Book Description
From the first time David Cross and Bob Odenkirk's cocreation aired on late-night TV in 1995, Mr. Show began developing a cult-like following, which has only grown since the series end. This lavishly-illustrated book features original, never-before-seen material — plus a complete episode guide — making it a rich, unique retrospective.
Customer Reviews:
A must for any Mr. Show fan..........2006-02-19
I'm usually not one for writing these reviews, but I thought i would spread the wonderfulness that is Mr. Show. If you haven't seen it, check it out, you'll love it, and then you'll want to pick up this book. It's an amazing account of how the show started, and it comes with an episode guide, and what Bob and David thought about doing each particular show. Pick it up, you won't regret it.
This book is very tall.......2005-08-25
The pages literally dwarf my fingers. The book is printed on massive, slick paper hotglued into the spine, where sit strategically-placed ball bearings, all to make reading this monster a chore--well, unless you're reading it while lying on your stomach. Then it's easy. Plus, I must admit that I've lost 72 pounds turning the heavy pages, and all the ladies comment on my abs (the paper cuts finally healed). So, Bob, Dave, Naomi, thanks for that. You probably saved my life.
On the serious side, WHAT HAPPENED?! is strongest when the author, Naomi Odenkirk, steps back and allows the writers/performers/guest stars/hangers-on to speak, using an oral storytelling format pioneered by Legs McNeil and Gillian Gaar's PLEASE KILL ME. Its failings are more evident in Naomi's prose, which is passable and at times amusing, but could've benefitted tremendously from a more strident editor, as well as another cutthroat round of proofreading--this sleek little volume is riddled with errors, leading/font issues and consistency, and misprints.
Despite all that it lacks, it's great to have Bob and Dave on paper, and WHAT HAPPENED?! does a serviceable job chronicling the sturm and DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN of HBO's finest comedy. Recommended, but with a slow exhalation.
On an unrelated subject, I would like to take this opportunity to announce my intent to become Amazon's top reviewer. I will stop at nothing to reach this goal. Over the next few weeks I will be conducting full-scale investigations into the lives of all who precede me, and am willing to challenge even the heftiest of scribes to fistfights near the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood. I have the wind of passion and hunger at my back, propelling me to stardom like Clubber Lang doing chin-ups; you folks in the Top 10 had better watch your backs. You've been complacent too long. You will taste the silver of my rapier scallawag.
Satisfying "before," disappointing "after".......2005-02-16
If you're a big Mr. Show geek like I am, you're going to buy this book no matter what any review says, so you might as well quit reading and start spending. But your satisfaction with your purchase will depend upon how you interpret the "What Happened" in this book's title. If you take it to mean "what happened in each of the episodes," you'll get exactly what you want and be thrilled to fondle its ever-stickier pages. But if you assume, as I did, that the more pressing question facing Mr. Show fans is, "what happened to cause this brilliant show to be taken off the air, thus rendering my life meaningless," you'll be sorely disappointed.
There is no discussion whatsoever about the show's cancellation, its aftermath, etc. I can imagine many political reasons for omitting this information/carping but doing so does not increase my satisfaction with this book. Perhaps the Odenkirks are prepping us for a sequel, leaving us hungry for more, but somehow I don't think so.
The strong suit of this book is the information on how Mr. Show came into being, how the cast members met, their work before the series. Some tidbits that were new to me: Bob Odenkirk wrote that SNL Chris Farley sketch about "living in a VAN down by the RIVER;" Bill Odenkirk has a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry.
The only way I can satisfy my craving for more fantastic newness is by watching all of my Mr. Show DVDs, obliterating my memory with drugs, then repeating the process again and again. I recommend it highly.
Inspirational.......2004-10-25
If you're a serious fan of Mr.Show and a serious fan of comedy then you'll definately dig this book. It gives great insight into the actors themselves as well as the creation of each eposide from the early writing process to the final completed show. And for anyone wanting to get into comedy writing themselves it is truly inspirational and a must read.
