Arts and Culture Books

I hope this is the right book, I just love the story, and the music, and the movie too!

The book is fantastic! Great pictures! I would highly recommend this book for any fan of the movie or a Titanic fan in general! The making of the epic movie is something to see and you can definitely see it in this book.

This is a MUST have for any Titanic collector. I waited for about 9 or so years for this book and I am so extatic that I finally have it!!

Great book for the titanic enthusiasts!!!!! If you loved the movie, you will enjoy this book.

The scope of this majestic book truly befits the epic effort by James Cameron with his cinematic masterpiece "Titanic". Much great information here for the movie buff who likes to see how it is done. Incredible sets including the dining salon, complete even to dishes and decor. I was amazed to see how this particular set was pulled underwater by hydraulics to provide a very realistic feeling of sinking. Page after page of photographs and stories about the magnificent sets that brought this film to life. Lots of info about the stars and other cast members as well the production crew. This book is a perfect companion to the movie as well as a testament to the filmmaking genius of James Cameron.

This is the ultimate Simpsons fan's book. It has all of The Simpsons seasons 1-8 in air-order, so you won't have any problem finding them. There are a lot of pictures and colors as well. There are even a list of Homer's D'ohs, Couch Gags, and Chalkboard Gags for every episode. This is well worth the money you pay for it; definitely should be bought by any simpaholic.

I bought this book when it first came out, and have re-read it often (fully, and partially) since then. It is an excellent reference for any "Simpsons" fan for the first eight seasons of the show. The pages are full of episode summaries, quotes, and trivia facts from the show. It also offers profiles of characters, and a list of who does what voice. A great source if you cannot remember what guest celebrity voiced a character or any other information like that. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the "Simpsons" and wants to know more about the episodes.

Almost everything you could ever think to ask about The Simpsons is in this book. What was Bart writing on the chalkboard in "that one episode"? It's in here. The plots, inside jokes, behind the scenes tales and more await in this excellent resource for fans. This book harkens from the Conan O'Brien-era prime of the series, up to about the late 90's, when the quality (sadly) slipped big time. This was the golden age of The Simpsons, back before the series "became a cartoon." (Anyone who was a fan back in the day knows just what I mean.)

The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family is probably the best book on the Simpsons that I've read. It includes, and I am taking this right from the cover, characters, episodes, and secret jokes you might have missed from seasons 1 thru 8. The book was created by Matt Groening and edited by Ray Richmond. It details each episode and even has extras: The Shorts; Homer Says, "D'oh..."; Homer Says, "Mmm..."; Couch Gags; Seen around Springfield; An Itchy & Scratchy Filmography; Who Does What Voice; and Merchandising, Thy Name Is Krusty.

The books dedication even reads:
TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF
SNOWBALL I:
WE HOPE THAT
THEY CHANGE YOUR CATBOX
IN KITTY HEAVEN MORE OFTEN
THAN WE DID DOWN HERE.

My favorite saying in the book is on p. 64, "When Flanders Failed":
"Hey, Barteleeboobely, care for a steak-a-rooney?" Homer, to Bart as he cooks on the grill that used to belong to Fladners.

I definetly reccomend purchasing this book.

It is hard pressed to find anyone who does not like the animated series "The Simpsons". "The Simpsons" is one of the longest running tv series and one of the funniest tv series in history. Unfortunately the last few seasons have been rather inconsistent and lacks the creativity and magic of the earlier episodes, nevertheless the show is a lot smarter and cutting edge than most tv series nowadays. Thank heavens I can relieve the earlier episodes with this official guide to the popular tv series. "The Simpsons: a complete guide to our favorite family" covers the first eight seasons. This is a really excellent comprehensive guide to the show. As a big fan of the first several seasons, I love this book. I loved reading all of the couch gags from the first eight seasons. I didn't realize there was so many until I read them all. I also dug reading the highlights of each episode. I also loved reading the brief bios on the lesser known but equally funny characters like Cletus, Tattoo Annie, and Lionel Hutz. There is a great list of the actors and the cbaracters that they give life to. If you love "The Simpsons" and the first eight seasons, this book is a must have. It is a true testament to Matt Groening as well as the legacy of the show.

