Actors & Actresses Books - Page 5

Shattered Love: A Memoir

Richard Chamberlain

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 47 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

One of the most beloved actors of our time shares the New York Times bestselling story of how he learned to live with an open heart.

Early in his career, shortly after rising to fame as television's Dr. James Kildare, Richard Chamberlain took on the role of Hamlet on the English stage. The play contained a lesson the actor has remembered throughout his life: "To thine own self be true." But for Chamberlain these were not always easy words to live by. Even as he won the adoration of millions of fans, this handsome, charming, debonair leading man seriously questioned his own self–worth, living a life haunted by personal insecurity despite decades of immense popular success in memorable roles in Dr. Kildare, The Thorn Birds, Shogun, and other television dramas. Finally, with the help of friends and guidance from spiritual teachers, including Krishnamurti, Chamberlain began the sometimes painful but deeply rewarding process of reconciling his deepest self with his public persona. Now, in Shattered Love, he poignantly recounts his lifelong struggle to find happiness. Tracing a fascinating path through his meteoric rise to success, he chronicles his struggle to come to terms with his own imperfections, his growing desire to be honest about his sexual orientation, and his yearning to live with an open heart. And along the way he imparts the lessons he has learned about overcoming our own self–imposed obstacles to happiness: the importance of listening to our own instincts instead of listening only to others, not demanding the impossible of ourselves, and allowing ourselves to explore negative feelings in order to move forward.

A Hand to Guide Me

Denzel Washington

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For Regular Folks - Look 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book highlights celebrities. Yet, they all started where 95% of us started. It shows that many of us are capable and DO make something of ourselves when inspiration, hard work and perseverance rule, in any degree. For each of these celebrities there are probably thousands of people that have guided and are guiding hands to others just through faithfulness to the basic, mundane, and simple tasks of life. You are probably one of those people. It's just that Mr. Washington didn't or could include you in a volume that would be the world's heaviest book.

Thank you Mr. Denzel Washington for sharing with us regular people what regular people CAN become. I hope this book inspires more such books and other media that affirms and confirms regular people in this day of celebrity worship.

Editorial Review:

• In his debut as an author, Denzel Washington shares his personal story of the mentors who helped guide his life.
• Washington pens the introduction for the stories of more than 70 of America's leading personalities in theatre, sports, business, and politics as they tell their life-changing stories of mentorship.
• Contributors include Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Antwone Fisher, Bonnie Raitt, Cal Ripken, Alex Rodriguez, Dick Vitale, Whoopie Goldberg and more.
• A portion of the book's proceeds benefit 4.5 million children currently involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography

Andrew Morton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 133 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In 2006 Forbes magazine ranked Tom Cruise as the most powerful celebrity in the world. With three Golden Globe awards, three Academy Award nominations, and 27 films with an average box office gross of nearly $100 million, People Magazine's choice for the "Sexest Man Alive" in 1990 is unquestionably one of the biggest movie stars of our time.
He has also become one of the most controversial, for his outspoken championship of Scientology, for his criticism of Brooke Shields for turning to the “Nazi science” of psychiatry for help with postpartum depression, and for the time in 2005 when he jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch proclaiming his love for Katie Holmes. But for all the headlines and the rumors swirling around him, the real Tom Cruise has remained surprisingly hidden—until now.
For two years, acclaimed investigative journalist Andrew Morton has been uncovering the true story of Tom Cruise—from his days as bullied “little Tommy Mapother,” to his early stardom, to his romances and his increasingly public involvement in the world of Scientology. With new sources and exclusive interviews, Morton brings us never-seen photos and never-heard revelations about the private, sometimes shocking world of Tom Cruise.

Leading Men: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era

Turner Classic Movies

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Where is Tyrone Power? 1 out of 5 stars.
4 of 8 people found this review helpful.

TCM should've just titled this "TCM's leading Men." I mean, come on, who are you not to include Tyrone Power? Where was TCM when Tyrone Power charmed women and men alike only to showcase some of the best acting in cinema history?
TCM, do yourself a favor and stick to the tube.

Editorial Review:

Tough, sophisticated, witty, and handsome—from Rudolph Valentino to Buster Keaton, Cary Grant to Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart to Steve McQueen, each of the actors featured in this book brought a magnetic presence to the screen and made a powerful and enduring mark on film history. Produced by Turner Classic Movies, this stylish and definitive guide as the inside scoop and off-the-record reveals of fifty unforgettable actors and is also the focus of a month-long film festival on the channel. The lives and accomplishments of each actor are celebrated in an insightful career overview, accompanied by an annotated list of essential films, filmographies, behind the scenes facts, Academy Award wins and nominations. Full of surprising trivia, film stills, posters, and stunning photos, Leading Men pays tribute to the most charismatic, enduring, and elegant actors of the silver screen—an essential resource for movie buffs and pop-culture enthusiasts alike.

