Arts and Culture Books

The knowledge the authors have on Christmas collectibles is massive. They are historical,and humorous. I bought the first book when I started collecting pixies and learned so much more from them about trim, authenticity and why people started decorating the way they did from the early 1900's through the 60's. This book is lovely, but their other book is better. I hope they write a third.

This is a such a fun little book! Warm holiday memories, lots of humor and beautiful photography. I thoroughly enjoyed every page! The best gift book you will ever find for a vintage/antique ornament collector.

Charming and nostalgic, giving us a glimpse into the history of holiday adornment. A great stocking stuffer!

Debbie Elliott

Even if you're not particularly sentimental about Christmas, the images and recollections of the authors are a delightful experience. The photos and graphics are charming and magical, obviously done by people who truely love the Christmas season. Anyone can appreciate the vintage flavor of this little gem.

This book brings back so many great memories of Christmas and decorating the tree. It was so much fun reading and looking through every page for ornaments that we might have had on our trees over the years and seeing the many different kinds of ornaments. It is a book that I will spend much time reading and viewing for many, many years.

This book is the most incredible collection of circus images i've ever seen!
love it!

A great Circus lovers book! I was unaware of its size and scope when I ordered it, but was more than pleased with it upon arrival. Although a bit expensive, the book is definitely well worth it. Even if you don't read the text (a big mistake), the photogaphs and circus posters in this book portray a much needed human side to the American circus and its performers. I will enjoy this book for years to come. Now, if I could only find a shelf big enough to hold it.....

This is a huge book. This coffee table book is too big for the coffee table. Buy two and you have a coffee table. It's a heavy book - you can't red it bed. You can't read it waiting at the airport, on the train or the bus. They don't build bookcases in this size. It's freak book. But it's also a beautiful book. Most circus books can be put in one of two categories - books about particular circuses /circus dynasties or books about the life in circus. This book is in a category of it's own - it describes the circus as an important factor in the development of the American popular culture. The picture material is beautiful but the text, in three languages, is even better. It's easy to make this oversized publication to a laugh matter. But it's also a really good buy if you are interested in circus and popular culture. You get a lot of book for your money - $ 6.90/pound or $ 2.3/square yard. Buy it.

Whilst by size this may be considered a novelty item and of particular interest to students of American Circus this has much more value than that. The oversize format and use of fold out pages presents an opportunity to display visual reproductions which otherwise would not be possible on this scale. Of particular interest to me was the presentation of items from very early circus history. This must have been a mamouth publishing enterprise with some commercial risk considering the total scope of the circus book reading customer base but the contributors and publishers must be complemented upon the finished product.

Not one to read in bed but a valuable addition to the collections of those interested in circus and visual presentation.

AC.

I own many circus books and i was advised about this one is a must.
For a $200 circus book it better be great one and the waters better part.
When it arrived I was amazed at the size and the weight of it. Then i open it up and it was like the land of Oz going from black and white to TECHNICOLOR.
In all my life I have never seen a book printed like this with all those beautiful color photos of the circus. Where ever they got those photos they are the best I have even seen in any book.
The WOW factor and it is just amazing book.
It is a must for the circus collector.
I am so glad I got a copy and it is worth every penny of the price.
Harry Kingston

The "auteur" moniker that seems to hang ominously like a dead albatross around David Cronenberg's directorial neck is an overly misapplied reputation which requires a bit of deconstruction.

Essentially, when you hear the term auteur, the suggestion that typically applies is that the director in question--in this case, David Cronenberg--is a snotty type who doesn't budge not even the width of an atom for his particular creative vision. Everything on-set by definition must be done to the letter of the man himself, an inflexible character. Auteur, in this highly pejorative sense, is the closest thing to a Mussolini-type dictatorship which one could experience on the film set. Horrors.

But I'd certainly have to disagree.

David Cronenberg, according to many of the players who have worked under him (not toiled, collaborated!), especially in the case of Maria Belo and Viggo Mortensen, lately of A History of Violence, have nothing but rave reviews for the man. Even former porn-star Marilyn Chambers in The Brood had fantastic things to say about the Toronto-based director.

Few so-called auteurs seem to be as democratic as Cronenberg. He places a great emphasis upon his actors' appearance on screen, and much is discussed of how he generally will permit heaps of retakes for various scenes if a given actor feels as though they didn't pull off a scene correctly, or with particular aplomb.

