The Everything Guide to Comedy Writing: From stand-up to sketch - all you need to succeed in the world of comedy (Everything (Language & Writing)) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spotted this book somewhere and figured "why not"?
I was skeptical that comedy writing could be taught through a book.
I was wrong. Mike Bent does an excellent job of it.
Bent says he started performing at a comedy club when he was 16. He now teaches courses in "writing sketch and standup comedy" at Boston's Emerson College. His website suggests that he specializes these days in comedy and magic for children.
His book is surprisingly helpful, progressing in a step-by-step fashion from a cursory discussion of what is "comedy" to detailed instructions on the value of keeping notebooks, setting up the audience for a punch line, the use of surprise, the magic number (there is one, really, according to Bent and his argument is convincing) and onward. He examines the use of lists and questions. He poses an interesting point - what can't you begin with the words "what if"? A number of chapters are devoted to the various forms of comedy: stand-up (performing and writing for others), parody and satire, sitcoms and movies. Bent then covers comedy venues. This becomes a lead in to, in my opinion, one of the most interesting chapters in the book: using YouTube and other online resources as a comedy performance venue.
Like everyone else in the world, I've watched funny bits on YouTube. What didn't fully hit me was just how massive YouTube exposure could be: a fellow named Judson Laipply's "Evolution of Dance" routine has been viewed more than 100 million times. That is incredible. Apparently this success has helped drive Laipply's motivational speaking business. Bent does an excellent job of explaining how to use YouTube, MySpace and other sites for exposure.
The one aspect of the book I could have done without were the interviews with comedians in almost every chapter. In my opinion, they added little to the content of the book. Perhaps - and it is pure speculation on my part - Bent didn't think his own writing could carry the load. He was wrong on that, if that's what he thought: Mike Bent has turned in a very well done on the basics of writing and performing comedy. I don't anticipate becoming a comedy performer in my old age, but consider the book to be worthwhile for its insights into comedy writing. It is really solid in that regard - and the chapter on YouTube is an eye-opener for anyone seeking to promote themselves.
Overall, for aspiring comedians and anyone who has to face the public, a fine book.
Jerry


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A guy walks into a bar . . . With this guide, aspiring comics will learn to navigate the complex world of comedy writing. Aspiring comics discover how to tap into their natural sense of humor through real-life examples and hands-on skill-building exercises. They?ll learn the best ways to come up with ideas and write comedy that gets laughs?every time! Mike Bent, an accomplished stand-up comedian and teacher, provides readers with the inside scoop on techniques to jump-start their comedy writing careers, including how to:
Develop comic characters for sketches and scenes
Create and polish a standup routine
Write for TV and movies
Use the web to advance comedy careers
Everyone loves a comedian. But breaking into this tough field is no laughing matter. After sharpening their comedy-writing skills with this practical (and funny!) guide, readers will feel comfortable adding humor to everyday situations, and may even take a chance on a dream job in show business!

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Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy (Theatre Arts (Routledge Hardcover)) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read a lot of bad books on stand-up comedy, all of them except this one. This is the only good one I've read. After I read this, I did stand-up for the first time at a bar for 30 people. The next week I was in the Comedy Central/Miller Lite Lite 'n Up competition at Comedy Works in Denver for a packed house each time I performed. Out of 100 people, and over the course of 2 months of performing, I got third place. Since then I've moved to Chicago and got booked at Zanie's. A lot of that had to do with the book. It cuts through to the chase.

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G-Strings and Sympathy: Strip Club Regulars and Male Desire Review

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(More customer reviews)While this is obviously adapted from academic material, Frank uses her experience as an exotic dancer to dig into the question of why men frequent strip clubs.
I'll grant that, superficially, this is a darned easy question to answer.
Still, one of the real strengths of the book is that Frank was able to see past her academic preconceptions and discover an emotional terrain that was not what she anticipated. The standard feminist analysis (male power and domination of women) didn't shed much light on male motivation. She considers a range of possible agendas, from the obvious to the esoteric, and never settles on a trite or doctrinaire analysis.
The book keeps feeling like its on the verge of a profound insight but it never seems to find it. Frankly, even though the author wasn't trying to focus on the women who work as exotic dancers, it was fascinating to learn the tricks and scripts used to create the illusion of intimacy and authenticity.

