Arts and Entertainment Books

Yes, it is a fantastic book even for us outside the U.S. with limited insight to how Hollywood worked (and works) in the '50s and early '60s! I'm from Sweden where the Lassie shows were on the air week by week and sure was very popular with us kids!
Jon Provost and Laurie Jacobson is a perfect team making this book one of the absolut best biographies I ever read! The book is so fascinating that I really had to force myself letting it go for some sleep in the evenings! Especially the early years with the Lassie series, is close
to me - giving an direct emotional telling how it was like to be this little boy, completely left out in a adults' world with very limited freedom of playing and having a "normal" life with family members and friends of your own age!
Even though you may get the impression that he was forced to do this acting all the time (by his mom in particular), I can sense that she wanted all the best for his son!
The book is also densly enriched with pictures from those days which makes it extra fun! Also the "timelines" is a plus, establishing the stories in their original time!
Thank you, Jon and Laurie for this achievement - this book is a must in every American home! (and European as well!)
I'll give it a 5 star rating of course!!!
Chris Lindstrom in Sweden!

I found "Timmy's in the Well" to be a fascinating read. It brought to my consciousness the Lassie TV show's innate moral values which, watching it every week for years, had a positive formative impact upon my character (there's a positive for the power of the media!). It was then fascinating to see the oftimes contrast between the appearance of the show and the reality behind it: particularly chilling was the instance when Jon was applauded for his "performance" of drowning, when he actually almost had. Interesting also was the impact that Jon's career had on his siblings, another "reality" behind the scenes. In this autobiography, co-authored by his wife, Laurie Jacobson, Jon's recollections are balanced by many quotations of his family and friends; their statements often give different perspectives to the same event, and thus give a three dimensional depth to his story. The reader is left with some work to do, some conclusions to draw, which is analogous to the process of reading a great novel.

While this book covers the life events of Jon Provost's life, it is also a powerful statement of the social climate of the 50's and 60's in this country. It was startling to realize that it was less than fifty years ago that racial prejudices were so severe that Lassie's sponsors were afraid that they would lose business if a famous black sports figure appeared as a guest on the show. Later in this autobiography, the "highs" and the "lows" of the 60's scene are brought to life in a realistic accounting of those days of "free love." Laurie Jacobson did an excellent job of presenting Jon's life within the context of the times.


But the real value of this autobiography for me is that it is an exploration of love between all the members of a family struggling to cope with their roles in this unusual and unreal life. Despite the tensions, conflicts, jealousies, and inherent misunderstandings, each Provost family member managed to arrive at a place of mutual respect for each other. And any book, or any life, that can achieve that goal, is an inspiration for us all.

This is well-written, filled with many quotes from famous kids of the time on tv.
And best of all, there are pictures on almost every page!
The only downer might be Paul Peterson (can he EVER say anything nice about anything?), but all the rest of the contributors are excellent.
GET THIS BOOK!!!

luv, miss josh emmett

This book is absolutely terrific, not just for movie and TV fans, but also for any adult who might be preparing for, or currently struggling with, success, challenge, frustration, or failure. Do you enjoy Hollywood movie history, or info about legendary stars and classic TV? Or perhaps when growing up, you watched a favorite child star perform and dearly wanted to be like him or her, thinking life would be so fun, rosy and glamorous to be so popular, cute, rich and famous. Perhaps you dreamed it would bring fast cars, beautiful living, smart clothes, endless friends and gorgeous dates. Well, now's your chance to personally experience what all this might have been like. But beware. Things are not always what they seem. Sometimes they are more.

In this very special and unique autobiography, you'll become a member of Jon Provost's family, past and present. You'll feel right at home, following the young actor through all the ups and downs, hopes and dreams, thrills and chills (not to mention pains and strains), of a childhood spent working in 50's and 60's movies and television. You'll be transported into a wonderful, yet sometimes strange and even downright dangerous world of wild success, fame and fortune.

Fame does bring great stuff, attention and privileges. It's all here in this book, with amazing, wonderful, unbelievable, incredible times. You'll meet many famous adult and kid stars backstage and in real life, as well as numerous regular friends and coworkers, too. Their impressions and perspectives, both positive and negative, are quite candidly included. Family and off-camera photos on practically every page help to set the period and mood.

But fame and success bring even more. And the extra stuff is often not so good, seldom anticipated, or even understood, not only by the person at the center of the maelstrom, but also by family, friends, employers and fans.

In this book, Jon Provost and his entire family circle confide their personal lives with a most rare honesty and openness. It's a deeply personal journey toward success of a different kind. You'll find it hard to stop reading. I recommend it very highly. Just as his character "Timmy" did on Lassie, Jon Provost is still teaching us valuable lessons about life, but this time through his own.

From: [..]

"Timmy's In The Well" is an amazing accomplishment. If you ever watched Jon as Timmy Martin in "Lassie," you must get this book.

