and musicals to name a few! This is a great book to take w/ you to the video store. All the movies have a little description. I really love this book!! I really hope Meredith Alexander comes out with another book because this is a really good book! It would be awesome if she made a volume 2!

LOVED IT! GOT IT AS A GIFT. BEST BOOK OF IT'S KIND OUT THERE. BOUGHT THREE FOR MY FRIENDS. MEREDITH ALEXANDER IS A GENIUS. I HOPE SHE COMES OUT WITH A GUIDE TO GETTING THE IT MEN OUT THERE.

Make this your winter of content by curling up on the couch with the It Girl's Guide to Video, and then pressing the power button on your VCR. Meredith Alexander has done us all a huge favour by "screening" the movies that define glam. No more need to hesitate over what to rent at the video store. The must-see films are all there in this must-have book. The It Girl's Guide to Video is not only a great resource, it's a great read.

BUT SERIOUSLY, HOW DID WE MANAGE AT THE VIDEO STORE WITHOUT THIS REFERENCE GUIDE? THIS BOOK IS VERY WELL DONE AND THE AUTHOR HAS AN ASTOUNDING KNOWLEDGE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF OUR TIME. IT MAKES THE PURRRRFECT COFFEE TABLE BOOK, THE COVER IS HOT PINK SO WE KNOW THAT IT WILL "WORK" IN ANY IT GIRL'S LIVING ROOM!

A wonderful guide to the classics that every It Girl needs to see. Take the book with you to the video rental store and start at page 1. The book includes great stills from the films, and fun descriptions of each. I love it. Just grab your box of kleenex and popcorn and you're set. Would love to see a second volume!

The book has many fun and interesting facts about Lewis and Clark. If you're using it for the classroom...the activities are creative and easy to do.

This is a perfect book for kids to learn about Lewis and Clark. Not only is it informative but also holds their attention by giving them useful and entertaining activites. A must for those not in the standard school system in the states.

I would have given this book five stars if there had been just a few more activities in it.

The book reads as non-fiction literature and is interspersed with good photos and interesting sidebars. There are also some useful activities for the child to do within the text to reinforce what is learned.

This book would be useful for all grades but can be read independently in the middle school grades. The book contains a glossary, index, web site suggestions, bibliography, listings of museums and parks and other handy references.

The Lewis and Clark Bicentennial is here, finally! If you are still on your own undaunted journey of discovery or plan to teach children about these two courageous men and their corps, then you NEED this book. It will be invaluable to any teacher of intermediate students.

I found "Lewis and Clark for Kids" to be an excellent source of information and activities for both children, parents and teachers. There is an abundance of information about the actual journey plus there are great activities for children to engage in to learn more about the various indian cultures that Lewis and Clark interacted with on their journey of discovery.

I gave my granddaughter who is an avid "Lucy fan" this book for Christmas and she loved it because it focused on Lucy's movie career.

I'm a classic movie fan and read many biographies. This is the way biographies should be made! The author and publisher went all out for this wonderful book. The book is a real treasure for Lucy fans. It is beautifully packaged with wonderful cover and pages that are extremely well designed with text, pictures, bio and film notes. The dazzling color schemes and quality of the pages and pictures are first rate --there's nothing like this out there so kudos to the author! This is a first rate book all the way and look forward to more from the author -- how about a Rita Hayworth book -- no one else can do it like you!

This book is very well written and has wonderful pictures. The write up about Lucy gives even the biggest fans new insight into her life. It is a great way to find all the movies she was in.

To start off this is a great book and not being much of a reader myself I really love this one. It has great large pictures, hard to find pictures and the words are fairly large in this one also. Not being overly large like a kids reader but being the perfect size! But not only this, it has a lot of informative info aobut all of Lucy's movies that she has appeared in and also a despription of each movie. This is great because if you have never seen any of Lucille Ball's films you will get a thrill out of reading about all of the movies as well as jotting them down and looking online to buy them on DVD. This book has so much more also as well as the biography of Lucille Ball and a whole lot more! This is not a boring book but a nice fun book to read and to also make you want to read as well as some great info about the bright and talented star. The book itself is very large and very well made, as well as being thick. It looks like it costs about $50 it is so big and thick but I bought this through a book store in my local town for $29.99 which on the back of the book is the retail value so Amazon has a GREAT price!