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Stand-Up Comedy: The Book Review

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(More customer reviews)If you really want to buy this book then dont. Buy her latest book, The Comedy Bible. Its basically an updated version of this one. I ended up buying 2 books because they both have different titles. I wasnt impressed. Why not just update this one. No she has to update it and give it a new title. Not very funny at all.

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All the world loves a clown and whether you want to clown around at parties or make a living as a standup comic, comedian Judy Carter can show you how to 'do' comedy.

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Friars Club Private Joke File: More Than 2,000 Very Naughty Jokes from the Grand Masters of Comedy Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good joke book.
I have reviewed several joke books on here and this is one of the best ones i have purchased from Amazon.
It has multiple contributors from many many funny folk. There are all kinds of jokes long ones, short ones, silly ones, cheeky ones and many that i am sure you will have heard before as well.

The book is very well presented a quality production, hardbound. I think hardbound says 'i am a good book.'
It is a good book and will remain in my library until I am an old man.
I think what sets it up is the multiple contributors. It is not just one comedian rattling off the same style of joke over and over again. It has variety and the mood changes from front to back.
Well done on a quality production, i would recommend the book to anybody young or old.


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Rated XF (for X-tra Funny), this giant collection of off-color jokes, stories, and anecdotes comes straight from the kings and queens of blue humor: The Friars Club.In the tradition of the bestselling Friars Club Encyclopedia and Bible (315,000 copies sold), this brand-new, giant collection of laugh-out-loud, hide-it-from-the-kids humor features more than 2,000 saucy jokes and stories grouped thematically into such categories as Marriage, Medicine, Old Age, Kids, and (of course) Sex.Much of the material is attributed to well-known and popular comedians, including Richard Belzer, Gilbert Gottfried, Susie Essman, and Penn Jillette. As a bonus, interviews with a wide variety of stand-up comedians known for their naughtiness— including Mario Cantone, Judy Gold, Jeffrey Ross, Lisa Lampanelli, and many more—are sprinkled throughout.Sitting down with The Friars Club Private Joke File is like having a front-row seat at one of their infamous Roasts. Whether browsing for a good ice-breaker or perusing it cover to cover, this no-holds-barred compilation will keep readers laughing and blushing for a long, long time.

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Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-Up Comedy Review

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(More customer reviews)According to author Franklyn Ajaye, he was partly inspired in his successful comedy, writing and producing careers by Larry Wilde's Great Comedians Talk About Comedy, a 1968 question & answer style interview book, reprinted in 2000 (available on Amazon.com). Wilde's book contains insightful interviews with late 20th century top comedians and Ajaye hoped his own Comic Insights would be along the same lines.
In fact, Comic Insights, a book containing interviews with some of the early 21st century's comic geniuses, is as good as or even better than Wilde's wonderful and still timely book.
The reason: Comic Insights contains not only great interviews but also specific and concise advice on standup comedy performance technique -- complete with easy-to-review notes at the end of key chapters. It's one of the best books ever published on the subject.
Comic Insights is required reading for ANYONE remotely or seriously interested in performing comedy, key comedy techniques, the comedian's mind-set, goal-setting,
perseverance, the need to be YOU onstage and -- a crucial subject incredibly ignored in most comedy books ...TIMING. Hopefully it'll be reprinted periodically, like Wilde's
book. If it isn't and you don't have a copy then you'll be out of luck because you'll be missing a vital potential comedy tool.
This book was so fascinating, easy to read, and had so much good information, facts, performing tips and inspiration that I virtually defaced it with my colored-marker underlinings and little notes written in ink. Any second the Book Police will (rightfully) arrest me .....
The first section is one of the most readable explanations of key standup tricks of the trade ever written. If an aspiring comedian uses some of these principles it could save him years of bombing. Ajaye also includes helpful review notes at the end of each of these sections.
There are far too many superb tips to list here, but a few include studying WHY top comedians are funny; studying the use of timing, body language and visual effects. The importance of recording and analyzing your act. And, critically, the importance of being yourself in performance and act content: "The hacks can steal your joke but they can't steal the way you look at life," he writes.
Peppered throughout are the BEST written explanations (from him and other comedians) on timing EVER published. He points to the famous (and sadly not re-run) eternal master of timing Jack Benny and notes that timing is a way to "light the fuse" on a
joke, by taking a pause to deliver a punchline. Don't "be afraid of silent moments," he advises, and wait until a laugh naturally subsides before moving to another joke.

