Video Books

Until this book appeared, there wasn't much information available on Charley except in Leonard Maltin's book on sound shorts. This great book will illustrates the life of both Charley (Parrott) Chase and his brother James Parrott. Their lives were intertwined, and when one of them had problems it certainly affected the other. While Chase always had a jolly face on, this book illustrates both his triumphs and his failures. Chase worked with many great comics like Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle, Laurel & Hardy, Thelma Todd and the Three Stooges. Chase also directed and/or supervised many good comedies where he did not appear on-screen. There is a very detailed filmography (and musicography) in the back that includes the lyrics to many of the songs that Charley wrote, his many directing credits, and other film appearances. Sure this book is expensive, but if you love silent comedy or early sound shorts you will not be able to stop reading it.

"Smile When the Raindrops Fall" is a fascinating and affectionate look at the career of the vastly underrated motion picture comic Charley Chase (1893 - 1940). It's hard to imagine that Chase, whom time has mostly obscured, could be so vividly portrayed. However, through interviews with Chase's family, friends, and associates, the authors ressurect the comic in a biography that lovingly alternates between hilarity and heartbreak. Calling Chase one of the comic greats is no exageration: this brilliantly inventive and prolific figure contributed to over 300 films as writer, director, or actor (sometimes all three) before his untimely death at the age of 46. Chase worked with almost every major name in early film comedy, including Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges. The reader is taken on a nostalgic tour of silent and early sound comedy, its evolution paralleling the career of one of its pioneers. Excellent photo's and a detailed biography are included. An important piece of Hollywood history has finally been documented, and done justice, in this fine biography.

Well, it took me awhile to track this one down through my local library but it was worth it!! Charley Chase practically invented the situation comedy!

This wonderfully concise and well-written bio traces the life of Charles Parrott/Chase from his early days as a entertainer on the East Coast to his move to California and his two-reel comedy career. The book also focuses on many aspects of Charley's personal life, from his protective/co-dependent relationship with his brother, comedy director James Parrott to his own bouts with alcohol. The book is also full of wonderful photos and stills from his films. My favorite parts of the book are the chapters that pertain to his career at his final comedy home, Columbia Studios, where he not only churned out some excellent comedies (THE HECKLER, THE BIG SQUIRT, THE WRONG MISS WRIGHT), but directed other two-reel comedy players of the day, most notably The Three Stooges.

Charley left us all too soon at the age of 47 in 1940, but his legacy of great comedy is out there for all to enjoy!

I was introduced to the comedy of Charley Chase by a film collector friend of mine back in college and have always appreciated his unique style. Brian Anthony's and Andy Edmond's book does justice to this far underrated and nearly forgotten talent in a way that is readable and as entertaining as Charley himself. In fact, the wealth of material here is so great, one wonders why no one has mined it for a film. In any event, if you're into early film history, or even if you are just curious about a man who was a powerhouse both in front of and behind the camera, you owe it to yourself to check this book out.

I just finished re-reading "Smile When the Raindrops Fall" (third time, I think) and I second the opinions of the other reviewers. Very few authors have ever discussed the films of Charley Chase in print, and nobody has ever delved into the prolific comedian's personal life in so much detail. Brian Anthony and Andy Edmonds have done Mr. Chase proud, amply demonstrating how he created many clever and amusing movies, and how his private life sometimes colored his work. There are many rare and charming photos, including a memorable candid shot from his final days: his camera crew has just presented the new grandfather with "Gramp's Chair." If you've only been casually acquainted with Charley Chase, here's your chance to get to know him. Great reading for movie buffs, and well worth the publisher's price tag.

Ms Henderson has taken from many, many sources to present a succinct analysis of myths from the past, works by many scholars, and today's world in order to show the need for all of us to have myths in our lives. Beginning with George Lucas' journey to creating Star Wars, moving into the cultural milieu in which the films were made to the that which the audiences brought and continue to bring, the author gives us the "reasons" for the motivation and then success of the 3 and later 6 movies done by Lucas. The book is well-illustrated with scenes from the movies, storyboards of its development, and art representing other myths, stories and legends of many cultures and times. A fantastic book for anyone looking for the core ideas of Lucas and his greatest work.

