Picking Up Pearls: Stories of Nattie, Emily, Trudi, Lila and Others

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One Fast Ride To The Top Of Pro Wrestling

An Average Book about a good athlete who was just a medicore Football D-Lineman...

MinnesotaWreckingCrew

For Goldberg Fans Only!

AN ENTERTAINING READ

I'm Next: The Strange Journey of America's Most Unlikely Superhero
Bill Goldberg , and Steve Goldberg
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bill Goldberg's friends were skeptical when he decided to quit being an NFL defensive lineman and take up pro wrestling. "Billy Goldberg, a wrestler?" said his pal Roger Duchowny. "Jews don't wrestle... except with guilt." But Bill was a last-string lineman with a bad groin injury, and a born performer. So he went to study with the runty Jedi master of wrestlers, Dewayne "Sarge" Bruce, who used to wrestle as "the Leprechaun in the Dungeon of Doom." Sarge got Billy through basic training with flying colors. Duchowny, a director for The Love Boat, suggested that Billy devise a catch phrase, and they came up with "Who's next?" Needless to say, "Goldberg" proved a more imposing stage name than "Billy." And at his 1997 match in Salt Lake, Goldberg whomped the well-known Hugh Morrus (a.k.a. "Humorous") with style, throwing in a back flip for good measure.

Goldberg was on his way. Soon he had a look (bald, gloves, a cool, thorn-themed arm tattoo from Georgia's Psycho Tattoo), and a signature entrance, through a shower of sparks. (The key is to be as wet as possible, because sparks do sting.) There have been times when, for all his success, Goldberg has regretted following his instincts. "Using a real cattle prod was my idea. If I was going to lose, it was going to look as realistic as possible, but when I ate the voltage I knew why those big beasts were so cooperative. As the crowd started to chant 'Goldberg. Goldberg. Goldberg,' I lay there wondering what the hell I was doing flopping around the ring like a fish in a Speedo." Still, art is its own reward, and he has no regrets about severing his tendons, getting 196 stitches, and nearly crippling himself by punching through a limousine window instead of using the scripted prop, a sledgehammer. "My girlfriend could break a window with a sledgehammer. Where's the theatrics in that?"

Bill Goldberg's grandpa was in the circus. Like grandpa, like grandson. Only in Bill's circus, the clown, the strongman, and the barker are all rolled into one. Goldberg is one of the barking strongman clowns to watch. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

Goldberg is a one-man ass-kicking machine. He's as exciting a superstar as the wrestling world has ever seen and when he was finally beaten, it took three guys and a cattle prod to do it. I'm Next is the high-energy, exciting, and hilarious story of how he went from unemployed football player to undefeated World Champion in just eighteen short months.

Goldberg chronicles his rocketlike rise to wrestling stardom from his "upset" win against Hugh Morrus in his first-ever televised match, to winning the U.S. title against Raven, to jackhammering living legend Hulk Hogan for the pin and the world title.

Best of all, you'll get to hear Goldberg's real opinions about other wrestlers. You won't believe what he has to say about guys like Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Steve Austin, Mick Foley, the Rock, and Scott Hall.

I'm Next also covers Goldberg's life from the time when he had a first name. Growing up, Bill Goldberg never wanted to become a wrestler. All he wanted to do was play professional football. And he did . . . until a 330-pound offensive lineman nearly separated his private parts from his torso. He was forced to reinvent himself in a radical way -- especially for a guy whose parents were a Harvard-educated doctor and a classical musician. He became a professional wrestler.

But Bill didn't just become Goldberg overnight. He trained at the legendary WCW Power Plant, where stars are made and dreams are shattered. In I'm Next he tells the whole story of his character's creation -- the bald head, the gloves, the tattoo, and the genesis of his famous battle cry, "You're next!"

He also talks about the hectic life of a wrestler on the road. You'll see him at major sporting events hanging out with guys like Brett Hull, Shaquille O'Neal, and Bill Elliot. You'll follow him as he takes batting practice with Mark McGwire and drinks from the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils.

