Enjoyed W.C. FIELDS, a biography by James Curtis about one
of the greatest comedians in the world . . . his career spanned the
whole of the twentieth century--in burlesque, vaudeville, the
legitimate stage, silent pictures, talkies, radios, books, and
recordings . . . only his death prevented him from also working
in television.

Fields was a man of contradictions . . . he could write brilliant
dialogue, yet manage to ad lib something hilarious . . . he was
generous with friends, though incredibly stingy with his own
family . . . he could be a pleasure to work with at times, but quite
often, he was a real pain in the (bottom).

I hadn't know all that much about him . . . now I do and found out
that his drinking was actually even worse than I had heard about.

A series of accompanying photos from different aspects
of Fields' life contributed to my enjoyment of this book.

There were several memorable passages; among them:
Comedy, Bill Fields would say, is truth--a bit of artful reality,
expressed in action or words, carefully exaggerated and brought to
a surprise finish. Fields didn't think the mechanics of a gag counted
for half as much as the sound behind it. You might coax a laugh
from a willing audience over most anything, but a gag wouldn't be
memorable without the delight of human recognition.

Booze had not yet become and integral part of the act, but Fields
made such bald-faced exaggerations in print that he was widely
thought to have an unlimited capacity. "I'm and advocate of
moderation," he told Jack Grant in Movie Classic magazine.
"For example, I never drink before breakfast. During the morning,
I have 15 or 20 highballs. Then comes lunch. But I don't eat
lunch. Bad for the waistline. I drink it instead-oh say, a gallon
of cocktails. In the afternoon, which is longer that the morning, I
have possibly 30 or 40 highballs. With dinner, I have ten or twelve
bottles of wine or something to drink. In the evening, like a case
of sherry or maybe 50 to 60 highballs." A more reliable account
of Fields' drinking came in 1951 from Norman McLeod. "After
breakfast he downed a solid glass of bourbon with one-half inch
of water in it," he told columnist Ezra Goodman. "He said he didn't
want to discolor the bourbon. He had four or five of these until
noon, He drank on the set. He was on of the few actors I knew of
who was allowed to drink on the set. Then he had lunch. After
lunch-he always ate big meals-he began imbibing again at 2:30.
He would have four or five more bourbons until 5 p.m. At 5 p.m.
he started on martinis. He'd have five or six martinis-he made a
very good martini-before dinner. He was never drunk unless
he consumed liquor after dinner. If he did, he went back to bourbon."

[Spec McClure, Hedda Hopper's leg man]
Fields was the only man or woman I ever saw who stopped the whole
set when he went into a scene. I remember one scene-a rather long

shot-at 20th in which the idiot board could not be used, nor could
Fields remember his lines. So on each take he simply improvised,
making each one vastly different. The usually bored crew, technicians,
and everybody else on the stage crowded close to observe the maestro
as he went into action. I have also seen him so drunk that two men
were required to get him into position on the set, but when "action"
was called he marvelously came to life and went through the
scene without a hitch. An assistant stood on the sidelines with
a quart malted-milk glass filled with martini in case Fields got
thirsty. This was no gag, as everyone had great respect for the
old trouper and nobody thought his leaning on gin funny. Of
course, never wrote up such things as I could feel the life
weariness in the man-and I'd never been let back on the stage
if I had.

Do you like W.C. Fields' movies? Then you will love this book! Have you collapsed from gut-busting exhaustion after watching the same hilarious scene over and over again? Do you revel in Fields the Magnificient Wordsmith? If so, get on your percheron and head for Amazon.com or the nearest bookstore and get this book!

James Curtis has created a stunning work, to be savored for its detail not only about Fields but his supporting players as well. Here you will learn that in 1934 Mae West received an astounding $300,000 a picture. Be sure to look at the picture of West as a young woman on p. 397 -- she was a striking beauty, and this is the first picture I have ever seen of her at such an age.

