Arts and Entertainment Books

This book had to have been an exercise in humility to write. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Phil Vischer after reading his story. My wife and I learned about the Veggie Tales in the late 90's after receiving a recommendation from some of our friends. We've been fans ever since and have 3 kids who have all grown up with Bob, Larry, and the Veggie crew. It's hard to believe so much was going on (good and bac) behind the scenes at Big Idea as we all laughed and sang along with the Veggies at home.

A great story about one man's Christian journey through the world of business and his growing relationship with God! As an entrepreneur in the early stages of several companies, the lessons taught are invaluable. As a Christian who is always dreaming, setting goals, and striving for worldly "success" this book has made me step back and re-evaluate my life and relationship with Him.

On business, Phil talks about the early stages in computer animation world in which he was a revolutionary. He teaches about money and cash flow in relation to running a company. He discusses leadership and his struggle to run a profitable "Christian" company in a secular world with non-believers all around. What's amazing to me that through it all, this is not a book that points blame anywhere but the on it's author. In fact, the names of anyone in which others might have placed blame are not ever mentioned!

On Christianity, it's inspirational to read a true story showing the Christian walk and struggle illustrated by Henry Blackaby in his devotional study Experiencing God. Blackaby writes, "If you start something and it does not seem to go well, consider carefully that God, on purpose, may not be authenticating what you told the people because it did not come from Him, but from your own head. You may have wanted to do something outstanding for God and forgot that God does not want that. He wants you to be available to Him, and more important, to be obedient to Him."

What a powerful book! A must read for Veggie Tales fans, Christians, and business people alike. Lessons to be learned by all.

I just got finished reading this and was totally blown away. I really appreciated his honesty and openness about what happened to Big Idea and this reaffirmed my feelings about the other so-called business books out there: it's easy to look like a genius when you study successful companies and draw contrasts, but the same methods don't work for every company.

Phil is a great storyteller, and I'm pleased to have been let into his world for a few hours.

This is a great book for everyone who wants to run out and do great things for God without stopping to ask what God actually wants. The only drawback in my opinion was the way "apologized" to the people he had hurt. If he would have just offered an unqualified apology it would have been great, but for some reason he felt the need to mention that he had been prompted to apologize and then follow it up with, "there, I've said it." But, part of the point is that we're all growing and learning, and I did see real humility in the way he's running his current business. No longer playing the same games as before. Very entertaining and insightful book.

I laughed and cried, but I learned as much from this as a management textbook. Very captivating, entertaining, but emotionally charged with what do we do when God allows our dreams come crashing down around us.

Raised as I was on Sesame Street, it took me several episodes before I realized, "Hey, there are no females here. Isn't this show about good role models?" (VeggieTales came out the same year CTW launched Zoe, Sesame Street's first popular female muppet, to great fanfare.)

But the Veggies were fun so I continued to watch, as Bob, Larry, Pa Grape, Junior Asparagus, Mr. Nezzer, Mr. Lunt, Jim and Jerry all got personalities and subtexts. Poor Little Laura remained a whiner. Junior's mom hardly gets to speak. And Esther? A one-note.

So I was interested: Did some executives force Vischer onto this lopsided stage, or did it just happen? And the answer is: he really is that way.

He says that when he and his now wife (wife of 16 years, no doubt happy) found they were expecting, she "had" to drop out of college in her freshman year. We are just supposed to accept that. As it takes longer than one school year to go through a pregnancy, he didn't mention any complications, and this was the '80s, not the fifties, I found that puzzling. He just as cavalierly dismisses her singing aspirations--again, this is the '80s.

Again and again, his theme is that "kids" and "families" need good examples. This is good. He condemns Madonna. Understandable. And it doesn't occur to him that some kids might be females who need good examples, and that families might include women. Interestingly, Vischer even quotes the Bible to explain creating Bob: (paraphrasing) The Cucumber came first, but he was alone, and that was not good. So I created a sidekick.

Wait a minute, didn't the original tale mean creating a ...?

There are many intentionally laugh out loud moments in this book, and some that I think occurred by accident. After working himself into a heart condition, he states that while his wife and in-laws played with the children, he went into his wife's childhood bedroom and started to sketch the Veggie Tales Theme Park. Shades of Harry Chapin, here.