"Lucy at the Movies" by Cindy De La Hoz is a coffee table sized visual treat displaying the varied movie career of America's beloved red headed comedienne. It spans Lucy's 5 decade career in movies. The text is easy to read and gives the full cast and credits of all her movies. It includes the synopis,notes and comments, and even the reviews of each movie. There are many pictures from her movies dispersed throughout the book. Also, to the delight of her many fans, there are numerous behind the scenes and other personal pictures of Lucy and her castmates.
This book is worth every penny and if you're a Lucy fan it belongs in your collection. Buy it. You'll treasure it always.

I did not think I would like this book when I started it. but as I got into it I found it to be very interesting. I loved the story about the twins and just how easy going life was back then it is a shame it is not still like that! this book will take you back to a very simple time when andy was growing up. you will learn a lot about Mt Airy. which is very very much like mayberry. any mayberry fan would like this book.

I recently moved to Mount Airy, the fabled Mayberry, and wanted a resource to help me learn a little bit about the "lore" behind this community. This was an excellent resource and a fun read at that. For me, it helped bring to life not only the ties of my new hometown to the TV show, but also to learn a little bit of history about this community.

My wife just purchased this book for me and it was very interesting, especially being in the first person from Jewell. Brings back so many memories from my wife's family. I will be sending it to my 92 year old mother-in-law to read and I know she will enjoy it. Thanks, Jewell, good talking with you. Bill Tarpley

Hardly anyone who has been exposed to television over the last forty years has not come in contact with the good people of Mayberry. Walk up to most people on the street and ask them to name three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and you just might get a blank stare. Ask the same person to name three residents of Mayberry, North Carolina and very few people will have a problem. Andy, Barney, Opie, Aunt Bea, Otis, Goober and Floyd have become so much a part of American culture that to most of us they are just like family. Mayberry is as real to most people as Chicago or Los Angeles and almost everybody knows that you have to go to Mount Pilot to get Chinese food.

Mayberry of course is not a real place but is instead a product of Andy Griffith's mind. Griffith's mind was however heavily influenced by his hometown and Mount Airy, North Carolina has become to most people, the real Mayberry. Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mount Airy and is just a few years younger than Andy. This book therefore, depicts on a very personal level the Mount Airy that has become America's most famous small town.

Many of the stories that are related in this book had a very obvious influence on the happenings in Mayberry. One story involves a young man who went on a small crime spree that included throwing rocks through most of the windows at the school. The authorities kept catching the young man but he would escape from jail almost as quickly as they locked him up. It all sounds a lot like Earnest T. Bass to me. If you remember Barney's very off key rendition of, "Welcome Sweet Springtime" you will not be surprised to learn that this song was a favorite of Andy's grammar school music teacher. Over and over, as one reads this book, they will be reminded of some happening in Mayberry.

There are many stories in this book that do not relate to Mayberry at all but are personal reminiscences of the author. At first I felt like these stories should not have been included since I bought this book to learn about Mayberry. As I read however, I changed my mind for these stories add greatly to the reader's ability to relate to life in a small southern town. Thank you Mrs. Kutzer for giving us all the chance to feel like we grew up in Mayberry just like you and Andy.

Thousands and thousands of us faithfully watched the television classic, The Andy Griffith Show and its sequel, Mayberry RFD. We followed Sheriff Taylor, Barney, Aunt Bea, and the rest through 249 episodes from 1960 through 1968. From 1968 through 1971, we were treated to 78 episodes of Mayberry RFD. Watching these shows today is a heartwarming nostalgic experience. Why, there's even an active The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club!

Mayberry has its roots firmly and deeply planted in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, a small town nestled in the mountains between Winston-Salem and the Virginia state line. Andy Griffith is celebrated there, along with all the traditions of hometown America, during community festivals and other events.

Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mayberry, just a couple of years behind Andy Griffith. She shares many of the memories that inspired Griffith to create Mayberry and the character of the popular television show. In Memories of Mayberry, she shares her experiences growing up in this now-famous small town. It's a pleasant, comfortable book to read, like having a conversation with a friend. Mt. Airy was a microcosm of life in a changing country, in a changing world. Lives were interwoven with the lives of others in the community. People were real, they were caring neighbors, they led simpler lives in the 1940s and 1950s. This book takes the reader back to those uncomplicated times.

Did I say uncomplicated? Well, compared to today's complex lifestyles. But for Jewell, growing up in a small town, life brought one adventure after another. Her tales of yesteryear are referenced to episodes in The Andy Griffith Show that relate to the memories. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of how Griffith made the show so real in the earlier days of television.

Want a trip back to our roots? To the values on which our country was built? Pick up a copy of Memories of Mayberry to open your mind and heart to our wonderful past, not just in Mt. Airy, but in hundreds of other small towns across the land. Definitely designed for readers over 40 (we were there), but offers valuable insights for younger readers, too.

Yes, it's nearly 15 years old. Why a revised edition never surfaced is beyond me. Still, if you can forgive a total absence of recordings from the mid-90's onward, plus some notable exclusions of opera that have since gained in popularity, this is a must-own volume. I cannot think of another guide that discusses individual recordings so thoroughly.

The reviews are highly opinionated, but there is no question that each reviewer is an authority on the subject. I do disagree on some counts, particularly when it comes to some favorite singers. For instance, it matters not to me that Grace Bumbry is attacked for her lower register; she will always be the greatest Amneris in my book, if not in this one, so to speak.

I agree with my fellow Texan reviewer who described hours of pleasurable reading from this essential companion. No one guide can be all things to all people, but the strenghs of this one place it at among the two or three very best available.

This book is an older sister of the "Metropolitan Opera Guide to Opera on Video". Both are edited by P.Gruber, which at least partly explains their similar design, but feature different teams of reviewers (only few names overlap) and maybe this is the reason why this guide reads so much better than its video sequel. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to imagine that the main reason for this discrepancy is the medium itself: recordings play much greater a role in our musical lives than video (or DVD) and that's probably why it is easier to write about them with fondness. The reviews collected here are very human and it is clear that their authors not only lived with the reviewed recordings for quite a while, but were quite eager to share their comments with the broader public - I didn't have that impression while reading the MET team's generally sour video guide. This is a very likeable book! Most of the reviews are written with sympathy and warmth, not very common in this kind of critical writings. There is also a tendency to emphasize the good even in seriously flawed recordings. These are highly subjective reviews and there is no attempt at concealing it: the language is always very personal and leaves no doubt that in many cases some high emotions were involved - again a feature that I found missing in the video guide. To make the book even more "human", the editors thought about including some dozen charts presenting favorite opera recordings of some celebrities (for whatever it is worth to know Joan Rivers's tastes in operatic matters; other choices are less problematic since most of the people are to some degree professionally involved with opera or theater). This guide is of course outdated but this shouldn't make it less attractive to true opera lovers. What is very important with this kind of publications - apart from its obvious practical value - is the fact that they preserve in a compact form a selection of well written essays not only on opera recordings, but also on our musical life and they give the lie to a generally felt impression that music criticism is a dying art. However, on the strictly practical side, the MET's guide will never be quite outdated, since the reviews collected here apply NOT only to CDs, but also to vinyl discs, at the time of printing still a popular medium. Many of then LPs (some transferred from 78s) are being reissued now in all sorts of series of "legendary recordings" launched by the record companies. As to the new releases, we can only wish that the guide will be updated from time to time. A large section on baroque opera recordings would be an important feature of this imaginary "new edition" (I have to admit that in its current form, the guide doesn't have much to offer for the fans of early opera) But even without these changes, the MET's guide is a very important addition to the music library of any record collector - if not strictly as a guide, then simply as a collection of wonderful musical essays. One can agree with them or not, but they never leave the readers with an impression of having been written by people bored with the topic. Enjoy!

Anybody who collects opera on CD (or other formats) should own this tome; mine has long since separated into maverick fascicles from constant reference and casual browsing. Each contributor reviews, in some detail, virtually all recorded versions of a single work (then, incidentally and almost superfluously, offering recommendations). Standards of knowledge and of writing are gratifyingly high, and the thinking is refreshingly independent; I've been led to some wonderful disks that, going by received opinion, I wouldn't have poked with a ten-foot pole. But the book stops short in the early 90s; for anyone interested in state-of-the-art sound (not to mention some extraordinary performances), the Guide has quickly become seriously deficient. Also, it's time to rethink the operas included. Ginastera's Bomarzo, Argento's Postcard from Morocco and Musgrave's Mary Queen of Scots -- all unobtainable in any format -- can go, making room for, say, Schreker, Respighi, Chausson and Chabrier, Zemlinsky and Glass, among many others. Some composers need broader representation: Cherubini, Weber, Bellini (no Pirata!), Gluck (neither Iphigenia, no Alceste). Other commentators have suggested either a thorough-going update, or a second volume. I'd buy either without a second's pause.

Opera is a costly art. Producing recordings of operas is a costly business. Opera enthusiasts who wish to own recorded versions of their favorite operas, must thus expect to have credit cards that can call up large funds. Hence, the usefulness and value of another art form, one that developed in the C20th. This new art form is the guide to recorded opera, a collection of critical assessments and recommendations intended to help readers avoid wasting their money.

Of all such publications - and they can provide endless hours of absorbing reading even if the aim is not necessarily to get a well-informed recommendation - an outstanding example is The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera. Developed from an idea by Roland Gellat, and edited by Paul Gruber, it surveys and assesses virtually all opera sets on record up to 1993, the year of its publication. The roster of reviewers is impressive, comprising a team of twenty highly qualified contributors working in the USA and England.

Something I always look for in books of this type is a detailed index. The one here meets all my requirements. It enables me to find all references in the book to, for example, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, a singer you might think is represented in recorded opera sets more than anybody else. It is Placido Domingo, however, whose index entries occupy more space here than those of any other singer.

An alphabetical order of composers dictates where the recorded opera reviews are found. Once you have found "M" near the center of the book, for example, you can locate Mozart, and find his operas discussed in chronological order. There is also an index of opera titles, if you prefer that means of finding what you want. There are no illustrations, and pages are laid out in two-column format, so the book is reasonably compact and not too weighty.

Each reviewer is set the task of assessing all available recorded sets of a particular opera (a luxury few of us can enjoy) and providing a recommendation. Perhaps it is in the nature of opera, an art form with so many inter-relating components, that few single versions of a particular opera are found to excel on all counts. One of the few is the de Sabata "Tosca". Nevertheless the reviewers always attempt to "narrow the field" and indicate strengths and weaknesses along the way.

A "guide" to recorded opera is tricky. First of all, every opera critic is likely to have his or her own biases when it comes to singers, conductors, sound quality, etc. That being said, this book is an extremely fair, balanced, guide to the recordings of many operatic staples, as well as lesser-known works. Each opera's discography is reviewed by a single critic, so there's consistency. However, a problem arises when the different critics offer conflicting views of the same singer in different operas. Joan Sutherland is criticized by some critics for her poor diction and placid portrayals, but other critics choose to focus on the beauty of her voice and her impeccable technique. Who do you believe? It's your choice. Also, this book was written in 1993, so many recent studio recordings, historical releases from Naxos, and more "legitimized" pirates are not covered here. Overall, however, it's an entertaining, comprehensive guide to many famous recordings.

I teach nursing aids and this is the manualI use with my students.
excellent manual and my students use also the workbook.

Wow, if i would have gotten a textbook this thick when i was going to CNA classes, i would have been pissed since the class was only four weeks, that would have meant that i would have to cram all that info into my brain in such a short amount of time. anyway, its a good book containing actual photos, i skimmed through it a little and found that this could also be used for the instructor as well as the student, so anyway,this is a good book to have even after you get your certification,i also purchased the workbook, but have not looked it over yet.

This book was in great shape and very reasonable. It was delivered as scheduled with no problems. Thank you

I first must say I could be biased with this review as I have only read the first chapter. I bought this book as it was a requirement for a class I had to take. What I could say after reading the first several pages was this was poorly written. I'm not criticizing the content, but the writing. Everything is too choppy, making it very difficult for to read. Very poor flow of words. Some grammatical errors as well.

The book was perfect for the class I took. It had great details into everything we covered. The workbook was an awesome study tool for the tests and the Michigan state exam.

Moving Target succeeds in transforming what could be a pedestrian topic into a fascinating tale of discovery. Ron Arias manages masterfully to make the reader a committed member of the author's family and his relentless quest to uncover the truth.

Arias accomplishes this considerable feat with an effective approach composed of painful candor, suspense and clean, compelling writing.

Moving Target was one of the best books I have read ever. It was a moving story of a family and the hunt for a father they knew or didn't know. I was jealous of the young mother, wishing she had been mine. Later on I was glad she wasn't! Her death was an enigma. Her writings were truly unbelievable and know that's where Ron got his talent for writing. I read this book several months ago and it took this time for me to write. It is tragically moving, poetic with an uncanny melodic verbage. The quest to find this father again took Ron to many places, winding up in of all places, California. The perseverance to not quit gave this reader a gut-wrenching mystery that kept me riveted to my seat. Once you start you cannot put it down. I will read this book again. I hope Ron continues to write as he haa a talent that needs shared with the world!

