The Art of Being a Woman: A Simple Guide to Everyday Love and Laughter

Book Description

It takes a great woman to spot greatness in other women. Have a good laugh at your own expense.
Discover how completely happy you are in your own skin.

Such experiences, says Véronique Vienne, are expressions of the art of being a woman.

In this gem of a book, Vienne gently guides women of all ages and cultures through the practical– and a few rather more whimsical– lessons in the art of womanhood and in the joy of loving life as only a woman can. Along the way, she imparts unique gifts of wisdom such as:

• An alert mind is the most eye-catching feature of a face.
• Smart compliments can improve the way you look as much as beauty products.
• Paying more to eat less is counterintuitive, yet it is the best diet around.
• Fashion is a nonsurgical nip-and-tuck technique.
• Female camaraderie keeps you healthy.
• Men should be given the benefit of the doubt (because they truly need it).

With its spirited prose and witty illustrations, The Art of Being a Woman informs and celebrates the many ways we all can release our insecurities, count our blessings, and experience what the French call “joie de vivre,” a lively tryst between heart and mind.

Customer Reviews:

Lighthearted view of us women.......2007-09-10

I enjoyed this quick read tremendously. It made me laugh and think. We tend to forget sometimes the wonderful thing us women do and it is nice to reminded. Also, some of the corky things we do to each other and ourselves. Totally worth it. I'm buying another one for a gift!

Learn to appreciate yourself through life.......2007-08-09

Without going into too much detail, this book offers an appreciative perspective of life, starting with appreciating yourself. I love her insights into self-esteem and fashion, and especially with dating. It's definitely an inspiring book that I'll keep going back to.

I was hoping for more........2007-07-14

I wouldn't go so far as to label this a 'guide' to anything. I had seen this in the bookstore and after a quick glance through, thought it looked like something I'd like. On my latest trip to the library, I picked it up, and after reading it, I have to say that it really didn't DO anything different for me. The reading was, -well, good, but I don't feel like I really got much substance from it. It is a light read, more of a short essay style and opinions on different topics that pertain to women. I think it skimmed the surface of most of the topics it covered. Maybe that's all the Ms. Vienne was trying to accomplish, I'm not sure. From the title, and the great cover, I was really hoping for more.

Enjoyable.......2007-05-12

I found this book to be enjoyable but it did not live up to the expectations that I had. Veronique is not a particularly engaging writer and her style can leave you feeling a bit bored or wondering where she was going with something. The overall concept is good but there are other, better books out there that discuss the same topics.

Insightful and Uplifting Reading.......2007-04-17

I love Veronique's comments about "sisterhood." She says this should be more inclusive and should not be some exclusive club. Rather, she celebrates all women and the uniquely wonderful feminine qualities that are theirs. Vive la difference!

This is a charming, funny, and encouraging book!

I Love Lucy: The Official 50th Anniversary Edition, Celebrating 50 Years of Love and Laughter

Average customer rating:

I Love Lucy: Celebrating Fifty Years of Love and Laughter
A Lucy Book Not to Love
I LOVE LUCY... 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Excellent Source of Entertaining Information on I Love Lucy!
The Best Lucy Book On Earth

I Love Lucy: The Official 50th Anniversary Edition, Celebrating 50 Years of Love and Laughter
Elisabeth Edwards
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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I Love Lucy: The Complete Picture History of the Most Popular TV Show Ever, Authorized by the Lucille Ball Estate
I Love Lucy: The Classic Moments
I Love Lucy Book
Lucy & Desi: The Real-Life Scrapbook of America's Favorite TV Couple
The I Love Lucy Guide to Life: Wisdom from Lucy and the Gang (Miniature Editions)

ASIN: 0762410582

Book Description

Every fan's quest for the ultimate Lucy treasury ends right here. Celebrate fifty years of classic comedy with the ultimate tribute to I Love Lucy®! In I Love Lucy: The Official 50th Anniversary Edition, you will relive each and every episode of the most popular and best-loved series in the history of television. You will experience anew the magical ensemble of Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred through photographs, descriptions, gossip, star biographies, and trivia questions. You will even learn how the show has inspired and influenced generations of comedians and television stars, and continues to delight legions of diehard Lucy fans!