It's not a book for kids. Provost vividly evokes the sweeping social changes in America from the staid 50's, through the swinging 60's, and beyond. This is a real insider's view of growing up in Hollywood, with many revelations about the life of a TV child star.

All of the wild fun, the hard work, and the bitter pain, is told candidly, with total honesty and utter sincerity. There are many quotes and comments from Provost's colleagues and friends in the entertainment business, and although the photos are small, there are a lot of them, conveniently integrated into the text.

I am still reading the book and have been quite pleased with all the details of Mr Sylvester James Jr. Life, I am sure when a read the final pages it will be as smashing as the life he lived!! I also found a DVD, Filmed in San Francisco, in 1985 or 1987 when he celebrated his birthday, the video is grainy and not what I expected which was Him and the Famous (Two Tons of Fun,) what I have is Sylvester in his what I call break out years his voice was not as vibrant during this period but to have anything of him suits me just fine. He came into his own he perfected his voice and character, I still miss his presence on earth just as I do all the Great Ones.

Sincerely,
LEE

At last, a beautifully-written book about a beautiful artist - Sylvester. I have been waiting for this book to arrive for years and, finally, here it is!

I was hooked by the opening chapter which tells the story of a young boy named Tiki Lofton who sneaks out of his bedroom window at night and over to a friend's apartment where, in 1960's South Central, with the help of a young Sylvester, he transforms himself into a "Disquotay." The Disquotays were a group of boys who liked to dress up as sophisticated ladies. And Sylvester, or Dooni as he was known then, was in charge of the wigs.

"The first Disquotay bash that Tiki went to was over on 120th and Athens, at Etta James's house, sometime around 1965. Etta, who would later be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (largely on the strength of her 1961 hit "At Last") and the Betty Ford Center (largely on the strength of her smack addiction), was already a recording star and a friend to many local Los Angeles drag queens . . . The house, with its swimming pool and fireplace, had stunned her. Women, drag queens, and guys, all sending joyful noises in Tiki's direction; the music had been jumping; Walter Jackson's version of "Lee Cross," Jr. Walker & the All Stars' "Shotgun," "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas, Fontella Bass singing "Rescue Me." Gay kids all perched on gigantic speakers, singing and carrying on . . . Tiki had said to herself. "This -- honey, where is this world?" Within months, she would be a full-fledged Disquotay, made-up, bewigged, bejeweled."

Joshua Gamsom recreates this world vividly in that first chapter. Simultaneously, he introduces us to the members of Sylvester's family. His beautiful and beloved mother and grandmother. His twin sisters, Dette and Dean. The quotes are full of heart and expertly placed and the story unfolds like a fine silk fan. I can't help but think that Sylvester would be very pleased to read this biography.

I had the honor of meeting with Sylvester to discuss a project a few years before his death. It was mid-afternoon and he was sewing sequins on something, which was his favorite pasttime. He was always sewing, a talent he picked up from the women who raised him. He walked over to the turntable and put on Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew" and said he was dedicating the song at his One-Night-Only concert the following night to his fans and supporters in San Francisco, the city in which he always felt most at home. That night, with Martha Wash at his side, they performed that song together, bouncing their voices off each other inside the Castro Theater. Those two powerful voices, the acoustics of the Castro Theater, and the magical spell he wove with Patti LaBelle's song was something to behold.

That Sylvester could hold his own with the amazing Martha Wash is a testament to the power of his falsetto. He didn't have a thin, reedy falsetto. His was full-bodied, gravelly even, and very much in evidence on one of his biggest hits, "Do You Wanna Funk."

"So when I tell you, that you're really something, baby, will you stay, or will you go away."

Joshua Gamson captures the essence of Sylvester's personality, the diva fits as well as the immense kindness and sensitivity, and wraps it all together into an highly readable book that I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up. Although some have faulted him for not having an encyclopedic knowledge of music, Gamson lets experts like Joel Selvin provide insightful commentary.

It is my hope that someone has optioned the book for a movie and we can expect to see this wild individual portrayed in all his glory.

John Waters wraps up "The Fabulous Sylvester" pretty well in his cover blurb: "A well-written, touching, dignified biography of a gay black diva who never really fit into any minority but managed to achieve his dreams of stardom. Now that's what I call a man."

Five Stars. Great Read.

Magic happens where reality and fantasy overlap. It's a space that dance music star Sylvester effortlessly occupied during the outrageous and flamboyant club scene of the mid-70s to early 80s, when those lines were happily blurred on a nightly basis.

Gamson does an excellent job of showing Sylvester's `six-degrees of separation' influence - he worked with emerging stars like Bette Midler, Patti LaBelle, The Weather Girls ("It's Raining Men"), American Idol judge Randy Jackson and Patrick Cowley (Megatone Records).

By focusing mainly on Sylvester, Gamson gives the reader an inside look and feel of the gay club scene that was a mix of Broadway and Bowery Row. Sylvester epitomized that drama and contrast with his falsetto voice but powerful vocals and androgynous but commanding stage presence. He created a propulsive musical genre ("Do Ya Wanna Funk?" "You Make Me Feel") that defined the era's manic, raw and pulsating energy.

