The Intent to Live: Achieving Your True Potential as an Actor Review

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(More customer reviews)At last an insightful appreciation of the art of acting by one of the profession's foremost practitioners and teachers, which can be enjoyed not only by actors but by lovers of great acting. If you've ever marvelled at a performance, Larry Moss tells you why. With wit and clarity, as good a writer as he is an actor, he takes you inside the actor's mind so you understand the choices that enter into the shaping of a memorable characterization. And his range of references is remarkably eclectic and star-studded -- Groucho Marx, Bette Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Clint Eastwood, Uta Hagen, Robert Preston just to mention a few of the hundreds of performers whose work he illuminates, on stage, screen, television, in musicals, tragedies, slapstick and sitcoms. Nothing escapes his discerning eye.

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"I call this book The Intent to Live because great actors don't seem to be acting, they seem to be actually living."–Larry Moss, from the IntroductionWhen Oscar-winning actors Helen Hunt and Hilary Swank accepted their Academy Awards, each credited Larry Moss's guidance as key to their career-making performances. There is a two-year waiting list for his advanced acting classes.But now everyone–professionals and amateurs alike–can discover Moss's passionate, in-depth teaching.Inviting you to join him in the classroom and onstage, Moss shares the techniques he has developed over thirty years to help actors set their emotions, imagination, and behavior on fire, showing how the hard work of preparation pays off in performances that are spontaneous, fresh, and authentic.From the foundations of script analysis to the nuances of physicalization and sensory work, here are the case studies, exercises, and insights that enable you to connect personally with a script, develop your character from the inside out, overcome fear and inhibition, and master the technical skills required for success in the theater, television, and movies.Far more than a handbook, The Intent to Live is the personal credo of a master teacher. Moss's respect for actors and love of the actor's craft enliven every page, together with examples from a wealth of plays and films, both current and classic, and vivid appreciations of great performances. Whether you act for a living or simply want a deeper understanding of acting greatness, The Intent to Live will move, instruct, and inspire you.From the Hardcover edition.

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Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World Review

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(More customer reviews)I read about this book in a NYT "career advice" article. Given the fact that I was in my last semester of college, I ordered the book thinking it would help me in my upcoming job search.
I landed a good job in a major city just a few days after ordering this book. For that reason, given the intensity of my last semester and a move across the country, it took me a few months to pick the book up. Had I read the book before I took the job, it would have given me advice and suggestions on negotiating my starting salary, observing the office culture, and networking.
Still, despite having landed the job I wanted, this book has been helpful. It has opened my eyes to the importance of the persona you put on at work, the way you interact with co-workers, and the importance of networking within your respective industry. If I ever consider switching jobs, I have no doubt this book will help with the transition.
But, this book is not just for the recent graduate! It provides valuable advice for any college student, regardless of your class or academic standing. Given the fact that Ms. Pollak is young and down to earth, it offers real world suggestions that affect the younger generations; this includes cleaning up your "online record" of social networking profiles, book reviews, etc. It also provides excellent samples of resumes, cover letters, and lines to use when attending job fairs or industry trade shows. The chapter on potential interview questions is top notch!
I highly recommend this book. Since it is broken down into suggestions instead of chapters, it is an easy (but informative) read!
Rusty Rothwell
Houston, TX

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How do you get a job without experience and get experience without a job? It's the question virtually every college student or recent graduate faces. In Getting from College to Career, Lindsey Pollak offers the first definitive guide to building the experience, skills, and confidence you need before starting your first major job search. Her 90 action-oriented tips include strategies ranging from the simple to the expert, including:

Avoid the biggest mistake in career prep and job hunting
Subscribe to a daily newspaper
E-mail like a professional
Make every event a networking success
Practice the eight essentials of internship achievement
Perform five minutes of stand-up
Overprepare for interviews
Persist

Getting from College to Career gives you the essential information and guidance you need to get your foot in the door of the real world. Don't start your first job search without it!

