lorialdenholuta's reviews
534 reviews
Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was recommended this book, as I have a reputation amongst friends and family for liking happy endings and hopeful plotlines. Quarter Share has that. But its optimistic outlook isn’t enough to support the story. What is missing is a solid plot, conflicts, and diversity amongst the characters.
Rather than a plot, we instead have a journal-like memoir from the viewpoint of Ishmael Wang, a crew member of the Lois McKendrick a deep-space freighter. We learn about the death of his mother and his inability to find work on his home planet, which was literally going to evict him. He enlisted for a two year stint with this huge commercial freighter, in spite of having absolutely no experience in space.
From there, its a day-by-day accounting of his experiences as the ship’s rookie as he learns the ropes, studies to earn a better position on the ship, and makes friends. Unfortunately, the challenges aren’t very challenging, his daily life is a repetitive routine of working in the ships kitchens, making coffee, having dull conversations with smiling, vapid friends, and ending each day with a run and a sauna. For excitement, the routine is occasionally broken up by a practice emergency drill (no need to fret, they always *know* its a drill).
The action hits top speed as Ishmael and his friends figure out how to successfully make a bit of profit at the flea markets that seem to be ubiquitous on every planet they visit. Oh, and they learn about mushroom farming.
That’s it – that’s the action. Flea markets and mushroom farms. Neither of which offer any sort of real challenge or conflict with anyone.
I can see what the author was aiming for. A re-telling of Horatio Hornblower, in space. A comfortable space-opera snuggly quilt to nestle down in after a hard day in our real world. Quarter Share is a literary sedative. It’s hard to be mad at it, but it’s also difficult to rave about it, either.
Oddly, I may read the next book in the series, Half Share, just to see if the author decided to intensify the reading experience. The series is beloved by quite a few readers, and I’d like to see if there’s more to it.
Rather than a plot, we instead have a journal-like memoir from the viewpoint of Ishmael Wang, a crew member of the Lois McKendrick a deep-space freighter. We learn about the death of his mother and his inability to find work on his home planet, which was literally going to evict him. He enlisted for a two year stint with this huge commercial freighter, in spite of having absolutely no experience in space.
From there, its a day-by-day accounting of his experiences as the ship’s rookie as he learns the ropes, studies to earn a better position on the ship, and makes friends. Unfortunately, the challenges aren’t very challenging, his daily life is a repetitive routine of working in the ships kitchens, making coffee, having dull conversations with smiling, vapid friends, and ending each day with a run and a sauna. For excitement, the routine is occasionally broken up by a practice emergency drill (no need to fret, they always *know* its a drill).
The action hits top speed as Ishmael and his friends figure out how to successfully make a bit of profit at the flea markets that seem to be ubiquitous on every planet they visit. Oh, and they learn about mushroom farming.
That’s it – that’s the action. Flea markets and mushroom farms. Neither of which offer any sort of real challenge or conflict with anyone.
I can see what the author was aiming for. A re-telling of Horatio Hornblower, in space. A comfortable space-opera snuggly quilt to nestle down in after a hard day in our real world. Quarter Share is a literary sedative. It’s hard to be mad at it, but it’s also difficult to rave about it, either.
Oddly, I may read the next book in the series, Half Share, just to see if the author decided to intensify the reading experience. The series is beloved by quite a few readers, and I’d like to see if there’s more to it.
Heir of Uncertain Magic by Charlie N. Holmberg
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The second book in the Whimbrel House series picks up where Keeper of Enchanted Rooms left off. Merritt and Hulda's attraction to each other continues moving at a snail's pace towards a full-blown romance, Owein absolutely steals the show as a dog learning his letters, and we spend far too much time away from the house that I fell in love with in book one.
If you love these characters, wish to know more about LIKER, love a good clever dog, and would enjoy getting off the island more often, you'll enjoy the story.
While I did enjoy it myself, I found myself growing impatient at times. The pacing often slowed to a crawl, and I often wanted to reach into the pages and give our wannabe lovebirds a good shake. I feel invested in this series and just wanted the characters to continue to live up to standards, really.
Oh, and I have stumbled across the blurb for book 3, Boy of Chaotic Making and my excitement to continue the series will no doubt be rekindled by its release!