This is the original story by Annie Proulx as well as the movie script. Great for fans of the film as a collector item.

I had to purchase this book for a college course, otherwise I probably would never have read it. I found it boring and realized that it's probably better suited for either men who like cowboy stories, or people who are into studying how to create a screenplay from a move. The screenplay stays very true to the short story. The best part about this book is the essay in the back by Proulx. I suggest you read it before you read the short story as it answered my main question, which is why a straight woman in her 60s would write a story about rough cowboys who were having trouble accepting their sexual orientation.

This item took you through the entire life of the book to the screenplay to the movie. It was great reading what the writers said about the project and how it was a labor of love for everyone involved. It was wonderful reading how devoted everyone was to the project. Much how the two main characters were devoted to each other.

In an effort to check out my approach to writing a book adaption to screenplay, I thought it would be a good exercise to experience how others have done it. After reading the Brokeback Mountain short story, then reading the shooting script, then watching the film, I knew I was right on target. It is invigorating to experience and understand the progression from story to screenplay to film. The book also includes backround information from the short story writer, Annie Proulx and the two screenwriters, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, which tops off the value of this book. Reading it is a great process, and once you've read the book, you'll appreciate the film even more.
-Catherine Busch-Johnston-

This is an excellent addition to anyone's book collection - not only do you receive Annie Proulx's wonderful story, but you can experience Larry McMurtry's and Diana Ossana's sweet, lilting and poignant screenplay. Ennis and Jack jump off the page, fictional characters who have somehow become real, as we are transported with them through the most beautiful twenty years of their star-crossed lives. No, it is not a story about gay cowboys....it is a story about two young men who find love and happiness in an unlikely relationship, and simply don't know how to handle it. The part of this story that always grabs me is that through a simple twist of fate, the entire ending could have been different.

I suggest this book couple with the movie - seeing the screenplay come to life through Heath Ledger's and Jake Gyllenhaal's performances is spell bounding.

It was a fascinating read to see the short story move from Annie's simple prose to screenplay. And the chapters at the end which discuss the story and the filming of this heart-wrenching story is worth the price. I highly recommend it. Thanks for listening.

To review this book I will divide it into two parts.

The first part is the story of Charlie's Angels from it's very first inception when it was about three "freelance crimefighters" calling themselves The Alley Cats to the final days of shooting when the show closed it production for good. There are a lot of interesting backstage tell-alls going on here featuring just about everyone connected with the show. We also have some pretty objectionable opinions on storylines and the direction of the series, as well as some pretty honest quotes from those that were involved. Very little was held back which makes this book an interesting read, but on the negative side there were a few cases which, unfortunately, sounded like one-sided gossip.
Example #1: the book, of course includes the story of Farrah Fawcett's abrupt decision to not return for season 2 and her subsequent lawsuit settlement which required her to make six more appearances. When she returned to film those episodes, she was "not warm to anyone," according to Cheryl Ladd. "She did not want to be there." Unfortunately, Fawcett was not interviewed for this book, therefore her side of the story was not included.
Example #2: Kate Jackson became increasingly unhappy with the direction of the show and by seasons 2 & 3, she started making a lot of demands which added a lot of tension to the set. Additionally, she apparently was not happy with the hiring of Ladd and the two actresses did not get along very well throughout the two years they filmed the show together. However, Jackson was not interviewed for this book, therefore her side of the story is not included.
In fact, one of the authors admits to having been friends with Jaclyn Smith for many years, and perhaps that is why the book is full of current quotes from Smith and Ladd, while anything from Jackson and Fawcett were lifted from previously published interviews printed while the show was still in production. Suspiciously, the story of how the network wanted to fire Smith after the pilot episode (and Aaron Spelling's fight to keep her on) is missing.
Anyhow, the book is still an interesting read, including the sections featuring Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts. There are also brief resumes done on everybody associated with the series in their respective chapters. Kudos to that!

