Average customer rating:
- --Interesting glimpse of old Hollywood--
- Mr. Dunne, I adore you!
- Dominick Dunne is fascinating
- Beautiful collection of photos
- THE WAY WE LIVED THEN
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The Way We Lived Then : Recollections of a Well-Known Name Dropper
Dominick Dunne
Manufacturer: Crown
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0609603884
Release Date: 1999-09-28 |
Amazon.com
In a previous incarnation, writer Dominick Dunne was the toast of Hollywood--entertaining movie stars and socialites and invited by moguls to clambakes and black-tie dances. Long before he started churning out his romans à clef set in the private recesses of Hollywood and penthouses of New York City and his dispatches from notorious murder trials, he spent his days on movie sets, producing films like Ash Wednesday and working as an executive at various studios. In the off-hours, he and his wife Lenny ate dinner with Vincente Minnelli, Jack Benny, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Montgomery. They went to beach parties hosted by Jane Fonda and Roddy McDowall--and threw not a few bashes of their own, attended by, well, everyone and often photographed for Vogue magazine. Dunne seemed to carry his camera with him everywhere and "was always sticking [it] into someone's face." Kirk Douglas biting into an oversized hotdog, a scantily clad Paul Newman perusing a picnic table, Princess Margaret smoking, Mia Farrow dancing, and Natalie Wood hamming. Each weekend he carefully arranged his snapshots along with the week's invitations, telegrams, and news-clippings into a set of scrapbooks.
The Way We Lived Then closely resembles those scrapbooks, filled as it is with images culled from them. Dunne sews the scraps together with a loose memoir that moves from the mundane (how the house was decorated for a certain party, how the subjects of a given photo were feeling about one another at the time) to the grand (meditations on his marriage and his children). All of these famous friends, glittery parties, and cozy evenings did add up to a picture-perfect life for a time. But by the mid '60s, Dunne was drinking hard, insulting acquaintances in public, and being a perfectly terrible husband to the lovely Lenny. He was soon arrested carrying drugs into the country from Mexico, divorced, nearly poverty-stricken, and living in a cabin in Oregon. But he lived to tell about it, and though his story is something of a cautionary tale about the dangers of success and excess, punctuated as it is by his dreamy photos, one can't help but wonder if he'd happily go back to the way he lived then. --Jordana Moskowitz
Book Description
Mesmerizing, revelatory text combines with more than two hundred photographs -- most of them taken by the author -- in a startling illustrated memoir that will both astonish and move you.
When Dominick Dunne lived and worked in Hollywood, he had it all: a beautiful family, a glamorous career, and the friendship of the talented and powerful. He also had a camera and loved to take pictures. These photographs, which Dunne carefully preserved in more than a dozen leatherbound scrapbooks -- along with invitations, telegrams, personal notes, and other memorabilia -- record the parties, the glittering receptions, the society weddings, and scenes from the everyday lives of the Dunnes and those they knew, including Jane Fonda, Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Roddy McDowall, Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, Brooke Hayward, Jennifer Jones, and David Selznick. You'll meet them all in this fascinating book -- captured in snapshots as these celebrities relax at poolside barbecues, gossip at cozy get-togethers and dance at the Dunnes' dazzling black-and-white ball. And you will meet Dominick Dunne's beautiful wife, Lenny, and his children, Griffin, Alex, and Dominique, as they celebrate Christmases, birthdays, and graduations. But, most of all, you will meet Dominick Dunne and learn about the peaks and valleys of his years in Hollywood, the disastrous turn his life took, and the long road back that led to his triumphant career as a writer. With its engaging photographs and candid text,
The Way We Lived Then is a riveting and unvarnished account of a life among the stars and a life almost lost.
Customer Reviews:
--Interesting glimpse of old Hollywood--.......2005-08-18
THE WAY WE LIVED THEN is a look at the lives and personalities of some of the most famous entertainers in the world.
I've been aware of the author, Dominick Dunne for a long time, but until reading this book, I had no idea what kind of background he had or what made him so knowledgeable about so many celebrities. Dunne was a director and producer of various TV shows and apparently was good at his job. People enjoyed working with him and he and his wife gave wonderful parties and were invited everywhere.
The book is as much about Dunne and his family as it is about the people that he socialized with. His story is rather sad because he ended up losing his wife because he became addicted to drugs and the fast Hollywood lifestyle. There are more than a few moving stories in the book. One pitiful entry has Dunne and Peter Lawford sharing drugs at a party. Years before, they had been friends and neighbors, but at this low point in their lives, they were both broke and seemingly without friends.
You can also read about Elizabeth Montgomery, Gig Young, Natalie Wood, George Hamilton, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and dozens of other Hollywood "big" names. Dunne took a lot of photographs and I think that I enjoyed the snapshots as much as I did the text of the book.
