Arts and Entertainment Books

I picked this book up out of curiousity. Jerome Robbins was legendary aong those who enjoyed Broadway musical theater. His best known acheivement was probably "West Side Story". In any event, I figured a bit of time spent learning about Robbins' life would be interesting.

Well, yes it was - and it was also a bit of a slog.

Amanda Vail has produced a hagiography of Robbins. Considering that Robbins never did anything really, really, really nasty, that is no sin. However, it is a reflection of Robbins' narcissism that Vail had such massive archives to draw from. 539 pages of biography, followed by just less than 100 pages of notes and bibliography. No one can accuse Vail of inadequate research.

The result is a mind-numbing recitation of what seems to be every day in the life of Jerome Robbins from birth to death. It isn't boring, but it won't be stimulating either unless you really, really are a Robbins fan who just can't get enough.

For me, the reward wasn't in learning far more than I wanted to know about Robbins' sex life, but about his contributions to the development of American dance. Robbins truly was a genius and while perhaps overly detailed, this is the kind of thorough biography Jerome Robbins deserves.

Jerry

My dance teacher raved about this book in class and so I had to buy it. I haven't read it all but it shows valuable insights into Mr. Robbins. Although he was a difficult person, he was a genius, as my dance teacher said, and so he was and he made dance so much bigger and better for us all.

The mercurial brilliance and personal shortcomings of choreographer extraordinaire Jerome Robbins are captured with equal amounts of compassion and objectivity in Amanda Vaill's comprehensive biography. His impressive resume represents some of the most arresting work in dance and theater - "On the Town", "High Button Shoes", "Call Me Madam", "Gypsy", "Wonderful Town", "Bells Are Ringing", "The King and I", "Peter Pan", "The Pajama Game", "Funny Girl", "Fiddler on the Roof", "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". Robbins' most famous work is the stage and screen versions of "West Side Story", his legendary collaboration with composer Leonard Bernstein and then-prodigious lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Yet for all these accomplishments, he was reviled as much as he was revered. Stellar results notwithstanding, his vaunted perfectionism and Method-style approach were taxing to many, and it would often come under the guise of brutality and verbal abuse. Although Vaill's book is the third Robbins biography to be released in the last five years, hers reflects access to the subject's personal diaries before his death at age eighty in 1998, which lends the book a voice that one could easily imagine approximates Robbins' own.

The author dives deeply into Robbins' childhood to seek answers to his personal dichotomy, and she pieces together a vivid if somewhat pat portrait of self-loathing. Robbins' mother comes across as a vindictive woman who used her deep-rooted insecurity as a lightning rod for attention, while his father seems weak-willed and foolish. The combination of their personalities already reinforces Robbins' incurable sense of self-doubt due to his shame over being both Jewish and gay. His resulting bisexuality gave way to a string of lovers of both sexes, though his most intense and enduring relationships were with men including a two-year affair with a young Montgomery Clift. Ironically, he was able to translate these passions into some of the most beautiful male-female duets in musical theater. It is in Robbins' professional triumphs and failures where Vaill's book soars highest. She meticulously documents the process of creating his ballet works, in particular, 1944's "Fancy Free" (the basis for "On the Town") and 1969's "Dances at a Gathering", and how George Balanchine acted as both supportive mentor and demonic taskmaster. Obviously, Robbins applied Balanchine's split-personality approach to his own work when he drove performers, whether chorus dancers or ego-driven divas, to tears with his exacting demands.

In spite of his self-assurance in staging and choreographing specific scenes, he would remain steadfast in experimenting with endless versions of the same moment no matter how long it took to satisfy his vision. Feeding into the already rampant insecurities of his cast, Robbins would often have two or more people learn the same part and urge one to shadow the other as he did his solo. In rehearsing the Broadway version of "West Side Story", he would instigate gossip in order to raise the ire of the dancers playing the gang members. Such alienating, frequently self-serving techniques came at a price, for instance, he was fired from the film version of `West Side Story" in mid-production due to his insensitivity to the resulting budget overruns. The darkest moments of his life are almost a carbon copy of filmmaker Elia Kazan's, as they revolve around his guilt over his 1953 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee and the seven people he named who apparently recruited him for the Communist Party. Vaill is insightful enough not to judge Robbins for this infamous act, especially ironic given the value he placed on loyalty throughout his career. Her extensive portrait of Robbins should satisfy not only those fascinated by his legendary life and career but also those interested in knowing one of the most profound influences on musical theater and ballet in the second half of the 20th century.

