California Books

Although I loved and think everybody should read the book, "The Harvey Milk Story" by Kari Krakow, I have to admit in the beginning before I read the story I thought the story would be like "Harvey Milk was born in ? and died in ?" . I got a big surprise when the first sentence was "No one every guessed that the little kid with big ears would one day make history."
I think the book really changed how I thought about gay and lesbian. It must have been very hard for Harvey Milk not to tell anyone about how he felt. My favorite part is that Harvey actually makes a living at a camera shop and it sort of turns into a place where people can talk with him. He ends up getting a very nice partner. I won't tell you more, but I really, really hope kari krakow will write another book.

As a teacher, I highly recommend this book to young people who want to read about courageous Americans. The author did a good job of highlighting Harvey Milk, a man who stood for freedom for all people, regardless of life style. Children need to see more positive examples of people from diverse backgrounds making a difference in the world.

Finally, an engaging way to introduce children to Harvey Milk -- a moving story, told with sensitivity, and lively illustrations. One politician's life and untimely end are chronicled here with passion. This book will inspire children (and adults!) to make their world a better place for us all. I loved it.

A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written book for children about an important figure in US History.
It is very good to have a book like this to help teach tolerance and diversity to younger children. Hopefully children from many backgrounds and family situations will read this book and appreciate the story

Hearst Over Hollywood is a book that could appeal to a large cross-section of readers - historians, movie buffs, those with interests in journalism and media, etc. Louis Pizzatola has done an incredibly admirable job in compiling sources and data on William Randolph Hearst and presenting him in a new light - something very difficult to do after over 100 years of Hearst representations in the media and popular culture. That in itself makes it a worthwhile read.

While I hate to be the one to knock down this book's perfect customer rating to date, I feel that an honest review on my part would require that I also point out some of the book's flaws. Because it is so densely filled with information, many chapters bog down over sequences that perhaps could have been better conveyed if streamlined. I can appreciate the fact that it would be hard to determine exactly where to streamline, so I suppose that some readers who possess some knowledge on the subject going in will be able to pick out what interests them.

The book is about as objective as any work on Hearst could be and it is a pleasure to re-think Citizen Kane from the context of knowing more about its erstwhile main character. If you've never seen it or haven't in a while, I would recommend watching the film, reading the book, and then watching it again.

Pizzitola's thoroughness does serve him very well in exploring how Hearst built his media empire from the publishing industry through the nascent Hollywood studio system and balances nicely the clinical examinations with the gossipy show-business scandal aspects of the man's life.

Very well done.

The author describes himself as a visual artist and amateur film maker. I've got news for him: he's a first rate scholar too. I cannot remember the last time I've read a book on history that was so well presented and so amply documented. If you want to understand how the US came to become a "wag the dog" TV-ocracy and how CNN could morph into a televised version of the National Enquirer, check out this masterpiece. The source of our present day media sewer can all be traced back to Hearst's turn-of-the-century and-beyond media 'experiments.' This book belongs on the bookshelf - in a featured location - of anyone who is interested in 20th century American history. It's an absolutely stunning work of scholarship, packed with well documented detail, and completely approachable.

I have never read such a well researched and detailed examination of any topic. There are many Hearst books out there and many books about the innner workings of Hollywood but this book really does have it all.

I just finished this terrific book which I just happened upon (has it been reviewed anywhere?). As a journalist myself (not yellow)I always thought of Hearst as a publisher. This book completely surprised me in the way it builds the case for Hearst as the world's first media mogul. There are great details about Hearst's controlling role in Hollywood and puts Citizen Kane in an entirely new light. Great reading.

I've used this book on countless trips up and down the California coast. It may have been an older version of this but years later now, other than price references, it's still a staple for me. The maps are great and much more detailed than you'd find in an atlas. I also used a Hidden Guide to the Pacific Northwest which I didn't find nearly as informative or easily used, but this California book is essential if you are going to be planning as you go, from the road, as I so often do.

"Hidden Coast of California" is a well written book-- very easy to read and divided into neat sections. The book goes from northern California to southern, from beginning to end, so it is especially helpful for those who are going on a "real" California roadtrip.