The second section includes a wide range of the 21st century's top laugh-makers (again too many to cite here). Some key highlights include:
---LOUIE ANDERSON, a master of setting up routines, using his eyes, space and silence, inspired by Jack Benny. Anderson says: "The secret behind timing is to hold whatever you're going to say until you absolutely have to say it."
--ELAYNE BOOSLER on the importance of taping an act, listening to it, analyzing it and enhancing it..
--GEORGE CARLIN'S great explanation of how evolved from a jacket-and-tie comediandoing stock, standard jokes in front of people who he realized where his parents' friends into a comedy icon for his own and younger generations by changing his jokes, dress
(getting fired for it) his attitude -- and the way many comedians forever would do comedy.
--ELLEN DEGENERES & PAUL REISNER: The slowing down joke delivery.
--JAY LENO: The importance of learning jokes (he has no joke file) and goal setting (you should be able to make standup within 7 years work).
--CHRIS ROCK: On the importance of writing NEW jokes to take any comedy career to the next level.
--ROSEANNE & JERRY SEINFELD: The importance being disciplined to constantly write down ideas (on anything even napkins), jokes, concepts and then sit down and translate those ideas into actual performable material.
--GARY SHANDLING: Persistance. He bombed for 5 years but never gave up.
The third section is especially useful since managers, club owners and agents tell what they seek in a comedian. Talent Agent Irv Arthur, among other things, notes the importance of total preparation to be ready for the big break when it comes.
This superb book, especially if read together with Greg Dean's wonderful Step By Stepto Standup Comedy (also available on Amazon), could save aspiring comedians years of frustration and tears....and it tips off civilians to what's really lurking behind the curtain of that comedy wizard of the Oz called "the comedy club."

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If you want to build a stand-up comedy career, this book is a must read. If you want to write comedy, this book is a must-read. If you simply enjoy comedy ...this book is a must read. Part One offers essential advice about understanding the fundamentals of stand-up, studying other comedians, finding your own style, writing your material, working the live performance, and appearing on television. Fascinating, candid, insightful interviews with today's top comedians, who discuss at length why and how they do what they do, comprise Part Two, the bulk of the book. The third and last part of the book addresses your stand-up career through interviews with noted comedy club owners, an agent, a personal manager, and a television talent co-ordinator. Literally crammed with the wisdom of today's finest stand-up comics, in terms of quality, quantity, and timeliness information, this book is without peer.

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The Eight Characters of Comedy: Guide to Sitcom Acting And Writing Review

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(More customer reviews)This book finally says the things you know, but have been unable to put your finger on. It is easy to read, and funny too. Well, one would hope with a book about sit-coms.
As an actor, I found this helped me tremendously. It gave me insight into what to do, and how to do it. I can already see the results.
As a writer, I find it easier to make choices for my characters, now that I have a guideline for their intentions. Even the difficult part of starting the script is made easier when you just decide what character would go with the ones you already have.
Definitely a must have!

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At the core of this Hollywood howto guide is the concept of The Eight Characters of Comedy, the eight specific character archetypes used in sitcoms dating back to the advent of TV. Every actor can find a sitcom niche by identifying with one of these eight characters. Using past and current actors and sitcom personalities, Sedita describes in detail where these characters come from and how actors can play them truthfully. * who is normally cast as The Logical Smart One' * why do we love The Lovable Loser' * why is The Neurotic such a fun character to play' In addition, readers learn how to break down a comedy script, how to identify different types of jokes, how to deliver them with comedic precision, sitcom auditioning techniques, and how to market themselves.

