5 comments about Louise Brooks: A Biography.

1. This is an extremely thorough, even-handed and well-written bio. The author's approach is intelligent and his research and references are extensive.
   
   One learns that Brooks began as an upper middle class wildchild from the plains who determined early to be a great dancer. She had talent and determination. But Fate along with timing made it possible for her to escape Kansas for New York City at the tender age of 15 (!) to train with a premiere dance company. She seems never to have gotten past being that wildchild and was, at 17, dismissed from the troupe for unacceptable behavior. Soon she was a dancer on Broadway, including a stint with the Ziegfeld Follies. Next stop, the movies!
   
   Being admittedly "selfish and stubborn" as well as volatile, Brooks tore through New York, Paris, London, Hollywood, Berlin and back, living it up and burning bridges all around. By age 25 she was finished in terms of ever becoming a movie star or great dancer. She eventually disappeared into a gin bottle, was reduced to dance instruction, retail sales and finally "love for sale."
   
   This is all fascinating enough, but her late-in-life resurrection as a rediscovered silent era "icon" (based mostly on films made in Europe in the late 20's) and as a newly minted writer is the surprising twist toward the end of an otherwise bleak life story.
   
   Her work in Pabst's "Pandora's Box" ought to provide Brooks all the immortality any actress could desire. She is spectacular as Lulu and deserves every accolade. She was a beauty, but there were other beauties of her era who achieved greater stardom - Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow. Her "black helmet" hairstyle was well suited to her looks, but it's more likely that Colleen Moore actually popularized the look, having been a superstar of the 20's (which Brooks wasn't)and the iconic "flapper." As for her skill as a writer (with reference to "Lulu in Hollywood"), I find Brooks interesting, insightful and even poetic, but there is an underlying note of bitterness that undermines any claim of objectivity. And, considering her decades of gin guzzling, I question her ability to be very accurate 40-50 years after the fact. For me, the mystique and power of Louise Brooks comes down to her performance in "Pandora's Box," her primary and glorious claim to fame.
   
   Read "Louise Brooks" by Barry Paris and form your own conclusions. Don't miss "Pandora's Box." The Criterion Collection DVD boxed set includes Kenneth Tynan's 1979 profile, the TCM production, "Looking for Lulu," a 1970's interview with Brooks and other extras.



2. This book is an expansive overview of the life of Louise Brooks and also of the early days of the movie industry. Very throughly researched, it gives a nuanced look and the beautiful, brilliant and maddeningly self-destructive icon. It also is a wonderful history of the entertainment world in the 1920's and the personalities who populated that world. A must-read from fans of Louise Brooks.



3. Several books have been written about Louise Brooks, but this book is probably the most concise and most thorough of them all. The book starts off with Louise's birth and it describes all the people that helped to make Louise so interesting and famous. There are many black-and-white photos of Louise, from the time she started in show-biz (at age 4) to Louise in her later years, just before her death.
   
   Since Louise Brooks had such a fascinating life, it is not a surprise that this book is so long. Each Chapter basically covers a chunk of her life, and each Chapter describes (in detail) the characters that encountered & shaped Louise, and also all the Theatre and Movie productions that Louise was involved in.



4. This is what a biography should be: insightful, understanding, offering a measured & complex view of its beloved subject. And what a subject Barry Paris has in Louise Brooks! Her beauty, her intelligence, her compelling charisma all shine in these pages, giving us a multi-faceted view of this ravishing star. For someone who had never heard of Louise Brooks, this biography will send him or her in eager pursuit of her all-too-few films & her own writing -- and both are of the very highest standard.
   
   It's clear that Brooks never did anything without wanting to give her all, to make true art out of it, a work of beauty & meaning that would stand the test of time. And the same could be said of this superb biography. While Paris clearly adores Brooks (and with good reason), he never succumbs to blind hagiography. Nor does he stumble in the opposite direction of pathography. His purpose is to explore the life of a fascinating woman, and to present it to the reader as thoroughly & lucidly as possible. He succeeds on every level. Louise Brooks emerges from these pages as both a flesh & blood woman, and as the dazzling, mysterious icon she became to countless admirers.
   
   In short, the best book on Louise Brooks you'll ever find, most highly recommended!



5. I have not yet read this entire book, but just glancing through it when it arrived I would find that I have just read twenty pages or so whenever I openned it up. I can't wait until I read it cover to cover.