Customer Reviews:

I Love Lucy: Celebrating Fifty Years of Love and Laughter.......2006-03-22

I purchased and sent this to my daughter, teaching in Namibia, Africa as a birthday gift. She and her roommate in college, use to run home, each day after their last class, to be sure and watch a I Love Lucy rerun on television - it was one of their "stress relievers" before they "hit the books". She said it did the same thing in Namibia, after teaching 3 English classes and 3 Environmental Management Classes, monitoring the new Library, and an HIV/AIDs club for her students/"learners" - a 12 hour day (plus class planning for the next day and correcting papers)!!! She's only 28 years old, but I Love Lucy is TIMELESS. She also received the first five year episodes. Thanks to Amazon.com for making this so easy for me to be able to do this for my daughter!!!!

A Lucy Book Not to Love .......2005-04-11

With so many Lucy books out there, you would think the author and publishers would try to make a knockout book to stand apart from the competition. Amazingly, this book "authorized by CBS Broadcasting Inc. and the Estates of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz" is one of the weakest books on Ball and/or LUCY I've ever seen!! Let's start with the photos. As many have mentioned, their reproduction is just awful. They resemble pictures in a vintage tabloid or cheaply printed pulp magazine from years past. The sepia tinting (black and white photos colored one color) might not have been so bad had the images been sharper (despite the fact that "sepia" photos were not in fashion in the 50's but in the 20's and 30's!!!); the photos that are very small here you can barely make out the subject's faces! The publishers/designers may have been going for a vintage look but it's not appropiate to the 1950's and even if it was, it's just not appealing in a 21st century book.

The bulk of the book consists of pages on each "I Love Lucy" episode with a brief paragraph describing the plot and a bunch of trivia questions. "Trivia questions" belong in paperbacks not an expensive book and it's clear they are only here for padding the pages. Anyone who needs to know anything about the I Love Lucy episodes will find everything they need and then some in Bart Andrews "I Love Lucy" book, you certainly won't get any major new information here.

The only nice things in this book are the interviews with Keith Thibodeaux ("Little Ricky") and writers Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll Jr. The photos of latterday Lucy memorabilia are ok but nothing special.

Lucy diehards want all the books on her of course but unless you find a copy of it super cheap, make this one close to the bottom of your want list.

I LOVE LUCY... 50TH ANNIVERSARY.......2002-09-15

Excellent Book. Highly recommended for any "Lucy" fan. A good read!

Excellent Source of Entertaining Information on I Love Lucy!.......2002-08-29

I received this book as a birthday present, and have enjoyed reading and looking through the numerous amounts of memorable pictures this book has to offer. It takes you through each episode, giving you little known facts about each episode, and provides excellent pictures from each episode. Anyone who is a fan of "I Love Lucy" show strongly consider buying this book!!!

The Best Lucy Book On Earth.......2002-03-04

I was DELIGHTED with this book. It featured biographies, the compleye episode guide with interesting coincidences and facts. I really liked the episode guide. It featured rare seen pictures, script lines, and a summary of every one. Plus, it also tests your lucy knowledge, with over 500 trivia questions and answers. It also features facts many books or episodes don't. For example: When Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz eloped in 1940, where did Desi buy the last-to-minute brass wedding ring he gave to Lucy? Read the book to find out!!

Dario Fo and Franca Rame: Artful Laughter

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Dario Fo and Franca Rame: Artful Laughter
Ron Jenkins
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0893819476

Book Description

The Italian actor, comedian, painter, and playwright Dario Fo is celebrated throughout Europe as a major figure in twentieth-century theater. Yet the Nobel Prize-winner's genius has never been manifested in a significant publication—until now.

A profile on Fo and his longtime partner and collaborator Franca Rame, written by Ron Jenkins, traces among many things, his unusual visual method of creating plays. These remarkable drawings, complemented by photographs that demonstrate Fo's unique physicality and elasticity, together constitute the principal visual elements of Artful Laughter which also includes excerpts from many of Dario Fo's plays.

Average customer rating:

Gift
A somewhat dubious sit- down comedian responds
As interesting as you expect... but more frustrating...
Still Invaluable
A rich rate treasure of info from 20th Century comedy greats

Great Comedians Talk About Comedy
Larry Wilde
Manufacturer: Executive Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy
The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America
The Comedy Bible: From Stand-up to Sitcom--The Comedy Writer's Ultimate "How To" Guide
Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy
Comedy FAQs and Answers: How the Stand-up Biz Really Works

ASIN: 0937539511

Book Description

This volume presents seventeen of the funniest people of the 20th Century talking about how they make people laugh.

