4 comments about The Unreachable Star: My Unauthorized Travels with Patti LuPone.

1. This is the best book for people who love Broadway and the stars that shine there that I've found in years. It's funny, it's heartbreaking, it's beautifully written, and at its core it covers a topic that is rarely addressed: the inspirational power of stars to uplift and even transform their audience members. It's one of "the other sides of the story" - rather than being the biogrpahy of a star, it's the story of Maile, one of Patti LuPone's fans, and how Patti's performances change her life. For Patti's fans, there's plenty of stories about her performances written in a way that makes you feel you're right there, watching them along with Maile. I loved it, and I think everybody who has ever had a favorite actor, actress, athlete, or rock star - especially one who led you to want to take your life in another direction - can relate to it. If a star inspired you sometime, somewhere, you'll want to read this book.



2. This memoir is beautifully written and was a joy to read. I was riveted and I couldn't put it down! If you like tender and humorous slice-of-life prose, this is the book for you. Whether you are a fellow fan of Patti LuPone and her work or if you have never even heard of her, this story captures the roller coaster ride that is fan-dom and the fears and dreams that all human beings experience. I especially love the ending!



3. The Unreachable Star: My Unauthorized Travels with Patti LuPone
   This is a well written, sensitive book that provides insight not only about the author, Maile Hernandez, a devoted fan, but also about Tony Award winner Patti LuPone who is currently starring in Gypsy on Broadway. Maile is an attorney living in Arizona with a husband and their autistic son. She shares her feelings for, and her interactions with Broadway Diva Patti LuPone. The book is interesting, funny, insightful, and at the same time sad. Although a story about personal growth, The Unreachable Star expresses the pain that can be felt from rejection by a beloved performer - even from a distance.



4. I am neither a parent nor a fan of Broadway, but I still found much in this book to relate to. (I *was* a "Life Goes On" fan.) The way Maile projected so much of her emotion onto one person/idea is something I think many of us do for various defensive and protective reasons. Maile's writing is honest, intimate, smart and funny even when she's revealing her rather painful experiences. It's so compelling that I read it in two sittings. I really hope to read more of her in the not too distant future. I feel like she could write about anything and I'd enjoy it immensely.

1 comments about Principles and Types of Public Speaking (16th Edition) (MySpeechKit Series).

1. Primarily the principles, but you must find your own nitch. Just a useful guide, in my opinion.

No comments about World Cinema: Critical Approaches.

3 comments about Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now.

1. to balance the reviews i have to add that i really enjoyed the book. i loved the film, the follow up documentry was as impressive (oscar winning i think), and this is a very interesting addition. i must add that one needs to be 'in' with the film making history already (i.e its no introduction to the most infamous 'touch-and-go' film productions) before one could appreciate this. its a well told tale.



2. I found the book to be very compelling and insightful. It takes a look at what went on behind the scenes of "Apocalypse Now" from the point of view of someone not involved in filmmaking in a direct way.



3. Perhaps a better title for this book would have been Meaningless Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now. The author, who was charged with making a behind the scenes documentary of how the film was made, wastes the reader's time on disjointed anecdotes about her family life during the three plus years it took to complete this film. While the book jacket teases the reader with suggestions of her invaluable insights, the actual text is much more heavily devoted to Ms. Coppola's observations of her children, her husband's (in)fidelity, and what various dinner guests were served while visiting with the Coppola family. We learn much more about how four year old Sofia Coppola spent her days than how Martin Sheen's heart attack impacted the production. Why was Sheen hired to replace Harvey Keitel?...... What about those rumors of animosity between Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper?...... Why did director Francis Ford Coppola choose to ignore weather experts and watch as the sets were des! troyed by a typhoon? Unfortunately you won't get any answers to those questions in this book. You will however learn in great detail how each of the Copppla clan spend their individual birthdays and how the Phillipines can't compare to California when it comes to health food shops and clothing boutiques. Duh!!! If you are truly interested in learning more about this historic film, I suggest you use your browser in a search of magazine and newspaper archives for appropriate material. Your time will be better spent surfing the net than waiting for Ms. Coppola to tell you why Robert Duvall's character was so hung up on having his Air Cav troopers surf "Charlie's Point."

