Dance Books

As another reviewer already said, this book is obviously a labor of love. The author went to a tremendous of amount of effort to get interviews from dozens of the surviving Burlesque trooper, whose histories and stories are engagingly told in this book.

I happened to see the book in a used bookstore, and picked it up just for fun. I didn't know anything about the subject, and was surprised at how much there was to know. For example, one of the women points out that back in those days, they didn't have the elaborate production numbers that they do now, and so just simple talent had to carry the brunt of the show, and she's generous (unfortunately I don't recall her name) in saying that the whole cast was just packed with talent and everyone in the show was usually very talented, so that usually wasn't a problem.

I was so naive about the subject that I didn't even know that women were appearing on stage in such skimpy costumes back then. :-) I thought it only happened in photos taken in shady back rooms for rags that were circulated to a small but discrete clientele. Until Playboy came along in the 50s, you didn't this kind of nudity anywhere in print, at least in a widely circulated publication. But the women here are easily the the peers of those from the famed silkscreen magazine era.

But even more than the visual titillation aspect of the book is that the stories of these women, who were true pioneers and unappreciated until now in many ways, are being told for posterity. Also, some of the men who were important to the period are profiled too. Overall, it's a fine book on what was a bygone and almost lost age of the stage and theater that finally seems to be getting some of the credit it deserves.

And as for the reviewer who gave the book a low rating because he works on Broadway and thought the book should have mentioned the new Burlesque revival, and that the book was just the author gushing about shows she'd never actually seen hersellf, well, stop whining. The book is about the old Burlesque, not the new stuff. And as for not having seen it, that's pretty much the nature of history, since most of it wasn't seen firsthand, anyway. And if you want a book on the new revival, then go write it yourself. Some day someone will be saying the same thing about you.

Just noticed that there are some copies around for used prices on this insanely well-done hardbound. I paid a lot more and if you're looking for some vintage burlesque history of real performers, begin here. Briggeman clearly states how and why she undertook this search; this isn't a working author, she approached it as a fan, a researcher and hit a bull's eye. And if you can scarf one up for a good price, grab it for a fascinating read.

No Virginia, this isn't neo burlesque: here are the roots of the original bump & grinders who paved the way for today's performers who now cross into new media, post-feminist stuff and are more rock stars than many rock stars: today's performers owe a major bow to the subjects in "Burlesque: Legendary Stars of the Stage" and as a labor of love, this proves that a well sought-out and researched project like this can transcend its original goal. "Burlesque" humanizes the performers behind the glitter and, sometimes, grime of a lost era. for the Bettie Page fans and Brown and Bigelow pin up fans along Elvgren's alley, a tip o' the Hatlo hat to a book well done. could it have been heavier in one way or another? Sure: any subject like this is a jump into the deep end of the pool. There's a lot more to cover, but that's not the point: finding real, breathing people and hearing their stories was and is the point. Great vintage photos make it a time trip. And like so many art forms that were reviled by upper class, burlesque, baseball, comic books and rock and roll are spawned by commonality and drew from their working-class roots to become the color in a grey society. This books rocks: what an homage and how well it is done! Kudos!!!

I'm glad to have it in my library; I envy the author in her numerous encounters with the real, working performers who, in their own stories, are now legends. True stories; real people. Bless Briggeman; bless her subjects.

This book is full of wonderful memorabilia, but it's a little weird that the author doesn't mention, or never has heard of, the neo-burlesque movement that has sweeped America and parts of the World. Rhapsodizing about performances she has never seen seems to be her way of romanticizing the past. There's no denying the book has wonderful photos, and the author's collection is full of amazing items. Even if she doesn't like the current burlesque scene, it's something she should comment on. Even the NY Times has written about the current burlesque revival! Nowhere does she mention Teasorama, the NY Burlesque Fiestival, or Exotic World, though she talks about the Museum. It's a flaw in an otherwise entertaining book.
Caveat: I am very much a part of the NY scene, stage managing and helping in a variety of shows, so perhaps I'm prejudiced.

I just heard this book, "BURLESQUE: Legendary Stars of the Stage," won the 2005 IPPY Award in the Performing Arts catagory. From what I've read, over 2200 books were submitted by over 1500 Independent Publishers...and this book was judged to be the best in its catagory. That's all I need to know; it tells me this is a good book--perhaps considered a collectible due to all the photos it contains. The book also preserves at least a small piece of burlesque history; written by someone who has gotten to know many of these old-time performers in their later years. It's a book worth owning!

Slipping behind the scene, author and founder of the Burlesque Historical Society, Jane Briggeman,draws the reader into the dressing rooms and personal lives of the woman and men of burlesque.

Peppered troughout the book are beautiful photographs that show lots of curves, georgious gowns and costumes that bring the art of the dance into the readers mind.
Jane Briggeman covers all the ground from men performing baggy pants comedy to the burlesque stars and big production shows.

The author writes about burlesque's high popularity as well as its low periods when threatened by repressive times. Her impressive collection of burlesque memorabilia would be a welcome addition to any writers research library. Briggeman reveals heart and soul in "Burlesque". The size of the book and the attractive high gloss red cover makes this a very classy coffee table conversation piece. Go out, buy the book and have some fun, it's a very exciting read.

