Industry Books

I found this book to be an excellent guide when it comes to describing the entrepreneurial process as well as how to start up a business. Not only does it cover the theorectical sections of this vast subject, it also provides guidance on how to go about getting funding, encouraging creativity and innovation within a firm etc. It details the stages of a business and has a number of case studies. A great book!

This book played a significant role in shaping a business plan that attracted institutional investment for a technology start-up I co-founded in Brazil. Great book.

This book has really helped me in class. It ties into all of the other books we use and all of the discussion in class. The book is actually interesting and easy to read unlike other textbooks!

This book is phenominal. While it is an academic textbook, it really hits home to the real world. The business plan section is extremely useful and the real life company examples and case studies are quite interesting and insightful.

Dr. Kuratko's book is positively OUTSTANDING and a MUST read for anyone who is even CONSIDERING starting his or her own business. Dr. Kuratko is considered by many to be the nation's foremost expert in the field of entrepreneurship and small business management. His book blends the structure of a course textbook with excellent real-life case examples. This is, without question, the finest book that I have ever read. I keep it by my nightstand!!!

Buy this one! You WON'T regret it!

Michael

This book was short but packed a heavy punch. It was a very help SHPR studying tool.

My professor recommended this book, for our Strategic Management class, and although is not a huge book it has just the right info you need.

Obviously this was written with the consumer in mind. Such a tiny book, but still packs the punch for stategy in management planning on all levels. Industry examples well written

Short book, but to the point. Easy to read. Good data summaries, good ideas applicable to the modern work world and management. Nice focus on assessment and creation of solutions for both non-profit and for-profit entities.

Business executives, like many professionals, are wary of all the garbage that poses as valid information. They need to cut through the noise to get the real meat, and they don't have a lot of time to wade through extraneous space-filling material that does not contribute to what they need to know.

The authors get right into content. They concisely but comprehensively, step-by-step, explain the strategic management process and techniques. No wasted time here. While based on rigorous research, the writing is succinct and thus making it a useful book for the busy executive who needs a comprehensive, useful and practical textbook to guide him/her in strategic decision making. It's a good business approach.

Fascinating book that delves deeply into how that hamburger, potato chip or cookie made its way into your home and stomach. These are things most of us have wondered about, but never really knew or cared why. A section of the book is dedicated to how that cookie or barbeque sauce got its flavor in a labratory and helps explain those long list of weird ingredients we never really understood or wanted to know about. That is all there really is to say about this book. If you want to know where all those items on your supermarket shelf and fast food restaraunts came from, read it. If you have any sort of conscience and would rather not know and enjoy the foods you eat, run away. If you are one of the many overweight Americans, this might give you some insight as to why your diet is a problem. This was made into a movie, that summarized the book, but left out tons of things as most movies do. Watching the movie would give you a very basic idea of what to expect.

While this paragraph does not cover the book review a real lot, I want to pass on how it has changed my life; I was overweight due to fast foods, crappy snacks, soda and inactivity. I thought drinking Vitamin Water was healthy. I dont know if could eat fast food anymore knowing the suffering that went into a 1 dollar hamburger. Ok, I might on a rare occasion, but the book even mentions that these fast food restaurants are really designed for a 1-2 times a week visit from the executives of these companies. For 2 weeks now I went to mostly organic foods, fruit and vegetables, water and less bread. I have had filet mignon and meatloaf 1 time each. Its not hard with a little effort. I exercised with a treadmill and video. I lost 10 pounds from 203 to 193 at 5' 10" and 43 years old.

I would like to thank the author for changing my life, which was no easy feat to accomplish.

A modern-day "The Jungle", this book is powerful enough to change the eating habits of even the most indifferent consumer. The expose on the USDA and FDA is particularly chilling.

This book describes the growth of the fast food / burger industry in America, and the consequences from fast food's popularity. The author covers labor practices (and malpractices) in the cattle growing and food processing industries, food regulation, dietary effects, and health hazards like E.Coli and mad cow.

The book is very well written, in my opinion. I found the opening stories about Cheyenne Mountain and the rise of the burger industry in California fascinating. Some of the personal stories of illegal immigrants in the food processing industry were also interesting, although I feel the author emphasized them too much. I personally was more interested in the larger history and practices of the industry and when the personal effects for me as a consumer could be. That was also covered - I just wish some other parts had been shorter.