He's one of the smartest directors in Hollywood. He's extremely well read (evidenced by his fluidity of speech during interviews--I've watched them), he's maginificently outspoken, and he knows his material so very well, especially when he writes the scripts himself. What's more is that he's adamant about shooting his films in his native Canada. In a North American industry where most Canadian would-be talent darts south of the border faster than Scotty's teleporter might, Cronenberg has stuck it out in places like the old movie studios at Kleinberg, Ontario and in the provincial captial, Toronto to establish a solid reputation north of the 45th parallel.

If you've never had the chance to hear Cronenberg speak on screen, you're really missing out. See if you can pick up the film called Spider...which starts Rafe Fiennes and Gabriel Byrne, which also contains an excellent segment on the director speaking about his various travails in attempting to land 11th-hour financing for that picture (which nearly capsized because they couldn't land the cash). I'm not raving for nothing--he doesn't miss a beat, this Cronenberg guy. He knows his stuff cold, and so do the people who entitle him to do what he does. They know they're in good hands, and Cronenberg always seems to deliver the goodies.

In terms of the book itself, I've fallen head over heels in love with this "directors speaking about themselves" series. After having first read Cassavetes on Cassavetes in New Zealand, Kieslowski on Kieslowski in the Czech Republic, and now Cronenberg on Cronenberg here in Prague (with Herzog on Herzog waiting anxiously in the wings), you're going to be hardpressed to find better biographical data on these giants of indie cinema other than what you'll read here. Martin Scorsese has even been profiled in this series...from what I've heard, it's one of the thickest of them all. Oh poor bank account...

This book rocks (!!!) because you're getting an uncensored take on the author's views. The book is Cronenberg at his vintage best, cussing, intimately describing various details (especially the final insert on his film CRASH, the "real" CRASH, not the Oscar-winning impostor!) of the sex scenes between his actors Holly Hunter, James Spader, and Elias Koteas, and some keen insider details from the period of cinematic history in Canada back in the old "tax shelter" days, when finance was freely available. When guys like David Cronenberg were only looking for scripts to fit the bill, because they were swimming in Canadian dollars. Those were the days, and Cronenberg pays due homage to the era -- it's what made him who he is today, and without the access to the money back in those days, his destiny might've turned out slightly differently. It's what he describes as his transition from "filmmaker" to "movie maker," a la Hollywood, bigger budgets, bigger stars, and box-office coups.

See if you can also catch a special "director's series" DVD from the American Film Insitute (AFI). It's called "The Directors: David Cronenberg," and he's one of (I believe) several directors profiled, with clips from their various films (I've watched most of 'em). Catch some early clips of Canadian actor Michael Ironside, who is still stupendous, IMHO, even in his later years. That infamous "head exploding scene" from Scanners, still to this day, is something else. It's buried somewhere on that DVD I'm talking about.

So I think I've said enough about completely irrelevant things. If you're looking to be entertained, see if you can pick up a copy. It's not heavy lifting, reading-wise, and it's packed with factoids, anecdotes, and details.

--ADM in Prague

Dude, it's really hard to stop David Cronenberg from yapping about his films. this, though, is a good thing. The man is very well spoken ,even if he doesn't think shivers and videodrome aren't comedies. this book, my friend, make me feel good.

Or at least I did until I gave away the second edition as a gift but it meant a lot. The current edition is fourth and came out after The Crash. To the people who know only his films it will be surprising Cronenberg came from a literary background and how much his films are intellectual. The man also possesses mean dry wit which shows up when talking about his ex wife and personal enemies like censors or would be do-gooders (fellow Canadian writer Margaret Atwood). To those who do not know about the author as much as they should this is a great book. Those who love Cronenberg's films probably own this already. I am waiting for a new edition to come out, the one to include the making of Existenz and his new film Spider and I'm buying!

"Cronenberg on Cronenberg" is a great start for anyone who wants further insight on David's work, specially his early films. One musn't hesitate, this is the basic fan purchase.

A semi-autobiographical look into the world of David Cronenberg and how he came to make films of grotsque, yet, captivating life of media, biology and society. You will read about his influences in his early childhood life and then, eventually, virtually being the only Canadian film director with a promise. Cronenberg seems humble in his writing, yet, you get a sense of high intelligence. Definately reccomended! It is a good read, moves along nicely and you will be quite fascinated by his personal accounts of his world and what inspires him.