What emerges is a picture of a complicated man on a strange and unlikely journey. One minute he's delivering a spear that would stop a charging rhino, and the next he's delivering a speech to the United States Congress on behalf of the Humane Society.

I'm Next is the inside story of what really goes on behind the curtain in professional wrestling. And you'd better believe that the soap opera story backstage is more bizarre than what you see in the ring. Bill Goldberg is a man of intensity who tells it like it is. And he shows it, too, through dozens of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collection.

Customer Reviews:

One Fast Ride To The Top Of Pro Wrestling.......2007-04-22

Bill Goldberg defined the sonic boom that pro wrestling made on cable TV and at arena shows throughout North America.

From September 1997 to January 2001, he was WCW, from his "173" consecutve victories - with ring veterans like Curt Hennig doing quick "jobs" early on so Goldberg's character would get a serious push with fans - his ring entrance with backstage security guards & pyrotechnics and - the biggest compliment of all - having Vice McMahon lampoon his character in 1999 with the comedic Gillberg, who stumbled, staggered and quickly lost matches on WWF shows.

Published in November 2000, this is an autobiography of an improbable meteoric rise in pro wrestling after a severe injury ended a journeyman-like career in the NFL and - perhaps most importantly of all - using the celebrity status to assist a variety of charitable causes.

But there were critics - some inside the ring - who felt Goldberg was not experienced enough for the main-event status; that he was attempting moves that put his opponents at risk. On December 19, 1999, he legitimately injured Bret Hart - concussion, torn neck muscle - with a kick to the head.

And as in wrestling, timing is everything when it comes to publishing a book. It was released before Goldberg's very unsatisfying one-year run with WWE, his life after pro wrestling and the rumors that continue to circulate on his return to the squared-circle.

Though it ultimately is an incomplete picture of Goldberg, I'm Next remains a great read since it is as much a story of American pop culture as it is on one of pro wrestling's real good guys - inside and outside the ring.

An Average Book about a good athlete who was just a medicore Football D-Lineman..........2006-09-25

Former NFL/CFL/NFL E D-Lineman Bill
Goldberg is as colourful in these
pages as his name was dull as a muscle-
headed D-Lineman in Pro Football. Tell
me this guy didn't get pumped up on ster-
oids after being a 257-lb mouse of a too
small Def. Tackle/NG in Pro Football, and
I'll call you a liar to your face. Gold-
berg's main problem in here is his stupid
'persecution' complex that he lays out
every three pages. Gee Bill, if you hadn't
got drunk so much, et, al, and worked our
more WHEN YOU WERE in the NFL, maybe I could
like you more now that you are doing cool
muscle car shows and involved in the phoney
wrestling scam-business. Goldberg's stupid
remarks about the very good CFL and about
RE-breaking Joe Thiesmann's leg are not go-
ing win him many friends and influence too
many people, jewish or otherwise. Neither
is his alledged acting 'career'. Naw, I'll
take the Rock as the former wrestler that
made good in life beyond the gridiron. Sorry
Bill...

MinnesotaWreckingCrew.......2006-01-17

If you are a fan of Bill Goldberg, more than a wrestling fan, read this book. You will probably enjoy his biography. However, if you are a wrestling fan, more than a Bill Goldberg fan, you may not want to bother with this one. You can get a (used) copy from Amazon for less than $2.00. Doesn't that say a lot?