Mr. Dunne, I adore you!.......2004-02-03
I think I was probably one of the very first people who purchased this book...and I loved every page and every minute of it! Some of the earlier reviewers I read below simply don't seem to "get" this book. It is not meant to be great literature. It is meant to be a great read with one-of-a-kind photos, and it delivers both in spades! Also, I believe it is meant to be somewhat of a love letter, both to the parts of Mr. Dunne's ealier life that were happy and held great promise, AND perhaps to the fans of his books...giving all of us glimpses into what was an incredibly fascinating "Hollywood existence" and giving us a peek at the REAL people that he has thinly veiled, completely disguised, or combined to create the fascinating characters that populate his terrific books. Mr. Dunne, if you read these reviews (I know that I probably would!!), please know that I eagerly await everything you publish, including your monthly "Diarist" articles in Vanity Fair. Your writings are so incredibly enjoyable, fascinating, and provide a much-needed escape for me. You must feel very blessed to have finally found your calling - so many never do.
Dominick Dunne is fascinating.......2002-11-05
It is easy to see why celebrities, criminals and perfect strangers have told Mr. Dunne their secrets. He is so interesting in a gossipy, name-dropping but sweet way. His Hollywood life makes an engrossing tale, much more entertaining than fiction.
Beautiful collection of photos.......2001-10-06
This book is filled with beautiful photographs of almost every star imaginable with personal anecdotes from Mr. Dunne to go with them. There are beautiful photos of Natalie Wood and a young (brunette) Elizabeth Montgomery. Mr. Dunne's life has certainly had its ups and downs, but this is NOT another celebrity pity party...he writes of the bad times he has faced, as well as the good, in a very matter of fact style, which is (thankfully) not at all whiny. But, again, the real treasure here are all the beautiful photographs of beautiful people in beautiful places. Thanks, Mr. Dunne, for sharing them with us.
THE WAY WE LIVED THEN.......2001-06-27
Mr. Dunne can work the room no matter where he is, no matter what social strata. I would have had an anxiety attack had I been face-to-face with Betsy Bloomingdale. Yet, this why I love Mr. Dunne. Reading about Betsy, she retained the warm, kind, classy image that I imagined her to have from various books and magazines. I loved being a fly-on-the-wall when Mr. Dunne was in Washington since I knew so little about politics. It was fun the way he scribed it in the pages. I feel safe reading Dominick's stories - although I feel like I am there, I don't have the real fear!
Book Description
First monograph on this legendary decorator's most important interior design projects. A glimpse into the glamorous private world of Hollywood movie stars' homes. Images of interiors by world- famous photographers.
Customer Reviews:
A class act indeed.......2007-08-06
This is a very visual account of the life of one of the greatest decorators of our time. Billy Haines started out as a silent movie actor and when he refused to keep his sexuality in the closet he was fired, forcing him to change careers - and thank goodness. Schifando & Mathison take us on a journey, via photos, sketches, and other images, through the life of Haines and the evolution of his personal style. His classic interiors, which often included a touch of chinoiserie, a unique custom lamp, low chairs, quilted fabric upholstery, and other unique pieces will never go out of style.
FAB!!!!!!.......2007-04-20
Having purchased most of the major design books in the past 4yrs...this one is right up there with the best...5lbs of old hollywood chic mixed with todays blue-blood..must have for any coffee table
EXQUISITE BOOK.......2007-02-24
I am so thrilled to have found this book. I have tried for years to find pictures of William Haines work. This is such a magnificent book. I just wished there were more of what there was. This book is an amazine find and a delightful addition to my collection.
Class Read.......2007-01-05
Being an admirer of nearly all things vintage Hollywood, I was most eager to read a book on this almost forgotten silent screen legend. I was most impressed by the great detail on the man, his loves and hates and his metamorphosis into a highly successful interior designer in later years. The thoroughly entertaining anecdotes throughout also kept me interested until the very end. It gives the reader an insight into a period in Hollywood that has long since been buried by time and our bizarre fascinations with the likes of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton et all.
A must read for any reader of the good old days of Hollywood.
BIG TOME. BIG TIME MOVIE STAR. BIG TIME DECORATOR.......2006-10-16
Part-time P'town resident William Mann's Wisecracker was the first (and definitive) bio of Haines, on of the silent era's greatest stars and one of its first certified heartthrobs. But Haines was gay---something eh refused to hide---and when MGM honcho fired him. Haines began a new (and much more lucrative career) as a self-taught decorator. His work graced the homes of Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Constance Bennett, and mega-watt socialites Alfred and Betsy Bloomingdale an d Walter and Lee Annenberg; even in his death in 1973, Haines` legacy followed, with his associate Ted Graber in charge of the décor of Ronald and Nancy Reagan`s private riddance at the white House. This coffee table book is the price of a good steak dinner (with wine), but the hungry of film fans and stylists and interior designers will long be satisfied by the intellectual text and more than 300 vintage and rare drawing, illustrations and photos.