This book has been especially helpful with the planning of my future trip to California. Even though I haven't been able to test out the accuracy of the book, I feel as though I've lived there for years because of all the detailed information the book offers. Planning a trip down the coast of California isn't easy especially when you have a time limit, but this book has helped me sleep at night knowing that I have the knowledge to get the most out of my trip (and money).

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is planning a trip to California and those who want to see some little known hideaways.

"The Hidden Coast of California" by Ray Reigert was a godsend that allowed New Yorkers to see a side of the California Coast that the residents appreciate every day. Starting with the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon and Mr. Riegert's tips on lodgings, sights, and restaurants added up to a great vacation. Mr.Riegert's recommendations surpassed the two (2) other well known travel books. The tip to see the "La Purisima Mission" as the best of the twenty-one missions was pure gold and saved us valuable time that we alloted elsewhere. The recommendation on restaurants was absolutely priceless and the "Sojourner Coffeehouse" turned our dismal one night stay in Santa Barbara around. Our stays at both the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Parks cottages and The Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Peninsula were on the money and gave us the chance to combine our overnight stays with scenic views. I am now waiting for the release of the 1999 "Hidden Florida" before planning my next vacation.

This is the most useful guidebook to the Golden State that this native Californian ever has seen. Riegert packs an astonishing amount of information into this conveniently-sized paperback. This guidebook, now in its eighth edition, clearly reflects extensive exploration and research. The book begins with general material on the California coast including a brief history, weather, wildlife, outdoor adventures, camping, a calendar of events, tips on what to pack, and advice to senior travelers, women traveling alone, gay and lesbian travelers, even foreign travelers. Each region of the California coast is introduced with a brief overview and capsule history, followed by details about scenic wonders, parks, beaches, hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, sports, shopping and nightlife. The author manages to maintain a lively style throughout five hundred pages of text. Included are colored AAA-style road maps of the most important coastal areas, supplemented by black and white maps of many regions and towns. Michael Michaud, Vienna, Austria

My son and I spent a week fishing in the high sierra before buying this book. The fishing was good but sporadic. When I read this book, I was amazed at how well Van Loek was able to explain why we caught fish when we did and vice versa. The principals will be of value to spin fishermen as well as fly fishers. Add to that, the book is written in a colorful, simple, well thought out, engaging manner, and I have come to consider this one of my indespensible reference works for western trout fishing, the High Sierra and beyond.

I've only glanced through "High Sierra Fly Fishing: Basics to Advanced Tactics" but already I know ....this is a superb book. It's far more than its title implies. How many times have you started to read a book like this and discover that it's 80% fluff and maybe 20% content? Van Loek is certainly an authority on the subject of high alpine trout fishing in the Sierra, and I have already learned much from my short time in his book. The photos of both the unbelievable country and it's wonderful trout make me ache to be there. Actually they take me there even now! This publication goes beyond it's peers and I'm going to enjoy digesting every word!

The intro says this book is meant primarily for folks new to alpine fishing. What is especially good is the de-emphasis on gear and strong emphasis on the natural history of both the Sierra Nevada and trout. Many of the ideas are new and original, such as the "Angler's Caloric Law." The author's approach leads readers right to the concepts that explain why good anglers cast where they do. You just couldn' beat this up-to-date book if you want to know how to catch a lot of trout on a backpacking trip. In fact, the excellent photos will whet your appetite for a summer trip!

This book is an artful blend of practical how-to fishing advice and wonderfully lyrical descriptions of the high Sierra. There are plenty of photos that will make you hanker for a fishing trip just as surely as using one of the handtied flies the author describes should lure an elusive golden trout out from his hideaway. I have a much better idea now of how inexpertly I have been fishing all these years. The author knows his fish and walks the reader through such useful info as the science of how trout see through the refraction of water and their favorite hangouts.

Armed with such really specific advice, I'm looking forward to a chance to outsmart some fish this summmer!

Best Big Sur Hiking/Backpacking Book Out There! I'm a local, I try to get into the mountains whenever possible & this book is the bomb. I've checked out a few others & this is the best by far.


It has detailed topographic maps with trails drawn in & great descriptions of each trail including elevations @ points along each trail. Elevations are critical because the Sur is all about elevation 0-5150 ft.

Great book, if your considering a book about all Big Sur has to offer beyond Highway 1 this is the book.

This is a great book. A friend and I had a trip to Big Sur planned and the book came several days before so that I was able to study up and enjoy the area even more!

This book isn't great, but it is very good.

Pros
1. It is inspiring. I feel like I want to go do the hike after I read the description
2. Good pictures. Some have people in them and these are done very well.
3. Good descriptions. These aren't little one page jobs.

Cons
1. Pictures - The pictures are black and white, not color and I think color pictures can mean everything. But this does not detract that much from this fine book

The book was wonderful to have on our trip to the Central Coast. Objective information with enough opinion and subjective information to help us decide where, how, when for each hike. The back of the book with the top list organized by theme was very helpful. One way the book could have been better is with a cross-reference chart... so if you want both "ocean" and "redwoods" as themes you could look it up, instead of a bunch of page flipping. The author does a good job appealing to a wide range, level of hikers, rare in a guide book.

Shirley and Jeff Lawrence worked for years in the entertainment industry and share their experiences in this 420 page book. The book contains 3 sections: Part 1 "My Story - His Story - Our Story". This section shares their collective and individual experiences. How they got in the business, people they worked with etc. Part II "Working in Movies". This section describes films in the beginning, the life of film extras, casting couch stories and stunt work etc. Part III "Extras, Directors and Stars". In this section Shirley and Jeff share more stories about people in the industry.

The book is written in a an easy to read style, with the names of the stars, extras etc in bold black text so they pop out.

It's a very interesting read. Shirley and Jeff name names and share the good, the bad and the ugly. Because of the era they worked in most of the names would be recognized by many baby boomers but not by today's younger generation. But though the names of the famous have changed the scenarios have not. Shirley and Jeff describe what it is like to work in the business with an emphasis on what it is like to be an "extra". They describe how extras are may be treated poorly, taken advantage of and not given that break because they uphold good values.Though I had heard about the "casting couch" in Hollywood, I never realized that it was so prevelent. They vividly describe the heartache and ups and downs of the business. One minute you think you have a deal and the next you don't.

It's an eye opening read and highly recommended if your intent is to try and make it in the industry or if you want to read about what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywoodland!

~Lee Mellott

Your wonderful book about Hollywood was by far THE most enjoyable, engrossing, delightful, romantic (J & S), funny, shocking book I have ever read! A real page-turner. Your style of writing is first class. I enjoyed every page!
Elaine Baum

Entertaining, easy to read, episodes in the lives of two Hollywood extras. Reveals facts and heresay about many famous movie personalities, actors, producers, directors, etc. It is refreshing to read of two people who fell in love and felt that living in accord with moral principles was more important than a quick way to success.

Barbara Morse

This is a fast enjoyable read. Through their eyes, we are exposed to a very different Hollywood. Vastly different from the one we fantasize about. Through the eyes of Hollywood extras, we are shown what it takes to "break" into show business. The ancedotes are light and entertaining, but also offer a darker picture of the realities of an actor. Many of the Hollywood elite consider an extra a moving prop. It is through Shirley & Jeff's eyes, that the every day humaness of the extra is shown to us.

It's amazing that the following mistakes appear in this book:

1) A reference to Cecil B. DeMille's "Sunset Boulevard".
It's Billy Wilder's and Leigh Brackett's picture. DeMille had
a cameo in it.

2) Donna Douglas (of "Beverly Hillbillies" fame) is referred to
in a caption as "Donna Dixon" and in the accompanying text as
"Joey Heatherton".

3) Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, in English riding clothes,
are described as wearing "Western gear".

4) Sammy Davis Jr's ex-wife, Mai Britt, is twice referred to as
"May Britt".

Did anybody edit this book, or were Garrett's reminiscences taken
on faith because he, of all people, should know?

I have had the priveledge of knowing Murray Garrett for over 25 years as a business associate and friend. I was completely blown away by his incredible talent as a photographer and writer. This book captures a Hollywood that I remember as my home town and really was the entertainment capitol of the world. The pictures are unique, and definitely candid. Murray's comments about the stars shed new insights into the personalities and quirks of some of the most loved and famous celebrities of the era. A beautiful collection of memorys from a man who approaches Hollywood from an honest, compasionate and humorous point of view. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful compilation of photographs and text taken throughout the years by Murray Garrett. All of the Hollywood golden age stars are featured: Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons, Natalie Wood, Ava Gardner. The photos catch the personal side of the stars, such as the photo of Richard Burton strapped into an airline seat along with his daughter's doll, as well as their entrances into glamourous events. He also adds his personal recollections such as Ava Gardner's love of jokes, off color or not, Eve Arden's love of her daughter, the secrecy of Natalie Wood's 21st birthday party. The stories are fascinating. The pictures are beautiful and unique. I am glad Murray decided to share them with us.

I had the privilege of seeing much of this book in pre-press form and knew it had to be a knockout. The pics are all exceptional but Murray's anecdotes and insight make this much more than a celebrity puff-piece. The finished book is even better than my early predictions. Great stuff!!!

To think that this book was written in 1993. I remember seeing the author on Oprah, talking about all the stuff in the book and how some people believed it wasn't true. Sure enough years later, it all turns out to be true, from O.J., to Downey, Sheen, Rod Stewart, et. al. I liked it.

This book takes you into the party and nightlife of Hollywood. I actually felt I was there in the clubs with this guy. I will never look at Stallone the same way again.

This book is the first book I have ever read that names names and places. It is about time someone gave us a truthful take on Hollywood and the Hollywood life. It appears no one knew Hollywood like Rayce Did. The funny thing is that 11 of my friends have read my copy. Everyone wants to read it.

The most truthful book about Hollywood ever. I could not put it down

This item was purchased as a gift and as such I will never read it but it was a book that the recepient really wanted.

Travilla became a Hollywood star thanks in large part to his client Marilyn Monroe, gaining fame for his design of her costumes - but his art graced many familiar forms, and Hollywood Costume Design By Travilla provides an excellent display of his original sketches and creations. Monroe fans and Hollywood fans alike will relish this display, lavish with color reproductions of Travilla's art.

This book is so well written! Very entertaining info on the man, the industry & the personalities. Tons & tons of great photos & sketches!

This is another well-designed, well-presented book from Schiffer, known for its volumes appealing to collectors of various types of memorabilia. (I also own _Harrison Fisher: Defining The American Beauty_ and Kristina Harris' _Victorian and Edwardian Fashion for Women_ from the same publisher, both high-quality paperbacks.) Travilla may not be as instantly recognizable a name as Edith Head, Adrian or Helen Rose in the field of movie costume design, but his costumes are very definitely ones the viewer will remember. That sexy white dress Marilyn Monroe wore in her most iconic scene, in "The Seven Year Itch"? That's a Travilla design, and his sketch for the outfit graces the dust jacket of the book. The book is full of artwork, much of it in full-page format; photographs, both color and black-and-white, and sketches of notable designs. Travilla's most famous (and, judging from his remarks, his favorite) client, was Marilyn Monroe, but he designed outfits for many other actresses - and a few actors - from the 1940's through the 1980's, starting with Ann Sheridan (whom he became so close to that he nicknamed her "Aunt Annie") and going on to Emma Samms. This book isn't cheap new or used, but take that as a sign of its quality and desirability and do make the investment if you're interested in this field!

I really enjoyed this cookbook and all of its stories. I've tried a couple of the recipes (including the turkey for Thanksgiving) and they were as easy as promised. I'm glad I bought it and now I'm going to buy some for gifts.

It's about time that Hollywood's best celebrity caterer wrote a book. His food has been fabulous everytime I have had the opportunity to savor it. With these concise recipes, even a "room service only" musician like me can attempt to rehearse some of his world class cusine at home.

Great recipes and wonderful stories about Nick Grippo's experiences in Hollywood catering for celebrities. He answers the questions I'd ask, such as what did he make, who did he make it for, and what was the experience REALLY like. The book is fun to read and I received it as a gift recently. The photos of the food are just beautiful, the candid shots with the stars are fun and informal and there is not a stuffy tone to the book, which is why I like it. It was also quite candid and revealing -almost as if Nick is "Everyman" in an apron. The layout was most unusual. It's quite a beautiful and deliscious book and gave me a few insights into Hollywood, along with a lot of laughs and a few tears when i read it..

This book is a culinary tour de force that features a variety of tastes that will whet anyone's pallet! A must read as well as a must use. I highly recommend this book to anyone whose interest reach beyond the den of their house. Enjoy-I did!