I am such a huge CSI fan and this book is the most fantastic book for fans of the show. It has lots of information about ever episode from season 1 through to 4 and information on the characters too. For each episode, it's headed up with the name of the episode, original airdate, special guest stars etc. Then it goes into depth about the storyline (something the dvds don't do on the cover at any length) shows a few pictures and ends with a side piece about how the creation of that episode came about. Throughout the stunning glossy-ish book, there are case files on the CSI's themselves and their fields of expertise (and great pictures of Nick).
It's really a coffee table type of book in the fact that you look through it once or twice, keep it aside and flick through it again every now and then. It's interesting and fun to look at and I highly highly recommend it to any fan of the show like I am and you'll be so happy with your puchase for sure.

This is a spectacular book for all CSI fans that covers Seasons 1 - 3. Each episode is summarized in order of airing for each season with highlights of the case, investigator(s) involved, evidence found and tests performed (DNA, autopsy, facial reconstruction, fingerprinting), suspect and victim information, and the status of the case, i.e. solved, unsolved. If more than one case is handled during the episode, each plot is summarized separately, going between the cases as they do on the show.

Some case summaries include a couple pages of graphical information relating to the case and provide more details, such as investigator reports, evidence and chain of custody tags, evidence and DNA test results, investigative reports, etc. Some of the contents of these pages are difficult to read but give you an overall picture of the actual "case file".

Then on blue tinted pages, the producers, directors, writers and actors make comments on the episode. There is some great information on how some scenes were filmed for maximum effect. Actors also provide insight to their characters as they relate to that particular case and in general. This is really nice since for the most part there is not much character history on the show. It's also in these pages that we learn that some of the cases are based on real life cases by one of the writers.

It is also mentioned by writers and actors (William Petersen and Jorja Fox) that the sexual tension between the characters of Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle has been part of the plans from the beginning of the show. Also, details are provided of how certain scenes and dialog are planned out for specific episodes to highlight that tension.

There is also a character profile provided for each of the main characters of the show. This profile gives background information of each of the characters, including family history, education, work history and other pertinent personal information.

I give this book "two thumbs up".

Just what I wanted- very quick shipping and all ready to wrap for Christmas. Thank you so much. I would certainly rate this transaction A+,A+,A+,A+
I'll be back!

If you love C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete First Season (which I do) then you'll love reading through this companion book (which I did)! Covering every episode in the first three seasons of the hit show, this book takes you behind the scenes with details you might have missed while watching them on television.

Besides listing the writer of each episode, the director, and all of the guest stars and parts they played, you get an overview of the case, the evidence and facts, and the conclusion.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book are the pictures and illustrations. Taken from the actual "case file", you can see up close and personal the evidence that the CSI's collected from the crime scene and used to find the perpetrator. Many of these items were never shown on the actual show, or if they were, it was done so quickly I must have missed it!

I really hope that they come out with another companion for the succeeding seasons, as this is one show I can't get enough of. You'll definitely be happy you purchased this book, and the only thing I can think of that would make it better is to also put out a CSI: MIAMI companion!!

Now that the CSI series is into its seventh season I keep hoping that a second volume of this fantastic book, covering each program of the first three seasons, will be followed by a second volume covering the 4th, 5th and 6th season's programs. I can only hope that the author, Mike Flaherty and the publisher, Simon & Schuster's Pocket Book Division, will not disappoint this volume's legion of fans!

I've never been to Hungary or had much experience with anyone from Hungary, however I've recently become very interested in this lovely country. This book sounded like a fun and interesting introduction into the social aspect of Hungary (as opposed to architecture and history). The author has a lively and easy-to-read writing style. I would recommend this book and will seek out other books from the "Culture Shock" series.

