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Average customer rating:
- The Crass, the Odd & the Clever Gamut of Popular Entertainments through the Ages.
- You have to like your humor dry
- 'An Anomaly of Anomalies'
- Odd Tastes? Read This Book.
- Perfectly Odd
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Jay's Journal of Anomalies : Conjurers, Cheats, Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters, Imposters, Pretenders, Side-Show Showmen, Armless Calligraphers, Mechanical Marvels, Popular Entertainments
Ricky Jay
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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Binding: Hardcover
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- Extraordinary Exhibitions: The Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head, The Whimsiphusicon & Death to the Savage Unitarians (Broadsides from the Collection ... from the Collection of Ricky Jay)
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- The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo, the "Marvelous Chinese Conjurer"
- The Magician and the Cardsharp: The Search for America's Greatest Sleight-of-Hand Artist
- Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
ASIN: 0374178674 |
Book Description
A dazzling tour through the world of singular entertainers, con men, and unusual phenomena.
For the past four years, the multitalented Ricky Jay (sleight-of-hand artist, author, actor, film consultant, and scholar of the unusual) has published a unique and beautifully designed quarterly called Jay's Journal of Anomalies. Already a coveted collector's item, the complete set is gathered here for the first time. A brilliant excursion into the history of bizarre entertainments, the journal covered such subjects as dogs stealing acts from other dogs, an anthropological hoax involving the only survivors of a caste of ancient Aztec priests, and the ultimate diet: ingesting only air.In a delectably deadpan and winning style, Jay conveys his admiration and affection for the offbeat that characterized his bestselling Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women. He explains how wags since the sixteenth century have cheated at bowling; he explores the ancient relationship between conjuring and dentistry; and he chronicles the exploits of ceiling walkers and human flies. Crammed full of illustrations drawn from the author's massive personal archive, Jay's Journal of Anomalies will baffle, instruct, and, above all, delight.
Customer Reviews:
The Crass, the Odd & the Clever Gamut of Popular Entertainments through the Ages. .......2007-04-12
"Jay's Journal of Anomalies" reproduces all 16 issues of Ricky Jay's quarterly that was published by Antiquarian Booksellers in Los Angeles for a subscription rate of $90 per annum from Spring 1994-2000. The publications are numbered Volume One, Number One through Volume Four, Number Four, and I assume they appear much the same as they did originally. The "Journals" have essentially been bound into book form with a few additional illustrations and an "Afterword" in which Mr. Jay talks about the publication of the Journals, provides additional information about the subjects therein that he obtained after their original publication, and makes the occasional correction.
Ricky Jay is master of the magic arts and perhaps the foremost scholar on their history as well as the history of "peculiar performance" in general. His 1986 book Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women chronicles some of the most creative and amazing performers in the annals of popular entertainments. That is probably the book you should start with if you're new to Ricky Jay's writing. The entertainments explored in "Jay's Journal of Anomalies" are less spectacular but no less curious. This book cuts a broader swath, including the unvirtuous origins of bowling, the first successful attempts to mimic the human voice mechanically, and an American buffalo exhibited disingenuously as a startling new species. No contents of "Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women" are repeated in this book except in passing reference.
Mr. Jay's prose is, as always, erudite, wry, and a pleasure to read. He loves this stuff. And the reader can't help but love it too. Each Journal is dedicated to a different subject and includes extensive endnotes, in which you will discover interesting tidbits of information and references to Jay's sources. The subjects covered in these 16 Journals are, speaking generally: dog performers, exhibiting obesity, common animals exhibited as rarities, performances of crucifixion (real and fraudulent), performing fleas, facial contortionists, 18th century showman Isaac Fawkes, ceiling walkers, nose amputation (fake), the "Aztec Lilliputians", the athletic legless Harvey Leach, the artful history of bowling, fasters (who starve themselves for profit), the shared history of dentistry and legerdemain, early levitators, and early machines that replicated human abilities.
There are over 130 black-and-white and color illustrations throughout that reproduce playbills, engravings, broadsides, woodcuts, lithographs and more from the author's collection. Also included are 2 large fold-outs: One is a 1931 photo of the cast of the "Dreamland Circus Side Show" in New York, which featured a "crucified man". The other is a drawing of the Bartholomew Fair in 1729, which featured Isaac Fawkes. I offer a bit of trivia for Amazon shoppers: The Automaton Chess Player built by Wolfgang von Kempelen and described in Jay's last Journal is the same that inspired the name of Amazon Mechanical Turk, an Amazon subsidiary that solicits humans to perform tasks that we do better than computers.
