Entertainment Books

Traveling Music was an enjoyable read. I have read Neil's first three books and this is the best thus far. The book's premise: Peart is traveling in his BMW Z8 (a very hot car) from California to Texas. Through his journey we are taken back to his past while he listens to his favorite music. I appreciated what he liked - especially how much he likes Sinatra. As a fellow motorcycle traveler - I enjoy `the road' stories.

And now, the other side of the book: I did find it odd how many of the great icons in the music business - at some point or another start to despise their fans: the very people who spend the money on the albums and tours. The people who make these guys rich and famous. I know some of the radical ones can be annoying, I get that. It just that many of us that are reading this - don't have that experience. I was also a little shocked on his views on America. I don't understand why the African chapter was in this book - this should have been in the first book - Masked Rider.

I hope Peart continues to write - and I hope that he would take some time to have a more direct approach on his life and his song writing in a book that is less about traveling.

I was a little trepidacious about picking this book up. I had just read 'Roadshow' and found it slightly disappointing at least when compared to 'Ghost Rider.' The synopsis on the book about Peart taking a drive and talking about his favorite bands didn't really appeal to me all that much despite being a long-time Rush and Neil Peart fan.

I'm glad I decided to pick up the book after all. Far from being just a discussion of his favorite music, Peart weaves the music into details from his life creating the most autobiographical of all his books. I've always found it ironic that Neil is often considered the most secretive and private member of Rush, yet he has revealed far more about his life than any other member of the band through his writings.

This is by far the most well-written book Peart has produced so far. Next to 'Ghost Rider' which is essential for understanding key tragic events in Neil's life, 'Travelling Music' is a must-read for fans of Rush and even fans of popular music in general.

Both the content and the cohesion of this memoir are clear, strong, and good. The overall architecture is better than Ghost Rider and Roadshow, actually coming full circle both literally and metaphorically.

He's a fun person, and it's a blast to get invited along to travel in his Beamer (I wonder if his wife and his Mom are as scandalized of the speeds he drives at as I am) with great music for a nice hike and some bird watching. I found myself thinking, "I love that group, too!", or, "Hum, I've never heard that song, I'll have to go online and have a listen!" I'm amused and delighted he stays in cheap roadside motels, and buys pre-packaged sandwiches and peanut butter cups from convenience stores, because I hope and expect him to be more comfortable in life because he's worked so hard for it and deserves it. However, he's just a regular guy from a regular background, and harbors no snobbishness about such things.

Neil relates happy and horrible life events in great detail from birth to the day he joins Rush on this drive. It's reaffirming to realize that a shy person from an average background can pen such moving prose after experiencing and observing his world. Few writers can observe a vermillion flycatcher on a plain moment in a plain bird watching trip and form it into a work of art with the tender, fleeting joy he and the others around him witnessed.

I now understand what it is to be a "burning spirit", a musician that plays with such "intensity and vulnerability", so that they take "music from sidewalk entertainment to compelling art." (Sounds like somebody we know!) Neil's provocative chapter I nicknamed "The Superconductor Essay" (after the Rush song on the same theme) gives me a lot to think about in music appreciation, for I--a non-musician--never listened to music the way he does. I used to think I did, because like Neil I like a lot of diverse things, but I've never thought about why I like them. His thoughts on the intention by a musician or any artist that really got me thinking about his point of view. To his credit, a non-musician can easily follow. He is open-minded, and challenges himself to listen to musical styles that don't appeal to him, for example a country singer in a roadside restaurant that "really sang that song, from the inside out."

Moreover, he doesn't name names in what he dislikes, so the tome doesn't come off as a bitchy-moany manifesto.

It's touching how uncorrupted he is in the corrupt world of the music business. He befriends and encourages other artists, including young up & coming ones. He has no blinders on to music: caring nothing of the artist's age, race, religion, or economic status. And boy howdy does he love music--he shares how he tunelessly yelps along with Frank Sinatra CDs, or the fun he had at recent The Tragically Hip concert.

As always in Peart's writings, great lessons in geology, history, vocabulary, and the music industry are included.

