Warner Books

There is no question that Cyborg shadows the more famous Six Million Dollar Man series despite its vastly superior read. Cyborg follows Steve Austin and his reconstruction into a stronger, more dangerous invididual now part of OSO (Office Of Special Operations) engaging in deadly and hellacious assignments that only a man of his superior abilities could survive.

The book itself may surprise a lot of readers. There is a lot of hard science and extrapolation. Caidin goes through an exhaustive detail trying to explain the prostetics and of course the human body it will inhabit. There is also detail on the military, flying planes which gives the book a rich background. Frankly, after reading 128 pages I was pondering the wonder of my body -- how many simutaneous things can it do without thinking on my part -- move a hand, scan a landscape, listen, taste, etc. It made me really appreciate the human body.

The bionics slightly differ from the films. Steve's arm is less flexible and his legs can't go 70 mph. His eye is simply a high-tech glass covering with a camera built in, but all of this creates more drama to the reader since Steve has a lot more challenge to get through a situation.

Characterizations are minimal. Steve is a man's man. Strong, tenacious, brilliant, handsome, bold, etc, etc, etc while the female characters are relegated to simple doting sex objects. The doctors are caring and compassionate and the leaders -- Goldman and McKay are exposition machines but that's OK. Caidin is working on his strengths which is a rich history of military experience and technology -- write what you know!

I highly recommend the read. It's a quick read and every word counts. The highlight is Steve's struggle for survival in the hot arid desert. It's a page turner if I've ever read one. It's unfortunate it's out of print and you have to pay substantial sums to own it.

I happen to be the proud owner of a (mostly damaged) paperback copy of "Cyborg", by Martin Caidin. If you haven't read the book but are familiar with only the TV series, imagine getting all the scientific and psychological details that the TV show left out (or made up). Imagine going from popular, respected astronaut/pilot and ladies' man, to a half-blind vegetable, dependent on life support. Imagine going to sleep and waking up weeks later, to discover you now have all your limbs. A miracle?

What if they weren't real limbs (real as in "human", as in "alive")? What if they turned you from "vegetable" to "freak?" wouldn't you rather be dead?

But Steve Austin wasn't one to accept death, no matter how much he wanted it--no matter the cost of living.

And so the story goes....

How exactly would you do surgery on a limbless man to apppend machine parts? Certainly not all at once. Maybe one limb at a time. How would you keep the patient from bleeding to death in the process? How would he heal? What would keep him from going crazy?

Caidin answers all these questions as if he had lived through it himself (hmmm.....). The science is very real, the psychology even moreso.

Do yourself a favor and find and read this book. You will not regret it.

I remember reading this novel when I was 18 - it was my dad's!! I thought the novel was fast paced and fascinating back in 1984 and then a bit funny when the "Six Million Dollar Man" came out (I always thought the book was SO much better). I found a copy in the local library recently and reread - still pleasing and a great read.

Although it's been many years since I read this, I remember lending it to several of my friends in college, and they loved it so much that I eventually never got it back.

This book was, of course, the basis for the popular cheesy '70s show "The Six Million Dollar Man". But this book is anything but cheesy. Steve Austin is an astronaut/pilot involved in the very real, very dangerous and exciting NASA "lifting body" program of the late '60s and early '70s, a program devoted to finding an acceptable design for the Space Shuttle. Martin Caidin, the author of this book, was a doctor who actually participated in this program, and he was actually at Rogers Dry Lake bed when Bruce Peterson plowed his M2-F2 into the turf in a terrible accident--the very same wreck that we saw at the beginning of every "Six Million Dollar Man" episode.

Steve Austin, who similarly crashes and is seriously injured, gets "enhanced" artificial limbs and an eye (although the eye really only functions as a camera; when this book was written, an actual "seeing" eye was WAY too farfetched), and he is enlisted by the government to perform special missions, including stealing a Russian MIG from a base in the Middle East.

Austin's problems with his new "freakish" nature and with his being used as a pawn of the government are quite realistically portrayed. Caidin delves much farther into the psychology of a "bionic" (which is actually a misnomer) man than the TV series ever did.

A very fun, fascinating, exciting read, if you can find it. One of my favorite books of all time.

I didn't read it that long ago, actually, I somehow found it in a local library. I was very pleased of it's action, drama, and even suspense. I've read other books about "cyborgs" or whatever, and none of them even came close to the realism in this particular novel by Martin Caidin.

I was assigned to read this book when I was enrolled in a ASL Course. The story is a cute small town murder mystery, it keeps you going with twist and turns until the very end. The main character gave me a new appreciation and understanding about what a deaf person may go through on a daily basis. Above all it made me realize life may be challenging but self pity is the true handicap.

The main character, Connor, is very likeable, even though she gets herself in some pretty amazing situatiions; a very brave young woman! I enjoy the setting; California's Gold Rush country. The mystery, of course, is not solved, until the end and,rightfully,kept me guessing all along! It is a fairly short book that I did not want to end!

well dead body language is a very good book,i must tell you i could not put it down ,the novel was a great stump in the end on who did it,but in the end i love the book about deaf person name connorn, so as a deaf person i always enjoy a good books to read but in the end this book really heart stoping tale of a good mystery books,so now i am reading my fourth book of the series,and i tell you it was little funny and witty humor as well,so i have to thank penny warner for the books that she write i just cannot wait for her next book,thank amazon,com for having this book for me.

It was a wonderful surprise to discover Dead Body Language when it first came out, because we finally see a main deaf character. Reading this book, the author really gives the reader a glimpse of what it is like to be deaf. I liked the scene where Connor Westphal was trying to lipread Lacy Penzance. The plot was great and kept me guessing until the very end!

As a deaf person, I was hesitant to pick up this book because many books written about deaf individuals are inaccurate. However, this book is a very accurate portrayal of a deaf character. Not only that, Conor is a funny, gutsy and likeable character. The book ended much too soon for me and I'm off to buy her other 3 books now!

Like its companion volume Generals in Blue, Generals in Gray is an important resource for both the Civil War buff and the serious historian (which is not to say that the two can't be one and the same!). In this volume, which was actually written before Generals in Blue, author Ezra Warner has written the biographies and rustled up the photos of all the general officers confirmed by the Confederate Congress, and a handful of those who weren't for one reason or another.

There were 425 men who served as Confederate generals. Nearly one-fourth of them died in the war. Boy generals, men promoted before they reached the age of 30, were plentiful, and nearly half of them were killed on the battlefield. Looking at their photographs, one can scarcely fathom the experiences they endured at such young ages. They look like college lads.

Several of the generals profiled by Warner especially stand out for me. There's William Flank Perry, for example, the philosopher-general, who enlisted as a private in 1862 and was commissioned a brigadier in the war's final months. After the war, he taught philosophy at Ogden College in Kentucky until the turn of the century. There's Alexander Reynolds, who at war's end entered the service of the Khedive of Egypt, and so must've known the tragic Federal General Charles Pomeroy Stone, of Ball's Bluff infamy, who did so as well. There's General John McCausland, who with his huge handlebar moustache and heavy eyebrows looks for all the world like Yosemite Sam of cartoon fame. And there's the boy general Thomas Benton Smith, a youngster whose fate breaks my heart. After he and most of his brigade surrendered during the Battle of Nashville, a Federal colonel tried literally to beat Smith's brains out. His brain exposed, in a coma, Smith was expected to die. But he somehow survived, only to spend the rest of his life, some 48 years, in an insane asylum.

.....but this one sure is. The Civil War is still a current event for many of us. For four long years, both sides were carried by their armies, and led by their Generals. Now, lots of us know about Lee and Jackson, but there were a total of 425 Confederate Generals over the course of the war, and some even I've never heard of. Of these, 299 were serving as General Officers at the end. A total of 77 were killed in battle; the rest died of natural causes, resigned, got fired, etc., etc.

They're ALL here, at least the ones that we can't argue about whether they were really a General. [There are others about whom we can argue, for various reasons--a separate book has come out in recent years...see "More Generals in Gray"]. While Lee has has more biographies than I can count, and many have at least one, for most of these guys, this is all we've got. Here we get pictures, pre and, where appropriate, post war careers, grave sites, and a study of just what the man accomplished [or didn't]. Robert E. Lee gets three and a half pages, but all get a good write-up.

