Arts and Entertainment Books

Incredibly insightful, informative, and fascinating. Terry Irwin turns out to be a fabulous author who truly writes from the heart. You can hear her telling the stories of her and Steve's adventures. A love story for the ages. Of course, we all know the incredibly sad way the story has to end, but their story is definitely worth reading. Would recommend it to anyone who loves "The Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin, wildlife, love stories or believes in soul mates. Didn't want it to end. Loved it!!

I had always been a fan of Steve Irwin, but this touching tribute by his wife, not only showed how deeply they were in love but what a family man and true Wildlife Warrior he was. Excellent read.

This book is a wonderful glimpse into the personal life of the Irwin family. It shows the passion and drive of not only Steve, but of his wonderful wife, Terri. It also shows the strength he instilled in her, and her amazing ability to cope with this tragedy, for herself, and her two young children.
I feel honored to have read it, and to have been invited into this very personal and loving family.

Anyone that loved Steve Irwin will love this book. Terri did a great job writing this and I could actually feel her emotion for this man. We miss you Steve. Cricky!!!

This is truly a beautiful modern day love story about not only the love of two people with the same passion combined with the love of family and friends. But also, the love of nature and all its diversity.

The author changed a lot of what were supposed to be direct quotes and 'Briti-cised' them. I don't have examples off the top of my head, but I remember one quote being attributed to Brian that included very British phrasing. That's not a direct quote, that's paraphrased.

I don't even think I finished the book. I'd have expected the 'Official' Bio to be put together more like a lot of the UNofficial ones.

Also, a LOT of American fans are not going to understand British terms. Honestly, you're better off collecting the unauthorised bios...

I've read about 18 or so books on this group. And of all of them, if you're going to get one, get this one. It has good details of the boys' life before the group, and area which other books tend to lack in. It has pictures of them when they were kids that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. And it has info on the person who started the group, another thing I find hard to get good info on. This is definately one to buy if you're a major fan.

I think this is the best backstreet boy book ever written. I loved all of the stories. It was so much fun to read about how the backstreet boys first got together. If you have not read this book yet and you are a fan you must have it! Even if you just like to listen to their music you should read it. I think that anyone who wants to be a popstar should read this too. Well I could write 20 pages of this book. I'll leave now but before I do I'd like to thank AMAZON.COM and their customers. Because with out them I wouldn't of known about this book. THANKYOU EVERYONE!!

As a former BSB fan, whom owns the book, I still take a look at it from time to time, because it are honest and true facts of the boys their life before they became the Backstreet Boys and the beginning of it all. It has good pictures, but you can find them on almost every website and the biography must have been copied loads of times as well, so it's up to you!

Great Book!!!
It contains pics when they where baby's SOOO CUTE!!!
If your a true BSB fan you gotta have it!!!

I watched THE NANNY and I like her performance a lot then I read this I know that show is the real her.

Fran Drescher is obviously an extremely talented woman. Sharp and witty, she was not only the star and co-creator of the '90s show The Nanny, but also served as one of its producers, writers and directors. Her book Enter Whining is a funny, gossipy tale of her ascent to the stratosphere of Hollywood stardom, but we're not talking Kitty Kelley here. Readers who already love Drescher will adore this book, as it's full of sweet, happy stories and profiles about the author's adventures as a struggling actress and her eventual success.

Drescher comes across as being very down-to-earth, still the starstruck chick from Queens who probably still has to pinch herself now and then, unable to quite believe how far she's come. She writes pretty much the way she speaks, with her occasional Yiddishisms and the trademark, "Meanwhile..." She offers an especially moving chapter about the rape she suffered early in her career, and while she refrains from providing the details, it's a harrowing read all the same. It's the only time in the book where she moves away from the lighthearted tone she adopts elsewhere, but she manages to seamlessly integrate it into her story without indulging in self-pity.

There's a lot of backstory about the making and filming of The Nanny, but readers seeking lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes will be disappointed. This is Drescher's story -- and a good one at that -- so we'll have to wait for another book on The Nanny show itself, hopefully to be written by Drescher and Jacobson.

By the way, everyone knows that Drescher and Jacobson separated and then divorced in the late '90s, a few years after this book was published, so it does leave a somewhat bittersweet taste in one's mouth in the end. Drescher writes affectionately and lovingly about her husband, their long courtship and marriage; it's obvious they were devoted to each other and considered each other soulmates.

A great, quick read and a must for any Drescher fan.

