Bean Books

Bruce Dessau has written two books on the life and career of British comedian Rowan Atkinson. The first one that I read (simply titled ROWAN ATKINSON) was a three hundred and fifty page biography -- a detailed and concise history of the man's television, film, and theatre work. This volume, BEAN THERE DONE THAT, covers the same material in coffee-table form, but only taking one hundred and twelve pages to do so. What this book lacks in content, it makes up for in large, glossy, color photographs of the clown himself. It's a fairly good summary of Atkinson's career, though after reading the more in-depth tome, this slimmer volume can't help but feel watered down.

Like Dessau's other biography, this volume has a lot to say about the various characters that Atkinson has created over the years, but very little about his private life. This omission is more forgivable here, since one probably isn't looking for an enormous amount of insight in a book of this type. It does do quite a good job at following Atkinson's career and will especially be enjoyed by anyone who isn't overly familiar with some of the television shows he has appeared in that haven't sustained the amount of international exposure as MR BEAN.

While BEAN THERE DONE THAT suffers from many of the same flaws as the other Dessau biography, this volume should be recommended to people new to Atkinson's work. There are some excellent photographs and the text is quite adequate at the task of describing all of Rowan Atkinson's work (up to the MR. BEAN movie). It may be a bit too superficial for the Atkinson fans, however, as most of the information included is available in other forms.

This book is in the words of Bart Simpson is," Fab-U-Lus! "

While Dessau's book does cover the talented British comic's meteoric rise to success, the frantic pace and "press-bio" approach ultimately ruin what true fans await. Admirers of Atkinson's work will find themselves asking, "and then what?" on every page. We learn of his childhood surroundings, but very little of his family life. His impressive body of work is listed chronologically with no discussion of the blood, sweat and tears behind it. His classic influences are mentioned in passing, save his British similiarities to Stan Laurel. Left with very little insight into the creative process, Dessau's book reads like a coffee-table version of an Entertainment Weekly article with great photos.

I bought this book after reading several great reviews. I had high hopes, but was very disappointed. I do not like the stories at all. Not to mention, they are long and the pictures are almost non-existant. It's just not my kind of book.

My boys did not enjoy it either. They are 2.5 and almost 3.5 years old and love to be read to. They're not picky, but they really dislike this one. I've tried to read it to them several times (despite my not liking it) and they are running to the bookshelf to get different books the second they see it.

It "might" be a good choice for older children (I would say no younger than 8 years), but definitely not for younger ones.

I ordered this book for my newly adopted son, my partner and I read it to him almost every night! He absolutely loves it! Despite a few editing errors, it is a fabulous book with wonderful fairy tales including families of all different types.
I am going to purchase this book for my sons school, it is a must have for any family!

My son loved these stories. They are fairy tales with magic boots, kings, queens, etc. but with various family constellations presented very matter-of-factly. They are not preachy but convey values that (...) (such as, being different does not mean you're bad) in a fun way.

A pretty good western story, set on the border of Arkansas and the Indian Territory in the 1890s. It is a good read, however, it is pure fiction. If you are looking to actually learn about the historic characters portrayed in the book, go to the library and check out a history book. This novel strays from the truth in a pretty wide manner.

All in all, it is a fun story!

This book was the first in the series that I purchased, but I definitely intend to buy the other two. The main characters, Leo and Jacque are well developed, the historical personalities they run into are represented accurately (having read biographies of Judge Parker and the real Dr. Lemat, who is presented as a relative of Leo in this book) and the details (food, tack, firearms, locations) are accurate. This is a pleasurable way for someone to learn about Ft. Smith and Indian Territory history without having to locate several of the hard-to-find books that the author's obviously studied to create this book.

Highly recommended and definitely a cut above many of the Western genre series.

How many authors of Westerns use a 15-year-old orphan as the central figure who tells the story and pairs him with a dyslexic girl? That setup alone might be enough to interest some readers of this new Western. There's plenty of action, too. The author does a fairly good job of developing the story though much of the rest of it is more traditional. A wealthy and influential rancher whose sons make trouble for any who get in their way controls the town. A stranger from New York City happens to be in town when trouble is brewing for young Nate, the orphan. Jake, the stranger, ends up sticking around to see what he can do to even the odds. The struggle between these two sides, as in many Westerns, becomes the struggle between good and evil. Perhaps this might be one of the book's weaker points. It may be a little too black and white for some. Also the dialogue occasionally sounds a little unnatural. But with the setup the way it is and the interaction that occurs, this is a book worth reading.

