Editorial Review

Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In Read more

Reviews (353)

Transparency
I read this book several months ago, and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.So it wasn't until I was laying in bed this evening that this thought finally connected in my mind.
unique
reminded me of Angela's ashes.Painful, yet humourous and very enjoyable to read.She keeps it matter-of-fact and it tugs on your heart without being sentimental.

Reminds me of growing up with my dear old Mom
Somehow childern in abusive situations seem to maintain their sense of humor, despite what is happening around them and to them.
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Subjects:  1. Alcohol Abuse    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Case studies    7. Childhood Memoir    8. Children of alcoholics    9. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Television Personalities    10. Family Development    11. Literary    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Problem families    14. United States    15. Welch    16. West Virginia    17. Women    18. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (8)

Ken is one funny nerd!
As with millions of others, I watched each night as Ken Jennings extended his record setting run on Jeopardy! to 74 games.He came across as a funny, down-to-earth, slightly nerdy guy on the show.And that personality really comes out in his book Brainiac, which is half Jeopardy memoir and half trivia history - and 100% entertaining.Ken recounts his days on the college bowl circuit, his tryout and subsequent preparation, and his run on the show, all the while giving the reader a history or trivia and its place in modern society.
This is an entertaining book about the world of trivia
Brainiac is a book about Ken's experiences as a contestant on Jeopardy.I love reading about he prepared for the Jeopardy by studying flashcards and watching countless hours of show on tape. Jennings discusses the excitement and pressure of being a contestant.He also discusses the fame he earned, because of the success he had on the show.Brainiac is also a book about the popularity and history of trivia.Jennings traces the beginnings of trivia to small newspapers and books as far back as 1856.He discusses the popularity of quiz shows on the radio in the 1930's.He also discusses the beginning of the popularity and scandals of quiz shows on television in the 1950's and 1960's.I love the chapter in the book about the largest trivia contest held in Stevens Point Wisconsin everyApril.Over 12,000 people in 400 teams listen to trivia questions of any subject asked on the radio and call in their answers. Brainiac is also filledwith interesting trivia questions.I learned that Papua New Guinea is the only country besides Australia that has kangaroos.I also learned that Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States.I also learned that Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky.Brainiac is a well researched, entertaining and informative book about the world of trivia.

What's the Opposite of "Trivial", Alex?
In this wonderful, very cleverly put-together book, Ken Jennings talks about his Jeopardy! experience, his nationwide travels to meet some big names in the trivia world (including the long-elusive Fred Worth, author of the 1970s cult classic Trivia Encyclopedia). But, most importantly for his writer, he articulates why trivia is "not so trivial" (and deserves a much more "significant" name) better than anything I have ever read on the subject--and I've read plenty in the past 30 years. Ken does just as lucid a job in describing the different kinds of trivia, what makes good trivia, and other stuff like that, that will make you appreciate the well-written question all the more.
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Subjects:  1. Games    2. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    3. Games/Puzzles    4. Indoor Games    5. Questions and answers    6. Quiz shows    7. Television - General    8. Television Plays And Programs    9. Trivia    10. United States    11. Games / General   

Editorial Review

In 2005, two tragedies--the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina--turned CNN reporter Anderson Cooper into a media celebrity. Read more

Reviews (148)

Astonishing
I read this book, which is not very long, in one sitting, and half the time I had to read through the curtain of tears in my eyes.Like Anderson Cooper, I am a television journalist, and like Anderson Cooper I have learned to divorce myself from the stories that I am telling.And yet I understand, God, how I understand his feeling of shrieking despair underneath the veneer.I live in Latvia, which is the Old Country for my family, and the first year that I was here, I was asked by the Soviet Latvian Parliament to translate for foreign journalists when Parliament was voting on Latvia's declaration of independence.When the vote began and it became increasingly clear that the necessary majority would vote "yes", I was staring hard at the carpet, because I knew that if I met anyone's eyes, I would weep for the triumph of it all.Anderson juxtaposes the tragedies on which he reports (Somalia, Sarajevo, the Asian tsunami, Iraq, Hurricane Katrina) with the tragedy of his own life -- raised in a goldfish bowl as son of Gloria Vanderbilt, losing his father at the age of 10, losing his brother, who committed suicide by jumping off a penthouse balcony in front of his mother's eyes.This personalizes the stories which journalists tend to dehumanize -- one body, two bodies, three bodies ... you have to get the story on the air, and you remember what you were taught in journalism school -- "On television, if it bleeds, it leads".God bless Anderson Cooper, who lets the story into his heart.God bless a man who is not afraid to tell the entire world about his torments and his weaknesses.Men are taught not to do so.I so appreciate that this one did.I recommend this book with every fiber in my being, not just for journalists, but for anyone who still sees humanity in the technological world in which we live today.