The second part of the book is an episode guide followed by commentary featuring small trivia and tidbits. The description of the episodes read more like an extended description you'd see in TV guide: enough to set up the plot but leaving enough out to not give anything away. In this case, I think that was wrong and made this section a very boring read. The authors should have included full synopsis from each episode (from beginning to end) - there'd be no need to fear that they would be spoiling anything since anyone who buys a book like this would've seen all the episodes anyway. Still, the commentary is interesting, making notes of notable guests stars and small little tidbits that you never knew, like: only in ONE episode of the entire five year run did all three angels appear in bathing suits together in one shot. Now that's trivia for the thinking man.

The bottom line is that the book should probably be taken for the same amount of entertainment that the TV show should be taken as - some shallow storylines mixed with some really good ones making for some guilty pleasures.

This is a great book. I'm a huge fan of the series and Farrah Fawcett. It's a great book for fans of the hit TV show,from the actresses profiles to the series episode guide and commentary. Great pictures too!

If you are a Charlies Angels fan, then this book is a must. It is full of everyhting you need to know about the show and the beautiful ladies that made the show a hit. Oh and let's not forget Bosley "David Doyle". I loved this show from the day it debuted til the last episode. I have also been a longtime pen pal to one of the authors Jack Condon Who I know for fact has met each one of the Angels personally and is friends with Jaclyn Smith. So I truly recommend this book to all Angels fans because, trust me Mr. Condon knows his Angels.

Ok I love Charlies angels as much as the next... but this book is lame. Just as I watched each week enjoying yet hoping the plots would get better this book is the same. Just reading and waiting for it to get better.
Basically there is nothing you havent heard before. I would sell my copy for a buck plus shipping.

This is such a fun book! Lots of rare photos of all cast members. I really enjoyed the stories and anecdotes from all the personal interviews with the different cast members. This book obviously took lots of time and effort to compile.
I was won over in the first few pages where proper hommage is paid to the Angels' predecessors in female crime-fighting : Anne Francis as Honey West and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel. Charlie's Angels was perhaps ground-breaking but these 2 women broke the ground for the Angels in the previous decade. After this bit of history, it was evident that the author really knows his subject matter.
Just tons of fun facts in this book! Nice filmographies of each cast member and a very cool reference section on all the merchandise created for the show.
There is also a review of each episode of the show. This may be my favorite part as the author points out various bloopers or script inconsistencies that make the show all the more endearing. I didn't know that Rossano Brazzi was an Olympic athelete! The only drawback about his book is that it's so much fun to read that it leaves you wanting more! Thanks for a job well-done Jack!

Very informative, and a lot of fun.

Along with brief episode descriptions and information there is a whole lot more fun stuff to be found in this look at the first couple of seasons of the tv show.

Informations on the various quips and references made by the characters, and also some quotable quotes will come in handy for fans, no doubt about it.

Plenty of other bits and pieces following the characters and their relationships.

Good stuff.

The watcher guides are great. But The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008 contains things even they missed. For Buffy collectors the Watchers Guides are must have and great reads. But for the avid fanatical BtVS fan who wants it all I highly recommend The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008. This book is up to date (2008 and season 8 info), and contains everything you could possibly want to know about Buffy the Vampire Slayer...and more. One feature I have not seen in any other book, is a detailed time line of all the slayers...from the First Slayer...all the way to Buffy. This was a pleasant surprise.

This isnt the best book if you're looking for a behind the scenes one. But it is great when it comes to quotes. Behind the Scenes is more in the 2nd volume.

This has an excellent array of quotes from seasons 1 and 2(which is what this book covers). It also has pretty good episode reviews, with some deleted scenes usually showing up along with some unknown facts.

But it also has some information that I found boring, which included a tour of Sunnydale.

But on the whole, not to bad of a book.

I like the books by Kenneth Topping a lot more than the official guides. They are more fun, more informative, and because they aren't "official" can be fans more than authors maintaining an official relationship with the show. But having said that, this and its companion volume are both really informative. And although I knew all the quotes anyway, it was a lot of fun reading them all. The best part of the book is the interviews with people you normally don't hear as much about, like set designers and associate producers and such.

