Entertainment Books

An unbelievably depressing and simplistic memoir of sorts by a woman who evidently finds her ineptitude as a mother hilarious, this book manages to make babies sound like a cross between cancer and the IRS. The constant references to drug use are sickening, and her aversion to natural processes disturbing. Note to the author: motherhood can be a blast, and not just because of the hormones.

This book is a hilarious look at new motherhood! It's also reassuring for those of us who feel like less-than-perfect mothers. Some people might be a bit offended; you must like sarcastic humor to enjoy this book. I recommend it most for new moms whose babies are less than a year old. My baby is 14 months old, and I'll be reading Naptime Is the New Happy Hour next!

This book takes all the normal cliches and overplays the jokes - it's dumbed down "entertainment" that's not all that entertaining.

Stefanie Wilder-Taylor's book "Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay" is a refreshing find in the world of baby texts and parenting narrative. Straightforward, modern, and completely human, Wilder-Taylor's take on motherhood is a great find for first-time-moms and veterans alike. You won't agree with everything she has to say, but the beauty of the narrative is that you don't have to - one woman offers her experience as a new mother, and shows that not everything has to be "by the book."

I read this when I was pregnant. It makes you laught out loud...and it's the perfect book if you aren't one of those "What to Expect When You're Expecting" moms...

Great book. I have all the Mitford books and they were very good. Most of
them I ordered from Amazon and was pleased how fast I received them and
the good condition they were in. I would not hesitate to order books again

This book is easy reading. It is well worth reading each one of the Mitford series. So freshing.

Most wonderful fiction series I've read in many years! I love Jan Karon's Mitford Season, and can't wait until the next ones come out. The characters have become so real to me, I feel like I've known them all my life. It's hard to find good Christian fiction, which are loved even by those who do not usually read Christian literature, but these fit the bill! I give them for gifts to many.

This book, about a third the size of the others in the series, appears to be something left over or deleted from about the second volume. "A Common Life" is way out of sequence and just isn't very interesting. It deals solely with the marriage of Father Tim and has little to do with Mitford or the other characters. I found the novel (it is scarcely that) a real disappointment, compared with the first four books of the series. If the author felt that the information therein was significant, why was it not included at the appropriate place in time? The question is never answered.

This mundane novel is something that would appeal to my grandmother..simple, quaint, well written. It is a geat book for a young girl, but for an adult reader it lacks the ability to hold one's interest. Perfectly harmless, but it makes for a dull read--a filler type story for when you simply want to pass the time...

As a true Farley fan I could not put the book down. It had parts that were funny, recalling specific skits, movie parts, and characters. It also includes a lot of real stuff that is tragic but true. I have passed it around to all my friends to read, its def entertaining and a story that is sad but true.

I am a huge fan of Chris Farley, yet was young while he was at the height of his career. Thus, I never realized what was happening and so it blind-sided me when I heard of his death. This book was so amazing and I feel like I know a lot more about this great person. He fought so many demons and was unable to overcome them. I am now educated, enlightened, and heart-broken for this lost soul. So, for anyone who may like Chris, this book is such a must-read.

What a freat in-depth look at one of the most beloved comedic actors of all time. Even if you were not a fan of his, Chris Farley's struggles and triumphs will touch you.

Chris Farley always struck me as accessible- one of the few Hollywood stars you could have a beer with, whose celebrity wouldn't intimidate or put him out of touch with average shlubs. And that's just how he's described in The Chris Farley Show, an oral history in the same style as Live From New York (James Miller and Tom Shales). You know the character in Tommy Boy and the Chris Farley Show skits on SNL? Yeah, that's exactly who Chris was- down to earth, nervous and plagued by insecurities, lovable and endearing, humbled to be in the presence of those he admired, and funny as hell. Farley didn't seem to have many detractors; I don't remember reading much bad press when he was alive, and the hundreds of friends, family, comedy legends and/or professional colleagues, girlfriends, and influences interviewed for the book rarely speak about him in less than glowing terms (except for deprecating his addiction). Some, like Alec Baldwin and Norm MacDonald, are downright reverential of Farley, and provide some of the book's memorable quotes and touching stories.