I Licked This Buk.......2004-07-12
I licked this buk, I licked this buk very much. Straynge howe the two projecks released by the genyuses... sorry, the geniuses behind Mr. Show, the funniest sketch show of them all (while it lasted), both turned out to be horrendously shoddy productions. I mean, Run, Ronnie, Run? Why, boys, why?! Why center your one shot at a feature film around a character who amounts to just another typical parody of just another TV show, and Cops, to boot! Sure, David's song was sweet, but one good bit does not a movie make. The entire "let's parody Cops" comedy idea was DONE on the Ben Stiller Show 10+ years ago, NO MORE WAS NEEDED! Anyway, so that movie sucked, quality-wise (oh, but their heart was in the right place and they were only screwed by the Big Conglomorate Boys! How many times they gonna use that excuse?!) and so does this book, production quality wise. Anyway, so what. Like many of the fans have said, at least it gathers in one place all the geeky info the fans like to have, the fact that it's at a xeroxed fanzine level doesn't matter... that much, or should I say "mutch". Only complaint I have is that I felt a little like the Mr. Show creators, or "The Genius Squad," as I like to call them, were, through the half-baked premise and execution of their "film" and this "book," all excuses revolving around supposedly nefarious dealings aside, kind of thumbing their noses at the fans, as if we should all just "be cool, man" and not retain any rabid interest in this show, this "Mister Show," which we found so damn funny, so mind-breakingly inventive, and, yes, so cool that we just had to have a little more. Then again, I may be (I am) paranoid. For all the flaws the show may have had, Mr. Show is still the best thing any of these guys have been involved in to date. So, buy this book but be prepared to cringe. Oh yesss, and regarding the controversy over the short mention of Mary Lynn Rajskub. Yes, she was only on the show because she was sleeping with David. Heck, even I have had Ms. Mary Lynn Rajskub!
Book Description
Do you have to go to film school to get your movies made? No, say two young entrepreneurs who survived the grind. Here they offer 140 strategies for making movies no matter what. Whether its raising money or cutting your budget, or jump-starting the production or stalling it while you finish the script, these strategies are delivered with funny, illustrative anecdotes from the authors experiences and from veteran filmmakers eager to share their stories. Irreverent, invaluable, and a lot cheaper than a years tuition, this friendly guide is the smartest investment any future filmmaker could make.
Customer Reviews:
Fun but Useless.......2006-12-05
If you want something that might motivate you to make a film..-_- then go ahead and buy it... but dont expect to learn anything useful.
Enjoyable read, but limited in focus.......2006-11-08
I just finished this book and thought I would share a few things, good and the not so good.
First the good:
The authors do a really nice job explaining a lot things first time filmmakers might have trouble with, in other words, the 'gotchas'. Things as blaringly obvious as backup batteries and duct tape are included. They touch on a lot of things one should consider when making films.
The book is well laid out and lead one from beginning to end, like a good story. It was a very easy read and sometimes out-loud funny. They talk a lot about dealing with personalities, which is both good and bad.
Which leads me to the not so good:
As encouraging as they are, at times they bring up so many difficulties that one wonders why anyone would bother to make a film at all. The book is alternately encouraging and discouraging.
Given that they are both former film students, this book relies heavily on their film school background, which is an advantage for film school students, but not as useful for non-traditional film students (like Jeunet and myself). They reference the Hollywood film industry/culture almost exclusively, which again does not help those who are based elsewhere.
Bottom line:
I found this book useful, but not as much as I had hoped. This book is ideal for anyone who went to film school, but is only half helpful for the rest of us. The cover is a little deceiving (blame marketing) in that the publisher makes the book sound ideal for any filmmaker. Despite the flaws, I find it to be a useful reference for my filmmaking endeavors. I give this four stars, one extra star than I normally would have, just for sheer entertainment and readability value.
The push you need to make films.......2006-08-20
This book gave me the final nudge that I needed to go out and make my own films. It is light on the 'technique-side' but there are already enough books on that. What's missing is some inspirational words to muster up the courage as well as some wisdom to make your first filmmaking experience easier and this book fulfills those needs.
If you're interested in seeing how a newbie uses this book in making his own first film visit my film blog at www.kasemkharsa.com/empire
A mix of inspirational and practical advice.......2006-06-03
I'm currently enrolled in a university film program. Many of the teachers give a grim forecast of the job market and breaking into the industry. For me, this book was a breath of fresh air. It gives advice from party etiquette to budgeting to breaking through a writing block. All the advice is mixed with humor and interesting tidbits. Through their words, I could feel that the authors love making films. In turn, reading this book made me really exciting about pursuing a career in this field. However, I did feel that a lot of their advice was a matter of common sense. If you're looking for an easy read to get you pumped about working in this industry...this is a great book.
Great Motivation to Get Out There and Get Creating!.......2006-03-08
I really enjoyed this book. While I was expecting more of a literal take on the "what they don't teach you at film school" part of the book, I was still pleasantly surprised. The authors really break down the information for you and make it easy to digest. It's truthful and written with a down to earth perspective. When I bought the book I was expecting more focus on technique and "rules" associated with the craft but found it to be more along the lines of a really good pep talk. If you're feeling discouraged or overwhelmed with making your own films this is the book for you, full of very good and practical advice.