This 1995 book tells the story of how Fran Drescher made it to the top of the TV sitcom business. Her humor and kindness come through very well in a writing style that evokes her very unique voice. Perhaps not as frank as her 2003 book about fighting uterine cancer, it still provides a lot of insight into what makes this woman tick. You feel that you would really enjoy knowing her.

This book is all about Fran Drescher's extremely interesting and unique life up to 1996.In it, she writes in a humorous vein about almost everything that happened in her life, from the highs like meeting and later marrying her husband, creating and starring in the hit tv show "The Nanny" and later meeting "God's gift to all little Jewish girls in need of a leader", Babs herself, to the lows like discovering a growth in her body.But with the help of family and friends, she didn't let the negative things get her down.We should all be strong enough to follow her example. She also provides some interesting tidbits like how "The Nanny" was produced and about talk shows and their hosts.Sure, she goes on quite a bit on her worries about her weight and her looks, but she's just human like the rest of us and a lot of people have the same worries.The book has some nice black & white photos of her, her family and her friends in almost all the chapters.I enjoyed reading the book very much even though it's short.I can't recommend this book highly enough to not just the fans of her work, but to all fans of comedy.

The book Enter Whining, by Fran Drescher, is a biography. To me this book was very entertaining, it told all about her life and how she got from being a little child to where she is at today. The book also has many pictures in it so you can see and picture what she is talking about while you are reading. The way it is written is like she was writing to herself in her own diary, but towards the end she addresses it to her mother.
How the book starts out is when she was little and how she first got started being on television. Fran started when she was around ten, she was in commercials at first then she moved up to be in the background of some movies. When she got to be in the background for the movies she always thought that she was actually in the movie so she got really excited, but it ended up that she was just in the background.She was still happy to be in the background though, intill one day when she was the actual star of the movie and that changed her whole life because then she got to star in any movie that she got a chance to. Ever since that first time starring in a movie then she moved on to being in a television show called ''The Nanny''.
Throughout the biography she writes about this guy that she has been seeing for a while now and she doesn't really mention his name at all intill she starts getting into detail about him. His name is Dave which come to find out, is her husband. Fran has been with Dave for most of her life now, she states that it is hard for her to have a husband and be moving all of the time. To me Fran has a very fun filled life and is happy with what she does for a living.

I had high hopes for Chris Jericho's debut biography A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex, and for the most part I enjoyed what I read. However, perhaps due to the extreme hype, comparing Jericho's debut book to Mick Foley's classic Have a Nice Day, or perhaps even due to my own personal expectations, I was let down just a little bit. My main gripe with the book is that Chris doesn't get as personal with the reader as one would have enjoyed. Mick really exposes himself and allows himself to be vulnerable, while Chris still seemed to be holding back, mainly in the personal life department.
Also, unlike Foley's book or even Shawn Michaels' book, A Lion's Tale seems to coast between feelings of "things are going ok" and "things are going really well" without hitting any sort of rock bottom that could possibly expose Chris to the reader and allowing us to see Chris Irvine and forget about Chris Jericho. HBK's book and Foley's books had extreme lows which made the highs that much better; something that Chris' first outting is seriously lacking.
All in all however, I do suggest that wrestling fans and Chris Jericho fans alike pick up the book, it's a promising first effort, but it's no "Have a Nice Day". A follow up on his WWF/E days should be mighty interesting though.

Sean

Chris Jericho's autobiography, A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex takes a look at the life and times of everyone's favorite Lionheart of the wrestling world. This is purposely written as a "part one" of sorts as A Lion's Tale only details Jericho's wrestling endeavors up until his then WWF debut in 1999. I fondly recall being a die-hard Jerichoholic from his late 90s WCW exploits, but I had barely a clue about his indy wrestling days, so the book was going to contain a lot of new information. I had no idea how interesting it was going to be reading about a lot of his fellow indy wrestlers I wasn't familiar with. It turned out be pretty interesting after all. Jericho spends a lot of time writing in-depth about training in the notorious Hart Family Dungeon in Canada and trying to get matches in California and Japan.

After finishing this book, Jericho did have one heck of an indy career. Reading about how he became a teeny-bop sensation in Mexico and how being a guest on Mexico's top late-night program led to a live call-in vote to determine his ring name was just a tiny sampling of his crazy days wrestling all over the world. Jericho also has many more peculiar tales of his days wrestling under circus tents in Germany, desperately seeking out a McDonalds while wrestling for WAR in Japan, and shooting rock star promos a decade behind the times for Smokey Mountain Wrestling while tagging with Lance Storm. Don't just skim over these parts, there is a lot of intriguing information to be discovered about Jericho and his days on the indy scene.