I can't believe I've reached my 50th review.And it is happily on a topic near and dear to my heart.....Buster Keaton.
Buster was not as appreciated as he might have been in his 1920s heydays.And when his downfall at the hands of MGM came in the early 30s,as far as the public was concerned he was just considered just another fatality
like so many of his peers that occured in the late 20s and early 30s with the conversion to sound.He was soon forgotten.
But it didn't keep Buster down the least bit.He eventually battled back from depression and acute alcoholism.He was rarely out of work for very long and whether behind or in front of the camera he continued on like a trouper for the rest of his days.
The man lived and breathed comedy and never lost his ability in the development and creation of gags.And of course his masterful directing abilities and knowledge of the camera were unquestionable.
Buster fortunately lived long enough to see a steady resurgence in his popularity and homages from many in the film industry.And his public persona also reached new heights as new generations rediscovered his older films and/or relished his appearances in newer films and on TV.
This book then is a fitting tribute to a legend and one of the GREAT(and I don't use this word lightly) purveyors of screen comedy in the 20th century.
It is first and foremost a pictorial tribute.It is absollutely filled with wonderful photographs,some I have seen but others I have not.
It even has a photo montage of a Buster how-to on creating his trademark pork pie hat.
All this is nicely rounded out with text from the author and most especially his late widow Eleanor.
All in all I recommend this book highly to those who are just discovering this great screen comedy genius.There's no better way to acclimate yourself to his life and career.And to those like myself who have known and adored this mans' work for years,this book should be an essential piece in the Buster Keaton section of your library.

I've always been a little disappointed that Buster Keaton gets overshadowed by stars like Chaplin, mainly because he was more than just a silent comedian. In many ways, he was a daredevil of his time, always doing his own stunts and risking his life on several occasions. In today's Hollywood, what star would've dared let a whole house fall on him and miss by mere inches as Buster does in Steamboat Bill Jr.?? Not even Jackie Chan would've tried that one!

With that in mind, Buster Keaton Remembered is superb at illustrating a lot of the stunts and tricks he used in making his best movies, not to mention the man himself, with some glorious candid and studio photography.

The only real disappointment I found with this book is the text's general lack of depth. Sure, the classic shorts and features are all here. But his later work (post-1940) is generally glossed over. Many intriguing elements are also introduced like the death of one of his gag writers, his unreleased film "Ten Girls Ago", his family becoming part of Buster's films, etc. But in most cases, these are only mentioned in passing and get little analysis or explanation.

But then, Buster Keaton Remembered isn't really meant to be a biography - this is more of a coffee table book. So if you're looking for a stunning pictorial of his life, this is the one to pick up. If you're looking for more detailed insights into the man and his movies, it's time to head for the library.

I recently attended the Ninth annual Buster Keaton Festival in Iola .KS. It was my seventh visit. I met Margaret his Granddaughter and she autographed this book. The book is beautifally done in the vailed quality of the golden movie age. The pictures and story line are truly of love for this man from his wife and "grandaughter". James Karen also was present and received the "Buster". Stone face will be remembered as a common man with photos of him smiling. This is special because he was also a proud grandfather to his granddaughter. For a final tribute visit, Find a grave.com GOD BLESS BUSTER

the photos are worth the price of admission, many i had not seen before as a long time fan of keaton. the text is clear, and not horribly sentimental, which i was afraid to find as the book was co-written by his last wife.

gorgeous. really well done.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being a fan of Buster, I've read numerous bios, ranging from mediocre to all out hatchet jobs. Students of the "Great Stone Face" will learn a lot, I certainly did. The photographs alone are worth the price of the book, epsecially the "stills" from THE GENERAL, STEAMBOAT BILL JR. and ONE WEEK. Keaton always seems to take the proverbial "back-seat" to Chaplin, but Buster was the better comic, by FAR!!! And, as an added bonus, you can see how Buster and Eleanor made the "pork-pie hats" worn in so many of Keaton's films.

This book is just an "okay" introductory text on capoeira. A major draw back is the centeral focus on capoeira regional, a better text would be "Ring of Liberation" because it more comprehensivly covers capoeira.

The book Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form was not only well-written but was interesting as well. This book educates you about the history of capoeira, capoeira practitioners, and even a short summary of how Mestre Acordeon was introduced to the art of capoeira. I would highly reccomend this book to capoeiristas, as it was very helpful to me. Axé.

Amazing book, absolutely amazing. It is not for the person wanting to learn how to do capoeira, but for anyone, beginner or master, who wants to read a great history and personal journey.
It even travels into the spiritual, deeper significance of capoeira.
GREAT BOOK.

Mestre Acordeon takes you on a journey through capoeira, sharing his experiences and inviting the reader to use his imagination.
A truely inspirational piece from a truely inspirational master.

Mestre Acordeon's book has long been praised for its clear writing, for his thoughtful coverage of the history, philosophy, and artistic traditions surrounding this art-form. Other reviewers (see below) have noted that the book was among the first in English to introduce readers to these aspects of Capoeira, while also offering a glimpse into this one mestre's personal and life-long journey. Having assigned his book to students (both graduate and undergraduate alike), I have had ample opportunity to hear students' glowing reviews: most of these students had never heard of Capoeira, nor even seen it played, before having read his work. In retrospect, they (and I, too) consider this book an excellent way to delve into the topic. While there's recently been a flurry of new scholarship on Capoeira (at least 3 books in English have come out in 2005) that matches Capoeira's growing influence around the globe, Acordeon's book remains one of the best places to start one's exploration. Axe ASCAB!

This book is jam packed with great information! As the parent of child actors, I wanted to get the scoop on what casting directors are thinking. On auditions, parents wait in the reception area while their kids meet with casting directors in a separate area. Most of the time, the parents do not meet the casting director at all. So I never really get to see how the process works.

By reading "Casting Qs", I got all of my questions answered, without having to nag my kids for info! The best part is that even after reading the book from cover to cover, I can go back use the book as a reference if my kids have a meeting with one of the CDs interviewed. I think that this book is a MUST READ for any parent of a child actor, seasoned, or just starting out. I wish that I had read it even sooner!

With all the research that has been done for me in this book I've been saved a lifetime. I've just started utilizing some of the words of wisdom gathered and have a new perspective and energy on the industry because of it.

Bonnie Gillespie's "Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews" is the most important book to have on hand if you are an aspiring actor in the entertainment industry. This book has been referred to numerously by myself and my daughter, a child actor. Bonnie's format is non evasive yet to the point - a perfect blend of insight for a new person to this business or a seasoned professional. This book should be in the hands of everyone with a true passion for "making it". Each Casting Director that is featured offers an enormous amount of hits and misses to their daily grind. Anyone wishing to embark on this business would be a fool to ignore the straightforward words from these top casting directors....I give it two thumbs up...but if you ask our whole family (immediate and who have read it) WE give it 10 thumbs up!!!

