Vincent Reviews

Well, I tried to read this book because I had to read a 12th grade reading level book because thats the level I read at, but I was bored from the start. It starts in words, but by the third page all I was seeing was "Bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. . ."

Then the little house blew up in flames and my interest was rekindled. But, disgustingly, I was turned off by this book because he peed on the flames to put them out. That is just totally gross. I immediately put down the book and honestly wished I could burn it.

If you want an actual GOOD book, try Lord of the Rings or The Count of Monte Christo. Don't bother with this rubbish that somehow was published.

i think this book was a bit too old for me to really say wether i liked it or not. my standards are pretty much based on novels from the last one hundred or so years. with that said the only really problem i had is that it was tooslow. the ideas behind the work were great but it was pretty dificult to keep up with the pace of the novel and all of the tiny nuances of the history.

Gulliver's Travels was a book that was the required reading in my high school senior english class. At first, you think of Gulliver's Travels as a kid's book due to the cartoons that were put out. But as you read it, you discover it is full of satire for adults.
Jonathan swift writes about how people act or fail to act. Such as in the case where Gulliver finds himself in the land of Giants. Many people there are huge, larger than life- sports stars, models, movie stars, politicians of today- but they fail to see their own faults, acme, blemeishes as Gulliver describes them. Then you have the land of Lilliputians, who represent small people in society trying to be something there not, and always trying to push others around. Their election for mayor is funny in that the official who jumps the highest wins! Sorta like our elections today, the canidate who puts the biggest show wins.
Jonathan then writes about the way he feels society should be in the land of the horses, noble, honorable, loving.HHMMM And he takes a shot at humans calling them "Yahoo's", stating they are dirty, filthy, self-centered and how they throw their dung around like monkeys.
Some say Jonthan Swift was an eccentric and crazy, others say he was a genius. Read the book and you be the judge.

Robert V. Remini is the great modern authority on Andrew Jackson, having written a majestic, award winning, three volume biography. Now he has taken a lifetime of research and consideration and distilled it down into one slender volume examining the pivotal moment in Jackson's career and, he argues, one of the vital events in our nation's history.

If you're like me you know exactly three things about the War of 1812. First, that Dolly Madison saved the White House portrait of George Washington from being burned by invading British troops. Second, every kid who ever went to summer camp knows the great Johnny Horton song Battle of New Orleans. Third, that the battle itself took place after the peace treaty had been signed ending the War, but before the combatants had been informed. That was seriously all I knew until I read David Nevin's novel 1812 a couple of years ago (see review). You may know more. If so, more power to you. Should we know more? Remini makes a compelling case that we should.

In addition to doing an excellent job of narrating the events of the battle, he argues that the victory was the moment that really made America a nation. The elements he cites include not merely the fact that it produced a future President, but also the confidence building importance of a citizen army winning a battle against the professional troops of the great British Empire, as well as the fact that this overwhelming defeat made the nations of Europe begin to take the United States seriously as a player on the world stage. In fact, he goes beyond this to argue that New Orleans was actually the nation's first military victory, discounting actions like Saratoga and Yorktown as mere surrenders. It is, of course, possible that he overstates this case a little, having such a vested interest in Jackson's career.

On the other hand, he raises an excellent and little understood point about the War. It was one of only three wars in our history where our existence as a nation was truly threatened (obviously the Revolution and the Civil War were the others). We've fought all kinds of skirmishes, minor brush wars and mopping up operations--Mexican, Spanish-American, WWI, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, etc. And we like to kid ourselves about the threat that the Nazis posed in WWII, though by the time we got in, they were already toast. But really there were only the three conflicts where the United States as we understand it could have perished. If we understood that fact better, perhaps we would pay more heed to the events of 1812-1815. As is, Remini has done his part to capture our attention with this excellent little book.