For Goldberg Fans Only!.......2006-01-15

In the book I'm Next: The Strange Journey of America's Most Unlikely Superhero, Bill Goldberg gives us a very honest look into his life. This book was co-written by Goldberg's older brother, Steve Goldberg. Divided into three sections, I'm Next does a great job of giving the reader wonderful insight into how this young boy grew up to be a wrestling superstar.
The first part of this book is about Goldberg, the wrestler. Being a WWE fan, this was the part of his life I was most familiar with. But, Bill Goldberg does a great job of taking the average wrestling fan on a journey behind the scenes to let us know what really goes on in and out of the ring. Wresting, it seems, is much more of a business, at times, than it is a sport.
The next part of the book includes one chapter written entirely by Steve Goldberg, and another chapter written by their father, Jed. Bill's family members give us insight into their private lives so that we can share in the closeness that they have enjoyed. The Goldberg men have always been extremely supportive of one another. This section includes the pre-wrestling days: birth through college. The Goldberg's were a rich family but despite this, life wasn't perfect. His parents divorced when Bill was young, and this created problems for him throughout his life. Bill was spoiled and was used to getting his own way. It was clear by reading the book that Bill Goldberg's one goal while growing up was to play NFL football. This dream did eventually come true but only lasted a short time. He suffered many injuries, which brought his football career to an end. It was while Bill was trying to recuperate from his football injuries that he worked out in the same gym with many WCW superstars. Since his dream of football was over, they convinced him to give professional wrestling a shot.
In the last part of the book, Goldberg sounds bitter towards the wrestling industry as he talks about his final days in the WCW and WWE. During these final days, he became reckless and continued acting immature and spoiled. He even jeopardized his own health when he punched through a car window instead of using a prop. There was no permanent damage, but he required 196 stitches. Bill also talks about all the politics behind-the-scenes and the wrongs of the wrestling world.
After reading this book, it is no secret that Bill Goldberg never liked the business that made him very famous and paid him a lot of money. It is clear that he holds a lot of resentment towards this wrestling industry.
If you are a Goldberg fan, this book is worth reading. It will give you a new perspective on the man that you have only known as a wrestler. If you are not a fan, I think you should pass on this book.

AN ENTERTAINING READ.......2005-09-18

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. I FOUND BILL GOLDBERG TO BE VERY FUNNY AND FULL OF HIMSELF. HE IS NOT A BAD GUY, BUT HAS A VERY BIG EGO. FROM HIS CHILDHOOD, FOOTBALL CAREER AND WRESTLING CAREER GOLDBERG DOES A NICE JOB DESCRIBING WHAT GOES ON IN THE STRANGE AND INTERESTING WORLD OF PRO FOOTBALL AND PRO WRESTLING. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL WRESTLING FANS BECAUSE HE WAS A BIG PART OF THE WWE AND WCW. HE HELPED KEEP WRESTLING POPULAR BY DEVELOPING AN INTERESTING AND DYNAMIC CHARACTER.

I'm Next/Strange Journey of America's Most Unlikely Superhero

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I'm Next/Strange Journey of America's Most Unlikely Superhero
Steve Goldberg
Manufacturer: Headline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Fritz Lang's classic 1927 film Metropolis has justifiably become an icon for the complexities of Weimar culture. Among the important general issues it also raises are the relation between ideology and art, the status and authorship of the film text in the entertainment market, the city, the construction of gender, the relation between the human body and the machine in modernity, and the relation between mass and high culture. This volume provides a broad range of materials and resources for the study of Lang's film, including both well-known, previously published critical essays and contributions appearing for the first time here. The editors provide a two-part introduction that furnishes context for what follows: Bachmann's part deals with thegenesis, production, and contemporary reception of the film, while Minden's defines the problems posed by the text and reviews thesolutions to these problems as proposed by later generations of critics.The first part of the book proper includes selected contemporaryreviews, commentary by Fritz Lang and others involved in the making ofthe film, and extracts from Thea von Harbou's original novel. In thesecond part, eight modern scholars provide fresh essays on the genesis,promotion, and reception of the film. Approximately half of the materialin the volume has never before appeared in print. The volume will appealto students of German, film, cultural and intellectual history, andsocial theory.Michael Minden is University Lecturer in German atCambridge University and a fellow of Jesus College. Holger Bachmannreceived his Ph.D. from Cambridge on Arthur Schnitzler and film.

Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis': Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review): An article from: The Modern Language Review

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Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis': Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review): An article from: The Modern Language Review
Sean Allan
Manufacturer: Modern Humanities Research Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Modern Language Review, published by Modern Humanities Research Association on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 648 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis': Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review)
Author: Sean Allan
Publication: The Modern Language Review (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2003
Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association
Volume: 98 Issue: 3 Page: 782(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Michael Minden and Holger Bachman, eds. Fritz Lang's Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Utopian Studies

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Michael Minden and Holger Bachman, eds. Fritz Lang's Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Utopian Studies
Bart Testa
Manufacturer: Society for Utopian Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Society for Utopian Studies on March 22, 2002. The length of the article is 2805 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Michael Minden and Holger Bachman, eds. Fritz Lang's Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear.(Book Review) (book review)
Author: Bart Testa
Publication: Utopian Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2002
Publisher: Society for Utopian Studies
Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Page: 179(5)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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#1 Country Hits of the '90s

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0634010778

Book Description

Includes 20 contemporary chart-toppers: Achy Breaky Heart (Don't Tell My Heart) * Alibis * Boot Scootin' Boogie * Chattahoochee * Down at the Twist and Shout * Friends in Low Places * Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart * Love Without End, Amen * She Is His Only Need * You're Still the One * more.

Book Description

Sold in opaque cellophane packs like trading cards, Crazy Bones are colorful plastic characters that kids collect, play with, and trade. This exclusive guide includes all the Crazy Bones thus far - descriptions, games, and trading tips.

Customer Reviews:

Must have for collectors!.......2000-11-13

A humerous guide for both children and adults. Gives you the history of Crazy Bones, games to play, and listings of the different characters. Needs to be updated to include most recent Bones (like Monster Bones, Dragonball Bones, and Toy Story 2 Bones) but is a good start for most people.

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Can't we all just get along (and together)?

Great Book, Enjoyabe Reading

No more cookie cutter learning styles!

A MUST READ FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES

The Way We Work: What You Know About Working Styles Can Increase Your Efficiency, Productivity, and Job Satisfaction
Cynthia Ulrich Tobias
Manufacturer: B&H Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Can't we all just get along (and together)?.......2004-01-05

The book describes another knock-off copy-cat system of the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator and the MBTI's marvellous refinement, Keirseian Temperament. Wouldn't it be great if all these copycat system people, and the MBTI and Keirsian people, could get together and admit they are merely describing the same thing? Heck, the world might actually see the truth to these systems, once they're unified. But no, I guess there's money to be made by coining a new name for something and establishing a copyright for that new name.
Still, basically, it more or less all boils down to 4 basic temperaments, further extrapolating into 16 total types, no matter which system.
This book is brief and hence does not get into much of any depth, but it is useful for an introduction to the idea.
One thing humorous: The author is obviously a Sensing Perceiver on the MBTI (I forget what she calls it in her system) and admits that her type does not like being predictable or nailed down to anything; then, she spends the rest of the book hedging her bets and declaring that her type fluctuates and is really hard to nail down. (Something which MBTI most emphatically denies; still, it is typical of SPs to hate being predictable).

Great Book, Enjoyabe Reading.......2003-04-30

This was a wonderful book. I laughed throughout the entire book. It is so practical and applicable!

No more cookie cutter learning styles!.......1999-11-30

The Way We Work by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias

The Way We Work is a wonderful followup to Ms. Tobias's previous book, The Way They Learn. As an entrepreneur and educator, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these learning styles translated into workplace applications. Not only does the book encourage evaluation of our own learning styles, but teaches us how to get along with those having different learning and communication styles from our own.

The author wisely discourages the use of labeling and cookie-cutter analysis, which is a refreshing approach. This is one I will quickly place on my recommended reading list for my students and colleagues alike. Well done!

A MUST READ FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.......1999-05-20

Forget over-priced feel-good sensitivity seminars. This book is full of common sense insights and ideas that will really make things better at work! Whether you are top level management, a worker bee, or somewhere in the middle you will benefit enormously by reading this book.

Book Description

The only major biography of Sam Peckinpah in print, David Weddle's If They Move...Kill 'Em! tells the wild story of Peckinpah's life with novelistic verve and does justice to one of the most important bodies of work in American cinema. Born into a clan of lumberjacks, ranchers, and frontier lawyers, David Samuel Peckinpah served in the Marines and then made his way to Hollywood, where he worked on a string of low-budget features before being hired as a writer for Gunsmoke in 1955. Quickly becoming the hottest writer in television, Peckinpah went on to direct a phenomenal series of features, including Ride the High Country, Straw Dogs, The Getaway, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and The Wild Bunch. The life he led -- glamorous, wild, and beset by personal demons -- is as vivid as his films. A hopeless romantic and a grim nihilist, inspiration to such luminaries as DePalma, Scorsese, and Tarantino, Sam Peckinpah was an audacious American original. If They Move...Kill 'Em! is his wild and woolly story.