Vera Warden and the Two-Faced Demon by J. Rose
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s always fun when I’m drawn into a book by its cover… and then find out that the story not only lives up to that cover, but exceeds my expectations. Author J. Rose’s Vera Warden and the Two-Faced Demon does just that.
Having been the new kid in school twice during my grade school years, I’m always interested in a protagonist that’s facing that challenge. I figured out pretty quickly that twelve-year-old Vera Warden had the chops to find her niche at her new boarding school for tech kids. That process can be a challenge for any kid, but Vera isn’t just ‘any kid’. It seems she has the ability to see and interact with ghosts. This skill comes in handy once we meet the schools unconventional, unalive ‘gardener’.
Her ghostly new acquaintance is just one of the new friendships she’s trying to form. It helps that she designed a popular game that most of the other kids enjoy playing. But some of the kids aren’t treating her kindly, since Vera’s in a wheelchair due to Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. Besides that, her face is formed differently than the other kids.
Can Vera navigate (figuratively and literally) her way though this new school experience? Will she learn more about her ghostly gardener friend? Are there other supernatural surprises waiting in the wings of the historic old school buildings?
Vera’s no superhero – she’ll make mistakes along the way, but who doesn’t? Readers will find Vera to be relatable in so many ways, but she’ll also prove to be a standout role model to anyone who’s ever struggled with school. Which, let’s be honest, is probably everyone.
The paranormal twists creates a solid mystery for Vera to solve, and add tension that will keep a reader page-turning right up to the’ never saw that coming’ end. Happily, this is volume one of a planned series. I look forward to spending more time exploring paranormal mysteries with Vera and her new friends.
Little House Life Hacks: Lessons for the Modern Pioneer from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Prairie by Angie Bailey, Susie Shubert
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A few months back, I started noticing the hashtag #tradwife in various social medias. I became curious about what others considered to be a “traditional” wife and where this rediscovered ideal might intersect with my own experiences in cooking from scratch, growing and preserving much of our food, making what I can for the home rather than buying, nurturing my friendships and community groups… and I soon realized that the intersections weren’t strong.
These new ‘tradwives’ seem focused on housecleaning, dressing in ruffled housedresses, not working outside the home, and submission to husbands. I have no problem with women choosing this sort of lifestyle, but I’m concerned that the values being adopted may only go skin-deep.
Yes, I’m getting to the book. Bear with me a bit longer. Having grown up in a traditional values home, my experience with my ‘tradwife’ mom included so much more. She volunteered to lead my Camp Fire Girls group. She was an active member of the PTA. She opened our home to to the public as a voting station during national elections. On a more personal level, she made my friends feel welcome and cared for whenever they visited, and never hesitated to help out a neighbor in need.
Little House Life Hacks is filled with gentle, homespun advice based on fictional characters, to be sure, but these particular characters stand as examples of how very real people were back in ‘the day’.
Authors Angie Bailey and Susie Shubert take a deep-dive into the actions, ethics, and habits of the characters and unpack them for a modern audience. These ‘life hacks’ are sorted into ten sections. You may think that some of them don’t apply to your lifestyle. I know there’s a few that don’t match my life, but I still found them interesting, and having read them I might have a better capacity to understand and empathize with friends and neighbors who hold those values. The sections are:
Hack Your Family Life
Hack Your Community Life
Hack Your Faith
Hack Your Romantic Life
Hack Your Friendships
Hack Your Work Life
Hack Your Self-Care
Hack Your Resourcefulness
Hack Your Sustainability
Hack Your Gratitude
Hack Your Community Life
Hack Your Faith
Hack Your Romantic Life
Hack Your Friendships
Hack Your Work Life
Hack Your Self-Care
Hack Your Resourcefulness
Hack Your Sustainability
Hack Your Gratitude
Finally, even though I’ve been taught to never judge a book by its cover – Let’s talk about the construction of the book! It’s smaller than most hardbacks at 5-1/2″ x 7-1/2″, a size that fits neatly into my hands as I read. It’s a true hardback with stitched binding, and nicely patterned endpapers inside each cover. The pages are thick white paper, perfect for the blue highlight color used throughout the book. Small illustrations and a lavish use of font styles really make the book feel special. The book is also available for Kindle. Pre-order now for a delivery date of August 22, 2023.