If you enjoy any of the books by Joseph Campbell and are a Star Wars fan, then this is the book for you. It covers everything from Greek mythology and Zen Buddhism to the Cowboy archetype and the uniforms of World War 2. Most of the artwork is incredible (many pics from the "Art of Star Wars" books), and there are tons of detailed photos from the Smithsonian tour, which I was lucky enough to catch at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts many years ago. I only wish they had waited a few years until the entire Prequel Trilogy was completed before they published this book!

Within this book I would say this incredible look into the mix of Mythology, History and Star Wars that I have ever seen. A great companion Book to the "Magic of Myth" exhibit.. and it would make a great companion book to the Joesph Campbell books "The Hero with a Thousand faces and "The Power of Myth."

Basically giving the impression of the origin of the Star Wars Films. How Lucas was influenced with all these ideas and made the films what they are today. How timeless the story really has been. Also available is some of the pre production artwork from the Classic Trilogy.

Excellent book with amazing pics of the props and unusual images from the movies from the OT. Fantastic!!

If you've been lucky enough to see "The Magic of Myth" in one of its many permutations, this book is a great supplement to and a wonderful reminder of just how cool that exhibit was. If you haven't seen the exhibit, this book is still great to have for it's back-story on the origins of the trilogy.

I'm not the most well-read person around so it was a lot of fun to learn how Lucas' characters and story were shaped by (or copied from) myths and legends of other times and cultures. Reading this book has led me to explore some of the material that Lucas borrowed from in creating Star Wars. I'm a big SW nut, but it's nice to get my head out of the SW universe and out into other forms of art and literature.

If you don't feel like reading, this book is also full of GREAT photos from the trilogy.

I keep this one on the shelf next to Joseph Campbell's "Power of Myth." It is a nice complement to Campbell's book.

This was a great book and a very quick read! It is also a very scary and eye-opening look into the world of Hollywood in general, not just with Superman. And it seems that anyone who's not a corporation who becomes associated with Superman projects historically gets screwed in some way. Sadly, it began with Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who unfortunately fought for their rights to the character until their deaths. (this was recently ruled in their favor, but sadly it went to their descendants so the two men didn't live to see their life long struggle victorious). Even the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons of the 1940's came with their share of bad luck for Max Fleischer who was forced to hand over profits made. Then, when George Reeves died mysteriously after participating in 1950's show, The Adventures of Superman, the legend of "The Superman curse" spread. When Richard Donner created his memorable Superman movies ,they were already mired in conflict with the studios which is why they degraded in quality until Superman IV killed the franchise for 20 years. And for all those Superman Returns nay-sayers, there was a whole load of crap that could have been made during those years, so I have a new appreciation for that movie. Overall, a great book which also goes into Smallville (for those of you who still watch).

This was one of the most enjoyable books about a comic icon that I have ever read. I won't bore you with what I liked as others posting reviews have done so already and much more thoroughly than I ever could...If you are a Superman fan, read this book. I am sure you will find many things you did not know. It was very hard to put it down. Enjoy

I was so engaged that I read the book in a day instead of stretching it out. Lots of interesting info. The backstage in-fighting was fascinating and so were the accounts of the evolution of various Superman TV shows and movies. Since the other reviewers have hit a lot of the high points, and at the time that I purchased the book, no table of contents was attached, here's a breakdown of the subjects covered.

The first couple of chapters cover Bud Collyer,Kirk Alyn, and George Reeves, as you might expect. The middle section deals largely with the Salkinds, Richard Donner, Richard Lester, and Christoper Reeve; the making of Superman I-III. There's an excursion by one chapter into the Salkinds' Supergirl movie and it's effect on the Superman franchise. There are also scattered references throughout the book to the Batman TV shows/movies and that franchise's effects on Superman. Spiderman and other superhero movie/shows are referenced, but Batman gets the most page time.

The Cannon Group and Superman IV are also discussed. Then we move onto the Superboy TV show and more on the Salkinds. The next bit covers Lois & Clark and there's a brief visit to Bruce Timm's animated version of Superman. Smallville is also dealt with. Most of the latter portion of the book is about with the scripts, producers, and actors contemplated for various possible versions of a new Superman movie before Superman Returns was decided upon. Bryan Singer and the making of Superman Returns are also discussed.

On the whole, this is a very intriguing look. I wish the author had been less cursory in the discussions of Smallville and had gone into more detail with the animated versions of Superman, but I would recommend this book to any Superman fan.