You have to like your humor dry.......2005-01-20
Ricky Jay is an odd bird, and I guess most people would consider his fans (myself included) odd for liking him. I can't imagine that anyone unfamiliar with Mr. Jay and his trademark deadpan delivery, use of archaic multi-syllabic synonyms, and fondness for esoterica will be interested in Anomalies. But for those who are into him (and you know who you are) the book is quality through and through. The topics are interesting, fun and wide-ranging. The research is, of course, top notch. The genuine admiration he shows for the entertainers he writes of and his respect for their craft are abundantly clear.
As far as the appreciation of Jay's writing and his selection of content, you either get it or you don't. And if you get it, then by all means get the book. The fact that the book is a reprint of his newsletters, and therefore various subjects can be read in a single sitting, makes this compilation all the more enjoyable. My only itty-bitty complaint would be that the updates would be more accessible if they came immediately after the individual articles rather than a collection of endnote.
'An Anomaly of Anomalies'.......2004-05-27
What wasn't quite clear to me when I got this book is that it is exactly what it says it is: a compellation of a quarterly 'newsletter' or journal written by magician Ricky Jay over a period of six years. The newsletter combines Jay's interest in entertainers of the outrageous kind with high quality publication; as he says,"a magazine printed letterpress on mold-made paper, with tipped-in color plates to present the illustrations I cherished with dignity and clarity." Although I have not seen either the original newsletters or the paperback version of the book, I can testify that the hardback retains these fine qualities.
As one might expect given the nature of the project, the quality of individual chapters evolves with time. Each chapter of the book is one volume of the newletter, preserved with the original masthead; the first few chapters show Jay warming to his subject. Chapter one, on trained dogs, is only 6 pages long; Chapter two, on Edward Bright and other early "Fattest Man/Woman/Child" is eight pages. Honestly, these opening chapters did not particularly interest me. But then the topics became more interesting to me and Jay seemed to 'hit his stride'--the final chapter, on the Amazing Chess Automaton, is twice the length of the first. Nonetheless, I still found the book a bit uneven--the chapter on bowling begins superbly, with a short description of Matthew Buchinger, born in 1674 who became a bowling wizard in spite of having neither arms nor legs. But after a single paragraph and picture, this singular character is not mentioned again. Instead, Jay concentrates the remaining pages on a general discussion of cheating at bowling--substitute "pool" for 'bowling' and the situation is pretty much unchanged today; and the association of bowling with amorality in the Victorian mind. Moderately interesting, but give me a ceiling walker, chess automaton, or Bonassus any day. It would be churlish of me to make more of this--it is, after all, Jay's Journal of Anomalies, not Coleman's Journal.
Among the more fascinating chapters are those on fasters, where Jay brings in the modern example of the Breatharians, who supposedly live on air alone; the Aztec Lilliputians; and a quirky chapter on "nose amputations". The common but unspoken thread among all the chapters is that odd but universal human quality--an eagerness to be deceived. The Amazing Chess Automaton, a device which has been treated at great lengths elsewhere, is a real testament to this quality; having been purchased by not one, but two members of royalty!
Each chapter is thoroughly footnoted, so that the book stands not only as an entertaining collection of quirks, but also as a scholarly source of information. One of the highlights is the Afterward, in which Jay publishes, presumably for the first time, additional material and pictures supplied by his readers in response to the original newsletter. All in all, Jay has succeeded admirably in creating (in his own words) 'an anomaly of anomalies."
Odd Tastes? Read This Book........2002-03-16
Wonderfully entertaining and enjoyable scholarship on extremely odd topics: flea circuses, hunger artists, nose-removal devices, and humbug of all sorts. Jay proves himself once again to be not only a supremely talented performer on the stage but on the page as well. Peruse this and be amazed at what people found entertaining a century or two ago... it's not so different from what you watch every evening on the TV (especially if you watch Fox).
Perfectly Odd.......2001-12-28
A superb book stuffed with bizarre topics and weird old illustrations. The previous reviewer's remark about "there's nothing in here I need to know" totally misses the point. Of course you don't NEED to know this stuff! It's the simple joy of human weirdness that makes this book worthwhile. Where else are you going to learn about recreational nose-slicing and the fine art of ceiling-walking? Also check out Jay's "Learned Pigs", Bondeson's "Feejee Mermaid," Collins's "Banvard's Folly," and Standage's "The Turk" ... all great stuff in this same line.
