Entertainment Books

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.

Shirley MacLaine is ever the entertainer in recalling her trek across Spain on the Camino. The physical descriptions about her voyage are inspiring, and her determination to succeed in completing the journey is admirable.

The most interesting part of the book for me was the journey itself. It succeeds in making you want to try it yourself if you have a month to spare.

The spiritual aspect of the book is thought provoking, if nothing else. Shirley doesn't withhold and for some, I'm sure it's a little bit hard to digest, but you have to admire her honesty.

I thought the ending would have been more glorious. I would like to have seen a moment when she paused and reflected at the end of her journey, but instead she rushed through it like it was something to get over. All in all, it was a good read.

As a longtime reader of Shirley's book's, this was the next one for me. I learned alot and at this time, learning is very important to me.

Since marrying a Spaniard, most of our vacations have been to Spain. As a result, I tend to key in on books dealing with Spain. When I picked up "The Camino", I anticipated a quirky tale on hiking the Camino (i.e. an entertaining quick read). The book initially met my expectations. She explained her Camino decision and within a few pages was starting her pilgrimage on the trail. As expected, she meets some "unique characters" along the way and provides insight into the trail conditions (or lack thereof). However, the book slowly turns into a "vision quest". As you progress through the book, descriptions of the trail and modern day pilgrims are replaced by detailed descriptions of dreams and visions as well as her run-ins with the Press. The ending is anti-climatic and rushed. If I had paid full price for the book, I would be kicking myself for the purchase. Fortunately, I found the book in the bargain bin. Ignoring the purchase price, was the book worth reading? I did gain insight into the Camino trail conditions. However, I paid a high price for that insight. Only my determination to not leave a book half read got me through this relatively short book. All in all, I cannot recommend this book.

Interesting read until she got into her dream visions about the beginning of time and adam and eve and paradise, etc... I mean, yes, possible but it sounded too cookie cutter to me. Like she made it up and tried to make it fit into a mold we already know and threw some sparkles in there for good measure. I like Shirley and have believed what she's been through in the past but now I have my doubts. I think the experience of the camino and her dealings with her environment there is a much more interesting read. She should have stuck to that.

I've read this book twice. I don't know if I believe everything that Ms. MacLaine claims but it was a fun read and I enjoyed every bit of her journey.

He is the greatest wrestler. I think he's awesome. The book is really interesting. Great reading!!

Excellent book.. Very easy to read.
A bit of language used.. but this gives it that personal touch... so, you really get to know what Batista was going through and how he felt.

If you want a story of how a bouncer turns his life around for his family to become one of the best Champions the WWE has ever seen, then this is definately the book for you.

Great story... Can't say a bad thing about it.
Well Done Dave!!

My son read this book and told me I would like it. My first thought was, no thanks, I really do not want to read another meat head jock athlete book. So it sat on my desk for about a month. Then I picked it up and thumbed thru the pictures and noticed the books format is not chapters per se, but micro segments. So I read a few and few more and then in a couple of days I finished the book before I knew it!

Batista Unleashed is so much more then a jocks story, it is the story of a Dude that was big time down and out and did not know how to get out of it. He shows his heart and falls on his sword many times during this book when he could have easily avoided it. He put himself out there and I believe it paid off in a truly excellent book to read. I was amazed at his true openness in this book.

I was a come and go wrestling fan. My brother loves wrestling and then my son started, so to spend time with him, I started watching Raw and having my 13 year old teaching me about the biz. I tell you I have become a fan and now after reading this I have a deep appreciation for the folks that go out and lay it on the line for our enjoyment night after night.

I highly recommend this book to fans of wrestling or folks that just want to read a humble success story of a poor cast out kid to success.

When I first heard that former World Champion and WWE wrestler, Dave Batista was penning his own autobiography, "way too soon" ran through my mind. The book, "Batista Unleashed" only covers the first five years of his WWE career, right through his feud with Undertaker shortly after Wrestlemania 23. It didn't seem like a whole a lot of history to cover, and I thought the book would be a failure like previous wrestlers who released their autobiographies early in their career like Bill Goldberg and The Rock.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Of all the wrestler biographies I have read thus far, no one has had such an eventful childhood as Batista. His accounts of growing up in the rough part of Washington D.C. leaves plenty of interesting first hand experiences. Batista's childhood troubles, growing up in a divorced family, dropping out of high school, having his own kid at an early age, his doomed marriage, and a ton of other shenanigans combined to have me hooked throughout the entire first half of the book.

When it comes to Batista's wrestling career, Dave doesn't pull any punches and tells it like it is. He admits how he struggled in his early years learning how to wrestle while coping with his asthma, and his frustrations with management not teaching him anything else other than to be a big, powerful brute. Dave doesn't hide much either, as he tells the ugly truth about his enemies, and gives praise to people he still wish were in the company. It was quite fascinating reading about how he grew to learn the business and how he was taught so much while part of the faction, Evolution with Triple H, Ric Flair and Randy Orton.

That all led to Batista transitioning from a supporting role to becoming a main event star by winning his first World Championship at Wrestlemania 21. Dave explains how tough it was behind the scenes to become accepted as a top draw, and how it became tougher when he got drafted to the Smackdown brand and had to deal with leading a new locker room.

This all culminates for one entertaining read. I am surprised this didn't turn out to be the quick cash-in book like I so dreadfully thought it would be. I wasn't that big of a Batista fan like before this book, but I had a whole new respect for him coming out of it. If wrestling biographies are your thing, than I highly recommend not to skip over Batista Unleashed.

Batista Unleashed

This book is not meant for younger kids its for a much older crowd. This book brings out his true identity and lays out his life for everyone to see. If you didnt like batista before you will now after you read this book. A great read for batista fans!!

This book is really a nice quick read which really has no focus. Well i take that back the focus seems to be on leading a more positive life. Not necessarily making better decisions, but being more content with your decisions.

When i first picked up the book i expected a pro cannabis book criticizing the United States and it's drug policies with a little comedy thrown in. And while several times he makes this argument (sometimes rambling a little too much) there is much more to this book.

I think Tommy decided to write this book to tell his life's story and how he has changed after the "Pipe Dreams" raid. While for some people this book might be all over the place i enjoy the "stoner" mind stream of jumping from one insightful story to one thrilling story. This book doesn't drag on much (except his 4-5 rants on the screwed up bush administration) and i think the length is perfect. It only takes a few nights of reading.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an open mind or interests in the man behind the stoner from "Up in Smoke" and his other movies. 4 stars out of 5.

I loved this book! Tommy Chong is refreshing and surprisingly insightful! We could all learn something from his experience.

I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this book but, whatever it was, the author met those expectations and then exceeded them by a mile.

The I Chong is funny, insightful, and smart. I left it with a great deal of respect for the author, not merely for his humor but also for the keenness of his insight into a surprising wide variety of issues. Wrapped around all of that is some surprisingly candid autobiographical sketches.

I always knew that Tommy Chong was funny. I now realize that his intelligence and insight exceed his wit.

Great read. If you want the truth about whats going on then i highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent account of what Tommy Chong had to go through after the feds took down his glass pipe buisness and put him in jail. The book flows and you get Tommy's blow by blow of what occured to him. You see his genuine soft heart throughout the book as well as his endless love for his family. He makes great friends in the joint and also has some great stories to share as well. For anyone who thinks the money being paid on the war on drugs is a joke, this is a must read. Strongly liberal in its nature.

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.

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.

I loved the musical "Jersey Boys" and wanted to learn more. This book has biographical data about the singers and that time in the 1960s when they made their mark. It also chronicles how the story came to the stage and includes the complete script. It was like reliving the whole experience. If you are a fan of the The Four Seasons, have seen the musical and enjoy the music of the era, you will aappreciate this book!

Even though i was born in the 70's i have to say Frankie Valli and the four seasons, their music, their lives, have touched me, and i love the fact that the book was written "jersey boys" it made me just totally fall in love with them and their music....awesome...thanks

I loved The Four Seasons. This book gives me a complete picture history of my favorite group

Even though I was born in 1991, I love the Four Seasons, and the Jersey Boys even more. To me, this book has everything a Jersey Boys fan would need, such as facts about the production of the show and interviews with everyone involve, including the original Four Seasons members. I believe the best part of this book is that it includes the script of the show and hundreds of pictures. Reading it almost makes you relive the live show. If you know any fans of Jersey Boys, this would make a perfect gift.

There is no definitive biography of pop icons Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, but until one comes along this glossy coffee table book will do. Make no mistake - this book is primarily about the musical Jersey Boys rather than the musical group that inspired it - but there is plenty of material about both to make the casual fan happy.

Billed as "the official companion to the Broadway musical," the book features the show's libretto, tons of photos, and interviews with the cast, director, writers, and the Four Seasons themselves. There is also a nice Valli/Seasons discography at the end of the book that spans five decades of musical output.

Prior to purchasing this item I read a review that said the book didn't say anything about Fred Astaire's personality. After reading this book, you can tell about every section of Fred's life, his up and downs, his feelings, his experiences. Mr. Astire writes in the style he lived...Elegantly written. I couldn't put the book down because it was exciting to read.

This book is actually one big anecdote, peppered with little things like Mr. A's first punch, trying to figure out a title for the book, and meeting his wife, Phyllis.

However, Fred Astaire does not offer much insight on how he got from point A to Z, or what made him do this and that. In other words, people who want the whys (and plan to psychoanalyze Mr. A's actions) will not find what they are looking for.

It's still a great read though, and real entertaining.

Fred Astaire tells his story in the same way he dances, with integrity and grace. I have been a fan of Mr.Astaire's for many years. The first movie of his I saw was "Daddy Long Legs." I was fasinated with the way he danced. When I found out that he had a biography I snatched a copy up. What I like about this book is that Fred Astaire wrote it himself. I found myself laughing at times, and after reading the book I felt as if I knew him personally. The best thing about this book is that it has 47 black and white photos. This book is a must for true fans of one of the greatest dancers who ever graced the big screen.

Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was, quite simply, a dance genius. He appeared on stage, often with his sister Adele, in such landmark musicals as LADY BE GOOD and FUNNY FACE; he graced at least 43 films, 31 one of which were musicals; he is, for all practical intents and purpose, American dance, and he worked with artists no less legendary than he. But for all this, his 1959 autobiography is most notable for being, well, utterly mundane.

STEPS IN TIME is essentially a catalogue of the various shows in which Astaire performed, ranging from Vaudeville (with sister Adele) to SILK STOCKINGS with Cyd Charisse. He always loves his leading lady; he always likes his director; even when the show was not as good as it could have been he finds something nice to say about it; and he never, ever offers the least bit of insight into his private life, his work, or the many with whom he worked over the years. Indeed, Astaire actually has more to say about his love of the racetrack than he does about any of his films or specific dance routines.

Fans of Astaire and the Hollywood musical will certainly want to read STEPS IN TIME, but even the most ardent fan will likely be disappointed by the superficial quality of the work. One can only hope that a future biographer will give Astaire the full portrait that he himself could not.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This book reveals as much about Fred Astaire in what it doesn't say as in what it tells. He was a shy man, of Austrian descent, very little formal education, and was eclipsed by his funny and attractive older sister in his days on the stage. These things shaped him into the perfectionist we saw on film. He had an incredible work ethic and was always looking for a new gimmick or dance style because he was not confident the audiences would keep on coming. He is not a natural story teller and sometimes leaves us wanting to hear more (e.g.can tell you he and a famous person had a lot of laughs together but not what they did or said that was funny). Still it is a good companion to the TV biography the BBC did about him a few years ago. All the best American composers of the day wanted to write for him (He and Gershwin were young unknowns together) and his evolution from vaudeville to Broadway to film happened during key times of all of those media. I do recommend the book if you want to know more about Fred Astaire, but not as a stand-alone source.

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.

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

I enloyed this book because I could relate to all of the people discussed. I have been a movie fan (films of the 20', 30's and 40's) for over 60 years I was shocked to read how most of my favorite stars acted. Hollywood, during that peroid, was nothing but a glamorized whorehouse. Stars, no matter how famous or unknown, had to sleep with director, producers or anyone else connected with the making of a film, to get parts.

The most shocking, to me anyway, was how Lucille Ball said "She never met a man she didn't sleep with. And her husband Desie Arnes was no better. I enjoyed the many photographs, nudes included, of the stars and other people involved in the picture business. I really couldn't put the book down.............

I would like to apologize to the trees who gave their lives for this piece of trash. The pictures are either dark, blurry or worse, obviously photoshopped. There are items written as fact, which were proved to be false years before this piece of trash was thrown together. Some stories are so completely made up it's embarrassingly obvious no thought was given to making them even appear to be honest or true. This "book" is quite simply, nothing but trash. Save your money and buy Globe Magazine or the National Enquirer. You'll get alot more honesty in journalism from either of these supermarket rags. I was looking for reliable, well researched, entertainment history. Instead I received a book with obvious mistakes, pictures clearly "put together" and essenitally stories without any credible references at all. Hollywood Babylon -- It's Back is a long and nasty tabloid, in the worst sense of the word. What a waste of money!