Moving Target, by Ron Arias, is the story of an American family, but not your typical next-door-neighbor kind of family. This is the story of a military family from the perspective of a sensitive, intelligent boy. While fellow army-brats will nod their heads in recognition as they read this memoir, most civilians would be astonished by the impact war and the warrior culture of discipline and rootlessness can have on a marriage and family.

Once begun,this book is not easy to put down. It is a chronicle written in a clear, accessible style, and often reads like a mystery novel. It takes a trip through recent history, putting personal faces on the Korean Conflict and the Cold war. As the writer matures and explores his father's military career and his mother's aspirations and marriage, many questions emerge. I felt compelled to follow Mr. Arias on his search to find the "real" man who shaped his life. Both his parents are brought fully to life, and as a bonus, Mr. Arias shares his adventures as a journalist. It is a courageous, heartbreaking, intimate life story that I will not soon forget.

The author has captured the depth and spirit that keeps our POW's alive, knowing that we cannot forget them and the sacrifice that they have made for us. It does not matter if they are held three weeks or three years, we must keep them in our hearts, minds, and prayers. This book should be required reading by the Military and their families, and those that are quick to find fault with the men and women in uniform. I came away from each chapter as a member of the family and their ordeal after the war. We must remember that the families are just as much POW's!

I made the mistake of starting to read "Moving Target" before going to bed one evening; at 3 am I was still unable to put this book down. It's the memoir of Ron Arias, a staff correspondent for People Magazine. It starts out as a biography of Arias' parents. His father, Armando, is being held as a POW in Korea. His mother holds the family together until Armando's return. But this happy event is soon overshadowed by many troubles; Armando is being discredited by the Army, his promotion to captain is delayed (is it because he's Hispanic?) And he's a changed man, brooding, a strict disciplinarian but now with an edge since his return from near-starvation and survival of a Korean POW camp. Ron and his brothers find the household tense and troubling after Armando returns.

And there are more mysteries. Why does Ron's mother refuse to take communion at Sunday Mass? There is truth to be uncovered here, and Arias takes us on a young man's journey to find himself and his family.

The memoir also shows us Arias' development as a writer, from a chance encounter with Hemingway in Pamplona, to a course in English literature in Argentina from a Professor Borges (yes, Jorge Luis Borges.) And in Argentina, Ron begins a career as a journalist. We follow Ron through a stint in Peru as a Peace Corps volunteer and watch how a young and talented journalist develops. But the story of his family and his identity is an equally compelling thread.

This is probably one of the best memoirs I've read in years. The writing is crisp, the description of everyday details sharp and focused. Arias has the ability to go back and look out of the eyes of innocence and ignorance-we follow him along in the book as if we all were sent back in time in his life. If you liked "The Color of Water" or "Angela's Ashes" this book will resonate with you. You really should read it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

I don't have much to add to the excellent reviews already made of this book, but it's been 4 years since this edition came out; we desperately need a new one as in a few weeks we will have seen every movie in this tremendous book. There are so many bad movies out there and this book (and netflix) has helped us to miss most of them.

What a great book! It's wonderful to have on hand for reference and would make a really welcome gift for someone (with "like interests") at Christmas or any other gift giving opportunity. In addition, it's just plain fun to read. Movies I have never heard of, and/or wish I'd seem are there by the dozens. Anyone with a "mail" subscription to a movie outlet would be very happy to get it. I'm getting a couple more for "gifting".

I'm not sure I consider myself a film buff. Friends often ask me to recommend a film or DVD, claiming I see "everything" which is hardly the case. Some even call me a film buff but I believe I've never earned the title. Friends of mine who can name any actor/actress/director in films well known and obscure, as well as release dates, studios, and quote Pauline Kael the way some people quote scripture or Shakespeare are in my estimation film buffs. I'm only a dabbler in comparison. Yet when I purchased NEVER COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU, I realized how many wonderful films I have seen and became even more appreciative that I live in a major metropolitan area that still has a few good small theatres and a theatre that shows great independent films.