The book is not indiscriminate leftist McDonalds bashing -- in fact, at the end the author acknowledges some industry-changing positive steps McD has taken to insure better beef quality, and even goes on to praise In-N-Out Burger, my favorite burger chain in California :)

Very good reading, you will not regret buying or borrowing it.

After years of hearing about it from my mother I'm finally read this books. I'm glad I did but it wasn't perfect. The second half about the common practices of meat produces both in and out of the slaughterhouses was good and something everyone should read. The first half however I had a hard time getting through. I didn't find the part on the beginning/growth interesting, nor did I enjoy the discussion of the sociological and economic effects of the fast food industry. He just spend way too long whining about how big companies are killing off the "American farmer" relying almost entirely on the 'this is how it used to be so it's best' argument. The book breaks down into two parts; skip the first half but the second is a must read for everyone.

I know kids that buy Taco Bell for lunch religiously at school, or domino's pizza; I was never fortunate enough to spend a $4 on lunch everday and came with packed carrots and a turkey sandwich. After reading Fast Food Nation I am so thankful that I am even limited to eating fast food on a rare weekend.I agree that it is very convenient for fast paced lives but Schlosser has released what people sacrifice for their bodies for their own convenience. I look back in disgust at the Hot Lunches I begged my parents for in school; us kids would complain that the fried chicken was sometimes purple or awkwardly brown; and now because of Schlosser's book I relize that its just not apparent in a bad kitchen staff. Fast Food Nation provides the trueth about what we put into our bodies and honestly is trying to help America not be the number one country with people with weight issues and Burger King, McDonalds or Taco Bell within every neighborhood. In addition, I've always loved $.89 tacos or buritto supremes at Taco Bell... but I've now decided to change my diet and stick to my own prepared food...or my mothers will be much much better for me and my body. I know kids that buy Taco Bell for lunch religiously at school, or domino's pizza; I was never fortunate enough to spend a $4 on lunch everday and came with packed carrots and a PB and J. After reading Fast Food Nation I am so thankful that I am even limited to eating fast food on a rare weekend, and I agree that it is very convenient for fast paced lives but Schlosser has released what people sacrifice for their bodies for their own convenience. I look back in disgust at the Hot Lunches I begged my parents for in school, we would complain to the school that the fried chicken was sometimes purple or awkwardly brown; and now because of Schlosser's book I am changing my diet and sticking to my own prepared food...or my mothers. Fast Food Nation made me question where and how my hamberger meat traveled from its producer- why would I want to eat something when I dont know what it ate or how it was handled.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the culture around organic food. The writing is lucid, clear and the result is an easy read that's hard to put down. The book is worth the photographs alone, but Michael takes the reader on a worthwhile journey across North America, explaining the people and reasons why organic food is such a passion for a growing part of our society. His writing style results in vivid images of people and places and an understanding of why organic food is much more than just a yuppie phase. His passion for food, taste, farming and the quality associated with doing it right is infectious. And if that isn't enough, scattered throughout the book are recipes reflecting the different cultures of the people being profiled. This book is outstanding and the author is obviously a gifted writer / photographer. Would make a great gift for anyone even remotely interested in food, gardening or farming.

This superbly written book, with its poetic descriptions and fascinating stories of the different farmers the author visited and interviewed throughout the country, had me dreaming about owning my own organic farm one day! Also, the wonderful recipes are definately a plus! What a wonderful read!

Writing this book from an organic farmer's point of view, Ableman gives one a sense of respect for the earth, the intricacies involved in its cultivation, the many different varieties of fruits and vegetables that exist and can be grown on small organic farms (as compared to conventional/commercial growers who use very few varieties), and the tender care involved by these family farmers.

One learns about the different herbal concoctions that some of these farmers use to feed their crops, comparable to the attention given when feeding a child. The nutrients in these soils are uncomparable to the conventional corporate farming, and organic farms do not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. One can taste the difference in the organic produce. They are bursting with flavor.