Average customer rating:
- A good youth reader
- Few highlights
- sometimes improbable, but overall a moving story
- really dreadful
- Interesting, sad
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The Sleeping Father (Today Show Book Club #20)
Matthew Sharpe
Manufacturer: Soft Skull Press
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Binding: Paperback
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- You Are Not a Stranger Here: Stories
ASIN: 193236000X |
Book Description
A divorced dad of two teenagers inadvertently combines two incompatible antidepressant medications, goes into a coma, has a stroke, and emerges with brain damage. His teenage son and daughter, Chris and Cathy, inherit some money and decide to rehabilitate their father on their own. The Sleeping Father is about the shift in the way Americans think about mental health — from regarding personality as being shaped by one's upbringing to its being shaped by the bloodstream's hormone levels. In focusing on one family in crisis, Sharpe addresses the larger crisis in faith and authority in contemporary American life. Ultimately, this is a weird but wonderful story about two children who, not having an adequate father, decide to make one.
Customer Reviews:
A good youth reader.......2007-05-09
A better youth reader than Catcher in the Rye. The young people in this book are finding their way through adolescence. The adults seem like relatively real people. Plot is stretched a little beyond the reasonable for dramatic effect. Often what the boy, Chris, says and reflects about things is too verbal and penetrating for his age, like he says stuff that only years later would one realize might have been just the right reaction in the moment. But that prescience, that spot on, delicious riposte made the book delightful to me.
Few highlights.......2005-05-02
The novel was recommended in a Swiss newspaper and it sounded like an interesting book. However, I found it rather disappointing. The plot is weak and the ending contrived and implausible. To my mind Sharpe didn't succeed in mixing satire, social realism, psychological insight and fantasy into a literary satisfying text. There are some real highlights, individual scenes and descriptions and dialogues, in which the author shows talent. But there are not enough to create a great novel.
sometimes improbable, but overall a moving story.......2005-04-26
Despite all I'm about to say, I loved this book and think of all my remarks as minor things compared to the originality of the story and the feelings it provided. Sharpe is talented, indeed, everyone should appreciate his writing.
So, I liked the book, but I have some complaints, reason for which I didn't give it a 5. At times it seemed that the ramblings of the teenage characters were a bit improbable, at least so it seemed in the begin. Then I entered more in the story and I appreciated quite much the girl's evolution of thoughts and all those little paradoxes that mark the path to catholicism, all those unnatural guilts and on and on. I recognized myself in this girl regarding a pretty obscure period of my life while I was searching for spirituality, thinking that I might have found it in all those "rules" and "do not" which stood between me and my real self. This part was quite instructive, I wish I had read it before that period which costed me much pain. I think the actions of Chris resulted too unnerving and autodestructive at times, not meaning that I couldn't bear it, but that I think it quite improbable that one would sabotage oneself this much, but also, weirder things happen. Also, there were too many times in which people talked to each other too frankly/rudely to be true, without any real accident/arguing happening. I mean, it's unlikely that one could stand this boldness, both who does it and receives it. Apart from all these improbable little things which at times made you think "yeah, right!" that brought you back to the notion that you're reading fiction, the story evolves in a heartly and moving way, especially regarding the father, which one can't help but love. I particularly liked that thing of the "mind eye" in him that instead didn't seem a bit surreal, compared to all the other things mentioned above, as it fit lovely in the story and added that quid of fatherly love and humanity which touched me. The story is a quick read and makes you appreciate what you've got. Despite all my complaints I didn't get bored one bit reading it, instead it catched my attention remarkably. I'd recomend this book!
really dreadful.......2005-02-20
I am rather confused that there are people who enjoyed this book. The reviews criticizing the plot are a bit off I think - sure, it is wildly implausible and not always coherently organized, but it does have elements of originality. The huge, massive problem that is so difficult to overlook is that the writing is dreadful. By the sixth or seventh page, I was already appalled that this was a national book club selection. Lots of cliches. Lots of rambling, useless passages. Frequently obvious and shallow in descriptions. Attempts to introduce novel turns of phrase are usually gaudy and awkward. Note that the book is from a minor press. Note that the book is already heavily discounted by Amazon. These are important signals that I shouldn't have looked over. The book might have been salvagable, had the author tried to rewrite and if the editor had exerted any sort of influence over the dismal writing. As currently written, it reads like a draft of a novel from someone's weekend writing group.
