Television Books

This is the one cookbook that has not gone on the shelf, but instead sits on the corner of the counter. So far I've made the beef burgundy, pan roasted chicken, smothered pork chops, lemon meringue pie, macaroni and cheese, nachos with salsa and guacamole, and more. I'd've done more in the past two weeks, but I do have a job to go to. These may not sound like extraordinary recipes - they're all in my Betty Crocker cookbook or Good Housekeeping cookbook - but this is the cookbook that tells you the how and why, what works and what doesn't work (based on their own testing, which is an interesting read in itself). One of the things I like most is that they make an honest effort and usually succeed at restricting themselves to ingredients found in nearly every supermarket. Serving sizes are extremely generous. I ate nachos for four days --- luckily, they were delicious.

I do wish they would include nutritional analyses. These recipes are all about taste and optimal preparation to ensure the best results; nothing particularly low cal or low carb and certainly not low fat here; and it doesn't purport to be a diet cookbook. That's okay, but it would still be nice to have the numbers. And it would be nice if they would test a few ways of cutting calories and/or carbs and/or fat while developing the best recipe.

As a novice, I also got tripped up in the pan roasted chicken because the recipe didn't give me even a clue as to how long the pieces would be in the oven; I guessed about 30 minutes but turned out to be 50 minutes to get to temperature, which threw off the timing on the side dishes...minor, novice issue.

Finally, I also subscribe to Cook's Illustrated published by the same people. In the Nov/Dec issue was an incredible recipe for pumpkin cheesecake (beg, borrow or steal it from someone). Their technique explanation ranted about the wonders of cooking a cheesecake in a waterbath. Indeed it made a great difference. But in this cookbook, there's a recipe for a New York Style Cheesecake with no mention of a waterbath. I'm not a pro, so maybe the different techniques deliver two distinct textures, but it was curious why both ways aren't discussed in the cookbook since they touted it in the magazine (or vice versa).

I've bought a couple pieces of their recommended equipment and believe they've been right on target there too.

It's an impressive book that has pursuaded me to buy both the Italian Classics Cookbook and the cookbook for the 2002 television series. Looking forward to receiving those soon.

As a beginner with cooking, this book has led me places I never thought I'd go. It has been a guide for the basics and an inspiration for the heights. And meanwhile it saves me money by steering me away from useless gadgets and fad techniques.

This is my third Amerca's Test Kitchen cookbook. In all of the meals that I have cooked using these books, I have never had a flop. As a male and a physician, I really appreciate the "clinical" approach to cooking that ATK applies. Want to make good, gooey chocolate cookies? Then try a dozen different methods and see what works best. They have used this method for all of their recipes, and the reaults are tremendous.

ATK avoids pretentious cuisine. They aim to make the best steak, best french-fries; things that my kids will eat. Yet, some of my favorite meals for guests come from the book as well. (Twice-coked potatoes with pesto...mmmm). Even though I live in a small town in a remote area, I have always been able to find the ingredients they suggest.

They have a "Consumer Reports"-like approach to rating ingredients and equipment. What a delight when Morton's table salt out-performs...sea-salt in blinded taste-testing.

I can't wait for next year's book to come out!

As someone who consider's themselves an elite "home chef", I stopped using recipe books years ago and just built on the basics that I'd gleaned from reading what I considered the "essential" cookbooks. Then, one stormy Saturday afternoon when the husband was at work and the kids were away at Grandma's, I stumbled on America's Test Kitchen on PBS. Needless to say, I loved what I saw.

Now I am a Cook's Illustrated fan. I have not come across anything done by these folks that isn't absolute quality cooking instruction - no matter what your level of cooking expertise. That's because ATK doesn't just write the recipes - they write articles and background about every recipe that breaks down each element of the recipe and explains why certain ingredients, techniques and equipment work so much better than others in producing the best tasting recipe. Even if you never follow an America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Illustrated recipe step-by-step, the things you learn just by reading the recipe books can be carried over into all of your cooking. If, like me, you are a non-recipe cook, there is still much to be learned here.