Crocker attempts to let his imagination carry him through his writing and scarifice (or just outright overlook) the blood, sweat, and time a learned, mature writer needs in learning the trade of poetry. His influences are more than apparent in that his work is merely veiled copies of his idols: Berryman, Bukowski. (There is an ode to Ginsberg in the collection.) One feels as if he is channelling Kerouac and getting a busy signal. There are many great works and thousands of bad ones, unfortunately this work happens fall into the latter category.

As a long-time fan of Dan Crocker, and a former editor of his work it was with much anticipation that I read his latest collection. Those familiar with Crocker's "telling like it is" approach ala PEOPLE EVERYDAY and OTHER POEMS will find nothing lacking in this volume which would detract from the brutal self honest assesment of a man coming to terms with himself, his art, and his world. This is not poetry for the timid or weak. These 63 pages have blood spurting; guts groaning; eternal question marks hanging like pieces of his own flesh from the meat-locker walls which are the gallery of modern poetic reality. Each word comes from a man who has lived each word. This alone is worth the price of admission. The third in the 2 OF SPADES trilogy, LONG LIVE THE 2 OF SPADES is a fitting capstone. I will miss reading of his further adventures, but I know the author will provide for our appetite with future poetic fare stewed up raw and delivered fresh. Just don't ask him to "do the dishes." Shine on Daniel, shine On.

This is one beautiful production. The appearance only compliments Crocker's brash, brave, and resounding poetic voice. The third and final part of Crocker's 2 of Spades trilogy takes a journey through the life of one of the small press' most accomplished young poets. Crocker has a unique ability to tap into the mechanisms of the everday person and make them shine on the page. "Father", a longer piece drawing parallels between the poet and his father, stands out as one of the many profound pieces in this collection. Dan Crocker is one of our best.

'Spilling The Beans' is an amusing title and the dust cover portrays the author ('hideous' in Roy Hattersley's reported comment, though I don't commend him, either), but the work itself ain't a mucher (as some of us country folk say). One wants to be generous to an author who has suffered a lot and, by her lights, has come through to have a 'splendidly enjoyable life,' but her account is clearly not consistent with the facts in some places, and is not well-written or edited. Clarissa Dickson Wright's fans will still love it, I suppose, but I was pleased to put it down at its end and then to get on with some decent reading.

Hilarious, frightening, shocking, exciting, and always readable, Clarissa Dickson Wright's autobiography depicts her rollercoaster of a life in a compelling but always sympathetic manner. One of the best memoirs in recent memory.

I've enjoyed the author as a TV cook, her humor and style as one of the Two Fat Ladies was delightful. I own many of her books and have enjoyed both the cookbooks and the country books. This book about her life was a suprise to me as I had no clue she was from an abusive home. I have such respect for her. In this age of whiny delicate little flowers (BLECCH!) I admire her strength of character and ability to be thankful for her life, accepting both good and bad with dignity and grace.

The contents of this book are well presented and clearly written. If your African beans are in trouble, look no further for an answer. I did find some serious shortcomings though. For one, the car chases were totally unrealistic. Everybody knows that a '69 Charger can outrun even the speediest of Rickshaw drivers. I thought the KGB agents were too wooden and contrived. Also, there is no real evidence of Black mountain gorillas being able to type (until now). In spite of that, this is a well researched and elegantly written tome. Purchase it and enjoy

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Off the beaten path. ALl are worthy
of three-and-a-half stars. Only dis-
agreement with them is stupid Evolu-
tion references in them. Thousands,
Hundreds of thousands, millions of
year, no sack! Each written by diff-
erent authors familiar to each state
profiled. Arizona came to mind first,
so I will preview with my own inter-
ests; Old Tucson is very good; espec-
ially the Western town. Peoria and
Phoenix are nice places to stay if
you know someone. Grand Canyon con-
firms God's wonders. No way to be
an 'athiest' after seeing that!
Arizona, like all our great states
(as of this writting, I have been
to 35!) should be seen before Big
Brother takes away out right(s)/to
travel!

For a travel book this is very well organized with all the phone numbers and major costs given. Good maps and pictures. Nice commentaries also. You almost get a sense of being there just by reading little paragraphs.

The National Geographic guides suffer from a desire to be all things to all travelers. As such, they provide an appropriate introduction to the areas they cover. There are, however, better guides with better photography available; better books of history of the natural wonders of our country. This volume is no exception. It makes a good coffee table book and, if you're only barely thinking about traveling to the canyon, may very well whet your appetite.