They were a varied lot: six General Lees, six Jacksons, eight each of Smith and Walker. Professional soldiers, lawyers, politicians, even three preachers [Polk and Pendleton, you know; read this and find the third]. Some were heroic, some were drunks, a few were both. Some brilliant, some inept, one or two both. The post war lots of the survivors were as various as the men; poverty and wealth, glory and apostasy, and all points in between. Trivia: Who was the ONLY Confederate General born in Texas? Who was the last living Conferderate General? ONE man answers BOTH questions. [OK, I'll give it to you...Judge Felix Huston Robertson of Waco died April 20, 1928]. The very first American Indian to wear General's stars AND the last General to surrender...he's here, in all his glory.

I can go on all day. The late Ezra Warner, Illinois native and California investment counsellor, published this in 1959...it needs to stay in print forever. While I've had this, and the companion "Generals in Blue", for years, only recently has a trade paperback made it readily available, and affordable. A "thank you" to the publisher, and a huge, everlasting, "THANK YOU" to Mr. Warner.

This book is a must for any Civil War buff. Learn the good, bad and the ugly about all general officers of the army of the CSA. I keep this book, and its companion, Generals in Blue, handy when I am reading historical accounts of battles of the Civil War. How often, while you are reading, have you yearned to get additional information on a particular general? These books are perfect to provide more information, when you want it.

Warner does an excellent job in giving short biographies on all 425 Confederate generals, including a picture of each general. An excellent reference guide and a must have for your Civil War library.

I remember first reading Generals in Gray as a teenager and have often referred back to the book over the years.

Warner gives a synopsis of each general , usually containing the following information:

1. Birthplace and birthdate.
2. Pre-Civil War life.
3. Battles served in, promotions, woundings, death (if applicable).
4. Postwar career (if he survived the war).
5. Death and place burial.
6. Brief mention of the general's competency (or lack thereof).
7. Relationships with other generals (superior, subordinate).

I have often found the book to be extremely helpful when reading a book on a particular Civil War battle. Doing so helps me to better understand the general when studying a particular battle.

Whether you have a serious interest in the Civil War or a novice, I highly recommend the book as an excellent reference!

Getting Past OK is an excellent, practical self-help book. It is straightforward, easy to understand, and chock full of sage advise for living well and 'living on purpose'.

In a nutshell, author Richard Brodie, has distilled the best information from a slew of self-help books and training programs into a tight and coherent primer for personal growth and development. Chapter by chapter Brodie leads you through a clear and cogent process of transformation from victim to victor.

In my private practice as a professional life & career coach at Peak Performance Group, I recommend it as essential reading to all of my clients. Save yourself a lot of time and money and pick up a copy of Getting Past OK so you can do exactly as the title suggests. You'll be happy you did.

If you have any questions or are looking for additional recommended titles feel free to contact me.
Enjoy!

My opinion is that anyone who plans to spend any significant amount of time reading and posting in this forum (Level 3) should read this book, as well as "Virus of the Mind" in order to establish a baseline of context for constructive mutual understanding of what this forum (Level 3) is good for, and how to take advantage of that context for useful work and play in the game of life. Level 3 is the author's forum for active feedback on how to live a purpose driven life as discussed in "Getting Past OK." Both books available through Amazon.com. G.P. OK is plainly written without lingo or pretense. This is the real working personal toolbox for the human animal who can't stand to drive-55.

I haven't finished the book as I am into the exercises for finding out one's 'purpose in life'. However, I am thoroughly thrilled in discovering more about 'my' purpose. I have a good life now and have applied much of the author's ideas to my own life for a number of years. Life is good! This subject was something I thought I would research when I retired, but I found I don't want to wait for 'until when....or as soon as whatever happens...'.anymore.

This is the best self-help book I have read. In very clear terms, without a lot of "psycho-speak", Richard Brodie details an easy plan for getting what you truly want out of life. He outlines the ways that you sabatoge yourself and how to overcome these things. While I was reading this book, he made it seem so obvious that I was wondering why I had never thought of these things before.

