Art Books

I love this book! It's very imaginative and great fun for big and small alike.

What an inspiring book. It brings me and my daughter Jaime much closer together. The story readings never were the same after we found Sophie. Dayle Dodds did it again! Another bestseller!

I like to sing too. I like when she said I have big toes. I like thunderstorms. I like that girl because she is funny.

I don't know how I found this book for my daughter, but it is our favorite. I read the entire story in a southern drawl and sing all of Sophie's songs off key, loud and twangie until we laugh ourselves silly! All this fun sends my daughter off to happy dreams, and sends me off with a smile on my face for the rest of the night. This is not just a story- this is ENTERTAINMENT!!

As Sophie Adams says, "I looooooooove to sing!" and so she does. This is a really special book. Charming story line with a real cowgirl twang to the language. Great illustrations that add to the story. And, songs...wonderful songs that Sophie makes up and sings to her family. And you'll sing too. It's impossible not to. A family favorite and a must for all home libraries.

What a gorgeous and searingly honest book. I love how he does not make himself out to be guiltless in all of this, or a victim--- even though clearly, he could have. It's such a rich book, not only about abuse but about childhood, Catholicism, sex, guilt, desire, love, attachment, forgiveness, family. It's so full of life. I saw the play in NYC and that was amazing, too.

How does he do it, show the light in darkness? A story of a boy as he says falling from trespass into grace. A boy exploited, given too soon to the knowledge of the body--betrayed, as he felt, by his own body. And this man, the one who showed him his strength and wonder, then used his beauty like a Kleenex for his disposable desires.

Grace, then. No, first, despair, the attempts at suicide, the empty hours in the echoing school hallways full of crosses, holiness, and distance. Even in those places, an occasional light and this is what he shows gorgeously--the old nun telling him, at the kitchen table, that everything he does is already blessed. No disclosure, no healing stories, but this Light poured upon him.

More despair, more thoughts of killing himself. Then the tryouts for the school musical. A voice is found, a wonder arises in his soul--what is this miracle? I am seen and loved. The lights pick me out, the people laugh and clap. Maybe I should put off my suicide until after the fall production. The voice teacher witnesses his singing in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, she urges him to take lessons. She has to repeat her urging at the next musical in the next season before he takes it seriously, then goes trembling to her house.

Voice lessons, lessons in projection of spirit. She says, this is you in the universe, this is your soul coming out of your mouth. You have a gift to give to the world, Marty. You have a beauty of soul.

How does he do it, this Martin Moran? The light and love pouring through a living room with grand piano in Colorado are made manifest in the lines she says, the wonder he feels. Not uncomplicating anything, he holds the lust, the love, the exploitation, the forgiveness, the unfolding all in his hands.

Writing! Is there any more powerful act in the world? Well, there is acting. The first I knew of Martin Moran was his one-man show of The Tricky Part--painfully, beautifully open.

Thank you Martin Moran. Thank you for living into a full life as an actor, singer and writer. Thank you for showing us how you made it by the grace of what we might call God except that invokes the catholic Big Guy in the beard, the one whose church and sense of sin helped to make this story into a near-tragedy. But can we wish it had happened otherwise? No, that's the Tricky Part of the title of the book. We can't exactly wish it had happened differently.

As many here have stated this book was captivating. I work with sexual abuse survivors and found many of them in this book. Mr. Moran really knows how to put his finger on the pulse of the issue as he did here throughout the book many different times. I also like how the perpetrator, Bob, is not portrayed as all evil because as we know so many perpetrators are charming, smart and suave. Hence, their success. I also thought it realistic that it was pointed out that Bob provided something for Mr. Moran. I have clients who are "messed up" because of their experiences but they are able to discern the positive they were reaching for, or as in the case here, what kept him going back. This is at a price, of course, but generally kids don't realize then the depths they have already been to, and the effects it will have on them as adults.

I just finished the book a few moments ago. I realize I'm feeling kind of sad. This book is very good, and it's real, but it's not a light summer read. So, I chose to read it over Christmas. Go figure!

PS - Another book I read in a similar vein was The Abomination. I have a review on Amazon about it. It also involves a similar situation but shows more about what the "relationship" is doing for the kid in the beginning. Then later it all changes. My book club of 2 straight women, 2 lesbians, and 2 gay guys gave it a unanimous thumbs up.

