Entertainment Books

I didn't expect much from this book - who writes his life story when he's just pushing 40? But this is a fun and funny, stream of consciousness autobiography, roped into some order by his coauthor sister, complete with humorous/explanatory footnoted asides (well, his sister IS an English professor) and lots of great photos of wee John from childhood on up and his beloved and wacky extended family and friends, productions he was in, up to present day Captain Jack on 'Torchwood.' It's written for a British audience, but anyone on either side of the Atlantic would enjoy it. I laughed out loud at several of his stories of various theatrical escapades and disasters. Not surprisingly, the story is just like the actor seems - what you see is what you get - funny, exuberant, charming, a bit naughty, and full of life.

I actually listened to the audiobook version, read very entertainingly by John Barrowman himself. I can't say whether the book benefits from a slight abridgment, but I suspect it benefits quite a bit by the addition of John Barrowman's always charming delivery. I smiled all the way through, laughed aloud in places, and found myself touched in more.
Besides the look into his life thus far (his coming out tale, for example), the book serves as good introduction to the hard work a professional entertainer has in store for themselves before reaching success (or at least steady employment!) Talent - something John has in almost unfair spades - and looks, another thing John can't truthfully deny he possesses - are not enough. He details the work he put in, the learning he had to do (and his gratitude to his many teachers), as well as his trials (amusing to hear how he didn't get a part he wasn't considered 'gay enough' for) on the long yet interesting road to Doctor Who, Torchwood and becoming a National Treasure.
There's also a smattering of fun "behind the scenes" Doctor Who and Torchwood stories for fans like me!

I got turned on to John Barrowman last year after discovering Torchwood. I find it refreshing, in this day and age, to come across someone who is living his life to the fullest, no apologies, no regrets.

The book gives us a brief overview of what seems to be, his very charmed life. I am sure he has had much more grief and frustration in his 40 years then the book lets on, but maybe that's left for another book.
(And according to Carole, they are in talks to do another one)

He gives us tales of his growing up in Scotland and later spending his formative years in Illinois, becoming an American boy. He returns to the UK for schooling and gets his big break, starring in a big West End show.
Charmed indeed.

The love he has for his family and partner is evident throughout the book. I had the pleasure of talking to his mother and father at a booksigning in Milwaukee and they were absolutely charming people who are so proud of their son.

It's a really quick read and you will find yourself laughing out loud at some of his stories and sniffling at others. I enjoyed the audio version too as it's kind of fun listening to him talk about his life, almost like you're sitting there and he's talking to you personally.
Plenty of great pictures too.
So, if you're just discovering John or just want to know more about him, it's a great place to start.

(I have to admit though, I hate the cover photo.)

When I first read others' comments about this book (as I waited...and waited...and waited for Amazon to send it) I just figured the negative ones came from a bunch of John and/or gay haters. I now have to concede that they had some valid points. At times, I wonder if the John I've seen in interviews is the same guy as the one in this book! I'd already listened to the audio version, and there were times when he came off as a bit of a d*** in it, but hearing the anecdotes in his own voice softened the bite. In print, he does not come off well. He comes off as a brat. Where's the guy who helped those two ladies after one of his shows? (A cute anecdote about some fans who were stranded after a thief nabbed a purse.) Where's the guy who got so irritated at the protesters at London Pride that he told the crowd that "THEY'RE the ones who need saving, not me"? THAT man has more passion and integrity than the one I've seen so far here. Save your money - watch and buy some Torchwood and Who instead. And watch his interview from Heaven and Earth. I think you'll see Another - and better - Side of John.
All that said, some of the photos are absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!!

I am a huge fan of Torchwood and John Barrowman (discovered both recently)and was waiting eagerly for this book to learn more about him and his life. But I'm sorry to say this highly anticipated book was a disappointment -- the incidents portrayed are so arbitrary and without depth. I get no sense of his deepest feelings, fears, dreams. Has his whole life been wonderful, or did he and sister just decide to stress the positive and funny things? What was it like when he first came to NY? How did he survive the bad times or were they all good? What about some REAL gossip? What's the real scoop on the Will and Grace audition?

I remember reading Tennessee Williams' autobiography and Christopher Isherwood's Christopher and His Kind and wondering how such great writers could write such juvenile autobiographies, but at least it showed them flaws and all including a lot of sordid sexual encounters.

This is probably written mostly by Carole Barrowman and is too slick and surface like a magazine article. Yes there are a some well-adjusted positive totally happy people in the world (none of them live in NYC I suspect) I'm sure he's a good natured "bloke" but no one's life is that smooth. It makes for superficial reading. The pictures are great!

Bess in the Big Apple

In the Introduction to "On Liberty," Currin Shields, an English egghead, bemoans the fact that Mill's most "famous" essay is "more talked about than read."