Book Description
Among the most popular articles in Architectural Digest's illustrious eight-decade history is the series featuring the homes of Hollywood movie stars and directors since the 1930s. Hollywood at Home presents 25 of the best of those articles, offering an intimate look at some of the silver screen's most fascinating personalities, as reflected in their lavish, inventively designed, and, at times, outrageously opulent homes.
Mixing the old with the new-from Jean Harlow and Clark Gable to Steven Spielberg and, more recently, Diane Keaton-Hollywood at Home provides an up-close-and-personal room-by-room tour of the private residences of such Tinseltown immortals as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Dennis Quaid, and Cher. The text and images appear as in the original articles, with minor editorial updates and, in a few cases, additional photography not seen in the original feature. Our endless fascination with the lifestyles of the rich and famous continues unabated, and this glamorous book will enthrall celebrity watchers as well as those interested in architecture and design.
Customer Reviews:
A MUST-HAVE VOLUME!!.......2007-07-31
This book is just sumptous! A wonderful look into the lives of Hollywood legends via color and b&w photos. I especially like the older stars featured: Carole Lombard, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, etc. I have most of the Architectual Digest magazines featuring Hollywood stars, but this book includes additional photos for some of the stars and is presented so beautifully that even those who own the mags should get a copy. Printed on heavy glossy stock, this is an oustanding book that every Hollywood fan should have in their library!
Hollywood At Home by Architectural Digest Review.......2007-07-27
I saw Hollywood At Home from Architectural Digest advertised one day on HGTV and I was interested in getting it. Occasionally it's fun to take a peek into a celebrities life, which is what this book is all about. There are celebrities from mostly past and some present including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and John Travolta. Perhaps my high hopes made it difficult for me to truly enjoy this book. I was expecting there to be more celebrity homes showcased or perhaps show more pictures of the homes of the celebrities they did spotlight. I've read Architectural Digest many times and I have been more impressed with their single issues than this book. I did enjoy seeing John Travolta's home photos and his amazing wall of aviation. Overall, the photos were decent, most of them culled from archives. If you're into some of the celebrities that are featured in this book then I highly reccommend it. If you're expecting any mind blowing architectural insight, then this is not the book for you.
Hollywood At Home.......2007-07-03
The book arrived in a timely manner in good condition.
Beautiful photos and lots of inside
information about some of Hollywood's greatest.
It's a great book!
SUPERB!.......2006-12-05
Architectural Digest has done a fantastic job in creating this book. They have taken some of their best features from their superb magazine on Hollywood's stars and their homes and compiled it into this great book. The stories feature stars from the golden age up to the present time. I highly recommend it! It also makes a great gift!
HOLLYWOOD.......2006-11-10
First of all let me state unequivically, I love Architectual Digest, and this book is a dream for those of us who do. The houses vary, some are opulent, some are modest, most are in between. You get a feel for the real person behind the star fascade and because Architectural Digest has been in circulation for so long, some of old guard Hollywood is on display here as well as the more current stars. It's interesting to see the juxisposition of the era's. Highly recommended to anyone with any interest in this subject.
Book Description
An Intimate Look at L.A.’s Hottest Trendsetters and the Inspiring Spaces They Live In
Rooted in innovation, aspiration, and tradition, daring in its scale and often in its luxury, Los Angeles style is unique. Nothing expresses these values more strikingly or more beautifully than the homes of L.A.’s hippest and most influential set: the designers, artists, stylists, and entrepreneurs whose tastes lead the way for American style.
“Just like the people who live here, Hollywood homes reflect a creativity and sensibility that is rarely seen elsewhere....With Hip Hollywood Homes, Sue Hostetler has given us a chance to peek inside some of the most uniquely designed residences in Los Angeles.” —Courteney Cox Arquette
“What does the word ‘hip’ mean, anyway? The reason I choose to live in Los Angeles is that I’m inspired by the architecture here—by the freedom of so many choices Angelenos have in how they want to live, both visually and emotionally. Style is so personal here. To me, everything about Los Angeles is about freedom—and that's hip!” —Sharon Stone
“Hollywood used to be all about cheese and glitz and schlock. What happened? Every house in this book is so hip and groovy you just want to move right in.” —Simon Doonan, Creative Director, Barneys New York
Customer Reviews:
Idea Finder.......2006-10-11
Great find. This is the perfect book when plannning a remodel. It's refreshing to find such a variety of interiors under one cover. The garden shots are equally inspiring and wildly different from one home to the next. The book is beautifully shot and the narative is well thought out. Well worth buying.