1 comments about Jazz Dance Today (West's Physical Activities Series).

1. I was introduced to this book by my dance teacher who just so happens to be the author. I was studying, in fact, the basics of jass dance in order to furthur educate myself on the art. This book proved invaluable and was splendidly written and I highly recommend it.

5 comments about A Taste of Honey: A Play.

1. I found this play to be both fascinating and not the least boring. As said before, perhaps it is too British, but that is what the play is about; trying to find a moment of happiness in a post-war society that saps the very life out of you and stops you from ever bettering yourself. The storyline may seem "simplistic" at first, but the richness of dialogue and its subtlety make for interesting reading and thought.
   If you have a pre-occupation with our drab and dreary little island then I would hartly reccommend this play, as it is very true to what it sets out to be. However, if you're "lucky" enough to live in a warmer climate then maybe this play just won't be your cup of tea...



2. Throughout literary history, it has always been the most controversial or polemical works that stand out from the others, and take their place alongside other trailblazing novels. This being the case, it is certainly very clear why `A Taste Of Honey' has come to be regarded as one of the most important works of the 20th century. In its time a revolutionary play, this piece has managed to live up to its reputation, even over the many years since its was first published. The reason this famed play became so successful in the first place was precisely because it touched upon so many tender issues that had been strict taboos until it was written. First being published in 1959, `A Taste Of Honey' was released at a time when the world was just starting to get back to normal after the second world war. In an era of turmoil and uncertainty, the issues depicted in the play were precisely the ones that dominated lower class Britain, but, ironically, they were not the ones that were shown by the media, for they were considered to be too lowly to be worthy of depiction. Shelagh Delaney's piece, however, changed this quite drastically for all of a sudden the very issues which the upper class public was trying to avoid, were shoved into their faces. Right from the start of the play, the author makes it quite clear that this will be no ordinary play; touching on such a wide variety of issues ranging from poverty to abortion and prostitution, `A Taste Of Honey' shocked viewers around the world for, for the first time, a play was showing the true realities that ordinary people coexisted with. Although stunned at first, audiences soon started appreciating the play for they began to identify themselves with different characters in it, and therefore started to relate to it, which increased there liking of the piece, making it a success. In a world were the rich dominated, poverty was shown as an acceptable status; In a society were values were highly held, a prostitute was the main character; In a community where families meant everything, a mother abandoned her daughter to go live with her new husband; In an ambience were medicine was still an almost unexplored field, abortion was mentioned; And in a place where a classic, suburban family was considered the only reality which could exist, `A Taste of Honey' was written.



3. Throughout literary history, it has always been the most controversial or polemical works that stand out from the others, and take their place alongside other trailblazing novels. This being the case, it is certainly very clear why `A Taste Of Honey' has come to be regarded as one of the most important works of the 20th century. In its time a revolutionary play, this piece has managed to live up to its reputation, even over the many years since its was first published. The reason this famed play became so successful in the first place was precisely because it touched upon so many tender issues that had been strict taboos until it was written. First being published in 1959, `A Taste Of Honey' was released at a time when the world was just starting to get back to normal after the second world war. In an era of turmoil and uncertainty, the issues depicted in the play were precisely the ones that dominated lower class Britain, but, ironically, they were not the ones that were shown by the media, for they were considered to be too lowly to be worthy of depiction. Shelagh Delaney's piece, however, changed this quite drastically for all of a sudden the very issues which the upper class public was trying to avoid, were shoved into their faces. Right from the start of the play, the author makes it quite clear that this will be no ordinary play; touching on such a wide variety of issues ranging from poverty to abortion and prostitution, `A Taste Of Honey' shocked viewers around the world for, for the first time, a play was showing the true realities that ordinary people coexisted with. Although stunned at first, audiences soon started appreciating the play for they began to identify themselves with different characters in it, and therefore started to relate to it, which increased there liking of the piece, making it a success. In a world were the rich dominated, poverty was shown as an acceptable status; In a society were values were highly held, a prostitute was the main character; In a community where families meant everything, a mother abandoned her daughter to go live with her new husband; In an ambience were medicine was still an almost unexplored field, abortion was mentioned; And in a place where a classic, suburban family was considered the only reality which could exist, `A Taste of Honey' was written.