I absolutely expected more about __valuing__ his wife and children. It would have been possible to do that without compromising privacy. But they barely get a mention.

But, to be fair, all that is puzzlement at the man. To review the book, I have to say it was well-written, humorous, and told a great deal about the writer and his philosophies. He is absolutely driven to create, and does so, despite odds. He gives as clear, and as beautifully written, an account of how CG changed the entertainment scene as I could ever hope to see.(Vischer covers so much material it would have been helpful to have had an index.)

He is true to his vision as long as he is able, and doesn't let failure tear his faith apart.

Much has already been said about the quality of the book. I personally find that the book is a due tribute. I also must say that I have not found something on Kubrick of comparable depth.

On the content side, I would have liked to see more info on the projects that were not realized, especially on "Napoleon". And I didn't find a lot of value on the CD, since it's a spoken track instead of some audiovisual material. Nevertheless, as I said before, I haven't been able to find anything comparable to this book on Kubrick. The written material is of excellent quality, as are the pictures and graphics.

I see that Taschen is issuing a new version for it's 25th anniversary. As I understand it, it will be out on Oct/2008.

In conclusion, I am the proud and happy owner of an excellent piece of work.

I have been a Kubrick fan since I was 7 and saw "Paths of Glory" - it was the only film I ever saw that I NEEDED to know who directed it, and, what other movies of his were out there. That was 30 years ago, and I still keep all his films seperate from anything else in my collection! This book is simply INCREDIBLE! Buy it if you can.....no true Kubrick fan should be without this......it is MIND BLOWING! A true work of art covering the work of a true artist. We will not see Stanley's talent and caliber in any other film maker, at least not in my lifetime. Bravo, Stanley!

If it wasn't for its hefty weight, the book is one of the items I'd take with me if my house was on fire - without hesitation. I can't even imagine how long it took for the Taschen team to assemble this incredible book; it tries to do justice to recollect Kubrick's body of work in the form of a portable archive. Seeing this book in person is an experience in itself. The conceptual design is simply impressive: details like the texture of the binding mimicking that of a real archive is a start.

A CD of a rare uncut interview with Stanley Kubrick included in the book is a real gem. The interview takes place during Kubrick's career in its earlier years, and it provides an insight of the director that no other text interview has been able to accomplish - precisely for the reason that you hear Kubrick's voice and his unfiltered opinions. Then, of course, you have a piece of 2001's film strip as an added bonus. It's just too much for a book! And I say that gratefully.

The first part of the book is filled with glossy stills of all the films made by Kubrick. It's nice, and glossy, but the real reason I purchased this book is for part two.

Part two, or "The Creative Process", is filled with a lot of archival materials for each of Kubrick's films - especially pre-production materials: production notes, correspondences, and etc. You learn a lot about how Kubrick prepares for his films by seeing just a tiny fraction (undoubtedly) of what he does before he actually goes into production - it is one of the reasons that explain the long intervals between the director's releases. In addition, the book has an extensive collection of interviews with the director from various sources. But it is little treasures like the former that make this book special.

If you are a serious fan of the master director that is Stanley Kubrick, this is the next thing to have in your possession after the DVDs. Taschen made a serious effort in paying homage to Kubrick's work as a book publisher, and they have succeeded. They could've made a lazy effort in disguise to simply profit off of Kubrick's name, but they didn't, and for that they have my respect.

Amazon now has this book available for pre-order for an October 1, 2008 release date, for $44.10 from a $70 retail cost. Look under 'The Stanley Kubrick Archives [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)'. I would like information on book dimensions as the first print run was on average 40 by 30cm.

Lucky me! I scored a copy of this and I have to say it is the best book on a film artist I've ever seen. The previous reviewers weren't kidding--this thing is huge! Too large and heavy to be read anywhere but on a large flat surface, but that's not a complaint, unless you're lugging it across an airport like I did.

A spectacular book that you'll refer to repeatedly. I pored over it for hours. The first half is devoted to an incredible array of pristine stills from each film. The second half is focused on every film with a plethora of on-set photos and interviews with cast & crew. The book is helpfully tabbed by film.

A stunning look into one of the greatest of all filmmakers. So well designed that my friends were awed by its beauty. And that 70MM film strip--holy cow! IMHO, it's worth the price for just for that.