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Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a gay male who purchased a copy of Betty's book for my own reading. By the time I was done, I bought two more copies - one for my parents and another for my sister. I realized that they might benefit from a book written from "their" point of view.
It's so important that messages like Betty's get out to the world. Not just the gay and lesbian world, but the world in general. Simply put - "Love one another."
I can only hope and wish that Oprah or some other high-profile media outlet picks up a copy and gives this book the promotion it deserves.
Isn't it funny how when kids are growing up, we tell them all just how special they are.... And then when they go and show just how special they are - what our responses can be.
Thank you Betty, for writing a book from your heart and soul. Nothing like this could be easy, and I thank you again for telling such a personal story so that it might benefit others.

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Your Movie Sucks Review

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(More customer reviews)"I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie" has been a perennial favorite book of mine for years. "Your Movie Sucks" is in the same genre, and is as witty as Ebert has ever been. The book is essentially a collection of sub-two star reviews from the last few years, and is both enlightening and funny.

I am a devoted fan of camp, and some of the films in this book sound as if they will definitely fall into that arena. For those of us who value movies so bad they're good, parts of this book read like a shopping list. I am embarrassed to admit that I have seen several of these features, and in each instance of encountering a film I had seen Ebert was both accurate and amusing: his edicts were unerring and frequently hilarious. Fortunately, Ebert not only displays wit, but also good judgment: some of the films in this book are so awful, despair laden, and dark (e.g. "Wolf Creek") as to inspire only genuine loathing. I appreciate that Ebert makes it clear that there some movies so bad as to not be enjoyable on any plane.

These reviews are informative in another way: they inspire critical thinking about films and specifically about what makes a film bad or good. To be sure there are times in the past that I have disagreed with Ebert, and I'm sure if I sat through all the refuse that is this subject of this book, I would find something to disagree with him about here too. Having said all that, regarding the movies I have seen, including the utterly wretched "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" which serves as an introduction to the book in one of Ebert's strongest efforts, and "Corky Romano" which I saw in Iceland with Icelandic subtitles (the subtitles were by far more amusing than the movie) Ebert is squarely on target and more generous in his appraisal than I would have been.

This is a great book, and I encourage anyone who loves movies (bad or good) to read it and cherish it.
Thanks, Roger.

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Roger Ebert's I Hated Hated Hated This Movie, which gathered some of his most scathing reviews, was a best-seller. This new collection continues the tradition, reviewing not only movies that were at the bottom of the barrel, but also movies that he found underneath the barrel.From Roger's review of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (0 stars): "The movie created a spot of controversy in February 2005. According to a story by Larry Carroll of MTV News, Rob Schneider took offense when Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times listed this year's Best Picture nominees and wrote that they were 'ignored, unloved, and turned down flat by most of the same studios that . . . bankroll hundreds of sequels, including a follow-up to Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, a film that was sadly overlooked at Oscar time because apparently nobody had the foresight to invent a category for Best Running Penis Joke Delivered by a Third-Rate Comic.'Schneider retaliated by attacking Goldstein in full-page ads in Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. In an open letter to Goldstein, Schneider wrote: 'Well, Mr. Goldstein, I decided to do some research to find out what awards you have won. I went online and found that you have won nothing. Absolutely nothing. No journalistic awards of any kind. . . . Maybe you didn't win a Pulitzer Prize because they haven't invented a category for Best Third-Rate, Unfunny Pompous Reporter Who's Never Been Acknowledged by His Peers. . . .' Schneider was nominated for a 2000 Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor, but lost to Jar-Jar Binks. But Schneider is correct, and Patrick Goldstein has not yet won a Pulitzer Prize. Therefore, Goldstein is not qualified to complain that Columbia financed Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo while passing on the opportunity to participate in Million Dollar Baby, Ray, The Aviator, Sideways, and Finding Neverland. As chance would have it, I have won the Pulitzer Prize, and so I am qualified. Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks."

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Lonely Planet Germany (Country Travel Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)I travel a lot and compare guides a lot. I have used and enjoyed other Lonely Planet guides for other countries successfully. This one was a real disappointment. It is thorough, but does not really teach you to prioritize your time, or compare routes. It is intensely geared towards rail and bus travelers, but many things in Germany are worth renting a car to see--in which case the book will not cover those areas at all. Hotels chosen by the book will be in relation to train stations--which aren't always either a good deal or a restful place to stay. Add that to the fact it's heavy, and you'll be shlepping a lot of useless information unless you're spending the whole year there...

