Arts and Culture Books

This book was a great help in writing an essay for college, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of tattoos.

While I can not even come close to the great review that the previous reviewer wrote, I can in fact tell you that this is one of the most interesting books that I have read on the history of tattoos. I myself have 3 tattoos and since I got them, I have been enthralled with the history that surrounds them as well as trying to figure out where the stigma that is currently attached to them came from. I sat down to just leaf through this book and I had to read the entire thing, it was so completely interesting. If you have any interest in tattooing at all, this is a must read!

Not just a compendium of illustrations, this collection of essays, interviews, historical accounts and yes, some nice pictures, pulls together a great deal of the cultural history and tradition associated with tattooing. Well written, very wide-reaching and very entertaining. Gilbert is careful to detail where all his information comes from, adding to the work's authority and allowing interested readers to look more deeply into specific topics. This is a winner.

Were you a fan of tattoing who had been stranded on that proverbial desert isle and allowed only half dozen favorite musical discs and but one or two books, it's a good bet that you would want Steve Gilbert's "Tattoo History: A Source Book" to keep you company.

A somewhat uneven quality of writing and of academic documentation mark this book. Even so, "Tattoo History: A Source Book" is an impressive work that reflects serious research, and it is a tour de force in comfortably handling material that ranges widely over time and space. On a subject that is so often dominated by photographs and essays that emphasize above all Japanese-style tattooing, it is a delight to learn as well of the long tradition of tattooing in the Pacific Isles, of the role tattoos played in the ancient Middle East, and of early 20th-century tattooing in the West. Gilbert's extensive use of source material--efectively translated from many languages--lends the book its gravitas and contributes significantly to his success in instilling in the reader an increased sense of respect for the tattoo arts.

Finally I should note that even if this book did not open new vistas for the reader, the essays which bookend "Tattoo History" would alone be worth the price of admission. Gilbert's opener, "Confessions of a Tattoo Addict," although but two pages in length, is an evocative essay that relates a fascination with tattoos to his coming of age in the 1940s. Meanwhile, the lengthier closing essay by Don Ed Hardy documents the resurgence of tattooing over the past several decades, the cultural cross-fertilization that has occurred, and the slow but growing acceptance of tattooing as a legitimate art form by the more conventional arts world.

As an archaeologist and a tattoo enthusiast, this is one of my all time favorite books on tattoos. I had been a fan of the web site version for some time and was glad to see that the book was so beautifully designed. But design aside, this is a "history book" that is unique in that it is NOT a narrative description of tattoos through the ages. Instead, it is exactly what it says on the cover -- a source book. Original source material, invaluable to researchers, is presented undiluted, in long quotations, with original illustrations. If you're looking for a plethora of modern tattoo designs that you can take to the shop on your next visit, look elsewhere. If you want to know about early tattooing all around the globe, then look no further.

Only Norman Rockwell is in the same league with Frank Frazetta. He is the most talented fantasy illustrator of his generation, no one else comes close. His work easily qualitfies as Fine Art. His draftsmanship is so good it seems beyond human, like Michaelangelo. His sense of drama is so assured, each image is like something out of a classic movie or great legend. But everyone falls all over themselves praising Frazetta. This is the third book of his work, and is more for hardcore fans and collectors. Icon and Legacy contain his most famous works, but I love this one for the insights it gives into his techniques, and for the many sensitive and exquisite watercolor nudes he gave his wife on birthdays and anniversaries. I've seen the guy in person twice in my life, but I never said a word to him. Still, Frazetta has made me a better artist.

frank frazetta is an outstanding artist. i own this book and the entire death dealer series by james silke, whose cover is frazetta's death dealer. he is one of two of my favorite artist (the other is none other than todd lockwood). his life story is also amazing. this is a must have book for any beginners in art or just to pick up and thumb through. definitely buy this book

Frank Frazetta is not only the master of Fantasy art but one of the true fathers of todays artist (Vallejo, Mcfarlane, Hildebrant) his body of work has ranged from the early comic strips of the 50's , to the great interpretation of Fantasy heroes greatest, Tarzan, Conan, Kane and many others, but he has also created some of the most memorable images of the 20th century Sci-Fi and Fantsy art(Deathdealer and so on). This bookk ends a wonderful trilogy that started with Icon, and was followed by Legacy, those previous volumes introduced many to the great worlds depicted in Frazetta's paintings, this book is a treasure chest of less known but just as great works. True longtime fans of this great master will relish this additions to the already establish body of work. I urge all fans of the master to also visit his museum in Stroudsburg PA to view the original paintins in all their greatness.

