This book is a treasure house of information, packed with tidbits and anecdotes that will have you reading for hours when you only meant to look up just that one bit of info. The author pulls it off with style in a readable format that makes fascinating going out of what could have been just a laundry list of dates. His passion for the subject, and joy in sharing it, shines through on every page. I was intially put off by the high price myself until I had a chance to look at a copy, and I realized that it was worth every penny, not to mention every minute of painstaking research that went into it.

This book was recommended to me by Fred Astaire's daughter, who described it as "wonderful." I found it to be all of that and more. The author knew Mr. Astaire personally and made extensive use of the Astaires' papers (both Fred's and and his sister's) that are preserved at Boston University. The book covers the full gamut of Astaire's life and career, including vaudeville, stage, films, radio, recordings, and television. Insightful and meticulously researched, this is a "must have" for any admirer of the man who has been described as "the greatest musical perfomer in the history of motion pictures" and "the premier American dancer of the Twentieth Century."

Let me start off by saying that this book is for serious Astaire fans only. If you have seen only one movie of Fred's, enjoyed it and wish to know more about the man, I suggest "Steps In Time". However, if you've seen most of his movies, listened to his music, watched his tv shows, and still want to know more than this book is invaluable. Billman covers all aspects of Fred's work. Each chapter is devoted to a different facet of Fred's career: filmography, radio, television, discography, etc. While giving the facts, Billman also mentions interesting anecdotes about Astaire that give you a glimpse at his character. Its definitely not "clinical" by just saying "Fred did this movie this year with this costar and this director". He does give that information but also mentions any difficulties with dances, how certain things were done, any problems with costars. He also includes a short biography of Fred, short because chances are if you're reading the book in the first place you're already familiar with Fred's life. I've found myself using it several times to check dates, supporting actors, and as a sort of checklist for my Fred collection. I highly recommend it even if it is rather expensive.

Nathalie F Anderson is a great poet. Her language is rich, but unpretentious, full of meaning, but light and accessible. And, what is most important, her poems are most relevant. Buy this book, it's got a very reasonable price for all the treasures it contains.

Nathalie Anderson's beautifully-textured poems are a combination of fine writing, wry humor and serious subject matter.

Probably the best book on Fred Astaire's career, this has everything, including frame-by-frame analyses of each of his dances. Mueller is obviously a fan, and sometimes finds things to praise in films that are actually pretty dull ("The Sky's the Limit," "Belle of New York"). But unlike most movie books, this one is fully thought-out, beautifully written, and just about exhaustive. Even the footnotes and appendices make entertaining reading.

The Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Book is both entertaining and informative. Croce provides insightful commentary on the two stars' careers, their films, and individual dances to compliment the delightful pictures throughout the book. The top corners of the pages can even be used as a flip book so you can see a sample of Fred and Ginger dancing. This book has a wealth of information and is fabulous for anyone interested in the history of dance on film.

An amazing story told by the man himself!! What an incredible life he led! A must have for any fan! I could not put it down. He is an amazing story teller and spends alot of the book on what you don't hear about, his and his sister Adele's incredible vaudeville act and his tour with the USO. What a wonderful man! And he focuses on things other people don't, his flops in show business! You know about his triumph's but he shares his defeats also. Definately worth every penny.

I'm a fan of Fred and I adore him so much so I recomend this book to any classic movie fan or any Fred fan! This is one of the best book's I've read and I hope many more people can read this and take a step into the life of Fred Astaire

I am a big fan of Fred Astaire and this was the first book I was able to read about him. The fact that it is also written by him is a big plus. Fred is a shy and humble man, and his book gives that impression but it is a great account of a man that met everyone, from English and Hollywood royalty to bookmakers and bell hops (in fact, he made a point of knowing bell hops, they knew all the right places to go and the juicy stories). Fred was a private man and he never delves into much detail about his personal feelings. He's quick to acknowledge someone he likes, but you get the feeling that he holds back on people he might not have liked. He never puts down a film partner so if you're looking for an autobio that tells it all, this isn't it. However, Fred's story is still chock full of interesting tales. It doesn't just appeal to Astaire fans, it also appeals to vaudeville, theater, and history fans as Fred was born in 1899 and lived through some amazing times. The Roaring '20s were spent in New York and London (visiting with royalty and the upper class), the '30s in Hollywood where he and Ginger Rogers made people forget the Depression for a while with their movies, and he dedicates a chapter to rehashing his overseas experience in the '40s when he toured on a USO show during WWII. So if you want an easy read of an important movie and dance icon, I highly recommend "Steps In Time". Don't worry about being bored, Fred has a nice sense of humor and there are no lulls in his story. He wrote this book in the late '50s and still had decades of work in front of him, but unfortunately, he never wrote a follow up book chronicling what was still an exciting and glamorous life. Read this book and watch the movies!

Sarah Giles has unfortunately done nothing to forward a deeper understanding of Fred Astaire - her text consists of individual names and quotes of a few sentences regarding the topic at hand. Very little was devoted to Fred Astaire's dancing, and I do not think it would be possible for one more person to mention his "perfectionism". The sole redeeming quality of this book is the exemplary collection of photographs taken of Astaire throughout his life and career. I think a interested reader would be better off pursuing a traditional Astaire biography than reading this book.

