Arts and Entertainment Books

A beautifully written biography, the author explores with much affection the actor whose personal life was juxtaposed to "the monster" he is best known for portraying. A must-read for horror/terror fans as well as theatre/movie buffs.

This is a detailed review of the life of Boris Karloff by an author who performed a vast amount of research and who has a true fondness for the person he was writing about. The picture of Karloff presented in this book changed my perception of the man greatly. Very well done. I recommend it highly to anyone who is only vagurely familiar with Mr. Karloff and his work.

Evidently, Gordon Shriver has been a big fan of one of the greatest actors (not to mention human beings, as we discover) of the 20th Century. Apart from a few too many typos and other printer's errors, this book is an easy to read and thoroughly indexed work for your movie masters' shelves. I was alternately thrilled and awed by the sheer number of people Karloff touched - professionally and personally. Gordon Shriver managed to meet or otherwise correspond with literally dozens of them; their kind and candid obseervations and charming anecdotes bring a fresh perspective to a movie star much maligned. In light of the most recent retrospective of Boris' work, shown at the Film Forum, NYC, this loving tribute will be most welcomed by karloff fans old and new everywhere.

The other day I was fairly well sure I was going to be having a bad day. I had an afternoon appointment to see a medical specialist for an exam; I was on pins and needles with anxiety. (Turns out I'm fine.) But did I have a bad day? No. I had just gotten in the mail a new book that cheered me and entertained me--Gordon F. Shriver's BORIS KARLOFF: THE MAN REMEMBERED. I read it all the way through the same day I got it! The basic facts of Karloff's life won't be new to anyone who has read other bios on The King Of Horror. But Mr. Shriver has painstakingly assembled a large gathering of anecdotes and details of Boris' personal and professional life that WILL be new to fans of Karloff, and has provided as well as a few photos that won't be familiar at all to Karloff aficionados.

Any Karloff kompletist will want this next to his/her copy of Cynthia Lindsay's DEAR BORIS. (I think of them as companion volumes.) You will know Boris better. You will also get a better sense of what Evie Karloff, Boris' last wife, was like, and for that we can be grateful as well. Really--if you like classic horror films, and enjoy biography, do yourself a favor and get this book!

There's no martial arts but I found some of it reminiscent of the scenes in the Karate Kid where the young kid was given philosophical lessons from incidents in real life by a wise master.
This is both a well written memoir of an unusual boyhood and an invaluable first-hand account of life at the Prieure. Like Ouspensky's In Search of the Miraculous this book combines transcriptions of Gurdjieff's philosophising (though given much more informally) with descriptions of Gurdjieff himself and his circle of followers. The reader gains an insight into what life was like at the Prieure through Peters' accounts of the episodes, incidents and personality clashes that arose. There are fascinating descriptions of Xmas at the Prieure, going on a road trip with Mr Gurdjieff and dining and bathing at the Prieure.
Some of the teachings include Gurdjieff's thoughts on dogs and horses, differences between men and women and reincarnation. Peters differs from writers like Ouspensky and Bennett in that he came to Gurdjieff by accident, because his guardians were his students, and so his perspective is very different.
A lot of Gurdjieff's behavior comes across as bizarre to say the least and you can understand how this proved too much for some people. However it's very interesting to consider this in the light of the teaching itself.

Written by the nephew and ward of two of spiritual leader Gurdjieff's earliest American students, Fritz Peters (1913-1979), Boyhood With Gurdjieff is a long out-of-print classic revived in a new hardcover edition with an introduction, notes, black-and-white photographs, and index. Deftly relaying the experiences of the author's childhood as he lived and interacted with Gurdjieff for five years, Boyhood With Gurdjieff applies descriptive, flowery prose to make sensory images and unforgettable personalities come to life. A sound evocation of the author's remembered sense of community, told with candor, goodwill, and a sharp twist of wit.

Fritz Peter's remarkable account of his experience with Gurdjieff is a genuine classic. Straightforward, perceptive, and filledwith numerous "scenes" that illuminate his unique experience with one of the great figures ofour time, I highly recommend thisbook not only to anyone interested in Gurdjieffs teachings,but anyone interested in a fascinating tale

A wonderful account of Peter's stay in Gurdjieff's commune when he was 11 years old. He brings Gurdjieff to life and makes Gurdjieff's work available and understandable. His child's eye view of the experiment makes it all the more compelling... I loved this book and recommend it highly.

oh god! you people have to read this book...i seriously hate reading books...but this got me on hold forever...i read it in 2 sittings...gr8 book!you wanna know boyzone down to the speck...just listen to me and read the book...gr8 pics...! and BOYZONE RULES! what can i say just read the book!