I was really anticipating him talking about his ECW and WCW tenure, and it delivered. He didn't spend too much time in ECW, just a few months and not even 30 matches before he was discovered and swept by WCW. His three year WCW run is by far the highlight of the book for me, most likely because it was what I was most familiar with and for his unique insight to what went on behind the scenes in WCW during the crazy nWo era. I was glued to the book to when Jericho detailed what he had to go through in order to get his storyline with Goldberg to go as far as it did, and still have no blowoff match to it all.

It is very refreshing to see this book bring up a couple topics in great detail that aren't in most other wrestler's books that are published under the WWE Books label like steroid use and wrestler salaries. It's just too bad the book only covers his Pre-WWF/WWE years, I guess that's what the sequel is for, but if you can get by the fact he doesn't talk about his WWE years (he does talk about the process that lead to his signing and debut as the book ends the moment he interrupts the Rock's promo on this 8/99 RAW debut), than by all means check this one out.
A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex

I usually read a wrestling book as a summer read and this year i read a Lion's Tail. A great book about a journey from the begining to what has become a possible hall of fame career. I highly recommend it.

This was a good book. It was pretty well written and the pace kept me turning the pages. Lots of fun stories about life on the road as a wrestler. I was glad to read about some of my favorite wrestlers from a new perspective. I have to admit that I am a total mark for Jericho. Good stories and a nice look at his journey to being a true superstar. I don't know if someone who didnt like wrestling already would enjoy it though. But I sure liked it.

I highly recommend this book! After eagerly awaiting it for a month I finally got it and read it in 3 days, it is funny, face-paced, witty and an easy read. You'll laugh out loud several times and almost pee yourself if you read this book. I highly recommend it to all the Jeriholics out there and even if your not, its still a great read. Buy it!

I love this book! Of course, I love EVERY book about Leo! but this one was one of the first ones i bought about 3 or 4 years ago, so it'll always be one of my favorites :-) i recommend it

This book was really fantastic!! I love Leo. He is one of the most beautiful men on Earth. I love him more than any one of you wannabes out there.

this book is exelent! many pics (great ones!!!) and lots of info about his films, his life etc. also well writen with many quotes, his or his co-stars in several films. helps you descover many things about him. generaly great book..!!!! you must buy it!!!

i think the book was great, i learn so many things about leonardo, he seems to be such a wonderful person,very kind hearted,i love his pictures, anyone who is interested in leonardo dicaprio, i recommend this book, it's great.. ..

Although this is a good book for slavering preadolescent female fans who don't understand words more than two syllables in length, the book was unsatisfactory for anyone but the most devoted. Containing quotes, pictures and a short bio, get this one for your daughter only if you want to waste your money.

This book is supposed to be about Jeopardy--but it ends up being a TV writer trying to write jokes about his life on the game show. There are long passages that have little to do with the show and more to do with the author's self-deprecation for failing so many times. Sure, it contains some history of the show but most of the information about the show has appeared elsewhere. So to spice it up this former National Lampoon writer uses a dry sense of humor to comment on his life, his mistakes, his not reading Robinson Crusoe, etc. There must be someone who cares (since other reviewers give it high marks) but the writing style is annoying--but I wanted to scream at the author to just get to the point about the show and stop telling us unimportant things like you rarely are home at your apartment or that you wear a thrift-store jacket or that it took you eight years to pay off your college debt! He seems to complain a lot and make us want to believe that his top-flight money champion is just a poor schlub. This guy's life isn't that interesting and he uses the lengthy book (over 330 pages!) to blend his overwrought self-observations with his valid thoughts on playing the show. The book is only for Jeopardy fanatics who are willing to put up lengthy parts about the uninteresting author's life.

Bob Harris was a struggling writer when, in 1997, he got on Jeopardy and won 5 times, 4 in runaways (games where the leader before Final Jeopardy cannot possibly lose if he makes an intelligent wager). Since then he's been in 3 tournaments--Season 14's Tournament of Champions, 2002's Million Dollar Masters Tournament, and 2005's Ultimate Tournament. All of this is detailed in the book, but fortunately, that's not the only thing in the book--far from it. Actually, you don't even need to have Jeopardy aspirations to be entertained, although he does have a very humorous section with studying tips (because so many people learn in boring ways, and it doesn't have to be that way, as Harris adeptly shows). Intertwined with the Jeopardy stories is what amounts to an autobiography--and yes, even if your first reaction is who cares, it's worth it. Being a Jeopardy fan helps potential readers pick up the book, but it is not necessary to enjoy it.