I'm surprised it is even talked about, and I am very much NOT surprised that hardly anyone reads it. Mill takes about a hundred and twenty pages to say what could be (and was) summed up in an epigram: People should be free to do whatever they want, as long as it does not harm anyone else.

Not only does Mill subject the reader to pages and pages of supererogatory writing, but his prose is the epitome of Victorian verbosity, with more modifiers, clauses, footnotes, and parentheticals than there are alcoholics in Butte, Montana. (And there are a LOT of alcoholics in Butte, Montana.)

I guess if you're studying philosophy, you're gonna have to read this thing sooner or later...likewise if you're an autodidact.

A work every 21st Century conservative should read and understand.

In many ways, one is tempted to think that there is no such thing as liberalism alive in America today. It would do many well to read the work of the Englishman Mill in order to understand much of what is called both "liberalism" as well as "individual liberty." In addition, one of the growing issues of the contemporary political landscape in America is a polarization which is wholly unnecessary when analysis is applied the current plane of consideration. The reason for this conspicuous lack of reason for polarization is made obviously clear when one reads a work on liberal thought like that of Mill's. For Mill, individual liberty is a question both of social and political proportions, demanding a lack of interference by both government and social pressures. Additionally, he is keen in his analysis of the need for humility when it comes to humanity's apprehension of the Truth, thus necessitating free speech as a vehicle for the continual realization of those parts of the Truth which man so often forgets because of personal bias.

However, the analysis is weak insofar as it also denies the need for structures to educate humanity in a fallen world. His criteria for legal and social sanctions does overlook the necessity to draw on tradition to properly shape those in the world (while maintaining individual dignity). While he acknowledges that it would be preposterous to deny the necessity of interrelationships and sharing of experience, Mill remains somewhat weak on the necessity of tradition and community as related to individual liberty. However, on the whole, the work presents a decent overview of the need to acknowledge individual dignity through the liberty of the individual. Indeed, all communal criticisms aside, On Liberty does indeed serve as a corrective against crass traditionalism which propagates itself without true individual consent and embrace. Therefore, even in its weakness, it remains strong as a key text on the primacy of the human individual as the recipient and follower of the Truth. In a day when liberty is shouted by groups who have no interest in talking to each other, such a small text would do well to make all groups realize that our American (and indeed Western) goals aren't that different, that we are united in trying to express human dignity through the individuals.

I don't really like the fact that Mill wasn't religious- I don't believe you can have a just person who doesn't believe in a higher power, but the economics in On Liberty and the politics are amazing. It comes down to this: No one should be prevented from thinking or doing anything except that which harms others. In other words: government needs to get out of our bidness!

John Stuart Mill, 1806-73, worked for the East India Co. helped run Colonial India from England. Minister of Parliament 1865-68 he served one term. Maiden speech was a disaster his second was great success. He was first MP to propose that women should be given the vote on equal footing with the men who could vote. He got 1/3 support, England gives franchise to women after U.S. He was a great Feminist, his essay "Subjection of Women" is written with great passion and prose. It was a brave position for him to take he was ridiculed for it. He favored democracy, and letting more men from lower classes the right to vote, but believed that people that are more educated should have more votes then less educated because they would make better decisions about what government should do. He would have wanted to extend education to the masses, so that all may have gotten 2-3 votes and so on. He didn't think it should be extended to where a small elite could carry the day on votes. The idea was that if the working class, and middle class, where divided on an issue, the people with more intelligence would have the power to tip the balance. Mill thought that people with more education would probably not only be better able to make political decisions, especially in terms of intellectually being able to see what would be best for the government to do, but that they would also be more concerned about the common good publicly then people in general. He was intensely educated by his father James. John could read Greek, and Latin at 6 yrs.; his Dad tutored him at home. Dad thought environment was everything. He was treated like an adult, never played games with kids; he had a very cerebral upbringing. He had a period of depression in his twenties, it changed his philosophy, and he recognized the importance of developing feelings along with the intellect, this is something that he stressed in his work. He read poetry to get out of depression; he became devoted to poetry and became a romantic. He fell in love with a married woman Harriet Taylor, was a platonic relationship, after her husband's death they married 3 years later and probably never consummated the marriage maybe due to his having syphilis. His dedication to "On Liberty" is to her, very devoted to each other. Both buried together in Avignon France where they used to vacation.