Sweet merciful Rao, where do I begin? SUPERMAN VS. HOLLYWOOD paints a bizarre tapestry centering on one of the world's most enduring fictional icons, with "enduring" being the operative word: under the smart and thorough pen of Jake Rossen, the book chronicles the behind-the-scenes ineptitude, cheapness, lack of creativity and flat-out viciousness that has provided more degradation to the Superman legacy than its various radio, film and TV permutations did creative contributions. And we're not talking about simply Donner vs. the Salkinds here, folks...this book covers almost every dirty little self-driven machination that ever embedded itself into Superman's non-print pursuits, going all the way back to the 1940s radio show. The film branch of the Superman brand takes up the lion's share of the book, but preceding it are some truly fascinating accounts, including the Superman radio show writers taking cues on an episode attacking the Ku Klux Klan by having an infiltrator of their own in attendance at Klan meetings, as well as the professional struggles of George Reeves as a result of donning the cape, and the lurid goings-on that almost certainly led to his demise, from whatever viewpoint you choose to look at the circumstances of his death. This early portion of the book also contends with the myriad efforts of the producers of "The Adventures Of Superman" to cotton to sponsorship - including the curious exclusion of Lois Lane from any Kellogg's commercials, which in one instance had Clark, Jimmy AND Perry at a breakfast table - and their wild attempts to revive the Superman TV franchise in the wake of Reeves' death (I'd also recommend viewing the 2006 Superman documentary "Look! Up In The Sky: The Amazing Story Of Superman" for more on this - seriously, you have to see a clip from "The Adventures Of Superpup" to [dis]believe it).

Why do Superman programs and films always seem to generate such calamitous circumstances? Some have attributed it to a bona-fide "Superman curse" made manifest in George Reeves' apparent suicide and the crippling of Christopher Reeve (No relation, folks - the movie Superman's surname has no S on the end, if I may be allowed one wee little nitpick), but as Rossen illustrates in his laborious text on matters, some of it may have to do with the general stigma of comic books as little more than fare for juveniles, an attitude that seemed to be shared by many who were involved in the production of the various Superman TV series and films, including the much-maligned director Richard Lester, who's taken his share of shots by fanboys for his campy approach to the sequels to the 1978 film; in Lester's case, Rossen fortunately retains an air of non-bias, opting to let personal anecdotes speak for themselves on this oft-targeted figure for fan venting. Ditto the Salkinds, who now share the unflattering light with Richard Donner and his increasing temperament at their intrusions. Who was in the right? Who deserved the real blame? As Ilya Salkind himself recently described the problematic shoot of "Superman: The Movie": "It was everybody's fault, and nobody's." He's not far off at all.

As pointed out in the tome, Superman seems to have suffered more creative blundering than any other superhero due to the increasing difficulty of others to relate to him as a character; his powers make him nigh-omnipotent, and as a result his rogues' gallery outside of Lex Luthor has never been able to make the memorable impact left by the likes of Batman's foes. Even his dual identity as a mild-mannered reporter dedicated to his job works against him in a world that has become more receptive to seeing Spider-Man get soundly thrashed by Dr. Octopus and then hobble home to discover that his sweet old Aunt May can't pay her medical bills, he's six months behind on his rent, and J. Jonah Jameson has plastered another libelous headline branding Spidey a murderer and thief across the front page of the same paper Peter Parker works for. Marvel's characters, for all their nonsensical origins, at their highs thrived on the accessibility of real-life situations; for that reason, Superman has perpetually suffered from a sense of antiquity that has propagated many a half-hearted attempt to "revitalize" the character, a fact which is very much in evidence in this book without necessarily needing to provide further elaboration on it. For DC Comics, and especially for Warner Brothers, their flagship character has been largely treated as little more than a gravy train; the Superman comics themselves have never really been very good in recent years, evidenced by the constant chain of "stunts" DC initiated in the early 1990s beginning with the "Death Of Superman" storyarc that provided the spark for the bulk of controversial attempts made since Reeve's last bow as the Man of Steel to jump-start the Superman film franchise. Such attempts provide some of the more amusing fodder for Rossen's account, in particular producer Jon Peters and his outright dispassion for Superman's two most visible signatures: his costume and his ability to fly. Reading Rossen's descriptions of the various story pitches and casting choices for the part, it's easy to see why none of these radical revamp efforts never materialized and almost compels one to sigh in relief as a result.

