Dance Books

Well what can I say about this fabulous book. Before I read this book my life was dull, imcomplete but through this book I discovered that my penis was not an inanimate peice of flesh just hanging there in between my legs but a instument of pleaseure that I can share with many people through the magic of puppetry! It is no longer the dull slip of skin that was but an all singing ,all dancing Marionette of mirth!
I've already been putting on puppet shows for all my friends and family and so far they have been delighted.I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyman everywhere.

This book is just the thing to bring a little genital excitement into your dull, drab, wretched life. It proves beyond a shadow of a foreskin that it is a phallacy that the penis can't be funny. The authors' hilarious exhibit of penis performance art is guaranteed to drive all your inadequacies away. My favorite is the puppet with the pop-up feature. This is one of the funniest and most entertaining books I've ever seen. I'd love to see the show if it ever comes around to my obscure and vanishing corner of America's sexual landscape.

Before my mother bought me this book, I was just your average Nordic swedish fellow, with nothing interesting to offer to entice the ladies.

Now... my swedish ... tricks are the talk of the town. EVERYONE KNOWS of "The Swede" now. I'm FAMOUS!

While detailed and imaginative, "Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Australian Art of Genital Origami", is only the tip of Simon Morley and David Friend's fascinating show of penis-art. This book explores the many different shapes and positions the penis can be temporarily molded into. And thank you Morley and Friend, for rising to the occasion, and putting your penis-art in a book, for the world to see.

Many of these penis-puppets are hard to accomplish without lots of practice. The "Hamburger", "Hot Dog and a Bun", and the "Loch Ness Monster" are among the more challenging puppets to create, but you'll have plenty of fun trying.

Don't be ashamed to take matters into your own hands, and buy "Puppetry of the Penis", today!

The most astonishing self-help book ever penned. Having seen the amazing show in London's glittering West End I am flattered that the guys are prepared to share their secrets.

Behind the bike sheds; after the rugby match; under the table - male misbehaviour will never be the same again. A revolution and a revelation.

HOORAH! GET KNOTTING!

A twisted little short story. Everything takes place during a brief summer vacation. Love traingle, which brings upon unprecedented mayhem. A good spine tingler to read.

A twisted little short story. Everything takes place during a brief summer vacation. Love traingle, which brings upon unprecedented mayhem. A good spine tingler to read.

Douglas Clegg is an author that one can easily become addicted to. He has a rather unique style of writing that slowly lures the reader in with its insight into humanity's mixed emotions and with carefully drawn characters that literally reach out for compassion and understanding. There's no better example of this than in Mr. Clegg's novella, PURITY, which has been printed in a beautifully designed, autographed, limited edition by Cemetery Dance Publications. PURITY is the tragic story of eighteen-year-old Owen Crites, the son of the Montgomery estate's gardener and caretaker. The estate is located off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts on Outerbridge Island. Every year, the Montgomery family spends the summer at their estate, bringing their young daughter, Jena, with them. Suffice it to say that Owen has loved Jena with (as Poe would write) a love that is more than a love for many years. Though he comes from a low-to-middle income family, Owen believes that he has a chance to win Jena's heart before she goes off to college. He has trained his mind and conditioned his body to make himself more attractive and appealing to her, but is it enough? Owen doesn't think so. Years before, at the age of twelve, he found an ancient statue of a god while exploring one of the many caverns on the island. He named the statue Dagon, after the Fish-God of the Philistines from the Bible, and hid it amongst the rocks in a small pond on the estate's property, waiting until the time came when he would finally need the ancient God's help in acquiring an obtainable goal. When Jena arrives on the island, by way of a sailboat, accompanied by her new boyfriend, Jimmy, our lovelorn teenager realizes that the moment has come to ask Dagon to give him the person of his dreams, no matter what the cost. If he can't compete against Jimmy for Jena's affections, then he'll find another way to win her heart, even if it means murder. Though only 118 pages in length, PURITY is rich in scope as the reader enters the mind of a young man and discovers how painful rejected love can be, more so when your rival is caught making love to the object of your affection. Mr. Clegg brilliantly captures the complexity of emotions that teenagers are filled with. He writes about the purity and innocence of love that only the young can know, while at the same time examining how the structure of marriage can nurture the lack of passion and romance as it does between Owen's parents and Jena's. Life is seldom easy, or viewed with a clarity that can only come with personal growth and maturity. It is certainly less so when you're a teenager with no social standing, trying to win the heart of a wealthy debutante. Subtle, yet poignant, PURITY is a tale that offers a brief glimpse into a world that might have been, reminding us of memories best forgotten, and of a longing that could never be filled. Though different from Douglas Clegg's other works and with less supernatural overtones, it nevertheless displays his remarkable talent as a writer and his ability to create characters that are but a reflection of who we are as human beings. The cover design and artwork by Gail Cross on this limited edition is beautiful to behold with its tapestry of greens and gold that perfectly depict the essence of the story and the approaching storm of tragedy about to unfold within. This Cemetery Dance edition of PURITY would definitely make an ideal gift for someone who loves books and is an avid fan of Douglas Clegg!