GRADE: B+

Robert Remini, a noted and prolific scholar on Andrew Jackson, has narrowed his focus to write a colorful and informative account of the Battle of New Orleans, the final battle in Britain's unsuccessful war of invasion of the United States, the "War of 1812". Most Americans' grasp of the battle boils down to a few factoids: Andy Jackson won, pirate Jean Lafitte helped, and the battle was fought after the treaty marking its end (the Treaty of Ghent) was signed, but before news of the treaty reached the new world. Remini's success is in providing a wonderful and interesting background for the events of the battle: the polyglot and stratified society of New Orleans; continued British designs in North America even after the American colonies won their independence; and most starkly, the stalwart, near fanatical patriotism of Andrew Jackson.

The British campaigning is well recounted, from attacks at Mobile Bay to the laborious transfer of troops through the Louisiana bayous, to the final disastrous assaults on entrenched American lines. This book is informative without being overly-dense to a newcomer to the material. A must-read for Americans who've let the battle and its significance slip from the national consciousness. Remini does pay a bit of lip service to the British by doing some research on their commanders and setting them in the context of their career paths. He also wraps up by noting that the Battle of New Orleans was, for decades, seen as a defining coming-of-age moment for the young American republic, it launched Jackson to the White House and was the final and true declaration of independence for newly-empowered Americans.

However, Remini's unabashed flag-waving and affection for his hero create some awkward passages. Time and again he gnashes teeth at British arrogance and nearly weeps at the ragtag nature of the American army, held together by the immense will of great Jackson. At times the book borders on hero worship and veers away from analytical political/military history. So that in the end, this is a readable and interesting history, but a flawed one. An informative ride to the gates of New Orleans, but one taken from the American side.

For me, a Civil War reader, this book was a smidgen out of my target time zone. But it looked interesting, I took a chance with it, and wasn't disappointed!

The War of 1812 falls in a personal historical void between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. I had little idea of the political context for the battle. As it turns out, it is a very fascinating step in the process of America becoming...well, America. That America as a concept is a process, and one that is very much ongoing even today, is something that needs to understood. And this war of 1812 was a very interesting step in that process.

For Civil War readers, this book reads like the Shelby Foote Civil War narratives...which is a compliment of the highest order.

This cookbook has some good general nutritional information, and there are a few easy recipes. But, the majority of the recipes call for ingredients that are hard to find. Besides, there are too many steps and no pictures of any of the meals. I would starve by the time I got finished cooking one of the recipes!

I received this book as a mother's day gift during my second trimester. How I wish I had it when I was suffering from nasea and needed some simple recipes to quiet my queasy stomach (like the canteloupe banana shake." Now that I am feeling better, I am trying some exciting yet easy to prepare dishes such as linguine with clams, tomato, and spinach. I never expected healthy eating in pregnancy to be this exciting yet nutritious.

The recipes in this book are wonderful. The ingredients list is written in the order that they are used- most recipes have easy to find ingredients (nothing too exotic)- most are quick and relatively simple to prepare- it's very well organized and full of delicious recipes. Directions are easy to follow and consist of fresh ingredients (a big plus for me). The beginning is full of useful nutritional information and the chapters are divided into recipes for preconception, the trimesters plus a postpartum section. Much attention is paid to what nutrients are needed at each particular time. You can tell that a doctor-chef couple wrote the book- there is a logical balance between flavor and fact. I definetly reccomend this as a cookbook whether or not you are pregnant!

What happens when you take great actors (Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone), a great writer (Richard Matheson), great source material (E.A. Poe) and a passable director (Roger Corman) and have them make a movie? Nothing very good, as it turns out.

This movie is actually three short movies linked by Price's narration. The first story deals with a young woman who returns to the home of her father, a recluse tormented by the death of his wife; how she died is not really clear, but she is nonetheless intent on revenge. The second story - the best of the three - is a take-off on the Cask of Amontillado with Lorre as a murderous drunk. The final story has Rathbone as a mesmerist who traps Price in a state between life and death.

All three stories have potential, the first and last for horror, and the middle one for humor. Unfortunately, none of the stories are executed well, a fault that seems to lie primarily with Corman. For fans of the Poe movies of the sixties (directed primarily by Corman), this might be worth watching, but for horror fans, it is best to look elsewhere.