Bonnie Gillespie's book "Casting Qs" is a totally invaluable resource if you're an actor in LA. Every actor needs a leg up and every casting director is different - how great to have a resource that allows you to differentiate yourself while appealing to the Casting Director's own sensibilities! I go to this book every time I read for a new casting director, and also for ideas on how to gain access to casting directors I don't know yet. It's not what you know, it's who you know - so why not learn how to know the people you need to know? This book helps you do that. One casting director says flat out to send in your headshot with Casting Qs on the outside of the envelope, he'll know you know a little bit about him and he'll take a look at you. I took him up on the offer, and he's serious! But you'll have to buy the book to find out who.

The most fascinating book on auditioning that I've ever read. Nearly 100 casting directors share their thoughts on what they like, hate, and everything else that falls inbetween. The most incredible aspect of it all is how often the casting directors say the same things.

I learned things in this book I wouldn't (and couldn't) have possibly learned without it.

... but truly engaging reading. The author is a very sincere and genuine person who lived a spartan life for many years. Through it all, he retains a sense of humor.

All these other reviews pretty much cover the subject matter of the book, but no one has said much about the form. Well, i just want to add that this is obviously a labor of love, done by a man with an extraordinary gift for writing; the result is just immensely enjoyable in terms of the beauty of the writing, all along. The language is rich, superbly wrought, full of delightful wit and pizzaz. This dancer has got style, lots of it!

I love George Fowler's book 'Dance of a Fallen Monk'. His subtitle, 'A Journey to Spiritual Enlightenment', is very apt for in this book he traces the journey his life has taken from 'down on the farm' outcast to monk to priest to marriage.
Fowler begins by describing his somewhat desolate and directionless adolescence, brought to a climax by friendship with Datus, a stranger in town who took an intellectual interest in Fowler (and gave him the sort of attention he craved). This friend died rather suddenly, and through a combination of intellectual and spiritual accidents and decisions, ended up after a stint in the military with interesting experiences, in a rather strict Roman Catholic monastery.

The period of growth juxtaposed with stagnation during these years is interesting to read. Sometimes it seemed nothing was happening, when it fact it was, and sometimes the 'action' wasn't what it was thought to be.

Fowler's trek away from the monastery, and later away from the Roman Catholic church (finally finding a home in another denomination) is an interesting one. It is full of wonder and awe, heartbreak and reconciliation. I was so glad to have the chance to see a glimpse into some of the pitfalls of ministry; I was thankful that I might have a guide for when I fall into error.

Perhaps the greatest message from this book for me, is that no vocation need be the final word; that all may build upon each other; that a change in direction can be natural and rewarding even if it breaks with a life direction; and, most importantly, one never knows where God will call one to be, and responsiveness requires being willing to break with our most sacred idolised beliefs.

Fowler is writing from the standpoint of a minister who has had almost the full array of possible postings and experiences. No matter how hard or fast or far he ran, the calling to the next stage would always find him, usually when he was unsuspecting, and intending on a different direction. Life is very much like that.

'For my last few years in the cloister, I felt so guilty about early intuitions of this awareness of the mystics, which tradition calls higher consciousness, that I often found myself rushing off to confession to ask pardon for 'sins against the faith'. I would later see that those early 'unorthodox' insights, intuitions, intimations--I would almost call them suspicions at that stage--were actually first breakthroughs into higher consciousness.'

This book reflects many lives through Fowler's life. Read and see what of you is in here. Something of all of us is in each other. When we recognise it, we have found a friend. Fowler is, in many ways through this book, my friend.

I read - and re-read - this book many years ago and found it one of the most entertaining and enlightening books I had ever read. If you are a questioning spiritual seeker - somehow not quite fulfilled by any organized, formal religion - this is the book for you - and even if you are satisfied with your religion, it will help you re-examine your beliefs. The writer's philosophy is that organized religion is great - as far as it goes - but that, ideally, it is a "school" from which one eventually graduates; that we evolve and become spiritually mature, beyond accepting any one set of dogmatic beliefs; that we come to see and appreciate the truth in all religions, while not adhering to any one particular set of beliefs. A great, heart-warming read, written from the writer's soul, and a wonderful assist to all spiritual seekers.

George Fowler tells a story that almost every intuitive-feeling or intuitive-thinking Christian or ex-Christian could relate to. The public-institutional church will at its best neglect their needs and, at its worst, drive them out. Probably the same is true of other religions. The overwhelming majority of the population is outer-directed and uninterested in (or threatened by) the perennial mystical tradition that led to their religion's founding and is usually enshrined in their scriptures. Christians who desperately go from one retreat center, workshop, or teacher to another in search of sustenance their church will not provide will relate to George's story. Seekers on the New Age circuit will also relate to the dance of this "fallen monk." Unfortunately, the personalities that thrive on the public face of institutional religion will probably be offended by his critique of their little world, learn nothing, and go on to the next committee meeting or potluck dinner. (And that assumes they would read the book at all, which they probably wouldn't.) My one criticism is that George is a bit too harsh and far-sweeping in his judgment of Protestantism. He simply may not have a very wide experience with the myriad of denominations and movements, and the varieties of inner-directedness some have to offer.

Hollywood has a long history of bad boys as this fascinating book shows. Bad behavior is as old as Hollywood,but this book is not a simple recap of tabloid stories. It gives an interesting background to the actors' careers, their missteps, and the consequences of their bad behavior. It can also serve as a cautionary book. So much of the bad behavior is a result of booze and/or drugs and in many cases derailed or destroyed very promising careers. I would definitely recommend this book.

He not only gathers information that would otherwise require assistance from the CIA or NSA, he disseminates it in a lively, juicy, easy-to-read manner. He bridges the gap between researchers and the everyday yahoo who wants to know the most salacious details of Hollywood royalty acting like the pampered, indulgent maniacs they often are. One would expect this kind of all-encompassing, zippy, definitive collection from Parish, who has mastered this form, and he does not disappoint.

