I recently purchased this book to add to my growing Star Trek collection. It turned out to be a great choice. "The Continuing Mission" covers the history of the series, TNG, including its conception, the seven seasons, the two movies. It also has a bonus preview chapter on the making of "Star Trek: Insurrection", which comes into theaters in a week. The writing is funny at times and very easy to follow, and there are color pictures of onscreen shots, drawings, and work behind the scenes. Of course, there are copies of pictures from other Star Trek books, such as "The Art of Star Trek" and the "Sketchbook", but there are less than I expected there would be. The originality and tribute of this book make it a very attractive choice.

If you have ever watched Star Trek: The Next Generation and wondered "How did they do that?" this book is perfect for you. A review of each episode of the series as well as the movies, beautiful photos and illustrations make this book a pleasant and informative read. The authors tend to go overboard with praise for the people who bring Star Trek: TNG to the screen but they deserve the recognition. I would recommend it to any fan of ST:TNG to add to their collection.

This book is essential reading for any Star Trek fan. Even if you may not be a big fan of TNG (I myself prefer DS9), this beautiful tribute will surely improve your understanding of the days before, during, and after the creation of TNG series.

The text is written in a very amiable, intimate and lively manner, obviously showing the authors' love and dedication to the TNG world. Content-wise, the book is utterly fascinating: there is everything from the stories behind the casting ("But he's bald!"), to the creation and incarnations of the spacecraft of the show, to interesting anecdotes both clever and funny, highlighting special episodes, audience reaction, notes on production; even clear and non-technical explanations of various financial aspects of producing TNG and the movies. Absolutely nothing comes across as overly technical.

The book is divided into chapters tracing each season and movie involving TNG cast; each "season" also includes episode-by-episode synopses by the side - very helpful not just as an episode guide, but as a way of guiding the reader throughout the TNG journey. In fact, one of the best things about this book is its strong sense of chronological unity - reading the book from front to back, you are surely and rapturously guided through the entire TNG history - it feels like getting to know an old friend anew.

The book is made even better by the tons of colour photos throughout - ranging from pictures of props to sets, to ships, production designs, cast, scenes, costumes, production... it's just fantastic.

A lot of intelligence and dedication has gone into producing this book. I really can't praise it enough except to say: now I admire Star Trek: The Next Generation even more.

After an enjoyable, inspiring read of "Script Partners", I'm thoroughly convinced that writing with a partner is the better way to write great screenplays that sell. Clear and concise, in a user-friendly format, this enlightening book tells all about such vital issues between co-writers as choosing the right partner, selecting a story project, the creative relationship and motivating each other, the business relationship and much, much more. According to the co-authors, one of the marvelous and mysterious benefits of the collaborative writing process, through the merging of the aesthetic exerience, complementing strengths and talents of the two writers, is the emergence of a "third voice"! Buy two copies of this book; one for you and one for your favorite writer.
--Elizabeth English, Founder and Executive Director
Moondance International Film ...

This book is a great read. I've looked at a lot of screenwriting how-to books, and this is one of the best. Partly because it doesn't read like a how-to book. Instead, it just concentrates on some really good interviews with scriptwriting partners, including legends and newcomers (they've got a "filmography" in the back of the book to help separate out who's who). It's not just for people considering writing with partners - it's for anyone who's interested in what it's like to write professionally. And it's funny. There are terrific stories about the unusual ways in which writers brainstorm and create scripts together (one team even used a Ouija board to contact the original subject of their historical drama - establishing a script writing team with the dead!), and about how writers deal with disagreements between themselves as well as the studios. And the business material is presented about as clearly as any book I've seen on the subject. If you want to know what it's like to live and work as a screenwriter, this book tells you.

SCRIPT PARTNERS is aptly written by writing partners who've taken the time to collect the information, advice and anecdotes from writers who've experienced the ups and downs of working with partners. It's a book whose time is long overdue, but will be welcomed with open arms by all writers who've either worked as part of a team or are considering the collaborative process of scribing. Insightful and seasoned with humor for good measure!

This book is filled with many things upon which to reflect. I would not recomend it to people not familiar with Aikido because much of the book is about the art. If you are an Aikidoka read this book it will help you a great deal with the nonphysical aspects of the martial art.

This book reminds me of a wonderful description of the Tao Te Ching..."take an afternoon to read, a lifetime to understand."

No previous reading in martial arts or philosophy is necessary. This work stands on its own. It is understated and elegant. You will revisit it many times and take away something different each time.

A delight.