Mill as a moral theorist subscribed to a theory we call Utilitarianism. It means---In some way morality is about the maximization of happiness. Whether actions are right or wrong depends on how happiness can be most effectively maximized. I say in some way, because there are allot of different kinds of Utilitarians. Allot of different ways of saying exactly how it is the maximization of happiness comes into morality. Therefore, happiness is clearly an important idea for Utilitarians. Mill has a hedonistic view of happiness, he thinks that happiness can be defined in terms of "pleasure in the absence of pain." What is distinctive about Mill in this area is that he believes that some kinds of pleasure are better than others are, and add more to a person's happiness than other kinds of pleasures. He believes in what he calls, "higher quality pleasures." These are pleasures, he says, that we get from the exercise of faculties that only human beings happen to have. So the intellect, imagination, the moral feelings, these are the sources of higher quality pleasures people use. His view seems to be that a certain quantity of intellectual pleasure just adds more to your happiness, and a given quantity of some lower pleasure like a kind we would share with the animals such as sensation, taste, sexual pleasure, etc. His "higher quality pleasures" in a way echo Aristotle's ethics. The idea of those things that make us distinctly human that are the real key to our happiness, that is in Mill also. It is not as limited to reason and intellect as Aristotle thinks. Mill recognizes the importance of the appreciation of beauty, aesthetic pleasure, and moral pleasure. He frankly owes a debt to Aristotle that he never properly acknowledges, never gives him proper credit.

"On Liberty" is Mill's is his most widely read and enduring work. It is an indispensable essay on political thought, which strenuously argues for individual liberty. He is defending what he calls the "liberty principle." It is a principle that guarantees individuals quite a bit of personal freedom. "That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant." These quoted sentences in John Stuart Mill's book, "On Liberty," embody the crux of his argument; that the power of the state must intrude as little as possible on the liberty of its citizenry. In essence, Mill was against using the power of the state through its lawmaking apparatus to compel citizens to conduct themselves in ways that society deems moral or appropriate. Mill thought that people had not only a right, but also a duty to develop their intellectual faculties, which is indispensable to maximize their happiness. He believed that society improved for all its citizens when they where left unfettered to the maximum extent possible, allowing them to use their imagination and intellect to improve themselves. Mill postulates a theory that societies usually institute laws based primarily on "personal preference" of its citizenry instead of established principles. This lack of clarity of opinion often leads to the government frequently interfering in the lives of its citizens unnecessarily. For Mill, there are very few times when the state can infringe on the personal liberty of others. Firstly, the state has the right to promulgate laws that prevent a person's actions from harming others. Secondly, the state must protect those citizens who are not mature enough to protect themselves, such as children. Thirdly, he exempts, "... backward states of society in which the race itself may be considered as in its nonage." In Mill's view, immature societies need a benevolent leader to rule them until they have developed to a point where they, "... have attained the capacity of being guided to their own improvement by conviction or persuasion ..." Mill said this third exemption did not apply to any of the countries in Europe. Mill believed that forced morality by the state on its citizen's liberties was destructive to their inward development, and could even lead to a violent reaction by them against the government.


There are different parts of his defense of this, different arguments that he gives. He has a long chapter on freedom of speech and press. He has some very specific reasons why he thinks those freedoms are important. Always in the background for Mill is the idea of development, and making it possible for more people to enjoy these higher quality pleasures. How do we help people develop their distinctly human faculties, in ways that will help them enjoy their higher quality pleasures? Because for him that is the way, we maximize the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed in the world, and that is the object of morality as far as he is concerned. Utilitarianists believe that maximizing happiness is ultimately, what morality is all about. That does not mean maximizing your own happiness that means maximizing the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed, not only by yourself but also by everybody else as well.

Roger Kimball, in his book "Experiments Against Reality" wrote, "On Liberty" was published in 1859, coincidentally the same year as "On the Origin of Species." Darwin's book has been credited--and blamed--for all manner of moral and religious mischief. But in the long run "On Liberty" may have effected an even greater revolution in sentiment.

I read this book for a graduate class in Philosophy. Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, political science, and history.