5 comments about Art and Artifice: And Other Essays of Illusion.

1. This is a reissue of a collection of five Steinmeyer essays about illusion originally published in 1998 which contains some overlap with his more recent books, Vanishing the Elephant and The Glorious Deception. This book is less polished and comprehensive, but is still quite interesting and well-documented, as those other two books are.
   
   The first of the five essays discusses Steel MacKaye, John Nevil Maskelyne, and David Devant, the latter two of which are familiar to readers of Steinmeyer's other books. The essay is about the use of illusion in a grand scale on the theater stage, where MacKaye had some of the grandest ideas. The bulk of the essay is about MacKaye's desire to build "The Spectatorium," a special theater seating 12,000 that included a miniature ocean on which 3/4 scale ships could sail to show the story of Columbus' discovery of the New World. This was intended to be built for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but it ran overbudget and behind schedule, and was never completed.
   
   The second essay is about David Devant's "The Mascot Moth," and Steinmeyer's recreation of the illusion for Doug Henning's "Merlin" show--also familiar to those who have read Steinmeyer's other works.
   
   The third essay is about the history and development of the "sawing a lady in half" illusion, and its relation to Grand Guignol. The fourth and fifth essays are about Steinmeyer's rediscovery and reproduction of Morritt's Disappearing Donkey illusion, a topic also familiar to readers of Vanishing an Elephant.
   
   This isn't an essential purchase for those who have read Steinmeyer's other books--it's not as satisfying a work as the other two masterful books I've mentioned. It is, however, something that does stand on its own and is well worth reading for those interested in the history of magic.



2. I don't recall how I found out about Jim Steinmeyer -- it was an off-hand mention on the web somewhere crediting him with inventing David Copperfield's vanish of the Statue of Liberty. So I did a bit of reading on him, and picked up a few of his books. This was the first one I read of his.
   
   There's 5 essays in the book. The first one was a little slow going, but I am happy I stuck with it because the last two essays are just great.
   
   Steinmeyer has a keen interest in the history of magic. He illustrates magic's relation to theatre and how it was initially woven into theatrical tableaus. I'm in the midst of reading "Hiding the Elephant" so I'm not sure if it was in this book or that one where he quoted someone as "I am not so much a magician as I am an actor who is playing a magician." That's just great.
   
   The last two essays concern Steinmeyer's quest to decipher the secret to a trick whose secret was never written down, and his attempt to recreate it. Really entertaining.



3. Jim Steinmeyer is one of the best and most lucid of writers on conjuring and magic. This book of essays takes you backstage to learn what goes on in the minds of those who conceive and execute the unexplainable that is seen on stage. It's not so important for the secrets it reveals as it is in going one step further to show how the secrets are invented. It's like taking a walk backstage at a magic show with an incredibly well informed tour guide.



4. The famous magician team Penn and Teller know that a good magic trick does not always depend on fooling the audience. Some of their tricks they do and show exactly how the trick works so the audience can follow along and appreciate not just the mechanics of the trick but also the stage artistry. It wouldn't be much fun if they did this for every trick, but in small doses, their demonstrations heighten the enjoyment of the audience by showing just how clever the workings of a specific trick can be. I think this is the right way to approach also _Art & Artifice and Other Essays on Illusion: Concerning the Inventors, Traditions, Evolution, & Rediscovery of Stage Magic_ (Carroll & Graf) by Jim Steinmeyer. The book is newly re-released after being out of print, and after Steinmeyer's success with other magic-themed books like _The Glorious Deception_ and _Hiding the Elephant_. Steinmeyer is himself a magician, and a designer of magical tricks used by others, so his writing on this subject is authoritative. There has been some backlash from magicians who feel that he is giving away secrets still being used on the stage, but though he does explain in print some specific effects and their histories, the explanations are nothing like seeing the trick itself. In fact, though I read some of the explanations a couple of times, and looked at the diagrams he has given, I realized how much I wanted to see the actual trick, and how much more I would enjoy seeing the effect not despite but because of knowing its mechanics.
   