This is a beautiful book, but the more famous Frazetta works are to be found in the two previous books of this trilogy. So this book is great for serious Frazetta fans, but "Icon" and "Legacy" are better books for showing the most famous of his works.

This book, "Testament," is good for showing more of his unpublished stuff. It has many Playboy-type girlie paintings and drawings, some western themes, and his paintings for TV Guide, for the "Battlestar Galactica" show, (which look nothing like the actual TV program, but stand as terrific space fantasy works). The personal photos are also a very nice insight into his life.

All three books in this trilogy cover work from his whole life, and explain his career moves, with slight variations and different guest commentary. The printing is nicely done, so you can enjoy studying the paintings on glossy, quality paper. These three books are very nice additions to your personal bookshelf library.

If you're new to Frazetta's work, I would just suggest that you start in order, with "Icon," and then "Legacy," where the more popular works are printed, to be able to appreciate and understand Frazetta's work and influence in proper perspective. "Testament" is more for the confirmed Frazetta fans.

Only Norman Rockwell is in the same league with Frank Frazetta. He is the most talented fantasy illustrator of his generation, no one else comes close. His work easily qualitfies as Fine Art. His draftsmanship is so good it seems beyond human, like Michaelangelo. His sense of drama is so assured, each image is like something out of a classic movie or great legend. But everyone falls all over themselves praising Frazetta. This is the third book of his work, and is more for hardcore fans and collectors. Icon and Legacy contain his most famous works, but I love this one for the insights it gives into his techniques, and for the many sensitive and exquisite watercolor nudes he gave his wife on birthdays and anniversaries. I've seen the guy in person twice in my life, but I never said a word to him. Still, Frazetta has made me a better artist.

If you enjoy That Girl you will enjoy reading this book. It has the making of the show and lists all the shows in order. It is interesting to see which tv unknows were guest stars on this show. It also tells you who got to say That Girl in each show. It talks about the show came about. It is a nice companion to have along with the DVD set.

I have to say I was very impressed with this book wonderfully written and assembled by Stephen Cole. It was recommended by a friend and I was pleasantly surprised with the care that was put into what should be called the "Official" book on THAT GIRL. This is perhaps the BEST book written on a classic television sitcom! There is something here for everyone. If you are even slightly interested in reading about the series and Marlo Thomas, I suggest you pick it up. Well done Stephen!

I remember watching Marlo Thomas's entertaining sit-com in the late 60s and early 70s and thoroughly enjoying the trials and tribulations of a young struggling actress trying to make it big in the big apple. Being re-acquainted with this delightful series via cable has made it all the more enjoybale and pertinent in the themes explored and in the witty, challenging and humorous encounters an independent woman can face. Stephen Cole has added enormously to an appreciation of this ground breaking show through great research (interviews with Thomas and the writers) as well as providing an episode-by-episode guide to what made each show so special. You will find in this book references to the time, the fashion and the special chemistry between the leads in what is one of my all time favourite television shows...Thanks, Stephen for the love that shines through every page.

While many observers debate the origins of feminism on television, I believe that "That Girl" was the FIRST show of its kind; to portray a single career woman defying convention and starting out on her own. Strip away the humour from this show and you see the predecessor of many of the supposed ground breaking feminist tv shows of the 60's and 70's!

Mr Cole has done an OUTSTANDING job in assembling the history of this show and while recognising the show's clever scripting and acting, draws attention to the groundbreaking issues it tackled for its time. Selected quotes from Gloria Steinman and from Marlo Thomas herself verify the credibilty of his research.

Having said that, don't let me make you think this book is necessarily a feminist manisfesto for the new millenium. It's a funny, clever and insightful companion for anyone who ever loved the show and I found myself laughing out loud as I fondly remembered moments in a show that I grew up with but have never forgotten! Well done to the author: his love of the show and its characters comes through on every page!