PURITY is a slim novella by one of the best writers in the horror genre. It is a character study of Owen Crites, a misfit who falls in love with a society girl and will do anything to have her. If it is her lover, mother, father...Owen does not care. Clegg defines the limits this Owen will go...there aren't any. A very nasty work of fiction. Very personable and will make your skin crawl. The surprise ending is one of the best in the last few years. Great stuff!

Because I had not yet read a novel by Douglas Clegg, I took on "Purity" as a way to introduce myself to a new horror author, something I find myself reluctant to do these days considering the amount of trash that is published. At just shy of 120 pages and as suspenceful as it is, "Purity" probably shouldn't be classified as a true horror story even with it's use of H.P. Lovecraft's "Dagon."

"Purity," the short story of a misunderstood boy in love with the girl he could never have, evokes such incredible imagery and emotion that I was left wanting more. It's not often that an author has an ability tap into every character's head as well as Douglas Clegg has. It's difficult for one to find much fault with the main character, Owen, despite his admitted obsession for Jenna or because of his manipulation of other characters. Even his worshipping of an ugly fish-like statue, Dagon, isn't as creepy as it should be only because we've been given a chance to feel sorry for him. On the other hand, the reader grows to despise his love interest, Jenna, for the spoiled rich kid that she is. And the love triangle that unravels between Owen, Jenna and her new boyfriend is convincingly real, filled with just the right amount of tiwsts and an explosive climax.

"Purity" is a highly recommended book, even at a hefty $30 price tag for it's limited edition run.

this was a great book, i am a dancer and loved it. I learned so much about what it is to be a professional dancer. Twyla Tharp was one of the leading ladies now dance who actually knows how to choregraphs modren . Her different styles make her one of the greatest!

I found Twyla's "Push Comes To Shove" to be all-consuming. This book really gives an honest insight of the modern dance world and into the life of one of the greatest self-made Modern Dance Choreographers to date. Twyla's "No holds barred attitude" about life, relationships, and dance is intriguing and exhilerating. This autobiography is a dance in itself...beautifully crafted, eloquently stated, and honest-honest-honest. what else could you ask for?

I don't know much about modern dance; I discovered this book staying up late one night and seeing Tharp interviewed by Tom Snyder- which was pretty interesting in and of itself.

I was impressed enough by the interview to buy the book, and I was not disappointed. Tharp is a remarkably engaging speaker and writer, and she is completely open about her life, while avoiding the temptation to self-pity or self-aggrandizemnt typical of celebrity biography.

Strongly recommended, both for fans of dance and fans of autobiography.

Twyla Tharp never disappoints with her choreography, and she doesn't disappoint here, either. She's written a marvelous book about her interesting life and the hard choices she made to make the dance her life. A must for all dancers, would-be dancers, and anyone who loves a good life-tale.

to be an artist. If you ever had aspirations (or illusions) of being an artist, you should read this book. Not only is it a fascinating history of post-war modern dance, explaining the genius of Ballanchine and others, but it is an honest portrait of the pain and sacrifice that Tharp and others make to pursue their visions. You get to know that NYC scene of the 1960s and beyond in intimate and unflinching detail.

