2 comments about JOHN WAYNE'S AMERICA: THE POLITICS OF CELEBRITY CASSETTE: The Politics of Celebrity.

1. Wills, author of many other works, including the amazing Lincoln at Gettysburg, sets an examination of Wayne's films squarely in the American zeitgeist - given them added heft and importance.
   Wills will appear at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral on October 15, 2007, for a conversation with Dean Alan Jones. It will also be webcast live and archived for later listening. More information is available at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/calendar/detail.php?eid=1053.



2. An immensely engaging analysis of the actor who for many years was the #1 most popular film star in the world, even many years after his death. The author diagnostically and exhaustingly detailed perspective of Wayne the actor vs. Wayne the man is what sets it apart as a landmark bio. You will not be displeased. In one chapter the author discusses the fact that, after having seen "High Noon" he was so upset with the scene wherein Coop throws his marshall's badge into the dusty road that he was instrumental in seeing to it that the script writer was investigated and later forced out of the country after being suspected of pro-communist leanings during the McCarhty witchtrials. Wayne is ultimately admired as an artist yet condemned for his staunchly conservative political views

5 comments about Pdq Bach, The Definitive Biography Of.

1. The hardcover original of this book is roughly 10" x 10" square. This paperback edition takes those pages, keeps the square aspect ratio, and squeezes them onto 9" x 6". So the picture, print, etc. are 40% smaller than intended, with wide stripes of white space at top and bottom. Many of the funny details in the pictures are lost, and much of the text is unreadable.
   
   The other reviewers are exactly right as to the hilarity of the content. By all means, seek out the hardcover original of this book from a used book seller. A used copy may be imperfect, but it will be less expensive and more readable than this edition.



2. A hilarious fake biography of the fictional, "last and certainly least" child of Johann Sebastian Bach. P.D.Q. spends most of his young life rebelling against his family's artistic legacy before he finally realizes that having the name Bach means that people will pay him good money for mediocre musical works.

   And mediocre they are--besides being a drunk and a philanderer, he has no musical talent whatsoever. Which doesn't stop him from creating some of the most inept, bizarre and funny art the world has ever seen. Great stuff, even if you have no knowledge of classical music.




3. I first read this hilariously absurd book when I was in college. My only regret is that I read it in a public place, so I had to stifle the nearly-uncontrollable fits of laughter it provoked. Only Peter Schickele would solemnly explain that a suite for "divers instruments" was not actually performed with scuba gear, or that the left-handed sewer flute is nearly extinct as an instrument because most of them ended up back underground. Only Schickele would write a classical piece featuring ocarina and plucked strings (ok; so that's not true; Gyorgy Ligeti did it, too--but maybe Ligeti read this book!)

   In short, this is the best written satire on classical music ever produced. It gives classical music the same treatment as the "Airplane" movies gave Irwin Allen films--one joke after another after another...




4. An absolute must for every P.D.Q. Bach fan! It includes an annotated catalogue of P.D.Q.'s music (titled "Such a Horrid Clang") up to its publication in 1976. Every page is full of hilarity. I am constantly getting mine out to read about the pieces I'm listening to, or just to laugh about the hilarious photos and captions in the pictorial essay. Even the index is worth reading beginning to end!



5. I must agree with the previous review: This is the best book of its kind, whatever that is (it may be the ONLY book of its kind). If you enjoy music theory or music history, this book will make you laugh harder than Schickele's recordings of PDQ Bach's music. If you aren't fairly knowledgable about classical music (and many of the very dry books which this satirizes), don't buy this book, as much of the humor will be lost on you. If, however, you know that a sonata is not something to be wiped with a handkerchief, this book is full of non-stop laughs.

No comments about It Ain't As Easy As It Looks: Ted Turner's Amazing Story.

5 comments about In the Footsteps of Jesus: One Man's Journey Through The Life of Christ.

1. What a joy to read the book and be given the idea that Jesus was joyful and loving, not like other Hollywood movies where Jesus never blinks and is very pious. This Jesus character related to the people he was here to save. Loved the book and the movie-which is word for word the Gospel of Matthew.