If Jerome Robbins had only directed "West Side Story" that would have been enough to establish his legend on Broadway...if you read this wonderful biography by the very skillful Amanda Vaill you will discover that almost every production from the Golden Era of Broadway had the Robbins touch. Mr Robbin was also a member of the American Ballet Theatre and created many celebrated dance pieces. A complex individual, at times; a son of a bitch, he always got the best from his performers and his collaborators. West Side Story, High Button Shoes, Peter Pan, Gypsy, Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The King and I, Fiddler=Robbins

Hoagy Carmichael's college roommate, Hank Wells, claimed all his life that Hoagy, consciously or subcon- scioujsly, stole Star Dust from him. People in his home- town of Lake Bluff, Ill., said that this "broke his heart." Wells visited back and forth with the parents of a friend of mine, and she personally heard him tell this story. He played piano at her wedding..
I have read Hoagy's own words about Star Dust quoted in a book and they are cryptic. He does indeed imply that the song came out of nowhere into his mind.
Two facts: (a) What if a man wrote one great song that was unusual and never wrote another? Why is that?
(b) Why could one man write such a great song and then
never equal or exceed it in his long writing career. Why?
Only one set of facts fits that scenario. Hank Wells, heartbroken, never wrote again. Hoagy couldn't write anything so good on his own.

CCarf

Whatta life! From poverty to great wealth based on musical talent of creating songs as well as a wonderful actor. He had many highlights writing songs and acting but after rock & roll took over the musical scene his talents went for nothing as no youth were interested.

Mr. Sudhalter covers Hoagy's entire life and an interesting one it was. The writing in many places is of a "text book" nature, but the content of relating Hoagy's life puts the reader in the center of life as it existed in the 20's through the 60's. Apparently Hoagy's type of music is gone forever which is a loss without question. New generations continue on and what was usually stays behind as merely history.

We owe Richard Sudhalter for preserving the often-forgotten history of America's early jazz pioneers and composers. His subjects are white musicians, but he doesn't write about them with a nasty political agenda. He just doesn't want their contributions to be forgotten. Along the way, he pays warm tribute to the black musicians who led the musical revolution. Unfortunately, politically-charged reviewers refuse to see this.
I especially love this Sudhalter work. Sadly, Hoagy is becoming a forgotten genius of American song. Duke Ellington once called him America's greatest songwriter, and Sudhalter goes a long way in providing the evidence to such a claim. I especially enjoyed the focus on Hoagy's home state of Indiana, which was an amazing hotbed for jazz in the 1920s. One should take this book and drive around Bloomington, Indiana, and find all of the haunts described in rich detail by Sudhalter. Then go to Indianapolis, and Richmond, Indiana. Sudhalter really did us all a huge favor in providing such a wonderful document.

My father, Bud Dant, is prominently featured in this book, as a man who helped Hoagy write down Stardust and I grew up hearing about the stories and now here they all are in a book...not just a book, but what I know is an extremely accurate and real account of Hoagy's life...the writing is terrific and Richard's obvious love of the music and times shows in his accounts...I know for a fact he researched this material exhaustively...it shows! It pretty much dwarfs all other books on Hoagy.

Steven Spielberg: Interviews is a great book on many levels. It's probably one of the only books about Spielberg that shows his more personal side and manner of speaking. The interviews give us a different different perspective of the man and show that he is not what everyone (or me at least) envisioned him to be.

Interesting, information, and with its own of sense of humor, this is definitely a must-read for Spielberg fans, filmmakers, and people period.

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly the greatest movie director of our times. ALL his movies have been box-office hits. He is brilliant and dedicated to his craft! And people adore him! He's way cool ...

That's why it's so exciting to read a book by him, describing the last 25 years of his life. Awesome material!

Can't wait to see more of his movies! Many reviewers are saying that my TOONIES book would make a great movie ... a la Spielberg. I should be so lucky, but was lucky enough to meet and pose with Clint Eastwood many moons ago, so perhaps I'll get lucky again. Hint! Hint!

With all his fame and fortune and he still remains a very "nice, dear, down-to-earth" man. More of the actors should emulate his example.

Go, Steven!

There's a lot of really good stuff in here.

First, the interviews span some 25 years, so you get a sense how he's matured and yet how he's stayed the same.

Second, Spielberg is very candid, so interviews with him tend to reveal more than many others.

Third, there's just a lot of good stuff in here, some of which you may have heard and some not. For instance, I had never heard the story of how, as an awkward 12 year old, he and a mentally retarded boy were dead last in a school race and their peers cheered the retarded boy to beat young Spielberg. Spielberg describes how he knew he had to let the boy with without him realizing it and did just that. And then he describes how after the race, after the others carried the retarded boy on their shoulders, Spielberg was both devastatingly happy and sad.

Or there's the anecdote about his encounter with Stanley Kubrick -- how the master was not as stand-offish as one might think, and yet how he sized up Spielberg with "his probing, questioning eyes, always looking at you to see if you're true or falso. To see what you're made of, to see what you have upstairs. His chess player's eyes. Real surgeon's eyes."

There's lots of other examples I can bring but if you have any interest in Spielberg or movies just go out and get the book. It's a great read about a fascinating man whose own character arc and maturity as a movie-maker is the stuff great stories are made of.

I've been waiting a long time for a book like this. Populist filmmakers like Steven Spielberg are too often ignored by publishers who would rather print in-depth literature on the likes of Coppola or Scorsese, so it's nice to see a meaty tome such as this on the bookshelves. Spielberg lets rip on all the stuff you often wondered about whilst watching his films, and proves himself to be rather adept at delivering hilarious anecdotes. Unlike the George Lucas Interviews book, Spielberg isn't shy when it comes to discussing his private life. All in all, an enlightening read. Jolly good.

I got this, and read it over a couple of days just recently. It is a book written by an old friend of Sting's, with the first half being mostly about their childhood days at a catholic school, and the second half being about their exploits in later years.

It is unbelievably funny, and entertaining! You can really tell that they've had fun together and love one another. Lots of good hearted poking fun at Stingo. Jim has a wonderful way of telling a story. Makes you feel like he'd tell the story the same way to a group of friends in the living room or something. The book made me laugh throughout, as well as think about some things in my own life. If you love Sting this will give you even more of a look at him and more appreciation for who he is. I would think, though, that even a person who didn't know about Sting would really have fun reading this book. Good job, Berryman.

I read this little book as soon it arrived to me (very quickly, thanks Amazon!). I was curious because I heard a lot about it but never found it in Italy, where I live. I think it is a must for all Sting's fans, because Berryman write about his friend Sting, not at all the star Sting. There are frankly hilarious pages, above all a scene about a fool roundabout in a classroom following a teacher who was following Sting, who was... ok, read it! I laughed to tears. Just imagine a Woodehouse book, and substitute Jeeves and Bertie with Sting and Jim and you'll have the right picture!

James Berryman's book is (much) less a biography of Sting than a humorous tale of life in Catholic school in England, where he happened to be friends with the-boy-who-would-be-Sting. This is not a criticism of the volume, though readers looking for deep insight and more detailed information on Sting's early years would do better to read the man's own memoirs, "Broken Music". Berryman's book instead takes an episodic approach to the misadventures of the boys of St. Cuthberts, from the first day of school when he first met on Gordon Sumner to their graduation and beyond.

School days take up about three-quarters of the book, the remained covering the years that followed and occasional meetings with Sting as his star began to rise. It's a fun story that does present a decidedly more down-to-earth view of Sting than we've read or seen elsewhere, even if afterwards one does wonder if the whole book hadn't just been a cheap ploy to cash in on Barryman's lifelong friendship with a celebrity.

Nevertheless, it is entertaining and probably worth a read by any dedicated Sting fan, as well as those interested in a humorous read about growing up in 1960s Newcastle.

This book is written by one of Sting's personal friends. James Berryman shares his impressions and relationship with Sting from the first day of grammer school through the present. It is a fast read, great for Sting fans but also a good book just for the stories James Berryman tells about his life growing up.

I read this book when it first came out and found it both informative and interesting. I have since read many other Streisand biographies and none of them come close as far as accuracy goes.

I found the strongest part of the book was the early years - growing up in Brooklyn, and the determination to build an acting career. I was surprised that it was almost a revelation to Barbra that she might make a career out of singing, undertaken in order to keep the wolves from the door. I'm not an obsessive fan by any means but I found this book about a woman who is such an icon a good and meaty read. I kind of admnire her "obsessive" single-mindednessto achieve what she wants in her art. Not a hagiography, but a respectful look at an interesting and complex woman.

I am not a Barbra Streisand fan, so I went in with a biased mind set against the book from the beginning. I am happy to report that this is an informative and interesting book. Spada gave great detail into Barbra's life and captures the essence of her persona both good and bad. It was hard for me to put the book down. Worth a reading.

I am currently 12 years old and I am the biggest Streisand fan. I have been for over six years. I started to read this books in hopes to get an insight on how her life has been going, and what her dreams and aspects of the future where. As a result, I got exactly what I was hoping for. The book told about her childhood, and her ambition to become an entertainer, in a way that I could easily relate to I found this book very hard to put down, and I finished the almost six-hundred page book in less than four days. You don't really have to be a diehard fan of Barbra to enjoy this book, but it is helpful if you are. I reccomends this book to anyone 12 and up, because some parts may be hard to understand for younger children.

Beach Boys fans and collectors, take note: Brad Elliott's "Surf's Up!" is no longer out of print. It's available again, reprinted in paperback by Surf's Up Books. The new printing, which includes everything found in previous editions, is available from Amazon.com. Search on the book's new ISBN - 0972768610 - to locate the listing.

Every recording done by the Beach Boys, their friends and relations through 1981 is documented in this textbook. Cross-referenced by song, title, performer, this work includes session logs, chart positions, bootleg information, and enough background material to make a fan's head swim.

Who recorded "Had To Phone Ya" first - The Beach Boys or Spring? Who sang lead on "Sail On Sailor"? What songs were recorded for "SMiLE" but never released? The answers are all here.

Brad Elliott knows the works of the Beach Boys inside and out. This book is not for the casual "sun n fun" fan, but for the dedicated Beach Boys scholar. A must-have that is well worth the price.

I recommend this book for all collector's of Beach Boy music. It is very scholarly and well-researched.

It is full of facts about the various discs, even foreign discs and rare records. There is no price-guide - which may be a problem for some readers. But if you are after a guide that lists every record that you can buy then this is the one for you.

Beach Boys fans and collectors, take note: Brad Elliott's "Surf's Up!" is no longer out of print. It's available again, reprinted in paperback by Surf's Up Books. The new printing, which includes everything found in previous editions, is available from Amazon.com. Search on the book's new ISBN - 0972768610 - to locate the listing.

This book is delightful. It is a must for every theater goer, folk music lover. I think it should be required reading for ALL drama students and students in general. It is a rollicking story of a lifetime spent being in the present moment, facing all forms of worldly turmoil from a childhood in Vienna as a jewish boy to manhood and family in America.
It is the loving story of a man choosing to fight for human rights with only his guitar as a weapon.
From his days in Israeli theater and on to England in Repertory theater to appearing on American stage, movie screen and television to activism of all colors, this story reveals a man whose quest for LIFE brings him into our lives. And we are all the better for it.

SHalom and God speed to a wonderful character in my life.
Mrs. Leslie Van de Ven, RN, BA

"Theo" is a wonderful journey through the life of an interesting, entertaining, many faceted person. You'll be facinated to follow him from his birth place in Vienna, through his many travels and career to his comments on the present day world conditions.

He is a jack of all trades and master of all!

Theodore Bikel's name is syynonymous with the Arts. His autobiography detailing his years on the London and Broadway stage and his Hollywood film career is stuffed with anecdotes about actors and legends. It brings a real sense of living that charmed life. I enjoyed every minute of his story.

His experiences escaping the Nazis as a child, his passion for folk music, and his stewardship of actors' and civil rights show him as a champion of the less fortunate and a righteous individual. This is the story of a totally expansive life and in spite of my earlier knowledge and enthusiasm for his work and music, I came away with greater insights and understanding of the man's drive and achievement. It's a great book. I recommend it to every theator-goer, activist, music lover, and any soon-to-be fan of Theo Bikel.

I first discovered Theo when I was in college -- and a friend of mine found some folk music records of his at a campus record store.

Then I discovered he's an actor. And a writer. He's written some wonderful books on folk music, with the stories that go with the music. He wrote the back jacket copy for the records, and it opened gateways into the music and out of the music into the world that music came from.

He's appeared on almost all the major hit TV series. Most memorable for me is that he is/was Ivanova's Uncle on Babylon 5 and Worf's human father on Star Trek: DS9 etc.

You surely know who he is -- you've seen him again and again.

But only a true die-hard fan like me -- who goes to his concerts whenever I can -- picks up enough about his life history to get a feel for where this immense talent comes from.

Theo is one of the major influences that led me to become a professional sf writer. Today, I play his CD's and tapes made from the old vinyl in my car -- and it gives me the strength and energy to keep on. Keeping-on has begun to pay-off! Just today, I have another new title now available on amazon.[com], The Unity Trilogy.

The story of Theo's life is the story of Art. And here and there you get to peek into the world as it was during some terrible war times -- and what it meant to escape all that horror.

This is a book to treasure. It should be available as an ebook download forever!

Live Long and Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg

This is a beautiful coffee table book on the Radio's Golden Age. The book provides a comprehensive historical overview of commercial radio from its infancy to the 1960s, when the radio was replaced by the television as the family's entertainment center.

"This Was Radio" presents the history of Radio from the beginning with Marconi's production of the wireless telegraph sound system in 1895. The author reviews radio programming in the 1920's and the establishment of the great radio networks - the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and the Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS).

The book includes a detail discussion of the variety of programs offered during the Golden Age of Radio (early 1930 until 1960). Specific chapters detail the radio personalities and their mysteries, adventure, horror, suspense, westerns, comedy, music, children's programs, daytime serials, panel, quiz and talk shows. The author also discusses the importance of radio during World War II and several unforgettable radio moments.

The book comes with two compact discs that include excerpts such as Fibber McGee's Closet, Jack Benny's violin; Baby Snooks (Fanny Brice) takes a piano lesson from Daddy (Hanley Stafford); famous sign-offs and much, much more. You can hear the famous voices, the inventors, the network founders, the shows and the events that made up the Golden Years of Radio.

The author, Ronald Lackmann, has written thirty-four books on various aspects of the entertainment industry, including "Remember Radio" and "Encyclopedia of American Radio." He is a former actor who worked on the radio in the 1950's and was the voice of several animated cartoon characters. Mr. Lackmann was also a secondary school and college Speech, Drama and English teacher. He was the host of "Education in Action".

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of radio and information on the personalities and programs that comprised Radio's Golden Age!

In the past, I have reviewed many a set of old-time radio show sets from Radio Spirits but only one or two books about that subject. I noticed in the Radio Spirits catalogue a book called "This Was Radio," became interested, got a copy, and was favorably impressed enough to want to tell you about it.

Measuring about 14 1/4" long and 11 1/4" high, this attractive volume of only 57 pages (plus an index) gives a very nice introduction to what radio was all about in the pre-television days and provides plenty of pictures to let you know what the stars looked like. Now the important word is "introduction." I must make it clear that you will have to turn to other books for fuller details; but author Ronald Lackmann does what he set out to do very well. He gives you an outline, not a full history, of that phenomenon that was part of so many lives in my generation.

The contents are divided like this. Chapter 1: The Beginning, 2: Mystery, adventure, horror, suspense, westerns, 3: Comedy, 4: Music programs, 5: Popular children's programming, 6: Daytime programming for the ladies, 7: Panel, quiz and talk shows, 8: Radio news brings World War II home, 9: Unforgettable radio moments, 10: The golden age of radio lives on.

Just as important are the two CDs that accompany the text, letting you hear the actual sounds of many of the programs mentioned in the text and many important moments from our history such as the Hindenburg disaster and Churchill's "Finest Hour" speech. Among the less important but still memorable selections are the sketch that got Mae West banned from radio and the voices of Marilyn Monroe and Marlin Brando.

But I must register a strong reprimand to whoever gave the first CD only two tracks and the second one only four. So while the book gives a complete list of the selections on the discs, you would have a very hard time locating any given one of them-which makes their classroom value nearly nil. Perhaps this can be remedied (although I doubt it) and replacement CDs sent to purchasers.

Nevertheless, the discs are fine if you play them straight through; and the text and pictures are well worth the price.

As a teacher I am always in hot pursuit of books that can help add to a unit or to my personal library. This book tackles both! Full of wonderful photographs from the early days of radio, Lackman's book is a historical account of the glory days of Old Time Radio. The book also contains two narrated cds with excerpts from many comedy shows, drama, mystery and news broadcasts. Those are very helpful in introducing old time radio to my students. If there was ever a book with visual and audio recollections, this is the one to buy!

This has to be one of the best books on old radio I've ever seen. The collection of rare photographs was amazing and the audio selection was fantastic.

This is a fascinating look at a long-gone time. Mr. Blake's book not only gives the reader great insight into the artistry and work of Lon Chaney, it is a peak into the past, of the days of silent film.

Beyond the other rave reviews for this book relative to the artist, what made this book all the more valuable to me was Mr. Blake's description on movie-making at the turn of the 20th century. We can hear, feel and almost smell the greasepaint of that time, the hard work, the ramshackle artistry of these cinema pioneers.

This is one of the best books on early film, and a credit to the magic of Lon Chaney.

Before reading this book, I knew almost nothing of Lon Chaney except his reputation as a horror actor. I was amazed to discover exactly how misleading that title actually was. Blake's work introduced a genius at makeup and pantomime who was capable of playing any role convincingly. Through it, I gained a respect for a great but seldom-discussed actor.

This is one sequel that is worth waiting for! Armed with new information from the files of Lon Chaney's former business manager, Blake has written a worthy follow-up to his first book on the famous actor. This time, Blake covers Chaney's performances and the making of many of his films in the reader-friendly tone he established in his first book. Blake has broken new ground in film history, revealing that it was Chaney's idea to make "Hunchback of Notre Dame", NOT Universal's studio head, Irving Thalberg!! It is just amazing what new nuggets of information Blake dug up, including lengthy interviews with probably the only surviving crew memeber from Chaney's MGM days and a nurse who attended him during his last trip to New York where he sought a cure of his cancer. He also debunks the myth that Chaney would have played the title role in "Dracula". It is heavily illustrated with many super rare photos. This book is just as good, if not better, than Blake's first effort. Both are a MUST if you're an admirer of Lon Chaney.

Michael F. Blake's second book on Lon Chaney, A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures, is a worthy and much-welcome companion volume to the author's first book: Lon Chaney: The Man Behind The Thousand Faces. This book serves a two-fold purpose: First, Blake reveals a lot of new information he uncovered about the actor's life and films since his first book. Second, this time around biography takes a backseat to a detailed look at the films themselves (although there is still plenty to be learned of Chaney's life).

Being THE acknowledged Chaney authority and having acted himself at an early age, Blake is able to provide a knowledgeable and well-balanced analysis/commentary of Chaney's films (at least those that are not "lost"). While certainly the biggest fan of Lon Chaney, Blake maintains the needed objectively to fairly critique each film and performance. As with his first book, a big highlight here is the wealth of rare photos presented (including Lon both in and out of make-up), as is the always fascinating information on how Chaney, a make-up master, created those amazing characters. Blake is to be lauded for his vast efforts in keeping alive the legacy of one of the greatest talents of the silent era. Thanks to author Blake, all the many fans of Lon Chaney can be assured that Chaney's many talents and contributions to the world of film (and film make-up!) will never be forgotten.

Bud Paxson is responsible for shaping the way America buys things through television and from the looks of this book he'll change the type of programming we see too. His can do spirit is inspirationally portrayed in this book which is easily read, informative and fun to read. A must read for anyone interested in learning how the TV game is played.

Your Book is Living Proof that Character and Morality is Everything!

"Threading the needle" is a swift reading book,whose title refers to the Biblical passage (Luke 18:25)in which a wealthy young man questions Jesus on how to have eternal life. Jesus answers, "sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me", When the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." As a founder of Home Shopping Network, Bud Paxson has enjoyed amazing financial success, but despite his riches, his life was devoid of the love and mercy that only can come from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paxson's determination to have a strong relationship with God and business success, is a model for every business person, born-again, or not. As a Jewish believer in Christ, I intend to use "Threading the needle" as a guide to growing my own business success and will recommend it to all whom I do business with.

I work for Mr. Paxson's PAX NET organization. Knowing him in person is truly an honor for me. Business success aside, Mr. Paxson is a true family man and a real down to earth person. PAX NET, now is PAX TV, receives overwhelming support from viewers all over America... PAX TV, a vision of Bud Paxson, as wonderfully told in "Threading The Needle".