Frank and moving account of the abuse the writer suffered as a child, and how he was subsequently affected and managed to cope. When he was twelve years old Martin Moran was seduced and abused at the hands of a camp counsellor named Bob, and so entered a relationship that lasted not unwillingly for three years. But the effects were lasting; such that Martin eventually took steps to confront the issues head on.
Martin's memoir is Insightful and enlightening, not always easy to come to terms with, for while what he suffered as a child was clearly an abuse, he was not an unwilling participant, and it maybe opened the way for Martin to accept more readily his life as a gay man. His account tells in detail of his early days, of the seduction and the continue relationship and its effects; of how he came to terms with the abuse, and of a successful career that eventually took him to Broadway.
Martin Moran's open well written account, at times funny, at others moving, is well worth reading

The above quote from Shakespeare expresses a kind of numinous awe; a feeling of inadequacy at having to express the character of this book. I was moved to order it by the unstinting praise given by previous reviewers here. Mr. Moran has managed to transcend the terrible pain he endured through the medium of his art; to me it seems miraculous.

The confusion and suffering that took Mr. Moran the better part of thirty years to work out was not least because he was--and is--gay. This overlays the story with yet another dimension of complexity. The author notes the sexual and emotional longings on his part that were not only picked up on by his abuser, but that kept him returning to this man for three years despite his guilt and confusion. That guilt and confusion would continue to hobble Mr. Moran's sense of intimacy for many years to come.

In my own circle, I know two gay men who suffered abuse when they were scarcely more than boys--one of them from a member of his extended family. The abuse did not make either of them gay; rather, it seems that in each case (as with Mr. Moran) the abusers sensed both the sexual orientation and the vulnerability of their targets.

Despite immense changes in society over the past twenty years, too many boys sense a secret within themselves that they cannot tell anyone--frequently not even themselves. The derision and stigmatization of gays by ignorant religion and ignorant people alike do nothing to prevent anyone from becoming gay--only serving to set up gay kids to be taken advantage of by their abusers. Those who have been abused will find this book a fount of insight, courage and (hopefully) healing. Anyone imagining that using a vulnerable young person sexually does them no harm will have much to consider after reading the book. All readers will discover the wisdom and pathos of a man who could have ended up as an abuser or a misanthrope, but through (dare one say?) some mysterious grace did not. This book deserves every bit of the praise that reviewers here gave it.

This book was very helpful. As someone who currently has no "mentor" so to speak in the film industry, this book has acted as my temporary guide. It addresses many problems screenwriters go through, as well as warning people of the pitfalls that many aspiring screenwriters fall into. Highly recommended.

I own several screenwriting books and consider this one to be in the top 3 (McKee and Vogler being the other 2). The reason is because this is one of the few screenwriting books with information coming straight from successful screenwriters. This is key, because through their insights you can better understand how they work, think, and live. And this ultimately affects your writing positively because a lot of the uncertainties during the writing process are discussed. It won't teach you about structure etc, but it contains information that to me was equally vital: how to think as a successful screenwriter.

In real estate they discuss the three "L's" Location, location, location. This is the three "W's" Write, Write and Write more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to write a screen play.

This is a must read for anyone who aspires to be a screen writer. Any wannabe writer has their own personal favorite blogs, a blog that helps inspire, motivate and teach them. This book is almost a best of those blogs from successful writers whose movies they have written have actually BEEN PRODUCED.
The one main theme of this book is just write and write and write because you love writing and not because you want the Hollywood celebrity lifestyle. Great writing will open a lot of doors for one and most importantly, keep that door open.
In my opinion, I like to study and and read how successful writers from all genres got their first break, their work ethic and how most importantly they work through writer's block and rejection. Again, Karl Iglesias' book does that successfully.

I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Iglesias at the Screenwriting Expo. He knows his craft, he loves the business. And he's brutally honest in conveying the realistic odds of breaking into Hollywood. While no one ever says it's easy, he can tell you just how hard. This book is a must read for any aspiring screenwriter. Interviewing some of the greatest screenwriters, they all are forthcoming in telling their own tales of struggle, achievement, success, and most of them, frustration.