2. I bought this book for my book club. We usually read fiction but I had read this and wanted them to read it too. They loved it. The experience the author has as he plays Jesus, along with the cast and crew in making this move Matthew is truly amazing. The way they depict Jesus in the movie this book is about, is more like I like to think of who Jesus is and what he was like while he was here on earth. Truly inspiring!



3. It was an encouragement to me to read Bruce Marchiano's testimony about his amazing journey of following Christ and his life changing experience of portraying Jesus in the film "The Gospel according to Matthew". I enjoyed reading every page of this book because the love of Jesus flows through it.
   I recommend this book to everyone, especially those who loved Bruce Marchiano's presentation of the joyful Jesus in the film "The Gospel according to Matthew". After I read "In the Footsteps of Jesus", I had to watch the film "The Gospel according to Matthew" again and again. In my opinion, it is the best Jesus film I have ever seen! Check out the plans for Bruce's new film "The Gospel according to John".



4. In a book that chronicles one man's journey to discover the joy of Jesus, Bruce Marchiano blesses us with the joy of sharing in his personal journey. The reader walks along with Marchiano as he explores the Jesus that we all seek to know. We experience Marchiano's drawing closer to Jesus as his walk and journey unfold before us in every chapter. I would certainly recommend reading this book and then, view the `Matthew' movie, and come to know the full joy of Jesus as I did! Marchiano shares with the reader his discovery of Jesus as a touchable, loveable human who laughed and smiled and wept...who just simply loves each of us so very much! An amazing story of how the lives of Marchiano and of those involved with the film were touched by Jesus! I recently discovered that Bruce Marchiano has launched a mission to raise funds to put the Gospel of John on film! Anyone interested should check the web under Marchiano Ministries for details! Many thanks to Bruce Marchiano for inviting us join him in this new vision and for bringing us along in his journey thus far. In doing so, he brings us all closer to our Jesus that we seek to know so intimately!



5. The best portrayal of Jesus in any film was Robert Powell in the 1977 mimi series, "Jesus of Nazareth".. I thought Marchiano was waaaay over the top and that his performance fell more in the category of amateur. That being said, I thought the book was somewhat insightful but as I read on it kept reminding me that it was more about walking in the footsteps of Mr. Marchiano rather than Jesus. Not recommended

5 comments about Secrets of the Flesh (BBC Radio 4).

1. Judith Thurman is an intelligent, thoughtful biographer with a superb prose style to boot. It's an extremely satisfactory biographical experience to experience Colette through Thurman's filter.



2. Colette is one of those authors whose life is as fascinating as her writing, and this book ably describes the former, also containing many wonderful photos. Colette's uniquely sensitive yet unsentimental way of experiencing life has been a source of inspiration to me since I first discovered her as a preteen. One moment she can be devastated by the suffering of an animal, or write with exquisite insightfulness about the insecurities of her unconventional friends; the next she can swear off a failed marriage or friendship without a hint of pity (or self-pity). This book was very satisfying from the standpoint of her personal and family history, and contained extensive information about her long-standing affair with her teenaged stepson, which, while perhaps her most problematic moral transgression, certainly made for interesting reading. While the book was far less occupied with conveying the brilliance of Colette's writing, for that one need only go to the source. There is so much to learn from Colette's life; despite facing considerable hardships, she managed to thrive and celebrate all that she found beautiful and fascinating in nature, the theater, humanity -- really any topic to which she turned her magnificent vision. Betrayal was a major theme in her relationships, and the way that she survived and even exploited repeated psychic wounds, ultimately finding peace with a kind and compatible partner, is instructive and inspiring. She will always have a very special place in my heart, and I thank Ms. Thurman for making her more accessible.



3. I say "wonderful," though I don't mean in the chaste, good person sort of way, but in a fiery, accomplished one. This biography, amazingly in depth (though at times almost too chronological, and not enough insight into Colette's persona) reveals all that Colette did and was, the good, the bad and the ugly, though despite her flaws she contributed an oceanful of herself--her books, her plays, her child, her love, and her histrionic talents to the world. She lived without being afraid to be herself in a time, as Thurman truthfully puts it, when contempt for both women and homosexuals (of which she was both) ran rampant.