Fields found his work -- dialogue and plots -- carefully scrutinized by his producers and directors. His were rather simple films, really -- marvelously entertaining but certainly not epics. Yet they were given the third degree. Mercifully the humor of the man survived intact, I think. And we are all richer for the experience!

If you know and love the man and his work, read this book. If you are unfamiliar with the Great Man, you may wish to get the book and a few of his films. Watch the films, then read the book. And its value will increase tenfold! Well? What are you waiting for! (wink)

James Curtis offers a well-researched and engagingly written biography of one of the most enigmatic figures ever to appear in the entertainment business. W.C. Fields was one of the most talented, yet underused (by contemporary definition) performers in show business, whether in vaudeville, burlesque, Broadway, Hollywood or radio. Originally a physical performer (juggling) before evolving into a diverse comedian and actor, Fields spent his entire life developing a unique public persona that became, in all appearances, to be the private man as well. Mr. Curtis paints a textured portrait of a man by turns, remarkably generous, yet often parsimonious, stubbornly difficult, yet frequently courtly and gracious.

The book focuses on Mr. Fields personal life to a level rarely reached in more traditional biographies. The chapters on Field's childhood and early days in show business provide tremendous insight on the man he would become and explain the contradictory nature of the man. There is a sense of tragedy of a great man who begins to fade, both in physical abilities and later, mental acuity, consumed by alcoholism, an unhappy marriage and a number of failed personal relationships. The book reads like a novel as Mr. Curtis blends description and dialogue seamlessly throughout the 600+ pages.

I was struck by the revelations of W.C. Fields personal graciousness and generosity as most previous biographies of the man portray him as a rather one-dimensional caricature. Yet, like most great talents, Fields was an incredibly complex man. This biography does him, nearly 60 years after his death, justice.

This book is absolutely incredible. Everytime you read it, there is something new that comes up and life blossems more and more with every turning page. It's simply written so that people of all ages can relate to it. Sri Sri knows exactly what we need in life and what we are searching for. He has touched my heart and removed the dust from my eyes with this book. It's touching and inspiring. Saints like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar don't just write books on wisdom, love, or compassion. They are living expamples and I have given this book to many friends as gifts and they all absolutely love it. The knowledge is applicable to everyday living and shed the light on every topic that we are disturbed by. Enjoy!...

The book provides profound insight about one's life in a very simple manner. Extremely practical and effective in improving the quality of ones life. Almost every aspect of the human life and more has been addresses by the book.
A must buy!!!

This book contains all in one .Touches all the aspects of the spirituality.Genrally one will get tied if he reads any book at a stretch, but this book makes u more energtic and gets you recharged with enthusiam .And reading many number of times can bring more understanding of the book and one will feel about it.

This book contains all the info from bringing up of child to Budha'silence , love ,meditation ..etc

For many years it has been the practice of critics and art aficionados to relegate "popular artists" the likes of Norman Rockwell and the Wyeth clan to the bin of kitsch. Time heals and alters and distance is kind as the current resurgence of appreciation of these and other artists of the land testifies. Norman Rockwell now is considered an important American artist, sensitive to basic issues of what makes America the land of the common man's dream. With this beautifully designed and written tome the same adulation should follow for the Wyeth clan. The authors (Betsy Wyeth among them) had the good idea to show the seeds of the very familiar Wyeth imagery in the work of Howard Pyle, an artist known primarily as an illustrator along the lines of over the edge fantasy adventure books. His pupil N.C. Wyeth took up the torch, primarily emulating Pyle's style but taking it to a new level. His works of isolation, thwarted desire, and simple American traditions are absorbed by his son Andrew Wyeth who won favor among collectors of realist art during the time the country was running after Modernism, Expresionism, Abstraction. And finally Jaime Wyeth, son of Andrew, has been a constant presence with his quasi-surreal take on many of the same subjects as his progenitors. The circle comes round with Pyle and Jaime Wyeth embracing the more perverse subjects - an interesting century wheel turning round and round.

The color reproductions are generous and well selected. Many of the well know Wyeth images are excluded, but in their place we are treated to images we have never seen. This is a beautiful volume and a tender one, a memento of what our childhood in the 20th Century was like before the madness currently painted hit.

The images floor me. If a picture is worth a thousand words.... then this collection speaks incalculable volumes.

For the non-art initiated, the book is a feast for the imagination as well as the eyes. I bought the book because I come from the mid-coast of Maine, like the Wyeths. But when I took the time to look at the book on a night we lost power due to a snow storm, I found the views conjured stories up in my mind to match the Wondrously Strange images. I've driven by the Wyeth Center a thousand times, but made a point to visit to see for my self. I'm also fortunate to have a copy signed by Jamie Wyeth, and hope to keep as a treasure for a long time.

A clear, beautifully illustrated-(both photos and drawings) how-to-book on the fascinating subject of making character figures to people your doll-house,diorama,room setting,etc..Extremely well written by the charmingly wry and witty(as only the English can be) James Carrington

1/12 Scale Character Figures for the Dolls' House
by James Carrington exceeded my expectations. It has everything! I'm inspired to try Carrington's methods.
The illustrations are great and the photos are beautiful. I recommend this book to anyone interested in making their oun art dolls, or even those who are just curious as to how these beautiful dolls are created.

James Carrington has done an excellent job with this doll-making guidebook. He has taken great care to add infinite amounts of photographs (entirely color) and illustrations to go with every aspect of the text. If a tool or a technique is mentioned, you can bet there's a picture (or two or three) to go along with it. There are also photographs for every step in the creation process, and he leaves no questions unanswered.
Originally, I purchased this book to aid me in creating 1/12 scale fairies. Being a fairly non-artsy person when it comes to reconstructing the human form, this book was exactly what I needed. The numerous pages on facial expressions and body language are absolutely priceless for a reference for a sculptor. There are instructions on how to make armitures (the center frame of the doll) and even sufficient instructions on wigging (adding hair). All in all, this is an excellent book for someone first entering the craft, and an invaluable reference tool for the avid doll maker. Five stars.

A wonderful story, well-written about a tireless inventor who overcomes great difficulties to create a very successful business, doing it "his way". Proof of his genius is that almost every American vacuum cleaner manufacturer has shamelessly knocked off his design. Shame on them. Bravo to James Dyson! Write another book Mr. Dyson.

How creativity can also be learned outside Design Schools, business can also be learned outside business schools?..... How the real world is a great place to learn whatever one desires to learn? and How with patience, persistance and preserverance can one develop oneself into a revolutionary designer and a successful enterprenuer? is what this book is dealing with.

Unique and an inspiring way of "walking through" a lifestory of a successful struggle.

James Dyson is one of only two men ever honored with having the vacuum cleaner they invented named after them. James Kirby and James Dyson Jim Kirby did not work for the Kirby Company - so the Kirby vacuum was not really his. Mr. Dyson designed new technology, perfected it, manufactured it, and successfully sells it all over the world. This book details the struggles of the 'average' man who has a brilliant idea and is constantly knocked down with every turn. That the Dyson vacuum exists at all is a miracle, as this book clearly illustrates. Mr. Dyson's personal battles to see his invention brought to life are fascinating and horrifying at the same time. How could one man survive so much rejection and yet triumph in the end? This book has all the elements necessary for transformation into a wonderful movie. A loveable lead character, constant uphill battles for justice, and a satisfying ending that will make you want to know more about this brilliant and wonderful man who has changed the way we look at cleaning our homes. For the first time in the 100 years of the vacuum cleaner, it finally works the way it should. Without a Bag.

Evans does a phenomenal job of expressing what's on every right-winger's mind. Chapter after chapter he hits the nail on the head and drvies to the heart of our country's problems.

I'd refer to it as the guide to America's struggles: Liberal quest for power vs. Republicans desire for progress.

James Evans has done a good job in creating a simple, straightforward book that debunks the liberal trends in our country. He explains clearly the imaginary concepts that liberals conceive their ideals. He illustrates the roots that took shape in the 1960s that evolved into the leadership coming of age today. He exposes very well the outcomes of the law, Affirmative Action and public education. He also demonstrates common sense rules to live by that would create an orderly society. Mr. Evans was of the hippie culture of the 1960s. He later understood the irrational thinking that this liberal ideology would bring about. His book is an easy to read guide to the trends our country has been on for the past 40 years. He simply demonstrates good alternatives to develop good citizenship, self-directed responsibility, and a better community for us all.

Not only is Mr. Evans right on the money, but he does is hilariously. If you are a liberal standing on shaky, Mr. Evans is going to get you. The humor is gut wrenching, the satire thick and the message right on. Another good work from Mr. Evans.

This is a nice little interesting book, but I can't agree with the effusive praise it's garnered. Brown does have some useful things to say, and his analysis is more balanced than that of many commentators on the science wars, but in places that analysis is rather shallow. It seems to me, for example, that the philosophical difficulties of naturalism would be something worth addressing by Brown, but he gives those difficulties short shrift.

Brown is just as capable as the extremists at dismissing those he disagrees with as "mushy-minded", "bad scientists" whose views are "laughable" and whose sanity should be doubted. All those who think moral norms might have divine origin? According to Brown, they're "naively religious". All those who disagree with Brown about capital punishment? According to Brown, they just must not have studied the matter as much as he has. (For Brown, this is apparently an issue on which it is impossible for there to be an honest, informed difference of opinion.) As someone who sympathizes with both Brown and Norman Levitt on many issues but disagrees with them each on others, I have to say that it's a lot more fun to be insulted by Levitt because he does it with such style! (Incidentally, Brown's analysis of Gross and Levitt's book only seems to make sense if Levitt is on the political Right. My reading of Levitt's _Prometheus Bedeviled_ leads me to believe that that is far from the case.)

One last item: Brown writes: "Most people could achieve a high-level understanding of any branch of science, but only if several years have been devoted to its intense study." I'm not sure whether Brown classifies mathematics as a branch of science, but I see no more evidence that sufficient training could provide most people with a high-level understanding of mathematics than that sufficient training could provide most people with the ability to high jump 7 feet. I used to tell my students that intense study would undoubtedly make them successful; after seeing several hard-workers earn D's, I stopped saying that.

Some contend the conflict between the sciences and the humanities is behind us. Reading Brown's analysis on the one hand and the daily news on the other shows how mistaken this view is. This is a refreshing and perceptive examination of the topics encountered over education, workplace behaviour, health and environmental issues. In short, Brown asks what the role of science is in our lives and how should we consider it? While the so-called "science wars" may seem like a remote philosophical debate, Brown brings it home for us all. In his view, you, as a participant in society, have a role to play in what science ought to address. He is adamant, however, that how science is done should remain with those who understand the methods involved in seeking the truth, elusive as that concept might be.

Brown's reviews the famous "Sokal Hoax" in which a physicist scathingly exposed the limits of "postmodern" language and philosophy. He explains how the Sokal Affair raised the public consciousness about views of what science is and how it works. Brown presents and illuminates the issues with admirable clarity and logic. He is a Professor of Philosophy with a deep respect for rational thinking. Unlike some, he doesn't view "cultural relativism" as a fad. Instead, he's aware of its impact in education and the wider world of social and political life. We are daily confronted with decisions to be made. We must make them on a rational basis and not be misled by "charlatans" who would obfuscate the issues. We make decisions on the basis of the values we hold. Brown enjoins us to be clear on our values - their foundations and how they are derived. This all sounds familiar, even redundant. Brown demonstrates how easily we can be misled if we fail to pay attention to what we are encouraged to believe and how we act on those beliefs.