AIDS turned the party lethal, killing off both his audience and the mood for high energy music. Soon, Sylvester, along with hundreds of others in the arts and entertainment community, was dead. There are lots of devil-may-care musicians whose audiences escape through their lives and music, but there will probably never again be a time when the audience and the artist were so intimately in synch, both feeling and living the beat.

The Fabulous Sylvester is a fascinating recounting of the life of Sylvester, the dance scene and Sylvester's career. This book explores the life of Sylvester from his early childhood days to his development into an international dance icon. This book does not sugarcoat any part of Sylvester's life. It is detailed and honest and shows us all aspects of his life and career. This book is as interesting and fabulous as Sylvester was.

Joshua Gamson took the reader on a magical journey of Sylvester's glitter world of music, sex, and drugs with the abandonment that was the time of the 70's. Sadly, there was no gold at the end of the rainbow and we, like Sylvester, saw the decline with terrible retribution.

I highly recommend this book; it's a quick read and you won't be able to put it down.

Let's face it, we know the ending when we start. But, once into the book, you are drawn into the world at the NIC unit. You see what is happening as if you were there experiencing it. To see the raw emotion, experience the day to day happenings is to fall in love with the little life that is so fragile at this stage. Then on the other level you see how much love is shared, how everyone is drawn to this family. And yes, it is a family just like any other. I keep going back to the book and reread passages - when after a bath, little Jackson has a breathing problem, you read the "prayer" that BD Wong has going through his head. You get so imvolved that you actually feel emotionally exhausted after you put the book down. I so hope for more books by this particular author! Bravo! I am a Foo Follower for sure!

So, after finishing the wild ride/read on 3 different plane trips and stops at several coffee shops. I was crying, laughing, experiencing a roller coaster of emotions and everything else of this intense, personal family story. I kept having to stop to wipe away tears or suppress laughter in the very pulic spaces that I read the book. I guess B.D. can write as well as act. All of us can thank this family for sharing their experience...and making us all realize that alternative or traditional families are the same. A new Foo Follower.

This book is remarkable. I could, literally, not put it down and then was disappointed when I finished it. It is a real life, soul revealing, sad, funny, inspirational story. I feel that my life is richer for having read it. I am quite picky when it comes to how I spend my time, especially with regard to reading and I would read this again without hesitation.

I was recommended it because I just lost someone close to me through death and this book allowed me to grieve openly and fully for my loss and for all loss.

This book made me proud to be human. I await more from B.D. Wong.

a perspective, from a single woman, with no children-yet:
Believe it or not, this book is one of my birthday presents to myself, to help improve the quality of my life.

BD has helped me become a better woman. Hopefully, I will also become more responsible, as well. Hopefully, I will be better to cope with life's emotional issues, and handling them better.

That's what drew me to the book.

You see, while growing up, many, many people automatically assume that any given person should be able to handle anything thrown at them. You ask those around you for help, or you are impacted by something trumatic, and those around you automatically assume that you're tough enough to go through it, by yourself. Many a time, I would go through life, and not tell of my problems, because I felt that those around me would make the problem worse - or blame me for it.

Some of us have a harder time getting through things. To say "get over it", is a cruel thing to say. I feel that sometimes, those saying such a thing, are really digging deeper into the mess, and allow for things to continue to spiral downward.

I feel that this book allows people to communicate, in ways that go beyond the core scope of what the book was essentially written about.

I find it ironic that 2 men, sharing their account of parenting, pregnancy, and love with the world, including me, would have more of an impact on me, than that from any woman, since I have never received this type of insight from women.

I shouldn't have to get this type of insight about childrearing, etc., from men. However, I am indebted to BD and Richie, nonetheless.

You see, women have this thing out there, where they feel that they don't like sharing, esepcially when it comes to things like child-birth and pregnancy. It's like this secret, kept to hurt those women coming up in the world. Growing up, you ask your female relatives about such things, details inolved, and those female relatives keep quiet!

Women do not share everything, contrary to popular belief.

Needless to say, this is one of the first things that has impacted me, while reading the book.

The other is, of course the trauma, and roller coaster that BD talks about.

Some of the things mentioned, bring me back to the trials in my life.

I am thankful for the book, and the impact that the book has on my life.