Well worth a read!!!

Before Mary had bad parties, before Lucy Carmicheal and Viv had their screw-ball adventures, before Janet and Chrissy stood up to Jack. And before Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia toughed it out through old age and countless dates; there was "That Girl."

Lovable Ann Marie, her nerdy yet very strong (he always seems to be punching other guys out on a count of a misunderstanding) boy friend Donald, and her worried parents are all characters in "That Girl". Ann is a girl, living on her own in NYC for the very first time. She is a struggling actress who is smart, talented, witty and determined...yet she still manages to have the poise and serenity of Samantha Stevens (when all is well on Morning Glory circle, of course).

"That" is where "this" book comes in, it was very informative in all aspects of the history of "That Girl". It went into such detail as original names of characters and original actors..etc. Marlo Thomas really seems to be a true rolemodel, she was strong, independent, and still managed to keep her poise. The actors/producers were interviewed honestly and well. A true monument to the history of TV, and one of its most ground-breaking shows.

Tragic Kingdom: The Art of Camille Rose Garcia is the most beautiful art book I've seen in a long time. Not only are her paintings amazing, but every ten or fifteen pages are pages that look like thicker tracing paper with sketches on them. I love the art in this book so much that I got one of the owls tattooed on my arm. Camille Rose Garcia is one of my favorite artists, and if you like her art or want to see something new check out this book.

Oh hell, this girl rocks a lot, Camille is just so deep in her art, it is so beautifull, i wish i could go to a museum with her exposition some day! Her art is simply superb, the world she created is amazing. Great book. One of my favorites.

Wow! Someone was in the mood to show off when this book was being put together. I love the sketches that are included on the translucent pages. But why oh why do so many of my books from Amazon look as if they have been tumbled in a clothes dryer for an hour or so before they get to my door? This one has a slit across the back cover. Looks like it has been in a knife fight. As soon as this book goes out of print it will skyrocket in price. Not only is the artist's work beautifully reproduced but the book design and execution are superb.

The essays are hit or miss (yes, I read the text). Carlo McCormick's contribution is fascinating, as always.

This book is absolutely beautiful. I bought it for my daughter, as one of her birthday gifts and she loved it. It was delivered still wrapped in original shrink-wrap so it stayed protected. The book itself is well made, with nice thick paper and several pages done in heavy vellum. I am considering buying a copy for myself. I really enjoyed finding out more about the artist (in the back of the book) too. She is a true talent!

This book is a delight to have! I am broke now but I don't care because CRG work is inspiring and visually invigorating. I believe though, you really have to see her work in person to get the full experience! I can't wait to see where she goes in the art world.

A fantastic book about the fastest growing area of DVD releases at the moment, TV series! With breakdowns of cast and guides to the best episodes and releases I only hope enough credit goes to the website [...] who helped TV Guide put this book together!

Fantastic resource for anyone who likes watching reruns and is interested in contemporary tv culture. There are loads of forgotten facts in this book for all the classic tv shows and new ones for current programs. This is an inheritently readable book that belongs next to everyone's tv!

The descriptions of the shows are priceless--they brought back so many memories! And the guide covers a lot of shows that are new or still running, like 24 and ER. I'm not even a serious DVD collector, but the book gives great trivia about all my favorite shows (when they aired, what the names of the original stars were, which episodes went down in TV history). This book is really a history of TV in America, and it covers so many different categories that it really does solve the gift problem for just about everyone on my Christmas list. They won't be able to read just one or two of the listings; once they start in, the trivia will have them hooked. It's organized like a reference book, but It reads like an entertainment magazine.

If you are a tv junkie like me, this book is a blast. It's a handy offline reference to all the shows now available on DVD, and it's filled with lots of trivia and lists. Be ready to shop because the book will make you want to buy even more DVDs for your home library...

This book isn't perfect (I'd rather have more pictures of DVD set covers than old TV Guide covers, for instance, and the descriptions are a bit dry in places), but it IS cool to have a handy-dandy reference like this to use when you can't get online to look up the info. Good to take to the store or keep next to the TV. And if you read the fine print, you'll see that this book was made with the help of data from TVshowsonDVD.com, which is the best place I've seen online for that sort of info. Cool 'dat, and maybe for the next edition of the book TV Guide will work more with that website's staff to talk more about what's new, what's not out (any hints as to why), and what's expected to come soon. You know, show more of the TV-DVD enthusiast in this book...there's a lot of us out here!