One learns about sustainability and organic farming, about the many flavors, the exotic colors, and how the different animals cohabitate with the farmers, so that nothing is wasted. I particularly liked the descriptions of the sections on the
melons that emitted intoxicating musky smells, and blackberries that were so irresistible, the author went and gorged himself eating them in the patch. Yumm! We went and bought organic blackberries after reading that section!

One also learns that eating is an intimate relationship, and establishing a relationship with the local farmers in our communities is a wonderful way to learn where our food is coming from. These great farmers are feeding us, and what better way to eat food, then to establish a relationship with the persons who are growing it for us. One way to do that is visit a local farmer's market and sign up with a local farm that is a member of CSA (community shared agriculture). We did, and we love it!

Also, eating seasonal foods is a new concept for me. We're so used to finding any fruit and vegetable in any season in the supermarket, that the idea of something not being available at a given time is foreign to us. But once we start asking - where did these fruits and vegetables come from - and we see Brazil, or Argentina, etc. then things start changing in our minds. The transportation, the distance, the regulations... Hmmm. Canning and freezing fruits and vegetables when in season has become a pleasant option.

After reading this book, I'm also keen on working on my garden with my family next summer, of watching the different vegetables grow, and of tasting the fruits of my labor. I can't wait!

I recommend this highly to everyone!!

The book's gorgeous photography and sensitive appreciation of farming life make it a real winner for anyone with an interest in regional food, its proponents, and the beauty of small-scale agriculture.

American agriculture is being re-created and re-defined by farmers and the people who grow our food, and Michael Ableman's journey to different farms blends a memoir of a farmer and photographer with a travelogue of his survey of others who are making a difference in the food world from across America. The different visions and experiences of farmers blend with discussions of politics, growing, and even with recipes for using fresh produce, making Fields Of Plenty an abundant gathering of crop wisdom and agricultural insights. Scholarly enough for college-level collections on agricultural studies yet accessible enough for public library holdings, Field Of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey In Search Of Real Food And The People Who Grow It is an excellent pick.

I love the text of this book, go ahead and buy it, I think it should be said that this book suffers from its format. The extra heavy pages and stiff hard binding are like those in a coffee table book and would be well deserved, if the publisher had included more photographs. As it stands, there is a scant one photo per farm profile, far too few in my opinion, especially having been visually tantilized by Ableman's beautiful descriptions. This leaves one mostly text, valuable and well written and worthy of your attention, in a book that is physically difficult to handle and read. I am hoping that publishers will read this review and remedy the problem in subsequent editions. Either add more "art" to justify the art quality of the book, or else make the book easier to curl-up with and read. I know folks who have put down the book, and not picked it up again, although they were enjoying it, and I believe that the book's physical attributes are to blame.

As I have watched the news on TV or read about it in the morning papers I have often felt that you really have no idea what's going on behind the fancy hair-dos and the giggling laughter. It's only when you read the books some years later that you begin to understand what really went on.

I had presumed that this was a fairly recent phenomena -- I was clearly wrong.

This book shows that it existed at least as far back as the Civil War. In reading news stories from both northern and southern papers you sometimes have to wonder if the two papers are talking about the same events. It is further interesting in that in most conflicts we don't have access to both sides. What, for instance, were the North Vietnamese papers saying?

An absolutely fascinating book. I'd recommend that anyone thinking of journalism as a career read it. But that probably wouldn't do any good, you'd have to get their managers to read it and they only think about ratings, i.e. 'if it bleeds it leads.'

But the world has changed. I think I'll go see what al Jazeera is saying today.

This book is both beautifully written and illustrated, with a fascinating selection of newspaper articles linked elegantly by Coopersmith's crisp and informative prose.

I was really impressed with this book. I think it will appeal to a broad range of people; those with general curiosity about war, and those "history buffs" who want to delve even deeper into fascinating documents they probably have never seen before. Not only are the illustrations interesting and unique, but they are beautifully presented. As a middle school teacher, I would encourage students to use Dr. Coopersmith's book as a resource mostly because it is timely, complete and compelling. Moreover, his coverage of both the Union and of Confederacy is thorough and accurate. An excellent book, indeed.