I read the book not long ago from my school library and i could not put it down i was reading it in my lessons! It's all about each members childhood to how they got into boyzone. It includes some really good pictures and a picture of the original Boyzone! You must read this book!!!

It is really a good book. When I first read it, I couldn't put it down. You will really learn to love 'em more because you can experience their hardships before and during Boyzone through this book. You will learn that they are not a typical boyband who just likes fame and fortune, they are Boyzone because they choose to be Boyzone, having a good laugh and making their fans really happy at the expense of an opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics, finishing college with honors, free time to car race, and others. You will also learn to appreciate their effort of giving color to our lives. Did you know that Steve used to live in a not so friendly place? And Ronan, with that confidence in his charming personality, used to be bullied in his school and was called an "outsider". Shane and Keith had a near-death experince. And did you know that they were six before, excluding Mikey? All these and more in one of their best-selling books, Boyzone: the true story.

This book tells the true story of boyzone, from the early chilhood of the boys untill last year. It includes information about their families and their hobbies (did you know that Ronan Keating was a runner champion? and he's not the only one that could made it to the olimpics!!!). It also includes information about the two original Boyzone members that dropped out (If you want to know why read the book!)and the story of Boyzone from the right begining (you really would be surprised who thought about the idea...). Comperetly to other Boyzone Books it doesn't have many pictures, but it has pics with original members. The book makes you think about the changes in their lives and how far they have come. So, This is defently THE TRUE STORY!

This book rocks it tells you everythin bout her even though I stopped liking Britney I still buy her stuff and this one is the coolest so far!

I am Britney's number 1 fan. I read everything about her. This is probley the bestest one. One thing why I like it shows Bitney's style in clothes.

Britney Spears is my favorite singer. I love this book because it show's her sense of style. That's why I really like it. If you are a bid fan like me I would diffidently buy it.

If you want to learn more about Britney Spears, this is a great book to read. The author did a great job writing about Britney, and I thought the parts about Britney's style were really cool. It's a biography, starting from her birth all the way to the release of Baby One More Time. I just loved the pictures, they were all awesome. You learn a lot about Britney! This book is a must for all Britney Spears fans!

Television writing is simply not supposed to be this good. Or at least we have become acclimated to a good deal less even in very good shows. But I am not sure that any other show in the history of television has put together five shows with scripts this strong. In the history of Buffy, these are the episodes in which the show moved to an entirely different plane from all other contemporary shows. Not since TWIN PEAKS had TV seen anything this well written. Seeing these episodes for the first time, I was in complete awe that the Neanderthals running the WB had actually allowed anything this good to hit the screen. These are also significant episodes because in them Buffy started becoming a show that appealed as much to adults as to teens, as the themes and issues became progressively more complex and darker.

"Surprise" was written by Marti Noxon, who had very quickly in her first season on Buffy established herself as one of the best writers on the show. She was not merely good; she was prolific. This is one of the more interesting scripts to compare to the actual show produced. These collections compile the shooting scripts; they are not transcripts of the final product. Usually, one will find slight wording alterations, or small scenes that got excised in the final shooting. Often shooting instructions provide a great deal of insight into what is happening in the scenes. But in this script, there are significant differences between the final result and the script, especially scenes involving Cordy and Xander. The script was much, much too long for the time slot, and heavy editing took place. The story itself, of how Buffy came to lose her virginity to Angel, resulting in his losing his soul, provides the foundation for everything that happens thereafter in both BUFFY and ANGEL. We'll leave aside the fact that the gypsy curse-that because he has a soul Angel lives in torment for his past crimes, but if he achieves a moment of perfect happiness he loses his soul and reverts to the evil Angelus-is a bald and rather dumb plot device. It makes no sense as a curse, and his potentially becoming evil again makes the curse profoundly self-defeating. But so much else is tremendous, I and apparently everyone else cut them some slack on this one.