As an Aikido instructor, this book never leaves my pocket. The Art of Peace is a compilation of sayings and concepts taken from O-sensei Morihei Ueshiba himself and gives simple, but profound teachings on all aspects of Aikido training. Much like a compilation of Zen riddles, the teachings of this book take on a new meaning every time they are read and pondered upon. A must have for every true Aikido practitioner. This book trains one to understand the mind and spirit of Aikido. The concepts contained within are timeless.

Excellent index and thorough, chronological coverage of events in the life of this important American artist.

It is a huge book but moves fairly quickly, since Pollock's life was really very interesting. Any art history student studying Pollock and the New York abstract expressionist movement will find plenty of insight here. Includes wonderful collection of black and white photos from all phases of the man's life.

Pollock had a tough time dealing with the fame and notoriety foisted upon him as a genius of the New York school, and for many years Pollock has often been dismissed as the phony he himself feared he was. It certainly is refreshing to see Pollock as a whole man (talented, wise, adventurous, flawed, tenacious, alcoholic), not just as an overrated art star. (The recent Kurt Varnadoe book on his art is also excellent in this way). Self doubting artists may find some degree of comfort in this book, actually.

Detailed, unbiased writing. One of the best artist biographies I've ever read.

This is a well researched and written biography. Pollock was alcoholic, abusive and not someone I would have wanted to know. He hurt the woman he loved- or at least loved him. This biography travels through the world of art and money as well as the bowels of self-hatred and Hell. Was he an artist or just lucky (drip painting)? Do some brilliant moments in creativity justify such abuse toward others? Was his confusion about his sexual identity at the core of his artistic and abusive self? This biography goes into the psychological and creative mind and life of an extremely complex though not so interesting individual. Given the right circumstances just about anyone can appear interesting and brilliant. Good connections and lucky breaks can pave the way to painting a brilliant illusion. Maybe that was his greatest masterpiece. With that all said, the biography is brilliant, and that's no illusion. One of the most insightful reads on the art world during the middle of the twentieth century. You'll read about famous people, and find a new and enlightening perspective of how it evolved and the stuff it was made of. Highly enjoyable and recommended!

I read this book when it first was published.
This book made me want to see the new movie!
I balked at it's cost but it is the best biography I have ever read.
It is well researched and written.
Things from the book at linger in my memory after all this time?
His hell raising at the Canal Bar,dealing with Peggy Guggenheim, his death and the strange notion that he claimed he would supposedly "know" when a woman had her period.

Read this book, I'm going to again!

I just bought this book recently, and while I think it might be a useful technical reference, it gives little new insight into the possibilities of CIR film. Charts and graphs are all well and good, but I don't find them terribly helpful. Mr. Begleiter also gives very little information on color filters other than Wratten 12Y and seems to use only that filter except for the one image taken with an orange filter. I would've liked to see more exploration into the color results from different filters other than yellow. Don't get me wrong, there is useful information in this book, primarily the information on filters to correct for tungsten or fluorescent light and what happens to the film when it is outdated. This book, however, should not be the only book you read on infrared photography. This book could work as a companion piece to Joseph Paduano's "The Art of Infrared Photography", which provides more information on which color filters to use to get certain color results. The two together would make a fairly complete course in IR photography. Begleiter's book is good on a very technical level, though I think it would be more helpful to see actual images made with different conditions and exposures instead of graphs or at least in addition to the graphs.

Mr. Begleiter's The Art of Color Infrared Photography seems to be the only book on the subject of color infrared photography that is currently on the market, so if you are looking for guidance on the subject, this is it. The good news is that this book does do a good job of providing enough information to get you off to a good start. You will be confident that you know what you are doing the first time you load a roll of Kodak CIR film into your camera. The book covers all of the topics essential to infrared photography, such as: the physics of infrared light, how the film works, film handling, processing, pushing/pulling, using filters, focusing and various light sources. I give the book only 4 stars because it is not what I would call comprehensive. I wish some of the above topics had been covered in more detail and with more examples. There is only one example of using a yellow filter vs an orange filter, and no examples of doing this under different types of light. Filters are rather essential to IR photography, and I would have liked to see them treated in more depth. There is mention of the alternative AR-5 process for developing the film, but there is only one example of that, too. It peaked my interest, but I couldn't find out more. There is no information on cross-processing color IR film as a negative, which I know some people do. Mr. Begleiter probably doesn't cross-process his film, but some information on the subject would be nice. A little color IR goes a long way, but this book does showcase some nice examples of subjects for which color IR is actually appropriate and attractive, which is helpful and encouraging. All in all, this book not perfect, but it is a worthy addition to the library of any photographer.