Each engaging interview was painstakingly elicited by the author, who spent years researching, collecting the material and recording these intimate one-on-one conversations.

Customer Reviews:

Gift.......2007-03-21

I can't really review this book as I gave it as a gift to my son-in-law. I think he's really enjoying it - he's planning on trying a little stand up soon.

A somewhat dubious sit- down comedian responds .......2005-07-05

Almost all the reviews on Amazon are by stand- up comics who claim that this book has been a great resource in teaching them how to 'get em' and 'leave em' laughing.
I am not a stand- up comedian and perhaps not even a sit- down one.
But many of the people interviewed here have given me, people I have known and millions of others a lot of laughs, and a lot of happy moments. I think of how much Jack Benny meant in the old days to my parents. And how when we were growing up Tuesday night had to be with Uncle Miltie or it was not. I think of the great heart of Jimmy Durante " Good Night, Mrs.Calabash wherever you are." And also of Shelley Berman( "Some people say Aristotle died in Chalcis Euboea. I think Aristotle died 'of' Chalcis Eubeoa") Also others featured here, Carson who passed away this year who gave so many Americans their nighttime entertainment, and George Burns who with his, "Gracie.Say good night" always brought a smile. And even Joey Bishop who never seemed to me in the least funny , and Woody Allen( Unlike everyone else who reviewed this book I did not find his interview either interesting or funny, though I admit he has made a few clever remarks in his time. ie." I don't want to be an immortal. I just want to go on living forever".
Any gathering of such a great group of personalities has to be a source of entertainment.
This book as I understand it has served as a kind of 'Bible ' for stand- up comedians.
I suggest even some of the sit- down ones may get real pleasure from it.

As interesting as you expect... but more frustrating..........2004-08-07

There is very little to dislike in the content of the book. He interviews some of the great comics,comedians,funnymen of the 20th century about craft. The candidness of each interviewee is what struck me upon first reading. It often seems that comics can be quite elusive when it comes to discussing their craft. The general consensus among the subjects is that one has some innate funniness present that he can hone and sharpen in order to become a truly great comic. Wilde asks some very poignant questions about each one's process: writing, performing, and breaking into the business. He also requests of each that they divulge their major influences and what specific things they might have picked up from each. Very interesting stuff (I found out about several comics I had never heard of). There is also the requisite interview fodder of personal history and amusing anecdotes. This book seems to be the only one of its kind and is invaluable for its diverse perspectives from some of the greats. Berle, Hope, and Burns in particular provide interesting contextual history of their vaudeville days starting out (and the transition to post-vaudeville). The subjects chosen each share an unparalleled longevity in the business. I especially enjoyed the Berle and Woody Allen interviews. Each sheds light on specific aspects of "technique." The comics chosen represent a wide range of comedic styles: the reader is bound to be a fan of at least one. The book is an interesting historical document and quite unique: +5 stars.

I do have some criticisms of the book (-1 star). During later interviews in the book (chronologically), Wilde becomes a bit too referential. For example, he might begin a question with "Milton Berle once said to me..." Though it's interesting to see if a particular comic agrees with the others on certain points, this is not a terribly effective way to ask a question. Who in their right mind in the business would say that Milton Berle is full of it? The question can be asked without reference to the source (and therefore without the consequence of bias). Furthermore, the price is outrageous considering that the book could have been half the length if such a massive font was not used. Many responses to questions in the book have been edited and ostensibly continue beyond the transcription. You will notice the liberal use of elipses in nearly every interview. Perhaps if a standard font was used more of the abridged interviews could be included at no additional cost. This 2000 edition adds an interview with Jerry Seinfeld, but I'm not entirely certain how he was chosen as the only modern comic included. Could the book (originally published in 1968) have been put out cheaply in paperback? Only Larry Wilde's accountant may ever know.