He outlines in clear steps--with some introspection required on the readers part--how to create a fantastic life for yourself.

Getting Past OK is Brodie's first attempt to share his wisdom and a wealth of experience with the public. This is one of the finest reads on living a juicy life that I have personally read. Definitely worth having and giving to those you care about. Kevin Hogan,...

Even though this was written long ago, the wisdom in this book applies across the times.

It's truly a shame that this book is no longer stocked. Since I first read it, back in 1990, I have recycled over 8 hours, per week, back into my personal life. This is the gift of this book. I learned that time management isn't simply a bunch of random techniques that allow you to spend more time at work. Instead, it's a set of a few effective principles that allow you to spend more time in your life. To play more. Visit more. Enjoy more. It's easy-to-read and easy-to-do. Within 7 days you'll see and "feel" the difference in your life!

I found this so useful that I bought copies for all my colleagues in my department and we used it as a resource for quick discussion meetings on how to save time. Full of practical sense.

Though it looks quite old fashioned to-day, it is full of sound advice that ar untemporal and international ... Hints are so well related to our human nature that you will appreciate this book whether you are chinese or from Albion (Michigan), the most beautiful small college in the world!

This is the first time management book I read. This book contains sections of practical advice to help you get things done. I consider it almost as good as "Working Smart" by Michael Leboeuf.

Some of the characters in this story are the same as in Edge of Town. I liked it because it gave me some insight into country folk, bootlegging and the story line was interesting to me. It showed how sometimes decent people get involved in bad things. The bootlegger's daughter, whose father was trying to get out of the bootlegging business, finds some romance after helping fix up Jack who was beat up on his way home from baseball tryouts one day. I enjoyed reading this very much. It is a fast read and recommend it for light, entertaining reading.

High on a Hill is the story of Annabel Donovan, who would just like to stay in one neighborhood long enough to befriend neighbors, but because of her father's shady whiskey business, they have to stay on the move. Corbin Appleby, and ex-marshal is assaulted, and has to stay in the small Missouri town, or so he says until his injuries are healed. Corbin and Annabel end up meeting when she goes into town, they fall- in-love, but could Corbin be after her father, you have to read this book and find out. There are also other characters in the book who has their own little story lines going on. I thought the book was good, but lagged on at one point, I do plan to read more books by this author.

Wow! It was really good. This was my first Dorothy Garlock story. I have since read 3-4 others and am in the middle of another. So yeah, her writing totally impressed me. You can see here that the story is about Bootlegging in Missouri in during Prohibition. But the whole package---what you're getting is not so much your typical romance, where the story focuses on one man and one woman, with subtle humorous secondary characters.
In Garlocks stories, so far that I've noted, she intertwines others stories so theres not just one romance/relationship blossoming. Its not all about the main characters! Woohoo!
The details she provides really impressed me. She'd add little descriptions, or talk about the cars, or how to cook on an old stove, or going and getting ice for the freezer---its amazing to have all the period detail, quality writing and a sweet little romance all wrapped up in one. And I like the fact that some of the resolution ends in DEATH----seems another taboo thing for a romance novel---makes it, to me, stand out as more realistic.
I loved it! I hope you do too.

Dorothy Garlock does it again with this excellent historical romance, set in the 1920's. For those of us that read "The Edge of Town," you'll be delighted to read Corbin Appleby's story, along with Jack Jones!! If you have not read "The Edge of Town," you won't miss a beat, as this story takes place in another Missouri city called Henderson (not Fertile). The characters from The Edge of Town are mentioned, but only to please those Garlock fans that never miss a word of her writings. This story has it all, mystery, intrigue, danger, deception, love and romance, close friendly relationship, and more! There is enough information in the description that tells what this book is about, and if I stated anything more, I'd give the surprises away. Sit back and enjoy this one! It's great!

The prohibition brings big business to bootleggers, speakeasies and gangsters. For years Annabel Lee Donovan, daughter of a bootlegger, has endured frequent upheaval and promises that her father will soon leave the business behind. Their latest move brings them to Henderson, Missouri to a house on a hill. Annabel worries over her father's frequent absences, but tries to make their new home comfortable. Her father leaves behind two men to look to her safety and take turns guarding their stash, Boone and Spinner.