When I saw this book, I just had to read it. Not because of who the author was or that he was gay, but because he LIVED what I was LIVING. Mr. Wong's book is the ONLY book about NICU babies that I would suggest as a MUST READ for critically premature parents! It doesn't help you understand the medical terms, it helps you understand YOU, as a parent of a tiny ray of life in a plastic box.
I lost a premature daughter (Mary) at 23 weeks, eleven months after that my second premature baby (Julia)was born at a whopping 28 weeks. I still was grieving Mary's death while trying to stay "upbeat" and "positive" about my Julia in the NICU. I joked, I laughed, but I hid A LOT of emotions. Everybody tells you how strong you are, what a brave person you are, while inside you are screaming "WHY MY CHILDREN!?!". You feel like you are the ONLY person in the world who feels that way.
Well, Mr. Wong's book is the ONLY book I have read that made me feel like I wasn't going crazy. He not only addressed the issues of being a parent of a NICU baby, but losing a child, and the realities of coping with that loss while being exatically happy your child has made a huge accomplishment (She either pooped, or ate half a teaspoon of breastmilk... major things in a NICU).
His humor at the most critical of times is very similar to how I dealt with things when the dr.s would say... "Well, Julia had a good day today, she only stopped breathing twice, and oh, by the way, her blood levels show she may need a transfustion, etc."
Life in the NICU is like constantly waiting for the shoe to drop! And when it does, it is usually a size 15 triple E!

I would love for Mr. Wong to do a follow up to his book, maybe "Following Foo, The Early Years". Julia is now 18 months old, and we are dealing with Early Intervention, Boston Children's Hospital, Weight issues, and Mom (or Dad) going nuts trying to keep it all in check. I would dearly love to hear some advice. Plus, I fell in love with his adorable son in this book and would love to know how he is doing!

If you have not had the chance to meet Frankie in person this is a great way to get to know the man who many swing dancers as myself has grown to love and admire. In person you would not see a 93 year young man but someone who is full of life! He always greets you with a smile and has a beautiful sense of humor. I have learned so much from him and admire him for being an example of how to live a full and wonderful life!

It's definetly a book I recommend for you to read even if you are not a swing dancer. And if you aren't one when you start reading the book, I won't be surprised if you start taking swing dance lessons after reading the book!

I made personally Frankie Manning and he is a sweet guy. Being myself a swing dancer, I enjoyed reading his unique journey through time. It is not a fiction, but a true view of swing dancing from a master. if you like the book like I did, read also books from Norma Miller (one of his partner). Thank you Frankie !!

If you love dance or swing music read this book. I even had Frankie sign my book at a dance in NYC. Well written and fun....the real deal.

If you have ever met Frankie Manning then you know that his sheer joy transcends his own physical presence to the point that it can fill a whole room! Frankie is truly an amazing and beautiful individual. Luckily for the reader this makes for a very inspiring book, which aside from being autobiographical in natures and having biblical stature in the Lindy Hop community, it's extremely entertaining to the dancer and non-dancer alike.

My only complaint is that it was so good that i never wanted it to end!

I love a guy that is still dancing at his age. Great stuff from the past and great photos. Frankie is not a glory hog or braggart - he gives credit when credit is due. Enjoying this book like no other.

I had never heard of Cash Peters before. I was browsing Amazon looking for books that I can't get in the UK and one of them was Gullible's Travels. It sounded like my type of thing so I thought why not? I'm so glad I did. Its one of those books that is so enjoyable I don't want to get to the end.

Bill Bryson is my favourite author and the only one who can make me laugh out loud and I would rate Cash Peters to be as funny and readable as Bill. So, I have a few pages to go but I know this will be a book I will keep re-reading - it is highly entertaining.

This is a genius of book. Picture his TV Show on Travel Channel with some bite. He goes over many things as he travel the byways of not just travel, But lifes quirks. In all his travel semgments he goes over the eleations, and the pitfalls. Like the hearfelt moment about his guide in Memphis, or the rude treatment he got in a B&B in Boston. The book will help, or hinder your appreciation of tourist traps. For a nice laugh at, or with Cash Peters --- buy the book!

I discovered Cash Peters' Travel Channel show over the summer (where he's dropped off in some strange land--he has no idea where--with no money whatsoever and has to convince locals to feed and shelter him for a day) and was given this book over the weekend as an early birthday present. I am glad to report that Gullible's Travels is even wittier and more fun than his TV show! Peters visits and writes about a number of cities and tourist traps, as well as some of the oddest, most tasteless and inane destinations imaginable. Not only are the locations themselves simply brilliant, but Cash Peters' running commentary on these places would crack up a 1692 Salem Puritan. Sure you can learn a thing or two and maybe get an idea about where to go when you make your own vacation plans, but the real attraction here is Peters' himself and his goofy way of perceving everything. I suppose one could ask for a more serious guide thru these "bad taste" sites but it'd be hard to come up with one who was more bizarre. Peters is a likable bloke and while I'm not sure I'd let him crash in my house should his Travel Channel producers ever drop him off to film an episode in Mason, Ohio, I'd love to hear his comments about my home town. I can only imagine the things he'd say...

In a nutshell: I don't have to buy books because I live in Salt Lake City, which has, arguably, the greatest public library in the country if not the world. So I got "Gullible's Travels" (I think I saw an ad in The New Yorker) and, it's a good thing I have a great library because I can't afford to buy books anyway, but guess what, I'm going to buy this one. Several copies of this one, for gifts. Not even Xmas gifts, just gifts for people who need a good laugh and appreciate real wit. It's that good. I hope a lot of people buy "Gullible's" and I hope Cash Peters laughs all the way to the bank.