One Word: Fabulous, Fabulous ,Fabulous.......2006-09-30
I know you say to yourselves. Not another narsicistic book on celebrity domiciles.. But this book stands out. It is smartly written by Sue Hostetler. An element of honesty comes out in her subjects that one is not usually privy to in a celebrity "fluff piece". The humanity of those who dwell within the walls portrayed in this book really shines through. Also the photographs are "Superb". I have owned many beautiful photo books and this one really stands out. The depth of the images and the natural balance of light is stunning. Peter seems to know just what the spaces want to share with the viewer. All the homes shine under Peters visionary imagemaking. I would say if you are interested in what really drives the styles of today, "Hip Hollywood Homes" is a MUST HAVE. The style , design , and tastemakers who opened their lives and homes to Peter and Sue really are the creme' de la creme' of what is happening now.
Vanity Fair meets Architectural Digest for those with real style!,.......2006-09-29
Much, much more than other coffee table books!
It's a design and style book that reads like a great celebrity or style magazine! The elegant cover caught my eye, the interior and exterior home photos inspired new decorating ideas, and the inside scoop of Hollywood's movers and shakers made me want to curl up with the book just as a good page-turner novel does! Hostetler has found the right mix for anyone with high-end, edgy and in-the-now home design sensibilities.
Done - it's on the top of my Holiday gift list for friends, family and co-workers this year!!!
Book Description
Hollywood Remains to Be Seen is a fascinating, gossipy guide to the fourteen most significant Hollywood-era cemeteries and the final resting places of the movie stars who are buried in them. Arranged as an easy-to-follow tours of the properties, the fourteen chapters-one for each cemetery-include histories of the cemeteries, directions for finding them, and a detailed listing of exactly where more than three hundred stars, and a detailed listing of exactly where more than three hundred stars are buried.
Strange as it may seem, cemeteries are becoming one of the most popular destinations for tourists to Hollywood and for film fans who want to pay their respects to the rich and famous and passed-on. Every year, millions of people from all over the world visit the graves of the legendary film stars buried in Hollywood, and the interest in these places grows from year to year.
Hollywood Remains to Be Seen highlights the legend and lore of celebrity graves, from Rudolph Valentino's mysterious "Lady In Black" to the regular delivery of one red rose to Marilyn Monroe's grave, to the strange journeys made by the body of John Barry more immediately after his death in 1942- and again thirty-eight years later. Also included are information and images of Hollywood's most lavish and majestic graves, from the huge mausoleum of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., complete with Roman pillars and giant reflecting pool; to Liberace's flamboyant tomb, with a musical score set on white marble; to the spectacular domed monument of Al Jolson, featuring a life-sized statue of the entertainer atop a 120-foot cascadin waterfall.
Heavily illustrated with nearly one hundred photographs, Hollywood Remains to Be Seen includes photographs of the celebrities as well as photographs of the cemeteries, mausoleums, and graves, maps of the burial grounds and gravesites, and a final section fitly titled "Exit Lines" made up of celebrities' last words.
Customer Reviews:
HOLLYWOOD REMAINS TO BE SEEN .......2007-03-18
I REALLY LOVED THE BOOK I WISH THERE WAS MORE PICTURES OF THE STARS GRAVES . BUT WAS A GREAT READ IT TELLS WHERE ALL THE STARS IN HOLLYWOOD ARE BURIED THIS IS A BOOK ILL CHERISH AND KEEP FOR A VACATION TO HOLLYWOOD AND TAKE WITH ME THANKS
Their last resort !.......2007-03-14
Very well put together with an exceptional reference section.Easy to read and follow.Worth the price and I reccomend it.
His Final Resting Place........2006-08-26
He led a glorious life full of glamor and adoration for his host of fans. His ending, however, would make a movie to beat all. He was abandoned by everyone and ended up at his final resting place, the cemetery. Read about false memories and not actuality in a tome written to launch a career on the heels of:
Another Imposter on MYL : A Dutiful Daughter's Memories, August 12, 2006 I got too close to the truth for comfort and so had to find it on my web site about the shenanigans of the stars there who act like so much ____________ Now hear this: a fan's expose of what is really happening.
Dean Martin was successful in the Fifties as an actor, singer, t.v. show host and yet we young people back then though he was just a drunk. He was a member of the rat pack, not that that is saying a whole lot. Sinatra was a bigger lush than Dean could ever be, and all those wives of his! I do remember how he was fascinated with the lovely Lainie Kazan on his television music show, and perhaps that is what caused his divorce.
