Television Books

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

Bill O'Reilly

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 76 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The year was 1957, the month September, and I had just turned eight years old. Dwight Eisenhower was President, but in my life it was the diminutive, intense Sister Mary Lurana who ruled, at least in the third-grade class where I was held captive. For reasons you will soon understand, my parents had remanded me to the penal institution of St. Brigid’s School in Westbury, New York, a cruel and unusual punishment if there ever was one.

Already, I had barely survived my first two years at St. Brigid’s because I was, well, a little nitwit. Not satisfied with memorizing the Baltimore Catechism’s fine prose, which featured passages like “God made me to show his goodness and to make me happy with him in heaven,” I was constantly annoying my classmates and, of course, the no-nonsense Sister Lurana. With sixty overactive students in her class, she was understandably short on patience. For survival, she had also become quick on the draw.

Then it happened. One day I blurted out some dumb remark, and Sister Lurana was on me like a panther. Her black habit blocked out all distractions as she leaned down, looked me in the eye, and uttered words I have never forgotten: “William, you are a bold, fresh piece of humanity.”

And she was dead-on.

One day in 1957, in the third-grade classroom of St. Brigid’s parochial school, an exasperated Sister Mary Lurana bent over a restless young William O’Reilly and said, “William, you are a bold, fresh piece of humanity.” Little did she know that she was, early in his career as a troublemaker, defining the essence of Bill O’Reilly and providing him with the title of his brash and entertaining issues-based memoir.

And this time it’s personal. In his most intimate book yet, O’Reilly goes back in time to examine the people, places, and experiences that launched him on his journey from working-class kid to immensely influential television personality and bestselling author. Readers will learn how his traditional outlook was formed in the crucible of his family, his neighborhood, his church, and his schools, and how his views on America’s proper role in the world emerged from covering four wars on five continents over three-plus decades as a news correspondent. What will delight his numerous fans and surprise many others is the humor and self-deprecation with which he handles one of his core subjects: himself, and just how O’Reilly became O’Reilly.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

Jeannette Walls

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Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Family & Childhood

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1140 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.

Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life

Tim Russert

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 142 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great to remember the little things with a big effect 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a page turner! Not so much for the next chapter of events, but to bask, to saturate in the delight of the wholesome memories of which I had forgotten so many details. I will revisit Big Russ and Me to restore my belief in the goodness of folks or at least that there was a time when it was genuine. Russert captures it in an easy style that brings to mind a lazy afternoon over coffee at the kitchen table. So glad I didn't miss this one.Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life

Big Russ and Me 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Big Russ and Me was in the condition described. The book came in a timely manner.

Cheryl

Editorial Review:

Tim Russert's #1 New York Times bestseller -- now in paperback.

Now in paperback -- the #1 best-selling Father’s Day book of 2004, with over half a million copies sold in hardcover. Tim Russert, one of America’s most watched and trusted news anchors‚ connected with readers across the nation with his critically acclaimed memoir about growing up in the 1950s and the special bond between fathers and sons.

Audition: A Memoir

Barbara Walters

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Total reviews: 242 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Young people starting out in television sometimes say to me: “I want to be you.” My stock reply is always: “Then you have to take the whole package.”

And now, at last, the most important woman in the history of television journalism gives us that “whole package,” in her inspiring and riveting memoir. After more than forty years of interviewing heads of state, world leaders, movie stars, criminals, murderers, inspirational figures, and celebrities of all kinds, Barbara Walters has turned her gift for examination onto herself to reveal the forces that shaped her extraordinary life.

Barbara Walters’s perception of the world was formed at a very early age. Her father, Lou Walters, was the owner and creative mind behind the legendary Latin Quarter nightclub, and it was his risk-taking lifestyle that gave Barbara her first taste of glamour. It also made her aware of the ups and downs, the insecurities, and even the tragedies that can occur when someone is willing to take great risks, for Lou Walters didn’t just make several fortunes—he also lost them. Barbara learned early about the damage that such an existence can do to relationships—between husband and wife as well as between parent and child. Through her roller-coaster ride of a childhood, Barbara had a close companion, her mentally challenged sister, Jackie. True, Jackie taught her younger sister much about patience and compassion, but Barbara also writes honestly about the resentment she often felt having a sister who was so “different” and the guilt that still haunts her.