Seldom does a book that is written for a narrow readership, in this case tourists and businessmen, become a success beyond its intended audience. What elevates "CULTURE SHOCK! HUNGARY" above the level of a Traveller's Guide Series is both the quality of the writing and the intimate knowledge of what overdrives this nation of 10 million restless souls. It is like a firmly held mirror, an unflinching but affectionate insight into the character of a nation.
If you are lucky enough to witness Zsuzsanna Ardo's meticulous undressing of Hungarians and their culture, you realize that she leaves very little mystery for any self-respecting Magyar to hide behind. To the embarrassment, or if you will to the delight of a native, who believes that he or she is comfortable with all the intricate layers of social interactions, the language and the "unpredictable excitement and character building" Hungarian history, even for them the "CULTURE SHOCK! HUNGARY" is full of fresh and original information that provokes conventional wisdom. With her warm satire she is experiencing life head-on in Budapest and the relentless and unavoidable hospitality of the countryside and its people. Whether it be a late evening stroll on the banks of the Danube or on the Margit bridge, challenging snow and ice on the hills of Rozsadomb, or a hot summer swim in Lake Balaton, her eye is always sharp and correct.
"...while surfers get hooked on the gentle waves and brisk breeze in the glaringly corny sunset, complete with golden-red reflections across the calm waters of the lake. No picture postcard of Lake Balaton can be such perfect kitsch as reality itself.."
Most enjoyable are her repeated journeys into the Hungarian psyche which explain and become the basis for all the advice and experiences she provides so abundantly. Her street wise comments on the personal and impersonal ways of greeting someone, the telltale handshakes, the persistent eye contact, the formality of kisses wherever they may land, the invitations and/or the un-invitations to a visit... are like a hilarious anthropological study.
"Some argue that laboring on building and nurturing and consensus-based love relationship with a Hungarian is, overall, like teaching a raven to fly underwater. This is grossly unfair... to the ravens. There is consensus all right as long as you consent to whatever your hero desires..."
"...status markers in social relations (are) a rather sophisticated system for keeping and reducing psychological distance, imposing and refusing hierarchy or intimacy."
Obviously she is afflicted by the same genes of passion, humor and unbridled need to inform and/or set things straight, as the people she is writing about.
"Whenever it is momentarily blue, manic, or depressive, the admirable lack of self-irony with which some Hungarian egos indulge themselves by fits and starts guarantee the heavy-duty nature of their state of mind. ...their oscillations between euphoric drives to get ahead and melodramatic soul-tearing driven by paranoid fatalism are sizzling and spectacular."
Ouch! She exposes universally and correctly the Hungarian nerve; it is up to the reader to differentiate among the joys and obstacles and to decide if he or she is adventurous enough to visit or even to stay in this very hospitable country, better yet, to befriend a "demonstratively woe-stricken... mega-sensitive" Hungarian! Her view is compassionate but sobering of a society where fantasies of even the possibility of grandeur, sentimentality and "an intensely vague discomfort or inarticulate ethnocentricity", is the norm; as if she would say, "I love the place and all of you guys, but you are so..." It is a well deserved roasting. And when she is in her more somber mood, a well deserved warning. Noticing the heavy drinking and smoking and a "decidedly non PC diet" she muses: "Traditionally, many Hungarians embrace premature death with gusto."
"Hungarians eat just about everything that you are not supposed to, prepared in the way it shouldn't be, and consumed in deadly quantities. Naturally, they enjoy it tremendously. And they want to make it sure their visitors enjoy it too."
But her satire is not just idle remarks of society's shortcomings and idiosyncrasies. She admirably provides a long list of agencies and social services where Hungarians, visiting businessmen and tourists can turn to, to redeem themselves.
With her academic background in Linguistics and Literature, Ardo's casual introduction to the Hungarian language, that is difficult by any standard, is like a friendly persuasion. Her unusual but well researched approach is a very convincing short course in Etymology. Surprisingly revealing even for those who think they can speak Hungarian.
Page after page Zsuzsanna Ardo, who was born in Hungary but presently is a British citizen, proves an important point, that only from a safe distance, preferably from as far as possible, can one truly look at his or her homeland objectively.
I would recommend the book to anyone who wishes to have a less bumpy ride through this little country in the Danube basin. It is unfortunate that the book is available only in English, because "CULTURE SHOCK! HUNGARY" should be a must, a specially required and liberating reading for all Hungarians too.
Kid from Pataj, Steven Domonkos.

Zsuzsanna Ardó's well written guide to the customs and etiquette of Hungarian people holds relevant information for anyone traveling or doing business there.
I assist English teachers at a primary school in Hungary and am looking forward to incorporating the many tips provided on business and general communication when speaking with my colleagues at school.
I also appreciated the abundance of Hungarian proverbs and sayings written out in both languages. These are fun to bring up with Hungarian friends and since they often don't translate literally, I'd not have been able to sort them out just using my translation dictionary. The insight into history's role in modern Hungarian thinking was fascinating for me as well.
A "cultural quiz" rounds out the book. It was a fun
and, I thought, a perfect way to tie the information together. The author's sense of humor throughout made it a most enjoyable read!
As Hungary's entry into the EU should spur an increase in business and tourism--I noticed some new billboards promoting travel to Hungary when I was changing planes in Frankfurt last week--the relevance and importance of this book should likewise
increase!
--written May, 2004