Author Melissa Fay Greene, who is the adoptive mother of two Ethiopian children, relates the story of Haregewoin Teferra, an Ethiopian mother who becomes the foster mother for a multitude of AIDS orphans during the height of the pandemic. Greene truthfully tells the tale without painting Teferra as a "modern day Mother Teresa," but rather as a very real and human woman who is asked by clerics to take in one abandoned orphan after another. A grieving mother whose adult daughter died from AIDS, Teferra discovers that helping the children provides her with a means of overcoming her grief. The individual stories of these "lost children" who arrive on Teferra's doorstep are riveting, as is Greene's account of the assimilation of her adoptive children into her family. Accompanying photos show children shortly after they arrived in very bad shape at Treferra's compound and then later with adoptive American families.
Greene spares no one as she rails against the pharmaceutical companies that withheld AIDS medications from third-world countries at the height of the pandemic, causing the loss of a whole generation of parents. Despite having no drugs to help the children, hit-or-miss medical care, and scarce food for all, Teferra does her best to feed, clothe, house, and educate the orphans put in her care. Although one might think that this book is a "downer," it is a very uplifting page-turner that relates the indominable spirit of one Ethiopian woman and her many foster children.

Melissa Faye Green is an excellent writer. She is a true artist painting a vivid picture of scenes, and weaving historical, political and social aspects of the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is an incredibly powerful book. It is not easy to read due to the difficult emotional toll it can take on one, but I felt morally obligated to read it, so that I wasn't just shutting out the devastating misery suffered by so many millions. She portrays the human face of this awful disease with poignancy. It is an inspiring and human story of one woman's efforts to alleviate her own and others suffering. God bless Melissa for opening our eyes.

This was a wonderful book! Having myself been to Addis Ababa recently (July 07) with my daughter to pick up her adopted Ethiopian baby boy (4 months old), you can just imagine how this story of one woman's love for so many orphans resonated with me. The book is a quick read -- something interesting in every chapter. The author intertwined Haregewoin's up and down story with bits of Ethiopian history and the unwinding spread and theories of HIV-AIDs plus added her own experience with H. and the adoption her own Ethiopian children -- which made the reader come away with a true cultural experience. H. is truly a "Mother Theresa" figure and an inspiration to all women. Thank you, Melissa, for introducing us to her. I really enjoyed having the photos of many of the children and their adoptive families to relate to. I will be sure that my daughter reads this book and I have suggested it to my book club in Boulder, CO which will read it in the fall. -- Gayle Weiss

I found the book There Is No Me Without You throughly enjoyable. I learned so much about the AIDS/HIV epedemic in Africa, how it's spread, the devastation of many African countries, the deplorable track record of the major drug companies in denying access of proven AIDS/HIV drugs, and the terrible tragedy of the millions of orphans now without parents. I also appreciated being able to follow the life of one woman who made a difference and how it came to be the Ethiopian orphans are now being adopted around the world. This book touched me personally. Just before Christmas our daughter and son-in-law traveled to Ethiopia and adopted two babies. These two precious children are deeply loved by their new parents, their three older siblings, and us--their grandparents.

I like what the story is about, however the book has so much detail it is hard to get through the first chapters.

Anyone who saw "Junior Bonner", and was entranced by Barbara Leigh's performance as Charmagne, cannot help but find this partial autobiography absorbing and rewarding reading. Similarly, anyone who saw and enjoyed the best of Elvis and Steve McQueen will be immediately attracted.

This book is written from the heart; it is devoid of both the taint of the popular media and casual hype. The style is almost conversational, as the writer follows different related paths in recounting her various adventures with the three titular protagonists. From her tough childhood to the loss of her son, and the failure of her marriages, you cannot help but respond; if you can keep that lump out of your throat you are a better man than I, Gunga Din.

It provides new insights into the worlds of movie-making and top-class entertainment; legendary director Sam Peckinpah needed a lot of convincing that Barbara was right for the role of Charmagne, and treated her abysmally , whilst Elvis' treatment of his lady friends and his entourage will no doubt surprise many of his fans.

As a London-based Francophile, I would have been interested to hear more of her life in Paris with Roger Vadim, and in London with her husband, but these were all incidental to the title of the book.