   The five essays here describe the interwoven lives of some famous and some relatively unknown magicians in pursuit of illusion. The first tells the performance history of the American magician and theatrical illusionist Steele MacKaye, whose tragic failure of a huge auditorium at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair was due to his simple disregard for the practicalities of getting the job done. Then there is the history of "The Moth in the Spotlight", a classic illusion devised by David Devant in 1905, and recreated by Steinmeyer for the 1982 Broadway musical _Merlin_ with Doug Henning. The recreation not only required special hardware, but in every performance the actions of five people, two above stage and three below, had to be perfectly synchronized to make the Moth disappear. Steinmeyer says, "The secret was every bit as wonderful as the result on stage, and maybe even more wonderful." It would be fun to be able to compare. One chapter is the wonderful history of the classic trick "Sawing a Woman in Half", which I was surprised to find had been invented by one man, the British illusionist P. T. Selbit who introduced it in 1921. It was a sensation, immediately copied and sent worldwide by rival troupes. The final two chapters of this entertaining book are both titled "Mister Morritt's Donkey", with the first being "In Theory" and the second "In Practice". Charles Morritt created many memorable illusions, with the Disappearing Donkey under examination here. In examining Morritt's illusion, it is clear that "it's all done with mirrors" is much too dismissive an explanation. Using mirrors, Morritt got results "... nothing short of alchemy." After much research, Steinmeyer brought the illusion to life again, before the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History in 1995. Tracking down the secret and making it work read like a detective novel with plenty of clues and red herrings (and broken mirrors) along the way.
   
   _Art and Artifice_ is a lovely book that explains some tricks, but more importantly explains what it is magicians do, and why we love to be fooled by them. Anyone looking here for a quick explanation of "How did they do that?" will be disappointed; the explanations are here, but they are thoughtful and full of anecdotes of magic history and magicians with oversized personalities. "How did they do that?" proves to have fascinating answers that go well beyond the magician's bag of tricks.



5. I have just finished reading "Hiding the Elephant" by the same author and was disappointed to find a lot of the stories repeated. "Hiding the Elephant" is a superior book so I'd buy that and forget about this one.

5 comments about The Sitcom Handbook.

1. This book is a must read for students contemplating the change to the real world of television employment. Concise, compassionate and clear, I recommend this volume to all the students who come my way.



2. This book has inspired me to achieve my dream to become a working actor in Hollywood. At times, it's a challenging path, but this book offers practical and thoughtful tips that will help me to advance my career to the next level. Thank you for giving us this gem of a book, Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno!



3. This is a must have for actors and writers interested in making a career in sitcoms. Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno thoroughly explain the specifics of each day on a sitcom set. They illustrate the different types of jokes and define what makes each of them funny. And, they pepper the book with fun, informative anecdotes. I will read this book again and again! Mostly, because I can never remember anything... But still, the book is that good!



4. There's nothing better than learning and laughing put together. Mary Lou Belli has created a sitcom textbook that everyone in the television industry (not just the actor), should have in their library. From the costume designer & script superviser to the writer & technical coordinator, everyone who plays a part in making a sitcom successful is discussed. You'll learn sitcom terminology and have fun reading comments and stories from legends. There are even quizzes! But all fun! No pulling teeth with this one. Thank you Mary Lou and Phil for this informative book. I'm now ready to go get my sitcom!



5. The authors leave no stone unturned as they walk you through every aspect of sitcoms. Required reading for anyone looking to break in.

No comments about A Student Guide to Play Analysis.