Interesting but lame all-star trio of Poe stories that kids may find fun. Admittedly bravura cast saddled with tame treatment of Poe tales tries to make good but ultimately sink beneath the silliness. The script (by the normally reliable Richard Matheson) could have been a lot better. First story "Morella" features a horrible actress named Maggie Pierce who cannot hold her own with Vincent Price. The next two stories are tritely handled and so tame they're boring. Price (who's in all three), Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone liven things up a bit but the results are disappointing on an adult level. The Corman touches are here but the film has a low budget quickie feel. Watch "Tomb of Ligeia" for a "Morella" type tale and stick with the other Corman/Price/Poe adaptations--they're more sophisticated and SO much better. As for this?---leave it for the kids.

Directed by the venerable king of quality low-budget filmmaking, Roger Corman, and scripted by the prolific and popular SF and horror writer Richard Matheson, TALES OF TERROR is comprised of three vignettes based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The incomparable Vincent Price stars in all three, with Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone each co-starring (separately, alas) in one of the others. Any knowledgeable horror fans should be nearly euphoric after reading the credentials behind this flick--and they won't be disappointed!

The first story is based on Poe's "Morella," but Corman and Matheson take great liberties to make the tale darker and scarier than the original. Unfortunately, the altered plot and its resolution (?) are a bit hard to follow, and it is therefore the weaker of the three plays.

The second--and best!--vignette, "The Black Cat" is actually a composite of Poe's story of the same name and his "The Cask of Amontillado." Peter Lorre hilariously hams it up as the cuckolded Montresor Herringbone, and Vincent Price is also a riot as Herringbone's nemesis, Fortunato. In spite of the humor, however, there are still plenty of chills when Lorre builds a wall around his "problems."

The final vignette, based on Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," features the wonderful Basil Rathbone as the hypnotist who uses his powers to put the titular character, Valdemar (portrayed by Price), in a sort of limbo between life and death. Again, Corman and Matheson have taken liberties with the original story (e.g., making the hypnotist malevolent and self-serving), but this time it's to great effect, as Rathbone makes a delightfully devilish villain. The make-up job on Price in the final scene is pretty creepy, too, in spite of the film's low-budget effects. Good old-fashioned frights in this one.

The DVD edition of TALES OF TERROR is short on extras (trailer only)--it would've been great to have a Corman commentary on this one, which many of the other MGM releases of Corman's films DO have--but seeing this film in widescreen makes it well worth the reasonable cost. A worthy addition to any fan of classic horror.

I merely skimmed this book for about 20 minutes, but I didn't like it. I'll admit I had a preconcieved notion because I've seen Jay McGraw on the Dr. Phil show (Dr. Phil is his father)and I didn't like him at all. He grew up wealthy and knows zero about real problems (not meaning to imply the wealthy don't have problems). He's been presented as a voice for the average teen and he's not. At all.

Anyway back to the book. Here are the main problems-
1. It's paifully, painfully obvious he's trying to use teenage slang and come of as your average high schooler. It doesn't work.
2. He's pretty much a poor writer.
3. This book got published, quite simply, because he is the son of Phil McGraw. And it shows.
4. He makes examples of ridiculous cliched stereotypes and there is, as someone already said, an example of sexist thinking.
5. Come on, this book isn't going to change your life like he claims in the introduction. Maybe I'm just too cynical, but when a book starts out like that I automatically roll my eyes.
6. He didn't come up with an idependant idea for a book, he just dumbed down his daddy's version. If you look at the life laws about a half of them are things Dr. Phil says on his show pretty frequently.

The book Life Stratagies for Teens was an excelent book. The author really knew what he was talking about and what the teenagers these days think. He was able to predict many of my feelings about life. The book adresses ten major rules that are called "Life Laws". It goes on to explain every one of them individually. At first, I must admit that I was very unhappy with the fact that I had to read it because I didn't want to be lectured about the future through a book - much less my parents - but the author understood that most teens would feel that way and made the book a quick book to read. You never want to put it down. I recommend you read it if you are in junior high or high school, it is a book that has situations us teens can all relate to.