Brown's answer to the query in his title seems simplistic - you do. You should rule science through democracy. We all believe in democracy [at least most of us reading this book do] and we all feel we know what it means. Brown wants you to reconsider what you believe about democracy and how it should be practiced. In short, he understands that in our form of democracy, knowledge, not emotion or mythology, should rule. Brown demonstrates how "expertise" already plays a significant role in political decisions. Expertise is derived by those who employ scientific methods to increase our knowledge. Our job is to sort through differing views to determine which is most applicable to issues under consideration. He recognizes the difficulty of the task, offering step-by-step solutions to ease the burden. People need to hear "more intelligent and informed voices" in Brown's view. How to find those voices? The starting point is this book. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

This is an excellent and pleasantly surprising book. Not only does it pull off the trick of explaining the differences between the positivists, Popper, and Kuhn in one concise, easy-to-read chapter, but it places the political aspect of the debate in a reasonable light, pointing out that the objectivist-constructivist divide is not simply a divide of the right and left politically, but of a certain portion of the left, those whacked out French philosophes, the "nihilist wing of social constructivism," as Brown calls them.

It is this combination of explaining philosophical terms and political problems in a clear manner that makes this book the good read that it is. It has better explanations about the philosophy of science and such terms as naturalism, realism, rationalism, and even underdetermination than I've seen elsewhere. All this in a book written for the layman, not the expert.

The one problem I had with the book was its treatment of realism. I don't think Brown brought out the problems inherent in realism. Realism not only posits that objects exist; it posits we can know and describe their properties. What is wrong with this line of thought? Parmenides said "a thing is or it is not." Give it a linguistic turn, and one might say "description describes what is or it is not description." The complaint against realism is that historically, realistic descriptions of objects have not endured and so are not descriptions.

Look at Brown's definition of realism (96):
1.The aim of science is to give a true (or approximately true) description of reality.
2.Scientific theories are either true or false.
3.It is possible to have evidence for the truth (or falsity) of a theory. (It remains possible, however, that all the evidence supports some theory T, yet T is false.)

Accepting definition (2) as the bedrock axiom, definition (1) immediately contradicts it. "Approximately true" is false to anyone except a pragmatist. The whole point of realistic description is a complete, accurate rendering of the object. Approximation might "work," but it is not "true." Second, Brown's definition (3) is at some point arguable. What if evidence itself is conceived as a set of particular objects or relations that make up the larger object of description? Inquiring into them, one could ask what's the evidence for the truth (or falsity) of the evidential facts. The realist avoids this regress by referring to some axiomatic definition or other sort of "given." This works most of the time, but not always.

Consider Brown's statement (102) that, "One thing that cannot be overstressed here is fallibility. Objectivity does not imply certain truth. Evidence can mislead. The ancients were objective in believing in an earth-centered universe, because the available evidence strongly supported this view." Brown is wrong here. Objectivity does imply certain truth (or certainly did among ancient Greek philosophers who invented realism). I think what's being confused here is rationality and objectivity. It is a rational strategy to believe what everyone else believes. What is believed, however, is not necessarily objectively true. It was rational for ancients to believe in an earth-centered universe. It was not, however, an objective description of the universe, no matter what the "evidence" showed.

Plato made a distinction between knowledge and true belief. If I recall correctly, the philosopher-kings had objective knowledge, the enforcers had true belief. The philosopher-kings were right. They knew they were right and why they were right. The enforcers knew they were right, but didn't know why. Consequently, they were fallible in their explanations and, without the philosopher-kings to guide them, in their beliefs. Now, if scientists are fallible, what is it that allows them to know when they are right? The evidence? Brown said earlier in his definition that the evidence could all be right but the theory wrong. The realist who believes in fallibility has nothing to knowingly connect to the object. He is like the enforcer who has true belief, but not knowledge.