Tom Cruise is probably still the most popular Hollywood star after having acted for a quarter of a century, nonetheless, there is very little known about his private life, apart from the usually cheap gossip of the yellow press. Like most Hollywood stars he's been very protective and concerned about his past. Whenever reporters tried to find out things about his past on their own he would usually have them threatened with law suits through his many lawyers.
That is why this book is so interesting and revealing. Credit has to be given to Andrew Morton, the author who actually talked to those people that knew Tom from the past. He found out some things that directly dispute the "nice guy from next door" image that Tom has always promoted about himself. Apart from finding out that while during his early youth when Tom and his family were in Canada he was at best a mediocre student, Morton also got into his abusive father's relationship with Tom. His father was mostly harsh to Tom and often down right abusive. Thus it should come as no surprise that when Tom was about 12 years old his mother decided to leave their father behind, and just got the kids and left in a fly-by-night manner across the border back to the USA. While Tom was going to school in Canada, and later back in the USA, he always felt the need to fit in with the most accepted and esteemed kids at the school. Although he usually tried hard to impress them, they usually didn't let him hang out with him, since he was seen as a short and somewhat average guy, and thus not cool or special enough to be part of their highly esteemed crowd.
As Tom was getting a bit older and closer to finishing high school he realized that he was a lady's man. Girls tended to like him, since he was good looking and apparently somewhat charming. It was also during high school that he began to realize his potential and talent as an actor. Ironically, it was a friend of Tom's who said that he should try getting into acting seriously. The girl who gave Tom this advice was at the time the leader of the cheerleading team who had herself already been in a commercial or two. Years later when Tom had just begun to play in his first few Hollywood movies, as a young but still mostly unknown actor she remembered a humiliating encounter with Tom. She had long a ago given up acting as a career, and become a waitress. Now unexpectedly Tom came to the restaurant in which she was serving him as a waitress, him the new aspiring Hollywood movie star. She explained to Morton that she never felt so humiliated in her life. Although Tom was nice to her, she couldn't stop thinking how it had been her that told Tom to become a serious actor, and now here she was, of all things, a waitress serving Tom.
Morton`s book is good in describing the personality of Tom Cruise in real life situations. For example, we find out that Tom has always been a control freak, especially in his relationships with women. Perhaps the reason why his 10 year old marriage with Nicole Kidman failed was due to the fact that he couldn't control her as much has he wanted to. Toward the end of their marriage, she was filming intimate love scenes with another scottish actor, who it must be said, spoke about this episode in such a provocative manner that it could only frustrate a control freak, like Tom. It is also very interesting to note, that despite the fact that it was Nicole that often criticized Tom, it was ultimately Tom who ended their 10 year long marriage. The weird thing about that was the fact that Tom never told her why he left her, when Nicole asked him why all he would say was you know why. This sounds a lot like he didn't want to mention his reason for leaving her, because that would probably have involved having to say that he wanted more control over their relationship. Something that obviously Nicole would not have approved of. It also seems that another reason for the failure of their marriage was the movie "Eyes Wide Shut" that they acted in together. Here both Nicole and Tom had to have love and sex scenes with other film partners. Knowning Tom it must have been especially tough for him to watch Nicole filming sexual scenes with another man. According to Morton director Stanley Kubric was really being harsh on both Tom and Nicole during the extensive filming of this movie. He actually filmed several scenes of Nicole having intimate sex, although he knew that virtually all of it would never make it into the movie, and would thus be left over material for the trash can. Apparently, he took such great pleasure out of ordering Nicole into filming serveral of these scenes that they were almost pornographic. This in itself must have been a heavy burden for their marriage and especially for Tom's ego, that is known to be rather bloated.
But apart from their serperation, which clearly hurt Niclole the most, it is Tom's obssession with Scientology which takes up the greatest part of the book. The only question that Morton never manages to really answer is why Tom had joined this cult in the first place. It seems that it was more than anything else his own belief which led him towards this dangerous cult. In the beginning of his Hollywood career he carefully hid his association with Scientology, but as he got more popular and self confident of himself he began to act as a spokesman for the cult. Morton clearly shows how important it was to get Tom recruited to Scientology. Tom`s first wife Mimi is the one believed to have introduced him to the cult. She and her father had already worked for Scientology, but of course all of this could only be suceessful if Tom made the conscious decision to join Scientology. So in the end, he must have personally been convinced of this "religion" as he likes to refer to it.

The book also shows rather well, that apart from his well maintained "nice guy next door" image, Tom is a manipulative opportunist. Both in private as well as professional decisions he always tends to associate with people that he thinks will benefit him the most. In this manner he can of course always rely on his good looks and manners. Another question that not only the author has asked is whether Tom`s whole life has been primarily a facade. After all, why shouldn't a talented actor like Tom make massive use of his acting talent when it comes to his public and private image? In this sense Morton has also posed the question of whether Tom's marriage to Kathie Holmes was one of Tom's manipulative schemes. It is thus interesting to note that those who really knew Kathie (friends and relatives) said almost unanimously that after her marriage to Tom she looked lifeless and depressed. And it was apparent that in this relationship from the outset she was the shy much younger girl while he was the much more experienced elder man. It would thus be much easier for Tom to use his infamous "cruise control" on her than it had been with Nicole, who was about his age and much more demanding than Holmes.

In the end, this book was a good book that revealed a lot about Tom's life and especially about his hidden side that seems a lot darker than the image that he and his agents have perpetuated in the Media. Although it should be said that Tom is himself not a villain, rather he seems to be mostly a victim of circumstances. Early in his life it was his rather harsh father, then the many times that his family moved - during his school time he actually visited 15 different schools until he finished high school, and ultimately his association with Scientology that had adverse effects on him. Had his early life been a different one, it is quite likely that he would also have developed differently as a person.

For anyone interested in finding out what motivates Tom this is the best book currently available, and will probably remain so for a long time to come. The only other interesting thing to ask is how will Tom Cruise respond to this anything but adulating biography of himself? Will he resort to his usual tactic of suing whoever dares to investigate into his past, especially when the results of such an investigation do not correspond with the "nice guy next door" image that Tom has propagated for so long.