All of this—the financial responsibility for her family, the fear, the love—played a large part in the choices she made as she grew up: the friendships she developed, the relationships she had, the marriages she tried to make work. Ultimately, thanks to her drive, combined with a decent amount of luck, she began a career in television. And what a career it has been! Against great odds, Barbara has made it to the top of a male-dominated industry. She was the first woman cohost of the Today show, the first female network news coanchor, the host and producer of countless top-rated Specials, the star of 20/20, and the creator and cohost of The View. She has not just interviewed the world’s most fascinating figures, she has become a part of their world. These are just a few of the names that play a key role in Barbara’s life, career, and book: Yasir Arafat, Warren Beatty, Menachem Begin, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, the Dalai Lama, Princess Diana, Katharine Hepburn, King Hussein, Angelina Jolie, Henry Kissinger, Monica Lewinsky, Richard Nixon, Rosie O’Donnell, Christopher Reeve, Anwar Sadat, John Wayne . . . the list goes on and on.

Barbara Walters has spent a lifetime auditioning: for her bosses at the TV networks, for millions of viewers, for the most famous people in the world, and even for her own daughter, with whom she has had a difficult but ultimately quite wonderful and moving relationship. This book, in some ways, is her final audition, as she fully opens up both her private and public lives. In doing so, she has given us a story that is heartbreaking and honest, surprising and fun, sometimes startling, and always fascinating.

Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else

Clinton Kelly

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 45 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Clinton Kelly won't just revamp your wardrobe -- he'll revamp your life!

The huddled masses yearn to be fabulous, and finally Clinton Kelly is heeding their call. As co-host of TLC's popular What Not to Wear, he regularly transforms dumpy fashion disasters into traffic-stopping, get-an-instant-promotion, reignite-the-passion-in-that-relationship makeovers. But fabulousness doesn't stop with style. Let's face it: you might look good, but if you're chomping on that crudité with your mouth wide open, nobody at the party will talk to you -- even if you can explain to them what crudité actually is.

Of course, the keys to being better than everyone else aren't always so obvious. Don't worry; Clinton's here to help.

• How do you make a flat butt look big and a big butt look flat?
• What's the one trick that will slim down your entire silhouette and make your ta-tas look va-va-voom?
• How do you eat an oyster without getting kicked out of the best restaurant in town?
• What's the grammatically correct form of "lay" to use when propositioning a Baldwin brother?

He'll teach you how to look your best, sound your smartest, use the manners your momma taught you, poach an egg, fix a perfect gin and tonic, throw the most popular parties (and top the guest list at other soirees), make your home the envy of your neighbors, and generally be the fabulous person you always knew you could be.

From the three style criteria he uses to dress any shape for any occasion, to his eloquent approach to appreciation, to his four must-memorize recipes for whipping up a last-minute meal, Clinton Kelly shares it all in Freakin' Fabulous.

The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies

Matt Hurwitz

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Complete X-Files is a declassified look at all nine seasons of the American Peabody and Emmy Award-winning science fiction television series created by Chris Carter. Delve into the mystery and myth of X-Files with in-depth looks at its entire television run, the first X-Files film, and the upcoming cinematic sequel. X-Files creator and producer Chris Carter takes us into the never-before-seen archives with explanations of unsolved plots, discussions of the FBI's paranormal investigations, scene by scene breakdowns of popular episodes, and insider information on both the previous and upcoming X-Files films. Discover the mystery behind Mulder's alien abduction, Scully's secret objectives, the designs of the shadowy "Cancer Man," and the full truth about the Mytharc episodes. Includes many bells and whistles, such as gatefolds, alien and monster charts, alien and monster cards, movie posters, a secret dossier, Mulder and Scully booklets , and more! The Complete X-Files will captivate fans and sciencefiction audiences, proving that nothing is what it seems and that "the truth is out there."

The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script

David Trottier

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 107 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Could be better than film schools. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

If you are thinking of enrolling in a film school to study how to write scripts, GET THIS BOOK FIRST. You might save a lot of money. This book has everything. It's easy to read. I wish I'd found this book before wasting tons of money on U*LA.

Editorial Review:

This is six books in one. Book 1 - A screenwriting primer that provides a concise presentation of screenwriting basics. Book 2 - A workbook that walks the writer through the writing process, from nascent ideas through revisions. Book 3 - A formatting guide that presents correct formats for both screenplays and TV scripts. Book 4 - A spec writing guide that demonstrates today's spec style through sample scenes and analysis. Book 5 - A sales and marketing guide that presents proven strategies to help you create a laser-sharp marketing plan. Book 6 - A resource guide that provides addresses and contacts for industry organisations, schools, publications, support groups, services, contests, etc. Among its wealth of practical information are sample query letters, useful worksheets and checklists, hundreds of examples, sample scenes, and straightforward explanations of screenwriting fundamentals.

