Lon Chaney, Jr.: Horror Film Star, 1906-1973

Book Description

Though he was haunted by the shadow of his legendary father and devastated by alcoholism, Lon Chaney, Jr., carved out a very successful film career as Universal's leading horror star in the 1940s, and later as a leading character actor in Westerns, dramas, and on television. While rightly focused on the career of the underrated actor, this study also explores his life and times.

Customer Reviews:

Good book if you don't know anything about Chaney.......2005-09-24

If you know nothing about the films and career of Lon Chaney Jr., then you will get something out of this book. However, if you are like me (and probably most people who would be interested in reading a book about Lon Chaney Jr.), you already know about his film career and most of the books content is going to be stuff you already know. I wanted to read about his life and times, which it has a little of, but mostly it was overviews of his movies. Personally I would rather just watch the movies instead of reading about them.

This is a fairly good biography of my favorite actor........1999-05-01

As a Lon Chaney,Jr.fan,I feel that this book,though interesting,leaves one strangely disatisfied at it's conclusion. I really expected much more from this somewhat one-sided biography. The portrait that Mr.Smith provides about Lon Chaney,Jr,is often far too negative.

A disappointing biography on Lon Chaney, Jr........1998-09-29

There has never been a definitive biography of Lon Chaney, Jr., and this book does nothing to fill that void. Based primarily on other source books, author Don G. Smith displays little eveidence of hard research in this text. It is overladen with long-winded synopses of Chaney Jr.'s films, while the actor's early life, growing up with his father, his mother's attempted suicide and subsequently being lead to believe she was dead are hardly dealt with. It is quite obvious that the author simply pulled a few previously written books and cut-and-pasted the material into his text. A shoddy piece of writing and film research. The filmogrpahy is very minimal, but the TV appearances are well detailed. In all, Lon Chaney, Jr. does deserve a detailed biography. This one isn't it!

Lon Chaney Jr; Horror Film Star, 1906-1973

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Lon Chaney Jr; Horror Film Star, 1906-1973
Don G. Smith
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SAKV6K

Book Description

First published in 1946 and updated in 1969 with a new Introduction and Afterword, this volume represents the fullest statement of the political philosophy and practical methodology of one of the most important figures in the history of American radicalism. Like Thomas Paine before him, Saul Alinsky, through the concept and practice of community organizing, was able to embody for his era both the urgency of radical political action and the imperative of rational political discourse. His work and writing bequeathed a new method and style of social change to American communities that will remain a permanent part of the American political landscape.

"Alinsky is that rarity in American life, a superlative organizer, strategist, and tactician who is also a social philosopher."

-- Charles E. Silberman

"He cannot be bought; he cannot be intimidated; and he breaks all the rules."

-- The Economist

(London)

"I consider him to be one of the few really great men of our century."

-- Jacques Maritain

Customer Reviews:

Timeless Words From A Master Organizer.......2003-05-24

With the vision of an idealist but the experience of a seasoned organizer, Alinsky presents a clear picture of both the unequal America he saw in 1946 and the democracy he believed America could be. He does not stop there, however. He also provides a blueprint for moving from the society of inequalilty and injustice into a land where the poor, powerless and disadvantaged are empowered and our democracy enriched.
That blueprint is this manual for building community-wide power in the form of People's Organizations. It was meant as an inspirational guide to community organizers interested in replicating what Alinksy had done initially in the Back of Yards neighborhood of Chicago and later in other cities across the United States including Buffalo and Kansas City. It has become a timeless text explaining both why and how to organize.
Alinsky draws on his experience as a community organizer to explain the role an organizer can play in the process of building neighborhood power. He also explains with insightful anecdotes what obstacles the organizer and the nacent organization he attempts to construct are likely to face as they take on the powers that be. He is a spellbinding storyteller.
Reveille for Radicals differs from the better known and more popular book that was to follow in the 70s, Rules for Radicals. It is more urgent, less cynical, and less humorous. In that sense it has a purer and more naive tone. But the simpler picture of America he presents is, if anything, clearer and more powerful. It strikes an especially loud chord today -- as the inequalities he addressed in 1946 have grown increasingly stark and apparent.
There are many books about social change and injustice that are more current, but none are more useful today than this one.

ALINSKY'S SEMINAL WORK.......2003-04-06

This book was Alinsky's first and most impassioned writing. In it, he shows in detail the techniques he employed in putting together much of his activism, which ended up being called the Alinsky doctrine later on.

