The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)

Book Description

"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set."
—Sidney Poitier

In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measure—as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.

Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.

Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.

Here is Poitier's own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limits—his own and the world's. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.

Customer Reviews:

Nice man, wandering story..........2007-10-04

I had to force myself to finish this book, simply because I didn't want to waste my money by leaving it when I was tempted to. It was interesting to realize that an actor whose work I had appreciated came from such a spare beginning, but by halfway through the book, the continuous wandering asides and disclaimers of the author so overwhelmed the narrative that I could barely tolerate it. It seems to me that the story could have been told to greater effect with half the words!

****LOVED IT****.......2007-09-24

Kept me interested...I really enjoyed this book...I couldn't put the book down until I finished reading it!!!!

MEASURE OF A MAN does not measure up.......2007-09-21

Wow, a book about Sidney Poitier. An outstanding actor with a book that just does not give him true justice. The reading tends to be dry and lacks substance. His life struggles could have been the story of any man or woman, black or white. The writing and editing are weak in some sections.

You should rent or buy one of Poitier's movies instead. His movie roles show his true skills.

SPIRITUAL "Of, Relating to, Consisting of, or Affecting the Spirit" MERRIAM-WEBSTER.......2007-08-30

I've always been smitten with Poitier's voice--his diction and control on film, the flow of his words as they travel in and around ideas during interviews--so I read THE MEASURE OF A MAN with an ear for his voice. I wondered, Is it translatable to print? It is, but that means allowing Poitier's thoughts to meander until they find their point, and that his thoughts are less formulated (or formal) and more "in his own words," than they might be if they were written by a biographer. (I read just enough "You know?"s "You hear me when I tell you?"s and "You follow?"s to feel like he was talking to me, but not too many to be annoyed.) I read to imagine what it might be like to have a conversation with Poitier. The book reinforced what I already knew--I'd be as intimidated as heck--but it also gave me the courage to think I'd be able to speak my mind.

As an editor, I read Poitier's book because I wanted to know how he defines a "spiritual" autobiography. Is it a I-Was-A-Sinner-But-I-Found-Jesus-And-Now-I'm-Saved chronology? Is it about how Christianity or another faith influenced his life? Neither. Poitier examines the people, events, circumstances, beliefs, and so on, which have related to, consisted of, or affected his "spirit," and, in doing so, he writes about childhood experiences in the Bahamas, his changing perceptions of his parents, how he adapts to living in the United States, his approach to acting and filmmaking, and his attitude toward fatherhood. He also shares a debate a friend and he had about the Basic Truth of Nature, a debate worth every second of reading it takes to get to.

Is THE MEASURE OF A MAN going to satisfy readers interested only in Poitier's film career? No, but I urge them to read it anyway, if for no other reason than to find out how his "spirit" influenced the films he starred in.

Books.......2007-08-21

I purchased this book for my daughter and she loved it!
She is a teacher and plans to teach this story in her English class fall 2007.
A great story with a great moral.

Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'

Average customer rating:

I loved this book!!!
Paula's book is cookin'
It Aint All ABout the Cookin
Loved this book!
Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'

Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'
Paula Deen , and Sherry Suib Cohen
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743292855
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

Do you know the real Paula Deen? You may think you know the butter-loving, finger-licking, joke-cracking queen of melt-in-your-mouth Southern cuisine. You may have even visited The Lady & Sons to taste for yourself the down-home delicacies that made her famous and even heard some version of her Cinderella story (a single mom with two teenage sons started a brown-bag lunch business with $200 and wound up with a thriving restaurant, a fairy-tale second marriage, and wildly popular television shows), but you have never heard the intimate details of her often bumpy road to fame and fortune.

Courageously honest, downright inspiring, and just a little bit saucy, Paula shares the highs and lows of her life in the inimitable charming and irreverent style that you know from her television shows and personal appearances. She talks about long childhood summers spent in a bathing suit and roller skates and hard years living in the back of her father's gas station; a buzzing high school social life of sleepovers, parties, cheerleading, and boys; and a difficult marriage. The death of her beloved parents precipitated a debilitating agoraphobia that crippled her for years. But even when the going got tough, Paula never lost the good grace and sense of humor that would eventually help carry her to success and stardom. Of course, you can't get by on charm alone: as Paula has learned, you need plenty of willpower, hard work, and, above all, the love and support of family and friends to finance, sustain, and run a successful restaurant.

In each chapter, Paula shares new recipes: there's serious comfort food like her momma's Chocolate-Dippy Doughnuts, Courage Chili for when you know life's going to get tough, Sexy Oxtails for seducing that special someone, and the recipe for her new mother-in-law's Banana Nut Delight Cake that Paula finally got just right. And you'll love the never-before-seen photos of her family.