Still Invaluable.......2002-09-06

I first read "Great Comedians" in 1972 when I was starting out as a comedian. I found it to be just what I needed as a young aspiring comedian. The interviews of Woody Allen, Shelley Berman, Jack Benny, and Phillis Diller resonated with me and helped me immensely in my standup comedy development. It also inspired me to write my own book probing the methods of my generations great comedians ("Comic Insights") in order to help today's young comedians get a better idea of what it takes to do quality standup. I recently read "Great Comedians" again, and my original verdict still stands. This book is still of immense value to all aspiring comedians.

A rich rate treasure of info from 20th Century comedy greats.......2002-02-28

It's no secret that comedians -- great and not-so-great -- are influenced by the WORK of other comedians. The advent of film in the 20th century made this a lot easier since when a comedian died the work was still available...and now with videos etc. it's easier than ever.

But what about HOW these comedians made laughs...how they were inspired...what specific techniques they used and did not use...and what advice they would give anyone interested in going into any area of comedy?

Those have been tough answers to get. To do it you'd have to buy a slew of good and sometimes rotten bios, many of them out of print. Until now. Stand-up comedian Larry Wilde's Great Comedians Talk About Comedy brings it all together.

Great Comedians is a superb, singular achievement that collects within one lively, 402-page, info-packed volume, detailed interviews done over several years with some of the 20th century's greatest comedians and comedy actors.

The selection is absolutely mind-boggling: Woody Allen, Milton Berle, Shelly Berman, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Maurice Chevalier, Phyllis Diller, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope, Dick Gregory, George Jessle, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld, Danny Thomas and Ed Wynn.

Each interview is presented in straight Q&A format so you get to "hear" the question and "hear" the response, from what the comedian/comedy actor says to his/her own speech pattern. These folks worked in venues from vaudeville, to radio, to night clubs, to radio to early silent movies to talkies to TV. And their responses to questions contain revelations and constant inspiration.

A key theme: how "making it" in comedy requires timing, good material, dogged persistance, constant analysis of jokes/laughs and being LIKEABLE to an audience. Copying someone's stage personna or stealing their jokes just won't do it.

My favorite interviews were with Woody Allen (how he writes ten jokes on everything from matchbooks to napkins and only uses a few; how he won't try jokes out on friends since they're often too negative; how audience appeal MATTERS...and his pointing to Jackie Gleason as someone who often had a lousey show but people loved him), Jack Benny (the importance of learning comedy and advancing step by step...an explanation of his legendary timing), Joey Bishop ("...Luck cannot sustain you.Only talent can sustain you.."), George Burns (tips on timing, attitude and the importance emulating but not copying other performers), Phyllis Diller (five truly SUPERB short inspirational tips that can advance MANY careers...Her high laugh per minute standards), and Jerry Seinfeld (timing, getting into a focused mental framework and how his love of comedy as a kid blossomed).

This book an essential for ANYONE interested in comedy, or for students of comedy, public speakers, or anyone who simply wants to be funny in public. It's ALL HERE: the inspiration, the tips, the stories, the bios...the TOOLS.

Book Description

Feminism and Contemporary Art discusses the work of individual women artists within the context of the wider social, physical and political world. Jo Anna Isaak looks at the work of a diverse range of artists from the United States, the former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and Canada. She discusses the work of such women as Barbara Kruger, Cindy Sherman, Nancy Spero, Elaine Reichek, Jeanne Silverthorne, Mary Kelly, Lorna Simpson and the Guerrilla Girls, and examines a range of work by twentieth-century Soviet women artists. Isaak argues that contemporary art under the influence of feminism provides the momentum for a comic critique of key assumptions about art, art history, and the role of the artist.

Download Description

Looks at the work of a diverse range of artists and explores the effect of feminist theory on art practice. The book provides a provocative and valuable account of the diversity and revolutionary potential of women's art practice.

Customer Reviews:

A feminist position on history's treatment of womenartist.......1998-12-29

This book is an interesting collection of power- ful essay's on the Postmodernist condition and how that has shaped the role of women artists to- day. Whether these strategies are being employed fashionably or in thoughtful disregard to presumed male prejudice is well argued and perceptive.

Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film: Between Laughter and Horror (Suny Series in Psychoanalysis and Culture)

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Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film: Between Laughter and Horror (Suny Series in Psychoanalysis and Culture)
Caroline Joan Picart
Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0791457702

Book Description

Explores how filmmakers and screenwriters have used comedy and science fiction to extend the boundaries of the Frankenstein narrative.

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Kirkus Reviews is way off!
A wonderful man! A wonderful life!