Overall, I thought this book was great to impassion a reader new to the subject, yet as a guidebook for a new "radical", I thought his later (and less impassioned, though more passionate than 99% of other books) "Rules for Radicals" was much more clear minded. As he writes in the later book, much of Reveille was written during his time in prison, which shows.

Personally, I recommend reading Rules first, and then proceeding to Reveille. The reader will benefit from his clear minded analysis in Rules, to then better understand his arguments and passion in Reveille.

An inspiring piece of political literature.......2000-06-16

Alinsky's book is filled with detail so extensive that it is easily understood by the beginning radical. All of this stuff makes a lot of sense and I can safely say that this book has changed the direction of my life.

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A Book to Cherish
Washington during the Civil War
History that reads like a novel,
Florid and Fact Filled.
Introduction to Civil War

Reveille in Washington, 1860 - 1865
Margaret Leech
Manufacturer: Simon Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1931313237

Book Description

Winner of the 1942 Pulitzer Prize in History, it is an authentic, scholarly description of life in Washington during the Civil War, written in a highly readable style. In 2001 a Reader's Catalog Selection, "one of the 40,000+ best books in print."

Customer Reviews:

A Book to Cherish.......2004-01-27

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a native Washingtonian and a Civil War enthusiast. (I would have said "buff," but like that sage, George Costanza, I'm not sure what a buff is.) So having said this, I love this book. Leech is a wonderful writer and this Pulitzer Prize winner is a discovered gem. (Original copyright 1941)

You're hooked from the start -

"That winter, the old General [Winfield Scott] moved from the rooms he had rented from the free mulatto, Wormley, in I Street to Cruchet's at Sixth and D Streets. His new quarters, situated on the ground floor - a spacious bed-room, with a private dining-room adjoining - were convenient for a man who walked slowly and with pain; and Cruchet, a French caterer, was one of the best cooks in Washington."

The "star" of the book is, indeed, the city of Washington, D.C. Many players walk across the D.C. stage and Leech's research paints vivid portraits not seen before about the Lincolns, Walt Whitman, Andrew Carnegie, Winfield Scott, John Wilkes Booth, and many, many others. It's a D.C. you have never really seen or heard that much about. It's a scrappy, dusty/muddy, unfinished city, begging for respect. A city that found itself a lynchpin between Union soldiers heading to battle and the many battlefields of Virginia. We see the soldiers come, go and return. Some are dead, many are wounded. But the focus is always on the District of Columbia.

Past and present D.C. residents will get a kick out of reading things like "Tennallytown" for today's Tenleytown; the importance then of today's Bladensburg; the importance then of what today are mere Metro stops - e.g., Fort Totten, the Navy Yard and Silver Spring. Even Rockville, Maryland, puts in a guest appearance.

Leech covers the key years - 1860 to 1865 - with painstaking research. Just take a glance at the Appendix. "Bills for President Lincoln's Funeral," "Other Incidental Bills" -- to include Mrs. Lincoln's funeral outfit. Look at the chronology of main events from Fort Sumter's surrender (April 13, 1861), to the Grand Review of the Union armies (May 23 & 24, 1865). You'll find biographical notes on major players from Henry Adams to John Ellis Wool. (I hadn't heard of him either until this great book.)

Leech's bibliography covers hundreds of general reference works, D.C and New York newspapers and manuscripts. It's a breathtaking list and helped assure me that I could draw a good deal of confidence in the events as reported by Ms. Leech. No wonder this book won a Pulitzer!

Listen to D.C., 1864 -

"The capital, in 1864, was too sophisticated for panic. No city ever heard the noise of cannon in its suburbs with a greater appearance of sang-froid. People were eager to learn the facts. They bought and devoured every newspaper extra."

This touching scene from 1865 -

"Gray uniforms, rather than blue, now predominated in the capital. There were increasing numbers of Confederate deserters. Twilight was settling over Richmond. Lee's losses of starving and disheartened men could be counted by brigades."

Ms. Leech would be surprised to learn that Ford's Theater did, indeed, reopen. ("Never again would the orchestra play, or the footlights flare as the curtain rose.") She also does something unique. While she sets the stage for Lincoln's assassination and death, she spends more time and detail with the attempted assassination of William Seward. It is a vivid account.