Tharp is a true original, self-made from the bottom up. You really get a feeling for the relentless drive, the long hours of work and experimentation, and the love that drive this artist to create. (At one point, she recounts the stress imposed on her upstate NY house of a dance troupe in its attic!) It offers both great advice and a cautionary tale. I learned an immense amount from this book at a moment - the mid-life crisis if you will - when I was reassessing my life course.

By turns funny and sad, this is truly great autobiography. Warmly recommended.

Mike Olszewski blows the Buzzard myth wide open, then ties the
shrapnel back up into one tidy little package. Fun, informative, a great read!

"Radio Daze" is like looking back into a time portal of recent history packed with behind the scene info and details of the legendary radio station.
Olszewski paints an easy to read and interesting portrait of WMMS, its owners, management and DJ's. His non-stop tapestry of employee's mixed with stories of some of the original rockers are both interesting and entertaining.
WMMS was the dominant radio station of its time in the Cleveland, Ohio area and was co-existing in a parallel complimentary world of rock music. Riding the airwaves of some of the greatest rock bands ever to emerge out of the musical creative times of the 60's and early 70's.
Ambitious undertakings seemed to be prevalent with the youthful WMMS management, and from my observations they weren't following any recommended guidelines on building a brand name. In a parallel universe the early WMMS management team would have been likened to a band of swashbucklers under the Jolly Roger. Marconi would turn over in his grave if he new of the amount of time this troop spent irritating the other radio stations with Gestapo like tactics to bring in ratings. After reading some of the excerpts in "Radio Daze" I was a little afraid to turn the radio on fearing retaliation.
Some of the highlights: How the radio stations personal helped promote some of the new breed of rockers with radio airplay and marketing promotions. How the WMMS management were very influential in orchestrating a campaign to acquire votes to bring the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" to Cleveland. The seemingly constant shifting of DJ personal [including nicknames] various antics, egos and a mind set where even sabotage was not out of the question.
This book is not filled with off the shelf information, but valid details from someone who was there. Olszewski does a great job of blending 1st person knowledge and then writes from the 3rd person. With his writing abilities and his descriptive style he makes you feel like he's talking to you over a hamburger, fries and a beer. The author definitely has the "worn out shoes" when it comes to his credentials and knowledge base for acquiring information for this multifaceted book.
He has the exclusive rights to exclaim "The World Premier" of books about the birth of FM radio in Cleveland Ohio.

I remember walking into the penthouse of the Statler Hilton hotel on a chilly night in October 1971. I was a young antiwar protestor delivering leaflets to fledgling prog rocker WNCR. As I walked into the control room, I was intrigued by the ambience. Loud music blared from the large Electro Voice speakers mounted above the Gates Stereo Statesman console. Behind the mic was a bearded cat by the name of Jeff Gelb. He was really cool and allowed me to hang out with him. I ended up becoming an intern and fetched coffee and answered phones for Lyn Doyle's "People's Night on the Radio" show. A week or two after I started, my first cousin, Carolyn Thomas walked in. I asked her what she was doing there and she asked me the same question! It turned out that she was working overnights!! (I also found out that Doyle was my cousin by marriage). After WNCR moved to the Stouffer Building around December 1971, interns were exiled and I moved to WMMS working with Billy Bass and David Spero for a few months. It was amazing to watch them work. I ended up back at WNCR in February of 1972 and had a chance to run the board and "ride gain" for Carolyn and Lee Andrews on occasion. Those days were magical and I ended up in radio myself for over 20 years, working at stations in LA and Cleveland. If you want to relive those times, this is the book to read...

