Entertainment Books

Insightful. Witty. Fun. The short chapters make it a fun book to read for the person with a busy schedule. Provocative, yet funny. You will look at things a bit differently after you read this book. An amalagam of Sedaris, Barry, and Will. Lionel demonstrates his unique combination of intellect, pragmatism, and humor. I can not wait for the sequel!

Lionel has the unique ability to make you think and learn -- his book does both while, at the same time, making you laugh. I have been a ferociously dedicated fan of talk radio for all of my many later adult years. I used to seek out one host for his intelligence and insight, another for his humor, and yet another for his delightfully daft take on events. And then when Lionel came along, for the first time in my life I could do one stop shopping. I would refer to him as the Rush Limbaugh for the sane, but would not want to offend Lionel by the camparison."

Does ANYBODY know that the title of this book was a line taken from the 1931 movie Dracula?

Since I really like his radio show, I really liked his book. In the book (of course) he gets to use blue language which he uses to accentuate what he probably sounds like when talking in his public personna off mike. The book addresses some of his thoughts, opinions, and conclusions very well. It isn't a story or continuous diatribe but just some writing on various subjects of interest to him and his fans.

As a huge fan of the Lionel Show I could not wait for his book to arrive.
Anyone who is a fan of witty,intelligent humor will enjoy this read.
Lionel's political observations are unmatched in their sensibility and honesty.
Pick up a copy and listen to the show and you will be addicted as I am!

I sincerely enjoyed this book! I've read many books on the subject of how to build brands and businesses, but Kimora gave me exactly what I was looking for! She gave details on what it takes to brand a SUCCESSFUL company and I'm clear that successful branding starts with myself.

If you're in the entertainment industry, this book is a must read for women who need that extra FLARE!

Great novel Kimora! You're my new mentor!

thecartelpublications.com

Not much to say, but "fabulosity" is what it is! Kimora, thank you for contributing to society in many positive ways! Readers: Buy it and review it for yourself.

Since watching her show, 'Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" on the Style Network, I've become an avid fan of the self-styled, self-proclaimed diva. In the spirit of all things fabulous, I decided to purchase the book thinking it would be as fun and as over-the-top as its spirited author. I was not disappointed. With that said, the book, which the author hopes will serve as a self-help manual-- one that gets you in touch with your inner diva (Be yourself but be a slave to fashion as well.) -- is far too self serving for Simmons, an owner of a clothing/style empire. The message is possibly damaging to her young urban audience who need more lessons on the important of education and the delay of gratification than what shoes go with what purse.

This book definitely reminds us of some good advices we typically tend to forget. It can in fact help you gain some confidence. It's also pleasant and easy to read.
Nevertheless, I think that it would have been much nicer in a more concise form as, right now, it's really a "girly girly" book, which rather promotes its author, more than anything else.

Well, first off, I had always been captivated by Kimora, and figured if anyone knows about being fabulous and could teach us a thing or two, it would be her. But after a couple chapters into the book, I felt that this was more about her out to clearly promote a certain image of herself, one apart from Russell, that she wants us all to have for some reason.... (grooming us for the ensuing divorce from him?).
She carefully monitored her words through this,& repeatedly pounded an image she wanted to project of having "already made it big" in her teenage years WAAAY before her marriage to Russell Simmons. Oddly, the only reference of a modeling year that she refers to several times in the book was ..."when she was 13" . She made sure to try and appear to keep it real by injecting some experiences of human vulnerablity, and gave a few small glimpses (detailed descriptions) of her monied world, but spent much time referring back and repeating about this "great and extensive European $50k-a week modeling career" she supposedly had through high school, and how she learned to: live on her own in France, smartly taking control of her finances, conduct herself in business, and handle life's lessons...all at the age of 13! Hardly believable. Then looking at the provided photos in the book, I found it very curious that there was only 1 of her (pre-Russell Simmons) modeling years, a United Colors of Benneton ad, where she looks like an average pug-nosed teenager. So I Googled about 50 pages of Images for her and still found NOTHING of any modeling photos of her in that decade before marrying him. It seemed clear that her real objective for writing the book was to convince everyone that she had "made it" way before Russell Simmons came into her life, which I dont think anyone really cares (nor believes). I'm sure she was beautiful and fabby when they met, and Russell married her and elevated her into his monied life...so what?
Now, I am interested and intrigued in the opulence of the rich & famous like anyone else, and I love to hear the anecdotes of the successsful, but Kimora just doesnt appear to really have any real depth from life's lessons to offer us, in that she went from being basically a teenager to marrying Russell. Its easier to be beautiful and fabby with lots of money, and obviously any of her hardships were always easily overcome with their money. She didnt present anything that showed real blood sweat and tears about her life, or any profundity. I would have rather have just read the truth from her and been intrigued by the power of money to solve problems, and the fun it can bring to a girl's life. Russell would probably have given us something with much more redeeming value if HE wrote the book!
With the Baby Phat business, I'm sure she certainly must have gone through the guts of up-starting a business, but once again, the obstacles hurdled and the resolutions implemented took money to get through, (which she had, and which she did successfully), and so nothing inspiring there. Basically after reading completely through the book, I got the impression that she was still rather immature and a still-self absorbed game playing girly-girl for one now in her mid 30's. There ARE some good, inspiring quotes that she includes from other celebrities, like: "The thing women have yet to learn is no one gives you power, you just take it"(Roseanne Barr). These made me want to read books by THOSE people. Overall, I came away feeling that Kimora is highly calculative and probably thinks most of her readers were pretty easy to manipulate. There was some amusing things in there, but she doesnt really give of herself genuinely. If anyone, I think this book is best suited for early 20-somethings, who want to learn how to present a certain image, and possibly maximize their potential opportunities in the business world, or if you just want to become more intrigued by Kimora's self-promotion. Not really for a more matured (not talking 'old' here)audience that is already comfortable in their own skin, but are just looking for some profundity and inspiration for an elevated "image makeover" out of the soccer-mom lifestyle.