Book Description
Will Harry return to Hogwarts? Is Draco a werewolf? What did happen at Godric's Hollow? What is the sixth Horcrux? Is Snape truly evil? Truly good? Or just out for himself? Who will live?... Who will die? You may think you have to wait for HP Book 7 to answer these questions. But the clues... the set-ups for them have already been cleverly established in Books 1 through 6, and are just waiting for you to put the pieces together. WHAT WILL HARRY DO? is the unofficial guide that will help you unlock the puzzles of the all-encompassing question: What Happens Next?
Customer Reviews:
What Will Harry Do? The Unofficial Guide to Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7.......2007-08-14
The Book Help alot with some of questions that I had. Then there were some questions that were not answered.
Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7.......2007-07-28
I found What Will Harry Do? The Unofficial Guide to Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7 to be excellent. It reminded me of things I had forgotten and some things I had not picked up on while reading. This book not only was a help while waiting for book 7 to be published, but is helpful to those who want to gain a deeper understanding of Harry Potter. I highly recommend reading this book.
QUICK & EASY READ.......2007-07-23
It was a fun book to read prior to the release of The Deadly Hollows.
Best of the Pre-Book 7 Harry Potter speculation books.......2007-07-20
This was the most interesting, readable and new ideas book on speculation of what will be in Harry Potter Book 7 and why.
Fun and Insightful.......2007-07-01
I really enjoyed this book. I think it can be read on many levels by all ages. It serves as a primer or review of unanswered questions in Harry Potter through book six. It offers an analysis of J. K. Rowling's "set ups" and "pay offs" i.e. Rowling's prior mention of important people, items and ideas that will matter later on in the series. For this reason I think this book will be useful even after publication of Book 7 for anyone interested in better understanding Rowling's methods. It does not really offer spoilers for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" but does offer well reasoned and well defended arguments supporting Batchler's speculations.
Average customer rating:
- Apple Seeds Hollywood
- Not required reading
- Disappointed. Not what I expected
- How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro and What This Means for Cinema, First Edition
- A Must Have Book!
|
Behind the Seen: How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro and What This Means for Cinema, First Edition
Charles Koppelman
Manufacturer: New Riders Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Web Graphics
| Web Design
| Web Development
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Web Design
| Web Development
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Digital Photography
| Digital Photography & Video
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Graphics, Animation & Illustration
| Apple
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Final Cut
| Apple
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Audio & Video Editing
| Digital Music
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Direction & Production
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition
-
The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film
-
The Cutting Edge - The Magic of Movie Editing
-
First Cut: Conversations with Film Editors
-
On Film Editing
ASIN: 0735714266 |
Amazon.com
Cold Mountain, the recent film based on the Charles Frazier novel, is a love story set during the American Civil War. Behind the Seen, being the story of how accomplished film editor Walter Murch (of Apocalypse Now fame), is also a story of love in a time of internal conflict. The difference being that Behind the Seen has to do with how Murch used Final Cut Pro, a software package that runs on any modern Macintosh and costs less than $1000, to edit Cold Mountain and thereby incite debate among professional film editors. Can such a mass-market product, accessible to anyone with a camcorder and a FireWire cable, be a serious tool for professionals? Murch proved that it can.
Behind the Seen deals with the technical accomplishment of using Final Cut Pro to assemble a feature film, but more importantly explains to its readers how shooting and editing work--and how the personalities involved in Cold Mountain worked together. This is a book of nonfiction that you can read from beginning to end; it is a technical book but not in the click-and-drag sense. Rather, it's a story about a creative team and the tools they used to deliver a work of drama. --David Wall
Topics covered: How Cold Mountain was shot and edited, using Final Cut Pro as the principal editing suite.
Book Description
The first volume to reveal the post-production process of a major motion picture (Cold Mountain) edited entirely in Final Cut Pro!
- Offers a rare inside glimpse at the creative process of one of cinema's giants: threetime Academy Award-winning editor
Walter Murch.
- Includes anecdotes from the director, edit staff, and producers; photos, emails, and journal entries from Murch; and behind-the-scenes insights.
- Accounts from Apple's Final Cut Pro team about what they think about the future of it in feature films.
As the first software-only desktop nonlinear editing system, Final Cut Pro sat the film industry on its ear when it debuted back in 1999. Now it's shaking things up again as editor Walter Murch, director Anthony Minghella, and a long list of Hollywood heavy-hitters are proving that this under-$1,000 software can (and should) be used to edit a multi-million dollar motion picture! This book tells the story of that endeavor: the decision to use Final Cut Pro, the relationship between the technology and art (and craft) of movie-making, how Final Cut Pro was set up and configured for Cold Mountain, how the software's use affected the work flow, and its implications for the future of filmmaking. More than anything, however, this is Murch's own story of what seemed to many a crazy endeavor-- told through photos, journal entries, email musings, and anecdotes that give readers an inside view of what the film editor does and how this particular film progressed through post-production. The book includes, in his own words, Murch's vision, approach, and thoughts on storytelling as he shapes Cold Mountain under the intense pressures of completing a major studio film.