This book is an easy read and has some great stories in it. I was lucky enough to have been around radio in those days, in particular WMMS(though I never worked there, but my uncle was the PD) and this book brought back some great memories. It really shows the passion Cleveland had for it's Rock and Roll and it's radio. It is a great commentary on the greatness that TRUE competition can harbor. Nice job Mike.

If you ever listened to FM radio during the 70's and 80's this is a book for you. I expected a textbook but instead got a wonderful ride through the FM radio ages. It doesn't matter what city you were in, this story is for everyone. Remember when radio had a personality? This will refresh your memory. Top 40 died and a new age was created, one that has flourished, made superstars out of bar bands, legends out of local stars. All the stories are here...you will ENJOY!!

This book was a wonderful read. Not only was it suspensful and exciting, it was also rich and smooth, with a pleasing cadence. It is beautiful.
It also put a strangely sweet spin on familiar topics: vampires, for example, and werewolves.
If you like quality, read this book!

It takes a lot of imagination, but also a good grasp on what might be possible or could be credible in a fantastic world to write SF. Mr. Sloan shows both in Raven Dance. It's a classic storyline about rebellion, about the fight for freedom. The scenes are action and dialogue driven. Crisp writing, a fine plot, well drawn characters and sumptuous imagery, but best of all: a hero who is ultra-sensual, wise beyond age and capable, immortal and frail, intelligent and still human enough to have ideals and compassion. I particularly enjoyed the flashes of humour...Mr. Sloan surprised me with very funny lines he sprinkled into his narrative. All of this makes for a treat. I can't wait to read Malcolm's next adventures.

I have a fondness for stories about rebellions. This one is particularly good. The characters are rich and very likable. The world these poor rebels are forced to deal with will give you the creeps. You will be rooting for these feisty protagonists mere pages into the book. Read and enjoy!

Greta F. Hogan Author of Cabin on Riddle Mountain and Other Stories Coming Soon from Merlin House

If someone had told me I would enjoy reading a book about a revolution set in the far future that included supernatural characters, I'd have been surprised. Both ESP and FTL are standard fare in SF, but vampires and even a werewolf aren't. What makes it all the better is that author, Robert Sloan, makes it work. Raven Dance is an epic following a host of characters who battle "against all odd" the faceless, impersonal tyranny of the entrenched, hierarchical bureaucracy of supposedly egalitarian Utopia. With a nod to Heinlein sensibilities and values, Sloan crafts a tale of intrigue and espionage leading to a cultural revolution for personal liberty. His descriptions of FTL (Ander's run) and psionics are fun, engaging, and exciting. I hope you enjoy this action-packed novel as much as I did.

That's why I gave my own book a five star rating. There's quality and there's anyone's individual tastes. Having been my own worst critic for far too many years, I didn't send this book to print until I was satisfied with it. I've rewritten it so often that it's an old friend and sits comfortably between Dean Kootnz and Ray Bradbury on my personal 'reread list' where I wait a few months to forget the details before I enjoy it again.

I got it just right to my own taste. Skim it for yourself and see if you're one of my readers. If you like it, most of my books are pretty much like that. If they're fantasy, they have some science fiction buried deep. If they're horror they have both. It's like a gumbo. You like the mix or you want a little more of this or a little more of that. The one thing you can be sure of is there will be many more of them, because I love what I do and I love my readers.

So if I fall somewhere on your list, drop me a line sometime. Let me know what you think. The one thing I promise is every time I will do these books a little better than the last, while I'm alive. That comes like breathing.

Till the next time. You can find my webpage if you'd like to leave some comments. I'll also read them here. Have a good time. Live forever or die trying...

Robert A. Sloan author of Raven Dance

Coming Soon... Cabin on Riddle Mountain and Other Stories By Greta F. Hogan Edited by Robert A. Sloan

This book was good therapy- it was reasuring to find that there were many people out there like me that spent a great deal of their spare time combing thriftstores and yardsales to find Martin Deny albums or twisted versions of Beatles tunes sung by washed up celebrities.

Here's a simple test to see if you'd like this book: you're at the local thrift store when from the corner of your eye you see a record of Buddy Hacket singing favorite Yiddish songs. Do you...