The author of this book has related how her 'mother's house' was next door to Rosemary Clooney. I guess Ira Gershwin lived on the other side of Rosie? I do remember that before the talented Dean died, he was living as a bum (like James Agee in New York), with a beard and same old clothes. There was no one to care for him in that condition. I ask you, where was this 'devoted' dauthter then? She is the second to make money off the deceased singer. First Jerry Lewis, after all of his tantrums and allegations, refusing to a reunion with Dean Martin. Now, the absent daughter who is using her dead father's fame as her own.
She has wormed herself into a slot on Music of Your Life, after first playing around with Les Brown, Jr. there in Branson, Missouri, getting to be top dog for two hours daily; now, she has her own weekend slot and all night on Sundays. Here is how she is described on their web site: Deana, who is an accomplished actor singer, entertainer and author, in addition to being the daughter of her famous father, has quickly become a Music of Your Life listener favorite with her great behind- the-scenes stories. Between concert and book tours, Deana produces the annual Dean Martin festival! When I was fifteen, I could sing just as well as she can. And to think that she collaborated on her CD (thanks to MYL) with Jerry Lewis, it's a sacrilege after all he did to her dad she supposedly is devoted to. With a daughter like that, who needs enemies. The writer of the book, DINO, shows how he died in virtual isolation. We all knew that. It's a sacrilege for anyone to make a fortune off a dead person who is not hear to tell the truth. Such is life today.
Hollywoof Remains To Be Seen - A Guide to Mivie Stars Final Homes.......2005-07-08
Great Book.........I am an old movie buff
The Perfect Book For Celebrity Grave Hunters.......2005-06-11
If you're interested in visiting celebrity graves you must get this book. There are detailed directions and helpful hints for visiting all the major cemeteries around Los Angeles. With this book you'll be able to spend some time with stars like Carole Landis, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, and Janet Gaynor. There aren't many photos but that's because some of the cemeteries wouldn't allow them. I take this book with me every time I visit California and it's always very helpful.
Book Description
This full color book provides simple and effective special effects techniques that can be mastered by the amateur filmmaker. Work smart, play safe, and create interesting special effects that will help your film or video project look like a million bucks.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for anyone dedicated to creating their own film!.......2007-07-05
This book is especially good for student film-makers, who will be inspired rather than intimidated by the art of special effects production; the book makes impressive illusion possible with little money necessary and with resources already available in many people's homes. If the reader is serious about film-making, they've met the only requirement needed to create worthwhile special effects.
Low budget? No problem! .......2007-06-03
I bought this book for my son, who is an attorney and wants to learn filmmaking as a hobby. I'm impressed by the photos and artwork, which take readers step-by-step through each phase of the projects. I ended up reading the book myself, and I can see it's all my son will need to get started. I recommend this book for all novice filmmakers.
ideal for beginning SFX specialists.......2007-05-19
Arguably the biggest revolution in filmmaking in the last decade has taken place in the field of special effects. CGI has irrevocably changed the way movie magic is created, and thanks to advances in computer technology many home users now have access to the same software used in Hollywood. So, in principle, professional-quality special effects are now within anyone's reach. The only question is: how does the budding SFX-enthusiast get started?
This is where Mike Slone's book comes in. Squarely aimed at the beginner, it details a number of the most common special effects used in filmmaking. Of course, not everything is done with computers, so the first part of the book concentrates on physical effects. These include creating fake blood and bullet hits, rain and snow, fake glass, disappearing tricks, the use of prop guns, smoke, dry ice, bullet and arrow hits and models and miniatures. Each of these techniques is explained in a clear and practical fashion, although if you intend to get into modelling, you'll obviously need to look for further detailed information.
The book then goes into digital effects, including green screen, gun flashes, and light sabres. There are extensive tutorials on each of these using Adobe Premiere Pro. The final chapters include interviews with a few SFX professionals and provide tips for starting your own FX company if you're so inclined.
Veteran SFX people probably won't find much that is new here, but anyone starting out in the field couldn't wish for a better introduction.
Excellent Resource Guide.......2007-05-11
My first attempt at special effects was doing stop-motion animation with an 8mm camera that was not equipped for stop-motion animation. The results were, well, terrible. My second attempt was cutting out a cardboard "Star Wars" tie-fighter, attaching a stick to it, poking it through a star filled sky backdrop (black cardboard with holes punched in it) and then to film the tie-fighter straight on with someone yanking and turning the stick in hopes to show "movement." In this case it looked like the tie-fighter was attached to a stick and shaken back and forth.
If you want to create REAL special effects, this book is for you. Mr. Slone does an excellent job of going through the various special effects you might want to attempt. Some as easy as: "Rent a fog machine." And others as complicated as: "Once you have downloaded your image, pull it up on the computer and going frame by frame you..."
Where this book excels, though, is in it's presentation and content. It goes far beyond the "physical effects" and "digital effects" and talks about careers in the field, working with sound effects even starting your own home studio.