Peter Ustinov: The Gift of Laughter
John Miller
Manufacturer: Orion Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Quotable Ustinov
DEAR ME

ASIN: 0752842625

Book Description

Actor, playwright, director, novelist, wit, and raconteur, Peter Ustinov is a show business polymath. He wrote his first play before he was 20, and has since had more than a dozen produced, three of which were later filmed. As an actor his films include Spartacus and Topkapi, for which he won an Academy Award, and he has more recently directed operas in every major opera house in Europe. His one-man show, An Evening with Peter Ustinov was hit in London and on Broadway.

Customer Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews is way off!.......2005-02-18

"Another conscientious text that plods through its subject's life yet misses the insights that really inform ... Despite many appreciative testimonies and anecdotes from colleagues, Ustinov remains elusive under his many hats. More a résumé than a life. For diehard fans only."

Sorry, Kirkus, but I would love to read anyone's résumé if they all read like this one. It's amazing! True, as an authorized biography, it doesn't go into gossip. But Ustinov's intensely anti-autocratic mind is impossible to hide, anyways, so you hardly come away without knowing his thoughts on life. The book is incredibly funny and full of gorgeous language. Entire worlds like the theatre and the military form in your head. The world of Ustinov's family and lineage, of cavalier aristocratic fathers and disappointed sons, can be very moving.

As for Ustinov, he was deeply anti-cruelty, which is more controversial than you think. He wrote political satires and white-hot letters. He came to expect rejection from heads of state and entire countries ... and was sometimes deeply surprised by them. There are loads of unexpected anecdotes here, such as how Ustinov unwittingly changed Admiral Nimitz's mind about writing his autobiography. (Impressive stuff, but more importantly, Nimitz himself is quoted here. There is a moment where you sense just how saddened by war the man possibly was.)

It seems everyone has a chance at speaking in this book. Interestingly, that was precisely the criticism that was given of Ustinov's plays. They were long. Verbose. Brilliant but shapeless. They were actor's vehicles. And never a vehicle for just one actor at a time, either. Ustinov, not a fan at all of the heavy touch from the director, tended to refuse calls for cuts, or when he did cut, the plays simply grew long again as the actors had fun with their improvisations. Ustinov was beloved by the actors in his plays. But reading the review excerpts, you see how critics gave him his chances, but ended up frustrated.

The fact that Ustinov's own meetings with actors (especially famous ones) are depicted as utterly outrageous and hilarious, is a reminder that Ustinov is telling the stories here to the book's author. Still, outrageous is outrageous and hilarious is hilarious. Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, Hermione Gingold (making improper use of a sink), John Gielgud, Edith Evans ...
And there are fond recollections from Terence Stamp and others. Anegla Lansbury, who was only a kid when she met Ustinov. Ustinov was dating her sister, and Angela loved the way he used to leap into spouting nonsense languages. It may not seem very Lansburyish, but when Ustinov encouraged her to join the improvisations, she did heartily! Hardly the typical "As an actor, I was so grateful" story. Everyone is just a bit livelier in this book, it seems. They're more interesting. Possibly due to Ustinov's reminiscing, but the author writes more than well enough on his own.

It's a tremendous world that this man, Ustinov, lived in. He loved languages, accents, personalities, eccentrities, absurdities. Portions of those angry letters of his are quoted, as well. It's a valuable book, I really do think.

A wonderful man! A wonderful life!.......2003-10-24

A wonderful actor I always admired, but had not really seem much of his work. BUT he's not just a talented actor, but a writer, director, public speaker... oh the list goes on... and he does it all so well!
Ever since I was young and with a group of other children got to hear his great reading of "Peter and the wolf,"(we sat there on cushons at his feet, great experience!) I've always had a spot in my heart for this jolly and warm human being.
My only regret is not seeing or reading more of his work, but I will rush out and try to find as much of his work as possible!!
I never realized how prolific he is, this book was an excellent insight into his life.

Why You Crying?: My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love, and Laughter

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Up Lifting!
Why You Crying? : My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love, and Laughter
George Lopez is #1 in my book
Days of Whine and Roses
Inspiring and Humorous

Why You Crying?: My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love, and Laughter
George Lopez , and Armen Keteyian
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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George Lopez - Why You Crying?
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El Mas Chingon
The Original Latin Kings of Comedy
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ASIN: 0743259955

Book Description

George Lopez tells of his inspirational rise from dead-end, back-alley kid to prime-time TV sensation in the sidesplitting New York Times bestseller Why You Crying?