Joss Whedon himself wrote "Innocence," in which we learn that Angel, after having made love to Buffy, has lost his soul. If the show had been a teen series before, it was not after we see Buffy's boyfriend literally transformed into a monster on the morning after. It's an old adage that bad characters are more interesting than good ones, and it is reproven in the transformation of Angel into Angelus. But not just Angel, but Buffy is transformed as well. I believe the title in part is a reference to Blake's SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND SONGS OF EXPERIENCE. Buffy loses her innocence as she gains in experience. Willow also struggles with new pain when she catches Xander and Cordelia kissing in the stacks. (By the way, part of the joy of the scripts is reading the directions. As Xander and Cordy begin to kiss we read: "They haben der big smootchen." And when Willow sees them she "has pain on her face like a blush.") In an episode of many awesome moments, one of my favorites is the freshly reborn Angelus killing a streetwalker smoking a cigarette, and then him expelling her smoke out of his lungs after he kills her. That was shot precisely as written.

"Phases" was written by the team of Rob Des Hotel and Dean Batali, who were also the final script editors on the show until they left for THAT SEVENTIES SHOW. Often in Buffy episodes as strong as "Surprise" and "Innocence" are followed by relatively weak episodes, as if they are trying to create a balance between weak and strong scripts. But "Phases" is a fun, fascinating, and tragic episode in its own right, although it provides a break from the emotional roller coaster of the previous two shows. Buffy never deals with potentially hackneyed subject like werewolves in unoriginal fashion, and that is true here.

Well, others start noticing Cordy and Xander's not-terribly-well-hidden relationship, so Cordy dumps Xander to salvage her social reputation. Marti Noxon produced yet another stellar script in "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered," in one of the funniest shows ever in the series. Because Cordy dumped Xander, he wants revenge by having Amy the school witch (from the first season) created a love potion that would make her love him, allowing him to then dump her. But it backfires and every girl in the school EXCEPT for Cordelia falls her him. After the emotional stress of the previous episodes, the show provides a great deal of comic relief. Great moment: Xander demands that Cordy give back the necklace he gave her as a Valentine's present. She goes to her locker to get it, but discretely takes it from around her neck.

"Passion" by Ty King is simply stunning. The show had often proven it could be funny, and sometimes scary, but there is gothic horror in this episode that can bring a tear to the most hard-hearted. Angel's voiceovers would work perfectly in the final shooting, giving a structure to what is one of the most tragic episodes in the run of the show. The episode also served as a warning to its fans: anything can happen on this show. On other shows, the main characters are safe, but here they can die, and proved it by having Angel murder Jenny Calendar. But her death was not as horrific as the macabre scene where Angel has rearranged Giles's apartment to make it seem like Jenny had staged a romantic tryst, only for a romantically touched and excited Giles to ascend his stairs to find Jenny's body in his bed.

This is by far the best single collection of scripts yet published in this series. One writer in the early nineties stated that television had a greater potential for excellence than cinema, and that eventually a series could come along to prove this. I believe that it was in these five episodes that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER did precisely that.

Though the quality is not as great as the previous script books, Volume 3 of Season 2 does have some of the best scripts of the season!
The book is slightly smaller than the previous 4, yet holds as many scripts. The pictures of the side and cover are smaller as well. Still, it holds the scripts that are the main point. Nice otherwise for any Buffy fan!

This collection of shooting scripts contains three of the greatest scripts ever produced for the show, as well as one of the weakest. The two-part "Becoming" solidified the emergence of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER as one of if not the best-written shows in the history of television. Although the season as a whole was remarkable, earlier in the season with "Surprise" and "Innocence," the show moved beyond being merely one of the finest shows on television to one of the finest ever produced. The emotional depth and complexity of those two episodes, and later of "Passion," signaled that this truly was a remarkable series.

The question as the second season began winding down was whether the season ending could match the highpoints of the season.

"Killed by Death" didn't bode well for the end, being the second weakest show of the season (following "Some Assembly Required"). It was not a flat out dreadful show, but it failed to match the inventiveness and passion of earlier episodes. Whenever fans vote for the weakest episodes in the history of the show, "Killed by Death" usually receives a significant number of votes, though it never rivals such shows like "Some Assembly Required" or "Beer Bad" for the top (bottom?) slot. The episode provides some opportunities for some funny lines, such as Xander's "My whole life just flashed before my eyes. I've got to get me a life."