Fred Astaire's richly deserved reputation as one of the world's greatest dancer is enhanced with this book, which does a superb job of moving beyond the dance and into his personal life, his professional relationships, his Anglophile tendencies and more. Did you know that the Gershwins and Irving Berlin composed more songs for Fred Astaire than for any other single person? These men latched onto the carefree, wholly American ease projected by Astaire and made him the vehicle for some of their most memorable classics.

The quotations Giles gleans from Astaire friends, colleagues and family do the trick of supplementing the very little we know of this very private man. Ginger Rogers tartly observes, "Well, I think when you work with somebody all day long, for ten movies, you become good friends, though he was as delighted not to see me at night over dinner as I was." Then here's Liza Minnelli asking Halston to dress her like "Fred Astaire in the daytime and a movie star at night." Cary Grant apparently felt that Astaire was the pinnacle of style--after watching "Broadway Melody of 1940," Grant desparately searched everywhere for a white tuxedo identical to the one worn by Astaire in this film. Even his podiatrist is quoted herein, noting wryly that Fred sometimes had trouble with his toes because he wore his shoes a half size too small so as to convey a neater impression.

The photographs, many of which were published here for the first time, include studio glossies of Astaire with his many famous co-stars, Astaire at home with his family and dogs, and a hilarious shot of Astaire skateboarding in the late 1970s. This examination of a one-of-a-kind talent is summed up most perfectly when Rudolf Nureyev says, "We were all dancing. Fred was doing something else entirely." "Fred Astaire: His Friends Talk" is a must for any movie lover or dance lover's library.

This book is a wonderful addition to any true lover of Fred Astaire. The photographs of him, his family, his friends and his dancing are rare and a must for any real collector. Agree that the book does not give much on his life as far as a biography, but it is a great collectors item. I cherish my copy.

I picked up this book because I have always loved Astaire and Rodgers. However, when I started reading, I was dissapointed. The plot seems a little farfetched. I think there were too many characters, and I kept wondering why everybody knew each other. Russia is a large country, but reading this book makes it seem like a small town. However, this book did manage to keep me interested in what happened at the end. I would read it for distraction because it is by no means great literature.

Like many of Baxt's novels, this one goes a little off-track with all the characters and spies, et cetera. However, that, in this humble reader's opinion, is part of the charm. These mysteries were obviously not written for deep, critical analysis, but for simple enjoyment. All the characters, and there are many, are fleshed out, and if the plot lacks bits that are shoved in a bit too hurriedly at the end, well that's just part of the charm. Another three cheers for George Baxt. And for Fred and Ginger.

I found this book to be a very in depth look at the life of Fred Astaire. It's a must for any fan. However, after reading his autobiography, this book doesn't have the same amount of humour and charm. For a biography, it's great.

Turn Left at the Black Cow offers Fred Astaire fans some wonderful anecdotes, as the legendary dancer visits his daughter and her husband in Ireland. However, author McKenzie's constant name dropping and continuous negative comments about Fred's second wife wear thin. Worth a look, but feel free to skim.

If you read this for tidbits about Fred Astaire, that's all you get are tidbits. If you read it seeking the feeling of Ireland, there are some nice descriptive moments in the book. Mostly it focuses on the author whose life and celebrity contacts did not make up for my disappointment in the skimpiness on Astaire and Ireland.
I recommend instead titles by Niall Williams or reread Frank McCourt.

I stumbled upon this book searching for books about Fred Astaire and was so glad that I found it. Richard McKenzie has such a good eye for people. I loved the stories about his neighbors in Ireland as well as the unique insight into Fred Astaire. I highly recommend this book.

As a huge Astaire/Rogers fan I found this book to be nothing more than a collection of over analyzed run-off with a few interesting tidbits thrown in. There's very little entertainment in the reading. One get's the impression this book was authored by Sigmund Freud. Different maybe, but yuck.

This book is more about the careers and images of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from 1934-49 than it is a study of their movies together and their dancing. If you are a dance enthusiast and want to read a detailed account of their dances, this is NOT the book for you.

However, I am not a dance person, but I like classic Hollywood films, and I found this book interesting. It shows how the Fred&Ginger films share some concerns with screwball comedy, how World War II affected the images of both stars, and how stars age in the public eye. Gallafent isn't the most graceful of writers, and I got confused in his discussion of "Once Upon a Honeymoon," but I thought he did a good job connecting the Fred&Giner phenomenon to other developments and careers in classic Hollywood.

Gallafent reviews the films of Astaire and Rogers, both those they made separately and those they made together, from their first pairing through the late forties. Gallafent makes a plausible case for continuity and development from one musical to another. Even as you find his arguments logical and believable, you know Hollywood doesn't work that way. Few people expect or want anything more from an A & R movie than the unalloyed pleasure of the singing and dancing. Gallafent even manages to connect the films Rogers did without Astaire (of which there were many more than I had realized). In spite of his quirky premise, Gallafent is interesting and entertaining throughout, and the book is chock full of stills from the films.