If you've assumed `rock stars' have it `easy'-- you're wrong. It's amazing that he's the sweet man he is despite for how he's suffered in his personal life. Neil shares the secret: perseverance, grit, and hard work. Great memoir, give it a read.

This is the third book I have finished from Neil. The other books read up to this point have included Ghost Rider and Road Show. I couldn't comment on Ghost Rider because I felt the book was so very personal and considered therapy for Neil's experiences. I enjoyed Road Show. It was fun hearing about Neil's experiences on the road fetching National Park Stamps along the way.

In Traveling Music, there is a bit more of Neil's thoughts on just about everything. My first assumption prior to reading this book was, okay, he is getting in a car, listening to various music on the road with comments. It is this, but Neil's broad view of the music business and his experiences as a real music listener, world traveller, book reader and appreciator of the arts lends itself to everything he comments on. He is the type of person I feel whom anyone could strike up a meaningful conversation about any subject. That is the feel of the book. When he hits on a piece of music he likes, you get some very insightful and sometimes researched infomation on it. I learned more about Sinatra from Neil's appreciation than I had from my own experience for example. Also, there is no confusion that Neil is a proud introvert and I feel he enjoys his time alone to think and experience things and get back in touch with himself. I can relate to this and it makes me more inquisitive to read his views and comments. He also has a very good book list on his website and I've taken on a few of his recommendations and enjoyed them.

The only negative is the African Bike Ride area of the book towards the end. I kind of drifted in and out of that chapter because I felt I couldn't relate to that, and also because it seemed to move away from the initial car ride - music listening / comments area. But overall a very good read and I recommend it and look forward to another book from Neil.

- David Carlin
david.j.carlin@verizon.net

After having read all of Neil Peart's drumming and travel-related books, I have to say that this is my favorite. The book is divided into two main (but interspersed) sections. One deals with a particular car trip Peart took in 2002-03 and his thoughts on the music he chose to provide the soundtrack to this journey. It quickly became clear that Neil's tastes are a lot more diverse than my own (his include Madonna, Sinatra, and Linkin Park), and I had a tough time relating to this portion of the book -- although Peart's reflections on the industry were quite engaging.

The other half of the book details the influence of music on Peart's life from childhood, right up through shortly after he joined Rush. It is almost a partial autobiography, and if you are interested in a previously-undetailed account of the drummer's early career, you will find this portion of the book priceless.

If you are a Rush fan who found himself partly put off by the tone of some of Peart's other books (specifically "Roadshow"), I would still recommend giving this book a try. This is one of the industry's best sticking to two subjects he knows better than most -- music and drumming.

I really liked how the author took steps to deal with her pain. I can't imagine what it must have been like to go through a childhood like hers.It's hard enough getting through your youth with loving parents. The parents should be your support system not the problem.

Good book till halfway through, then the author loses her vehicle, as it were--"Driving With the Dead" jettisons its macabre hook and becomes one more descriptive self-help tome, and that's a shame; the author should have been able to thread her metaphor all the way through--her talent suggests that this book could have used an aggressive editor. Also, I'm forever wary of books with a "Note to Reader" which announces some individuals--and thus some occurrences--are composites. For example, Holloway's pregnancy at the hands of the guy who claims sterility: not saying this isn't exactly how it was, but it's such a cliche as to be transparent, leaving the reader wondering if this is one of those composite characters/occurrences. Memoirs thrive on versimilitude; one false note and much can collapse. It does here. And what profits an author to note that "All incidents are portrayed to the best of my recollection"? Why does Holloway have to say that? Because, in doing so, she loses the reader's confidence in the whole sordid tale before he or she even starts the read.

It IS commendable, IF she's remembering correctly, and IF the characters are true--and not just objective correlatives, that the siblings represented here did not form a pact and murder the most horrid-sounding parents in recent non-fiction (?) memory.

that the support system you expected from your family is simply not there:

"Knowing there is no cavalry is much better than hoping for a cavalry that never comes. I am strong because I have to be. I am the cavalry."

This memoir of family dysfunction admirably traverses the path that brings the author to write those words.