Just try keeping up with Farley, though, if you did get him out for a beer. Described as relatively indiscriminate about whom he partied with, there's a good chance you'd score a drink with him if you approached him on the right night, but unless you have Robert Downey Jr's constitution, you'd be left in the dust (or under the table, as it were). Farley was an eater, boozer, and user of epic proportions, who went to rehab dozens of times in his last year of life alone, and whose autopsy showed the clogged heart and beaten liver of a much older man. The CFS does an excellent, no-holds-barred job of exploring the roots of Farley's addictive personality, from a dangerous Belushi obsession, to a host of insecurities, to thinking a comic is obliged to be falling down drunk, to an enabling and abusing family.

Farley's father was a figuratively and literally (600 pounds at death) enormous influence in his son's life, who bought booze for his underage Chris, thought rehab was for the weak, and turned a blind eye to Chris' increasingly scary signs of losing it all. Some of the enablement tales are as legendary as they are irresponsible, like when Mr. Farley whisked Chris out of a weight-loss clinic, got on a plane with him to a resort in Florida, and joined his son on a several day eating and drinking binge. Kudos to author and older brother Tom Farley for taking an unflinching look at how his dad- and to a lesser extent him and his brothers- was too ensconced in his own substance problems to have been more of a help to Chris. Following the book's transcript of Chris' sober, motivational speech to a rehab audience, to his falling hard off the wagon after three years of sobriety, is like watching a slow moving train wreck.

Written by the older Farley brother in order to remember Chris as more than a collection of video clips and SNL reruns, The CFS is chock full of hilarious and poignant stories, the vast majority of which I'd never heard. It is real inside stuff, from tales of high school and overnight camp pranks, to details of his relationship with guys like David Spade and Tom Arnold, to grisly details about substance abuse, to anecdotes of what went on behind the scenes of SNL. Farley was devoutly religious and not ashamed to attend church regularly; he helped the homeless and destitute in a quiet and dignified way, in many instances unbeknownst to loved ones; he missed on chances to star in on The Cable Guy, Shrek, and Kingpin; he had OCD tendencies; and he was probably more funny off camera than on. If you weren't already aware of the tragedy of losing Chris Farley at the tender age of 33, the alternately touching and laugh-out-loud tales detailed here will convince, reinforce, and remind you.

Hey I am huge fan of Chris Farley but this book just doesn't do it for me. it's just story after story of something funny or not funny Chris did through his life, told by someone else. I thought it was a story about his life but it isnt really. I found it entertaing but mostly boring and over drawn. I think it would make a GREAT MOVIE, but as a book it failed to take you into the depths of the words

If you are one of those people who sees everyone by location, race, politics or economic status, this travel through America will let you see the great people of this country as they really are: Americans.

The author doesn't walk across America. He starts his journey in NY and ends up in Louisiana.

I expected more camping-type outdoorsy adventures and hikes through mountains and valleys (as the title and the book's front cover suggests). Instead I got a four-month stay in a crowded house trailer owned by a black southern family, and his extended stay at the commune with the hippies. The author's brief visit with the mountain man was interesting.

The book leans heavily on other people, their activities and events. Little emotional insight is ever revealed about the author. The man and his dog are seldom alone, beating the path on foot or fending for themselves. The book reads like a teenager's "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" school report.

Younger people might like this book. Older adults may find it boring and lacking in luster and adventure.

I read Jenkins' book 20+ ears ago. I also had the chance to meet him. I can, honestly say that this book changed my life. He made me so curious about places I'd never seen that my native Ohio seemed pretty small. I worked toward an international career and ended up living in Europe for six years and traveling all over Asia. This is a pretty wonderful world with a lot of wonderful people. Thanks to this book, I got off my butt and went out to see it for myself. Thanks Peter!

When I was 21, I didn't have the nerve to just pick up and drive across America like some friends from college did. I wish I did. So now, even as a mom and a wife, my husband and I plan trips across the country to see what it is like and what we can share with our boys.