The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
During the Second World War, many British citizens took shelter underground where the bombs couldn’t reach them. They would sometimes wrap an extra layer of protection around their hearts and minds by escaping into good books.
The Little Wartime Library gives readers a chance to understand the power of comfort-reading. It’s a book that’s difficult to set aside once you bond with the characters you’ll meet within the pages. The story reveals itself best when read while snuggled into your safest, coziest corner, preferably with blankets and tea (or gin).
Knowing that this fictional story is heavily based on the very real history of a tiny, makeshift library hidden away as part of a secret village that’s coalesced inside a tube tunnel deep underground in London’s East End makes it all so much more meaningful, and a little bit more magical.
The reader becomes a time traveler. It’s impossible to feel as if you’re passively reading a story about fictional characters. I stayed up hours past my usual bedtime more than once, simply because I had left my own home, crossed the pond, and escaped to the Bethnal Green tube station. I needed to know if my new friends were going to be okay, and certainly couldn’t leave them hanging in the midst of one of the many adventures or situations they get into. I cared about them all. (Okay, I absolutely loathed two of them, but trust me, you will too. And for good reason!)
Author Kate Thompson is a masterful storyteller who took the time to do the work before setting pen to paper. Her research pays off with a story that’s already a classic, as far as I’m concerned.
If you are curious about how ordinary people got by during the war, you’ll gain so much insight. If you’re a bookworm who likes seeing librarians get the spotlight, dive in! If you aren’t sure if this book is for you, just check to see if you have a heartbeat. Yes? Great, it’s for you, too.
There’s a bonus in the back of the book that feels like a ‘making of’ movie featurette. This extensive section will delight book clubs, along with anyone interested in behind the scenes photos and explanations about the events, people, and places that inspired this story.
My only regret is that various online systems won’t allow me to give this book higher than 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
Seven Tales from King Arthur's Court by Albert Seligman
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
With endless books being added daily to bookstore shelves (physical and virtual), it’s easy to go ‘deer in the headlights’ while trying to select your next read. You hope it will provide entertainment and serve as transportation to another place, perhaps another time, if just for a little while.
Finding that little needle in a constantly growing haystack can be a challenge. When I discovered Seven Tales from King Arthur’s Court, I soon realized that I’d discovered a needle — a handcrafted, labor of love, one of a kind needle, one that has taken a full century to create.
Editor Albert Seligman has been working on this project for over thirty years. He took on the challenge of locating all 106 of Edmund Dulac’s illustrations published in the American Weekly magazine between 1924 and 1951.
In a recent email conversation, Albert Seligman told me that, “I found them in Bill Blackbeard’s Academy of Comic Art in San Francisco. Bill allowed us to remove and photograph the covers.” Imaging what an honor (and thrill!) it must have been to take temporary possession of so much rare artwork.
One outcome of that project is this book. It contains seven stories by John Erskine, originally published in the American Weekly magazine. Each story is accompanied by an Edmund Dulac illustration. You’ll also enjoy the art of other “Golden Age” illustrators throughout the book.
In the introduction, Seligman provides a wealth of information about John Erskine and Edmund Dulac for those who may not be familiar with their work. A lengthy, fascinating essay titled “The Delight of Great Books” by John Erskine serves as a prelude to the seven Arthurian stories.
If you love Arthurian legends, or are a fan of the Golden Age of Illustration (1880–1930), this book should find a special place in your personal library. It will entertain you, delight your eyes, and remind you that classic artwork and storytelling is well worth the effort of preserving.
Finding that little needle in a constantly growing haystack can be a challenge. When I discovered Seven Tales from King Arthur’s Court, I soon realized that I’d discovered a needle — a handcrafted, labor of love, one of a kind needle, one that has taken a full century to create.
Editor Albert Seligman has been working on this project for over thirty years. He took on the challenge of locating all 106 of Edmund Dulac’s illustrations published in the American Weekly magazine between 1924 and 1951.
In a recent email conversation, Albert Seligman told me that, “I found them in Bill Blackbeard’s Academy of Comic Art in San Francisco. Bill allowed us to remove and photograph the covers.” Imaging what an honor (and thrill!) it must have been to take temporary possession of so much rare artwork.
One outcome of that project is this book. It contains seven stories by John Erskine, originally published in the American Weekly magazine. Each story is accompanied by an Edmund Dulac illustration. You’ll also enjoy the art of other “Golden Age” illustrators throughout the book.
In the introduction, Seligman provides a wealth of information about John Erskine and Edmund Dulac for those who may not be familiar with their work. A lengthy, fascinating essay titled “The Delight of Great Books” by John Erskine serves as a prelude to the seven Arthurian stories.
If you love Arthurian legends, or are a fan of the Golden Age of Illustration (1880–1930), this book should find a special place in your personal library. It will entertain you, delight your eyes, and remind you that classic artwork and storytelling is well worth the effort of preserving.
The Insignificance Paradigm by John Hamilton
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A small act of kindness starts events in the small town of Luitgarde rolling towards a conclusion that nobody (including, hopefully, the reader) saw coming. Much of the action takes place in a Dungeons and Dragons-esque ancient, maze-like setting, with our team of diverse species and talents handling each challenge along the way as best they can. There’s no Mary-Sue on this team though, as they don’t always win every battle and best every beast.
Our main protagonist is Eleazaar, a young cleric without much experience in the ways of the world. He’s got talent and brains, but hasn’t yet been hardened by the fires of battle. As our story begins, Eleazaar unwittingly proves an old saying to be very, very true – No good deed goes unpunished.
Eleazaar isn’t originally from Luitgarde. In fact he’s not from anywhere close by. He couldn’t return home even if he wanted to, and I won’t tell you why. That’s something I’ll let Eleazaar relay to you himself. It’s a fascinating tale and one I hope will be touched on more in books to come.
It’s clear that author John Hamilton loves the Fantasy genre. He writes with enthusiasm and revels in the details of the world he’s created. If you love classic fantasy with familiar character types striving to save the day, The Insignificance Paradigm may be your next comfort-read.
Inside Bridgerton: The Official Ride from Script to Screen by Betsy Beers, Shonda Rhimes
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Clearly I'm going to need to buy a coffee table to display this gem. Inside Bridgerton is as lavish as the Regency Era itself. The dust cover is lovely, and you should prepare to be delighted by the ornate endsheets inside both the front and back covers. It's a substantial book, weighing nearly three pounds, so that coffee table will need to have well-braced legs.
Every turn of a page reveals glorious photography. Many of the photographs are 'behind the scenes' shots. My favorites are the rather surreal images featuring the lavish sets... with the cameras and crew included.
Eye candy aside, there's plenty to read as well. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers speak at length about how Bridgerton came to be, captured in conversational voices that are pleasant to read. There are many mini-interviews with just about everyone who worked on the show, both in front of the camera and out of sight. And all sorts of other bits and pieces. I get the feeling that the authors really didn't want to leave anything out!
I especially enjoyed learning more about location hunting, and the many bits of information about the Regency era, as I'm usually a Victorian era fangirl.
This is a book to re-visit time and time again. There's just so much included! One read-through is not enough. Now please excuse me, I must get to the furniture shops and order that coffee table.
Every turn of a page reveals glorious photography. Many of the photographs are 'behind the scenes' shots. My favorites are the rather surreal images featuring the lavish sets... with the cameras and crew included.
Eye candy aside, there's plenty to read as well. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers speak at length about how Bridgerton came to be, captured in conversational voices that are pleasant to read. There are many mini-interviews with just about everyone who worked on the show, both in front of the camera and out of sight. And all sorts of other bits and pieces. I get the feeling that the authors really didn't want to leave anything out!
I especially enjoyed learning more about location hunting, and the many bits of information about the Regency era, as I'm usually a Victorian era fangirl.
This is a book to re-visit time and time again. There's just so much included! One read-through is not enough. Now please excuse me, I must get to the furniture shops and order that coffee table.
The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Joseph Perry Shackleford lives in Shackleford House, a sprawling, ancient mansion in the midst of a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Both the man and his home are aging relics of a bygone time, and forgotten by all but his closest friends. Mr. Shackleford is a recluse who spends nearly all of his waking hours in his library, reading only one book out of his vast collection. After the death of his butler, Perkins, he finds himself alone.
His niece has taken it upon herself to hire a new butler to tend to the old man’s needs. Roger Mulligan seems at first glance to be the least likely candidate for the job, given his action-packed history as a soldier and an EMT, but there’s something about the place, and the old man, that draws him in. The exorbitant salary and the promise of a seven-figure bonus if he lasts a full year sure doesn’t hurt, either.
There’s the basic premise. But what can’t be easily captured in a synopsis is the way this story will gently get under your skin. It will chip away at character stereotypes, and possibly even redefine your notions of family, devotion, love, legacy, and magic.
Author Nathan Lowell has the ability to write stories almost devoid of exciting ‘big action’. The Wizard’s Butler is told from the viewpoint of Mulligan, the new butler. It’s a deceptively simple premise, which is actually a complex, far-reaching story that is subtly revealed through the routine tasks and interactions of daily life.
It’s enjoyable to watch Mulligan’s transformation into his new role as a butler. Rather than being a hindrance, his time in the military instilled in him an appreciation of order and tidiness, as well as the ability to respect and defer to his new employer’s wishes. One rather amusing chapter deals with Mulligan being fitted for his new uniform by a rather quirky tailor. This experience gives him his first clue that his life is taking a turn towards the extraordinary.
What I found to be wonderfully clever about the story is that one never knows where the twists will come from. The story is told gently and precisely. It’s not a rollercoaster action story, where one can see the top of each peak in the distance. I found each revelation to be very believable, and satisfying.
As the small actions and revelations start to stack up, I began to experience a sense of urgency—a need to know how seemingly impossible situations would resolve. But I didn’t want the pace to change. Had the author raced towards a resolution by throwing the characters into overblown situations, I would have felt cheated.
Brew yourself a cup of tea, find the coziest seat in the house, and settle in for a story that is satisfying and uplifting. Meanwhile, I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel, The Wizard’s Cat, which is in the works right now.
This review was originally published at SciFi.Radio
https://scifi.radio/2023/07/24/book-review-nathan-lowells-the-wizards-butler/
His niece has taken it upon herself to hire a new butler to tend to the old man’s needs. Roger Mulligan seems at first glance to be the least likely candidate for the job, given his action-packed history as a soldier and an EMT, but there’s something about the place, and the old man, that draws him in. The exorbitant salary and the promise of a seven-figure bonus if he lasts a full year sure doesn’t hurt, either.
There’s the basic premise. But what can’t be easily captured in a synopsis is the way this story will gently get under your skin. It will chip away at character stereotypes, and possibly even redefine your notions of family, devotion, love, legacy, and magic.
Author Nathan Lowell has the ability to write stories almost devoid of exciting ‘big action’. The Wizard’s Butler is told from the viewpoint of Mulligan, the new butler. It’s a deceptively simple premise, which is actually a complex, far-reaching story that is subtly revealed through the routine tasks and interactions of daily life.
It’s enjoyable to watch Mulligan’s transformation into his new role as a butler. Rather than being a hindrance, his time in the military instilled in him an appreciation of order and tidiness, as well as the ability to respect and defer to his new employer’s wishes. One rather amusing chapter deals with Mulligan being fitted for his new uniform by a rather quirky tailor. This experience gives him his first clue that his life is taking a turn towards the extraordinary.
What I found to be wonderfully clever about the story is that one never knows where the twists will come from. The story is told gently and precisely. It’s not a rollercoaster action story, where one can see the top of each peak in the distance. I found each revelation to be very believable, and satisfying.
As the small actions and revelations start to stack up, I began to experience a sense of urgency—a need to know how seemingly impossible situations would resolve. But I didn’t want the pace to change. Had the author raced towards a resolution by throwing the characters into overblown situations, I would have felt cheated.
Brew yourself a cup of tea, find the coziest seat in the house, and settle in for a story that is satisfying and uplifting. Meanwhile, I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel, The Wizard’s Cat, which is in the works right now.
This review was originally published at SciFi.Radio
https://scifi.radio/2023/07/24/book-review-nathan-lowells-the-wizards-butler/
Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
A book about Airplane!? What is it? It’s pieces of paper with pictures and words on them, pressed between colorful covers, but that’s not important right now.
I’ve been a fan of this groundbreaking, earnestly-comical movie ever since I saw it the first week it opened in Seattle, back in the summer of 1980. I’ve always been a fan of puns and playing with the meanings of words, so I was charmed right from the get-go. If you are too, you’ve probably watched the movie a dozen times already.