Live thru this--personal tragedy to personal accomplishment
Anderson Cooper writes in the style of describing his life in one sub-chapter and then switching to an experience in an international war zone during his press coverage. This is a well written book and the way Mr Cooper details his family's personal tragedy is compelling and vulnerable. It provides inspiration as you read thru all of the details. Then his need to find his place in life in poltical war coverage is brave and risk taking. This is a book which is both smart and sensitive. Recommended.

A New Appreciation for Anderson Cooper
I learned a lot about the CNN Anchor. He's the son of Gloria Vanderbuilt and Wyatt Emory Cooper.His father died when he was ten and his brother committed suicide when Anderson was in college at Yale.I learned that he went out on his own, with faked news credentials, and journeyed the globe freelancing stories in places of tragedy, hunger, and war - just him and a camera.I respect that.I respect following your dreams despite personal danger and discomfort.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Cooper, Anderson    6. Editors, Journalists, Publishers    7. Journalism    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Television - General    10. Television Journalism    11. Television journalists    12. United States   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (29)

Great technical information, very useful resource
This book covers everything you need from the technical aspects of setting up shots and planning your action.It uses storyboards as an effective teaching device to convey the basic and some more advanced concepts and does a better job than most of explaining the 180 degree rule.Negative reviews of this book state that it is too focused on the technical aspects of filmmaking and not as much on the people skills needed, which is true, but can a book really teach you how to talk to people?A great addition to any filmmaking library but would need resources for the non-technical aspects of film.You could make a great looking film based just on what is in this book, but it might not be the most thrilling.The writer does a good job of focusing on the work and not in telling his own stories.

Visualizing
This book is the only one I have found that goes extremely in depth into shot composition. Great book. However, if you are looking for a book that will take you step by step into how to acctually produce the movie, this isnt what you are looking for. This book is all about properly translating your vision to the screen, what works and what doesnt. Overall, this book was an amazing resource.

WHY???
Why is it that in all of these film books there is such a huge focus on storyboards? That's what a third of this book covers. I should point out that many directors, including the two greatest directors of all time, Elia Kazan and Stanley Kubrick, as well as Woody Allen, Bernardo Bertolluci, Sydney Pollack, and many more do NOT storyboard their shots. Even Welles, later in his career, admitted to making up his mind on the set, and Hitchcock, famously known for storyboards, only storyboarded the BIG shots, not the entire film. I just wish these books wouldn't focus so much on pre-visualization when many major directors DONT PRE-VISUALIZE AT ALL. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cinema/Film: Book    2. Film & Video - Direction & Production    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Motion Picture Directing And Producing    5. Motion pictures    6. Performing Arts    7. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    8. Production and direction    9. Television - Direction & Production    10. Video recordings    11. Approved List/Classroom Adoption    12. First World War, 1914-1918    13. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    14. Non-Classifiable    15. Performing Arts / Film / Direction & Production    16. Performing Arts/Television - Direction & Production    17. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    18. Second World War, 1939-1945    19. Special kinds of photography   

Reviews (6)

Excellent - More Info!
The Firefly Companion Vol 1 is well worth every penny (and makes ordering Vol 2 when it comes out a "no-brainer").
Shiny!
"Firefly" is simply the greatest television show of all time.Created by Joss Whedon -- the genius behind "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the second greatest TV show of all time), and "Angel" -- "Firefly" is both brilliant and unique:It is a sci-fi western, with wonderful characters, compelling storylines, and (of course) Joss Whedon's trademark witty dialogue."Firefly" is one of the few shows that I love watching over and over again; and never seem to get tired of.If you've never seen "Firefly" you owe it to yourself to check it out on DVD.Of course, if you HAVE seen "Firefly" then you already know just how amazing the show really is.So, you're definitely going to want to get your hands on the "Firefly Official Companion, Vol. 1".
It's Gorgeous!
Can't get enough of the Firefly 'verse.Gorgeous details, theinterviews with the cast, the costumes, all soooo wonderful to hold. To once again have the voices in my head, in a good way. This companion truly knows how to make you feel good, it has had training. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Performing Arts    2. Performing Arts/Dance    3. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    4. Television - Guides & Reviews    5. Graphic novels   

Reviews (19)