In usual Cash Peters style, this book is just what the title of this review says it is: Manic, Zany and TONS of Fun! Cash documents and comments on his journeys and experiences as a travel writer. Hilarious comments and insights by Cash. If you like him on the Travel Channel, you'll LOVE this book. A great laugh and a must read!

Peter lorre was one of the most unique and fascinating actors ever to come out of the studio system in Hollywood. Anyone who has every seen his soft, silken acting or heard that lyrically menacing voice ever forgot it. I know that I never did. I have been a fan since seeing him go toe to toe with Cary Grant in Arsnic and Old Lace when I was in my teens.

Peter Lorre fans have cause for celebration with this book, which is full of tremendous insight and depth. It covers all of Lorre's life and does so with compassion and appreciation. This work never becomes a fan's love letter, though, as the author does not shy away from the star's less admiriable qualities (which I will leave to the reader to discover). But everything is put in context, which often provides a certain understanding. And what a fascinating context it is - from the German stage of Bertolt Brecht to the Hollywood horror of Roger Corman. It's worth noting that this book is extremely well researched and includes a complete Lorre filmography as well as a complete listing of his tremendous radio work (was ever their a voice better suited for telling stories over the radio?).

As the Author tells Lorre's story, the reader is treated to plenty glimpses into several Hollywood immortals, such as Humphry Bogart, Walter Huston, Sidney Greenstreet, and Lauren Bacall (with whom Lorre had a close friendship). And the writing style is very readable and smooth.

All I can say is, for all of us Peter Lorre fans, Thank you, Mr. Youngkin.

And while we are on the subject of Hollywood greats that never have been given an aurhorative bio, what about Boris Karloff. Mr. Youngkin . . .?

-Mykal Banta

First of all I am profoundly grateful, that finally someone took up the task to write a biography on one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. Mr. Youngkin did very good work especially in researching the very early years of Peter Lorre in Vienna and Berlin, which I assume must have been a quite excrutiating task. Nobody who ever saw the film "M" will ever forget the wonderful performance Peter Lorre gave. Even later on, nearing the end of his live, when he was doing B-movies, he gave them that certain Lorre-touch. It is a wonderful read and Mr. Youngkins work cannot be praised enough. Sometimes this biography makes you cry and laugh at the same time. Finally somebody did credit to this wonderful, wonderful actor.

if you are unable to get ahold of author stephen youngkin's earlier biography of peter lorre, then by all means purchase this book. it's comprehensive and thorough, and a good read of a fascinating subject. if you were able to get ahold of the earlier book, then you can save your money on this one. the only new item that would make purchasing this edition worthwhile is the photo and information on peter's daughter catherine. she looks like him but pretty, and her connection to the hillside strangler is included.

i HAVE READ INNUMERABLE BIOGRAPHIES OF THE STARS.mANY TIMES THEY ARE SIMPLY HARDBOUND VERSIONS OF THE ''NATIONAL ENQUIRER''tHIS BIOGRAPHY OF PETER LORRE IS MORE THAN JUST ANNECDOTAL BUT TELLS A REAL LIFE AND HISTORY OF A REAL ARTISTWHO LIKE AN ACCOMPLISHED MINATURIST WHO PAINT BROADLEY ON A SMALL CANVAS.TO LEARN AND EXPERIENCE SOMETHING OF THE GERMAN CINEMA, THE CONTRACT PLAYERS OF THE 1940'S AND THE DECLINE OF THE REAL ''ARTISTIC CINEMA HAS BEEN A REAL JOY.AS A BOY I SAW THE ''BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS AND IT HAUNTED MY DREAMS.AS A OLDER MAN THE STORY OF THE ''LOST ONE'' WILL STAY IN MY HEART AND MEMORY.

"He's crazy about me...all the degenerates are." Peter Lorre, speaking of his chimpanzee co-star in "Five Weeks in a Balloon."


From the beginning of his career, Peter Lorre was typecast. The classic German Expressionist drama, "M", set the tone for his entire career. Lorre said that from that point on, in people's eyes he was "forever the murderer". This was allowed to overshadow his incredible talent and his great aptitude for comedy. (His throwaway lines, like the one I quoted above, are priceless!)

His career spanned from experimental theater in pre-Nazi Germany, to classic noir films with Humphrey Bogart, to eminently forgettable films from the Sixties. (How odd that one of his last appearances was in "Muscle Beach Party"!)

Stephen Youngkin does an admirable job of chronicling Lorre's professional life, including the myriad missed opportunities--(of note: Malcolm Lowry's rabid interest in seeing Lorre play "the consul" in "Under the Volcano", and Lorre's own desire to produce a film about Kasper Hauser. Both of those projects, never realized, would have added so much to Lorre's cachet.)