But be warned - this is no kiss-and-tell lurid account of an aspiring actress/model's encounters with three of America's successful men. As I said earlier, it is a candid review of part of Barbara's life which will provoke a response in the heart and spirit of any reader. I want to read it again, but my eldest daughter, a devoted Elvis fan, decided she wanted to read it first. OK, I can wait.

Thank you, Barbara Leigh, for sharing your experiences with us.

I recently finished Barbara Leigh's book The King, Mcqueen and the Love Machine. As an enthusiastic fan of Elvis and Mcqueen, her book was utterly fascinating.

There are rare, vivid insights into how Elvis lived in Vegas in the early 70s...how he demanded a very regimented world of nightly shows, post-show dressing room audiences with worshipers, late night parties back in his suite with the Memphis Mafia, a bevy of beauties, and one special girl each night ...who he took behind closed doors at the end of the night.

You'll enjoy a strange, enticing glance behind those bedroom doors: how he was a child, a rock star, a manipulator, a gentleman, an addict, a friend, and a deeply talented but utterly-flawed human. How obtusely insecure he was...and how he couldn't be left alone...insisting his woman sit next to him until he went to bed. How he doled out pills. And shower her with gifts.

Mcqueen meets Barbara at a casting and later lands her a part in his film Junior Bonner, where they begin an affair under the Arizona sky and the disdain of Martin Ritt. Mcqueenloves her in many ways (asking her to move in with him as his marriage to Neil collapsed), and again, Barbara sincerely tells it how it was with a "supe". While Elvis insisted on dresses, Mcqueen chugged brews and loved her in blue jeans. He was raw, and unpolished...but always running from his childhood of abandonment and poverty. Barbara even played a captivating role as messenger between Ali Mcgraw and Mcqueen, until she no longer wanted part of the deception.

There are thrilling moments in LA bars, Palm Springs, New York, on commercial shoots, in France, Mexico at Sinatra's...and much much more.

Also fascinating...all three men knew of each others involvement with Barbara, and were drawn to her, not only because she was stunningly beautiful, but because she was honest with them...and had her choice of the cream of the A-listers. They saw her as a sincere friend, who wouldn't settle down. She was in ways, like they were...living larger than life.

The photos of Barbara illustrate why these men were so captivated by her...she was the embodiment of raven-haired, flower-child beauty. Couple that with her sincerity and hunger for adventure and she was the angel so many men create in their mind.

Finally, Barbara saw all three men once more, near the ends of their lives. Each of these men had fallen tragically towards the end...hard for us to imagine since they are forever burned in our minds as legends. Nonetheless, this book offers unique insights into their outlooks near the end.

I highly recommend this fresh and revealing look at some of the greatest stars. Honest. Romantic. Sexy. Sad. it's all in here.

And her new 2008 audio biography is just as amazing with real people playing the parts. Check it out here on amazon!!!

If anyone ever lived a fast-paced and adventurous lifestyle it was Barbara Leigh during the 1970's. Her story is unique, one-of-a-kind and will never be duplicated. I wanted to read her book because I was always a big fan of Steve McQueen, and on that score, her chapters on Steve are informative, exciting and moving. Although these men are some of the most charismatic and powerful people of their time, it is Barbara Leigh who leaves the most lasting impression. Fame and fortune cannot compete with her kindess, inner-beauty and loving nature. Her story is well-told and is a real "page turner".

As a die-hard Elvis fan for the last 40 years, I bought Barbara's book solely to read about her relationship with him. But I was quickly captured with her entire life story, from her first recollections of her traumatic childhood, to the death of her beloved son, through her overcoming spirit of today.

I easily have 30+ books on Elvis and without a doubt, this is in the top two or three. I was riveted by her memories of Elvis and her relationship with him. Barbara was blessed to know him and she often speaks of what a good heart he had. She writes about Elvis with love, loyalty and admiration. At the same time, she does not sugar-coat the drug use, mood swings and other human frailties.

Beyond her physical beauty, one can readily see why Elvis was attracted to Barbara. One comes away with the clear sense that she is a loving, kind and nurturing person. The fact that Elvis kept in touch with her through the years is a testament to that fact. There are undoubtedly only a handful of women in his life who can make that statement.