With Academy Awards for his work on Apocalypse Now and The English Patient, sound and film editor Walter Murch is one of the few universally acknowledged editing masters in cinema. Along with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, he is one of the founding members of the Northern California cinema community. Author
Charles Koppelman has been writing screenplays and directing video and film since the early 1980s, including the independent feature film, Dumbarton Bridge, award-winning documentaries, and commercials.
"An exploration inside the editorial engine-room of a major feature film - the first book of its kind ever and sure to remain the best. Charles Koppelman chronicles Walter Murch's astonishing high-wire trapeze act as he works his way through the first large-scale implementation of Apple's Final Cut Pro editing software. Must be read by anyone interested in film, computers, or how the creative process unfolds."-- Francis Ford Coppola, director of The Conversation, The Godfather,Apocalypse Now
"This is probably the subtlest and most tender account of what a craftsman brings to a motion picture ever written. It is fascinating in its detailand awesome in its gradual uncovering of the ear, the eye and the soul ofWalter Murch. The book may seem technical, or 'professional,' but anyreader will be thrilled by the description of a struggle and the necessarycommitment to it. To be read by anyone who has ever thought it might be funto make a movie."-- David Thomson, film critic and author of The Biographical Dictionary
"BEHIND THE SEEN is not only revelatory in terms of technicalinnovation, but it reads like a thrilling suspense novel. Superblywritten and paced, the book captures the brilliant and daringfilm/sound editor-scientist Walter Murch in all his passionate andcreative glory. Charles Koppelman has crafted a truly unique additionto the canon of film history, delivering a must-read for anyoneinterested in how movies are made."--Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart, Lost Highway and City of Ghosts
"... excellent, original and tremendously informative book...Koppelman's account reads like a thriller... Behind the Seen achievessomething remarkable: a chronicle about technology and data, machinesand methodologies which also manages to record a story of friendshipsand dreams-not least the dreams I have been lucky enough to sharewith my friend and editor over three films and for almost a decade."--from the book's foreword by Anthony Minghella, writer and director ofCold Mountain, The English Patient, and The Talented Mr. Ripley
Customer Reviews:
Apple Seeds Hollywood.......2007-01-06
This book offers a fascinating record of the interaction between art and technology, artist and corporation. It describes in thorough detail the logistsics of shooting and editing a feature film from start to finish using a totally untried and discouraged software and hardware tool chain formerly for amatuer efforts only.
The meeting of Silicon Valley and Hollywood industries creates a riveting plot that is hard to put down. The gorgeous graphic layout and attention to detail also help.
Only grumble was the detachment of one page from the binding, but if you don't sleep next to your copy, it probably won't be a concern.
Anyone interested in cutting edge (hah!) technology and/or legendary Bay area genius Walter Murch must read this book.
Not required reading.......2006-08-01
Get this is book if you want to read all about...
1. Walter Murch.
2. Cold Mountain.
3. What it was like to edit a feature film on consumer software that was not ready for prime time.
4. The practical problems facing an editor.
Do not get this book if you want to improve your editing technique. While Murch drops some nuggets of useful information here and here, I think that you have to go through too much irrelevant material to make it worthwhile. The lessons that Walter learned from FCP 3.0 are outdated, for the most part.
Disappointed. Not what I expected.......2006-04-05
I picked up this book expecting to get a blow-by-blow account of the editing of Cold Mountain and how Walter Murch translated his film cutting techiniques (that are well explained in either "In the Blink of an Eye" or "The Conversations...") into Final Cut Pro.
Instead the bulk of the book was spent in excruciating detail about the selection of Final Cut Pro as an editing platform. There was much talk of the concerns around using FCP3 to edit a feature-length film project. Likewise there was too much detail about the worries they had about shipping these systems to Romania for the edit. Would they have tech support?!? Would they have enough hard drive space?!? Would it survive customs?!?
There are even copies of e-mails of the order of the system and how grand a moment it was... Sorry, I found the inclusion of this material to be boring. I lost interest well before the edit actually started.
To me it was more a story of how Digital Film Tree (God Bless 'em. They ARE good people.) took a big chance on championing this effort and how they supported Murch and his Assistant Editor to provide the technical knowledge of FCP than it was about the actual Edit of Cold Mountain.
The information IS dated now that FCP is in version 5.1 (as of 4/2006) and that may have tainted my read of the book.
How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro and What This Means for Cinema, First Edition.......2006-03-24
Interesting, well written and easy to get your head around.
A Must Have Book!.......2005-08-10
I have been using Final Cut Pro since version one, and when I heard about Walter Murch using it to edit Cold Mountain, I was so excited. The book is well written and it gives you first hand knowledge of the pain and excitement of editing.