I loved this book. It is such an incredible story written so incredibly well. It completely blew me away. Amazing. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I just finished this book, less than 24 hours after its arrival in my mailbox. The author has a refreshing sense of humor relating to topics such as death, embalming, and driving a hearse as a sixteen-year-old girl. I laughed out loud many times, and had to pick up the book again after my children left for school. As a mother, the lack of parenting in this book is apalling, but also a lesson in how much of a responsibility we as parents have to protect our children from harm not only outside of our nhome, but within it. I applaud the courage of the author to search her soul for unthinkable ugliness and gain strength from the family she made her own, those that truly cared for her. I highly recommend this book, in spite of its less-than-rosy reality.

I was amazed at what an excellent writer Michael J. Fox is -- his story was candidly written with insightful accounts of his incredible journey. I was also impressed that the proceeds from the book all go to research for a cure for Parkinson's disease. Way to go, Michael!

I bought this book on the recommendation of my Medical Terminology teacher. We were discussing neurological diseases and when we got to Parkinson's Disease (PD) she mentioned that she had read his book and how much she enjoyed it. So I got it. I was not a huge "Family Ties" fan but I have paid attention to Michael J. Fox's career especially of late since his disclosure of having PD. In the last few years he has been on a show here and there as a guest. He was on Boston Legal and I thought he was superb! You could clearly see that the camera did not stay on him very long but his acting was top-notch nonetheless.

That said, his book is written with extreme openness, heart and humor. He has such a wonderful outlook on life especially in the wake of learning he has PD. He writes from a place that we wish more stars would be able to go - the very sincerest depth of his being - so much so that I found myself in tears a few times as I read. He writes as if he were telling you, the reader, the story in person. He is himself more in this book than I've ever seen him in an interview on TV. This is a very true, revealing, heart-warming story that definitely gives the definition of what it takes to be considered a Lucky Man today. I highly recommend the book.

Michael J. Fox opens his 2002 memoir in late 1990, in the moment he first notices the pinky-finger tremor that leads, a year later at age 30, to a diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (PD).

Then he backs up for a hundred pages to describe his growing-up years in Canada and rising-star experiences in Hollywood -- including an interesting theory of "celebrity" (that it is a gone-haywire extension of the suspension of disbelief/emotional connection that are required of an audience during a performance). He devotes chapters to his PD diagnosis and treatment (including his concealment of it) and to his descent into career and personal crisis. Though it seems PD would top his list of problems then, he notices it doesn't even make the list which includes alcoholism. Fox finishes by describing his redemption, his "coming out" about PD, and his work toward PD research.

The memoir's structure and writing exceeded my expectations and I wondered about a ghostwriter -- until I read Fox's acknowledgements, where he mentions the writing of it and thanks his writing-mentor brother-in-law ... Michael ("Omnivore's Dilemma") Pollan! Lucky Man is an informative, engaging, and insightful memoir.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. Would it be just about Michael J Fox's life or would it center too much on his Parkinson's disease. I'm not usually big on reading celebrity autobiographies and memoirs.
This one is definitely worth reading! Mr. Fox shares his story with humor and humility and a wonderful honesty. He speaks honestly about his struggles with Parkinson's and trying to hide it in order to continue working. He also speaks honestly about his personal struggles with alcohol and depression. But the struggles don't dominate the book. There are many fun anecdotes about his years growing up in Canada and about the world of acting.
In the end, what made the biggest impression on me was his gratitude. Gratitude for the life he was able to have as an actor, for his family, and ultimately, even for the disease that changed his life.
This is a book that I would recommend for anyone who is interested in celebrity biographies. And I would especially recommend it for anyone who has Parkinson's disease or has a family member or friend who has this disease. When you have a disease such as this, it can be difficult to articulate to others just what it is you go through without sounding sorry for yourself.
Now when I need to explain this to someone, I can just hand them this book and say, "READ IT. NOW."
Thanks, Mr. Fox!!

Michael J. Fox's memoir "Lucky Man" is a great and inspiring read. One thing I admire about Fox is that he's basically an average guy who was dealt some wild cards and has managed to thrive in life - including, not in spite of, his circumstances. One thing I found consistently striking and inspiring is Fox's courage throughout all of his life experiences to be true to himself. In some instances, this meant following his natural instincts in his career, and in others it meant hiding his disease from the public as a delicately-timed and balanced lifestyle. His honesty and lack of pretension is also refreshing; he talks not only of the Hollywood lifestyle he had when his career took off, but also of his self-doubts and fears.