As the title of my review states, I bought this book because of Elvis but ended up loving the entire story. I invite all Elvis fans to do likewise. Barbara writes with candor, emotion and detail, the good and the bad, the bitter and the sweet. But she is never bitter. I felt as if I were right there with her through her entire story.

As the other reviewers noted, this book focuses on a few years in Barbara's life in the 1970's when she was a young Hollywood starlet making movies with actors such as Rock Hudson, Steve McQueen, and Tom Selleck. and modeling for all the big companies. She tells of her fast-paced work and romantic life involving some of the most powerful men in the entertainment business: Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and Jim Aubrey.

While she shared with the public a side of all three men that was unique to the public hungry for personal information about celebrities, she did so in a way that I found to be respectful and loving to these men, without intent to trash their memories. I came away with the feeling that she still cherishes each one and her time with them. I'd bet she's a classy lady.

I remembered watching Barbara in movies in the early '70's simply because of her stunning beauty. I was happy to read her book and learn more about her and her life. There were some beautiful photos of her in this book, and I'd love to see a book published of nothing but photos of her, in larger sizes. (For the record, don't take this wrong--I like men!!)

When I started reading this book I could hardly put it down. It was well-written, as well has having interesting subject material. I highly recommend it, even if you don't generally read books of this type.

Very good book if you don't have the DVD. Fills in many details not in the film. A must have for Bass Players.

I'm one of those Bass Players who discovered James Jamerson late in my bass playing life. Any young (or old) aspiring bassist should have this book. The 2 cd's that come with it are worth the price alone. Some of the greatest bass players on earth (McCartney, Entwhistele, Pallidino,Bob Babbit,Chuck Rainey..) paying homage to Jamerson and playing some of his famous bass lines. The great thing about it is that when played through headphones you get the bass in one ear and the rest of the mix in the other. I have actually listened to just the bass mix multiple times and marvelled at the Bass Lines. A must for any young Bass Player.

The book has some great stories and pictures and compliments the CD greatly.

I've always been a fan of Motown but of the singers, now I'm starting to realize I shouldn't give the singers all the credit, it was the producers, songwriters, and musicians who made the artists become hits. If it wasn't for the unique, special Funk Brothers who knows if the Motown artists would have become as successful as they did. It doesn't matter how good of a singer a singer is, if the music ain't right, the singer ain't gonna sound good. Its that something special about the Motown Sound that sparks something in our minds, hearts, and souls, the music complimented the singers excellently. James Jamerson was just a handsome, wonderful, real, interesting, talented person. Its sad he had to get recognition after he passed on. It seems the only way to become a legend is to die first then people appreciate you more, well this book taught me to love and praise people while their alive that's what keeps them going. All James wanted in his last days was recognition and to know he did make a difference in the world of music. This book taught me to appreciate the musicians, songwriters, and producers, the people behind the scenes, who made it possible for the music to become timeless, sometimes we give the singers too much credit.

It was interesting for me to read most of the Funk Brothers didn't even like Rock N Roll or Soul music, they were really jazz fans and wanted to play jazz, so it shows how gifted they were to still play soul music effectively even though it wasn't their cup of tea. Another reason why Motown sound is so appealing and fresh is because the Funk Brothers laced different genres of music into the soul music and tried new things with the music creating the Motown Sound, a sound in its own class.

My husband is love with this bass gautairist, and love this book and DVD combo.

James Jamerson is one of the top bassist of all time and this book will give bassist some insight to his genius. I never learned to read music, but I was born with an exception ear! I remember a long time ago, going for a job in a pit orchestra. The musical director was not all that impressed with my playing on the first day, because I didn't read music and I kind of fumbled through the rehearsal. I went home that night and learned the entire show from a tape. On the next rehearsal, when we started to play the opening number, the conductor stopped in the middle of the song, looked at me and said...."Turn up the bass!" ..this made me very happy, as I always felt a little inferior not being able to read :-)

The book covers Jamerson's story and shows many of his classic bass lines for those of you who do read. It's no walk in the park, but it's time well spent and will take your playing to another level.

The book comes with 2 CDs full of Jamerson's bass lines and many top bassist playing their favorite Jamerson tunes. It's all very interesting for musicians and non musicians alike and well worth the price! I never knew how much this guy influenced my playing until I really sat down and listened to him! What a great talent!