One day a seriously injured young man appears on her doorstep seeking help. Annabel welcomes Jack Jones, nursing him back to health and earns his loyalty. Jack does not know a family friend, Corbin Appleby, tracks him. A former police chief, Corbin insists that he is not a Fed, but his interest in her father's business and in the illegal activity in the area leaves both Annabel and Boone suspicious. In addition, Annabel has dangerous neighbors to contend with, especially when one decided that she belongs to him.

As a new comer to Dorothy Garlock's work, I found her choice of setting, the Prohibition, absolutely fascinating, and her writing delightful. Annabel proves to be a delectable combination of contradictions, raised fairly conservatively by a bootlegging father. Her need for permanent roots proves charming from her acquisition of farm animals to garden planting. As her attraction for Corbin slowly blossoms, suspicion of his motives leaves her questioning his trustworthiness. The Secondary plot proves even more delightful, especially as Boone and Tess almost upstage the romance between the main characters. A beautifully realized old fashioned romance with a emphasis on family ties, HIGH ON THE HILL comes highly recommended.

Although this book was dated when I read it and is probably now considered a history book, I found it very enlighening and informative. I think perhaps the author tends to protect Kennedy and Roosevelt(II) but it is still a very good book. It reads very easily and has that Schlesneger signature. I would highly recommend the book to anyone interested in presidential history.

We read this in college and it was one of the best books we ever saw on American politics and I read it again last week. Ir shows that it is not a good idea always to have presidents who get too powerful.

Does history repeat itself? Sure seems like it. Scary stuff.

The year before George W. Bush took office as president I attended a professional conference where a graduate student offered a paper that posed the question whether Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'s "Imperial Presidency" was still valid. Quite a debate ensued. Today, in the wake of the Bush Doctrine of preemptive war, and its application in Iraq, I am compelled to offer that this revised volume, with new introduction, answers the previous question with a resounding yea. This has been a very important volume in the study of the presidency, especially regarding the constitution, foreign policy, and war. In the shadow of the Iraqi affair, I would go one step further and say it is a vital work in these troubled times. No, the era of the Imperial Presidency never really went away; and yes, it is a vital concern for the future of the republic and global stability. Schlesinger has recognized this and once again warns us of pending dangers.

Although this book focuses on Richard Nixon's abuse of Presidential power, it can apply to the present day as well. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush have all extended the power of the Presidency in ways the framers of the Constitution would never have dreamed of. I agree with the reviewer who commented about the favoritism towards Kennedy and Roosevelt hence the four stars rather than five. A great read for anyone interested in the American Constitution as it relates to the powers of the President.

Legendary journalist Theodore H. White (1915-1986) always wrote with great eloquence, but never more so than in this superbly moving autobiography. White begins by describing his impoverished boyhood in Boston's Jewish ghetto and his undergrad days (on scholarship) at Harvard in the 1930's. He then writes with great passion about his years as a correspondent in war-torn China (1938-1945), which included working for Time Magazine, reporting on China's leaders, and helping to curb a famine. The author's attachment to the Middle Kingdom has doubtless inspired several readers (including myself) to visit that enchanting yet tragic nation. White also describes his career in post-war Europe, and his days as a returned U.S. journalist during the prosperous 1950's and beyond. Readers get a first-hand look such notables as Dwight Eisenhower, Mao Zedong, Chou En Lai, Douglas McArthur, Chiang Kai-Shek, Joe Stillwell, Konrad Adenauer, etc. We also get an intimate look at John F. Kennedy's bid for the Presidency, and his brief tenure in office. White concludes with a bittersweet account of returning to his once-tranquil boyhood home in the 1970's - now encircled by ghetto blight and violence.

Theodore H. White was one of the top journalists of the 20th Century, and perhaps best known for his MAKING OF THE PRESIDENT series (1960-1972). Very few writers have ever matched his eloquent prose, which is abundant in this superbly moving 1978 memoir.