"Culture Shock! Hungary" is a golden child in the Culture Shock! family of books. Ardo's text is extremely readable and functional. Part history and language lesson, part culinary and travel guide, and more, "Culture Shock! Hungary" is chock full of interesting trivia and applicable knowledge. Ardo's work is highly recommended to anyone hoping or planning on visiting Hungary. The book is compact and would also be well worth rereading on one's trip to Budapest, Balaton or the Hortobagy. This mini-masterpiece of hints and humor would also be useful for someone interested in better understanding the burning minds, yo-yo moods and often mysterious ways of Hungarian friends, colleagues or even love interests. And of course, this text is an especially good read for anyone, in the U.S. or Canada with Magyar ancestry who is trying to learn more, or read commentary on Hungarian heritage. "Culture Shock! Hungary" is a thoroughly relevant and entertaining read.

In preparing for my initial vacation trip to Hungary in August 2003, I read the usual travel guides, Frommer's, The Green Guide, Lonely Planet and best of all, Andras Torok's "Budapest-A Critical Guide". While these books describe the where, Culture Shock-Hungary supplies the who, what, why and how of the magnificent Magyars.

The 2003 New Expanded edition is a joy to read. It's fast paced and lively- a real page turner. It made me laugh out loud several times. The last time I laughed so much while reading a book was when I read "Confederacy of Dunces" some twenty years ago. If this book wasn't part of the Culture Shock series, it may well have been called A Confederacy of Magyars. Read and delight in the sections on Traditions and Values and Image and Self Image to find out.

For a foreigner, the part on the Hungarian language, Magyarul, is especially interesting. Having studied Hungarian for a year when I was in the Army and let it slip away because of non-use, the language section rekindled old memories. The study of the enigmatic Hungarian language could well prove to be a lifelong task although it is said that Sissi(emperor Franz Joseph's wife) learned it in no time flat and became the darling of the Hungarians. This book should be a favorite of Magyarphiles everywhere.

If you are planning a vacation trip to Hungary or do business there ( there is a whole section devoted to business etiquette and customs), read this book to understand what makes Hungary tick.

If you are searching for a book to inspire, inform and clearly break down the making of a film and the relationship between the many creative entities that go into that process, look no further. Mark Travis has written a literate, thoughtful and experienced guide to how to approach issues relating to written material, casting, performance, production values...really everthing you need to work intelligently on a project. Whatever stage of your career you're in, you will find yourself referring to this book again and again.

If you're at all serious about directing, look no further, this is the book. Mark Travis will guide, inform, inspire you...and all done with such a light and humorous touch, as well as great enthusiasm, you can't wait to try it yourself. Really, of all the 1000's of books out there on the subject, this is the best. The information is presented so clearly, you wonder why everybody doesn't work this way. Mark Travis obviously has a deep respect for actors and writers, and how best to work with them in a collaborative spirit . He also appears to have a great wealth of knowledge from years in the business, which he openly shares. I loved this book, and often refer back to it. I'd highly recommend it, and would give it to anyone interested in directing.

I've read many books on filmmaking, especially directing. But Mark is one of the few authors that actually was able to talk to me directly. This book has a way to surpass the bull#@!% and talk straight. It shows me how clear directing can be when understood on the level that Mark writes about. I would recommend - and for that matter already have - this book to anyone who's interested in getting down to the core of directing.

I love this book! I'm going to have to buy another one, because I've bent the pages all over in returning to refer to advice again and again. I'm an emerging film-maker, and this book is the secret key that unlocks to door to the skills and steps crucial in directing. It's pragmatic, comprehensive, and applicable. I applied Mark's advice on rehearsals, collaboration, pre-production, and script breakdown to my film and saw immediate deep improvements. The Director's Journey is more than a manual for making great films though, it's a support to the person going through the process. Mark Travis illuminates the psychology, relationships, objectives and pitfalls inherent in this work, and he offers the creative traveler excellent personal guidance.

About 12 years ago, my directing partner (who is also my wife) and I attended an incredible, intensive directing workshop. For three days we ate, drank, slept, and lived filmmaking from script analysis to post-production, under the tutelage of a very intimidating instructor - Mark Travis. I say intimidating because this guy was direct, succinct, focused and INTENSE. Not only that, but he was brilliant. His insights, technique, innovations, and even the simple fundamentals were so solid, and straight-forward, there was NO way you could have walked away from the experience without being a better director. If there every was one, Mark Travis is a virtuoso director... a Mozart of actors, stage and celluloid, if you will.