I’m not going to keep typing out “David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker” when it’s much easier to call them “Team ZAZ”. I’m certainly not going to call them Shirley. This book is refreshingly honest, and lacking the slick editing/airbrushing of history, as we take a look at the chain of events that led up to the making of a classic. Team ZAZ freely admits to mistakes and rookie errors made along the way. The actors are honest about their reactions and experiences. Robert Hays even admits to how much (or should I say how little) he was paid – and explains why he got a ‘bonus’ of less than a hundred bucks.
Every time Team ZAZ landed another big-name actor, they reacted with wonder, astonishment, and delight. These emotions seem to be a theme in their lives. From the day they packed up everything in a big truck and left the Midwest, to nabbing the perfect building to rent for their wacky stage performances out in Hollywoodland, they simply could not believe their luck! That sense of wonderment never left the team, and is responsible for Airplane! being the endlessly funny, timeless classic that it is. That feeling is captured in the anecdotes collected here.
This book isn’t written as a formal manuscript. It’s an entirely different kind of book, altogether. (I’ll pause while you take that bait.) Instead, it’s a big collection of pictures and anecdotes from and about everyone who had anything to do with the movie. Luckily for us, Team ZAZ and the cast and crew of the movie are a talkative, excitable bunch.
Everyone happily shares their first impressions of the project. Most of the cast didn’t ‘get it’ but came along for the ride, anyway. It was always cheering to read the anecdote where one of the principal actors finally realized what was going on and ‘got it’.
Something I didn’t realize, and loved learning more about, was the fact that Team ZAZ made Hollywood history. Airplane! was the first movie to have three people working as a team to direct a movie. Hollywood didn’t accept this arrangement easily, but the team refused to have it any other way. After you learn how far they’d already made it in life as a trio, you wouldn’t have it any other way, either.
This book is for fans of Airplane! of course, but should also appeal to young hopefuls needing inspiration as they struggle for their own big break. Fans of 1970s improv theater culture will get a kick out of it too.
My thanks to David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker (Team ZAZ!), St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I’ve been a fan of this groundbreaking, earnestly-comical movie ever since I saw it the first week it opened in Seattle, back in the summer of 1980. I’ve always been a fan of puns and playing with the meanings of words, so I was charmed right from the get-go. If you are too, you’ve probably watched the movie a dozen times already.
I’m not going to keep typing out “David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker” when it’s much easier to call them “Team ZAZ”. I’m certainly not going to call them Shirley. This book is refreshingly honest, and lacking the slick editing/airbrushing of history, as we take a look at the chain of events that led up to the making of a classic. Team ZAZ freely admits to mistakes and rookie errors made along the way. The actors are honest about their reactions and experiences. Robert Hays even admits to how much (or should I say how little) he was paid – and explains why he got a ‘bonus’ of less than a hundred bucks.
Every time Team ZAZ landed another big-name actor, they reacted with wonder, astonishment, and delight. These emotions seem to be a theme in their lives. From the day they packed up everything in a big truck and left the Midwest, to nabbing the perfect building to rent for their wacky stage performances out in Hollywoodland, they simply could not believe their luck! That sense of wonderment never left the team, and is responsible for Airplane! being the endlessly funny, timeless classic that it is. That feeling is captured in the anecdotes collected here.
This book isn’t written as a formal manuscript. It’s an entirely different kind of book, altogether. (I’ll pause while you take that bait.) Instead, it’s a big collection of pictures and anecdotes from and about everyone who had anything to do with the movie. Luckily for us, Team ZAZ and the cast and crew of the movie are a talkative, excitable bunch.
Everyone happily shares their first impressions of the project. Most of the cast didn’t ‘get it’ but came along for the ride, anyway. It was always cheering to read the anecdote where one of the principal actors finally realized what was going on and ‘got it’.
Something I didn’t realize, and loved learning more about, was the fact that Team ZAZ made Hollywood history. Airplane! was the first movie to have three people working as a team to direct a movie. Hollywood didn’t accept this arrangement easily, but the team refused to have it any other way. After you learn how far they’d already made it in life as a trio, you wouldn’t have it any other way, either.
This book is for fans of Airplane! of course, but should also appeal to young hopefuls needing inspiration as they struggle for their own big break. Fans of 1970s improv theater culture will get a kick out of it too.
My thanks to David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker (Team ZAZ!), St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.