This book is absolutely incredible! Every page is bursting with the zany creativity that Jim Henson inspires in us all. This book is well-worth the price for the photos alone -- everything from early obsure works to Sesame Street to my hero, Kermit the Frog. The text is engaging, informative and full of interesting stories behind the movies and tv shows that have made so many of us laugh. If you are part of the Muppet generation like me you will especially appreciate the fond memories this book brings back.

I am so sorry that I could not put in 5 million stars. I go to the library everyday and read this book while awaiting to be picked up, and I never get tired of it, this is the BEST book there is, it tells you everything with awesome pictures to go with it, I can't say enough about this book, its the BEST. I am hoping to join the Muppet clan ASAP. I can't wait, the Muppets are the best invention anyone has ever come up with. Jim Henson is the best person in the world, and I only wish I could thank him for all the things he has done for me and everyone else.

Jim Henson truely wsa a creative genious. The original development sketches of the muppet characters truely makes this book a gem

I received this book as a birthday present last month. To say the least, I was overwhelmed with all the artwork in this book. I love it! The artwork and production animation is breathtaking! It's a really awesome book, I'd get it if I were you! You can't go wrong with "The Art of The Lion King"!!!

This book is one of the most exquisite things to come out of The Lion King. The graphics are beautiful. Most of the pictures are ones that are used for the storyboard and layout scenes. I reccommend it to anyone who loves The Lion King, or just Disney in general. Order with confidence - the book is worth much more than its price tag. It is also much more convient than the larger, more expensive version which I believe is no longer being produced.

This book is great if you like to see all the art work that was created during the development of the movie as well as the finished scenes. They show you a lot of the concept art that was used so that you get a sense of how ideas developed and gives you a glimpse behind the scenes. The book is mostly pictures with less explanatory text than you usually see in similar books. So it's mostly a book to look at as opposed to reading. It's great if you enjoy looking at animation art.

It is a shame that this book is currently out of print, for it is to my mind the only completely satisfying biography of entertainer Judy Garland available. Finch not only writes about Garland's life in well researched, eloquent prose, his work also provides a broad overview of the world and times in which Garland both worked and lived, with considerable reference to those who shaped her personality and her art, and who contributed to both public and private successes and failings. Truly a masterpiece of the biography genre, drenched with seldom-seen photographs as well.

This is doubtless one of the greatest books ever written on the legendary Judy Garland! When you read this book you KNOW how much work has been put into it. So many wonderful insights from Mr. Finch. It's not one of those Judy-does-no-wrong books where the author simply trusts her word. Here, Mr.Finch question what she said and analyses it. Like what she says about her mother being an evil stage mom watching her from the wings. He has done lots of research to prove what he has written. Many articles from local papers following the activities of the Gumm Sisters. Judy sister Virginia says alot in this book aswell. And lots of great pictures too! I couldn't put it down, it's wonderful. Greatly entertaining. I hear this book is pretty hard to find, so good luck. It's definetly worth the search.

Truly, this book is a labor of love. I would like to take the time to thank Mr. Finch for his hard work in researching and putting together this wonderful book. A collector's item, to be sure. I cherish my copy, as they are almost impossible to find, these days. Thank you again, Mr. Finch.

I thought this book of Norman Rockwell's work was a fascinatining look into the typical/almost idealistic life of everyday embarrassing/comical/poignant situations which do commonly occur. The picture I enjoyed the most was "The Gossips" where upon I could imagine the tale behind the laughter and enjoy looking at the different facial expressions and that there was such a great twist to the tale. Thank you for such a great book!.

The book is small, but the illustrations still are reproduced extremely well. The essay alone is worth every penny. If you feel uneasy about your love for the work of Norman Rockwell, this book will give you the courage to like what you really like, without any more appologies. Buy it, read it, enjoy. You will, I guarantee.

To say that you can spend hours browsing through this wonderful collection is an understatement. This is a book that can be savored over a lifetime.

It shows the progression of Rockwell's art from his early, almost Victorian style covers, to his most famous illustrations, to his political portraits. It always annoys me that people claim he is an illustrator, not an artist. Simply because these pictures tell a story should not detract from their artistic merit.

This volume has them all. From the beautiful, awkward, girl at the Mirror, Doctor's appointment and countless others that are not as well known, but still great! So many of these paintings allow us to learn more about America (Can you get much more American than Norman Rockwell?). His GI- Willie Gillis is truly everyman during WWII. We seem enjoying a hometown newspaper, on leave, with his comrades, and finally as a student on the GI Bill. So many ideas are timeless. The chronicle of a day in the life of a boy or girl seem to embody childhood. Commuters on a platform captures the rise of suburbia. THe one of a son sitting with his father and dog about to leave for college captures that bittersweet moment on the cusp of adolescence.