5 comments about Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese.

1. I may have enjoyed this book a bit more if I was familiar with more of the subjects discussed inside. Several of the films I'd never even ehard of. The writing is funny, but it can get a bit old periodically, especially in the second to last segment which (haha) deals with "The Blair Witch Project." Mike Nelson's going on about how the witch trying to make friends with the students was trying. I have to say, his history of the names that the witch has been known as through the years was funny, especially since it addresses the differences in name between the actual town of the filming and the fictional area of the movie.
   
   Read the excerpt here on Amazon, which pokes fun at the movie "Volcano." The rest of this book is more of the same, looking at TV shows as well. Nelson even critiques "MST3K: The Movie" which is the best part of the book.
   
   There's some great moments here, but you really have to be familiar with the topics and, as I try to avoid a lot of bad television, do not.
   
   Check out Nelson's "Mind on Matters" and "Death Rat" before picking this up. I finished "Death Rat" last week. Thoroughly enjoyable.



2. "Movie Megacheese" is a perfect book for a rainy day:it's hilarious,and Mike Nelson has tried-heroically-to transfer his snarky remarks from his Mystery Science Theater 3000 to the book world.
   
   Mike Nelson provides insights into "The Saint" (why doesn't Val Kilmer's character use the alias St.John Eudes?),"Action Jackson" (explaining why the hero doesn't have the surname Paulson or Thibedeau),and "Star Trek:Generations" (the villain dresses like Sting&wants to get hit by a dryer spark). His comedic assessment of Food Network is as relevant as ever-though Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay are notable omissions. His digs at Emeril Lagasse are worth the price of the book. Bam!
   
   Mike Nelson's take on "Bridges of Madison County" is a disappointment,but his send-up of "Patch Adams" pretty much sums up the current state of Robin Williams' career (though "Happy Feet" and "Night at the Museum" weren't made yet). "Movie Megacheese" is mostly humorous,and it works as bite-size comedy. Unfortunately,it's too short. Considering how many awful movies have been made since the book first came out,it's time for an extended edition or a sequel.



3. Being a rabid MST3K fan, I must confess this book was a bit of a letdown. Maybe my expectations were too high. There is humor here, but there were way more half-smiles than hearty laughs, and some of the swing-for-the-fences jokes definitely ended up in the catcher's mitt. Whenever you can guess the punchline before finishing the sentence, things are a little stale. I couldn't recommend paying retail price, but if you find it used like I did, you'll get your money's worth.



4. Having watched Mike on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" for many years, I had an idea of what to expect. Yet, "Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese" blew me out of the water with its laugh-out-loud reviews. Nelson is a gifted writer with a sharp tongue and an even sharper rapier wit. My only complaint is that he doesn't do enough of these! Who wouldn't pay $20 to see him tee off on "Gigli" or "Norbert"? We need another hit of the 'cheese, Mike! Overall, an enjoyable read from cover to cover!



5. Thanks in large part to my exposure to "Mystery Science Theater 3000", I am now a stark-raving-mad cheeseball cinema aficionado. So it was a no-brainer that I'd eventually get around to reading former MST3K host Mike Nelson's essays on several big-budget cheddar-fests that the show could never hope to afford licensing rights to. I figured buying a copy of Mr. Nelson's book (from Amazon, `natch) and reading it would be the best way for me to pay the guy back for making me laugh occasionally at his not-half-bad-or better quips and put-downs. Sure, it took me over five years to finally up and get the book, and used from one of the Amazon Marketplace dealers no less. But hey, better late than never...
   
   Most of the movies Nelson takes on go about as far back as the mid-80s to just before the tome's 2000 publishing date. He goes after a few of the usual suspects ("Anaconda", "Independence Day", and "Action Jackson" are but a few examples), as well as a few not-so-obvious flix ("The Bridges of Madison County", "DragonHeart"). He even goes so far as to use the horrid "Batman & Robin" (which he declares is "not the worst movie ever", but "the worst THING ever") as a springboard to rip into the entire Burton/Schumacher "Batman" franchise in one essay. In some cases he teams up two or more particularly cheddary flicks that are connected by a theme, like "Action Jackson" and "Stone Cold" because of the movies' main stars' former careers in pro football.
   