.......how a young man's decision to add Chinese to his college curriculum changed forever his life, placing him at all the pivotal points of history in his time....meeting the men with the visionary ideas........and writing of this journey so exceptionally we all experience the intimacies of every moment.

I really LOVE this book, have read it several times! I can't believe one person was able to do all of these fascinating things and tell about it in such an engaging manner. The material in China in WWII is probably the most fascinating and tells stories about the Chinese leadership that most westerners don't know. The McCarthy era and the Kennedy campaign and assasinations also were riveting.

This is one of those rare authors that can make an exciting history jump off the pages at you. And White was lucky: he saw some of the most interesting events of the 20th century, up close and with access to the principal players. The latter part of the book, where he describes the inner circle of the Kennedy camp on election night, 1960, is one of the best passages I have ever read.

Theodore H. White (1915-1986) is widely regarded as one of the greatest journalists of the World War Two "G.I." generation. TIME magazine once called him the "godfather of modern political reporting", and he is best known for his classic "Making of the President" series of books. From 1960 to 1980 White covered every presidential campaign and observed the political leaders who participated in them. He became so well-known that candidates from John Kennedy to Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan gave him unprecedented access to the inner workings of their campaigns. White's first book in the series - the bestselling "Making of the President 1960" (which covered the Kennedy-Nixon contest) earned him the pulitzer prize. Yet White was far more than just a political reporter, as this marvelous memoir proves. By 1976 White had grown both tired and bored of covering presidential politics, and so instead of doing another book on the '76 campaign, he decided to write his autobiography. In "In Search of History" White offers a superb chronicle of his remarkable life and career. Born and raised in a poor Jewish slum in Boston, White came from a family of intellectual Jewish immigrants who nonetheless experienced grinding poverty. In his youth White was in many ways a child prodigy - he was both brilliant and energetic. He sold newspapers to help his family pay the bills, attended Harvard University on a scholarship and became fluent in Chinese. In 1938 White, only 23, flew to China to cover that nation's heroic resistance to the Japanese invasion. He was soon hired by Henry Luce's powerful TIME-LIFE magazines to be their Asia correspondent, and for awhile he was Luce's star reporter. White vividly describes his experiences in China and Asia during World War Two, from a devastating famine to his meetings with legendary Chinese leaders such as General Chiang Kai-shek (whom he despised) and Communist leaders Chou En-lai and Mao Tse-tung (with whom he formed a wary respect). He also met the great American generals of the Asian theater of the war, such as Douglas MacArthur and Joseph Stilwell. White seems to have been present at a vast number of great historic events, and among his best descriptions is that of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri in 1945. After the war White moved to Europe, where he covered that continent's attempts to rebuild and unite and America's efforts to help. In the fifties White began covering American politics, and then in the sixties he both covered and became a close friend of the Kennedy family - thus becoming (as he reluctantly admits) emotionally closer to his subject than he should have been. White's closeness to the Kennedys was dramatically revealed in late November 1963, when Jackie Kennedy personally chose him to discuss the intimate details of the assassination in Dallas and to write a "final word" about JFK. It was White's "Epilogue" (published in LIFE), that created the legend that Kennedy's Presidency was "Camelot" - a word which Jacqueline Kennedy insisted be used in describing her husband's administration. It is apparent from "In Search of History" that White led an extraordinary life and had many adventures (and misadventures) along the way. He is an engrossing writer, and despite the book's length I never grew bored or restless. Among the thousands of journalists of the twentieth century, White almost certainly belongs among the top ten, and this autobiography proves why. Highly recommended!

This is a great read for people interested in Bollywood. It not only tells the tale of one of the most popular actors in the film industry, ShahRukh Khan, but it also puts his history in the context of Bollywood's history. It is a great combination of in-depth information and socio-cultural analysis of Bollywood and ShahRukh Khan's life. It is extremely well written-interesting, poignant, and funny. For those who already know a lot about Bollywood or for those who are completely new to it, this is a great book for both kinds of people. I loved it and I highly recommend it. :)

If you are starting to get interested in Bollywood cinema and/or Shah Rukh Khan then this book will not dissapoint you.