The sunlit, yet dusty, Marriage Liscense is generally recognized as art, but others should be too. I hope that with the recent Rockwell exhibets a new generation of Americans will appreciate this wodnerful artist who captured so much of our lives!

This is a great addition to any collection- you will never tire of looking through it!

If you can only have one Norman Rockwell book, look no further. This is the quintessential Norman Rockwell. You can spend hours and hours looking at the illustrations and still not fully grasp all the subtle nuances - like the cameo paintings within the painting; the relections in the mirror; the advertisements in the folded newspapers; and so on. I have only found one inconsistency. In "The Clock Mender" some areas in the painting make an abrupt departure from his trademark quasi-realistic style. It reminds me of Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon". Was Rockwell cleverly introducing "Surrealism" into this particular painting, in an inverted Salvador Dali sort of way? Or was the original painting simply damaged and then retouched by someone else? It would make delightful reading if Mr Finch, or anyone else, could offer an explanation.

From Kelvin

I am a beer fancier, I just love a good brew. When I started looking for a book to increase my knowledge in beer I came across this jewel. It explains the origins of beer, how beer is made and its different types. It also takes you on a worldwide tour, explaining the different brewing traditions and styles. Loved it!

My only complain is regarding Mexican beer: it is absolutely great!, you just have to know which brands to ask for.

Christopher Finch has captured Norman Rockwell's magnificent and intriguing use of art to compile a work of American History. Each painting featured in the book is an amusing, yet truthful look at American life in the early 1900's and on. This book is a must to have in any home library!

If you can get your hands on this book - DO SO! I grew up watching the Muppets and this book gave me the opportunity to dive back into my childhood and relive the fascination and excitement. I felt like I stepped backstage and experienced every moment like I was there, listening and watching what was going on. I believe this is because the book was written while the show was still in production, rather than years later. I learned how Miss Piggy became a karate expert as well as the Muppets anatomy and the antics, conversations and work that went on behind the scenes. Even if you never read the book, it's filled with color and black and white photos that are fun to look at! There's a picture of every guest star for 5 seasons. Remember when Star Wars hosted the show? I highly recommend this book for those of you who wish to see the magic and phenomenon behind the Muppets Show.

If the revamped edition is half as good as the first, then fans of Disney (and animation, in general) have found "The Magic Kingdom". "The Art of Disney" is a beautifully written homage to the genius of Walter Elias Disney.

The stills from Disney classics, alone, warrant forking over a couple of bucks to add this one to the library.

If you are looking for details from Walt's personal life, forget about this book. This book is a masterpiece on The Walt Disney Company from Walt's birth, until nowadays.

I bought the original version of this book when I was twelve(now I'm 36) and remember, that I was blown away by it. Believe me, back then there was nothing worth mentioning on the topic of animation. Now there are trillions of books on the topic but I still have this one sitting on my bookshelf, side by side with 20 other Disney books, proud like the king among the others. The only book which is equal on the throne, is "The Illusion of Life", but that book is more for people in the animation profession. I've grown up to be in the animation profession myself and this is the book that got me started(I've even worked at Disney studios in the mid- nineties). At this point I should mention that I've always been a bigger fan of the Warner Bros. cartoons and have never really been a Disney fan. Many people accused Disney of having been right-winged, racist or what so ever. But you definately have to acknowledge his achievement and influence on animation and I would consider him a genius. This book definitely shows you the brilliance of this man and the work created by all of his artists.

Christopher Finch is one of the premier authors on Disney and animation history. Winnie-the-Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear is definitely one of his best works. While it may not quite match up to the sheer power of his most recognized book on Disney, The Art of Walt Disney, it is definitely a wonderful look at Winnie-the-Pooh. The book appropriately starts out with a look at A.A. Milne, the author of the original Pooh books. The chapter on Milne is clear, concise, and very informative. As the book slides into the Disney version of Pooh is starts to "Disnify". There is the chapter on the four Pooh shorts, the chapter on each of the characters, etc. While these sections are interesting, they seem a little static. There could be more on the relationships and interactions between the characters. The book serves as more of a basic guide to the world of Pooh than anything else.

If you want a nice gift book that is a fantastic overview of how the Disney pooh came to be, you will probably enjoy this book. There is yet to be a book published, though, that truly delves into how Disney made Pooh such a worldwide smash success, but right now this is the definitive book on the Disney Pooh.

The greatest thing about this book is the large number of pictures that show the evolution of the "pooh" phenomenon. It has a large number of cell reproductions, artist storyboard sketches, as well as drawings from the original books. The writing is also wonderful, covering the orginal books, each of the movies, and pooh collecting! A must have! I received one as a gift, and am ordering copies for my pooh collecting friends.