This was an awesome book that any Friends lover would love to have in their collection. I loved reading every bit of it and had it read in a few days if that long. Very interesting stuff in there. We have all 10 seasons and watch them quite often. We will never get sick of watching, learning about or hearing about our FRIENDS!!!

This is perfect for any Friends fan. It has interviews, photos, episode guides, summaries, biographies, trivia, and so much more. This book is amazing. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it because it is just so great. The design is fun, the words are inspiring, and it is all just truly nostalgic. If you really love Friends, then you need this book!

I bought this as a gift for my sister for Christmas...she is OBESSED with the Friends show. The book had tons of great pictures, intervies, and information. I loved the picture on the front cover...all of the Friends stars look so beautiful! Then, on the back cover, it is amusing to see a completely opposite picture, all of hte Friends stars from one of the earlier seasons dressed very casually painting grafitti on a wall :-)

Any Friends fan will find something of interest in this book!

Everybody loves Friends should have this book. It's official book that every Friends should have...

In here you can find pictures, episode guide, cast exits, and others...
It just a really great book...

If you don't have it, don't say yourself as FRIENDS fans..... :-)

I like the Series even more after i lookes into the Book and read it.
Lots of Pictures and Information.
A friend who i purchased the book as Present also looks the Series again with the book in the hands and find always new things, that i never realized before (and he saw friends over 8 times!)

recommendable.

What an entertaining book! I'm half-way through it and enjoying every minute. You get a real sense of the various personalities that made up the Ramones roster, which changed over the years. Johnny - the hard-on; Dee Dee - the Crazy; Joey - the freak; Tommy - the oppressed; and Marky - the over the top alcoholic. I personally love the oral history format. Johnny, Joey, Tommy, Marky, Ritchie and Monte, their tour manager, all contribute their stories. For some reason, Dee Dee doesn't personally contribute but he comes through vibrantly in the stories of his band mates.

I'm not a fanatical fan, but after seeing the Ramones documentary: End of the Century - The Story of the Ramones, I knew I had to read this book. The only down side is realizing that the three core band members - Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee - all failed to see age 50.

The Ramones' popularity keeps growing--it's a shame that Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny didn't live to enjoy it. As a result of their popularity, so many--TOO MANY--Ramones books have been written and it seems like a new one comes out every month. If you are a die-hard Ramones fan, this is the ONLY book you need. Monte was with them from the beginning to the end and was partly responsible for making them the best touring band ever. He tells it like it was, and it is a fascinating read. Buy the book!

This is the best book on The Ramones, period. I absolutely loved it!! The pictures are so cool and the stories are even better. I recommend this book to anyone who loves The Ramones. Great purchase.

This book is a GREAT read for any Ramones fan, but it was very heartbreaking in the end to see how "the remaining band members" treated Joey at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. I only wish Joey's mom and brother would have stepped up on stage to accept that award for Joey. He indeed was the most kind hearted soul and he deserved more recognition then what he got that night. May he rest in peace.

The more I read and learn about Johnny, the more complicated and intriguing I find him. It could be easy to dismiss him as a jerk but then something like the "milk and cookies every night" story comes up and endears him to you.

I learned so much about all of my favorite artists in this book. This book is tastefull done (unlike Building a Mystery by Judith Fitzgerald). The author actually talked to the artist and got their perspectives on many different topics and the meanings behind their songs, which makes this book true and somewhat autobiographical. It is good to see a book also where the artists are not portrayed as glamorous. These black and white photos seem the bring the artists back down to the same level that the reader is working on. It is a really nice book and an interesting read.