   Thurman has definitely done her research, and switches back and forth between a sort of fictitious, dreamy scape and a very forward, matter of fact report, which can get a little austere. I went back and forth to being completely absorbed to just reading it to get past this or that part, but thankfully, there was much more to praise than to criticize. I found Willy's "character" particularly amusing. The pictures are a nice gesture, my favorites being the one where Colette is holding a cigarette, dressed in drag, and the one where she's in a dance costume, kneeling and watching Willy. They both sum up that Moulin Rouge, anything goes, youthful era, which Colette basically incarnates. I hope we can all be sort of like her, in one way or another.

   On the whole, this is one piece of nonfiction I indefinitely enjoyed, and Thurman, though not perfect, is a dedicated and effective author. Recommended highly.




4. The farther into this book I got, the more I got the very strong feeling that at some point in her research and writing, the author came to intensely dislike Colette, particularly in her roles as daughter, wife, and mother. And after reading the book I came to dislike her too, which is a shame. I also didn't appreciate what I think was almost condemnation on Thurman's part--almost as though she thought Colette didn't deserve the respect and accolades she received throughout her life and after her death, because she was a neglectful daughter, an unfaithful wife, and a truly awful mother. Maybe, maybe not.

   Colette was a favorite author of mine, 25 years ago or so while I was in high school and college. I knew many of the details of her personal life from what little biographical information I could find at that time, but not this much. Perhaps ignorance is bliss! C'est la vie.




5. I bought Thurman's bio of Isak Dinesen/Karen Blixen in Danish after seeing "Out of Africa" in 1986 in Copenhagen, where I'm from. I never finished it, and sold it eventually. Then, two years ago I came across it in a used book store here in CA (the English edition), read it and adored it. It is one of the few books which I have read more than once. Sometimes we come back to a work of art and wonder how we could be so blind/deaf the first time around. I may feel the same way about Thurman's bio of Colette down the road, but as of today I must admit I had a tough time getting through it.

   The fairly small print didn't help. Keeping track of the enormous gallery of people in her life took away a great deal of the reading pleasure, and Thurman's sentences are very long and not always "clear headed". Yes, Colette had quite a life, but somehow her life comes across as more interesting than her persona.

   My favorite parts are those that tell of her complicated relationships with her parents. I learn more about myself from reading such analysis than I would from three years of therapy!

   An A+: When Thurman writes about the "fin de siecle" in France she in fact shows herself to be a far better historian than biographer. (In the Dinesen bio she was both) And France around 1900 is remarkably like our world of today, which makes it very topical.

   I don't know how much of the Colette bio is Thurman and how much is other biographers and that too is a big minus. Colette has been covered extensively by many writers, and I wish that Thurman had spent 1990-1998 reading, researching and writing about someone who has not been "bio'd" so often or, even better, not at all. There were a few bios on Dinesen before Thurman's, but she was almost "virgin snow" compared to Colette.

   The fact that Colette was a very flawed human being doesn't mean someone should not write about her; in fact, flawed people often make the best subjects for a bio. Unfortunately, Thurman sounds at times star-struck, other times she sounds like a puritan, shocked, sometimes even somewhat envious, which of course are precisely some of the feelings and reactions that people had and still have about/to Colette. Dinesen is a much more likable person, much easier to relate to, and the movie "Out of Africa" made her the sort of romantic heroine that Colette probably never could be or would have wanted to be. Two very different women, two very different biographies. If a movie is ever made about Colette, one would hope they focus on a specific period and only a few people in her life as was done in "Out of Africa" in order to avoid the kind of horrible bio picture that Richard Attenborough's film about Chaplin was, where they rush through his entire (long) life in three hours with a "revolving door" of characters coming and going, leaving you dizzy and frustrated.

   I do recommend listening to the interview archived on the Diane Rhemes (spelled correctly?) show website: (type in Thurman's name on Yahoo and it will come on the long list of Thurman webpages) She interviewed Thurman when the book came out in 1999. You can "hear" Thurman blushing at times when speaking of Colette's wild times, and perhaps that is ultimately the problem with the Colette bio: Someone uncomfortable writing about sex, lesbians, bondage, nude dancing, etc. will come across as a prude. Colette, I imagine, would have been proud to have that effect on people in the year 2002, OR maybe she'd be sad that we really have not progressed as far as we'd like.

   Thanks for all the reviews - it's very interesting to read what other readers think - A virtual book club. I hope Thurman reads the reviews by the way. Writers can learn far more from "regular folks" than from critics who are feel obligated to either gush over a book or thrash it vicously, depending on who the critic is.

No comments about The Autobiography of William Zeckendorf (Newstrack Executive Classics).

5 comments about The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family.

1. This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.



2. This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.
   
   In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.



3. This book, along with another came in on time and for a great price. I Love this book.. I am now waiting to read the two books left that tells the rest of Dave's Story. There are 4 all together!



4. This book will open your eyes to child abuse. You will forever remember and reflect on what you have read. We all have a need to be loved.



5. this is a good book! i love it when dave sees that kid and the kid says what you call my sister? then dave says a horror? then the kid punches dave, makes his nose bleed, and says don't you ever, ever, call my sister a whore again! read it if you liek dave pelzer as much as me!

5 comments about Buffett: The Making of an American Capitolist.

1. Well researched, analyzed, and written.
   
   I see why Buffett was silently acceptive in autographing it. Superb job in reporting both analytical economics and personal life. Truth.
   
   I will read more from this author.



2. I gave this book 4 stars only because it was published in 1995, which is over a decade ago. It is a good source for background information about a corporate executive I respect--and there are few of those to be found. Buffett told the author he would nothing to help or hinder, and the journalistic quality and information is well-presented and -documented. A good place to learn more about the "Oracle of Omaha". I'd like to see Lowenstein do a follow-up covering the more recent years.



3. Before writing my impressions of this book, I think it is first important to identify the reviewer so others can see my perspective. I am a young graduate with limited to no investing experience. I became interest in Warren Buffett after reading a fair amount of articles on Buffett the person; his success in investing, his political views, his recent contribution to the Gates charity, and most importantly, his character. I became intrigued enough to inquire about the details of who this man is and his philosophy.
   
   This was exactly what the book offered; it is a biography, not an investment guide. That said, it is not really possible to unlink Buffett the person and Buffett the investor. His core values are too in entwined for it to be anything other. Lowenstein does a great job of presenting information in terms that a layman like myself can understand (with some help from simple research) while still providing enough information to get the details about Buffett's investment strategies and core values.
   
   I found the book to be both informative and enticing. It has instilled in me a great respect for the man, as well as an interest in becoming less of an investment layman. The book is a bit dated, now being about 13 years old, but after reading it, I find this point moot. Buffett's approach has been the same since he learned from Graham, just with more information and an increasing scope in which to apply his tactics.
   
   In my opinion, Lowenstein did a fantastic job researching his subject matter. The book is ripe with references and further signs that he truly knows his subject. I also found little to no signs of a subjective approach in respect to either glorifying Buffett or demonizing him, as far as is humanly possible. Buffett's mistakes are presented as clearly as his amazing triumphs (and they are quite amazing). Lowenstein's approach is instead to provide as clear as possible a presentation of Buffett's character, which is again entwined with his (enormous) successes and (minor) setbacks.
   
   Highly recommended for those interested in his character. Again, this book is a biography, not an investment guide, but it seems hard to separate the two in regards to Buffett.



4. Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Lowenstein is one of the most delightful books I have ever read. It was difficult to put this book down. If you enjoy an enterprising adventure, you'll love this one. More than investment epic biography; it is an exciting light fun read. There are tidbits of investing genius around every corner. My connection came when I learned how enterprising Warren was even as a young boy and then it gets better and better. Our investment club, also selected this book to study in 2008 and it has been exceeding expectations. It is one of several books I have read on the topic of Warren Buffett and it is by-far-and-away, the best. This is one you will want to keep for your collection and share with your kids, friends and family.



5. This is a biography. It talks about his parents, what he was like as a kid and how he got where he is today. It is college level reading, but flows nicely. Specific chapters fill us in in detail about some of the more complex times in his life like the beginnings of Berkshire and being investigated by the SEC.
   
   I've liked the book. I'm not quite done, but it's kept my interest for like 500 pages - and that's not easy (if you knew me).

5 comments about A Snowflake in My Hand: The Inside Story of One of the Most Famous Clinics in the World, Beautifully Told, With Warmth and Compassion".

1. No exaggeration here, this book is quite possibly the best book I've ever read - and I've read a LOT of books. I probably average 100-150 books per year and this book stands out like a shining beacon of what a book should be.
   
   Without melodrama or saccharine-laced manipulations, the author manages to successfully illustrate the pain, no, the agony, of watching a beloved animal slip away. She shows the behind the scenes anguish and dedication of those who care for and strive to better the lives of our furry children. Nowhere have I seen animal-human relationships portrayed with such tenderness, sincerety and respect without a trace of the maudlin.
   
   Ms. Mooney does not proselytize nor does she moralize, yet somehow she manages to bring forth a sense of the divine and everlasting bond possible with a special animal. She gives the sense also that however difficult, life does go on and that somehow, it must.
   
   One other important note about this book - With her words, her attitude, and her wisdom, Ms. Mooney does a better job than could 12 trained counselors at helping to appease any guilt a companion person may have at any decisions made out of love for an animal.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever loved an animal or even anyone who has simply had a friendship with one. This book speaks to a level rarely seen or addressed in a simple paperback book.



2. In law school, in a cinder block dormitory, Samantha Mooney's cats were a surrogate animal family for me, but such a tragic family, since death came sooner for them than for most of our pets. This was one of the very few books I carried home with me and I have never let it go in all the intervening years. If we must acknowledge that we are destined to outlive most of our pets, again and again we need a book to remind us to cherish their lives but not tether them to hopeless life when they are ready to let go. Many animals have shared their lives with me in the years since I graduated. This is the book I turn to when that sad day comes around for each of my animals in turn.



3. It is a simple book, written for the average person. Nothing fancy, just a book written from the heart. If you've ever had the love of a cat, dog, or any other creature in your life then please get this book. It will warm your heart and make you feel what it's like to know true, sincere love. For those who think that humans are the only creatures with souls and feelings, you should read this book and maybe realize that we are truly not alone, there are intelligent and caring lifeforms all around us.



4. Hard to believe this book would ever go out of print, or that the author apparently wrote nothing else. I got this book when it first came out, and periodically reread it -- and I'm not even a cat person. A wonderful book, beautifully written, about life, love, loss and renewal. Get a copy, this one is a jewel that shouldn't be missed.



5. Lyrical, poignant, tender, this is a book clearly written by a cat lover. A slim memoir of her time as an veterinary research assistant in the oncology department of NYC's Animal Medical Center, the author is above all hopeful, despite the inevitable early demise that awaits most of her patients. She knows that while the doctors may not be able to cure the cancers of their feline patients, they can certainly improve the quality of life, allowing the cats to live out their lives as happily as medically possible. Highly recommended.

5 comments about A Monk Swimming.

1. I listened to Malachy McCourt on radio long before I ever read Frank's books, so I looked forward to this book. I also knew that his voice and delivery were everything, so be sure you get this on audio.
   
   The stories are very funny, but McCourt ultimately cannot let the reader into his soul enough to show how he, apparently, gave up the drink and straightened out his life. His stories don't always glorify his drunken revelries -- his regret for his alcoholism does come through. But he has the honesty to report the fun and comraderie that can come with the early more pleasant stages of the life of a drunk.
   
   McCourt also is able to build to a very moving and honest story of a confrontation with his alcoholic father interwoven with early memories of a more pleasant time with his father. This final story is what redeems and commends the book.
   
   McCourt's failure to discuss and confront his recovery from alcoholism diminishes the book's value significantly, and sometimes causes it to read like a nostalgic memoir of someone who wishes he were still drinking. The abridgement is also a bit too extreme.
   
   On the whole, I like McCourt and can forgive him his shortcomings. Not all readers will be so forgiving, so be sure you are predisposed to him before undertaking the book. And be sure to listen to him rather than read him -- too much is lost in translation.



2. 
   
   He was a charmer this Malachy McCourt. That soon becomes clear in his candid, hilarious, racy, I'll-go-you-one-better memoir A Monk Swimming (title drawn from the young Malachy's misunderstanding of the Hail Mary phrase "amongst women.")
   He was also self-congratulatory, allowing that a party wasn't complete "without my wit, my erudition, and my exuberance, not to mention presence."
   A prodigious drinker, womanizer, and gold smuggler, he was an angry young man, intermittently furious with God, his parents, the Catholic church, specifically Cardinal Spellman, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, all things British, and, at times, unsuspecting bystanders.
   Admittedly dedicated to self-gratifying pursuits, he writes, "Indulgence is mine...having been the victim of other people's ideas of sin, original and otherwise, from the time of birth." Mr. McCourt seems to have been fond of one person - Mr. McCourt. And so is the reader, perhaps because beneath the blarney and braggadocio is an unmitigated pain born of destitution and a longing for the father he sought but never found.
   Many are familiar with his poverty stricken childhood as traced in brother Frank McCourt's vaunted Angela's Ashes. Now, we hear Malachy's story of the years between 1950 and 1962, years spent and wasted on the streets and stages of New York City.
   After arriving in "the U.S.of A." at the age of 20, Mr. McCourt found work on the docks. He also discovered that one could avoid bills by stamping "Deceased" on the envelopes, and, that if he were entertaining enough, his bar glass was freely refilled.
   His ready way with words earned him some stage roles, plus a stint on the Jack Paar Show. This minor celebrity led to a partnership in the opening of an eastside saloon, "Malachy's," just around the corner from the Barbizon Hotel for Women, "a large building throbbing with post-pubescent sexuality."
   Soon, "Malachy's" habitues included Grace Kelly "generally accompanied by ugly, thuggish, beetle-browed types," Gig Young, Barbara Streisand, Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, Richard Harris, and Mr. McCourt's soon to be "Jewish Presbyterian" wife, Linda Claire. A union so objectionable to his mother that she redevoted herself to Catholicism, and rendered a "poor old, shure, begorrah, close-to-the-grave, Irish mother act." Despite "the mother's" dramatic diatribe this marriage produced a son and daughter before ending in divorce.
   Upon taking his first "serious drink" at the age of 11, Mr. McCourt felt he was "nearly exploding with joy, with the rapture of freedom from the poverty of the world." Although he was never to feel that alcohol induced euphoria again, liquor was his constant companion. Besotted and burdened with a body vest holding gold bars he caromed to different points of the globe where he delivered his illicit booty then drank and whored the time away. He wandered "...self-pityingly through the streets, yearning for the company of the woman I loved, only because she didn't love me."
   A Monk Swimming rollicks along from one unforgettable scene to another - a drinking bout in Robert Mitchum's trailer, a red bearded Mr. McCourt floating sans bathing suit in a swimming pool he believes belongs to Richard Harris, and his unsolicited top-of-the-lungs delivery of countless Irish ballads during a trans-Atlantic flight.
   Yet beneath the hilarity there is heartbreak, building toward Mr. McCourt's final confrontation with his father.
   Does he embroider his yarns? Is his brogue too broad? Few may care because Malachy McCourt, champion of charm and chicanery, spins an amazing story. All escapades considered, perhaps most amazing is that he lived to tell it.
   - Gail Cooke



3. The worst book I've ever read. Alcoholic pomposity and constant name-dropping does not a good book make.
   Holy smokes was this bad. Can I have my time and money back?
   I wish I could give negative stars, much less zero.



4. Malachy is not Frank, and thus has a very different style. I have recommended this book to others. Worth the read.



5. I'm sorry that I wasted my money on Malachy's book. Unfortunately, the author did not inherit any family talent for story telling.
   His stories of habitual drinking, raw language usage and continual celebrity name dropping over and over again made for an extremely boring read.