A)keep looking for your Partrige Family lunchpail that your mother gave away 18 years ago.

B)Break into a cold sweat and lunge for the record with trembling hands.

If your answer is B maybe you should check out this book.

If you're into discovering strange records this is definitely a book to read. The book is separated into chapters. Some are dedicated to musicians and others are to individual record collectors, which are amusing. It gives them the chance to talk about the kooky records they've discovered. There's a nice chapter dedicated to Yma Sumac, which taught me things I didn't know. Apparently she had a concert in 1987, too bad I was only four. She sums up her career rather nicely and expresses the problem she had at her comeback. "I can't sing with just two musicians!"

This book mostly consists of interviews with people discussing their unusual record collections. If that sounds like your bag, here it is. Of course, I dug it.

This is the definitive book on thrift store music finds. Of course, because of its publication it's become increasingly difficult to make good thrift scores since it's opened up the field to many more collectors. But at least we've still got ebay! If the Velvet Underground can lay claim to launching 1000 bands, then the "Incredibly Strange Music" series is responsible for launching thousands of record collections.

After their popular "Incredibly Strange Films" book, the Re/Search team shifts their focus to music, specifically to fringe genres represented primarily by forgotten vinyl releases of the past. Interviewing assorted individuals, both music lovers and cult stars alike, V.Vale and Andrea Juno explore their record collections and gather anecdotes about beloved artists, treasured finds, and favorite album covers. In the first volume, Ivy and Lux of The Cramps recall their discovery of rockabilly and garage rock through thrift store scavenging, and members of the Phantom Surfers discuss surf and hot rod music, monster party albums, and Beatles knockoffs. Brian and Stuart of San Francisco's Amok Books talk about lounge and exotica music (Les Baxter, Arthur Lymann, Korla Pandit), and the founders of Norton Records detail the strange careers of Hasil Adkins and Esquerita. There's also chats with Eartha Kitt, exotica legend Martin Denny, and Jean Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley on their work both together and solo. Throughout the pages are hundreds of B&W photos and images of classic retro album covers. A companion CD was released featuring selections from some of the records covered. These books are an excellent read for those drawn to the bizarre, the shameless, and the ridiculous in music history. These are the unsung artists who never get mentioned in traditional music guides. Definitely recommended.

What a great, great book! As soon as it arrived, I quickly glanced through it and knew I would want to savor it for later. It's really difficult to put down. It's *very* easy to use; extremely well organized. The movies are grouped into headings from "Angels (and Other Messengers) in Our Midst" to "Have Yourself a Supernatural Christmas." I especially liked reading the author's reviews of movies I'd seen such as Edward Scissorhands, Mulan, Powder and my favorite, Resurrection. This book takes the guesswork out of what movie to see tonight!

I so enjoy finding spiritual elements in films, and this book helps immensely in alerting one to points in many films that one might miss. I question the spiritual value in some of the films discussed, but that's all to the good. I use this guide weekly chaeck;ing out the movies on TV, as well as, like other reviewers, taking it with me to the video store or library where I often check out videos.

I believe that this book will do loads in enhancing your enjoyment of many films, and may change your mind about some which you consdidered valueless until spiritual elements are brought out.

Reel Spirit recognizes spirituality and clarifies why so many movies appeal to so many of us the way they do. The insights are meaningful, and the writing is as engaging as an on-going dialog, conveying the delightful experience of going to the movies with a connoisseur who happens to be your best friend.

Have you ever read one of those parenting magazines that says you should watch movies with your kids and then talk about what you've seen? If you're like me, you may be perfectly willing to do this, but don't know what to say. Reel Spirit provides some great conversation starters so that you and your family or friends can make moviegoing a shared experience. And if all those titles at the video store overwhelm you, use the book to identify good movies ahead of time!

Reel Spirit is a terrific guide to film! Buy it quickly and pop a copy into the car--you'll want to have with you every time you visit the video store! A must have for anyone who enjoys films that lift both heart and spirit.