This book may be geared toward all screenwriters, however it succeeds in leaps and bounds, by telling the realistic truth any up-and-coming screenwriter needs to hear. Too often people are putting together a script hoping to win the lotttery, sell it for mid-six figures, and not taking the time to understand that the money should never be the motivating factor of writing any script. And if that's your only motivation, you'll never succeed in making your dream come true. This book reminds those of us that do it for a different reason, what that reason is. It's the love of writing. Anything else, any other reason, is simply a waste of time and energy.

Mr. Iglesias lays it out in plain view, through interview after interview, just how much of an uphill battle it is get someone to simply give your script a look, and even then, chances of your selling it are slim. Nicholas Kazan once spoke at a seminar. He told them to go turn in their registration forms and go home. He then told them that if any of them seriously entertained that advice, they would never make it. It's all about challenge and it's all about sacrifice. This book will help you realize how important both of those things are.

Miss Guedel's book is a wonderful,honest and insightful memoir of the Disney animation studio of the 1970's.Her portraits of many of the talented artists are both humorous and revealing in ways that avoid trivialization and cheap sentimentality.She is a gifted author and one can only hope for a sequel book which chronicles her time with the Don Bluth studio.This book is a must have for any serious scholar of traditional Disney 2d animation history.

An amazing, archetypal hero's odyssey,
I could not put it down.
I attended BHHS and knew Heidi and many of the other players, and can attest to the veracity of all she writes.
Any Producers out there, here is a fantastic opportunity!

Heidi was my step-cousin but we lost touch after Helen Parrish (her step-mother and my aunt) died. While reconnecting with Helen's two children last year, one (Choddy) showed me a copy of Heidi's book and I promptly bought a copy and read it.

I visited Helen and John Guedel occasionally, although I lived in Atlanta at the time. I remember Heidi as being perennially sullen and aloof but this book details "the rest of the story". Clearly I would've been considerably more sympathetic had I known the hardships she suffered during her earlier childhood.

This is a great story and well told, undoubtedly a catharsis for Heidi but a great read, too. I was disappointed at not learning how her life evolved following her departure from Disney. Guess I'll have to wait for the sequel.

I'm going back east for another reunion with Helen's children this week and to see my last living aunt on the Parrish side, Kathy, whom I haven't seen in 35 years. Thinking about it reminded me to share my thoughts on Heidi's book.

Read it...I think you'll enjoy it even if you weren't there.

OH_MY_GOD. This author posts on a site called Internet Infidels, and believe me she STILL pulls no punches. She still posts under her real name. I wouldn't if I were her. I'm sure the outraged religious fundamentalists will come here next and try to pan her book. WOW.....After following some of her posts, I looked up Heidi Guedel's profile on the Internet Infidels site and it led me here to Amazon and her book. I've just finished it. Now I understand...... and I can't stop laughing.

After you learn about her childhood, and her sanity-saving ability to turn even the worst human behavior and circumstances into humor (much like Groucho Marx did, and she met Groucho, by the way, because her father produced the Groucho TV show) you get to ride the waves of laughter along with her as she turns Disney Studios upside-down by stamping "BULL$**T" on the company memos they posted in the hallways, and putting fake puddles of spilled beer on stacks of priceless animation drawings just to watch a rather pompous artist implode. There are many more pranks and scandalous tales about some famous artists in the animation business, including one who recently won an Academy Award for 3-D special effects.

And far from poking fun only at everyone else, she bares her own soul and exposes her own legendary boo-boos - like accidentally putting a stack of drawings by famous Disney animator Ollie Johnston on the roof of her car and driving off without it. She returns in the middle of the night, realizing what she must have done, and finds one drawing left on the street in front of the studio, with a tire mark across it. What she does about it next is so poignantly funny..... but I won't spoil it for you. Read this book. It is so special and so REAL.

I first became aware of Heidi Guedel when I was lurking around reading debates on Suijuris and Internet Infidels. I am amazed at this person's writing talent. I am also surprised that she posts under her real name, considering the firey way that she stands up for her opinions. I am not surprised that some people that she out argued on an internet forum have tried to pan her book by putting insulting reviews here. But this book really speaks for itself. After I became impressed with Heidi's unusual ability to debate so brilliantly with all kinds of people on many different subjects, I did a search of her on google and found her book. I looked inside and could not stop reading. If the whole book had been available here I would have read it right through to the end. I could identify with her feelings right along with her. This book is not sad or depressing, it is inspiring. She has such courage and determination. She became a Disney animator and met some of the greatest and most famous animators of all time, like Milt Kahl and Ollie Johnston. She is mischievious and imaginative, which comes through in the writing. Most of all her astounding intelligence comes through in her writing, both in her book and in the debates she participates in on the internet. It's too bad that this book was not published by a big company that would advertize it and promote it. It is an undiscovered treasure.