Interesting, sad.......2005-02-16
Sad book, some parts a little disturbing and disfunctional - didn't care for the ending much either. Overall though, quick read, kept my attention
Average customer rating:
- Possibly the best of it's kind
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Seeing Is Believing: America's Side Shows
A. W. Stencell
Manufacturer: Ecw Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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- James Taylor's Shocked and Amazed: On & Off the Midway
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- Wild, Weird, and Wonderful: The American Circus 1901-1927 as seen by F. W. Glasier, Photographer
ASIN: 1550225294 |
Book Description
From striptease midgets, human pin cushions, and monkeys in miniature race cars to trained fleas and people with double bodies, three legs, and enormous feet, this chronicle of twisted midway attractions and the showmen who have presented them covers it all. The history of the circus side show and its companion, the carnival, is celebrated in words and rare, eye-popping images, making this a must for all collectors and enthusiasts. Interviews with many of the big players on the carnival circuit are included.
Customer Reviews:
Possibly the best of it's kind.......2003-11-29
This is a great book for anyone who would like to capture the spirit of the carnival sideshow, grind show, oddity attraction, etc. There is a ton of great historical information with loads of photos. If you've ever enjoyed a giant animal show - or more - at your local carnival, get this book and see how many traveling wonders were once out there - and still are, here and there. If you're already a collector, this is a must-have book. You'll get great pictures you've not seen before AND learn a lot - I did.
Average customer rating:
- The life and times of an old-world, real-life carny
- Step right up ladies and gentlemen...
- Worth reading but slight
- Pleasant, But Ultimately Disappointing
- Very informative and great sideshow facts!
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Side Show: My Life With Geeks, Freaks & Vagabonds in the Carny Trade
Howard Bone , and Daniel Waldron
Manufacturer: Sun Dog Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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- Carnival Undercover
ASIN: 0941543285 |
Book Description
Howard Bone lived an extraordinary and outrageous life--sideshow magician, carnival roughie,and fakir. Bones chronicles of his unique, wildly hysterical, and poignant life have earned him a place among sideshow people that few can equal. The book features a foreword by world-famous magician Teller.
Customer Reviews:
The life and times of an old-world, real-life carny.......2006-12-23
'Side Show' is a compilation by editor Daniel Waldron of one the last manuscripts left by accomplished career carny Howard Bone. Waldron's Introduction and Teller's (of Penn And Teller) Forward tell give a much needed background to the book's contents focusing on Bone's musings over his life in carnivals and circuses.
Bone's musings are short, and the book does contain the feel of something that could have been so much more, but the stories are still fun and entertaining enough to hold up to four stars. It's the personal "telling" rather than any detailed content that grabs a hold of your attention and keeps you reading straight through to the end. It leaves you wishing Mr. Bone were still alive, and that you could sit an chat with him awhile to fill in the blanks.
Bone was a veteran of World War II and a black belt, ninth degree Master, of Itto Ryu Jutsu, a form of martial arts. Unfortunately, the stories compiled in this book don't include any detail of either part of Bone's life, except how he used his martial arts to perform feats in the carnival. Magic Shows, Athletic Shows, Torture Acts, backup on Animal Acts, Mr. Bone covered a lot of ground in his lifelong career with "traveling entertainment".
'Side Show' is a short but entertaining read, not detailed on any particular aspect of carnival life but rather like having a short chat with a newly found friend of his tumultuous life. Easy to read in one sitting, I would recommend this book if you like memoirs of a lost lifestyle. Enjoy!
Step right up ladies and gentlemen..........2006-07-26
The memoirs of a professional sideshow entertainer, SIDE SHOW is all at once shocking, tragic, funny and interesting. It's a whole different world in the carnival/circus side show trade. Find out what a Geek does for money. Are those really deformed fetuses in those bottles? How far does a "girly show" go? All this and more is inside this compelling book by a man who was there.
Worth reading but slight.......2005-02-23
The author is a fascinating man with a life worth reporting. However this book barely scratches the surface. A lot is made of his martial arts prowess in the introduction and is referenced throughout the text. But no details are given. Not where he trained or even how he became a master at a time when oriental fighting arts were obscure in the extreme. Also no war service is recorded and that would have fleshed out the story and the man considerably. Having said that, I enjoyed the insights and characters that were discussed. So I recommend the book and suggest that it be accompanied by the Daniel Mannix book, Memoirs of a Sword Swallower. Between the two books the reader will gain a good understanding of a peculiarly American and sadly lost world.