I have read many books on this topic, and this is the most thorough (BY FAR!!) and definitely the most interesting. It tackles the subject from a million different angles, and I couldn't breeze through it in an evening (like I can with most books).

Five stars!

I thought this book was so much fun and quite handy!

I especially thought the pop quiz section was a lot of fun. I've already played with my girlfriends. And I love the "chick flick" recommendations...I would have thought I had seen all "chick flick" films, but boy was I wrong! I better get my butt to Blockbuster....Happy renting Gals!

i think the best part about this book is that it has movies for everyone cuz usually it's just like for people who are older and stuff. why don't more books have stuff for people who aren't like a million years old and things that's why this book is cool because it has movies for people who like weren't born in the 70's. what's up? this book rocks.

Word on the street is that "The Ultimate Guide to Chick Flicks" is a worthy companion to Ms. Adelman's other critically acclaimed books. I was very pleased to have this exhaustively rearched book handy when looking for movies to add to Netflix. I will not have to suffer through another bad Ashley Judd film...thank you Kim!

What's a chick flick? If I have to explain, this book is NOT for you. Most women know intuitively what they think makes a "chick flick," but after reading this Guide, they will understand what elements make up the best chick flicks; the ones we gush to girlfriends, "You have just got to see!"

American's movie sweetheart (someone women will love as much as men do) today is Julia Roberts, with Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock close behind. Can we think of Meg Ryan without remembering the scene in "When Sally Met Harry." We ALL wanted what she was having.

Did you join millions of women who bought a polka-dot dress after seeing a bad girl become a fashion plate in "Pretty Woman"? You get the idea. We buy into these heroines, what they wear and how they treat men (and are treated by men).

I loved these subtitles under How to Create the Perfects Romance.
1. Create a sympathetic heroine.
2. Offer up a love-worthy hero (we know, the Tom Hanks type).
3. Don't forget the best friend.
4. Something is wrong with the heroine type.
5. They meet.
6. Toss in impediment to the romance.
7. They dance.
8. Memorable moment (like Angela Bassett torching her wandering husband's car in "Waiting to Exhale." You go girl!).
9. The hero employs the three magic words.
10. Achieve the ultimate happy (or unhappy ending).

I highly recommend this book as fodder for girlfriend conversation over a fudge brownie sundae. It made me check out my video (yes, video) supply. There I found almost every one of the often-watched movies mentioned in the book. Am I into chick flicks, or what?

If your 'bag' is classic horror films of the thirties and forties, especially Universal films, this book is a must-have. To many baby boomers that saw these movies when they were released for television in the fifties, this book will bring back a lot of memories. The book is great, but like all McFarland books, it is pricey. But for the true fan (which is short for fanatic) the price won't matter!

An amazing source of information for anyone who ever stayed up watching the late late show on a Saturday night. I am truly impressed at the thorough research that went into this book; many factoids which have escaped even the most die-hard of fans will be brought to light. I commend McFarland Press for providing fans of such an "un-hip" genre with consistently fine sources of in-depth information, especially keeping in mind that with each passing year the facts directly from those who were there are getting more and more difficult to find. This book probably does not hold a lot of interest for anyone who does not hold a special place in their heart for the studios' genre work prior to buying the book, and the authors do tend to often drift into becoming overly opinionated and putting much too much thought into subject matter that was never intended to be overanalyzed. Nonetheless, this is still an extremely fun read for any fan.

This book has it all for the serious student of classic horror films. Choose from a wide selection of bios, cast lists, plot summaries, anectdotes and more compiled by these mavens of the genre, Messrs. Brunas and Weaver. Thrill as they explore the nooks and crannies of the House That Universal Built. This comprehensive work is obviously the result of exhaustive hands-on research and deserves an honored spot in every true horror fan's library.

If your 'bag' is classic horror films of the thirties and forties, especially Universal films, this book is a must-have. To many baby boomers that saw these movies when they were released for television in the fifties, this book will bring back a lot of memories. The book is great, but like all McFarland books, it is pricey. But for the true fan (which is short for fanatic) the price won't matter!