"Here in America's Test Kitchen" carries on the standard of excellence that Cook's Illustrated has established for itself. Detailed recipes that are actually essays about what goes into creating each recipe and why certain ingredients and methods are used will elevate the level of every home cook - regardless of your current level of expertise.

This book contains some of the best recipes I've ever had. The BBQ Rib recipe prepared with a dry rub and slow cooked over a smoky grill is simply the best rib recipe I've ever made - spicy, smokey, fall of the bone tender with a wonderful crisp skin on the outside. At a recent 4th of July party, these ribs and the ATK buffalo wings were a huge hit. And the cookie jar favorites - chewy, flavorful double chocolate cookies and ginger cookies are family favorites. The recipes here aren't always the quickest, the cheapest or the lowest in fat and calories, but if you are looking for the best in flavor and texture, with America's Test Kitchen you can't go wrong.

I have been watching this series on PBS and the book is just a delightful. The receipes are pretty easy to follow, ingredients are available in most grocery or gourmet shops. Plus they have done all the testing and we get to prepare the perfect combinations! Highly recommend it, especially as a gift!

The title of the book, which became Mr. Sayers' credo throughout life, comes from a quote he saw on the desk of one of his coaches: "My God is first, my friends and family are second, I am third." Mr. Sayers tells the story of a man who lifted himself out of the ghetto with such a love for football, his friendship with Brian Piccolo (one of the very first pairings of a black player and a white player in the NFL) and his near-career ending injury. It is an inspirational story that does not get preachy. He tells of his friendship with Brian Piccolo without getting maudlin (Mr. Sayers and Mr. Piccolo were loyal friends and deeply respectful of each other.) He relates his triumphant return to the Chicago Bears after a knee injury that had almost everyone writing him off (except Mr. Piccolo, who urged him on during rehabilitation.) It almost seems as if Al Silverman turned on a tape recorder and let Mr. Sayers talk. Rather than being pretentious, the way a lot of sports biographies are one gets the feeling that Mr. Sayers is sitting down in an easy chair and is talking directly to each reader. The book, however, was written more than thirty-five years ago and ends before Mr. Sayers' final two (albeit disappointing) seasons. My hope is that Mr. Sayers will either update this book or write a sequel to tell us of his successes after football.

Bought this as gift for my husband. His reveiw: It was okay, interesting about Gayle Sayer's life but not extremely well written. It had little to say about his relationship with Brian Piccolo.

I am third
By Gale Sayers

Devon Hurley

My book is called I am third and itýs written by Gale Sayers. The price of the book is $...and u can find this book in any book store.
I am third is about the football player gale Sayers .He plays football with his friends every day. He grew up in a poor house with barely any food. That didnýt stop him from playing football though. He played no matter what. One time he tried to tackle some one and he got kicked in the mouth and he was spiting out blood his brother played football too. He was older then Gale. Gale was a starter on the high school football team with his brother he only got to play with his brother one season because he was a senior when Gale was a freshman. Gale was a good player. He was like1st or 2nd best in the country. He wanted to go to a four year college to play football. Mississippi State was in other sports besides football like track and basketball. He broke the long jump record for track. His mom and dad were always working on something. Galeýs dad was tall and had long legs. His dad worked hard every day and only got 40 dollars a day. His mom was at home watching all the kids. All the kids in the neighbor hood were on the football team. After gale went to college he was going to go to the pros either the chiefs or the bears. on draft day the Chicago bears picked Gale Sayers the first day of summer training he met Brian piccolo. Brian was a white person and Gale was a black person they didnýt really get along at first of race but after they started playing together. The coach put them in the same room partner. When gale was voted rookie of the year Brian starts to get sick and has to go to the hospital and he finds out he has cancer and has to stay in the hospital for the rest of the season. Later he goes home and is recovering but he gets cancer again a in his chest and dies from cancer. later gale plays the best game of his career he scores 6 touchdowns.

This review is on the book called "I Am Third". In this book it tells mostly about Gale Sayers' football career and some of Brian Piccolo's or Pic. The reason this book is called "I Am Third" is because he says that "God is 1st,my friends are 2nd,and I am 3rd". To understand this book you might have to know a little about football. If you like football stories I would reccomend you read "I Am Third".

I really never liked sports, but this book really moved me because it was a story of two men very different yet very alike. They were both very talented, over the past few months i've been doing so much research and Gale and Brian. I also am planning to do a important report on them, the frienship that they had was great. BUY THIS BOOK!! and the movie Brians song!I loved both. I love Ya Gale and Brian GOD BLESS!

My mother in law is a huge DOOL fan and this is the perfect christmas present for her.

Great love story between Bill and Susan. Their personal story is as magical as Doug and Julie's, the characters who they portray. Great behind the scenes from the Days set. I could not put this book down!!

IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THE HAYES YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. I READ IT TWICE, AND A COUPLE OF FRIEND "NOT DOUG AND JULIE FANS" READ THE BOOK AND THEY LOVED IT. THIS BOOK IS FOR ANY ONE WHO WANTS TO READ A GREAT BOOK.

A joyful read! A wonderful couple! I love every time Doug and Julie are on my screen and I loved reading this book. These are people you would love to know and have in your life! Their "life lessons learned" will touch your heart.

This is the best book I've read in years.
'What a great story about a great couple.

I enjoyed this book and was very informed by it. I doubt you can find more detailed background data about Lucille Ball's work (from the beginning of her career to the end, from stage to the big and small screens) and her (lesser known) co-stars and co-workers anywhere else. The problem is, I'm a new fan to Lucy and I wanted to read about her life in a more conventional way (where she was born, raised, her influences, her marriage, children, etc). Those types of books got such mixed reviews from fans that I thought I'd start with this one, which had only positive reviews. There is some basic bio in this book, but it assumes you know that type of information about Lucy. So I would just say: make sure you don't start with this book if you're a new fan. It's like getting to know her backwards (everyone around her instead of the star herself). This is definitely a book for seasoned fans who want to know "more."

Great format, easy to read. Every coffee table must have one!!

A thoroughly enjoyable read on Lucy. Learned some things I never knew - and loved that way you could navigate from one section to another.

This new paperback biography of Lucille Ball is something different, an "A to Z" run through her life, sprinkled with the author's opinions. I actually agreed with most of them, and the breezy style and content is the perfect antidote for a depressing day. Read it and love Lucy all over again.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I couldn't put it down. I loved the format, the authors perspective and views were interesting and unique and you could tell he was a real Lucy fan (who isn't). Add this book to your cart and you won't be disappointed. You can read it again and again because of the unique way it is written. A must for Lucy fans. Enjoy!

Seriously. This lady apparently never threw away ANYTHING. She didn't even throw away the "Glorious Aryan Motherhood" medal she got from the Nazis in 1938 in an effort to entice her back to the Third Reich, though she was much offended by the "award" and described her displeasure in pithy terms. Conversely, she proudly told her daughter, Maria Riva, that whereas most daughters inherit medals from their fathers, Maria would inherit medals from her mother, and these decorations (including the U.S. Medal of Freedom and two degrees of the French Legion of Honor) are displayed in one of the book's many color photographs.



This splendid book is a Marlene Dietrich museum all by its lonesome. Gorgeous photographs from every stage of her career (including some very sexy and risque ones displaying her famous legs to best advantage!) are coupled with a visual catalogue of the most interesting of her clothing and possessions, including her famous good-luck rag doll, which appeared in several of her movies, and a pair of matched pistols she received from General George Patton (with whom she is rumored to have had an affair) during World War II.



Speaking of which, Marlene's WWII service, one of the great defining experiences of her life, gets full attention in this book, with many very striking photos of herself at the front. My favorite pictures from this period show her watching a training drop by the 82nd Airborne Division, the unit closest to her heart, in Holland in early 1945.



Marlene, of course, is famed as one of the great style-setters of the 20th century, and we see many, many photos of her outfits and accessories, both as display items and when she was wearing them.



Can I use the word "splendid" twice in one review? :) Because that is exactly what this book is. It's a bargain at any price you care to name, and one of the best retrospectives on any great film star I've ever seen.

Here are images we've never seen before. The ones of her life on the front in W.W. II are amazing. Brave woman fighting for the US soldiers. And the picture of her in the bathtub is worth the book alone. The private dresses, her lingerie, her jewels -- these are amazing.

A delicacy! The best book of photographs I have seen on Dietrich and a compendium of beauty, not only hers but all that was created through and with her. A must have book.

This is a dream of a book. Full of glorious photos and facts. I highly reccommend this to all Dietrich and film fans. All public figures should be the subject of a book like this.

If you were a fan of Dietrich and were allowed to own only ONE book about this woman, then this should be the book to own. To reiterate another reviewer's thought -- it is EXQUISITE.

Seeing this book was one of the reasons I set about the task of writing Revelation Blind Willie Johnson The Biography in an attempt to emulate this great tribute to a great man, this is surely the definitive work on the life of Howlin' Wolf, a must read to anyone interested in the man and his music!
Revelation Blind Willie Johnson The Biography.

Interesting. Provides an insight into the character of Chester Burnett, especially enjoyable since less seems to be known about him than other bluesmen.

This book sets a new standard for music biographies, the authors have really done their research. Not only that, Chester almost jumps off the pages so well do they reveal a complex and private man. Descriptions of live performances and studio sessions are finely detailed, due to the numerous interviews the authors conducted with sidemen, producers, fans and family members. Good thing these writers started work on the book many years ago; a number of the interviewees have since died, making this the final word on working/living with the Wolf. Outstanding.

This book is without doubt, an excellent, well-researched and detailed account of the life of Howlin' Wolf. The life of the blues pioneer was one of hardship, sadness, and overcoming adversity, and the authors do a good job of conveying what the Wolf dealt with.

From his hardscrabble upbringing, an abusive and hypocritical father, and mother lost in psychological and religious madness, and just obstacle after obstacle, the Wolf endured, but sometimes I feel never achieved the full happiness he wanted. There's no doubt he loved his family, cared for his bandmates and did his best, but you could tell the sadness that the blues often heals might not have been enough.

There's a good examination here of Wolf's music, his influences and how he managed a signature sound as well as a performance style that blew nearly all the others away. All the same, Wolf was very protective of that sound, demanding of his mates and making sure they did it the way he wanted it done. Sometimes he was overbearing and arrogant, as witnessed by the defection of Hubert Sumlin to the Muddy Waters band. But Hubert later did return, and many would come in and out over the years.

The rift between Waters and Wolf is noted here; was there ever really one, beyond the professional rivalry? It does appear that Wolf saw Waters as a company man, in terms of his relationship with the Chess brothers. Wolf was very careful about his money, making sure the brothers paid him what he was due, while Waters was content to allow the brothers to get him a new car or a home now and then, perhaps a bit too trustful.

But in the end, it does seem they cared about each other and made up any differences near the end of their lives.

I do think there's a certain God-worship by the authors of Wolf. Too much in some places I think, where a writer makes the subject the greatest thing ever, and all others are chaff. Just the same, this is a sometimes funny, often sad look at a great musician, writer and performer, who influenced those who followed, such as the Rolling Stones.

When I hear "Smokestack Lightning" now, I don't hear it quite the way I once did. It has a more sorrowful quality now than ever. RIP, Wolf...you deserve it.

Two years ago, I reviewed Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box in this very hallowed cyberspace, wonderin' aloud (as Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull would have it) when in the world would someone please write the definitive bio of Wolf and his massive (reportedly 6' 3" and 300 pounds) persona? Well, folks, wonder no longer. Within the past year, James Segrest and Mark Hoffman have written said biography. In fact, I first purchased and eagerly devoured this tome a year ago; it was only upon rereading it that I decided it was time for review. Sam Phillips once reportedly said that Wolf was the greatest talent he had ever discovered. (For perspective, remember that Mr Phillips helped discover such "nobodies" as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the King himself, Mr. Elvis Presley. To say that Wolf was his greatest discovery was quite a statement, doncher know.) We see the early Wolf, cast out by his own mother because his music was "too sinful", and beaten repeatedly by his father, drive a plow on a Mississippi plantatation, until one day, (reads like a fairy tale, don't it?) first Charlie Patton, then Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) come along to teach Chester Arthur Burnett the rudiments of guitar and harp, respectively. We see Wolf through the glory years of Chess, making his classic records, and giving his incredible performances (including reportedly sliding down the length of a fire curtain when he was 57 YEARS OLD, no less!), through the good and bad times with his multitalented bandmates (including a VERY young James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin, his nonpareli guitarist), through the unbelievable records (some of which were originals; others, such as "Sittin' On Top of the World", "Pony Blues" and "Built for Comfort", he received from artists like Charlie Patton and Willie Dixon); and finally, through the later, sick years (when he recorded London Howlin' Wolf Sessions, six years before his death, he was reportedly so ill, he could only complete one song per day). Hoffman and Segrest's excellent prose leaves you spellbound and wishing you could rush right out and purchase some of his music. TA DAAA!!!! The wait is over. When you are done reading this review, why not just do another search and pull up Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box and send yourself 71 of the Howlin'est, Wolfingest tunes as an early Christmas present???? WHY NOT????? So don't delay, order both Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf and Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box today, even as we speak. Trust me it's the kind of music (and writing) that will put hair on your chest and make you want to howl all night long!!!!!

i thought this book was great and also pretty sad at the end but i enjoyed it.from the first time i started reading it i could'nt put it down.

Vada is eleven years old and her mother died when she was born, and Vada thinks that it is her fault her mohter died. Her dad owns a funeral home and thats where Vada loves. Her best friend Thomas J. is allergic to everything. Thomas J. and Vada are always doing something together, like riding bikes, or playing at the lake. One day this lady named Shelly shows up at Vadas house in a camper wanting a job at the funeral home and be the person that when someone dies she puts on the make-up and does their hair. She gets the job. Vada likes her and everything is going great. SO one day Vada and Thomas J. ran into their teacher, Mr. Bixler Vada wants to marry him, and he had told them that he was going to be having a writting class in the summer, and Vada wants to go. So she has to try to find money and her dad won't give it to her so she takes it from Shelly. Then Shelly and her dad start dating. Then one day her dad said they were going to get married. So now Vada hates them both. So she tells Thomas J. and they go to the lake and they find a bee hive and they try to hit it with rocks, THomas J. collects them, they finally hit it and bees go everywhere.

Vada Sultenfuss is a typical 11 year old girl who has to learn to face her fears and get on with lfe even when bad things happen. She lives in a funeral parlor and has a boy (Thomas J.) for a best friend. Her mother is dead and she only has a father. Living in a funeral parlor for all her life, Vada keeps thinking she has cancer and is going to die, and her father could care less about this issue. One day Shelly comes in and ends up working for Vada's dad. Their marriage takes Vada by surprise, and when her best friend gets stung by bees she learns to cope with Shelly even though she doesn't have her best friend to always ride bikes and play with her anymore.

Vada is 11 years old and she has never met her mother and her dad is a caretaker and her bestfriend Thomas J never wants to come into the house because it is a funeral parlor. Thomas J and Vada are always riding around town on their bikes and Vada thinks that she has cancer in her throat. Though everytime she goes to see the doctor about it he says she is just fine. All the time Thomas J and Vada go sit up in a tree and one day they were going to the tree and saw a bee hive. Thomas J wanted it because he had a wasps hive and he wanted a bee hive to go with it. They were throwing rocks at it and knocked it down and bees started swarming and they ran and jumped in the lake, but before they did Vada realized she lost her mood ring and the next day Thomas J went back to where Vada had lost her ring and he got it, but when he went back the bees attacked him and of course Thomas J is allergic to everything he got stung and died from it. After Thomas J's funeral Thomas's mother went to Vada's house and gave her the ring. And though Vada was sad about Thomas J she just pretended that he was at summer camp or on vacation. Vada new that Thomas J would be taken care of because her mother would take care of him. She new that she would see him again.

I really enjoyed reading this book about my favourtie movie of all time. If you loved the movie My Girl I would deffenently recomend this book because it follows the movie so well. Pick it up today you'll be glad you did because it is such a marvelous book.

fast, easy read but why didn't the woman on the cover match the main characters characteristics?

On a trip to visit family for Thanksgiving, I started this book. One of my family members was sitting on the couch reading and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to join them. I got through the acknowledgments section and 2 pages of the book before I was kicked out of the room for laughing out loud!

This book is so much fun. It's chick lit with substance and humor. With the added enticement of reality television.

Stacey Ballis is so much fun, and I'm looking foward to more of her books.

This was my first book by the author. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Finally a real story about 30-something women trying to balance their personal life with work. The author did a great job on tackling the "still single in your 30s" issue and exploring the fears of allowing yourself to be vulnerable in a relationship.

I loved the characters in this book and the way Stacey wrote about them. I felt like I knew Lily and all of her friends. That could have been my friends that she was writing about, they were down to earth and REAL!!

Stacey has such an entertaining way of telling a story. . .I could not put this book down!! I was definitely laughing out loud throughout the book.

I had to re-read pages as they made me laugh out loud! Stacey has cleverly captured the life of a single gal in the great city of Chicago. Lily is a loveable character.....self-deprecating yet confident....a real woman. I think I know her.....
READ IT! BUY IT!
And Stacey, I can't wait for your next book!!!!

I just recently drove on Route 66, through New Mexico and Arizona. When I got home I reread ROUTE 66: THE TELEVISION SERIES 1960-1964. I enjoyed the book even more the second time! It is a fun look back for me and the other "baby boomer" fans at the television series ROUTE 66. The show featured excellent writing, acting and it was filmed against the backdrop of America. It was a show about the varied people of our country and that is what made the series so unique. Buz Murdock (George Maharis) and Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) were handsome, appealing characters who were concerned and caring men. The Corvette represented a "sense of independence and a spirit of adventure."

Jim Rosin's book contains many interviews with the two stars - Maharis and Milner, guest stars Anne Francis, Nehemiah Pursoff and Nancy Malone, Media Historian Mark Alvey, Production Executive Sam Manners, and Directors Arthus Hiller, James Sheldon and Alvin Ganzer. Their comments are smoothly mixed with text information. I especially enjoyed the photographs and behind-the-scene snapshots.

Rosin certainly did his homework by including a Biography section of all the actors, writers, directors, and production staff highlighted in the text. Some of the other books I have seen on vintage television series may have been a bit more in-depth, but I like the simplicity of this book. Enjoy the ride with Tod and Buz!

I enjoyed reading Route 66: The Television Series 1960-64 by James Rosin and found it to be a nice companion book to the recent DVD release.

It is full of interesting commentary from series stars Milner and Maharis plus others, which include directors, producers and several guest stars. It also contains lots of promotion and still photos that reproduce nicely, and a good bio section at the back that includes all the people associated with the show that contributed to the book. The plot summaries for all 116 episodes are one page, and fairly concise and to the point. It looks like some were written by Rosin and some were drawn from studio press releases when he might not have been unable to see the individual show. I noticed that in some of those, there were minor plot details that differed from the completed show I watched. Maybe they were revised during filming or left on the cutting room floor, but in no way did they detract from his overall summation and my understanding of the storyline (and again they seemed minor). While there may be some who would prefer more analysis and review of each episode, I actually prefer to read the story outlines and decide which ones I would like to watch and get into. This book allows the reader to do that. It's an easy read and a nice little book for your coffee table.

Thoroughly enjoyed this trip down Memory Lane. For Route 66 fans or anyone who enjoys those breakthrough TV series of the 60's, this book is a Must-Have. Comprehensive with summaries for every episode, commentary from stars and many (surprising) guest stars, and many others behind the scenes. Lots of pics! Enjoy the memories!

Wow...talk about your trip down memory lane.
Even if you don't own a Corvette you can reminisce about your favorite TV Series, Route 66 with Jimmy Rosin's new book. Tod and Buz didn't need cash to have a great experience and neither do you when you read this well organized, artfully crafted book. A treasure trove of information for Route 66 fans all over the world. TV at its best and reading at its bestest!

It is indeed high past time that "Route 66", possibly the finest drama ever produced for the medium of television, had a book devoted to it just as many other classic television series have had. However, while author James Rosin has finally filled that long-empty niche, his effort somewhat falls short of what one might have hoped for.
While Rosin does give us an excellent introductury essay, full of useful background information and utilizing a plethora of quotes from a variety of sources, this term-paper length chapter (along with a very nice photo section) pretty much consists of the sum and parcel of the entire book. There is an epsiode guide with detailed plot summaries for all 116 episodes, but Rosin appears to have copied this verbatim from Columbia/Screen Gems promitional material. Since those original materials were based on shooting scripts and story outlines and not on the actual on-screen results, many contain inaccurate plot details and plot elements unpresent in the actual episode. Rosin acknowledges this when he gives notice ""A conscientious effort was made to ensure that each episode summary was as accurate as possible. However, in some instances, minor plot details and descriptions may have been revised that I was unaware of." Huh? Has Rosin seen all the episodes or not? One would expect an author writing an in-depth study of a television series to do the following: (1) Attentively watch each individual episode of that series, (2) Write their own episode summaries for the book and not just copy them from pre-extant sources, and (3) provide their own observations and critical commentaries on each individual episode. This is what good televsion scholars such as Marc Scott Zicree, Ed Robertson and John Kenneth Muir do with their respective highly-polished and thorough books on various television series. Rosin's book comes out looking very deficient when compared with one of those three authors.
I don't wish to be to terribly negative as I am excited that there is ANY book out there devoted exclusively to this marvelous and unjustly-neglected program. However, I felt it incumbent upon me to point out the relative lack of substance it contains. I've read an as yet unpublished manuscript of a book on the series by another author, and that one does a much better job of analyzing each individual epsiode and the cultural impact of the series as a whole. This particular Route 66 fan can't help but wish that that one had been the manuscript issued between the professionally printed covers instead.

Most for-sale screenplays are just that -- screenplays. Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay for the delightful Jane Austen film "Sense and Sensibility," chose to include journal entries throughout the filming of the movie as well, in addition to the winning entry of a contest to see who could write the best letter from Fanny to Elinor.

There is wit in the descriptions and the photos, all well-captured. The journal entries are entertaining and a good look into the making of a movie. Although be forewarned -- because they dress like the characters of S&S, they do not talk like them. There is definitely some verbal crudeness in the book, men and women alike, but if you can overlook that (or are used to it) then this book will be a delightful read for any Jane Austen fan.

There are three separate parts to this fine volume; introduction, script and diaries. The producer of the film, Lindsay Doran, opens the door for us with her wonderful introduction. At age 13, she was determined that not only was "Jane Austen a very stupid writer," but also she would "never, never read one of her stupid books again."

Fortunately for the rest of the world, Ms. Doran changed her mind, and some twenty-five years after that first erroneous conclusion, has brought us this wonderfully witty, and extremely faithful film version of this first novel by Austen. As producer of the Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson film, DEAD AGAIN, she became acquainted with the woman who was not only a phenomenal actress, but also a gifted writer-one with a sense of humor and a strong romantic bent. These two qualities had proven to be the stumbling block over nearly ten years of searching for the right scriptwriter for Sense and Sensibility.

It took nearly seven years to come up with something close to a shooting script, sandwiched as it had to be between Thompson's many award-winning acting chores. Serendipity was obviously at work, however, and eventually, a budget was established, and casting accomplished.

Many of the actors Emma had envisioned in various roles had participated in a read-through the year prior to the filming; they were all in the film, in those same roles.

While the Dashwood ladies are all suitable beautiful, it is the men who are truly gorgeous. ("Repellently so," writes Ms. Thompson in the diary portion, referring to Hugh Grant. "He's much prettier than I am.") With his look-alike Richard Lumsden, they are the brothers Ferrar, Edward and Richard, with Greg Wise as the fickle Willoughby. Alan Rickman (be still my heart!) brings maturity and virility to the role of Colonel Brandon. The sets and costumes are sumptuous.

Interspersed with the actual shooting script and the diaries are some 50 photographs, 36 of them in luscious color. One script looks pretty much like another, but this one allows Ms. Thompson's wry wit to shine, especially in some of the non-spoken words. Of course, not every scene from the book could be included; the movie would have been more than six hours had they been. But the essentials are here, along with all the major characters. Providing testimony to just how perspicacious was the choice of writer is the number of awards garnered by Thompson for this, her first film script.

The diaries portion begin with a production meeting on January 15, 1995 and continue through July 9 of that year. A very small mention is made of Hugh Grant's visit to California, where he'd gone for his next film project after the completion of filming his scenes in England. A final two pages describes the 'location' houses chosen to represent those lived in by the families in the novel.

It may come as somewhat of a surprise to some readers to discover rather explicit language in the diaries. In addition to an apparent fascination with the alimentary process, our Emma has a bit of a potty-mouth, as do some of the gentleman involved, and their words are recorded, one presumes unhappily, all too accurately. They seem curiously jarring and out of place in a book otherwise devoted to the pristine words of Jane Austen.

Nevertheless, this is a lovely, hefty book; one which will bring the reader back to it time and again. There is always a new and enjoyable nugget to be mined from its various depths.

If you read Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" before or after seeing the 1996 film version then I think it is pretty easy to conclude that Emma Thompson's Oscar for Best Screenplay adaptation was richly deserved. After writing and performing a series of short skits for British television, Thompson was approached by producer Lindsay Doran to write the screenplay. Thompson began by dramatizing every scene in the novel, which resulted in 300 hand written pages to be followed by 14 drafts as the 1811 novel was crafted into the final script. The result was a script that manages to be not only romantic and funny, but also romantic and funny in the best Austen sense of both words.

Be aware that this is the Original Script, not to be confused with the Shooting Script. This should be clear as soon as you beginning reading, because originally Thompson had the scene shifting back and forth between Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor/John and Fanny Dashwood (credit for this revision must go, I believe, to Film Editor Tim Squyres, who recut the scene so that we get all of one side and then the other instead of alternating back and forth as in the original script). Overall the strengths of Thompson's script are in two main directions. First, she manages to convey the scope of the novel in a two-hour screenplay, no mean task. Second, the little details she adds to Austen's story are simply marvelous. For example, her use of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 ("Let me not the marriage of true minds"), which Marianne and Willoughby share to their great mutual delight and which Marianne repeats standing in the rain looking at Willoughby's new estate. In fact, Thompson revised the first scene to make it even better, having Willoughby misquote a key word in an elegant bit of foreshadowing. Thompson also makes one nice little change at the end. While Austen has Elinor bolt from the room to cry outside during the happy ending. Thompson creates a wonderful moment by having her stay in the room and having the rest of her family flee. There are not too many scenes where you are crying and laughing at the same time, but Thompson certainly created one (and has the added virtue of relying on herself as an actress to nail the performance as well). All of these are marvelous examples of playing to the strength of the cinema to bring Austen's novel to the screen.

But we get much more than just the screenplay in this volume, because Thompson includes excerpts from her diaries kept during both the writing of the screenplay and the actual production of the film. It would be nice if there was more insight into what she was thinking when writing the screenplay as I am always interested in how decisions were made and where inspiration comes from, but Thompson makes up for that with her little tales of working with director Ang Lee and the rest of the cast in making the film. Finally, in the Appendices, there is a very choice little treat, namely Imogen Stubbs' Prize-Winning Letter, written to Elinor from Lucy. Do not worry; by the time you read it you will understand why it is so hysterical. There is also a list of the fine homes and estates where "Sense and Sensibility" was filmed if you happen to be roaming around England and are interested in looking for such things.

I truly enjoyed this work by Emma Thompson. Not only is the screenplay included, with pictures, but also there are diary entries by Thompson that give insights into the making of the movie. If you loved this movie, you should read this book. I really enjoyed it.

The screenplay itself is a must-read for anyone wanting an education in bringing a well-loved story to life. Emma Thompson does an ingenius job of crafting scenes that are faithful to Austen's original while inventing more that add character development and plot intrigue. I especially like her diary, though. For those who wonder what to include in a memoir of an experience, this journal is a rich model of self-disclosure and humor. I heartily recommend it!