I work as a clerk in a video store, and plan on entering film school. I am often asked to find movies based on the slimmest of details. They range from "a two year old movie with Al Pacino" to "that movie who had the guy from that movie that was nominated for best picture last year". While sometimes I'm able to decipher my customer's meaning, I am often lost. This book has essentially eliminated that problem.

I have never seen a video guide as cross-referenced or as complete as this one. You can use title, subject, actor, director, cinametographer, composer, award winning (you can look to see what movie won the academy award for best song in 1935 or the independent spirit award for first feature in 1987), and then you can find a description and a review. After searching half a dozen of these types of books, I found the 2000 version of the VideoHound - and then ordered the 2001 version that night. I had been rating these references by completeness, when I found Frank Whaley (star of independent movie Swimming with Sharks and minor character in Pulp Fiction) in the actor directory - I knew I had my book.

The only reason that I didn't give this book a five-star review is due to personal preference. I didn't agree with many of their reviews. Somewhat unfair, I realize, but a problem for me nonetheless.

This is perhaps the necessary guide for any movie lover. I know that I'm taking it to my store.

For the third year in-a-row, this is the only movie guide I've bought, simply because it's the one where I'm most likely to find what I'm looking for. I still appreciate all the different ways of cross referencing, especially the listing of actors/actresses, since I often can't remember a movie title, but can remember who was in it. You know how that is.

The individual film listings go way beyond director and key actors. Even less-than-star players get a mention, as well as the writer, cinematographer, and composer/lyricist. Also included is a listing of all the nominations and awards a film received. Every so often, a particular review will give a heads-up about an interesting piece of movie trivia, or cameo by someone who didn't get top billing.

I'd be inclined to give this five stars, but I'm still waiting for the editor to put back the foreign film index and the "content warning" descriptions, which were very useful to me, but discontinued after the 1999 edition. Still, I'd recommend this fine reference to everyone.

I've been plunking down... $ a year for 5 years now for the annual VideoHound guide, and I'm quite happy I've done so. No one video guide is complete, but VH comes the closest, reviewing not only the a-list movies, but many of the b-to-z grade movies too. The reviews are concise and usually informative (and often sarcastic), and I tend to agree with most of the ratings given. The VH also attempts to make available format information beyond the standard VHS and DVD- you can look up whether a movie was released on 8-mm videocassette, laserdisc, CD-i, and Beta, as well. However, the information on these alternate formats is quite scanty- probably half of the movies in my laserdisc collection are listed as being VHS or VHS/Beta only.

The VH doesn't stop where other movie guides do- almost half of the book consists of indexes- some incredibly useful, some not. The star and director indexes are alone worth the price of the book- my only complaint is that the star index only lists people with several movies under their belt. Stars who have appeared in only one or two movies don't show up- but perhaps an index listing them would be prohibitively large. The category index (want movies about waitresses or poetry?) is fun, but most of the listings are merely representative, rather than comprehensive. The VH contains quite a few more indexes, reflecting movie awards, cinematographers, and more.

I wish the book contained alternate titles alphabetically in the body of the movie index (with a reference to the title the movie is reviewed under.) This would obviate the need for the alternate title index, and would make searching for movies a lot more intuitive. I also have quibbles with some of the movie reviews and ratings, but this is a given in any video guide. These complaints are minor, however- the VideoHound fills the role of video guide incredibly well, better than any other book I've ever tried.

An overly romanticized biography of the "world's greatest hustler". The book is fun and often quite humorous, but ultimately lets Thompson off the hook. The author glorifies Thompson's fun-loving, harmless nature, but chooses to side-step the naked truth - that he was really a liar, cheat, and a swindler who got what he deserved when he died in destitution.

I loved the stories and I was captivated by the man. A must read for golf enthusiasts and bio fans alike.

Some of the things that Thompson did are unbelieveable. You can never put it down because you always want to see what he did next.

My son is in 5th grade and reads at a high level, so I was a bit leery when I saw the "low" reading level for this book (I forget exactly, but around level 2 or 3). However, the story looked good and anything about hockey is warmly welcomed in our house. I decided to give him the book and I'm really glad I did. He suggested that since it was easy to read, why not make it a read-aloud and we'd read it together? So we did and we both loved the book, although parts of the plot were a bit predictable. He wants me to get more of these books for him!

I checked this book out in relation to the Winter Olympics. I read it to my 6 and 4 year olds (a boy and girl) in the car. We all loved it, especially dealing with the issue of girls being able to do things that are "only for boys". My husband was dissapointed when I got to the last page - he wanted more of the story.