4. Having read and studied this book at school. i can say that i did not like this book. some aspects are totally unclear, for example Geof's dubiuos sexuality. The open ending leaves the reader feeling disatisfied, and annoyed, it left me thinking, is that it? i don't recommend reading the book. The storyline is basic, and the most irratating feature of the book is the arguementative relationship between Helen and Jo. The best bit though is definetely the relationship between Jo and Geof



5. The problem I had with this book was that the characters were depressing. Helen, the mother seemed very unloving to her daughter Jo. The only thing that they really did was argue. Peter who marries Helen is even more repulsive in this story. And what is it with the story of the daughter imitating her mother's life by getting pregnant, despite her life situation. It seems that the arguments between the mother and daughter play for the most irritating part of the story. Only parts where Jo is having her first love affair with a black sailor, and the friendship she has with Geof made this story seem not as angry as it would really seem. In all, the story is all banter. If you can handle a lot of arguing, this play might be readable for you.

5 comments about Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children: Adapted for the Theatre by Salman Rushdie, Simon Reade and Tim Supple (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. Oh, my goodness. What do I say about this? It's such a rich, excellently written story with lots of interesting action and characters. Bonus: Rushdie has a wicked wicked WICKED sense of humor. And, did I say that the writing is to die for? Envy the size of an elephant inhabited my body as I was reading this ... however, it didn't take any pleasure away from the reading of it. Okay, I'm gonna get bossy now: Put it on your to-do list.



2. This book left me with no respect for the author or for the Booker prize.One of the 100 best books to read....REALLY?????????? Are we talking about the same book????? The most disgusting and unconvincing book I have ever read.



3. If this book was described by 1001 readers, I think you'd get 10,001 different views of what they experienced. Some knowledge of the history of India & Pakistan before and after independence and the partition will be helpful. Perhaps some "-ism" (magical real(ism), coming-of-age(ism); post-modern(ism); stream of .....) reading would prepare you for this. But neither is required to enjoy it. Having read many of the less than stellar reviews, it seems that many had preconceived notions that weren't met or they tried to make it a fast read.
   
   This is not a "page turner" suspense novel; nor is it Joycean (or any other author's). It is Rushdie. This is what he writes and how he writes. Read it for its own style rather than trying to compare it with someone else.
   
   I think too much effort is made by publishers and reviewers to put authors into groups. I'm sure the publishers do it to capture buyers with "if you like A, then you'll like B". Reviewers too often do it to show how many authors they have read rather than making valid comparisons.
   
   Base your judgment of Rushdie (or any of his books) on what you like or dislike about his work rather than by "someone says he is like Marquez and he isn't, so I didn't like it".



4. Rushdie employs magical realism to unveil the soul of India. An incredible fiction that tells the true story of India's birth as a nation. I read the book years ago, and then felt it come to life as I spent 6 months wandering around India. A work of art, and one of my favorite books ever.



5. Dipping into controversial and expansive review of India's nouveau independence, Rushdie's autobiographical recitation (in fiction) of protagonist nasal-telepathic Saleem Sinai bestows lessons and conjures imagination.
   
   Some novelists have received acclaim for making allegory through adventure - Coello for "The Alchemist" or Kosinski for "The Painted Bird." As great as those novels are, neither has the depth of review that this novel has. And, much to Rushdie's credit, this adventure intertwines with real events of the recent histories of India and Pakistan - thereby making it more relevant to those who lived or have heard about the many historical references contained throughout this book.
   
   Being an American usually means reading little about the history or culture of India. We are ignorant of their struggles - and this book enlivens us to a certain degree - such that the reader can conclude from reading this book that this country has struggled as greatly since its independence from Britain, than it did under British rule. Forster's portrait of British degradation of India in "A Passage to India" made westerners believe that Gandhi's plight was both necessary and inevitable. This book tells us that freedom from British rule did not necessarily deliver better karma or even sounder ruling. The "Emergency" of Indira Gandhi delivers an appalling caricature of Indians being cruel to Indians - as Saleem must be emasculated by the ruling party's dictate - for reasons no more discernable than the German holocaust or any other genocide.
   
   This book travels chronologically from Saleem's grandparents' romance to his 31st birthday. Saleem lives an incredible life -worthy of this book's size. His life - or really his son's life - is encapsulated in one sentence: "He was the child of a father who was not his father; but also the child of a time which damaged reality so badly that no one managed to put it together again; He was the true great-grandson of his great-grandfather. . ." It makes nonsense until you read the book - then this statement is both valid and true.
   