What is a good read?
Bob Harris is a working-class guy who grew up near Cleveland, Ohio.Somehow he came to live in Los Angeles, California.Bob had an outdated degree in electrical engineering with a usefulness that "ended with Pong".Bob had watched Jeopardy! with his parents as a kid.He must have wanted to be on the show because he auditioned for it at least four or five different times.In fact, Bob doesn't remember how many times he took and failed the Jeopardy! test.What he does remember is that the last time he took the test he had decided that was going to be the last time he took the test.He passed it and that began a decade long "career" as a Jeopardy! winner and loser.Bob is a five-time Jeopardy! champion. He made it to the finals of a Tournament of Champions, completed in the Masters Tournament, and won a first round in the Ultimate Tournament of Champions.
He hits the Daily Double!!!
If you're a Jeopardy fan, you will enjoy this book I think.Harris offers a funny glimpse into the populat game show.As a former stand up comic, he at times is a bit over the top, manic and cloying in showing how clever or funny he can be.Nevertheless, he pulls it off with paralel themes between the game show (trivia) and key relationships in life.
Even the index makes good reading
Bob Harris, a one-time "B-minus-list comedian" turned five-time Jeopardy champion, has written a memoir centered around his experiences as a contestant on the show. His Prisoner of Trebekistan--a title hearing which Alex Trebek is said to have "smiled inscrutably"--is everything you'd hope for in a comedian's Jeopardy memoir. Harris proves to be an affable, goofily amusing escort through the various stages of Jeopardy playerdom, from the tests administered to would-be contestants through the mind games played backstage in the green room to chats with Alex mid-game. Having lived it, Harris is able to describe the life of a Jeopardy contestant in training. The regimen of study he adopted makes for fascinating reading: notebooks filled with information to be absorbed (lists of presidents and Shakespearian plays and European rivers), innumerable cartoons, very often buttock-related, drawn as mnemonic aids; Harris's lifestyle and living room rearranged to facilitate his "state-dependent retrieval" of information once on stage. (Which means that he ate green-room-style food for months and moved his furniture around so it resembled the Jeopardy set.)
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Subjects:  1. 1963-    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    4. General    5. Harris, Bob,    6. Humor    7. Jeopardy (Television program)    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Satire And Humor    10. Television - General    11. Television Programming    12. Trivia    13. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (1)

Nice
Was anyone ever described to you as "nice"?Scary isn't it.I am an ardent fan of Deadwood and a fan of David Milch.This book is a `nice' coffee-table addition that succeeds as a way of fondly recollecting the characters and singular moments of Deadwood.I was hoping for an extension and an amplification of Deadwood -more great Black Hill's tales from Milch's magic pen.In that respect, the book is disappointing.
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Subjects:  1. Photo Techniques    2. Photography    3. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    4. Reference    5. Television - History & Criticism    6. Photography / General   

Reviews (1)

Info on the book
From the HBO page:
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Subjects:  1. Performing Arts    2. Performing Arts/Dance    3. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    4. Television - Guides & Reviews    5. Television - Reference    6. Television Plays And Programs    7. Performing Arts / Television / Guides & Reviews   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Miscellanea    3. Movie-TV Tie-In - General    4. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Science Fiction - High Tech    8. Star Trek television programs    9. Television - Guides & Reviews    10. Television - History & Criticism    11. Fiction / Science Fiction / High Tech    12. Graphic design   

Reviews (8)

Part IX of the Kirk Saga.What a great way to end the William Shatner Kirk saga!
I have read everyone of the Shatner Kirk books since Ashes of Eden and I have greatly enjoyed everyone of them.There is nobody better to write a Kirk adventure than the man that invented Captain James T. Kirk.I've read a lot of Star Trek novels in my life time and none have fascinated me more than Shatner's Trek novels.With that said I want to review Captain's Glory.
James T. Kirk in all his "Glory"
To get down to it, this was, for the most part, a pretty good book. Up until the ending, I felt it was the best out of the "Captain's ..." trilogy and it reminded me a lot of the Shatner & Co.'s Preserver saga. For once, there's a fair balance between Kirk's characterization and those of the other characters. Picard is written to be Kirk's equal on many fronts instead of being his lacky or sidekick as he at times comes off as in the previous books. There were some good crossover moments as well, including Voyager's Admiral Kathryn interacting with Kirk and Picard's crews, Riker and the Titan being involved, a glimpse at the Enterprise-E's new crew, Voyager's EMH Doctor and McCoy and Scotty backing up Kirk.
Good action, and fun, but the end is dumb.
Ok, so I LOVE to read about Kirk and his new adventures; THE RETURN is probably my favoritre trek book ever.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Kirk, James T. (Fictitious character)    4. Life on other planets    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Science Fiction - Star Trek    8. Star Trek fiction    9. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Reviews (7)