Bob Harris writes of his Jeopardy! experience in terms both comic and pensive, relating his often-panicked perceptions of being on the show with a Dave Barry-ish wit, but also ruminating on the workings of human memory and the mind's ability to relate knowledge to experience in unexpected ways. A must-read for Jeopardy! hopefuls.

Well I finally finished it and what a wonderful book to spend a month with! Yes, it's by and about a Jeopardy! contestant, but it's much more, and unlike any book I've read. It's personal, suspenseful, hilarious beyond description, and very touching. I felt as if I was going through the last 10 years arm-in-arm with Bob rather than actually living my own life. I've come to care deeply for the people in his life as well as the profound realizations he encountered while on the Jeopardy! roller coaster. It also offered me personal hope for a continual lifelong education - a hope I desperately welcome since I've experienced a sharp and discouraging intellectual regression since becoming a stay-home mom.

If you like Jeopardy!, read it. If Jeopardy! makes you want to puke, read it. If you've ever heard of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, Sony, President Garfield, Jabberwocky, galoshes, the snowbelt, stage make-up, Bhutan, Radio City Music Hall, E.M. Forster (you'll never think of his works the same again), traffic signals or masking tape and a ball point pen, read it. Just read it.

If you're human, you'll love it.

I bought this book to learn more about Jeopardy!, but I ended up enjoying Trebekistan at least as much for the emotional experience as I did for the information imparted about the show. Bob Harris also has a writing style that's funny and engaging. If you enjoy suspense, trivia, humor, or if you just have a pulse, then you'll like this book.

This is probably one of the few books you are going to find about Badfinger, who are another very essential but overlooked rock band. Sure they had hits, but they got screwed over. The book arrived in great shape and very quickly, so I was completely happy with everything.

I ordered this for my brother's birthday and he loved it! The book arrived in perfect shape. This is one of my brother's favorite bands from 'back in the day'!!! He was very happy with it. Thanks

A wonderful book. I knew very little about this band other than a couple of great songs I heard on the radio in the early 70's. By the time I finished the book I felt like I'd known them all my life. I couldn't help but get emotionally involved in their plight...Highly recommend

The most engrossing band bio I've ever read, and also one of the saddest stories in music. I find it funny that the two biggest debunkers of the author of this book are also two people who haven't read it! The story spans the very beggining, when they were known as the Iveys, to the ASCAP debacle in which Pete Ham and Tom Evans were utterly disrespected in front of an audience for their wonderful accomplishment of having written Without You. No stone is left unturned and unfortuntely some of the people involved should crawl back under theirs but haven't.

Dear Joey and Kathie: You can fool some of the people, but you haven't fooled me. At least Pete doesn't have a grave, or else I'm sure you would have been dancing on it quite happily. Why did you have to be part of the problem?

The "tragic" story of Badfinger couldn't be a better title for this book or this band. So much talent and ability and such bad management and naivete' destroyed not just a band but many lives in the process. I believe every young musician should read this book and learn from their mistakes.

I have yet to read this book, but it is in good condition.

This book is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Not only is it filled with details of Patti's life, it also takes you to the lessons that she's learned from the time when she was a shy little girl, to life as a megastar. This book will truly touch your heart as you cheer on the diva that is Patti LaBelle.

Patty LaBelle is amazing. She has an incredible voice, a career full of ups and downs, and can bring down the house in concert. This book is just another triumph for a lady who deserves all the accolades she receives. With absolute honesty, she reveals so much about her life--from sexual abuse to the fear of dying of cancer like her sisters and good friend--you feel that Ms. LaBelle has given you all that she can. Throughout her life, she has faced a good deal of challenges but has emerged with a positive attitude about life and can still entertain with the best of them. I have seen her in concert 3 times and she blew me away each time. This book does the same. After reading the dismal biography of Aretha Franklin (From the Roots), I realized what a gem this is. If you wanna read a really good book about an incredible entertainer, give this one a go. Its worth every penny!

PATTI takes you on a journey-from the Bluebelles, to LaBelle and through her solo career. She talks about her battles with her self-esteem, record companies, men and THE TRAGIC deaths of sisters. Did you know that NONA had a nervous break down during one the LaBelle concerts-and was taken to the hospital in restraints? WOW! This lead to the break-up of LaBelle! Pick this one up and you'll find out much more.