Pleasant, But Ultimately Disappointing.......2002-09-11
I'd love to give this book a higher rating, but it's disappointingly slim in both size and content. It feels like the unfinished outline for a book which the author was never able to write. The author's entire marriage (of many years, and several children) is dismissed in two paragraphs. He frequently refers to the great and unbelievable stories he could tell about life on the road...then neglects to tell them. There aren't even any photos to spice up the narrative (though it sounds like the author never made enough money on the road to afford a camera). In all fairness, this is a pleasant little book, and not a bad addition to an existing collection for sideshow/carny fans. But there are other, better books out there which you should go to first.
Very informative and great sideshow facts!.......2001-07-31
Personally, I loved this Book! This is a very well written recounting of the sideshows of yesteryear, obvious of the authors past. He has added every detail of how the sideshow used to be and this makes terrific reading for those interested in the history of such a wonderful (yet almost forgotten) pastime. This is most certainly a text of material for any serious sideshow lover!
Average customer rating:
- Fascinating subject matter...
- Keep Your Salt Shaker Handy
- And yet another perspective on Judy
- Judy, Judy, Judy
- A behind-the-scenes look at another side of Judy...
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The Other Side of the Rainbow: Behind the Scenes on the Judy Garland Television Series
Mel Torme
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0195072952 |
Book Description
"The Judy Garland Show," which aired Sunday nights at nine on CBS twenty-six times between June 1963 and March 1964, was the last glimmer of a fading star. As Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz Judy Garland had charmed the world, singing and dancing down a golden path to fame; now she was middle-aged and wracked with personal problems, habitually late for rehearsals, often not showing up at all. When she made what proved to be her final appearance on Stage 43 in Television City (dressed, rather ironically, as a clown), one stagehand, assessing her thin and haggard figure, sighed "no more yellow-brick road."
In The Other Side of the Rainbow--now reissued with a new preface--Mel Torme takes us on a Hollywood roller-coaster ride through the triumphs and disasters of this short-lived show, at the same time revealing a personal side of Judy Garland rarely glimpsed. While she was notoriously hard to work with, and her affection for "the Blue Lady" (Blue Nun leibfraumilch), vodka, and pills was well-known even at this time, Torme shows that Judy was still capable of breathtaking performances, that she could still earn the sobriquet "High Priestess of the entertainment world."
Torme signed on to "The Judy Garland Show" as its musical director, writing special tunes, putting together medleys, at times even coaching Judy from an off-camera position. He was there from the start, survived an almost total purge of show staff, and left just before the final telecast. Consequently, we see it all from center stage: Mickey Rooney saving a virtually unrehearsed early show from failure, Lena Horne storming over Judy's lack of professionalism, Cary Grant refusing to do his oft-imitated "JU-dy, JU-dy, JU-dy" (insisting he had never said it), daughter Liza Minelli singing a duet with her beaming mother, and Judy herself, alone on the set, belting out a powerfully moving rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" only weeks after the assassination of JFK. (Her desire to do a special program dedicated to Kennedy's memory was nixed by CBS: this was her unexpected and defiant response.) Behind the scenes we witness Judy at her best (Torme remembers of feeling "chills of delight" as Garland sang "Mama's Gone, Goodbye" during their first session together), her funniest (telling dirty stories to the production crew), and her worst, drunk and hysterical, waking her colleagues with early morning telephone calls. Known as The Dawn Patrol, Torme and others would leave their beds and rush to Garland's Brentwood home to offer whatever assistance they could.
Brimming with anecdotes, illustrated with rare photographs of Judy on the television stage, and informed by the insights of a fellow performer who saw it all, The Other Side of the Rainbow offers a rare and compassionate look at one of America's most beloved and misunderstood entertainment icons.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating subject matter..........2002-05-02
Supremely interesting book if you're a fan of Judy Garland and wish to know more about her acclaimed television series and simultaneous tragic mistreatment at the hands of CBS studio execs. No surprises in the book with regards to revelations regarding Judy Garland's addictions and at-times unprofessional behavior, traits well-documented by countless other sources. What was surprising, however, was the apparent extent to which Mr. Torme had bitter feelings towards Ms. Garland. "Catty" remarks (meOOOOW...pfft pfft!!) litter the pages, and Torme seems to absolutely revel in relaying some of the cruel, and at times crude comments he overheard directed towards his boss (Judy in fact owned the rights to her show). No gentleman, here. Torme also often comes off a bit full of himself. Two examples (out of many): at one point he sulks over Frank Sinatra's "insufficient" praise of his singing ability after Sinatra and Garland attend one of his nightclub performances; another time, when Judy asks him if he agreed with her that Jack Jones was the greatest male jazz singer, he decided to "play it cute" and place his hand over his heart and answer "Well, now that you ask, no, I don't"...this right after he manages to inform the reader that Jack Jones had stated in print AND on television (my emphasis) that Mel Torme was his favorite "jazz-oriented" male singer. Wow!!!! Finally, Torme's writing style tends towards the "cute" and he strives too too too hard to be hip, making extended reading sessions unbearable; for that reason this book is best read a chapter at a time. Interesting aside; this book first came out in 1970, the year after Judy Garland's death. That fact alone speaks volumes about the man.
Keep Your Salt Shaker Handy.......2002-05-02
Mel Torme's THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW WITH JUDY GARLAND ON THE DAWN PATROL was the first book about Garland to appear after her death, and it paints a portait of an out-of-control star struggling to endure the rigors of a television series that debuted with tremendous fanfare and then degenerated into chaos and total failure. Garland's family, friends, associates, many of those who actually worked on the television series, and later biographers have been extremely, extremely critical of this book, denouncing it as one-sided, self-serving, and mean-spirited.
In light of several later biographies and at least one unbiased and exhaustively researched book on the CBS series itself, those accusations would seem to be true--but the main thing that undermines Torme's description of both Judy Garland and her CBS series is the current availability of the series itself, which has been released to the home market in VHS and DVD. There is little doubt that Garland was tempestuous, drug-ridden, and often difficult to work with during this period--but the actual series itself shows little of undisciplined chaos Torme describes; some moments are weak, some moments are strong, and some moments are awe-inspiring, but all in all the actual series is surprisingly innovative when seen during the context of its era. It is also worth mentioning that many of Garland's most acclaimed recording releases have been drawn from her performances for this particular series.
That said, this does not change the fact that THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW is an interesting read. Torme is clearly angry about the whole thing (he eventually sued Garland's production company, and the book includes transcripts of Garland's depositions during the suit), and he adopts a snide tone that makes the work intriguing--and no doubt his account is accurate in the sense that it conveys the situation as he himself saw it. But to say it lacks any degree of balance would be the understatement of the century: Garland emerges as a has-been harridan and Torme inevitably comes up smelling like a rose.
As one person who worked on Garland's television series later remarked, "as a historian Mel Torme is a great singer." Because of the complete lack of balance and the self-serving and mean-spirited nature of the work (all the more deadly for being hidden behind a facade of affection), I do not recommend this particular book to some one casually interested in Garland; on the other hand, those with a serious interest in the artist who can approach the work in light of unbiased accounts of Garland, Torme, and the history of The Judy Garland Show will find it an interesting sidelight on what was arguably one of Garland's most artistically productive eras. Final word: you'll need to take it with more than a few grains of salt, so keep the shaker handy.
And yet another perspective on Judy.......2002-02-13
I have read this book and also read through the other reviews and wonder how people reading the same thing come up with such different opinions. Mel Torme is definately presenting things from his perspective. That anyone could read the book and think Judy disrepected or disliked him is hard to swallow. They must not have read it very closely. It would be the reverse if anything but that would be a little hard to swallow too. He does show a little bitterness I think but overall expresses his overall thankfulness in having worked with her. Would I recommend this book? I think so. For us Judy fans it is good to get everyone's perspective who knew her well.
Judy, Judy, Judy.......2001-08-21
Judy Garland's tv series of the 1960's is in the spotlight as Mel Torme tells the story of Judy & the show from his perspective. Torme tells the story with frankness and reveals both a negative side of Miss Garland and a sad one. Her middle-of-the-night calls to talk her insomnia away, her drug use, and dislike of Mr. Torme make for a juicy, nostalgic trip. How, no matter what condition she was in or how little rehearsal she had, she still performed like the pro she was is shared with readers without bias (and we thought they looked so happy together in that Christmas show!). The show has long been cancelled and both beloved performers are gone now. But luckily this piece of them remains. More than just a book, it's a piece of Americana - a piece of history - and a piece of time in the lives of all of us who remember them. A must for any Garland or Torme fan.
A behind-the-scenes look at another side of Judy..........1999-10-21
Torme really had a way with words (hence 'The Xmas Song'). A real shame that this book is not currently available. I think it must have made him a lot of enemies. He's honest about both the difficulties and blessings of working with the complex, troubled and gifted woman that was Frances Gumm/Judy Garland...
Average customer rating:
- Awesome book
- It's a shame it was so greatly ignored....