Laymon's work is so terse and hard-hitting that it's almost impossible to read it slowly. His prose style owes more to the 'hard-boiled' school of crime and mystery authors than to any traditional horror writers. This gives his best books more brute power than even hardened horror readers might expect. Sentences of sharp, brutal impact can leap off the page and strike the reader like open-handed slaps.
'The Cellar' is one of his best in that it couples this stripped-down readability with an absolutely merciless plot. At his peak, you can never tell how Laymon will end his tales, who will die, who will live and what will be left of them. The conclusion of 'The Cellar' is legendary and it thoroughly deserves this status.
If you like horror fiction, be it Poe or Barker or Blackwood or Hutson, give this book a try. Nobody ever wrote quite like this before.

Oh my, I've read this book twice, so far, and I can still see Maggie Hutch with the blue glow around her and her...children. That is probably the most disturbing scene out of all the disturbing scenes I have ever wittnessed in the world of horror, with exception maybe of J.F. Gonzalez' Maternal Instinct. I don't really want to give anything away but let me tell you its great! What other author out there has ever always had dark nipples in everyone of his books? Theres always murder, blood, gore and sex in every Laymon book. Thats what made him the most underated author of all time. His books are crisp, interesting and possess a certain crystal clarity that only he can put into your mind. The only book that I have never finished of his was Quake, and that was because I had to take it back to the library because someone had it on reserve. The Cellar starts off The Beast House Chronicles and ends with Friday Night in Beast House. The Beast House is also great, but I believe that the best book in the series is The Midnight Tour. Yes, its over 500 pages and nothing really, lets say, "beastish", really happens till the last 50 pages or so but he does an outstanding job of developing the characters. Some you love and would want to marry and some you just want to strangle and burry never to be seen again. Like I said crystal clarity is something he does best, its something you should expect from each and every book that he has ever written. Three things you will always see in his books: Gore, violence and sex!

This was my first Ricard Laymon book. After hearing of the plot from a friend I immediately rushed out a bought a copy of this horrorific book. A recommendation, if you get attached to characters easily and CAN'T STAND to see them hurt...dont read this. One of Richard Laymon's (RIP) great strengths is his ability to create great characters and make you pull for them. This is a fast paced read, with a story centering around the Beast House and its past infamy. Murders, rapes, gores and horrors are the norm at this house, all handed out by the 'beast'. The characters all come into place very nicely with some gruesome sub-plots to boot. With every uncovered truth we the reader are horrified at what is happening, but are left not wanting to put the book down because you dont want to leave the character in such an evil situation. The ending in this book has to be the most gruesome, gory and uh,...most DISTURBING piece of literature I've ever read (and Ive read some crazy stuff). I was left thinking, this can be over! I was outraged. Then, when i found that this was only the first book in the series i raced out and bought the rest. Richard Laymon will be missed, he is the greatest and most under appreciated horror writer of our time. Give this book a chance, its a short read and worth the nightmares

It started out slightly slow but picked up quickly. Once it did I was reluctant to put it down. I found myself wishing there was more to read.

This story centers around a comet passing near the earth. Though there is little danger of it actually hitting the earth, it comes close enough to disrupt weather patterns. It causes period of heat and stiflng lack of any breeze. A lightly regarded scientist develops an explanation for this, and predicts an end to the Great Calm. It is to be followed by five atmospheric disturbances of increasing intensity. The first is to be a very light breeze; the last could have the strength of a superhurricane engulfing the northern hemisphere. Some people believe the scientist; many do not. As a weather hobbyist, I found little reason to suppose that a comet's near miss would bring these results. Aside from that, I found the story very enjoyable to read. As the first three "waves" prove the scientist correct, the suspense really mounts in anticipation of the last two. The characters, while not unforgettable, are sufficiently depicted for you to care what happens to them. Though not as great as LUCIFER'S HAMMER, this is an above-average story; I can recommend it.

Eric and his mom traveled to Alaska see the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Eric, in the long run, gets lost in the woods and there ends up being a snow storm. You'll see how he handles his journey back to his mom. I read this book because I like the author Jim O'Connoor. I also read this because of the other Survive books. "I don't care if I see the first sled or the twenty-first sled. Any sled will do. If I can just spot one, I'll be okay. I've got to find the race route and wait near it. Sooner or later someone will come by." thought Eric. (page 55) I think this really relates to the book. He doesn't care who he sees but he wants and/or needs to find someone because he is lost. I think the author makes the boy sound real because that's what someone would really think, who cares about the race, I need help. I loved the book because I don't like a lot of suspence in a book. This book may not be for eveyone though. It's not real interesting but is kind of exciting.

This was a strong, adventurous mystery. He writes with a lot of cynical flair. Several good one-liners, and a pulsing chase scene at the end. The killer's identity isn't a huge surprise, but doesn't seem meant to be. The emphasis is on the characters and the setting. Nicely done!

This is a very funny book and we liked it very much. The best thing about this book is that it was filled with surprises. We loved the ending the best. Read "Slime Time" by the same authors to find out what else Danny is up to.