The book overflows with examples of Lorre's humanity, professionalism, and wit. Unfortunately, the actor's personal battles with the demons of drug abuse and poor health, his unluckiness at love, and his profligate nature create an undertow of tragedy which no reader can escape. In the end, this is a deeply saddening and troubling book. Long after you have finished reading it, you will find yourself reflecting on the life of this brilliant and tormented individual, who indeed has a special place in the hearts of all the "outsiders" in the world.

Stadner's book is well written and fun. She tells her stories in writing even better than she delivers them in person, and this book is loaded with all kinds of memories, each one tugging at a different heart string. She hits home over and over, and that familiarity makes it even more entertaining. At times, I found myself agreeing with her out loud, or calling my sister to remind her of something I hadn't thought of in years. I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Great book! The stories you related, made me laugh and cry with you.It was truly a walk down memory lane. You have successfully memorialized Cote St Luc, forever.Sheila

Hanala Stadner writes an amazing narative of her life, beginning with a childhood of loneliness and need. Her parents, survivors of the Holocaust, do not seem to be able to understand her travails which include normal childhood growing pains. She bitterly leaves home and is able to work as a semi-employed actor. Her pain follows her as she stumbles into drug and alcohol abuse. Just when the reader is totally disgusted with her, she begins a long road to recovery and self discovery. This well written book will make you laugh and make you cry. I would heartily recommend it.

I just finished your book I loved it so much that I just didn't want it to end.
I related to just about everything you went through. My parents also went through the war as Partisans in the woods of Poland and White Russia and then came to Montreal.
Thank you so much for writing this book. I must confess that
I laughed and cried but the last 100 pages of your book brought back so many memories for example singing to my father on his death bed \"OYFIN PRIPITCHEK BRENT A FAYERL, UN IN SHTUB IS HEYS. UN DER REBELY LERNT KLEYNE KINDERLEKH DEM ALDF-BEZ.\"
I saw you at Lynn University when you were in Boca Raton and had the
pleasure of meeting you and Fabrizio,gee I hope I remembered his name, but you know who I mean the cute Italian. You signed my book and I will cherish it forever.
Again, thank you so very much this book really made a difference to me.
Lots of Luck, from one survivor to another Sarah Johnson.

The title grabs you - humor? Holocaust? Then, you begin reading and Hanala grabs you- envelops you, fastens your seat belt for you and takes you on the ride that is her life. And what a ride.

For the general public, it is a story, written with wit, humor, turns of phrase, expressions which you know you have heard before and are comfortable with but which are neither trite nor cliche, in a style that holds your attention. It is the history of a little girl clamoring for something which is impossible to receive due to no fault of her own, a "normal" childhood, filled with love, affection, nurturing, complements, structure, safety, sibling support, reliable friends, - just like in the 50s and 60s TV families into which she delves for comfort; who, not surprisingly grows into a young adult with physical addictions and emotional insecurities - making bad choices, entering into troubled relationships and behaving in a self-destructive manner bringing her near death; and finally, just as you have almost had it with her and want to read her the riot act, but knowing that nothing you say could bring her out of her messed-up life, she surprises you and takes a small step which becomes a deep reach into herself and pulls herself out of the spiral - building inner strength and finally maturing into the positive, healthy person you would be thrilled to have in your life. Hanala lays open her soul to the core, describes behaviors and experiences that most would be embarrassed and ashamed to admit, and demonstrates that we have the ability to heal ourselves, with the help of others, if we only give ourselves the chance. You laugh, you laugh a lot, and you cry, you find yourself repeating statements out loud that you have just read which may well hit deep in your own soul. Frankly, you don't want the book to end and when it does, you are OK, because you know that Hanala's story is continuing and because it is a real life that you feel connected to.

And, for the readership which is made up of the children of Holocaust survivors/escapees, it is an even more special story. Hanala, through her experiences, and her insights gained through therapy, A.A. and Al-Anon programs, gives us answers as to why her parents, and so many other such parents just could not do a better parenting job - whether due to their guilt for not being able to save family or friends or for the simple fact that they survived, magnified by the relative comfort in which they are living; why they too were and are leading lives that are not filled with what many would consider "normal" actions and reactions - which behaviors many have unintentionally passed on to their children. "It is not because she won't, it is because she just can't." For Holocaust survivor/escapees' children, Hanala provides answers to questions we might not even know how to ask.

This is definitely one of my favorite Peanuts collections. I pretty much grew up reading this book. Over the years, it had been read so much that it had fallen apart. I was so happy to see this book in the stores again. If you're a Peanuts fan like I am, this book is a must have for your collection.

This is a great book for any Peanuts fan to add to their Peanuts memorabilia collection. I have been a huge fan of Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gangs since I was a child, but somehow Charles Schulz's Snoopy comics have a universal, timeless essence that appeals to people of all ages. Even in my 20's I still enjoying collecting Peanuts memorabilia, and I would recommend adding this book to top of your collection.