This is a fascinating look at Hollywood history. Bad behavior is as old Hollywood and bad boys go back to the earliest days. But this is not a simple recap of tabloid stories; this is an indepth look the backgrounds and careers of these bad boys. It also traces the consequences of this bad behavior. The book could also serve as a cautionary tale; much of this bad behavior is the result of booze and/or drugs and in many cases derailed or completely destroyed promising careers. I recommend this highly interesting book.

THIS IS A GOOD READ ABOUT SOME OF THE BAD BOYS OF HOLLYWOOD. AMONG THE MALE ACTORS COVERED ARE BEN AFFLECK, JAMES DEAN, DEAN MARTIN AND BURT REYNOLDS. THE STORIES ARE 4-5 PAGES BUT ARE PACKED WITH DETAILED INFO CONCERNING DRUGS, DRINKING AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOR THAT WILL SHOCK ALOT OF PEOPLE. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS WELL WRITTEN AND INTERESTING BOOK. I HAVE ALSO READ HOLLYWOOD BOOK OF SCANDALS BY THIS AUTHOR AND ENJOYED BOTH VERY MUCH. IF YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE SCANDAL CONCERNING THE SO CALLED STARS OF HOLLYWOOD THEN THIS IS FOR YOU. VERY RECOMMENDED.

What do Charlie Chaplin, W. C. Fields, and Dean Martin have in common? In addition to passing away on Christmas Day in their respective years of death, all 3, along with 67 others, appear in
"Hollywood Bad Boys," from the prolific pen of James Robert Parish. From Ben Affleck to Gig Young (Oscar winners both), you get a succint account of the lives (and, in 37 cases, the deaths) of the notables and the wannabes, that, for better or worse, made the American entertainment industry what it is today.
If you like E!'s "True Hollywood Story" and "Mysteries and Scandals," you'll love "Hollywood Bad Boys."

I liked this book but couldn't get through a lot of the letters, they were so fake seeming, though I'm sure they weren't. The general storyline was good and the pictures are telling in their crudeness. A nice "coffee table" book.

I was happy to get my hand on this book, since it truly changed my opinions about people in the sexy dancing industry. Who are the victims here? The dancers? The customers? None of them? All of them? There are no easy answers after looking in this amazing piece of work. Beasley has managed to really look into the human side of this world, which is all to often showed in a matter of cheap sensation. I would say this is documentary photography at it's very best. Moving, clever, passionate photographs that really makes a difference.

when I first saw this book, it captured my attention right away. Finally, a real life account of a woman with a plan who "chooses" the darker side of employment to find finacial security. Not only that, but it included short stories from the woman she worked with AND the customers they served.
How could this get better?
PICTURES! very real pictures of real people displaying the Grit, the Glamore, and sometimes the "I don't want to see that". I love artsy coffee table type books and this is now a permanent fixture in my living room.
I've spent many a night in the loud, dark, smokey clubs filled with naked woman shaking their ass-ettes in my face. I never truly understood the truth behind their job or life style untill I picked up this book.
This book is real, its raw, and it sheds a dim light on the subject of stripping. I recomend this book to anyone who has ever been to aa strip club, or entertained the idea of working at one.

Juliana Beasley shows a real and sometimes shocking side of the strip club industry. The pictures are not of glamourous dancers, they are of real women who work in strip club, and their stories aren't always pretty. She is honest about what goes on in the lap dance rooms.

As a dancer I can relate to what was written in this book. My experience has been different than the author's, but I recognize the stories she tells and I appreciate that she didn't sugar coat the truth of the matter. She was honest about her participation, and that is refreshing, and her photography is beautiful.

Great book, the photo's are an insightful look into a world most of us never see.

Beasely captures natural and spontaneous moments that at times were shocking and sensitive towards the subject matter. As a veteran stripper, she looks wisely at her own experience working as a lapdancer. The book is also interspersed with sincere interviews with customers and dancers. throughout the book.

Unlike other readers in the review section, I was particuliarly moved by the humanization of the subjects instead of what one normally sees--sensationalized male fantasies. No Barbie dolls here! Most impressive are the customers' honest dire need for closeness and the dancers sincere ambivalence about their relationships and simultaneous cunning to make a good salary.

I found this book a contradictory pleasure and at the same time a bolt disturbing reality of a world in which the lonely buy affection and attention.

I'm thankful there are some artists out there who are not afraid of showing the truth without imbedding their own feminist agendas into the framework of a documetary book which is complete with photos and text.

A must read!

Celebrity autobiographies are exercises in exhibiting the overexposed. However, dignity and discretion are assumed by the reader. Consequently, the author is oblidged to spend the entire book repeating, in essence, "I don't mean to brag but..." Also, celebrity autobiographies are famous for their creativity. David Niven's is pretty par for the course. I doubt if more than 25% of the incidents included happened exactly as described, if at all. All the better for the reader. The truth is usually rather dull or unpleasant. The narrative itself is very readable in a relaxed chatty style. Who knows if he even wrote it himself. You never know. Maybe he wrote the bare bones out and gave it to a ghostwriter to pad it and make it sound like "David Niven" wrote it. Wouldn't be the first time. Who cares? It's a fun story filled with famous people being interesting.

Published in 1972, THE MOON'S A BALLOON proved one of the great bestsellers of the decade--and if you read the first page you'll know why. You are immediate hooked by star David Niven's wild, wicked sense of humor. Whether it is his Dickensian childhood, his outrageous tour of duty with the British military, or his climb to unexpected stardom, this is truly Niven exactly as you imagine he would be.

Imagine, however, seems to be an operative word. Niven was less interested in relating the facts of his life than he was in telling a good story and in putting his best face to the public--something that is not entirely unexpected in an autobiography, particularly the autobiography of a Hollywood star. Later writers have noted that Niven played fast and loose with the facts in THE MOON'S A BALLOON, and that for all his charm he could be viciously despicable when the mood took him; it is also worth pointing out that he was never quite the "A List" star that he seems to be in his memoirs.