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The New Comedy Writing Step by Step Review

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(More customer reviews)I had CWSBS back in the '90s...worked my way through the book and I mean worked. Great for someone new to standup or for a pro that wants to brush up on some skills.
I took some classes with Gene and the guy knows his stuff. This is kind of the old style of standup comedy, but he does get your mind thinking...and about setups and surprise punclines.
This is a review of the updated book, but really, it's kind of the same as the old one, but with some thoughts from some new comics.

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Three-time Emmy Award-winner Gene Perret's Comedy Writing Step by Step has been the manual for humor writers for 25 years. In this new book, his first update, Perret offers readers a treasure trove of guidelines and suggestions covering a broad range of comedy writing situations, along with many all-important insights into the selling of one's work. Perret covers all aspects of comedy writing in his uniquely knowledgeable and anecdotal fashion.

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Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy Review

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(More customer reviews)As someone who has been a lifelong stand-up comedy aficionado - either as an audience member or on-stage performer - I am very thrilled to have finally found a resource which offers a viable, understandable method for creating new stand-up material, on any premise of your choosing. As an added bonus, Greg Dean's method has also helped me to understand WHY funny material I `happened' to come up with previously IS indeed funny, making me feel more in control of the process, and providing the inspiration to create a wealth of new material I never otherwise would have. (So much so, in fact, that my index card and legal pad purchases are probably keeping Staples in business!)
Specifically, what I have found most helpful are: Greg Dean's instructions on how to perform material both from your own point of view (the `narrator POV') and from other characters' POVs, and how to keep the various POVs clear and distinct when performing; his explanation of how best to rehearse your material, so that during a show, you're not just aping material form a script memorized verbatim, but are instead recounting real, vivid experiences as though they were actually happening - much more liberating for the comic, and far more interesting and funny for the audience. The rehearsal process also allows you to modify or add to your routines as you rehearse, or even ON STAGE.
To paraphrase an old adage, Greg Dean truly does teach you HOW to fish, unlike so many other books on stand-up which just toss fish at you, or - worse still - merely describe what a fish looks like, and how to differentiate the various species of gilled ichthyic vertebrates. O Dean of Comedy, thank you!

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If you think you're funny, and you want others to think so too, this is the book for you! Greg Dean examines the fundamentals of being funny and offers advice on a range of topics, including: writing creative joke material rehearsing and performing routines coping with stage fright dealing with emcees who think they're funnier than you are getting experience and lots more. Essential for the aspiring comic or the working comedian interested in updating his or her comedy routine, Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy is the most comprehensive and useful book ever written on the art of the stand-up comedian.

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The Comedy Bible: From Stand-up to Sitcom--The Comedy Writer's Ultimate "How To" Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)For many reasons this is a well done book. Judy Carter interviewed and studied many famous comedy people for this book. Quotes by the dozens throughout the book powerfully build on the point made in the text. Stand up comedians are not the only ones that need to be funny. The most widely used clique about professional speaking is: "You don't need to be funny unless you want to get paid." Reading this book is more useful than reading all the joke books you can find. Carter says it the most clearly and the most forcefully. You need to first get your message sorted out completely and then make it funny or at least entertaining. Your personal message is more critical to your success than copying other successful people no matter what you field of speaking, entertaining or communication.
The book seemed like one giant personal conversation with the author Judy Carter. You may not break out laughing very often reading this book. Carter would have made a good engineer or scientist, she breaks down into the tiniest imaginable pieces what makes something funny and then puts it back together. Reading and working with this book will make you funnier, it is by far the most promising book I have found so far. That is the good news. The bad news is that you can not just read this book. It is more like a highly serious work book. While it is ultra easy to read, it is very demanding to work your way through the book--- At least in the manner Judy Carter expects the book to be used. The book benefits from the years that Judy Carter has taught comedy performance and writing.
If you are interested in writing comedy, jokes, sit com or speeches this is the book to buy. Be ready to roll up you sleeves and really work with this book. It is designed and written to the full range of people that are serious about entertaining other people with humor. In another book on comedy Steve Allen wrote in a foreword: "How to books on comedy are a dime a dozen." For the intensely thinking person on comedy that craves an in depth understanding, I will be surprised if a better book can be found. I will search for that potential gem, but my suspicions are as follows. When a better book is written on comedy, it is likely to be written by Judy Carter. As you can see by my review I thought her original book was outstanding and this one is even better. While I have read it once through carefully, the big pay off is going to come by doing the exercises and the introspective work laid out in this book.