This is a really great book, but i can't find it anywhere! If anyone here knows where i can get it, can you e-mail me at sharabear@hotmail.com? I'd appreciate it!

peace

I love the art in this book. Every time I look at the illustrations it makes my heart beat faster. Really it is a joint effort between two very talented and creative people. If you like art that is not very Thomas Kincade-ish, Keep your eyes peeled for this book. Thanks Jimmy A. Thanks Kevin.

I truly love this collection of poems and artwork. It's truly a collectable. Essentially, poetry is personal, so you'll have to judge for yourself, but here are the ones that really impressed me the most:

SECRET INTRUSION
CAPTURED
TREE CLIMBER
YOU GAVE ME AWAY
ENDEAVORING TO BE WILD
VANITY
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT UNSAID

Also, the artwork by Jimmy Abegg which illuminates the background of each poem is bold and brilliant. I only wish I owned an original piece. Enjoy.

I love Kevin Max, he's my role model and this book is totally amazing! If you love poetry, like me, then get it. The tape is good too, he has some emphasis in his voice than he does in "Alas My Love" or "There's A Treason At Sea" which is on the dc Talk CD's. Really good. I had to go to eBay and bid on it!

I heard about this inventive little poetry book after stumbling upon Kevin Max's very original and poignant musical album, "Stereotype Be." As a college English student and a lover of good literature and poetry, I was curious to see if Max's written words were as inspiring and lyrically original as his music, and I was willing to spend a little extra to obtain a copy of this rare book. Needless to say, I found myself captivated by this work, which is an intriguing exercise in untraditional but very well-written meter, rhythm, and vocabulary in contemporary poetry. In addition, Max's (writing as Kevin Max Smith, a last name I understand that he had dropped) themes are clear and his imagery is provocative, and while he doesn't attempt to be too abstract with his work here as most contemporary poets strive to be, he does present very well-written poems with simple messages and well-executed meter.

As I have stated, the most interesting aspect of Max's work is by far his exercise in vocabulary and meter. Max is very interested in maintaining traditional meter in most of his poems, bringing to mind, at least rhythmically, the best of Roethke and even Yeats. The poems in particular that demonstrate this talent are the excellent "Queen of the Nile," "Draw Nigh," and "Awake at Night." While these poems are never quite in perfect iambic pentameter, Max clearly knows his poetic devices and uses them effectively, creating his own interesting rhythms within the meter. Even in poems which are free-verse in nature, Max successfully keeps a steady rhythm throughout and displays some creative usage of assonance and particularly alliteration (a good example of both can be found in "My Reoccurring Desert Dream," "Vanity," and "Wilt Thou?"). I would say that this book must be best read aloud to appreciate Max's unique rhythm to its fullest potential (as all good poetry should be).

In addition, Max clearly engages in a breathtaking love affair with word play which is often so clever that the reader will only catch it after several reads. Take the poem "Jordan's Kiss and Then Some," in which Max cuts the word "Mother" in half at the end of a line, so that the word reads "Moth-/er." Here, we are given a clear description of this "mother." By simply cutting the word and emphasizing "moth," the reader understands the motivations and characteristics of this particular character. There are many little details thrown into this book similar to this example, and in addition, Max's vocabulary includes words I never thought could fit into a poem as well as he utilizes them. Words like "retroaction," "placation," and "kamikaze" somehow manage to find themselves seamlessly placed into Max's poems, and they manage to maintain both meter and rhythm. Who knew? Evidently, Max did.