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Frommer's San Francisco 2011 (Frommer's Complete Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)Went to a number of the suggested restaurants and attractions listed in the book and they were all excellent. Very helpful guide.

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This book features hundreds of full-color photos to bring this cultural mecca to vivid life.
Thoroughly updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's San Francisco features everything you need to know to enjoy the sights and experiences that await you in the City by the Bay.
Our author, a longtime resident hits all the highlights, from Golden Gate Park to North Beach. He's checked out all the city's best hotels and restaurants in person, and will help you find the choices that suit your tastes and budget.
Features a particularly thorough guide to dining in this American culinary mecca. Our honest, irreverent, and opinionated dining reviews encompass everything from the best dim sum to the freshest seafood, from affordable burrito joints and Vietnamese restaurants to trendy bistros opened by California's hottest chefs to fresh food markets for noshing.
Includes side trips to Berkeley, Sausalito, Muir Woods, Point Reyes, and more. There's also a detailed chapter on the nearby Wine Country, with the best wineries, inns, spas, and gourmet shopping, and the most decadent restaurants in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.
Includes a full-color foldout map.

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A Great, Silly Grin: The British Satire Boom Of The 1960s Review

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(More customer reviews)Humphrey Carpenter's Great, Silly Grin follows contemporary British humor, beginning with the 1960 Edinburgh Festival when a satirical review Beyond the Fringe fostered a new breed of British humor. The evolution of British satire that followed through the 1960s receives close examination in this involving survey.

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Lonely Planet Great Britain (Country Travel Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)The ninth updated edition of GREAT BRITAIN provides destination-oriented travelers with a fine survey of all of Great Britain from big cities to small rural towns, offering plenty of insights on getting away, sights to see, things to do, and more. Small maps and color sidebars of key details accompany excellent descriptions of all the cultural and sightseeing opportunities the UK has to offer, updating all listings in a ninth edition that's key for any traveler to Great Britain and any travel library.

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'From the graceful architecture of Canterbury Cathedral to the soaring ramparts of Edinburgh Castle, via the mountains of Wales or the Roman ruins of Hadrian's Wall, Britain's endless variety is astounding." - David Else, Lonely Planet WriterOur PromiseYou can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. We never accept freebies for positive coverage, and you can rely on us to tell it like we see it.Inside This Book'441 days of research161 maps8 classic itineraries5000+ years of historyInspirational photosClear, easy-to-use mapsPull-out city map3D plans of iconic sightsComprehensive planning toolsIn-depth background

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Queens of Comedy: Lucille Ball, Phyllis Diller, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, and the New Generation of Funny Women (Studies in Humor and Gender,) Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this as a textbook for a film class I taught last year and the class loved it. The book contains solid biographical information and it's really fun to read. Plus, author Horowitz offers some very perceptive insights into women's comedy. My only criticism is that footnotes would have been really helpful because the students wanted to follow up on some of the sources -- but overall I highly recommend it.

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Through candid personal interviews with Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and other visionary performers, Queens of Comedy explores how comediennes have redefined the roles of women in not only the entertainment business, but society as a whole. Detailing both their public and private lives - as well as their many and varied performances - Queen of Comedy examines the impact these women have had on the predominantly male-oriented world of comedy. Performers like Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, and their more recent counterparts, comediennes Brett Butler and Roseanne, have helped to sift women's roles in comedy from object to subject. This book maps out this shift, providing an often brutally honest picture of women's lives in both the spotlight of comedy and this modern world.

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Frommer's Hawaii 2011 (Frommer's Color Complete) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent source for information about Hawaii. If you are going to travel to Hawaii this book will give you all the information you need for your trip. If you are an arm chair travler and just like to read about the beautiful state of Hawaii you will love it too.

