The first half or so of this book is what makes it worthwhile. There we find Heidegger's best sustained discussion of Leibniz. To be sure, there are other discussions of Leibniz scattered throughout Heidegger's work (most notably in "The Principle of Reason") but here we find him attempting to elucidate Leibniz's metaphysics, not discuss aspects of Leibniz's work in connection with a broader theme. Heidegger's style of reading makes for excellent introductions to the thinkers he discusses. It's ironic that a writer who has a reputation for obtuseness and impenetrability can produce vividly clear discussions of other thinkers. It should be noted that Heidegger's "Die Frage nach dem Ding" (the English translation, long and sadly out of print, went by the name "What is a Thing?") is one of the best introductory books on Kant in any language. But Heidegger's approach: cut straight to the "question of Being" and show how the rest of a philosopher's work fits in with his basic metaphysical position, makes for a clear and striking interpretation, even if Leibniz scholars might find it a little over-aggressive in some details.

I'm basing this review on the hardcover edition of this book.

This could have just been a coffee-table book with beautiful photos but a negligible text. Fortunately, someone had the excellent idea of asking Ethan Mordden to write the text.

The result is that a very informative, insightful, well-written text accompanies the beautiful photos.

If you love Rodgers and Hammerstein, you probably will get great pleasure from this book.

One tiny quibble, though: Mordden is wrong when he says that Hammerstein invented the lyric form used in "I Am Going to Like It Here."

The book is very thorough and does give a very accurate blow by blow description of every moment in Bob Fosse's life. If you love the man and want to relive his life for him, read this book. On the other hand, if you are trying to do a paper, you might want to start reading this about 6 months before your paper is due. It is very hard to weigh through the many, colorful words and facts in this book in any small amount of time. I will someday read this book for pleasure but right now, after only reading three chapters (though be very interesting), I am totally jazzed out! phew!

I'll tell you right off the top, I'm not a huge fan of Broadway musicals. Mostly I'm a fan of Fosse because of his films, which rank among my favorites. But regardless of any of that, Fosse's personality and his life make him a fascinating subject for biographical study.

Gottfried's book is heavily detailed, describing the events of Fosse's life, exploring his work and his personal realtionships, and really getting inside the man's head, all the while maintaining a very readable, and appropriately jazzy style. There's also enough quoted dialogue to keep the book flowing almost like a work of fiction.

A great read and an informative one. Highly recommended to fans of Fosse and his work, or those simply interested in one of the most intriguing of showbiz lives.

Maybe I'm biased: I'm a shrink. I lived in New York in the early 80's. I knew some of the people mentioned in the book. But this was the most fun I've had reading since Letters from a Nut. Full of tidbits about a raft of celebrities. Another reviewer complained about the lack of pictures. Why stop there? We need all the films, too. Must watch All That Jazz again ASAP, AND try to get my hands on Sweet Charity and Cabaret. A great ride!

This was the required text book for a class in musical theater in college. I found it informative but lacked many details that I would have like to have known.

overall a nice book covering the Bway Musicals. I happened to purchase one for a friend who attends the theater (both Broadway and off-Broadway) religiously and she was very happy with the gift.

This book has proven and indispensable part of my theatre library, and if you get it, it will become one for you as well. Want to know what date the original production of Show Boat opened on Broadway? This book will tell you. Who the original stars of Mexican Hayride were? That's in here, too. You will be able to find the answer to just about any question you could ever ask of Broadway's hit musicals. A perfect companion piece to Ken Mandelbaum's Not Since Carrie (which chronicles the flop musicals this book mostly excludes), and a wonderful way of tracking the history of the Broadway musical, Broadway Musicals: Show by Show is as comprehensive, helpful, and essential as reference books on Broadway come.

Quite a book, but not truly a definitive ''in depth" analysis of Mr. Sondheim's shows. Mr. Gottfried brings up many interesting points about Sondheim's shows, but doesn't really, fully completely explore each show, as I was expecting.

His "Sweeney Todd" analysis is basically just a long plot summary, with lyrical highlights from a few songs. I was most disappointed by the way Mr. Gottfried barely broke the surface in his analysis of "Assassins". However, there are many wonderful reviews, interviews, commentaries, and photographs. Perhaps my favorite is a portrait of Mr. Sondheim surrounded by his "Sunday in the Park with George" set

An authorized look at Sondheim's Broadway career, with numerous glossy photos and interesting commentary from Gottfried, a no-nonsense critic. Gottfried's analysis of Sondheim's works is interesting, but doesn't go enough in-depth into Sondheim's personal life. Still, it's worth it

I enjoyed reading this book. I learned many things that I didn't know about Angela Lansbury before. She is quoted extensively, and provides many fascinating anecdotes about her career in movies, theater, and television. But since it is authorized, you have to wonder what's left out. The fact that it's authorized may also account for its big flaw. The title and introduction suggest that Lansbury has had to balance professional triumphs with personal tragedies throughout her life. The book itself doesn't give you that impression. It devotes many chapters to the triumphs, but mostly skims over the tragedies, espicially Lansbury's children's drug problems, so that they are merely afterthoughts and don't seem to have affected her much. This may be because Lansbury and the others interviewed did not really want to talk about these tough times, or it may be because Martin Gottfried did not do enough research. Worth reading for the chapters on Lansbury's career, but don't expect much depth where her personal life is concerned.

If you're a fan of Lansbury, and not just because of her TV show, "Murder, She Wrote," you'll want to read this well-written biography. It's authorized so I did wonder what was left out. But there are some very entertaining chapters about Lansbury's experiences at MGM and on stage, particularly her career changing performance in "Mame" on Broadway. Although the biography is full of praise for Lansbury, the author does not appear in awe of his subject and the book is not sugar-coated.

After finishing reading the final chapter of the unauthorized biography of ANGELA LANSBURY : BALANCING ACT by Martin Gottfried, this has to be the most interesting and well-written and accurate account of this great performer's life. From her humble beginnings in England to her contract in Hollywood, where she was always cast in roles much older than she truly was, the controversy over the "Manchurian Candidate", her success on the stage, and on TV as the loveable Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote" --- this book tells all in a most fascinating way! However, what makes this book stand above previous efforts is the fact that the author knows the great lady, and included herein are Angela's own personal thoughts to flesh out his expose! And despite certain setbacks in her life and career, she always remains positive and trudges on to the next level. Truly inspiring and well worth reading! This is definitely a book to keep on my bookshelf! I especially enjoyed the chapters concerning Angela's performing as "Mame", the stage musical, and the heartbreak of not being considered to reprise the role when it was eventually turned into a movie. The role went to Lucille Ball, a great comedianne, but not a great singer! I once saw Angela when she played in "Sweeney Todd", as the pie-making Nellie Lovett, and it's beautifully captured here in this book. I loved it! Until the day comes when Angela herself writes the definitive bio of her colorful life, Martin Gottfried's book, BALANCING ACT, is a worthy treat for all her fans to read!

In this world, it is rare that a man show as much love, kindeness, and humility as did George Burns. However, this book chooses rather to focus on the sordid details of his life. The sexual immorality, the dirty jokes off stage, the things that George himself varnished over. George had a right to varnish over the negatives. It is the soul of the man. It is how he made it to 100 years of age. This book instead punches him below the belt posthumously. I was and am a big George Burns fan, and I was sorely disapointed that someone could be so cheap and callous as to sully his image.

To the earlier reviewer : If you can't stand the unvarnished truth, why are you reading this book. If you want rose-colored platitudes, read People magazine. This book tells it like it was, warts and all. Isn't that what a proper biography should do?