This book is indispensable for understanding the Civil War. Fortunately, it is also a joy to read. It helps demonstrate how battlefield and home front blended in the nation's most transformative conflict: what happened at home influenced what happened in the field and vice versa, and this book helps readers understand exactly how the two touched each other. Moreover, the book offers readers a glimpse of what it was like to live through the war. What would it be like to have a loved one in the Army and scan newspaper pages anxiously for any word of his regiment? What would it be like to be a soldier in camp, desperate to know what is going on outside the often chaotic confines of army life? More than any other, this book offers insight into those questions. It also helps show how the conflict changed over time. Students respond beautifully to the book. Scholars learn from it. General readers enjoy it. For any audience, this book is a real gem.

Andrew Coopersmith's Fighting Words is an eminent work of exquisite scholarship. The book is beautifully presented and a welcome addition to my personal library. I recommend it to the general reader for its unique approach to difficult subject. There are many books on the market which tell the story of the Civil War over and over again. They tend to look alike. This book is like no other in the field. The average reader will enjoy the read far more than he may have expected and will quite simply be amazed at the presentation and encouraged toward further reading and understanding of the conflict.

Serious students of the Civil War will find ample material for their own research. History Departments at all levels will find it an excellent text. My highest recommendation, however, is that every School of Journalism should incorporate Fighting Words as a prime text in the study of the impact of journalism on society. The NEWSEUM should look into a presentation of Fighting Words when it opens its new headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Richar Evans book provides very detailed guidelines for defining and buying depressed stocks. I rate it 5 stars because it provides actual strategies and methods that can be easily employed by the average investor. However, I want to clearly state at the beginning of this review that I do not recommend anyone actually use this book as an investment guide. Most people will lose money if they try to implement this book.

The first of three sections is an explanation of why this style of investing is profitable. The middle section is devoted to technical charting to identify the bottom of a falling stock. The third section is devoted to case studies.

I would not recommend this book to anybody I know personally, since there is a very real danger that a person will actually try to invest using this system, and will lose a great deal of money.

However, an investor with the desire to get above average returns, who has a proven ability to deal with stress of risky investments, can use the information in this book very profitably.

Who do I think can profit from this book? Anyone who has actually experienced losing over 30% of their portfolio, and were able to profit from the experience (either by buying more at the bottom when everybody else was trying to get out, or simply having the patience and character hold onto your stocks). So unless you have been invested during at least one major stock market crash, and profited (either financially, or learned a lesson about fear/greed/panic) I would definately not recommend this book. Ignore this warning at your own risk.

The title of this book is a bit misleading in that it mentions the words "hidden values" which are usually associated with fundamental analysis. In fact, this book advocates stock trading based on charts. Everybody knows that we should "buy low and sell high". But when is the price of a stock "low"? This book will give you an answer.

Very helpful in determining what, where, and when to buy stocks that have experience significant correction. Since the latest 2000 correction in the market, one would think that people will pay more attention to this type of thinking rather than simple momentum investing.

Excellent details, charts, graphs and explanations of how to chart the beginning of a turnaround for stocks that have been corrected or depressed.

I was not sure what to expect when I picked up the book, but for [the price] why not check it out. It was much better than anything I expected or have read in similar titles. The author gives the reader a solid foundation for entering and exiting low priced stocks. The book is filled with lots of good examples of the right time to buy beaten up stocks. The primary focus of his selection technique is technical analysis, although there is a fundamental bent thrown in. If you are thinking that there are bargins to be had after the past 2 years in the market, this is a title well worth checking out.

This is a very informative book. Evans' thesis is that low-priced and depressed stocks account for the major stock gains. In the first chapter he outlines the risks in buying these stocks and some precautions to take. The second chapter covers technical analysis, and the third chapter covers using the technicals to evaluate the charts of companies that have gone through major pullbacks, built bases, and seem ready to go up again. Chapters two and three are excellent, and really seem to be the book's center of gravity. However, later chapters go into numerous case studies which are very good teaching stories. The writing is accessible and clear, and should appeal to beginners as well as more advanced investors and traders.

Okay, each Christmas you try to think of what to buy people who don't need more stuff. But what can everyone always use? Food! I first bought this book for this reason and am buying the update again to find food finds for gifts. I have looked for lost childhood foods often as Christmas gifts from the perfect popcorn ball that is most like my great aunt LeGreta's to Lefse. In this book you can find old favorites and new taste tempters. I know I'm getting real old fashioned ribbon candy as one gift but what else is out there to try? I always end up getting food for myself too, after all, it's my childhood too. This is a great resource for the hard to buy for.