Remember, a 1941 copyright, and read this genteel description of Walt Whitman -

"Even in the heterogeneous company of the capital, Walt Whitman had no counterpart. His scarlet face, bushy beard and wide-brimmed sombrero gave him a delusively robust and rural aspect which caused one politician to tell him he looked like an old Southern planter . . . In his youth, Walt had been a dandy. His rough garments were carefully selected. He never wore a tie; but his spotless shirt, with its open collar was Byronic rather than proletarian. There was a queer daintiness about this big, bluff man . . . His flesh was soft and rosy, like a woman's."

What a brilliant description of what, in 1941, must have been handled with kid gloves.

This book delivers on all fronts. It is spellbinding history with up-close touches that dazzle you. You read of a Washington full of serenading, balls, levees, secessionists, abolitionists, Democrats, Republicans, soldiers, the great and the horrid. Those were the days. Long remember.

Washington during the Civil War.......2003-06-01

This is an interesting look at what was going on in the nation's capital during the war with a look at the hospitals, nursing care, saloons, and man on the street of 19th century DC.

History that reads like a novel,.......2002-07-31

or one of those long running soap operas from the golden age of radio. Characters coming & going then reappearing later in the story. There are villians, heroes, heroines, conspiracy & even murder.
This excellent, informative work evokes two eras. First its subject matter giving us a history of Washington during the Civil War. This subject has not been covered as heavily as the various battles & endless biographies of the notable figures of that war. The book was written 76 years after the war. Here we are 62 years after that listening to Ms. Leech words, also of a different era than our own. The language in which it was written is quaint, colloquil & even offensive to some in our time. That is part of it significance as an important work. It is also an entertaining history book. Imagine that.

Florid and Fact Filled........2000-06-05

Margaret Leech's "Reveille in Washington" is a fact filled book that betray's her origins as a novelist.

For the Civil War afficianodo, there are many tidbits that add to one's understanding of the Civil War as viewed from Washington, D.C. These involve fascinating interactions among the players (Lincoln, members of the Senate, Stanton, Seward and Chase), and also reminders that even in the midst of war, Washington still minded the habits and customs of society in our nation's capital. Lincoln still had (as the first host) parties, endured the countless details of administration and grinding demands of petitioners, and found time for levity and respit.

Like its counterpoint "Ashes of Glory," an excellent account of wartime Richmond, Reveille in Washington will broaden the understanding of those of us who have waded through countless military oriented books of the Civil War. Ms. Leech also includes a helpful timeline and an excellent appendix on scores of the characters in her book. For those who often wonder "what happened after..." to historical personages, the appendix will satisfy by tying up a lot of loose ends. More history books should follow this habit.

My only slight criticism is Ms. Leech's overuse of adjectives. She describes every person and proper noun, sometimes to the point of distraction like a florid romance novel. This both helps and hinders the tale. While it makes the events and persons more imaginable to the mind's eye, she undoubtedly takes some literary license in describing thoughts, feelings and descriptions that can only be surmised. All in all it is not a major distraction, but does sometimes become tiresome.

That having been said, this portrait of Washington fills the gaps to a great story. Not only are the principals covered, but ordinary people, nurses, city jailers, prostitutes, hucksters and regular folk are given their due in this fascinating book that at times throbs with the pulse of a City that struggles to accomodate a war often at its borders and its need to reflect it's own normalcy and image as a first city in the midst of the great distraction outside it's gates.

An enjoyable read.

Introduction to Civil War.......2000-02-13

This was the first book I ever read on the Civil War and it turned me on to a host of other CW books. This tells the story of Washington and Lincoln during the War Years and weaves a narration of the war itself. Explains the transition of DC from a sleepy capitol to a major city. Brings to life through wonderful writing the hustle and bustle of a great city. Loved it.

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Taps at Reveille
Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684147424

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Very nice read
WORST OF MORELL
A powerful story of men at war
Don't waste your time.
Rather tedious; poor style

Last Reveille
David Morrell
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446364428

Customer Reviews:

Very nice read.......2005-11-02

Very nice read, one of his earliest book written in a different style than his fans are used to, a touching story.