Well, I am going to read the book, if I ever get a credit-card...which hopefully there's another option..( or I'll be broke before I get paid....) Anyhow, I'm sure this book is well worth reading..TO me anything by any of these great artist(s) who have inspired me in my darkest hours of frustration.. I will never give up the God given gift(s) thanks to you all!!!! (And hopefully we'll all Jam before New Year's Eve!!!!!) -C

com) from Atlanta, Georgia November 14, 1998 Dear Emma and Marc, Solo is awesome, the images and narrative are both soulful and powerful. As a practicing artist I'm attracted to the imagery in your book. The photographs have a cinematic quality to them, in particular the series of photo's of Holly Palmer. When I look at the images in your book I feel spirit and emotion of the people represented through your imagery. Examples of what I'm referring to are images of Lucinda Williams (pg 290 and 300), Sheryl Crow (pg 273), Roseanne Cash (pg 246), Jewel (pg 224), Shawn Colvin (pg 39), and Sarah (pg 18)... I like the way the narrative and art work weave together like a quilt, your images make me feel good. More on Solo later... Peace, Love, and Understanding, Freddy Ciminelli

This is the finest example of what beautiful photography and amazing storise can do for your soul. This book should be read by every woman in America at every age. The stories are personal, enlightening and truly amazing! There is so much to learn from SOLO... I return to it daily.

The night I bought this book I sat down and finished the whole thing. I bought this book because I was a huge fan of Sarah McLachlan and Shawn Colvin, Jewel and Cheryl Crow, but I learned so much more from the other singers too. Sarah's interview struck me as the most down to earth, but every interview was intriguing and I just couldn't put it down. Some of the artists I had never even listened to like Ani Difranco but then next day I borrowed a friends CD and I have to say thanks to this book my CD collection has gotten a lot larger! Thank you Emma and Mark! The only bad thing about this book is......it ended! (and Tori Amos wasn't in the book, but was mentioned by Sarah McLachlan! =)So that was fine by me!!!)

This book is about a relationship between two friends. I often give this book to friends who have lost a parent. In this world where so few people encourage and lift each other up, are able to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, this book is an excellent example of how to do just that! "I'm Proud of You" is one of my favorite books. I would highly recommend it and preferred it so much more than "Tuesdays with Morie"(spelling?)since the story seemed so much more heartfelt.

This book made both my wife and I cry at times as it covered the sensitive topic of a son's relationship with his father and a man's relationship with a mentor. This is a must read for all father's, son's, and mentors.

I like all of Tim Madigan's writings, for he reveals his heart. I felt 'I'm Proud of You' showed the time a busy person took to share his love and concern with others. Mr. Rogers never stopped sharing, never spoke of himself even when he was terminally ill. Mr. Rogers did not brush off someone with troubles, Tim described as the 'furies', claiming he did not have time; expertise or knowledge, but shared himself. I thought the book was very well written.
It came in a few days after being ordered and in good condition.

I had no appreciation for Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) until I read this book.
He is an incredible human being.
And this book carries along that incredibleness so people like us who have never met the man can learn and bask in his example of perfect friendship.
Truly an inspiration.

I'm Proud of You was a great read. It is the story of one man's personal journey of pain and self discovery and also of his precious friendship with Fred Rogers. It was a treat to read of "Mr Rogers" and the personal integrity and selflessness he had. Definately recommend it.

It's about time a book was written on Larry Fine. Without a doubt the "glue" of the Three Stooges, and possibly my favorite stooge, he finally gets his story in print. I enjoyed the book and was surprised at facts that I didn't know about the Three Stooges, and I know a lot.

I highly recommend this book.

This book does an absolutely marvelous job at delving into the life of Larry Fine, finally going beyond old urban myths, stereotypes, and the general perception that he was just the Stooge in the middle, some guy who got lucky but who wasn't as accomplished or funny as his partners. His character truly comes to life in this book, starting in his childhood days in Philadelphia, going to his early days in vaudeville with his future wife Mabel and her sister Loretta, to his 25 years of making shorts at Columbia, to the unexpected revival and mass popularity the Stooges received in the late Fifties and through the Sixties (when unfortunately they had to seriously tone down their trademark violent antics to please the parents of the children they were being almost exclusively marketed to), and finally to Larry's final years in the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, after he'd had a stroke. Though some sections of the book do read like a standard bio of the Stooges, only with the emphasis on Larry, the majority of the book goes so much deeper. There are so many stories that have never been written about before or which most people don't know about, such as Larry's deep love of his wife Mabel, a woman whom he continued to adore and stick by even through her alcoholism in her later years, his love of his children Phyllis and Johnny, the story of how he met a little blind boy backstage after a show in the Sixties and got really choked up by the encounter, his relationship with his hairdresser and her husband in his final years, how he found out Shemp had passed away, his relationships with the other Stooges, and even the point of view that Ted Healy, the Stooges' founder and original straightman, might not have been murdered at all but died from other causes and only coincidentally happened to die shortly after receiving a brutal beating. There are also lots of great pictures and mementos, some of them very personal and touching, such as Larry's handwritten letters to young fans, get-well cards young fans sent to him, pictures of him with his children, and the hand-written calendar he made for his daughter Phyllis to let her know when he'd be coming home from the road. There are so many sweet things about this lattermost memento, really showing what a nice sweet guy Larry was, and what a devoted family man. It's really touching to read about how in real life the Stooges were quite the opposite of their screen characters.