This NG guide is rich with photos of the canyon's majesty, vegetation, and wildlife, but short on history. Much of the book detailed the author's voyage down the river. Having bought this book at the Grand Canyon I can say with authority that the photos in no way capture the beauty and magnificence of the Canyon. While there I couldn't stop staring into it and walking around to various views. The light of the day changes everything and gives a whole new perspective. Looking down into the canyon calls you to explore. One day I'm hiking down there.

There is much more mystery and intrigue to the Grand Canyon than is contained in this book. Overall, just OK.

Steel is a Brit who fancies himself a comedian of the radical proletariat. Alas, he's really just a not-very-funny guy with a chip on his shoulder. He is so in love with his self-image that he cannot see his own failings. Case in point: He declares that Americans think the city they live in is the same as the whole world, proving this by citing Chicagoans who failed to laugh at a joke based on the fact that all the north-south streets in the city's grid system have names and the east-west streets all have numbers. Well, aside from the simple truth that the joke wasn't very funny, perhaps Chicagoans were silent because they were too polite to point out that he was wrong; most east-west streets don't have numbers. Gee, Mark, perhaps if you weren't so parochial and presumed that the few streets you saw represented the whole city... Need more proof? Consider the story in which he pats himself on the back for beginning a gig on the day Margaret Thatcher resigned by shouting "Well, she's f...ing gone." Gosh, Mark, what biting social satire.

Mark Steel is a broadcaster and journalist and comedian, writer and presenter of programmes like 'The Mark Steel Lecture' and 'The Mark Steel Revolution' for BBC Radio 4. He is, at the time of this writing, the author of two other books, 'Reasons to Be Cheerful' (2001), and 'Vive La Revolution' (2003). 'It's Not a Runner Bean...' is his first book, and dovetails neatly with other autobiographical details in 'Reasons', but the two tell very different tales.

Steel is obviously coming from the left of the political spectrum, which is automatically anathema to some. However, he is also an astute observer of the human condition as he encounters it, whether in his lectures or in his assessment of his career as a 'slightly successful comedian', and in theory this means that most people, particularly those with an interest in the British comedy scene, or a satirical eye towards recent history, or even sharply observered human comedy, could enjoy this book. Mark Steel frequently emphasises that he is merely playing a minor role in many of the larger events described, but it is the perspective of the mole (if that is not an unflattering comparison) which often amuses. Crafted in a series of short vignettes, 'It's Not a Runner Bean...' details his rise from obscurity to the dizzying heights of semi-obscurity.

'It's Not...' by any means a perfect book; as Steel says in his new introduction '...On the other hand, there are other sections that make me think, 'I never wrote that bollocks, did I?'. However, 'It's Not a Runner Bean...' is an entertaining read, and worth a look in, just for the story of Steel's encounter with Barbara Castle, if nothing else (apparently, she'd forgotten a few things, like the Firefighter's Strike). I would have given four & one-half stars had the ratings allowed it: I erred to five stars to counter-balance the previous review, which seemed to have largely missed the point.

On the Chicago story cited by the previous reviewer, here it should be said that perhaps said reader missed the point. Simply put, Steel was bewildered by cities that are laid out on a grid, compared with English cities, which for most part are considerably more organic (being considerably older), with the possible exception of Milton Keynes. He also indicated that perhaps there was a greater degree of charm in directions given, for example, in London. Look at a map of any major English city and perhaps this point will be clearer. In one sense, this remark does reflect Steel's own parochialism. Nevertheless, on the parochialism of American cities: to this observer, it appears that he got that one exactly right. But they are parochial in part at least because the country as a whole is so large, and, as the UK is considerably smaller, I think that we might forgive him not having observed as much.

And a final point: 'Maggie's f---ing gone'. Here it is important to remark that this was not intended as social satire. It was a remark expressing the utter relief of a sector of the population that suffered for a decade under Thatcher, who's policies - now so ardently adored by 'New Labour' - could be viewed as the reason for the massive problems with infrastructure and life in general in England and Britain. The proofs? The NHS, unemployment and the dole, the rail system, the environment, 'Pop Idol'... take your pick.

This book isn't for everybody. But if you like Mark Steel's other work, it's the best place to start.

Would not have bothered with this if I knew it was just a book version of the movie. The movie stunk & was in no way true to the Mr. Bean we've all come to know and love, except for the material that was lifted directly from the TV program which we've all already seen for free.

This book is brilliant, it is filled with excellent pictures that will make your sides ache.