In this memoir, Paula Deen speaks as frankly and intimately as few women in the public eye have ever dared. Whether she's telling tales of good times or bad, her story is proof that the old-fashioned American dream is alive and kicking, and there still is such a thing as a real-life happy ending.

Customer Reviews:

I loved this book!!!.......2007-09-19

I loved Paula Deen from the first time I watched her show on "Food TV". However there was so much about her life that I did not know. Reading this book really brought me in to her personal life--what is important to her, her battle with agoraphobia, and even some of her mistakes. I read this book while I was on vacation--could'nt put it down!!!! She has such a funny way of telling you about her life--her usual Paula Deen craziness!!!! LOVED IT!!

Paula's book is cookin'.......2007-09-12

This book was so easy and fun to read. Paula's writes like she talks. I admired her courage in starting a business. She never allowed herself have the option of giving up.

It Aint All ABout the Cookin.......2007-09-07

If you have enjoyed Paula Dean cookbooks and her cooking shows, you will enjoy this book. I found out so much about Paula Dean and her struggle to fame. As I read this book, I could just hear her voice and her laughter and Laugh I did. There are also a few recipes in the book that I have found to be excellent.
Paula Dean and her handsome boys are to be applauded for their stick-to-ativeness..and God bless the entire family. May the Dean/Weaver family always be a hugh success.
You don't have to love cooking to enjoy the book. If you want honesty and humor, this is the book.

Loved this book!.......2007-09-05

Paula does a great job of giving you a sense of her roots. She also shares many of her personal struggles - some of which were probably not that easy to discuss publicly. She's brutally honest about her low times and bad decisions that she's made. As the reader she will make you feel as if you are a trusted friend in which she's chosen to confide.
I think Paula is a courageous woman who has earned every bit of her success.

Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'.......2007-09-04

I just LOVED this book!! Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. It's been a long time since I've done that with a book. I felt like Paula was right here with me. She made me feel like I was part of her life. I laughed and cried and what's gone on in her life and continues to go on. She's a remarkable lady. I wish I could meet her someday; but since I probably won't, this was the next best thing. Paula you are a "hoot"!! I just love you girl, and keep on being yourself!

Average customer rating:

Jeannette Walls
A Disturbing but Positive Memoir
THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!
Absolutely amazing!
The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Jeannette Walls
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Television Performers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Family & Childhood | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 074324754X

Amazon.com

Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis

Book Description

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.

TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:

Keppler Speakers

Dustin L. Jones

Associate, College & University Division

703.516.4000 (P)

703.516.4819 (F)

Customer Reviews:

Jeannette Walls.......2007-10-04

Thank you for visiting our school, Ms. Jeannette.
I figured you'll probably see this, since you said you like Amazon.

Your book has truly touched me. I just wanted to say I admire you more than anyone in this world.

I feel very fortunate to have had to opportunity to meet you ... at the school paper (Grits) meeting, the service leader meeting, in the Science & Technology lobby, and at the Senior Girls Lunch.

I admit, I also feel a little guilty because I mean ... PG "educates" the most spoiled Charleston kids who spend most of their time partying, drinking, and wasting time. It's a phenomenal school with a brilliant faculty, but the majority of the student body takes their gifts for granted. I hope your story and your truths have gotten through to some of them.

I'm so glad you are where you are now and I'm so glad you're happy.

For anyone else reading this review, go out and buy the book right now. It will change you forever.
For anyone who has written reviews accusing Ms. Walls of lying, please open your minds. If you ever meet her, or even hear her speak, you'll know immediately that every word is true.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Alice Phillips, Senior, PGS (Charleston).

PS: You're right - everyone has something.

A Disturbing but Positive Memoir.......2007-10-04

What an eye opener. I'd like to believe every parent does the best they can, but as I read "The Glass Castle" I really had to ask myself, "Is this the best they could do?" I found myself wincing at times as I read the memoir. However, I couldn't put the book down, and the love Jeannette Walls has for her parents despite the neglect and disregard she endured, shows the incredible strength of the human spirit. To a society in which some people blame their lack of stability on a bad childhood, this book is a gift and a must read.

THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!.......2007-10-03

An excellent book so engrossing I could not put it down. I love to read, but this book has moved me and stayed with me longer than any other. This book shows that you can break the chains that bind when you are focused. I've been in recovery many years and I appreciate the work involved in writing, along with courage in sharing, such intimate details of a family history. I will be recommending this book for years to come. Thanks again.

Absolutely amazing!.......2007-10-02

An amazing account of how one can overcome her/his circumstances instead of "blaming" the parents. A real page turner and so well written. I had put off reading this book for many months (thinking it would be too depressing to read) until a co-worker said, "It's really a good book."

