Television Books

I passed this book by many times before finally breaking down and buying it. Somehow, its title and dust cover just didn't grab me. Besides that, having already read several biographies of the Reagans and the Reagan family members, I was fairly well convinced that the book couldn't possibly contain much of anything new. Even after buying it, I still wasn't much inclined to read it. What finally convinced me to do so was when I read in the prologue that Colacello was a personal friend of Nancy Reagan and that Nancy had arranged for him to have unprecedented access to her personal files and to virtually all of the Reagan's living friends and associates and/or their children. How could I resist? This had to be a spectacular source of inside information. And it was!

The early part of the book traces the lives of Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan in parallel chapters. This section is interesting primarily for the light it sheds on Nancy's early life; her relationships with her mother, Edith Davis, and her adoptive father, Dr. Loyal Davis; and for the in-depth background provided concerning both Edith and Loyal.

The book really takes off, however, in the mid-sections where it deals in depth with Reagan's and Nancy's film careers; Reagan's military service; his marriage to and divorce from Jane Wyman; his actions while president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), particularly in combating the Communist attempt to take over Hollywood's film industry; his, and other's, testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) - who was who and what was what; the members of "The Group" who induced Reagan into politics and the subsequent "Kitchen Cabinet" members (mostly wealthy, conservative, high-powered friends of Nancy or Edith) who guided, supported, and, it might be said with some degree of truth, made Reagan Governor of California and President of the United States; Reagan's abortive run for president in 1968; and the rationale for his run in 1976. From that point on, the book is hard to put down.

In summary, this book contains inside information which can't be found anywhere else, making it a vital historical document. The information doesn't always reflect well on Ronald Reagan or Nancy, but it dispels a lot of myths and misinformation, and certainly provides a great deal of insight into what it takes for even a great leader, such as Ronald Reagan, to become President of the United States.

The book certainly rates five stars for content. It loses something for readability, however, due largely to its repetitious descriptions of parties and dinners, including: who was invited; what foods and wines were served; what gowns the women wore and who made them; who were the women's hair stylists and what were their hair styles; etc. But that was a small price to pay. I give it four stars.

Some friends of ours in Australia started to read this on an Asian cruise last Fall and asked us to bring them a copy when we visited Cairns in August.

They loved it and so did we, when we got to look at it prior to giving it to them.

As a Reagan supporter, I really wanted to love the Reagans and to see Nancy Reagan's reputation vindicated. Nancy, in her elder years, is very admirable. It is a bit creepy to read that Ronnie always called her Mommie, but no one can deny their mutual love. Bob Colacello is quite thorough in his research,fair and honest - no whitewashing here...the endless sniping and self-aggrandizement of Nancy's pals, like Betsey Bloomingdale et al? These women were all intimate friends, but were clawing at each other for primacy in the Reagan inner circle. Bloomingdale brags about her caviar parties and hobnobbing with the Paris set of sophisticates, but gets caught evading customs duties for lying about how much she paid for a new couture outfit in France. The other graceless, snobby chums of Nancy also seem like the idle, witless, rich that P. G. Wodehouse skewered in his books. The Kitchen Cabinet husbands are scary and only a tad less obnoxious. The book makes one feel queasy; Ronnie and Nancy seem bought and paid for by their cronies. Nancy herself comes off as self-deceiving and controlling - a shallow and manipulative social climber who rewrote her personal history;possibly she is portrayed as second only to Joan Crawford as Mommie Dearest. Ron takes up ballet as an adult. Patti has herself sterilized at 24 because she's afraid she'll be like her mother??!

The book proves what most of us assume - being well-connected helps a lot with success and acts as a powerful "deodorant". Colacello is due to write a second volume on the Reagans. I will read it for the writing, the history and my belief in redemption.

Colacello deconstructs the Reagans like no other author has. He starts with the premise that their personal and social lives were inseparable from their political ambitions, and an essential factor in Ronald Reagan's rise to power. He goes on to explore how the couple's social milieu and interpersonal relationships influenced Reagan's political ideas and governing style.

A fascinating portrait of Nancy emerges as well: Colacello sees her as supremely focused and determined to advance her husband's political career, but motivated by pure adoration of Ronnie rather than any overriding desire for control and power.

The writing flows easily and is peppered with enough interesting anecdotes and revealing quotes to make the reader forget at times that this is, in fact, a serious political biography. A great read from cover to cover.

The perfect mix of gossip and history. Meticulously researched and carefully observed. You won't be able to put it down.

"Casablanca" is, unarguably, one of the greatest films ever to emerge from the Hollywood dream factory. So, it's entirely fitting that the prolific and hugely talented Aljean Harmetz should give us the ultimate bible, road-map and encyclopedia of this Bogart-Bergman classic.
It's a fascinating read from cover to cover, including scores of back stories relating to every stage of the film's development. What's more, it will help settle hundreds of bar-room bets, thus paying for itself many times over! To author Harmetz, I can only say, "Here's looking at you kid!"

As a Casablanca lover (words don't do it justice), I ate this book up. Harmetz writes with warmth about nearly everyone involved in the film except Jack Warner, about whom she writes with a deserved respect. The stories of the bit players, most refugees, expanded the Casablanca context tremendously for me. The suspense, and the tale of how this gem could have been different in so many ways (or not produced at all), made me appreciate this cultural icon even more. I haven't seen the film since reading this book, but you bet when I do I'm going to turn off the phone.

Aljean Harmetz's "Round Up the Usual Suspects" is one of the best books on the making of what is probably the best film of the 1940s (and possibly of all time). Harmetz explains almost every aspect of the story--often sounding more like fiction than fact--of the making of this all-time winner. These aspects include who was behind the camera, the actors, and the writers. She provides many details about life behind the WB shield--which collaborates the view of Jack Warner as a jerk seen in a fine book,"Hollywood Be Thy Name"--the fights on who wrote the screenplay, and how they all meshed together to create an enduring classic. She also explains how the film escaped the propanganda machine of later 1940 films. If you love this film, you should read this book! Let us hope that it returns to print witht he release of the special DVD edition of "Casablanca".

This book is a great read. Although heavily documented, the "characters" come alive throughout--the characters being actual actors, the Warner brothers of Warner Bros., the director, writers, even the lighting director and sound men on the set.

It wonderfully describes the studio system, the differences between the studios and how "properties" were loaned out, and how WW II affected everybody in the movie business.

Two quotes had me laughing until I was in tears. It is a great book. Additionally, the hardcover with translucent dustjacket is most gorgeous. This is a winner and a keeper for movie history buffs.

"Round Up the Usual Suspects" provided many behind-the-scenes tidbits about CASABLANCA that I've never heard before - Murray Burnett's lawsuits against Howard Koch, the feud between Jack Warner and Hal Wallis and a precise picture of the Warner Brother house style. Ms. Harmetz provided an excellent and detailed account of Hollywood moviemaking in the early 40s. After reading this and her books on GONE WITH THE WIND and THE WIZARD OF OZ, she just may well be one of the foremost historians of Hollywood's Golden Age.

S Club 7 In Miami's Official Scrapbook is definitely a gem. I was expecting to recieve the book and see pictures and information about the show that I already knew. However, this book has tons and tons of pictures that I've never seen before! There's at least four pages simply devoted to pictures of the show in a really cute scrapbook style. Also, there are two pages devoted to each S Club 7 member telling a little bit about them. There's a couple of other pages that talk about the show's episodes and their summaries, what songs are performed on what episode, etc. All in all, this was an excellent buy and I only wish S Club's three other TV series were scrapbooked like this! I recommend this to anyone who loves S Club or their series Miami 7.

This is a really good book. It has 2 giant posters or S Club, behind the scenes of Miami 7 pictures, a guide to each member containing facts and a full biography page. In each 'Beginners Guide' there is a picture or a S Clubber. It also includes the story guide of the Miami series, along with many other posters it has quotes from the series, the S Club 7 lingo, it also has a whole other page of 25 facts, and a page of 'Classic Moments'. This book is loaded with information and pictures! Go and buy it.