   Amid this adventure we meet snake charmers, a succubus wet nurse, a witch, a 512-year old prostitute - as well as typical western literature characters, e.g. a man who shoots his wife and her lover, a corrupt general, and a son who kills his father out of pure hatred.
   
   This is a thoroughly drawn portrait of a literary character. Amassing 445 pages in my hardback edition - each page having approximately 550 words - it is a long read. And, Rushdie's swirling writing style, where he touches upon a topic and a few paragraphs or pages later descends upon that same topic with more resonance or more detail, can leave readers feeling half empty at times as the complete description will not come to light until a later time. This is not a quick read. This is not easy reading. But, this is worthwhile reading.
   
   Rushdie writes with great literary style. Full of metaphors and complete with magical insight, this book is understandably incorporated by many universities' English departments

4 comments about Imperial Dancer: Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs.

1. Mathilde Kschessinska was one of the great ballerinas of the early twentieth century,yet today she is known, if at all, only as the former mistress of Tsar Nicholas II. This biography illuminates Kschessinska's unjustly neglected professional life as well as her sensational private affairs.
   
   To be fair to the public, Kschessinska was such a flamboyant adventuress that it obscured her obvious gifts as a dancer. From a family of actors and dancers, she quickly became one of the stars of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg. An occupational hazard of that line of work was the tendency to attract the attention of the men of the Romanov Dynasty. Fantastically wealthy and with little or no moral compass, the Grand Dukes were accustomed to seeing ballerinas as little more than a collection of potential mistresses and dalliances. For the ballerinas, attention from a Grand Duke or a Tsarevich was the path to wealth, glamour, and career advancement.
   
   Kschessinska understood this all too well, and she aimed very high indeed, setting out to attract and entrance the Tsarevich Nicholas in the early 1890s. After the Tsarevich became Tsar and married Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, Kschessinka moved on to become the paramour of Grand Dukes Andrei and Serge. She was able to build a magnificent palace in the smartest section of St. Petersburg and gained an impressive collection of jewelry. She also gained a son, Vladimir, who was never sure which Grand Duke was his father. (Mathilde herself either didn't know or chose never to divulge the secret).
   
   The first section of the book tends to drag a bit, as we read of Kschessinska's climb to personal and romantic heights. The book really becomes interesting when it reaches the Revolution and its aftermath. Kschessinska's palace was taken over by the Bolsheviks in March, 1917 and she herself barely escaped with her life. She showed true courage and heroism over the next couple of years as she fled from revolutionaries and endured real hardship for the first time. After escaping to the West, Kschessinska demonstrated keen business abilities, setting up and running a successful ballet school in Paris and managing to live in an approximation of her pre-revolutionary style (with help from admirers) until her death at age 99 in 1971.
   
   This is an interesting and well written work which does a good job depicting the life of a woman who deserves to be better remembered.



2. An easy to read chronicle of a woman who lived in "interesting times" and became the most influential person in the pre-revolution Russian Imperial Ballet as well as a hugely successful coutesan to the Romanovs, including Nicholas II before his accession to the throne. Replete with uncorroborated gossip about all sorts of alleged malfeasance and the author's obssessive focus on legitimacy of royal/noble status, it nevertheless provides some insights to the maelstorm of the revolution, from which Kschessinska escaped, incredibly, unscathed, albeit sans her ill gotten vast riches. In fact, the supposed importance of lineage flies in the face of the fact that the Romanov dynasty originated with a family of true Prussian emigres elected to the throne by the boyars without any legitimate claim to royal lineage. The first significant Romanov, Peter the Great, was likely the illegitimate son of the Orthodox Patriarch.



3. I was completely captivated by this account of Matilda, who's so often mentioned in Romanov histories, but seldom profiled in any depth. Coryne Hall's writing style is fluid, making this a highly readable, fascinating portrait of imperial favor, the attention accorded the arts, and the ultimate triumph of a highly ambitious woman. I was even more delighted when I had the chance to pass by Kschessinska's home in St. Petersburg, and wished I'd been able to stop and go in...as if walking in would illuminate the past and bring the book to life.