The Glass Castle.......2007-10-01

Moving story. Uncomfortable to think the young woman would deny the existence of Mother when seen on street until you hear her story. It's a story of child neglect mixed so strangely with child love. Parents- child like themselves.

In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing

Average customer rating:

Up from the trenches
One of the best books I've ever read!
Interesting book
In An Instant
Excellent reminder to live every day

In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing
Lee Woodruff , and Bob Woodruff
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Television Performers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Special Needs | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Journalists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1400066670
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

In one of the most anticipated books of the year, Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation.

In January 2006, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all–a happy marriage and four beautiful children. Lee was a public relations executive and Bob had just been named co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. Then, while Bob was embedded with the military in Iraq, an improvised explosive device went off near the tank he was riding in. He and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were hit, and Bob suffered a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed him.

In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear. Here are Lee’s heartfelt memories of their courtship, their travels as Bob left a law practice behind and pursued his news career and Lee her freelance business, the glorious births of her children and the challenges of motherhood.

Bob in turn recalls the moment he caught the journalism “bug” while covering Tiananmen Square for CBS News, his love of overseas assignments and his guilt about long separations from his family, and his pride at attaining the brass ring of television news–being chosen to fill the seat of the late Peter Jennings.

And, for the first time, the Woodruffs reveal the agonizing details of Bob’s terrible injuries and his remarkable recovery. We learn that Bob’s return home was not an end to the journey but the first step into a future they have learned not to fear but to be grateful for.

In an Instant is much more than the dual memoir of love and courage. It is an important, wise, and inspiring guide to coping with tragedy–and an extraordinary drama of marriage, family, war, and nation.

A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.

Customer Reviews:

Up from the trenches.......2007-09-29

This is a story of remarkable courage and love. Medicine and therapy have come a long way, but the personal strength of one person doing the hard work, and another staying by their side, is (I believe) what brings people back to a life worth living after so tremendous a trajedy. Other books about brain trauma: The Shiloh Renewal and I'll Carry the Fork! Recovering a Life After Brain Injury

One of the best books I've ever read!.......2007-09-26

What a wonderful & informative book. I really enjoyed all of the background information. It was a very touching love story. Having gone through 3 brain surgeries myself and my daughter's brain surgery also, gave me a fraction of knowledge on the recovering brain, but the book certainly gives an abundance of information. I've always thought Bob was absolutely fantastic, but I really enjoyed Lee's side of the story. Bravo and Good bless you both Bob & Lee!!!

Interesting book.......2007-09-09

Interesting book - I read it because I was curious what had happened to Bob Woodruff after his injury, because the of the lack of information regarding his condition. It is interesting to me that insiders in the media can control what information gets out about them personally; however others are not so fortunate - their names, faces and not-so-flattering images are splashed across news screens every day.

The book was interesting, but I felt that Lee Woodruff ends up protraying herself as a selfish wife who is annoyed first at her husband's career and then annoyed at the inconvenience his injury caused their family. She describes herself several times as a "single parent" because Bob travelled so much. As a real-life single parent, this completely offended me. A single parent not only cares for their children alone, they also support them alone. A single parent is not a wife of a guy with a six-figure salary who happens to work a lot. If Lee had left these comments out, the book would have been much more palatable.

In An Instant.......2007-08-23

This book was excellent. I thoughthly enjoyed it. My sister is not reading it.

Excellent reminder to live every day.......2007-08-13

After reading this excellent book, I will be more aware to be thankful for each day with those we love. Our loved ones can be gone in an instant. Part of Bob is gone forever and gone for his children and wife-the idea that nothing bad will happen to me.

I will be interested in learning how Bob progresses in his healing. He is only beginning his recovery.

Unlike some other reviewers I think it is important to learn Bob's story and for him to tell us next the stories of those less famous. We are reminded of what war is really like and the agony of one man and his family.

Average customer rating:

Excellent, until a too sudden, too sugarcoated ending!
Sisters
Too Fluffy too perfect !!!
Should have been a short story - not a novel
Disappointing

Sisters
Danielle Steel
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Sisters | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0385340222
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

Four sisters, a Manhattan brownstone, and a tumultuous year of loss and courage are at the heart of Danielle Steel’s new novel about a remarkable family, a stunning tragedy—and what happens when four very different young women come together under one very lively roof.

Candy–it’s the only name she needs—is blazing her way through Paris, New York, and Tokyo as fashion’s latest international supermodel. . . .

Her sister Tammy has a job producing the most successful hit show on TV, and a home she loves in L.A.’s Hollywood Hills. . . . In New York, oldest sister Sabrina is an ambitious young lawyer, while Annie is an American artist in Florence, living for her art. . . . On one Fourth of July weekend, as they do every year, the four sisters come home to Connecticut for their family’s annual gathering. But before the holiday is over, tragedy strikes and their world is utterly changed.