If you were also inspired by this honest perspective on enjoying life to
the fullest, I highly recommend the books Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment, as well as Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Can Instantaneously Transform Your Life, by Ariel & Shya Kane. The Kanes talk specifically about living in the moment as a way of discovering magic in your life - how to do it, how to not do it, and how it is easy and effortless. In his book, Fox talks about how "his 'job' is whatever he happens to be doing at the moment - whether it's giving a speech, changing a diaper, writing a book," etc. If you'd like to discover a sense of truly being here for each moment and living your life as wholly as possible (without having to experience a major tragedy or disease), look no further than these wonderful books.

I think this book tells a good story of looking for a good person to love and you search and search and find out he is right under your nose

I think this book tells a good story of looking for a good person to love and you search and search and find out he is right under your nose

Great read. I read this in less that 4 hours. I couldn't put it down.

I thought Thug's Passion was a good read. Certain aspects of the book hit close to home for me so it made me relate to Passion's character instantly. Although, I must admit that she was getting on my nerves at times(lol)! She had a huge wall around her heart that almost prevented her from finding true love. I'm glad in the end, love did prevail. Excellent!

Looking through the glass ceiling, it would appear that Passion Hill has the world at her fingertips. Her father is the legendary `Pretty Hill', who left his infamous mark when he made his chic exit out of the game. Passion's lover, Lorenzo was murdered and she's challenged daily with grieving his demise. Knowing the consequences of the game so well, Passion is adamant that she will not get involved with another hustler.

Jinx was Lorenzo's best friend and stepped in to ensure Passion's well being after his death. An ex-baller, Jinx, accumulated enough money to start a legitimate business and exit the game as an OG. All of Passion's co-workers drool when Jinx comes to visit her at the shop and envious of their innocent relationship. Trouble makes its introduction in the form of Solomon "Solly" Kent. Solly's tenacious in his pursuit of Passion and against her better judgment and Jinx's apprehension, the two explore their enigmatic attraction.

Ms. Gray's natural skills are evident as she effortlessly unveils a refreshing love story between two unlikely people. The plot is interesting, realistic, yet fascinating as the author reels you in with the character's everyday occurrences. I commend Ms. Gray in that she presents a great urban lit storyline without the over glamorization of the drug dealers and the designer clothes. A refreshing read with great development of each character to ensure a memorable connection with the reader. I predict an awesome future in your literary journey Ms. Gray!!! Marvelous debut!!!!!!!!!!!

Janet Evanovitch did it again. Her "numerical" series is a riot. Stephanie Plum is my kind of heroine!!!

Another great book in the series. There are so many reviews here already - I'll just toss in my short one for the star average. These books are a great getaway when you just want to escape in some entertainment for a little while. Lots of laugh-out-loud wit and intelligence without the deep brooding conspiracy and blood and gore of many best sellers. Fun sexual tension without the anatomy lessons. Oh- the taxidermy scenes? OK - I love animals and all (yay Rex and Bob!), but the entire taxidermy thread had me practically in tears from laughter every time it appeared. I saw mention of a screenplay once. I actually hope these books don't go to screen. Most of the laughs come from Stephanie's internal wit and I enjoy every outrageous moment of it!

Okay fellow bounty hunter fans, here it is! Lean Mean Thirteen just doesn't have the "punch" that the other Stephanie Plum books had. I am an ardent fan and hate to admit it! I did like the book, but it is time for just a little bit more. The ruined car scenarios and empty Ranger/Morelli relationships are getting "tired". Again, the book is the usual which is good. But how about something to catch the readers attention? Looking forward to fourteen.

Greatly enjoyed this book as I have all of the numbered Plum Books.
I get the greatest laughs from all of the books.

I love Janet E.! Could not wait until this one was availble to read. I found it a little lean on the entertainment value vs. previous numbers books in the series (#8 being hilarious). Still love the characters and scenarios that seem so far out, but very funny.