...that's the real charm of FOOD FINDS, which is a compendium of hokey, terrific, one-of-kind regional goodies. And they aren't budget-breakers, either, most of them. Information about ordering is right there, so why resist? So far, I've ordered the Trappestine Creamy Caramels and the Cherry Hut Sundae Sauce. Both were scrumptious. Next I'm going to order some of the cheeses mentioned in the book. Or maybe...date crystals?

Even if you never order a thing, FOOD FINDS is a grand read. Allison and Margaret Engel write like they are sitting across the kitchen table telling stories about people you'd love to know. I have given this book to five friends and family members, male and female, and keep it on hand as an "emergency", one-size-fits-all present. Everyone I've given it to has just raved about it. Salley Shannon

Extremely well written survey of various small out-of-the-way artisan specialty food manufacturers around the country. The coversational, yet concise writing style is a pleasure to read. The book is fun to just randomly skim through for ideas. There is a noble emphasis on preservative and additive-free products made with the simplest ingredients. A little historical information about the various purveyors adds human interest. Also, prices are given, which is a rarity in a guide like this. The book reflects considerable research effort on the part of the authors.

This is a great way, particularly if you live in a homogenous, urban area (like me), to get exposed to regional and individual foods from around the country. It includes pound cake bakeries, chocolates shops (i.e., a Dutch one in Des Moines), spice houses, and a lot more. There is so much in this book, you are bound to find a lot of things you'd be interested in trying. The only fault I think it has is that it is bound to become outdated quickly. I know that the Schazarad Bakery (one of the last bakeries to make phyllo dough by hand) is already out of business or is soon to be (unless someone has decided to buy it or carry it on). However, this is a minor fault and will most likely not effect most of the entries in the book.

Well categorized which makes it so easy to find -- from chili from Chugwater to cheese from Maytag -- this is one book to aid in finding good ingredients. Wish there was something like this for various major metro areas -- like where to find those tough to get items locally. However, what with the phone and web connections these days, its so quick to get them via ups and fedex. Hats off to the Engels for such a neat find for us food junkies.

This book had lots of good ideas for reasonably priced places to eat in NY. A few were already out of business though. It would have also been nice to have a map to more easily find the locations. Nice reviews though.

I was first introduced to Robert Sietsema's excellent taste in the Village Voice, when it featured the top 100 Italian restaurants in New York City.

Several amazing Italian experiences later, I knew I had to find more of his recommendations. When I stumbled across this guide, I felt as though I'd hit the jackpot. It features practically any cuisine you can think of, from Venezuelan to Tunisian with concise descriptions and suggestions of which entrees to order.

The best part of the guide is that the restaurants featured are generally priced below $20 per person, a godsend in one of the most expensive cities in the world! I immediately dined at a restaurant I'd found in the guide and was bowled over by the quality and amount of food I received for the amount I paid.

This is a must for any New Yorker who isn't afraid to experiment with different cuisines.

This leads a curious eater away from the formula and predictable eateries in Manhattan to inexpensive and delicious places in outlying neighborhoods. Highly recommended.

We have now tried many listings in this book, and were only disappointed on one occassion (even then the food was not bad... just not noteworthy). This book has pointed out many hole-in-the-walls we've been walking past for years, like Snack on Thompson, or Soul Fixin or 34th, that were just amazing. Even in areas where we thought we had favorites (like curry hill) the recommendations in this book topped them all (Chennia Garden). Its true there is some risk that some places might be out of business, especially in NY, but none of our attempts have found a closed shop. The only negative about this book for Manhattenites is that many listings are in the outter boroughs, but believe me, once you've experienced this book it will make you want to get on the subway.

While perhaps not as streamlined as some others like the Zagat Survey, this is my favorite restaurant guide of the five or six I own. Its priority is the same as mine: good and interesting food, rather than decor, service or even "star quality." Most of the selections are very affordable (for New York City), which helps.

In my area so far, I've tried two or three restaurants in three ethnic groupings. This guide has been accurate: the restaurant which the guide features in each group has been the best, and only in one case the most expensive.