The only shortcoming I can find with the book is that it does seem to be a bit skewered towards the Stooges in the DeRita era. That chapter is by far longer than either of the chapters on Larry's life as a Stooge when he was working with Curly and Shemp. It might have been their most financially successful and popular period, but how many fans today seriously consider that their best and most memorable work? To put it mildly, I'm not exactly a big fan of the watered-down non-violent child-friendly latter-day Stooges, though I am of course happy that Larry and Moe lived long enough to finally start making serious money and to get the respect they deserved. And while the cover photo is really beautiful, looking as though it were taken yesterday instead of decades ago, I'm not happy that DeRita is the third Stooge on it. I'd bet almost anything that the infamous Comedy III is behind that one. It should have been Curly or Shemp, and everyone else knows that! Still, in spite of how the book does lean a bit more heavily towards the Stooges' latter-day career instead of their classic glory days, and the illogical choice of the third Stooge on the cover, it's a great book, with a lot of great information about a truly underrated comedian and a truly great man.

I enjoyed reading 'One Fine Stooge', although upon completion of the book, I had mixed feelings about the content. On one hand, I learned a couple of things that I hadn't known before, and that's always a good thing. On the other hand, the book focused too heavily on the 'post Shemp' days, which for me, marked a drastic decline in the funniness of the act. Joe Besser and Joe DeRita were clearly inferior stooges and I felt my interest waning reading about them (the cover portrait featuring DeRita should have been a dead give-away). I would have liked for the author to focus more on the Curly and Shemp days. The book however is about Larry Fine, and I did enjoy reading about his life and career. The photos are a treat and greatly added to my enjoyment of this book.

I just finished reading One Fine Stooge and found it to be very interesting. It truly covers the Stooges' entire career with a focus on the Stooge in the middle, Larry Fine. His story is often melancholy, but he seems to have enjoyed his life and success. The book is poorly laid out with sidebars regularly interrupting the flow of the book and often retelling content found in the body of the work, but it covers a lot of ground and seems to be a good history. I found it worth my time and would recommend it to anyone with a particular interest in classic Hollywood comedy and history.

Steve Cox never fails to amaze me. Just when I think he's done his best, he comes out with a new book that's even better!

I went into this book knowing nothing about the fine Larry Fine or any of the other Stooges. I bought the book because I like everything this author has ever written.

What an amazing history these lovable goofs have!! This book is like a jewelry box, filled with rare gems.

The photos are truly one of a kind. How Steve Cox unearths these old (and RARE) photographs is nothing short of a miracle. He should've been a private investigator (as suggested by Fred Gwynne, a/k/a Herman Munster, and noted in the author's Munsters book).

I think the cover photo is truly something to behold. You can't fully appreciate the crystal clarity until you hold the actual book in your hands. Internet pictures do nothing for this striking photograph. It's so perfect, you'd think the Stooges posed for it last month, using today's top-notch digital photography.

It's very sad to see how the lives of many of these "Fine" individuals turned out. My heart just broke to hear about the despicable man who took advantage of poor frail Larry Fine in his later years. It makes you wish they were all still alive today, to receive the love and adoration of their millions of fans.

If you love the Stooges, you NEED to purchase this book, immediately. You'll kick yourself if you don't (and spend a small fortune on eBay trying to acquire it later).

And even if you're a casual Stooge viewer (or you know nothing about this zany crew), you'll still be touched by this lovingly "Fine" tribute to Larry and the guys.

Bravo Steve Cox!!

"One of us is crazy, and it ain't YOU!"
- Larry (CRASH GOES THE HASH, 1944)