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Side Show:: A Musical
Henry Krieger , and Bill Russell
Manufacturer: Samuel French Inc Plays
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0573651418 |
Customer Reviews:
Awesome book.......2002-05-19
This in my opinion is one of the best Broadway musicals of all time. It tells the story of a pair of Siamese twins rising to fame from a side show to vaudeville stars. Plus, a touch of romance for each sister. The ending will make you cry. This musical shows you how hard it is to be different than almost everyone else in the world.
It's a shame it was so greatly ignored...........2000-01-07
This book is the very moving libretto of the musical based on the Hilton twins. The only thing I dislike about the book is the fact you can not see or hear the actors or the songs! That is why I reccomend buying the cd as well! (Also found here on amazon)
Average customer rating:
- Wasn't good enough!
- 10 Stars Out Of 5 For The Musical, 3 For The Score
- The most unappreciated musical of last year's season.
- Side Show is the best musical that ever was.
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Side Show
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
- Side Show (1997 Original Broadway Cast)
- Little Women: Vocal Selections
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- The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections
- Songs for a New World: Piano/Vocal Selections
ASIN: 0793591627 |
Book Description
This collection features PVG arrangements of 16 songs from the recent Broadway run of this controversial, critically acclaimed new musical that will be opening next year in Europe. Songs include: Come Look at the Freaks * The Devil You Know * Feelings You've Got to Hide * I Will Never Leave You * Leave Me Alone * Like Everyone Else * One Plus One Equals Three * Private Conversation * Say Goodbye to the Freak Show * Tunnel of Love * We Share Everything * When I'm by Your Side * You Should Be Loved * and more. Includes color photos from the Broadway production.
Customer Reviews:
Wasn't good enough!.......2001-06-05
A good friend and I are doing Side Show for a end of the year exam and we were very excited because we had all the music downloaded and our script in the mail. When we received the "vocal selection" we were greatly disappointed with the cut versions. We had to change around our whole show to build around this "vocal selection." I recommend the actual score for anyone as serious about this play as we were!
10 Stars Out Of 5 For The Musical, 3 For The Score.......1999-01-02
This show was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever see. The plot, music, characters, acting, all of it was fabulous! This score, however, doesn't do it justice. The most important songs are all there, but many are severely cut. "Private Conversation" includes only Terry's part- all of Daisy's is gone. Only about 1/3 of "Tunnel Of Love" is actually there. Buy it if you're a "Side Show" fan, or just a fan of Broadway musicals, but be prepared to be somewhat dissapointed.
The most unappreciated musical of last year's season........1998-10-30
Side Show was just amazing. When it closed, I was very disappointed. You wouldn't believe how excited I was when I found out that they were finally publishing the sheet music. I had it on advance order from my local music store so I could get it the day it arrived. Though some of the music has been cut and edited, I am just glad I have what they didn't edit.
Side Show is the best musical that ever was........1998-10-17
It is so wonderful that this music is finally published!!!! I am so grateful that it is available, but I wish that the songs weren't cut as much as they are...it doesn't matter, as long as it is Side Show.
Average customer rating:
- What else can you say but "Bizarre"
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Bizarre
Barry Humphries
Manufacturer: Bell Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BK2Z8Y |
Product Description
Anthology of the bizarre in both art and nature compiled by Humphries (aka Dame Edna).
Customer Reviews:
What else can you say but "Bizarre".......2005-12-29
This is Barry Humphries from his later Dada days. It's a collection of everything weird, outlandish, unexpected and literally bizarre. Where else would you find a photograph of a three-legged man and other oddities of nature.
There is no easy way to classify, or even describe, this eclectic collection or anthology of the bizarre. There are pages on sexual topics. There are pages showing the effects of many different ways to mutilate pictures of the Mona Lisa. There is a wealth of detail, with the one theme being the bizarre nature of the contents.
This book is a lot of fun if you have an appreciation of the bizarre. It's classical Barry Humphries, playfully satirizing the world with its own bizarreness.
Average customer rating:
- I never wanted it to end!! Fabulous!
- An all-star cast of my generation! I swooned over Rod Taylor and Robert Culp!
- WONDERFUL cast, beautifully performed, an EXCITING thrilling journey you won't forget!
- "Hard Rock Lovers".....Beautifully done!!
- You Are There!
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Hard Rock Lovers
Paul Kyriazi
Manufacturer: Ronin Audio Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
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- The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
ASIN: 0971618321 |
Product Description
Computer programmer Alan Bartlet takes his new girlfriend to Las Vegas. There he meets Medusa, a backup singer for the now dead rock star Shane. She hints that Shane might be alive. In flashback, we see the rise and fall of Shane. Alan pursues Medusa and descends into a world of mystery, lust and murder to find out: Is Shane Alive?