"Dad, trust me, when it comes to teens, you don't get it!" Thus, Mr. Jay McGraw told his Dad, Dr. Phil McGraw, that Dr. Phil was violating his own first rule for Life Strategies, You Either Get It or You Don't. Mr. Jay had wanted to use Life Strategies to improve his own life, and found that it took him 6 years (from age 13 to age 19) to translate the lessons into a teen perspective that made sense to Mr. Jay. Mr. Jay was naturally appalled when he found that Dr. Phil had a book contract to do a book on Life Strategies for teens. The project was reborn in Mr. Jay's hands.

By the time Mr. Jay was done, he was no longer a teen, having reached the ripe old age of 20. But his memory of teenage perspectives is strong and salty.

Early in the book, he candidly points out that the teen did not buy this book. It was a gift from an adult, usually a parent. And that's a very good point -- one that I would like to comment on.

I suggest that you read this book before giving it to anyone. That may be its greatest benefit. Mr. Jay does a good job of taking on the key psychological, social, and developmental challenges of the teenage years. As you visit these points of view, you can begin to see how your teenager might see you.

For example, do you ever tell you teen stories about what it was like when you were your teen's age? I know I do. Mr. Jay points out that any self-respecting teen "knows" that those old lessons don't apply now. Times are much different and tougher now. Dad or Mom is just being "boring" again.

Do you ever interrupt your teen? Mr. Jay indicates that that means "that Mom or Dad doesn't ever listen to me." That can cut off the possibility of communication.

There's also a wonderful section on the roles that teenager's today choose to play (their social masks). All of a sudden it clicked. I saw each of our teenager's friends fitting neatly into one of these categories. I could suddenly predict how each would respond in any given situation. Wow! What a gift! Thank you, Mr. Jay!! What has happened is that a few new categories have been established since the Middle Ages when I was a teenager. I am very glad to get up-to-date.

The book itself follows Dr. Phil's 10 laws. You can read my reviews of Life Strategies and the Life Strategies Workbook if you want to know more about them.

Mr. Jay takes the perspective of what the payoff is from the teenage years. For example, he candidly points out that you can decide not to get good grades. But you have to understand that that means that you will get less respect from everyone, and have fewer choices after high school is over. Coming from a parent, that would have sounded preachy. Coming from Mr. Jay, it just sounds matter-of-fact.

Many teenagers are into not reading anything they don't have to, so I don't know how many will read this book. From a psychological point of view, it probably should have been positioned as something like "Have Great Teen Years Without Being Hassled by Your Parents and Friends." The book needs more rebellion against the convention wisdom to be appealing.

Regardless, it is great for us parents. Enjoy the examples, learn the role-playing, appreciate the angst, and avoid acting "boring." And by the time your teen is 24, you'll start to look pretty good in her or his eyes again. Be patient in the meantime.

If you have a pretty good relationship with your teen, a possible approach is to start doing Life Strategies yourself. Ask your teen if he or she would help you with the exercises in that book. As you open up about your issues, hopes, and dreams, you may stimulate an interest in your teen. In the meantime, be sure you have a copy of this book around the house, and be perfectly open about reading it. Who knows what might develop next? You could possibly start a dialogue by asking your teen to tell you what the three things are that you do that most annoy your teen. Then, see if you can do better.

Communication is the most important bridge to your teenager's development. Keep building that bridge daily, in ways that your teenager likes!

If you are looking for a short, comprehensive, encyclopedic catalogue of Aesop's Fables then this book is a steal. There are 83 fables in all, including the more famous ones such as the Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Lion and the Mouse and the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg. Each fable comes with a half page or so re-telling of its story plus a one sentence synopsis of the stories' "moral" at the end.

My problem with this is that the stories are so short, there is no magic in them. They are stripped of all but the bones. I can't imagine a child being interested in the stories told this way. I would have preferred them cutting the number of stories and instead fleshing them out by a few pages. I recommend paying a few bucks more for *The Aesop for Children* (ISBN:0590479776) by M. Winter which does just that.