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Do you think you're funny? Do you want to turn your sense of humor into a career? If the answer is yes, then Judy Carter's The Comedy Bible is for you. The guru to aspiring stand-up comics provides the complete scoop on being -- and writing -- funny for money. If you've got a sense of humor, you can learn to make a career out of comedy, says Judy Carter. Whether it's creating a killer stand-up act, writing a spec sitcom, or providing jokes for radio or one-liners for greeting cards, Carter provides step-by-step instructions in The Comedy Bible. She helps readers first determine which genre of comedy writing or performing suits them best and then directs them in developing, refining, and selling their work. Using the hands-on workbook format that was so effective in her bestselling first book, Stand-Up Comedy: The Book, Carter offers a series of day-by-day exercises that draw on her many years as a successful stand-up comic and the head of a nationally known comedy school. Also included are practical tips and advice from today's top comedy professionals -- from Bernie Brillstein to Christopher Titus to Richard Lewis. She presents the pros and cons of the various comedy fields -- stand-up, script, speech and joke writing, one-person shows, humor essays -- and shows how to tailor your material for each. She teaches how to find your "authentic" voice -- the true source of comedy. And, perhaps most important, Carter explains how to take a finished product to the next level -- making money -- by pitching it to a buyer and negotiating a contract. Written in Carter's unique, take-no-prisoners voice, The Comedy Bible is practical, inspirational, and funny.

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How to Do It Standing Up: The Friars' Club Guide to Being a Comic, a Cut-Up, a Card, a Character or a Clown Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all, what this book is not: It is not about how to be funny, nor is it an analysis of what humour is. The title is blatantly misleading. The book itself is not funny, because these are comedians describing things that happened to them, not attempting to get the reader to laugh.
This is a collection of first-person narratives in which comedians reminisce about performing in comedy clubs, especially at the beginning of their careers when they were unknowns. Their stories are surprisingly similar - struggling for stage time, desperate for money, honing their craft, and so on. The stories are repetitive and, after awhile, seem interchangeable. At times the narrators engage in a bit of introspection about why some things are funny and some are not, but one has to search for those analytical moments. To a large extent, these comedians just kind of "wing it" and have trouble articulating why one joke is hilarious while another leads to dead silence.
Of the 30-plus comedians interviewed for the book, I've heard of about one third of them. The most famous participants are Richard Belzer, Phyllis Diller, and Lily Tomlin.

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No one knows more about being funny than The Friars Club, and now they reveal their personal tricks of the trade-and give away their favorite material--in this easy-to-use manual for aspiring comics, comedy writers or just plain show-offs.The funniest men and women in showbiz discuss the art of being funny, and author Barry Dougherty puts it all together in the first and last Friars Club manual for anyone who wants to be a comedian--or just act like one. The book covers such important matters as What's funny--and what's not; the many forms of comedy: jokes, one-liners, anecdotes, stories, impressions, puns, ad-libs, wisecracks and more; choosing material and putting together a routine; developing a personal style; writing your own material--and much more.In-depth, personal interviews with a host of well-known comedians punctuate the text, along with lots of examples of their funniest material.

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A Hundred Years, a Million Laughs: A Centennial Celebration of the Friars Club Review

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(More customer reviews)The Friars Club is a showbusiness icon and a legendary entertainment organization principally known for its Friars Club Roasts, Friars Club Testimonials, and Friars Club Frolics where the best names of 20th Century American entertainment regularly engaged in ribald comedy and musical merry-making. A Hundred Years, A Million Laughs : A Centennial Celebration Of The Friars Club by Barry Dougherty will serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to this famously secretive organizations's "monastery" located in midtown Manhattan, as it reveals the group's colorful history from its humble beginnings in 1904 down to its present day worldwide popularity. Enhanced with almost 200 photographs and timeless Al Hirschfeld caricatures, A Hundred years, A Millions Laughs is a unique masterpiece of American humor, show biz, and pop culture history that would embellish any personal, academic, or community library collection.