It wasn't until after I read this book I realized who Andrew Morton was. He caught my attention over the Princess Diana book that was "secretly authorized" by Diana. If I had known this was the guy, I would have passed on the book. The guy gave me the creeps over the Diana thing and his latest book about Tom Cruise has that National Enquirer feel to it. Ack!

If all biographies, authorized or not, were written by Andrew Morton, I'd probably never read another one again.

A Must Read. A very carefully researched book. I'm sure his critics will pounce on some startling gossip, but if you read between the lines I think he left out more shocking information than he put in. And he put in plenty.

This is quite an interesting book. I had some idea of Scientology before reading but was shocked at how much I didn't know.
I personally wouldn't support any actors I find are involved with such a corrupt organization.

Is Tom Cruise is totally delusional? In one part he apparently says something like if he knew what he did now he could have went through college at age 11. He also says that no one tells you about dictionaries, like they are some mystery or something! I laughed so hard at both of these statements. I would love to see him go to college and get a degree...would love to put him in a chemistry class. And the dictionary thing, uh, in college many times you have a dictionary right next to you when you read...this is common. Wow...join the rest of the world Tom.

This book has everything a stressful mom would need. Humor, truth, and more humor. I laughed and cried with this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone with children.

The fact that publishing houses are now multinationals means that most new books are, in essence, washing powder: marketed to meet a particular demographic. And this "author" is responsible for some of the most perfectly packaged bilge in a very, very deep reservoir of bilge. Another depressing foray into her inadequacies as a mother, this book is to be avoided as studiously as her first.

I think this is a very cute book, easily read, very relatable and the writing is quirky but solid! My thoughts are that while this book is a great read the first time I don't think I will ever read it again.... it is just not one of those books you need to read more than once. I do feel it is worth reading so borrow it from the library on your way home from story time.

This book gives a perfect description of what "normal" moms are. As a mother of three, most days I don't start cleaning or getting dressed unless I have to leave the house or an hour before my husband gets home. The author gives us the OK to do that citing that she is just like us. I think moms worry too much about how their children will turn out if they make mistakes too often. I make them all day long and my kids are fine, as the author states about hers.

The author tells her tales from finding a pre-school that doesn't involve a brief case and punchcard for kids to admitting that having sex once a month is normal after children. This book seemed to speak directly to me and my life. It made me feel like a better mother. Don't miss out on this one, ladies!

I think I liked this book every more than sippy cups! Makes me feel like I am not alone out there and personally I love sarcastic humor. Too bad I live on the east coast and can not immediately try to make myself Stephanie's BFF.

"The Loved Dog" doesn't teach or instruct the reader on anything more than common sense would dictate in dealing with dogs. Geller uses a much kinder method than other trainers, but the book is lacking in depth and detail. Too much time is spent on her past without really connecting the reader on anything more than a basic level. Once the training starts in the book, the author seems to speed through it without taking enough time to get fully into the hows and whys. More time is spent in commenting on all the famous folks that Geller knows and has worked with in the past. The book is definitely a good start to someone new to dog training, but wouldn't be the only book needed.

On page 82 where Geller discusses learning your dog's favorite treats, she mentions that one of her client dog's favorites is chocolate. Chocolate is toxic to dogs. Geller warns against other foods that are toxic to dogs--onions, grapes and raisins--but she makes no such warning about chocolate. This is a pretty serious oversight, especially for new dog owners who may be reading this book because of the Humane Society CEO's good review of it. I might have given this book 3 stars otherwise, but I'm giving it one star just to call attention to this hazard.

It was a pleasure finally to find someone with whose gentle, sensible, methods, view point, and philosophy I agree, especially after some rather harsh tactics I have observed by other trainers. You can tell Tamar truly loves her dogs as much as most owners love their dogs. I am glad I happened to become familiar with her book. All dogs deserve to be the loved dog.

I enjoyed this book, since I'm at the beginning of learning about dog training, in advance of getting a dog. But dear god, that woman likes to name drop! Did I mention Oprah's dogs? What about Olivia Newton-John? And my favorite, her best friend in the world is married to some moderately successful somebody, and she barely mentions her best friend to describe what her best friend's husband does... and then she gets to their dogs. Yikes.

That being said, she has a nice message, I like the nonviolent approach, and the fact that she does incorporate some pack behaviorism (alpha dog without the alpha roll or forced submission).

Next, I'm reading "The Other End of the Leash", "Culture Clash", and "How Your Dog Thinks" for a little meatier training. Tamar Geller is light and has a nice kind philosophy, and some good ideas about how to handle your dog(s).

I've read several negative reviews of this book and of other dog-training books on Amazon and honestly it seems like people just want an Easy Button. The more books your read and the better you know your animal will help you develop your own style of training. Each person is unique, so where I don't allow my dogs on the furniture, many people reading this may love the cuddle time with their pup. No one book is giong to 100% resonate with you, so it's really about learning as much as you can and setting your dog up to succeed.