WORST OF MORELL.......2002-01-15

I LIKE WAR STORIES BUT THIS IS JUST A RAMBLING OF NAMES AND EVENTS. ESSENTIALLY AN OLD VETERAN OF SEVERAL WARS GIVES A HARD TIME TO A YOUNG MAN BARELY OUT OF HIS TEENS WHO SEEMS TO SEE THE VET AS A HERO. THE LAD IS ANXIOUS TO SEE ACTION IN THE WAR IN MEXICO BUT THE VET JUST SEEMS TO NOT CARE WHETHER THE KID STAYS WITH HIM OR NOT. THIS BOOK SEEMS TO BE A STORY MORRELL SAW IN HIS DREAMS, NODDING OFF IN FRONT OF HIS TV WHILE WATCHING AN OLD WESTERN FROM THE EARLY 1930s. IF YOU LIKE MORRELL'S MYSTERY THRILLERS, SKIP THIS ONE!

A powerful story of men at war.......2001-08-06

David Morrell has never faild to amaze me. This book is no exception. Based on the true turn-of-the century conflicts with Panco Villa, Last Reveillie tells the story of the American soldiers who were sent into Mexico to clash with Villa and his troops. I'll admit, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book, so I put it off for a long time. I wish I hadn't. Last Reveillie is a powerful story of men at war. Morrell blends his exceptional knowledge of history with a crystal clear prose to create a true American classic. The charracters are rich. The action is first rate. It left me begging for more. Those not interested in military history or stories of warfare should probably stay away. Those looking for an astonishing tale of loyalty, honor, and sacifice in the harshest of places can do no better.

Don't waste your time........2001-07-04

The author of this book needs remedial education concerning the basics of writing; there is no evidence the author has any writing skills at all.

Rather tedious; poor style.......2001-07-03

The stype of writing is tedious. Sentences go one and on and on, with a dozen or so commas in each. The author uses visual images instead of visual decriptives in his narration, which makes for a poorly written book. The author had a great idea, but he must first learn how to write so that he can display that great idea properly.

Reveille: First Lady of Texas A & M (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas a&M University)

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What beautiful dogs!

Reveille: First Lady of Texas A & M (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas a&M University)
Rusty Burson , and Vannessa Burson
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1585443484

Book Description

"I went to Yale. There, a bulldog was the mascot, but somehow, the jowled bulldog's status got diminished over the years, while Reveille lives on, sparking the Aggies on to greatness. Go Reveille!"--George H. W. Bush, former President of the United States

Reveille needs no introduction to Aggies; she is the First Lady of Texas A&M--surrounded by traditions, honored and privileged anywhere on campus. She is a goodwill ambassador as well as a mascot, a symbol of Aggieland as well as the highest ranking officer in A&M's Corps of Cadets. Her lifestyle, accessibility, and popularity combine to make her, above all, among the most widely beloved dogs in the country.

This richly illustrated book traces the history of Reveille, from the first mutt of uncertain origins to Reveille VII, an American collie of purebred lineage and scientific breeding. It tells the collective story of the lives of Reveille at Texas A&M: Reveille's life in the dorm and her privileges in classrooms; the dog-napping by in-state rivals that made national news in the 1990s; and her effect on the lives of those who have shared the campus with her, cared for her, and loved her.

A visible part of university life throughout the year, for many students Reveille is the pet they left at home. Rusty and Vannessa Burson have gathered anecdotes, statistics, and pictures that tell the little-known story of a well-known dog: her origins, tales and traditions, antics and adventures, and evolving role. It is the story of special dogs, caring people, and a legacy shaped through the decades.

The text is accompanied by formal portraits of the successive Revs and candid snaps of her at work and at play. Further spice is added through interspersed facts and figures and quotes from the many people whose lives she has touched.

Like Lassie, Old Yeller, and Rin Tin Tin, Reveille appeals to any dog lover--but she has a special place in the hearts of her fellow Aggies.

Customer Reviews:

What beautiful dogs!.......2006-02-28

What? You're an Aggie or a fan, and you need to know if you would like this book? Okay, then. It's a warm, informative, and enthusiastic look at one of A&M's most endearing traditions. This book is an easy read and is well-illustrated with beautiful color photos of the First Ladies. You'll probably finish reading it in a session or two. Read it, enjoy it, and then go get your picture made with Reveille!

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Reveille In Washington
Margaret Leech
Manufacturer: Harper and Brothers, 1941
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000E46EZ2

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Reveille for Radicals
Saul D. Alinsky
Manufacturer: University of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NMFBMW

Product Description

This is a book about developing community organizations. It is based on Alinsky's experience with community organizations in Chicago.