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Hallowed ground for comics, the Friars Club lays claim to be the most prestigious entertainment organization in the world. Until this book, the Friars Club was a members-only hideaway. With A Hundred Years, A Million Laughs the Friars swing open the doors to the famously secretive organization's monastery in midtown Manhattan. Starting with the club's humble beginnings in 1904, Friars Club author Barry Dougherty reveals the group's ups and downs through the '30s and '40s, its golden age in the '50s and '60s, and its importance today to a new generation of comics and entertainers.With nearly 200 photos - many never before seen - and timeless Al Hirschfeld caricatures, A Hundred Years, A Million Laughs captures America's favorite comedians in rare form as they perform for their peers.

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Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, I bought Kathy's book yesterday and I stayed up all night reading it. Yes, I am a big fan of hers and so perhaps I am a little biased but why would you even be looking at this book if you weren't a fan of hers?
She successfully walks the line between serious autobiography and comedic book. Parts of it will rip your heart out while others will make you laugh out loud. I can't say that I love her more now than I did before but I do understand her a bit more. I can't wait to see her live again.
Since she talks so much in her act about her celebrity encounters don't expect any amazing revelations there. There were a few new stories (Steve Martin etc.) but for the most part it really chronicles her entire life and career and shows how hard she worked and the insanity she put up with to get to where she is now. Great stories about her early years with the Groundlings and her friends Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Lisa Kudrow, Julia Sweeney, Jeaneane Garofolo, Margaret Cho and more. You are going to learn where and why she has the work ethic that she does. She never sold out, she did do it all her way.
I loved the book, like I said I read it in about 6 hours cover to cover. My only complaint is that there were no color pictures in the book like most typical biographies.
Also as an ex Los Angelino is was nice to hear her talking about my old stomping in grounds in West Hollywood and her adventures there. I also jumped on the back of a bike at the Carl's Jr on La Brea and Santa Monica OMG!!! Wonder if we banged the same guy!! HAH!!
BUY THE BOOK!!!

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Staten Island: A Walk Down Memory Lane Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted to take the time to let you know that your book was the greatest hit with my siblings this past holiday! All four called me so excited & then called me back, after they read the book, to tell me about different memories from the book that really touched them. Thank you so very much for all the time you took in putting such a touching book together. I will certainly keep you in mind for the next holiday & book #2. Thanks again John!
Regards,
JoAnn Braithwaite
Indiana

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Were there really four airports here? Was the Staten Island Airport shut down each night to ensure no peril to the patrons of the drive-in theater?Is there truly a 150 foot dormant tunnel under the harbor between Staten Island and Brooklyn with the entrance capped in Brooklyn?In the 1930's, Which of Staten Island's best known restaurateurs, bought a house across the street from his famous restaurant and built a 200-foot tunnel between the house and the restaurant so that he could safely carry the day's receipts from the restaurant to his home.Did President John Kennedy, sip coffee at the St. George ferry terminal? Can you believe that a famous Island milk company resorted to rowboats to delivery milk to areas from Oakwood to Midland Beach during some of the worst storms to every hit that area? Did Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley have a Wild West showin 1886 down at Erastina (Mariners Harbor)? In what year was a bomb actually exploded on a Staten Island Ferry?

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Hidden Arizona: Including Phoenix, Tucson, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon (Hidden Travel) Review

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(More customer reviews)The only things hidden in this book are the few-and-far-between listings for places that can't already be found in the AAA Tour Book. The layout and verbiage are bit more friendly but all in all, I found this guide book to be long on pat advice, (I.E. "Carry extra water when traveling in the desert") and short on usefull tips and interesting destinations.
Not bad if you aren't a AAA member or can't borrow the Arizona Tour book from one, but definitely far below my expectations.
This will be the first book I've ever returned for credit.