Now, 12 years, 4 films, 19 theatrical productions, and a handful of awards later, we use this book nearly every day. Be it on the set or stage, or just from inspiration and brush-up, this magnificent book encapsulates everything about Mark's talents. He is no primadonna, unwilling to divulge more than a few vaguaries of his techniques, nor does he preach to you about his own successful career and how wonderful he is. What he does do if layout technique, approach, execution and adjustment in a no-nonsense fashion that yields one of the best "How-To" books on directing (not only film but more specifically actors), and achieving the vision of a director, ever written.

If you are looking for a book to keep in your hip-pocket on the set, or something to refer back to for inspiration, ideas, and fixes, then look no further. This is it.

"Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!/Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd... Desires compos'd, affections ever ev'n,/Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav'n." The original Alexander Pope poem suits the movie whose title it inspired, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," a unique, surreal film about memories, love and sorrow.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" deals with timid, conservative Joel, who bumps into ex-girlfriend Clementine at a store -- and finds she doesn't remember him. He finds a notice in his mail that she has had him erased from her memories, and angrily decides to have the same done. But during the procedure, Joel revisits the good times they had together, and finds that he doesn't want to lose his memories with Clementine.

This movie, by Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman, was one of the best of 2004, and one that isn't quickly forgotten. The screenplay is an excellent accompaniment; if there is a line or an image that didn't seem to make sense, it might make more sense here. "Eternal Sunshine" fans will also like the scenes that never made it to the final cut, and one scene got shuffled around.

Additionally, there is an interview at the end with Kaufman. In it, he describes his writing background, his collaborations with Gondry, clashes with Ben Affleck's horrific "Paycheck," memory, and that wonderful "Velveteen Rabbit" scene. Although, it could have used more of Kaufman's thoughts on the final product and the actors.

The stumbling blocks? Don't try reading the screenplay BEFORE seeing the movie, or you will be hopelessly lost. The script cuts wildly from the past, the present, inside and outside the characters' heads. It works wonderfully on the screen, but on paper it's hard to visualize just by the words alone. That, and this richly visual film is only represented by some murky black-and-white photos.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is a wonderful script, which spawned a wonderful film. And for fans of that film, this is an excellent accompaniment and resource.

this is a brilliant affecting screenplay..like much of kaufman's work it combines inventivness and originality with the creation of well drawn poignant complex characters trying to make sense of and live as best they can in this world we live in. amidst all the craziness and surreal aspects of his work there's a real humanism that shines through...i once read in an interview charlie did that he consider's himself primarily a book person not a film person..i loved that...the world needs more screenwriters who look at themselves as primarily book people particularly when they can team up with such visual artists as michel gondry or spike jonz..no wonder these collaboratons produce such great films..these artists perfectley complement each other..nonetheless this screenplay stands on it's own as a work of art..

This is a truly beautiful movie. I seriously think it is one of Jim Carey's best films. The cinematography is provocative and intelligent. The acting is flawless. And the plot is a well devised mesh of fantastical conception and blatant realism mixed with subtle humor. It should have one an award. It was certaintly better than Million Dollar Baby.

A Hollywood film script book from Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (whose previous credits include "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation"), for the very highly acclaimed film "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind", this provides the reader with a 165-page shooting script in book form and will prove to be a welcome addition to the growing library of Hollywood film scripts and "must" reading for aspiring film students. Enhanced with a Q&A with Kaufman, black/white movie stills with commentary, and complete cast and crew credits, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind will also prove of great interest to the legions of Jim Carrey fans who enjoyed his performance as Joel, a young man who wants to have the painful memories of his girlfriend Clementine (played by Kate Winslet) erased from his mind.

This was a movie I didn't expect to like. I hadn't heard that much about it and wasn't all that enthusiastic about seeing another Jim Carey movie. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

First of all, this movie is truly original. That's rare these days. It revolves around the premise that you can erase someone from your memories. In this case, the "someone" to be erased is Kate Winslet's character of Clementine. She is wacky and artsy, and plays against Carey's straightlaced character Joel perfectly. I had just seen an interview with Winslet before this movie and was amazed at her accurate American accent. Very well done.

And Carey is brilliant. His toned down, not over the top portrayal of Joel was delightful and wonderful. This is the first time I actually thought of Carey as a very good actor. Both Carey and Winslet deserve an Oscar for this film.

In addition, the film is beautifully shot as well. This could have been a very goofy movie, with a premise that was hard to actually get into and believe, but this film worked perfectly on all accounts: writing, cinematography, acting. I would recommend this film to anyone that wants to see a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, sweet, interesting, wonderful film that is unlike any you've seen before.