Customer Reviews:

A Response.......2005-06-16

If you are interested in a detailed look at Sam Peckinpah's life and work, this book is a great starting point. I was particularly struck by Weddle's descriptions of Sam's creative process. Near the end of the book, the recurring theme of "he was drunk (and/or) high again," gets somewhat stale. But Weddle was only reporting fact. For any Peckinpah fan or even those just finding out about the director, this book is well-worth your time.

Last thing...Sorry, but I have to respond to a previous reviewer J. Austin. You lose all credibility as a reviewer when you criticize a biographer for not knowing enough about his subject when you--yourself--fail to spell the subject's name correctly. Secondly, the author's name is Weddle, not Waddle. Thirdly, Weddle hardly claims that Cross of Iron is embarassing. You quoted one word, "embarassing," and removed the entire context around it. Weddle stated that some scenes in Cross of Iron were embarassing (a result of Peckinpah's erratic behavior and inability to focus for a full day's work), but overall Weddle was complimentary of the film. It was Convoy that Weddle dismissed altogether--something I think all Peckinpah fans would agree with. And finally, Weddle apparently did meet Peckinpah on the set of The Osterman Weekend, as he points out in the introduction to Paul Seydor's The Western Films.

peck himself would have shot the man.......2005-04-18

sorry, but i have to differ w/ the other posted 'reviews'.

this book is a sorry mass of sensationalism & subjective criticism.

any 'fimmaker' who thinks this books paints an accurate picture of the man does not truly understand him or his work.

most of the text regarding THE WILD BUNCH is ripped from other sources. extant descriptions read like a bad screenplay (or bill o'reilly's novel)

what really irks me is that waddle dismisses CROSS OF IRON as embarrassing--how many times did he actually WATCH THE FILM?
clearly, the fact that Welles commented on it means it is worth intensive viewing. waddle would rather talk about peckingpah's drinking and obvious malformations . . .

so beware, true peckingpah fan . . . nothing new from this compendium (and it is thick)

a pity the author never met the man he was paid to write about.

jra

Tragic examination of the Sam Peckinpah myth.......2003-05-11

David Weddle's fine biography of director Sam Peckinpah "If They Move...Kill'em!" is a harrowing book, detailing an extraordinary professional life wrought with alcoholism, drug addiction, rage and eventually paranoia. This book doesn't attempt to brush Peckinpah off the mountain he will forever possess, but it does detail his inspirations, influences and life-long battle with the demons within. Peckinpah was indeed tortured, an Ernest Hemingway or even Jack Kerouac of his time. He was also one heck of an SOB.

As a fan of Peckinpah's extaordinary films, including "The Wild Bunch," "Cross of Iron," "Straw Dogs" and "The Getaway," I was always perplexed by the erratic quality of the films later in his career and his eventual disappearance from the filmmaking scene. I suppose Weddle's work provides an uneasy answer to these questions, and I think his arguments about Peckinpah living the life of the characters he created in his films is valid.

Peckinpah's legend has always overshadowed Peckinpah's work, which is why such underrated jewels as "Noon Wine," "Junior Bonner" and "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" have been overlooked. I appreciate Weddle's attempts at exposing this myth, and revealing the troubled inspirations and obsessions of Peckinpah. I have problems with the way Weddle skims the surface of many of his films, rarely providing much critical insight or interpretation. But to do so would be treading on the groundbreaking territory of Garner Simmons' ultimate work "Peckinpah, A Portrait in Montage." Weddle should be applauded for avoiding areas that perhaps have already been covered.