Culturally we are now at the point when "Slow but steady wins the race," "Look before you leap," and "Necessity is the mother of invention" are considered wise sayings passed down from generation to generation. But even if you know these proverbs you might have forgotten, or probably never knew in the first place, that they were first said by an ex-slave named Aesop two thousand years ago and each was the moral to one of his fables. This particular collection of Aesop's fables is based on the 19th-century research and translation of George Fyler Townsend, for whom the stories were moral lessons intended for an ADULT audience rather than simply children's stories about anthropomophic animals. Because he used animals with human strengths and weaknesses, Aesop's tales have been directed over the years more towards children; I heard of lot of them for the first time on a record by the Smothers Brothers. But Townsend restores the style and sophistication that are not commonly found in the juvenile editions of Aesop. In addition to the familiar fables like "The Fox and the Grapes" and "The Hare and the Tortoise" there are dozens of lesser known fables uncovered by Townsend and included in the over 300 fables included in this edition, which makes this collection one of the more comprehensive of its kind.

Read carefully, and realize that the Publisher's Weekly review and several of the comments do not refer to this edition!

The body of Jacob Lawrence's artwork is a national treasure. These drawings may be black and white...they are also exceptional artwork by one of America's finest artists. In choosing this edition, you share not only Aesop's Fables with a child, but also truly great art.

This book, one of two biographies of Edna St. Vincent Millay out this year, provides us with a full-fleshed view of the lyric poet. Nancy Milford had unparalleled access to the correspondence of Millay, and interviews with her surviving sister, Norma. Milford wrote the book over a period of years, allowing her study of Millay some time for seasoning and reflection.

The early slangy, insouciant letters between the poet and her mother and sisters, are a delight, revealing their loving, teasing relationships. (I admit to being surprised by their wide use of baby talk.) Since Millay moved in literary circles and knew many writers, the letters back and forth to lovers and friends are wonderfully expressive. Many female readers may wish that their husbands and boyfriends could write of love and longing as eloquently!

Milford reveals how Millay labored over her art, how creating her lyrics which seem to flow smoothly and effortlessly, required energy and commitment on her part to produce.

She details Millay's slide into alcoholism and drug dependence in her later years. One wonders how intelligent, educated people like Millay and her husband Eugene could fall into such a state, but apparently there was no one in their lives to do what today is trendily called "an intervention," and as they became more and more isolated, Millay's physical decline was accelerated.

Kudoes to Nancy Milford for a comprehensive biography of a passionate American poet!

Nancy Mitford had the "inside scoop" as it were - she had access to Millay's papers, as well as access to Millay's only surviving sister, Norma. These two items make for a book that is a fascinating view of the great poet, Edna St Vincent Millay. Edna lived a life most of us can barely believe - lovers, prizes, fame, fortune - at a time when females weren't supposed to "want it all".

M's Mitford focuses on M's Millay's relationship with her mother and feels this was the determining factor in M's Millay's life. M's Millay was, to a large extent, abandoned by her mother as her mother tried to provide for three girls. M's Millay, being the oldest, took on the mother role for herself.

Her book is punctuated with interviews with Norma, pictures and musings about M's Millay. There can be a bit distracting, especially when you're interested in the events being described at the time. M's Mitford asserts that M's Millay was pregnant and her mother helped her to abort. Outside of a photograph, there doesn't seem to be a lot to support that assertion.

I'd advise reading this book with Daniel Mark Epstein's "What My Lips Have Kissed". His viewpoint is that M's Millay's biggest influence onher life was her many loves. M's Mitford seems right in many respects, but Mr Epstein's poet background seems to work well for him in his view of M's Millay.

Buy both books and read them consecutively - it will give you a more accurate picture of Edna St Vincent Millay.

I had no idea Ms. Millay had led such a fascinating and tumultuous life. This is wonderfully written and not at all dry like you'd expect.

I will probably continue to purchase and read the McNally series, even though Vincent Lardo is no Lawrence Sanders. This book is amusing in parts, but I think Mr. Lardo must have written it with a copy of "Bartlett's Quotations" in one hand because there are more cliches than you can shake a stick at.

Three cheers for Vincent Lardo for allowing the fans of Lawrence Sanders to continue enjoying one of his most beloved characters. I've been reading Sanders for years & was truly saddened at both HIS passing & that of Archy. But lo & behold, here comes Mr. Lardo with Archy at his heels! I was truly amazed as I read this latest adventure... if I hadn't known that Mr. Sanders had passed on, I would've sworn his pen had been inking this latest Palm Beach caper. Just as Sanders' writing made us see the McNally home & its traditional trappings & feel the ocean breezes flowing thru the Pelican Club, so does Mr. Lardo allow us to taste every morsel from Ursi's kitchen & gasp in delight at Archy's attire. If you loved Sanders, you'll love Lardo. He has captured Archy for all of us. To paraphrase McNally, he has given unto us a break!

Palm Beach playboy and part-time private investigator Archy McNally adds the title of theatre director to his credits in an effort to solve a good old fashion whodunit. The deceased was Archy's client who hired him to unmask a con artist who is selling soothsayer services to the elite island ladies at five hundred bucks a sitting. In between Archy's usual maturations â€" cheating on girlfriend Connie, smoking English Ovals, padding his expense report at Daddy's law firm, and rarely drinking before noon â€" Archy eventually stumbles onto the truth before the evening cocktails. (Yes, the rich are different.)

For McNally fans, all the usual suspects are part of this 'play within a play,' from wing nut Binky Watrous to the bar crowd at the Pelican Club. Their personalities are loony as ever, even though the book series baton has been passed from writer Lawrence Sanders, who sadly died, to Vincent Lardo. For the most part Mr. Lardo has made a smooth transition, although his portrayal of some of the characters differs somewhat from Mr. Sanders.

Rather than dwell on what is missing, much has been added, such as a Hamlet-like play within a play. Its cute and boorish, which is part of the spirit of this series. Kudos for Mr. Lardo for maintaining the fun while 'trying out' some new stuff with the bunch from route A1A.

Give the Times credit for having the guts to reprint the original reviews. Several films that are regarded as classic today, such as "Psycho", received lukewarm responses in their original release. Most other music and movie review guides (The Rolling Stone guide for one) overlook their past 'mistakes'. Because the reviews were written at the movies' release, they rarely suffer from the stale air of reverence given to classic films.

The length of the reviews is perfect. Longer than the 3 or 4 sentence plot summaries of most guides, they give the reader a better sense of the character of the film, while still remaining short enough to peruse the book before going to the video store.

I recommend a Maltin guide to begin with, since it covers more films. I think this would be a fine second film guide.

If you have any film buffs on your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa shopping list, buy them this book and wait for the gratitude. Of course no one's going to agree on every movie included, and everyone's going to be angered by some omissions... But that's what makes this book so much fun. Film buffs (like me) love getting all riled up over these kinds of things.

But the reason this book is really essential is that, rather than explaining why each included film is great or "important", the editors chose to include the original reviews printed in the Times when the films were released. Seeing how some of these classics were reviewed in their own time is a real kick. Some, like "Casablanca", were rightfully praised. But check out the scathing review of "Dr. Strangelove", which was clearly ahead of its time.

Of course there will never be a definitive list of 1,000 best movies, but a book like this is really more of a jumping off point for discussion. Personally, I admire a list that's willing to put well-made genre flicks like "Nightmare on Elm Street" alongside classy Hollywood landmarks like "Sunset Boulevard". Not everyone will agree. But they'll definitely enjoy the debate.

This book is an excellent resource for those who are looking for a good movie to watch. Like any other "list" it has its' limits. No two peoples likes and dislikes are exactly the same. Thus there will be disagreements over what is included in the "Best 1000 Movies". Frankly though, the disagreements will probably be over what was included in this book rather than what was excluded; the top 1000 certainly covers a lot of ground. As I came across a movie I thought was undeserving, I thought to myself, "How could they include this movie and leave out..." Strangely enough, every movie I thought to finish the sentence with turned out to be in the book. OK, so it IS short on some of the great comedy of the past; I believe "Duck Soup" is the only Marx Brothers entry. But, then, I didn't need this book to tell me how good the Marx Brother movies are.

What is has done for me, once I stopped gawking and started to put it to work, is introduce me to a lot of good movies that I would have missed otherwise. I've been going to the video stores lately looking for the "older" movies of the 80's and 90's rather that the meager selections of new releases. Agreed, most of the ones I've checked out have not been on anyone's top ten list. However, they have been enjoyable and better than most of the movies I've seen on TV of late.

