Reviews Books

If you are wanting more information on the James Bond movies (background stories on how they got made, info on how various actors came to be Bond, ratings of the movies, etc.) then this is the book for you. At over 200 pages, the tome certainly isn't short on information.

The authors definitely have their favorite, and there is room for argument with some of their ratings, which makes the book even more interesting. They rate each Bond movie in a variety of areas (Villains, Women, Plot, Action, Bond, Gadgets, Dialogue, etc.)

I've found this to be a book I go back to quite often. It's great to read right before or after I've watched a Bond DVD. It illuminates some of the background on actors, producers, directors, locations, etc.

Highly recommended for the Bond movie fan.

"Kiss Kiss Bang! Bang!: The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion" by Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn is a very good book on James Bond info. Even though unofficial it has good information. I like it.

Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn's KISS KISS BANG! BANG! is an essential companion book on the cinematic world of James Bond. I like the way the authors choose to take 10 essential elements film by film and critique them. KISS KISS BANG! BANG! is quite insightful and interesting reading. I also enjoy the very handsome layout of the book, which only enhances the reader's interest. The book is also profusely illustrated with very unique photographs not associate with other official books on the cinematic James Bond. This is a well thought out and well-intentioned book. I highly recommend it. If you are a James Bond fan it is quite essential.

Unlike the "official" James Bond compendiums written before it, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" offers a broader, more objective view of the history of the James Bond film franchise. While the finished product could have used a polish from a real editor (there are typos everywhere,) the raw material contained here is worth the read alone. Everything from Fleming's early failed attempts to bring his hero to film, to Saltzman and Broccoli's instrumental casting of Sean Connery as the first James Bond is documented and seemingly well researched. Each film production receives it's own chapter, From "Dr. No" to "Tomorrow Never Dies" including the non-Eon produced "Casino Royale" and "Never Say Never Again." All chapters open with production stories as recollected by the cast and crew and includes initial reviews by film critics (a real plus here) who reflect on the sexual and moral perversion that audiences succumb to when viewing a James Bond film. The authors close each chapter with a 10 point fan-boy rating system, grading everything from the opening sequence and titles to the girls and gadgets. Overall the book is a quite refreshing and insightful companion. There aren't a lot of photos in the book, but the ones that are included aren't ones we've seen before. As a fan it left me thankful that Burt Reynolds was never cast as 007, upset that "Casino Royale" was wasted as a spoof and imagining what the franchise would be today if George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton did more films and if Roger Moore did less.

This is the best idea I have ever had: the book is really fantastic and tells you all you want (and need) to know about the wonderful Showtime's serie.

This book is unputdownable. The character profiles are keenly observed, and reading the episode guide is as breathless and fun as discussing the episode with your friends, except that this author has the inside track. And then we get inside dirt from the actors and the cast themselves!! The book is a total blast. Can't wait 'til they add season three.

As a big fan of the show it was great to have a book released to show behind the scenes and go into more depth with the shows characters and the actresses that portay them.

This book is a must have for any fan of "The L Word." I finished the book within a couple of days. It was that good. The info on the cast is great and it is good to go back and read summaries on the first two seasons. The pictures are awesome. All in all, definitely a good read.

After having traveled in the Caribbean as a tourist for years, I always wanted to read a good analysis of tourism in the Caribbean. This book is the best. It explains how very little of the economic benefits of the money we spend in as a tourist reaches the local people. Pattullo explains how deep this exploitation goes and has tons of data to support her conclusions.

Last Resorts: The Cost Of Tourism In The Caribbean, second edition, updated and revised by Polly Pattullo is an in-depth study of the economic and general effects of tourism upon the Caribbean area. Knowledgeably written, Last Resorts covers the overall economic effects of employment, history, government, social impact, culture, as well as an informative prediction of future probabilities for the Caribbean. Highly recommended for the vast coverage it provides, as well as its highly acute and accurate analytical content, Last Resorts is an excellent read for economics advisors, Caribbean trade executives, and non-specialist general readers, local citizens and vacationers with an interest in the Caribbean.

"Last Resorts" by Polly Pattullo is an excellent history and analysis of the Caribbean tourist industry. Ms. Pattullo examines the myriad social, environmental, economic and cultural changes that tourism has produced in the region. Along the way, the reader gains insight into how the promotion of the Carribean as a place of carfree escapism may be endangering the region's future unless vast inequities both within and without the Carribean are addressed in a meaningful way.

Ms. Pattullo explains that mass tourism emerged as an economic development strategy that was defined by the Caribbean's dependent relationship with the colonial powers of the 20th century and especially the United States. When air travel opened tourism to the middle classes in the 1960s, post-colonial governments turned to Western corporations to develop destinations that might attract foreign capital and thereby prop up local economies. However, the islands have gradually become ever more dependent on outside forces as airlines, cruise ship operators, and hotel chains have come to exercise near-monopolistic control over tourist itineraries. In order to maintain their privileged positions in the struggle for market share, most Carribean governments have found it necessary to concede the majority of tourist revenues to the procurement of foreign goods and services.

For example, Ms. Pattullo discusses how top jobs in the tourism sector tend to go to foreigners while locals get mostly dead-end jobs; many are resentful about earning poor wages despite working in a highly profitable industry. As street vendors and other freelancers seek to aggressively sell drugs and their bodies to tourists, more destinations have chosen to offer all-inclusive experiences that shut the dangers of the outside world away. Yet the coccoon-like world of the all-inclusives only serves to reinforce privilege, depriving locals of their own beaches and insulating visitors from the discomfort of viewing the socio-economic deprivation that often surrounds them.

Ms. Pattullo addresses that most pernicious of all tourism, the cruise ship industry which largely treats the Caribbean as a parking lot and waste dump for its 20 million annual passengers and where island culture is experienced in its most sanitized and commodified form. Most passengers spend little time onshore but frequently purchase goods at duty-free shops that are aligned with the ships, providing little revenues for the islands -- who, for their part, have found it impossible to impose reasonable rates of taxation on the industry for fear of being dropped from itineraries.

Whereas the path of corporate-controlled mass tourism is leading towards the Disneyification of island culture and the degradation of its environment, Ms. Pattullo believes that the Caribbean can secure a better future by embracing the principle of sustainability. The author contends that the region must begin to celebrate and preserve its unique history, culture and natural environment by implementing sustainable development strategies that are designed to empower local governments, businesses and people. To that end, she cites many examples of successful alternatives to the typical mass tourism model of sand and sun, including: eco-tourism, health spas, music festivals, living history, art and architectural appreciation, and other alternative vacation experiences. Indeed, it seems that the ideas advocated by the author might go a long way towards helping this remarkable part of the world both retain its uniqueness and gain a measure of the long-overdue success that it so richly deserves.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.

- Everyone's tropical paradaise might be a victim of its own success. This book reviews the tourism industry and explores how to bring greater benefits to the region. Excellent! Ron Mader / El Planeta Platica

One of the best books,if not THE BEST book,on Laurel & Hardy.Everything you want to know is right here.Every single L&H film ever made so fully detailed.Plus details on every actor and actress the boys had worked with.Information on video and DVD releases and computer colourization.

A book I highly recommend.

I've been a L&H fan since I was 6 and still am. The "boys" have been making us laugh in television re-runs, video and DVD but die hard fans are probably wondering what was the story behind the merriment? Here we have a GOLD MINE of trivia, facts and much more. Included are biographies of the pickle faced Jimmy Finlayson, Leo McCarey (who directed many of the later films) re-occuring themes, "the wives" music like "The Cuckoos" even comments on props like the bowler hats that Stan and Ollie wore. So sit back, relax and enjoy the world of two of the most talented comedians to grace the silver screen.

This book is chock full of essential and not so essential minutae on the careers,lives,films,you-name-it of the worlds greatest film comedy duo of all time,Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
That it is entitled an "encyclopedia" is no idle boast.There isn't too much that I can find that Mr.Mitchell didn't include.All is in alphabetical order and every topic you can think of from individual films,actors directly and indirectly associated with the Boys,explanations of for example reciprocal destruction,authors of other books,et al,are included in this unique volume.
At the end of each defined topic are cross references to other topics associated in some way with the one you just read which leads you hopping from one place to another.If you're not sure exactly what it is you're looking for you are eventually sure to run into something related to your field of interest as each topic is not exactly specific in nature such as "doors" or "locations" or "trains".
This is a book you don't read from cover to cover because it is like an encyclopedia but tons more fun!It's also full of illustrations and photos.
One entertaining and essential book on Laurel and Hardy that I recommend you add to your collection.

This is a gold mine of information, much of which is not going to be found elsewhere easily, if at all. Glenn Mitchell has done a thorough job of researching his subjects, and it shows. Clearly, he enjoys The Boys as well, since a noticeable amount of wit and humor add to the fun of reading the book. Incidentally, it's virtually im possible ("I have just two words...") to read the book in sequence; the cross references just go on and on. All in all, it's a most worthy companion to Randy Skretvedt's "Laurel and Hardy: the Magic Behind the Movies".

First there was Larson, and then, there was Wiley... When Larson stopped making cartoons, the world groaned - and I found Non Sequitur! If you love dry humour in cartoons and an 'outside in looking out' type of outlook on life, then you'll love just about anything concerning Non Sequitur. Unlike Larson, Wiley is more diverse in what he pokes fun at, and this book is a special collection of the fun he pokes at the humourless legal profession. It plays on stereotypes, it probably preys on reality, but the end result is a hilarious collection of books aimed at gently lampooning the legal profession.

Lawyers, and the law as it's actually practiced, are baffling, convoluted, and impossible for the layman to understand.

Thank you, Wiley, for giving the clearest, most understandable interpretation to date!

If you don't already love Wiley's outrageous, piercing humor, treat yourself. The only thing wrong with this book is that it ends - I finished the last page ready for more.

What can I say; as a lawyer in training, its good to get the perspective of how I am going to be viewed in society. My personal favorite strip from the book involves Ernie the Sociopath, but you will have to buy it to figure out what he does. This book is hilarious, and is perfect if you have regular dealings with those in the law profession. I would not recommend giving this as a gift to an attorney; after all, we know how sensitive they are.
Overall, Wiley is one of the best comic strip artists today. The art is crisp and clear, and more importantly, the strips are not dominated by dialogue. Many of the strips in this collection involve a small caption and then just art. As I am currently in law school, I feel I have the privilege to paraphrase his introduction, which is to the effect that so long as we have ambitionless kids, whose only desire is to make money, our law schools will always be full. This sentiment is expressed clearly throughout this collection, and will leave anyone rolling on the floor in laughter at the "legalities" attorney's are there to protect.

You will like this book if you
a) appreciate the humor and superb drawing-style of Wiley
b) really, really hate lawyers
c) you are a kind of lawyer yourself.

If all of the above applies, I can guarantee that you will love this book. I do.

Liquid Mexico: Festive Spirits, Tequila Culture, & The Infamous Worm is a 'must' for any who love Mexico: it examines the locales, festivities and history surrounding Mexican drinks, using specific beverage as cultural indicators for exploring Mexican heritage. Chapters blend in the authors' travel experiences throughout Mexico in chapters which range from 'Margarita' and 'Beers' to 'Sangrita'. An inspired blend of travelogue and cultural insight makes for lively reading indeed.

I was impressed by the numerous bibliographical references at the end of each chapter. I was expecting a simple book on drinking and traveling, but obviously a lot of serious research went into this book. Great reading for the beach or library.

This is a great book. Even though it's about alcohol, it's not really about drinking. It's way more about the history and culture that surrounds the drinks. If you like Mexico, even if you're a teetotaler, you'll like this book.

This couple went on some fun adventures in Mexico, did some great research on the history of the drinks mentioned in the book (tequila, mezcal, margaritas, Corona, etc), and put it together in a highly entertaining format. I think any arm chair traveler would get a kick out of reading this -- I did.

This is not a book teaching how to write a film score. Instead, it shows how film scores are conceived, created, and recorded, and is written for any enthusiast to enjoy. There are chapters covering who does what, how they do it, the machines involved, and case studies of several films with notable scores. In addition to explaining current practice, the book includes historical material about the legendary film music of the old-time studios and their staff composers and orchestras. The appendix section has guides to various composers listing their works, and a list of movies listing their composers. You can even look up Academy Award winners from each year! This is a fun book to sit and browse through.

This is the most thorough layman's book on the art and business of film music that I have read. LISTENING TO MOVIES has a wealth of information on the great and innovative composers for film from the 1930s on, notable films they have done and the styles they have worked within. It also devotes plenty of space to lesser known figures who are usually left out of the discussion.

Fred Karlin, a very successful film composer himself (UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE, WESTWORLD), covers all aspects of the scoring process - how the music is written, recorded and finally "spotted". Film music being a collaborative effort, he gives everyone involved his/her due - not just the composers, but also the arrangers, orchestrators, copyists et al.

Also, music during the Silent Era and many references to major composers of film music outside of the United States. At the back of the book are useful composer/films and film/composer lists.

I have and enjoy other books on this topic. None of them do what LISTENING TO MOVIES does. It's a great reference book.

I wrote the above review over 3 years ago, and I think I've re-read this book as many times since then. I *still* can't get enough of it.

This is an absolutely fantastic chronology of film music through the ages... from the silent era to the "John Williams" era to today. This book makes for entertaining and informative reading with quotes from so many in-the-industry sources that your head will spin! It's the most up-to-date reference I've found so far on film-scoring techniques and the problems historically associated with this genre. I'd even recommend it to film-goers with a just a passing interest in music as well

Living It Up At National Review is a memoir by Priscilla L. Buckley, who spent forty-three years as an editor at National Review. The exploits of her brother William F. Buckley among many other "brilliant but highly combustible" characters come alive in this engaging and folksy collection of true tales of daily life amid a national icon of conservatism. An index allows for quick reference in this highly readable and enjoyable reflection on the highs, lows, and weirdness present in the author's remarkable and vivacious working life.

Living It Up At National Review is a memoir by Priscilla L. Buckley, who spent forty-three years as an editor at National Review. The exploits of her brother William F. Buckley among many other "brilliant but highly combustible" characters come alive in this engaging and folksy collection of true tales of daily life amid a national icon of conservatism. An index allows for quick reference in this highly readable and enjoyable reflection on the highs, lows, and weirdness present in the author's remarkable and vivacious working life.

Living It Up At National Review is a memoir by Priscilla L. Buckley, who spent forty-three years as an editor at National Review. The exploits of her brother William F. Buckley among many other "brilliant but highly combustible" characters come alive in this engaging and folksy collection of true tales of daily life amid a national icon of conservatism. An index allows for quick reference in this highly readable and enjoyable reflection on the highs, lows, and weirdness present in the author's remarkable and vivacious working life.

What will we do when the Buckley clan is gone? First John Wayne, then Ronald Reagan, now the Buckleys, WFB and his sister, Priscilla gradually recede from our consciousness, followed ineluctably in time by Paul Harvey we tearfully conclude. Giants all. This book is to be cherished, as with brother Bill's memoir of last year ("And Miles Gone By"), like a strand of hair from a saint; to be pulled out every now and then and pressed to one's heart in longing remembrance of the grandeur that humankind can produce so resplendently every now and again in individuals(as opposed to collectively). Read the book and weep, but with a smile on one's face mirroring the same that radiantly graced it's author's lo these many years.

Vicente Aleixander was part of that great Generation of '27 - famous for such members as Lorca, Cernuda, Alberti and Salinas. He was the least political and this perhaps explains how he survived during the years of the Civil War. Lorca was executed by Franco's troops and the peasant-turned poet, Miguel Hernandez, who fought for the Communists, died in prison in 1942. Many of the Generation of '27 fled the country. Alberti didn't return until well after Franco's death, having lived abroad in Italy and the United States, often a visiting professor. Salinas, too, taught abroad. Aleixandre opted to stay in his native land.

Aleixandre's poetry is darker than his peers. Where Alberti and Salinas celebrate music, beauty, love, and painting (especially Alberti), Aleixandre's is a celebration of loneliness, of isolation. His early poems are quite deep and almost unreadable at times, so fraught with esoteric meaning (like Hernandez's early poems) that it might turn the reader off when first presented with this book. But the further one travels into this great collection, the greater the beauty and more universal the themes of love, loss and sadness. One feels the ocean, the waves, the sand but also a woman's body, the world destroyed but renewed. There is an organic quality to his poetry, it is human but also detached and poignant.

I prefer Aleixandre's work to many of his contemporaries. He reminds me to some degree of Georg Trakl in Germany - the darkness, the silence of the world, the pulse of life in nature surrounding humanity.

This selection features translations by Lewis Hyde (also editor of the book), Roberty Bly, W.S. Merwin, Willis Barnstone and many others...

"Her hand given over" is the sweetest, saddest, truest poem I've read about a woman from a man's point of view. I'm so glad to know about Aleixandre.

No matter where I open this book, time stops. Gentle as an uncle I once knew, his words carry forward, linger on, and I find myself nodding affirmatively in of all places, this world

"Destruction of Love" and "A Longing for the Light" are the best poetry in Spanish I have ever read. Perfect language, perfect idea... The best.

I just received this book from Amazon, and read voraciously for several chapters until it became too frightening, and I had to put it down.

You see, I, too was an outsider and victim of a conspiracy in Bangor,Maine, and as I was reading, would have seen what was coming, even if I didn't already know.

(I won't belittle Amazon with a link, but you may Google Bangor, Maine scam to find the Outsiderr222 blog.)

Don't think that things are getting better. Bangor has generations to go before the people see the light and put a stop to their manipulation by power brokers.

Even 25 years later, Maine still has the highest tax burden and one of the lowest per capita incomes in the country. Things seem to be upside down in northern Maine. (Southern Maine is farther ahead, but Augusta is not in southern Maine).

Drugs, booze, and xenophobia are rampant, and some areas are still controlled by kingpins who can best be likened to Jabba the Hut. Maine's Attorney General is selected by secret ballot by the legislature. (The only state in the USA that does this. He cannot be voted out).

In places like Bangor, Maine, an outsider will never win.

If you think that these small town scams are only limited to places like the Ozarks and could never happen in New England, just read Dr Greenwald's book. (And my blog)

Maine's a beautiful place. But be VERY careful there.

This book is a must read for any doctor, or American. The Government is not always on our side. The things Dr. Greenwald went through are a real eyeopener to sham peer review, and how real conspiracies occur right under our noses.

I couldn't put this book down once I started to discover the facts. It is truly amazing reading. You won't be sorry...

Mark K.
Philadelphia

this book is a real eye opener as to how people can abuse their power to burry the little guy. it is simply amazing!!!!