Congratulations, A reflective autobiography with some depth and truth. Before reading Patti's, I read Aretha's, which I ultimately felt like tossing in the middle of the street! Great job! I thought the book was very inviting to the personal side of Patti. I have always admired how forthcoming she has been with the public in relation to her late sisters. This book can truly encourage one to live life, as well as love and appreciate life.
However, there are a few things I would like to clear up, which I found inaccurate or inappropriate. The Jackie Wilson episode I found rather distasteful, particularly since he is not around to defend himself(it was o.k. to slander Al Green). Also, as I had to do with Gladys in her book, I need to clarify a few inaccurate points you raised in your book. In reading your relationship with Atlantic Records in the 1960's, one is left with the impression your group wasn't given a fair shot due to the success of Aretha. Well, that's not totally true, since you were with the label two years before she signed on. It just wasn't your time yet! Now is your time. You sound greater and look more beautiful than ever. You have a wonderful spirit in which people adore you far and near. You are truly a blessing. Wonderful job.

This is a wonderful collector's item for Audrey Hepburn fans. I opened the box, and, after looking through the pages, had no other words but "wow". There are 34 removable items of memorabilia. These include a partial script from Breakfast at Tiffany's, many letters to and from Ms. Hepburn herself, postcards, pictures, photo albums, tickets of movies and programs of plays she's done, and many many other items.

The book is done in a scrapbook format, and beside all of the removable items, has countless photographs with many of them having never been published or from her friends and family's private collections.

This book could have easily cost over $100, and I thank the ones who have put it together for allowing the fans to be a part of such intimate moments and items.

this is a very cute and amazing book about audrey hepburn.. it is a treasure,must have item.

With nearly thirty films tackled and under her belt, Audrey Hepburn is no doubt a household name, but how many really understood what went on inside of the personal life of Audrey Hepburn?

This stunning compolation of extrodinary copies of documents, family photos, playbills, and ticket stubs is a credit to her name. It shows her eloquence, style, grace, poise, and even some mystique as we get to experience a sliver of her private life, without invading the caverns of her mind.

Although not written from an autobiographical standpoint, it is easy to immerse yourself in her thoughts, because of the personal letters and dictations. Erwin writes about her beautifully, and lets the reader experience her life in the best way possible.

As a fan of Audrey Hepburn's, I read the information about this book and anticipated it's arrival. However, it arrived in a shrink-wrapped package with the corners dented badly. Since it is a type of scrapbook, the corners dramatically took away the beauty and quality of the book. The content of the book includes life-long pictures and memorabilia of Audrey's life and are a good representation of her experiences and choices. And so I would recommend the book without the mishandling.

What a wonderful memoir of Audrey Hepburn, the human being behind the star. Full of keepsake replicas from her career, letters, all sorts of mementos that bring Audrey to life. Some of them were so personal they brought tears to my eyes. The fan letters from her early music hall days in England (even then she had fans who loved her and knew she was special!) made me cry. How lucky for us Audrey saved so many things. And I'm so grateful to her son, Sean Ferrer, for keeping her memory alive with this wonderful and original book. A bargain at any price and a must for any fan and admirer of Audrey Hepburn. Many never before published pictures! What else can I say? BUY IT!!!

One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel

Audrey Hepburn loved her children and all the children of the world...Sean honors his mother...we all honor his mother...a mother to so many...indeed...an elegant spirit...

The photos here are lovingly chosen by her son, and the entire book is an absolute joy.

This book was pleasant and thoughtful, as is its subject. Though admittedly the writing was far less enchanting than I would have expected; I like to think it was kept simple to further emphasize the simplicity and sincerity of Audrey herself. This book did not add any revelation for the reader about her life; but instead, allowed for a glance at Audrey Hepburn's everyday existence. I was constantly amazed at how strong and genuine her character when faced with life's sometimes complicated decisions. This book shows Audrey as a person who effortlessly put others before herself, and seemed to never question her sense of what is right.

Even the idea of such simplicity has become a fairytale in our lives, and it is so refreshing to read about someone who was capable of remaining so solidly pure, that I cannot help but read a little more. One need only look to her work with UNICEF to know how first-rate she truly was.

She has allways been one of my favorite stars.The book has a beautifull
lay-out and is a pleasure to read.Lots of photographs never seen before
and beautifull passages about her work for Unicef and what a wonderful mother she was.I can highly recommend this book.

Bought this as a gift for my daughter as she is a fan and thought that the personal insights were revealing and poignant.