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Hundreds of color photos

Free pocket map inside,plus easy-to-read maps throughout

Exact prices, directions, opening hours,and other practical information

Candid reviews of hotels and restaurants,plus sights, shopping, and nightlife

Itineraries, walking tours, and trip-planning ideas

Insider tips from local expert authors

FULL COLOR INSIDE

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The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2011 (Unofficial Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)My family and I are planning to go to Walt Disney World in a couple of months, so I ordered the 2011 Version of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (WDW). I first went to WDW in the late 90's, and as I wanted to make sure I enjoyed everything there was to enjoy, I bought three or four books on WDW and the surrounding area. I found that the Unofficial Guide had pretty much everything the other books had, and more, so for my next trip in 2004, I only bought the Unofficial Guide.
After receiving the 2011 version and heavily perusing it, I find that, if anything, it's even better than the previous versions. If nothing else, its a LOT larger than the first one I bought in the 90's. It gives ratings and reviews of hotels and dining establishments in the area (both on and off Disney World), covers all of the parks and attractions on Disney in tremendous detail, and the parks and attractions off of Disney in lesser detail (primarily Universal Studios and Seaworld). Additionally, the book provides information on how Disney prices their tickets, how to save money on meals, when to visit Disney, and of course, at the end of the book, their recommended touring plans for each park in order to see as much of the parks as possible in the least amount of time.
The touring plans themselves are almost worth the price of the books. If you've never been to WDW, the parks are HUGE ... and if you just start wandering around and getting on whichever attraction catches your eye, you're going to be spending a lot more time in lines (and less time enjoying the attractions) than you should. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with just going where you want to, when you want to, but you could spend literally hours more waiting in lines than you need to. The guide has several plans for each park ... bascially with and without children, along with a few variations for some parks. As this is my first trip to Disney with small children, I was particularly interested to get these touring plans.
There is also an affiliated Unofficial Guide to WDW website that you have to pay a suscription to get to some of the site's exclusive content for a year. If you've bought the book, you get about one-third off of the price of the subscription (when claiming discount, you have to identify the correct word from a page of the guide). While the web site does have some interesting things and the very latest information, all that you need when visiting WDW is in the book, so don't feel as if you're being cheated if you don't choose to subscribe to the web site.
Disney changes a lot every year. Given that it's been six years since I last visited, I'm glad I bought the book, to read about new things to do. I also learned some things that I wouldn't have discovered without the guide. For example, you can rent a pontoon boat and captain and watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and Illuminations at Epcot from the lakes, rather than being packed on the sidewalks. You will also be dropped off at a water-adjoining resort of your choice afterwards so you can beat the rush out of the park. It's not cheap, but I made a reservation and am looking forward to enjoying the fireworks without 10,000 of my closest friends close at hand. :-)
Overall, I give this book 5 stars. If you're looking to visit additional places in the Orlando area other than Disney (and perhaps Sea World and Universal Studios), you may want to buy a second book, but I'd wait to buy it until after I read this guide, as it may have all that you need.

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Unofficial Guides field tested touring plans can save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day.
In 2008, combined Walt Disney World Resort theme park attendance reached over 51 million, with the Magic Kingdom alone drawing over 17 million visitors. (Orlando Convention and Visitor Bureau)
Despite signifcant downturns in the economy Disney theme parks have maintained attendance rates and made gains in attendance at some parks.
Walt Disney World Resort theme parks are rated best in the world. earning high marks for things outside of the traditional theme park experience. Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival, which takes place for six weeks every fall and showcases food from twenty-five countries, was rated by Forbes Traveler as one of the Best U.S. Food and Wine Festivals.

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The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities Review

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(More customer reviews)I gifted myself with a copy of The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities by Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.It is a must have book that all Black Greeks and African Americans in general should display on their bookshelves!
The author is a 15 year member of Alpha Phi Alpha, married to a soror of Delta Sigma Theta and is a journalist who has written for many newpapers.He realized that the history of our organizations is an important part of the history of our people in this country in this century and should be told.The time and effort that he put into compiling the information in the book must have been mammoth.
The book is divided into sections profiling each sorority and fraternity.Each section contains a historical overview, interviews with an undergraduate and a graduate chapter, profiles and lists of prominent members, messages from the national president/basileus/polemarch and pictures dating back to the early years.This is followed by a section entitled Achievers Talk which consists of interviews with members such as Spencer Christian, Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Goldsby Grant, Cynthia Horner, John H. Johnson, Julian Malveaux, Shaquille O'Neal, Tavis Smiley, Faye Wattleton, just to name a few.They each speak about what membership means to them and impart an important message that they feel fraters and sorors should hear. The author follows this section with information from the National Pan Hellenic Council and procedures for those who are seeking membership.
Our organizations could not have done a better public relations job.There are no secrets revealed, just great accomplishments. The recurring theme is our achievements as organizations and those of individual members.We all know about the projects that our own sorority/fraternity have championed and are proud.When you look at the collective activities, our contributions to our people and communities have been and continue to be monumental. It's only appropriate that this book was written at this time when we are in the process of changing centuries and approaching the anniversaries of 100 years of existance.
This is something I think we all need to support and applaud.
LTB

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The Haunted Smile: The Story Of Jewish Comedians In America Review

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(More customer reviews)
This is one of only a few books which, after having read it, I wish I had written it. Of course, I am wholly unqualified to undertake such a task. However, I would have thoroughly enjoyed completing the research required and taken full advantage of every opportunity to interview, personally, as many of the Jewish comedians as possible. Also, as many as possible of the (non-performing) Jewish writers of comedy such as Larry David, Larry Gelbart, and Neil Simon. In a brilliant Introduction, Epstein observes: "The story of Jewish comedians in America is one of triumph and success. But their stage smile is tinged with sadness. It is haunted by the Jewish past, by the deep stains in American Jewish life -- the desire to be accepted and the concern for a culture disappearing -- by the centuries of Jewish life too frequently interrupted by hate, and by the knowledge that too often for Jewish audiences, a laugh masked a shudder. The comedians' story in America includes bitter encounters with anti-Semitism and the lures of an attractive culture along the way. The jokes these comedians told, their gags, and their nervous patter need to be set alongside the obstacles they overcame."
In this volume, Epstein combines the skills of a disciplined historian and cultural anthropologist with a writing style which has Snap! Crackle! and Pop! Obviously, he also delights in the comic art of so many who "exemplified two great themes of American Jewish life: assimilation and the search for an American Jewish identity....Also, they made Jews proud" while entertaining them as well as ever-increasing numbers of others who also went to the movies, turned on radios and then television sets, sat in nightclubs of various sizes, and bought albums. I am so grateful to Epstein for providing throughout the book an abundance of comic material from scripts, films, published interviews, recordings, and other primary sources. He covers a period from 1890 until the present, organizing his material within four sections:
The Golden Door and the Velvet Curtain (1890-1930)
NOTE: Epstein creates a context frame-of-reference within which to begin to examine "the two great themes" as countless immigrants arrived in "the land of hope and tears." He then shifts his attention to The Age of Vaudeville.
The Years of Fear (1930-1950)
NOTE: This was a period during which there were many fears (e.g. poverty, world war, nuclear weapons, Communism) shared by most Americans. Epstein examines what he calls radio's "finest hour" as well as films which had their audiences "laughing in the dark." He then shifts his attention to the rise of the Borscht Belt.
The Years of Acceptance (1950-1965)
NOTE: Epstein examines the American Television Revolution and then the emergence of stand-up comedy, devoting special attention to Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, and Jack Benny as well as to Lenny Bruce, Myron Cohen, Jack E. Leonard, Buddy Hackett, Alan King, Jackie Mason, Shelley Berman, and Woody Allen.
The Years of Triumph (1965-Present)
NOTE: In this final section, Epstein traces the further development and refinement of "the two great themes" of American Jewish life (i.e. assimilation and the search for an American Jewish identity) and I enjoyed reading this section more than any of its three predecessors. In it, Epstein takes a close look at the films of Woody Allen and Mel Brooks (among several discussed) and then shifts his attention to Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Andy Kaufman, Howard Stern, various Jewish comediennes, Jerry Seinferld, and (in the final chapter) an emerging generation of young Jewish comedians.
In the Appendix, "Schlemiels and Nudnicks," Epstein shares his final thoughts which help the reader to re-establish an overall perspective on material which covers a period of more than 100 years. (It could reasonably be claimed that Epstein has examined certain themes and forces which have been active within Jewish culture for several thousand years.) He concludes that "the comics who emerged from this Jewish background were not aware of psychological or sociological theories. As George Burns noted, they were not hungry for recognition, "they were hungry for food. They did not question their humor but rather just recognized and used it. Nevertheless, the roles comedians played and most particularly the contributions of Eastern European Jewish culture shaped the personalities of these comedians and lay, either hidden or not, in their minds."
For me, a Gentile, it is impossible to determine to what extent Jewish comedy became assimilated within American society, and, to what extent Jewish comedy helped American society became assimilated with Jewish values. Let's all call it a tie and consider ourselves that much the better for it.