The classic horror films of the 30's and 40's have never been as popular as they are today. Baby Boomers who grew up watching the old Shock Theater packages in the 50's and 60's hold a tremendous fondness for the films that terrified them as children. The Boris Karloff Frankenstein and Bela Lugosi Dracula are still the most recognized images of those two classic monsters...so much so that their families had to move to legally trademark their images to protect them.

The Universal horror films are the subject of Universal Horrors, the second edition of this outstanding book by noted classic film historian Tom Weaver and Michael & John Brunas. Throughout the massive 608 page hardcover, the authors cover each one of the 85 horror films made by Universal from 1931 - 1946. Just do the math...that's an average of about seven pages spent on each film during this period. This is no mere listing of actors with a one-page synopsis. Rather this is a definitive guide to these 85 films with complete cast and credits, detailed storyline synopses, production history, behind-the-scenes information, critical analysis, period reviews, and commentary by cast and crewmembers. Most of the comments come from the voluminous numbers of reviews that Weaver has conducted over the years.

The films are listed chronologically beginning with Dracula in 1931 and ending with The Brute Man in 1946. It even includes the Spanish version of Dracula which was filmed on the same set as the original at the very same time! White The Lugosi version was shot during the day, the Spanish crew took over at night. In many ways, the Spanish version outshines the Tod Browning directed original.

One of my guilty favorites of the Universal Classic film era is 1932's Murder in the Rue Morgue, presenting Lugosi in truly one of his most sadistic and macabre roles. This film ended up being the bone that both Lugosi and Director Robert Florey received for NOT getting their respective parts in Frankenstein, which instead went to Karloff and Director James Whale. This rather film features Lugosi as Dr. Mirakle, who injects the blood of an ape into women he captures. When the experiments fail, he dumps the women into a river. It's a highly underrated film and one of Lugosi's best roles.

Weaver and partners don't give a short shrift to lesser-known films. While the most popular films do get more coverage, even the least well-known of the Universal Horrors gets several pages devoted to it...and there are a number of lesser known films. Unfortunately a number of these are not on DVD or even VHS for that matter meaning that the entry in this book is probably the closest you'll get to the film without actually seeing it.

Many of these lesser-known films are not true horror but often murder mysteries with horror trappings such as "old dark house-style" films. These films include Secret of the Blue Room, Secret of the Chateau, The House of Fear, and The Black Doll. The appendix goes on to list several dozen more films that were borderline exclusions...close, but just not making the cut to receive a full write-up for various reasons. Actually it's somewhat difficult to figure out while some of these were left out of the main listing since many are quite similar in plot and tone.
This book is simply fabulous. Everything that Weaver does is always meticulously researched and extraordinarily entertaining. This is THE Bible to fans of Universal's classic horror films, and one of the finest film reference books I've ever read.


REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

If you get just one book on voice development, it certainly should be this one. As a phonetics teacher, I don't agree with every single detail in the book. But as someone who has taught English pronunciation and oral skills to ESL learners for decades, and also as a radio broadcaster, I feel a strong resonance with Lessac's approach. Differing in the details doesn't really matter, since the core of Lessac training is heightened sensitivity and slightly understated but focused control rather than specifics.

Lessac uses orchestral instruments as analogies to teach better articulation of each English consonant, e.g. the "N-violin" and the "T-snare drum drumbeat". Though impressionistic in approach, it does helps the student have an optimal quality in mind to aim for, and to pay closer attention to each internal physical event and the effect it produces.

Lessac has a fondness for coining his own jargon, like "NRG" ('energy'), "esthetic" (not "aesthetic"; 'anything that promotes sensitivity and induces awareness of sensation and perception in the body'), "kinesensic" ('intrinsic "self-to-self" sensation'), and of course the famous "Y-Buzz". The new terms are however well justified, since each figures importantly in the framework he teaches. The glossary in the back of the book can help keep everything straight. I also flipped to the index several times when trying to sort out the differences between terms like "tonal NRG" and "structural NRG" in the context of the book.

This is a solid course book, not casual reading, so take the chapters one at a time, mindfully, to reap maximum benefit from the book.