Love, Lucy

Lucille Ball

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 92 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

I Love Lucy 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Lucy fan. Knowing that it is an autobiography makes it more interesting. You can almost hear her voice as you read through the lines. Her life wasn't all roses. Lots of pictures for us to enjoy. Get the book. You won't put it down.

My favorite redhead. 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball was an autobiography she wrote but never published. Her daughter Lucie found the manuscript and decided to publish it almost a decade after her mother's death. Lucille Ball was a comic gem, she did everything so perfectly. This book is good but some of the parts seem empty so I can't give this book 5 stars. Ball talks about her modeling days, how she met and fell in love with Desi Arnaz, her hit t.v. show and becoming a businesswoman when she was highly criticized for being too tough. Check this good summer read out sometime, enjoy!

Editorial Review:

The one and only New York Times bestselling autobiography by Lucille Ball...

"Filled with light and laughter." (New York Times Book Review)

"Lucy fans will find this book fascinating." (Detroit News)

"A winner." (New York Newsday)

"Intensely moving."(San Francisco Chronicle)

I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This: And Other Things That Strike Me as Funny

Bob Newhart

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 50 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Biography mixed with bits...good! 4 out of 5 stars.
29 of 29 people found this review helpful.

While I don't read show biz biographies--heaven knows theres too many of them and those subjects are already over-idolized--I saw this one. Newhart has always been my favorite "clean" comic. That doesn't mean I don't like, say, Lenny Bruce. But, say, Eddie Murphy and George Carlin overdo the "let's be audacious" thing. Newhart doesn't need to do that.

What's more, I've always wanted to learn a little about what makes a comedian's mind tick. (Though Newhart explains in one chapter that if he sees another book on the science of comedy, he's going to "throw up.")

Actually, Newhart is quite eloquent. His vocabulary impressed me. There is, of course, name dropping, but it doesn't come across that way. He has a chapter, for example, on golf, those with whom he'd golf and witty anecdotes about other golfers, like Dean Martin--and an interesting story about Clark Gabel and Robert Wagner.

Interspersed with the biography are many of his bits. But he adds to them. Like I've always liked his "airline and stormdoor company" bit. He adds a little about the real flight, on a C47 with seats bolted down--when the aircraft did cargo flights the seats were taken out.

He does talk about both of his television shows. While I'm not a TV watcher and don't think I ever saw either of them all the way through, he even explains a little about how each show came about--and how his wife offered the plot of the finale of all of them.

Oh, and the one I "read" was an abridged, CD version. I couldn't imagine reading this, but Newhart read it with his usual, stammering version, part of his bit. (Indeed, he distinguishes at the beginning of the book between stammering, which he does, and stuttering.

Overall, it's a lot of fun. And you might even learn a little, about his background, about what makes things funny--and about the political correctness that pervades a bit too much of our society. (Yes, I even admit that!) As Newhart says, we need to laugh at ourselves too!

Editorial Review:

A guy is having an affair with his boss’s wife. They are making mad passionate love, and she says, "Kiss me! Kiss me!" He looks at her very seriously and replies, "I shouldn’t even be doing this!"

This isn’t a memoir like most memoirs. It’s a book only Bob Newhart could have written, with his unique worldview and irrepressibly wry humor on every page. Oh, and there’s a fair bit of plain silliness too. In this, his first book ever, Newhart gives his brilliant and bemused twist on a multitude of topics, including flying, the trials of a family holiday in a Winnebago, and more serious subjects, such as gold. And of course, there are side-splittingly funny stories from his life and career. Who else has a drinking game named after him? ("Hi Bob!")

The Encyclopedia Shatnerica: An A to Z Guide to the Man and His Universe

Robert Schnakenberg

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Editorial Review:

Actor, singer, director, novelist, horseman, game-show host, spoken-word performer, legendary Hollywood lothario—is there anything William Shatner can't do? Beam aboard the starship Irreverent as certified Shatnerologist Robert Schnakenberg takes you on a guided tour of the Emmy-winning entertainment icon's universe. Inside you'll find:
More than fifty years of major film, TV, and stage appearances—from Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone to Star Trek, T. J. Hooker, and Boston Legal
Shatner's many musical misadventures, including his legendary covers of "Rocket Man" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
Scandalous allegations and scathing anecdotes from Star Trek costars

Plus more girdle, divorce, and toupee trivia than you can shake a phaser at! Fully updated for the first time in ten years, with all-new material on Denny Crane, Nerine Kidd, Iron Chef USA, and more, The Encyclopedia Shatnerica remains the definitive biography of an entertainment icon.

Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader

Dinesh D'Souza

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 117 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Very informative. This book will give you a new appreciation for our recent history.

A great book about a great President; captures Reagan in a way others don't. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Most biographers who attempt to write about Ronald Reagan typically get frustrated at some point in their effort and throw up their hands saying, "I can't get to know this man!" Indeed, the man that some many of us felt close to without ever having met him was apparently a very tough nut to crack if you wanted to get close to him in person.

As a result, many biographies supposedly about Reagan offer very little insight into the man and what made him succeed and fail. They talk about his life and history, his advisers and their ideas, but they don't capture anything about the man that you wanted to learn about when you picked up the book in the first place - D'Souza does and that's what makes this book different and better from the rest.

D'Souza was a young aid in the Reagan White House and maybe that gives him a bit of an advantage in capturing the essence of Reagan, but I think most of the credit has to go to something far more fundamental; D'Souza hasn't lost the ability to see Reagan the way most Americans saw him, he hasn't lost sight of what America was like before Reagan compared to what it's like now. That gives D'Souza a perspective on Reagan that most academics (which D'Souza is) neglect. It makes all the difference in this book.

D'Souza really captures a man guided by a vision and a philosophy rather than by polls, a real leader rather than someone who went whichever way popular sentiment carried him. Reagan's ideas about America and its relationship to the rest of the world were positive, contrary to popular thoughts and, as it turns out, right.

If you like Reagan, you will love the way D'Souza articulates how the man accomplished everything he did. If you don't like Reagan, D'Souza's look at Reagan offers the best argument I've encountered that you'll have to counter in order to sway his supporters to your way of thinking.

Highly recommended. A great book about a great President.

Editorial Review:

In this enlightening new look at one of our most successful, most popular, and least understood presidents, bestselling author and former Reagan aide Dinesh D'Souza shows how this "ordinary" man was able to transform the political landscape in a way that made a permanent impact on America and the world. Ronald Reagan is a thoughtful and honest assessment of how this underestimated president became a truly extraordinary leader.

In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures

Helen Mirren

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Helen Mirren has been an internationally ac-claimed actress -- and the recipient of many awards, transferring between stage, cinema and television -- for over 40 years.

Known in her youth for a forthright style, a liberated attitude and a bohemian outlook, she has never ceased to be out of the public eye, with legions of admiring fans all over the world. This illustrated memoir is an account of an extraordinary talent, and a life well lived.

Helen's aristocratic Russian grandfather, Pyotr Vasilievich Mironov, a military man, was sent to London by the Czar and found himself stranded and penniless by the Bolshevik revolution, cut off from the family estate near Smolensk. He brought with him a trunk of papers and photographs. This delightful memoir starts with the contents of the trunk, with evocative pictures of Helen's Russian antecedents. She has kept a rich seam of photo-graphs and memorabilia from her life, and her parents, family life, childhood, teenage and early years as an actress living in insalubrious flats are vividly documented.

Helen's many distinguished roles in theatre, cinema and television and the illustrious men and women she has encountered are commemorated, as well as her forays into Hollywood and her sub-sequent life in the United States with her husband, film director Taylor Hackford. Golden Globe and Oscar ceremonies make their appearance, as do many stunning images of Helen by the world's leading photographers.

In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures is a book to savour, created and written by one of the great personalities of our age.

Grace After Midnight: A Memoir

Felicia Pearson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

While Felicia is a brilliant actor in a truly chilling role, what's most remarkable about "Snoop" is what she has overcome in her life. Snoop was born a three-pound cross-eyed crack baby in East Baltimore. Those streets are among the toughest in the world, but Snoop was tougher. The runt of the ghetto showed an early aptitude for drug slinging and violence and thrived as a baby gangsta until she landed in Jessup state penitentiary after killing a woman in self-defense. There she rebelled violently against the system, and it was only through the cosmic intervention of her mentor, Uncle Loney, that she turned her life around. A couple of years ago, Snoop was discovered in a nightclub by one of The Wire's cast members and quickly recruited to be one of television's most frightening and intriguing villians.

While the story of coming up from the hood has been told by Antwone Fisher and Chris Gardner, among others, Snoop's tale goes far deeper into The Life than any previous books. And like Mary Karr's story, Snoop's is a woman's story from a fresh point of view. She defied traditional conventions of gender and sexual preference on the hardest streets in America and she continues to do so in front of millions of viewers on TV.