Begleiter's new book is wonderful. It is a wealth of information from the broadest concepts in infrared photography to the most technical subtleties. The artwork within is fantastic. It is an entirely new and different approach to taking pictures - one that is fun, energetic and new. Each photograph portrays the outstanding qualities/differences of infrared film - truly a new way to vision photography and the world around us. I recommend this book highly as both a teaching tool and as a coffee table piece sure to inspire much conversation.

Portfolio Design is probably the best book on the subject for those involved in architecture and the related disciplines who are looking for support and guidance on how to design their portfolio with artistry and a clear sense of legibility and organiaztion. I found it to be highly recommended by faculty and students and then purchased a copy for myself to see. I graduated this past spring and i know many people who have similar experiences not knowing what to do about your work for grad school apps or employment interviews - this text helped enormously. The author is a well-respected artist and professor of architecture with many other books to his name.I heard him lecture at the AIAS National Forum this past week - and wow - everyone was really interested in what was presented - how to approach the problem - its all broken down for you. I think it would help anyone who wants design guidance with artistry.

Linton seems to believe that artistry is more important than a standard method. He writes a convincing approach to doing your portfolio from scratch instead of using those zippered cases which he does not believe reflect one's creative or design talents. He seems to think that the 'vision' of the portfolio comes from a thorough understanding of page structure and the creative potential of a well-rehearsed two-dimensional page layout - understanding negative space and how to use it effectively. I have had him as an instructor in one of his portfolio design workshop classes and he 'preaches' what he writes and it worked well for me. So i endorse the approach because i know its thorough and effective. He is also quite personable in his presentation and very good speaker - well organized and extremely thorough. Great Book!Looking forward to more stuff from him in the future possibly on computers and portfolios.

i took one of the workshops offered this year at Iowa State University with Professor Linton. He gave a general lecture on Friday evening and reviewed many ideas about collecting, organizing and designing your portfolio from scratch. The lecture was also a 'warm-up' for the all day Saturday workshop to follow. I worked hard during the workshop and found him to be wonderful and supportive and with me the whole time. He enjoys working with creative concepts and tries to push you in the direction of making your presentation very unique but extremely well-organized. I was amazed at the progress i made in six hours. After that we had a critique and we discussed the future direction, especially production and development. I have so much input now. I disagree with the comments from the student from Hawaii because this book is not a how-to - its a conceptual approach. I understand he is giving us tools to make us aware of creative direction, plenty of method and materials, and arriving at your own conclusions - making your own decisions. i don't want to be told how-to. i loved it. he also told us he is changing the digital chapter in the second edition next year which will be cool to see whats added and new portfolios will be added also. next year i'm off to grad school and so i hope he puts in more work from grad students.

He was a thoroughly delightful man. Most of us met him in “Act One” his best-selling autobiography published in the late ‘50’s. Apparently, he tidied up his life a mite in that story. But that’s what playwrights do; give us the best story possible.

“Dazzler” is a well-done biography that is a treasure trove of show business history as well as a deep and compelling study of Moss Hart. I would call this a “definitive” biography except for some reason Mr. Hart’s widow, the charming Kitty Carlisle, did not cooperative with the author. Therefore, there are probably many papers that still can be brought to light.

I was a little put off by Mr. Bach’s tone at the beginning of the book, it seemed lightly touched with superiority toward his subject. Yes, Moss Hart was extravagant, a bit of a dandy..., and sometimes—very rarely—forgot to credit the people who helped him on the way up. When the author hits his stride, this tone disappears, and we see Moss Hart clearly as the energetic, generous, brilliant man that he was. He left whatever he touched more colorful and replaced the humdrum with magic.

The description of the complete, astounding success of “My Fair Lady’s” opening night, which Hart directed, is the stuff of which movies are made. This was a pinnacle of life experience for everyone who participated. Reading about the making of “My Fair Lady” alone is worth the price of the book.

When the book was over, I wished there were more triumphs to reveal, and that Mr. Hart lived to write “Act II.” A highly readable book with a dazzling subject.

Hmmm...where to begin? I looked forward to reading Dazzler based on my love of history, the theatre, and New York in general. In those respects, the book doesn't disappoint. Steven Bach paints a terrific picture of early twentieth century Broadway that really brings it to life as he follows Moss Hart's life and career. It's very obvious that he's done his homework and he fills gaps in his narrative very nicely.