American Reveille: The United States at War

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American Reveille: The United States at War
Ward Morehouse
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000EEKCA

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REVEILLE IN WASHINGTON , 1860-1865

Manufacturer: HARPER BROTHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IJTUZE

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SAVE YOUR MONEY
Badly edited - for historians only
Essential Reading
Bad Report

Dachau Liberated: The Official Report
U S. Seventh Army
Manufacturer: Inkling Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1587420074

Book Description

This is the official U.S. Army report of the terrible conditions at the Dachau concentration camp in Nazi Germany and of the camp's liberation on April 29, 1945. It was written within days of that liberation and contains valuable photographs, sketches and first-person accounts. It includes an interview with a woman who claimed to have been Rudof Hoess's mistress at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Copies of the original report are hard to obtain. This is the first time it has been published as a book.

Customer Reviews:

SAVE YOUR MONEY.......2005-04-29

In defense of whoever wrote this report in 1945 they probably were not professional writers nor did they expect their report to be offered to the public 50+ years later. For that reason I gave the book two stars instead of one. This is a very dry, unemotional, bland report that is rather disjointed.

Although I did not expect a professional effort I had expected something substantive -- maybe more along the lines of a description of the advance upon the town of Dachau, the capturing of the camp, the surrender of the German guards left behind, the actions taken against the Germans (including summary executions and reprisals by the inmates), and the liberation of the survivors. Instead it is a very dry attempt to explain the camp organization and what occurred there.

The report was written only days after the liberation and contributes nothing to an understanding about the camp, the inmates, the guards, and the activities surrounding the liberation of the camp. Its historical value is only in when it was written and from where. Otherwise there was no value to this book.

Badly edited - for historians only.......2005-04-18

This booklet is a reprint of the various short reports that the American Army sent home on Dachau concentration camp when they liberated it in 1945. As a source, it is very interesting; how did the liberators react to the camp they found? What was their impression of the Germans who lived in the town of Dachau?
As can be expected from a report written early after the war, there are many mistakes in the reports. This would not have been a problem if the book had been properly edited. Unfortunately, someone who is not very knowledgeable on the subject edited the book. There are many mistakes in the German quotations. The camp is also wrongly referred to as a death camp. Death camps differed from concentration camps in that people did not work there, but were killed immediately after arrival. These camps only existed in Poland. The Dachau gas chamber is described but it is now widely accepted that this chamber was hardly (possibly never) used to kill people. That the editor fails to point this out is not just negligent, but it also gives ammunition to the so-called revisionists or holocaust deniers who claim that gas chambers were never in use. They often use Dachau as an illustration of the "false" impression that there were gas chambers.
There are other illustrations of the lack of insight of the editor. For instance, the report of the former mistress of Rudolf Hoess camp commandant of Auschwitz. Her name is only given abbreviated, while there are other reports on her, giving her name as Eleonore Hodys, for instance Hermann Langbeins book People in Auschwitz. This book also offers more information on the affair. Without a further introduction, Hodys' testimony makes little sense at it is on Auschwitz concentration camp.
For the professional historian it can be a valuable source of information, but general readers should avoid this book. It is a bad introduction on concentration camps for the non-professional. Many other books offer more accurate information on Dachau and other concentration camps.

Essential Reading.......2004-06-10

For serious students of the Holocaust, this report of the United States' Seventh Army staff should be required reading. The chilling diary that is paired with the report lends further evidence to the degradation and beasitality of the Nazi regime as played out in suburban Munich.

Bad Report.......2003-05-03

Disappointed and just a little bit mad, that sums up my feelings after reading this book. I had high hopes for the book given that I had read a similar book on another camp that was very good. This book, on the other hand just was very lacking in detail and organization. The book is the 7th Army's report on the camp issued shortly after the liberation. The book tried to cover the set up of the camp, what took place in the camp, the make up of the SS staff, and a few personnel accounts of time in camp. The authors just did none of these items very well. The book was poorly organized. The coverage of the camp set up and running of the camp was far too short and really lacked in detail. And the personnel accounts were mainly of people in somewhat privileged support roles quite unlike the average prisoner.

I wish this was the extent of my issues with the book, but on top of all this the writing just was not that good. The writing was rather jumpy and not very challenging. It was like reading a bad high school history report. Overall I would pass on this book. There are far too many quality books covering this topic to spend any time on this one. The only reason I am giving the book a two is I somehow feel guilty about giving a very low rating to book dealing with such a horrible event.

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