And make no mistake, Rossen's writing style is hard and unfettered by personal affections or preferences: considered an idol by many a Superman fan for his portrayal, Christopher Reeve is accounted for as a young actor trying to take the part seriously, but also blinded by that responsibility in the process (more than a few cast and crew members didn't think particularly highly of him). Likewise, Richard Donner, who receives much adulation for directing the only palpable Superman film in the bunch, is as finely skewered as Alexander and Ilya Salkind ever were. Rossen doesn't pull any punches on anybody, really; from Robert Shayne's near-dismissal from "The Adventures Of Superman" for allegations of Communism to Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's beyond-the-grave legal battles with DC Comics for a piece of the pie that could acutely affect the "Smallville" TV series (still in production as of this writing) to Tim Burton's apparent dislike for Nicolas Cage (the latter of whom, to his credit, lobbied for more reverence for comics lore in light of all the weirdness Burton and Peters wanted to throw into their Super-package), Rossen opens up areas that I think even the most ardent Superman fan will find surprising. The book is as thorough as necessary in its exploration of every non-comics venture into Superman lore or any smattering of it, from the Salkinds' ill-conceived endeavor to refresh their comic-book palette with a Supergirl film after the nonsensical notion to toss Richard Pryor into the Superman film series cost moviegoers and comic fans the chance to see Brainiac take on our caped hero, to the various Fleisher-influenced and comics-faithful animated series produced by Bruce Timm of the mid-1990s that, with sad curiosity, has enjoyed a success and resonance with younger AND mature fans that Warner Brothers, for whatever reason, has chosen to ignore.

If there's any one real criticism I have for this book - though it doesn't detract from me giving it a five-star rating; IMO it's still an absolute must-read for comic-book fans, film buffs, or any filmmaker who thinks that reimagining a classic character beyond all recognition is a good idea - it's that the meager handful of photos it does contain don't sufficiently enhance the impact of most of the book's content. Rossen would have been better served by screen-caps from the Superpup pilot, pictures of Helen Slater's unused and more comic-accurate (to the time) Supergirl suit, and even some of the outlandish concept art from the unproduced Superman film attempts of recent years, just to show how absolutely misguided the filmmakers have been in trying to breath three-dimensional life into Superman's world.

But really, I can't do any justice to this book. You have to read it for yourself, to see just how messed up Hollywood has been - and potentially still is - in its treatment of one of America's greatest pop-culture contributions.

I was expecting a picture laden history of the large scale Superman movies from the 70's and eighties when I first thought about buying this book and was a little put out by the fact there were not a lot of pictures in it. However, the information inside the covers of this book was eye opening indeed and didn't need pictures to illustrate the point.

If you're looking for all the juicy, digging up the dirt on celebrities trivia on what went on behind the scenes in any of the incarnations of Superman, this really isn't the place to look.

If you're looking for a well researched history on all the trials and tribulations involved in getting Superman off the pages of comic books and up into the sky via radio serials, TV live action series and cartoons or cinemas, this is the book for you.

The author has dug deep and gathered together a wide cross section of information that shows just how hard it is to get a idea past the post. From writers who have no idea how to write the Superman character to studio execs who are only interested in the after market merchandising and how to save a few million dollars by compromising the vision.

The fact that Superman actually got to fly is pretty amazing.

There seem to be two kinds of animation books: the "just the facts, ma'am" kind, and those filled with endless anecdotes of the lost golden age. Shamus Culhane's book falls between them and yet hits both extremes. He doesn't clean up history or trim the facts to fit the legends. Which is to say it's unexpurgated (which means uncensored) told in a rollicking, stream of consciousness you are there style.

It's also the untold backstory of animation, as well as a peek at numerous cartoons which have yet to make DVD. Shamus Culhane created the best Woody Woodpecker cartoons including "Barber of Seville," very different from but equally intriguing as "The Rabbit of Seville" (Chuck Jones/ written by Michael Maltese), as well as darkening the doors of most of the then current studios. Not only that, but it's absolutely crammed with photos, character sheets and other animania so as to render the book a visual feast. Anyone with even a passing interest in cartoons or looking for a good read will be delighted to find Culhane's book which is, ironically, one of the few animated histories of animation.

This book was recommended to me by another web/multimedia developer. He told me that I should read it, that it was the web industry in a nutshell. The main difference is the web has a very compressed time line. I first read the book over a year ago... it still reads like prophesy.