If one had any idea that the show might be slipping at all, "I Only Have Eyes for You," put any fears to rest. Marti Noxon's final script for her first year with the show, is arguably her best in the superb way she blends a wonderful ghost story about a female teacher who had been murdered by a student with whom she had been having an affair, with Buffy's feelings about her relationship with Angel. Although the scene between the dead lovers is played out twice earlier in the episode, the force and power when the two ghosts reenact the scene near the end is almost overwhelming in its power, not least because the ghost of the murdering male enters Buffy, and Angel speaks the lines of the school teacher. When it was filmed, an actress I have always loved but have too rarely seen, Meredith Salinger, plays the schoolteacher. I'm baffled why she hasn't been in more roles in her career.

"Go Fish" is not an episode that I like very much. It doesn't do much in carrying forward the story arc, though it was probably helpful to have a tiny bit of a break before the emotionally overwhelming end to the season. The episode provides a few laughs at the expense of Xander, but I just couldn't get into the story of a high school coach who biochemically alters his swimmers to enhance their performance.

Joss Whedon saved the final two episodes of the season, "Becoming," for himself. I am not sure that anyone not named Joss Whedon has ever written two better scripts for a television series than these, and in non-series perhaps only Rod Serling. Whedon is like a juggler with eight or nine balls in the air at once while riding about on a unicycle. The balance between all the elements in these two shows, as Angelus gradually brings the crisis to a head, Kendra returns to Sunnydale and is killed by Druscilla, and Buffy is separated from all her friends and mother is nothing short of astonishing. Every few seconds in the show brings forth some gem, either a new shock (like Kendra dying or Joyce learning that her daughter is the slayer) or line (as when Joyce asks "Have you ever tried not being the Slayer?") or comic moment (such as Joyce and Spike sitting silently in the Summers's living room, and her asking whether they had met before) or jolt (such as Angel recovering his soul only to have Buffy kill him a few seconds later) or even introducing a new character (the extraordinary and mysterious Whistler, who tragically did not become an occasional visitor on the show, but who at least managed some utterly memorable lines), all of it culminating in that one heartbreakingly awful moment when Buffy finishes kissing Angel, and whispers to him, "Close your eyes." For me this remains the two most emotionally devastating hours in the history of television.

At the end of the first season, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER had established itself as an absolutely first rate, funny, and exceedingly hip show, but one wouldn't after the first twelve episodes have been able to describe it as truly great. But Season Two changed that. Buffy became a genuinely great show this season, one of the high-water marks in the history of the medium. And the foundation for that was the writing. It isn't an accident that the scripts of this show are being reproduced: it is a demonstration of what truly great writing grounded the whole show.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Script Book, Season Two, Volume 4" finally provides in print Joss Whedon's scripts for the two part of "Becoming." It was the second season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" that established the show as being operatic television, in which case "Becoming" is the grand aria in which Whedon hits the highest note on the scale. "Becoming, Part 2," in which Buffy has to kill Angel and send him to a demon dimension to save the world, is still one of the ten best television episodes I have ever seen in my life. Having a copy of the script in my hands puts the final touches on my enjoyment of these episodes, not because it is a question of finding differences between what is in the final shooting script and what got aired on television, but simply because I finally get to see Whedon's stage directions. For example, after Joyce has learned Buffy is a vampire slayer there is a scene in Buffy's living room. There is no dialogue, just the shot, which is described as follows: Joyce sits in the living room with Spike. They both are silent and uncomfortable, like it's Sunday and he's come a 'courtin'. Joyce has a glass of bourbon in her hands, which shakes only slightly.

For such small gems of insight into the mind of Joss Whedon picking up this collection of scripts is going to be worthwhile for "BtVS" fans. Completing the Angelus story arc that covered the second half of Season Two begun in Volume 3, you will find in Volume 4 "Killed by Death," "I Only Have Eyes for You," "Go Fish," "Becoming, Part One," and "Becoming, Part Two." Actually, I enjoyed "Go Fish" a lot more being able to read the inside jokes, production notes, and cut dialogue than I did actually watching that rather [weak] episode. Overall I think it was a good move to have divide the scripts for Season Two this way, so that the first two volumes do the Spike-Dru story arc and the last two the Angelus story arc. I was going to point out that all six of the episodes for the "BtVS" Season Two video tape set are from this latter arc, but now that we are in the world of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" on DVD this is no longer a concern.

Here is a man that not only made the world laugh, he could poke fun at himself. Sid Caesar set an example for countless comedians to follow. He makes the history of early television come alive. This is a wonderful way to spend a few hours.

This is a wonderful memoir that takes the reader down memory lane. As anyone one reading this biography knows, Sid Caesar was one of the foremost comedians of his time. In fact, he was actually ranked the third all time great comedian (after Jackie Gleason and Lucille Ball) by a documentary about the greatest comedians of all time, which documentary was featured on the A & E cable television channel.

I know that my parents used to watch Cid Caesar's ground breaking television program, "Your Show of Shows". I myself was too young to have any recollection of it. I do, however, recall that as a young child, together with my family, I watched his subsequent show in the latter half of the nineteen fifties, "Caesar's Hour". Sid Caesar was the then king of comedy, and he broke trail for many of the comedians that were to follow him. Many of the greatest comedic writers to ever write for television started out writing for his shows. Greats such as Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Woody Allen were among some of his writers. No wonder that era was heralded as the Golden Age of Television!

In his memoir, Sid Caesar talks only a little about himself on a very personal level. Still, he comes across as an intelligent man who dearly loves his wife of over sixty years. He acknowledges his personal foibles, such as a drinking problem that, at times, threatened to overwhelm him, as well as a never ending quest for creative perfection. This book is not so much about Caesar, the man, but rather about Caesar, the performing artist. Consequently, Sid Caesar the man remains a bit of a mystery. On the other hand, Sid Caesar, the performer, comes vividly to life. This is more of an artistic autobiography rather than a personal one.

He lovingly reminisces about how he got his start on the road to fame and fortune. Born in 1922 in Yonkers, New York, to Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia, Sid was an accomplished musician who could play the saxophone with the best of them. Having started out as a musician, Sid Caesar would cut his comedic teeth in the borscht belt of the Catskill Mountains. It was there that he would also meet Florence, the love of his life. At the onset of World War II, Sid would play with a number of orchestras in Manhattan, before signing up with the Coast Guard in 1942, and in 1943 he married his beloved Florence.

While in the Coast Guard, Sid became part of a successful revue for the troops, which raised his profile. This propelled him to Hollywood after his discharge from the Coast Guard, where he would become involved in the movie industry, starring in a number of comedies. From there, he would go on to perform for the nightclub circuit on the East Coast. Sid was not a stand-up comedian, but rather, a comedic sketch artist. From there it would be a short trip to Broadway, where Sid would achieve tremendous success in a revue called "Make Mine Manhattan", in which he would turn in an award-winning performance. This would lead him right to television, which was still in its nascent stage, and into the homes and hearts of millions of Americans.

This book is chock full of information on the early days of television, which had more in common with theatre and stage work than with film, as it was live television. Undoubtedly, this factor was responsible for much of the frenetic pace and spontaneity which existed. Today, television is more like film rather than stage work, as very little is shot live. Sid Caesar lovingly lays out for the reader many of his comedic sketches that were his special shtick. He meticulously explains how his comedic routines were fashioned and performed.

He speaks glowingly about his wonderful professional partnership with the late Imogene Coca, the googly-eyed comedienne, with whom he would be in perfect comedic harmony. They would make beautiful music together with their hilarious sketches that parodied slices of life and the human condition. Together, these two would touch a chord among audiences that would forever enshrine them in television history, making them the golden couple of the Golden Age of Television.

This is an engaging artistic biography that will appeal to fans of Sid Caesar and to those with an interest in the early years of television. Those readers who enjoy memoirs and biographies will likewise find this to be a worthwhile and interesting book.

Sid Caesar was the star of Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour, two of the most innovative and popular programs in the Age of Television and a creator of some of the greatest comedy writers of his times. This informative autobiography tells how his routines were fashioned and performed, and examines the methods and creations of the writers who made him famous.

I wholeheartedly recommend Caesar's Hours. Not only is this book an autobiography, but also an encyclopedia of sorts. Sid eloquently writes of his early years growing up in New York, his numerous tries at breaking into show business, his service to the country during WWII, and finally, his years on 'Your Show of Shows' and 'Caesar's Hour'. Along the way, Sid shares some of his favorite jokes and sketches that he has used during his reign as TV legend.

What makes Sid even more commendable and the book even more facinating, is how Sid gives credit to all those who helped him along the way. While most entertainers take all the credit, Sid carefully notes his comedy writers and fellow actors who, together, are the reason for his and the shows' great success.

I recommend this book to anyone wishing to read about Sid's life, and all those who want to know just how difficult it was to produce a show a week, in an entertainment medium that was in its infancy.

A magnificant work from the last of the Televion Legends!

Outstanding book for the Johnny Cash fan, as well as interesting and enjoyable for the non-fan. Lots of concert photos in addition to wonderful family photos, which give you a real sense of who Johhny was. The text is both in-depth and interesting, most enjoyable to read. Loved it!

The value of this book is in the perspective afforded by the compilation format. Included are chapters taken from articles formerly published in Rolling Stone magazine, chapters pulled from Johnny's autobiography and numerous other sources. I've got all of the Rolling Stone articles but bought the book so I could have it all together in one source. Not all of the writing is top notch, but there are plenty of gems to be found. A generous sampling of photographs are provided also. I'm being generous with the 5 star rating - it's probably worth a solid 4 but the subject adds a bonus in itself.

This book is factual, well written and a must to fans. I do have to say that Rosanne Cash is not the author. She wrote the introduction. A beautiful one, I might add. She is an incredible writer and does have books out of her own, however, this book was put out by Rolling Stone.
Great book.

Outside of Cash's own autobiographies, most of the biographies dealing with Johnny Cash are none too good. This one isn't really detailed enough but it's good for quick info and the articles from Rolling Stone are very well written. Definitly worth a look if you're a Cash fan.

Though he hasn't made a movie since the 1950s, CB DeMille is still a name that says "Hollywood" to anyone who hears it. But, aside from The Ten Commandments, it's possible that most people today don't know who he was or what he did. Robert Birchard's book, written in a blithe, easy-going style -- as if you're talking to him -- reminds us who CB was and how important he was to the history of film. Using original sources as much as possible (rather than second and third hand accounts) Mr. Birchard has traced DeMille's career through his films, in the process seeing as many as are still available (sadly not all are). In doing so, he manages to trace much of DeMille's life and the life and history of Hollywood as it grows and learns to use new and better technology to tell its stories. This book is both easy to read, fun to read, and even (gasp!) informative! But don't let stop you from buying and enjoying it!

Mention Cecil B. DeMille to many serious film fans, and they might snicker. DeMille has a reputation for corny, big-budget epics like THE TEN COMMANDMENTS or THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. DeMille also has a reputation as a dictatorial director whose politics were extremely conservative.

DeMille was not really that simple of a person. He made some very personal films, some really entertaining films, and even some daring films for the time. Although he was politically conservative, several of his films preached the dangers of religious intolerance. His battle with the Radio performer's union was a matter of principle, and not money. And while the stereotypical Hollywood director was modeled on him, part of it was an act. DeMille had a great respect for his actors, as long as they were professional. DeMille also had a sense of humor, as some of his cameo appearances in films show.

Robert Birchard has assembled an incredible history of DeMille's film and radio work. DeMille was around during the birth of Paramount in 1915, and he was still a successful director all of the way through the 1950s. Using DeMille's original papers, telegrams from studio moguls like Jesse Lasky, and other direct sources of information.

You will read about DeMille's struggles with technical issues like poorly perforated film stock, cameramen, good and difficult actors, and pressure from management to get his films completed on time and under budget. Mr. Birchard has viewed all of DeMille's films that still exist, and he gives a candid review of all of them. The book also contains very detailed cast and crew listings, a list of DeMille's many cameo appearances, and everything is painstakingly documented in the end notes.

I can guarantee you that after reading this book, you will be very tempted to rent or buy a Cecil B. DeMille film and rediscover this master director yourself.

Before David Lean, before Michael Curtiz, and waaay before Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg, there was Cecil B. DeMille, the creator of gargantuan epics from Hollywood's Golden Age. C.B. started making movies the year that D.W. Griffith shot "The Birth of a Nation" and died when Steven Spielberg was a kid in Arizona, shooting home movies. In between, he wrote, produced, directed and acted in close to a hundred films

Today, of course, DeMille is remembered for "The Ten Commandments" and "The Greatest Show on Earth," but Demille was far more than that. The Great Man directed westerns and bedroom comedies, time travel adventures (in the silent days, no less), and even a musical.

Remarkably, most of Cecil B. DeMille's five decades of film work survive, and Robert Birchard has seen all fifty years worth, and written about each film in a lucid, graceful prose; Birchard has delivered a feast of information for anyone who's interested in the history of Hollywood. (Did you know that Charlton Heston, the star of "The Ten Commandments," was making less than Yul Brynner? Did you know that during the filming of C.B.'s FIRST "Ten Commandments" (a gargantuan hit in 1923) that the slaves who were supposedly sweltering in the Egyptian desert were actually extras on the central California coast FREEZING in chilly Spring weather, and who bundled themselves into coats as soon as the director yelled "Cut"? Mr. Birchard lets us in on the behind-the-scenes action on each of C.B's films (each movie has its own individual chapter), as well as when the films were shot, when they were released, what they cost and what they made at the box office.

This is a book for anyone who wants to know where American films have been...and how we got to where we are today.

This excellent book rates 5 stars for a very factual, no-nonsense in-depth research job on the work of famous director/producer, Cecil B. DeMille. And the emphasis is on his work in Hollywood (hence the title) not on DeMille himself as a person, although quite a few passages throughout this book do shed light on his character and mentality. Rather than a biography-style work with speculation, rumour and gossip, the author of this book has painstakingly searched for, found and quoted all kinds of correspondence and other written records to tell the story of DeMille's career. At times it was quite fascinating to read telegrams and other notes between DeMille and producers or other co-workers, for instance, and while explaining certain events or procedures in the film industry, these letters also reveal a lot about DeMille's thoughts and ways of doing business.

Another highlight for me personally is how the book goes through DeMille's films chronologically, with a chapter on almost every film he directed (and he produced many more) often giving a summary of the plot, which is especially interesting in the case of his early silent films which are not readily available at present. Besides details of cast, crew and plot, many business aspects of the film industry are related, giving an overall comprehensive story of the course of DeMille's career such as how he moved from one type of film to another, or from one studio to another when circumstances changed. Even though this book deals with hard facts only, it is easy and enjoyable to read, and does not get bogged down with too much detail. As a bonus, there are sections of many good photos, further notes and information in the appendixes for anyone who is looking for more in-depth material. For anyone interested in DeMille's work and getting a realistic look into the film industry from the early 1910s onwards, this book will definitely fit the bill.

The best book ,clear vivid pictures,precisely written.Each page is interesting,easy to read.It's a great book,every Celine fan should have,or even if this was not Celine,how this book compiled was IMPRESSIVE!!

Book is printed professionally, just like the pictures. You will find over 100 pictures of Céline Dion, sometimes with stars like Carole King, David Foster and Peabo Bryson. Captions are succinct without needless verbose descriptions. I particularly like the last few pictures which were taking more recently as Céline truely looked much better in. Not to say she's ugly when she was young, but in fact she has grown to look more sophisticated and elegant. One of the most celebrated of our modern artists... Perhaps one look at her you'll know what her vocals are made of :o) Buy the book! It's worth more than US$7.99.

Thsi book is terrific. It has great pictures of Celine, and any fan of hers would buy it!!

OK if u r a Celine fan as big as me get this book it is so good! It told some interesting facts and the pictures i had never seen any so cool. Don't take my word for it just buy it it is well worth the money and the wait to recieve it. this is the best book i have EVER read!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book will inspire you to think about the soundtrack to your own spiritual journey. Music has the power to impact us in profound and life-changing ways. This book chronicles those instances of impact with well-wrought stories. Inspiring!

What a positive and encouraging music-devotional of varied experiences through varied Christian music! Read changed and you'll be changed as you delve into a mirage of inspiring stories of overcomers and victories! Use it as a "devotional" and you'll have a quick read each day, be inspired to overcome your own circumstance and be introduced to many great Christian songs and music that you'll learn to see in a new and different light. What a privilege it was for me to be just a small part of this great endeavor. Great job Ginny & Christy!!!

I love being associated in a small way with this book, through one short story. It's beautifully done.

This book is a collection of true stories from real people on how their lives were changed by Christian music. You'll hear yourself humming the tunes as you read the words to the songs and the stories that immediately follow.

What a great idea! If you love Christian music or know someone who does, don't hesitate to pick up this book.