Against All Odds is a short read but very enjoyable. I can relate to some of the experiences in his life. His love for family and his belief in God was touching and left me with a feeling of personally knowing him. His is down to earth, a caring man of virtue. If you have enjoyed his movies, TV series or followed his martial arts career then this is a must read book.

A must read. Very inspirational. Shows that in this life you should never give up. You must always believe and have faith. Eventually you will succeed. I would recommend this to all those who are serious about life, serious about achievement, serious about helping others.

A good book, espically if your a Chuck Norris fan. Easy read, went through very quickly. Truly enjoyable.

* Minor Spoilers Ahead *

I thought this book was great. It starts off with Chuck's early life at home with his mother and father. The story gets interesting to read since Chuck lived a very poor life as a child and on top of that, his father was an alcoholic. He talks about his time with his brothers, and his mother, and his relationship with God. At the next stage in the book, Chuck talks about his development as a martial artist and his career as a America's top martial artist champion. Then he gets into his acting career as well as his political career (although he never ran for anything, he has a very good relationship with many former and current president, Bush).

I was disappointed with the ending of the book though. It seems Chuck spent a great deal in the first half of the book explaining his outlook on life, his relationship with God, his family, and his career choices. In the ending though, Chuck seem to trail off that road, and get more into his relationship with his new wife, her children, and their new born twins. Although that was interesting, I think he left many details of his life in question. For example, his relationship with his father ended with his father death, and it seems like there was more to the story and I'm guessing perhaps it is too personal to tell. Another example is his relationship with God. He said many times that he didn't follow God fully. What prompted him to change his outlook in life? Did he have some type of moment where he suddenly realized that his relationship in the Lord was all that mattered? Also, in the end he didn't fully explain what his future plans are. He indicates that he plans to be a full time parent, and on top of that get his martial arts in public school program going, and doing business roles in his school.

Overall, I was pleased with the book. I feel in the end he left many things in question. Perhaps it's too personal or maybe he doesn't know what he wants to do or his thoughts. I liked the book and recommend it to anyone interested in Chuck.

I admire Chuck Norris very much. I think he sets a fine example for young and old alike. Personally, I would have liked to have read more about the personal side of his life and just a little less of his martial arts story. The segment of "Walker, Texas Ranger" was way too, too short. Still, I'd like to read more of his material. Now, Chuck, in my opinion, is a real man!

Kind of boring and a bit whiney - half the book has a "poor David" tone to it - his parents were jealous of his success, other people lost his money, he didn't get recognition for his talent and none of the magazines ran stories about the real David.
Well if this is the real David, then who could blame them - the teen idol was way more interesting.
He's worked with a huge range of actors through his career, but offers hardly any insights on what they were like to work with. He skips over other key periods and details too - covering his first marriage (to actress Kay Lenz) in about two pages and his second marriage in even less! Plus there is way too much detail about writing/producing songs with people that really isn't that interesting.

This book was well worth the read, I loved it, the honesty and feed back from his family members were great. You will enjoy this book if you grew up watching david on tv and listening to his music.

We purchased this book for a friend who is a big David Cassidy fan. I'm sure he will enjoy it. Amazon's service was very professional and the book was delivered promptly, in good condition.

I had the pleasure of meeting David Cassidy in 2002 after one of his concerts near Syracuse, New York. He's everything I imagined him to be-- kind, sincere and just plain wonderful. That said, if you are a fan of David's, or even if you're just interested in reading his book out of curiosity, then by all means, purchase this book. It's worth every dollar. They did a nice job on the photos-- some of the captions are in David's handwriting (die-hard fans recognize his handwriting). A section of his older photos are in black & white and a section of more recent photos are in color.

I also liked the excerpts included in David's book-- thoughts & comments by his wife Sue, closest friends, colleagues, etc. I really liked reading about the love story between David and his wife Sue. He wrote about his Mom, Evelyn Ward and his father, Jack Cassidy. He wrote about so many things that were very interesting. After reading this book, I was glad that I'm not famous. He told things the way they were back in the early 70's, at the height of his fame. Its remarkable how he kept his sanity through the madness.