I picked this book up at my church library and it's a wonderful book ~~ so what if the grammar and writing style are awkward? It's wonderful. I am literally jealous because he experienced some things that I wish I did. He got on the road and traveled to see America with his very best friend, Cooper. Did I mention that Cooper is his dog? (As a dog owner, I totally relate to Jenkins' view that Cooper is his best friend.) So Jenkins decided to figure out if America is really a beautiful country ~~ disillusioned with the Vietnam War, politics, the "American Way" and with people. He decided that the only way he can ever know what he thinks or believes in is to hike across America. Apparently, this is the first book of that journey where he walks with Cooper, whom he lost due to an accident in Tennessee on The Farm. But all ends well in New Orleans.

Along the way, he meets a lonely mountain man and learned about the life on the mountains. He meets strangers who aren't friendly. He meets strangers that knew about him by word of mouth. He meets Governor Wallace in Alabama. He gets adopted by a family in the Carolinas, where he stopped for several months to work and earn money. He almost gets killed by a drunken posse who decided that he was alright after all ~~ without laying a finger on him. The man came back the next day and apologized for scaring him. He gets kicked out of a small community because he was a "hippie" with a beard and long hair. He communes on The Farm where everyone worked together and raised vegetables/fruits, children together. He traveled long and hard before reaching the Gulf. And his stories are just fascinating.

If you like travel stories, this is definitely a good one to pick up. If you want to hear about a man's viewpoint about different parts of the country ~~ this is a good choice. It's clean, refreshing and stark. It's not the best writing in the world, but he was 22 when he did that and he wasn't trained to be a writer. But he did something that a lot of people wish that they could do (including me).

8-31-07

To me, Peter Jenkins comes across as a very selfish, self-centered person. At the beginning, he abandoned his young wife for no apparent reason (he does not really explain what happened except by saying things got unbearable between them), in the end, he dragged another girl to walk across the country with him, even though he realized that this would totally disrupt her career. Even his treatment of his dog shows that he is obsessed with himself -- he thought his dog could think like a human (actually, like him) and he used plural to describe what he and his dog think (we remembered, we liked or did not like this place, etc.), which is completely ridiculous, mildly irritating and totally laughable. I guess that what long, lonely walks do to people, and if you get stranded on an island, you may also talk to a volleyball.

Even though he tried to distance himself from the hippies, he really is just another hippie who cares only about himself and his "spiritual journey" rather than the people who care about him. How his whole walk started is still not very clear to me, he said it was because he hated his country and wanted to see it for himself, but from the book I did not get a strong impression of this. Instead, I got the impression that it was just another excuse for him to walk away from responsibility.

But, I guess we shouldn't be too harsh on the author. Despite the somewhat juvenile writing style, irksome overuse of exclamation marks, the absurdity of using plural to describe himself and his dog, the trite story of how he found god in some southern evangelical congregations, and the adolescent and melodramatic love affair at the end, walking and working his way from upper state New York to New Orleans is no small feat, neither is writing a book about it. Overall, it was an easy, mostly enjoyable (though occasionally irritating) read.

The parts about the mountain hermit and when he lived with a black family are the highlights of the book. I also think the author did an adequate, if not excellent, job of recording the conversations of people with different background and origins. The part about "The Farm" (a place where a group of hippie cult people lived) is kind of confusing. Why did he go back and in the process got his dog killed? Why didn't he just walk away?

I also found some of his self-confessed "preconceptions" about southerners are so stereotypical that they do not appear very believable anymore; they sound more like what he made up afterwards to build a contrast between his preconceptions and reality in order to tell the story ("I thought they were just undereducated rednecks, but wait, they are actually nice folks"). More importantly, The religious undertone almost got out of hand at the end and was in danger of ruining the book. Had it happened earlier in the book, it must have made it intolerable. Fortunately that was not the case.

I wavered between giving it a 3 or 4 stars (truthfully I would give it a 3.5 stars), but considering he walked the walk and wrote the book, both are no small feats, I will give it 4 stars.