Thematically, "At the Foot of Heaven" is a little more under whelming, but this doesn't make them at all disappointing. Clearly, this book is an exercise in meter and form, so if the themes and images are a bit simplistic, that is only because they were intended to be. Max's poems are not particularly long, but they all serve as interesting and complete thoughts unto themselves. He conjures up some fascinating images ("Tonight I wish to touch the stars./ To swing the moon in my cradle/ To pull the sky around my neck") but none of these images cast any question as to what direction he is going with them. Occasionally, Max finds himself with lines a little too simplistic in nature (i.e. "I would count ever speck of sand/ every bit of stardust to be with you"), but for the most part, he simply concerns himself with creating simple messages of love, faith, and humanity (indeed, the book is divided into sections with these titles) using extremely well-crafted poetic lines and some provocative, if obvious, metaphors and similes.

I must also note the fascinating layout of the book, which is actually a collaborative effort which an abstract painter named Jimmy Abegg, who I haven't heard of before or since. Mr. Abegg has a truly gifted eye for color and striking images, and his work compliments Max's tremendously. If for no other reason, this book is worth owning for Abegg's wonderful paintings. In addition, Max continues to exercise creativity in form often in fonts that he uses for many of his poems. Some of the fonts are so large that single words will overlap one another fill up entire lines. The result makes particular poems literally leap off of the page, in a creative approach that I have not seen before. Neither Max or Abegg are afraid to push boundaries in this book, and the creativity pays off.

A fellow student who is not an English major but who loves this book hit the nail on the head regarding its significance better than anything I could add: Max's fascinating use of form and simple messages very effectively bridge the gab between the literary world and the everyman who is not necessarily interested in reading poetry. Whereas this individual shied away from poetry in general, finding it too intimidating, this book, in its creativity and simplicity, made him want to take a second look at the literary world of poets. As the wonderful world of poetry seems to have lost its impact in America in this modern world (and most contemporary poets are starving), and that its appeal seems limited to English classrooms, such a statement pays Max the highest compliment imaginable. Indeed, after reading "At the Foot of Heaven," I am convinced that his unique style makes him one of the most gifted and promising contemporary poets currently writing in America. Keep an eye out for this guy.

I'm a children's librarian, so I come across a lot of books and very few stand up to many readings. This book is one of them. It's fun for the parents to read aloud, with a rolicking beat and humorous story. We've owned this book since my son's first birthday. He loved it then and at eighteen months, it is still one of his favorites. The illustrations are simple and pleasing with enough detail to invite a closer examination. I highly recommend it!

This book has been taped and retaped over the past couple of years because my kids (now 5 and 3) have loved it so much. The rhythm allows for a sing-songy kind of reading that is delightful for me and for my kids -- unlike other stories that they want to have repeated over and over again, I never hesitate to read this one to them. The reveal/flap lift with the rhyming word is also especially fun!

This book is fantastic. I first heard it at a library "lapsit", and bought it for my daughter, when she was only 7 months old. She is 1 now, and still adores it. I get it for all the baby showers I go to. Highly recommended!

This book is truly wonderful. We had borrowed this book from the library and even extended the renewal time frame twice (the max!) When we finally had to return the book, we decided that we had to purchase this book, so we did - we even bought a copy for a good friend of ours! This book has a very catchy rhyme - very cute and our little girl loves the pictures (as well as the rhyme). We started reading her this book when she was about 4 months old and she is almost 8 months old today and still loves the book. i highly recommend this book to anyone with infants!

My 15-month old has loved this book since she was about 6 months old! I reccomend for every child! I'm so tired of reading this book.... ;)

This is an unusual book and I haven't seen another like it. I bought a couple of copies for co-workers in the TV studio I manage. Good reference.

amazing amazing amazing. get it, get it now! Perfect for those starting out or those needing quick access to info. contains everything

Great book, has everything you need to know and more about the backstage theatre just a useful book to have handy

The Backstage Handbook is the most comprehensive guide to technical theatre...and could serve as a reference beyond the stage. I was absolutely amazed at the sheer volume of information the author could fit in such a small book. It really has everything imaginable. It covers tools and machines as well as common production techniques. In addition, the Backstage Handbook covers the math and science needed behind the scenes. Need to know how to make a dodecahedron? This book will tell you how to scribe one inside a circle. The handbook also covers architectural details that are common for most American & European styles. I just received the handbook and my students and I have dubbed it the "bible" because of it's binding, but most definitely the content! This is a must-have for anybody who has a need for knowledge of practical math and science applications.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone working behind the scenes as a stage hand or anyone in show business.