David still has a huge, loyal fan base and that is quite evident when you attend his concerts. The fans' love for David and his appreciation for his fans is enduring. YES, DAVID, IT COULD BE FOREVER!

i remember idolizing David Cassidy as i was a young teen at the height of his popularity. I so wanted to take a trip down memory lane and love this book but..i didnt.

This book did not hold my interest and hate to say it but was not well written. It felt like a first draft not a final copy.

A lot of things weren't covered in enough detail. I would have liked to read more about being on the set of the tv show in the 70's, and later on more about how marriage and kids impacted his life. I could have lived without all the details about girls throwing themselves at him and thought it was TMI(Too much information) to talk about for example having oral sex with a fan through a gate ( !!)and then him saying "I am embarrassed for the way i treated women." MAybe if he really were embarrassed he wouldn't write about it? SOrry but he came off as as pig not a mature man who suppososedly regreted some of his actions. I hope his kids don't read the book/


UGG definately not worth the read. Instead of learning more about the man and liking him more, I wish i wouldnt have read the book so i could have kept my positive memories of the public David Cassidy intact.

This is a pretty good autobiography. Not a five star in my opinion as a 5 star book review leads to a timeless classic that will be read over and over again. Chuck Yeager is an interesting character one that probably doesn't get his full dues since the age of NASA.

Breakdown Review:
Storyline: 4 out of 5 It would have been good to hear some input from his children what they thought of their old man. I find it out that they had no commentary on the book.

Writing style: 4 out of 5 stars. The book is written well and in such a way as to make the book difficult to put down. Nothing creative or insightful into the writing style.

Depth: 3 out of 5 stars. It is fairly shallow in places.

Entertainment/Education value: 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is extremely biased and opinionated which would not make this a very good book for instructional purposes. If believe what is written there as being accurate, however, it is written in such a way as only to describe the facts from the eyes of Chuck despite the comments from his friends,wife, and co-workers.

This book is mostly entertaining, it may be interesting to compair it with other pilot biographies, but it is definitely more a bestseller than a history book.

Chuck Yeager's book was just fun to read. It is one of the books that I hated to put down once I started reading it.

Many of the reviews have called Chuck Yeager a hero. I believe that he is simple due to what he has accomplished through his military career. From humble beginnings in backwoods America to an enlisted man and then on to be a general. Yeager has shot down enemy planes in combat, been shot down and evaded being captured. He shot down a German jet fighter with a propeller drive fighter. Yeager shot down five enemy aircraft in one mission. He was the first person to break the sound barrier. He has flown most jet aircraft while in their testing phase where many pilots have died. I think that makes him a hero in that he took the risk of death over and over again while serving his country in peace and in war.

I have read a few reviews of the book that are unflattering. Maybe he had a racist background, maybe he didn't like people from India, maybe he was this or that. I never saw that in the book but I guess you can take out of it what you look for. Many great men in history both military and civilian were not perfect humans. Maybe Yeager was one of them but maybe he wasn't. This book is not about the Nobel Peace Prize, it is about a combat veteran and his exploits in the air.

If you are looking for a book an easy to read book of a true American experience that shows a man that faced death over and over while serving his country and lived to tell about it, then Yeager should be on your list.

Yeager: An Autobiography

His book starts with his early life in West Virginia where he learned many activities from his father, grandfather, and teachers that would be important throughout his lifetime. The book then picks up around 1940 when he became involved with military aircraft, with which he was involved until he retired after he became a one-star general and before he became a two-star general when he could no longer fly high-performance aircraft. He became the best pilot in the AF, ready for any eventuality with old or new aircraft. Their were many sections written by his superiors, friends and his wife. He knew many aircraft-oriented people including Bob Hoover, Pancho Barnes, and Jackie Cochran. Chuck and Glennis retired to Grass Vally, California. It took a while for Chuck to adapt but adapt he did.

This is an outstanding book on several levels. It is a compelling presentation of the development of supersonic jets and the race to break the sound barrior. It is also the story of perhaps the best pilot ever to fly a plane and the Alpha of all Alpha males. If you like the movie "The Right Stuff" then you should really enjoy the story behind one of the main story line of that movie.