This is a "must have" for anyone who wants to create animation. Although not a how-to book, it has an incredible amount of insightful and useful information that is pertinent to those starting out or thinking about starting out their animation career. Shamus writes his animation life story in a way that will entertain and enlighten you. Many of his adventures and experiences are as relavant today as when they happened to him long ago during the Golden Age of animation. The author gives you a ring side seat as he is introduced to animation and evolves as an animator and producer. This was a book that I wish had no end; it actually made me sad to reach the final page.

This book is a must.It is extremely useful for those who want to animate cartoon characters.Shamus description of his life which he shares with the animation history is a very brilliant and inspirated storytellig.This is the book that all animator's should buy. It contains all the valuable information about american animation and all those wonderful pioneers who created the most amazing industry in the world: animation.Do not hesitate! Just buy this book and you will love it. I bet!

James "Shamus" Culhane is not a name that is instantly recognizable to the general public, as is Chuck Jones, but his contributions were every bit as significant. Like Jones, he can be maddeningly arrogant and dismissive of the efforts of his fellow animators, but the truly annoying thing is that he is often right. Culhane worked at virtually every major cartoon studio during its "Golden Age", and generally improved the output of every studio with which he was involved--however briefly. He turned the Fleischer's version of Popeye into a fluid, living character, whereas before Popeye seemed to move like some sort of animatronic figure at Disneyland. He directed one of the few bright spots at Walter Lantz, a Woody Woodpecker cartoon called "Barber of Seville" (which garnered an Academy Award nomination). He also takes us where few other books in animation dare to go--the early days of cartooning for television (did you know he was one of the first producers to make animated commercials for TV? The Ajax elves were his). He even attempted to get in the ground floor of the TV animated series market, though his efforts did not succeed.

This is a must-read, if for no other reason than it avoids rehashing the same material covered again and again by previous books, and gives us an insight into the inner workings of an animation studio as few other books do.

In order to use my N-Port software for my record recording I needed to buy a pre-amp to boost the signal with the N-Port device through the RCA cables. I also wanted to be able to use it with my Bose Wave Radio/CD player. I could record directly in other software packages through the USB connection on the turntable, but my perferred software could not use the USB source. I bought this unit because of it's simplicity, I didn't want to mess with adjustments and EQ settings. I got it yesterday and hooked it up and it works like a dream. The TC-750 improved the quality of my output signal and allowed me to use the software I perferred. It removed some distortion I was having on a certain record and the USB connection alone. Although it's more of a setup, it's definitely worth using for the improved sound quality.

I was considering the purchase of a USB turntable to archive some of my old vinyl. Then I thought .. HEY !! I haver a Creative Labs X-FI Platinum card and software out the wazoo for this kind of thing. I also have a variety of high-end amps, mixers, etc. but always ended up with weak signals or horrendous buzzes when I tried to capture disk to digital.

In my frustration, I looked at eBay for a phono pre-amp, but was not impressed with the affordable options. My next step, when eBay doesn't pan out (OFTEN)is to look at new stuff on Amazon (which ALWAYS comes through.)

As typical with Amazon buys, this showed up at my doorstep nearly INSTANTANEOUSLY !! At least, I ordered like midnight on Thursday, and it was here before noon Monday !!!!

I hooked it up in a few second (but realized the GROUNDING WIRE is key to killing the hum). Apparently a lot of units in this price range omit this ESSENTIAL feature.

My first record recorded like a DREAM !!! All the warmth of vinyl (minus the hiss and pops). The end result is better than the original. I produced a Jazz album back in the '80s and have been trying to find a way to get the originals of the BETA VH-1 tapes. Now I don't need to worry. The original master disks from vinyl sound better than the the digital masters to my ears.) I may just re-release it on CD this way.

WELL worth the low price, and as I've experienced with Amazon before, my expectations were far exceeded. Kudos to both companies !!

The package was received in two days with standard shipping! As far as performance, I've only tested one other preamp in this pricerange and this one blew it away. Believe the other reviews, you won't believe how good this sounds. Crystal clear vibrant sound. I'm very happy with my purchase. Buy with confidence!

My son recently bought a used turntable and needed a pre-amp to hook up to his computer. In lieu of cheaper models, I decided to check out the TC-750 based on the better tech specs for this model. We've been very pleased. We had the turntable hooked up to my receiver with integrated phono pre-amp before this arrived, and we think this sounds better. My son's not a high end audiophile, but he thinks he can tell the difference with this pre-amp, which is all that matters. Simple to set up and came with the cable needed to hook to the computer line-in. Looks good and has the ground connection for the turntable as well. I give it 5 stars not because its probably as good as some $1500 tube pre-amp (I'll never know) but for the performance and features at the price. My son is likely to upgrade the turntable some day but will make sure he can bypass any integrated pre-amp it may come with since this one may be hard to beat.

I received this preamp well before the expected ship date, and it arrived in perfect condition. I had it hooked up in less than 2 minutes and it worked even better than I thought. It does exactly as it was advertised and to my supprise I didn't have to add a ground wire. No buzz or hum. The records sound just like they did when I purchased them. Some well over 40 years ago. I have over 1500 albums in my collection almost all in perfect condition and I am pleased to say that I will now be able to play them over and over again for many years to come. I am very happy that this item was available.

I am a Multimedia student in Community College.

This book has given me a ton of good ideas on how to create a top-notch game!

I reccomend it to anybody (Like Me.) who wants to design a hit videogame!

this book is chock-full of incredibly useful information about writing and game design. many of the classic traps in this area of game development can be avoided by following flint and john's advice here. everything is outlined in a very clean and (not surprisingly) fun and witty read.

as a game developer for 10 years now, i found information in this book that i'll be using in the future and i can't recommend this book enough. these guys get it, and so should you.

As a member of the student team who needed to produce video game in rather short amount of time, I have found this book extremely helpful. I did like one-sheet summary that allowed us to summarize everything. The content was very helpful. Thank you.

This book, is a no nonsense guide to the video game industry and more specifically to game design. It gives relevant realistic experience written in an upbeat humorous and succinct style.

There aren't any cons to it that I can think of.

When I read The Ultimate Guide to Videogame Writing and Design I was expecting quite a lot from a title like that. As a well read veteran game designer with over 34 million units sold to date, as well as game design professor at USC, I thought I had seen every element and angle in game development. Not only that, at USC we have developed a pretty robust curriculum on how to build great narrative into a solid game. To my amazement, my high expectations were not only met, but exceeded by a wide margin with this book! Ultimate Guide is extremely well thought out and presented in a no nonsense manner, with many excellent examples, points, and tips on not only writing, but also how to survive and prosper in the game industry. I guess it comes as no surprise since this book is practically a FedEx straight from the front lines, as these authors are still writing top games, and have written a number of "Story of the Year" games over the last five years. These guys have written for both film and interactive, and they know how to bring solid storytelling craft into the game space. I recommend this book to all my students as well as colleagues as a must read. You will not find a more straight forward and to the point book packed with real world examples anywhere. This is more than a "how to" book, but also a "how come" as it focuses down precisely on the challenges and pitfalls of game design and writing today from a variety of angles. I guarantee it will provide insights and value to both new and veteran game writers, as well as designers who are looking to bridge the gap between solid storytelling and great gameplay. I wish I'd had this book when I was starting out! But I'm sure glad I have it now!

There are so many things that I learned from this book--things that I had no way of ever knowing. This book not only provides peace of mind in the home buying process, but it openly shares insider information that can save you money and get you a better mortgage value. Highly recommended!

As a new real estate investor, I am always looking for ways to learn my trade and this one hit the mark. I read this book in less than 24 hours from purchase and intend on keeping it close by for every loan in the future. I now feel armed to at least hold an "intelligent conversation" with my mortgage broker on our next closing and know what to ask. While I found that my broker is on the "up and up", which I figured was true, this book gave me peace of mind knowing that I can confirm that I chose a good company for our investing "team".

I am very grateful for the content shared in this book. Full disclosure has finally been revealed! I have never felt more confident in dealing with a lender. Besides the potency of the content, Unmasking the Mortgage Madness was a very ENJOYABLE read. The personal stories helped me grasp the mortgage concepts. Thank you for writing this. You saved me $$$$$!

This book was very helpful. I would think anyone who was getting ready to buy a house would want to spend the $20 to read it. I had no idea there were so many line items on a good faith estimate that were negotiable before I found this out through Rick's work. If you know someone buying a home, this would be one terrific present.

This book is incredibly helpful. The information is presented clearly with lots of "real life" examples and helpful hints to save you money. I finally feel like I understand the process.