The problem lies in an area that can be very troublesome for biography and I'm afraid that Bach falls into the trap a bit much. First, the individual chapters, while well crafted, seem to lack a cohesiveness that would make the book flow well. It seemed difficult to read more than two or three chapters in a sitting. To give Bach the benefit of the doubt, I'll say that it's because there was so much information to digest.

Second, to echo some of the other reviews that have been posted, in the end Moss Hart is a big name that does not carry a corresponding talent. Yes, he was the co-author of some of the standards of twentieth century theater, but upon the closer scrutiny Mr. Bach provides he doesn't really seem to measure up to the level of greatness that Mr. Bach thinks he deserves (or wants him to deserve to merit this book). A quick sidebar, to label Moss Hart the Neil Simon of his day, as others have, is a disservice to Mr. Simon. Sitcoms may have made us more sensitive to fluff, but there is a distinct difference in the two men's careers.

Lastly, Mr. Bach goes to great lengths to bring Moss Hart's sexuality to light, providing anecdotes and evidence that, if not outright gay, he was at least bisexual. All well and good, except that in trying so hard to prove this particular thesis, Bach loses sight of one very important point, namely that an artist's sexuality (or for that matter their upbringing) does not automatically mean that every piece of work they do is colored by it. It may be true, but it isn't necessarily true. Bach interrupts too many interesting stories to go into this subject, which only applies toward making his point about one-third of the time.

Overall it helps to have some vague form of familiarity with the plays and, since some of them are such mainstays of high school and regional theaters across the country, it will provide some interesting insights. As Bach rightly points out, some of these plays have not held up well over the course of time but, taken for what they are, they are undeniable classics. To a lesser degree, so was Moss Hart.

Bach has written a tight, sparkling biography of a man who lived and worked in a fascinating milieu, Broadway's Golden Age. I had a hard time putting the book down, and I am NOT even one of the people who became fascinated by Hart from his autobiography ACT ONE, which I have not read.

Yet at the end of the day, one has a hard time quite seeing just why so many people considered Hart such a "dazzler", and on the contrary, it would appear that overall, Moss Hart was not -- as much as I hate to say this -- a major creative figure.

The kind of "theatre" that Hart was so honored to be a part of was the equivalent to the space filled today by well-written sitcoms; we must remember that before the 1950s, one could not access light comedy of this kind every night in one's living room (old radio was only aural and was usually more jocular than witty). Thus people were still willing to pay top dollar to see such material acted out before them. As much as I love plays like YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU and THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, I also have a hard time seeing any major difference in craft or depth between them and, for example, FRASIER, ALL IN THE FAMILY, CHEERS or FRIENDS.

This is the kind of material Hart excelled at, and it is indicative that when he strayed beyond it, he regularly failed. Hart was not up to writing plays of substance, and if he had lived longer, he would surely have come a cropper in the 1960s and 1970s trying to light the fires again with the kind of material that theatregoers swooned to in the 30s and 40s. Moreover, so very much of his best work was done in collaboration, which dilutes his achievement further.

Of course he also made his mark directing -- but let's face it, rendering trifles like JUNIOR MISS and THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ is not exactly the kind of thing one goes down in history for, no matter how well you do it; it was the writing and performances that put these things over (who directed episodes of MARY TYLER MOORE?). Even his MY FAIR LADY triumph: okay, but then thousands of productions of this piece have gone over wonderfully since. Hart was not the "auteur" here in the same way as Hal Prince has been for so many of his shows.

I hardly mean to "diss" Hart here; he was clearly a solid craftsman. But that's really more or less it -- which means that one does not exactly come away from this book feeling that one has been in the presence of a "dazzler". Instead, one has been "dazzled" more by the times he lived in and the people he knew and worked with. As some print reviews have noted, for all we hear about what a cocktail wit Hart was, we get oddly few memorable bon mots or piquant anecdotes -- and Bach is a great researcher, providing quite a bit of this sort of thing re other people. Hart seems to largely have just "been there", apparently flamboyantly dressed.

One reason Hart winds up a bit of a cipher here is because a great deal of his more intense social experiences would appear to have been homosexual ones. Typically of his time, Hart apparently kept all of the specifics under wraps, and despite having unearthed some facts via interview, Bach is rather discrete about the matter, and much is surely lost to the ages. While we would hardly need a blow-by-blow chronicle of Hart's sex life, the fact remains that the resulting hole in the story leaves a question mark as to what is a central aspect of any human being's psychological terrain. We see a Hart spending his 20s rising in the show business firmament apparently beyond any kind of love life beyond "dating" the occasional woman briefly and now and then bemoaning his inability to love. Certainly there was more going on than that for our "Dazzler", and whatever it was would have meant a great deal to Hart, "love" or not. Who was his first affair? When did he start having sex? What was he like to be in a relationship with? We are not prurient to wonder about such things; to not have any idea of them is to have missed a central part of our subject.