   But it's not just movies this former Satellite of Love co-denizen takes apart with his usually straightforward but occasionally rambling manner and incendiary wit that occasionally enters the realm of naughtiness, but rarely in a particularly overt manner. As opposed to, say, a subtly overt manner. Or (horror of horrors) an overtly overt manner. About the worst you can expect from him is the reason he is now "(unable) to eat any smoked pork products" since seeing Kevin Bacon's goods in "Wild Things." And I can't say I blame him. Kinda makes me wonder if he swore off loaves and fishes after seeing Graham Chapman lettin' it all hang out in "Monty Python's Life of Brian", doesn't it?
   
   The second-worst you can expect from Mr. Nelson is his description of the cast-off crud coming offa Clint Eastwood's character during a shower scene in "The Bridges of Madison County." While the words he uses to describe the "soupy gray runoff" of shower water that contains "all manner of skin oil, dirt, dander, and body hair" aren't particularly nasty or obscene in and of themselves, their overall arrangement and vivid power of description meshed together in a hellish literary tag-team kept me from finishing off the steak dinner I was eating whilst reading that particular passage. Eh, I could stand to lose several dozen pounds, anyway...
   
   Also hit are notable TV shows that were running at the time, like "Xena", the Kvin Sorbo "Hercules" series, and "Savannah". The latter show has Mr. Nelson visualizing the anguish that producer Aaron Spelling's going through with the show's relative lack of success compared to the Spelling-produced contemporaries "90210" and "Melsrose Place". An anguish he tries to eliminate by tossing a few more additions to his obscenely opulent estate. "Do you realize how many rooms he has to build on the South Wing to begin to stanch the wound?", Mr. Nelson asks the reader. Quite frankly, I don't think I can even begin to realize such emotional torture, nor would I want to...
   
   Also given their just desserts (so to speak in the former case) is the Food Channel and Cartoon Network. It's pretty apparent from his writings that Mr. Nelson actually enjoys the Food Channel, but isn't too keen with Cartoon Network, which had a lotta Hanna-Barbera shows on heavy rotation at the time the book was published. Although he cites "Speed Racer", "Woody Woodpecker" and "The Smurfs" as examples of the CN's crappiness, I'm pretty sure it was the Hanna-Barbera stuff that really pushed him over the edge. Mainly `cuz just about alla Hanna-Barbera's `toonage sucks razor blade-studded hot coals smothered in Tabasco sauce. Well, that and he lets the reader in on the lameness of "Scooby-Doo", "The Flintstones", and "The Jetsons." `Course, in the five-plus years since this book came out, CN's line-up hasn't really improved all that much; I'd much rather endure Yogi's umpteenth insipid pic-a-nic basket pilferage than watch five seconds of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force"...
   
   Anyhoo, Mr. Nelson also takes it to several notable Hollywood personalities whose contributions to film have made many folks rather cynical and jaded about the moviegoing experience, myself included. The woodenness of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Keanu Reeves (his response to Reeves' role in "Speed": "... (a) member of the L.A. bomb squad?! I wouldn't trust this man to sell me a stamp."), the hilarious yet awful screenplays of Joe Eszterhas, and the existence of Carrot Top are but three among a crop of (usually) rather obvious, riffed-on-to-death targets that even the most third-rate of third-rate standup comics abandoned years ago for fresher material. Like William Shatner's infamous method acting for example.
   