I'm not a big book reader, but I couldn't put this book down.
Walter Murch is a true pioneer.
A must have for your book collection!
Average customer rating:
|
What is Theatre?: An Introduction and Exploration
John Brown
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Direction & Production
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| 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
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Cymbeline (Folger Shakespeare Library)
-
How I Learned to Drive
-
A Pocket Style Manual
ASIN: 0240802322 |
Book Description
This major introductory textbook is from one of the leading educators working in theatre today. What Is Theatre? will make its reader a better playgoer, responding more fully to performance, with a keener appreciation of all the resources of theatre-acting, design, direction, organization, theatre buildings, and audiences. By focusing on the best professional practice and the most helpful learning processes, Dr. Brown shows how to read a play-text and to see and hear its potential for performance. Throughout this book, suggestions are given for student essays and class discussions, to help both instructor and reader to clarify their thoughts on all aspects of theatre-going.
While the main focus is on present-day theatre in North America, history is used to illuminate current practice. Theatres in Europe and Asia also feature in the discussion. A view is given of all contributors to performance, with special emphasis placed on actors and the plays they perform. This textbook is not tied to a few specific play-texts, but designed to be effective regardless of which play a student sees or reads. In Part Two, leading practitioners of different generations and cultural backgrounds describe their own work, providing a variety of perspectives on the contemporary theatre. All this is supplemented by nearly 100 black and white and color illustrations from productions, working drawings, and plans. This new text engages its readers in the realities of the theatre; it is up-to-date, comprehensive, and packed with practical advice for understanding how theatre works and how plays come alive in performance.
John Russell Brown is professor of Theatre at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and has taught at a variety of colleges including New York and Stanford Universities. For 15 years he was an associate director of the National Theatre in London, and he has directed plays in many other theatres including Cincinnati Playhouse, the Empty Space in Seattle, and the Clurman Theatre in New York. Professor Brown has written extensively about theatre, especially about Shakespeare and contemporary theatre. He is editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre.
Focus is on the best professional practice and the most helpful learning processes.
Throughout the book, suggestions are given for students' essays and topics for class discussions.
Theatre history is not summarized, but used to illuminate certain practice.
Average customer rating:
|
What My Heart Has Seen
Tony Bennett
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
History
| Subjects
| Books
| Africa
| Americas
| Ancient
| Arctic & Antarctica
| Asia
| Australia & Oceania
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Europe
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical Study
| Large Print
| Middle East
| Military
| Military Science
| Russia
| United States
| World
General
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Popular
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Good Life: The Autobiography Of Tony Bennett
-
Live by Request - Tony Bennett (An All-Star Tribute)
-
The Art of Romance
-
Tony Bennett's New York
-
Tony Bennett - American Classic
ASIN: 0847819728
Release Date: 1996-08-15 |
Customer Reviews:
What a treasure........2002-08-03
This is a wonderful coffee table book full of Tony's (Anthony Benedetto's) beautiful art and lots of personal "asides" that we fans all appreciate. Well done!
Amazon.com
In this, her third volume, Molly Ivins (columnist, NPR commentator, and three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) sheds light on the "great clouds of obsfucation" that stymie attempts to clearly analyze President Clinton's job performance. Ivins stayed a Clinton supporter after most of her fellow liberals bailed--up until 1996, when Clinton signed the welfare "reform" bill. "My expectations of Democratic politicians exceed my expectations of Republicans by only the smallest of margins," Ivins states ruefully, "but real Democrats don't hurt children. Clinton did." Nevertheless, current Clinton bashing defies logic and she provides a levelheaded analysis of the wave of anti-Clinton sentiment by distinguishing between the usual brew of Republican and Democrat animosity and such phenomena as "the well-financed propaganda machine funded largely by Richard Mellon Scaife of Pittsburgh."
The title flushes out the core concern of the collection. One of the oldest sayings in politics, "You got to dance with them what brung you," points to the reality that special-interest money rules today's politics. For Ivins, the centerpiece of corruption is gold, and such inevitable consequences as the tax burden shifting from corporations to individuals; the widening gap between rich and poor. You've Got to Dance with Them What Brung You, inimitably bold and broad, attacks racism, homophobia, terrorism; offers a terse and dismally delightful excoriation of the "ineffable" Newt Gingrich; reports on political farces at both the state and national levels. It's full of incisive gems that offer insight on some of our national extremes (Timothy McVeigh's obsession with the bizarre and racist book, The Turner Diaries, replete with the bomb recipe that blew up the Murrah Federal Building).