This edition is attractive and carefully edited; I found not a single typo in the whole book. My one criticism is the price. The outstanding content makes it definitely worth the cover price, but I don't see why a paperback needs to be so expensive. Like with Peter Ladefoged's A Course in Phonetics (with CD-ROM), I guess it is because it is a popular university textbook that commands a captive audience. About a third of the cover price would bring it more in line with similar editions. But that's not the author's fault, I assume, and doesn't merit taking off a star. And speaking of Ladefoged's book, it would be helpful to readers if this book included a CD-ROM as well.

As a voice teacher for many years, I am always being complimented on my speaking voice. Arthur Lessac's book was not my speaking coach, my operatic training was - but the technique is the same. Lessac has done a masterful job explaining the "old" Italian, bel canto/good singing technique that's been around since the 1600's - but he's done it for the speaking voice. Singers need to use the same technique for both speaking and singing, and this is the best book I've found on speaking technique.

Now everyone can understand logically how to improve their speaking and singing voice, and perhaps operatic voices will be better understood as not being something elitist or unnatural. Using the power of your instrument to produce quality sound is amazingly natural - it ain't magic. The "magic" is being given the vocal chords of an angel, inspiration from God, the constitution of a horse, the luck of (all) the Irish, and the intelligence of an Einstein to develop that voice into a Pavarotti, a Sutherland, etc.

This is probably the best technique out there for freeing and developing a strong vocal instrument for speech and singing. This is the only voice text (and I've read and studied them all: Linklater, Skinner, Berry, Rosenburgh)which gives a spicific structural breakdown for the production of healthy and tonal sound. Most other texts are just exercises, but Lessac's System gives exact physical placement for each vowel, consonant, and dipthong sound as well as extensive tonal work. Especially good for the dancer due to the strong physical emphasis of placement of the tongue, lips, jaw etc. His work on Consonant action is quite inovative, drawing on the actors imagination and assining each consonant sound to an instrument in the orchestra, thereby allowing the actor to more quickly understand the musical quality of speech. Here is a basic overview of what is covered in the text; anatomy of the vocal instrument, the alignment of the body and the economical use of muscular effort to produce sound, the use of optimum pitch to discover and develop the presence of tonality and broaden pitch and range, the use of melody and the onomatopoetic nature of language to communicate ideas, and the application of these skills to a text.

This is everything anybody (actors, speakers and liars) will ever need to know about discovering, developing and using with confidence the voice as a tool to communicate. Westerners especially, I believe, have trained and maimed their voices to suit ideals (The average woman speaks about 6 tones higher than her natural voice prescribes). This book, a trusted training manual in many theatre and opera schools, teaches practically and without pretence, the real abilities of the voice. This is all one needs to acquire/rediscover, with practise, how the voice can be an (extemely flexible) extension of oneself in a physical world. A wholistic adventure which necessarilly encompasses correct breathing and posture, which will eventually be effortless, simply because it is natural. From an acting perspective the Arthur Lessac voice system becomes a perfect partner to the Stanislavskyan system of acting (associated with 'The Method' in USA). The practice of the Lessac system can easily be taught to a child and has proven successful in overcoming a stutter. This probably because the learner is made aware of the manoeuvre-ability of sound and how it is created, and not only on voice as a carrier of language. The book contains many excercises, each making one discover and realise the immense power of (self-generated) sound. Living in Africa one often wonders at the vocal powers of its people. Westerners can also feel at one with their true voices. The Lessac system would be the first (and last) step on the route to rediscovery. This is a popular book (I had two copies stolen from me when it was out of print) amongst performers and all those who believe their bodies are instruments.

I first became acquainted with Arthur Lessac's work in the 1970's when I was in Graduate School. Since then, his Approach to Voice and Body Training has been the mainstay of my professional and personal life. His new book (the third version) has been written in such a way that complements the older version, yet takes us on a training journey that is wholistically and organically fresh and new. I enjoy teaching from this book, and my students enjoy learning from it!
--Nancy Krebs, Lessac Master Teacher

When I first saw Visions of Armageddon on sale at the bookstore, I often found myself looking at it more and more. So, finally, I bought it.