Customer Reviews:
I never wanted it to end!! Fabulous!.......2007-01-16
Mr Kyriazi's production of Hard Rock Lovers was just fantastic! I was on the edge of my seat on a daily basis! I put the audio book on my iPod and listened while I jogged. I gotta say it motivated me to get out there and I am so sad it is over! I cannot wait for his next Audio production!
The story is fantastic, gripping and sexy. I absolutely loved it!
Bravo!!!!
An all-star cast of my generation! I swooned over Rod Taylor and Robert Culp!.......2006-05-22
Wow! My sister pointed me to this audio book and I couldn't believe my ears. I just relaxed on my bed to listen and was absolutely delighted with the movie-quality of the sound effects. Not only is this a masterful, well-written plot, it's also a quality production. The best I've heard.
And those stars that the magnificent author/director Paul Kyriazi lined up for this special version of his book!!! Well, all I can say is that I remember swooning each time I saw any of them on the big screen. (I hope my hubby doesn't read this.) But when I saw Rod Taylor--who narrates this story, with such a come-hither voice--starring in The Birds with that gorgeous Tippi Hedren, I almost fainted. Yes, he was that much of a hunk ... and still is, according to my sister!
Incidentally, people used to say I looked like Tippi. Ah-hhh, memories ... But getting back to this audio book, I loved it to pieces.
Keep up the excellent work, Mr. K. You're terrific, and almost as handsome as the great Rod! Ciao, baby ...
WONDERFUL cast, beautifully performed, an EXCITING thrilling journey you won't forget!.......2006-03-15
From the moment Hard Rock Lovers comes on ... it takes you by the hand and mind, and immediately draws you into this intriquing story, narrated by the imcomparable Rod Taylor, of revenge, love, lust, cold reality and spiritual enlightenment.
Robert Culp kept me laughing with his perfect low-life agent performance, always the best! James Darren was the perfect rock star, mean, talented but sad, his performance was # 1. Ishtar Uhvana was great as Medusa, she added the sweetness to keep some reality in the rock world and her ending dialoque brought tears to my eyes. Loved Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris was brilliant as the evil Reynaldo, and Nefta Perry as Connie played the perfect Rosie Perez.
The ending gives you hope and leaves you with happy feelings. You will want to play it again and again; it only gets better each time you listen.
Paul Kyriazi is my hero. I am his BIGGEST fan.
Thank you Paul for the fun and exciting adventure!
"Hard Rock Lovers".....Beautifully done!!.......2006-03-14
The "Hard Rock Lovers" audio book was not at all what I expected, but what a wonderful surprise! It's a twisted, tangled web of events played out by a handful of multi-leveled, intertwined characters. The story is well written, beautifully told and convincingly enacted centering on the heights of a successful rock star and the terrible costs that are paid when that success is abused. People and events are manipulated by all the characters to satisfy their own needs and agenda.
"Good" and "evil" are blurred. "Life" and "death" are blurred. Relationships are blurred, but the irony of fate is boldly presented and it's made abundantly clear that our "next" existence offers another chance to hopefully do better. The inevitability of change, the subtle and sometimes dramatic interrelationships between cause and effect as well as the ever-present, ever-looming scales of divine and poetic justice are persistent threads. A beautiful blending of drama and melodrama are used to develop both the story and the characters. The audio presentation is top-notch entertainment, particularly when you consider that all acting is accomplished solely through vocal artistry. The actors do a fantastic job of inviting the listener into their world and moving you effortlessly through the story.
I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. It is wonderful from start to finish and my congratulations go out to all involved. It's a winner on all levels.
You Are There!.......2006-03-02
I'm one of the gang screaming at the cemetary; I'm with the crowd at Elvis's Vegas concert; I'm at the ocean in Hawaii!--all while I'm washing dishes, ironing shirts.
What great fun listening to the voices of my favorite actors from the past. In fact, I remember Robert Culp and Rod Taylor together in "Sunday in New York" and here they are together again--not to mention Russ Tamblyn and George Chakiris from "West Side Story"!
Good Job, Mr. Paul Kyriazi. Thanks for the great entertainment; I'm looking forward to your next escapism--a movie, perhaps? YES!
Average customer rating:
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Show Me The Money: The Financial Side of Selling Masonry And Stone Sealer Online
James Orr
Manufacturer: LearnToBeRich.com, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000O33LK4 |
Books:
- The Seventh Port
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