December 1948: Peking is held by nationalist troops but surrounded and besieged by communist forces. Amid the tension in the city and the power stuggles between various factions, Inspector Bei of the Peking police probes the connections between the burning to death of a Taoist abbot on the steps of his temple, a series of brutal murders of high-priced prostitutes, and a mysterious organization called the Purple Mountain. My favorite kind of mystery, one that incorporates actual historical persons and events (Mao Zedong, Chou Enlai, Lin Piao, the siege of Peking) into an absorbing story. (Max Allan Collins also does this sort of thing especially well in his Nate Heller novels.)

Managing By Values uses the same simple, direct story format used in The One Minute Manager and many other Ken Blanchard books. This makes the book easy to follow as it moves from one concept to the next. This book does a good job of presenting the Managing By Values system as an idea that makes sense for a company's bottom line. It's great to have a work force that enjoys their jobs, but those jobs won't last long if a company doesn't remain profitable. Managing By Values shows that you don't have to sacrifice profit to increase worker satisfaction and that you don't have to sacrifice worker satisfaction to increase profit. The MBV process shows that increased worker satisfaction leads to increased profit. This book is written for CEOs and people in senior leadership positions.

In Managing by Values, Ken Blanchard and Michael O'Connor suggest that many companies create lofty vision and mission statements that they distribute throughout their organization for all to see, yet they rarely if ever "walk the talk." This book challenges organizations to transform the way they conduct business from managing by intimidation to managing by values.

Gut Reactions: When I initially read the jacket of this book, I thought it would be more of the same old total quality management jargon. I expected to read a lot about statistical process control, just-in-time management and leadership from the bottom up. While several of these topics were mentioned in the book, they were by no means the major thrust of what the authors wanted us to learn. The focus was on leading, managing and working in an environment that focuses on the C-E-O-S of an organization. According to the text, these key constituency groups provide the structure within any successful organization. The foundation on which these organizations conduct business is one of commitment, not only to profit but also to business values like honesty, integrity, fairness, and cooperation, in other words, "managing by values." Written in a story format, the authors easily draw you into the life and problems of a CEO ((Tom Yeomans) who has finally realized that his way of managing may not be the best thing for himself, his family or his organization. Faced with this revelation, Tom makes a commitment to change his own way of managing and ultimately create a more ethical way of doing business within his organization.

Big Ideas: ·There are Three Acts of Life: Act I: Achieve (being-by-doing) Act II: Connect (being-by-being-with) Act III: Integrate (being-by-becoming) ·Fortune 500 Organizations depend on four pillars: C - Customers E - Employees O - Owners (stockholders) S - Significant others (community, creditors, suppliers,

vendors, etc.) ·Managing by Values Process Phase 1: Clarifying the mission/purpose and values - Owners - Top Management - Unit Leaders - Employees - Customers - Other Key Stakeholders Phase 2: Communicating the mission and values - Organization and Unit Events (meetings, celebrations, etc.) - Communication Materials (posters, brochures, etc.) - Formal Communications Mechanisms (newsletters, etc,) - Informal Communications Mechanisms (memos, voicemail, e- mail, etc.)

Phase 3: Aligning the daily practices with the mission and values - Individual practices (self management, problem solving, decision making and leadership practices) - Team practices (effective member practices, group dynamics and processes, stages of building high-performance teams) - Organizational practices (strategic management and development, organizational systems and processes, resource- barrier management, rewards and recognition practices) Continuous Improvement

Implications: - This story has implications beyond the corporate world. It challenges each of us to live our personal lives and conduct our business affairs within the same ethical framework. I now understand why in the past I've found myself at odds with the cultures and practices within an organization and why I ultimately chose to leave those organizations. This book could easily have been written about an elementary school, a college or university, a hospital or an insurance company. - The text also challenges us to integrate our need to achieve with our need to connect with others. It reminds us to keep the humanistic perspective in all that we do.

Questions: After reading Managing by Values, I had the following questions: - Why has it taken so long for us to recognize that ethical behavior is synonymous with customer service? - Can this type of management philosophy truly be successful in the business world? - Are there any organizations that have successfully implemented this philosophy? - Is this type of management philosophy being taught in business schools in the year 2000?

Finally... a book that gives more detail on how the values integration process works. Reading this book 6 months into our own values integration process is very reassuring because it really hits home on a lot of points. This book outlines the same process that we used and its working! The interpersonal relationships seem to me to be the first notable change. The buy-in part is crucial. This book is also realistic about internal opposition to the values integration and the length of time that it takes to truly become a values- based company. Another key topic in this book is that being a values-based company is about being a group of values-based people. You need to work on yourself too; it's not just that you have values when you come to work. I think an important feature of any values integration process is promoting the importance of living each day with integrity in ALL things that we do, not just at work. The amazing thing is that once you start to see and feel that your company is living your values, you will try harder to keep moving forward. Another good book to get people inspired is Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni.