Television Books

Photography and music together in the record of one of the greatest rock bands of the world. An excellent book.

Even though I have five exhibition prints from this book hanging on my home's walls, I'm still somewhat amazed at how good a photographer Andy Summers really is. While it's always been my feeling that an artist can have great talent in more than one discipline, Andy is a true Renaissance man. He is famous for his music as part of the popular band "Police," he is also a wonderful writer as well has a super sensitive photographer. His autobiography is also fascinating and a must read for fans of the Police!
With the same passion that he puts into his guitar music, Andy also provides an intimate view of just what it was like to tour with the Police in the years 1980-1983. This Taschen Coffee Table Photographic book is large format 375 pages chuck full of brilliant B&W pictures. Despite what most fans would imagine, being a member of the group made the picture taking more difficult than if a non-member of the band was doing it. When the world is pressing in on you from all directions and crying out to touch you, it's difficult enough just to survive. Having the presence of mind to photograph those adoring fans even as they attempt to smoother you with their love is a skill in and of itself.
My personal favorites from the more than 600 images included in the book included a picture of a smiling Sting in Japan. He has five Nikon Cameras--three motorized and two single shot versions hanging around his neck and is trying to drink a can of fruit juice at the same time. And while candid pictures of the members of the band are usually the most attention grabbing, Summers is particularly effective when he is photographing close-ups or details of the world the band encounters. Long after examining the book numerous times, many of the images that remain fresh in the mind are pictures of subjects such as warped buildings reflected in glass windows, an empty room service tray in the hall outside a hotel room with a ray sunlight spotlighting it, "Help" written on a roll of toilet tissue running across a carpet from a mysterious door, a bathroom scene with a large guitar case sitting next to a toilet but with a naked leg sticking out from behind the case and resting against the wall, a tiny skin diver exploring the tile bottom of a bathtub, a series of party pictures showing a beautiful pair of stocking covered legs being held straight up in the air by a large bunch of helium filled party balloons. The last photograph in that series shows the balloons all stuck on the ceiling of the hotel room and the rest of the mysterious beautiful women still wearing the white stockings and lingerie but standing just inside the adjoining room.
There are too many wonderful pictures to describe in this short review. I've not even mentioned the pictures that I purchased for display in my own home. Andy Summers has an excellent eye as well as a good ear. The book will provide the reader with a feeling that they have shared part of what the members of the Police experienced during the three years covered by the photographic essay. There is only one criticism I have with the book and that is the type that is used for all the text. It was obviously intended to resemble the actual type written diary entries that are used to caption the photographs. Unfortunately, on the black ground of the book that style of text reproduction is sometimes difficult to read. The captions are all repeated three times, first in English and then again in two additional languages. The buyer of this book won't be disappointed. If they are, just think that this is basically the same book that many people bought as an autographed and numbered limited edition for $600 per copy. The buyer of this edition doesn't get the autograph or number but they do get the rest of the entire experience. While looking at the pictures, it's almost as if the reader can hear the music, feel the excitement and the popping of the electricity.

I gave this as a gift as well and he has read the entire book. He is a huge fan of the Police and this is a great book for anyone who is.

Great book - arrived in less than no time - pics were great - my son had asked for the book for Christmas - he didn't realize he was getting the hard back book ! what a treat!

A very well put together coffee table tome. Stunning photographs of one of the best 70's- 80's iconic bands. Well worth every penny of my hard earned cash, a joy to look at from cover to cover or just merely dip into in an add hoc way. Well recommended for any fan of the band or from a photographers standpoint. Seriously good reportage style of photography.

a great visual journey into john lennon's life with plenty of intimate photographs

All I can say is that this book is the best I've ever owned on any member of the Beatles. Jammed full of pictures and a detailed bio, this book is everything that you need to know about John Lennon's life, work, and social standings. I give it an A++++. Forwarded by Yoko Ono.

The perfect coffee-table book for fans of John Lennon and his music. Lots of lovely photos and illustrations, plus commentary from Lennon & those closest to him. Includes a very useful chronology & dscography. Highly recommended, as is the film upon which it is based.

i bought this book after seeing the rave reviews it got, thinking it was a real reading book. turned out to be a HUGE, glossy pictorial account..... but it's just as good probably better. awesome rare photos and quotes by the man and friends, and packed full of priceless memories. get it.

This is really a great book. It gave me allot of facts. Not just about the working John but also the person John Lennon. The picuters are big and very well taken. It's pictures we have seen before from the Beatles time. But also pictures from his personal life with his sons and wives. It's a wonderful book and a great tribution to John. I loved it.

Joan Collins is a brilliant writer! I suggested in my literature class that we stop reading Hemmingway and turn to Joan's books. The teacher said maybe, but this was an American Lit course, and Joan is British. I could't put this book down. It was a page turner all the way with a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a great novel, one for the ages.

I am not a fan of romance novels, and I cannot read anything by Joan's sister Jackie. Joan Collins though taught me what great writing is all about. To live, to love, to eat gourmet food all while living a life of fame and secrecy...it blew me away. The words flowed like honey from the page and took my breath away. I could only hope to approach Joan's writing style with my own meager attempts at prose. All this, and the woman acts too! Joan Collins is a spectacular writer and one of the best we have writing today. Joan is so great, she confounds the experts. She is YEARS ahead of her time, which is why she had that trouble in court. They didn't get her and she didn't yeild...a true artist and a great inspiration to all writers.

a wonderful book from a woman who has learned from her years what life and love can be. I can think of no greater author this century than Joan for capturing life in a phrase, a smile in a word, or an experience in a sentence. Joan has written the way women long to live, full of passion and verve, always looking for the miracle man to sweep us away. Don't bother with Goethe for classic literature. He couldn't hold a candle to her. Joan captures the psyche of women like Freud never could. A must read for all.

Joan Collins has virtually made me give up reading. Her novels are so well written, everything else seems like a waste of time. Joan is a woman who has truely known love and knows how to capture it on the page. I can't wait for the next book in this series. "my little cabage", don't make us wait too long.

Joan Collins is to novels what Shakespear was to scripts. There has been little her sister has writen that has approached this brilliance. Joan hurls thunderbolts where other mearly write sentences. I culdn't put this one down. Why is it that this book was missed on the top 100 novels of the century? Chauvinism. Joan should do like Virginia Woolfe and dress like a man while having torid romances with artists like Rodam. I can't wait for the next book. Joan Collins writes life like I've always dreamed it to be! Ten stars! **********

The story draws you in. This book provides an inside view to the corporate world. I found his stories to be fairly accurate in what happens in corporate america.

I was entrigued by the main character in his entrepreneurial spirit. I recommend this book for those who think they want to be executives, and for those who are trying to start their own business.

Once you pick the book up, you'll have a hard time putting it down.

For his first novel, Mike Neal has given us an engaging and well-developed story. Interactive Novel describes the entrepreneurial spirit, company politics, and the good and bad side of venture capital funding. With all the hi-tech start-ups and dot-bombs, this book should appeal to a large audience.

Interactive Novel is a great book! I particularly liked the interaction between company leaders.

There were surprises in the book that left me wanting more. I couldn't put it down until I finished the book.

I find myself recommending this novel to all my friends for an insight into corporate life. Even though Michael Neal uses the setting of a start up, I believe these are the same situations that occur in larger corporations.

Mike Neal's Interactive Novel sweeps you up into the world of a high-tech startup and doesn't let you down until you've been through it all. I recommend this book for anyone who wants the adventure of a startup. For those of you who already have been there, you will find yourself nodding your head in agreement with each twist and turn. In either case, you will enjoy the ride of Interactive Novel.

If you are at all interested in the life of high tech startups or just want a book that you can't put down, then this book is for you. Michael Neal does a great job of grabbing the reader's attention from the very beginning and not letting go until you have completed the book. Along the way you will get some insightful perspectives on technology, the creation of a company, and the CEO. Dont pass this book up. I would highly recommend it!

I read this book quickly because I couldn't put it down. The research and thought that went into this book are tremendous. It is well organized and unbiased. Maybe the title for this post should be "if you want to tell others how bad TV is, read this book first". The research shows that parents need to parent their kids and take responsibility for kids and their own actions. Yes, some TV is bad, but you wouldn't let your kid listen to Howard on the radio would you? Yes, some TV is good - I won't go into details but given your parental intelligence you know what choices are correct. What Ms. Guernsey does though is break down shows and types of shows for specific age groups and she provides some enlightening insights on how some shows were developed. I recommend anyone who is a parent or works in the children's world read this book.

Into the Minds of Babes is a highly readable book that impresses with its lack of judgement (on a very controversial topic!) and clear information. Guernsey is able to take complicated research studies and break them down in a straightforward presentation of the facts. The author also does a great job of giving information that helps make good choices about tv without being preachy. I highly recommend this book for parents, educators, and all those involved with young children.

Ms. Guernsey tackles the research, warnings, and well meaning 'advice' that parents are baraged with and presents the findings in a format that is a great mixture of research (fully annotated for those who want to delve deeper) and personal experiences of real parents.

Her writing style makes the book a joy to read, as you follow Ms. Guernsey through her journey to find answers. This is not simply another parenting book that espouses a particular path, rather it provides the tools for parents to make educated decisions.

As a busy parent, make the time to read this fascinating book.

Most of the mothers I know are aware of the somewhat draconian guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatricians regarding children under 2 and TV-watching (don't let them, ever) and turn on Sesame Street anyway, fighting the urge to look over their shoulder to see which AAP spy is waiting to catch them and call "bad mama!" Lisa Guernsey's book gets to the bottom of the multitude of studies conducted on the effects of TV/media and children, explaining the most recent scholarly research in non-patronizing ways. By addressing some of the most debated/unresolved fears parents have when it comes to TV, she provides a practical guide to good decision making about media use and a wildly fascinating look at how young children develop cognitively, all without being boring.

Which, of course, is a huge plus, wouldn't you say?

Highly recommended to anyone who wonders about the effect of TV--you might be surprised by her findings!

With two preschoolers, I'm always looking for practical advice to manage the chaos. This book was both interesting and comforting, with a "real world" perspective on what screen time means in the American family. The book has a thoughtful discussion of the brouhaha raised by the American Academy of Pediatrics pronouncement that children under 2 should have ZERO time in front of the television. The intriguing result of Guernsey's research? The AAP made the pronouncement with no scientific basis, just the thought that eliminating screen time was bound to increase beneficial interactive time between parents/caregivers and children. Definitely worth a read by parents of young children.

"It's Not Easy Being Big," a Bright and Early book from Random House and the Children's Television Workshop, takes the basic concepts of big and small and puts them both in a fun, brightly illustrated tale for youngsters. Big Bird, obviously, reveals the perils of being too big. Elmo tackles problems on the other end of the spectrum. While big and small are the focal point of the book, similar concepts like high and low and up and down are also briefly touched on.

This is an excellent story to read to youngsters in the early stages of reading. Stephanie St. Pierre has kept it simple enough for some pre-K and Kindergarten kids to read this story with little to no adult assistance. John Lund's vivid active illustrations of Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Harry Monster, and other Sesame Street favorites will also help your child's reading development.

Overall, this is a fun book that children will love and parents will enjoy reading to them. Highly recommended.

This is such a cute book. My toddler asks me to read it to her all the time and I don't mind reading it over and over. It has a good message about the challenges we all face but is done in a light-hearted, very cute way. It also is a good teaching tool to compare things of different sizes.

The book Its not easy being big is a very good book for anyone no matter how old they are i think because to me it seems like it shows that no matter how tall you are or how big or small you are you can accomplish anything in this world. somethings that small people can do tall people cant..but there is nothing wrong with trying. and that is what they do in this book. try even if they dont accomplish they still try. They dont GIVE UP!!!

My daughter is nearly 19 months old, and we purchased this book for her around her first birthday. She loved it from the first time we read it, no doubt due to all of the balls inside. She loved identifying each and every ball. She still carries it everywhere she goes, and now she's old enough to point out and name a variety of objects in the book. I'd recommend this book to any mother.

In this story Big Bird tells his friends that it is not always easy being big. He tells how he is too big to swing, too big to ride on a bike,and too big to hide.
Elmo comes on the scene to share with his friend that it is not always easy being small. He tells him that he is too small to see above other people, and too small to reach somethings.
They realize that sometimes being big is easy and sometimes being small is easy, sometimes it's hard, but working together is the best of all. No matter what size you are, you are just who you are suppose to be.
Good lesson to learn.
Shirley Johnson

I found the book to be a great information resource into her life and career start. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the out of order details, found to much jumping forward then back, or back then forward, but other than that, I thought is was a great book and I still love jenny in a big way, she is the greatest.

When my boyfriend gave me this book as a joke for my birthday, I didn't find it very amusing! You see, up to this point, I was one of the hopefully few "Jenny-haters" out there. But I decided to give the book the benefit of the doubt and give it a whirl, and I have to say that I was more than just pleasently surprised! Jenny McCarthy is not only very down-to-earth, but she's witty, hilarious, and quite frankly...normal! It was so refreshing to read that she isn't perfect after all - that she had acne, and stretch marks, and bad hair days, and bozo boyfriends. This book flys by, and I really didn't want to put it down. I am so glad I decided to read this book, not only because it was 100% entertainment, but because it gave me a chance to meet the "real" Jenny McCarthy. I loved it!

It tells us secrets about Jenny never evealed before.It's a little costly but well worth it.

The title should tell it all: Jen X. It should read Jen O because she is a negative interger. Take away those breasts, and she is just another annoying self serving celebrity with little talent. This book is a must read for airheads, retards, mutants and crackheads. Enjoy!

I think the book was one of the greatest books i have ever read. i could realate so much to her. she is my like idol and i was so happy when i found out she had a book coming out. i bought it the very first day i saw it at the mall. one day i hope i can meet her but i know that will never happen but all in all the book was really good~! i think everyone needs to buy this book and see just how much she is like anyone of us!!! well if your out there jenny mccarthy i just wanna say hi and maybe i will be lucky enough to see you one day! i love you! you are so cool! well people i have said enough, now you need to go get the book that i am raving about!please buy it! it will make me happy! well cya people! hope you read this jenny!!!! from: Your biggest fan in the world!!!!jenny h

The title of this book is somewhat misleading. "Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles" is as much a biography of Henson as a gallery of his artwork. Admittedly, the biographical details focus on Henson's career, rather than his personal life, but the fact still remains that the text still takes up about as much space as the pictures themselves. I think that this is something that people should be aware of if they are thinking of purchasing this book. I, for one, was hoping to see more of Henson's artwork, and was somewhat disappointed at the sparseness of it. Nevertheless, this is still a worthwhile book.
This is the first (and only, as far as I am aware) book to contain Henson's early sketches and artwork, and any fan of the Muppets is likely to find this fascinating. It is possible, through these pictures, to see how many of the Muppets have evolved. For example, in Henson's original sketches, Oscar the Grouch was purple with a long, skinny neck, a far cry from the green monster who now appears on "Sesame Street". Furthermore, in spite of the fact that I wish there was less text and more pictures, I did find the text to be of interest when I finally sat down and read it.

Hopefully, there will one day be a second book, featuring more of Henson's artwork. However, until then, this is all that is available and provided that you are aware of the limitations of this book, you shouldn't be too disappointed.

I ordered this book for my daughter who loves Jim Henson & the Muppets as a birthday present, and is a professional puppeteer inspired by Jim Henson. She absolutely loves this book and I highly recommend anything Jim Henson related as he was a pioneer in this area and one of the most creative people on the planet.

This is a must for all you muppet fans!

The wonderful new long awaited book, Jim Henson's Desings and Doodles is almost a museum on paper. It shows Jim's best artwork, from storyboards, to puppet desingns, even a very early Kermit sketch. The book also features a never before seen look at the never produced special, "Johnny Carson and The Muppet Machine" which was to be a physcedelic trip into the 1960's. The artwork is very detailed, and even has a stone carving of Ed Macmahon! The book also shows some of his early work, including silkscreen images of meloncholy (which was inspired by the death of his brother , Paul) and concert posters and crazy characters who were soon to be Frackles!

One of the best parts of the book is Henson 's early commercial storyboards, which feature the two popular commercial Muppets ,Wilkins and Wontkins, Hansel and Gretel Muppets, and Kermit, The Snerfs and Rowlf (the IDEAL doll ad where Kermit sings the unfamilliar jingle"Oh buy us, oh buy us, oh buy us we beg! If you do not buy us, we'll bite you in the leg!!!) . Early drawings of the La Choy Dragon, and Nutty Bird(Royal Crown soda ads, precursor to Big Bird) are also featured.

The book brings us for the first time many illustrations of show ideas that never made it to the small screen. The Zoocus (The Zoo Circus), The Entertainers, and Martian Landing are all examples shown by illustrations from Jim's fertile imagination. The Zoocus was to be a show full of new Muppets such as Mr. Ripple and Carbourator Jones and had a guest star on each show (Sound like TMS to you?). The show would be a variety but would mostly ,as shown in Henson's drawings,be a talk show with the guest, where the Muppets would lounge behind large alters and other sets. The Entertainer was to be a show about a travelling vaudevillian show where Muppet men (and a can can girl) would sing popular songs at the time. This was also to be a Variety type show. Martian Landing would feature Muppet Koosebaine like creatures that would swap jokes and do skits on another planet. It was to be a Live variety show. It ashame these didn't get aired.

This book has so much I haven't mentioned yet, (I don't want to spoil it!) and it is definetly worth every penny. By far, one of my favs. among a long line of Muppet Books. Enjoy!

I have always been a Jim Henson fan. After all, I grew up with Sesame Street and the Muppet Show. I was always fascinated with the strange and creative creatures that he came up with. This book is a gold mine of his ideas and sketches - some that you will recognize and some that you have probably never seen.

This is sort of an odd book for me to have. I don't collect books based on movies or TV shows. But this one doesn't really fall into that category at all. It's more of an artist's diary and sketchbook. I enjoy just paging through it to look at all of the wonderous things Jim Henson imagined. His work seems to have something "odd" to it that I can somehow connect with and be fascinated by it.

I think anyone who has enjoyed Jim Henson's productions will probably enjoy looking through this book. It's an adventure to page through time after time.

Jim Henson was a man who managed to sum up the whole intire feeling of what it was to be young, and full of energy in his fantastic creations. His work, from Mupets to films such as 'Labyrinth' and 'The Dark Crystal', showed us that he could tap that part of our minds that wanted to let go, and be free to live in our fantasies. This book, unlocks the back door to the mind that created our most cherished characters from the Henson world. It shows us where these characters came from, and also gives us an insight to the man who made it all happen. I found this book to be a real Gem, and an adventure. Just seeing the doodles Jim did as a child, or a teen, and some of his non character based art work, was fascinating. Buy this book If you are a fan of Mr hensons work. It is not the most complete book, as far as his other projects go, and some people may wish that some of his film work had got into the book. But for those that like to get closer to their idols, and want to feel like a close friend looking through his old scrapbooks, get this book. You won't be dissapointed.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It has just enough about Julia's background to let you know what lead her to become The French Chef without being overwhelmed with minutiae. The book focuses mainly on her love affair with food & its preparation and her drive to get people to go into the kitchen and cook. If you enjoy watching Julia, you'll enjoy this book.

This short biography, one in the wonderful Penguin Lives series, is an excellent overview of Julia Child's life. Laura Shapiro writes well and keeps the narrative flowing. It was a joy to read.

Did you know that Julia Child had an eye job and three face lifts? That's not the only surprise that lurks inside this deceptively small book. Author Laura Shapiro has written a biography that is mostly sympathetic to its subject, but doesn't shrink from showing Child's less attractive qualities. She was opinionated and rarely shrank from saying what was on her mind. She had no patience for people who didn't agree with her about food. She had no use for vegetarians, organic food, or California cuisine. To friends, she made some homophobic comments. In public she did not.

Shapiro has managed to fit a lot of fascinating information into 181 small-format pages. Unfortunately, the Penguin Lives publishers didn't see fit to include an index, let alone notes. Shapiro addresses this in a note at the end of the book, offering to provide sources for anyone who requests them. It seems likely that most of the quotations she provides in the book were from letters Child wrote to friends or from published interviews.

Even if you've already read about Child's spy days, her introduction to French food, and the first TV shows, here's your chance to read about her breast cancer, how she coped with her husband's decline after a stroke, or what she really thought about McDonald's.

A delightful book that renewed my interest in food and got me browsing through the Julia Child cookbooks I own. One sees all the effort and hard work that she and her dedicated husband put into her TV shows. My husband and I enjoy cooking and since reading this book, we have regained some venture and enthusiasm in trying new dishes. And even if things don't always turn out, neither did Julia's. One learns from mistakes, goes on and tries again.

A great insight to this wonderful woman, ahead of her time, and her attention to detail to traditional French cooking. A great read.

This book is awesome..I mean if your already a crazy Shahrukh khan fan like I am, then you will know a few of the facts mentioned in the book but it is so fantastically written and a definite collectors item for all bollywood junkies. Overall I definitely reccomend this book, worth the price for sure:D

I fell in love with the Bollywood cinema in August 2005. After watching hundreds of movies I felt a hunger to know more, to understand what makes it tick, what lies behind the colour, drama, music and obsession with Indian movie stars. I was looking forward to "King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema"-it sounded most promising. When I got hold of the book (thanks to Amazon)I couldn't put it down. I devoured every page, every bit of information-loved everything about it. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Indian Cinema, you will find it to be a fascinating insight into what makes the industry so alluring and powerful.

Bollywoodmania is an addiction. For Westners that will discover and appreciate it in the next years (and be sure they will!) it is the disclosure of a fairytale world of moviemaking that was there all the time but that we simply didn't know. Well, when this will happen the first and probably most important gateway will be the actor and the movies interpreted by Shahrukh Khan. And after having seen some of these, no one will be able to resist curiosity on this great actor.

Anuparma Chopra is a member of the Chopra family that makes up the establisment of Bollywood and is also an estimated journalist. From her priviledged point of view she has written this biography of the still young King Khan integrating his personality with the history of Bollywood cinema in the last 20-30 years. Naturally, the biography is authorized and as such may not contain episodes that are not consistent with the image modern Bollywood and Shahrukh Khan want to convey. All the less, there is a sincerity that transpires throughout the book and allows the reader to connect with the actor and his environment.

The first part on the youth of the actor is full of episodes and sometimes takes on a mythical aspect, but that is a common feature of all biographies. The chapters on the later years are a little sketchy and skip many well known facts. But we must not forget that this book has and will have a different impact on Indians or the Indian-culture public and "Westner's". The Author wanted to write about something new or at least not well known to her main public, that practically reads at least two or three articles a day on Shahrukh Khan. Reading the Indian reviews of the book that criticize the small amount of new information this aspect is very evident.

The book's point of force is the analysis of the reasons for Shahrukh Khan's success, that trascend the actor's talent and are deeply rooted in the transformation of Indian society and how modern Indians envision themselves in these years. An important weight is correctly given to the directors (Chopra and Johar) that have created Shahrukh's winning image and cinema personality, while some movies and directors he also worked with are only mentioned.

The bibliography is quite extensive for a short biography such as this and cites many interesting books on Bollywood cinema. A filmography of the actor is missing and I would have appreciated a brief comment on his less well known movies.

I suggest to read this book even if you are not a Shahrukh fan just to be updated on modern entertainment and on the reasons and pulsions that contribute to create our "collective imagination".

Title: King of Bollywood
Author: Anupama Chopra
ISBN: 978-0-446-57858-5
Publisher: Warner Books
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Packed with scrumptious lesser known facts of one of, if not the top Bollywood actor of modern day, Shah Rukh Khan, King of Bollywood is a fun book to read and fun book to share. Being one of the most talked about personalities in the world today, SRK is a legend already but King of Bollywood feeds the hunger of his fans globally on what is the man like behind the mask of superstar.

Although it shies away from some of the less flattering aspects of the actor's life and lifestyle, it does deliver some notions of challenges faced, failures along the way and allows readers to travel from his days as a penniless boy traveling to Bombay on a whim to the grand master of marketing and box office smashes. His story is so extraordinary and almost bigger than life, but Anupama Chopra tells the story in a way that allows fans to follow along and relate their own personal struggles to those of the actor's. Expertly written, King of Bollywood puts SRK's life into chronological order while recalling old memories into current day stories for insight into his physiological make up. Chopra really works on getting the actor's words into the book and calls on friends and family to help build the story from outside his prospective.

There is no doubt that Shah Rukh Khan is a master at the game of Bollywood and the art of persistence. King of Bollywood tells the tale of a boy, turned into a husband, who becomes the actor he always dreamed of being and then remaining the man he always was at heart. This wonderfully written book will provide entertainment to Bollywood lovers around the world and for ages to come.

Coming in at 250 pages, Anupama Chopra's authorized biography of Shah Rukh Khan covers from his parents' courtship in 1959 to January 2007. Ms. Chopra adds more details to Shah Rukh Khan's familiar backstory: on his father's business ventures, Shah Rukh's time at St. Columba's School, his parents' illnesses & deaths, & Shah Rukh Khan's training as an actor & his first steps in Mumbai. Several facets of Shah Rukh Khan's career are highlighted, particularly his daring acceptance of the anti-hero roles in Baazigar & Darr, the importance of Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra, & Karan Johar in the creation of his screen persona, being contacted by the Mumbai mafia, box office slumps, in India, during the Dreamz Unlimited period, & resurgence with Veer-Zaara & Devdas. One gets new details on SRK's life & career but many questions go unanswered, like how did Shah Rukh train to dance, which parent did he inherit his dimples from, & what is a shooting day like on set?

Anupama Chopra's writing is skillful, so much so that I wished this biography was 3-4 times longer & more academic & detailed. There are no endnotes or footnotes within the chapters, but there is an extensive bibliography, arranged by chapter, at the back of the book & a list of people interviewed. There is information on Khan's parents that I had not read before, but Shah Rukh Khan's statements appear to be from past interviews. There are new photographs in the book provided by family & friends of Khan. I wish Ms. Chopra had given more information on the evolution & workings of cinema in Mumbai, on Shah Rukh Khan's & his family's personal lives, & on the family clans that dominate Hindi cinema. Neither her treatment of Shah Rukh Khan's career to present nor the discussion of Hindi cinema in Mumbai feels complete. However, I thoroughly enjoyed her writing (& the thoughtful translations of Hindi words & movie titles) & recommend the book for those who enjoy Shah Rukh Khan's work & Bollywood movies.