As usual Shirley involves her efforts into the mysterious universe and its exciting ramifications, whether in the body or the heavens. She has done an exhausting and in depth job of researching matters that concern all of us as to outer space alien co-existence. The first part of the book explores the universe of the body and its needs. The second part of the book explores the possibility of the presence of beings from other solar systems that have been visiting us for many years or maybe milleniums. Her research into government cover ups on this issue makes for fascinating reading.

The book's subject matter has been pretty well covered by others. You either choose to believe Shirley or not (about the spiritual/ET, etc.)

I think she holds back a lot of what she has either experienced or is aware of. I've heard it expressed that she is very well connected in who she knows. I hope she has more books forthcoming as I am waiting for her to really rip loose.

She's a good writer and knows how to do page turners. I confess that while her movie/TV career may be of prime interest to some, it's the other aspects of her life and what she knows in that arena is why I read her books.

She has an interesting website for those who haven't noticed it yet.

Do not remember who was known for this comment, but "Being Happy is a woman's best cosmetic". Take a look at Shirley! Hope this has finally, at long last- made her critics take a step toward realizing she is not "out to lunch". A brave look at the place we live. Bravo Shirley

shirley mclaine writes another book about her life, interesting first half, second half full of aliens, if thats your cup of tea, by all means, buy it.

This is yet another wonderful book from an inspiration to us all. I also loved the video Out on a Limb and hope that they put it on a DVD soon.

I totally disagree with the One Star comment. The fact you can get much of the material for free on his site (and goes the commenter's point, why spend money on the book) is irrelevant. I love the site and even if the book contained nothing but material already there, i'd still buy it to support the author.

however the book is chock full of stuff not on the site. There's a great narrative throughout which shows his walk through searching for his inner douche. His insights are dead on and face it, pretty much every guy on earth has found himself scratching his head in amazement at this phenomenon.

The book catagories each douche and offers brilliant and biting insight in the process. The pictures of the Hotts are superb and showing them on the glossy paper is a great touch. I can't think of a better Coffee Table book to have - so I guess that makes me a douche according to some of the commenters. Well, if that makes me one, I'm proud of it.

Buy it, for the children. Before, in the words of Neville Chamberlain, we have "grease in our time".

Do it for the children.

And one-star guy can felate a mailbox.

I try to spread the gospel of www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com (the author's website) as much as possible. The book is hilarious, but also seeks to educate the reader on a disturbing trend in America and the world. Namely the transformation of men into douchebags in their quest to obtain the hotties. At only around $12 on Amazon it makes a great coffee book and conversation piece, plus its highly entertaining.

I have to admit that when I heard this book was coming out, I had my doubts about the quality. I was a big fan of the site, but honestly, what could the author add to the pictures that were already available online?
This volume, however, was a very pleasant surprise, and let me assure you that yes, it is well worth buying, even (or especially?) if you are a fan of the site.

The author weaves a funny yet quite insightful and intelligent narrative throughout this text, and while there is plenty of humor, there are a number of astute sociological observations that give it added depth. Make no mistake, this is not a scholarly work, but the elegant and polished prose with which the author presents an admittedly low-brow subject is refreshing. And hey, he mentions Lacan!

The pictures are, of course, the main draw here, and they do not disappoint. The wide variety of subjects is as hilarious as it is depressing, and is very well organized and presented. Definitely a worthy read!

So this guy has people send him pictures on the internets, makes snarky comments about the people in said pictures. You can look at the pics and read his comments for free in the internets. So he decides to make a coffee table collection and sells the stuff you can get for free, and you people buy it? Gee, I wonder who the douchebags really are?

First, I'd like to state that my favorite books are autobiographies about musicians. That being said, this is probably the best one I have ever read.

I bought this book along with three others, and it was the one I was the least excited about reading. But, from the very beginning, this one just grabs you. It's one of those books that you never want to put down.

If secrets were left untold, I couldn't tell. These guys reveal things about themselves that you know they wish had never happened. After reading this book, I almost felt like I was part of the band.

Highly recommended.