When G-Lo gives a comic performance, there's not a dry eye, or an empty seat, in the house. While he can make his audiences cry with laughter, Lopez's own life -- before becoming one of America's most popular Latino personalities -- was anything but funny.

Abandoned by his California migrant-worker father at the tender age of two months and deserted by his own mother at the age of ten years, Lopez was raised by his grandparents, who viewed love as a four-letter word. "I was angry, alone, teased, and tormented," writes Lopez. "I grew up around Nobodies as a Nobody wanting to be something else." Why You Crying? -- a sentence borrowed from the grandmother who bullied him -- is the story of Lopez's journey to become Somebody. Along the way he riffs on the amusing differences between Chicano and gringo culture, shares his struggle with alcohol and depression, reveals amusing backstage anecdotes, and paints a vivid portrait of a fascinating life and career that have broken barriers of race, culture, and class. Read it and weep!

Download Description

" In this eagerly awaited autobiography, comedian and prime-time television star George Lopez tells the heartbreaking yet humorous story of his inspirational rise from dead-end kid in the Valley to giving a command performance before the president of the United States. It is a rare story that touches us so deeply with its humor, sadness, and powerful message that it transcends the walls of race, culture, and class that divide us. Why You Crying? is just such a story. Abandoned by his migrant-worker father at the tender age of two months, deserted by a wild, mixed-up mother at the age of ten years, Lopez grew up angry, alone, teased, and tormented in California's San Fernando Valley, raised by grandparents who viewed love as a four-letter word. Inspired by his idols, Freddie Prinze Sr. and Richard Pryor, Lopez sets out on a tumultuous twenty-year journey into the manic world of stand-up comedy -- trying to learn a skill nobody can teach; scoring one night and bombing the next; fighting anger, alcohol, depression, and doubt all while battling the barriers built to keep Chicanos from breaking through, especially on network TV. Today, the George Lopez show is a prime-time hit on ABC and his sold-out stand-up performances attract thousands of fans of all ages, each drawn to the sidesplitting riffs mined from a life so sad it had to be funny. Why You Crying? takes an outsider from the San Fernando Valley to Warner Bros. studios to inside the Emmys to plush Pebble Beach and all the way to the halls of Harvard. Along the way it's pure G. Lo -- raw, real, and, ultimately, uplifting. "

Customer Reviews:

Up Lifting!.......2007-08-13

I was moved by his difficult upbrings and how he fought back. I couldn't stop laughing when he talked about the mexican culture and their strange habits & sayings, because I could definitely relate being mexican myself.

Why You Crying? : My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love, and Laughter.......2006-03-17

I love this book. Not only did the book help me understand his comedy even more but I was was able to relate to him more now than before I read his book.

On top of him giving us a look into what his life was truly like he still made me laugh with his excerps.

George Lopez is #1 in my book.......2006-01-09

First of all I can say that after reading this book I laughed and I cried. It was very touching and I think so many people can relate to George Lopez and his childhood. You have to give George alot of credit where credit is due. He has come along way, just look how far he has come.... That's got to count for something..... I have all his cd's and his dvd's. I can play them over and over again.... But nothing compares to seeing George Lopez live in concert. That was one of the best comedy concert I have ever been to... The book is well worth reading and I don't think if your a true George Lopez fan you won't be disappointed... You will laugh and maybe even cry...

Days of Whine and Roses.......2005-02-27

I really expected to enjoy this book, but I was severely disappointed. Understandably, George Lopez had a rotten childhood. In the first half or so of his autobiography, he constantly reiterates this point repeatedly, to the point where the reader stops learning anything new and, at least in my case, dreads reading the next paragraph. Toward the end of the book, Lopez switches from whining about his rotten childhood to constantly pointing out his belief that he is God's gift to Latinos. He also goes into great detail about his self-belief that he is a major talent as a golfer, as well as an infallible comedian. However, his "hard look" at his life never dwells on any of his faults or mistakes. He briefly mentions getting caught in school with pot, but says he only had it because someone gave it to him before school and he had nowhere else to put it. Lopez mentions a problem in his marriage that causes his wife to give up on him and kick him out of the house, but he softcoats the entire episode. (Reading between the lines, it appears he had at least one extra-marital fling, but he doesn't want to take a "long, hard look" at whatever the problem was.) Between his whining about his childhood and his acceptance as the greatest thing to ever happen to Latinos and comedy, I found George Lopez' book to read more like a psychiatric session for him than an open and honest revelation to his fans. If you must read this book, I strongly recommend checking it out from your local library before committing your own hard-earned money.