I was fortunate enough to have grown up in the 1970's and I've been able to recall nearly every project mentioned in this book, from the movies to the TV series and "movies of the week." To get a look behind the projects and see how they played a part in the history of women in Hollywood gave them a whole new meaning all these years later.

Told in an open, casual style (the book literally feels like conversations with everyone involved), WOMEN WHO RUN THE SHOW is fun look back at Hollywood as well as an important document of how the ladies "stormed" the gates of tinsel town.

This should be essential reading for every woman with an interest in show business--or anyone curious about the way Hollywood works.

I wonder if Mollie Gregory knew what she was going to reveal when she first started research for this book. It's an amazing book -- the journey taken by a group of courageous, talented women who didn't realize they were actually making history.

Absolutely terrific!

Mollie Gregory's newest book is a terrific history of recent Hollywood, as well as a biography of many courageous women. It is also much, much more. It is a great read, written with the ease of a novelist and the detailed facts of a top journalist. It contains many cautionary tales about the 'biz' plus it is a great how-to manual for anyone who wants a career in the entertainment field. If you were part of Hollywood in the 70s, 80s, or 90s, as I was, the stories will resonate, validate and entertain. If you're new in town --or want to be -- this book should be required reading. You will find it a fascinating peak at the real Hollywood. Enjoy!

A great history of show business and of the women who broke down the barricades. It reads like a novel. It's a must for anyone interested in Hollywood or the women's movement.

"When I started reading this book, I was amazed how controversial it was. I had no idea what women went through on the job in the 1970s through the 1990s, the period this book covers! I sent a copy to my mom in Chicago. She is 84 and has been in business all her life. She just called and told me that she has two of her friends over every afternoon, they pass the book around and read sections of it aloud, and laugh their heads off. She says that this book should be given to every retired woman because the women in this book are talking about what my mom and a million other senior women went through, too. What a great Christmas gift this book will be! (To the book editors of the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and L A Times--Wake up!)
Dave Henson, Chairman, International Foundation of Education and Performing Arts.

I've played World of Warcraft for a couple of years, so anyting having to do with the game, I usually buy. I like this calendar, for the art work, but, the pictures are not labled. As in, what boss, where the screen shot was taken, what instance, alliance, horde. Nice to have all the moon phases in it, and also stickers came with it, for labeling birthdays, and such. If it is offered next year, I will buy it. 4 stars for not labeling the pictures.

i am a big fan of warcraft and i got the calender last year and so i bought this one too and it is great i will buy the next one when it come's out next year.

Artwork looks pretty good and the raid calendar helps those who do a lot of PvE.

I got one of these for my kids and my daughters boyfriend, they are all diehard wow players and it was great! They loved it. It came quickly and in good shape.

It's a calendar; not much more to say. Although I am getting tired of the "16 month" calendars that are really 12 months with the other 4 months on one little page. It's false advertising in my opinion.

Other than that the artwork on this calendar is very good. The stickers are updated to have EOTS and Karazhan for marking as well as some of the old time Raids such as MC even though that is only a 25 man now if that. (It can be 15 manned but we're getting off track here.)

Other than that; it's a Calendar, what more is there to say?

I find myself opening this book up over and over again . I have learned alot from the writer of this book . I would tell anyone who is going to make a documentary , they should have this book on there desk.

There is little in written text that summarise the worth of this book. I was so moved by its detailed and incisive content and direction that I sold my kids to afford the time and space, the peace required to absorb the rivetting content.
As I sat at my video production terminal I realised that the nirvana of books on docudrama had been produced. This is the sort of book that makes you go and get the authors name tattooed on your butt.
Buy , buy , buy ..

This book is a masterful resource for any filmmaker regardless of their expertise.

No one has come close in their summation of the documentary process. It is 2001, the book was released in 1996, it is timeless. The best book on the market, a better book could only be devised by the author.

Four years of preperation in one book. Every student, professional filmmaker, enthusiast should have it. I have even allowed persons/subjects whom I was documenting to read this book. It made the process that much easier. They were extremely thankful. PURCHASE THE BOOK.

Even while reading this book I was able to pitch an idea for an event and documentary project, my first, and gain acceptance for the project. The concepts are helpful as well as practical.
I read a lot of books once I am interested in a subject and I would place this one at the top for documentaries.

In starting something new, the potential making missteps that can derail the whole process is always present. This book helps you avoid those and has advice on how you can develop a quality product that people will want to see. Very worthwhile.