That is not really Bach's fault, nor is it his fault that Hart was ultimately a kind of Golden Age Neil Simon. And the book is a real page-turner if you love the period. But Hart comes off more as a kind of toastmaster than as a driving force. Nevertheless, to truly understand a period, one must know the state of the art as well as one knows the geniuses.

Design Literacy and Design Literacy (continued) is an excellent introduction to graphic design under the surface. I use Phil Meggs' history book for facts and these books for inspiration.

I attend a school with a lackluster offering in the area of graphic design history. This book closed many gaps in my seeming self-education. Every chapter was well thought out, well designed and an thoroughly enjoyable read. Kudos to the authors.

...that challenges and inspires the reader. This book is completely engaging -you won't put it down. It is a book of essays on graphic designs and illustrations (in varied mediums and medias) that have made an impact on our culture and our world for better or worse. I now must read every other Steven Heller book in print!

After reading this book I can honestly say that I was a bit dissapointed with the way the story unfolded. Personally I was expecting a book that was from the production perspective, why Heaven's Gate took so long to complete, what problems were encountered during production, what were the arguments that ensued between the director and crewmembers. What Steven Bach gives us though is a top level executive view of the workings of United Artists and of Heavens Gate. We see from a executive producers perspective why certain decisions were made, why Michael Cimono was given certain liberties, why so much money was poured into the production of this movie. What we don't see are the workings behind the scenes at the location of Heavens Gate. Bach checks in every once and a while during the book to see how things are progressing, but most of the book switches back and forth between keeping check on Heavens Gate and Bach's responsibilities at UA. While I did enjoy the book it was too "high level" for my tastes and too much centered on United Artists and not as much on the making of Heavens Gate. It would have been nice for Bach to get some more perspectives from people who were at the location to add some variety to the book.

This is a book I can't put down once I start reading it, and I re-read it every few years. It starts when a new management team takes over United Artists. They have to put together a slate of films. "Heaven's Gate" is one of their choices, and we see how this film moves from one choice among many to the behemoth that wrecks the studio. Contrary to some of the reviewers who say the book doesn't get to "Heaven's Gate" soon enough, I think the book is well-structured.

I also like the way Bach displays three different directors: Cimino, Scorsese and Woody Allen. Cimino is obviously the egomaniac out of control. Allen comes across as the "good director," always conscious that he is working with somebody else's money. Scorsese comes out between the two extremes.

Hey, if this book were only about "Heaven's Gate," I wouldn't like it so much, but we also get some insight into "Manhattan" and "Raging Bull," two much better movies.

This is the first and still by far one of the best insider books ever written about the Hollywood studio system, and the ugly battle that takes place behinde the facade. Steven Bach tells the story of the new Wünderboy Michael Cimino, that won Oscars and what have you for is breakthrough film "Deer Hunter". And Bach tells what happens when there's no one controling the action anymore. Murphy's Law: Everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and for "Heaven's Gate" it most curtainly did. Read this book, and trust me you'll enjoy every moment of it. . .

I am in seventh grade and I like this book because it helps kids who want to become actors or actresses. The monologues are easy to read and fun to act out. My favorite monologue is "Craig." It is about a boy who goes to summer camp and his parents have deserted him. Maybe that will be your favorite monologue but you have to buy the book first.

Magnificant monologues for kids is a REALLY good way to learn how to act! The monologues are great for kids between the ages of 8 to 14! I love this book! It helped ME become an actress!!

I've looked for a gold-mine like this for years. MAGNIFICENT MONOLOGUES provides kids a source book of incredibly unforgettable monologues that actually grow with them as they gain skill and maturity. It's a parent's dream! A drama teacher's fantasy come true! And best of all, it's fun and easy to use. The author really seems to know kids-how they talk, how they think through things. All the monologues are great. A wide range of emotions, too.

My niece used one of these MAGNIFICENT MONOLOGUES and signed with a manager immediately! It really is kid friendly. There's a section for boys and one for girls. The bibliography is great too because it lists monologues as dramatic or comedic. There's even some for animals!

The section on Need-to-Know Hollywood words and definitions is really helpful. And the straight talk about acting basics is right-on-the-money. I've been an actress for 20+ years and have seen and performed my share of monologues. So I know that the motivated child star will out-shine his or her competition when using any one of the monologues in this book. BUY IT!