Lovely and sweet
Even if you didn't watch Mister Rogers, he's so permeated our culture that he's become an icon. And knowing Mister Rogers, he probably would have found that notion laughable. But it's true. Mister Rogers represents everything that is good. He loves us---and he's proud of us---just the way we are.
WOW!
I'm only halfway through reading the book - but am ordering copies as gifts to share with friends and my minister.What a man!(both of them)

So Proud & Grateful!!
I picked this book up at the library quite by accident.It looked like a "quick" read and I was intrigued by the title.I was influenced greatly by the show "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" when I was little.Even after I was way too old and the other kids thought he was lame,I secretly tuned in to see whatwas happening.Even though my neighborhood and upbringing was nothing like what I imagined it to be like in those little models of homes at the beginning of the show, I longed to live in a place like that secure from the dangers that filled my young mind and surroundings.Escaping to that world and imagining what it would be like to have a neighbor like Mister Rogers was something I spent a lot of time doing.Not to mention how much I loved the idea of the trolley taking me to the Land of Make Believe - wouldn't that be the coolest?From the first few pages of this book, I knew I was hooked on Tim Madigan's style of writing.He is a journalist by trade and had met Mister Rogers in order to write about him.He also had met Captain Kangaroo (another of my faves - Captain Kangaroo looked exactly like my dad and could be just as silly), but formed a bond and friendship with Fred Rogers from their first meeting - even attending church that weekend with Fred and his wife Joanne.Soon, I was reading more about both the author's difficulties in life and what a wonderful person Mister Rogers really was by how he supported the author through those difficulties.Mr. Madigan is able to portray his own discomfort with the intimacy that Fred Rogers offers, yet he is drawn to someone who he later compares as being close in spirit to people like Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II.It is apparent throughout these pages and the correspondence shared between the two of them, that they explore their own spirituality, death and dying, social justice, fatherhood, relationships with siblings and parents and most of all, forgiveness and being able to be intimate with those around you and connecting with people on a spiritual level.The author talks several times about how many of Fred Rogers' qualities remind him of what it must have been like to interact with Jesus.The whole book is both uplifting and poignant. One of my personal favorite influences throughout the book is Tim's mother.She is apparently strong in her Catholic faith and had been throughout raising 7 children and working as a school nurse.In the author's words, she did this "despite suffering from increasingly debilitating arthritis, and somehow managed to remain a woman of indomitable good cheer, a constant source of tenderness, love, and support for [her children}".He remembers fondly that "she rose each morning to have uninterrupted time to pray and read the Bible, savoring those quiet moments in the morning with God and a cup of coffee."How many of us long for our own children to view us in such a manner, but find it difficult to spend that kind of time nourishing our own faith?I am sure that Mrs. Madigan had her momentary lapses as a great wife and mom, but I found myself longing to be like her so that my own children could draw from my strength.The author takes us through his 7 year friendship with Fred Rogers and it is their correspondence that tells their story throughout most of the book.Mr. Madigan veers from this format temporarily in the chapter that tells of his brother, Steve's, death from lung cancer.During that chapter, he shares with us some words of his mother as she sat by the bedside and helped to care for her son while he died.The author is profoundly grateful that his mother has shared her thoughts in written form and preserved for future generations just a small amount of her faith and strength and is reminded of how Mary must have felt to watch Jesus die on the Cross.For sure, the whole Madigan family is a picture of strength and faith during that time, including his brother Steve.Their friendship is cut short, obviously, by the death of Mister Rogers in 2003.This book, though, preserves just a small amount of the great man that was Fred Rogers.For that, I amgrateful and also proud of Tim Madigan!I will be buying several copies of this book to give to my friends at Christmas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1957-    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Television Personalities    6. Friends and associates    7. Madigan, Tim,    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Rogers, Fred    10. Television Plays And Programs    11. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (1)

Finally, a well-written Guide for the TV series LOST
I waited with anticipation and some apprehension for the publication of yet another "LOST Unofficial Guide." I've been disappointed in the past, but this book was well worth the wait. Ms Stafford has done an excellent job! Her book is informative, insightful, and just plain fun to read!Like most "LOSTies," I'm interested in the theories and all the other interesting details and tidbits about the series, but just don't have time to search for "easter eggs," interesting tidbits, even small mistakes. However, I do enjoy reading about them and discussing them with other "LOSTies."She not only gives quite a lot of information about the series, but gives brief overviews of the books mentioned or referenced in the series.
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Subjects:  1. Performing Arts    2. Performing Arts/Dance    3. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    4. Television - Guides & Reviews    5. Performing Arts / Television / Guides & Reviews    6. Television   