The book is also FULL of websites, resources and contact information. The book also includes full page graphics showing, step-by-step, how to do some of the basic effects (gun shot, teleporting, light saber) that would impress your friends and neighbors.
The only complaints I have with the book are these: I would have liked a section on how to make break-away furniture. He notes where to order break-away glass, but a section on furniture - either how to make it, or where to buy it, would have been helpful. And it would have been a huge added bonus to provide a DVD with either actual step-by-step film clips, demo versions of software, or other types of media that could possibly better explain the ideas and concepts laid out in the book.
Still, those are minor complaints. This is an excellent book/resource guide.
Great Beginners Guide.......2007-05-03
Most books in this genre assume a basic knowledge of special effects and computer technology that is beyond the beginning user. What this work uniquely contributes is a thorough and careful explanation of those basics. This is the place to start. If you are interested in making your productions better than scripted home movies, If you are frustrated by the difference between what you see in your mind's eye and what comes out on the screen, if you don't know where to begin, this book is perfect for you. The care taken in making no assumptions and explaining each step so very thoroughly sets this work apart. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Say the word "Hollywood" and glamorous, sparkling, lavish images come to mind. In Hollywood Style, bestselling design and style author Diane Dorrans Saeks takes readers on a magical insider's tour of some of the most beautiful and alluring private houses, classic residences, and historic hotels Hollywood has to offer. Behind the clipped hedges, immaculate gardens, and locked doors of these palm-punctuated neighborhoods are the residences of some of the most famous movie stars and musicians in the world, designed by such star architects as Frank Lloyd Wright, Paul Williams, R. M. Schindler, and Richard Neutra.
While these inspiring interiors offer opulence, they also feature witty design creativity, inventive architecture, and a chic sensibility that are a welcome respite from the razzle-dazzle of Hollywood. These are interiors that are created with not only elegance but a sense of fun. Each one is lived in and loved. Each one is beautiful yet completely original.
With pictures by a selection of Hollywood's top photographers, these pages display an insider's look at the personal style of culture's most influential trendsetters. An exciting and inspiring look at glamour behind the scenes, Hollywood Style is a stunning tribute to exuberant style in all its decadence.
Customer Reviews:
Not up to expectations.......2007-02-19
If you're a subscriber to Elle Decor (US); the majority of the homes featured are plucked from Elle Decor as well as Michael S. Smith's book Element of Style. I was totally disappointed as I expected more.
so perfect and idyllic.......2006-09-29
Even if you do not particularly follow the Hollywood film star scene, this book offers a fascinating glimpse at some unique houses in Los Angeles. Mostly in Hollywood and the nearby suburbs. Each house also has a perfectly manicured garden, often with a pool.
The styles vary widely. As Saeks relates, several houses were designed by famous architects, like Schindler or Neutra. Everything seems so perfect and idyllic in the photos. Some houses, up in the hills, also have fantastic views of Los Angeles.
The book shows that enough money can on occasion purchase the utmost in style.
Average customer rating:
- An Exceptional Find!
- An Exceptional Find!
- Fun if you have time
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An Affair to Remember: Recipes, Menus, and Home-Entertaining Tips from Hollywood's Leading Caterers
Judy Kessler
Manufacturer: Stoddart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Hospitality, Travel & Tourism
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California
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ASIN: 1575440822 |
Customer Reviews:
An Exceptional Find!.......2000-06-25
Judy Kessler brings to our bookshelves that magical blend of childhood fantasy mixed with Hollywood glamour in An Affair To Remember! Not only were the recipes superb and exciting, but Kessler's caterers share trade secrets on reproducing their effects and ambiance on a more personal scale. It is for this reason that I give An Affair To Remember 5 stars!
An Exceptional Find!.......2000-06-25
Judy Kessler brings to our bookshelves that magical blend of childhood fantasy mixed with Hollywood glamour in An Affair To Remember! Not only were the recipes superb and exciting, but Kessler's caterers share trade secrets on reproducing their effects and ambiance on a more personal scale. It is for this reason that I give An Affair To Remember 5 stars!
Fun if you have time.......2000-05-30
This book has some FABULOUS recipes, but they are definitely for special occasions or when you have a LOT of time on your hands. You would not want to be trying to whip up one of these recipes on the fly, at 6:00 on a school night. Plus, the kids would probably turn their noses up at the unusual dishes. But, if you're looking for a special recipe for a special night, look here.
Book Description
A captivating, deeply affecting memoir chronicling a journey from a Hollywood childhood as the son of a fading show business figure to a bohemian life in Europe and back to his native state of California, where the author must face the man who had driven him away.
Summoned from abroad to attend to the ninety-four-year-old father he’s never been close to, writer and musician Tony Cohan finds himself reliving his own peripatetic life—a kaleidoscopic odyssey from California’s sunny postwar promise through the burnt end of the 1960s to the final days of the last century.