4. I've read every book on the Romanov family itself, and I found that this well-written book full of interesting information and anecdotes about the Romanovs and St Petersburg in the late 19th and early 20th century gives a fresh perspective to a family I already had come to know well and to a city in the midst of grandeur and then turmoil. It also gives lots of information on minor Romanovs who are otherwise merely glossed over by other writers. It also gives a fascinating account of how many of the Romanov relatives fled Russia (and escaped certain death) via the Ukraine. I would highly recommend it to ballet enthusiasts, many of who may not know much about Mathilde, one of Russia's last great ballerinas and only one of two prima ballerinas of the Russian Imperial Ballet, to those interested in Imperial Russia, and as an addition to anyone's large Romanov library.

3 comments about American Dialects: A Manual for Actors, Directors, and Writers.

1. As a novelist struggling to learn how to give each character his own voice, this book was a gift from God. Perhaps the most important lesson it taught me was to trust my inner ear. It explained beautifully that dialects, even ones that sound ungrammatical, have their own rules of grammar. It helped me to isolate the particular dialect I was striving to recreate on the page and gave me the courage to use it without apology or explanation. A wonderful source for writers.



2. This book is a remarkably accurate and knowledgeable way to learn the many American dialects. It is very clear and concise, and would be a great help with the theatre. I spent a lot of time perfecting my New York City accent,and even though a don't do alot of acting it was fun to fool people, & with the help of this book, it worked. An amazing compilation that is clear and focused, it offers an invaluable lesson for anyone that has the time to sit and study it. Wonderful.



3. An essential tool for any actor who wants to be able to master the regional American accents. Using the international phonetic, this book will guide you through various areas of the USA and allow you to nail down the subtleties of their accent. With this book you'll fool the natives.

No comments about Seeds of Modern Drama.

2 comments about An Introduction to the Art of Theatre: A Comprehensive Text- Past, Present, And Future.

1. I teach the history of theater and this is a great book to add to my arsenal. Informative and easy easy easy to understand! The author explains this in the beginning of the book: it's written in normal common language. No confusing textbook jargon from a stuck-up. The only thing it lacks are interesting photos of, for example, period costumes, equipment, etc. There are some line drawings, but photos (even simple black and white) from stage plays would be icing on the cake. That's the only fault I find. Still, a great book: 4 out of 5 stars!



2. Written by successful playwright and former actor and director Marsh Cassady, An Introduction to The Art of Theatre is a comprehensive text covering all the basics about the past, present, and future of the theatre business. Chapters discuss the roles of the playwright, actor, director, designer, and supporting artists; the business side of theatre; how architecture and space affect a play production; and the rich history of theatre from its earliest beginnings to medieval times to 17th through 21st century theatre. Questions for discussion conclude each chapter, and a handful of black-and-white illustrations round out this solid volume ideal for introductory college courses or independent study.

1 comments about Teaching Classical Ballet.

1. Mr. White has written an excellent book that no teacher should be without. I found that I agreed with him on so many issues facing teachers in the ballet world today, and immediately sought further studies with him regarding the Vaganova method. After my studies with him, I have carried his book in my bag as an excellent reference tool. The photographs of the basic positions and poses are excellent. The content covers many aspects of establishing a ballet school, including how to build the floor, the stereo equipment, etc. I highly recommend this book to all ballet teachers! A must read! Thank you Mr. White!

5 comments about The Art of the Matrix.

1. Indeed this book gives very deep insight and should be of interest to anyone who looks for an answer to the question what the matrix is.



2. The perfect Matrix book !
   I wonder why they don't publish the same book for Reloaded and Revolutions... :-(



3. This book is a must have, no words, buy it!
   
   Da avere, difficile spiegare a parole. Quando lo sfoglierete mi comprenderete. Compratelo!



4. Most "art of" movie books like star wars, lord of the rings, superman, ...the list goes on and on, have a lot of eye candy, great concept sketches, art, etc. You just don't get that here. The sketches have a lot of black and white comic book panels. Now, Wachowski bros are very into comics and saw this movie in that sense first and that made a great movie. It just doesn't make a great art of the matrix book.
   
   It's interesting to note that no art of the matrix reloaded or revolutions has come out.



5. This is an inside look at the real visual minds behind the matrix style of action, innovative camera movements and conceptual designs by comic legends Steve Skroce and Geof Darrow. The Bothers were such a fan of their comics, they hired them to design almost every element of the Matrix films. For any fan of behind the scenes "making of" or just fans of cool artwork this book will blow you away. You get to see the genesis of one of the most influential action film ever! This book will keep you entertained for a long time, it takes forever to absorb it all. This is a must for any Matrix fan really, you won't be disappointed.