Suddenly, four sisters who have been fervently pursuing success and their own lives—on opposite sides of the world—reunite to share one New York brownstone, to support each other and their father, and to pick up the pieces while one sister struggles to heal her shattered body and soul. Thus begins an unscripted chapter of their lives, as a bustling house is soon filled with eccentric dogs, laughter, tears, friends, men . . . and the kind of honesty and unconditional love only sisters can provide. But as the four women settle in, they are forced to confront the direction of their respective lives. As the year passes and another July Fourth approaches, a season of grief and change gives way to new beginnings—as a family comes together to share its blessings and a future filled with surprises and, ultimately, hope.

With unerring insight and compassion, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of four sisters who love and laugh, struggle and triumph . . . and are irrevocably woven into the fabric of each other’s lives. Brilliantly blending humor and heartbreak, she delivers a powerful message about the fragility–and the wonder—of life.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, until a too sudden, too sugarcoated ending!.......2007-09-14

In Danielle Steel's latest novel "Sisters", the story starts out with the usual trademark fairytale quality.

Four sisters with highly successful and interesting careers, are scattered around the world; New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Florence. Hardly your average bunch of ordinary lives.

But that's the beginning. The surface. The setting. Until tragedy strikes and man's vulnerability cuts through whatever glamourous lifestyles the sisters may seemingly enjoy.

Life is turned upside down. Reality is as unexpected, harsh and as far from a fairytale as can be. The best part of the book describes the developments straight forward, honest and with much warmth and insight.

That a happy ending awaits, is Danielle Steel's trademark. However, the way tragedy all too quickly literary turns into happiness is a bit too easy to give the story balance. The pieces of the puzzle fall into place so fast and conveniently for all the family members that the situation is hard to fathom even for the most soft-hearted.

Tragedies ARE overcome but usually it takes time and hardship to build up a new future.

This book could actually have been longer. A more natural development of the situation and not the lightening quick wrapping up of loose ends during the last fifty pages or so, would have given the story more credibility.

Happy solutions are nice, but the turning of events in "Sisters" is simply too sweet and sudden even for a fairytale.

Sisters.......2007-09-06

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. Being one of three sisters I could definatly understand the sisters.

Too Fluffy too perfect !!!.......2007-08-28

Although I did enjoy this book, I found the characters too perfect. The relationships between the sisters seemed too false. All the sisters were beautiful, with great jobs, and would do anything for each other, and they hardly ever had a fight, blah, blah,blah. Most sisters do not get to live like the girls in this fluffy type fairytale.

Should have been a short story - not a novel.......2007-08-20

I have not read DS in many years and now I remember why. This book repeated the same ideas and even the same phrases so often it was annoying. She could have written this book in just a few pages and not missed anything important. I anticipated the predictable story ie. tragedy, depression, find a man fall in love, live happily every after. The rape story seemed thrown in and was all wrapped up too quickly to add anything interesting to the story.

Disappointing.......2007-08-18

The plot was good and could have been written in a much better style. The details were repeated over and over so many times. It looked like it was written in a great hurry.

Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith

Average customer rating:

Rev. Run's Words of Wisdom
Excellent service..
Very Inspirational
Perfect!
easy reading

Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith
Rev Run
Manufacturer: Amistad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Personal Transformation | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0061144878
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Book Description

Focus, Focus, Focus! You will only have significant success with something that is an obsession. Success comes from having passion and having fun creating your objective!

Words of Wisdom is a collection of inspirational aphorisms, which Rev Run sends out to his closest friends each day and which were made suddenly popular when his television show zoomed to the top of the MTV charts. Rev Run (an ordained minister) closes each episode of Run's House by reading philosophical, Christian, and inspirational books in the bathtub before penning words that inspire, encourage, and motivate. Here, available for the first time to the public, are Run's Words of Wisdom published in a gifty yet affordable format just in time for the show's second season.

All great blessings come from being at peace. When the day is over, go to sleep. Never sit up worrying about tomorrow. Work hard and let God do the rest. I always say these words at night: "I can sleep tonight because God is awake!" Relax. Rest easy.

Customer Reviews:

Rev. Run's Words of Wisdom.......2007-09-25

Very inspirational. A must read for all who are seeking a deeper meaning of life!

Excellent service.........2007-09-14

This item arrived on time and in prefect condition like new.
your service is great. I would order again.

Very Inspirational.......2007-09-06

Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith is a very inspirational book. I have learned so much just from reading it. This book is very thought-provoking yet motivating. I now have a whole new way of thinking.

Perfect!.......2007-07-15

This book is amazing. No matter what kind of mood you are in or if you just need some words of encouragement, this book will help. You can help others by sharing Rev's words each day as insight. A great buy for yourself, friends, or even a gift!

easy reading.......2007-07-03

Great book to start off or end your day with. There are many quick short inspiring sections for you to read. It is a very positive and motivating book.

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga

Average customer rating:

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars
My Star Wars fanatic loves this book
A Must-Have for any Star Wars fan
Star Wars is a Five star choice for the ultimate fan
My 9-year-old loves this book!

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
DK Publishing
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Dictionaries | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0756622387

Book Description

Provides a complete, comprehensive overview of the Prequel movies (Episodes I-III) and the Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), this is the definitive photographic guide to the entire Star Wars saga.

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars.......2007-09-26

This book is extraordinary. The pictures are sharp and extremely detailed. There are explanations of many characters that are only seen in the background scenes. I highly recommend if you're a Star Wars fan. My 4 year old won't give it up.

My Star Wars fanatic loves this book.......2007-09-26

I bought this for my 6 year old who is a Star Wars FREAK. He sat down with this book immediately and has not really stopped looking at it since. He can barely read, but he loves examining all of the characters, and the way they are broken down and labeled is very exciting to him. He likes to see everything that he's seen in the movies, and video game, in full detail.
I can't comment on how this book is similar or different to any other book, but I can say, it's very detailed, it covers a lot of information and describes alot of the relationships and uses of the characters & items. My 6 year old can identify way more than I can. This book is well set up, with loads of information and LOTS AND LOTS of details full color high quality photos which is just what we were looking for.

Good luck!

A Must-Have for any Star Wars fan.......2007-09-21

My son constantly wants to look at this book, and he is only 6 and has never seen any of the movies. That pretty much says how good this book is. I grew up with the original Star Wars movies, so looking through this book is like looking into the past for me. It is well put-together, very concise with a lot of nice photos and a plethora of Star Wars information. An excellent resource for any Star Wars aficionado.

Star Wars is a Five star choice for the ultimate fan.......2007-09-09

This book is just fantastic, and it is worth every penny. I originally bought it for my friends son who loves Star Wars. The kid walked around with the book under his arm like a bible! He never put it down. I recently bought it for my own two elementary age boys and they love it just as much. This is wonderful gift to get for any Star Wars fan -- Once again DK has cornered the market on wonderful visual books for young children. Their books are so well executed and so wonderfully edited, they know exactly how to appeal to this age group by giving just enough information with out making it too simple. An adult fan would actually love this book too. It's a great purchase.

My 9-year-old loves this book!.......2007-09-03

I purchased this book for my 9-year-old son who has been a Star Wars fan for a few years. He has spent hours looking through the book on his own or alongside his friends. I have never seen the movies and I have little knowledge of the people in them, but I could easily learn A LOT from this book if I wanted to. The pictures of the people and tools/weapons are great! I also like the fact that they show pictures from movie scenes that depict the people or the tools being discussed on that particular page. This was a great price for a large hardcover book with great details and pictures!

Film Directing: Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)

Average customer rating:

Chicken scratches vs. Detailed Storyboards
of moderate interest to readers of video magazines
Mind-opening, even if you aren't interested in directing
Useful, pleasurable
Learning the Rules Before You Break Them

Film Directing: Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)
Steven Katz
Manufacturer: Michael Wiese Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0941188108

Amazon.com

Film Directing Shot by Shot offers a good introduction to the rudiments of film production. Steven D. Katz walks his readers through the various stages of moviemaking, advising them at every turn to visualize the films they wish to produce. Katz believes that one of the chief tasks of filmmaking is to negotiate between our three-dimensional reality and the two-dimensionality of the screen. He covers the number of technical options filmmakers can use to create a satisfying flow of shots, a continuity that will make sense to viewers and aptly tell the film's story. Katz provides in-depth coverage of production design, storyboarding, spatial connections, editing, scene staging, depth of frame, camera angles, point of view, and the various types of stable compositions and moving camera shots.

Book Description

A complete catalogue of motion picture techniques for filmmakers. It concentrates on the 'storytelling' school of filmmaking, utilizing the work of the great stylists who established the versatile vocabulary of technique that has dominated the movies
since 1915. This graphic approach includes comparisons of style by interpreting a 'model script', created for the book, in storyboard form.

Customer Reviews:

Chicken scratches vs. Detailed Storyboards.......2007-08-19

I have used this book numerous times for my teachings in which students go through the process of making a short film with certain limitations being imposed. It is part of a process that I call "fast filmmaking". I like the examples that Katz presents, specifically that it is not the quality of the drawing, but how the drawing communicates the director's vision to the rest of the crew. I will usually have a student "explain" their storyboard to the class, and it is amazing how a few chicken scratches can give as much details as a fully detailed storyboard. Kudos to Katz for explaining the creative aspect of directing, and Michael Weise Productions for publishing these types of books.

of moderate interest to readers of video magazines.......2007-08-13

as a long-time reader of videographer's magazines, I didn't find much of interest in this book. If I were new to the trade, I'd probably have found it more useful. For that reason, I gave it a rather high rating of 4 stars

Mind-opening, even if you aren't interested in directing.......2007-06-30

I've worked in the graphics design business for years, but more recently I've grown interested in working with video, primarily shorts and documentary work. I was looking for a book that could help teach me the "language" of motion and visual storytelling, and this book fit the bill. In fact, I found it to be incredibly inspiring as a student of art in general. It's extremely well-written, chock full of practical examples, and contains numerous time-worn techniques as well as cutting-edge experimentation. One funny thing: since it was written a few years before the desktop digital video revolution began, it talks about some of the difficult aspects of shooting which are now in many ways moot. But it's good to hear about the history of the craft.

If you have any interest in all in shooting, directing, or producing any kind of motion picture, show, or short, you'll definitely want to buy this book. However, be forewarned: you'll never be able to watch movies the same way again. You'll begin to pick up all the subtle nuances of filmmaking without even realizing it, so don't feel bad if you have to force yourself to re-engage with the actual story as you're watching!

Useful, pleasurable.......2007-05-07

I'm a college student, not at film school, who makes videos as a serious hobby. I thought this book was much better than other titles in the same market, because it's so specific. Instead of telling you what anyone with common sense knows, like "keep continuity" and "composition can affect the mood of a scene," this film lays it all out in detail. I recommend this for everyone who wants to improve. Even if you're not particularly interested in storyboarding, you'll learn how to think about your sequences in advance much better.

Learning the Rules Before You Break Them.......2007-01-13

Even though many of the great filmmakers may have not utilized storyboards, every one of them has pre-visualized their films.

Pre-visualization is the essence of what it means to be a director. A director can only be effective if he/she properly prepares for each scene. Even if one does not have every shot precisely planned out, they will still have an idea of the look and the flow of the process.

There are certainly many people who feel directing should be intuitive, that there should be no structure to the process or else creativity is stifled. This is a valid point from the perspective of the artist.

What is wonderful about this book is that it gives extensive insight into WHY one should cover a scene in a certain way. Directing as a profession requires a certain amount of preparation and PROOF that you have a handle on the film. Producers want reassurance that you have a vision worth pouring tens of millions of dollars into. Armed with the ability to properly express yourself in regard to your vision, you will have a much easier time convincing others to follow you.

So, in the end, if you are interested in studying the language of film and the methodology behind classic film composition and editing, then this book and the accompanying Film Directing: Cinematic Motion are essential.

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s

Average customer rating:

Very slow and tiring read
"Matter of Fact"
What a trip! And I wasn't even born yet when most of it happened!
Somewhat interesting, ultimately disappointing
Sight Unseen, Sound Unheard

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s
Joe Boyd
Manufacturer: Serpent's Tail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1852429100

Book Description

"This is the best book about music I've read in years, and a gripping piece of social history."-Brian Eno

When Muddy Waters came to London at the start of the 1960s, a kid from Boston called Joe Boyd was his tour manager; when Dylan went electric at the Newport Festival, Joe Boyd was plugging in his guitar; when the summer of love got going, Joe Boyd was running UFO, the coolest club in London; when a bunch of club regulars called Pink Floyd recorded their first single, Joe Boyd was the producer; when a young songwriter named Nick Drake wanted to give his demo tape to someone, he chose Joe Boyd.

More than any previous sixties music autobiography, Joe Boyd's White Bicycles offers the real story of what it was like to be there at the time. As well as the sixties heavy-hitters, this book also offers wonderfully vivid portraits of a whole host of other musicians: everyone from the great jazzman Coleman Hawkins to the folk diva Sandy Denny, Lonnie Johnson to Eric Clapton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Fairport Convention.

Record and film producer Joe Boyd was born in Boston in 1942 and graduated from Harvard in 1964. He went on to produce Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, R.E.M., and many others. He produced the documentary Jimi Hendrix and the film Scandal. In 1980 he started Hannibal Records and ran it for twenty years. He lives in London.

Customer Reviews:

Very slow and tiring read.......2007-08-31

This has got to be the most boring book about the music business I've ever read. I really tried to make myself believe it was going to be a true page turner, but it wasn't. The only reason I continued to turn the page is because, well... I'd paid for the book! I'm not the biggest fan of folk music, but I do like it and I love the blues, but this book made me dislike both genres (while I was reading, mind you). Mr. Boyd had such a long and fulfilling career in the music business, but the way he told the story was just plain boring. I've read many biographies on this business and have read some real bizarre stuff, but this book was quite tame. Don't get me wrong, I was GLAD that it was tame. I was quite impressed with Mr. Boyd's self-control and his professionalism. He sounds like a total "stand-up guy." But boy, does he tell a boring story. I usually pass my books on to friends so that they we can converse on the book, it's characters, the author, and so on. I must admit, when I FINALLY finished this book, I promptly threw it in the trash. I will give Mr. Boyd one other thing, I was so happy that he made mention of all the blues greats that have graced stages and auditoriums worldwide. That in itself was very much worth this book purchase, but that's about it.

"Matter of Fact".......2007-08-20

Woody Allen made a film called "Zelig" about a little guy who found his way into all the significant events of the 20th Century.

Well, record producer Joe Boyd's life in the 60's was kind of like that. He was all over the place, at the Newport Festivals (both jazz and folk), touring with bluesmen through Europe, and finally at the epicenter of both the British psychedelic and English Folk Rock scenes.

With all that material to draw from, you would think that this book would be a regular psychedelic sundae, vibrating like a day-glo art poster. Nope. It's just a recounting of Joe's ups and downs in the music business. There are nice reminiscences about Sandy Denny and Nick Drake, and Joe drops some little known facts about his resume, such as his involvement in the Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood "Powerhouse" recordings, and his production of Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne"--plus his notable failures, such as missing out on opportunities to sign Procol Harum, or to profit from the Abba catalogue.

But, Joe is primarily known for his involvement with Folk-Rock, and he doesn't really pour forth with details, here. What about "Liege and Lief", generally called the greatest British folk-rock album of all time? What about Vashti Bunyan, a cult artist in her own right? She gets about one paragraph. And what about Linda (Peters) Thompson? Joe lets it drop that he was in an intimate relationship with her, yet she merits only a sentence or two.

This book isn't badly written, but it doesn't really give you a great picture of the music. It could have been much better. People who are curious about the time would be better served checking out the music. I guess a CD sampler of Joe's productions, also called "White Bicycles", is available. Otherwise, there is the great "Nuggets II" box set, which I recommend without reservation.

What a trip! And I wasn't even born yet when most of it happened!.......2007-08-10

As a musician and general music junkie, I'd rate this as a must have. Joe Boyd is just as important to learn from as those blues and jazz bands he resurrected in the last 50s and early 60s. I also sensed the sadness and reverence he had towards Nick Drake, the sad honesty about Sandy Denny, as well as rejoicing in the still flourishing career of Richard Thompson, all of which are influences of mine.

I wonder if he has ever been to the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Somewhat interesting, ultimately disappointing.......2007-07-22

As previous reviewers said, I "couldn't NOT read this book" and "devour" it with the special anticipation of having seen the words 'Produced by Joe Boyd' on so many of my cherished album covers. However, though it contains a few new facts about the artists and some insight regarding the music business only an insider would know, the book was a disappointment. As earlier reviewers here have stated, it's too short - with not enough information about the actual sessions and music-making itself. The text also seems to be missing something - perhaps over-edited? Perhaps shortened for some reason at the last minute? And some of the potentially fascinating little stories he relates are left dangling in space. The subtitle of the book is 'Making Music in the 1960s', but there's very little of that in the narrative. I wanted to find out what is was like to observe luminaries such as Nick Drake at work in the studio. I wanted to be a fly on the wall at a Fairport Convention session with Sandy Denny & Richard Thompson. What made the Incredible String Band tick? How did these artists get their signature SOUNDS? I was looking for a window on Joe Boyd's working world; What we get are mildly interesting and too-quick glances of the surface of '60s-'70s music.

Sight Unseen, Sound Unheard.......2007-07-17

In the mid to late 60s, there were so many unheralded masterpieces, even the recording companies couldn't keep up with them. Most were relegated to
the old school, family-owned record store. Illinois Speed Press, The United States of America and Joe Boyd and the Field Hippies were a few of them. Some of their members went on to nominal fame in other groups, but they mostly languished in the bargain bins. If this is the same Joe Boyd,
and his way with prose is as adroit as his way with music, you are in
for an incredibly interesting ride. I haven't read the book yet, but I
haven't been moved to make a purchase of anything sight unseen or sound
unheard since I read an article in Hit Parader about CSN three months before their debut album was released in 1969.