   On the upside: at least the author admits in his bash of Carrot Top that the pastime of Carrot Top-bashing has become a rather hackneyed and tiresome one... but after viewing "Chairman of the Board", he just can't help it. And I can't say I blame Mr. Nelson, though I must admit his shots at the fire-tressed prop comedian are ironic in a way, seeing as how he ("he" as in "Mike Nelson", not as in "Carrot Top") replaced Joel Hodgson on MST3K, who was himself a prop comedian, and took advantage of his mad skillz to assemble those silly doo-dads he'd show off to Dr. Forrester and Boob-Tube Francis during those "invention exchange" sketches. `Course, it'd be more ironic, not to mention downright hypocritical, if Nelson were a prop comedian himself while ripping on Mr. Top. Thankfully, his parents ("his parents" as in "Mike Nelson's parents", not as in "Carrot Top's parents") apparently gave him enough hugs and applied a tiny bit of corporal punishment on him when he was a lad, thereby sparing the world the agony of another Gallagher-wannabe...
   
   As for Nelson's writing style: in some ways, it's reminiscent of the stuff he'd come up whilst locked in the SOL's screening room with his AI-endowed compatriots. While both Crow and Tom Servo had the ability to throw out an intellectual and/or esoteric reference or two, Mr. Nelson's references were by far the most intellectual and/or esoteric. Which is the main reason why I laughed at the robots' put-downs far more often than I did Mr. Nelson's. Fortunately, I was able to grok about 92.34% of these sometimes-laugh-out-loud-funny MENSA-level put-downs... which was about the rate of grokkery I had when I came across similar sometimes-laugh-out-loud-funny MENSA-level put-downs in this tome. Still, that 7.66% that I needed Google to figure out-- and had me letting out a staccato "D'oh!" whilst smacking the palm of my right hand to my forehead when I finally figured it out-- has been playin' hell on my self-esteem for a few days now...
   
   But seriously: while I got a pretty good laugh at times from "Movie Megacheese", there were a few areas where Mr. Nelson's efforts at humor read like a cross between Larry King's insipid USA Today columns, and something Dave Barry would come up with whilst trying to overcome a really bad case of writer's block. Which is almost as corny and unfunny as Dave Barry withOUT writer's block. I mean, okay, every once in a while he'll will toss out a quip in his weekly column that gets a light chuckle from me. And his annual "Stupid Christmas Gift Guide" is kinda amusing in its own dumb little way. And that Harry Anderson sit-com that was loosely based on Barry's columnar ramblings had a few cute moments. But is he really all that and a side of curly fries? I think NOT! I will admit, however, that he's a little bit funnier than the Sunday comics... but that's only if the Sunday comics doesn't carry "Garfield." Otherwise, all bets are off.
   
   But, I'm getting away from the main subject matter at hand, sorry about that. I go on weird tangents some times... which is something Mr. Nelson also does on occasion in "Movie Megacheese", albeit not to nearly the lengths that I do in some of my product reviews. He also throws out an agonizingly drawn-out (albeit usually amusing) analogy on occasion, like Dennis Miller without the smarm, and with only a small fraction of the obnoxious pomposity. Fortunately, the book's truly laugh-out-loud bits-- of which there were more than a few-- more than made up for the groan-inducing corny parts.
   
   Bottom line: if you're into trashy movies & TV shows, as well as the personalities who have made those movies and TV shows so memorable (no matter how hard you try to forget), and you actually enjoy watching "Road House" for its cheeseball appeal whilst believing that Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey are demons set forth by Satan to destroy the genre of slapstick comedy as we know them, you might do well to pick up a copy of "Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese." And may be even read a few pages while you're at it...
   
   `Late

1 comments about Theatre Brief w/ Enjoy the Play.

1. I guess that you'd have to say that this book is an introduction to the Theatre. But that would be cutting it pretty short. This is the shorter, 400+ page version of Mr. Cohen's 600+ page book. It has some 280 photographs (instead of 370). Although this book is the Brief Edition, it is hard to tell in looking them over to see that anything is missing from its bigger brother. It has history of the theater, it has a world tour of theater in other places, it has technical sections on subjects like lighting, costumes, makeup, and sound.
   