Any serious fan of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will want this book on their shelf, along with its sequel THE WATCHER'S GUIDE II. The first volume contains a wealth of information about the first two seasons, while the second does the same for Seasons Three and Four. Unfortunately, there has not yet appeared a volume for the last three seasons. Hopefully that will be forthcoming.

These volumes are valuable for a variety of reasons. First, the early sections give a summation of each major character along with a collection of humorous quotations. It then proceeds to an episode-by-episode summation, which is great because it provides a lot of information that is otherwise not that easy to obtain. But far and away the best part of the book--for me, anyway--is the final section, which contains a host of great and informative interviews with actors, directors, writers, and technical folk. This final section is great because while Joss Whedon is widely acknowledged to be the main creative force behind BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, he has always ruled with a light hand. BUFFY is clearly a team effort, and it is great to see the roles the various team players play in the construction of the series.

Although the final episode of BUFFY has been shot, I hope this won't dissuade the publishers from producing a final WATCHER'S GUIDE to cover the final three seasons. I ardently believe that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the new STAR TREK. Just as STAR TREK managed to attract more and more new fans over the decades, I believe that BUFFY will have an ever expanding fan base, as more and more people are persuaded to give it a try. The shows of the seven seasons will be in syndication for years, each season will be available on DVD within the next year and a half, and spin offs like ANGEL and the other projects that have been mentioned will keep the interest in BUFFY alive for years.

This is a great book, with one rather glaring error. Under the SETI entry, there is a picture of Pioneer's plaque. On the plaque, the Pioneer appears to be launched from the second planet from the sun. As we all know, the probe was launched from the third planet, Earth.

The COMPLETE encyclopedia of Star Trek info. A must for those fans who want to ensure an exhaustive Star Trek knowledge base.

If you consider yourself a Trekkie or just someone who is truely intersted in Star Trek this Encyclopedia is a must buy period.It has insight to every facet of the Series.From the Original to Voyager you'll know details to everything.You'll won't be able to just glance through it once.I consider myself a huge Trekkie and like to think I know alot about the Shows,but I'll find myself amazed when I discover details about a certain charecter of Episodes I've forgotten or never knew exsisted.Especially interesting is the Timeline parts of the book,The breakdowns of Ship commisions and Designs,information about Actors,Cuisine,backstories of Charecters.You name it and they have everything about it...well almost everything.

You have to realize this fact before buying this Encyclopedia is that it was made in 1999.It's been 9 Years.Alot of History has happened in Star Trek since then and if you don't realize this now,you'll be disapointed to discover that to information about Deep Space Nine's last Season,the last 2 Seasons of Voyager,The whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.All of this information is non-exsistant.And just imagine the frustration of people who actually owned this book through the years and reread it wishing it had all this wealth of new information.I honestly can't comprehend why Pocket Books would not release the Book with all of this missing information availible.Or make a CD-Rom of it.

This might sound like I'm ragging on the Book,but that would be impossible to do.Wiether or not this info is in this paticular Book doesn't really matter,because it extensively covers in scrutinizing detail of all the Series up to Deep Space Nine Last Season,Voyager's last 2 Seasons,the whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.And believe me you'll be more than satisfied with that alone.

So,most definately buy this now and enjoy it and you will.But just realize it's outdated and once you do that then you can truely enjoy this Encyclopedia the way the Publisher intended you enjoy it:with wonderment and fun.

I bought this book in 2003, and it covered most of the bases then, but only the movies through 1998 ("Insurrection" IIRC; "Nemesis" is not covered.), and the 5th season of Voyager. It just covered the last season of DS9. And of course it has none of the "Enterprise" series.

There have also been events such as the Paramount auction of all the series and movie paraphernalia since then, and that could be a chapter all by itself.

I came on Amazon today expecting to see a new and updated version for sale, and was disappointed that the old edition is still all that's available.

Michael and Denise Okuda know everything there is to know about ST, and are the perfect people to update this. If I were shopping today for the first time I would say wait for the new edition, but buy a used paperback 1999 just to see what it's all about.

Keeping my fingers crossed that someone sees the demand for an updated version!