This has to be a great book on the 1998 blockbuster film. It contains information on all subjects from the film's genesis to final production. Hundreds of lavish photographs and drawing make it even better. It includes interviews with the cast and crew.

However, for people looking for a good book to read, ignore this. The information skips back and forth. One moment they are telling you about how the film began. Then they are telling you about how the special effects were made. Then they are telling about the genesis and so forth. But the lack of definite timeline does not at all hurt the story of the most overcritized film of all time. As Michael Bay said "There is nothing wrong with entertaining people."

If you love the movie, you might want to have it as one of your book collections. It shows the making of the movie & its illustrations. There are also some nice pictures of the cast for those fans who love Bruce, Ben & Liv. Don't miss it!!!

i love this book. it is printed on wonderful paper. it
will last & the fotos are GORGEOUSE! it explains a lot
the stuff behind the scenes & how it was done. more than
just a quickie movie-tie-in. it is worth having on it's
own!

One word on the movie: bad. Still even though the movie sucked, I found myself just peeking at the book while at bookstores. Needless to say I bought the book, and I enjoyed it ten times more then I did the movie. So if you have a choice between the book and the movie, buy the book. You won't regret it.

If you saw the movie, and loved it, go get Visions of Armageddon because it was so good and shows Dreamquest and Vfx how they did those spectacular Special FX. Great pictures from the movie. Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay makes a great team for a fun, high-paced, action-packed movie for the summer! One of my favorite movies of the summer, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ARMAGEDDON GO SEE IT AND YOU'LL BE FEELIN' LIKED YOU GOT OUT OF AN KICK ASS ROLLER COASTER RIDE!!!!

I consider myself an expert on Disneyland; I'm a former Imagineer and a collector of Disneyland information. Michael Broggie is not exaggerating his father's importance to the realization of Walt's dream. This book goes slightly beyond the sanitized "official" version that the Disney company promulgates and includes some stories and details that haven't been widely known. It's a beautiful coffee table book, complete and accurate (except for one or two nits someone like me might pick). I love it particularly for all the never-before published photos--you get so tired of seeing the same old approved shots when you collect Disneylandiana.

In case Amazon doesn't provide links, I would also recommend "Walt Disney Imagineering" by David Mumford, et.al. and "Inside Story" by the late Randy Bright. Both are "official," but just as authoritative as Broggie's.

Having been a "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour guide at Disneyland AND an engineer on the Steam Trains, I can say with full confidence that this is THE best book written about Walt Disney and his vision of Disneyland, and his love of trains.

The photographs are outstanding, the writing is wonderful, interesting, and easy to read, and the the stories, history, and facts are amazing.

Buy this book for yourself, and get an extra copy to give to someone who likes Disney - they'll be very thankful!

I have always loved the trains at Disneyland more than any other attraction. I always had dozens of questons about the trains that I wished I could get answers to. When I found out about this book I ordered it immediately. (My first experince with "one-click" ordering by the way, and WOW how easy!!) The book arrived on a Friday and I sat down to read it as soon as I got home from work. I could not put it down! I read straight through until 4am the next morning and finished it. It answered all the questions I ever had about the trains at Disneyland. It is a wonderful glimpse into the life of Walt Disney, and the group of incredibly talented people who worked for him. If you love trains, this book is a must. If you love Disneyland, this book is a must. If you could care less about trains and Disneyland, but you love a good story, this book is a must. Thank you Michael Broggie, for sharing this wonderful story.

I normally only read technical books. I picked this book up just to look at the pictures. Then I started to read the short articles within the chapters. I found them so fasinating that I found myself reading the main articles. My son asked my wife "what is Dad doing reading?". Walt Disney said that it all started with a mouse, but after reading this book you will realize that it all started with a train.

As a backyard railroader for the last 30 years, I had always wanted to find out more about Walt Disney's backyard, the "Carolwood Pacific". Now in "Walt Disney's Railroad Story", you can read about all of his interest in railroading, first building a miniature railroad in his backyard, and finally developing theme parks, complete with railroads. Author Broggie knew Walt personally, and covers all of the details of the many Disney railroads. This is one book that I could hardly put down until I had read it completely. I feel that this is a book that should be on the shelf of every backyard railroader and most Disney fans.