To support his argument, Weddle ignores films from Peckinpah's resume, and makes several generalizations which are not entirely accurate. As the years go by, curious viewers will eventually realize that "Cross of Iron" was one of his great films, just as they will also begin to appreciate the gritty greatness of "The Getaway." These films will never serve as examples of the eroding talent of Peckinpah. Though I do agree with Weddle that "Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia, "The Osterman Weekend" and "Convoy" are hollow shells of a once-great talent.

"If They Move...Kill'Em!" is eye-opening and disturbing. It needed to be written. Many artists who rose to prominence during the 1960s and 1970s suffered a similar Peckinpah fate - cocaine addiction, alcoholism, a life of excess. That he was still able to make his films was a stunning achievement. That he took 10 years and 5 films off of his life (at the very least), is an American tragedy. Weddle has done a good job at revealing a man who not only was his own worst enemy, but who lived the ignoble life of the tortured artist to the extreme. To know Peckinpah the man, is to eventually understand his utterly unique films.

Even the worst of us. . .Sometimes the worst most of all........2003-03-04

As I peddled my latest play, "Rust To Dust", I thought I was being pretty cute by describing it as "The Glass Menagerie meets The Wild Bunch". Working under the false pretense that my work uniquely combined the "hot ice and wonderous strange snow" of Williams' delicate and tender memory play with Peckinpah's bloody machismo driven Darwinistic fables, I thought I had something rare. Wrong.

According to Weddle, Sam Peckinpah himself had already beaten me to the punch.

In reading David Weddle's expansively researched and annotated biography of one of film's great colorful and tragic characters, I rediscovered the suprisingly sentimental and softly poetic side of Peckinpah.

Influenced tremendously by the symbollic stage poetry of Tennesse Williams (Sam was one of his champions!)along with the he-man adventures of John Ford, Howard Hawks and John Huston, Peckinpah brilliantly (admittedly only consistent in three films)managed to combine both seemingly polarized worlds.

Weddle really brings to light the complex character of Sam Peckinpah. Weddle pulls no punches and portrays the director as abusive, selfish, self destructive, malignant and paranoid. He also illuminates the softer, romantic side that created some legitimate and heartbreakingly penetrating works of art. Sam felt moved by poetry and the longing we all have to find the innocent and pure sides of our selves. He searched for salvation. Even in the hearts of deeply flawed and violent men. Knowing that he, like his famous protagnists, would only find it in honorable death.

Weddle does a fine and admirable job painstakingly finding the autobiographical currents running through all of Peckinpah's work.Weddle really shines as a film critic as he deconstructs all of Sam's work. He deftly balances negativity with effusiveness like a fine concert pianist. Like Williams' masterpieces, Peckinpah used his art to exorcise his demons.

It is so refreshing to learn that Peckinpah did not just educate himself on a diet of films, as so many young directors choose to limit themselves. He was a voracious reader of philosophy, history and literature. He loved the stage.

Many of Peckinpah's fans will already know much of the incidents present in the book, which will cause one to skim. But when Weddle works to humanize a deeply misunderstood artist, this book really shines.

"Let's Go!".......2001-07-05

If there has ever been a man for whom the phrase "consumed by his inner demons" was apt, that man was director Sam Peckinpah. And as David Weddle makes clear in this massive and massively detailed biography, Peckinpah's films bring many of these demons out to strut or cower on the silver screen. As Weddle remarks, almost everyone who loves film can remember the first time he saw THE WILD BUNCH, and yet, like almost all of Peckinpah's "serious" films other than RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, it was severely mutilated by studio meddling.

Not since Orson Welles has there been a famous director who had so much trouble with studio interference. And yet there were clearly times when some intelligent interference was more than justified... MAJOR DUNDEE falls completely to pieces in its "third half," to echo Tom and Ray of CAR TALK. THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE is a giant void at its center... where there should be a love story, there's absolute vacuum, despite the talents of the performers. STRAW DOGS is repellant and unmemoriable despite the efforts of Dustin Hoffman. Sam turned every film in which he had much control into a psychodrama in which his characters wrestled with Sam's own problems. In this, he was a true auteur.

Weddle's research is overwhelming and his information about Peckinpah's childhood, college days and TV career is very enlightening... but he makes a major mistake in trying to relate these early experiences of Peckinpah in the most mechanical and naive way to Peckinpah's massive later psychological problems. We even listen in to some of Peckinpah's innermost thoughts, which is pretty preposterous in a supposed work of nonfiction.

And as another reviewer has noted, the list of influences on Peckinpah has a gigantic lapse--- other directors! Apart from a few random mentions of John Ford, there's hardly a hint that Peckinpah ever went to movies, or ever studied the works of other directors. Yet his early films burst onto the scene precisely when there was a directorial ferment almost without precedent in US and international film-making.

Peckinpah's film career is a sad and disturbing litany of maniacal career- and self-destruction. After alcohol withered his talents to a minimum, he discovered cocaine, and spent the rest of his short life in a moronic haze penetrated randomly by spurts of insane violence and agression... until his heart stopped abruptly. Ironically, in his decline he did a couple of by-the-numbers potboiler action films, and these were the only ones of his films that made real money for the studios. His best known, and best, films, like the WILD BUNCH, were box-office failures and not available for viewing even today in their uncut, unmutilated forms.

It's almost all here, a repellent and tragic story that only a Shakespeare could really do much justice to. Recommended, if you've ever wondered what kind of man could have had the vision embodied in the first 15 minutes or the final 15 minutes of THE WILD BUNCH.

Book Description

Academy Award winner for costume design presents the heavily illustrated story of Britain's elite cavalry in the Napoleonic Wars.

Customer Reviews:

Dashing and daring.......2000-12-28

The men of the Prince of Wales regiment - the 10th Hussars, were the ultimate reflection of the contrasts in Napoleonic Warfare. At once fashionable dandys who dressed in immensely expensive uniforms, but also courageous and daring cavalrymen. John Mollo's history of this regiment covers its beginnings in 1739 until the close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 although the majority of this history is focussed on the Prince of Wales's involvement in the regiment. While the Prince of Wales poured all his ambitions for military splendour into this regiment he never actually served overseas with them - all his association with them was superficial.

The personalities in this regiment were often larger than the regiment itself (no mean feat!) - Beau Brummell, the Prince of Wales himself, Lord Henry Paget (later the Marquess of Anglesey), the Duke of Clarence's illegitimate sons, and Captain Hesse (probably a royal bastard himself). With so many men inextricably linked with highest of the upper-classes there is ample room for a great many wonderfully salacious and scandalous anecdotes which lighten the book. Mollo does not leave it there though, he does a good job in covering all the elements of military life including the regiment's service in the Peninsular War and the general life and discipline for the ranks.

It is such a pity that most books, this one included, don't reproduce their illustrations in colour - this one has a number of good pictures, but they are all in black and white. I would certainly recommend reading this book in conjunction with Myerley's recent work "British Military Spectacle" - which examines in much more detail the structure of the army during this period.

hip hip hussar!.......2000-05-29

John Mollo has done a remarkable job in "The Prince's Dolls". He has given his readers an accurate, honest, and colorful picture of the British Army during the Napoleonic era. Mr. Mollo has taken life in the Regiment of Hussars and led us through the grim realities of the Peninsular Wars to Waterloo, in an engaging and readable book. We are taken on a tour through life in the barracks and fighting on the battlefield with dashing and courageous Hussars. We are present at the retreat from Corunna with Sir John Moore; we learn of Lord Paget, the charismatic, confident leader of men and lover of women and of his elopement with Lady Charlotte Wellesley. These are only a few the legendary personalities brought back to life in "The Prince's Dolls". I found the book fascinating. John Mollo has managed to capture the arrogance, pompousness, swagger, courage, boldness, and passion of the era. All two hundred pages are crammed with interesting information and vignettes about the fascinating people, events, scandals, and skirmishes that have made the Regency one of the most provocative and exciting periods in history. This book would be invaluable to researchers of the era or anyone interested in military history. Well done, John Mollo.

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One of the best

I wish all young people had to read this!

Do I dare?

Don't miss this one!