My only complaint would be that browsing for a particular type of ethnic food isn't always fast. The groups are logical but not totally intuitive, so it may take a few minutes to locate Indian food in the "South Asian" section. It's all here, though, from any sub-category of Chinese to Uzbekistani.

Andy establishes his position as the preeminent authority of an endangered writing instrument. The chronological and authoritative description of every major manufacturer is interlaced with some of the most beautiful and actual size photography of pens you'll ever see.

This volume is a work of art and effort of a true aficionado, the most comprehensive history of pens you'll ever see is inside this book, the book will become just as coveted as your most treasured pen.

Beautiful heavy stock paper ensures this volume will endure in your collection for decades.

Andy Lambrou's reputation is well deserved, and this is the work of art from the master.

I have always admired Lambrou's book, 'Fountain Pens of the World', but could not justify the price -- after all the cost of this book could go towards another fountain pen -- I WAS WRONG!!

I wished I bought my copy years ago, it would have saved me so much money in buying pens that were not exactly the model that the seller described (going to a few markets/pen shows and especially on-line auctions).

The history of pens from around the world is well documented. The pen manufacturers are grouped in chapters by country.

Every pen is life size. More than 2,300 pens are shown and the color representation is great. Even a Parker Snake, Aztec, Swastika, Forget-me-not and many, many more I just dream about! Only gripe -- no price list, but Lambrou states that people can abuse the information as the price list is only valid at the time of print.

To date, I 've yet to see any other book as well put together's as this one.

Don't use false economy like I did. Buy this book as soon as you can -- it gives many, many happy hours of pen collecting and reading!

My love affair with fountain pens - particularly vintage fountain pens - entered a new stage the day that my copy of Lambrou's Fountain Pens of the World arrived. Covered with a gorgeous dust jacket, weighing in at several pounds and measuring 9" by 12.5", the book made an impression before the first page had even been turned.

This first impression, positive as it was, in no way prepared me for what I was to find inside: over four hundred pages with glorious color plates. Literally thousands of pens - mostly vintage - spectacularly photographed, and presented exactly life size. (Ever wonder whether your newly purchased vacumatic is a sub-deb, debutante, junior, slender, standard, major, oversized, or Maxima? Just lay it over the photographs in Lambrou's book!) Fascinating reproductions of vintage advertisements. Detailed histories - model by model - of all major manufacturers and many lesser-known ones, including Edward Todd, Triad, Diamond Point, Chilton, Stephens, Mentmore, Summit, Wyvern, Burnham, Soennecken, Osmia, Tropen, and so on and so forth, covering the U.S., the U.K., Germany France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Japan. The book is, plain and simple, a work of art and of incredible beauty. I could spend weeks just browsing its pages.

In retrospect, my biggest mistake in fountain pen collecting was to wait for several years before purchasing a copy of Lambrou's Fountain Pens of the World...

I have always admired Lambrou's book, 'Fountain Pens of the World', but could not justify the price -- after all the cost of this book could go towards another fountain pen -- I WAS WRONG!!

I wished I bought my copy years ago, it would have saved me so much money in buying pens that were not exactly the model that the seller described (going to a few markets/pen shows and especially on-line auctions).

The history of pens from around the world is well documented. The pen manufacturers are grouped in chapters by country.

Every pen is life size. More than 2,300 pens are shown and the color representation is great. Even a Parker Snake, Aztec, Swastika, Forget-me-not and many, many more I just dream about! Only gripe -- no price list, but Lambrou states that people can abuse the information and the price list is only valid at the time of print.

To date, I 've yet to see any other book as well put together's as this one.

Don't use false economy like I did. Buy this book as soon as you can -- it gives many, many happy hours of pen collecting and reading!

This is it. If you buy only one book on fountain pens, or if you are serious about fountain pen collecting, this is THE book to get. Unfortunately, it is Really expensive. Look around for a used copy using the usual suspects on the Web. The photos are great and the captions clearly identify each pen shown. Numerous non-US pen companies are written about and many pens are pictured here and nowhere else (in other standard pen ID books). Highly recommended.