It could be science fiction
myths...
unrealistic scenario,
but certainly it is amazing.
So much work went in the
preparation of this book.
So much details.
My God!
It is really amazing....


S. Mahdi, Cairo, Egypt.

The artwork in this book is fabulous. It's a neat little companion book for sci-fi fans; it has wonderful illustrations of all the various organisms that have been portrayed in some of sci-fi's classic and canonical works. And along with those illustrations? Little one-page write ups on their biology, social structure, etc.

Once I saw that there was a Velantian in this, from E. E. Doc Smith's Lensman series, I was sold, and had to get it. Done as a page by page look at each species the artwork is excellent, and these are the sort of funny looking monster types that kids like too, so it can work on more than one level, most definitely.

Good book. I have owned this since I was a child. It was a great portal into many of these classic Sci Fi books as I would have never heard about them otherwise. Barlowe has a fantastic nack for bringing life to these aliens. Highly recommended.

I enjoy art books, mainly books of fantasy art. But this book is more a sci-fi art book, and a very good one at that. Mr. Barlowe did a excellent job with the illustrations in this book. I read H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness." I had a hard time visualizing the Old ones described in that novelette. But Mr. Barlowe helped me greatly by including them in this volume and even summarizing their history. I would love to see how Mr. Barlowe would visualize all the creatures in my book, Tales of Ancient Xenar. I know he has a fantasy art book and I hope to see that one very soon. And to be honest, the only thing I am disappointed about is the fact Amazon.com ony allows a max of 5 stars. This book deserve well more than that.

This book's title jumped out at me at my local bookstore. I had to have it for myself, but mostly to see IF this was a book I could recommend to others.

Now I know: Every household, office and student should have this book--if you want to write correctly, with confidence.

Written for middle grade and high school age, the book is designed "so grammar doesn't hurt," -no matter your age.

Painless Grammar covers:

- Parts of speech.
- Building and punctuating sentences.
- Agreement (between subject and verb; between pronoun and antecedent).
- Words: Misused, one word or two and confusing pairs.
- Editing.
- Email guidelines.

So, do you ever find yourself at home or at work wondering whether "its" or "it's," is correct, or how to use " and ` -or whatever your "grammar challenge is? The down-to-earth examples make Painless Grammar fun and a learnable moment for any age.

As an editor, I find frequent misuse of certain words, commas and semi-colons, plus run-on sentences--many things we learned in middle or high school, but forgot or need a refresher. Read a few pages a day, or use it as a resource when you aren't sure. However, I have found that many people "think" they remember the rule, but don't-so keep this book handy.

I recommend you buy several copies for your kids, home office or work. The clarity of the examples are complemented (yes, it is an "e") by the ease of finding answers.

Armchair Interviews says: Almost everyone can use this useful resource.

This book covers all the things your english teacher forgot or that you forgot. A great refresher book that everyone should have in their book bag. Great for all ages!

I purchased this for use at home as we home-educate our children. I thought this would help me to brush up on my grammar skills, but my kids immediately picked this book up and started using it on their own. It is very user friendly - an easy read for any age, and a great review for middle and high school students. My 14 yr old uses it as a reference when she is writing. Highly recommended!

Painless Grammar is completely different from any typical grammar stuff! We tend to label grammar as boring, but I noticed something totally different from what we learned at school; it doesn't involve any dull and/or old-fashioned structures at all. What really intrigued me was the last chapter dealing with how to e-mail! Actually, I like that chapter best in this book. That was the least I'd expected! Facial expressions and abbreviations drew my attention because both of them are expressed differently from Japanese. I think using them sometimes helps you enjoy e-mailing your friends. Of course, I know too much use of them confuses readers, though. I bet dealing with e-mail is a down-to-earth and up-to-date approach to attract readers!

Read and then keep at your desk within arms reach when you write. This book is perfect for those grammar stumpers.

