5 comments about Bonnie Raitt: Just in the Nick of Time.

1. Being a huge Bonnie Raitt fan, I was of course disappointed. Yes, it is informative if you don't know anything about Ms. Raitt. I applaud her in being able to keep her private life so private. We may want all the "dirt" or what ever but it's really none of our business. She deserves that. Bego copied from alot of already printed material, but if you're not familure with or you're new to Bonnie's material then I guess this is an ok read. I'm not a fan of unauthorized autobiographys for this simple reason. But, being a huge fan of Raitt, well, you get what you get. If your not, save your money.



2. Instead of spending money on this book, just go back and read every review written on Bonnie Raitt's work, and you will get the same information. Mr. Bego offers nothing new and no inside information, no childhood background, no authorization or cooperation from the artist herself. Disappointing.



3. Half way through reading this book I checked what amazon.com reviewers thought about it and I was very surprised with black-and-white opinions expressed here:seems that people find this book either the best biography ever written (which is not) or the worst biography ever written (which is not).I think that Mr.Bego did loving job,writting about the artist he obviously care for (no dirty sensationalism here) and if he used every available information he could (LP cover lines and so on) I understand that was the only information to be found,in his place I would probably do the same!As the book intrigued me to look for more of Bonnie Raitt's music,it did good job and even if its not the most exciting book ever written,it did provide me with some information about Bonnie which I didnt know before and it make me curious to listen ALL of her albums.Is that "the worst biography ever written" as the previous reviewers think?



4. Being a hugh Bonnie Raitt fan one may imagine how excited I was to get this book. It actually is the liner notes from Ms Raitt's albums and various interviews she has given over the years strung together. Some of the text is taken verbatium off of liner notes.



5. Without going into alot about this book, it was first, unauthorized so it just isn't going to have the impact as if Bonnie was sitting there by the fire on a cold night, playing some acoustic slide and starting from the beginning, but there are alot of people out their who are new to Bonnie's music and don't know much about her and it was informative without getting into a whole personal detail. I enjoyed this for what it was, some day Bonnie will sit down and tell all but until then I just get off on her music and the great human being she is. That is all you need to know, just listen to what her song say to the heart and mind.

No comments about John G.

1 comments about The Good Life of Helen Nearing: A Remarkable Woman Looks Back at Her Life's Journey on the Path of Truth, Self-Discovery and Integrity/Cassette.

1. The message is loud and clear, the simple life is a beautiful thing. I've passed this along to so many people, it's a wonderful companion on a long drive.

5 comments about My Life As a 10-year-old Boy.

1. OK, it wasn't written well. And there are times where the girl power emphasis, the "way cool"s and such do get a bit tedious, but hey - that is how ms. Cartwright talks. And in that one gets a key piece of info - she is Bart! Literally. We have here the do-what-you-feel boy. Its a fairly open account of her early career on up to Bart, containing therein something which I have found lacking in all other Simpsons books or commentaries. This is the only place I have found anyone involved in the Simpsons discuss the death of the great Phil Hartman. It just annoys me honestly in the DVD commentaries or in books when he is solely referred to as "the late Phil Hartman" in a 4 word quickie statement that then passes to the next Citizen Kane parody. Not that I mean going into any morbid, tabloid details, but acknowledging that one day he was at work and one he wasn't, saying how tragic it was and what a loss to television and those that knew him personally. A cute book for those that like the show, and far better than others (avoid Planet Simpson like the razor Os in frosted Krusty flakes) in terms of anecdotes of the show's early years.



2. I had to read this book. I consider The Simpsons to be one of, if not the, greatest TV sitcom ever, and the chance at a behind the scenes look into the show was not something I could refuse. Indeed the cover proclaims it as a look "Behind the Scenes at The Simpsons." Sadly, however, there is very little of this. What this book really is, instead, is a memoir by a would-be celebrity who seems to be shouting the words "recognize me" over and over for 270 pages.
   
   Not that Ms. Cartwright has trouble recognizing herself. This book is, essentially, nothing more than the relating of her life, a bland and boring story that plods along without really anything to pique the reader's interest. She writes poorly, makes use of irritating phrases like "so way cool," shifts tenses several times in a paragraph, and uses quotation marks with reckless abandon. She also presents her life as flat and with a sort of one-sided idealism. Everything goes right-there is never any doubt, no failures or second guesses to cloud this fairy tale. Nancy seems to want everyone to see her life as perfect in every way.
   
   The "behind the scenes" aspect of the work is actually a slew of anecdotes which ranges from stories of people applauding and extolling her greatness to star struck accounts of her own run-ins with celebrity, which almost invariably end with some star validating her inflated opinion of herself by acknowledging her existence. There is a random spattering of the "process" as she, someone who isn't actually involved in the animation process, sees it. If, like me, you're looking for real meat, for actual looks behind the scenes and into the inner workings of Springfield you'll be, again like me, sorely disappointed.
   
   At times it's annoying that Nancy sees herself as a celebrity. At other times its humorous or just plain sad. I actually burst out laughing when she compares Kelsey Grammer's appearances as Sideshow Bob to her own minor role as a forgettable extra in an episode of Cheers. That she has the audacity to refer to herself in that sitcom (years before the Simpsons) as a "guest star" overcame my efforts of keeping a straight face. She seems to be craving respect and recognition, throwing around names of people and stars she's worked with (or who she spent 5 minutes at the mic with during their guest appearances) as if by rubbing shoulders (or, better yet, having shook hands) with celebrities she is, by definition, one herself. As she narrates tales of Kirk Douglas, Mel Gibson, and others she patronizes them by condescendingly taking it upon herself to fantasize what they might be thinking and imagining that they're actually nervous. She has some twisted sense that they have to prove themselves to the Simpsons cast, as if the stars of Spartacus and Braveheart are concerned with what she thinks. Indeed it seems a twisted form of hero worship when she ponders if this or that Hollywood great can, as she puts it, "measure up."
   
   In all fairness Nancy is a very talented voice over artist and certainly deserves respect. It's no stretch of the imagination, however, to remember that she's only one part of Bart Simpson. Taking into account that Homer more or less stole the spotlight from Bart in the first few seasons anyway it's surprising that she has to wonder why she's not constantly mobbed by fans. She ponders why they refused to announce her arrival at a Screen Actors Guild awards ceremony. That she doesn't recognize the limit of her celebrity is, indeed, sad. That her name has to be qualified with the phrase "Voice of Bart Simpson" on the cover should, one would think, provide a hint.
   
   I picked this book up hoping for an in-depth look at both The Simpsons and the development and evolution of Bart Simpson's voice. Sadly, I feel I was let down from start to finish. My respect for Nancy Cartwright as the voice of Bart will continue, but I just can't buy into the celebrity status she's afforded herself. And I'll always remember that several talents on that show eclipse her own, and that there are people on the show who do upwards of 12 or more voices but don't feel the need to write a book about it. You don't see James Earl Jones trying to validate his whole career as the voice of Darth Vader (a voice infinitely more memorable that Bart's), and there's a reason for that. Shameless self-promotion or not, I think Nancy Cartwright said it best herself when she realized she was a "celebrity that nobody knew."



3. [...]
   Although not as detailed as I would have liked, Nancy still offers a unique insider's perspective on the creation of each Simpsons episode. From the writers and storyboard artists' conceptions to the final product, the book takes the reader through the entire process of what it's like to produce an animated television show.
   
   Nancy also gives a brief account of her journey through the business of voice-over artist. She starts with her humble beginnings in school plays and speech competitions through working with her mentor, Daws Butler (Huckleberry Hound, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, etc.).
   
   In short, this was a very interesting and informative book even if it was, at times, a little "self-serving." But then again, what else do you expect from an autobiography?
   
   ]...]



4. Having read Nancy Cartwright's book, My Life As A Ten Year Old Boy (5 cds, 6 hours, unabridged) which was not a great book or a great tell all. On the printed page, the book was slow and boring. So, I was very leary of an audio version. Well, I was wrong...The audio version sparkles.
   
   Cartwright seems to do a one woman show in narrating her book. Okay, she doesn't fully get her co-stars voice patterns (like Julie Kavner's Marge or the late great Phil Hartman) perfect, but you will know who she is talking about. She is a masterful talent behind a mic, which makes this insiders version of the Simpson family rock.
   
   So, DONT HAVE A COW, MAN over some of her crazy vocal detours Nancy tries. Cartwright's tell all is NOT an audio copy of Nimoy's I am NOT Spock. She is happy in the skin of Bart and it shows. What impresses me more is her humble beginning and her excitement in this reading. It overwhelms the listener. For most Overwhelming is bad, for this it is VERY good. Cartwright is a fan along with all of us ! She still had the awe with the rest of us!
   
   So If you a Simpson fan, Animation fan, Love Saturday Morning Cartoons (or Cartton Network) or a fan of a life in Hollywood stories... this no nonsense, humorous recanting on the history of a cartoon series is great fun...and if you don't like this audio...well to quote Bart Simpson, in his immortal words, "EAT MY SHORTS!"--Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD



5. Ugh, I haven't "struggled" through a book like this since high school. I'm a huge Simpsons fan and although I don't care much about Nancy Cartwright, I saw the "Behind the scenes at the Simpsons" sticker on the front cover...so I had to have it.
   
   I know this sounds kinda silly but while reading the book I kept thinking to myself, "Who the heck cares about Nancy Cartwright"?!? She's just a voice, she's in no way interesting. She's also not funny, not even accidently funny. The only laughs I got from the book was about how bad it was.
   
   In addition, she's a poor writer. She should have hired one of these ghost-writers to write her memoirs. I also got the impression from the book that she's an egotistical maniac. Without even reading the book you could probably figure this out, she makes something like $300,000 per episode, so she made off of one episode than off her entire book.
   
   Please please please, stay away from this!!

5 comments about Hunting with Hemingway.

1. Just a bunch of made-up tall tales, allegedly based on a mysterious tape recording uncovered by the author after her parents' death. The tape is probably the biggest tall tale of them all. If you're interested in facts, skip this one. Sorry I wasted my money.



2. Why isn't this excellent Kirkus review listed on your site along with the less-than-favorable ones from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal? Here's what Kirkus has to say:
   
   Hemingway and Lindsay (Dreamland,1998) carry the Hemingway traditions of hunting family, and storytelling into the new millennium.
   
   After her mother's death in 1997, Hilary, the daughter of Ernest's younger brother Leicester inherits an audiocassette. On the tape is a recording of a fireside story telling session given by Leicester who had committed suicide 15 years earlier. Hilary transcribes these tales she has never heard before, weaving them with the chatter of his fireside companions and with her own feelings and the result is a book that rejoices in the simple beauty of a story. A huntsman and writer like his brother, Leicester describes adventures that he and Ernest experienced around the globe-with tales of nighttime crocodile hunts and slim escapes from stone- throwing baboons. Together, Leicester and his brother-often his savior-make a dynamic duo, and his tales are awesome, admirable, and a bit incredible. The pair escapes vicious packs of cannibal dogs, kills a king cobra, captures wild ostriches in Africa, and slays a Komodo dragon in the Far East. Or do they? As Hilary, Lindsay and their daughters listen to the recording, they just can't decide whether these are true stories or tall tales. Here, the story becomes a personal and touching one as well. Leicester Hemingway chose "the family exit" rather than suffer a double amputation make necessary by his diabetes. Hearing her father's stories helps Hilary finally mourn his loss and gain a new perspective on her family tradition.
   
   Hilary honors her father and celebrates her family legacy with this collection of fantastic hunting stories.



3. This is a delightful book. Don't let the boorish reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal (listed here on Amazon) mislead you. It's a charming story.



4. Its too bad Leicester Hemingway did not mine his own life for stories. I've never been able to find anything written by him other than "My Brother, Ernest Hemingway," and that was a fairly average read. Other than some insights and background it possessed to which only Leicester might ever have been privy it wasn't particularly noteworthy. Still, that book did hint that the talent in the family stretched beyond Ernest, and now Hilary Hemingway comes along to prove that fact.

   This book has been attacked in some quarters as being pure fiction and, unfortunately, Hilary destroyed the only evidence that might have help prove that the source of the many tales therein was indeed her father, Leicester Hemingway. The tales recounted within are reputedly those left behind by her father on an audiocassette. But Hilary destroyed the only copy which is, admittedly odd, given that the tapes also apparently helped her to come to terms with her relationship with her father.

   Hilary came into possession of the tape some fifteen years after her father commited suicide, a suicide which further added to the tragedy and myth of mental illness leading to suicide being an inherited trait in the family. Leicester was prompted to commit suicide when he lost his legs to diabetes. Hilary stuggled for years to forgive him.

   This book recounts both stories of her father's adventuring (some with his more famous brother, Ernest, and some on his own)and the story of the process of how she came to grips with her father's decision to commit suicide. It is a book both about her father's life and her personal process of healing after his death. As we see in reading this book, which is actually relatively short, Hilary is a very talented writer. Although I should point out her husband, Jeffrey Lindsay, was a co-author on this book so where Hilary's work begins and ends is not certain.

   Regardless, its a very compelling read whether the stories of her father are fiction or not. Frankly, most of them sound very plausible (a few do stretch the limits of credibility) and I guess we will just have to take her word that Leicester did indeed leave a recording containing these stories.

   I only hope we have not heard the last from Hilary Hemingway because she appears to have a true talent for writing.




5. This book was a joy to read. The tales are basically told by Leicester as they were recorded on an old casette tape. The man is pulling your leg so just go with it and enjoy yourself. In the end you will find that the book is not about Ernest at all. It is about a daughter coming to terms with the passing of her beloved father. If you gain nothing more from reading this book than learning that Leicester was a fantastic storyteller then it is time well spent.

5 comments about I'm Only One Man!.

1. Regis is one of my favorite celebrities! He is a down-to-earth family man who approaches life with good humor and a likeable manner. I enjoyed accompanying him as he talked through some typical days in his very busy life. Listening to him more than a decade after he shared these reflections gave the story an outdated feel, as a lot of the pop-culture personalities he mentions have disappeared from the scene, and the old-timers he reminisced about are way before my time. As well, now that he is paired with Kelly Ripa, he seems younger, hipper and more light-hearted than he was at the time he recorded this memoir. She brings out something special in him that Kathie Lee never did.
   
   The book is a nice representation of the entertainment business and pop-culture, made all the better when expressed by a personable and respected celebrity like Regis.



2. Regis's book logs many of the days(incl some holidays) between 6/15/94-5/19/95 with some of the yesterdays prior to 6/14/94 .....Good intro by the Regis and Cathy Live staff at that time( Michael Gelman and Cathy Lee Gifford) Gelman still Gelman and Cathy Lee ,has moved on for even better someday.. ,plus there is much levity through out( It was given as a gift to me for Xmas 2000,I've skimmed through the entire book and got a few chuckles without even getting to much into the NY ,NY details(photos were great,& joke about Perry Como quite funny). It ends with smoothness and ease:as Regis, in his biography says to the reader" I've got to find my plane tickets,back my bags and get ready for the next show.After all,I'm only one man". 12/27/00 abj



3. Reading this book is like sitting down with Regis and listening to him tell you stories. You will be able to look deeper into the man that engages in Host Chat with Kathie Lee everyday. This book is an example of how far Regis really came in life and how hard he had to work for it. This can almost be a self-help book in a way because it portrays the commitment to excellence put forth by Regis to achieve his dream....and did he ever!



4. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I learned things about Regis that you won't learn by watching him on TV. I enjoyed reading about his trials and tribulations of his career, from his early days to the present. I have recommended this books to others. Whoever has my copy, please return it! This is one book you can read again.



5. I watched my father write this -- longhand, in a spiral notebook, no less. (Dad can barely find the "on" switch for the computer.) I learned things about my family that I never knew. Anyone familiar with him, even if only through his work on television, can absolutely tell that the words are his. Poor Bill Zehme had the unenviable task of keeping him focused. And, he did a great job! It's a good, quick read. Get it. Read it. Pass it on.

4 comments about Henry VIII.

1. Scarisbrick's book is a scholar's book and remains recognized after over three decades as the definitive work on the subject. It provides the background for other, equally valuable books, such as David Starkey's "Six Wives: The Wives of Henry VIII". This, though, is not to say that Scarisbrick can't be read for pleasure. It can, but you will not find it the brezzy read of a popular history; instead, you will find a wealth of information that will serve you well in future reading on the subject. And it is a very enjoyable read itself. If you are serious about your understanding of this period of English history then Scarisbrick is essential, and I can't imagine a personal library on Henry or Tudor England without a copy.
   
   As another reviewer remarked, this is not the book for an extensive treatment of Henry's wives. For that, I recommend turning to Starkey, and it too is essential for an understanding of this period of the history of Tudor England. What I've said about Scarisbrick's book can also be said about Starkey; although, I don't think it has quite the stature of Scarisbrick's.



2. I read this book right after reading Carolly Erickson's biography of Henry VIII, and on balance this book is better and easier to read. I love that Scarisbrick has modernized the spelling and punctuation of the original documents he quotes. I think the picture of Henry presented is well-balanced, and does not minimize the faults of the subject of the biography. The careful examination of the question of the validity of the marriage of Henry and Catherine of Aragon is the best I have ever read, and partisans on either side of that question will see that there is indeed another side to the view they favor. The examination of the religious views of Henry is detailed and enlightening. I have always had a negative view of Henry VIII and I still have after reading this book, but the book was instructive and enlightening. The footnotes are where they belong (at the bottom of each page) and the bibliography is detailed though of course a bit dated in the 1968 edition I read. After you read this book you will know that you have read a really good biography of this important figure in world history.



3. I did not like this book at all! I have read most everything out there regarding Henry VIII. I found this a very hard go. It was extremely difficult to read. It focus's mostly on Henry's policies and the religous issue and a lot of assumptions as to why Henry acted a certain way. It is very date heavy. He barely mentions his wives except to say married on this date, died on this date. If you are beginner to Henry, this is not the book for you.



4. Prof. Scarisbrick has written the definitive biography of Henry VIII and his times, even though this book is about 30 years old. Scarisbrick brought an interesting view to the subject: as a Roman Catholic he was the first British author granted access to Vatican archives for his research on the subject. The result is a still cogent, absolutely exhaustive book on the subject. Entailing a practically week by week account of Henry VIII's reign is overwhelming but of the upmost help for students of the subject. If you are looking for a light introduction to Henry VIII, this is probably not the place. But if you want *all* the (mind-numbing) details on Henry VIII, look no further than Scarisbrick's brilliant work.

No comments about An Ulster Christmas.

1 comments about Dickie Bird: His Autobiography.

1. Having been a cricket fan since the black & white days, I found Dickie's story to be most sincere in its writings, which in essence is how Dickie Bird "ran" the games for which he was in charge. A most interesting read for the diehard cricket fan, though don't expect a masterpiece.

No comments about Mika Hakkinen (Grand Prix Heroes).