Books Reviews - Page 22

Subtitled “The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era,” this well-researched, richly informative tribute to the dashing, debonair actors who made Hollywood hum in years past is packed with photos, stats, behind-the-scenes scoops and other information about why each of these Tinseltown titans, says Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne in the foreward, “stands out like a water tower in the Sahara.”
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Best known for his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld, as a fleet-footed contestant on Dancing With the Stars as the host of Family Feud, O’Hurley also is a lifelong dog lover. This humorous, heartwarming collection of essays about the warmth and wisdom he’s gleaned from paying attention to the canines around him (“A can of meat is still a feast,” “You are only the size you think you are,” “Never miss a nap”) is a treat for anyone who’s ever found comfort, companionship or comedy in a canine companion.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Born blind, Sullivan broke free of a life of stifling, institutionalized isolation to find not only acceptance in the mainstream of “normal” kids, but also fulfillment later as an actor, writer and singer. This dramatic snapshot of the watershed summer of his young life, back in 1958 when he was 11, takes you on an emotional, ultimately uplifting journey that has Hollywood written all over it—in fact, it’s already being made into a movie.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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In 1940, World War II had been raging for nearly a year and Hitler, buoyed by his successful surge across the European continent, was preparing an assault on Great Britain. Although the United States was still officially on the sidelines, a handful of Yanks decided they could no longer sit and watch. This true, little-known story of seven rag-tag American “knights of the air”—who defied neutrality laws and risked their citizenship to fly with England and repel the Luftwaffe’s assault—is a stirring tale of adventure and derring-do that will make your spirits soar.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Kick up your heels with this Yankee-doodle-dandy salute to the world’s most famous precision dance troupe, which has been dazzling audiences since 1925. Archival photos combine with beautiful new portraits, group shots and costume details for an inside look at a glamorous world of legendary legs and the women who wield them.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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A rollicking, rockin’ rewind of the greatest rock and pop songs from the past six decades, Singles spins the stories behind a hit parade of be-bop, hip-hop, folk, punk, funk, rap, grunge, metal and just about anything else that ever spun off a turntable, wafted out of a dashboard radio or blared from a boom box. With more than 600 photos, it’s a bountiful scrapbook of musical memories for fans of every sonic stripe.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Surf’s up—way up! Every winter at California’s Half Moon Bay, surfers from all over the world risk their lives to catch a wild ride on the world’s most famous monster waves, called Maverick’s after the shark-infested spot off Pillar Point Harbor where they’re found. Meet these “men who ride mountains” and see the legendary 75-foot-tall wall of crushing, rushing water in dozens of dramatic, you-are-there photos that drive home both the thrill and the chill.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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In his 10-year, million-mile journey to some of the most remote locations on every continent of Earth, acclaimed outdoor photographer Prior captured these jaw-droppingly spectacular panoramas of mountains, valleys, deserts, savannahs, icebergs, jungles and other extremely out-of-the-way places mostly unmarked by human footprints. But such exquisite, awesome beauty, he reminds us, comes with a price and carries a dire ecological warning: Look, but don’t touch—our planet’s survival could depend on it.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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With more than 200 photos and the running narrative of performers past and present, this sweeping history is a must for any country fan who’d like to uncover the roots, re-live the milestones and meet the stars of the world’s longest-running radio show. Even if you can’t pick a lick, you’ll come away with a sense of what it feels like to be a part of this special, one-of-a-kind musical family that superstar Garth Brooks has called “the pinnacle of what I do.”
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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OK, Rover can fetch. But can he rhumba? Ray, a leading British dog trainer, a McHugh, a writer specializing in animal behavior, present this bow-wow breakdown of canine “freestyle,” a program of musical choreography in which handlers can participate with their dogs. Step-by-step instructions, performance tips, training exercises, prop suggestions, song routines and detailed, sequential photos will have pooch owners panting at the prospect of getting Fido out of the doghouse and onto the dance floor.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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