I have read this book 20 times! Growing up a BIG Aerosmith fan, this book, like many of the other Rock n Roll tell all books, was a true eye opener. It fills in all the pieces that the likes of Circus and Hit Parader in the 70's/80's left out. If you know any Aerosmith Fan, and I mean Old School Aerosmith Fan, that has not read this book, I suggest you present them with a copy. I have given the book to many Aerosmith friends, and they are always blown away.

I always liked their music. But I've read about quite a few 70's rock bands and this group sounds like a bunch of out of control babies with a wierd sexual fiend. I would not have wanted to hang out with them.

This is a great read for any fan of rock n' roll though it's definitely geared more towards Aerosmith fans themselves. It provides a very in-depth look at their drug-filled beginnings and how they progressed to a more sobered-up version. But it definitely focuses on their drug years. As a hard-core Aerosmith fan myself, it's all I could want and more. But for casual fans, it almost has too much. It provides very detailed descriptions of how songs were thought up, where the band toured, etc. Things that casual fans don't especially care about. However, it provides a great look at how a rock band functioned and really portrayed the rise, fall, and resurrection of Aerosmith well. Highly recommended.

Excellent reading. Great to hear about life on the road. The ups and downs etc.

As a lover of M*A*S*H I jumped at this book and I'm glad I did.

Alan Alda paints the portrait of his life with beautiful detail. I learned about the relationship he had with his parents. I didn't find the relationship he had with his dad to surprising. I sensed that a lot of who he is today comes from the foundational relationship he had with his dad.

His mom on the other hand was very interesting to read about. I could sense his pain as he described what their relationship was like and at times how he wished it could have been.

I wish he had spent more time on MASH memories and such, but I don't think he should have taken out anything that was in there.

In short you sense the person he was that made him the person he is. I really enjoyed it. Anyone who loves MASH, or is just an Alan Alda fan should grab this book.

First of all, let me start out by saying that I have been in love with "Hawkeye Pierce" since girlhood. I grew up watching reruns of M*A*S*H and wishing I was a nurse, girlfriend, or anyone who could be close to this dynamic persona that was Alan Alda. I purchased the book, eager to know more of my childhood crush and was not disappointed. Alan Alda has a sincere writing style that makes you feel like you are in his living room as a trusted friend--rather than as a mere reader trying to find out more about his life. Many times, I laughed out loud at his wonderful stories and recollections. I am very eager to start his next book--which could not be disappointing if only half as good as his first. Thanks Alan Alda--but you will always be Hawkeye to me.

This tale contains much more about lessons of life than a famous TV star's autobiography. Alda discusses everything from his best moments on the road with his father's traveling stage-show to dealing with the mental illness of his mother. This is a must for any MASH fan who wants to know the unique journey of its star. You will not want to put this one down.

Alan Alda titled his new book Never Have Your Dog Stuffed -- and Other Things I've Learned. But rest assured he didn't write it as a guide for self-improvement. He doesn't aim to be your guru. "I tried to tell as good a story as I could," he sums up. The resulting narrative, at 224 pages, is as lean as its author, and as engaging, and as flush with ideas and observations. "There are things that were very, very difficult to put into words," says Alda, at 69 an entertainment veteran actor who had written numerous screenplays but never a book. "That was what I had the most fun with - the things that don't want to go into words. "But the hardest part was how to take a life and make it one simple story, not just a bunch of anecdotes. I didn't like the idea of writing a memoir or an autobiography. I only put in stuff that moved the story forward." The story: One man's advancement toward accepting the uncertainties of life. Letting go, notes Alda, is a drawn-out process, "so you don't just decide to do it. You have to creep up on it. Practice it. Get used to it. "I think the guy who winds up at the end of the book would say, 'Destiny is just what happens. " Alda should know. A lot has happened for that guy this year. He got an Oscar nomination for his role in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, and an Emmy nomination for The West Wing, in which he plays flinty Republican presidential hopeful Arnold Vinick. He continues this season on the NBC political drama, and, for its Nov. 6 episode, Sen. Vinick will square off against the Democrat (Jimmy Smits) in a debate aired live. Which candidate will succeed President Bartlet (series star Martin Sheen) by season's end? " I wouldn't spoil the surprise even if I knew," Alda replies when pressed for details about his contractual commitment to the series. But then, flashing his incandescent grin, he pledges to remain "as long as necessary to turn this great country around." When he isn't shuttling to Los Angeles to shoot the series, Alda leaves his Long Island home to hit the campaign trail for Never Have Your Dog Stuffed. Its first sentence establishes the book's matter-of-fact, often darkly witty tone. "My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six, but she must have shown signs of oddness before that," Alda writes. He was the son of a mentally ill mother and an actor father, Robert Alda, who was subject to the vagaries of show business during a career that ranged from the hardscrabble vaudeville circuit to Broadway in the original production of Guys and Dolls. All in all, it was a dizzying childhood for Alan. But by age nine, he had decided he would be an actor, too, setting the stage for his push-pull life of embracing make-believe while defiantly inquiring into how things really are. He is a man in love with facts and verifiable truth (his decade as the gung-ho host of Scientific American Frontiers makes that clear). But he has also studied what it means to yield control to forces beyond reason.