An engrossing investigation of memory and identity, love and desire, art and fate, Native State vividly portrays the author’s attempts to escape the confines of a celebrity-filled, alcoholic family through music, writing, and travel. His descent into the colorful milieus of musical and literary geniuses and lowlifes, divas and crooks, fortune tellers and culture gods in Paris, Tangier, London, Copenhagen, Barcelona, San Francisco, Kyoto, and Los Angeles coalesces into a distinctive, intimate depiction of a pivotal cultural era. Throughout, Cohan brilliantly interweaves and contrasts his past experiences with his present-day reflections on the universal youthful desire to flee home and family, and the simultaneous “undertow of origins” urging a return. The result is a work that combines unusually rich storytelling with extraordinary literary quality.
Poignant, elegantly crafted, and often funny, Native State is an indelible portrait of the artist as a young man, and—as son and dying father grope toward acceptance—a coming-to-terms with self, family, origins, and the elusive American idea of home.
Customer Reviews:
pure gold, incorrigibly good.......2007-02-24
I'm quickly approaching the end of this book and already saddened by that fact. This has got to be one of the best books I've ever read. I'm principally a fan of non-fiction and this memoir has really touched me. If you fancy yourself as musical, nostalgic, cosmopolitan, idealist or perhaps, simply human in the least bit, you will undoubtedly find yourself attached to this book. Maybe I relate to it more than others will but the wanderlust, the music, the cast of shadowy figures, the distance (figurative and literal) between self and family all tug at my heart with a true, visceral immediacy. I found it extremely thought-provoking and wisdom-imparting. With jazz in my ears, misadventure on my mind, and a bittersweetness in my heart, I will be reading this one again and again.
A thoroughly engaging memoir.......2004-09-25
Tony Cohan's attempt to cope with the father who dominated his life has produced this splendid tale of escape into adventures literary, musical, and romantic in lands far and near. Mr. Cohan's abundant talents enabled him to find acceptance among musical and literary figures whose names will surely inspire threads of memory for readers of a certain age, say 60 and older. The memoir thus opens many more windows than would the ramblings of a less gifted protagonist.
The writing is more than equal to the images it is called on to create, and the influence of Mr. Cohan's father is delineated touchingly and understandably as it evolves from early days in New York and Hollywood up to the day of the elder Mr. Cohan's death.
Captivating real life adventures..........2004-09-09
This is a favorite for me - a retrospecitve on real life adventures of a man experiencing life with reckless abandon, yet searching for something - meaning, fulfillment, legacy...
Tony Cohan bares his sole, show his flaws, character strengths and character failings. No glossing over the facts, just tells it like it was. Easy to relate to for those with a sense of wanderlust. His failings are our failings. We experience his adventures as if we were there.
A really good read if you like biographies, adventure, character studies...
Cohan's "On Mexican Time" was also a very good book.
slow read, not particularly gratifying.......2003-12-27
I purchased this book based on the author's experiences with many artists that have touched my life. I found this to be a slow read and not particularly thought inducing. Perhaps someday as my father is aging I will re-read it and find a new appreciation for it, but until then I would suggest avoiding this one.
The voyage of a generation.......2003-12-22
Tony Cohan, an incredibly gifted writer - his account of finding a new life in Mexico, 'On Mexican Time', is a superior contribution to the genre of literary travel memoir - has written a sort of early prequel to that book, a fascinating and heartrending story of one man's search for a meaningful life. This is played out in retrospect as he watches his father die in present day Los Angeles. He takes us back to his boyhood in the shadow of a belittling and domineering man, who shaped him for all that was to come. Young Cohan was an accomplished jazz drummer playing with greats like Dexter Gordon in Copenhagen - and pre-Ringo Beatles in Hamburg! - but he gave this up to follow a trickier path of self-expression as a writer. This led him through the early days of the counterculture that began in the late 1950s and flowered into the sex,drugs, rock and roll, Buddhism of the 60s. Cohan hung out with Paul Bowles in Morocco, Jim Morrison in LA, Burroughs in Paris. But this is much more than a name-dropping memoir. It's the paradigm voyage of a generation, and Cohan is its very best, most moving explicator. A great and moving book.
Amazon.com
The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is the joyously affirmative answer to the question "Is there an alternative to the prepackaged bus tour of Tinseltown?" William Gordon's guide delivers all the juicy scandal you've come for, but at your pace, at your discretion, and without crackly speakers blasting in your ear. You want to see former homes of Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, or Elvis Presley, current homes of Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, or Hugh Hefner, and the site of the Charles Manson cult murders? Gordon helps you conduct your own exploration, and supplies invaluable tidbits of information, such as how Jayne Mansfield came to receive $50,000 worth of free merchandise to decorate her Pink Palace. Gordon covers 32 neighborhoods, providing a practical tour guide as well as a fun gift for the star-struck and Hollywood-bound.