Inspiring and Humorous.......2004-10-22

George Lopez' autobiography is an inspiring read about his life. It tells how he overcame his childhood to become the success that he is today. I was really moved by his childhood and how he learned to overcome the problems in his childhood. I especially enjoyed reading how he got his television show and the stories he told related to it. The book is very humorous and had me giggling the whole way through.
A humorous and inspiring story of one of TV's best comic actors.

Pieter Bruegel and the Art of Laughter (Ahmanson-Murphy Fine Arts Books)

Average customer rating:

Not what I expected

Pieter Bruegel and the Art of Laughter (Ahmanson-Murphy Fine Arts Books)
Walter S. Gibson
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0520245210

Book Description

Pieter Bruegel (ca. 1525-1569), generally considered the greatest Flemish painter of the sixteenth century, was described in 1604 by his earliest biographer as a supremely comic artist, few of whose works failed to elicit laughter. Today, however, we approach Bruegel's art as anything but a laughing matter. His paintings and drawings are thought to conceal profound allegories best illuminated with scholarly erudition. In this delightfully engaging book, Walter S. Gibson takes a new look at Bruegel, arguing that the artist was no erudite philosopher, but a man very much in the world, and that a significant part of his art is best appreciated in the context of humor. In his illuminating examination of the witty and amusing elements in Bruegel's paintings, prints, and drawings in relation to the sixteenth century European culture of laughter, Gibson reminds us exactly why Bruegel was one of the most original artists of his time.
In a series of engrossing chapters, Gibson explores the function and production of laughter in the sixteenth century, examines the ways in which Bruegel exploited the comic potential of Hieronymus Bosch, and traces how the artist developed his remarkable gift for physiognomy in his work, culminating in three paintings of festive peasants he produced during the 1560s: the Wedding Dance, the Kermis, and the Wedding Banquet. Gibson also takes a detailed look at the Dulle Griet, Bruegel's most complex evocation of Bosch.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I expected.......2006-12-10

The title to this book is so misleading. I really love the Bruegel prints and paintings. And some of them do make me laugh. But Mr. Gibson winds up writing what seems to be a historical narative about festivals in the 1500's. There was nothing really written about laughter and nothing about the book really made me laugh. I must admit I found it quite boring and didn't bother to finish it. A rarity for me. If you enjoy Bruegel as much as I do, stay away from this book.

Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara

Average customer rating:

A Glimpse into Jerry Stiller's Life
Great book about Ben's parents
Life, love and laughter...
Disappointing effort from an otherwise funny guy
Self absorbed,self centered minus insight or introspection

Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara
Jerry Stiller
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684869047

Book Description

From his initial success in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village with Anne Meara, who would be the love of his life, to his serenity-seeking days on "Seinfeld" and later on "The King of Queens," Jerry Stiller has consistently proven himself to be a force in showbiz. In "Married to Laughter," he brings us into his world and recounts, in a tone that is laugh-out-loud funny and strikingly honest, his passion for entertainment and working with people such as Ed Sullivan, Mike Nichols, Robin Williams, and Jerry Seinfeld, who were there along the way. At the heart of this tale is Stiller's partnership, both onstage and off, with Anne Meara. He shares the affectionate story of their long-surviving relationship, spotlighting the pleasures and challenges of raising a family in an interfaith show business marriage. "Married to Laughter" is the story of an actor who never let go of his dreams, but ultimately it is the story of two people who found their place in show business without losing sight of each other.

Download Description

Jerry Stiller is known and loved as a comedian and for his character, Frank Costanza from Seinfeld. "Married to Laughter" is a warm and funny story Read by the author, "Married to Laughter" will publish abridged on cassette and CD simultaneously with the Simon & Schuster hardcover. Audiobook marketing and publicity plans include trade and consumer print advertising, and on-line promotion.