Nothing on the end of Voyager's Delta Quadrant wanderings? Nothing on Enterprise's backstory additions and newly-created anachronisms? Both this book and the related Star Trek Chronology need serious revamping. I appreciate the Okuda's insider Trekker style, but this reeks of willful blindness!

Jackie Chan has had a very eventful life. When he was a child he lived in on an ambassadors mansion in Hong Kong. Soon he was sent to a Cantonese Opera school, which was a boarding school where he was trained, day and night for over 10 years of his young life, in the ways of Chinese Opera. Chinese Opera is not the same Opera you and I may think of it as, but instead is a very acrobatic physically demanding show. He then went into the stuntman business, which was a very difficult road for him. For many years he struggled with finding work but he soon became a much wanted stuntman. Eventually he went into small acting parts, which led to bigger acting parts. Soon enough he was a huge success in Hong Kong, and eventually got married to a famous Chinese actress. Jackie still travels a lot and his wife is a stay at home wife who raises his son.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It is full of constant action and keeps your attention. I Am Jackie Chan is an easy read and fast paced I was unable to put it down, except of course when class was over.

I Am Jackie Chan My Life in Action 1998 5/5
Written by :Jackie Chan & Jeff Yang

Easily one of the best books I have ever read. This books contains 398 pages of pure joy. Seriously I read this book In one sitting . I was already a fan of Jackie Chan now I have so much respect for him. The copy I own includes a extra chapter, I would say it's worth buying again to read that extra chapter. Jackie Chan had a very interesting upbringing filled with beating and let downs. I mean he was abandoned by his parents who essentially sold him to the Peking Opera. Where they had the power to punish him up till death.

In here Jackie talks about the makings his earlier films. I really enjoyed this book as much as I enjoy his movies. Jeff Yang has said in interviews that there is works to release a second volume. Lets hope for that!

my wife's english is not good. but she found that it is very easy to understand this book as Jackie's movie. She has fun with it and use it to prove her english.

Dood tottally I'm not kidding, Jackie Chan is like a god amongst men, a god who makes flawed movies in his old age (flawed is polite considering the horrible movies he's currently putting out). Man Jackie Chan is so great it makes my balls sweat whenever I think about it, in this book he talks about how he and his crew broke into an amusement park to steal... not money but bread crumbs!!! Becuase Master wanted his students to work hard, this is not a book for weaklings, they will fret and feel weak as they learn of the heroic and disciplined exploits of my man JACKIE FING CHAN! Man in this book he talks about how some dudes wanted to fight, but he didn't cuase Master taught him only to fight for show and not fight for violence. Man the world would be a better place if we all had to read this book. Mandatory reading for High Schools this should be.

A fascinating insight into the mind and career of the world's biggest movie star. With exhaustive (and exhausting!) descriptions of Jackie's brutal Peking opera training and early days as a stuntman and actor, almost everything you want to know about Jackie is here.

Not that there aren't omissions - his illegitimate son Jaycee, now trying to make a name for himself as an actor, is never mentioned. Jackie is also quick to take credit (he claims 'Half a Loaf of Kung Fu' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' were the first kung fu comedies, which they weren't) and slow to give it out (he describes his opera brothers' film 'The Prodigal Son,' arguably the best kung fu movie ever made, as "solid"). But Jackie's charisma and determination shine through on every page, and you can't help but admire the guy. A must read for Jackie fans and aficionados of Hong Kong cinema.

thisbook is perfect if you want to know everyting about U2
I really love it !

This book is one of the few really great rock biographies. It does a great job of chronicling the band's past by giving a distilled view of their present, in both personal lives, internal processes, and musical career. All of that is the essence of the music of U2, and the legacy their music has created. Flanagan does them a great service in this bio, but also himself, for presenting them so well and staying out of the way. Well, mostly. His humor about touring with them is fairly expressive...

An outstanding work of rock journalism. This is far from a starry-eyed fanboy tribute -- Flanagan is one of the most intellectually gifted rock critics out there, and here he turns his intellect on travel, music, pop culture, his own foibles, and, of course, U2 and their art.