I do have a couple of mild criticisms of this book. The first thing I would "criticize" is the format. (It may also be its' strength so I proceed caustiously along this line). The format is to list the movies with their original New York Times review. That's very well except that the "Times" panned a number of these movies in their reviews. "Bonnie and Clyde" comes to mind as a movie that received a particularly bad review. Now we all know that "Bonnie and Clyde" is a deserving member of the Top 1000 because we've either seen it or know its' reputation. But what about the lesser movies that we've neither seen nor heard much about. How are we to be inspired to go out and watch based solely on a negative review. Some historical perspective could have helped. However, if that were the case, they'd probably still be writing the book. Another "criticism" I have is how I was struck with the notion that most of the movies are of a more recent vintage. I actually sat down and totalled the number of movies in the list by decade (yes, I DO have other things to do with my life). I had always heard that the 1930's were the Golden Age of Cinema but the results suggest otherwise (at least in the eyes of these NY Times editors). There were two movies in the 1920's (kudos to "Disraeli" and "The Jazz Singer"), 92 in the 30's, 129 in the 40's, 146 in the 50's, 150 in the 60's, 156 in the 70's, 200 in the 80's and 128 in the 90's (the latest movies I noticed were in 1998). Thus the new Golden Age would seem to be the 1980's. Why doesn't seem that way in reality? There was an art to movie-making in the pre-1970's that challenged the productions to use more symbolism. Now that we have the technology and lack of inhibitions to show just about anything and everything on film, there seems to be little reason to be suggestive rather than blunt. I suspect that the reason the number are so slanted towards recent vintage may be the failure of the editors to have seen more of the great movies of the past. Having said that, I close with thanks for the effort that went into this book and the excellent resource it will serve for anyone who's looking for a good movie to watch.

If you've been to his website, you will see just how truly un-knowledgable the author is.. He's funny, articulate, and rock stupid as far as target audiences and economics. This book, and the corresponding website (which may I add crashes the latest version of IE) is not even slightly useful to the serious web enterpenuer.

Of the 3 or 4 web page design books that I've purchased this one is the best by far. Be examining the common mistakes people make when putting together a web site the authors illustrate good web page design principles. They use examples from actual commercial sites on the web, telling you what's wrong with them and what they did right. The writing style is light and the book is full of humor (what did you expect with a title like that). However, don't let this fool you into thinking that the book doesn't have any "meat" in it. While the authors are designers by background, they also seem to know a lot of the technical aspects about the web. They cover the latest technologies (as of 1998) and tell you how to use them. More importantly, they tell you when not to use them.

These guys definitely feel that it's best to avoid "bleeding edge" techniques. They are also advocate the principle of keeping things simple. Many the sites that they think "suck" are one with an overuse of animation, strange colors, or flashy techniques. They also point out sites that may look good on one browser at one resolution but may look terrible when viewed on another -- then they show you how to avoid this problem.

It appears as though their target audience is someone that is designing a site for commercial purposes. This book was not specifically intended for the person putting together a family web page. That being said, I think that anyone that's designing for the web will learn a great deal by reading this book.

My only criticism for this book is that it probably needs to be updated. It is currently a couple of years old and some technologies have change since it was written.

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If you dare say your interested in website design, then I must beg of you why you do not have this book already? As a professional web designer I was totally impressed with this book. It holds true to every concept on decent and good web design that I have been trying to teach my employees and students forever.

The concepts are simple, and presented in a humorous and fun tone. The graphics are colourful and definitely add to advice being given. I think this book is a must have for hobbyist and pro, beginner and expert alike. There is just too much valuable information in here, even if it serves as a check list to judge your own work against, it is well worth it for anyone at any level. At the very least, it's a good place to start a fresh designers training.

My only complaint is the age of the book, the urls and websites could be updated, as well as the wonderful cd included in the back, that being said, I still hold firm this book is worth more then every penny.

Anyone who works in this industry will tell you that good design is about bringing in money, something you can't do if you scare away your users. This book teaches you about advertising art. Read it, learn it, live it.

Learn what to do right, by learning what not to do wrong. What an awesome idea, why didn't I think of that?