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New Hidden Highlight maps point the way to lesser-known gems along the state's historic old highways. This is the ultimate guide to Arizona's spectacular beauty with detailed information on day hikes in 67 parks and wilderness areas. Includes reviews of a wide range of unique accommodations including golf resorts in Phoenix, dude ranches outside Tucson and B&B Inns in Sedona.

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The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 (Unofficial Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)Looking for a guide to Walt Disney World? I think I can help. My family, along with two other families, recently spent a week at Disney, and we took five different travel books with us. We thought it would be fun to compare how useful the books were as we planned our trip and as we spent our days at the parks.
This review is the result of our efforts, with book rated from 1 star (awful) to 5 stars (great).
Before I start, you should know that our little reviewing group consisted of three couples, all in their early thirties. Between us we have three little girls, one little boy, a teenage girl, and a pair of grandparents that went along too.
We rated the books based on six criteria:
1. Helpfulness as a Trip Planner
Does the book offer tips on saving money or time? Does it help you get through the Orlando airport? Does it recommend hotels and restaurants to reserve and back up its reasons well? Does it have good advice about the Disney dining plan and which restaurants to eat at?
2. Helpfulness While at Disney World.
Is it worthwhile to take the guide with you? Does it help with last minute decisions? Is it fun to read as you wait for a restaurant table, or in a line for a ride or show?
3. Organization.
No matter how good a particular piece information is, if you can't find it, it doesn't do you any good. This is especially true in travel guides, when you often need a particular piece of information RIGHT NOW!
4. Current information.
Though all of these guides have "2009" in their title, are they really up-to-date? To find out, we picked out three things we know are new at Disney World for this year: The American Idol Experience show, the new promotion where guests get in free on their birthday, and the new room decor at the BoardWalk resort, where we stayed, and checked to see which books knew about them.
5. Addresses family needs
Since so many Disney World visitors are families, how does each book reflect that? Are there specific planning tips for families? Is there advice about which rides are too scary for little ones?
So, on to the reviews!
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2009 2 stars
Once published by travel guru Steve Birnbaum, today Birnbaum's Walt Disney World is an objective travel guide in name only. Now written and published by the Disney company, it offers nothing but cheers for everything Walt Disney World has to offer. Worse, a lazy attitude permeates everything, as if this is something Disney is forced to do but would really just forget about. As you would expect, there's precious little about saving money (except for a recommendation to "save" by buying the extra-cost Disney Disney Plan) and no quality ratings for attractions, restaurants or resorts beyond an occasional "Birnbaum's Best" logo. Chapter titles are confusing: restaurants are under "Good Meals Great Times;" water parks within "Everything Else in the World." The book was 1-for-3 on our accuracy test. It knew the American Idol show existed but had no information about it. Its room description for the Boardwalk Resort was two years out of date. It did not mention the birthday promotion. On the plus side, the book's relative few pages makes it the easiest of the Disney guides to scan through, and there are many illustrations of Mickey Mouse and other cartoon characters.
The Complete Walt Disney World 2009 5 stars
Outstanding organization and a wealth of color photos makes it easy to find particular information in The Complete Walt Disney World. Chapters are color coded, and subjects are grouped together well. For example, a Planning Your Trip chapter has a subsection on the Disney Dining Plan that clearly spells out the pluses and minuses of that add-on, and individual articles titled Saving Money (with 30 numbered tips), another called Saving Time. Restaurant reviews include good insight on character meals. Resort descriptions have more details than the other guides, though the authors provide little opinion beyond a star rating. Theme park information is superb. Attraction reviews, which can go on for multiple pages for major headliners like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, include "Fear Factors" as well as "Fun Finds," are practical for families and fun for Disney fans. There's a touring plan for each park that we found helpful. The Complete Guide was 3-for-3 in our accuracy test. The only downer: Except for hotel listings, the Complete Walt Disney World focuses exclusively on Walt Disney World. There's no mention of Universal Studios, Sea World, or even the Orlando airport.
Frommer's Walt Disney World and Orlando 2009 3 stars
Frommers is well written, well organized and in many ways thorough, but the author doesn't seem that familiar with Walt Disney World. The book has no tips on saving time or money, and its hotel and restaurant opinions aren't backed up with a lot of facts. Attraction descriptions are short paragraphs with no specifications and few tips. The book offers little take-along value, and hardly any specific information for families. Vague family information. There are no photos or illustrations. The book scored 0 for 3 on our accuracy test. It didn't know about the American Idol show, our new room decor, or Disney's birthday promotion.
Fodor's Walt Disney World 2009: plus Universal Orlando and SeaWorld 2 star
Like a weaker version of the Frommers guide, the Fodors one is less organized and offers even less planning advice. Its ride and show descriptions seem to be edited versions of those in the Unofficial Guide, which this company also publishes. Like Frommers, the book scored 0 for 3 on our accuracy test.
The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 4 stars
Is there an editor in the house? Packed with advice and information, the 848-page Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is like your grandmother's attic: there's a lot of good stuff in there but so much junk to shift through! Actually it depends on the subject. If you have hours to dig through it, this massive tome can be a great planning tool. Page after page is devoted to subjects such as saving time or saving money. Incredibly detailed resort information includes which rooms, by number, offer the best views. Attraction summaries have details such as ratings by age group, but the authors comments are often so cynical they have value only if you find them funny. The Unofficial Guide scored 2 out of 3 on our accuracy test. It didn't know about Disney's birthday promotion. The book includes various Touring Plans, which offer step-by-step guidance for a day, or two, at each of the theme parks. These looked useful, but our group had too many individual interests to follow them. In short, this is a good book for those who aren't really fans of the Disney company, but want to take months to plan out a visit to its mecca.
So that's it! We determined that the Unofficial Guide and the Complete Guide are the best two books out there. As for which is the best for you, I think if you like Disney (or want a book that includes photography) you will like the Complete Guide best, but if you are headed there reluctantly (like, say, only to keep your kids happy), or also want information about SeaWorld or Universal, you will find the Unofficial Guide more to your liking. But either is a good choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 (Unofficial Guides)