This book would be an invaluable asset to have handy to anyone who reads a lot.It is a large book ,1144 pages.It is the type of book that will be turned to frequently when you come across something in your reading that you would like to know a bit more about without going to a lot of trouble or checking a lot of sources. The book covers a lot more than literature and authors. It is an encyclopedia in every sense of the word.For instance ,if you have never heard of an author,or a book,that is mentioned somewhere ;there's a good chance that here you will find enough to serve your needs.However;if you do know the author and his works ,you will probably basically know what is in this book.
Although most of the reviewers are very "well read";don't assume this is not the book for the "ordinary reader".I consider myself in that second group;and I can vouch that it is very down to earth and jam packed full of information,usable for everybody,regardless of their background or knowledge.
I must also warn you that when you pick it up there is a great tendency to flip around it from one thing to another. It is no problem to spend an hour or more glancing through it. It is also the type of thing that can be left around for anyone to pick up,open at a page at random;and they will find something to interest them.
It's difficult to say what all's in the book;because it covers all types of things other than literature.
Just a few for instances;

Pg 321..we get all the rulers of England from 829-
present,including their time in office.
Pg.44..explanation of Gordian knot.
Pg.434.. background of the guillotine.
Pg.491..Huguenots
Pg.581..Last Supper
Pg.717-718..Napoleon I,II &III explained.
Artists are covered.I found it interesting that max Ernst is included but not M.C.Escher. We get definitions such as epigram,epilogue,epinicion and epiphany on Pg.325.A flip of pages to 1020, and we get a short explanation of the Thirty Year War,mixed in with authors and book titles.
What I've been trying to convey is the wide range of entries in the book and that it covers much more than literature and authors. It is a bit of a guess what you will find;but that is part of the enjoyment you will getfrom this book.You'll find "whore of Babylon" but not "The Butcher's Apron".The Pulitzer Prize winners are all listed.
I could go on forever;I'll quit now,as most readers have gotten my pointby now.I hope so,anyway.
If you buy this book,or buy it for someone who reads a lot;you'll never regret it.

This is the kind of work which when first dipped into leads to the temptation to dip into it more and more . The sheer amount of information is so great, the entries so various in subject that endless delight is to be found in learning more and more. There are however as with most things, a few problems and limitations.
Take for instance the opening entry of the Encyclopedia, the entry on 'Aaron'. We truly learn important things about Moses' brother and mouthpiece. But for anyone who knows Biblical literature not to speak of its commentaries, the entry is a shortcut of shortcuts. And thus misleading. For it does not tell of Aaron's role as leader of the Temple ceremony worship, does not explain his connection with Moses in a deep way, nor even mention their sister Miriam, does not tell of the death of Aaron's son in offering up strange fire, does not tell anything about Aaron's role as ' man of peace beloved by the people'. One of the great farewell scenes of world- literature Aaron's climbing to the top of Har Ha-Hor is not mentioned.
I take this one example to indicate another simple truth. An encylopedia of this kind is always best on a subject one does not really know much about. Then anything we are told , adds to our knowledge if not necesarily our understanding.
In checking out a number of articles I did not find ' inaccuracy' here. In confronting other subjects I knew nothing about I did have a sense that I was getting reliable information.
This is again a good tool and source for attaining first knowledge of a subject.
However if one really wants to know and understand the meaning of a particular subject my recommendation would be to supplement this work with other sources of information.

I love my 4th edition and am glad I've kept my 2nd edition as now I have the best of both worlds. New info in 4th and the deleted info in the 2nd. The only thing I would do to improve the next edition is go back to the alphabet tabulations.

He drove an ambulance during World War 1, before becoming one of America's most famous novelists. Who wrote "Death of a Salesman"? Who wrote "Manhattan Transfer? Who created the character, Sherlock Holmes"? Holden Caulfield was the main character of what famous novel? Who wrote "Catch-22"? These are just some of the questions that "Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia" can answer. Bruce Murphy's book offers biographical notes on writers, synopsis of famous books, plays and poems, descriptions of characters and detailed explanation of literary terms and movements.

I have had my copy of Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia since its publication in 1987 and have found no better reference tool for writing research papers and for general literary inquiries. Although "Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia" is over-due for a major facelift, it continues to be a valuable tool - I keep my copy at arms reach along with my copy of "Oxford Companion to American Literature", by James D. Hart.

I purchased this for myself my second year of college. Being an English major especially interested in the Modernists, it soon became the most used volume in my bookcase. A fantastic quick reference when crunched for time and excellent for understanding those oh-so-esoteric literary allusions. It's wonderful, with references for historical and artistic events and movements, novels, epics, authors, poets . . . a must for any lover and/or student of literature. This would make a fantastic gift, too!