Very good and comprehensive instructions for excellent classical guitar tone production. Very useful are the examples for right and left hand training and coordination.The best teaching material I found on this subject.

I'm sure I'll enjoy this book.I liked the fast shipping, and I would do business with this seller again.

Best overall technique book i've ever read, and i used to work at a music store for 2 years. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to straighten out their bad habits or learn new good habits in order to improve your coordination, speed, and reduce tension while playing all while improving your sound and of course, strengthening your fingers.

This is a great book for the beginner classical guitar player. It is worth every cent for the information within the book.

This is not a method book about learning to play the classical guitar. It's aim is to refine and re-examine how one can approach a specific technical challenge, for example, tremelo. I find Scott Tenant's ability to view a particular technical challenge from an almost psychological perspective and understanding, to be a great aid in overcoming the mental barriers we place on ourselves. Many of the greatest guitarists have found methods to overcome these self-defeating attitudes and Scott Tenant is one of them. He is an absolutely amazing guitarist and musician for whom I have tremendous respect. He's also a very likable guy and very willing to share what worked for him with the rest of us.

It is best to use this book in conjunction with a qualified classical guitar teacher if you are relatively new to classical guitar. I teach classical guitar and will refer to this book to improve my own playing skills. He doesn't include complete musical pieces but gives plenty of drills which when mastered will act as a catalyst in propelling the student to new level of guitar playing on whatever selections they choose. I also like that he included the 110 Giuliani right-hand studies that most other books omit.

VERY DISAPPOINTING. NOT IN THE CLASS OF THE ORIGINAL TWO BOOKS BY KENNETH
ANGER. QUALITY OF PHOTOS POOR, WOULD APPEAL TO THE GAY COMMUNITY AS THE FOCUS OF THE STORIES WERE ABOUT MEN'S APPENDAGES. WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY AS IT IS ALMOST PORNO.

That's right. Remember how in THE WIZARD OF OZ Dorothy got to look behind the curtain to see what the wizard was really about? If you love Hollywood, and are truly interested in the real lives (and sexual identities)of the people that were created as living icons for all of us to dream about, you can't go wrong with any of these authors' books, specially this one. The book is enourmously entertaining. Does it speak the truth? I'd like some of the objectors on this page to tell me what "truth" is. We're talking here about the biggest factory of dreams on earth. It's ALL Show-Business. The star personalities & their wonderful films that you get to see are only one side of the coin. The authors have gone further than anyone else on print (honorable mention goes, of course, to Kenneth Anger who paved the way) to show you the other side of the silver screen & it's fascinating. Their research is not one-sided & when they mention tabloids, it is but one more informational piece of the story (after all, tabloids will go where others - specially the more mainstream media -fear to tread).The book IS titillating & i wouldn't have it any other way. All you need is an open mind, some sense of humour, to enjoy it. Do yourself a favor & seek out this publishers' other bios on Brando & Hepburn. Their book on Michael Jackson is un-put-downable. And they have the coolest Gay & Lesbian film guide too.
Finally, you can rest assured i am a real customer. I just like to give credit where credit is due. Enjoy the show!

Honestly didnt like this book too much, almost sent it back. Just flipped through it, bit too gory for me.

Like the vast numbers of readers today, scandal regarding famous people in different walks of life seems interesting, however, this book contains too much information for one's mind to process. It's slapped together with side articles and photographs that could be better designed by the average scrapbooker. It is pure smut, bottle of the barrel gossip, with quotes of running conversations between various individuals that makes you wonder how they were obtained and if, in fact, they were obtained or just created for shock value. This book is a mockery of the original Hollywood Babylon and my suggestion would be not to waste your hard earned dollars on it. I read it and sold it immediately before my "investment" became a total loss.

Don't. That is the key word for this review. I read Hollywood's Silent Closet and you can read my review of that book on this site, so I was very eager to read Hollywood Babylon It's Back! I have the original Hollywood Babylon by Kenneth Anger, and it was, and remains, in a class of its own. Not so this shoddy, error filled book.
What a waste of money. The authors misspell names, give inconsistent birth dates and glaring spelling errors. What a poor editing job. Distortion of facts and just fiction spinned with fact. Photos are of inferior quality, and it is simply a second-rate undertaking. Entire sentences are lifted straight from imdb.com.
I go back to the title of my review: "Don't." If anyone wants this book for a really, really, really cheap price, contact me. It's yours. I don't want it.

Strouse is one of the most underrated composers of the American musical theatre. This is mostly due to the large number of failures he has been associated with. After reading his revealing memoir, it is easy to see why that happened. Strouse is singularly lacking in self esteem, and has been far too easily led, nor has he stood up for himself properly. This is a shame, because he wrote some of the best scores of the late twentieth century, including his masterpiece "Rags," a show that seems certain to be rediscovered one day and take it's place among the great ones.

Strouse promised a lot of "dirt" in this book, but I can't say it really delivers in that regard. Other than revealing that Arthur Laurents is an egomaniacal bastard (hardly a news flash) and that Strouse and Adams made a contribution to the development of "Hello, Dolly!," there isn't anything much along those lines.

One thing that emerges that is sort of surprising is how many close friends of Strouse's are gay; to the extent that it comes as a shock that he isn't gay himself! It is a testament to his open, accepting spirit.

It becomes very clear by book's end that Strouse suffers from chronic depression. One wonders why he isn't on medication for it. His creative output, despite that, is astounding.

I would have enjoyed more about Strouse's creative process, his aesthetic tastes, his opinions of the work of his contemporaries, and so on. The personal details are interesting, but after all, it is their work that fascinates us about these geniuses.

A fascinating autobiography of a genuinely 'nice' gentleman. Too often Strouse is left out in the panoply of great Broadway composers. As a (former) HS musical director, I conducted Annie, with with my staff on Birdie and the quality of the scores is beyond reproach. I remember the original Applause on Broadway; it's still one of my favorite scores. I enjoyed the 'backstage' chit-chat between producers, directors, and choreographers. It would have been wonderful to be a fly on the wall. My only disappointment is that I wanted to know how Lee Adams felt when Charles began collaborating with other lyricists. Highly recommended and a fast read!

What sets this autobiography of the great Broadway composer Charles Strouse apart from other "and then I wrote" memoirs, is that although Mr. Strouse gives plenty of fascinating info on the what, who and where of his career, his main focus is on how it felt to create those shows, work with those people, and live that life. So the reader is drawn in and effortlessly identifies with him, coming away with the experience of a life lived in musical theatre. The only curious element is that, although his portraits of famous collaborators like Arthur Laurents, Alan Jay Lerner and Sammy Davis, Jr. are quite vivid, we are left with only a shadowy outline of Lee Adams, who wrote the lyrics to many of his most famous shows, such as "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause."

A truly enjoyable and quick read. Many insights are offered into the world of Broadway musicals. Strouse reveals several things about himself that are very interesting. Some Broadway writers,producers, etc. really come off as horse's a---s. Like the bit where he ways he has made more money than he can spend. Was sorry that it wasn't longer!

A must-read for all fans of musical theatre, this heart-warming candid and funny autobiography provides a fascinating look into the world of showbusiness. Charles Strouse writes candidly about his ups-and-downs in showbusiness, the nagging insecurities that have followed him throughout his career and of course provides juicy tidbits about Teresa Stratas, Arthur Laurents, Leondard Bernstein and more.

Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake

This is perhaps the best book about screenwriting and the film business ever written.

Oscar winner William Goldman, who wrote such classic films as HARPER, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, MARATHON MAN and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN shares his unique, often difficult, experiences working with top directors, producers and stars like Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier.

If survival in the Hollywood film industry is possible, then there is no better "survival guide" than this book, because Goldman tells it like it is. He pulls no punches.

According to Goldman, the single most important fact in the movie industry is that "Nobody Knows Anything".

Most of the book's second-half is a primer on how to write a successful screenplay.

What does Goldman feel is the most important lesson to be learned about writing for films?

1. "Screenplays Are Structure"
2. You protect the "spine" of that structure "to the death".

If you want to work (and succeed) in Hollywood, then this is a book that you must carry around with you...like a Bible.


- Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008)

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 !!

I have read and liked other books by this author, most notably his work on the Cali Cartel. This book was obviously rushed to meet a deadline with the movie on Frank Lucas and as a result it was poorly written, contained many typos, and added little content beyond a google search or wikipedia. If you have read his other books you probably appreciate the level or research but this book only offers a few tid bits of speculation that are not well substantiated. Its too bad that he rushed it out for what must be commercial reasons at the expense of his integrity as a writer.

This book was poorly written with many grammatical errors and misspelled words. The content was somewhat interesting, as it appears to contradict some of the movie "American Gangster."

What moron looked at the text before it went to print? Parents: Don't let your kids see this mess.

A great book that reveals the truth about Frank Lucas.

Harlem Godfather: The Rap on my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson I would also advise readers to check out Harlem Godfather: The Rap on my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson to find the true story of the REAL American gangster, Bumpy Johnson.

After seeing the movie American Gangster, I was really interested in learning more about the story of Frank Lucas and finding out what details of the movie were true or false. Unfortunately, this book was a big letdown. This book seemed to be fairly well researched, but the way that the author presents the information, he seems to have a personal dislike towards the story of Frank Lucas. However, worst of all, this book is very poorly written, with many grammatical errors. You would think that it would have been proof read before it was published.

If pop star Pink sings "Where oh where have all the smart people gone, where oh where could they be?"... then this book cries "Where oh where have all the LADIES gone? Where oh where could they be?" If ever there is a role model for a renaissance in being a lady (not to be confused with a bombshell)... it is Audrey. Her grace, aristocratic sophistication, refinement, depth, humanitarian spirit, and genuine posh-like glamour was real as much as it was regal. In a world of cheap bombshell images the statement: that which is least seen is most beautiful is truer than ever. Audrey was an archetype of an era where being a lady was respected and advocated.

I gave this book to my mom for Mother's Day and haven't stopped hearing how much she likes it. I highly recommend it as the perfect stocking stuffer, especially for the price on Amazon. Just ordered two more for my sisters.

A lovely little book for anyone who loves Audrey, not just as an actress, but for all the human goodness with which she became synonymous.

A lot of people misuse the term "hero." Lots of people think it's an athlete, an actor, or a singer. I regard Audrey Hepburn as my hero and a great role model. She was a rare and unusually timeless beauty with her gamine looks and a gorgeous accent, often mistaken as British, that also belied part of her time in Nazi occupied Holland. With the grace of a dancer and a princess to add to her intoxicating manner of speech, she had consistently excellent taste in clothes, impeccable hairstyles, and an approach to living that more people in this world would do well to adhere to.

Hepburn isn't a hero because of her time on screen; that's just an admirable sort of glamorous display. She fought the resistance as a brave young girl with her mother during WWII, helping the allies escape to freedom. Later in her life, when her career as an actress had more or less played itself out, she took her fame and used it to help give aid to children of third world countries who were starving as she and her fellow Dutchmen had all those years earlier. She was generous, humble, uncomplicated, and beautiful beyond the physical sense. Sure, she chain smoked and was insecure, she had that one crooked tooth and insisted she had a square face, but her physical beauty came from the simple brightness inside of her that was often illuminated by those large, exotic brown eyes. Je ne sais quoi, indeed! Audrey was a woman who knew how to be the consummate woman by keeping her approach to life simple and uncomplicated, yet managing to make people place her on a pedestal of goddess-like status. That is a gift few people possess, but she was able to utilize it with seemingly little work. Melissa Hellstern's book takes several quotes by Hepburn and friends, lots of great b&w photos, and turns them into something of a positive handbook to help women, regardless of any age, learn to possess simple, optimistic, life-affirming class.

This is such a wonderful book and a staple for how to deal with everyday things that life brings on. Audrey Hepburn was not only beautiful...but very wise. There is so many great quotes in this book...definitely a must read!!