The Sopranos Family Cookbook: As Compiled by Artie Bucco

Allen Rucker, Michele Scicolone

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> European -> Italian

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 106 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Featuring fabulous Southern Italian recipes, photos, and lore from the hit show, this book will have millions of fans eating like their favourite family. Featuring mouthwatering recipes and family food stories straight from the kitchens of The Sopranos and their friends, The Sopranos Family Cookbook is sure to satisfy readers' hunger and craving for more of The Sopranos. Including the histoory of Neapolitan cuisine and 100 recipes created with the characters in mind, plus luscious pictures of the savory dishes, readers will be baking ziti as good as Carmela's in no time. These are the dishes that the first generation Sopranos brought over from Naples and Avellino and the fourth generation still enjoys. In addition, the book has colour photos of Tony, his family, and his 'family' eating and cooking beautiful Italian meals. Whether it's creating sumptuous Italian pastries or traditional Neapolitan feasts, The Sopranos Family Cookbook lets fans enjoy their favourite show at the table. Allen Rucker has written numerous award-winning television specials and documentaries, including Family Values: The Mob and the Movies. Michele Scicolone has written six Italian cookbooks, some of which have been nominated for Julia Child and James Beard Foundation Awards, and has appeared on Emeril Live and Good Morning America.

Inside Inside

James Lipton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

An uneven, occasionally fascinating read 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Many of the people who have reviewed this book seem disappointed that there is so much Lipton and not enough "Inside the Actors Studio." Actually, I had quite the opposite reaction.

I wanted this book for all the inside scoop on "Inside the Actors Studio" yet found myself getting swept up in Lipton's fascinating life and, more importantly, his rich and colorful writing style (I was so taken with his writing that I went out and bought his novel, "Mirrors.")

I wanted to wallow in the words and the saga of this fascinating man, not sure if I wanted to race through it because it was so captivating, or slow down to savor each page.

My own disappointment came when it actually came to the reason I wanted the book in the first place--the story about "Inside the Actors Studio." Lipton's fawning over each guest got to be so nauseating that while I had devoured the first part of the book, it took me a much longer time to get through the end of it. These are actors. Good actors, to be sure, but not gods and goddesses, not heads of state, not nobel laureates. They are simply ACTORS, yet Lipton treats each one as if he were greeting the Pope, the Dali Lama or the Queen of England. It was fawning to the n'th degree and the only reason I stuck with the book to the end was that I had so enjoyed it up to that point.

I also wanted to know who this St. Bernard of Piveau that Lipton gushes about in every show really was, and never got a satisfactory answer to that, other than that he was apparently a French talk show host, another living legend to be fawned over.

I give this book three stars--if it had stayed at the level of the first half, I would enthusiastically give it five stars, but it is a very disappointing second half (for me).

Editorial Review:

“An unqualified hit” (Library Journal) that offers behind-the-scenes close-ups of hundreds of celebrated artists— from the founder and host of Inside the Actors Studio.

The Simpsons 2009 Fun Calendar

Matt Groening

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Features:

• Size: 12 x 12
• TV & Movie

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

Another Great Simpsons Calendar 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Another year, another great Simpsons calendar. With the impending arrival of 2002, Matt Groening and the creators of the Simpsons treat us to twelve months of memorable Simpsons' moments. Extracting scenes from the show's many seasons, the "2003 Simpsons Fun Calendar" provides the user with colorful, glossy pictures that not only catch one's attention, but also captures the zany, fun spirit of Springfield's many denizens. If you are a Simpsons fan or know of one, this calendar will make a great gift during this upcoming holiday season.

Spectacular Simpsons 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This calendar is just what i expected - fun, colourful and entertaining.

Buy this every year 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I buy this every year for my teenage son. It's becaome tradition and each year it is hung on the wall and used. He loves it because he loves the Simpsons. There are birthdays listed of celebrities although I'm not sure he cares too much about that. The calendar is usually funny and colorful.

Who doesn't love the Simpsons? 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Spend your year with the Simpsons like you should be. The centerfolds in the calendars make nice posters, if you're into that kind of thing. I've been using the Simpsons Fun calendar for about 4 years now, and I'm never disappointed. This year's theme is travel, so the pictures are scenes from episodes, unlike previous calendars which were made up for the most part.