Book Description
The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is the first and only book to reveal where today's Hollywood lives, works, and plays. Arranged geographically, the book covers not only Hollywood, the community, but more than 30 separate areas of greater Los Angeles where entertainment history was made (see contents).
To make sightseeing as easy as possible, the book features 33 easy-to-follow maps.
To ensure accuracy, The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is updated once a year. The publisher is now offering to provide readers with e-mail updates if any new attractions open (or are discovered).
Customer Reviews:
Not your average tacky guide book........2007-01-12
The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is full of interesting facts, historical tidbits and interviews with Hollywood natives that provide readers with a realistic view of Hollywood, past and present. As any worthwhile tour guide should, this book lists hundreds of locations of interest to visit in and around the Hollywood area, extending it's reach to surrounding Los Angeles communities that have ties to the entertainment business. However, the tone of Gordon's book is informative, straightforward and friendly, not off-putting or intentionally misleading, as some guide books can be.
Not surprisingly, Gordon's book is even a fun read for those of us born and raised in Hollywood. For me it brought back memories of old haunts, and it evoked nods of approval among friends as we read through many accurate descriptions of favorite locales and pages of sound advice about what to visit and why, as well as what to avoid.
Whether you're a native of the Los Angeles area, a tourist planning just a few days' visit to Hollywood, or a local history buff searching for a fun and interesting book to read, you can't go wrong picking up a copy of William Gordon's Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book.
Wish I had this book a few years ago.......2005-11-08
About 5 years ago I took a summer job giving tours of Hollywood on an old trolley car. One of my most memorable experiences was the day one of the guides for the Beverly Hills tour got sick and I was thrown into the front seat of a tour van and sent on my way to give a tour of the star's homes. It was without a doubt one of the more embarrassing moments of my life as it wasn't my regular gig and I had to make a lot of stuff up because I had no idea whose house was whose and the guy driving the van was as clueless as I was. But if the owner's of the tour company had seen fit to give me this book beforehand I would have known where I was and all those tourists wouldn't have asked for their money back when the tour was over.
Tinseltown Mania.......2003-04-12
There must be 50 Hollywood homes books on the market. If you visit Beverly Hills, a tour-bus or map salesman will gladly take your money. But W. Gordon's remarkably accurate and truthful guide will spell out where the buses point out homes where movie stars never lived. Gordon provides detailed directions and maps to the sites you want to see. And loads of "goodies" and information. He shows you how to get to Arnold's palatial block of homes in Brentwood, and warns that driving there is a $ 500 fine and possible jail time! Wow! He also gives directions to Rudolph Valentino's original 1920's mansion(and much, much more). Forget the B.S. Here it is. When I e-mailed him for an up-date, he gladly provided it for free(see the book). Why waste time driving around freeways?
Decidedly Worth Your Time (and $).......2002-03-02
This is a not so typical tour guide which provides its reader with a lot of bang for his/her buck. It provides information which is fairly accurate regarding the living (who tend to move quite a bit). The listings provided for death scenes are very accurate (assuming you only die once). Ditto for burial sites (assuming that remains stay put in one place.....unfortunately, that isn't always true as I seem to always be finding out). What is really impressive about the many editions of this book that have been published to date is that the author constantly updates the information in the book, so that it is as accurate as it can be given the odd and fluctuating state of celebrity mindsets (and fortunes).
So if you are willing to assume that some of the information may become outdated, you will probably enjoy this book quite a bit.
Great resource for DIYers with cars.......2000-05-09
When I took an exploratory job trip for two weeks in L.A., I had a copy of the previous edition of "The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book" and found a lot of cool stuff using this book. (I drove by O.J. Simpson's home -- which he has since sold -- as well as the former homes of Joan Crawford and Shirley Temple in Brentwood).
Since I drove down from San Francisco I stopped in Malibu and drove through some of the exclusive star neighborhoods mentioned in here (that was the first time I'd ever seen a street sign marked "Private") and I saw someone who looked suspiciously like Pierce Brosnan riding his bike and he waved! Surreal!
The maps were black and white, but still good enough to get me where I wanted to go; used in conjunction with a regular street map, you won't go wrong. As far as I know, there's no other guide book to L.A./Hollywood like this. So if you don't want to feel like a tourist and see all the regular stuff PLUS stuff no one will tell you about GET THIS BOOK!
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- Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment
- Understanding the Process of Economic Change (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
- Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, Fourth Edition
- Valuing Intangible Assets
- Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?: Leading a Great Enterprise through Dramatic Change
- Winter of the Ice Wizard (Magic Tree House 32)
- Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny
Books Index
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