Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Entertainment Editor, Brangien Davis FEATURED IN THIS E-MAIL: * What We're Reading: "Silent Stars," "Funny Ladies," and Rosemary Clooney's memoir * Oh, Brother: The Coens on directing * Janet Maslin on Every Critic's Nightmare * Cameron Crowe's first gig * 1930s Hollywood: The naughty years * Director's Showcase WHAT WE'RE READING ****************** "Silent Stars" by Jeanine Basinger http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679438408/entertainmentsit Film scholars, movie buffs, and anyone longing for a little peace and quiet will love poring over Jeanine Basinger's exquisitely researched "Silent Stars." She explores not only the careers of Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Clara Bow, and Buster Keaton but also those of the countless unknown actors who committed their lives to the first movies. "Funny Ladies" by Stephen Silverman http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0810933373/entertainmentsit Subtitled "100 Years of Great Comediennes," "Funny Ladies" is thorough and thoroughly amusing. With photos and brief biographies of talents from Fanny Brice and Minnie Pearl to Whoopi Goldberg and Ellen Degeneres, this compendium of comics is a delicious treat. "Girl Singer" By Rosemary Clooney http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385493347/entertainmentsit In "Girl Singer: An Autobiography," Rosemary Clooney shares a fascinating life story--from her tough Kentucky childhood to her first big break, through her troubled marriage and eventual widespread critical acclaim. A candid, inspiring story from one of the industry's most talented singers. OH, BROTHER: THE COENS ON DIRECTING *********************************** Directing duo Joel and Ethan Coen, whose eclectic body of work includes the films "Blood Simple," "Raising Arizona," and "Fargo," are in top form with their hilarious and strange (if not altogether informative) foreword to "The Director's Vision: A Concise Guide to the Art of 250 Great Filmmakers." Read it and you just might learn something about catering trucks, porridge, and the French word for sludge. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=ts/feature/12383 JANET MASLIN ON EVERY CRITIC'S NIGHTMARE **************************************** Janet Maslin, in her witty, insightful introduction to "The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made," reveals what keeps film critics awake and pacing the floor at night: the fear of being laughably wrong in posterity. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=ts/feature/15106 CAMERON CROWE'S FIRST GIG ************************* Ever wonder how Cameron Crowe (writer/director of "Say Anything," "Singles," and "Jerry Maguire") got his start? In his engaging foreword to Ben Fong-Torres's "Not Fade Away," Crowe explains how at age 15 he started writing music reviews for Rolling Stone magazine. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=ts/feature/15018 1930s HOLLYWOOD: THE NAUGHTY YEARS ********************************** "Sin in Soft Focus: Pre-Code Hollywood" by Mark A. Vieira http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0810944758/entertainmentsit Packed with over 200 rare stills, this lavish title explores the films of the 1930s that dared to flaunt the censors with racy content and themes. "Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema, 1930-1934" by Thomas Doherty http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0231110952/entertainmentsit A scholarly yet completely accessible look at the vice that ruled the silver screen in films made during the 1930s, and the effects of the Production Code on cinema. "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim" by Frederica Sagor Maas http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813121221/entertainmentsit Frederica Maas tells her own captivating story of being a female writer in Hollywood in the 1930s, when scandal, sexism, and shady business deals were par for the course. DIRECTOR'S SHOWCASE ******************* "Conversations with Wilder" by Cameron Crowe http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375406603/entertainmentsit Modern film writer/director Cameron Crowe meets Billy Wilder, film writer/director of yore, in this fascinating and funny collection of interviews. "Stanley Kubrick, Director" by Alexander Walker http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/039304601X/entertainmentsit Explore the life and work of the man behind such film masterpieces as "The Shining" and "A Clockwork Orange" in this new biography. "Director's Vision: A Concise Guide to the Art of 250 Great Filmmakers" by Geoff Andrew http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1556523661/entertainmentsit In a refreshingly literal examination of "moving pictures," Geoff Andrew, film editor of London's Time Out magazine, explores the work of 250 filmmakers, one frame at a time. ****** Looking for power tools? From screwdrivers to scroll saws, our brand-new Home Improvement Store offers the planet's best selection of tools and more. Home Improvement ****** You'll find more great books, articles, excerpts, and interviews in Amazon.com's Entertainment section at Entertainment ******
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