Prof. Schatz does not suffer from the scholar's disease of academic-speak and writes a book that clearly demonstrates his expertise on the studio structure. Most books I have read extended the view of the outsider looking in at the star system and not the economics of the studios. "Genius of the System" chronicles the history of the studio's business, that is to say the economics and the people behind the economics.

If you want to read about the business structure of Hollywood during its beginnings, this is the book for you. I cannot recommend it enough.

An easy to read writer, Thomas Schatz details how the studio system worked from the silent era to its final collapse in the 1960s.

He illuminates both the art and the business of films, with keen analysis of how producers, directors and screenwriters created such fine art (and rich profits) -- especially the producers, who are more the authors of Hollywood films than any other group.

He convincingly portrays MGM's Irving Thalberg as a genius of art and commerce and MGM's Louis B. Mayer as a clod (except when dealing with difficult stars).

Schatz offers telling portraits of many others who did their best work under the constraints of the Hollywood system. He details the major studios' styles and how they evolved over the years. It's clear he has read file cabinets of documents, from endless -- but revealing -- memos to how much the stars made(!).

He also puts the film industry in social and cultural context; he even says the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1940s and 1950s were a disguised form of anti-semitism.

In the end, Schatz offers a convincing alternative to the auteur theory.

Thomas Schatz argues in this brilliantly detailed book that even more remarkable then the motion pictures Hollywood produced from the early 20's through about the end of the 40's, was the detailed process of how Hollywood was able to churn out these quality films on a routine basis.

Schatz does a remarkable job of diagraming the rise of the studio system in Hollywood. The book is remarkably easy to follow (compared to any of Andrew Sarris's works) and includes numerous photographs. He focuses most on the trials and tribulations of Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and MGM and their distinct, integrated studio styles (RKO is mentioned to a lesser extent as well).

Producers Irving Thalberg, David O. Selznick, Daryl Zanuck and director Alfred Hitchcock are featured prominently and rightfully so. Also, includes many of the behind the scene battles between studios and directors/producers.

There are some minor criticisms though. He almost completely ignores Paramount and Colombia Pictures. Paramount was as much a factory set-up as MGM and deserves more attention. And the decline of the studio system is sparse compared to the rise of. But aside from that, this book is an enjoyable read and recommend it to anyone who is fascinated with early Hollywood.

Schatz's book is well-rounded and nicely structured. It was a good decision on his part to take a round-robin focus on each studio instead of trying to mix them together, as some authors have. All of the studios had different ideas about what they wanted to achieve in their work, so this approach makes sense. Twentieth-Century Fox and Paramount were left out completely, but Schatz was clearly trying to choose one studio of each type of size and characteristic so as to keep control of the scope of the book.

I did find a glaring error--the finale to "Babes in Arms" was not the minstral number, but the song, "God's Country." In a book of this size, or of any size for that matter, errors will creep in, so it isn't the kiss of death. However, if the reader is familiar with MGM musicals, it may be a small turn-off.

Also, I wasn't satisfied with the epilogue. Instead of citing examples of the comeback of the studio system (LucasFilm, for instance), Schatz simply outlines the creative decline of Alfred Hitchcock. Huh.

Slight shortcomings aside, this book is very entertaining. I wish my film studies textbooks had been this interesting.

Film theorist Andre Bazin once wrote "The American cinema is a classical art, but why not then admire in it what is most admirable, i.e., not only the talent of this or that filmmaker, but the genius of the system." Quite simply author Thomas Schatz had done just that with this groundbreaking and wondrously entertaining history of the Hollywood studio era.

Up until its publication in 1988, film history had been defined by the "auteur" school of thinking where the director is the supreme artist who nurtured the art form. The studio executives- the money men- were relegated to the background and often depicted as crass capitalist who often hindered the creative process.

In Schatz's eyes, men like Carl Laemmle, Darryl F. Zanuck, David O. Selznick, Harry Warner, and Irving Thalberg were intuitive geniuses who understood the art of storytelling and were able to systematically deliver that art to the masses with drive and innovation. From the low rent beginnings of the Nickelodeon to steady decline of the studio system amid the dawn of Television, these men set standards that are sadly not met by today's faceless conglomerates. They all created "the movies" as we fondly perceive it and Schatz lets the creation of 20th century popular culture unfold with a finely turned narrative sweep.