Climbing off my soap box, I think this is a great book for almost any dog owner. Let's face it, the majority of pet owners would hardly call themselves experts so it's frustrating when reviewers say books like this are recycled material. I commend anyone who's taking an active interest in learning how to train their dog. For those who want something clear and simple Tamar delivers. This is a How-To book that helps with the basics.

One of my favorite suggestions she gives is to have the dog sit for everythjing, just as if you were teaching a child to say please. The dog is in a calm state of mind and getting whatever reward he's sitting for in only that position. My dog now sits whenever he wants anything. Doesn't mean he always gets it, but it's his way of asking nicely instead of jumping in my lap.

When she talks about teaching tricks and behaviors, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. I had never thought not to repeat myself over and over. The more I tried it (and it took patience on my part) I found that it actually worked quite well. Tamar instructs us to wait and let the dog "think" about it. I swear I could see the wheels turning in my dog's head. It's all logical though. If you asked me sit down and knit a blanket I couldn't do it. Saying it over and over and louder and louder would not overcome the fact that I don't know how to knit. With practice and incentive though, I could learn. So can your dog.

My last commetn for the book is training to "Back Off" I didn't understand its value at first, however I'm already teaching my 7 month old puppy the behavior b/c I use it so much. Instead of jumping and getting excited for what he wants, my dog almost does the opposite by walking away from me and then sitting. The best part is that he does it on his own. When I do tell him "off" it's either b/c he's in harm's way (like when I open a hot oven) or I just need space (tying shoes, putting food bowl down, or opening a door) it's nice for him to take a step or two backwards without it being a struggle. Overall this book taught me how to teach functional behaviors. The biographical part is maybe not necessary, but it does show why she's trying to take a loving approach to dog training. I recommend this book for anyone who looses patience with their dog and wants to react some way other than yelling. It's much less stressful =)

Many people claim to "hate cardio," so a book that promises weight loss without cardio is sure to find an audience. But this book is based on some faulty premises--chief among them the idea that cardio vs. weight training is an either/or proposition. Total fitness requires both.

Karas is correct to emphasize weight training and diet as pillars in any fitness/weight loss plan. However, the low caloric intake he advocates will be difficult for most people to achieve and maintain. Moreover, it will likely lead to *lower* metabolism, paving the way for weight gain when the inevitable binge/backlash occurs.

I lost about 100 lbs. in 1984 with a cardio/diet approach. And this game plan has kept me thin for nearly 25 years. I have added weight training in the last 10 years to build muscle (cardio will *not* give you killer biceps or a six-pack). But if your goal is simply to shed excess fat quickly, you can get there by consuming fewer calories and doing cardio. Once again, I speak from experience here.

The author presents himself as a "reformed" cardio enthusiast. He notes that cardio made him hungry; and he frequently binged after a cardio session.

There is an element of truth here: cardio at the wrong time of day can lead to a hunger spike. And if you overeat after you work out, you will do more harm than good.

The best way to avoid this is to schedule your cardio at a time of day when your appetite is low. I am usually very hungry in the morning and less hungry at night, so I am able to avoid cardio hunger spikes by scheduling my workouts in the evening, rather than first thing in the morning.

I would also dispute the notion that cardio is bad for your joints and internal organs. Joint troubles can be avoided through cross-training and low-impact workouts. (I.e., your cardio workout shouldn't consist solely of running on paved surfaces.)

Cardio also helps your cardio-vascular system and cholesterol levels!

In short, the Cardio-Free Diet addresses a conflict that does not exist. Yes, watch your diet. (But eat more than 1,200 calories per day.) Yes, do weight training. But don't throw out your treadmill and jogging shoes. They are still essential for overall fitness and health--even if they are currently out of style in some exercise circles.

This brand new book is falling apart. The binding is faulty. The pages are coming apart from the glue on the spine. Who do I complain to?

This is a great book full of very helpful information. It has great information for well-balanced meals as well as effective exercises. It also helps the reader understand why they need to change their diet/exercise program for life and does not promise a false quick fix. It educates the reader to the importance of building muscle at every age.

This book is a leap of faith for cardio-holics, but the book produces results. Easy to understand, with minimal equipment.

THIS PROGRAM WORKED FOR ME! Jim Karas' book is wonderful! I noticed results in 2 weeks as the book states. I have completed all 8 phases and have 'removed' 20 pounds since March. At first I borrowed the book from the library, and after seeing results, bought a used copy online. The exercises are easy to follow and I was consistent even with business & personal travel during Phase 3. Before starting this program, I was exercising on a ski machine 3 times a week and using light weights with high repetitions with little results. Now I am exercising with much higher weights and have drastically improved my muscle tone & metabolism. I will be 53 next month and feel much younger. Eight years ago I went through the change and slowly added 25 pounds to my petite frame. I did not follow his diet, but rather cut my portions, increased fiber, drank more water, & cut down on white flour and sugars. I will gladly continue this program for the rest of my life! You can do this!!