I fell in love with the Bollywood cinema in August 2005. After watching hundreds of movies I felt a hunger to know more, to understand what makes it tick, what lies behind the colour, drama, music and obsession with Indian movie stars. I was looking forward to "King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema"-it sounded most promising. When I got hold of the book (thanks to Amazon)I couldn't put it down. I devoured every page, every bit of information-loved everything about it. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Indian Cinema, you will find it to be a fascinating insight into what makes the industry so alluring and powerful.

Title: King of Bollywood
Author: Anupama Chopra
ISBN: 978-0-446-57858-5
Publisher: Warner Books
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Packed with scrumptious lesser known facts of one of, if not the top Bollywood actor of modern day, Shah Rukh Khan, King of Bollywood is a fun book to read and fun book to share. Being one of the most talked about personalities in the world today, SRK is a legend already but King of Bollywood feeds the hunger of his fans globally on what is the man like behind the mask of superstar.

Although it shies away from some of the less flattering aspects of the actor's life and lifestyle, it does deliver some notions of challenges faced, failures along the way and allows readers to travel from his days as a penniless boy traveling to Bombay on a whim to the grand master of marketing and box office smashes. His story is so extraordinary and almost bigger than life, but Anupama Chopra tells the story in a way that allows fans to follow along and relate their own personal struggles to those of the actor's. Expertly written, King of Bollywood puts SRK's life into chronological order while recalling old memories into current day stories for insight into his physiological make up. Chopra really works on getting the actor's words into the book and calls on friends and family to help build the story from outside his prospective.

There is no doubt that Shah Rukh Khan is a master at the game of Bollywood and the art of persistence. King of Bollywood tells the tale of a boy, turned into a husband, who becomes the actor he always dreamed of being and then remaining the man he always was at heart. This wonderfully written book will provide entertainment to Bollywood lovers around the world and for ages to come.

Bollywoodmania is an addiction. For Westners that will discover and appreciate it in the next years (and be sure they will!) it is the disclosure of a fairytale world of moviemaking that was there all the time but that we simply didn't know. Well, when this will happen the first and probably most important gateway will be the actor and the movies interpreted by Shahrukh Khan. And after having seen some of these, no one will be able to resist curiosity on this great actor.

Anuparma Chopra is a member of the Chopra family that makes up the establisment of Bollywood and is also an estimated journalist. From her priviledged point of view she has written this biography of the still young King Khan integrating his personality with the history of Bollywood cinema in the last 20-30 years. Naturally, the biography is authorized and as such may not contain episodes that are not consistent with the image modern Bollywood and Shahrukh Khan want to convey. All the less, there is a sincerity that transpires throughout the book and allows the reader to connect with the actor and his environment.

The first part on the youth of the actor is full of episodes and sometimes takes on a mythical aspect, but that is a common feature of all biographies. The chapters on the later years are a little sketchy and skip many well known facts. But we must not forget that this book has and will have a different impact on Indians or the Indian-culture public and "Westner's". The Author wanted to write about something new or at least not well known to her main public, that practically reads at least two or three articles a day on Shahrukh Khan. Reading the Indian reviews of the book that criticize the small amount of new information this aspect is very evident.

The book's point of force is the analysis of the reasons for Shahrukh Khan's success, that trascend the actor's talent and are deeply rooted in the transformation of Indian society and how modern Indians envision themselves in these years. An important weight is correctly given to the directors (Chopra and Johar) that have created Shahrukh's winning image and cinema personality, while some movies and directors he also worked with are only mentioned.

The bibliography is quite extensive for a short biography such as this and cites many interesting books on Bollywood cinema. A filmography of the actor is missing and I would have appreciated a brief comment on his less well known movies.

I suggest to read this book even if you are not a Shahrukh fan just to be updated on modern entertainment and on the reasons and pulsions that contribute to create our "collective imagination".

I love the LOTR music, and these books (I have all 3) are great. The music is above beginner level, but not impossible to play.