   The major theme in the book is a description of what a play is, what it does, how it does it. This is done by an analysis of the general rules of play writing, and an analysis (with extensive excerpts) from seven plays: Prometheus Bound, Odipus Tyrannos, The York Cycle, Romeo and Juliet, The Bourgeois Gentlemen, The Three Sisters, and Happy Days.
   
   This seventh edition is updated to include the most recent offerings, recent trends in the theater, an inside view of several prominent Americna playwrights, reorganization of the chapter on musical and contemporary theater, and finally a short booklet called 'Enjoy the Play' on simply going to a play and enjoying it.

2 comments about Lessons: The Craft of Acting : Truthful human behavior on stage and screen.

1. If you're thinking about buying this book, you should first know something about its author, Tom Isbell. Isbell is a one in a million teacher of acting--an incredibly funny, kind, and intelligent human being who is able to get the more out of his acting students than they could ever imagine.
   
   I say this to you for two reasons. One, I've had the pleasure of working with Isbell as a student and actor. And two, the same qualities that he shares with his actors in the classroom, rehearsal space, and office come alive in this book.
   
   Frankly, if you don't have the opportunity to actually take a class from one of the best acting teachers in the country and a theatre artist whose work will be remembered and talked about for years to come, you do have the opportunity to gain some incredible insight by reading this book.
   
   This book should be an essential read for the young actor, filled with powerful advice for the experienced one. It's simple, direct, and informative. It's funny, relevant, and easy to understand. And should be on every actor's shelf right next to Stanislavski, Hagen, and Mamet.
   
   Isbell's book is for the contemporary actor with a contemporary point of view. His lessons make complicated acting ideas straightforward and simple. At the same time, he makes the actor re-examine how he/she looks at the often times "overlooked" aspects of the business. Most importantly, he lets you know that there is no "how-to", no "magic acting secret", and no shortcuts--there are simply ways to better yourself as an actor.
   
   After you read this book, you'll re-read it, reference it before a big audition, and find yourself highlighting and scribbling in the margins things like "yes", "of course", and "that's right" on nearly every page.
   
   Throughout my years as an actor/student in the high school, college, graduate, or professional levels, I have not met anyone who has influenced how I approach the art of acting or my life as an actor as much as Tom Isbell has. I think you'll find similar results in this book.



2. Lessons: The Craft Of Acting is a practical actor's 199-page handbook by Tom Isbell, a professional actor/director with impeccable credentials. Isbell has acted in film, TV and theatre productions with the best; he also is an Associate Professor of Drama at the University of Minnesota/Duluth. Not too surprisingly, he is also a hunk. And even more important, he is an excellent writer who is passionately committed to teaching the craft of acting. As suggested by the title, Lessons: The Craft Of Acting is divided into 100 specific and succinct lessons, covering the areas of fundamentals, classes and rehearsals, performance, and final lessons. Isbell quotes his favorite authors for inspiration, including John Barrymore and John F. Kennedy. What leaps out at the reader is the sparse and lean presentation of each page. Readers are definitely encouraged to experience Isbell's instructions as creatively as possible. There are many practical bits of acting techniques and exercises, but perhaps the most striking quote of the book comes towards the end, in the "Epilogue: A Call to Arms": As Albert Einstein wrote, 'Try not to become a person of success, but rather to become a person of value.' It's time for actors to take back the theatre, to rescue it from the stultifying, passionless commerce driven machine it has so often become. It is your choice. It is your responsibility. No pressure, but the future of the theatre rests with you. 'I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities,' John Kennedy once wrote, 'we too will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politic, but for our contribution to the human spirit.' That's what a true actor brings to the world: a contribution to the human spirit. Good luck. And break legs (pages195-6)." With Lessons: The Craft Of Acting, Tom Isbell has written so much more than just another actor's manual. Its pages snap and crackle with fire, intensity and inspiration.