Reviews (1)

The Best television production textbook ever!!!!
This textbook is a truly fantastic textbook if you want to learn about television production. There are no other textbooks like it.....it literally is the bible for all television production students. I have done several internships in the field of television and this textbook has covered a lot of what I have done in these internships. Its amazing how much of what I have read and seen in this textbook are also things that I worked with in my internships. It's simply a great textbook!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Performing Arts    3. Performing Arts/Dance    4. Technology & Industrial Arts    5. Television - Direction & Production    6. Television - General    7. Performing Arts / Mass Media    8. Radio & television industry    9. Television   

Reviews (1)

Cohen's Book Offers Rare Insider Insight on Cable News
Jeff Cohen's new book Cable News Confidential offers readers a rare behind the scenes look at the 24 hour cable news world.Cohen describes his experiences at CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. He offers many personal stories, which were always engaging and often quite humorous. They painted a clear picture of how conservatives control and frame the news we see on cable. While I have read many other books on this subject, I have never seen a book that offers as many crisp, clear examples of the way today's cable news industry operates.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography And Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Editors, Journalists, Publishers    5. General    6. Journalism    7. Mass Media - General    8. Media Studies - Electronic Media    9. Sociology    10. Television - General    11. Television Journalism    12. Political Science / General   

Reviews (13)

Great book for filmmakers of all kinds
this book includes all kinds of useful information that is not necessarily specific to documentary, although that is it's focus.there's excercises in here to help develop ideas into a filmic narrative, ethics, how to tackle an interview as well as subject matter.i've read a lot of film books, and i have to say, this is not only well written with a sense of humor and wit, it deals with potential situations in a down to earth way. The information provided is not just technical, but also how to approach an emotional situation, gain the trust of your participants, and address multiple points of view.

Directing The Documentary
I am currently writing a documentary for a feature length film, and found Michael Rabiger's book informative, subtle, and well structured. Having received a documentary film class at University, I had already learned about the basic tools of the medium. This book provides a masterclass in documentary filmmaking, and prepares you for the demands of documentary filmmaking. I recommend it to students and professionals alike.

Great Tips From An Expert
It was an enlightment for me to have this book, i always like how Rabiger tried to dig in our passion of filmmaking, with his previous books also. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary films    2. Film & Video - Direction & Production    3. Film - Direction & Production    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts/Dance    6. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    7. Production and direction    8. Television - Direction & Production    9. Film theory & criticism    10. Performing Arts / Film / Direction & Production   

Reviews (57)

Great read
Very good reading. I was impressed by the knowledge. I expected it to more about the show with very little information about wicca.

Charmed: THE BOOK OF SHADOWS
GREAT BOOK!!!First off all,if your a reader & you enjoyed the show Charmed,then I advise you to purchase this book,it goes deeper into the knowledge behind the show & if your a practicing Wicca,like myself then you'll really enjoy this book. There are places within the book inwhich you can write your own experiences & such & there are chapters within the book that help you better understand the knowledge & practices & what made the show such an success!

could have ben better
the book had it's moments however it is mostly about the meaning of of witch craft and a few spells here and there, in which i am not interested in ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Charmed (Television program)    2. Movie / TV Tie-Ins    3. Movie-TV Tie-In - General    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts/Dance    6. Television - General    7. Television - Guides & Reviews    8. Witchcraft    9. Performing Arts / Television / General    10. Television    11. The occult, witches & witchcraft   

Reviews (5)

Read this one!
When you think of the most popular people in the world at this time a few names come to mind, like Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and of course, Elmo.
Love is his favorite word
Reviewed by Audrey Hauser for Reader Views (9/06)
A fascinating journey by a gifted teacher.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to welcome Elmo on today's flight," the flight attendant said over the intercom."Elmo?Isn't that the little fury red . . . puppet?On today's flight?Okay, I need to stop taking all of these cross-country flights . . . green tea, I need some green tea," I said out loud to no person in particular. Then, Mr. Kevin Clash is introduced, and I was kind of . . . surprised.I mean I was expecting a little fury animal - of sorts.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Clash, Kevin    7. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    8. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Television Personalities    9. Motivational & Inspirational    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Puppeteers    12. Television - General    13. Television Plays And Programs    14. United States    15. Self-Help / Motivational   

Reviews (3)

This is THE book to get started in OCAP
We started our OCAP project prior to the arrival of this book and had to rely on digging through all of the different, confusingly referenced, standards.Every chapter of this book caused a light bulb to click on with a big "ah ha!"Don't get started without reading a copy of this book.It's