From the author of The Difference Now, A New Dish, and At the Coffee Shop. (www.thedifferencenow.com).

I love Weschler's writing and the subjects he writes about, especially on art. He has an interesting way of looking at things, bringing together history and art, broadening our understanding of the visual world we live in. A great book that will get you thinking!

This is what art criticism at its best should do - converge themes from present and our rich history in a clear language.... not obfuscating academic deconstruction but brilliant exposition with beautiful language and so many rich references - it's a joy to read and it actually affirms the fact that you already have very rich knowledge base inside (instead of trying to teach and preach). It weaves our factoids into a beautiful tapestry of human experience, synthesizing and unraveling our time here.

For its strange and compelling originality, I gave this book five stars. Author Lawrence Weschler's visual connections are unlike anything I have ever been exposed to. And it was because of this work, that when I was compiling photos for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, that I began to notice family photographic "echoes."

A picture of my 1-year old brother in his stroller, mouth wide open in toothless glee, reaching toward the camera, echoed a photo taken at family gathering 45 years later in which the only things different are the chair in which he sits and his gleaming teeth. His body language, his expression, even his adult-sized outstretched arm are the same as the boy from the stroller.

These sorts of echoes are commonly seen in your standard `grip-and-grin" shots at traditional events such as birthdays and weddings. But in one-off photos like the baby/adult ones of my brother, there's something more at work. Did a buried memory surface when a similar photographic situation arose that caused him to echo his own pose from 45 years before?

That might explain the same person subconsciously reacting to a similarly presented situation, but it fails to explain completely separate scenes, at different times, featuring a random set of people or circumstances that nonetheless are captured in an eerily identical composition to each another by artists not known to one another.

Not all the connections in this book are photographic. Weschler includes geographical, artistic, scientific, and architectural connections, too, in which human behavior could not have influenced the outcome. This is a provocative look at an unusual and inexplicable phenomenon of things that converge between time and place.

Having read reviews on Amazon and other places, I placed this item on my wish list and received it for my birthday. I was really looking forward to reading it - I love stuff like this and read quite a bit as a diversion from business, fiction, and science reading.

Unfortunately I don't share the same level of enthusiasm for this work as the other reviewers here. While there were times the columnist/blogger/casual-essayist style was entertaining, at many points I found it a bit like listening to someone working hard at making connections because he could, not because they really were all there. If I were speaking with the author at a party, I'm uncertain I would listen to him speak about one of his convergences for very long - not because he lacks education and depth and has some cool ideas - it's just that some of them strain to much to convergence. Is it really convergence when someone forces two things together rather than discovering the intersection?

I guess it felt like naming cloud images. Fun, but not for long, and sometimes no matter how hard you try, the other person can't quite see the pattern you see. But I am only one voice out of many, so take my perspective in stride.

Lawrence Weschler has a powerful mind. The essays in this collection cover such divergent topics as art to politics. The author, however, finds was to connect seemingly unrelated works. The essays are a camera into a very thoughtful mind who looks at the world and tries to connect it to himself and tries to connect the edges to each other.

I personally had purchased this book and was reading it during a time of poetic writer's block and I found the essays so thought provoking that I produced at least 3 new pages of writing.

The only drawback is that a few of the essays are a bit dated. I am referring here to primarily those on Solidarity. I feel to really understand those in better detail I would have to do some more research on that time in our history.

This is a great intellectual read and is a pleasure for the eye as well with great photography and artwork within its' hardcover pages.

There really was something compelling about Factory when they started. I still have many of the original UK records on vinyl (Joy Division, Section 25, New Order). CDs don't do the designs justice - too small ! They were concieved as RECORD sleeves and worked as art objects that way. I remember my delight at figuring out the color coding on Power, Corrruption and Lies after staring at it for a while.
Has any other label managed to build a design mystique like it (Blue Note perhaps ?). Their output got less interesting and less elaborate later on.
This book is a great nostalgia trip for any original factory fans, and hopefuly conveys the same sense to younger readers. Nice coffee-table book.

Complete catalog of the Factory cover art, posters, etc. Factory perfected the symbiosis between the music and art.

This book is an awesome look back at some of the best artwork and packaging of its time. The footnotes for each "Fac" are interesting and the reproductions of the artwork are showcased nicely. I only wish there were some photos of the packaging, for instance the famous Blue Monday single with the die-cut, it would have been nice to see how it looked. Still, I think this is a great book!