Flanagan, one of the first American journalists to champion U2, is a confidant of the band, but it doesn't stop him from critically appraising their work. The book starts with U2 taking the last flight into East Germany before reunification, and follows the band all the way through the writing of Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and the tour that surrounded the two albums. It's probably U2's most creatively active period, and it's our good fortune that a writer of Flanagan's calibre tagged along for the ride. A must-read if you're at all interested in U2.

This is one of the most well-written biographies that I have read. Mr. Flanagan covers every aspect of U2, mixing the present with the past and the anticipated future of the band. As an avid reader of various non-fiction subjects, I have to say that this kind of a biography was a first for me. You wouldn't think that a book about a band would have any transferrable application for non-musicians, however I found that these guys are fairly down-to-earth. Reading U2: At the end of the world helped me to dispell some of the superstar myths that I had. That being said, I feel compelled to put a disclaimer about some of the language. While, it didn't seem to bother me, I would have to give this an "R" rating, as far as language is concerned. It's not as if the f-bomb appears on every other page...maybe once or twice a chapter. But, for those who might be sensitive to such expletives, beware. 5-Stars, with a warning.

After reading this book, I felt like I really understood what was going on in their heads while writting Achtung Baby! and the music was better for it. I've read some of the more recent books about U2 and also about Bono and this tops them all. It's a day in the life, before 9/11 and before all that came after for them. If you love U2 like I love U2, read this book.

Great book for the beginner & advanced pro. Gives you many suggestions on how to get the shot finished with out spending a lot of money. Many movie clips included on the DVD for examples in support of the text. But what I found is that this book is just fun to read. There is a no holds bared, if you want to make a movie then just do it, "I hate green screen" attitude that encourages everyone they CAN make movies. There is technical stuff on setting up shots & After Effect is the only post software used, but you can skip over or breeze by these on your first read because you'll be using this book as a primer as you make movies of all kinds..."just do it!".

Great resource if you are an intermediate videographer. Most of the techniques would be above a newbies head. If you use Adobe After Effects, you'll find some great ideas.

Not for the beginner but very practical info that will make a difference in your video production. If you don't have After Effects then it will depress you.

This is a fantastic book and a fun read. I think I read it twice in the week that it arrived. The included DVD is a nice treat as well as it's pretty cool to see Stu's movie and all of the effects and techniques discussed in the book 'in action.'

If I have one complaint about the book it's that it doesn't come with a DV Camera as after reading, you'll want to run out and make your movie.

Somebody's got to be honest here -- the movie that Stu made with all of his techniques is simply godawful on nearly every level. In fact, his emphasis on "rebel" technique might very well have you redirecting your creativity in all the wrong ways. Films are about good STORIES.

That being said, for the discerning reader, there is an enormous amount of useful information in this book and it will really get you technically up to speed fast. For that the "guide" really does deserve five stars. But what we have here is also a recipe book for making the most cliche-ridden Hollywood imitations, which is the furthest thing from what movies need in right now.

I've been wanting this for a while, but in Australia it's double the price for some crazy unfair reason... but I was buying some other stuff on Amazon so took the opportunity to save on postage and got this too - can't wait to spend some time with - I've only had a chance to flip through and read Joss' intro so far but it's good enough that I wanted to come back and comment. If you enjoyed Serenity and/or Firefly - you'll love this, in addition to the script you get a bunch of nice behind the scenes stuff.

If you really liked Serenity, you'll love this companion. It has a lot of movie information and is worth getting.

Great book!
I can't get enough FIREFLY stuff. Very well done book covering everything you might have missed the ten times you watched SERENITY, the movie! God, how I miss watching new FIREFLY episodes! Sure wish someone would come to their senses and realize that FIREFLY was - and still is - WAY ahead of MOST new series that keep popping up on TV. BEST TV I have ever watched. BRING THEM BACK!

And

Don't take the sky from me!

js

There are so many things in this book that you should know if you liked the Serenity Movie. It makes you see all the little things that you didn't notice.

As a big fan of Firefly and Serenity this book made the sting of not having anymore new episodes to watch a bit less.
Beautiful drawings, photos, and plenty of behind the scenes information on the characters and settings made this a treasure.
Every Browncoat needs one!