In this book, the reader gets to know Barnaby Skye before he was Mister Skye, before his name was uttered with reverence by men. It's strange to read about Skye, where he's brand new to everything this continent has to offer, but interesting to see how his character develops. And, as always, Victoria is a delight!

This was another very enjoyable story, made very likable by the author's ability to write a wonderful series that can be picked up anywhere. I also find, that since I grew up in an area not far from the Three Forks, that Wheeler's descriptions of the places in these books are spot on.

This book was completely all that, that the author should contact Mel Gibson or Kevin Costner and sell the movie rights to turn this terrific novel into film. I would prefer Mel Gibson to turn this into a film, because his movies about alot better, when he directs them, than Kevin Costner. The book is that good, that it would be a terrific movie. If that happens, Orlando Bloom would be the perfect actor to play Barnaby Skye and Tonatzin Carmelo can play Many Quill Woman.

Richard S. Wheeler's Skye's West: Rendezvous and his character Barnaby Skye...eh, make that Mister Skye! offers a reading treat for anyone who wants something out of the ordinary with their adventures.
Besides providing a good story Wheeler's writing is grown-up good as it leads us into an historical realm and offers a well- crafted look, convincing dialogue, and characters who breathe.
It's easy to see why Wheeler has won the SPUR Award for his western writing and easy enough for a reader to be spurred on with his stories.
There's only a handful of talented writers in this genre out there and Wheeler is one of them.

This is a good read, with a lot of historical facts mixed in with the fiction. It describes life in the wilderness of the Northwest in what is now the United States, and the struggles people faced just to survive. Has a good story line and keeps your interest. This is the first of the Barnaby West novels I have read and I would like to read more books about this character, if I could just figure out which one I should read next. I can't find anything that gives me any indication of which book in the series comes next.

From the time that Skye deserts the British vessel holding him captive to his meeting with the mountain men and Indians, I was held captive and felt as if I took each step into this new world with him. Mr. Wheelers use of historical facts and people, ie: the Hudson Bay company, Jim Bridger etc. just added to the overall effect of the story. I feel as tho I have gained a little more insight into the way the early trappers lived and faced death on a daily basis.

I will look forward to reading his previous novels on Mister Skye -i backward order to see just where he went from this point on. Anyone who enjoys the historical novel will enjoy this one. Thanks for a trip into the past!

The puzzles in this book are well made. I haven't found any errors, as in many other brands of puzzles. The puzzles are clearly labeled by level of difficulty, and they are consistently rated correctly. I have had hours of fun with this volume of books, and look forward to many other variations available from djape. Thank you for a great book!

I loved this book! I was getting bored with killer Sudoku because all the other books were too easy. This one was really hard and challenging! I would spend a day or two on one puzzle. I would recommend this to all the die hard killer sudoku fans!!!

As a veteran of killer sudoku, I found this volume to be quite engaging. It offers a range of skill levels, but few so simple that they aren't enjoyable at the right moment. And then there are the new challenges: diagonal killer sudokus and blank killer sudokus. Cool stuff.

Rock on Djape!

Easy to use. Very ggod puzzles. DJAPE has the best killer sudoku books!

If you enjoyed Djape's "Killer Sudoku" you will also love this book. I've tried a couple of puzzles at each level and managed (very slowly in some cases) to complete them all except for level 5 zero killer sudoku. In the zero puzzles there are only a few cages and a lot of empty space - REALLY hard, and great fun.
In general I think the puzzles (except for the zero puzzles) are slightly easier than in his last book, or maybe I'm just get used to his fiendish ways?