Shrapnel in the Heart: Letters and Remembrance from the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial
Laura Palmer
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Vietnam | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
Southeast Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
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Letters on the Wall: Offerings and Remembrances from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War

Don't Mean Nothing: Short Stories of Vietnam

ASIN: 0394560272
Release Date: 1987-10-12

Book Description

For the first time, one book gives voice to the haunting, painful, tender, and healing tales of those who lost so much in America's least popular war.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Read This Book!.......2004-07-27

If you lost a loved one in Vietnam then you'll understand the poingnancy, intimacy, loss, and anguish of the writers of these letters found throughout the book. It brings out the grim and stark realization that behind every name on the Wall is a story as told by the families who suffered a loss. The most important thing though is the book is about remembering those men and women who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

One of the best.......2002-01-16

Shrapnel In the Heart is a book to be read by everyone no matter what generation they were born in. Shrapnel In The Heart is a book that has letters and rememberances left behind at the Vietnam War Memorial. Some of the letters tell the story about the people behind the letter. The stories are sad, but the courage of the men and women is a true inspiration. The people written about in this book were extrememly young (18, 19, 20) and it seems like they died in vain. But through their letters that were left behind it is easy to see that these young men knew their duty and refused to shirk from it. These men and women are true heroes.

I wish all young people had to read this!.......2000-04-13

I read this book for a college history course and until now have thought very little about war, military, or world politics. Young people today rarely understand or realize what goes with becoming a soldier. This book gives real images of the devastation war brings from the people who lived through the tragedy of losing their loved ones. It opens our eyes to things we just shouldn't close our eyes on.

Do I dare?.......2000-02-09

Do I dare to give this book a less-than-glowing review? I am inclined to do so not because of the power and dignity of the people and the stories in the book--those speak for themselves. It was Palmer (the author) that bothered me. As I was reading the book, I could not help but feel that she was trying to manipulate me, tugging at heartstrings that needed no tug to be moved by these heartfelt stories. I felt a bit patronized by her. A good book (or movie, or whatever), if it moves me, should not make me feel the push; this one did, and it left me feeling the way people usually feel when they were pushed in a direction that they would have gone anyway--irritated.

Don't miss this one!.......1998-09-22

If you have any interest at all in the VietNam War you should not miss this book. It puts a face on all those whose names are inscribed on The Wall. Guaranteed to break your heart!

Shrapnel in the Heart Letters and Remembrances from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

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Shrapnel in the Heart Letters and Remembrances from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Laura Palmer
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0XMAG

Book Description

TREE TALK AND TALES should be of interest to a wide spectrum of readers with interests in nature, trees, and spirituality, including environmentalists, Deep Ecologists, Buddhists, wilderness advocates, and self-help people. Part One, Tree Talk, consists of messages spoken to me by trees and forests in Thailand, Australia, Montana, Norway, and Canada over the past l2 years. Part Two, Tree Tales, involves tales about trees and forests from Asia, Buddha, Nepal, the Celtic countries, and Finland. Part Three, Wilderness Spruce, is a natural history and Deep Ecology novella about an Engelmann Spruce and environmental efforts by teenagers and adults to protect it and its Grandview area through wilderness designation.

Christmas Tales & Christmas Verse, Includes Superb Collection JoelS tALK WIth Santa Claus, Christmas Hymn, Chrystmasse of Olde, First Christmas Tree , Mouse & Moonbeam ETC

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Christmas Tales & Christmas Verse, Includes Superb Collection JoelS tALK WIth Santa Claus, Christmas Hymn, Chrystmasse of Olde, First Christmas Tree , Mouse & Moonbeam ETC
Illustrated By Florence Storer in b/w Color, Color Frontispiece with Tissue Guard That is Torn with Pencil Name, FORMER OWNER STAMP Back Blank Flyleaf, Former Owner Inscription Front Flyleaf Eugene Field
Manufacturer: Scribners,NY Charles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JD7UU6

The Elm Tree talks: Historical tales of North Ridgeville

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The Elm Tree talks: Historical tales of North Ridgeville
Frances Smith
Manufacturer: North Ridgeville Historical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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