More than 4 million copies sold! This series is the only one that offers evaluations based on reader surveys and critiques, compiled by a team of unbiased inspectors.
• Hotels, attractions, and restaurants in all price categories
• Extensive information on shopping, nightlife, and sports
• Easy-to-use, two-color design
• Detailed, 2-color maps

From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"—Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"—The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide:

Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day

Tips, advice, and opinions from hundreds of Walt Disney World guests in their own words

Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families

A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World

Every attraction rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks

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Fodor's Essential South, 1st Edition: With the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, the Gulf Coast & Other Top Spots in 10 States (Fodor's Gold Guides) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just not enough information about each state to make this worthwhile. We used a couple of their restaurant recommendations on our travels, but hotel recommendations were useless (traveling with children). Wasted my money. You can do better by reseaching destinations/places of interest/hotels/restaurants on the internet.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fodor's Essential South, 1st Edition: With the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, the Gulf Coast & Other Top Spots in 10 States (Fodor's Gold Guides)

This new guide simplifies trips to an assortment of fun and versatile destinations across the South.Focused on the best cities, activity-packed towns, beaches, and roadside attractions in 10 southern states, coverage includes:•The South's top tourist attractions, such as Colonial Williamsburg, North Carolina's Outer Banks, Nashville and Memphis, Savannah and Charleston, and the Great Smoky Mountains •Short features such as "How to Snack," "History You Can See," and "Strange But True" that make the South fun and accessible for your entire family•Reviews of the top Civil War sites that are really worth the trip•Itineraries to help you navigate the two essential routes through the South: U.S. Route 1 and the Great River Road•Trip reports from Fodor's readers like you on their favorite journeys through the South•More than 50 detailed maps of the South's top cities and regions to plan your perfect vacationFodor's. For Choice Travel Experiences.

Click here for more information about Fodor's Essential South, 1st Edition: With the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, the Gulf Coast & Other Top Spots in 10 States (Fodor's Gold Guides)

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