Although this book doesn't really have that much info on the band, it has billions of pictures. There are several fold-out posters, losts of collages, and an episode guide, too.

Even though it's a bit old, every S Club fan should own this!

The S Club 7 has millions of pictures, good info about the band, and 2 great posters that I put on my locker @ school. The pictures are great, and for their birthday!! Happy reading!

This book is all about the show. It has lots of pictures. Even summeries of all the episodes with what songs were sung. This book is perfect for anyone who loved the series. Even comes with posters!

The word "Tour de Force" may not have been invented with Lily Tomlin specifically in mind, but she is one of the best people for whom this epithet should be used. I've seen her do this show live, twice, when it first came to Philadelphia, and enjoy repeating the experience via the video, and the book. She's an amazing performer, and this is an amazing piece of theater.

This play is just what my title says....very entertaining and if you are in the theatre world, guys, but especially girls, should look into a purchase of this play for potential monologues for auditions.

I'm in an arts/high school program, PCCA. I came in after all of the other students had already been there for over a year. This was the first piece I ever performed there. I did a section of it where Trudy is Trudy, in the beginning.

The character was so rich. So many different quirks. The audience loved it, so did the other performers who did the same piece. This is one funny script.

I wasn't nervous when i performed it at all. I just kept thinking how funny the script was, and that, not matter how terrible the acting, the audience would still enjoy the performing.

This one woman plays many characters, and will take you on a journey of laughter, and much more, and leave you smiling for long after you put it down...

Trudy the Bag Lady has made a life for herself on the streets, offering her own bits of wit and wisdom to the passers-by. Before she wound up on the streets, she was in and out of hospitals, receiving so much electro-shock therapy that she believes her nervous system has been re-wired and now tunes into the bio-rhythms of people around her.

Trudy takes us, along with her two alien companions, on a discovery trip to find out what it means to be human and imparting her own impressions on life. She tunes in a wide array of people, ranging from Agnus Angst, a 15-year-old punk performance artist; Agnus' grandparents Lud and Marie; Chrissy, a recently unemployed workout enthusiast; Lily, an actress currently performing a one-woman show; and many others, both men and women, gay and straight.

This play is full of marvelous insight into the human condition and life in the 1980's. This is very apparent in the incredible second act, in which we follow Lyn from the consciousness-raising times of the 1970's through her rise and fall in the business ranks of the 1980's and her turbulent family life. Also, all the characters, in one form or another, have some influence on the life of the other characters in the play, whether or not they actually meet: Lyn has an affair with Agnus's mother; Kate, a rich trendsetter, finds a suicide note left by Chrissy lying in the street; Trudy takes the aliens to see Lily's play in order to show them goosebumps.

The book also includes still images, from the stage production, of Lily Tomlin, many of which were shot by Annie Leibowitz. Jane Wagner also created some montages of Lily as the many characters in the play.

Full of wit, insight and tenderness, this play stands as a perfect glimpse into understanding society.

Sherlock Holmes was the first pop icon of modern times, and Sherlock Holmes On Screen provides the most comprehensive filmography of his career, analyzing the Holmes movies and television shows, and including 60 photos as well as a guide to Doyle's original stories. An excellent companion for any avid fan.

There are no words which seem to adequately describe just how good SHERLOCK HOLMES ON SCREEN: THE COMPLETE FILM AND TV HISTORY by Alan Barnes is: The word "comprehensive," while accurate, just doesn't seem to go far enough.
A lifelong Sherlockian I purchased this handsome 288 page hardback updated edition with high hopes and I was not disappointed. Barnes decision to take an A to Z organizational approach may not be everyone's ideal, but he does provide a film and television chronology towards the end of the book to appease those of us who prefer that type of listing.
As the title indicates every film and television appearance by the Sherlock Holmes character including a number of which I was previously unaware. Barnes gives more behind the scenes production notes, details of the mysteries and the solutions and in some cases these are quite extensive. For example I found the details behind the Peter Cushing television series of Holmes adventures fascinating and entertaining and his notes on what it took to bring SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE to the screen, entertaining and revealing. Who knew that the movie had been intended to be the start of a franchise - with the script for the second planned movie eventually being filmed as A STUDY IN TERROR with John Neville in the Holmes role.
Barnes even includes movies and television episodes with more questionable ties to Sherlock Holmes. He gives high praise to Disney's animated THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE but the Spielberg produced YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES fares less well. In addition there are entries for the two STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION episodes that featured Prof. Moriarty and even THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN gets a mention for its Holmesian references.
With listings that include not only alternate titles for the movies, but also surprisingly in depth cast listings, running times and some very rare photo's, this volume is a must-own for any self respecting Sherlock Holmes fan, and anyone with even a mild curiosity about the character.

If you are a fan of more than the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes episodes, this is a great item for your bookshelf. Barnes has written the most comprehensive guide to Holmes in film and on television. The amount of information is amazing. Boookend this with David Stuart Davies' graphically gorgeous Starring Sherlock Holmes and you'll have a fantastic reference library on Holmes on screen.

Bob Byrne
Sherlock Holmes on Oxford Lane

Being a Sherlock Holmes fanatic induced me into purchasing this for my collection in the hopes of obtaining some new images of Rathbone, Richardson, and other Holmes actors. I also had an interest in learning the up-to-date status of each Holmes film ever produced. In that, this is a wonderful book, filled with pages upon pages of information, cast listing, and comments, as well as some rare images of aforementioned actors.

The personal bias of the writer is the only thing that dampens a wonderful experience... namely because I tend to disagree with his assessments of certain Holmes films, particularly those of Basil Rathbone in his later career. I wished there were more images of Ian Richardson and Nicholas Rowe, but all together it's a wonderul purchase to add to any true Sherlockian collection.

This book has yet to leave my bedside table since I purchased it a few months ago. It's not only an extremely well researched book but a very entertaining read as well, packed with information that is revealing (eg, how Jeremy Brett's personal problems impacted upon the Granada tv series) and sometimes surprising (eg, Peter O'Toole and Peter Sellers were the original choices for Holmes and Watson for Billy Wilder's 'The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes').

Alan Barnes and his fellow contributors go into great detail about the films and television shows they cover, and give their personal opinions about each entry. You may not agree with all of the views expressed, but they are well written and certainly give the reader food for thought.

The book is well illustrated with black and white photographs. This is important as it's likely that many people will never get to see the films they are taken from, particularly some of the early silent films that are lost or older and more obscure films and television shows that have yet to get a video or DVD release.

This book has proven invaluable to me as it has introduced me to tv series and films that I previously knew little or nothing about like the Arthur Wontner films and the Douglas Wilmer and Peter Cushing BBC tv series. I also gained an insight into the little known Ronald Howard tv series from the 1950s. It was also great to read of the BBC 4-part presentation of The Hound Of The Baskervilles starring former Doctor Who star Tom Baker as Sherlock Holmes. I saw this when it was first shown on tv in Australia and it hasn't been screened again, so it was quite nostalgic to read about it and see a photo of Baker in his Holmes costume.

This book is an essential addition to the library of any Sherlock Holmes fan or film buff. You won't find another book that covers Sherlock Holmes history in film and television so thoroughly.

I found this book a good read. I highly recommend this to 8-10 year olds who like realistic adventure mysteries. I recommend this book because it is funny, thrilling, and suspenseful. I only gave it four stars because personally, I think it isn't the best in the Shredderman series. I like it because it's about a average kid, Nolan Byrd, who becomes a bully busting super hero, Shredderman! Nolan meets his all time favorite TV star, The Gecko, from "The Gecko and Sticky". Nolan even finds The Gecko's missing lizard, Sticky. When he was updating his Shredderman site about "The Mole" ,a crazed paparazzi who was caught in the act of setting off a fire sprinkler, he found Sticky who jumped out of his backpack onto his computer. He said to Sticky "I'm going to get this guy in big trouble!" Shredderman had just given his identity away to a gecko! I thought that part was really funny!! It even said that the lizard started grinning! I thing this book has a lot of good lessons. A couple of examples are "What goes around comes around" and "Having friends is good". These are just 2 of the many morals or lessons Shredderman shows.

Shredderman #3 Meet the Gecko
Shredderman #3 Meet the Gecko is about this kid named Nolan Byrd getting to go meet the gecko, his favorite T.V. superhero whose real name is Chase Morton. When before he goes he finds out his enemy Alvin "Bubba" Bixby the bully is going to meet the gecko or Chase Morton. Find out the adventures he goes through.
Overall I'd give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it's a great book for kids of all ages who like to read chapter books. It's very adventurous. I highly recommend this book.

We absolutely loved these books. My son is almost 10 and we read them togehter, Although these are very easy reading for my son's age, we read them together because we enjoy them more that way. We both laugh out loud and really got into the stories. Often we ended up missing the absolute, latest possible bedtime curfew because we just HAD to read on! We would be very interested in other book by this author -- although it seems that her others are geared toward girl readers.

I am always trying to find books for my reluctant reader 9 year old. I found this book (actually the first in the series) on a list of "best books" created by kids. It is a winner! The level is good for 2nd to 4th grade.

This is such a great series for boys aged 6-10 especially because it's an awkward time for them as they are growing and feeling sensitive about bullies. My seven year old has read books one and two and in the middle of book three. This series is based around a character named Nolan, who is a 3rd grade computer nerd. He is picked on daily and made fun of until one day he realizes that it doesn't take muscles and popularity to over-power these pests. He becomes an unlikely hero known as "Shredderman," who documents the work of bullies and brings them to justice. This series has lot's of comic mischief and displays a character who is genuinely a do-er of good deeds for all and a morally outstanding child. This series is perfect for intermediate readers, it is strewn with pictures in each chapter which helps if you have an easily frustrated or impatient reader. I think this series is fantastic because it makes it OK to not be the biggest or flashiest kid in class. You'll fall in love with Nolan because he's just an everyday kid who wants to do good in school, obey his parents, and not only doesn't let people beat him down, but prevents those bullies from cornering other victims. Yeah, Nolan! I'm root'en for you kid!

I have many books about Sinatra and this is one of the best. Richard Havers put together a wonderful read. The book combines his music and life very well in a chronological format. There are some great pictures and sidebars about other events music and otherwise associated with the time frame you are currently reading.The research put into this gem is amazing.If you are a fan of Sinatra get this book. You won t be able to put it down!

To me, as someone who lived thru this era and read many books on Sinatra,
none has captured the essence of the man and the times he lived in as
Richard Havers has done. All aspects of Sinatra's life are discussed; the music,
the movies, the concerts and shows, his friends and his loves, good and bad,
in a fair, unbiased, nonjudgmental manner

This is a big book that contains a lot of information and pictures that you
will not find anywhere else. It can be read by casually leafing through the
pages and enjoying the sidebars and photos, or it can be read carefully from
beginning to end to reveal the real Sinatra. If you take the latter approach
you will not only better understand what made Sinatra tick, you will also
better understand the times he lived in.

This book was a delight from beginning to end, packed with useful biographical information. It also contains dozens of sidebars on every one of Frank's albums as well as supplementary sidebars giving historical context to Sinatra's life and work in the form of other artists, historical events, and his various arrangers and labels. The book is packed with photos, memorabilia, track lists--in fact, everything you need to know about the life and work of Sinatra. I think that this book, combined with Will Friedwald's 'The Song is You' are the two best books on Sinatra, and as a dedicated Frankophile, I've read many. Also evident in the book is the author's love of Sinatra and his music. The book is like a virtual Sinatra museum, one you can open and enjoy over and over at your convenience.
Five stars.

This is an amazing book that lets you see Mr. Sinatra through the early days of his childhood, to what would become the ultimate legend...I was never into this kind of music but after listening to the wonderfully composed scores of music and lyrics, you cant help but become an avid fan of his. Through the good and the bad you see something everyone should strive for, the high expectation for ones self in whatever they do as he did and beautifully executed with class....I've discovered Frank Sinatra and I am definately Flying to the moon!!

His voice, his style, a trip into the past. Ole Blue Eyes we will never forget him. For all old and new fans this book is a treasure indeed.

This book is a must read for students contemplating the change to the real world of television employment. Concise, compassionate and clear, I recommend this volume to all the students who come my way.

This book has inspired me to achieve my dream to become a working actor in Hollywood. At times, it's a challenging path, but this book offers practical and thoughtful tips that will help me to advance my career to the next level. Thank you for giving us this gem of a book, Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno!

There's nothing better than learning and laughing put together. Mary Lou Belli has created a sitcom textbook that everyone in the television industry (not just the actor), should have in their library. From the costume designer & script superviser to the writer & technical coordinator, everyone who plays a part in making a sitcom successful is discussed. You'll learn sitcom terminology and have fun reading comments and stories from legends. There are even quizzes! But all fun! No pulling teeth with this one. Thank you Mary Lou and Phil for this informative book. I'm now ready to go get my sitcom!

This is a must have for actors and writers interested in making a career in sitcoms. Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno thoroughly explain the specifics of each day on a sitcom set. They illustrate the different types of jokes and define what makes each of them funny. And, they pepper the book with fun, informative anecdotes. I will read this book again and again! Mostly, because I can never remember anything... But still, the book is that good!

The authors leave no stone unturned as they walk you through every aspect of sitcoms. Required reading for anyone looking to break in.

I have read the book. I do not know for sure but I would bet that Mr. Stratton had nothing to do with this book.
Why?
Because I knew him in prison and he never ever had an original thought in his life..ever.

How powerful. It re-questions me how to be myself as a human being in reality. What is freedom, what is a life, what is "the time"? It keeps questioning me without elicit answer that I must have been seeking by myself.

I read this screenplay, and interviews with the author, and learned that this wasn't written solely by Richard Stratton. Instead the story was formed in a collaborative way in a ninemonth workshop and then during filming, by the movies stars, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone and others. I think this is what helps to make this such a powerful screenplay, the fact that many people, some who had experienced events similiar to those portrayed in the movie, were all putting their collective energies together. I really enjoyed this screenplay and was inspired by it. It made me feel like art and artistic endeavor really do matter and can make a difference in the world. I'm grateful to all the authors for that.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised after viewing this film. It truly captured the power of presence, how the power of words can change ideals and touch emotions. This is one of the best products of poetry in movies I've seen in a while not to mention the demonstration of strength in creativity. If you like the artistic feel of Loves Jones with the power of Soul On Ice, this is the film for you. I only wish we could get more of these films out to a broader audience.

I had searched and searched for movies that would expand my imagination and give me some sort of hope for tomorrow that there are people that still strive to make quality movies and write quality books. Thsi is definitely one of them. I read the book and then I saw the movie that went far beyond my expectations. What a sensory pleasure.

this review book is unlike others out there, while it admittedly has a british bias, i found it to be easily readable and refreshing. it offers a lot of information not found in other buffy books- such as fashion critiques, pop culture references, etc.

There are a few problems like lack of pictures, not covering the full 7 seasons of Buffy and no coverage of Angel the series. But these few problems do not detract from how great fans will find this book.

while this may be too much for a casual viewer, i'm sure all buffy fans would want to add this to there collection!

It gives Pop Culture References, such as "Authority Sucks!" and "It's a Designer Label." This book a "must" for all fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It covers season 1 through 5 in great detail. Its a good read for everyone.

Note that there's a new edition coming out in March, 2002, and if I were you I'd wait for it.

But otherwise, it's great. This is my favorite guide to BtVS, and I've looked at all of them.

A refreshing change to stuffy old Guides to T.V show. I especially loved the fashion reports on each episode listed. It was well written, and achieved a funny, interesting, information packed guide to the worlds greatest T.V. shows! (Except for Angel)The only thing I could fault(and I am very, very picky) was the lack of pictures.

This is a really good guide to Buffy. I just started watching the show at the end of last season and this book helped me catch up with the seasons I missed plus explained the episodes I saw. It also gives descriptions of the novels, the movie, and the unaired pilot episode that was used to bring advertisers to the show. I highly recommend this book to any and all Buffy fans.