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga

Average customer rating:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL
5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!
My 5 year old loves it!
Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless
Star wars

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
David Reynolds , and Curtis Saxton
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0756627044

Book Description

This amazing title unites all four Incredible Cross-Sections books in one volume, enlarged and updated with brand-new illustrations-including the TIE bomber, Imperial shuttle, A-wing, and B-wing-along with revised technical introductions, behind-the-scenes pages, glossary, and index. (c) 2006 Lucasfilm Ltd. and TM AUTHOR BIO: Hans Jenssen Hans Jenssen has spent the last nine years in a galaxy far, far away, co-illustrating a total of ten Star Wars books with Richard Chasemore, with whom he has developed a close friendship. They have traveled across three continents, sampled exotic beverages with Boba Fett, and partied with R2-D2. He now lives a quiet life in Devon, England, with his partner and young son. RICHARD CHASEMORE Richard Chasemore has worked as an illustrator and 3-D computer artist in the United States and Europe, most notably on DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections and, Inside the Worlds of the Star Wars series. Lately he has written educational books for budding digital artists. He lives on the south coast of England, where he enjoys sports involving boards and high speeds!

Customer Reviews:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL.......2007-09-14

Previously, DK Books has release four volumes in their Star Wars cross-sections series, covering the various Star Wars films. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, they've now combines all four of those volumes, along with new illustrations into the massive Star Wars: The Complete Cross Sections. This coffee table-sized hardcover book packs information on every ship and vehicle used in the six films into 152 full-color pages. John Knoll, the Visual Effects Supervisor for episodes I - III, provides the foreword to the book.

The book is basically an encyclopedia for Star Wars ships and vehicles. The items are shown in a cutaway art, allowing the reader to not only see the outside, but also see the interiors as well. This gives fans a unique viewpoint as you generally didn't get a chance to see inside many of these ships and vehicles in the films themselves. Most of these are given a full two-page spread which include data files about each one. The data files provide information such as design and manufacture, wingspan, speed, crew capacity, armament, dimensions, ship or vehicle type, and other special features.

The book begins with Episode I, The Phantom Menace with each of the first three episodes getting their own chapter while the original three films are combined into the last chapter. In addition to the data files, a host of other information is provided on each vehicle as well. Text keys with map lines are drawn to each, pointing out important features of each vehicle. These are about the next best thing to the actual ships blueprints. The detail is simply amazing! On the Naboo Cruiser for example we see where the fuel tanks and fuel lines are located, along with coolant ducts, deflector shield projectors, sensor arrays and even mundane things such as the crew lounge and locker areas. These allow the reader to get inside these massive vehicles and ships and almost take a virtual tour through them.

Get up close and personal with Jango Boba Fett's heavily armed Slave I ship with its blaster cannons, laser cannons, missile launchers, and mine layers. Other ships included from the episodes I to III include Padme's Starship, ARC -170 Fighter, General Grievous's Wheel Bike, Pod Racers, and Palpatine's Shuttle.

The final chapter dealing with the three original films has certainly the most popular ships for fans including the Millennium Falcon, AT-AT Walker, Jabba's Barge, and Darth Vader's Tie Fighter. Several of the major ships and vehicles get fold out sections that provide four full pages worth of data. Chief among these is the first Death Star. The Slave I makes a second appearance here that includes the modifications made by Jango Fett's son, Boba.

Hats off to DK Books for also profiling the two artists whose brilliant work is on display here, Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore. The detail and effort that went into these drawings is truly phenomenal. This is one of those items that is tailor-made for the hardcore Star Wars fan, a reference tool that can be consulted over and over again.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!.......2007-08-23

People should get Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections.
Here are three reasons why anyone who likes Star Wars should get this book.

1. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections includes information about ALL six episodes in one book. It's great to have it all in one volume instead of four separate books (Episodes I, II, III, and the Trilogy).

2. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections has extra content not included in the separate volumes. The Imperial Shuttle, the RZ-1 A-Wing, and the B-Wing Star Fighter are new material in the combined book.

3. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections is jam-packed with large full color illustrations and tons of fascinating facts. The pages are crowded, but the information is great.

The Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections book rules the galaxy and any Star Wars fan would just love to have a copy. I checked it out of the library, but now it's on my Christmas wish list!!

My 5 year old loves it!.......2007-08-11

I purchased this for my 5 year old because he loves Star Wars. We have a couple of other Star Wars guides. He loves the cross section book because "it shows all the ships and details and that's cool". He loves finding something small that I would have missed. Great book for all ages.

Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless.......2007-07-05

Don't know why but I was expecting technical drawings of the Star Wars vehicles. Instead I get beautiful drawings of the vehicles and some of the characters which was an unexpected plus. Especially for scale comparison with some of the bigger vehicles. The reason this item dose not get five stars from me is because when reading the book things can get somewhat confusing there is so much info on each page it practically spills out from the sides. I would recommend it to anybody who wants more information on their favorite Star Wars vehicles!

Star wars.......2007-06-09

My son has not put this book away since we bought it. It goes on every car ride with us, and even to school for free time reading. The pictures are beautiful. He absolutely loves it.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books