Anna ( Patty Duke), is a great lady! This book, An excellent and sad look at what a bipolar person goes through with and without help, I*m so happy that there is a name and treatment for this very sad illness. Anna tells it like it is and does it with class! May God Bless Anna Duke!

Celebrities who come out about a physical or mental illness help us get past shame, but Patty Duke does a lot more in this autobiography where she alternates her memories with professionally written chapters about bipolar illness. As a mental health advocate, I recommend this book especially to give to people with the illness who aren't ready for technical or self-help books.

I just finished this book, and I thought it was very readable and an excellent memoir describing issues related to bipolar. The honesty with which the book is written is commendable. I highly recommend it for anyone wishing to learn more about this disorder and how helpful appropriate treatment can be.

If you want to know some of the unbelieveable, unbearable pain and suffering of an un-treated manic-depressive, read this book. How Patty Duke lived to tell her story is a miracle. Thank God she finally found her way out of her madness She gives hope to her fellow sufferers. From the perspective of gut-wrenching pain just reading her account, the book works wonderfully. But as a narrative, I found it hard to follow. I felt jerked around from eposide to eposide. There didn't seem to be a timeline I could follow to know what happened, when. Also, it was very distracting to have to plow through the pages of medical, technical information that were dispersed throughout the book. Overall, it's a fine description of the illness, but frustrating to read.

Can someone please give this book to Britney Spears? I'm not joking. I first read this book about 9 years ago when I was studying psychology in college and it was always one of my very favorite books on this subject. Because Ms. Duke is able to speak to the reader in such simple (yet interesting) words. Except for the old-fashioned term "manic depressive illness" (according to the APA, the correct term is bipolar, which sounds way more PC) this book is totally on the money. Another great book I recommend is Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface. In 2008 it seems rather common for celebrities to discuss their dementia, and anything else that the public wants to know. So it may seem hard to fathom that less than thirty years ago none of this was discussed publicly because it was considered "career suicide." But Patty Duke was the very first star who candidly discussed her own mental illness in her autobiography . In my eyes, she is a true shero.

I loved how much heart Johnny Cash put into this book. Every detail, every aspect of his life are told with huge honesty and intensity, showing his affection to everyone who's been close to him during the years. if you love this legend, you'll be delighted by this book.

This book was good. I can't say it any simpler. I enjoyed reading it and feel a little closer to the man whose music I admire.

This is a very readable book. The writing is simple, yet interesting. It reads just like Johnny Cash is having a conversation with the reader. Thumbs up.

What really makes this better than most autobiographies is that Johnny Cash is a good story teller, and avoids the temptation to tell his life story strictly in a linear fashion from his upbringing to the present. Instead, he presents his life story as a set of stories during a tour, as if we are on the tour bus with him going to place to place. And it hits the right note since he's spent so much of his life on the road. And the moments he talks about his various homes have a certain intimacy, since we realize home for a person like Johnny Cash has probably been pretty fleeting. Subtly powerful stuff, just like his music.

Cash comes across as a pretty worldly figure, despite being heavily grounded by his country roots. We get pretty frank and open discussions about his failures and battles with addiction. As someone pretty non-religious, I found his discussions about Christianity and what it means to him and his family completely open and approachable, and it never comes across as preachy or patronizing. Yes, the endless talk about his various grandkids and non-stop effusive praise of the exhaustive list of people he's performed with started getting a little old, but I can forgive that. Very enjoyable read. 4 1/2 stars out of 5, so I'll round it up to 5.

Note: As someone who would listen to Cash read aloud the phone book underwater to the sounds of fingernails across a chalk board, you might say I'm a little biased.

I really liked the book and I am glad I bought it but it wasn't as in depth as I was hoping it would be. Some of the names he drops would have been easier to follow if he had used last names and the book assumes you have kept up with his history and his career but what it does do is makes me want to purchase "Man in Black" just that much more.

Mr. Goldman has written a classic. A great panacea for anyone that gets too starry-eyed over celebrities and aspires to "make it big" in show business. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Goldman's no-holds-barred approach to explaining just how Hollywood works. His book is instructive and illuminating. His sarcastic approach is extremely funny and a great stress reliever. His quasi-sequel, Which Lie Did I Tell?, was also very enjoyable. I would highly recommend both books.

What kind of book can the writer of such great screenplays as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, A Bridge Too Far, Dreamcatcher, and my sentimental favorite, The Princess Bride write? A romping, great ride through the movie making business, complete with behind-the-scenes stories. It opens with an astutely worded history of Hollywood, covers splendid tales about movie stars--both good and very, very bad, and the screenwriting process. `Adventures In The Screen Trade' is a true classic.