I've always been a huge fan of Factory Records and the designs of Peter Saville so this book was a dream come true. Pictures of all the artwork from Fac 1 onwards, all the New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Durutti Column - everything you could want.
A wonderful gorgeous book, the pictures are bright and clear, plus history and stories on major aspects of the artwork - highly recommended fro any Factory / New Order / Peter Saville fan.

This is an excellent book for fans of Factory Records. Factory was label that always had beautiful graphic design work. The album covers and poster art were a showcase for the design work of Peter Saville. I highly recommend this thorough book to fans of the label.

Carney's book is scientific writing at its best. The book, despite the level of abstraction, is totally captivating. A lot of connections to sociological theories (pragmatism) are used to penetrate the characters and C:s way of filming (as well as interesting observations about Hitchcock and Orson Welles). Also, this is a book about being human as much as it is about the films of Cassavetes. The book is well structured with one film and analysis per chapter. I'm not a film student but I learned a lot from reading this. Highly recommended!

I doubt that I can say anything about this book that hasn't been said before but this is, by every measure, an outstanding examination of Cassavetes amazing body of work.
I go back to this book every six months or so and have for a number of years. It is a very thorough, reverent, and insightful reference book but it goes well beyond that. Though very full of information, it is personal enough that it has allowed (and encouraged) me to go and evaluate the films myself without the feeling that there is a "law" or an agenda already set with these films.
The greatest beauty of Cassavetes' films is that each one belongs to the individual; meaning that every person who chooses to lend his or her heart to the characters, stories, and subject matter(s) can get something out of it that belongs solely to that person. The films can excite, enrage, entertain, and rattle you in ways that films seldom do.

Cassavetes films make you more than an audience member as they make you more aware than ever that you just might still be human.

Great book and highly reccomended.

I originally got this book and read the whole thing, before i had seen any of cassavetes movies. This is not a recommended route. I have now seen all of his films, except for husbands, and i can't tell you how amazing i think the importance of this book is. I wonder what the ratio is between the people who disagree and agree with it's context, in respect to it's attitude towards american cinema. the book really does rewire your brain. The people who i am friends with, who are also interested in film are dumb founded when ever i casually undermine 2001 or citizen kane in a conversation. More importantly though, this book, like Cassavetes films, extends into life and actually opens you up to knew spiritual territory
you didn't think about. One last point: Does any one notice how suprisingly objective Carney is when he mentions his most hated film makers like Spielberg ? Get this book. It may feel too intellectual, but it really isn't. If you think that then you are reading it too quickly and not thinking about what it's actually saying.

I'm not sure what book the reviewer below this read, but I don't know how many times I'd have to read about films that completely re-imagine the way I (and our popular culture) see the world and my own experience before I'd feel "bored" or anything less than inspired and envigorated. In fact, I read this book very often - not just to gain information, like a dictionary or an encyclopedia, giving me facts and figure data I didn't have before, but as mental calethenics, or something like spiritual openess training. This is a much more meaningful and important activity than thematic comparison and contrsating, no matter how technically interesting that is. As the concepts and points of view on the world process thru my brain as I read them off the page, I gain new abilities to understand and see - and this takes work, and often repetition. So I reccomend anyone who reads this book and hopes to gain insight, not just into Cassavetes and his films, but into their own personal attitudes, to keep themselves OPEN, as Cassavetes explicitly did in every frame of film he exposed, and to always give the artist (or author) the benefit of the doubt before passing judgement based on arbitrary ulterior motives (which, naturally, we all have). This isn't easy (especially to the greatly film cultured), but I dare say you'll enjoy this book, and your life, a lot more.

Almost everything Carney says, you tend to utterly hate him for at first. His most recent article seemed so pessimistic that I spent an hour in my apartment, sitting in front of the TV depressed by it all.

Everything Carney writes tends to be tough at first, because, like Cassavetes, he mentions truths about life that very few people wish to confront. There is no evasion of reality in this book. People can be horrible to each other. We all die in the end. That's life.

Carney doesn't analyse Cassavetes' work in relation to other movies and cultural trends (as most film professors tend to do), but prefers to focus entirely on the performances of the characters on screen. Like Cassavetes, he never really explains the characters' motivations, but instead focuses on how they react to their environments. Everything he writes is about life -- you'll find nothing about tendentious compositions, popular culture, or auteur theory. The only important thing here is Carney's love for the characters and their creator.

One of the greatest books ever written on American film.