Until a few years ago, Peanuts Classics collections were very hard to find except in your local library. But Peanuts Treasury is much better than most of those-better than most of the `60s collections, anyway. Not to say that the Classics books aren't good, but several of the books repeat strips, print the pages backwards, or even repeat stories (or parts of stories). But this collection doesn't do that. Not only that, but this book has about three times as many more pages AND there are more strips per page (five instead of two). A few of the stories aren't finished in this book either, but nevertheless it's a great collection.

This is a highly worthwhile "Peanuts" collection, as it's an unusually [inexpensive] but vast collection of late 50s-early/mid-60s strips that you don't often find in new books, with a lot of wonderful strips in it, and an effort to group them into their original storylines (where applicable) - Sally is born, and Charlie Brown rejoices ("I'm a father!" - and Linus tells Lucy, "You didn't act like that when I was born,") . . . Lucy buries Linus' blanket to prompt him to kick the habit, and Linus is plagued with withdrawal symptoms ("That's the first time I ever dreamed of Hyannis Port!") . . . Linus freaks out when Lucy assigns him to sing "Jingle Bells" at the PTA Christmas pageant - then the new year's pageant ("I will not run around the stage holding a banner reading '1964'!") . . . and, perhaps best, the first time Sally joins Linus in the pumpkin patch - and it's much, much funnier than the TV version ("YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!!") . . . among many, many others. But anyway, this may be nostalgic for you, too, and even if not, it's still a wonderful book. It's definitely worth it!

Apparently there has been a mix-up: The two "editions" of this book DON'T correspond to each other. I've bought the paperback one, and it does not contain some of the strips mentioned in the review section.

This book is as convoluted as its author. It maintains a flow of semi-stream-of-consciousness from start to finish, and what emerges are the memoirs of a man whose love of seafaring and considerable self-deprecation ("self-loathing" is a little too strong a term) has brought him to a sea voyage to Tahiti with a pick-up crew and his four children in violation of a court order. Hayden's story is it's own animal, going from the coasts of Massachusetts and Maine, to the forests of Yugoslavia, to courtrooms and congressional chambers and movie sets and finally to the high seas and South Pacific islands with a strain of fatalism and regret throughout. It should make for a downer of a read; instead, I found myself staying up and turning the pages to see what happened next. A great book.

I would like to add something to the excellent and perceptive reviews above. What came through so strongly is that life is messy, yet Hayden's remarkable self awareness didn't seem to help him. This is a fascinating look inside a big life. I found it valuable.

I believe it was 1959 and I had just returned from a month's cruise to the Tuamotus and Marquesas islands on the copra schooner Charlotte Donald. I was sitting at a table on the quay in front of the Hotel Le Grand when the schooner first appeared off Papeete. It sailed in smartly, picked up the Pilot, and docked stern first, as was the custom, at the concrete quay. The name "Wanderer" was nicely affixed to her transom. I lived in District Punavia, kilometer thirteen, next to Paul Gauguin's old home by the Thompsons. Several weeks later I would board the Wanderer after meeting her skipper at a party to buy some of the 16mm color film he had for sale. He was courteous, the children were well mannered, the library below was impressive, and his ship was clean and appeared to be able to sail on a minute's notice. We chatted for some time and he recounted some stories of his trip. We knew the same haunts in coastal California. We met a couple of more times at functions on the island. He seemed to be a cheerful and courteous person. He was a large man and deep voiced and I knew he was an actor, but that's about all I knew. Not long ago I had written my autobiography and had made a small mentioned of the encounter and the film. A friend who read my book asked if I had read Hayden's biography, which I hadn't. He suggested I do so, and last month I ordered it from Amazon. The book was disheartening for me to read. While he and I had many similarities in our lives (I wasn't an actor) and had been to many of the same places, we came away with massively different reactions. Mr. Hayden is a good writer and tells, especially about his life at sea, in an authentic style that kept me reading. I don't know if I would have finished if there weren't the similarity of our experiences. The sparse interjection of the third person voice over his normal narrative of first person was effectively used. The book and his life stand on their own merits and I make no judgment. He was first and foremost a seafaring man of unusual talents, and I wish I had visited him in the States in our later years. Mr. Hayden, you steered the course you wanted in recounting the voyages of your life. That's about all most of us could ask for. Rest in peace.

PS:
Spike Africa, his mate, came as a surprise, or else I had forgotten. Skip ahead twenty years and I chartered the "Spike Africa", a 70 foot schooner out of Newport Beach California somewhere around 1979 for a company off-site (the exact thing Hayden despised ... sorry). Bob Sloan built and then christened the boat "Spike Africa". The California yachting community all knew of Spike Africa the man, as a legend in the Pacific ocean, although I never knew any details of the legend.

A griping story that reads like fiction. Hayden is a "one of a kind" spirit that lives life to the fullest. He wants good things for the world and lives up to his character of being an iconoclast. A great read for sailors or romantics who dream of being before the mast and finding lifes' meaning out on the sea.