Champion of commonsense and compassion; frank and boldly funny, Molly Ivins has been called by the L.A. Times "H.L. Mencken without the cruelty, Will Rogers with an agenda." Those of us who love Molly Ivins read her for her gutsy, lively, liberal values, and those of us who don't ... should.
Book Description
In her long-awaited new collection, the Colt Peacekeeper of American political
humor draws a bead on targets that range from the Libido-in-Chief to Newt
Gingrich, campaign funny-money to the legislative lunacy of her native Texas--and
hits a bull's-eye every time.
Whether she's writing about Bill Clinton ("The Rodney Dangerfield of
presidents"), Bob Dole ("Dole contributed perhaps the funniest line of the year
with his immortal observation that tobacco is not addictive but that too much
milk might be bad for us. The check from the dairy lobby must have been late
that week"), or cultural trends ("I saw a restaurant in Seattle that specialized
in latte and barbecue. Barbecue and latte. I came home immediately"), Molly
takes on the issues of the day with her trademark good sense and inimitable wit.
Customer Reviews:
"Do what?" That says it all in Texas.......2005-09-15
I must admit, right off the bat,I've never heard of Molly Ivins;but I sure know who she is now.I loved this book from beginning to end.What this book is,is a collection of her columns from a Texas newspaper 'The Fort Worth Star-Telegram' during the 1990's.She cut her teeth on journalism working for peanuts on a little Texas leftist paper called 'The Texas Observer'.
She is an avowed left wing liberal and makes no bones about it;and you can't fault anyone for being honest;which more than anything else she is.If you ask me,I would call her down home Texas Redneck.She came from an upper middle class family.Her mother was a lifelong Republican;but as she maintains on page
118 that "there's nothing you can do about being born a liberal-fish gotta swim and hearts gotta bleed".On page 206,she also talks about a group of people who want Texas to separate,as being "born in a state of high indignation and profound misunderstanding". So it seems that this trait in leftists is inbred;I guess that explains a lot.
When her columns deal with Republicans,she can see no good and when she deals with Democrats she sees no wrong;and even if there is,it's the devility of the conservatives at work.Hey,I'm not faulting her for that,that's where she comes from,and more power to her.At times I get the impression she is a Texas Redneck and strives hard to be a liberal at the same time;not an easy course to sail.
She's at her best in writing about Texas politics and comes up with much better lines when on home turf.If she comes up short sometimes ,it's that liberal trait of believing that politicians and government will look after her and all the ills.This is an approach that always leads to disappointment whether one is left or right wing inclined.
This book was published in 1998,while Clinton was still President and little did she know what disappointments were lying in wait.She was also very surprised that Richards had lost to George W Bush as Governor of Texas.The liberals are great in deluding themselves,and that was just the start of things to come.If someone told her at the time, that GW wound not only win the Governorship of Texas but would go on to win the Presidency--twice;she would have thought them ridiculous.Again,they deluded themselves over Gore and Kerry being unbeatable.Let's not even talk about the Terminator and his Democratic wife in California.
There is no reason to lose any sleep over why things turned out that way.All she has to do is to call Rush and he will explain it to her.But therein lies the problem,she knows what he would tell her,and since she could never believe him, the libs will continue their worn out tactics.
Another thing she had no inclination of when she wrote this book is that something even more prepostrous was in the future.Kinky Friedman is now running for Governor of Texas and he says if elected he will put his friend Willie Nelson in charge of ATF(Alcohol,Tobacco &Firearms).Willie has been pretty opposed to Bush,so that must make him a liberal and Kinky is a Jewish boy from the Village in New York come Cowboy and writer and that sounds kinda liberal as well;so we could be in for some interesting times.Hey,Jessy Ventura,The Terminator---and now the dynamic duo of Kinky and Willie.Buy the way, Kinky tells us the Jews and Cowboys have something in common---"we both wear our hats indoors".He also has a idea of replacing the Star of Texas with the Star of David.
Molly reminds us on page 200:
"Before you accuse me of hopeless parochialism,consider the
one great truth that all Texas liberals grasp in their cradles:Things Can Always Get Worse.In fact,they often do.Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to rejoice now,because these will turn out to be the Good Old Days".
Hey,it ain't over yet.I am going to read another book by Molly published in 2005,"Bushwacked",this should be a humdinger too.And if I'm not mistaken,I think I saw another at the bookstore a couple of days ago.
A Change of Pace.......2003-08-07
After reading this authors book on George Jr. - Shrub, I was excited to pick this one up. I figured I was going to get non-stop chapters of defense and support of President Clinton. Unfortuantly what I wanted only covered 50% of the book. The other half of the book covered Texas politics and personal columns on people she admired. The book is just a few years of her columns arranged by topic into sections of the book. This did make it easy for me to skip through the areas I was not interested in.