Customer Reviews:

A Glimpse into Jerry Stiller's Life.......2007-04-04

Comedian Jerry Stiller shares stories from his life that are sure to make you laugh and inspire you to work hard for your dream.

Great book about Ben's parents.......2007-03-19

Ok, I'll admit it. I bought the book with the hope of getting a glimpse into the childhood and family life of Ben Stiller. I didn't find out much about him, but I did learn a lot about his parents. I first saw Jerry Stiller in Seinfeld, I had no idea what a long resume he had prior to that. I enjoyed every page of his book and didn't want it to end. He certainly has worked hard for all his fame and I appreciate that he shared so many stories with his honest feelings. Jerry and his wife are both extremely talented and versatile performers.

Life, love and laughter..........2003-09-09

Really liked this book. Jerry Stiller takes us on a trip through his life, and it's funny, sad, and always interesting. I found out so many things about him that I didn't know--such as: he was a stage actor, in Shakespeare, no less! And, his courtship of, and eventual marriage to, Anne Meara, is related--sometimes humorously, sometimes seriously, but always with honesty. Jerry and Anne discover that their career aspirations aren't really the same, and each builds their own career, but never forgetting each other. The road is sometimes bumpy, but they don't lose sight of one another, and their love for each other is deep and true. A fine book, Mr. Stiller!

Disappointing effort from an otherwise funny guy.......2001-12-25

Read MARRIED TO LAUGHTER; A LOVE STORY FEATURING
ANNE MEARA by Jerry Stiller . . . had looked forward to this book
as I've always enjoyed Stiller's work (even before he was
"rediscovered" on SEINFELD) . . . however, it just didn't
do very much for me . . . most of the emphasis is on his work
in the theater . . . there's very little about his work on television . . . and if you're expecting anything about Ben Stiller, you won't find it here--except for one photograph when he was younger.

Not quite sure why I did not like this book . . . but couldn't even find that many memorable passages to share with you . . . that is usually a tip-off to me; i.e., if I'm "into" a book, I'll be making all sorts of notes about it . . . on this one, all I could come up with was the following:

As the curtain rose I realized in that split second that Hank was
right. I had never really spoken to anyone onstage; worse yet, I had never listened. I was always Acting, with a capital A. Had my success in college been a gigantic hoax?

[on his love for cooking and his special recipe for Chicken Gai Yung]I decided I could sell the delicious chicken legs door to door. I told Anne my idea. I'd marinate the legs overnight, broil then in the morning,and then hit every apartment building on the West Side. A dollar a leg. I figured it was an idea whose time had come, and it took me away from the pain of rejection. We'd become rich and possibly franchise the idea. You're sitting at home, watching TV. A knock on the door, "I'm selling
Chicken Gai Yung. It's only a buck." Who could resist?

[explaining jazz to Anne, who never understood it] "Because you're orderly. Jazz can be chaotic. It's like some storm that suddenly erupts spontaneously in a musician's soul. It's somebody else's sunset--someone else's terror. Who wants to hear the musical version of someone else's problems? A lot of dissonance. Just when you're ready to say, 'I've had enough,' you hear the
thread of a melody. It falls easily on the ears. The storm has subsided. You're suddenly caught up and now you're listening to Bill Evan's inner voice. He's taken us on a trip we've all been on ourselves at one time or another. Now he's out of his wilderness. The search for life's' golden path is over." I was
starting to sound like a poet.

Self absorbed,self centered minus insight or introspection.......2001-10-06

Jerry Stiller has lived a long interesting life which one might think would lead to some internal truths or insights. Instead he reveals himself to be a self-absorbed, self-centered individual from his earliest years. He admits he never "gets" his wife's playwriting - and after almost 50 years of marriage, he wonders if they'll have anything in common if both of their careers come to an end. Even humorous anecdotes are few and far between...the anecdotes about other performers are brief and superficial (Robin Williams and Walter Matthau receive some praise, but only because they were generous performers - generous to Jerry, of course). There are more than a few biggoted and stereotypical remarks about his wife's Irish-American family and background, which would not be tolerated if they were reversed and directed toward *his* ethnic background (Stiller quite matter-of-factly mentions Henny Youngman's reference to Nantucket Island as Goy-ville...) I wish Ann Meara would write her version of their lives.

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