But all this is actually a little beside the point. Whether it is factually accurate and emotionally honest or not, THE MOON'S A BALLOON is simply a delightful read right from the first page, where we meet Nessie, the Picadilly hooker who introduced Niven to the joys of the flesh. Approximately half the book concerns Niven's life before he arrived in Hollywood as a would-be actor, and it is a riotous ride; once Niven hits the film industry, however, he begins to name drop with the best of them--offering memorable glimpses of such famous names as director William Wyler and stars Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. It is all fascinating stuff.

It can also be quite startling. As just one example among many, when writing of his first wife's death Niven mentions that Joan Crawford stepped in to care for his children while he attempted to cope with his grief. Yikes! And although he was a great womanizer and cut a swath through Hollywood's beauties, Niven does no name dropping there; he does, however, describe an affair with a "Great Big Star" who was very likely Merle Oberon, the leading lady of WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

True enough, THE MOON'S A BALLOON will hardly stand a cold factual analysis--but it is a tremendously fun thing to read, a joyous and fun book, and while quite a lot of it is of the "tall tale" variety it certainly presents the star as he likely most wished to be seen and be remembered. Don't pick it for bedtime reading, because you'll never put it down! Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

David Niven was not always a star. He had to go away and learn his trade in "B" movies before being allowed to enter the big time. He learnt that trade well but, unlike some who were destined to become greats of Hollywood, he also put his entire acting career on hold whilst he served as an officer in a fighting unit throughout WW2.

This book tells the first half of his life's story and what a story it is. Like every biography ever written, the best bits do not happen at the beginning, so some readers, therefore, might find it slow going at first. Though many will not. But then we meet the rich and famous stars of Hollywood from another era and learn a little about each of these people and their various relationships as we move from one to another and sometimes back again.

Written in David Niven's own hilarious style, there is so much humour here that you "will" find yourself insisting others read this book. In fact, it is so funny - especially his descriptions of the wrong use of English words by foreign movie directors, one finishes the book in the knowledge that had David Niven not become an Oscar-winning movie star, he would easily have achieved great success as a writer.

The underlying theme, of course, is David Niven's life and, as one reviewer has already said, this book leaves you wishing you had met this man. Me too.

NM

Let me explain what I mean.

First of all, from the very beginning pages of the Book, I could sense the smooth flow of thoughts, pouring out of MAN Niven, not ACTOR Niven.

Second, I could also feel for MAN Niven and what he went through in his youth and early manhood.

David Niven is a born storyteller. He should have dared direct movies as well. He would have succeeded splendidly because one of the very first requirements for a director, both on stage, as well as on camera, is to know how to tell a story, and tell it in a coherent and organized way.

That he had chosen not to do it, means that he was aware of his limitations and probably preferred to stick with what he knew best: acting.

I bought this book just by chance at Heathrow, while traveling to New York, feeling bored to death by the many security checks and formalities to be undergone these days, in order to be able to travel from point A to point B on the globe.

I had absolutely no idea what it was all about, but the title intrigued me, also because I had heard about it some years ago, but didn't pay appropriate attention to it at that time.

So, here I went and bought it. Finally on board of my flight carrying me to the U.S., I opened it and before I knew better, I had already landed at JFK having read half of it.

I could have blasted the pilot for that, but it wasn't his fault. I am a slow reader. I have to savor all the finesses contained in a book, given that the same is worth the effort. Believe me, "The Moon Is A Balloon", is such a book.

During my entire stay in the U.S. I carried the book around and kept on reading it - I should actually say - devour it. When I finally came to its end I felt disappointed.

Not by the book and magnificent tales and accounts it contains, but having come to a point where there was nothing more to read.

This is a book that will leave you with a "hunger" to read more about MAN David Niven and what he has to say about his experiences.

It is not just what he says, but how he says it.

The descriptions of the people he met, the places he visited, the moods and colors of his world, all come to life vividly.

Perhaps because I am a stage director, interested in directing movies, I may have a distorted vision on this, but I could actually visualize what David Niven was describing.

Various wild images a la Charles Dickens, especially at the very beginning of the book, sprung out of my mind (even "The Turning of the Screw" popped up - go figure why...).

Then, while he was describing his experiences with the schooling system in England, I visualized sorts of crazy images half-ways out of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", mixed with "Blackboard Jungle" and/or "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" - the male version that is.

Later the encounter with his first love affair (I won't reveal more about it, you must read by yourself), I had flashes of "Of Human Bondage" and "Great Expectations".

His Malta adventure in the Army, almost sprung out from very early forties war movies, or thirties movies with Clark Gable.

Now I realize how deformed my professional mind is, but indeed I could feel being transported there, in his "Balloon", in his world, and felt part of his tragicomic life.

David Niven takes you by the hand and leads you into his secret garden, in which you discover the ugly sides of life, but also the very splendid tiny little pleasures that make his and everyone else's life pleasurable and indeed, worth living.

It is funny to think that David Niven's "Balloon" closely resembles to the one Jules Verne's created in "Around the World in 80 Days", and while this was a total work of fiction, Niven's own takes you much farther, than just around the world.

It takes you into a lesson of lived life, told by a human being who has truly learned from his mistakes and learned from them what life is truly all about.

The lesson though, never comes from a pulpit, it comes as a highly entertaining and fascinating account of experiences, at times very funny, at times very grim, but never, never boring.

I was stunned to finally witness that even a person like Niven, that was alive for most of my lifetime, could still enthrall and grip me with his writing style.

I usually have always avoided reading modern authors, or biographies of modern personalities, except maybe Science Fiction books (Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury or Arthur C. Clarke), since they all seem to resemble each other.
It is a continuous ego-trip with lots of whining and gossiping involved, but no true and genuine life experience and wisdom shared, and if is at all shared, it is in the form of "...let me tell you how to change your life, into a successful business-like one...".
Lots of preaching from insignificant and dull people I wouldn't even like to meet in person, even if I had a chance to do so.

David Niven never preaches, he just tells you how it was and the ways he managed to work himself out of trouble and into a very useful and respectable life.

I absolutely love his book.

Alas, David is not among us anymore, because if he were alive today, I would absolutely want to know and meet him in person, and perhaps even work with him.

I am over fifty, but I get a sense that with a person like him, I could still learn a lot in matters of life and how to survive even the most adverse of situations in it.

Dear readers, allow me to suggest this book to all of you. You won't regret it. This is not just another boring autobiography.
This is a man's heart opened up to the world, for the best and the worst.

David Niven's soul lies in his lines and comes alive when these lines are read.

Bless you David, wherever you may be, my thoughts are with you.The Moon's a Balloon

I just want to quickly add to all these other five-star reviews that this is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. David Niven candidly bares his vulnerabilities and lets us in on the obstacles and hurts he endured. I read this at a time that I felt I was drifting and this made me feel much better. There are amusing stories about Hollywood and the rest of the world in the old days. Blessings to David Niven. It's a breeze of a read and I envy those of you who have it yet to enjoy for the first time!

This book has stayed with me like few other things, since reading it many years ago. I often find occasion to quote from it; brilliantly witty, charming, scathing and life affirming all at once. Bunuel led an unusual life, but his autobiography is filled with universal truths to which any reader can immediately relate. Buy it at once, and you will find yourself reaching for it often...

An interesting short semi-bio, in whuch Luis speaks about his life and the people he has met.

Bunuel gave some interviews towards the end of his life discussing his long list of movies. That's why I was delighted to find that his autobiography--which is one of the greatest, if not the greatest by a filmmaker--does not dwell on them. Instead Don Luis chronicles his childhood and upbringing, the relationships he cultivated, and meditates on life, love, death, art, alcohol and cigarettes. Many of the stories from his younger days are even more surreal than his movies. He writes in detail about his stormy friendships with Garcia Lorca and Dali, about his half-hearted attempt to try Hollywood on for size, meetings with Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, and others. The book is not somber or sentimental, it's not over-inflated. Bunuel's voice does not intimidate, it soothes. He's a master storyteller, a very gifted and generous writer.

As a young person, don Luis helped me find my way out of the hormone fog, ... authoritarian adults and their institutions, and equally lost peers. Years later upon reading MY LAST SIGH, I was not surprised at all at the depth of don Luis' humanity and intelligence.

Nevermind the moniker "filmmaker" when talking about don Luis; he is an artist's artist. With his autobio, he only confirms what an equally supreme being he was. I miss him. However, encounter this book and become lit by life itself.

Writings by film directors tend to resemble their films, and "My Last Sigh" is no exception. Bunuel's films are anarchic, funny, unpredictable, subversive, and often disturbing in a way that's hard to pin down. So is this, his autobiography!

Though he disclaims literary talent, Bunuel turns out to be a wonderful writer, and the book is stuffed with piquant anecdotes and elegant observations. I'm afraid to quote examples, because this review would go on forever. Suffice to say that, if you could choose to live any person's life, Bunuel's would be a hard choice to beat, just for the adventure and entertainment value. This may be my favorite book written by a filmmaker.

A real page turner....simple,brutally honest with real life personal stories that are stranger than fiction!.....Ram Dass is a funny,down to earth yet extremely far out dude simultaneously...making far out illogical concepts not only understandable and believable but knowable provided you do the work.. he really knows his stuff and walks his talk so to speak....excellent teachings from a being of extraordinary intelligence,wit and love...one of the best books I've ever read...also hang out with his book "be here now"

Although I generally feel positive about this book, the unqualifiedly positive nature of the other reviews has motivated me to point out some of its short-comings. But I also hope that my criticisms will help defuse the knee-jerk rejection that many empirically-oriented readers might feel toward this book, since I do believe that the book is worthy of being read.

First of all, it is apparent that Ram Dass has forgone the use of critical thinking. For Dass, it seems that any and all ideas have some veracity. Being a former professor at Harvard University, he admits to the validity of genetics and the socialization process in having some impact on the development of character. But at the same time, he seems to favor a 'self' found only at higher, metaphysical planes of existence (inaccessible to some of us). Dass rejects nothing: everything goes.

With critical thinking thrown overboard, many readers will be tempted to skip this book as being too soft, too fuzzy, and too accepting. That would be misguided. Dass has an attitude of unconditional acceptance that has had two distinct advantages. First, it has allowed him access to people, places, and ideas that critically-minded researchers might never have. All people (even gurus in India) are hesitant to share beliefs with others who might find those beliefs repugnant or even ridiculous. It is no secret that the most productive way in getting another person to open up is with an attitude of sincere and unconditional acceptance. Dass has just such an attitude, which allowed him to go far in India.

Second, his attitude also allows us as readers to survey a wide gamut of ideas. After being exposed to those ideas, we can determine for ourselves what we think is valid, what we think is fake and what we think is fluff. Take as an example a kid learning to hit a baseball. What would it mean if you threw only pitches that he could hit? He and you would never learn what he was fully capable of. To do that, you need to throw difficult pitches, many of which he will not hit. But that is ok. Part of a learning experience should be the discovery of outer limits--and you cannot reach those outer limits unless there are failures along the way.

In my own opinion, Dass often exceeds the limits of the believable. In fact, there are many pages of text where I feel that Ram Dass has gone off the deep end and is floundering in incomprehensible waters. But that is ok. I still want to learn about the far-out things that he believes. And I would never know what not to believe unless I heard it at some point. Even then, it is still a mind-expanding experience to learn about far-out things, even if you reject them in the end.

There is another feature of the book that might prove an obstacle to some readers: the miracles. Dass' guru appears in many of these miracle stories: his guru can apparently read minds, engage in remote viewing, and perform other supernatural acts. Stories of the miraculous will leave some readers feeling skeptical and even cynical, and they will simply stop reading. But I found it worthwhile to read though these accounts (which are still entertaining) to reach more meritorious material.

Dass' stories of the miraculous do have possible alterative explanations. Here is one example. Once when Ram Dass arrived at a temple, his guru met him and immediately said that Ram Dass was angry because the women would not get out of the bus to help push. That is exactly what had had happened, and the guru seemed to know this without being there or being told. This appears to be a clear case of telepathy or clairvoyance. But let us suppose this guru is simply a very bright intuitive person. The guru sees Ram Dass' face and immediately intuits anger. He sees Ram Dass' traveling companions, the men looking sweaty and the women appearing neat and dry. He sees the small microbus that carried all these people. And from memory, he knows of the steep hill leading to the temple. The guru then grasps all these disparate elements and intuitively reaches the conclusion that Ram is angry because the women did not help push. The guru's use of such intuition is impressive, yet reference to the miraculous is not needed.

Not all the miraculous stories are subject to such neat alternative explanations. Nevertheless, for other accounts, it could be that Ram Dass did not notice or no longer remembered some crucial fact that would aid in the development of such an explanation. Moreover, it is not that I particularly care about developing an alternative explanation for every event; for me the salient point is that such explanations could be developed. More importantly, I suspect that these gurus are unwittingly engaged in 'cold reading,' the technique used by some psychics of making educated guesses and then quickly following up promising leads. The result is merely the appearance of knowing more than would seem possible.

That is enough criticism. There are still many valuable insights contained in this book. Here are three.

'And the whole history of knowledge is a drop in the bucket compared to wisdom.'

'My whole leaning was toward Buddhism because Buddhism is very neat and clean and intellectually exquisite and Hinduism is generally kind of sloppy. You know those posters of Hinduism: the colors are kind of garish and the whole thing turns you off. A little too gauche for my taste ... too maudlin emotional.'

'Whatever you can have and want isn't what it all is. ... [T]he final peace ... does not come from getting it, but from being it. You cannot "get" peace, just like you cannot "get" wisdom, but you can be wise. You can "get" knowledge but you can only be wise--those are two different spaces entirely.'

I read this book a long time ago...and just am processing another reading so many years later... the words are just little trails like those clues left through the woods so one may find their way.....in fact I'm processing the material more effectively asleep. Waking to thoughts that actions done compassionately that reach out to others are not wrong things, they are the essence of the spirit of trusting yourself in this moment to do what you feel is there to do. How can love be a wrong way?
(Well, it was something bothering me)
So is the need to say something else is internally plaguing me, and I hear these words by Dass as things I must slow and consider:
"The quieter you become, the more you can hear." --Ram Dass


Ram Dass spoke of a shift in consciousness.

" Remember, we are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we're so deeply interconnected with one another. Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any moment, and being love is the supreme creative act." Ram Dass

Being love. Being love. Being love.
Of late I chant "Help me to be of use". Help me to be of use. Perhaps Be Love is the better. Good in teaching.


Essentially your life is just your work on yourself.
And it can be as a dance of love. Much of what he wrote is used colloquially now as we just speak of our inner lives, if you can get beyond something you find challenging (like his LSD use) there is great familiarity-nothing that seems to be so really very out there if you are evolving to peace in self and world. Perhaps it sounds so familiar and could make it to some Simpson's episode to be made into farce, such is the way of these thoughts, accepted, dissected, exposed to the sarcasm too of the times. Times that produce a McCain criticizing a bill for a "Woodstock Museum", (recalling this as a launching really of how these changes spread like a mustard seed weed through youth culture) while at the same time we learn of all the branches of his and hers and mums and dads infidelity and divorce. What a mess he has bloomed self righteously on values, learning in tabloid-ish way of those willed out of fortunes, those in, within his own personal tidal wave of valuing and loving...how easy it is to stand on quicksand.
I really can hear him parodying this book by Dass.

In its sincerity it can be seen as something "far out" in a world gone mad..... but when I first read this a long time ago it was being pulled through music into the heart of a generation transforming many paradigms. Listen to Carole King, it is there too. There was a shift going on. I agree, I think, with him in certain senses of this....looking now I am wondering of our consciousness work in this time. Is it toward love of fellow human we move? I've been derided for suggesting we bring that into the teaching place(center on the love we give) ...no longer (I was told) are we held to that kind of non scientific baloney."It gets nowhere." We want "data and results." Okay it becomes reduced to monetary, hum. Something to "show" we are doing good work with a child, work that might well not be put in play for twenty years.And yes, we do need to instruct reading so one might be able to pick up The Grapes of Wrath and think about it awhile. Or on a dark night of a person's soul have something way back from early days to use to help like thoughts about being through difficulty... My art education teacher I didn't really begin to understand well for 15 years into teaching. Embedded there though was his message of art as the constructive force that is the ultimate act of love. Oh...I see.
Where are we now?
I just read a great Einstein quote in this book in which he speaks of something so beautifully that Dass quotes:
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." --Albert Einstein"

Sometimes I like to think of this time as a rise in awareness. The book is early 70's. And he used LSD at first as a tool to access this place. His choices, him. That's really hard for many to deal with. It tends I think to push away from the core. Perhaps that's because although we medicate in every way you can possibly imagine with every side effect resulting this way....it was suggestive of something potentially harmful to many stakes in our ground. But eventually he came to say that wasn't a necessary gate, the shift like in the 100th Monkey had spread to the group, once there, it wasn't going away.

So as I read what spoke to me was how little "I've learned" for trying to evolve my consciousness....for trying to find a purity of placing the possible ahead of all the rest. How someone can push at my back and drop me into mud...it is time to get to the reasons I came here to this life. The patterns are too clear whether set environmentally or by the clock of a return form of energy that has recycled my karma, I fail when pushed and I cannot retire old wounds well enough into gentleness. But "I will learn how to fall so I can learn how to fly."
I have today and I have been centering with this as one of my tools. Indeed this is the only dance there is.

So it's the simple things, and as I unpack today a classroom and take a rest break here, I'm taking person by person as they come in my space, feeling with them, listening, centering, absorbing a bit and sending my basic pleasure in doing through them -playing a role to de-escalate tensions. Consciously. Thinking be well, or find joy or some thing I say as I'm interacting, a wish for the person. A refrain in the hope we can make melodies this year. Harmonize.
It was no accident music was the vehicle for these messages Dass is talking to here. We are tired setting up for a school year in filth. So we can enjoy cleaning. It will feel better to have done it. I feel better. And when the book closes it was just a sentence on the page.

What Ram Dass is giving you is another way of thinking about daily life, inner, outer....he's suggesting another set of lenses. I was reading a section where he is in the midst of one of these LSD experiences with a friend and they start to take on different roles, protector/parent, child/innocent. Looking one to another this passed through them. Then it goes on to describe how this role playing shifted through all the various kinds of roles we might play in life.....victim/victimizer, mother/father, child/parent, teacher/student, aggressor/ defender...in brief seconds they were flying through this, some of it way too intense frightening them, some reassuring, reversing, very tied into their facial gestures and just looking into the eyes of the "other." I had to actually to stop reading and return to it later seeing this is what has happened in my love relationships when trust blossomed me into things that frightened me too...it was a replay of all the roles of a lifetime.

This flew into me too another line of unrelated thought, as I seem to unhinge in this way without the meds. to bring me to consider my son. As a very young child his basic way to relate was to the expressions in faces as a primary tool to understand. He read emotionally, some books like The Big Green Monster he could not look at. His little hand rose as a stop sign..."it mad" one of his first words. I recall so well that he was such a barometer into the heart of the ones he encountered. It was something because at times very young he'd crawl up my body to escape the spaces of a person he read as not good. It was as true as it gets....and then I thought of my feelings around another that has captivated me with play in this way. I understood, well I feel that to be aware of these roles, these places we go, or repeat is to begin to see how we are held by them.

Today there is fatigue and energy swirling, my closest friend raging and slapping wildly at the hurts of her life, of this work place. There is the mess and the feelings and what does Dass bring you? A pleasantness of calming to find a way through. I, in no way, could go and live months in empty space as he speaks of doing in India, not so much because I want to write or have interactions with stuff but because I know there is pain to face, and what is there to do? Face fear. To occupy yourself with activity on earth so much is to forestall really sitting with yourself and pain.

But it is helping. He wrote a beautiful book to take into days. This review won't tell you more than my endorsement for the good found within it for me right now. That seems enough. as he says:
"Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation. Use it!"

A wonderful thing happened on April 6, 1931. Richard Alpert was born. Years later, he was essentially reborn as Ram Dass, and, as they say, the rest is history. His wonderful talks in the early 1970's at the Menninger Foundation and Spring Grove Hospital are the heart of this book. His transformation from a Harvard psychologist to the first American Guru have been well documented. Ram Dass is the real McCoy, the genuine article. He was a pioneer of 20th century spirituality and the major voice for new age wisdom.
"The Only Dance There Is" is a favorite of mine. I still have my original marked up 1974 copy that I can't imagine that I'll ever part with. It is a treasure. Ram Dass is the master storyteller of this lifetime, and most of his books contain very quotable stories that will have an impact on you. I use many of his stories when writing my own books. Ram Dass has been a mentor of mine and he has enriched my life with his books, including this one.

If I am reincarnated, I just hope it's not in another one of these silly bodies, stuck in time, confused about life, wanting to hide from my know-it-all guru, in desperate need of a restroom.

Ram Dass is a trip - 300 + of them to be inexact. I have to laugh when I hear people like Michael Savage, who is another trip, reviling the culture of the 1960s (all of it) and blaming all of our current problems on a bunch of diaper-doper communists from Brooklyn. While I agree with him about the diaper-doper communists from Brooklyn, I also believe that the only really intelligent spiritual literature in the last 50 years was written when the pinko flag was apparently being unfurled behind closed doors, amidst some heated argument, in a cloud of garlic. I also believe that this literature is now pretty much irrelevant, however quaint it may still somewhat be. Just like Regis and Dave hanging out on "Late Night:" Funny, cute, hollow, high-income. I'd puke but I can't find my bag.

Fortunately at the time of the garlic epidemic in Brooklyn, Ram Dass was in India or Kansas. He was really trying to find himself and you should watch what you pray for, as his swami could have already told you. There's a lot to ponder and Ram Dass does a lot of pondering. I love the metaphor he uses where he sees himself as one who is being led somewhere, like a trout that thinks it is zigging and zagging in a state of free will, but, in fact, is being slowly reeled in by its guru. He also tells his audience that, though he is in a 41 year-old body, HE is not 41 years old. His guru, the CEO of Allied Chemical, agrees and sends him a check. Dad is impressed and sends him another check. Pretty soon the guy is rich.

The problem now, as I suggest feebly, is that enlightenment is a commodity, just like love: witness "Still Here," by post-stroke "victim" Ram Dass. I'm sure the book has some NEAT things to say, and he is a good guy, but part of me wishes he hadn't survived the stroke. Capitalism has won, big time and the mouses are rolling, the texts are messaging and the "medicine" and the chanting isn't working.

What ever happened to the Greg Allman character Ram Dass hooked up with in India, you know the 7-foot Norwegian-American from Long Beach who hadn't exhaled in three years. Probably picked up some chick and drove off with the Land Rover, spitting peanut shells out the window. Now, THAT's enlightened!

Dr. Frey's remedy: collect one cat per week from the Humane Society, mixing it up with FAIR to avoid them getting suspicious, preferably a breed or color you don't already own. As you immerse yourself in an ever-growing crowd of felines (remember the pack animal thing doesn't apply here), you will reach a point where, wherever you look in the room, your gaze will be returned by that of a lover, and this, my friends, is a good thing.