Goldman understands movies and more than that, he truly understands how to tell a story and be funny at the same time. In the book, he writes that comedy is not his forte. Nonsense! I was laughing half the time I was reading; I had to put the book down occasionally, I was laughing so hard.

More than simply comedy, the book is filled with insights not only on human nature, but also on writing about human nature. Near the end of the book, after a most enjoyable read about what parts he played in the many good movies he's written or had a part in writing (including only the last line from the Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman movie, Papillon), he shows his true genius. He actually demonstrates his thinking process in adapting a short story of his into a screenplay.

After reading that story, but before I read his working plan of adaptation, I decided to experiment and see what angle I could come up with on the story in a rough outline. After doing that, I read his plan of attack in comparison and I was simply blown away. Here is a master storyteller at work--I'm not worthy.

I enjoyed reading this book and if you're a fan of film, you'll like this one too.

this is a must for everyone interested in screenwriting...a little slow in the beginning but riveting after that

Reading this book makes you feel the writer is talking to you personally - it is written in a conversational style .
The author sometimes can't believe the sort of conditions he himself works in or the type of surroundings , he is as confused by them as we are . He is also as captivated by them as we are , coming from a pure love of movies and their magic .

If you are a film fan , do not delay in buying this book .
It will bring a new perspective to viewing a film .
Once you've read it , go and watch BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID , for which the author wrote the screenplay .
A fantastic book !!

This is not a text book, but it should be required reading for anyone who wants a career in the motion picture industry - or anyone who loves film in general. Why is it not a textbook? Because it is one heck of an entertaining read. The book runs almost six-hundred pages and I devoured it in just a couple of days.

William Goldman is one of most respected screenwriters alive; he knows as much about it as anyone. What he gives us is a picture of Hollywood (the business and who does what), the art of writing a screenplay, the process of working on a film, and his own personal anecdotes. One of the chief pleasures of the book is how cheerfully gossipy it is. "PART ONE: HOLLYWOOD REALITIES" is full of stories of the excesses of Hollywood that people out there consider normal. A lot of the time he doesn't supply names, but sometimes he does. (Dustin Hoffman, while a brilliant actor, is notorious for being a bit eccentric.) He also gives us an idea of how the studio works and how pictures get made.

The last third of the book will primarily interest serious film students. Goldman includes his entire script for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and uses it as a teaching tool. Then he presents a short story he wrote and uses that as a teaching tool regarding adapting previously written material.

This book was written in 1982 and reading it is a stroll down memory lane. That was a dark time in motion picture history. Most of the films he references from that period have been forgotten. In other words, it is just like today. We need to read this book again more than ever.

Looks like a good book. I have not made it through the whole thing yet, but I can definitely recommend this vendor.

Unless you're a math genius or your name is Chris Ferguson, you need this book.

Top-to-bottom odds and probabilities for limit and no-limit hold'em.

Loaded with charts and explanations. I purchased this book after seeing the charts in the back of the book ... unlike any I've seen elsewhere. You can't go wrong with this book ... it's one of my top favorites.

I previewed this book before I bought it and it seemed like a good value and now that I have it, I still feel that way. The poor reviews from other customers must be from know it alls because unlike many poker titles, it delivers exactly what it says.

If you already know the odds then you dont need this, but I already knew how to calculate with the 2-4 method but it expands on that to add implied odds, and douts. Thats how far I am into this book so far, and I expect the rest of it to be worth the time to read it and the cost.

Do not be misled by the haters. If you are shopping for a book on the subject of texas holdem odds, I would say its worth it. Many poker books are convoluted and this one is perfectly readable. So the people who said it is too basic might be fans of the convoluted books that I dont fully understand, but I found this book useful to re-enforce what I already knew and to help me expand on that knowledge.

Last comment, the book wasnt the holy grail that I couldnt live without, but it definitely gave me a deeper understanding of the subject and I would certainly reccomend it.

If you had trouble with math in grade school, then this book may be just right for you. But I personally found it was too elementary. Come on--do you really need to explain how to add fractions and how to convert 1/3 to decimals? If you are THAT math-challenged, you probably can't count outs either! By spending so much time on remedial arithmetic, he doesn't cover a lot of ground.

If you've never heard of implied odds and don't have a clue how to size your bets, then by all means buy this book. For anyone who has read one or two poker books, this stuff is too basic--and nothing is new.

This book will boggle your mind in the beginning with terms and number crunching that probably will need a second or third reading to fully digest ... That is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you don't get frustrated trying to get the the 'meat' of the book. The book gets rolling with more 'advice' and good scenarios from the middle to the end ... although the author does favor certain types of hands. I would not recommend this as a first read for a novice player, but is a good addition to gain this author's prespective on the game.