Screenplays that haven't been filmed in Hollywood take on a mysterious, murky fate. Such isn't the case for Vodka Vision. It's become a cult classic among studio readers. It's alleged that it was passed out at the Sienfeld writer meetings, and that the "masculine hands" episode was borrowed from Maestro Curry, by a portly, beady-eyed shmo who resembles Newman.

Most scripts, even comedy scripts are so arid, so devoid of any life, that the only people who read them are struggling Hollywood interns and the author. I couldn't stop laughing, or reading. The subplots in this masterpiece are mind numbing.

The pitch for this script: A nuerotic doctor who has a deep seated fear of beautiful women, struggles to overcome this malady when, in a drunken stupor, he asks a girl he thinks is fat, out. It turns out, she's wearing a fat suit for her nephew's birthday party. She's stunning. And Johnny Varrow, the stories' lead, takes us on a wild ride involving a fat, devious ex-girlfriend, a pig-studying preacher, square dancing combines....

The masters of comedy have to be smiling down on this effort.

Steven Curry's poems are subtle and soft, yet their point seems to drive home hard. Zephyr & Why We Need Kites, are two of my favorites. The poems remind me of the state when one is almost awake but can still push themselves back into the wonderful world of dreams.

The book was written by a Catholic widow age 45 whose husband died suddenly, leaving her with 9 kids. I bought this book for the husband of my (also young) friend who was killed in a car accident, leaving two very young children. I read it before giving it to him, and I thought it to be a very practical and purposeful guide that gives many "how-to" pointers in how to continue on, in addition to outlining the emotions of grief. Many books have stories on grief - working through emotions - but this one gives practical advice on finances, legal affairs, dealing with grieving children as well as healing yourself. I will let y'all know if he found it as helpful as I thought he would. It's a short read (122 pages) and is written in an easy, straightforward manner by a sympathetic writer. I would recommend this for an unexpected or young death, especially of one who left young kids behind. Even though it is Catholic-oriented, I would recommend it for those who are Christian but not Catholic as well.

Renée Curry's White Women Writing White is an admirably well researched, independent, brave, and often brilliant and startling book. It will undoubtedly prove germinal (and controversial) in critical whiteness studies. It provides an absolutely new perspective on the poets Hilda Doolittle (H. D.), Elizabeth Bishop, and Sylvia Plath. It draws attention, truly for the first time, to the racial signifiers in the texts of these three great poets. It treats whiteness as a marked characteristic in the same way as blackness and Asianness have traditionally functioned in mainstream American literature and culture. It repeatedly and convincingly locates racial meanings in passages that have never been read in that light before. This book transforms the landscape. It is the most significant new work on these poets in years.

This is one of the most compelling horror novels I have read. In addition to being wonderfully chilling, it is just plain fun to read! Highly recommended; I'm going to look for more by these authors.

Medieval cathedrals are replete with majestic images in stained glass and stone of saints, Popes, and wealthy nobility. Imagine, though, rummaging around in the dusty choir stalls of one of those cathedrals and finding a peephole through which you could survey the daily lives of the commoners of the same era. Using the fine photographs of Charles Curry, Juanita Wood serves as our knowledgeable and good-humored guide in interpreting the wooden images found under the seats of the cathedral choir stalls. These crudely carved, often symbolic images, known as misericords, were not created for the faithful flocks who came to mass; they were used by the fatigued monks who leaned agaist the raised seats as they stood through those long services.

Ms. Wood's scholarly research into Medieval history skillfully permeates her lively commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful glimpse on romantic love and marriage, festivals and jousts, mythical animals, political satires, and outrageous customs of a fascinating period.

Think you have bad luck? The Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, & Sunny, have horrific luck. Their parents died in a great fire, and they are going to live with their Unlce Monty. He's a herpetologist, which is a scientist who studies snakes. He has a huge room full of snakes, including the newly discovered "Incredible Deadly Viper", which, as it turns out isn't THAT deadly. Uncle Monty gives them a wonderful life, at least, compared to their former gaurdian, Count Olaf. In fact, he's going to take them to Peru to find snakes. Then, when the Baudelaire children think their lives couldn't get any better, something dreadful happens. Count Olaf returns! He also has a new plan to take their fortune. This book is great, not only because of the story line, but also because it gives you a better vocabulary, as the characters tell the meaning of words in their dialogue. It is the second book in The Series of Unfortunate Events. It doesn't make much sense without reading the first book, "The Bad Beginning". Many horrible things happen in the book, but that's why it's in: The Series of Unfortunate Events.

Move over Harry Potter and bring on Series of Unfortunate Events.The Series of Unfortunate Event's Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket was by far my favorite book ever.
It's about two sisters and their brother going to live with Uncle Monty after living with the dreadful Count Olaf(Who is after their fortune).When the Baudelaire mansion caught fire and killed their parents, they were directed to Uncle Monty by Mr.Poe.Uncle Monty plans to take the kids on a trip,but the plans change.
The characters Mr.Poe,Uncle Monty,Sunny,Stephano,Violet,Klaus and the Incredibly Dangerous Viper make up the most exciting book I ever read.To find out more about this amazing book read Series of Unfortunate Events # 2,The Reptile Room.
You won't be sorry.

Wow! This book was really cool. If you check out any other books by Lemony Snicket that say A Series of Unfortunate Events and you don't like books that are unpleasant you wouldn't want to read this book. I, on the other hand, like the Reptile Room because it has some mystery in it and I love mystery books.
The book is about 3 orphans who's parents have died and they go to a house to stay with their Uncle Mongumry Mongumry, but the orphans call him Uncle Monty for short. Then the mean Count Olaf who used to take care of the kids
disguises himself as another guy so he can come and steal their fortune! Will he? Read this book to find out.
The characters in this book are named Violet, Claus, and Sunny. Violet is the oldest, Claus is in the middle, and Sunny is a baby. This book was great.

Ken Follett writes two kinds of novels: good spy thrillers or good historical novels. This is the latter, a book where the reader is dipped into the subterfuge and manipulation of a major banking company in Victorian England, owned by the Pilaster family who have been haunted by an event which happened at a boarding school years ago. The plot has more twists than a corkscrew as the family's need for money and recognition plunge them into devious playing of Victorian values, ambitious plans and even murder. Hugh Pilaster, the hero of the story, has a kind of Hugh-Grantish confusion about him, even as he fights to keep the love of his life and his position in society, which is at times both endearing and annoying, and we find out more about Victorian brothels than we really want to, but other than that, a brilliant read.

In my opinion, Ken Follett is one of the better writers working currently, and A DANGEROUS FORTUNE is one of his best books to date. I liked his EYE OF THE NEEDLE and PILLARS OF THE EARTH very much, too, and while I don't think FORTUNE is quite that good, it is still one of the most entertaining books I've read recently. The story is set in England in the latter half of the 19th century, and revolves around the wealthy Pilaster family. The Pilasters are bankers and control the large and powerful Pilaster Bank. As schoolboys, both Edward Pilaster and his cousin Hugh, son of the family black sheep, are involved in the death by drowning of a fellow student. That event is the beginning of 25 years of intrigue, corruption and murder as the fortunes of the Pilasters and those close to them play out. Follett weaves an intricate and fast-paced, if not always surprising, plot around his characters that carries the reader from the mansions of London's rich and powerful, through seedy bordellos, to vile gambling dens.

This is contemporary pulp fiction at its best. The characters have depth and believability and Follett seems to do a good job of evoking the look and feel of the period. The pages roll by quickly and the book is hard to put down. But, if it's so good, why didn't I give it five stars? Generally, I reserve five-star status for books of what I regard to be classic status. Caesar, Tolkien, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter (yeah, I do think Harry Potter will be around for a long time). Maybe Harry Bosch, although I may have gotten carried away, there. This is, after all, pulp fiction and it just doesn't have the depth of the above. It is very entertaining, though, and I think most readers will enjoy it very much. Consider it a strong four plus and give it a look.

ooow, this was a good one! great story-history,family,romance,money, greed...oh, delicious!
worth the read.

Knowing Anne souly through the Chronicles I just didnt Know what to expect from this book . I was vaguely aware that it had something to do with opera, a subject, I admitt, of which I knew nothing but thank God I had this novel to open my eyes.Opera is only one of the many subjects Anne approaches in this fantastic novel. The relationship between Guido and Tonio is so complex and deep that it almost at times made me want to cry. I am a young reader but I thought myself mature enough to deal with the homosexuality in the book. Unlike some of the reviews Ive read I had no problem what so ever with the content of that area and if anything this book shows us that the practise of homosexuality has been around as long as we have and that they can possibly love more deeply than many heterosexuals can. I praise Anne for writing such a powerful book, the charaters were so real that they almost jumped to life from the page. I only had one problem and that was with the character Christina, she seemed bearly one dimensional to me and really I dont think she was needed at all. This was a grade A book, written before Miss Rice fell into the slup that she is now in, but at least we have Cry To Heaven to remind us of the good old days

to open, i should say that Cry To Heaven is arguably Anne Rice's best novel. perhaps i say that because i find vampire novels cliched and peurile--material geared specifically to the hordes of "goths" and middle aged women that make up much of Rice's huge fanbase.

but Cry To Heaven is different. firstly, it's historical fiction. period. no Lestat (although he is a thoroughly engrossing character in his own right), no blood-sucking, no excessive usage of the word "preternatural". this is a VERY refreshing break from what becomes a monotony of violent, largely unrealistic adventures experienced by the usual Vampire crew.

set in 18th century Italy (and we like Italy), the book explores an almost forgotten cultural phenomenon--the castrati. the castrati were talented boys who "went under the knife" to preserve their angelic voices. they actually existed from the 12th century right up until the 1920s. just for finding such an intriguing subject, Rice earns herself 2 stars.

the other 2 come from her handling of the subject. she doesn't shy away from the bisexuality of her characters. you may be inclined to believe it's just another Rice fetish, but if Tonio and Guido had actually existed, it is likely that they would have engaged in such relationships. Tonio especially is charming, and the amount of research she has obviously done shows in her descriptions and accounts of the Venetian and Neapolitan nobility.

where Rice loses a star is the last 200 pages. whereas the beginning of the book was a delight to read - historically accurate, engrossing, tragic, and heartfelt, the last third dissolves into a mush of unabashedly feminine, poorly written string of orgies. punctuated only by an unrealistic act of vengeance, the book leaves one decidedly unsatisfied, even though Rice makes an attempt at an ending, it seems haphazard and designed merely to please the romantics.

overall, i still reccomend the book. a truly fascinating glimpse into the mutilated -putti- of the italian enlightenment.

"Cry To Heaven" is one of the most dynamic books I have read! Vivid in description, enigmatic and magical, reading it is like watching some dream play out before you! This book is totally brilliant! In "Cry To Heaven," Anne Rice captures that very same lush quality that makes "Interview With The Vampire" a masterpiece. And yet, this book is unlike anything else she has ever done... it is truly unique and thoroughly recommended! If only all books could be this good... I devoured it, and after 500 pages I was not disappointed by its conclusion - aaaahhh, such sweet satisfaction! If you are an Anne Rice fan but have yet to stray, like me, from her Vampires and Ghosts and Taltoses, take the plunge and pick up "Cry To Heaven!" You won't regret it.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Peter Mayle's best-selling non-fictional (mostly) account of life in Rural France (A Life in Provence), I long meant to give his fiction a try. I'm not a real dog-lover, so A Dog's Life didn't intrigue me, and the jacket copy for Hotel Pastis didn't lend it to immediate reading, either. But the cover for Anything Considered, showing a cast of characters straight out of a CLUE game, and the premise--an Englishman in France, desperate for a job, places an advert in the international paper saying that he was looking for employment and "anything considered"--sounded so close to a Wodehousian experience, that I could not resist it. Even the title was similar to Wodehouse.

Unfortunately, while comic and filled with mistaken identities and misunderstood intentions, Mayle's touch with the material is quite different. I enjoyed the novel, but there's something missing to it, as if Mayle had all the ingredients at his fingertips, but didn't turn the temperature on the oven up high enough. There's no faulting his craftsmanship--the words flow smoothly enough, and nothing is so jarring as to ruin the plot--but the art seems forced, rather than organic.

Bennett is the Englishman who is desperate for anything, who finds himself hired by a fellow who simply wants him to live in the style to which Bennett has become accustomed, with the slight deviation of returning a different name than his own when asked. He goes to Monaco, using this man's credit cards, living in this man's apartment, basically enjoying the life of Riley. But there's trouble lurking, something to do with the truffle market and the Mafia. It's all grand fun, but Mayle never quite convinces the reader that his world is an innocuous one, and so the reader keeps expecting the worst to happen, rather than just another close shave.

Rereading the above, it sounds like I hated the novel, which I did not. In fact, I bought Hotel Pastis based on my impression of this book. I just had expected more from Mayle, and was letdown by my expectations, not by his actual book.

Being a fan of Peter Mayle's Provence series I was slightly apprehensive about his diving into the work of fiction but at the same time looking forward to his offerings. And, since after reading "Hotel Pastis" I was certain that he was still the author that I had come to enjoy so very much. With the addition of "Anything Considered" his literary skills, at least for me, remain intact! Thank goodness!

This book simply catches all of the magic of his previous offerings. A mystery, love story and comedy I can think of fewer books that I enjoyed so much that I picked up a copy in hardbound to keep and read again...and again. Set, once again, in the French country-side plus Monaco our protagonist Bennett, an English expatriate,lives out his meager existence until placing an ad in the Intl. Herald Tribune where he's offered the chance to live the "high-life" by providing services to Julian Poe, who delves into the illegal truffle trade. What ensues is truly high-comdey with a sprinkling of romance and French travelogue thrown in for good measure.

Overall, the characters are well-thought out and brought fully to life...plus, who could not enjoy a novel where the author is simply having such a wonderful time as Mr. Mayle obviously is! Highly recommended this is...and is there any chance of having this made into a film or BBC series?

A generous,delicious serving of Mr. Mayle!

This is a frothy, fun, food-filled adventure suspense story set in the author's deliciously described Provence along the Mediterranean littoral. An end-of-his-wits ex-pat Britisher accepts an innocuously luxurious job helping to dodge a rich crook's taxes and then his life turns potentially ugly. Mayle never realizes the ugliness; despite the ominous events no one is actually damaged, for the tone and intent is an appetizing entertainment rather than engrossing suspense. The villains are sinister and smooth, the locals are crotchety, while the victims are an engaging couple in love and on the run...and as larcenous at heart as any of the crooks and cops. Peter Mayle has an urbane light touch, almost tongue-in-cheek, but precisely expressed in crystal-clear prose and well-turned with finely crafted sentences. The pb is pleasant to hold, with a flexible letherette feel and generous typography, a true trade pb rather than a pulp novel, although ultimately no more satisfying than a meal of meringue.