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How to be Funny Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is simply a systematic way to find humor in one's everday experiences.
As a professional speaker I found it IMMENSELY valuable. Jon Macks is basically telling the reader that there are different directions from which you can approach a person or situation to create humor.
The negative reviews seemed to expect a funny book. And there are some hysterical lines. However that is not the point. The jokes are there to reinforce the concepts. For example;
Gilbert Gottfried is asked on Hollywood Squares (a scripted show) "What do you do about a hairy back?"
He responds, "Close my eyes and imagine she's wearing an alpaca sweater."
While the joke is funny, painting a great picture, the point of this was to show the use of hard consonants to create funny words or sounds - use of the word alpaca is the point of the response.
If you write or speak and want to be funnier, this is a great book for you. Steve Allen's book of the same title is also a great book, written for the same purpose.

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An invaluable guide on how to "lighten up" from a distinguished pro who has provided laughs for JAY LENO, BILLY CRYSTAL, STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS, BRAD GARRETT, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, AND MANY MORE. Who hasn't wished for the perfect withering comeback line, a clever tension-breaking quip, or a winning flirtatious remark? Being funny is hard work and not everyone is a natural. How to Be Funny is a witty guide that teaches readers precisely how to be funnier in everyday life. It's a must-read for anyone who has to speak in public, be engaging and funny at work or at play, or who hopes to one day go out on a date. Jon Macks, a comedy writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, Hollywood Squares, and the nation's top comedians, politicians, and corporate leaders, knows his funny business. Here he demystifies the process of making people laugh, breaks down the basic building blocks and types of humor -- which include self-deprecation, misdirection, deadpan delivery, sarcasm, and "the reverse" -- and reveals the best approaches to use in common situations. How to Be Funny features helpful (and hilarious) tips and anecdotes from the comic legends Mack's worked with -- including Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Gilbert Gottfried, Billy Crystal, Rita Rudner, Dave Barry, and Carrie Fisher -- in his eleven years as one of the nation's top television writers. Whether the goal is to give a memorable public address or deliver a killer line with friends, How to Be Funny is a charming, instructive, and practical read.

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Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and Legends of the Movies Review

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(More customer reviews)Well finally someone wrote a book, a collection of tales and anecdotes about Hollywood and the people who work and dwell there that is actually readable and believable. I must admit that when I first received this work I was terribly skeptical and actually put if off for a awhile. I am a bit old, a bit jaded and the normal Hollywood "tell all" type of book bores me to tears...well actually, not to tears so much, due to the fact that I normally fall asleep before I finish the first few pages.
Not so this wonderful collection! These stories about our acting "nobility" are quite down to earth. Some (actually many) are extremely funny, others rather whimsical and a few sort of down right sad. The author, Stephen Schochet has a wonderful no nonsense writing style that is absolutely refreshing in this genre. No lurid and off color stories which usually come from the mind and pen of `wishful thinking' so called authors wanting to sell books; no, these are bits of history; pieces of lore taken from what has been and is a strong and influential institution in our country. Like it or not, our entire society has to one extent or another, been influenced by the actors, directors, producers, writers and other workers in Hollywood or film industry.
Each story is smartly written and a delight to read. The author covers the entire gambit of our film industry from the old silent films right up to current times. While not every actor that ever made a film is featured here, literally hundreds upon hundreds are, along with many producers, directors and film makers. There is a bit of something is this work for everyone. There are even stories from T.V. land and its stars to pick from. These little anecdotes are for the most part brief. Many are about a paragraph long...a few extend past a page. Each story though shines in that it is quite obviously being told by a master story teller and a very fine writer. All in all, this is a very impressive bit of work.
For myself, I enjoyed the historical aspect of the work. I must admit that I learned much in that the writer takes us behind the scenes time and again to reveal little quirks, bright remarks, banter between actors and in many cases, why a film was made and how. All of these little tidbits add so much the enjoyment of a movie; both of those you have seen in the past, and those you will in the future.
This work can easily be read from cover to cover; non stop, or it can be picked up at random, a few stories read and set aside to savor another time. The problem I had though; like my title above indicates, this book and these stories were like a bowl of pistachios setting in front of me. I am one of those people who simply cannot eat just one of the darn things, no, no, no...I will eat until each shell is cracked and each nut gobbled. I simply cannot stop. That was the way of this book! Once I started reading the thing, I simply had to go on and on and on.
If you enjoy films, or are interested in film history, or just want a good belly laugh here and there, then you certainly will want to add this one to your reading list soon.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks


Click Here to see more reviews about: Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and Legends of the Movies

At high noon on a cold November day in 1974, sixty-seven-year-old John Wayne faced off with the staff of the Harvard Lampoon on the famous campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The students had issued their challenge by calling the beloved American icon a fraud. Wayne, who had his new movie McQ to promote, responded by saying he would be happy to show his film in the pseudo-intellectual swamps of Harvard Square. After the screening, without writers, the former USC footballer delivered a classic performance. When one smart young man asked where he got his phony toupee, Wayne insisted the hair was real. It wasn t his, but it was real. The appreciative underclassmen loved him and after the Q and A session, they all sat down to dinner. Later Wayne, who was suffering greatly from both gout and the after effects of lung cancer (sadly the Duke only had five years to live), said that day at Harvard was the best time he ever had.Just when you thought you've heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book. Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! by Stephen Schochet contains a timeless treasure trove of colorful vignettes featuring an amazing all-star cast of icons including John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn and many others both past and contemporary.A special blend of biography, history and lore Hollywood Stories is full of humorous tales often with unexpected endings. What makes the book unique is that the reader can go to any page and find a completely engaging and illuminating yarn. Sometimes people won't realize that they are reading about The Three Stooges or Popeye the Sailor until they come to the end of the story.A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen, "The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard."

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Maybe You Never Cry Again Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one impressive biography. I never got into Bernie Mac's comedy but after reading a few pages of this book I decided to buy it and I'm glad I did. Bernie Mac's life has been a series of fateful encounters. The first time he sees Bill Cosby on TV and notices how Cosby's jokes cheered up his sad (with good reason) mother is a turning point. At five he decides to be a comedian and he sticks with that plan. His dream and his mother's love keep him moving past the neighborhood gangs, out of the "dumb kid" classes, into a strong marriage, devoted fatherhood and finally success.
Bernie is a funny man but he's dead serious about duty, parenthood, marriage and doing the right thing. This book will stay with you long after you come to the final page.

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By the tender of age of five, Bernie Mac had found his calling: making others laugh. Now this amazing comedian delves deep inside to share the poignant story of his childhood and the people who shaped him into the strong, self-reliant man and ruthlessly funny comedian he is today.

When Bernie was just sixteen, he lost his mother to cancer.

A tough but loving teacher, she showered the unwilling boy with life lessons and "Mac-isms" that would later carry him through many hardships and give him strength during his slow rise to stardom. Maybe You Never Cry Again recounts this ascent in hilarious detail, from eight-year-old Bernie's stand-up comedy performance at a church dinner to open mike nights in Chicago, the jobs he juggled to make ends meet and eventually, his success in entertaining huge audiences on stage, in film, and on television.

Maybe You Never Cry Again is a powerful testament to how a mother's love makes everything possible.

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Dear Dad: Letters from an Adult Child Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked this book up in a library in college and couldn't put it down. Louie Anderson describes his relationship (or lack thereof) with his alcoholic, abusive father. The stories he relates are heart-wrenching and real. The book is a collection of letters Anderson wrote to his father after his father died. This book was of particular benefit to me after my own father died, though he was neither an alcoholic nor abusive. The book finishes with letters Anderson has received from readers that relate their stories of a need for resolution or closure with their own fathers. It's an easy read, dripping with painful irony (you'll laugh while you cry--I promise), and will help just about everyone gain a new appreciation for the impact fathers can have on children.

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