My personal hero of the aforementioned European art-movie genre -- Robert Bresson -- is the subject of a new book edited by James Quandt. Robert Bresson includes interviews with the director by fellow filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Paul Schrader and French film critics Michael Delahaye and Michel Ciment. There are also homages from directors like Martin Scorsese and Rainier Werner Fassbinder, as well as essays by Roland Barthes and Alberto Moravia. One might wonder why such famous and accomplished people took the time to write about a French filmmaker whose movies are not known to the general moviegoing public. The answer is that the late Bresson actually was one of the great figures in cinema. His austere directing style relied on slow and beautiful imagery and much suffering on the part of his main characters, resulting in films that, once experienced, is never forgotten. One can describe Quandt's book the same way

Imagine a young film director making a somewhat controversial first film, with a script by someone on the order of Saul Bellow, followed by a more successful film with recognizable stars and a labyrinthine script by someone like Harold Pinter. Have him drop out of sight for four years, only to emerge from obscurity with a movie about a country priest, filmed (spectacularly) in rural (RURAL!) Massachusetts. Etcetera. There is really no way to imagine Robert Bresson otherwise. We owe it to the French film industry (if something so UNconsolidated could be called an industry) that Bresson was permitted to flourish at all. It wasn't simply as if he was waiting around, all his life, for a financier (14 films in forty years of activity). But where else on earth could this austerely Catholic artist have found work but in France, the most religiously cynical country in Europe? His films are a rebuke to anyone stupid enough to expect anything conventional. Bresson questioned everything in film - even the central point of the medium. His films deny the viewer the usual crutches en route to an idea. Bresson leads us silently, without promptings, toward a disbelief we had long since suspended but never seriously questioned. He makes the word 'genius' clean again.

Imagine a young film director making a somewhat controversial first film, with a script by someone on the order of Saul Bellow, followed by a more successful film with recognizable stars and a labyrinthine script by someone like Harold Pinter. Have him drop out of sight for four years, only to emerge from obscurity with a movie about a country priest, filmed (spectacularly) in rural (RURAL!) Massachusetts. Etcetera. There is really no way to imagine Robert Bresson otherwise. We owe it to the French film industry (if something so UNconsolidated could be called an industry) that Bresson was permitted to flourish at all. It wasn't simply as if he was waiting around, all his life, for a financier (14 films in forty years of activity). But where else on earth could this austerely Catholic artist have found work but in France, the most religiously cynical country in Europe? His films are a rebuke to anyone stupid enough to expect anything conventional. Bresson questioned everything in film - even the central point of the medium. His films deny the viewer the usual crutches en route to an idea. Bresson leads us silently, without promptings, toward a disbelief we had long since suspended but never seriously questioned. He makes the word 'master' clean again.

Editor James Quandt, an esteemed film curator at the Cinematheque Ontario, has assembled the best writings on Robert Bresson, intelligently balancing scholarly analysis (including that of Barthes and Moravia), filmmakers' homages (from Scorsese to Fassbinder, Cocteau to Duras), and accessible primers on the French director's work (by Susan Sontag and Andre Bazin, among others). Particularly noteworthy are the interviews Bresson conducted with Jean-Luc Godard, Paul Schrader, and the French critics Michael Delahaye and Michel Ciment. A MUST for anyone interested in film history and in one of the few directors worthy of the appellation "genius."

last year i recieved one of the best christmas presents i could ask for: this book. while i wouldnt recommend it to anyone that isnt a bresson fan it holds plenty to mull over for those that are. while a few of the articles are dull and/or pretentious more often than not they are highly illuminating as to the director's methods. there are one or two articles devoted to each of his films and a few that are just about his films in general. this first section of the book ends with bresson's cinematographer for "diary," through to "joan of arc" writing about his love/hate relationship with bresson and an interview with the young man who played the lead in "the devil, probably." the second part of the book contains three interviews with bresson: the paul schrader, which is fidgety and odd; the godard, which is exhaustive, rambling and very enlightening; and the final one whose author slips my mind which is great but unfortunately short (conducted after the completion of what would be bresson's last film, "l'argent"). the final section of the book is basically several directors talking about why they like bresson. this section ranges from short, humorous stories (the fassbinder and aki kaurismaki) to long essays on bresson's style(malle, etc.). other directors quoted in this final section include tarkovsky, bertollucci, wenders, hal hartley, and atom egoyan.