Not too trendy, not too trite--just right, which is unusual in business books. Yeah, lots of companies have flamed out, and values are way down, and there's this Enron thing. But the Internet is still changing, if not everything, a lot of things. And perspicacious executives will be looking for ideas about how to stay ahead, because it isn't getting any easier or any less competitive. Citrin's book offers a lot of real, practical insight gleaned from an assortment of businesses that, whatever the stock price says this week, seem pretty likely to survive and prosper.

For those looking for a roadmap for sucessful businesses, Zoom is the book for you. With Zoom, Jim Citrin insightfully reveals the important success factors for successful businesses, and how companies have deployed them. The lessons of Zoom are not time dependent; they transcend business and technology eras. Zoom could also serve as an important aid for companies that have become derailed and provide a roadmap to get them back on the success road. I thought Zoom was excellent - insightful, actionable, and enjoyable.

James M. Citrin draws his new business wisdom from detailed studies of 12 successful start-ups and blue chips. Identifying the common threads in these two groups, he comes to a simple conclusion: To win in the modern marketplace, companies must combine traditional management techniques with cutting-edge methods and technology. Even if some the conclusions presented here fail to surpass the obvious, we from getAbstract recommend this book for its cross-section of best practices, old and new.

James Wright was of course one of the 20th century's great master poets. Each poem in this book bears his stamp of completely precise, beautiful communication. His writing can teach about the art. It does, though, seem kind of pretentious to me the way this one approach to poetry, which has its sense in it, is the only way for the words to be poetry, which James Wright must have believed or he wouldn't have done it that same way every time.

Above the River is so full of beautiful and painful lines, it's enought to make one believe in poetry again. His words are so evocative and yet also filled with the sadness of examination. Particularly good pieces are "Two Hangovers" and "A Blessing".

This collection of Wright's work includes his experiments with formal blank verse, translations of German poets, experimental prose pieces, and characteristic free verse that made him one of America's strongest national poets with a regional identity. Wright's topics range from the pastoral landscape of people, wildlife, and industry near his Ohio hometown to the philosophical challenges of individuality, death, renewal, and union. The gray mountains, coal trains, steel bridges and murky Ohio River take their places beside docile horses, musical insects and colorful characters. But never does Wright falter to the mere reporting of a landscape through his poetry; the vision is always fresh, exacting, tense, and redemptive. I have used his work with many of my English students, and the feedback is celebratory. If you are a fan of poetry or a student of the craft, familiarize yourself with this book. Donald Hall's wonderful preface does justice to one of America's most fondly remembered poets.

This book by James Kaplan provides an in depth look at John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport in NYC. But in doing this it is looking at a small town with it's different people and functions. Everything from the medical staff, to the guy who changes all the lightbulbs in the ground are given a face in this incredible book. It's a fast read, and it will answer all your questions. It's not just for people who like airports or for New Yorkers. It is for everyone who should marvel at how special a place JFK really is. It leaves you hoping that Kaplan will adopt the same methods with other institutions around the country.

Extremely well written with terrific detail. This book takes you inside the workings of the airport. It gives you a view of JFK and particular events that are relevant to the airport that you would not have without the benefit of this book. The real testament to this book for me is that since I've read it, every time something happens that has to do with JFK (TWA 800 etc.), I wish that Mr. Kaplan would incorporate it in a sequel so that I could understand it through his perspective. Kaplan's chapter on his experience of flying in the cockpit of the Concorde is worth finding this book even though it now appears to be out of print.

I never thought I'd be fascinated by baggage handlers or traffic cops at an airport. But this book changed all that. It is a wonderful adventure from the most exciting moments in the cockpit to the control tower to the ticket counter to the kitchen and beyond. It takes you to 30,000 feet all the way down to the guts of the airport operations. From the beginning account of an actual plane crash to everything else, I could not put this book down. If you're the least bit interested in commercial airliners or airports, this is a must read.