I've been a fan of Alda's work for a long time. The man is so talented it's unreal. Now to be able to see where he came from and how he got into the spotlight is amazing. He uses certain elements in his life where, had it happen to you or someone you know, it would be depressing, and turns them into amusing learning experiences. I am a constant reader, however 99% of what I read is fiction, nonfiction never grabs my attention. But I could not put this one down. Please read it. You wont regret it.

well the game is ok, this book does a good job helping you get from place to place. it is a bit confusing at times, but once you get used to it, works well...

My favorites games are Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, VII, Xenogears and Vagrant Story. If you share my taste maybe enjoy this one. Good story and the main character (Kaim) it's great.

This guide is actually very good, it can really get you to acomplish 100% achivements. Recomended.

Very complete guide, easy to follow and very usefull maps. it may need a little more follow up with some of the items of the game, since there is an achievement for this task. Nevertheless they are listed and it`s easy to know how to get them.

Really helps with hidden treasures etc. Sometimes I wish it was a little clearer but all in all a great help.

Lots Of good information on NXT G-code,Bluetooth programming for the NXT, and an informative guide to designing your NXT bots.I thought this book was well worth the money. The "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming Guide (Technology in Action) is a very good intro to this book.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book: Design, Invent, and Build

I read this book and I really enjoyed it. This was the first Mindstorms book that I read and it was really easy to understand and got me off to a quick start. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars was that the graphics and text are printed on an off white background and it made it a little harder to read and the graphics themselves are all black and white and some of them were a little hard to figure out the robot designs because of it. But dont let this keep you from getting this great robotics book. [...]

The problem with this book is it has black and white photos of black and white pieces. They don't give a close up of what your adding to your structure. Writing is too small to look at without a magnify glass.
Programming was screwed up in some places.

'The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book: Design, Invent, and Build' is an absolutely wonderful book with one MAJOR flaw in that the entire book is in black and white. Packed with 16 chapters written wonderfully with exciting examples and content, this would have been a easy 5 star recommendation but I simply cannot do that. Legos are bold, bright, and full of color, the decision to publish this in black and white was a terrible one. I understand this decision was made to no doubt save costs, but it shouldn't have been published (no matter how good the content is) in this form. Some books would benefit from color, some books require it and this is one of those cases. If you enjoy Legos and want to learn how to use Mindstorms NXT and all the fun, amazing things you can do with them this book will show you how, but I would wait for version 2.0 of this book with color. Not only is the black and white unfavorable, it's downright hard to follow.

Great content, great layout, thumbs WAY down for no color

**** RECOMMENDED

This book contains very clear instructions and diagrams for NXT-G program. The sample robots are creative and very well designed. You can feel the intelligence behind when you build. I especially like the binding of this book, so it can lay open while you build. So I will probablly purchase more book from this press. In fact I have pre-order one. One thing I doesn't like is one of the samples requires two NXT kits, which I don't have at the moment. I guess it's because this book is targeting more senior builders.