NEVER COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU will be enjoyed by anyone who is an enthusiast for film and anyone who wants to watch great films that were critically acclaimed and loved by audiences, albeit smaller audiences than the blockbusters. Most are easily available on DVD/video. The book is a collection of film reviews by Kenneth Turan, a critic for both NPR and THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. Turan does not use the book to lambaste the state of Hollywood or criticize the quality of the most popular films released today. Instead, he gives readers the opportunity to read reviews of films that are of good quality but may have been overlooked when they were released.

Most of the films included are contemporary independent and foreign films. Turan focuses on these films rather than the better known releases believing that reviews of these films, including reviews penned by Turan himself, are readily available. Most of the films he reviews in the book were released during his tenure as a critic though he does include a section on classics that were panned by critics but in time were deemed brilliant. He also includes some writings about miscellaneous film topics such as Yiddish films, films released by Hollywood before the code, and Chinese martial arts films (I haven't acquired a taste fro these as of yet).

This is a book I wished had been penned about ten years earlier, when I began building my video and now DVD collection. It will be a great guide for anyone interested in film or who is beginning to develop an interest in film or for anyone who loves a good story and enjoys being pleasantly surprised when discovering a worthy film in a video store.

This is a book that highlights movies that we, as a society, desperately need. They cover a wide range of emotions, topics, times and places and yet they all have one thing in common - they make us think. I could have added a few myself (Memento, Contact, Facing Southwest, etc) but the listed movies are enought to keep even the most avid fan busy.

Divided into four parts.types - English language, Foreign language, documentaries and Classics, each is interesting not only in its own right but how it relates to the culture from which it sprung. Thus, VERTIGO, originally panned and dismissed, has emerged in the running as one of the greatest movies of all time. Some of the descriptions are artistic statements in themselves - I am thinking of the almost poetic notes on Glenn Gould's 32 Variations or the Decalogue's Polish origins & interpretation. The author is quite catholic in his tastes, eschewing well-worn political or religious labels. THis is a good book, an important one and deserves a wider audience.

I live sort of in the sticks--nothing plays at the local theaters except the big blockbusters. So this books serves as a great resource to all the movies I missed: independent films, foreign films, and (my personal favorite) documentaries. After reading this book, I now have many more movies to add to my Netflix queue. I have already seen quite a few of the films Turan reviews in this book, and I enjoyed them all, so I feel I can trust the other reviews in this book.

The "retorespectives" section at the end of the book is also valuable, and will serve as a good introduction for me to several genres and oevres.

I do have one complaint about the book, in that it is already a couple of years out of date. I hope Turan comes out with an updated edition soon.

'Now You Know' pretty much sums up the content of this book and the epic motion picture that inspired it. Every page is a human story, a story of everyday people changed by the unspeakable horror of war. One cannot help but be moved by the sheer honesty of the reactions evoked by this film. With the royalties going to the National D-Day Museum let us hope that the messages of this film and book continue to be remembered, for the sake of our future, and for the people who gave their lives for our freedom...

(REVEALS INFO!) I thought this book was great but the movie was a lot better in my opinion. Saving Privite Ryan the novel was about a 4 on a 1-5 scale (5 being the best). My favorite character is Reiben because he carries a BeretaAutomaticRifle and he does not die. This book made me appreciate what the men of our country have done and I don't look down upon older people any more;I would like to thank them for it.

"Now You Know" is a first rate little hard-bound book concerning viewers' reactions to the movie "Saving Private Ryan." It is clearly a labor of love and all profits are being donated to the National D-Day Museum. Anyone who saw the movie and loved it as I did will want this book. The viewers' express their observations with heart-felt emotion and insight. It would be rare to find something like this anywhere else.

I teach a film history class and Saving Private Ryan is one of the films we watch and discuss. This collection of letters is very moving. The variety of reactions and emotions is very moving. The letters were impressive and they fit in well while teaching the film. If you teach a film class or plan to use Saving Private Ryan in the classroom I highly recommend this collection to supplement your teaching.

On June 6, 2000, The National D-Day Museum will open its doors in New Orleans, LA. It will be the only Museum in the U.S. dedicated to telling the stories of the amphibious invasions or "D-Days" of World War II. The royalties and earnings frm Now You Know are going to be dedicated to this Museum

The stories told in Now You Know will be mirrored in the Museum. Ordinary People who did the extraordinary. They came not to conquer, but to liberate, not to loot or destroy but to bring life and freedom.

Now You Know has helped me realize the debt that we owe that generation...a debt they never tried to collect. It has also helped me realize the opportunity I lost when my father died. A chance to say thanks.

Thanks.