Overall the book was funny and interesting. I found that when she was writing on national political issues, I tended to be with her step for step. She is not a blind supporter of President Clinton, but takes a more practical approach to her politics. She does not just disagree with all things Republican and agree with all things Democratic. I found that I even liked it when she did give Bill some grief about some of his many missteps. So I really enjoyed half of the book, and given the title was surprised that anything-other then national politics was covered. I just was not that interested in reading about a local Texas Senator working on a road project.
Ivins is liberal -- sensible and factual.......2003-02-10
Molly Ivins is simply a top-notch columnist who documents her opinions with facts that cannot be denied. So, her detractors resort to calling her "liberal" as though that word has the Magical Power to transform sense and reason and humor and documentation into a negative.
The far right, filled with paranoia and mistrust, needs to resort to name calling when they deal with this witty, tough, and very well-informed treasure. Why? She's got the goods on them. (She has been a thorn in Bush's side relentlessly cutting through his misdirection to reveal what he does. And, oh, how that annoys those who want to revive the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities -- that wonderful little gang that brought blacklisting and mud-slinging to the halls of congress.)
Ivins is a patriotic writer -- too in love with her country and its Constitution to sit by quietly while it gets dismantled in the name of "security" by those who use fear as their political cover, and too sharp to allow the politics of destruction to go unpunished.
Thanks to Molly Ivins, there is something to love about Texas after all!
Political Insights with Wit and Texas Charm.......2003-01-02
Whenever I see a Molly Ivans piece on the op-ed page of my morning paper, a warm feeling of anticipation comes over me. So when I came across this collection of her essays at an airport ``bookstore'' before a long trip home, plunking down the $12 was a no-brainer. I wasn't disappointed.
The pieces in this book are full of Texas charm, humor, and just plain common sense, but also the facts that so often go unreported in today's news. Her topics are many, but three that come up often in this collection are media ethics (got that? media ethics debated by a journalist!), hypocrisy (Al D'Amato conduct an ethics investigation?), and her favorite, the U.S. campaign financing system (which she refers to as ``legalized bribery'') and its fundamental effects on our society. ``The truth is that there is no political story more important than campaign financing. It's not just the hottest political story---it's the only story. It's the key to the real source of class warfare in this country.'' Not only are these issues and many others addressed intelligently with an eye toward ferreting out the truth, but they are often a laugh riot!
The introduction to the book was written in January, 1998, just after the Lewinsky scandal broke, and all but one of the pieces were originally published from 1993 to 1997. Some of the events Ivans refers to are thus a bit dated today (early 1999), but her writing still packs a wallop.
Horrible Communist Book.......2001-09-08
I read this book and I can tell you that Stalin would be proud! If you are looking for comic relief you might get it from this liberal fossil, but don't read it looking for any relevant information!
Book Description
"A practical, down-to-earth guide...Well organized and easy to read and to understand."
CAT FANCY
World-renowed pet behaviorist Warren Eckstein shows you how to walk with your cat, make it come when called, play for hours without ruining your plants and furniture, and more, in this warm, readable guide for feline lovers everywhere. Here are on-the-mark observations, wonderful insights, and step-by-step advice for: Alleviating kitty stress and nervousness; Coping with feline old age; Exercising your beloved mouser, and much more. Plus: diet, grooming, and dentistry tips.
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
My Kitties Of Mass Destruction.......2007-06-28
Hmmmm... this book was a little too warm and fuzzy for me, and my cats still don't do what I want them to do. I like to call them my kitties of mass destruction.
I know the above statement doesn't really offer any constructive criticism so let me see if I can put into words what I didn't like about this book. Warren and Fay seem to be very caring and compassionate animal lovers but there didn't seem to be a whole lot of practical advice regarding getting cats to do what you want.
There were however, lots of cute stories about their animals sprinkled with a bit of advice - most of which I'd already heard. It was a nice read if you like animals (which I do) but not much help in the whole "getting them to do what you want" area.
Fluffy book about "Fluffy".......2007-03-11
I found this book uninformative and a waste of money. I'm sorry that I din't buy a used book. This book was too cute with too many cute stories. I was more interested in learning about cat behavioral problems and how to solve them. I lost patience with this book. A very silly book.
All fluff and no facts.......2007-02-09
If Warren Eckstein had chosen to market this book as a collection of entertaining pet anecdotes and essays, I would have no problem giving it five stars.
However, he's attempting to pass this book off as a step-by-step animal training guide, which it is not.
I found it unstructured and impractical in terms of how to physically train a cat to do anything; perhaps the advice was hidden among the inane Kittyspeak, in which Eckstein insisted on writing? It's good that he understands that cats are intelligent and need to have their attention engaged so they don't becoming bored furniture fungus. Unfortunately he doesn't get that many readers are the same way. Both cats and humans of a bookish bent will end up languishing in their chairs and reading Nietzsche when continually addressed like four-year old children -- i.e. bored out of their skulls.