When I first looked at the music, my impression was "This is it?" I must admit I expected more, but after playing it my opinion changed. It definitely takes intermediate skills to play as written, but with a few minor adjustments (like leaving out a roll or slowing down the tempo) late beginners can enjoy this music too.
While playing, I find the constant page turning annoying. The music could have been condensed into a smaller amount of pages without omitting any of the notes thus making playing easier.
Overall, it is beautiful. All of the well-known melodies are there. Played with the right emotion and expression, "Gollum's Song" is heartbreaking; "Evenstar" is beautiful; and "Rohan" is powerful. The music is not as complex as I had hoped, but it sticks to the notes played in the original score.
Is this a good arrangement? Yes. Is the arrangement worth $12.71? No, but I guess the higher price is for the pictures included.

The Two Towers Music score is wonderful and will be enjoyed by people who love to listen to the LOTR soundtracks. The music for Gollum's song is wonderful, and not too hard once you get it down. Evenstar is very beautiful and also very easy. "Isengard Unleashed" features "The March of the Ents", one of my favorite parts of this book. "Breath of Life" is not exceptional if you ask me, but it's there. "Forth Eorlings" is wonderful, especially the ending! And finally, If you've been trying really hard to figure out how that Rohan theme goes, wait no more. Here it is, and it's really fun! So if your at least an intermediate piano player and love Lord of the Rings music this is for you.

This book contains some of the best music ever written! I play this stuff over and over, because not only is it awesome, it's fun. "Gollum's Song" is a haunting, beautiful song - one that really makes you feel sorry for Gollum. "Evenstar" is also a beautifully flowing piece. It's easy to put a lot of expression in it when you play it. "Isengard Unleashed" is a more complicated piece, once you get about half way through it, and it's rather hard to figure out in the beginning. "Breath of Life" and "Forth Eorlingas" are pretty simple, but redundant at times. "Rohan" is an absolutely amazing song that just makes me want to cry when I play it. That also lends itself to expression while playing. All together, this book is an absolute masterpiece, and while harder than the book for The Fellowship of the Ring, in my opinion, it is still pretty simple, and the arrangments are much better. I highly recommend this book. It's beautiful!!

It's books like this that made me wish I had the natural talent for music, or had at least studied and practiced hard enough to develop talent. The motion picture score that Howard Shore composed for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is absolutely brilliant, and while nothing can match his magnificent orchestra, there is something unique and incredible about hearing the same music played on a simple piano -- coming from your very own fingers.

The front cover is one of the promotional posters (NOT the DVD cover as was the case with the other two piano books from the trilogy) showing Saruman from the back commanding his 10,000 Uruk-hai. If you look on the right, although it is geographically incorrect, you can see Edoras in Rohan in the distance. Inside the book are forty pages, eight of which are movie pictures. Once again, there are some gruesome orcs pictured inside, in case you have little hobbits around the house that might get scared.

The music includes:

- Gollum's Song, the end-credits song of the movie. Not very enjoyable to play, I'd say...it's a rather mournful and melancholy song.

- Evenstar, which is all-Elvish, but surprisingly doesn't provide the translation. Shouldn't be too hard to dig one up on the internet, however. The tune is pretty, the background for Aragorn's dream/vision of Arwen in The Two Towers.

- Isengard Unleashed, which begins as the soundtrack score does, with the lament for Haldir upon his untimely death in the battle for Helm's Deep. Then it moves on to the score for the Ents as they march to war. This is probably the longest in the book, maybe of all three books. Afterwards, they give the translation of the war song of the Ents.

- Breath of Life, the quiet but stirring tune/song that you hear when Aragorn lies wounded after a battle, and receives another vision/dream of Arwen that gives him a (let's all say it together now) "breath of life". Elvish lyrics, English translation at the end.

- Forth Eorlingas, my favorite one (at least to HEAR), the tune that shows the rousing of the remaining soldiers at Helm's Deep, their death plunge out the causeway, and Gandalf's near-biblical arrival to the rescue. The second-best in this book, in my opinion.

- Rohan, which was an absolutely necessary piece to include in this book. It's short, *almost* simple enough for a beginner like me to pick my way through, and beyond gorgeous. It begins with the noble theme for Éowyn, and peaks into the majestic score for the kingdom of Rohan. This one alone is worth getting the book for.

This book makes an excellent addition to your piano library, or an excellent gift for your musically-inclined hobbit-heads. Go for it.