Hayden was one of those force of nature types who, sadly don't exist in sufficient quantities to make the world a really interesting place. In this book, he tells his life story, while telling the story of his last voyage on the 100 foot schooner, Wanderer. His prose is lovely and has the rythm of the sea; like other great works of sea literature (like Moby Dick). I'll give a high point of his prose before I complain:

"What does a man need ---really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in --and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all --in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade. The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. Where then lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be, bankruptcy of purse of bankrutpcy of life?"

Hayden was a child of the depression who worked his way out of bad circumstances by a combination of stubbornness, physique and leadership skill. He is eventually given a job a an actor, after being spotted by the media during a sailboat race in Glocester. He abandons this due to a love affair with an actress who fancies herself concerned with serious social issues. He joins the war and does OSS/CIA type operations in maritime support of partisans in Yugoslavia. He returns to his acting. Makes many movies. Marries an evil shrew. Divorces. Gets the kids. Chucks it all for a trip to Tahiti in his 100 foot yacht. All this is well and good, but the man reveals too much about himself. His self loathing isn't interesting. It is certainly not edifying, and though he seems to abundantly pity himself, I cannot feel sorry for him. The man had many fine opportunities. He had fine charachter qualities; I admire the fact that he chucked it all, just because he didn't like it. But he was not a fine man: he was petty and ugly -he couldn't even treat his own widowed mother decently, and though his ex wife was probably no better, I rather doubt as being around such a tormented spirit was good for his kids. In that way, he is a tragic figure; all the more tragic because he doesn't seem to realize it himself. It is no suprise he never did much with himself after he wrote the book. I don't know this to be true, but I suspect he drown himself and his self-loathing in booze.

Still, it is a beautifully written book. In a way, the book is his triumph over it all. It is doubtless a finer thing than any of the movies he made, and his great "the heck with it all" dramatic gesture is probably better than any he made on camera. I know I will read the book again. Perhaps when I am older I will think differently of Captain Hayden. Amusingly, a visit to Sausalito revealed that I had known Hayden as the demented General Jack D. Ripper in "Dr. Strangelove."

This is a great book, covering just about everything you could hope to know about the first six seasons of the show. I really enjoyed the writing by Colucci and the actor/producer/director/guest star anecdotes. I don't care for the format of the book, though - the episodes are usually covered two-to-a page, in column format (yecch). Some of the interlude pages are kind of cheezy (i.e., there's a page listing all of Will & Grace's various boyfriends) and some of the pages with behind-the-scenes info (i.e., the decor used for Grace's office and Will & Grace's apartment) have a corny-looking layout. Hopefully by now this book has been expanded to include the last two seasons and the historic Finale, and the aftermath of this groundbreaking sitcom. Incidentally, "Will & Grace" was remarkably consistent - the first five seasons were consistently great. Season six slipped a bit, probably due to the writers having to work around Debra Messing's pregnancy, but Season 7 came back stronger than ever. The last season of most sitcoms is, predictably, never the best, but the earlier seasons more than make up for it. This book does capture the magic of Seasons 1-6. Thanks, Jim Colucci.

"Will & Grace: Fabulously Uncensored" is a must-have item for every fan of the now-defunct but forever-classic television program, but it will also be of interest to the casual reader who may be curious about the "behind-the-scenes" makings of a modern sitcom. This book is dense with anecdotes, factoids, and gossip; it outlines the fascinating history of the inception and casting of the show, along with exhaustive information on how the episodes are put together, from initial writer's conferences and cast readings, through rehearsals and show tapings, including furious last-minute script rewrites, and, at least in one instance, the firing of a guest star during the performance. I would offer, however, a few words of warning: the book only covers to the end of Season Six (a "W&G" quiz featured in the book's appendix contains a couple of incorrect answers due to further developments in Seasons Seven and Eight); and the proofreader for this tome should be shot -- I stopped counting typos and misspellings after I reached a dozen, and I wasn't even a third of the way through the book. The wary should, of course, be more concerned with the former than the latter, and I offer it only as a cautionary note to avoid undue disappointment. Otherwise I highly recommend this book to all!

This book is great for people who are obsessed with the show. The colorful (and I mean COLORFUL) pages are filled with photos, episode summaries (seasons 1 -6), cast and character bios (on minor characters as well), witty quotes and a lot of behind the scenes articles and tidbits. It makes a great coffee table book to pick up and flip through and relive the laughter.

What more can I say that hasn't already been said in these other 5 star reviews?

If you loved those crazy characters...you'll love the book. You'll learn fun tidbits & laugh as you recall your favorite moments from the show.

I bought this book not expecting much. Maybe a few pictures and a few words from the actors. I had the Friends magazine and it didn't do anything for me. I felt it was just something they put out there to make money and so didn't put a lot of content into it. But being a Will & Grace fan, I figured I must buy it just to complete my collection. Boy, was I wrong!! This provides you with a colorful history of the whole series. It contains a LOT of information. I am sooo glad I bought this! It is worth the price. If you are even a remotely a will & grace fan, you need to get this. You will thoroughly enjoy this!