This book offers little in the way of research or references to support his perspective on animal training. There is no bibliography, and in fact, he often claims that his beliefs are to the contrary of most trainers' experience or scientific findings.
For example, he believes that cats only purr when happy, despite the fact that studies have shown the purr's frequency helps to mend broken bones (which is why cats also purr when stressed). He disses behavioral theory in such an off-hand way that I wonder if he knows who BF Skinner is at all, and that numerous modern trainers utilize the methods of positive reinforcement (for both animal and human subjects) with excellent results.
Karen Pryor's book "Don't Shoot The Dog!" was a far more insightful, contructive and beneficial read in terms of training my cat (as well as dealing with animals and people in general). I would recommend it over this ball of fluff any day.
How To Get Your Cat To Do What You Want.......2007-01-12
This book has so much good information - even for a long time cat owner like me. Warren Eckstein has an impressive background in animal training and understanding in animal psychology! In this book he provides wonderful insights into the psychology of cats. This book has greatly helped me with an adopted older kitty. His recommendations have helped me establish a better relationship with a sensitive kitty who has had a difficult history. I highly recommend his book!
Helpful and funny.......2006-03-17
The book gave some really great pointers...but I wish it would have mentioned how do deal with different cat personalities. He generalized a bit...I still cant get my little brat to make eye contact with me but he does enjoy baths.
Book Description
"Scenography" is a widely used term in British professional theatre practice and education, and becoming more common the United States, but what excatly exactly is it?
This volume is a very personal and direct response to this question by one of the world's leading scenographers. The result is a provocative re-evaluation of the traditional role and methods of theatre designers, pointing towards a more holistic approach to making theatre. Pamela Howard examines scenography from many different perspectives including: * Space * Text * Research * Colour and Composition * Performers * Spectators Part handbook, part polemic and part critical analysis, the text is enriched with anecdotes and case studies taken from Howard's career and extensive research into the subject. Illustrated with brilliant examples of Pamela Howard's own work, this book is a must for all visual theatremakers.
Customer Reviews:
What Is Scenography?.......2003-06-16
An exciting and stimulating book that will make every serious theatre artist think, and think hard. This book will be used as a teaching tool in advanced courses and should be welcomed as a touchstone for discussions amongst serious directors and designers. Maybe it's not at quite the same level as The Dramatic Imagination or The Empty Space, but it's surely in the same category of seminal works that will exert a positive influence for years to come. I can't wait to use its insights and methodologies as I begin the creative process for my next production.
Not so sure..........2002-12-09
I have used the book only for research purposes, and I have to say, its scope is narrow and fails to credit the history of its subject. A book on scenography that contains only a cursory comment on Josef Svoboda seems a bit unsupported to me. As far as a very general look at the ideas of scenography it is mediocre at best. When defining an inherently undefinable term, it seems only appropriate to describe some the individuals which have coined the term, Howard fails to do this, and I feel the book suffers because of it.
a brilliant and utterly fresh approach to theatre design.......2002-02-25
This book is an eye-opener, a brilliant and utterly fresh approach to the art of theatre design. Pamela Howard leads the reader through the revolution in stage visualization that has taken us from decoration and backdrop to the astonishing complexities (and, more important, the visionary minimalism)of theatre at its highest levels of achievement in the 20th century. I can think of no better introduction for a beginning designer to the limitless possibilities of her or his medium. And I believe even the most accomplished experts in the field will find original and provocative challenges to conventional wisdom here. Best of all, the book is written as an intensely-felt personal statement, based on wide world experience of working with the great theatre practitioners of our time. And it's written with a directness and clarity worthy of a great stage design.
Books:
- Mutants & Masterminds: RPG - 2nd Edition
- Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead
- New X-Men Omnibus
- North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment
- Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Classic Seuss)
- On Writing
- Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library)
- Ready, Freddy! #5: Talent Show Scardey-pants: Talent Show Scardey-pants (Ready, Freddy!)
- Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery
- Scanning: The Aberrant Architectures of Diller + Scofidio
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independe
- The Barefoot Home: Dressed-Down Design for Casual Living
- On Cukor
- MY COUNTRY VERSUS ME: THE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT BY THE LOS ALAMOS SCIENTIST WHO WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF
- Star Trek Movie Memories
- The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All
- So Far from the Bamboo Grove
- The Smart Woman's Guide to Spending, Saving and Managing Money
- Readings and Cases in International Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
- The Big Rock Candy Mountain
Mr. Show - The Complete Fourth Season
Run Ronnie Run!
David Cross - Let America Laugh
Mr. Show: The Complete Collection
It's Not Funny
